Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MATERIAL SPREADER WITH INTEGRATED WETTING SYSTEM
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent
Application Serial No. 60/951,286 for a MATERIAL SPREADER WITH ENCLOSED
WETTING SYSTEM, filed on July 23, 2007, which is hereby incorporated by
reference in
its entirety.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] NONE
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0003] This invention relates generally to material spreaders, such as for
example
salt, sand, or salt and sand mixtures and, more particularly, to pre-wetting
systems to pre-
wet the material prior to it being spread onto a surface by the spreader
equipment. It
should be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the spreader
of the present
invention can also be used to spread dry material as well as wet material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Pre-wetting is the process of for example spraying deicing salt with a
solution of liquid chemical before spreading the salt on a roadway. Pre-
wetting the salt
helps it work more effectively as a deicing agent for two reasons: First, wet
salt clings to
the road instead of bouncing off or being swept off by traffic. The result is
that less salt is
spread, saving money and minimizing the threat to the environment. Second, to
be
effective as a deicing agent, salt requires moisture. Moisture dissolves the
salt, releasing
heat and thereby melting the ice and snow, as well as breaking the ice-road
bond. When
temperatures drop below freezing there is no moisture on the road, and salt
alone is
ineffective. Pre-wetting the salt ensures that there will be enough moisture
to facilitate the
melting process. There are several chemicals used to pre-wet salt. The most
inexpensive
is the use of sodium chloride and water or salt brine which is a salt and
water solution.
See Semisequicentennial Transportation Conference Proceedings, May 1996, Iowa
State
University.
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[0005] Since brine is what actually melts snow and ice, solid rock salt must
first
create brine before it goes to work. In the absence of heat, sunlight,
friction, or in low
available moisture levels, solid salt is slower to go to brine and then to
work. Road salt
(sodium chloride) has an effective temperature range above 20-25 degrees
Fahrenheit.
When temperatures drop to around 10 degrees F. or below, road salt has
significantly
reduced melting capacity. The addition of a liquid chemical to salt enhances
its ability to
provide safe levels of service by increasing the speed at which salt creates
brine to melt
snow or ice. Greater chloride efficiency is achieved when liquid chemicals are
added to
salt by lowering the "effective" temperature range of the salt.
[0006] There are many methods in place to pre-wet salt. Some agencies have
sprayed liquid chemicals over loads in the spreaders creating a "hot load".
This method
does not uniformly coat all the salt in the spreader and often runs out the
back. Some
liquid chemicals can "fuse" the salt in the spreader if not emptied, thereby
adding to
maintenance headaches and clumps in the salt. Others apply a given amount to
each
loader bucket prior to loading in the spreader. This method is somewhat more
effective
than direct over the top applications. See Mark Cornwell, Ice Control
Engineering,
Syntech Products Corporation.
[0007] Another method of wetting the salt is to spray the salt with sodium
chloride
or salt brine as it is leaving the spreader. Nozzles are mounted adjacent the
spinner and
spray the salt as it is being spread onto the surface. The problem with pre-
wetting in this
way is over spraying of the chemical which is uneconomical and provides an
uneven
application of the pre-wetting solution to the salt which results in the salt
bouncing off the
surface and the salt not being effective to melt the snow and ice.
Additionally, there is the
problem of evaporation and drifting of product which are corrosive when put
into the air.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In general terms, this invention provides either a wet or dry spreading
system. The pre-wetting system sprays a liquid, such as for example sodium
chloride, salt
brine, water or any other suitable liquid onto the material within a pre-
wetting channel or
passage just before it is presented to the spinner. In this way, the material
is pre-wetted in
a controlled environment eliminating over spray and drifting into the
atmosphere allowing
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an even distribution of liquid to the material. Because of the passage, the
application of
liquid can be carefully controlled.
