US2890632A

US2890632A - Road surfacing machine

Info

Publication number: US2890632A
Application number: US640547A
Authority: US
Inventors: James J Madison; Fred B Wilson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-02-15
Filing date: 1957-02-15
Publication date: 1959-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 1976-06-16

Description

June 16, 1959 J J, MADIS ON Em 2,890,632

ROAD SURFACING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 15, 1957 INVENTORS, James J. Madison W'Ison BY Fed B l I June 16, 1959 J. J. MADISON L ROAD SURFACING MACHINE Filed Feb. 15, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS, James J. Madison i Fred B. Wllson 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 s R n 8/ mm mm i vll h EMW mw\ WMR I B I g N 4 llL| i fa v 1 B 1 v e 3 a mm mm a mm mm mm B June 16, 1959 J. J. MADISON ETAL ROAD SURFACING MACHINE Filed Feb. 15, 1957 w mm mm mm Km 3 m? m United rates RQAD SURFACKNG MACHWE James J. Madison and Fred'B. Wilson, Memphis, Tenn.

Application February 15, 1957, Serial No. 640,547

6 Claims. (Cl. 94-46) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in means for finishing road surfaces, and in particular relates to leveling means for enhancing the utility and efliciency of paving surface finishers.

Conventional road surfacing machinery in general comprise a tractor device embodying a number of instrumentalities for depositing and spreading paving surfacing such as asphalt or the like, and so-called screed means for smoothing and finishing the course of pavement being laid. Much difiiculty has been heretofore encountered in connection with irregularities in level of the road bed upon which the paving is to be laid, resulting in undesirable irregularities in thickness of paving surface and substantial failure to eliminate comparable irregularities in the final finished surface of the road under construction. While attempts have been made to solve this problem, all known attempts have proven inadequate for the purpose and have been limited to certain specialized uses on particular types and kinds of road surfacing courses, and have been limited in utility and efficiency.

The principal difficulty heretofore encountered has resulted from the existence, particularly in roads being resurfaced, of irregularities in level of a length in excess of the wheel base of the screed-carrying tractor device. The present invention basically proposes to overcome this difiiculty by providing means for effectively extending the supporting base for the screed means to a length in excess of twice the original length of the wheel base of the tractor, and to so adapt the structure that the conventional screed means become, in essence, strike-off means.

A further problem encountered is in connection with the adjustability of screed means to provide for road crown, and the present invention contemplates the provision of supporting sled means and adjustment means for coordinately adjusting the sled means to fit the crown established by the supported screed means.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel means for maintaining surface .level in road finishing machinery.

A further object of the invention is to provide such means which comprise elongated composite arms pivotally connected with a screed-carrying tractor device and extending rearwardly therebeyond, with a pair of sled means connected with the elongated arms and supporting the rearward end of said arms to effect screed suspension support intermediate the tractor device and the sled means.

A further object of the invention is 'to provide means for adjustably interconnecting such sled means to establish and maintainlroad crowning position.

A further object of the invention is to provide new and novel means of connecting such sled means with supporting arms.

A further object of the invention is to provide con necting means between such suPpOrting arms and sled means which include a universal joint action; and

A further object of the invention is generally to im- Hoe 2 prove the design, construction and efiiciency of road finishing machinery.

The means by which the-foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a road surfacing machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken as on the line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view on an enlarged scale illustrating the leveling means of themesent invention, with parts being broken away and removed for purposes of illustration.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear viewof the device as seen in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top'plan view of the device as seen in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view on a further enlarged scale, partly in section, illustrating a preferred embodiment of universal joint connection for the sled means of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 illustrating release positionof the joint connection.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged rear view illustrating the connection between the sled means of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the present invention is particularly adapted for use for the improvement of the operation of substantially conventional surface-levelling and course-laying devices of a .type well-known in the art and field.

The conventional device .is primarily embodied in a tractor or similar unit 11, which preferably includes a pair of crawler-type tracks. The tractor device comprises the usual motor, conventional controls, seat and other accessories, which are not here referred to by numerals since it is believed they are so well-known to those skilled in the art so as to require no other specific identification.

