MOBILE POTHOLE PATCHING VEHICLE

APPAREIL MOBILE POUR LE REMPLISSAGE DE NIDS DE POULES

English Abstract

A mobile, self propelled pothole patching vehicle is
provided having a truck chassis and cab. The pothole
patching vehicle includes an asphalt conveyor system for
delivering asphalt to the road surface from a storage
hopper mounted on the chassis. The conveyor system is
uncoupled from the hopper and is movable with respect to
the rest of the vehicle both longitudinally along the axis
of the vehicle and transversely in a side-to-side
swivelling motion. The conveyor is provided with a conveyor
housing having a slotted top panel through which the
asphalt passes into the conveyor interior. A conveyor mount
slidably receives the conveyor and is pivotally coupled to
the discharge port and the chassis for lateral swivelling
motion of the extendible conveyor. During longitudinal and
lateral movement of the conveyor, the discharge port
opening into the housing interior remains within the ambit
of the slotted portion of the top panel for continuous
delivery of asphalt. The pothole patching vehicle of the
present invention also includes a heated tamper for
providing a smooth finish to the freshly packed asphalt and
which minimizes asphalt sticking to the tamper. The heated
tamper is also utilized to heat air from a compressed air
source for pre-drying potholes before being filled.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A mobile, self-propelled pothole patching vehicle having
a cab, a chassis, and front and rear support wheels, comprising:
a) a storage hopper mounted on the chassis for storing
asphalt;
b) asphalt dispensing means connected to the hopper outlet
and having a dispensing port for dispensing the asphalt from the
hopper therethrough;
c) a conveyor mounted below and in vertical alignment with
the dispensing port for receiving asphalt therefrom, said
conveyor extending forwardly of the hopper for delivering and
discharging asphalt forwardly to the roadway, said conveyor
having a free discharge exit end protruding forwardly of the cab
and front wheels;
d) a conveyor pivot mount attached to the chassis below
the dispensing port and slidingly receiving the conveyor for
pivoting the conveyor about a vertical axis while maintaining the
conveyor in vertical alignment with the dispensing port;
e) conveyor extending and retracting means connected to
the conveyor for extending and retracting the conveyor along the
longitudinal axis thereof; and
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f) unitary pivoting means for pivoting the conveyor about
said vertical axis.
2. A vehicle as defined in Claim 1, wherein the conveyor
pivot mount has an access opening in vertical alignment with the
dispensing port to enable asphalt to be dispensed onto the
conveyor through the dispensing port.
3. A pothole patching vehicle according to Claim 2, wherein
the conveyor comprises a conveyor housing having a bottom panel
and a conveyor belt drivably and slidably movable over the bottom
panel.
4. A pothole patching vehicle according to Claim 3, wherein
the conveyor housing includes a top panel having a longitudinally
elongate slot located so that the dispensing port remains within
the ambit thereof during extensible and retractible movement of
the conveyor.
5. A pothole patching vehicle according to Claim 4, wherein
the conveyor pivot mount includes a housing disposed peripherally
around and slidingly receiving the conveyor housing and provided
with a top access port in alignment with the dispensing port for
passage of asphalt therethrough.
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6. A pothole patching vehicle according to Claim 5, wherein
the conveyor pivot mount comprises a top C-shaped flange and a
bottom C-shaped flange attached to the top flange, and wherein
the top flange is provided with said top access port; and wherein
the bottom C-shaped flange is provided with a downwardly
projecting shaft concentric with the annular bearing and
pivotally mounted on the chassis for pivotal motion of the pivot
mount relative to the chassis.
7. A vehicle as defined in claim 5, wherein the unitary
pivoting means comprises a hydraulic piston and cylinder unit
connected between the chassis and one end of the pivot mount
housing.
8. A pothole patching vehicle according to Claim 1, wherein
the asphalt dispensing means includes a dispensing tube connected
to the hopper means, and an asphalt auger for moving the asphalt
through the dispensing tube to the dispensing port.
9. A pothole patching vehicle according to Claim 1, further
comprising a tamper connected to and suspended from the free end
of the conveyor for compacting asphalt on the roadway.
10. A vehicle as defined in Claim 9, wherein the tamper is

