US1778551A - Distributor for asphalt and like liquids - Google Patents

Description

5- She'tshSiu-t 1 G. M. ETNYRE lDIS'JLVRIBU'IOR FOR ASPHALT AND LIKE LIQUIDS Odi. 14, 1930.

Filed June 1, 1929 QT @Zw Oct. 14, 1930. G. M. ETNYRE:

DISTRIBUTOR FOR ASPHALT AND LIKE LIQUIDS Filed June 1, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w Q 0 W 3 Q w O Z 7 7 1 5 No n M o 2 W 0 2 ou 5.... In l n... 1|.. 9 l o n 9 l Nlllh. d 5 .1l ||1\| Jul-- a -nz 9.. Z M Z |1||| 1|.. y. ZI 3 0 4 u \\\0 |.\.I l T. ..T. I z i. 2 s .G .i Qv o 3 0 mr 1 ,3 z msw Z www 6 5 d a T n Oct; 14, 1930. s. M. ETNYRE DISTRIBUTOR FOR ASPHALT AND LIKE LIQUIDS Filed June 1, 1929 SSheets-Sheet 3 Wye/Wr' KUCQM/Zf/@We Patented oci. y14,1930

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The invention ertains i nerallyvto apparatus for applyingpvliqui bituminous. materials such as asphalt and similar products to roadways, and more particularly has ref-v erence to the distributing system thereof.

The general object 'of the invention is to rovide a. machine of this character embodyin a novel distribution system of high efficiency and simple and practical construc- 1 tion,

An important object of the invention re-` sies in t e provision of a new and improved system for distributing as halt, which system includes means for t oroughly drainl u ing, removing, or expelling asphalt material from the system, and principally from the discharge end thereof, at the time the' system becomes inoperative, whereby clogging of the system by the asphalt is prevented.

provide 'an asphalt distributing system 'in which a blast of heated air may be forced through the system to expel or remove the asphalt therefrom. p l, Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following description and from the accompanying drawings, iin'which:

Figure 1 is a rear end view o the distributor truck showing the tank, the distributing pipes and controls.

and intake.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the rear end as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the distributing system and controls, the housing therefor being shown in broken outline.y

Fig. 5 is a dia rammatic illustration of the circulation and discharge system of the machine.

In general the machine organization to which the invention relates comprises a snpply reservoir or'tank having a system of ipe connections leading therefrom for distri uting asphalt from'the tank'onto a road surface. A force pump isvinterposed in the pipe 'connection leading froml the tank, and .a three-way valve controls the flow of Huid in the operation. of the pump, either throu h the intake pipe into the pump and to te from the system `will be expe led therefrom' l v construction, is u'ovided with' heating means ig. 2 is a detail View showing the pump tank, or; from the tank through and to the distributing stem.,` Thejdistribf uting system is enclose` byfa housin andi means are provided for a plying heat the interior of thethousing w ereby any asphalt`` remainingI in the systemv may be liquefied preparatiray to. starting the o eration-of the system. sans is also provi ed .for forcing hot gas or air from the interior of the hous` ing through: the distribution system imme` diately after the system has ceased operation so that any asphalt remainin undischar bythe current'of hot air.

In practice the distributor comprises a su port which may be a frame; 10 adapted to mounted on a motor truck'. 11 indicates' the main reservoir or tankin'to'and"frcm y which the fluid to be discharged is filled and 9 vStill another object of the invention is to discharged by operation of a pump-12. The-4 pump 12 is arranged to be operated from a suitableV source of motive power; such, forv exa-m 1e, as an internal combustion engine he pump, ,of course, may be operated from the motor truck but the independent engine 13 is lpreferably employed so' that the speed of the pump ymay be controlled independently, of the speed of the vehicle.

The tank 11, which may be of any suitable in a housing 16 supply. hot gases to said ilues.

The pump 12 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) is preferably- .of the positive type and is located almost directly beneath the rear end of the tank 11,

being separated therefrom only by the casing of avalve 17. Said valve is of the three-way type and its casing communicates at its upper end with the bottom of the tank through" an' aperture 18 (Figs. land 2) and at its lower end with the inlet opening ofthe um 12. An intake pipe19, extendin latera 1y o the frame 10, communicates wit one side of the valve casing. When the tank is to be filled theouter end ofthe pipe l19 is connected to a 1ct) source of supply. The valve member 17 (Fig. 2) is preferably in the form of a threeway valve arranged, in one position thereof, to control the flow ot Huid trom the tank to the pump and thence to the distributing system. The valve. in another positionthereof, directs the flow of liquid through the intake pipe to the pump by which it is t'orced to the tank through connections to be presently described. A hand rod Ll). operatively connected to the valve member 17, extends to a position on the machine convenient to the operator.

