Method and apparatus for spreading paving materials

A paving material spreader comprising:

• a chassis forming a support structure for the spreader;
• a receiving conveyor belt extending out past a side of the spreader and running to a central point beneath the chassis, the receiving conveyor belt for receiving paving materials from delivery trucks and transporting the paving materials to the central point where the paving materials fall off the receiving conveyor belt;
• a delivery conveyor belt having a first end located at the central point beneath the receiving conveyor belt, the delivery conveyor belt for receiving paving materials falling off the receiving conveyor belt and transporting the paving materials to a second end of the conveyor belt where the paving materials are spread across a roadbed;
• a delivery conveyor belt frame for supporting the delivery conveyor belt;
• a plurality of tracks for propelling the spreader;
• a plurality of track swivel mechanisms associated with the plurality of tracks, the track swivel mechanisms for rotating the plurality of tracks to effectuate the propulsion of the spreader in a forward and a reverse direction when the plurality of tracks are in a first rotational position and to further effectuate the propulsion of the spreader in a left and a right direction when the plurality of tracks are in a second rotational position;
• a plurality of support cylinders associated with the plurality of tracks for mounting the plurality of tracks and plurality of track swivel mechanisms to the chassis, the plurality of support cylinders further for effectuating the independent raising and lowering of each of the plurality of tracks;
• a receiving conveyor belt hinge which partitions the receiving conveyor belt into a first portion extending out beyond a receiving side of the chassis and a second portion extending from the first portion to the central point located beneath the chassis, the hinge for effectuating the raising of the first portion of the receiving conveyor belt from a horizontal position to an upright position;
• and
• a raising mechanism for raising the first portion of the receiving conveyor belt.

A paving material spreader comprising:

• a chassis forming a support structure for the spreader;
• a receiving conveyor belt extending out past a side of the spreader and running to a central point beneath the chassis, the receiving conveyor belt for receiving paving materials from delivery trucks and transporting the paving materials to the central point where the paving materials fall off the receiving conveyor belt;
• a delivery conveyor belt having a first end located at the central point beneath the receiving conveyor belt, the delivery conveyor belt for receiving paving materials falling off the receiving conveyor belt and transporting the paving materials to a second end of the conveyor belt where the paving materials are spread across a roadbed;
• a delivery conveyor belt frame for supporting the delivery conveyor belt;
• a receiving conveyor belt hinge which partitions the receiving conveyor belt into a first portion extending out beyond the receiving side of the chassis and a second portion extending from the first portion to the central point located beneath the chassis, the hinge for effectuating the raising of the first portion of the receiving conveyor belt from a horizontal position to an upright position;
• and
• a raising mechanism for raising the first portion of the receiving conveyor belt.

A method for spreading paving materials across a roadbed comprising the steps of:

• depositing the paving materials onto a receiving conveyor belt;
• conveying the paving materials to a central point beneath a spreader chassis;
• depositing the paving materials onto a delivery conveyor belt which extends from the central point out past a rear side of the chassis;
• conveying the paving materials to a point located behind the spreader chassis;
• depositing the paving materials onto the roadbed;
• and
• swinging the delivery conveyor belt across the roadbed as the paving materials are deposited onto the roadbed.

A paving material spreader comprising:

• a chassis forming a support structure for the spreader;
• front and rear ends;
• a receiving side;
• a far side opposing the receiving side;
• a receiving conveyor belt extending out past the receiving side and running to a central point beneath the chassis, the receiving conveyor bell for receiving paving materials from delivery trucks and transporting the paving materials to the central point where the paving materials fall off the receiving conveyor belt;
• a delivery conveyor belt having a first end located at the central point beneath the receiving conveyor belt, the delivery conveyor belt for receiving paving materials falling off the receiving conveyor belt and transporting the paving materials to a second end of the conveyor belt where the paving materials are spread across a roadbed;
• a swiveling mechanism for rotating the first end of the delivery conveyor belt about a substantially vertical axis located at the central point;
• wherein said swiveling mechanism permits swinging the second end of the delivery conveyor belt above the roadbed to deposit paving material on the roadbed, and permits swinging the second end of the delivery conveyor belt from one of the ends to the far side;
• a plurality of tracks for propelling the spreader;
• a plurality of track swivel mechanisms associated with the plurality of tracks, the track swivel mechanisms for rotating the plurality of tracks to effectuate the propulsion of the spreader in a direction of the front and rear ends when the plurality of tracks are in a first rotational position and to further effectuate the propulsion of the spreader in a direction of the sides, perpendicular to the direction of the front and rear ends, when the plurality of tracks are in a second rotational position;
• a receiving conveyor belt hinge which partitions the receiving conveyor belt into a first portion extending out beyond the receiving side of the chassis and a second portion extending from the first portion to the central point located beneath the chassis, the hinge for effectuating the raising of the first portion of the receiving conveyor belt from a horizontal position to an upright position;
• and
• a raising mechanism for raising the first portion of the receiving conveyor belt.

A paving material spreader comprising:

• a chassis forming a support structure for the spreader;
• front and rear ends;
• a receiving side;
• a far side opposing the receiving side;
• a receiving conveyor belt extending out past the receiving side and running to a central point beneath the chassis, the receiving conveyor belt for receiving paving materials from delivery trucks and transporting the paving materials to the central point where the paving materials fall off the receiving conveyor belt;
• a delivery conveyor belt having a first end located at the central point beneath the receiving conveyor belt, the delivery conveyor belt for receiving paving materials falling off the receiving conveyor belt and transporting the paving materials to a second end of the conveyor belt where the paving materials are spread across a roadbed;
• a swiveling mechanism for rotating the first end of the delivery conveyor belt about a substantially vertical axis located at the central point;
• wherein said swiveling mechanism permits swinging the second end of the delivery conveyor belt above the roadbed to deposit paving material on the roadbed, and permits swinging the second end of the delivery conveyor belt from one of the ends to the far side;
• a plurality of tracks for propelling the spreader;
• a plurality of track swivel mechanisms associated with the plurality of tracks, the track swivel mechanisms for rotating the plurality of tracks to effectuate the propulsion of the spreader in a direction of the front and rear ends when the plurality of tracks are in a first rotational position and to further effectuate the propulsion of the spreader in a direction of the sides, perpendicular to the direction of the front and rear ends, when the plurality of tracks are in a second rotational position;
• an angle brace located behind a rear side of the receiving conveyor belt for transferring torsional forces exerted on the receiving conveyor belt to the chassis as the spreader pushes a delivery truck;
• at least one hinge attached to the angle brace and to the rear side of the receiving conveyor belt, the hinge for swinging the angle brace to an upright position;
• at least one roller attached to a front side of the receiving conveyor belt, the roller for making contact with tires of the delivery truck and rotating with the delivery truck tires as the delivery truck is pushed by the spreader;
• and
• an angle brace roller attached to the angle brace for making contact between the angle brace and the chassis and further for effectuating the transfer of the torsional forces from the angle brace to the chassis.

A paving material spreader comprising:

• a chassis forming a support structure for the spreader;
• front and rear ends;
• a receiving side;
• a far side opposing the receiving side;
• a receiving conveyor belt extending out past the receiving side and running to a central point beneath the chassis, the receiving conveyor belt for receiving paving materials from delivery trucks and transporting the paving materials to the central point where the paving materials fall off the receiving conveyor belt;
• a delivery conveyor belt having a first end located at the central point beneath the receiving conveyor belt, the delivery conveyor belt for receiving paving materials falling off the receiving conveyor belt and transporting the paving materials to a second end of the conveyor belt where the paving materials are spread across a roadbed;
• a swiveling mechanism for rotating the first end of the delivery conveyor belt about a substantially vertical axis located at the central point;
• wherein said swiveling mechanism permits swinging the second end of the delivery conveyor belt above the roadbed to deposit paving material on the roadbed, and permits swinging the second end of the delivery conveyor belt from one of the ends to the far side;
• a plurality of tracks for propelling the spreader;
• a plurality of track swivel mechanisms associated with the plurality of tracks, the track swivel mechanisms for rotating the plurality of tracks to effectuate the propulsion of the spreader in a direction of the front and rear ends when the plurality of tracks are in a first rotational position and to further effectuate the propulsion of the spreader in a direction of the sides, perpendicular to the direction of the front and rear ends, when the plurality of tracks are in a second rotational position;
• and
• a plurality of rams extendible in a downward direction to raise all of the plurality of tracks above ground level.