located generally immediately rearwardly of the discharge exit
of the conveyor.
11. A vehicle as defined in Claim 9, wherein the tamper
comprises a tamping plate and a housing extending from the
periphery of and above the tamping plate, and means for supplying
heated gas to the housing immediately above the tamping plate
thereby to heat the tamping plate.
12. A vehicle as defined in Claim 11, wherein the housing is
provided with: an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the lower
chamber being located immediately above the tamping plate and
receiving said heated gas, the upper chamber being located
immediately above the lower chamber and being heated thereby, a
source of supply of compressed air to the upper chamber, and an
air discharge nozzle coupled to the upper chamber for discharging
heated air therefrom to the roadway.
13. A vehicle as defined in Claim 12, wherein the air
discharge nozzle is disposed forwardly of the tamper and is
generally forwardly and downwardly directed.
14. A vehicle as defined in Claim 12, including a tamper
vibrator connected to the tamper for imparting vibratory motion
16

to the tamping plate.
15. A vehicle as defined in Claim 10, wherein the tamper
comprises a tamping plate and a housing above the tamping plate,
and means for supplying heated gas to the housing immediately
above the tamping plate thereby to heat the tamping plate.
16. A vehicle as defined in Claim 15, wherein the housing is
provided with: an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the lower
chamber being located immediately above the tamping plate and
receiving said heated gas, the upper chamber being located
immediately above the lower chamber and being heated thereby, a
source of supply of compressed air to the upper chamber, and an
air discharge nozzle coupled to the upper chamber for discharging
heated air therefrom to the roadway.
17. A vehicle as defined in Claim 16, wherein the air
discharge nozzle is disposed forwardly of the tamper and is
generally forwardly and downwardly directed.
18. A vehicle as defined in Claim 16, including a tamper
vibrator connected to the tamper for imparting vibratory motion
to the tamper plate.
17

19. A pothole patching vehicle according to Claim 10, wherein
the tamper includes tamper plate heating means to heat the tamper
plate for providing a smooth finish to the compacted asphalt.
20. A mobile self propelled pothole patching vehicle mounted
on a chassis supported by front and rear support wheels, said
chassis supporting a cab, a source of compressed air, a tack oil
storage tank and a fuel storage tank, said vehicle comprising:
a) a storage hopper mounted on the chassis for storing
asphalt;
b) asphalt dispensing means for dispensing the asphalt
from the hopper through a dispensing port;
c) a conveyor mounted below and forwardly of the hopper
for delivering asphalt to a position on the roadway;
d) conveyor pivoting means coupled to the chassis below
the dispensing port for slidingly receiving the conveyor and for
pivoting the conveyor about a vertical axis in alignment with the
dispensing port, including an access opening in vertical
alignment with the dispensing port to enable asphalt to be
dispensed onto the conveyor means through the dispensing port;
e) conveyor extending and retracting means coupled to the
conveyor pivoting means and to the conveyor for slidingly
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extending and retracting the conveyor along the longitudinal axis
thereof; and
f) a tamper operably coupled to the free end of the
conveyor and movable therewith, including
(i) a plate on the underside of the tamper for
compacting the asphalt;
(ii) a vibrator for imparting vibratory motion to the
plate;
(iii) a housing defining and enclosing a lower heated
gas chamber above the tamper plate for heating the tamper plate,
said housing defining and enclosing an upper air chamber therein
immediately above the heated gas chamber and coupled to the
compressed air source and provided with an air discharge nozzle
for blowing out compressed air from the upper chamber to expel
loose debris from the roadway prior to depositing asphalt
thereon, and wherein the two chambers are in contiguous thermal
relationship so that the heated gas in the lower chamber heats
the compressed air in the upper chamber; and
(iv) suspension means positioned between the conveyor
and the housing for damping vibrations of the tamper.
21. A pothole patching vehicle according to Claim 20, wherein
the tamper includes heating means to heat the gas in the lower
chamber for providing heat to the tamper plate so as to
facilitate the imparting of a smooth finish to the asphalt
compacted by the tamper.
19

