Stationary spreader

A stationary salt spreader apparatus to be located adjacent a road surface for spreading salt on the road surface to melt ice and snow on the road surface, which comprises:

• (a) a storage container having at least one opening for dispensing the salt;
• (b) a vertically movable spreader means having an inlet connected to the opening in the storage container and having an outlet for spreading the salt including;
• (i) a movement means connected to the spreader means for moving the spreader means in a vertical direction toward and away from the road surface;
• (ii) an acceleration means mounted between the inlet and the outlet of the spreader means for moving the salt through the outlet;
• (iii) a motor means connected to the acceleration means for moving the acceleration means;
• and
• (c) a control means connected to the movement means and the motor means for activating the movement means to move the spreader means in a vertical direction toward the road surface and for activating the motor means to move the acceleration means to dispense the salt on the road surface.

A method for treating a ground surface with a stationary spreader apparatus adjacent the ground surface for spreading a material on the ground surface to treat the ground surface which comprises:

• a storage container having at least one opening for dispensing the material;
• a vertically movable spreader means having an inlet connected to the opening in the storage container and having an outlet for spreading the material including;
• a movement means connected to the spreader means for moving the spreader means in a vertical direction toward and away from the ground surface;
• a dispensing means mounted between the inlet and the outlet of the spreader means for moving the material through the outlet;
• and a control means connected to the movement means and the dispensing means for activating the movement means to move the spreader means in a vertical direction toward the ground surface and for activating the dispensing means to dispense the material on the ground surface;
• (a) filling the storage container with the material;
• and
• (b) signalling the control means to activate the movement means and the dispensing means for dispensing the material on the ground surface to treat the ground surface.

A method for melting ice and snow accumulated on a road surface with a stationary spreader apparatus adjacent the road surface for spreading salt on the road surface to melt ice and snow on the road surface, which comprises:

• a storage container having at least one opening for dispensing the salt;
• a vertically movable spreader means having an inlet connected to the opening in the storage container and having an outlet for spreading the salt including a movement means connected to the spreader means for moving the spreader means in a vertical direction toward and away from the road surface an acceleration means mounted between the inlet and the outlet of the spreader means for moving the salt through the outlet and a motor means connected to the acceleration means for moving the acceleration means;
• and a control means connected to the movement means and the motor means for activating the movement means to move the spreader means in a vertical direction toward the road surface and for activating the motor means to move the acceleration means to dispense the salt on the road surface;
• (a) filling the storage container with granulated salt;
• and
• (b) dispensing the granulated salt from the spreader means by activating the movement means and the motor means in response to the sensing of an ambient temperature below a preset minimum temperature by the control means so that the salt spreader apparatus spreads salt on the road surface to melt the ice and snow.