The pump 12 is drivingly connected with the engine 13 under the control of a clutch within the housing 21. The motor or clutch is geared to the pump shaft by means of the gears in the gear case 2:2. The discharge end of the pump 12 communicates, through the medimn ot a downwardly and rearwardly extending flange connection Q3, with headers 24 and 25 which are rigidly secured to said connection and extend transversely of the frame in opposite directions from the connection. At the outer end ot' each ot said headers there is secured a rearwardly and horizontally disposed pipe 26, preferably secured to the headers by welding. In each of said pipes a` valve 2T, 2T is interposed, which is of the three-way type so as to control the flow of liquid through the pipes 26 and also to control the discharge ot' the fluid int-o circulatory pipes 28. 28 extending inwardly trom said valves. The flow of fluid through each of the pipes 28, E23 is in turn controlled by interposed shut- ott valves 29, 29. The inner ends of the pipes 28, Q8 communicate respectively with the lower ends of a U-shaped circulating pipe 30 which extends upwardly into the interior of the tank 11 and is provided at the top thereof with a discharge pipe 31. Each ol the valves 27, 27a coimnunicates through pipes 31'L1 with distributors or spray bars 32. 32 arranged to distribute an even lhn or layer ot' the asphalt upon the road bed.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, the manual means for controlling' the flow through the distributing system will now be described. The valves 2T. 27 are provided with upwardlv extending operating spindles 33, 33, respectively, and similar but shorter operating shafts 34, 34 extend upwardly from the valves E29. 29, The operating mechanism is arranged so that any one valve of one set., and the non-similar valve of the other set, may be simultaneously operated, and further is arranged so that all operations are performed from substantially the same point tor the convenience ot the operator. Thus. mounted on the upper end of one ofthe spindles (illustrated in Fig. 4 as being the left hand spindle 33) are two Ysimilar hand levers 35 and 36. The upper lever is rigid with the spindle 33, while. the lower lever 36 is tree to turn thereon. The other spindle 33u carries a short rigid crank arm 3T at its upper end which is linked by a bar 38 to the loose hand lever 3G. This construction permits the levers 35 and 3G to operate the valves 27, 27, respectively, independently of each other.

Each of the spindles 33, 33 and the shafts 34, 34a have rigid therewith crank arms 39, 4U. 41 and 42, (Fig. 4) of which the arms 3i) and 42 are in substantially the same horizontal plane, while the arms 41 and 40 are in another horizontal plane. Rigid links 43 and 44 connect the respective pairs ot crank arms 39, 42. and 41, 40. Thus actuation o1 the lmnd levers 35 and 36 operates the valves 9.5), 25) as well as the valves 27, 27a.

The operation ot the tluid flow system is as follows: )Vlien the tank 11 is to be filled, the liow of liquid. through the .spray bars 32. 32, is prevented by closing the valves 2T. 2T by means of the hand levers 35. 3U. ln the closed position of the valves 2". 2T the respective circulatory valves Q9, 2S will be open so that there is communication from the pump to the tank by way ot' the inverted U- tube 3() and the depending pipe 31. The valve 17, between the tank 11 and the pump 1Q, is. during this operation, in such position that the pump operates to draw liquid through the intake pipe 19, in which position of the valve the aperture 13. between the valve and the tank, is closed. The incoming liquid is forced by the pump through the flange connection 23, the headers Q4 and 25. the two sets of valves E27-29 and 27a-429. the U-tube 30. and pipe 31 into the tank 11. lVhen the tank is full, the valve 17 is turned to cut oit' the intake pipe 19 and to establish communication of the pump with the tank 1 1 through the aperture 18. It' the operation ot the pmnp. at thisl time. is continued thel liquid will be drawn t'rom the bottom otl the. tank land returned thereto through the circnlatorv system described in the operation of filling the tank.

When the liquid is to be distributed upon the road by both spray bars 32, 32, the hand levers 35 and 36 are. moved to the opposite position. opening the valves 2T, 27 to permit tluid to flow through the spray bars and cutting oil communication with the circulatory system. If only one of the spray bars 32 or 32a is to he used, the operating handle controlling the valve 27 or 27 for the desired distributor is moved to open the valve, thus establishing communication with that spray bar and interrupting the flow of Huid through that side of the circulatory system. Simultaneously, the opposite valve 29 or 29, which controls the flow of Huid through the opposite side of the circulatory system, is moved to its closed position through the associated crank arms and connecting link 39, 42, 43 in one instance, and 41, 40, 44 in the other (see Fig. 4).

