Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
COMBINATION DUMP AND SPREADER APPARATUS
Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to a combination dump and spreader
apparatus which, when mounted onto a vehicle chassis, provides for selective
dumping
and spreading of material from the apparatus, advantageously granular material
such
as sand, salt and the like, onto surfaces such as roadways.
Background Of The Invention
Many types of vehicles are available with an apparatus mounted thereon which
provide for both the dumping and spreading of material, such as sand, salt,
.gravel,
asphalt and the like, onto a surface. One type of apparatus which provides
this dual
functionality is commonly referred to as a combination body. Combination
bodies are
so named because they provide, in combination, both dumping and spreading
functions. Examples of combination bodies are provided by U.S. Patents
5,400,974
and 5,772,3 89.
In general, combination bodies are pivotally mounted onto the chassis of a
vehicle, typically a truck chassis. Although the bodies can be mounted so as
to pivot
in one or more directions, the most common mounting arrangement provides a
hinge
mechanism on the rear of the body and a hydraulic cylinder on the front of the
body,
wherein movement of the cylinder causes the body to pivot about the rear hinge
mechanism. This pivoting movement provides the bodies with the ability to dump
material from the rear of the bodies.
Conventional combination bodies further include a conveyor system that
transports material residing within the body out of the body and into one or
more
spreaders mounted on the exterior of the vehicle. Such conveyor systems
typically
include a longitudinal endless conveyor located within the body that
transports the
material from the front to the rear of the body or, alternatively, from the
rear to the
front of the body. The former situation typically results in a deposit of the
material
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
2
into a conventional spreader mounted on the rear of the vehicle: In the latter
situation,
however, the material is transported out of the front of the body, through a
gate, and
onto another part of the conveyor system-a cross-conveyor, mounted on the
chassis,
and located adjacent the front of the body. The cross-conveyor in turn
transports the
material laterally to the sides of the.vehicle, and deposits the material into
conventional side-mounted spreaders. When a cross-conveyor is included, the
body is
typically elevated relative to the cross-conveyor, and thus the chassis, so
the material
falls downward onto the cross-conveyor, this providing for the complete
transfer of
material from the body to the cross-conveyor.
The endless conveyor is typically driven by a permanently~mounted reversible
motor located at either the front of the body, or alternatively by two motors
mounted at
both the front and rear of the body. An example of the latter arrangement is
provided
in U.S. Patent 5,400,974.
Conventional combination bodies also include a tailgate that covers the rear
of
the body. As the tailgate is pivotally-mounted at. the upper corners of the
body, the
tailgate can pivot into an open position when it is desired to utilize the
dumping
functionality of the body. Certain tailgates are also pivotally-mounted at the
lower
corners of the bodies, allowing the tailgate to be lowered to assist in
cleaning and rear
loading.
The tailgates of those conventional bodies further include at least one
opening
therethrough, with a second opening often provided in the front of the body.
The
openings provide a means by which the material, upon transport by the endless
conveyor, can be expelled from the front and the rear of the body. When
spreading is
desired, one of both of the openings can be selectively opened or closed by
operation
of a feed gate mounted so as to cover the opening. The feed gate further
provides a
means for metering the flow of material through the opening, and into the
cross-
conveyor or rear-mounted spreader. Upon being expelled from the body through
the
tailgate opening, the material is directed into the rear spreader at least in
part by a
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
3
cover affixed to the tailgate.
Various cover designs have beers utilized in combination bodies. One common
type extends forwaxd, into the body itself, and is designed to collapse when
the tailgate
is lowered. This type of cover, however, has heretofore only been used in
bodies
wherein the conveyor resides completely within the confines of the body.
Another
type of cover extends rearwardly from and is affixed to the tailgate. This
cover,
utilized in bodies wherein the endless conveyor extends rearward of the
tailgate, is
located above and adjacent to the tailgate opening, and is permanently affixed
in this
position.