As is well-known, such devices comprise means for depositing road surfacing material such as asphalt or other suitable surfacings, with the depositing devices being located adjacent the rear of the tractor device, and with the road contacting treads or track devices 13 being positioned forwardly of the zone of surfacing material deposit. Rearwardly of the depositing zone, and preferably supported at the rearmost end of tractor 11 are screed means 15 "which extend transversely substantially the Width of the course being laid and are preferably centrally divided into

sections

15A, 15B and provided with central adjustment means 17 for the purpose of altering the relative angularity of the divided screed means to provide for a positive or negative crowning of the road surfacing as maybe desired.

It will be understood that by the term positive crowning it is meant that the respective screed members are centrally upwardly inclined from the horizontal in order to provide a central crown in the road surfacing, with the road surfacing declining away from the central crown; while by the term negative crowning it is meant that the respective screed members are arranged centrally de clined from the horizontal so that the center of the road surface is depressed and outwardly from the central portion the road surface is upwardly inclined.

Preferably adjustment means 17 provides a central connection between screed

sections

15A, 15B, and adjacent their outer ends the respective screed sections are connected as by suitable screw means 18 to the rearward ends of side arm 19. The rear ends of the respective side arms 3 I 19 are disposed to extend slightly beyond the rear end of tractor 11, and thus the screed means are disposed rearwardly of the tractor p roper. At their forward ends side arms 19 are pivotally connected as at-21 to tractor 11.

Adjacent the rear ends of side arms 19- an intermediate portion 23A of relatively greatly elongated extension arms 23 are pivotally connected to the side arms 19. Preferably the extension arms 23 include the intermediate portion 23A which is disposed in a diagonally inclined position as best seen in Figs. 1 and 4, a forward portion 233 which is connected with the forward and upper end of intermediate portion 23A, and a rearward or attachment portion 230 which is connected with the lower and rearward end of intermediate portion 23A.

The connection of extension arms 23 to side arms 19. is accomplished preferably by pivots 25 so as to hingedly connect extension arms 23 to the rearward end of side arms 19, thus providing an elongated composite hinged arm means consisting respectively of a side arm 19 and an extension arm 23, with the screed means 15 being disposed approximately adjacent the hinged connection between the arm components of the hinged composite arm means. Preferably extension arms 23 respectively are disposed outwardly from side arms 19.

Adjacent the forward end of forward arm portion 23B a thrust screw 27 provided with suitable handle means 28 is threadedly engaged with an internally threaded block .29. The lower end of thrust screw 27 seats solidly upon an abutment seat 31 which is carried by a suitable bracket 32 rigidly fixed to the outer portion of side arm 19 intermediate the length of the side arm. It will be observed that forward arm portion 23B is outwardly offset from side arm 19, and is disposed at a level above the level of side arm 19. Thrust screw 27 provides means for adjusting the angular relationship between side arm 19 and arm portion 238, and consequently provides means for adjusting the hinged position of the composite portions of the hinged arm means.

Preferably rearward arm portions 230, connected at their forward ends with the rearward end of intermediate portion 23A, extend rearwardly therefrom and converge inwardly, as best shown in Fig. 2. Suitable bracing, including a cross brace 33 and intermediate diagonals 35, are provided for bracing and maintaining rear arm portions 23C in their relatively spaced position. Preferably the diagonals 35 at their inner ends are each pivoted to a plate 37 carried by cross brace 33.

To the rearmost ends of arm portions 230 are respectively connected upright posts 39. Preferably arm portions 23C at their rear ends are provided with enlarged collars 41 in which the upper ends of posts 39 are inserted and retained against relative vertical movement as by keys 43. For additional stability an X-bracing 45 is secured at its opposite ends to the upper and lower portions of arm portions 23C, the X-bracing being disposed closely adjacent to collars 41 and rearwardly of the

cross bracing

33, 35.

