AU644269B2 - Pavement repair apparatus - Google Patents

Description

644269

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PATENT OF ADDITION

ORIGINAL

i TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT a Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: RICHARD ANDREW HOWLING RICHARD ANDREW HOWLING WRAY ASSOCIATES, Primary Industry House, 239 Terrace, Perth, Western Australia, 6000.

Adelaide Attorney code: WR Invention Title: "PAVEMENT REPAIR APPARATUS" Details of Associated Provisional Application No: PK4680 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the beet method of performing it known to me:- 1 2 THIS INVENTION relates to apparatus for repairing pavement and more particularly, although not exclusively, to apparatus for repairing bitumen road surfaces.

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In Australian Patent No. 601027 there is disclosed a vehicle 5 for repairing a pavement defect such as a pot hole, crack or the like. The vehicle comprises in operative combination an excavating means to clear the defect of debris, metering means for depositing measured amounts of fill into the defect, and compaction means for subsequently levelling the fill to conform to the surrounding pavement. The excavating and compaction means are located in a slewing boom attached to the vehicle chassis and pivotal about a vertical axis at/ or adjacent the front of the chassis. The boom also includes a mixing chamber for compounding the fill from 4 S" 15 separate supplies of aggregate and emulsion. The aggregate is conveyed from a hopper to the mixing chamber by means of screw conveyors.

S to •With this arrangement, it was envisaged that the emulsion would be added to th; aggregate in the mixing chamber prior to introduction of the fill into the defect. This arrangement has not, however, proved altogether satisfactory as the bitumen emulsions most suited to this type of repair have very short working times and would quickly lead to choking of the mixing chamber. To alleviate this problem, the bitumen emulsion can be sprayed onto the fill as it discharges from the boom into the defect. Additional emulsion can then be sprayed onto the repaired area prior to completion.

Some road authorities require that repairs be carried with materials similar to existing road construction materials and this requirement involves use of asphalt or hot mix bitumen. In such cases, it would be impract.cal to use the vehicle disclosed in Australian Patent No. 601027 beuause 3 the screw conveyors cannot transfer this type of material successfully as it tends to foul the conveyor.

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The present invention seeks to provide apparatus for repairing a pavement defect which overcomes or at least 5 reduces the effects of the disadvantages of the pavement repair vehicle disclosed in Patent No. 601027.

oooee In one form the invention resides in apparatus for repairing a defect in pavement comprising excavating means for clearing said defect of debris; a reservoir for storing fill material; delivery means for delivering fill material from the reservoir to the defect; compaction means for subsequently levelling said fill material to conform generally to the surrounding pavement; a telescopic boom on which said excavating means and said compaction means are 15 mounted; said telescopic boom comprising two boom sections being an upper section and a lower section which is received below the upper section when the boom is retracted; said delivery means including an upper endless belt conveyor supported by said upper boom section, and a lower endless belt conveyor supported by said lower boom section whereby material discharging from said upper conveyor falls onto said lower conveyor.

The repair apparatus according to the invention may be adapted for mounting onto a vehicle or may be incorporated into a vehicle.

Preferably said boom sections are hollow and said endless belt conveyors are housed within the respective hollow boom sections.

Preferably, said delivery means also includes a further conveyor for transferring fill material from the reservoir to the upper belt conveyor, said further conveyor including 4 a chain and blade conveyor for initially receiving and transferring fill material from the reservoir.

Preferably, the apparatus further includes spray means for spraying a tactile liquid such as bitumen emulsion.

5 Preferably said spray means is mounted on the boom.

Preferably, in the case where the emulsion penetration technique is employed said spray is arranged to spray said emulsion onto the fill material as it discharges from the lower conveyor into the defect. For preference, discharge chute is provided for receiving fill material discharging from the lower conveyor and directing it into the path of tactile liquid being sprayed from said spray means.

o. Preferably, said boom is pivotally mounted for movement about a generally horizontal axis between a raised inoperative position and a lowered operative position, and power means are provided for effecting such movement.

Preferably, said boom is pivotally mounted for slewing movement about a generally vertical pivot axis, and power means are provided for effecting such slewing movement.

The power means for effecting slewing movement of the boom may comprise a hydraulic ram disposed to one side of said vertical pivot axis and extending substantially longitudinally with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

Preferably, control means are provided for controlling operation of the excavating means, delivery means, compaction means and the boom.

5 The apparatus according to the invention can be used to repair pavement using either the emulsion penetration technique or the technique using asphalt or hot mix bitumen.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the 5 following description of one specific embodiment thereof as .shown in the accompanying drawings in which:- :Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a vehicle fitted with apparatus according to the invention, the boom being shown in the operative position but being depicted also in the inoperative position by phantom lines; Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, with the boom being shown centrally in the operative position with phantom lines showing it slewed -5 to each side; and Fig. 3 is a schematic side view''showing the telescopic

O@*

boom.

