WO2021102501A1

WO2021102501A1 - Aggregate distributor

Info

Publication number: WO2021102501A1
Application number: PCT/AU2020/000133
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rory KNIGHT
Original assignee: Flocon Engineering Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2019-11-29
Filing date: 2020-11-30
Publication date: 2021-06-03
Also published as: AU2021107633A4; AU2021105655A4; AU2020390428A1; AU2020390428B2; AU2021105655B4

Abstract

An aggregate distributor (1) mountable to or forming part of a road-making vehicle (2), the vehicle (2) including a left side (3a), right side (3b), front end (3c) and rear end (3d), and a vehicle cabin (4) at the front end (3c) of the vehicle (2), the left and right side ( 3a, b) are on the left and right side as viewed from the rear end (3d) looking to the front end (3c), the aggregate distributor (1) including: a bed (10) adjacent or near the rear end (3d) and having an elevated floor zone (11) which is inclined to transition through a spill zone (12) down to a lower outer floor zone (13); a conveyor (20) located on or in the lower outer floor zone (13) and adapted to move aggregate from the lower outer floor zone (13) toward the front end (3c); and an aggregate box (40) mounted to or on the front end (3c) and adapted to receive aggregate fed from the conveyor (20); wherein the conveyor (20) extends along or adjacent one of the left or right sides (3a, b) of the vehicle (2) and over a front steerable wheel (6) of the vehicle (2).

Description

AGGREGATE DISTRIBUTOR

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to an aggregate distributor. More particularly, this invention relates to an aggregate distributor of a truck. BACKGROUND ART

The following references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the following prior art discussion should not be assumed to relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but to assist in the inventive process undertaken by the inventor(s) and in the understanding of the invention.

Aggregate distributors have been described in which

An object of the present invention is to ameliorate one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art or to at least provide a useful alternative thereto. STATEMENT OF INVENTION

The invention according to one or more aspects may be as defined in the independent claims. Some optional and/or preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention there is provided: An aggregate distributor mountable to or forming part of a road-making vehicle, the vehicle including a left side, right side, front end and rear end, and a vehicle cabin at the front end of the vehicle, the left and right side are on the left and right side as viewed from the rear end looking to the front end, the aggregate distributor including: a bed adjacent or near the rear end and having an elevated floor zone which is inclined to transition through a spill zone down to a lower outer floor zone; a conveyor in part located on or in the lower outer floor zone and adapted to move aggregate from the lower outer floor zone toward the front end; and an aggregate box mounted to or on the front end and adapted to receive aggregate fed from the conveyor; wherein the conveyor extends along or adjacent one of the left or right sides of the vehicle and clear of a front steerable wheel of the vehicle. Preferably, the elevated floor zone extends along a longitudinal axis of the truck. The longitudinal axis extending in a direction from the rear end to the front end of the vehicle. The elevated floor zone may comprise a ridge extending in line with a central portion of the front and rear ends. The lower outer floor zone may include a pair of spaced lower outer floor zones located either side of the elevated floor zone.

Aggregate distributor

The aggregate distributor or dispenser may act as a dispenser of the aggregate. The aggregate distributor may include multiple components adapted to be separately attached to the road-making vehicle. The aggregate distributor may be pre-installed on the road-making vehicle such as during manufacturing of the road-making vehicle.

The aggregate distributor may be an aftermarket device which can be mounted to the road-making vehicle.

The road-making vehicle may be modified to mount the aggregate distributor to the road-making vehicle. Components of the road making vehicle may be cut, reinforced and/or repositioned to mount the aggregate distributor to the road-making vehicle. Preferably, the aggregate distributor is mountable to the road-making vehicle without repositioning any major component of the road making vehicle relative to wheels of the road-making vehicle. The major components having a largest dimension above 1 metre. The aggregate distributor may be mountable to the road-making vehicle without repositioning or changing a floor of the cabin of the road-making vehicle relative to the wheels of the road-making vehicle.

Road-making vehicle

The vehicle may be a heavy vehicle. The vehicle may be a road-making vehicle. The road-making vehicle may be a truck or lorry. Preferably, the vehicle is not an articulated vehicle, such as a prime-mover and semi-trailer combination. Preferably, the bed or bin of the road-making vehicle is fixed relative to the cabin.

