GB2205814A

GB2205814A - Apparatus for laying sheet material

Info

Publication number: GB2205814A
Application number: GB08712672A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Arthur Luxford
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-05-29
Filing date: 1987-05-29
Publication date: 1988-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 2007-05-29
Also published as: GB8712672D0; GB2205814B

Abstract

A sheet handling equipment arranged to be moved forwards over a generally flat surface to be covered with a layer of material, includes first supports for rotatably holding a roll 10 of the material transverse to the movement of the equipment, second supports 13 for holding one or more layer feed guides 14 positioned below the roll end and in line with the rotational axis of the roll 10, and third supports 15 for holding one or more resilient members 16 positioned below the roll and arranged in use to press against the upper surface as the equipment moves forward. <IMAGE>

Description

SHEET HANDLING EQUIPMENT The invention relates to sheet handling equipment.

The invention relates more particularly to a sheet handling equipment to use in road building and repairs. It is preferable especially in areas with significant rainfall to lay a layer of "road felt" within tared layers of the top surface of a road. In practice, the felt is unrolled by hand onto a layer of hot tar and above which the final layer or final layers of tarred road surface materials are laid.

It is an object of the invention to provide a machine for laying road felt or like materials onto a generally flat surface.

According to the invention there is provided a sheet handling equipment arranged to be moved forwards over a generally flat surface to be covered with a layer of material, the equipment including first supports for rotatably holding a roll of the material transverse to the movement of the equipment, -second supports for holding one or more layer feed guides positioned below the roll end and in line with the rotational axis of the roll, and third supports for holding one or more resilient members positioned below the roll and arranged in use to press against the upper surface material and to urge the material against the surface as the equipment moves forward.

Prefereably, the roll is supported under the control of a brake so that the tension in the material can be controlled as the material unrolls from the roll by the brake and adjustments made to the tension if required.

Preferably, the second supports are adjustably positionable by manually operable handles.

Preferably, the third supports are adjustable and also arranged to support the resilient members at a raked angle extending rearwards of the roll. The resilient members may comprise brushes.

A road felt laying equipment according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the-accompanying schematic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of the equipment.

Figure 2 is an end view of the equipment.

Referring to the drawings, aroll of material 10 is supported on a stationary shaft 11, itself supported by a main frame, which extends transversly across the equipment. End plugs 12 fit against the ends of the roll 10 and are braked by adjustable brake mechanisms not shown. Two manually adjustable beams 13 extend from the main frame to suppport the opposite ends of a fixed feed guide shaft 14 which urges against the layer of material to press it forwards and downwards from the roll 10.

Four open box-like supports 15 are mounted transversely and in line and in use each contain a brush 16, the heads of which are bolted to their respective supports 15. The sides of the heads snugly fit against the sides of the supports 15. A bogey wheel 17 is mounted on the end of a pivoted and adjustable bar 18. On the top of the frame two brackets 19 formed of U-girder provide two pivot hangers 20 and 21 to which a generally conventional front 'tractor lift can be connected to support and move the equipment forwards in use as the tractor drives forward.

In use, a roll of road felt which is normally about 4 metres wide and 150 metres long is placed on the equipment. The end of the roll is fed past the guide 14 and under the brushes 16. The bogey wheel 17 is lowered onto the surface to take the weight or the majority of the weight of the equipment and the equipment is moved forward. As the equipment moves the roll unwinds and the road felt is pressed down onto the road surface, usually covered at this time by hot tar. The equipment is moved forwards until the roll is used up and then a new roll is fitted to the equipment.

As is mentioned above, the tension in the layer as it unwinds and passes through the equipment is adjusted by a braking mechanism.

Also, the effective configuration of the equipment is readily adjustable to suit different weather and surface conditions as well as different types and sizes of road felt. Any operators of the equipment can remain behind the equipment in use and so walk on top of the felt and not on hot tar. The tractor or other vehicle which moves the equipment forwards also drives on the newly laid felt and not on hot tar.

Claims

1. A sheet handling equipment arranged to be moved forwards over a generally flat surface to be covered with a layer of material, the equipment including first supports for rotatably holding a roll of the material transverse to the movement of the equipment, second supports for holding one or more layer feed guides positioned below the roll end and in line with the rotational axis of the roll, and third supports for holding one or more resilient members positioned below the roll and arranged in use to press against the upper surface material and to urge the material against the surface as the equipment moves forward.

2. Equipment according to claim 1, in which the roll is supported under the control of a brake so that the tension in the material can be controlled as the material unrolls from the roll by the brake and adjustments made to the tension if required.

3. Equipment according to claim 1 or 2, in which the second supports are adjustably positionable by manually operable handles.

4. Equipment according to any of the preceding claims, in which the third supports are adjustable and also arranged to support the resilient members at a raked angle extending rearwards of the roll.

5. Equipment according to any of the preceding claims, in which the resilient members comprise brushes.

6. A sheet handling equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.