While existing combination dump and spreader bodies provide many desirable
features and advantages, there remain certain problems with these combination
bodies.
For example, and as mentioned previously, one. type of combination body
includes an
endless conveyor that extends beyond the tailgate: When such an extended
endless
conveyor is utilized, any rearwardly-extending cover that is affixed to the
tailgate
interferes with and precludes the lowering of a tailgate that is pivotally-
mounted at the
lower corners of the body. This lack of pivot capability along the lower edge
of the
tailgate of these bodies interferes with rear loading and clean-out of the
body. While
the forward-extending cover allows the tailgate to be lowered, its design is
complex,
and its forward-extending position does not adequately address the material
flow
issues presented by an endless conveyor that extends rearward of the tailgate.
In addition, the inclusion of a complex conveyor assembly that includes both
an
endless conveyor and a cross-conveyor typically requires the body to be
mounted
higher on the chassis as compared to dump bodies without a cross-conveyor.
While
this mounting arrangement provides for desired gravity feed of material from
the
endless conveyor onto the cross-conveyor, this arrangement also provides an
the
vehicle with a relatively high center of gravity when compared to dump bodies
with ,
the same capacity but without a cross-conveyor. Vehicles with a high center of
gravity are not desirable because of the associated adverse effect on vehicle
handling.
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
4
Another issue with conventional bodies is that there exists no flexibility in
adapting the conveyor drive mechanism to address differences in customer
needs,
either during production or after delivery.
In view of the foregoing, there exists various needs in the art. One such need
is
for a combination body which provides both the functionality of a cross-
conveyor and
a relatively low center of gravity without unduly compromising the material
holding
volume. A further need exists for a simple means by which conventional rear
loading
and cleaning of a combination body can be undertaken when the body includes an
endless conveyor that protrudes beyond the tailgate and a rearwardly-extending
cover.
An additional need is for a combination body that provides for ready
adaptation of the
conveyor system to meet changing customer requirements, both in the
manufacturing
process and after delivery.
Summary Of The Invention
The present invention addresses the foregoing and other needs by providing a
combination body for selectively dumping and spreading materials. In one
aspect, the
present invention provides a combination body having two side walls, wherein
at least
one of the side walls comprises upper and lower surfaces. In this aspect, the
upper
surface is planar and oriented in a substantially vertical position and the
lower portion
is planar and extends upwardly from the bottom edge of the side wall toward
the
upper surface at an angle of from about 10 degrees to about 50 degrees from
horizontal.
The foregoing and other aims, objectives, and features of the invention will
become more apparent from the following detailed description when reviewed in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
6785854.1
31573-2035
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
Brief Description Of The Drawings
FIGURE 1 is a side view~of a combination body mounted onto a vehicle in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the tailgate used in the vehicle of FiG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged rear view of the tailgate shown in FIG. 2..
FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of the conveyor assembly used in the vehicle of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a side view of the conveyor assembly shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 taken about line 6----6 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a rear view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 with the tailgate
removed.
FIG. 8 is an alternative embodiment of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is the same view as FIG. 1, but with the front of the body in a raised
position and the tailgate pivoted about an upper axis.
FIG. 10 is the same view as FIG. 1, but with the tailgate in a lowered
position,
having been.pivoted about a lower axis.
FIG. 11 is another alternative embodiment of the vehicle shown in FIG. 7.
While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative
constructions, certain illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown in the
drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood,
however, that
there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed
in this
written description. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all
modifications,
alternative constructions and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope
of the
invention as defined by the written description and appended claims.
Detailed Description Of The Preferred Embodiment
Referring to FIG: 1, a vehicle 20 having a combined dump and spreader
apparatus, also known as a combination body, for dumping or spreading
materials is
illustrated in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention. The
vehicle 20 includes a chassis 22 and a combination body 24 mounted onto the
vehicle
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
6
chassis for holding materials. The body 24 has a front end 26, a rear end 28
and a pair
of side walls 30, 32 extending transversely therebetween. The body 24 is
secured to
the chassis 22 about a pivot axis 34 which extends perpendicular to the length
of the
body 24. More specifically, the body 24 is connected to the chassis 22 by a
hinge 35
which allows for pivoting moverr~ent about the pivot axis 34.
