US3347597A

US3347597A - Jet cleaning apparatus and groove router for concrete pavements

Info

Publication number: US3347597A
Application number: US503127A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert B Holifield
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-10-23
Filing date: 1965-10-23
Publication date: 1967-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 1984-10-17

Description

R. B. HOLIFIELD JET CLEANING APPARATUS AND GROOVE Oct. i?, i967 ROUTER'FOR CONCRETE PAVEMENTS Filed Oct. 23. 1965' 3 Sheets-Sheet l Y ATTORN EY @CL 17, 1957 R. B. HoLlFn-:LD 3,347,597

JET CLEANING APPARATUS AND GROOVE ROUTER FOR CONCRETE PAVEMENTS Filed Oct. 25, 1965 3 Sheets-ShaftI 2 INVENTOR ROBERT B. HOLIFIELD BYv ATTORNEY JET CLEANING APPARATUS AND GROOVE ROUTER' FOR CONCRETE PAVEMENTS OC- 17, 1957 R. B. HOLIFIELD 3,347,597

'Filed oct. 23, 1965 s sheetssheet s 1 A:Vlg/'n' A' F 1g. IO

v INVENTOR ROBERT B. HOLYIFIELD BY @i UW@ ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,347,597 Patented Oct. 17, 1967 This invention relates to apparatus and method for cleaning and routing out the joints in concrete pavements to remove sealants, and the accumulation of undesirable foreign materials, preparatory to the replacement of fillers and sealants along the joints.

Concrete pavements, such as aircraft landing and taxiing strips, hangar floors, parking areas and roadways are commonly comprised of sections whose abutments are filled with sealants, generally composed of asphaltic materials, serving to prevent the destructive effects of water, and-other deleterious materials, from entering the joints and undermining the pavement. Such fillers and sealants, being of an elastic character provide for expansion and contraction, or linear movement of the concrete sections when affected by temperature changes, load stresses, and other factors.

It is of particular importance to maintain the alignment of the sections of concrete along aircraft runways and adjacent taxiing areas, and when necessary, remove all dust, grit, and other materials from the joints between the concrete sections, as well as all surface areas, which may be sucked into aircraft engines resulting in malfunctions and thus presenting hazards which should be meticulously avoided.

The elastic-like sealant materials used in filling the joints between the concrete sections will, in due time, deterioriate and become impregnated with sand, grit, and other undesirable materials, and must be periodically replaced. Due to expansion, contraction, settling of the earth beneath the pavements, load stresses, and other factors, fractures will occur in the concrete sections which must be thoroughly cleaned and sealed and in order to insure a positive and permanent seal, the cracks or fractures should be routed out to a suitable depth and uniform width to receive the sealant material.

A variety of apparatus and mechanisms have been devised for routing or plowing out the joints Ibetween concrete pavement sections, and cleaning these joints by removing any loose substances therefrom but many such devices fail to perform their function in a completely satisfactory manner. The invention is designed to provide a mechanism embodying features by which the operations here under consideration can be effectively accomplished.

A prime `object of the invention, therefore, is that of providing a simple and economical device by which the so-called expansion joints, as well as cracks and fractures in concrete pavements, can be routed out to remove deteriorated and impotent sealants and filler materials, with any accumulated foreign matter, and at once remove the dirt and grit and loose aggregate from the joints and fractures whereby repairs can be accomplished and the pavement maintained in its proper condition by refilling the cleaned joints and fractures with a fresh sealant.

Another object of the invention is that of providing a mechanism which may be readily attached to a conventional vehicle, or operatively connected to a unit of special design, as desired, and propelled thereby along the affected joints and fractures.

Due the varying character of the materials to be removed from the originally defined joints, which depends largely upon the type of filler initially employed and which it is desirable to replace, an object of the invention is that of providing controlled pressure means for the air jet stream utilized in dislodging the loosened materials from the joints in the wake of the plow or routing element, such jet action requiring from 50() to 4,000 p.s.i. for Ibest performance, and necessitating a reasonably close tolerance in pressure controls to avoid widening `the joint or groove beyond a specified dimension.