The road-making vehicle may be a truck which is not adapted to make roads before the aggregate distributor is mounted to the road-making vehicle. Preferably, the aggregate distributor mounted to or forming part of the road-making vehicle is adapted to distribute aggregate for road construction.

Vehicle cabin

The vehicle cabin (cabin) may include a steering wheel and seats. The road-making vehicle may be adapted to be driven and operated from the vehicle cabin.

The vehicle cabin may include controls to monitor and control the aggregate distributor.

Bed

The bed may be a bucket or bin adapted to hold and contain an aggregate. The aggregate may include rock, gravel, bitumen and other aggregate with particulate matter with a largest dimension between an average aggregate size range. The average aggregate size range may be between 0.1 millimetres (mm) and 300 mm. The average aggregate size range may be between 1 mm and 50mm.

The bed may include walls. The walls may include sloped portions. The sloped portions may be angled inwards. Preferably, the walls are substantially vertical. The bed may include a fixed or moveable roof.

The lower outer floor zone may be adjacent a base of the walls.

Elevated floor zone

The elevated floor zone may be an uppermost zone of a floor of the bed. The elevated floor zone and/or spill zone may be inclined at an angle between 10^° - 80^° from horizontal. The elevated floor zone and/or spill zone may be inclined at an angle between 20^° - 70^° from horizontal. Preferably, a largest portion of the elevated floor zone and/or spill zone is inclined at an angle between 20^° - 30^° from horizontal. A portion of the elevated floor zone and/or spill zone which is adjacent the lower outer floor zone may be inclined at an angle between 45^° - 60^° from horizontal.

The ridge of the elevated floor zone may be sharp or be less than 100 mm wide. The central portion of the front and rear ends may be within a central 1/3 of a width of the front and/or rear ends.

Preferably, the bed includes two spill zones, one either side of the elevated floor zone. Preferably, each of the two spill zones lead into the pair of spaced lower outer floor zones located either side of the elevated floor zone.

The bed and conveyor may be adapted such that aggregate in the bed spills or flows from the two spill zones into the respective lower outer floor zones and/or onto the conveyor.

Conveyor The conveyor may extend around or over the front wheel. Preferably, the conveyor extends over the front steerable wheel. Preferably, the conveyor passes over the front steerable wheel and at least partially through a footprint of the wheel. The conveyor may include multiple conveyors. The conveyors may be orientated parallel and substantially in series relative to each other. The conveyors may be orientated substantially in series relative to each other in that the multiple parallel conveyors may overlap each other. A first rear conveyor of the multiple parallel conveyors (first conveyor) located on or in the lower outer floor zone may be vertically higher than a second of the multiple parallel conveyors (second conveyor) located adjacent the cabin. The second conveyor and/or conveyor may be positioned below a door of the cabin. The second conveyor and/or conveyor may be positioned adjacent and on an inner side of a step for access to the cabin. The inner side of the step being a side closer to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The conveyor may be adapted such that the aggregate spills over or flows from the first conveyor onto the second conveyor. The first and second conveyors may be the same width.

The conveyors may each be located on the left and the right hand sides of the vehicle. The conveyor may be nominated left conveyor which is located on and extends along the left side of the vehicle. The aggregate distributor may further include another conveyor, nominated right conveyor located on and extending along the right side of the vehicle. The left and right conveyors may be identical or symmetrical about a vertical plane virtually extending through a central longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

The left and right conveyors may each include the multiple parallel conveyors. The left and right conveyors may be orientated parallel with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. In this specification, descriptions of the conveyor also apply to the left and right conveyors.

The conveyor may include a belt, also known as a conveyor belt. The belt of the first and second conveyor may be the same lateral width. The conveyor belt may be made of materials including metal, fabric, plastic and rubber. The conveyor belt may be wrapped around pulleys. The pulleys and/or conveyor belt may be adapted to be driven to move the aggregate to the front end and/or rear end of the vehicle. The aggregate distributor may be adapted such that an operator can selectively drive the conveyor to move the aggregate to the front or rear end of the vehicle. Therefore, the conveyor may be adapted to move the aggregate to the front end and/or the rear end of the vehicle. Gates

The bed may further include gates. The gates may be located over each portion of the conveyor which passes through the walls of the bed. The gates may be adapted to open and close to selectively keep aggregate inside the bed or allow the conveyor to move aggregate out of the bed. The aggregate distributor may include multiple gates. The aggregate distributor may include up to 8 gates. The bed may include a hole for passage of aggregate therethrough and regulated by each gate. The gate may be adapted to be actuated to selectively cover or uncover the hole.