A knuckle joint 47 is fixed to the lower end of each of the posts 39. Preferably the knuckle joint 47 includes a housing 49 having a rearwardly disposed domed portion 51 which is adapted to engage with a ball member 53, and the knuckle joint 47 is provided with releasable clamp means for locking the ball in the housing against separation therefrom while permitting relative rotation therebetween. Preferably the clamp means comprises a slide plate 55 mounted in housing 49, the slide plate 55 being engaged by a rotatable cam 57 which is connected with an external toggle arm 59 for shifting the clamp plate 55 toward and away from ball 53 to lock and unlock the ball into the housing. Ball 53 is preferably provided with a downwardly projecting stud 61. Each ball member 53 is connected by its stud 61 to one of a pair of beam memllajzrs 63, which each form a part of a pair of sled mem- 4 Each of the sled members 65 comprises a substantially flat, rectangular base plate 67, which forms a smooth under surface for the sled member and is adapted to seat upon the underlying road bed or course being finished and smoothingly to be moved therealong. Each of the plates is provided with a peripheral strengthening framework 69. Extending from each of the sled frames 69 to an adjacent portion of rear arm portion 23C is an adjustable connection means 71, which is here shown as tumbuckle means. As can readily be seen, one of the turnbuckle rods 71A is swingably connected to an eye 73 rigidly fixed to a forward portion of sled frame 69 and adjacent but spaced inwardly from the outer end of the sled member. Theother turnbuckle rod 718 is swingably attached to a connector 75 mounted rigidly on arm portion 230. The ends of rods 71A, 71B are oppositely threaded and are engaged by a turnbuckle barrel 71C, permitting adjustment of the length of the connection between the leading edge of the sled members and the extension arms. It will be seen that the forward or leading edge of the respective sled members 65 may be raised or lowered relative to extension arms 23 by the adjustment of the length of the connection means 71.

Closely adjacent to but spaced outwardly from the inner ends of the respective sled members 65 are rigidly mounted upstanding standards 77 which may be formed, as shown, of angle members, or other suitable structural members. To one of the standards 77 one end of a spacer member 79 is fixed, being shown as the right hand standard 77 in Figs. 5 and 6. Spacer member 79 preferably extends substantially horizontally from the one standard to which it is rigidly fixed across the adjacent but independent inner edges of the sled members and extends slidably through the opposite standard 77. Intermediate the standards 77 spacer member 79 is provided with a threaded section 81 which is engaged by

limit nuts

83, 84, and adjacent its free end may be provided with a smooth section 85 having a limit head 87. As can be seen, by simply shifting the position of nut 83 along threaded portion 81 the relative angularity between sled members 65 may be adjusted. This angularity is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 as adjusted to substantially a maximum positive crowning as described hereinabove.

The sled members 65 at their inner ends are disposed with the inner edges of the base plates closely adjacent, but minutely spaced apart, and the sled members extend outwardly to provide a span substantially of a length equal to the width of the course being laid. Preferably the sled members are hingedly interconnected, which interconnection is shown as comprising hinge means 88 disposed respectively adjacent the leading edges of each of the sled members and adjacent the rearward or trailing edges of each of the sled members. Preferably each of the hinge means 88 is disposed to lie between the innermost portions of sled frames 69 and each of the hinge means may comprise a hinge pin 89 and a pair of hinge leaves 91. Pin 89, interposed between the sled members above the level of base plates 67, serves to maintain the minor spacing between the sled members and to permit movement of hinge leaves 91 into positive crowning position or negative crowning position of the sled members as heretofore described. As shown in Fig. 9, when the sled members are substantially parallel and level hinge leaves 91, which are respectively rigidly fixed to the frame portions, are upstanding and substantially parallel. When moved to positive crowning position (Fig. 5) the hinge leaves spread somewhat apart, and when moved to a negative crowning position, not shown, the hinge leaves move into converging relationship above the hinge pin. The sled members are held against relative lateral movement by extension arms 23, posts 39, X-bracing 45 and by hinge means 88, while permitting hinged movement to positions of angularity relative to each other under the influence of spacer member 79 and standards 77, the

:aseaeea sled members being retained in such relative angularity by the spacer member.