22. A pothole patching vehicle according to Claim 21, further
comprising a tack oil nozzle mounted to the conveyor and
generally downwardly directed to spray the roadway in front of
the tamper coupled to the tack oil storage tank for pre-treating
the roadway prior to filling with asphalt.
23. A pothole patching vehicle according to Claim 22, wherein
the asphalt dispensing means includes a dispensing tube connected
to the hopper outlet, and an asphalt auger for moving the asphalt
through the dispensing tube to the dispensing port.
24. A mobile self propelled pothole patching vehicle mounted
on a chassis including a cab, and a source of compressed air,
comprising:
a) storage hopper means mounted on the chassis for storing
asphalt, a dispensing tube connected to the hopper means and an
asphalt auger for moving the asphalt from the hopper means to a
dispensing port through the dispensing tube;
b) conveyor means mounted below and forwardly of the
hopper means for delivering asphalt to a position on the roadway,
and wherein the conveyor means includes a housing having an upper
panel provided with a slot;
c) conveyor pivoting means coupled to the chassis below

the dispensing port for slidingly receiving the conveyor means
and for pivoting the conveyor about a vertical axis in alignment
with the dispensing port, including an access opening in
alignment with the dispensing port to enable asphalt to be
dispensed onto the conveyor means through the dispensing port;
d) conveyor extension means coupled to the conveyor
pivoting means and the conveyor means for slidingly extending and
retracting the conveyor means along the longitudinal axis
thereof, and wherein the upper panel slot is long enough so that
the dispensing port remains within the ambit thereof during
extensible and retractible movement of the conveyor means; and
e) tamper means operably coupled to the conveyor means and
movable therewith, including vibration means for vibrating a
tamper plate on the underside of the tamper means for compacting
the asphalt, and suspension means for damping out the vibrations
between the tamper means and the rest of the vehicle, and wherein
the tamper means includes a first housing portion defining and
enclosing a lower heated gas chamber immediately above the tamper
plate, a second housing portion defining and enclosing an upper
air chamber immediately above the lower chamber, and coupled to
the compressed air source for passing air therethrough to a
connected air discharge nozzle for blowing out loose debris from
the pothole prior to filling it with asphalt, and wherein the two
chambers are in contiguous relationship for thermal contact
therebetween.
21

25. A pothole patching vehicle according to Claim 24, wherein
the tamper means includes heating means to provide heated gas to
the lower chamber for heating the tamper plate and thereby
ironing freshly laid asphalt in order to provide a smooth and
continuous new asphalt patch.
26. A pothole patching vehicle according to Claim 25, further
comprising a downwardly and forwardly directed tack oil nozzle
coupled to a tack oil storage tank mounted on the vehicle for
pre-treating a pothole with tack oil prior to filling the pothole
with asphalt.
22

Description

2026463
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to mobile, self propelled pothole
repair vehicles utilizing a conveyor for delivering asphalt to
a roadway for compacting the asphalt in the pothole.
BACRGROUND OF TH~ INVENTION
Typical self-propelled pothole patching vehicles are
provided with a cab and a chassis adapted to carry an asphalt
storage hopper, a conveyor for transporting the asphalt from the
hopper to the roadway and a tamping means for compacting the
asphalt into the pothole, either of the roller type or a flat
tamping plate provided with a vibrator.
Some pothole patching vehicles have a front asphalt
delivery system for delivering asphalt to the pothole within the
field of view of the operator. Some of these conveyor systems
are adapted to be longitudinally ext~n~;hle and retractible along
the vehicle axis in addition to swivelling or pivoting laterally.
However, since the hopper-to-conveyor connection must be
maintained for continuous delivery of asphalt during the patching
process, in some vehicles the conveyor is coupled to the hopper
in such a way that both the conveyor and hopper move together in
tandem during extendible and retractible motion thereof.
This arrangement is not entirely satisfactory since
coupling the hopper and conveyor in this way limits the

2026463
longitudinal range accessible to the conveyor, depending on the
chassis design. As a result, having to continuously move the
vehicle between potholes tends to slow down the pothole patching
process.
It is customary to provide pothole patching vehicles with
various accessories for preparing the pothole prior to filling,
some examples being flame torches for drying the pothole,
compressed air for blowing loose debris out of the pothole and
tack oil spraying means for coating the pothole prior to filling
in order to increase the bonding between the new and old asphalt.
It has been found that direct flame heating of the asphalt
on the pothole interior can damage the asphalt thereby degrading
its ability to bond to the new asphalt. It has also been found
that when tamping the asphalt after the pothole has been filled,
lS asphalt tends to stick to the tamping plate, which prevents a
smooth and continuous road surface from being achieved. Also,
the asphalt must be continuously cleaned off the tamping plate,
otherwise, once it dries and hardens, it becomes very difficult
to clean off.
8UMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject provides a mobile pothole patching vehicle
utilizing an asphalt conveyor uncoupled from the hopper which
overcomes the disadvantage of the prior art. The mobile