In use there will frequently occur considerlUU able Vperiods of time in which the distributing apparatus is idle as, for example, when the vehicle 1s moving from a loadlng point to a distributing point, or back to the loading point after the load has been distributed. At such times the bituminousl material may have a tendency to solidify or freeze in the pipes of the distributing and circulatory systems and in the interposed valves. I, therefore, provide a heating means for distributing heat to substantially all of the exposed parts of the distributing and circulatory systems. To this end a housing eucloses the. lower portion of the distributing and circulatory systems including the valves 27, 27a, 29, 29n and the associated pipe connections, which housing has a rearwardly and upwardly extending communicating portion 46. The portion 46 encloses the iiange connection 23, pump 12 and valve 17. Within the lower portion of the housing 45 is a radi ator 47 (Fig. 4) arranged With one end opening outwardly through a suitable aperture in the rear wall of the housing and having the other end constructed to form a discharge mouth 47 for directing a flow of heated air through the housing portion 46. Opposite sides of the radiator are provided With communicating tubes 48 for discharging a current of heated air at points substantially adjacent the control valves.

A burner 49, mounted at the open mouth of the radiator 47, heats the radiator and heated air is discharged into the interior of the housing from the tubes 48 and discharge mouth 47'1. The burner 49 is preferably mounted permanently at the mouth of the radiator 47 and normally burns continuously while the machine is in use. However, if desired a removable burner may be employed in which event the housing might be heated intermittently. By this construction heat is eificieiitly applied to substantially every part of the distributing and circulating systems, thereby insuringl that the machine may be quickly conditioned for use and cannot become clogged during use. f

It will be observed', however, that the coni necting pipes 31a which convey the liquid from the valves 27, 27a to the spray bars 32, 32 and the spray bars themselves, cannot be confined in the housing 45, and it has been found, particularly Where heavy bituminous material is being distributed, that there is a tendency for the spray bars and the discharge nozzles therein to become clogged. Means is provided, therefore, for insuring a complete discharge of all of the asphaltic mate- .rial from the spray bars, and the connecting pipes leading thereto, after a distributing operation has been completed. In this em bodiment, such means comprises a connection between a source ofhot air, namely, the housing 45 and the pump 12A whereby the pump may be used to force hot air through the distributing pipes and the spray bars.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, one end of the housing 45 is apertured to receive a pipe connection 50 which preferably includes a section of flexible tubing 51. The free end of the pipe connection 50 is arranged to be connected to the outer end of the intake pipe 19. Preferably the ,means for establishing the connection between the pipes 50 and 19 is of such character that the kconnection may be rapidly and easily established. A suitable means for this purpose, as shown in Fig. 2, con'iprises a yoke member 52 straddling the free end of the pipe connection 50 and pivot` ally secured thereon. The yoke 52 is also capable of longitudinal sliding movement relative to the pivotal points, and the free ends of the lugs of the yoke are formed to provide hooks 53 adapted to engage diametrically opposed lugs 54 on the outer end of the intake pipe 19. A screw 55, carried by the intermediate portion of the yoke 52, engages an underlying portion of the connection 50 to draw the two ends of the pipes 50 and 19 into tight abutment. It is usually desirable to have the means for clearing out the distributing system ready for instant use, hence the pipe connection 50 is generally Aconnected to the intake pipe 19, as shown in Figs. 1 and a, immediately after filling the tank 11.

In describing the operation for vclearing` the asphalt from the distributing system, it will be considered that the machine is just completing a distributing operation andthat the operator wishes to expel the asphalt from the distributing system. At this time the valve 17 (see Fig. 5) and the valves 27, 27 are open to permita flow of Huid from the tank tothe spray bars 32, 32a. The valves 29, 29*1 are closed so that the full force of the pump is utilized in forcing the asphalt from the spray bars. The pipes 50 and 19 communicate with each other, and the burner 49 is operating to heat the interior of the housing 45.

At the instant the operator wishes to discontinue further distribution, the valve handle 20 is operated to move the Valve 17 to establish communication between the intake pipe 19 and the pump 12. This movement of the valve closes the aperture 18 preventing further flow of asphalt from the tank 11. The pump now operates to draw heated air through the intake pipe 19 from Within the housing 45 and to force said air through the flanged connection 23, headers 24, 24, pipes 26, valves 27, 27, pipes 31a to discharge from the spray bars 82, 32a. It will be apparent that heated air is thus forced into the distributing system immediately after the flow of asphalt from the tank has ceased so that all of the asphalt remaining in the distribution system, including the main valve 17 and the pump 12, will be completely expelled. Thus, solidifying of the bituminous material in the system and spray bai-sis prevented and the disadvantages resulting therefrom-eliminated.

