Apparatus for and methods of producing a hot asphaltic material

Abstract

A continuous process aggregate drying and mixing plant for producing a hot asphaltic material, such as is used for paving highways or the like, includes a combination of a drum drier and a pugmill. Both the drum drier and the pugmill are supported by a common trailer frame. The pugmill is coextensively mounted at the discharge end of the drum drier towards the rear of the frame. The drum drier discharges dried and heated virgin aggregate material through a feed and transfer chute directly into a first, pre-mix region of the pugmill. The feed and transfer chute also provides for the addition of recycled pavement to the heated and dried aggregate and for the side discharge of such heated and dried aggregate. A second region of the pugmill within which liquid asphalt is added to the mixed aggregate is substantially separated from the first, pre-mix region. The space above the second region of the pugmill is substantially enclosed and coupled directly to a secondary air supply of a burner for the drum drier. Thus, vapors emanating from the second region of the pugmill are drawn into the burner and burned to form environmentally friendly products.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.