[0009] In the disclosed embodiment, a liquid tank is either integrally joined
to a
hopper or attached to a hopper. The tank has a passage or channel, a tubular
passage is
disclosed, which extends through the lower portion of the tank. The passage is
coaxially
aligned with the exit of the hopper and has a discharge opening that opens
onto a chute
that directs the pre-wetted material to the spinner. In the disclosed
embodiment, a
longitudinal auger extends through the hopper and the passage to drive the
material to the
chute. The tank has a pump that draws liquid from the tank and pumps it to
nozzles
spaced along the passage. These nozzles spray the material as it is rotated
and moved
through the passage by the auger to present uniformly pre-wetted material to
the spinner.
[00010] These and other features and advantages of this invention will become
more apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of a
preferred
embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description are described
below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00011] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the hopper and tank of the present
invention;
[00012] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the tank of the present invention;
[00013] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the chamber of the present
invention;
[00014] Figure 4 is a mounting assembly for mounting the hopper and tank in a
vehicle;
[00015] Figure 5 is a chute and spreader assembly of the present invention;
[00016] Figure 6 is rear perspective view of the chute and spreader assembly
of the
present invention; and
[00017] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the hopper and tank mounted in the
mounting assembly.
[00018] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the auger of the present invention.
[00019] Figure 9 is a perspective partially exploded view of the hopper 14.
[00020] Figure 10 is an exploded view of the helical bevel geared transmission
of
the present invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[00021] With reference to figure 1, the spreader and wetting system of the
present
invention is shown generally at 10. The system includes a wetting assembly 12
mounted
to or integrally formed with a hopper 14.
[00022] The wetting assembly 12 includes a tank 16 which has a fill opening
closed
by a cap 18. In use, material, such as salt, sand, salt and sand mixtures,
etc. is added to the
hopper 14 and liquid, such as for example salt brine, water, etc. is added to
the tank 16. If
salt brine is intended to be used the salt brine mixture is the typical
mixture used in the
application of salt brine as known by those of ordinary skill in the art.
Formed near the
base of the tank 16 is a passage 20. In the disclosed embodiment, the passage
20 is a tube
22 with a discharge opening 24 that adjoins a feed chute 62 (see figures 5 and
6) and an
entrance 26 that adjoins and is coaxially aligned with the exit of the hopper
14.
[00023] A pump 28 is mounted to the tank 16. As disclosed, the pump 28 is
mounted to the top of the tank 16. It will be understood by those of ordinary
skill in the
art that the pump 28 could be mounted anywhere on the spreader and wetting
system 10 or
the frame 40 which is shown in figures 4 and 7. The pump 28 has an input line
30 that
draws liquid from the tank 16 and an output line 32 that feeds liquid to a
manifold 34 that
has a series of spray nozzles 36. See figure 2. The spray nozzles 36 are
mounted inside
the passage 20 to spray the material as it is moved through the passage 20. By
spraying in
the passage 20, there is less dispersion of the atomized liquid making the
system more
efficient.
[00024] The line 30 is connected to the bottom of the tank 16 as disclosed in
figures
2 and 3. As can be seen, the tank 16 extends below the passage 20. Although
not shown,
the passage 20 can have openings or return passages to allow liquid to return
to the tank 16
during the spraying process. It should be understood that return openings or
return
passages are not required, but could be incorporated into the passage 20. The
line 32
extends from the pump 28 into the tank and connects to the manifold 34 to
supply liquid to
the nozzles 36.
[00025] With reference to figures 4 and 7, the mounting frame 40 of the
present
invention will be described. The mounting frame 40 is used to mount the hopper
14 and
tank 16 in the bed of a vehicle, such as for example a pick up truck, or flat
bed truck. Tiae
frame includes a top rail 42, bottom r:::' rear rail 46 ai_d The rai
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connected by vertical rails 52. A bottom support 50 completes the frame 40. As
shown in
figure 7, the hopper 14 and tank 16 fit within and are supported by the frame
40. In the
disclosed embodiment, mounting brackets 54 are used to mount the frame 40 in
the bed of
the vehicle. As will be appreciated, the frame 40 is only an example of a
mounting frame
that can be used, in addition, for example, a plastic frame could be used or
the hopper 14
and tank 12 could be integrally molded with supports.
