USRE15768E - Machine for distributing concrete - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 19 1924.

E. H. LICHTENBERG MACHINE FOR DISTRIBUTING CONCRETE Original Filed July 19 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet l H I J j E i m .7

E. H. LICHTENBERG MACHINE FOR DISTRIBUTING CONCRETE Original Filed July 19. 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 19

E. H. LICHTENBERG MACHINE FOR DISTRIBUTING CONCRETE Original Filed July 19 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 iilllllllllll lll \II L llmlhlllill IIHIIIIHI.

Feb. 19 1924. Re, 15,768

E. H. LICHTENBERG MACHINE FOR DISTRIBUTING CONCRETE Original Filed July 19, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 19 1924.

E. H. LLCHTENBERG MACHINE FOR DISTRIBUTING CONCRETE Original Filed July 19, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Reisaued Feb. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERICK H. LICHTENBERG, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MIESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO KOEHBING COMPANY, .OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

Original No. 1,411,217, dated March 28, 1922, Serial No. 997,431, filed July 19, 1920.. Application for I reissue filed November 17, 1923. Serial No. 675,390.

ments and the like, there is commonly used as the most expeditious and economical method of distributing the concrete or mixed aggregates of which the pavement is composed, a machine which comprises, generally speaking, a combined mixer and boom and bucket distributing means. This machine, ordinarily known as the -Koehring paver, embodies a portable plant which includes the concrete mixingdrum and customary appurtenant control mechanisms, together with the boom and bucket attachment operated from the same power as used for the mixing machine and controlled by the same operator.

The chief desideratum of the present invention is the reduction of the labor 'expense involved in effecting the distribution of the concrete'or mixed aggregates as incident to the operation of a paving machine of the class above described. By this machine the aggregates are commonly dumped in a pile upon a surface or sub-grade being paved, there to be distributed by laborers of whom two or more will be used for the spreading of the aggregates after they have been deposited upon the surface of the sub grade. In the practical embodiment ,of a machine of this character, I have so designed the distributing bucket oi the boom and bucket device previously referred to, and have so improved the controlling means for the operation of said bucket as to cause the aggregates of concrete delivered from the sald receptacle to be deposited upon the sub-grade surface in a stream-like manner and of a. predetermined thickness or depth, variable on account of the provision of special means for this particular purpose.

That is to say, instead of depositing the aggregates in piles to be subsequently spread by' expensive labor, y o m and bucket mechanism as now improved in comparison with the mechanism of my previous Letters Patent No. 1,141,470 and No. 1,113,661 issued June 1, 1915, and'October 13, 1914, respectively, permits the concrete to be delivered to the surface on-which it is to be laid in a ribbon-like stream of approximately rectangular formation in cross section, the depth or thickness of the layer of aggregates deposited being susceptible of variations according to the specifications of the particular contract governing the work. This constitutes also my novel method.

For the accomplishment of the foregoing I have redesigned the bucket and boom a1:

rangements and the openable bucket door mechanism of my previous patents above identified. V I

In addition to the foregoing, among other objects of my invention, have been the simplifying of the driving mechanism utilized for causing the bucket to traverse the boom by which the distribution of the concrete over a relatively large area may be performed; the provision of a more positive driving mechanism for the purpose just outlined; and the improvement of certain knock-out or clutch neutralizing devices, certain of which have been heretofore proposed by me for automatically discontinuing the traverse of the bucket upon thev boom,

this being timed in respect to both the outward and the inward movements of the bucket relatively to the mixing machine by which the concrete is supplied thereto.