The gate may be adapted to contact or be positioned adjacent to a top surface of the conveyor belt of the conveyor when the gate is in the closed position.

The gate may include a metal plate. The gate may be adapted to open and closed linearly or rotationally about a hinge. The gate may include a motor adapted to actuate the gate to open and close. The gate may include hydraulics or a hydraulic ram operable to open and close the gate.

Aggregate box

The aggregate box may also be referred to as a first aggregate box. The aggregate distributor may further include a second aggregate box on the rear end of the vehicle. The second aggregate box may be adapted to be fed with aggregate received from the conveyor. In this specification, descriptions of the aggregate box or first aggregate box also apply to the second aggregate box.

The aggregate box may substantially span an entire width of the vehicle in a direction from the left side to the right side of the vehicle. The aggregate box may include two aggregate boxes positioned under the left and right conveyors respectively. The aggregate box may be partitioned to include two aggregate boxes positioned under the left and right conveyors respectively. The aggregate box may be adapted to be detachably or fixedly mounted to either the front end or rear end of the vehicle.

The aggregate box may include an open top box with enclosed sides and an opening at the base. The aggregate box may be adapted to receive aggregate from the conveyor and funnel the aggregate out the opening at the base. A top of the aggregate box may be wider than the base of the aggregate box. The aggregate box may be substantially the same width along a length of the aggregate box, in the direction from the left side to the right side of the vehicle. The width of the aggregate box being in a direction from the rear end to the front end of the vehicle. The aggregate box may include an auger. The auger may include a spiral formation down a length of the Auger. The spiral formation may include a spiral shaped flange or plate. Each aggregate box of the aggregate distributor may include an auger. An auger may extend through multiple aggregate boxes on the front end of the vehicle or on the rear end of the vehicle. The auger may be adapted to be driven to rotate. The auger may be adapted to distribute aggregate which spills into the aggregate box across the length of the aggregate box. The auger may be adapted to move aggregate away from where the aggregate spills into the aggregate box from the conveyor.

Controller The aggregate distributor may further include an electronic controller (controller). The controller may be adapted to control the gate, the conveyor and the auger.

The aggregate distributor may include sensors. The sensors may include a sensor adapted to measure a depth of aggregate in the aggregate box. The controller may be adapted to intermittently move the conveyor and/or adjust speed of the conveyor to maintain a certain level of aggregate in the aggregate box.

The sensors may include safety sensors such as infra-red motion detectors at the gate to identify if an object other than aggregate is in a path of movement of the gate.

It will be appreciated that any of the features described herein can be used in any combination, and that the invention as described in respect of the second aspect may have the specific features referred to above in respect of the invention as described in respect of the first aspect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, in which: Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of an aggregate distributor arrangement sans a vehicle chassis and cabin;

Figure 2 is a right side elevatory view of the aggregate distributor arrangement shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a left side elevatory view of the aggregate distributor arrangement shown in Fig. 1 ;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the aggregate distributor arrangement shown in Fig. 1 and showing the left, right, front and rear orientations from the top plan perspective;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the aggregate distributor arrangement shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 6 is a front view of the aggregate distributor arrangement shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 7 is a rear view of the aggregate distributor arrangement shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view from the rear of the aggregate distributor arrangement shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 9 is an upper rear perspective view of an aggregate feeder box forming part of the aggregate distributor arrangement shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 10 is a right hand side elevation of the aggregate feeder box shown in Fig. 9;

Figure 11 is an upper perspective view of a right hand side portion of the aggregate feeder box shown in Fig. 9;

Figure 12 is an upper perspective view of a left hand side portion of the aggregate feeder box shown in Fig. 9;

Figure 13 is an upper perspective view of a left hand side central portion of the aggregate feeder box shown in Fig. 9;