[000261 With reference to figures 5 and 6, an embodiment of the spinner
assembly
of the present invention is shown generally at 60. The spinner assembly 60
includes a feed
chute 62 which adjoins the discharge opening 24 of the passage 20. The chute
62 directs
material from the exit 24 to the spinner 64. The spinner 64 is shielded from
the tank 16
and vehicle by a deflector shield 66. A support frame 68 supports the chute
20, deflector
66 and a motor 70 and transmission 72. A housing or shroud 80 covers these
parts. As
shown, the shroud 80 includes notches 85 to allow the spinner assembly 60 to
be easily
mounted and removed from the frame 40. A drive shaft 74 extends from the
transmission
72. The spinner 64 is coupled to the drive shaft 74 through a coupling 76. The
motor 70
includes a power cord 78 to connect to the vehicle power supply, which is not
shown.
[00027] With reference to figures 7, 8 and 9 an embodiment of the spreader and
wetting assembly 10 of the present invention is illustrated. The assembly 10
has an auger
drive 82 that powers a longitudinal auger shown at 86, see figure 8. The auger
86 extends
through the hopper 14 and the passage 20 of the tan.k 16. As will be
appreciated by those
of ordinary skill in the art, the auger drive 82 rotates the auger 86 to
rotate and drive
material from the hopper 14, through the passage 20 to the chute 62. A
vibrator 84 is also
illustrated. In the preferred embodiment, the vibrator 84 is connected to a v-
shaped plate
102 mounted over the auger 86. See figure 9. The vibrator 84 vibrates the
plate 102 to
ensure that the auger continually receives material from the hopper. Those of
ordinary
skill in the art will understand the vibrator 84 and plate 102 as disclosed
and described in
numerous patents owned by Trynex, the assignee of the present invention, which
are
included herein by reference.
[000281 With reference to figure 8, auger 86 is illustrated. Auger 86 extends
between a transmission assembly 88 and a bearing 100. In the disclosed
embodiment, the
auger drive 82 and transmission are mounted on the bottom support 50.
[00029] <<'*:i refereizce to figure 10, an e:~nlodvd view e, transm'7 -ion ass
-,mbly 88
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transmission having a high efficiency bevel gear 90. With the disclosed
transmission 88,
the amps required to turn the auger 86 when subjected to full loads of
material, for
example loads over 2 yards, is cut in half when compared to typical
transmissions used
with spreaders. With a typical spreader transmission, the amperage can go up
to over 120
amps. With the transmission 88, the amperage pulled is around 60 amps,
allowing typical
vehicle electric systems to easily handle the required amperage draw.
[00030] In use, the motor 82 has a mating gear (not shown) which mates with
helical bevel gear 90. Bevel gear 90 is mounted on input shaft 92 which has a
worm gear
94. The worm gear 94 mates with a driver gear 96 mounted on output shaft 98.
Output
shaft 98 is operatively connected to the auger 86. If desired, a helical bevel
geared
transmission 88 can be used as the transmission 72 to drive the spinner 64.
[000311 A controller unit 100 controls the auger 86, spreader assembly 60, and
the
pump 28 and the feed rate of each. One feature of the controller 100 is the
ability to
monitor the auger feed rate and automatically adjust the amount of liquid
supplied to the
auger 86. The controller 100 will supply a certain amount of liquid for a
given auger
speed. The controller 100 will also allow manual supply of liquid to the auger
86 in the
passage 20 as well. In the preferred embodiment, the controller 100 is mounted
within the
vehicle.
[00032] The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the
relevant
legal standards, thn.s the description is exemplary rather than Iimiting in
nature. Variations
and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those
skilled in
the art and do come within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope
of legal
protection afforded this invention can only be determined by studying the
following
claims.
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