It will be seen that as posts 39 are supported by sled members 65 the rearward ends of extension arms 23 connected to the posts 39 are supported and consequently the screed means 15 connected to side arms 19 are suspended from the composite arms comprising side arms 19 and extension arms 23 at a point intermediate the sled members and the forward arm pivots 21, thus greatly increasing the effective supporting base for the screed means.

As the device is utilized in the finishing of a road surfacing course, the road surfacing material is deposited in a conventional manner well-known to those skilled in the art forwardly of the screed means. It is initially leveled off and smoothed by the screed means, but in the event that the crawler tracks 13 of tractor 11 deposited for wardly of the screed means encounter an irregularity in surface of the uncovered road bed the greatly elongated

composite arms

19, 23 prevent exaggeration of vertical movement of the screed means and effectively accomplish a substantial maintenance of the intermediately suspended screed means at desired surface finishing level. The sled members are subsequently advanced over the laid and screed-leveled course and accomplish a second smoothing and finishing of the course, thus more effectively providing a satisfactory surfacing for the roadway.

It will be observed that as heretofore pointed out the screed means may be adjusted as to relative angularity in order to provide, if desired, a crown, either positive or negative, to the roadbed being finished. Through the use of spacer member 79 and

limit nuts

83, 84 engaging standards 77 the relative angularity between sled members 65 may be similarly adjusted to correspond to the crowning established in the screed means. The universal joint connection between the posts 39 and sled members 65 through the knuckle joints 47 permits the angular adjustment of the respective sled members relative to the posts, while the posts are maintained substantially perpendicular to the extension arms 23. Additionally, the universal connection permits the raising or lowering of the leading edges of sled members 65 through the adjustment of connections 71 which provides for establishing the plane of the sleds, with particular reference to the type of surfacing spread upon the roadbed. Additionally, the knuckle joint connections between the posts and the sled members permit the use of the present device with the greatly elongated

composite arms

19, 23, even along curved road surfaces, since, as can be seen, the arms may be respectively turned relative to the sled members by virtue of the connection.

It will be seen that the sled members 65 may,'when de' sired, be readily detached from rear posts 39 by a simple shift of the knuckle joint clamp means from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the position shown in Fig. 8, releasing ball 53 from engagement by plate 55 and freeing the ball for separation from housing 49. Posts 39 may then be lifted by arms 23 away from the sled members, effecting completion of the detachment. In order to provide for lifting of arm members 23, and to prevent undesired jackknifing of arms 23 relative to arms 19, means are provided for detachably connecting arms 23 to arms 19 at a point spaced from pivot 25. Preferably threaded block 29 is apertured as at 93 in alined registry with a similar aperture formed in the upper portion ofbracket 32. The aperture in bracket 32 being disposed substantially'above abutment seat 31 and being horizontally alined with aperture 93. A pin 95 may be inserted in the alined apertures, as shown in Fig. 4, for effectively keying the arms together and establishing a two-point connection between the arms so that ,the desired lifting may be accomplished without hinged movement about pivot 25. For convenience pin 95 may be connected to block 29 by a chain 97. Preferably hydraulic jacks 99 are carried by the opposite sides of tractor '11 and underlie side arms 19 forwardly .of

brackets 32 for effecting lifting of arms 19and consequently of arms 23 to lift posts 39 away from the sled members.

'It will further be observed that when the sled members are attached, the thrust screws 27 are effective to accomplish adjustment of the relative height of the intermediately supported screed means, since raising or lowering of the rear end of arms 23 will effect a change in the position of the arms 19 through pivots 25, consequently effecting adjustment of the height of the screed means relative to the roadbed.

