WO1990008854A1

WO1990008854A1 - Material laying apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1990008854A1
Application number: PCT/AU1990/000034
Authority: WO
Inventors: Leonard Ralph Koppen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-01-31
Filing date: 1990-01-31
Publication date: 1990-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 1991-07-31

Abstract

Apparatus (10) for laying a material such as concrete or a road base material onto a ground surface, the apparatus (10) including a hopper (12) for holding the material (72), and a feed roller (46) for metering the material onto the ground surface as the apparatus (10) is advanced. The apparatus (10) may also include a vibratory roller (63) for compacting the laid material.

Description

MATERIAL LAYING APPARATUS Technical Field

THIS INVENTION relates to material laying apparatus which in one aspect is particularly suited to the laying of settable materials such as concrete or road base materials. Background Art

The common method of forming footpaths either around a house or on the side of a road involves the use of formwork of wood or metal which is secured on the ground surface where the material is to be laid at the required spacing to define the boundaries of the footpath. The concrete or other material for forming the footpath is then deposited between the formwork and screeded to form the flat surface of the footpath. The above procedures are obviously time consuming and labour intensive processes such that the cost of laying footpaths of the above type is high. Furthermore it is normally necessary to leave the laid material for some time before it can be used or walked upon. Although shuttering is not normally used for laying road base materials, the methods and apparatus presently used for the same are relatively labour intensive so that the cost of laying is high. Disclosure of the Invention

The present invention aims to overcome or alleviate one or more of the above disadvantages by providing material laying apparatus for laying materials such as concrete or road base materials on a ground surface without the need for shuttering or other formwork and which enables efficient formation of footpaths, driveways, or other laid surfaces. The present invention also aims to provide apparatus which will enable the production of footpaths, driveways or the like in a rapid and relatively cost efficient manner. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description. With the above and other objects in view, the present invention provides in a preferred aspect material laying apparatus comprising movable frame means, hopper means for storing said material to be laid and supported on said frame means, said hopper means being open at its operative lower end whereby said material in said hopper means may be deposited onto an underlying ground surface, and feed roller means extending transversely of the direction of movement of said apparatus for metering said material as said material passes onto said ground surface.

Preferably drive means are provided for rotatably driving said feed roller means. The apparatus also preferably includes vibratory means for compacting said material onto said ground surface. Preferably, said vibratory means comprises a vibratory roller which has a profile which defines the peripheral shape of the material laid onto the ground surface. Preferably also the frame means is supported on tracks which may be driven to move the frame assembly over the ground surface.

The apparatus may also include cut-off means for cutting of said material at the termination of the laying operation, the cut -off means suitably including a transversely extending reciprocatory cut-off knife or blade.

The height of the hopper means may be adjusted relative to the frame means so as to vary the depth of material laid and the height of the feed roller means may also be adjusted to vary the degree of compaction of said material .

A pair of material laying apparatuses of the above described type may be arranged in side-by-side relationship and secured to each other to provide for extended width laying of the material Brief Description of the Drawings

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference w ll now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein :-

Fig. 1 illustrates in side view, a first form of material laying apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 1A illustrates details of the track for the apparatus at A of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is a front end view of the apparatus of the invention; Fig. 3 is a front end sectional view showing details of the equalizing assembly;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the equalizing assembly with equalizing bar removed;

Fig. 5 illustrates in part sectional view details of the feed and levelling roller for the apparatus;

Fig. 6 is an end view showing details of the height adjustment mechanism for the feed and levelling roller;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view showing details of the cut off mechanism; Fig. 8 is an end view of the cut off mechanism of Fig.

7;

Fig. 9 is an end sectional view of the vibratory mechanism;

Fig. 10 illustrates schematically the operation of the apparatus of the invention;

Fig. 11 i1lustrates in end view the manner in which the height of one track may be adjusted;

Fig. 12 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention particularly for road base laying; Fig. 13 illustrates in end view a pair of interconnected apparatuses;

Figs. 14 and 15 illustrate alternative embodiments of the invention. Detailed Description of the Drawings Referring to the drawings and firstly to Figs.

1 to 9 there is illustrated apparatus 10 according to the invention particularly adapted for laying concrete or a road base on a surface. The apparatus 10 includes a pair of spaced apart side frame plates or walls 11 which support therebetween a hopper 12 for carrying material to be laid on the ground.

The hopper 12 also includes a pair of side plates or walls 13 disposed adjacent the respective plates and opposite end inclined walls 14 and 15 which are spaced apart at their lower ends and serve to direct material onto a ground surface. Respective oppositely directed mudguards 16 are secured to the opposite walls 11 and serve to increase the capacity of the hopper 12.