A tailgate 36 is provided at the rear end 28 of the body 24 and extends
transversely between side walls 30, 32. The tailgate 36 is secured to the body
24 at an
upper pivot axis 38 and a lower pivot axis 40, both axes 38, 40 being
perpendicular to
the length of the body 24. When the tailgate 36 is secured at both axes 38,
40, the
tailgate 36 generally prevents material in the body 24 from exiting the rear
end 28
thereof. As will be explained in more detail, the tailgate 36 may be released
from the
upper pivot axis 38 and pivoted about the lower pivot axis 40, thereby
providing for
ease in cleaning and rear loading ofthe body. Alternatively, the tailgate 36
may be
released from the lower pivot axis 40 and pivoted about the upper pivot axis
38 when
dumping is desired. If desired, the tailgate 36 may also be removed from the
rear end
28 of the body 24.
To provide for the upper pivot axis 38, the tailgate 36 includes side support
flanges 86 at its upper end that cooperate with the side walls 30, 32 for
securing the
tailgate 36 on the rear end 28 of the body 24. The support flanges 86 include
holes 88
for slidably receiving pins to pivotably connect the tailgate 36 to the body
24 about the
upper pivot axis 38. The tailgate 36 also includes pins 92 affixed to its
lower end that
extend outwards toward the side walls 30, 32. The pins 92 can be pivotably
secured to
mounts 94 on the body 24 to provide for pivot movement about the lower pivot
axis 40
of the tailgate 36.
The vehicle 20 includes a hoist 42 which typically includes a hydraulic
cylinder
44 connected between the body 24 and the chassis 22 at some point forward the
pivot
axis 34 of the body 24. The hoist 42 is operable to pivot the front end 26 on
the hinge
35 about the pivot axis 34 from a lowered position; as seen in FIG. 1, to a
raised
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
7
position, as seen in FIG. 9. While the~tailgate 36 may remain secured during
spreading, the pins 92 may be.released prior to or during movement of the body
24 to
allow the tailgate 36 to pivot about its upper pivot axis 38 to facilitate
dumping of
material from the body 24 as seen in FIG. 9.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4-6; there is provided a conveyor assembly 46 which
includes an endless conveyor 56 on the floor of the body24 and a cross-
conveyor 54.
As depicted in these figures, the endless conveyor 56 extends from the cross-
conveyor
54 towards and past the rear end .28 of the body 24 and tailgate 36. While the
endless
conveyor can be provided in a variety of configurations, including but not
limited to
an auger, the preferred embodiment is illustrated and described herein.
In the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the endless conveyor 56
includes a carrier 60 entrained around front and rear sprockets 62, 63. The
carrier 60
further includes first and second spaced apart parallel chains 64, 66
entrained directly
on respective sprockets 62, 63 and a plurality of slats or bars 6b extending
transversely
between the first and second chains 64, 65. The bars 66 are configured to
engage
material in the body 24 and carry the material towards the front end 26 or
alternatively
toward the rear end 28 of the body 24.
Iu accordance with another aspect of the present invention, and as best shown
in FIG. 5, the body is provided with at least three 69a, 69b, 69c, and
advantageously at
least four 69d, positions which allow one or more motors 70 {or gearcase-motor
combination) to be removably mounted in any of the one or more positions on
the
body. The provision of these positions, and the provision for removable
mounting of
the motors, allows for ready adaptation of the body to a variety of customer-
requested
configurations, at the factory or at a customer's facility. For example, and
depending
upon anticipated needs, a customer may desire that the endless conveyor be
driven
only in the rearward direction. In such a case, one or optionally two motors
may be
removably mounted at the rear of the body. If that customer later desires to
either
have the conveyor move forward only, or to both the front and rear, one motor
may be
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
g
added to the front of the body, or one df the rear mounted motors may be
removed and
located at the front of the body. The provision of a variety of motor mounts
also
provides manufacturing flexibility, wherein only one body configuration need
be
provided regardless of the number of motors desired by the customer. The
removable
mounting of the motors may be accomplished by the use of any known fastening .
device, with nut and bolt fastening being preferred.