2026463
pothole patching vehicle of the present invention utilizes a
heater which is employed not only to heat the tamping plate which
compacts the fresh asphalt but, also to produce a stream of
heated air for the pre-drying potholes prior to being filled.
The pothole patching vehicle of the present invention
includes a truck chassis and cab, an asphalt storage hopper and
a conveyor means mounted below and forwardly of the hopper for
delivery of asphalt to the road surface. An asphalt dispensing
means extends from the hopper to a dispensing port opening into
the conveyor. The pothole patching vehicle is provided with a
conveyor pivoting means for slidably receiving the conveyor which
is pivotally coupled to the chassis below the discharge port and
includes an access opening in alignment with the discharge port
to permit asphalt to be dispensed onto the conveyor through the
dispensing port. Provided is a conveyor pivoting means coupled
to the chassis for slidably receiving the conveyor means, on
rollers or otherwise, and for side-to-side pivoting motion of the
conveyor about a vertical axis in alignment with the discharge
port. There is provided a conveyor extension means for
extensible and retractible motion of the conveyor means with
respect to the rest of the vehicle.
The conveyor housing may include a top panel having a
slotted portion situated generally below the discharge port and
wherein the discharge port remains within the ambit of the
slotted portion during full extensible motion of the conveyor
means.
,1 ,,

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In another aspect of the invention, the mobile pothole
patching vehicle of the present invention comprises tamper means
coupled to the conveyor means and movable therewith including
means for vibrating the tamper for compacting the freshly laid
asphalt. The tamper comprises contiguous lower and upper air
chambers in thermal contact. The upper air chamber is connected
to a compressed air source at one end and operably coupled to an
air nozzle at the other end for blowing loose debris out of the
pothole prior to filling. The tamper is provided with a heating
means for heating both tamper air chambers, with the heated lower
chamber heating the tamper plate on the tamper bottom in order
to give a smooth finish to the asphalt patch while the heated
upper chamber is utilized to heat the air stream passing
therethrough thereby providing a heated air flow for blow drying
the pothole prior to filling.
BRIEF DE~CRIPTION OF THB DRAWING~
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be
described by way of example with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a mobile pothole
repair vehicle embodying the subject invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the conveyor means of the
present invention.

~ 2026~63
Figure 3 is a partial rear elevation view illustrating the
conveyor housing and the conveyor pivot means of a pothole repair
vehicle embodying the subject invention;
Figure 4a is a rear elevation view of and embodiment of
a tamper of the present invention;
Figure 4b is a side elevation view of the tamper of Figure
4a;
Figure 5 is a rear elevation view of the pothole repair
vehicle of the present invention; and
Figure 6 is a partial repair elevation view of an
alternative fixed swivel mount constructed according to the
invention.
DBTAILED _ ?CPTPTION OF THE PR~nK~v EMBODIMENT
figure 1 illustrates a mobile pothole patching vehicle 10
embodying the subject invention. Pothole repair vehicle 10
utilizes a production truck chassis comprising a frame 12, a cab
14, an engine 16, an engine exhaust pipe 18 and a drive train
(not shown in detail). Cab 14 is provided with a joystick 15 for
control of the pothole patching functions to be discussed
presently. Mounted onto production truck frame 12 is a hopper
20 which includes a pair of hopper lids 22, a hopper lid
~,~

2026q63
hydraulic cylinder 24 and a hopper lid arm 26 pivotally connected
to lids 22. Hopper 20 is provided with an asphalt auger 28
extending along its bottom through an opening in the bottom of
the hopper into cylindrical L-shaped dispensing tube 30 which in
turn terminates at a dispensing port 31. Mounted below cab 14
and hopper 20 and extending forwardly is a conveyor 32 which
consists of a conveyor housing 34, a conveyor belt 36 and a pair
of conveyor belt rollers 38 each rotatably mounted in brackets
40 attached to each of the ends of house 34.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, conveyor 32 is also provided
with a conveyor motor 42 coupled to rear roller 38 for engaging
conveyor belt 36. Conveyor housing 34 is rectangular in shape
and includes an upper panel 44, a lower panel 46 and a pair of
side panels 48. Upper housing panel 44 has a slotted portion 50
extending longitll~in~lly along panel 44 which is wider than the
diameter of dispensing port 31. Conveyor belt 36 is looped
around rollers 38 and lower panel 46 and slide forwardly along
panel 46 when engaged by conveyor motor 42.
Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a fixed pivot mount
52 for conveyor 32 peripherally encloses a portion of conveyor
housing 34. Pivot mount 52 includes a top section C-shaped
flange 54 and a bottom C-shaped flange 56 which are secured
together on either side of housing 34. Top section 54 is
provided with an access port 33 aligned with dispensing port 31.
A top annular pivot bearing 60 is coupled to flange 54 and to
horizontal frame element 120 thereby to permit conveyor 32 to
s~,