The apparatus 10 includes at its trailing end a transversely extending shaft 17 (see Fig. 9) which is supported on the opposite hopper plates 13 via bearings 18 mounted in opposite bearing housings secured to the plates 13. The side plates 11 of the apparatus 10 are provided with enlarged circular apertures 19 arranged coaxially about the shafts 17 and retainer members 20 are secured to opposite hopper walls 13 through the apertures 19, the retainer members 20 including disc¬ like parts 21 which are located neatly within the apertures 20 so that the side walls of plates 11 are free for pivotal movement about the axis of the shaft 17. The retainer members 19 also include enlarged head portions 22 which serve to retain the walls 11 secured to the plates 13 at the trailing end of the apparatus 10 whilst permitting their rotation about the axis of the shaft 17 for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent.

The shaft 17 extends on one side beyond the wall 11 and carries via bearings a sprocket 23. At the opposite side of the apparatus the retainer member 20 supports a stub shaft 17' normally aligned with the shaft 17, the stub shaft 17' extending outwardly of the opposite wall 11 to carry via bearings a similar sprocket 23. Drive to the shaft 17 is provided by means of an hydraulic motor 24 which drives through a V-belt 25 a pulley 25' fixed to the shaft 17.

At the opposite end of the apparatus 10 (see Fig. 21), respective hydraulic motors 27 are provided being mounted to the opposite side plates 11 via gearboxes 28, the gearboxes 28 carrying on their output shafts 29, respective driving sprockets 30. Respective endless chains 31 are supported about the respective sprockets 23 and 30 on opposite sides of the apparatus 10, the chains 31 carrying ground engaging members 32 to which lifting blocks 33 of different heights may be secured to raise the apparatus 10 a desired distance above the ground (see Fig. 1A). The hydraulic motors 27 are supplied with fluid from an hydraulic pump driven by an internal combustion engine 34 mounted to the forward hopper wall 14.

At its forward end the hopper 12 is supported centrally by a pair of spaced flanges 35 and 36 which are secured via an angle sectioned member 37 to the front hopper wall 14 and extend downwardly therefrom to be disposed on opposite sides of and define a pivotal mount for a transverse equalizing bar 38, the later being secured to the flanges 35 and 38 by a pivot pin or shaft 39. The bar 38 is provided at its opposite ends with stop plates 40 which extend through apertures 41 in the opposite side plates 11 (see Fig. 1). This arrangement allows limited movement of the ends of the equalizing bar 38 so that the side plates 11 are free for limited pivotal movement about the axis of the shaft 17 with pivotal movement of the plates 11 being permitted by virtue of the apertures 19 locating in bearing-like manner about the disc-like parts 21 of the retainer members 20. Thus if uneven ground conditions are encountered the side plates 11 and their associated tracks 31 may adjust thereto whilst maintaining the hopper 12 substantially level due to its pivotal connection via the pin 39 to the transverse equalizing bar 38.

So as to hold the side plates 11 and 13 in engagement with each other, respective bolts 42 extend through elongated slots 43 in the plates 11, springs 44 being located between the heads of the bolts 42 and side plates 11 thus urging the plates 11 and 13 together. Upward and downward movement of the plates 11 is accommodated by virtue of the bolts 42 moving along the slots 43.

The hopper 12 as stated above is open at its lower end so that material deposited therein passes onto the underlying ground surface. A first leveling of the material is carried out by a feed roller assembly 45 which as more clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6 includes a roller 46 extending transversely of the apparatus 10 and disposed adjacent the lower edge of the wall 15. As shown, one end of the roller 46 is supported via bearings 47 in a bearing block 48 which also supports a rotary hydraulic motor 49 which is connected to the roller 46 to rotatably drive same. The bearing block 4-8 is supported for sliding movement in a recess 50 in the side wall 13 of the hopper 12 and an hydraulic ram 51 is mounted at one end to the wall 13 and at its opposite end to the bearing block 48. Extension and retraction of the ram 51 causes opposite movement of the bearing block 48 in the recess 50 so as to adjust the height of the roller 46. Upward and downward movement of the motor 49 is accommodated as the motor 49 projects through an enlarged circular cut-out 52 formed in the adjacent side wall 11 of the apparatus 10. A similar mounting arrangement for the roller 46 is provided on the opposite side of the apparatus although in this case, no motor is provided. The respective hydraulic rams 51 on opposite sides of the apparatus 10 are also hydraulically interconnected so as to act in unison. The apparatus 10 also may incorporate a reciprocatory compactor and cut-off blade assembly 53 which is operative to cut the laid material where desired at the completion of a run. This assembly 53 as more clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 8 includes a pair of transversely extending compacting members 54 which are supported for vertical movement in guides 55 in or on the side plates 13 of the apparatus 10. Supported between the compacting members 54 is transversely extending cut-off blade 56, the latter being provided with a pair of elongated slots 57 through which bolts 58 carried by the members 54 pass. This arrangement enables initial downward movement of the compacting members 54 and compacting of the material and then a subsequent cut-off movement by the blade _.56 when the bolts 58 move to the opposite ends of the slots 57. The reciprocating movement of the compactor/cut-off blade is achieved by means of an hydraulic ram 59 which has its piston rod 60 coupled to the compacting members 54 via a pin 61.