In the present design of boom and bucket distributing mechanism there is also proposed an improved device for causing the swinging of the boom in a horizontal plane to efi'ectthe proper distribution of the aggregates on different portions of the subgrade. This feature of my invention is of importance and involves the worm and worm gear contrivances originally proposed in the Letters Patent Reissue No. 13,617, is-

sued September 16, 1913, to Philip A. Koehring, said patent covering the basic machine improved by the features of my Let-' tors Patent hereinbefore designated. In the operation of the worm and worm gear boom turning means, there has been a tendency heretofore to cause locking of the engaged worm and worm gear contrivances, owing to the momentum of the boom once the horizontal movement is imparted thereto. I merely mount my worm in a resilient manner as regards end-wise moving, in respect to the engaged worm ar, and in this way eliminate the possibility of the disadvantageous locking of the parts as referred to, at the same time. rendering more easy the operation of the boom by said parts manually in respect to initiating as well as sto pin said boom movement.

. fl 1 comprehension of the improvements of this invention will be had upon I an understanding of the machines of the Letters Patent reviously set forth herein in connection with the following description and the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a slde view showing particularly the boom and bucket attachment as designed with the present improvements, dotted lines indicating in a general way the adjacent end portion of the mixing machine more particularly the automatic stop omitted.

upon which the boom and bucket mechanism is mounted.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing mechanism at opposite ends of the boom or cooperation with the driving gearing to render the later inactive at proper times.

Figure 3 is a view looki toward the delivery or discharge end 0 the mixer and bringing out more clearly the controllin lever and clutch shifting mechanism and a jacent driving mechanlsm above theinner end of the boom.

' Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through the boom and looking toward the outer side of the bucket, bringing out more 'fully the mounting of the carriage on the boom and bucket-door closing device.

Figure 5 is a plan view showing primarily the parts illustrated in Fig. 1, the bucket and certain of the parts beneath the boom being Figure 6 is, a plan view bringing out clearly the worm and worm'gearturning device as improved, also the bumper cooperative with the carriage to limit the inward movement of the bucket on the .boom.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken about on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2.

Figure 8 is a similar sect on taken about on the line 88 of Fig. 2.

Figure 9 is a vertical section taken through a portion of the carriage showing the shuttle or slide of the trip ing device.

Figure 10 is a plan view 0 the sameineluding a trip member.

Figure 11 is a section on the line 1111 of Fig. 10.

Figure 12 is a front view showing more clearly the windingdrum of the driving mechanism.

Figure 13 is an enlar ed view showing more clearly the adjustab 0 stop on the carriage; and

Figure 14 is a perspective view showing more clearl the arrangement of the lever arms and links of the clutch shifting and knock out devices.

Referring to the drawings in which the same reference characters are used to desig nate corresponding parts in difi'erent views, and' describing the improvements hereof in detail, A denotes the portion of the mixing drum of themixing machine illustrated in conjunction with the boom and bucket mechanism, B the'frame work or main machine structure, and said drum A is rotatably operated in a well known manner by toothed gear rings C carried by the drum A, (see Figure, 5). The boom and bucket mechanism embodies as its primary features the boom 1 and the bucket 2, the latter spaced from the ground, power operated, and being normally non-discharging in its body construction.

The driving mechanism by means of which the bucket is caused to traverse the boom 1 comprises a pair of shafts 3 and 4 having pinions at one end meshing with the gearring 0 of the drum A whereby motion is transmitted constantly to the shafts while the drum A is in operation. The shafts 3 and 4 are equipped with normally idle bevel gears 5 and 6 respectively, adapted to be operatively connected to turn with said shafts by means of clutches 7 and 8 respectively. The bevel gears 5 and 6 cooperate with the winding drum 9 formed with a spirally grooved winding surface, said drum having at opposite ends large bevelv gears 10with which the gears 5 and 6 mesh. The opposite ends 11' and 11 of an operating cable 11 wind around the drum 9in opposite directions, and have the extremities thereof fixedly attached to the drum at places shown best in Fig. 12 of the drawings. The said cable 11 extends from the end portion ll down under a sheave 12 journaled on top of the boom 1 thence outwardly along the boom around a sheave 13 at the outer extremity of said boom. From the sheave 13 the cable 11 is trained inwardly along the boom adjacent to its under side, said cable passing thence upwardly over a sheave 14 located adjacent to the point of pivotal support of the boom 1. At thispint the cable 11 has its end 11 port intermediate the boom and the frame work of the mixer.