Figure 14 is a perspective view of a vehicle cabin and chassis suitable for providing a substrate vehicle complement to the aggregate distributor arrangement shown in Fig. 1 to form the invention; and

Figure 15 is an upper frontal perspective view of the aggregate distributor arrangement of Fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention. In describing the various embodiments of the invention, like features will be referred to using like references, with references for features of each embodiment generally preceded by 1, 2, 3, or followed by a Roman numeric sequence, such as i, ii, iii, etc. or an alphabetical sequence such as a, b, c, relative to the corresponding feature of the first embodiment. For example, a feature 10 of the first embodiment may represented as 110, 210, 310, (or nl 0), or 10a, 10b, 10c, (or 1 Ox) or 1 Oi, 1 Oii, 1 Oiii, (or 1 Or) etc. in second, third and fourth embodiments, respectively.

In Figs. 1 and 14, an aggregate distributor 1 is shown that is mountable to or forming part of a road-making vehicle 2, the vehicle 2 including a left side 3a, right side 3b, front end 3c and rear end 3d, and a vehicle cabin 4 at the front end 3c of the vehicle 2. The left and right side 3a, b are on the left and right side as viewed in top plan facing forward toward the front end 3c, or from the rear end 3d looking to the front end 3c.

The aggregate distributor 1 includes: a bed in the form of a bin 10 adjacent or near the rear end 3d and having an elevated floor zone 11 which is inclined to transition through a spill zone 12 down to a lower outer floor zone 13; a conveyor 20 in part located on or in the lower outer floor zone 13 and adapted to move aggregate from the lower outer floor zone 13 toward the front end 3c; and an aggregate box 40 mounted to or on the front end 3c and adapted to receive aggregate fed from the conveyor 20.

The conveyor 20 extends along or adjacent at least one of the left or right sides 3a, b of the vehicle 2 and clear of a front steerable wheel 6a of the vehicle 2 and at least partially through a footprint 7 (left and right side footprints 7a, b) of the front steerable wheel 6. The conveyor 20 extends above and over the front steerable wheel 6.

As shown in Figs. 4 - 8, the bin 10 is a metal container which is mounted to a chassis 5 of the vehicle 2 with supporting members including a bin frame 5a comprising vertical, horizontal and diagonal beams. The horizontal support beams 5b extend between the left and right sides 3a, b of the vehicle 2 inside or within a profile immediately under a floor 14a of the bin 10 and, more broadly, the bin 10. The bin 10 includes the floor 14a and bin 10 walls 14b. The bin 10 is adapted to contain and transport the aggregate. The floor 14a of the bed 10 in the elevated floor zone 11 includes a ridgeline 1 la extending in line 17 with a horizontally central portion 17i extending between end points 3ci,3di of the front and rear ends 3c, d along, in plan view, a longitudinal axis 3e of the vehicle 2. Preferably, the bin 10 includes an open top 15, although in some applications where dusty aggregate may contribute to unwelcome airborne dust, a cover for the bin 10 may be provided.

Extending laterally out to the sides 3a,b and downwardly from the ridge line 11a, the floor 14a includes two spill zones 12 and two lower outer floor zones 13. In this specification, when broadly describing the spill zones 12, any reference to the spill zone 12 may be taken to apply to both spill zones 12. Furthermore, when broadly describing the outer floor zones 13, any reference to the outer floor zone 13 may be taken to apply to both lower outer floor zones 13. The floor 14a includes the spill zones 12 and the lower outer floor zones 13 either side of the elevated floor zone 11, which extend laterally toward the left and right side 3a,b of the vehicle 2. The floor 14a of the bed 10 in each of the spill zones 12 includes an upper shallower portion 12a and a lower steeper portion 12b. The upper shallower portions 12a are inclined at an angle between 20^° - 30^° from horizontal. The lower steeper portions 12b are inclined at an angle between 45^° - 60^° from horizontal. The upper shallower portions 12a are adjacent the elevated floor zone 11 and the lower steeper portions 12b are adjacent the lower outer floor zones 13.