As shown in Fig. 9, the drive shaft 17 also carries via bearings 62 a hollow profiled roller 63 which is slightly off set from the axis of the shaft 17 so that when the shaft 17 rotates the roller 63 in effect vibrates to compact the concrete so as to form the path. This compaction also enables the path to be walked upon a short time after the material has been laid.

In one form, the hollow roller 63 is sealed at each end and filled with oil. The shaft 17 is also suitably counterweighted at 64 to balance the off centre roller 63. This embodiment also suitably includes means for transmitting rotary motion from the shaft 17 to the roller 63, such means including a propeller 65 mounted to the shaft 17 and cooperating vanes 66 on the inside of the roller 63 so that through the oil in the roller 63, rotary motion may be transmitted from the shaft 17 to the roller 63 such that the roller 63 will rotate in the same direction as the shaft 17. This will ensure a smoother finish on the concrete or other surface being laid. The vibratory roller 63 may have any profile as desired depending upon the finish and shape required in the laid material .

So as to permit adjustment of the height of the hopper 12 relative to the ground surface upon which the material is to be laid, respective hydraulic rams 67 (se Fig. 1) are located on opposite sides of the apparatus and secured at one end 68 to the side plates 11 and at their other end through apertures 69 in the side plates 11 to lugs 70 secured to the opposite side walls 13 of the hopper 12. Thus expansion of the rams 67 will pivot the hopper 12 relative to the side plates 11 about the axis of the shaft 17 and consequently also raise the roller 46. When the hopper 12 is elevated as above, the ends of the equalising bar 38 are repositioned in the upper apertures 41.

Other means may be provided for elevating the hopper 12 and its associated feed roller 46. Thus in one configuration, the side plates 11 are transversely split adjacent the shaft 17 into two parts hinged together at their lower ends and interconnected at their upper ends via generally horizontal rams. Extension and retraction of the rams will thus cause the side plate parts to pivot towards and away from each other so as to lower or raise the hopper 12. In laying concrete or road base with the apparatus of the invention and as shown in Fig. 10, the apparatus 10 is positioned where the path is to be laid or other area is to-be covered. Reinforcing 71 is then placed as desired and the hopper

12 filled with the material 72. The tracks 28 are then driven to move the apparatus 10 forwardly over the reinforcing 71 so that the material 72 passes from the hopper 12 onto the ground about the reinforcing 71 with the feed roller 46 providing for a first metering and levelling of the material whilst the vibratory roller 63 provides where used a final compaction of the material to form the path. At the end of the run or where it is desired to insert an expansion strip, the compactor and cut-off assembly 53 is operated to compact and cut off the material.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 11, the track 28 on one side of the apparatus 10 may be adjusted in height relative to the track 28 on the opposite side of the apparatus 10. This is permitted by virtue of the stub axle 17' mounted via the retaining member 20 to the wall 11. This permits the wall 11 on that side of the apparatus to be detached from the hopper wall

13 and repositioned at an elevated position where the stub shaft 17' is raised above the shaft 17. By this arrangement, the apparatus 10 may be used to lay on strip of material adjacent the other strip of material to form an extended width path with the elevated track 28 being position on the first strip of material and moving therealong as the other layer is laid alongside the first strip.

Fig. 12 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention particularly adapted for forming paths of extended width. This apparatus is similar to that previously described including a first leveling roller 46 and vibratory roller 63 with the addition of a central hollow tunnel member 73 which is arranged within the hopper 12 and extending widthwise thereof. Disposed beneath or within the tunnel 73 are a further feed and leveling roller 46' and vibratory roller 63 which function in a similar manner to that described previously. Also mounted over the tunnel 73 is a transversely extending endless feeding chain 74 which carries flights to distribute the material widthwise of the apparatus.