To operate the clutches 7 and 8 a rocker lever 17 (see Figs. 3 and 5) is employed, the same being equipped with shifting forks and being mounted upon a vertical shaft 18, seen best in Fig. 3. The shaft 18 has a mainhand lever 19 connected with its lower end' and this lever is operable to alternately render the clutches 7 and 8 active for effecting reverse movements of the drum 9 and cable 11 or to maintain the clutches 7 and 8 in neutral positions.

The reverse operation of the drum 9 is effective to cause reverse movement of the bucket 2 relative to the boom 1 by interconnections between the cable 11 and the car riage 20, which interconnections are very similar to those set forth in my previous Patent No. 1,141,470. The carriage has the rollers 21 which are adapted to travel in the channels of the beams which comprise the boom 1, as shown best in Fig. 4. The

' bucket 2 is supported by' the carriage 20 through the provision of hangers 22, and the method of attachment of the cable 11 to the carriage 20 is best shown in Figs. 9 to 11. For the above purpose I provide on the carriage 20, slidable in suitable ways or grooves 23 at opposite sides of the latter, a slide or shuttle 24. The slide or shuttle 24 has end bars with openings 25 through which the cable 11 passes and mounted on the shuttle member 24 is a trip 26 pivoted at 2'7 and having an upwardly extending arm 28. Centrally of the slide or shuttle 24 there is mounted a slack take-up shaft 29 equipped with ratchet wheels 30 and about which the cable 11 is wound so as to extend from the shaft in o posite directions. It will be evident that v turning the shaft 29 by the application of any suitable tool, any unnecessary slack in the length of the cable 11 may be taken up. i

The action of the trip 26 is very similar to the action of certain corresponding trip mechanism of my previous Patent No.

1,141,470, and will be generally set forth hereinafter.

Reverse movement of the cable 11 imparts corresponding movement to the carriage 20,-

and said carriage supports the bucket 2-for a corresponding movement of the latter. ,I utilize my previously invented and well known cam 31 to cooperatewith an arm 32 on. the shaft 33 for the purpose of closing the bottom door 34 of the bucket 2. The bottom door 34 is connected by linka e 35 and spring 36 with the curved link 3 which in turn is attached to the throw over arms 38 projecting from the, shaft 33 all substantially as disclosed in my last named Letters Patent.

tant. The door 34 is of a length corresponding to the width of. the bucket 2, andsaid door is variably limited in its opening movement by means of an adjustable stop 39 which is attached to one side of the carriage It is the adjnstability of the stop 39 which admits of the flowing of the concrete aggregates from the bucket 2 in a ribbonlike stream, the thickness of which depends upon the extent of opening of said door, and due to retarding egress of the aggregates because of the restriction of the door opening. Necessarily the thickness of the stream of materials discharged from the bucket 2 determines the depth of the layer of concrete or aggregates dispensed, so to speak, by the bucket.- The bucket opening and door 34 are advantageously arranged transversely of the boom, and of the direction of travel of the bucket 2, for the attainment of the above result of depositing the plastic aggregates in a layer of measured thickness. The bucket'2 is designedly a low discharge bucket; in other words, the discharge end of the bucket is very near the ground so as to admit of the laying down of the concrete in a relatively thin ribbon-like gravitating stream of a width .equal to the width of the bucket and of a depth regulated tains operative an egress opening of a constant invariable cross section.