-- 2o26~63
pivot horizontally relative to frame element 120. The bearing
60 is concentric with access port 33 through which the end of
dispensing tube 30 is inserted for pivotal connection to pivot
mount 52. Pivot mount 52 is provided with a pivot shaft 62 which
is welded to the bottom section C-shaped flange edge 56 and
rotates in a bushing (not shown in detail) in a frame element
120, thereby coupling mount 52 to frame 12. Stop-cap prevents
pivot shaft 62 from being drawn upwardly out of engagement with
frame element 120. Conveyor 32 is slidingly guided by pivot
mount 52 for forwardly and rearwardly extensible motion of
conveyor 32 therein. Sliding may be accomplished by means of
rollers or otherwise. The forwardly and rearwardly extensible
motion of conveyor 32 is accomplished by means of a hydraulic
cylinder 64 which extends longit~l~in~lly below housing 34 between
pivot mount 52 and a bracket 132 fixed to the underside of the
forwardly disposed portion of conveyor 32. Conveyor 32 [swivels
pivots horizontally about the dispensing tube/pivot-mount pivotal
coupling by means of a hydraulic cylinder 66 attached between
frame 12 and one side of pivot mount 52.
The solid lines representing conveyor 32 in figure 2
illustrate conveyor 32 in the centred position wherein conveyor
housing 34 is aligned along the longitudinal axis of vehicle 10
while being in the half extended (half retracted) position. In
this position, slotted panel 44 is generally symmetric with
respect to dispensing port 31. The broken lines extending
generally longitudinally in Figure 2 illustrate conveyor 32 in

2026~63
both the fully extended and the fully retracted position along
the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The angled broken lines
depict the conveyor 32 fully pivoted to both the and right (in
the centred position of extension) wherein dispensing port 31 is
seen to remain within the ambit of slotted portion 50.
Referring now to Figures 1 and 4, conveyor housing 34 is
provided with a pair of spaced, downwardly extending mounting
arms 68 rigidly secured to housing side panels 48 and spaced
rearwardly from the forwardly disposed end of conveyor 32. An
asphalt tamper shown generally as 70 is spaced forwardly from the
end of and suspended from connecting arms 96 pivotally connected
to mounting arms 68. Tamper 70 includes tamping plate 75, a
housing 71 enclosing a lower air flow chamber 72 and a housing
73 enclosing an upper air flow chamber 74 situation on top of and
in thermal contact with housing 71.
Figures 4a and 4b illustrate a more detailed view of
tamper 70, wherein housing 71 above tamping plate 75 encloses an
air chamber 72 which is heated by a tiger torch 80 connected to
one side of housing 71. A midsection 76 houses a hydraulic
vibrator 78. Tiger torch 80 is supplied by propane via fuel line
82. An exhaust port 110 is located at the other side of section
72 from torch 80 for exhausting the combustion products. Housing
73 encloses upper air flow chamber 74 situated above and in
intimate thermal contact therewith. An air line 84 supplies
compressed air to chamber 74 while the pressurized and heated air
is exhausted through air nozzle 86. A tack oil nozzle 88 is

202646~
mounted in close[d] proximity to air nozzle 86.
It will be appreciated that means other than a hydraulic
motor may be employed for vibrating tamper 70. A compressed air
driven pneumatic vibrator is one alternative while an electric
powered vibrator is another. It will also be appreciated that
the air nozzle and the tack oil nozzle may be mounted independent
of the tamper means, for example being suspended directly from
the conveyor means.
Tamper 70 is hung from mounting arms 68 by a tamper
suspension means generally indicated by reference numeral 90.
Tamper suspension means 90 includes rubber mounts 92 attached
between tamper 70 and a tamper mounting bracket 94. Two pairs
of connecting arms 96 are pivotally coupled to tamper mounting
bracket 94 and to mounting arms 68. Tamper 70 is upwardly and
downwardly movable with respect to conveyor 32 by means of a
hydraulic cylinder 98 attached between mounting arm 68 and one
end of a bracket 100, the other end of which is pivotally coupled
to connecting arm 96.
Referring now to Figure 5, a propane storage tank 102 is
mounted on frame 12 and supplies propane to the tiger torch while
a compressed air tank 104 mounted on frame 12 supplies compressed
air for the air nozzle. A tack oil storage tank (not shown) is
mounted on frame 12 for supplying tack oil to tack oil nozzle 88.
In operation, mobile pothole repair vehicle lO is capable
~1`
..