The aggregate distributor 1 includes two conveyors 20, a left conveyor 20a which extends along the left side 3 a of the vehicle 2 and a right conveyor 20b which extends along the right side 3b of the vehicle 2. The left conveyor 20a extends through one of the two lower outer floor zones 13 which is on the left side 3a of the vehicle 2. The right conveyor 20b extends through the other of the two lower outer floor zones 13 which is on the right side 3b of the vehicle 2. The aggregate distributor 1 is adapted such that the aggregate flows or runs down spill zones 12 and onto the conveyors 20a, b.

The left and right conveyors 20a, b each include a first rear conveyor 21a,b and a second front conveyor 22a, b. The two first rear conveyors 21a,b are positioned in the two lower outer floor zones 13 respectively. The two second conveyors 22a, b are positioned, at least part of their length, adjacent and either side of the cabin 4 (the location thereof shown in Fig. 4 and shown in Fig. 14). The first and second conveyors 21a,b,22a,b may be between 200 millimeters (mm) - 500 mm wide. Preferably, the first and second conveyors 21a,b,22a,b are 300 mm - 400mm wide. The first rear left and right hand side conveyors 21a,b, each include a chain driven belt 23a, b, which is wrapped around driven pulley 24a, b. The second frontward left and right hand side conveyors 22a, b, are each belt driven. The pulleys 24a, b are driven by hydraulic motors. The first and second conveyors 2 la, 22a of the left conveyor 20a are orientated parallel, are in the same vertical plane and are aligned substantially in series. The first and second conveyors 2 lb, 22b of the right conveyor 20b are orientated parallel, are in the same vertical plane and are aligned substantially in series. By “substantially” it is meant that the first conveyors 21a,b overlap and are positioned vertically higher than the second conveyors 22a, b, respectively. The first and second conveyors 21a,b,22a,b are adapted such that aggregate spills over or falls off the first conveyors 21a,b onto the second conveyors 22a, b respectively as seen in Fig. 15.

The first conveyors 21a,b extend through four first conveyor holes 16a-d in the walls 14b of the bed 10. The bed 10 includes four gates 30a-d operable to open and close to allow or stop or limit passage of aggregate through each of the four holes 16a-d respectively. The gates 30a-d are hinged by hinges 32 and are each actuated with hydraulic rams 31a-d.

The first conveyors 21a,b include first ends 25ai,bi which feed onto first ends 26ai,bi of the second conveyors 22a, b. The second ends 26aii,bii of the second conveyors 22a, b are adapted to feed aggregate into outer ends 41a,b of the aggregate box 40 (first aggregate box 40). Second ends 25aii,bii of the first conveyors 21 a, b may be adapted to move in reverse direction to feed aggregate into outer ends 41 ai,bi of a second aggregate box 40b optionally mounted to the rear end of the vehicle 2. The outer ends 41 a,ai and 41b, bi being on the left and right sides 3a, b of the vehicle 2, respectively.

The aggregate box 40 includes two augers 42a, b that are aligned in series and longitudinally in the aggregate box 40. The two augers 42a, b include outer spiral panels or auger flights 43 a, b. The two augers 42a, b are adapted to be driven by motors 47a, b respectively mounted to the outer ends 41a, b. The aggregate box 40 includes an opening 44 at its base 48 which extends along an entire length of the aggregate box 40. The aggregate distributor 1 is adapted to move aggregate from the bed 10, along the conveyor 20, into the aggregate box 40 and out of an opening 44 in the base 48 of the aggregate box 40 onto a substrate, such as ground, path or road, or a pathway prepared for road-making. The spiral panels or flights 43 a, b are each adapted to rotate to move aggregate delivered at or near the outer ends 41a,b from the second conveyors 22a, b toward a centre 41c of the aggregate box 40, between the two outer ends 41a,b. Therefore, the augers 42a, b are adapted to evenly distribute the aggregate over the length of the aggregate box 40 which has the consequential effect of evenly delivering aggregate through the opening 44 and evenly distributing the aggregate over or onto the substrate under the aggregate box 40 whilst the vehicle 2 moves. The aggregate box 40 includes hinged panels 45 for additional access to inside the aggregate box 40. The aggregate box 40 includes an open top 46. as discussed above, the aggregate distributor 1 may include two aggregate boxes 40,40b. The first aggregate box 40 may be mounted on the front end 3c and the other second aggregate box 40b may be mountable to the rear end 3d of the vehicle 2. The first conveyors 21a,b may be adapted to feed aggregate from the bed 10 into the second aggregate box 40b on the rear end 3d of the vehicle 2. In this specification, all descriptions of the aggregate box 40 on the front end 3 c of the vehicle 2 also apply to the aggregate box 40b on the rear end 3d of the vehicle 2, apart from any contextual aspects determined by their relative positioning at the front 3 c or the rear 3d of the vehicle 2.