In this apparatus, the roller 46' and 63' form one layer of material whilst the second rollers 46 and 63 form a second layer on the first formed layer. This arrangement permits the formation of extended depth paths or road base.

Fig. 13 illustrates an alternative arrangement of the invention which permits extended width paths or the like to be formed. In this arrangement, respective apparatuses 10 of the above described type are interconnected in a side-by-side attitude with the tracks 31 being removed on one side and the side walls 11 being secured together by bolts or the like with the width of the path laid being twice that achieved with the single apparatus 10. In the arrangement shown, the apparatuses 10 are disposed in alignment with each other however they may be connected at an angle to each other so as to form a path or layer of triangular cross section with an apex at the centre.

In Fig. 14, there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of the apparatus 75 of the invention particularly suited to roadbase laying. In this apparatus 75, the track 76 has a different configuration being driven from a motor 77 located above the end sprockets 78. Located at the leading end of this apparatus 75 is a rotary cutter assembly 79 comprising three spaced apart generally vertical rotary cutters 80 which serve to cut the existing road whilst rearwardly of the cutter assembly 79, a horizontal impact crusher 81 is provided to crush the cut material. This material is then reapplied to the surface with the aid of a first feed roller/vibratory roller assemblies 82 and a second feed roller/vibratory roller assembly 83 which serves to lay concrete or other material deposited into the hopper 84 onto the ground surface.

In Fig. 15, the apparatus 85 illustrated include dual hoppers 86 and associated feed rollers 87 and vibratory rollers 88. Respective worms 89 are provided to direct the material widthwise of the apparatus 85. This apparatus functions in a similar manner to that described with reference to Fig. 12 for laying two layers of material such as cement, road base or bitumen premix. It will be apparent that many variations in constructional detail may be employed in the apparatus. For example, different drive mechanisms may be employed for driving the chains and tracks. Alternatively, the apparatus may be mounted on skids so as to enable it to be towed along a ground surface. The hopper may be fixed to the apparatus side frames if desired in which case the pivotal support of the hopper on the side plates will not be required. For patterned concrete, the vibratory roller may be formed on its outer surface with any suitable pattern which is applied to the concrete.

In each case, the feed and leveling roller 46 may be driven by its associated hydraulic motors, however, in other situations, the roller 46 may be mounted for free rotation. Furthermore, different finishes can be achieved by varying the direction of rotation of the vibratory roller as well as the_. rotational speed thereof. In a typical apparatus according to the invention, the reduction gearboxes 28 provide a 1000 to 1 reduction and are provided with integral brakes. The speed of the apparatus is normally in the region of 60 metres per hour although the speed may be reduced to 20 metres per hour when it is desired to turn corners and so as not to disturb the sides of the laid material.

All other variations and modifications as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Material laying apparatus comprising movable frame means, hopper means for storing said material to be laid and supported on said frame means, said hopper means being open at its operative lower end whereby said material in said hopper means may be deposited onto an underlying ground surface, and feed roller means extending transversely of the direction of movement of said apparatus for metering said material as said material passes onto said ground surface.

2. Material laying apparatus according to claim 1 and including drive means for rotatably driving said feed roller means.

3. Material laying apparatus and including vibratory means for compacting said material onto said ground surface.

4. Material laying apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said vibratory means comprises a vibratory roller, said vibratory roller having a profile which defines the peripheral shape of the material laid onto said ground surface.

5. Material laying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said frame means is supported on movable tracks which may be driven to move the frame assembly over the ground surface.

6. Material laying apparatus according to claim 1 and including cut-off means for cutting of said material at the termination of the laying operation, said cut-off means including a transversely extending reciprocatory cut-off blade.

7. Material laying apparatus according to claim 1 and including means for adjusting the height of said hopper means relative to said frame means so as to vary the depth of material laid.

8. Material laying apparatus according to claim 1 and including means for adjusting the height of said feed roller means to vary the degree of compaction of said material.

9. Material laying apparatus according to claim 1 and including a further said feed roller means spaced from the first said feed roller means, the respective said feed roller means being spaced at different heights from said ground surface whereby one said feed roller means metres a first layer of material onto said ground surface and the other said feed roller means meters a second layer of material onto said first layer.

10. Material laying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said hopper means includes leading and trailing converging walls and wherein said feed roller means is disposed adjacent the lower edge of said trailing wall.