When the motors are removably mounted in the aforedescribed positions, they
are drivingly connected to the front 62 and rear 63 sprockets of the endless
conveyor
56. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 4-6, the endless conveyor 56 is
driven
by least one and preferably at least two motors 71 mounted at the front of the
body,
preferably adjacent 69a, 69d, the front sprocket 62, and at least one and
preferably at
least two motors 70 mounted at the rear of the body, preferably adjacent 69b,
69c, the
rear sprocket 63 of the endless conveyor 56. In this exemplary configuration,
a
controller 72 is connected to the front and rear motors 70, 71 for selectively
operating
the motors 70, 71. The motors 70, 71 may include one or more gearcases 68. In
such
a situation, the gearcase is in mechanical engagement with the sprockets, with
one or
more motors in turn being in mechanical engagement with a respective gearcase.
Direct drive motors may also be advantageously used to drive the sprockets.
A controller 72 ,is also provided in this preferred embodiment (see FIG. 4)
for
activating the front motors 71 to drive the carrier 60 in one direction,
preferably to the
front end of the body 24, and for activating the rear motors 70 to drive the
carrier 60 in
the opposite direction. Preferably, the controller 72 activates only one pair
of motors
at a time and, therefore, when the front motors 71 are operating, the rear
motors 70 are
not operating, and vice-versa. An alternative embodiment provides for the
activation
of both front and rear motors simultaneously to drive the carrier b0. One
advantage of
this mode of operation is that the top 74 of the carrier 60 is always being
pulled rather
than pushed, the former providing for more efficient powering of the endless
conveyor
56. This mode also assists in maintaining the top 74 of the carrier b0 in
tension.
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
9
Adjustable tension devices 76 may be, incorporated to provide for ready
adjustment of
the tension in the carrier 60, thus maintaining efficient transfer of motion
from the
motors to the sprockets and ultimately to the carrier 60.
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the tailgate 36 has slidably mounted
thereon
a feed gate 80 over the opening 58. The feed gate 80 is selectively positioned
by a
control handle 82 to control the size of the opening 58 in the tailgate 36.
The feed gate
80 may also close the opening 80 wherein the bottom edge 84 of the tailgate
rests on
or is disposed just above the carrier 60. A feed gate of similar function (not
shown)
may be provided at the front of the body over an opening therein to provide a
degree
of control over the expulsion of material from the front of the body and onto
the cross-
conveyor.
FIGS. 1, 2 and 9 illustrate a rear exposed,portion 76. This rear portion
includes
what may be referred to as an asphalt lip 77 (see FIGS. 2 and 9) which extends
generally substantially horizontally rearward and below the tailgate 34, and a
portion
of the endless conveyor 56 that projects out beyond the rear of the body and
beyond
the tailgate 34. The asphalt lip has a variety of functions, one of which, in
the
preferred embodiment, is the provision of a platform onto which the rear
removable
motor mounts may be located. It further provides a Stable structure capableof
supporting the rear sprocket of the endless conveyor 56. Advantageously, the
lip 77
should extend at least six inches rearward of the body, preferably at least
about 12
inches, and most preferably at least about 18 inches. It is further preferred
that the
asphalt lip 77 extend rearward to at least the same extent as the endless
conveyor 56.
The surface of the asphalt lip 77 will typically slope downward no more than
about
20°, advantageously no more than about 1 ~°, and preferably no
more than about 10°,
from horizontal to assist in the removal of material from the body. lVlost
preferably,
the lip 77 will slope no more than about 5°; and should be configured
to accommodate
paving equipment.