The embodiment shown in the drawings is directed to apparatus 11 for repairing pot holes in paved road surfaces.

The apparatus 11 is adapted to be mounted on a truck 13 which includes a chassis 15 mounted on wheels 17, and a cabin 19.

On the back of the truck there is carried a reservoir 21 for fill material, the reservoir being in the form of a hopper.

The hopper, is insulated against heat loss and it incorporates a heating means in the ,:orm of a gas-fired heating tube. In this embodiment the fill material is asphalt or hot mix bitumen. However, where the emulsion penetration repair technique is to be employed, the fill material would be aggregate.

6 The back of the truck also carries a pressurised tank 23 fr storage of a tactile liquid such as bitumen emulsion, and an accumulator 25 for storage of air under pressure. The accumulator receives air from a hydraulically driven air compressor (not shown). The accumulator supplies air for pressurising the tank 23.

oo* 0* A slewing boom 31 is mounted onto the front of the truck 13.

The slewing boom 31 is telescopic, having an upper boom section 33 and a lower boom section 35 which is received below the upper boom section when the boom is in the retracted position. The inner end of the upper boom section is supported on a boom mount 37 for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal pivot axis 39 between a lowered operative condition (as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3) and a raised inoperative condition (ab shown by phantom lines in Fig. The boom mount 37 limits the extent of downward pivotal movement of the upper boom s'oction to the extent that it is generally horizontal when in the operative condition.

A control mean (not shown) is provided for moving the boom between the raised and lowered positions. The control means includes hydraulic rams pivotally connected between ths boom mount and the upper boom section.

The bocm mount 37 is mounted onto the chassis of the vehicle for movement about a generally vertical pivot axis 43.

Power means (not shown) are provided for effecting pivotal movement of the boom mount and so cause slewing of the boom.

The power means comprises a hydraulic ram (not sh on one mounted side of the vertical pivot axis 43 and extending substantially longitudinally with respect to the fore-andaft axis of the vehicle.

7 The lower boom section is supported by the upper boom section by way of a linear bearing structure 45 which is fixed to the upper boom section adjacent the outer end thereof. With this arrangement, the lower boom section can move axially with respect to the upper boom section while :.:being supported by the upper boom section. Movement of the S. lower boom section is effected by way of a hydraulic ram 47, one part of which is mounted onto a bracket 49 at the underside of the linear bearing structure and the other part of which is mounted onto a bracket 51 fixed to the lower boom section. With this arrangement, extension and retraction of the hydraulic ram 47 effects extension and retraction of the lower boom section with respect to the upper boom section.

15 A compaction means 52 is mounted onto the underside of the lower boom section 35 adjacent the outer end thereof. The compaction means is in the form of a vibratory tamper which is mounted onto the lower boom section by means of a unIversal-type pivot incorporating an anti-vibration bush.

This arrangement allows the vibratory tanper to follow the road surface when repairs ara being made to cracks in pavement.

An excavating means is provided for cleaning debris from the pot hole under repair. The excavating means comprises a first spray nozzle 53 is mounted on the lower boom section ahead of the compaction means 52. The spray nozzle 53 receives air under pressure from the accumulator 25 and can be operated to provide a blast of high pressure air for the purpose of dislodging and removing debris from the pot hole under repair.

A further spray nozzle 55 is mounted onto the free end of the lower boom section, also ahead of the compaction means.

The further nozzle 55 receives tactile liquid from the pressurised tank 23 and can be operated to deliver a charge 8 of tactile liquid to seal exposed road substrata in the pot hole being repaired.

The upper and lower boom sections 33 and 35 are hollow and in this embodiment each is open at the top along the length 5 thereof. In an alternative arrangement, however, the upper .boom section can be closed at the top.

*fee*: Each boom section carried an endless belt conveyor, the upper boom section 33 carrying an upper conveyor 61 and the lower boom section 35 carrying a lower conveyor 63. The conveyors 61 and 63 each comprise an endless belt 65 housed within the confines of the respective hollow boom section.

Each endless belt 65 passes around end rollers 67, the forward one of which is driven by a hydraulic motor (not S.shown). The endless belt 65 is supported between the end Q 15 rollers 67 by troughing rollers 69.

eeo@ Fill material is delivered to the upper endless belt S•conveyor 61 from the hopper 21 by two conveyors operating in series, one being a chain and blade conveyor 71 located under the hopper and the other being an endless belt conveyor 73 extending between the chain and blade conveyor and the upper belt conveyor 61 in the boom.