The bed 10 includes four gates 30a-d. Gate 30a is a left side mid gate 30a. Gate 30bis a left side read gate 30b. Gate 30c is a right side mid gate 30c. Gate 30d is a right side rear gate 30d. The bed 10 includes a hole 16a-d for each gate 30a-d. The gates 30a-d are located over each portion of the conveyor 20 which passes through the holes 16a-d in the walls 14b of the bed 10. The gates 30a-d are adapted to open and close to selectively keep aggregate inside the bed 10 or to allow the conveyor 20 to move aggregate out of the bed 10. The gate 30a-d is adapted to be actuated to selectively cover or uncover the corresponding hole 16a-d.

The gate 30a-d is adapted to contact or be positioned adjacent to a top surface of the chain driven conveyor belts 23a-b of the first rear conveyors 21a-b when the gate 30a- d is in the closed position.

Each gate 30a-d is in the form of a metal plate. The gate 30a-d is adapted to open and close linearly in the mode of a sliding door contained to reciprocate in a single plane, but is advantageously operative to rotate about a hinge 32. Each gate 30a-d advantageously includes a respective motor 31a-d that is adapted to actuate the gate 30a-d to open and close. Each motor 31a-d includes hydraulics or a hydraulic ram operable to open and close the corresponding gate 30a-d.

The gates 30a-d and conveyors 20 may be actuated or controlled with a controller.

The controller may be located in the cabin 4. The aggregate distributor 1 may further include sensors. The sensors may include a depth sensor adapted to measure a depth of aggregate in the aggregate box 40. The controller may be adapted to intermittently move the conveyors 20 or adjust a speed of the conveyors 20 to maintain a depth of aggregate in the aggregate box 40. The aggregate distributor 1 may further include safety sensors such as a motion sensor. The motion sensor may be adapted to detect when an operator has his hand in the holes 16a-d to automatically stop motion of the gates 30a-d or open the gates 30a-d. The controller may include a programmable logic controller (PEC). The controller may include a redundant PEC as a backup in case the first PLC fails.

Throughout the specification and claims the word “comprise” and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word “comprise” and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or features that it directly references, but also other components, steps or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

In the present specification, terms such as “apparatus”, “means”, “device” and “member” may refer to singular or plural items and are terms intended to refer to a set of properties, functions or characteristics performed by one or more items or components having one or more parts. It is envisaged that where an “apparatus”, “means”, “device” or “member” or similar term is described as being a unitary object, then a functionally equivalent object having multiple components is considered to fall within the scope of the term, and similarly, where an “apparatus”, “assembly”, “means”, “device” or “member” is described as having multiple components, a functionally equivalent but unitary object is also considered to fall within the scope of the term, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. In the present specification, the phrase “and/or” refers to severally or any combination of the features. For example, the phrase “feature 1, feature 2 and/or feature 3” includes within its scope any one of the following combinations: Feature 1 or feature 2 or feature 3; feature 1 and feature 2 or feature 3; feature 1 or feature 2 and feature 3; feature 1 and feature 3 or feature 2; feature 1 and feature 2 and feature 3.