Broadly, the invention contemplates the provision of apparatus for cleaning the joints and fractures in concrete pavements in which is embodied mechanical features by which the affected joints and fractures can be thoroughly divested of all materials therein, of whatever character, and maintained at uniform widths and depths, and to provide a method by which the joints and fractures can be adequately prepared to receive a fresh application of a sealant at a minimum of cost and substantial saving in time and labor.

While the foregoing objects are paramount, other and lesser objects will become apparent as the description proceeds when considered in connection with the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational View of the invention attached forwardly of a typical propelling vehicle, showing the device in operative position as it is moved along a joint.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the mechanism illustrating the carriage, the plows and jet assemblies, the pump and fluid conduit, and hydraulic depth control.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the invention in operative arrangement, showing the spring tensioned plows, the tensioning adjustment mechanisms, the shoes and jet element.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view of the invention showing the relative positions of the plows and the jet element.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the jet nozzle.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side view of the front end of the carriage supporting a surface cleaning attachment embodying an air conduit and manifold having a plurality of jets thereon.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIGURE 6, the jets being shown in dotted lines.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a typical concrete pavement showing, in grid fashion, a series of eX- pansion joints and repaired fractures traversing the surface.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional View, on line 9`9 of FIGURE 8, showing a typical sectional joint having .a sealant therein.

FIGURE 10 is another fragmentarysectional View, on line lltl of FIGURE 9, showing one type of fracture or crack in the concrete slab having been cleaned and repaired, and

FIGURE lll is another sectional view, on line 11-11 of FIGURE 9, showing still'another type of fracture having been cleaned and shaped, and filled with a sealant.

The mechanism comprising the apparatus consists of a pair of

plows

10 and 11 having

shank portions

12 and 13 which extend downwardly and incline forwardly of their supporting carriage, generally designated by the numeral 14, and have

beam portions

15 and 16 which are normally in a horizontal plane and whose forward ends are rolled to' form integral sleeves y17 and 18 through which pins 19 and 20 are arranged to provide a limited hinging action for the

plows

10 and 11, as shown in FIGURE 3,

The carriage 14, shown in detail in FIGURES 3 and 4, includes a housing 21 which is arcuate in transverse section, having downwardly and outwardly curved

sides

22 and 23, and secured along the lower edge of each of the

sides

22 and 23 is a runner or shoe 24. The housing 21 has a pair of parallel plates 25 and 26 welded longitudinally thereof, and laterally spaced, along its crown defining an open channel 27. Welded to each of the plates 25-and 26 at their rearrmost ends, are angular plates 28 and 29 which extend rearwardly beyond the rearmost ends of the plates 25 and 26, as shown particularly in FIGURE 3.

The plows and 11 are in tandem alignment and arranged at opposite ends of the housing 21, and the rearmost plow 11 is supported between the forward ends of the plates 28 and 29 on its pin 20. While the forward end of the housing 21 has a concavo-convex closure 30, shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the rear` end has an opening 31 in its lower portion through which the shank portion 13 of the rearmost plow 11 extends, projecting downwardly at an obtuse angle into the housing 21, as best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

Welded to the forward ends of the plates and 26 are angular plates 32 and 33 which extend beyond the forward ends of the plates 25 and 26 and through which the pin 19 is arranged, the latter providing a support for the forward plow 10, the pin 19 being arranged through the sleeve 17 formed by rolling the end of the beam portion 15 of the plow 10. The shank portion 12 of the plow 10 extends downwardly at an obtuse angle through an opening 34 in the top of the housing 21 near the front closure thereof, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

A router blade 35 is attached by bolts 36 to the lower end of each of the

shanks

12 and 13 of the

plows

10 and 11, and each may be reversible having a point 37 on each end. Each blade 35 has a shoe 38 integrally secured,`

as by welding, to one of its edges adjacent to the point 37 whose plane is angular with respect to that of the plow shank, and engages the surface 39 of the pavement 40 on one side of the groove 41 and functions as a depth gauge for the points 37 so as to insure a uniform depth,

as indicated by reference to FIGURES 1 and 3, and to enable the plow to pass across the open transverse grooved joints.