While it is contemplated that unheated air might be used in clearin the distributing system of the lighter asp alts, it has been found that heated air is much more advantageous inasmuch as the heated air tends to maintain the asphalt in its liquid condition during the clearing operation, while cold air will in itself'soldify some of the asphalt. The operation of the asphalt expelling means has been described with the machine controls in position to distribute from both spray bars, but it will be understood that the heated air may be directed through either one of the spray bars singly. by merely setting the controls in the proper manner.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the clearing operation may be easily and quickly accomplished by a single operative movement and that the machine parts may also be as readil returned to their original `ositions either or continued distribution or or refilling the tank. In the first event, it

f tioned) is not necessary to remove the pipe connection from theintake pipe 19, but if the tank is to be filled, then said connection is removed and a pi eline from a source of supply is connecte to the intake pipe.

I claim as my invention:

1. A liquid distributing system comprising, in combination, a liquid supply tank, a dischar 'e line therefrom, a pump interposed in said ine, a valve in said line on the inlet side of said pump, an intake pipe communicating with said valve, said valve being arranged in one position to control a flow through said discharge line and in a second position to direct a flow through said intake' pipe into said discharge line, a source of heated gas, and-means connecting said source with said intake pipe to permit a current of heated air to be forced through said discharge line by said pump. v

2. A liquid distributing'V system comprising, in combination, a liquid supply tank, a discharge line therefrom, a pump interposed in said line, a valve in said line on the inlet side of said pump, an intake pipe communieating with said valve, said valve being arranged in one position to control a flow through said discharge line and lin a second position to direct a flow through said intake pipe into said discharge line, a housing enclosing arts of said discharge line, means for heating the interior of said housing and means connecting said housing with said intake ipe where y when said valve is posito connect said intake 'pipe with said discharge line a current of heated air is drawn from said housing and passed through said discharge lin'e.

3..l A fluid distributing s stem comprising, in combination, a'y tank, a 'scharge line con.-

, stantia nected to said tank, a pump arranged to force fluid through said discharge line, an intake pipe, a control valve connected to said intake ipe and interposedin said discharge line etween said tank and pump for controlling the flow of fluid from said tank to said dischargeline in one position and for direct-ing a flow of fluid from said intake pipe to said discharge line in another position thereof, a source of heated gas, and means connecting said source with said intake pipe whereby movement of said control valve from said tank and discharge line connecting position to said intake pipe and discharge line connecting position immediately permits hot air to e passed through said discharge line to expel the fluid from said discharge line.

4. A fluid distributin system comprising, in combination, a tan a discharge line, means connecting said discharge line with said tank including a control valve connected to said tank and a force ump connected to said valve and discharge ine, an intake pipe also controlled b said valve, a housing substantially enclosing said discharge line and ump, means for heating the air within said iousing, a conduit having one end communicating with the interior of said housing, and means on the other end of said conduit for detachably connectin said end with said intake pipeto'per'mit ieated air to be withdrawn from said housing into said intake ipe. 5. A fluid distributin system comprising, in combination, a tan a discharge line, means connectin said discharge line with said tank inclu ing an interposed control valve and force um an intake pipe also controlled by said valJve gas,'a conduit connected to said source of gas, and means detachably connecting said conduit with said intake pipe.

6. A fluid distributing s stein comprising, in combination, a source'o fluid, a discharge line connected thereto, a source of heated gas, a conduit connected thereto, a distributing system of conduits,'a sin 1e control valve connecting said discharge ine and said heated gas conduit with said distributing system and arranged to direct a flow from one Yor the other to said s stem, and a pump interposed between saidyvalve and said distributing system.

In a fluid distributor, the combination of a fluid tank, a dischar e system connected to said tank for distributing fluid therefrom, and means for supplyingl said system with heated gas comprisingl a eating casing sub- 1 y enclosing said dischar e system, means for heating the interior o? said casing, and a conduit interposed between said casin and said system.

8. n a fluid distributor, the combination of a fluid tank, a 4discharge line, a conduit a source of heated `heated gas,

conduit connecting said line rwith a source of a control member inter osed between said conduits and said line or selectively controlling the flow from either of said conduits to said line so that heated gas may be passed throu h said line immediately after the flow of Enid therethrough has been shut-ofi", a casing substantially enclosing the parts connected to said control member on the discharge line side thereof, and meansl for heating the interior of said casing thereby heating said enclosed parts and at the same time providing a source of heated gas.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

GEORGE M. ETNYRE.

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