Orientational terms used in the specification and claims such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower are to be interpreted as relational and are based on the premise that the component, item, article, apparatus, device or instrument will usually be considered in a particular orientation, typically with the ridgeline 11a uppermost.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

The claims:

1. An aggregate distributor 1 mountable to or forming part of a road-making vehicle 2, the vehicle 2 including a left side 3a, right side 3b, front end 3c and rear end 3d, and a vehicle cabin 4 at the front end 3c of the vehicle 2, the left side 3a and the right side 3d being on the left and right side as viewed from the rear end 3d looking to the front end 3c, the aggregate distributor 1 including: a bed 10 adjacent or near the rear end 3d and having an elevated floor zone 11 which is inclined to transition through a spill zone 12 down to a lower outer floor zone 13; a conveyor 20 in part located on or in the lower outer floor zone 13 and adapted to move aggregate from the lower outer floor zone 13 toward the front end 3c; and an aggregate box 40 mounted to or on the front end 3c and adapted to receive aggregate fed from the conveyor 20, wherein the conveyor 20 extends along or adjacent one of the left side 3a or the right side 3b of the vehicle 2 and clear of a front steerable wheel 6 of the vehicle 2.

2. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the elevated floor zone 11 extends along a longitudinal axis extending in a direction from the rear end 3d to the front end 3 c of the vehicle 2.

3. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the elevated floor zone 11 includes a ridge 11a extending in line with a respective nominal centre point 3ci,3di of each of the front end 3c and the rear end 3d.

4. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the lower outer floor zone 13 includes a pair of spaced lower outer floor zones 13a,b located either side of the elevated floor zone 11.

5. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the bed 10 is a bucket or bin that includes substantially vertical outer walls 4 that are adapted to hold and contain an aggregate composed of separable particulate material, and the lower outer floor zone 13 is adjacent a base of the walls 4.

6. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the elevated floor zone 11 is an uppermost zone of a floor 14a of the bed 10, the elevated floor zone 11 and/or spill zone 13 being inclined at an angle between 45^° - 60^° relative to the horizontal.

7. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the bed 10 includes two spill zones 12a, b, one either side of the elevated floor zone 11.

8. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the two spill zones 12a, b lead respectively into a pair of spaced lower outer floor zones 13a,b located either side of the elevated floor zone 11. 9. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the conveyor extends over the front steerable wheel 6 and at least partially through a footprint 7a, b of the front steerable wheel 6.

10. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the conveyor 20 includes left and right side conveyors 20a, b symmetrically spaced and proportioned either side of a central longitudinal axis 3e of the vehicle 2, the left and right conveyors 20, a, b including the multiple parallel conveyors 21a,b,22a,b.

11. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the conveyor includes a conveyor belt 23a, b wrapped around pulleys 24a, b adapted to be driven to move the aggregate to the front end 3c and/or rear end 3d of the vehicle 2.

12. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in any one of the previous claims, further including a second aggregate box on the rear end of the vehicle.

13. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the aggregate box 40 substantially spans an entire width of the vehicle 2 in a direction from the left side 3a to the right side 3b of the vehicle 2.

14. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the aggregate box 40 is adapted to be detachably or fixedly mounted to either the front end 3 c or the rear end 3d of the vehicle 2. 15. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the aggregate box 40 includes an auger 42a, b.

16. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the aggregate box 42a, b comprises multiple aggregate boxes 40,40b on the front end 3c or on the rear end 3d of the vehicle 2 and the auger 42a, b extends through the multiple aggregate boxes 40,40b.

17. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in Claim 15 or 16, further including an electronic controller adapted to control a gate 16a-d adapted to regulate passage of the aggregate through an opening 44 at an end of or between conveyors 22a- b,23a-b, and to control the conveyor 20 and the auger 42a, b.

19. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in any one of the previous claims, further including sensors adapted to measure a depth of aggregate in the aggregate box 40 so that the controller is adapted to intermittently move the conveyor 20 and/or adjust the speed of the conveyor 20 to maintain a certain level of aggregate in the aggregate box 40.

20. An aggregate distributor 1 as claimed in Claim 1, wherein: the bed is a bin 10 mounted to a chassis 5 of the vehicle 2 with supporting members including a bin frame 5a the bin 10 comprising a floor 14a with an elevated floor zone 11 and side walls 4; a ridgeline 11 a extends in line with a central line 17 extending between horizontally central portions 3ci,di of the front and rear ends 3c, d along a longitudinal axis 3e of the vehicle 2; and extending laterally out to the sides 3a,b and downwardly from the ridge line 11a, the floor 14a includes two spill zones 12 inclined at an angle between 20^° - 60^° from the horizontal. The upper shallower portions 12a are adjacent the elevated floor and two lower outer floor zones 13.