We claim:

1. In road surfacing machinery which includes a trac tor device adapted to deposit surfacing material along a road bed, a pair of side arms respectively pivoted to opposite sides of said tractor device adjacent the forward end of said tractor device and extending rearwardly into adjacency with the rear end of said tractor device, and screed means connected to said arm means adjacent said rear end for levelling the deposited material; means greatly elongating the effective base of said machinery and effecting suspension of said screed means intermediate said base when elongated comprising a pair of extension arms respectively lying alongside a portion of said side arms and extending rearwardly therebeyond, pivot means pivotally connecting an intermediate portion of each extension arm to the side arm proximate thereto adjacent the rear ends of said side arms, thrust means carried by said extension arms forwardly of said pivot means,.abutment means fixed to said side arms underlying said thrust means and engaged thereby, said thrust means being adjustable relative to said abutment means for varying the angular relationship between said side arms and related said extension arms forwardly of said pivot means to vary the elevation of the rearward ends of said extension arms, a pair of upright posts respectively connected to and extending below said extension arm rear ends, a pair of sleds hingedly connected adjacent their inner ends, releasable knuckle joint means connecting the lower ends of said posts to said sleds whereby said sleds effect support of said extension arms, said sleds being of substantially the same width and the total Width of said sleds being substantially equal to the width of said tractor means, each said sled including a flat plate-like base coextensive with the said width of said sled, adjustment means connecting the leading edge of each said sled to its related said extension arm for adjusting the elevation of the leading edge of said sled relative to its said arm, adjustable spacer means above the inner portions of said sleds interconnecting the adjacent inner portions of said sleds for establishing the planar angularity of said sled bases relative to each other, said joint connections providing for adjusting movements of said sleds relative to said posts without disturbing the position of said posts relative to said arms.

2. In road surfacing machinery which'includes a tractor device adapted to deposit surfacing material along a road bed, a pair of side arms respectively pivoted to opposite sides of said tractor device adjacent the forward end of said tractor device and extending rearwardly into adjacency with the rear end of said tractor device, and screed means connected to said arm means adjacent said rear end for levelling the deposited material; means greatly elongating the effective base of said machinery and effecting suspension of said screed means intermediate said base when elongated comprising a pair of extension arms respectively lying alongside a portion of said side arms and extending rearwardly therebeyond, pivot means pivotally connecting an intermediate portion of each extension arm to the side arm proximate thereto adjacent the rear ends of said side arms, means for varying the angular relationship between said side arms and related said extension arms forwardly of said pivot means to vary the elevation of the rearward ends of said extension arms, a pair of upright posts respectively connected to and extending below said extension arm rear ends, a pair of sleds hingedly connected adjacent their inner ends, releasable knuckle joint means connecting the lower ends of said posts to said sleds whereby said sleds effect support of said extension arms, said sleds being of substantially the same width and the total width of said sleds being substantially equal to the width of said tractor means, each said sled including a flat plate-like base coextensive with the said width of said sled, adjustment means connecting the leading edge of each said sled to its related said extension arm for adjusting the elevation of the leading edge of said sled relative to its said arm, adjustable spacer means above the inner portions of said sleds interconnecting the adjacent inner portions of said sleds for establishing the planar angularity of said sled bases relative to each other, said joint connections providing for adjusting movements of said sleds relative to said posts without disturbing the position of said posts relative to said arms.

3. In road surfacing machinery which includes a tractor device adapted to deposit surfacing material along a road bed, a pair of side arms respectively pivoted to opposite sides of said tractor device adjacent the forward end of said tractor device and extending rearwardly into adjacency with the rear end of said tractor device, and screed means connected to said arm means adjacent said rear end for levelling the deposited material; means greatly elongating the effective base of said machinery and effecting suspension of said screed means intermediate said base when elongated comprising a pair of extension arms respectively lying elongside a portion of said side arms and extending rearwardly therebeyond, pivot means pivotally connecting an intermediate portion of said extension arm to the side arm proximate thereto adjacent the rear ends of said side arms, means for varying the angular relationship between said side arms and related said extension arms forwardly of said pivot means to vary the elevation of the rearward ends of said extension arms, a pair of upright posts respectively connected to and extending below said extension arm rear ends, a pair of sleds hingedly connected adjacent their inner ends, releasable knuckle joint means connecting the lower ends of said posts to said sleds whereby said sleds effect support of said extension arms, said sleds being of substantially the same width and the total width of said sleds being substantially equal to the width of said tractor means, each said sled including a fiat plate-like base coextensive with the said width of said sled, adjustable spacer means above the inner portions of said sleds interconnectng the adjacent inner portions of said sleds for establishing the planar angularity of said sled bases relative to each other, said joint connections providing for adjusting movements of said sleds relative to said posts without disturbing the position of said posts relative to said arms.

