Melter and applicator for applying filling material to paved surfaces

An applicator for melting and applying a paving material, comprising, in combination:

• a bin forming a chamber for receiving and supporting paving material;
• a heating chamber with a heat generating device that is able to generate sufficient heat to melt the paving material received by and supported within the bin, the heat generating device is positioned to generate heat within the heating chamber, the heating chamber located proximate to the bin which receives and supports the paving material, so that heat generated by the heat generating device positioned within the heating chamber is transferred to the bin so that the paving material received by and supported within the bin is heated and melted, with the heating chamber being in fluid communication with the bin that receives and supports the paving material, so that fumes and gases produced within the bin as the heat generated by the heat generating device heats the heating chamber which heats the bin and subsequently melts the paving materials, are removed from the bin;
• a pump for selectively removing melted paving material from the bin, the pump having an input fluidly coupled with the bin and a first output, so that the melted paving material that is selectively removed from the bin passes into the pump through the input and is expelled from the pump through the first output;
• and
• a hose for controllably delivering the melted paving material that has been heated in the bin, the hose having a first end that is coupleable to the first output of the pump so that the melted paving material that is selectively expelled from the pump is passed through the hose.

An applicator for melting and applying a paving material comprising, in combination:

• a bin forming a chamber for receiving and supporting paving material;
• a heating chamber with a heat generating device that is able to generate sufficient heat to melt the paving material received by and supported within the bin, the heat generating device is positioned to generate heat within the heating chamber, the heating chamber located proximate to the bin which receives and supports the paving material, so that heat generated by the heat generating device positioned within the heating chamber is transferred to the bin so that the paving material received by and supported within the bin is heated and melted, with the heating chamber being in fluid communication with the bin that receives and supports the paving material, so that fumes and gases produced within the bin as the heat generated by the heat generating device heats the heating chamber which heats the bin and subsequently melts the paving materials, are removed from the bin;
• a cabinet with an interior being selectively thermally connected to the heating chamber, wherein the cabinet is located proximate to at least a portion of the heating chamber so that a portion of the heat generated within the heating chamber by the heat generating device can be selectively directed from the heating chamber into the interior of the cabinet;
• a recirculating pump for removing melted paving material from the bin after heat generated by the heating device within the heating chamber has melted the paving material within the bin, the recirculating pump having an input fluidly coupled to the bin so that the melted paving material within the bin may pass from the bin through the input and into the recirculating pump, the recirculating pump having a first output which is coupled to the bin so that at least a portion of the melted paving material that is drawn from the bin and through the input, is passed through the recirculating pump and returned through the first output and back into the bin so that the pumping of the melted paving material heats the pump and the heating of the pump by the flow of the melted paving material in combination with the flow of the melted paving material serves to prevent the melted paving material from solidifying within the pump and occluding the subsequent flow of the melted paving material, the recirculating pump having a second output wherein a quantity of the melted paving material is selectively allowed to flow from the bin, through the input into the recirculating pump and out through the second output, the recirculating pump being located within the interior of the cabinet so that when heat from the heating chamber is selectively allowed to pass from the heating chamber into the interior of the cabinet the recirculating pump is also heated so that any paving material located within the recirculating pump that that has solidified is heated and melted;
• and
• a hose for controllably delivering the melted paving material that has been heated in the bin, the hose having a first end being coupleable to the second output of the recirculating pump for receipt of melted paving material selectively allowed to pass from the bin, the hose being either of a heated or an unheated type wherein the recirculating pump is interchangeably coupleable to both the heated and the unheated type hose, so that the hose can be received in the cabinet and heat selectively directed into the interior of the cabinet from the heating chamber is sufficient to melt any paving material which remains in the hose and the heated type hose is selectively coupleable to a heating unit which operates a heating element that surrounds the hose, wherein the heating unit causes the heating element to heat the hose to a temperature sufficient to liquefy paving material at least when the hose is outside of the cabinet.