Each of the

plows

10 and 11 is biased against the work by a compression spring 42 whose lower` end engages the top surface of each

beam

15 and 16 of the

plows

10 and 11, extending through a stationary guide ring 43, each of whose sides is welded or otherwise secured to the laterally spaced and vertical leg members 44 of an inverted elongated U-shaped element 45, the lowermost ends of the members 44 being welded to the inner upper surfaces of the

plates

28, 29, 32 and33, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, and embrace

thefbeams

15 and 16 of the

plows

10 and 11.

Each of the elements 45 has an aperture 46in the horizontal portion 47, which connects the leg members 44, and an internally threaded nut 48 is welded thereon to register with the aperture 46. A threaded shaft 49 is arranged through the nut 48 and has a disc 50 attached to its lowermost end bearing upon `the upper end of the compression spring 42. A crank 51 is attached to the upper end of the shaft 49 by which it can be rotated andthreaded upwardly or downwardly `to control the yieldable pressure applied to the

plows

10 and 11 according to the particular requirements.

The carriage 14 is connected to a frame 52 comprising a pair of

parallel beams

53 and 54 which are spaced apart, as shown in FIGURE 2, and have their inner ends pivotally connected `to the propelling vehicle 55. The frame 52 can be raised and lowered on its pivots 56 by hydraulic plungers 57 pivotally attached to the

beams

53 and 54 and operating in cylinders 58 whose ends are pivotally connected to the forward end of the vehicle 55, as best shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

The

beams

53 and 54 of the frame 52 are connected by

transverse members

59 and 60, the former being arranged between the foremost ends of the

beams

53 and 54, while the 'member 60 is spaced rearwardly from the member 59 above the carriage 14 which is connected to the member 60 by a vertically arranged hydraulic ram rassembly 61 which comprises a cylinder 62 and a palr of opposingly actuated

plungers

63 and 64. The upper plunger 63 has aclevis 65 on its outer end which is hingedly secured by a pin 66 to a lug 67 integrally secured to the underside of the transverse membert.`

Arranged transversely of the channel 27, between the parallel plates 25 and 26 defining the same, are plates 68 which form a rectangular housing 69 rearwardly of the forwardplow 10. Each of the transverse plates 68 has an elongated block 70 welded along its upper edge and extendinginwardly to form a relatively narrow slot 71 therebetween through which is` arranged a block 72 having a plate 73 secured to its lower end bearing against the upper end of a compression spring 74 seated in the housing 69.

The `upper end of the block 72 is apertured and is hingedly connected to a clevis 75 on the lower end of the plunger 64 by a pin 76. The cylinder 62 has

hydraulic fluid lines

77 and 78 connected into its opposite ends whereby controlled pressured can be imposed upon the carriage 14, thev spring 74 providing for a degree of yieldability as the device is moved along vthe pavement 40.

Depending from the forward ends of the beams 52 and S3, and rigidly connected` thereto, are hitch elements 79 having a shaft 80 pivoted at each end to their lowermost ends. A link 81 is rigidly attached to the shaft 80, intermediate its ends, and is pivotally coupled, through a universal joint 82, to a tubular draft link 83 whose inner end is connected through a universal joint 84 to the front end of the carriage 14, as shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4.