The boom-1 is adapted to be raised and lowered by vertical movement on an, axis established by the horizontal pivot 40 connecting the boom with the vertical pivot 15 on the bracket 16. The means utilized for this purpose are like those heretofore'proposed including a cable 41- attached to the upper frame work B of the machine (see- Fig. 1) passing around a sheave 42 on the boom 1 intermediate the ends of the latter,

thence passing 'up and around another sheave 43 on the frame ork'sections, down again'around a second sheave 42, co-axial the carriage with the bucket 2, if the operator does not reverse the movement of the cable 11 by manual control of the clutches through the lever 19, said carriage will strike the knock out or shifter arm 45 located adjacent to the outer end of the boom and pivoted to a bracket 46 thereon. The arm ,45 is equipped with a pull rod 47 extending longitudinally of the boom intermediate the channels thereof. When the knock out or shifter arm 45 is. rocked upward a pull is exerted on the rod 47 and said rod actuates a bell crank lever 48 near the inner end of the boom in such a manner as to pull downwardly upon a bar 49 which 3 is attached to another bell crank lever 50 which is pivoted at 51 on the frame work B. The vertical arm or lever 50 is connected with a horizontal arm 52 ofistanding from the shaft 18 which it will be recalled is the controlling shaft for the shifting yokes of the clutches 7 and 8. Obviously movement imparted to the bell crank lever 50 in the above manner will shift the arm and therewith the shaft 18 to move the shaft into a position in which the clutches 7 and 8 are neutral or reversed. In this way the drive of the cable 11 is discontinued or reversed automatically through the knock out device under the initial actuation of the knock out lever 45. On inward movement ofv the carriage 20, in order to automatically neutralize or render ineffective the one of the clutches 7 or 8 which is employed to cause return movement of the carriage upon the boom,

' there is provided a cam 53 on the carriage as seen best in Fig. 2, and this cam is adapted to ride beneath the roller 54 on the bottom of the bar 49, thereby raising said bar and efing ope-rati'onfrom the knock out member 45 and the principle of operation is quite similar to that .found in my Letters Patent No..'..1,113,661 previously. referred to.

There istleft to .be .described the means for turning the' boom 1 by movement in a horizontal plane, said means involving generally the previously well known worm gear sector 55 fixed on the pivot 15 by which the bo om is supported for said horizontal movement. This worm gear is engaged by a vworm 56 on the manually rotatable shaft 57 adapted to be turned by the wheel 58. The worm 56 may be said to be a floating worm to the extent that it is movable endwise on the shaft 57, though-of course, splined thereto to turn therewith. The worm operates between boxes 59 in which the shaft 57 is journalled on the bracket 16 and springs 60 are interposed between said boxes 59 and opposite ends of the worm. On turning the shaft 57 to swing 'the boom 1 horizontally, the initial ac'tion'of theworm-56 is to yield by compression of one of the springs 60, the one in the direction inwhich the boom will turn. After slight compression of said spring, the boom will begin to swing and the worm will become centralized between the boxes 59 under the action of the springs. On stoppage of the turning movement of the shaft 57, if there is continued movement of the boom under the impetus of its swing produced by manual operation of the wheel 58, said worm 56 will yield longitudinally on the shaft 57 and there will be no tendency} for the arts 55 and 56 to become locked by the iction incident to the action of the worm 56 as a stop for limiting the movement-or swinging of the boom. There is mounted upon the worm gear 55 a yieldable bumper 61 with which the carriage 20 may abut as it reaches the inward limit of'its movement in traversing the boom 1 and is automatically stopped. The bumper includes a plate, and two springs interposed between said plate and two pivot lugs on the gear 55.

It is furthermore notable that the lever 50 controlling the reversing or clutch neutralizing action previously described is ada ted to perform an additional function't'o t at of rendering the clutch 8 ineffective. The operation of this lever to' turn the shaft 18 is adapted to turn an arm 62 just above the arm 52 of the shaft 18. The arm 62 is connected by links 63 With-the toggle lever 64 interposed between a bracket 65 on the frame work, and the free end of a brake band 66 which partiall encircles the clutch member 8, cooperates with the clutch 8.

