Material spreader system

Self-propelled apparatus for spreading topping material over a plastic, non-load bearing surface having a length, width, and opposing sides, said apparatus comprising:

• a. a spreader including a hopper for storing a supply of loose particulate topping material and for dispensing the topping material through a widthwise slot in said hopper;
• b. bridge means supported above and spanning the width of the plastic surface and laterally translatable along the length of said surface, said bridge means including a horizontally oriented span for providing an elevated path across the plastic surface, said bridge span further including guide means for defining a linear path along the length of said span;
• c. means coupled to said spreader for translating said spreader in either a forward or a reverse direction across said bridge span including
• i. drive means for translating said spreader along said bridge span;
• ii. spreader to bridge interface means for contacting said bridge span at three or more spaced apart locations to maintain the orientation of said hopper fixed with respect to the horizontal plane as said spreader is translated back and forth across said bridge span, said spreader to bridge interface means including first and second roller units spaced apart along the length of said bridge span for engaging said guide means at linearly spaced apart locations to confine the movement of said spreader to the linear path defined by said bridge span as said spreader is translated back and forth along said bridge span;
• iii. control means for actuating said drive means to control the back and forth translations of said spreader along said bridge span;
• and
• d. control means coupled to said hopper for regulating the discharge of topping material from said widthwise slot at a rate unrelated to the vertical spacing between said slot and the plastic surface, said flow control means including rotating metering means positioned in proximity to said slot and spanning the length of said slot for controlling the rate of discharge of topping material through said slot;
• whereby sequential translations of said spreader across said bridge span followed by sequential lateral translations of said bridge means along the plastic surface enables said apparatus to dispense a uniform layer of topping material onto the plastic surface.

Self-propelled apparatus for spreading topping material over a plastic, non-load bearing surface having a length, width, and opposing sides, said apparatus comprising:

• a. a spreader including a hopper for storing a supply of loose particulate topping material and for dispensing the topping material through a widthwise slot in said hopper;
• b. bridge means supported above and spanning the width of the plastic surface and laterally translatable along the length of said surface, said bridge means including a horizontally oriented span for providing an elevated path across the plastic surface, said bridge span further including guide means for defining a linear path along the length of said span;
• c. means coupled to said spreader for translating said spreader in either a forward or a reverse direction across said bridge span including
• i. drive means including a motor forming a part of said spreader for translating said spreader along said bridge means and means for controlling the spreader translation velocity;
• ii. spreader to bridge interface means for contacting said bridge span at three or more spaced apart locations to maintain the orientation of said hopper fixed with respect to the horizontal plane as said spreader is translated back and forth across said bridge span, said spreader to bridge interface means including first and second roller units spaced apart along the length of said bridge span for engaging said guide means at linearly spaced apart locations to confine the movement of said spreader to the linear path defined by said bridge span as said spreader is translated back and forth along said bridge span;
• iii. control means for actuating said drive means to control the back and forth translations of said spreader along said bridge span;
• and
• d. flow control means coupled to said hopper for regulating the discharge of topping material from said widthwise slot at a rate unrelated to the vertical spacing between said slot and the plastic surface, said flow control means including rotating metering means positioned in proximity to said slot and spanning the length of said slot for controlling the rate of discharge of topping material through said slot;
• whereby sequential translations of said spreader across said bridge span followed by sequential lateral translations of said bridge means along the concrete surface enables said apparatus to dispense a uniform layer of topping material onto the concrete surface.