-It is apparent that, by reason of the flexible connections between the carriage 14 and the supporting frame 52, the

.

plows

10 and 11 can4 be easily `guided along the joints and fractures in the pavement 40 while controlling `the downward pressures required through the medium of thesolvent, is directed into the groove 41 through a jet 86 connected to the lower end of a nozzle 87 by a fitting 88, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, and in detail in FIG- URE 5.

The nozzle 87 is secured to the carriage 14 by a clamp 89 and extends ldownwardly at an obtuse angle through an opening 99 in the top of the housing 21 of the carriage 14, and approximately intermediate the ends thereof, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The opposite end of the nozzle 87 is connected through a flexible tube 91 by a coupling 92 to a conduit 93 connected to a pump 94 on` the forward portion of the vehicle 55 which draws water or solutions from the reservoir 95 in the bottom ofthe vehicle 55. The pump 94 is driven by the vehicle motor 96 mounted on the rear thereof through a shaft 97, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. An air compressor 98 is mounted on the vehicle 55 adjacent to the pump 94, whichv is also driven by the motor 96, :through a shaft 99 and has a connection 100 with the water pump 94.

In FIGURES 6 and 7 is illustrated a sweeper attach,

ment comprising an air or water manifold 101 having a series of jets 102 4in its underside. The manifold 101 .is tubular and has a rigid connection intermediate its ends with a conduit 103 which may be connected to the reservoir 95 through the pump 94 or directly to the air com-y pressor 98. The manifold 101 is transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle 55 and is supported on the forward end of the frame 52 by lthe member 79 and the shaft 80 in the place of the assembly shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The conduit 103 is suspended by a clamp 104 from the transverse element 60 between the frame beams 53 and 54, as shown in FIGUR-ES 6 and 7.

By this arrangement the surface 39 of the pavement 40, as well as the grooves 41, can be cleaned of all loose dirt and grit, and other undesirable matter, either by a compressed air blast or by a water bath.

In FIGURE `8 is fragmentarily shown .a typical grid pattern of a pavement such as may be used as an aircraft runway or taxiing strip, the

joints

105 and 106 between the sections 107 being of different widths, as desired, and arranged both longitudinally and transversely of the pavement 40. The

wider joints

105 and 106 conventionally occur between sections of the pavement 40 when originally laid and expansion strips 108, comprised of wood, or other suitable material, separates the sections below the surface 39 thereof, as shown in FIGURE 9.

A water proof sealant, usually an asphaltic material 109, is used to fill the groove 41 above the expansion strip 108 to the level of the surface 39. The sealant material 109, after periods of time, depending upon such factors as climate, load stresses, and the like, will deteriorate and must be removed and replaced. The removal of the spent sealant 85 can be accomplished by the

plows

10 and 11, as shown in FIGURE 3, and as previously described, and the radii 110 along each side of the joint are formedto insure an even surface over which the traic can move with a minimum of vibratory action.

Fractures or cracks 111 often occur in pavements, and may follow any course, such as the typical fractures shown in FIGURES 10 and 11. These may be plowed out, or grooved to a predetermined depth by the

plows

10 and 11, and the radii 110 formed along the edges of the resulting grooves 112 and a sealant 109 injected thereinto to prevent further damage and repair the surface 39. In some instances the fracture 111 is plowed out to a depth below that of the normal groove, and somewhat narrower, whereby an expansion strip 113 can be inserted, as indicated in FIGURE 10, and a ller or sealant 109 injected into lthe groove 41 thereabove.

In operation, as the mechanism lis moved along a joint 105 or 106 the

plows

10 and 11 are lowered thereinto by the operation of the hydraulic ram 58 to lower the frame 52 supporting the carriage 14. Pressure can be applied to the carriage 14 to hold it firmly against the surface 39 of the pavement 40 through the hydraulic cylinder 62 and its

plungers

63 and 64. Tension is applied to each of the

plows

10 and 11, as desired, through the cranks 51 and their springs 42.