2026~6~
of storing and transporting a hopper full of asphalt. The
asphalt may be heated by utilizing the heated exhaust from
exhaust pipe 18 from engine 16. For pothole patching, vehicle
10 is positioned behind a pothole and conveyor 32 is displaced
5longitudinally and/or pivoted laterally as required until the end
of conveyor 32 is appropriately positioned with respect to the
pothole. The conveyor is positioned so that air nozzle 86 is
aimed at the pothole. The compressed air is turned on and the
air flow directed at the pothole to clean out any loose debris.
10If the pothole is wet or has water therein, a heated air flow is
used by turning on tiger torch 80 and the resulting hot air flow
directed at the pothole until it is dry enough to be filled.
Following this, tack oil nozzle 88 is directed at the pothole and
the interior of the pothole sprayed with tack oil. Conveyor 32
15is then first positioned so that the end portion is centrally
located over the pothole and then turned on along with the
asphalt auger 28. Asphalt is driven along the hopper bottom by
auger 28 and through dispensing tube 30 to dispensing port 31
where it is forced through pivot housing access port 33 and drops
20through slot 50 in upper panel 44 of conveyor 32 onto conveyor
belt 36. The asphalt is delivered to the end of conveyor 32
whereupon it drops into the pothole. Upon filling the pothole,
conveyor 32 and auger 28 are turned off. Conveyor 32 is then
repositioned over the pothole by extending it until tamper 70 is
25directly over the freshly filled pot hole. Tamper 70 is then
dropped to the road surface by activating hydraulic cylinder 98.
The loose asphalt is then compressed by tamper 70 by engaging
hydraulic vibrator 78 until the desired level of compacting has

2026463
-
been achieved. Tamper 70 is directly heated by tiger torch 80
during the compacting process in order to circumvent the problem
of asphalt sticking to the tamping plate 75 on the bottom surface
of housing 71. Upon completion of the compacting procedure,
tamper 70 is raised from the road surface by means of hydraulic
cylinder 98. Joystick 15 is used for controlling all the
functions associated with the pothole patching procedure.
After the filling of one pothole is complete, the conveyor
is then re-positioned over any other pothole within the ambit of
lo the conveyor and the process repeated. The longitll~inAl
dimension of slot 50 in upper housing 44 is sufficient to ensure
that dispensing port 31 remains within the ambit of slot 50 for
the full motion of conveyor 32 within the ambit defined by its
extensible, retractible and pivoting motion. After the filing
of all the potholes within the ambit of the conveyor, the
conveyor is fully retracted and the vehicle moved to the next
location and the process repeated.
It should be appreciated that while the preferred
embodiment of the subject pothole patching vehicle as illustrated
and described above includes a conveyor having a housing with a
slotted top panel, other types of conveyors coupled be utilized,
with appropriate modifications of the pivot mount. Figure 6
illustrates such an alternative embodiment wherein pivot mount
200 includes a bottom rectangular C-shaped flange 202 pivotally
coupled to chassis 204 by pivot shaft 206. Flange 202 is
provided with rollers 208 and 210. A conveyor is provided which
11

2026~6~
,,
includes a bottom panel 214 and two side panels 216. The side
panels 216 are each provided with upper T-shaped sections 218 for
slidable motion along rollers 208 while bottom panel 214 moves
slidably over roller 210. Dispensing port 220 opens into the
interior of conveyor 212. Hydraulic cylinder 222 extending
between chassis 204 and mount 200 acts to pivot mount 200 and
hence conveyor 212 about the connection of pivot shaft 206 to
mount 200. Extensible and retractible motion of conveyor 212 is
accomplished by a second hydraulic cylinder (not shown) extending
between mount 200 and the forwardly disposed portion of conveyor
212. Dispensing port 229 opens into the interior of conveyor 212
and remains within the ambit defined by conveyor 212 during
longitudinal and lateral motion of the conveyor with respect to
the rest of the vehicle.
While the present invention has been described and
illustrated with respect to the preferred and alternative
embodiments it will be appreciated that numerous variations of
these embodiments may be made without departing from the scope
of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.
,~

Representative Drawing