Thus. it is that through the operation of'the .automatic clutch knock-out mechanism acting on the lever 50 or by the control of the shaft 18 through the hand lever 19 previbe operated to apply a brake to the clutch 8" and thus brake the operation of the pinion 6 operating the adjacent drum 9. In this way 'quick reduction'of the movement of the drum and corresponding stoppage of .the movement of the bucket outwardlyandv inwardly is controlled.

The general operation of my machine according to the design hereinbefore described is as follows: The bucket 2 is filled by the customary ously described,-the parts 62, 63 and 66 may no discharging of a predetermined quantity of concrete or mixed a gregates from the mixer drum A into said ucket. The a gregates are now ready to be distributed or aid upon a the sub-grade for which urpose the operator will manually actuate t e lever 19 tothrow into operation the clutch mechanism whereb to drive the drum 9 in the direction to ehect an out-haul movement of the lower bight of the cable. The initial out-haul movement by sliding out of the shuttle 24, causes the trip member 26 to assume an operative position on the outer side of the upper end of the arms 38 and continued out-haul movement causes the carriage 20 and the bucket 2 to traverse the boom 1 until the operator reverses the movement of the cable 11 b proper control of the clutch mechanism. in reversing the movement of the cable 11 the slide or shuttle member 24 moves in the direction of the inner end of the boom, the trip member 26 actuates the throw-over arms 38, rocks the shaft 33 and releases or opens the door 34 of the bucket. The mixed aggregates in the bucket are in a free flowing date and the reversing of the cable movement is intended not only to effect opening of the door 34, but also immediate return traverse of the bucket 2 relative to the boom 1. The combination of the door um and the return traverse movement 0 the iucket 2 are important to my invention because such actions together are eflective to stream the ag egates from the bucket 2 in a ribbon-like layer of substantially rectangular cross-section as previously described, the thickness or depth of which layer is controlled by the stop 39. As the bucket 2 returns to its position adixer and at the iner end jacent to the m of theboom 1, the cam 31 engages the rock arm 32, restores the throw-over arms 38 to their elevated bucket door closing positions, and automatic sto pin of the carna 20 and bucket 2 is e ecte through the action of the clutch' knock-out mechanism hereinbefore described, and the brake means.

If the operator fails to cause a reverse movement of the lever 19 manually the effective action of the bucket discharge will begin to take place as the bucket reaches the outer end of the boom. This will be performed automatically through the carriage 20 abutting with an operating the knock-out or shifter 'arm 45 of the clutch mechanism controlling the drive means. Furthermore, the operation of the arm 45 will be suclr as not only to render inactive the clutchcontrolling the out-haul movement of the render active the clutch whi in-haul movement of said cable whereby the movement of the bucket 2 will be actually reversed so as to insure the laying of theconcrete by streaming of the same out ch causes the the cable 11 by operation of h cable, but to I of the bucket 2 in the manner above set forth. v

The method which I practice in the actual operation of my machine is the conveying. or conducting of the ag gates mixed in the mixer to the site of eposit, by the distributing element or bucket of course, and then while the aggregates in their plastic condition are in movement they are caused to flow gravitatively from the bucket in a continuous stream of a predetermined depth or thickness substantially equal to that of the slab or portion of pavement of which the particular batch of the gregates will ultimately form a part. By this method laborious work in spreading the materials is saved. This is a novel method of my invention. I

The action of the brake-band 8 is incident to straightening of the links of the toggle lever 64 and takes place on both the inhaul and outhaul movements of the bucket 2.

Whether the operation of the member '45 effects mere neutralizing of the clutchdevices requiring the reverse movement of the bucket to be effected b manual operation, or reversing of the c utch mechanism and inhaul movement of bucket 2 depends on the adjustment of the arm 45, and the 05 latter is controlled by adjustment of turn buckle 47" in the length of the rod 47, or in any suitable manner.