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
1
The endless conveyor which forms part of the rear exposed portion 76 may be
located either below the lower edge of the tailgate 36 or, preferably, pass
through the
opening 58 in the tailgate 36. As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional rear mounted
spreader 96 may be supported by the body 24 or chassis 22. The spreader 96 is
preferably supported by the body 24, however, in order to maintain the
relative
orientation between the body 24 and spreader 96 when the body is raised while
spreading. The spreader is oriented to receive material that falls from the
end of the
endless conveyor 56. In order to assist in properly positioning the material
on the
endless conveyor as it leaves the tailgate opening, and directing the material
downwardly onto the rear spreader 96, a cover 98 is secured to the tailgate
3b. The
cover 96 extends at least partially over the portion of the endless conveyor
56 that
extends beyond the tailgate 34, and is preferably. configured as illustrated
in FIGS. 2
and 3 to assist in providing the foregoing functions.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the cover 98 is
pivotably connected to the tailgate 36. More specifically, the cover 98
includes a pair
of arms 104 that have one end pivotably cormected to the tailgate 36 for
pivoting
movement about a pivot axis 1 O5, and another end affixed to the plate
extension 100.
As shown in the figures, the pivot axis 105 is preferably disposed above the
opening
58 in the tailgate 36, but could be disposed in any location which provides
for the
advantageous functions set forth herein. In this preferred embodiment, the
cover 98
can be pivoted about its pivot axis 1 OS from a down or lower position, as
shown in
FIG. 1, to an elevated position, as shown in FIG. 10. As further shown in FiG.
10, the
cover 98 may be latched in the elevated position to the tailgate 38. While any
latching
mechanism may be used, the figure depicts the cover 98 having a tab 106 that
may be
latched to an ear 108 on the tailgate 36 by a pin and hole mechanism 1 i 0. In
the lower
position, shown in FIG. 1, the cover 98 is generally held in place by gravity,
but could
also be latched in place if desired. Upon operation, the weight of the cover
98 is
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
11
typically sufficient to resist the force of the expelled material from the
endless
conveyor 56 such that the cover 98 stays in the lower position.,
One important advantage of the pivoting cover 98 is that it permits the
tailgate
36 to be lowered from the closed position of FIG. 1, to a lowered or open
position as
shown in FIG. 10, without interference between the cover 98 and the endless
conveyor
56. The tailgate 36 may be held in this lowered position by chains 112 as
shown in
FIG. 10. During pivoting movement from the closed position shown in FIG. 1 to
that
in FIG. 10, the cover 98 will contact the rear portion 76 of the endless
conveyor. 56
which causes the cover 98 to pivot out of the way of the rear portion 76.
Preferably,
the cover 36 may be manually pivoted upward and latched to the tailgate
through the
pin and hole mechanism 110 in that elevated position before pivoting the
tailgate 36 to
the down position shown in FIG. 10.
Turning now to the conveyor assembly 46 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 arid 4-6,
the
assembly 46, which includes the endless conveyor 56, may further include a
cross-
conveyor 54 extending laterally outyvard toward the sides of the.vehicle 20
along a
cross-axis 57, and function to deposit material into conventional 'side-
mounted
spreaders 55. While the cross-conveyor 56 is illustrated in these figures in
its
preferred form as an auger 120, it may alternatively be provided in the form
of a
conventional conveyor belt or chain system, with the top surface of the belt
or chain
defining the upper outer surface of the cross-conveyor. The cross-conveyor is
preferably mounted onto the chassis 22.
