# US 8,783,783 B1 · Chute assembly for an end-dump truck > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,783 B1 - Document ID: US8783783B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/012,122 - Filed: 2013-08-28 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2013-08-28 - Assignees: Minco International Services, Inc. - Applicants: Minco Industrial Services, Inc. - Inventors: Edwin Arthur Mintonye, II; Edwin Arthur Mintonye, III - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783783B1 ## CPC - B60P 1/283: {Elements of tipping devices} - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) ## Abstract A chute assembly for mounting on the discharge end of the dump body of an end-dump truck to support the flow of particulate material being discharged from the dump body. A flexible load plate is sandwiched between a pair of rigid support plates and extends outwardly from the support plates for supporting the particulate material being discharged from the chute assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A chute assembly for mounting on a discharge end of a dump body of an end-dump truck to support the flow of particulate material being discharged from the dump body, the chute assembly comprising: a first flexible plate, a rigid lower support plate, a rigid upper support plate, and a rigid mounting bracket; the first flexible plate comprising a width dimension and opposite inner and outer sides spaced apart by the width of the first flexible plate, an inner portion of the first flexible plate on the inner side of the first flexible plate and an outer portion of the first flexible plate on the outer side of the first flexible plate; the inner portion of the first flexible plate being sandwiched between the upper and lower support plates, the outer portion of the first flexible plate extending outwardly away from the upper and lower support plates; and the mounting bracket being attached to the lower support plate, the mounting bracket having an exposed surface being configured to be placed against the discharge end of the dump body to locate the chute assembly against the discharge end of the dump body such that particulate matter discharged from the discharge end of the dump body flows over the upper support plate and the outer portion of the first flexible plate; wherein the upper support plate forms part of a first U-shaped rigid member that comprises said upper support plate and a pair of rigid first side walls interconnected and spaced apart by said upper support plate, and the first flexible plate forms part of a U-shaped flexible member that comprises a pair of flexible side walls interconnected by the first flexible plate, the flexible side walls of the U-shaped flexible member being attached to respective ones of said first side walls of the first U-shaped rigid member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The chute assembly of claim 1 wherein the lower support plate forms part of a second U-shaped rigid member that comprises said lower support plate and a pair of rigid second side walls interconnected and spaced apart by said lower support plate, each flexible side wall of the first U-shaped flexible member sandwiched between a respective one of said first side walls of the first U-shaped rigid member and a respective one of said second side walls of the second U-shaped rigid member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The chute assembly of claim 2 wherein the U-shaped flexible member and the first U-shaped rigid member are each formed from a respective integral one-piece member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The chute assembly of claim 2 wherein an outer portion of the first flexible plate extends outwardly away from a side of each of the upper and lower support plates, the chute assembly further comprising a second flexible plate sandwiched between the upper and lower support plates, the second flexible plate being between the first flexible plate and the lower support plate, the second flexible plate comprising an outer portion extending outwardly away from the said sides of the upper and lower support plates. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The chute assembly of claim 4 wherein the second side walls of the second U-shaped rigid member are spaced apart by a length of the lower support plate and the second flexible plate extends substantially along the entire length of the lower support plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The chute assembly of claim 4 wherein the first and second flexible plates each comprises an elastomeric material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The chute assembly of claim 1 in combination with an end-dump truck, the truck comprising a dump body having an end face located at a discharge end of the dump body, the mounting bracket of the chute assembly comprising an elongate bar having said mounting bracket surface, the mounting bracket surface mounted against the end face of the dump body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The combination chute assembly and end-dump truck of claim 7 comprising one or more fasteners extending through the bar and into the end face of the dump body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The combination chute assembly and end-dump truck of claim 7 wherein the chute assembly is mounted to the end face of the dump body such that when material is being discharged from the discharge end of the dump body, the material flows over the upper support plate and an outer portion of the first flexible plate before being discharged from the chute assembly, the material while being discharged from the dump body being contained between the flexible side walls of the U-shaped flexible member before being discharged from the chute assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The chute assembly of claim 2 wherein each second side wall of the second U-shaped rigid member comprises an outer side facing away from the other second side wall, the chute assembly further comprising a pair of tubular sleeves, the sleeves being attached to the outer sides of the second side walls. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The chute assembly of claim 2 wherein the upper support plate is disposed between the pair of second side walls of the second U-shaped rigid member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The chute assembly of claim 2 wherein each pair of the pairs of first and second side walls sandwiching said respective flexible side walls of the U-shaped flexible member are urged together by a rigid fastener extending between the pair of first and second side walls. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The chute assembly of claim 1 wherein the first flexible plate tolerates exposure to a temperature of at least 375 degrees Fahrenheit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The chute assembly of claim 1 wherein the first flexible plate comprises EPDM rubber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The chute assembly of claim 1 wherein the first flexible plate comprises a synthetic rubber material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The chute assembly of claim 1 wherein the mounting bracket surface is a flat surface defining a vertical plane and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the plane, and the upper and lower support plates are inclined from the horizontal with respect to the vertical plane. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The chute assembly of claim 1 wherein a plurality of spaced-apart fasteners extend between the upper and lower support plates urging the upper and lower support plates towards one another. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The chute assembly of claim 1 wherein the mounting bracket comprises an elongate bar, the bar comprising said mounting bracket surface, and a plurality of gussets spaced apart along the bar, the gussets extending from the bar to the lower support plate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The chute assembly of claim 18 wherein each gusset is fixedly attached to the lower support plate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The chute assembly of claim 16 wherein the upper and lower support plates are inclined at an angle of eighteen degrees from the horizontal.