Of course the dumping and reverse movement of bucket 2 may be performed atany lpoint in the outward movement of the ucket, as well understood on reference to my previous patents.

It is notable that as the portion 11 of the cable unwinds from the spiral groove of the drum 9, the portion 11" winds into the vacated part of the groove, and vice versa.

he ring gear construction of A is known to those versed in this art,,being shown in my patents above identified.

e parallelism of the bucket and door travel, with the ground or .subgrade, is derived through the combinative action of the 4142-4344, the latter cothe boom 1. This parallelism of operation is very neoessaryto maintain a uniformit of thickness of the plastic concrete lai on the sub-grade by gravitation. Furthermore, the said uniformity is insured since the boom afl'ords a track held 12 stationary by the machine structure AB which-does not travel during the laying down of the plastic ag gates.

Having thus describe nhy invention, what claim as new and desire tosecure by Reissue Letters Patent,- is

1. In a concrete distributing machine of the boom and bucket type, a distributin element, a horizontally swingin elevate support to carry this element in spaced 1 0 4 01st means actin with us relation to the ground, means for controlling delivery of 7 gravitative discharge of materials to be disbinedfwith an instrumentalitg tributed,'means to control the flowing of said materials by said element in a layer of measured thickness when discharging, means to hold the support against move ment whilst the discharging takes place,

and to adjust it to cause travel of said element arallel with the ground. eans as set forth in claim 1, comfor varying the thickness of the layer concrete deliver-ed according to predetermined requirements.

4. In a concrete distributin machine, the combination of a portable support stationary during distributing operations.

a boom thereon to operate over a con:

crete distributing area, a normally non discharging distributing bucket adapted to traverse said boom and having a discharge opening elongated transversely of its direction of traverse to form a relatively wide transverse discharge for the bucket, said opening being restricted to an area which retards the outflow of plastic concrete and shapes the same to causeafiow in a layer of a thickness predetermined by the opening, and operating means to bring the said opening into action .to discharge the contents of the bucket when the latter has moved to the desired point of deposit upon a sub-grade, including means to move the bucket as discharged, whereby the concrete in the bucket is s read over an area of relatively lar widt as it passes from the opening to t e sub-grade.

to the ground.

11 a concrete distributing machine, a source of supply'of plastic concrete, a distributing element, a boom from which said element is suspended, me ans to move said element over and s aced from aniarea of distribution to and rom said source of supply, and means to cause. materials to pass from said element in a stream-like-layer of predetermined thickness, said last means operating during a certain portion of the said movement of the distributing element,.

and a machine structure supporting the boom to hold it stationary while the.dis-'- tributing element is streaming the materials 6. In a concrete distributing machine a source of supply of plastic concrete, a isthe boom and bucket type, a normally nonl I 15,7ea

tributingelement, a horizontally swingilgg boom from which said element is suspend and spaced from; the ground, means to move said element in spaced relation to but over a surface to be paved and close to said surface so that materials delivered by the element may retain substantially the form of their delivered condition while gravitating to said surface, operating-means to carry the distributing element jover anarear of distribution and, to cause delivery action thereof, means adapted to control streaming of the materials from the element in a layer of ascertained thickness during such movement, and means to adjust the boom up and down to maintain the control'me'ans in parallelism with the ground;

7. In a concrete distributing machine of the boom and bucket type, a distributing element, a superposed elevated support therefor upon which it moves, means to move said element over and wholl from a surface to be paved an spaced therefrom but close enough to said surface so that materials delivered by the element may retain substantially the form of their delivered condition as they are deposited on the ground, means to simultaneously cause discharge of the materials in a stream and movement of-the distributing element as the materials pass therefrom, a machine.

structure carrying the elevated support to hold it stationary as the materials discharge, and means to adjust the support to remain arallel with the ground to compel the said element ingly. V 4

V 8. In a concrete distributing machine of the boom and bucket type, a normally nondischarging distributing element comprising a conveyer, cable means to move'said element over a surface to be paved sothat materials conveyed and delivered by the element may retain substantially the form of their delivered condition, and means to actuate the cable meansto simultaneously cause discharge of the materials in a stream and cause movement of the distributing element as the materials pass. therefrom,

the boom and bucket type including a" bucket distributing element having ad'ustable trip means to effect delivery 0 its contents, and means for'controlling delivery of plastic concrete by said element in a haven of 'measuredthickness variable by a justment of the tri means.