As the carriage 14 is moved along the surface 39 on its runners or shoes 24 yieldability to lthe uneven surfaces is provided through the compression spring 74, and cornplete exibility is provided 4through the couplings on each end of the cylinder 62 and the universal joints 82 and 84 in the linkage 81 and 83 by which the carriage 14 is connected to its supporting frame 52.

A compartment 114 is provided on the vehicle 55 for the operator, including a seat 115 and a steering device 116. Access to the

plows

10 and 11, and the nozzle 86 may be had through openings on each side of the housing 21 which are closed by removable plates 117.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in its preferred embodiment, certain structural changes and arrangement of parts may be resorted to by persons skilled in the art wi-thout departing from the spirit and intent thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for cleaning and routing out expansion joints and cracks in concrete pavements, such as airport runways, to remove old and decomposed llers and sealants and accumulated foreign materials from said expansion joints and to enlarge and shape said cracks, preparatory to replacing said llers and sealants and filling said cracks, the combination of an automotive vehicle having a frame, an elongated boom having one of its ends pivotally connected to the frame of said vehicle, forwardly thereof, and normally extending substantially horizontally, forwardly of said vehicle, hydraulically operable means acting on said frame and said boom whereby the inclination of said boom may be adjusted within predetermined limits, an elongated skid below said boom having a pair of supporting runners engageable with a concrete pavement on opposite sides of an expansion joint or crack therein, draft means whereby said skid is connected to said boom, suspension means whereby said skid is connected to said boom rearwardly of said draft connection, a pair of plows on said skid in tandem relation to each other, engageable with an expansion joint or crack in a concrete pavement, a downwardly extending nozzle on said skid, between said plows, arranged to direct a stream of fluid at high velocity against an expansion joint or crack in a concrete pavement in the path of said plows, means on said vehicle for supplying fluid to said nozzle at predetermined superatmospheric pressure and means on said skid enclosing said plows and said nozzle and confining fluid as discharged from said nozzle and such material as may be displaced from an expansion joint or crack in a concrete pavement against which such iluid may be directed.

2. The structure of claim 1, said suspension means including a hydraulic ram having a pair of relatively movable members adjustable longitudinally and rotatively relative to each other, one of said members being pivotally connected to the under side of said boom whereby it is adjustable rotatively relative thereto about a horizontal axis extending substantially parallel to said boom, a spring housing on said skid having a compression spring therein, a plunger having one of its ends received in said spring housing, in opposing relation to said spring, and secured against rotation relative to said housing, and having the end thereof opposite said one of its ends pivotally connected to the other of said members whereby it is adjustable rotatively relative thereto about a horizontal axis extending substantially parallel to said skid, the arrangement being such that said skid is pivotally and flexibly connected to said boom, in spaced apart relation thereto, and may be freely suspended therefrom, while at the same time any desired superatmospheric pressure may be yieldably applied to said skid, to increase the effective Weight thereof, by operation of said hydraulic ram.

3. The structure of claim 1, said plows each having a downwardly and forwardly inclined shank portion having a router blade removably connected to its lower end, and having a forwardly extending beam portion continuous with the upper end of said shank portion, said beam portion `being pivotally connected, forwardly thereof, to sai-d skid for rotative adjustment about a horizontal axis, and adjustable means including a compression spring acting on said beam portion to urge it downwardly about its pivot,

4. The structure of claim 1, said draft means including a rigid downward extension 0f said boom, forwardly thereof, a draw bar having one of its ends pivotally connected to the lowermost extremity of said downward extension for rotative adjustment about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said boom, and linkage including a pair of universal joints connecting said draw bar to said skid.

5. The structure of claim 1, and sweeper means, interchangeable with said skid, including a fluid' conduit having means whereby it is removably suspended from said boom and extending longitudinally of said boom and below it, said conduit being in iiuid communication with said means on said vehicle for supplying iiuid to said first mentioned nozzle at predetermined superatmospheric pressure, and a manifold communicating with said conduit, forwardly thereof, and extending transversely of said boom, forwardly thereof, in close proximity to the ground in one of its operative positions, said manifold having a plurality of longitudinally spaced, `downwardly facing nozzles communicating with its under side.