4. In road surfacing machinery which includes a tractor device adapted to deposit surfacing material along a road bed, a pair of side arms respectively pivoted to opposite sides of said tractor device adjacent the forward end of said tractor device and extending rearwardly into adjacency with the rear end of said tractor device, and

screed'means connected to said arm means adjacent said rear end for levelling the deposited material; means greatly elongating the effective base of said machinery and effecting suspension of said screed means intermediate said base when elongated comprising a pair of extension arms respectively lying alongside a portion of said side arms and extending rearwardly therebeyond, pivot means pivotally connectingan intermediate portion of each extension arm to the side arm proximate thereto adjacent the rear ends of said side arms, means for varying the angular relationship between said side arms and related said'extension arms forwardly of said pivot means to vary the elevation of the rearward ends of said extension arms, a pair of upright posts respectively connected to and extending below said extension arm rear ends, a

' pair of interconnected sleds, releasable knuckle joint means connecting the lower ends of said posts to said sleds whereby said sleds effect support of said extension a'rms, said sleds being of substantially the same width and the total width of said sleds being substantially equal to the width of said tractor means, each said sled including a Hat plate-like base coextensive with the said width of i said sled, adjustment means connecting the leading edge of each said sled to its related said extension arm for adjusting the elevation of the leading edge of said sled relative to its said arm, said joint connections providing for adjusting movements of said sleds relative to said posts without disturbing the position of said posts relative to said arms.

5. In road surfacing machinery which includes a tractor device adapted to deposit surfacing material along a road bed, a pair of side arms respectively pivoted to opposite sides of said tractor device adjacent the forward end of said tractor device and extending rearwardly into adjacency with the rear end of said tractor device, and screed means connected to said arm means adjacent said rear end for levelling the deposited material; means greatly elongating the effective base of said machinery and effecting suspension of said screed means intermediate said base when elongated comprising a pair of extension arms respectively lying alongside a portion of said side arms and extending rearwardly therebeyond, pivot means pivotally connecting an intermediate portion of each extension arm to the side arm proximate thereto adjacent the rear ends of said side arms, means for varying the angular relationship between said side arms and related said extension arms forwardly of said pivot means to vary the elevation of the rearward ends of said extension arms, a pair of upright posts respectively connected to and extending below said extension arm rear ends, a pair of interconnected sleds, releasable knuckle joint means connecting the lower ends of said posts to said sleds whereby said sleds effect support of said extension arms, said sleds being of substantially the same width and the total width of said sleds being substantially equal to the Width of said tractor means, each said sled including a fiat plate-like base coextensive with the said width of said sled, said joint connections providing for adjusting movements of said sleds relative to said posts without disturbing the position of said posts relative to said arms.

6. In road surfacing machinery which includes a tractor device adapted to deposit surfacing material along a road bed, a pair of side arms respectively pivoted to opposite sides of said tractor device adjacent the forward end of said tractor device and extending rearwardly into adjacency with the rear end of said tractor device, and screed means connected to said arm means adjacent said rear end for levelling the deposited material; means greatly elongating the effective base of said machinery and effecting suspension of said screed means intermediate said base when elongated comprising a pair of extension arms connecting'the lower ends of said posts to said sleds whereby said sleds effect support of said extension arms, said sleds being of substantially the same width and the total 'width of said sleds being substantially equal to the 9 Width of said tractor means, each said sled including a References Cited in the file of this patent 5251- 2211?finitififiiiii$$$2iii$iiiii5,3223%; UNITED STATES PATENTS of said sleds relative to said posts without disturbing 2,351,593 Barbe? June201944 the position of said posts relative to said arms. 5 2589256 Hommg 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 843,856 Germany Sept. 15, 1952