10. In a concrete istributing machine of spaced to move correspond-.

for controlling delivery of plastic concrete 1 element is delivering concrete.

the combination of a boom, a

by said element in a layer of measured thickness, and means to at a predetermined time simultaneously cause delivery action of the concrete from said element and movement of the distributing element during such delivery action, an elevated horizontally swinging boom on which said element moves, and a machine structure supporting the boom in a stationary position while the 11. In a concrete distributing machine of the boom and bucket type, a distributing element, and means for controlling delivery of plastic concrete by said element in a layer of measured thickness, the distributing element comprising an openable door, and means to vary the degree of opening movement of the door while spaced from the ground to thereby vary the thiclmess of the layer of plastic material distributed through said door.

12. Ina concrete distributing machine of the boom and bucket type, a distributing element, means for controlling delivery or. plastic concrete by said element in a layer of measured thickness, the distributing element comprising a discharging means, and a. single means to simultaneously render the discharging meansactive and effect bodily movement of the distributing element in such a manner that tliefplastic materials stream out behind it in such movement, and a relativel stationary boom to hold the eleinent who ly spaced from the ground while discharging.

13. In a concrete distributing machine of the boom and bucket type, the combination of a boom, a distributing bucket adapted to traverse said boom propelling means' for said bucket, the bucket comprising an openable door operable by the propelling means for regulating the flow of plastic materials from the bucket, andmeans to variably limit the opening movement of the door.

' 14. Ina concrete distributin machine, istributing bucket adapted to traverse said boom, propelling, means for said bucket, the bucket comprising an openable door disposed substantially transverse to the direction of propulsion of the bucket for regulating the flpw of plastic materials from the. bucket, and a single means whereby the doormay be opened so as to permit a retarded streaming out of the plastic materials from the bucket, and the bucket may have imparted thereto simultaneous movement to cause the contents thereof to be discharged in a ribbon-like manner.

15.- In a boom and bucket concrete distributing means, in combination, a boom, a bucket to traverse the boom'and equipped with a discharge opening,'driving means for causing the traversing movement of the bucket on the boom, means to restrictively ren'der operative the discharge opening, so that the contents of the bucket willstream therefrom in a retarded manner, and means for causing the driving means to move the bucket over a distributing area after said opening of the bucket becomes operative, the bucket being arranged'so that its discharge opening is near the surface on which the contents of the bucket are to be deposited whereby the bucket contents stream to the surface in a relatively fiat layer.

16. In concrete distributing means, in combination, a boom, avbucket to traverse the boom, :1 discharging door for said bucket, and an adjustable stop controlling the degree of opening movement of said door. I

17. In concrete distributing means, in

combination, a boom, a bucket to traverse the boom, a discharging door for said bucket, an adjustable stop controlling'the degree of opening movement of said door, door opening trip mechanism connected with the door and cooperative with said stop, and means for moving the bucket.

18. In concrete distributing means, in combination, a boom, a bucket arranged to traverse the boom, a carriage supporting said bucket on the boom, the bucket being formed with an inclined bottom and having a discharge door operating close to the surface to which materials are to be discharged from the bucket, but held spaced therefrom.

both when closed and open, and means to simultaneously open the discharge door of the bucket and impart movement to the latter to cause the contents ofthe same to stream ast said door in a layer of predetermined thickness, and a frame supporting the boom to hold it stationary while the bucket is discharging.

