Method and apparatus for sealing cracks in roads

Abstract

Roadway crack sealing apparatus (20) which includes a mobile vehicle (26) with a forward crack sealing assembly (22) and a following finishing assembly (24). The assembly (22) includes laterally spaced apart fill and sealant hoppers (30, 36) each equipped with selectively openable outlets (32, 34, 38) and an elongated roadway crack sighting passageway (128) therebetween. The fill hopper preferably has a pair of outlets (32, 34), with the sealant hopper (38) between the latter so that a crack is sealed by sequential application of fill, sealant and additional fill. In use, an operator within the vehicle compartment (162) visually locates a crack (28) through the passageway(128), and steers the vehicle (26) accordingly; the operator also manipulates appropriate controls for selectively opening the outlets (32, 34, 38). The finishing assembly (24) includes a series of lateral brushes which sweep and finish the sealed crack and adjacent roadway.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.