A paving material spreader comprising:

• a chassis forming a support structure for the spreader;
• front and rear ends;
• a receiving side;
• a far side opposing the receiving side;
• a receiving conveyor belt extending out past the receiving side and running to a central point beneath the chassis, the receiving conveyor belt for receiving paving materials from delivery trucks and transporting the paving materials to the central point where the paving materials fall off the receiving conveyor belt;
• a delivery conveyor belt having a first end located at the central point beneath the receiving conveyor belt, the delivery conveyor belt for receiving paving materials falling off the receiving conveyor belt and transporting the paving materials to a second end of the conveyor belt where the paving materials are spread across a roadbed;
• a swiveling mechanism for rotating the first end of the delivery conveyor belt about a substantially vertical axis located at the central point;
• wherein said swiveling mechanism permits swinging the second end of the delivery conveyor belt above the roadbed to deposit paving material on the roadbed, and permits swinging the second end of the delivery conveyor belt from one of the ends to the far side;
• a plurality of tracks for propelling the spreader;
• a plurality of track swivel mechanisms associated with the plurality of tracks, the track swivel mechanisms for rotating the plurality of tracks to effectuate the propulsion of the spreader in a direction of the front and rear ends when the plurality of tracks are in a first rotational position and to further effectuate the propulsion of the spreader in a direction of the sides, perpendicular to the direction of the front and rear ends, when the plurality of tracks are in a second rotational position;
• at least four tracks for propelling the spreader comprising at least two tracks on said receiving side of said chassis and at least two tracks on said far side of said chassis;
• and
• at least four support cylinders associated with the at least four tracks for mounting the tracks to the chassis, the at least four support cylinders further for effectuating the independent raising and lowering of each of the at least four tracks, wherein each of the support cylinders can lift its associated track off the ground while the remaining tracks support the spreader;
• wherein while one of said tracks is lifted off the ground, said swiveling mechanism permits swinging the second end of the delivery conveyor belt from one of the ends to the far side beneath said lifted track.

A spreader for use on a prepared roadbed adjacent a haul road, comprising:

• a chassis forming a support structure for the spreader, the chassis having two opposing sides facing the prepared roadbed, a receiving side facing toward the haul road and a far side opposite the receiving side;
• a receiving conveyor belt extending out past the receiving side of the spreader and running to a central point beneath the chassis, the receiving conveyor belt for receiving paving materials from delivery trucks and transporting the paving materials to the central point where the paving materials fall off the receiving conveyor belt;
• a swinging delivery conveyor belt having a first end and second end, said first end located below the central point beneath the receiving conveyor belt, the delivery conveyor belt rotatable about the central point to extend the second end of the delivery conveyor belt selectively beyond either of the opposing sides facing the prepared roadbed, the delivery conveyor belt for receiving paving materials falling off the receiving conveyor belt and transporting the paving materials to the second end of the conveyor belt where the paving materials are deposited on the prepared roadbed;
• a delivery conveyor belt frame for supporting the delivery conveyor belt;
• a swiveling mechanism for rotating the first end of the delivery conveyor belt in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis located at the central point so as to swing the second end of the delivery conveyor belt;
• and
• a delivery conveyor belt support structure for supporting the delivery conveyor belt frame from the swiveling mechanism.