Controls for operating the various components of the repair apparatus are located in the cabin of the truck.

Operation of the apparatus will now be described in relation to repair of a pot hole 75 shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings using hot mix bitumen as fill material.

The vehicle can be operated by one person who drives the vehicle along a roadway with the boom in the inoperative position until a pot hole is encountered. The vehicle is parked with the pot hole 75 in front of it and in view of 9 the operator who remains in the cabin. Controls are operated to swing the boom into the operative position and then extend and slew it until the air nozzle 53 is above the pot hole. A further control is operated to deliver a blast of air into the pot hole to remove debris prior to repair.

A still further control is then operated to spray bitumen .emulsion from nozzle 55 into the pot hole to seal exposed i road substrate. The nozzle 55 can be manipulated in various 4irections to cover large areas if necessary. Following this, the various conveyors are operated to transfer hot mix bitumen from the hopper to the lower conveyor 63 on the boom from where it discharges into the pot hole. When the pot i*s hole has been filled, the fill material is compacted using the vibratory tamper 52. The repair is completed by spraying the compacted fill material with the bitumen emulsion.

Following completion of the repair, the vehicle can advance to the next pavement defect requiring repair. Where this defect is in the immediate viciniy, the vehicle can advance with the boom in the operative position. When the vehicle is to travel substantial distances it is, however, desirable for the boom to be returned to the inoperative position.

Although the invention has been described with reference to one specific embodiment it is not limited thereto and various alterations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (13)

1. Apparatus for repairing a defect in pavement comprising excavating means forI clearing said defect of debris; a reservoir for storing fill material; delivery means for delivering fill material from the reservoir to the defect; compaction means for subsequently levelling said fill material to conform generally to the surrounding pavement; a telescopic boom on which said excavating means and said compaction means are mounted; said telescopic boom comprising two boom sections being an upper section and a lower section which is received below the upper section when the boom is retracted; said delivery means including an upper endless belt conveyor supported by said upper boom section, and a lower endless belt conveyor supported by said lower boom section whereby material discharging from said upper conveyor falls onto said lower conveyor.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said boom sections are hollow and said endless belt conveyors are housed within the respective hollow boom sections.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said delivery means further includes a further conveyor for transferring fill material from the reservoir to the upper belt conveyor.

4. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said further conveyor includes a chain and blade conveyor for initially receiving and transferring fil'i material from the reservoir.

Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further including spray means for spraying a tactile liquid such as bitumen emulsion. 11

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said spray means is mounted on the boom.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6 wherein said spray is arranged to spray said tactile liquid onto the fill material as it discharges from the lower conveyor into the defect. *w

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein a discharge chute is provided for receiving fill material discharging from the lower conveyor and directing it into the path of tactile liquid being sprayed from said spray means.

9. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said boom is pivotally mounted for movement about a generally horizontal axis between a raised inoperative 4 position and a lowered operative position, and power means are provided for effecting such movement.

10. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said boom is pivotally mounted for slewing movement about a generally vertical pivot axis, and power means are provided for effecting such slewing movement.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said power means for effecting slewing movement of the boom comprises a hydraulic ram disposed to one side of said vertical pivot axis and extending substantially longiudinally with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

12. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein control means are provided for controlling operation of the excavating means, delivery means, compaction means and the boom. 12

13. Apparatus substantially herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. S 8O 0 S S S* C S .5 0 S S DATED this Nineteenth day of February, 1992 M..QUAZRD ANDREW HOWL.LUQ Applicant CS S S. *0 no S. S 0S C o so SOS. O S OSSS WRAY ASSOCIATES P'irth, Western Au-tralia Patent Attorne-s for Applicant ABSTRACT f Apparatus for repairing a defect such as a pot hole in pavement. The apparatus comprises a reservoir (21) for storing fill material and delivery means (71, 73) for delivering fill material from the reservoir to the defect. An excavating means (53) is provided for clearing the defect of debris and a compaction means (52) is provided for subsequently levelling said fill material to conform generally to the surrounding pavement. The apparatus further includes a telesjopic boom (31) on which said excavating means (53) and the compaction means (52) are a mounted. The telescopic boom comprises two boom sections 0SsS** being an upper section (33) and a lower section (35) which is received below the upper section when the boom is retracted. The delivery means (71, 73) includes an upper endless belt conveyor (61) supported by the upper boom section (33) and a lower endless belt conveyor (63) supported by the lower boom sention (35) whereby material discharging from the upper conveyor falls onto the lower Ss** conveyor. 6004 6:460