19. In a concrete distributing machine. the combination 'of a boom, a bucket adapted to traverse theboom, driving mechanism for the bucket, a door for the bucket supported I so as to remain spaced from the ground both 7 when closed and open, ;-"means to control opening of the door to a predetermined position to regulate the thickness of the mate rials discharged from the bucket, means to drive the bucket in one direction along, the boom, means ,to automatically reverse the movement of the bucket upon said boom. and for simultaneously opening the door of the bucket .Whereby the combined opening of said door, its arrangement in the bucket and the movement of the bucket will cause the contents of the latter to stream from the bucket in a ribbon-like'layer of predetermined thickness, a'frame to support the boom, and adjusting means between the concrete.

boom and frame to insure travel of the bucket parallel with the ground in laying 20. A machine substantially as claimed in claim 19, combined with a control device for variably limiting the openin movement of the door of the bucket, wher iy to admit of changing the thickness of the layer of materials discharged from the bucket.

21. In a concrete distributing machine,

the combination with a boom shiftable overin a layer-like form, the distributing ele-' ment being freely movable back and forth upon the boom'from the supply means to a point of distribution,and means to cause discharge action of the distributing element to stream'the concrete through its opening in a layer of measured thickness to thus avoid laborious spreading work necessary were the contents .of the distributing 'element dumped upon the sub-grade en masse,

a frame to support the boom, and adjusting means between the boom and frame to insure travel of the bucket parallel with the ground in laying concrete. 7,

22. In a concrete paving machine, in combination, a portable support, a boom movable on said support over an area of distribution, a conveying receptacle adapted to traverse the boom from a place in which it receives concrete to a place for discharge thereof, said receptacle being constructed so that the concrete in plastic state may readily gravitate therefrom, but being normally in a non-discharging condition, so that its contents may be retained until a desired time of discharge, the receptacle having discharging equipment enabling its'contents to freely flow therefrom in a streamed out layer, means for renderin the discharging equipment operative, an to move the receptacle at the same time to lay the concrete over a sub-grade area of considerable extent, while said discharging equi ment remains operative, thereby to avoi laborious spreading work respecting the distributed concrete, and means to restore the receptacle to its normal non-discharging conditlon.

23. A concrete paver substantially as claimed in claim 22, combined with adjustthe means to move the receptacle during the I discharging action is such that the contents of the receptacle discharges therefrom in a direction opposite that in which the receptacle is moving.

25. In a boom and bucket type concretedistributer machine, a boom, a power operating bucket arranged to traverse said boom',

comprising a discharge opening, means re-' strictively controlling egress of'the contents of the receptacle from the said opening, as

the receptacle moves, so that said contents" are retarded and caused to become deposited. upon a road surface in a layer of measured thickness, said egress control means being spaced from the road surface when discharglng, and means to maintain the boom substantially parallel with the road surface irrespective of the inclination of the latter to cause the egress means to travel in a path parallel with said surface.

26. In'a concrete distributing machine of the boom and bucket type, the combination of a relatively stationary machine structure carrying the supply ofconcrete, a rearwardly extending boom pivoted at its front end to the machine structure and adapted to have its rear end raised and lowered to maintain the boom in parallelism with the subgrade upon which the concrete is to be distributed, a distributing bucket adapted to traverse said boom and to receive concrete from the source of supply while 1n position at the front end of the boom, said bucket having a tranverse discharge opening, an adjustable door controllin said opening whereby the concrete may caused to flow by gravity from the bucket and be-deliveredupon the sub rade in a wide stream of redetermined t ickness during the trave of the bucket in a direction toward one end of the boom, and power operated means common to the buc for traversing the bucket lengthwise of the boom and opening and closing the door.

ThiS'SPBOIfiOfltiOII signed the 6th day of- Nov., 1923, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

ERICH H. ,LICHTENBERG.

et and its adjustable door

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