Spreader
AssigneeDouglas Dynamics, L.L.C.
InventorsRyan Benesch, Jeffrey Krogmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle mounted spreader for spreading materials such as sand, salt, or other granular chemicals onto snow and ice covered paved surfaces comprises a material container for containing the material to be spread, a liquid container for containing liquid with which to pre-wet the material, a spinner for spreading the pre-wet material, an auger for conveying the material to the spinner, a liquid applicator for applying liquid to the material to pre-wet the material, and a paddle mixer mounted to an end of the auger adjacent the liquid applicator for mixing the liquid and the material.
Claims17
A vehicle mounted spreader for spreading materials such as sand, salt, or other granular chemicals onto snow and ice covered paved surfaces comprising:
- a hopper adapted to be supported by the vehicle for containing the material to be spread,
- a liquid container adapted to be supported by the vehicle for containing liquid with which to pre-wet the material,
- a spinner for spreading the pre-wet material,
- an auger positioned in said hopper for conveying the material to said spinner,
- a liquid applicator for applying liquid from the liquid container to the material to pre-wet the material, and
- a paddle mixer mounted to an end of said auger, at least a portion of said paddle mixer positioned within said hopper, at least a portion of said liquid applicator positioned adjacent said at least a portion of said paddle mixer, said at least a portion of said liquid applicator applying liquid at a position within said hopper to the material adjacent said at least a portion of said paddle mixer, said paddle mixer mixing the liquid and the material,
- wherein said paddle mixer comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending blades attached to said auger, spaced circumferentially around said auger, and extending away from said auger,
- wherein said paddle mixer comprises four said blades spaced equally about a circumference of said auger and fixedly secured to said auger, a first pair of said four blades being positioned diametrically opposite to one another and having radially inner edges closely adjacent to an outer surface of said auger, a second pair of said four blades being positioned diametrically opposite to one another and having radially inner edges spaced away from said outer surface of said auger, all said blades positioned along the same length extent of said auger,
- wherein each said blade includes a plurality of notches spaced along a radially outer edge of said blade, said notches being oriented at an angle of between 0 degrees and 45 degrees relative to an axis of rotation of said auger, and wherein said notches in said first pair of blades face one end of said auger and said notches in said second pair of blades face the other end of said auger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.