6. The combination of an automotive vehicle having a frame, an elongated boom having one of its ends pivotally connected to said frame, forwardly thereof, and normally extending substantially horizontally, forwardly of said vehicle, hydraulically operable means acting on said frame and said boom whereby the inclination of said boom may be adjusted within predetermined limits, an elongated skid below said boom having a pair of supporting runners on opposite sides thereof, draft means whoreby said skid` is connected to vsaid boom, forwardly therelo of, suspension means whereby said skid is connected to said boom rearwardly of said `draft connection, and a plow on said skid, said plow having a downwardly and forwardly inclined shank portion having a router blade CII wardly extending beam portion continuous with the upper end of said shank portion, said beam portion being pivotally connected, forwardly thereof, to said skid for rotative adjustment about a horizontal axis, and adjustable References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,169,916 8/1939 Keeler 299-36 3,020,813 2/1962 Gross 94--39 3,043,200 7/ 1962 Huttash 299-36 X removably vconnected to its lower end, and having a for- 15 ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND ROUTING OUT EXPANSION JOINTS AND CRACKS IN CONCRETE PAVEMENTS, SUCH AS AIRPORT RUNWAYS, TO REMOVE OLD AND DECOMPOSED FILLERS AND SEALANTS AND ACCUMULATED FOREIGN MATERIALS FROM SAID EXPANSION JOINTS AND TO ENLARGE AND SHAPE SAID CRACKS, PERPARATORY TO REPLACING SAID FILLERS AND SEALANTS AND FILLING SAID CRACKS, THE COMBINATION OF AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE HAVING A FRAME, AN ELONGATED BOOM HAVING ONE IF ITS ENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE FRAME OF SAID VEHICLE, FORWARDLY THEREOF, AND NORMALLY EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY, FORWARDLY OF SAID VEHICLE, HYDRAULICALLY OPERABLE MEANS ACTING ON SAID FRAME AND SAID BOOM WHEREBY THE INCLINATION OF SAID BOOM MAY BE ADJUSTED WITHIN PREDETERMINED LIMITS, AN ELONGATED SKID BELOW SAID BOOM HAVING A PAIR OF SUPPORTING RUNNERS ENGAGEABLE WITH A CONCRETE PAVEMENT ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF AN EXPANSION JOINT OR CRACK THEREIN, DRAFT MEANS WHEREBY SAID SKID IS CONNECTED TO SAID BOOM, SUSPENSION MEANS WHEREBY SAID SKID CONNECTED TO SAID BOOM REARWARDLY OF SAID DRAFT CONNECTION, A PAIR OF PLOWS ON SAID SKID IN TANDEM RELATION TO EACH OTHER, ENGAGEABLE WITH AN EXPANSION JOINT OR CRACK IN A CONCRETE PAVEMENT, A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING NOZZLE ON SAID SKID, BETWEEN SAID PLOWS, ARRANGED TO DIRECT A STREAM OF FLUID AT HIGH VELOCITY AGAINST AN EXPANSION JOINT OR CRACK IN A CONCRETE PAVEMENT IN THE PATH OF SAID PLOWS, MEANS ON SAID VEHICLE FOR SUPPLYING FLUID TO SAID NOZZLE AT PREDETERMINED SUPERATMOSHPERIC PRESSURE AND MEANS ON SAID SKID ENCLOSING SAID PLOWS AND SAID NOZZLE AND SUCH CONFINING FLUID AS DISCHARGED FROM SAID NOZZLE AND SUCH MATERIAL AS MAY BE DISPLACED FROM AN EXPANSION JOINT OR CRACK IN A CONCRETE PAVEMENT AGAINST WHICH SUCH FLUID MAY BE DIRECTED.