The preferred auger 120 includes a central shaft 122 extending normal to the
length of the body 24 journaled in bearings 124 for rotation. A helical screw
125
having an upper outer perimeter, or outer surface, surrounds the periphery of
the shaft
122 for engaging material and transporting material towards first and second
discharge
ports 126, 128 at respective ends of the auger 120. While the screw 125 is
shown as
having the same hand threading throughout for alternatively distributing
material to
the first and second discharge ports 126, 128, it may also include opposing
sets of
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
12
threads, one hand on each half of the~shaft 122, for simultaneously
distributing
material to both discharge ports 126, 128. Each discharge port 126, 128 is
designed to
feed material into aside mounted spreader 55. The shaft 122 is coupled to a
drive
motor 130 which powers the auger 120, the speed and, optionally the direction,
of the
drive motor being selectively controllable. by the operator.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the upper surface
of
the endless conveyor 56 is located at substantially the same vertical
elevation or lower
than the upper outer surface of the cross-conveyor. The endless conveyor 56
is. at
substantially the same level as the upper outer surface of the cross-conveyor
when a
horizontal plane simultaneously intersects both a portion of the cross-
conveyor and a
portion of the endless conveyor 56. In the preferred auger embodiment, as
depicted in
FIG. 6, the upper outer surface of cross-conveyor is the outer periphery, or
top edge
132, of the helical screw 125 of the auger 120. In particular, and preferably,
the outer
top edge 132 is preferably disposed above the bottom return side 134 of the
carrier 60,
and more preferably above the axis of rotation of the front sprockets 62,
while the top
side 74 of the endless conveyor 56 is preferably above the bottom edge 136 of
the
helical screw 125 of the auger 120 and, more preferably, above the drive shaft
122 of
the auger 120. At least a portion of the cross-conveyor should be disposed in
relation
to the body 24 to ensure the transfer of the material from the interior of the
body onto
the cross-conveyor.
The foregoing configuration between the cross-conveyor and endless conveyor
advantageously provides for a center of gravity that is relatively lower than
existing
bodies having both such conveyors, without unduly sacrificing total body
capacity.
The lower center of gravity provides the vehicle with better handling,
allowing the
vehicle to make sharper turns at higher speeds than existing bodies with the
aforesaid
two conveyors.
Extending outwardly from the outer edges S I, 52 of the endless conveyor 56
are side walls 30, 32 of the body 24. These side walls include upper portions
47, 48
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
13
that extend substantially vertically upward (within about 10 degrees from
vertical) and
which advantageously terminate in a boxed configuration, and lower portions
49, SO
that extend from the upper portions downward and inward toward the outer edges
51,
52 of the endless conveyor 56. Although FIG. 7 illustrates side walls 30, 32
having an
elliptical configuration, these walls may alternatively be provided in, other
curved or
non-curved conf gurations. Examples of other side wall configurations that may
be
utilized in combination with the various aspects ofthe present invention
include
rectangular or square, inclined, constant radius (i.e., circular or semi-
circular), or~
variable radius (e.g., elliptical) configurations. One example of such an
alternative is
shown in FIG. 8. In this figure, the side walls 30, 32 include intersecting
upper 47, 48
and lower 49, 50 planar portions. FIG. 11 illustrates a further alternative
embodiment,
wherein the upper 47, 48 and lower 49, SO planar portions of the side walls
are joined
by an intermediate curved portion. When such planar portions are utilized in
the side
walls, at least the lower portions are advantageously inclined from the
horizontal so as
to provide at least some assistance in directing the material in the body
downward
toward the endless conveyor 46. Advantageously, the angle of inclination of
the lower
portion from horizontal should be between about l0 and 50 degrees, and is
preferably
between about 1 S and 30 degrees. In any event, the entirety of the side w
alls 30; 32
are configured to provide the desired body capacity and durability, and to
assist in
directing material in the body 24 inward toward the endless conveyor 56 to
facilitate
spreading.
All of the references cited herein, including patents, patent applications and
publications are hereby incorporated in their entireties by reference.
While this invention has been described with an emphasis upon preferred
embodiments, it will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art that
variations of
the preferred embodiments may be used and that it is intended that the
invention may
be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly,
this
CA 02555012 1999-05-13
14
invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and the
scope of the
invention as defined by the following claims. , ,
