Apparatus and method for cold paving

Abstract

An apparatus for spreading, screeding and/or compacting cold paving material to a surface to be paved including a frame of a width substantially equal to the width of the surfaced to be paved. The frame has first and second sides that define the width of the frame. The apparatus includes a pile breaker that has one or more pile breaking rollers that are shorter than the full width of the frame and are connected to the frame. Behind the pile breaker, there is a height-adjustable screed roller for screeding the paving material. There may also be a compacting roller behind the screeding roller to compact the paving material. The cold paving material can be cold asphaltic mixture or similar material, Portland cement concrete or similar material or other paving material at ambient temperature.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention relates generally to an apparatus for applying cold paving mixtures onto a surface. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for spreading and screeding hard-to-flow cold paving materials into an even layer on a roadway surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention is used in paving road surfaces or other surfaces that need to be paved with cold paving materials. Examples of cold paving materials include cold asphaltic mixture, Portland cement concrete, and other paving material applied at ambient temperature. In particular, cold asphaltic mixtures are typically a combination of asphalt emulsion at ambient temperatures and aggregate of sand and rock that are sticky and especially hard to flow and work into a flat layer. The cold asphaltic mixture is sticky, and is therefore difficult to spread and screed into a smooth layer in large quantities in preparation for rolling and compacting. It has been found that a large pile of such cold paving material, dispensed from a truck or aggregate mixing machine could cause paving machine rollers to ride-up on top of the pile instead of squishing the pile down and across the width of the paving surface. In applicant's inventions, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,046,889 and 5,190,400, a “rolling screed” spreader box was described to spread a cold asphaltic mixture or other paving material evenly across the paving surface to avoid large piles of material and to permit smooth rolling and compacting. In those inventions, a spreader box with a horizontal power auger was described to spread the cold paving material evenly before a subsequent roller was used to spread and screed the material to proper thickness and width. Although such devices worked well for the intended purpose, the additional power and maintenance of the mechanically operating auger was not always of the optimum situation. There is a need for a mechanically simple machine that can spread and screed cold paving material onto a roadway. A spreader without separate power drive augers is desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for spreading and screeding cold paving material to a surface to be paved is provided that includes a frame having first and second sides defining a width to be paved, a pile breaker having at least one pile breaking roller that is shorter than the width to be paved, and a height-adjustable screed roller for screeding the cold paving material, wherein the screed roller is connected to the frame and positioned behind the pile breaker.

[0004] According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for spreading, screeding and compacting cold paving material to a surface to be paved is provided that includes a frame having first and second sides defining width to be paved, a pile breaker that comprises at least one pile breaking roller that is shorter than the width, a height-adjustable screed roller for screeding the paving material wherein the screed roller is connected to the frame and positioned behind the pile breaker in the direction of movement, and a compacting roller behind the screed roller.

[0005] According to another aspect of the present invention, a screed roller assembly for use in an apparatus for spreading and screeding cold paving material to a surface to be paved, the screed roller assembly is provided that includes a screed roller attached to the apparatus to screed and partially compact cold paving material, and two removable gauge wheels, one on each side of the screed roller, wherein each gauge wheel can be replaced independently with another size gauge wheel to adjust the height between the screed roller and the surface and to make screed roller level when the gauge wheels are riding on an uneven surface.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for spreading and screeding cold asphaltic mixture to a surface to be paved is provided that includes a frame having first and second sides defining a width to be paved, a pile breaker that comprises at least one pile breaking roller that is shorter than the width, and a height-adjustable screed roller for screeding the paving material, wherein the screed roller is connected to the frame and positioned behind the pile breaker in the direction of movement.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for spreading, screeding and compacting cold asphaltic mixture to a surface to be paved is provided that includes a frame having first and second sides defining width to be paved, a pile breaker that is comprised of at least one pile breaking roller that is shorter than the width, a height-adjustable screed roller for screeding the paving material wherein the screed roller is connected to the frame and positioned behind the pile breaker in the direction of movement, and a compacting roller behind the screed roller.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for applying cold paving material to a surface is provided that includes mixing the cold paving material, dumping the cold paving material in front of a cold paving apparatus, flattening the cold paving material using the cold paving apparatus, spreading the cold paving material using the cold paving apparatus, and compacting the cold paving apparatus using a compacting device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of one embodiment of the invention;

[0010] FIG. 2 is a top view of the embodiment in FIG. 1;

[0011] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of another embodiment of the invention in which a compaction roller is included in the rolling screed spreader box;

[0012] FIG. 4 is a top view of the embodiment in FIG. 3; and

[0013] FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart diagram of a method of applying cold paving material onto a surface according to one aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0014] A preferred embodiment of an apparatus for applying cold paving material to onto a surface is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a pile breaking assembly and a screed roller assembly. In another preferred embodiment, the apparatus further includes a compacting roller.

[0015] Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, one embodiment of an apparatus 2 for spreading and screeding cold paving material onto a surface will now be described. In the particular embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cold paving apparatus 2 includes a front axle 6, one or more steerable wheels 10, a frame 12, one or more screws 13, one or more handles 14, a first vertical arm 16, a first cleaning pad 18, a second vertical arm 20, a first sprayer 22, a drag plate 24, a connector 26, a plurality of drag shoes 28, a pile breaking roller assembly 30 including a pile breaking roller 31 and a pile breaking axle 36, a second sprayer 32, a cleaning pad 34, one or more third vertical arms 38 and fourth vertical arms 40, a plurality of bolts 42, and a screed roller assembly 39 including a frame support 44, one or more screed rollers 50, a plurality of gauge wheels 60, a screed roller axle 46, a plurality of bolts 62 and 64, and gauge wheel bearings 66. Other embodiments with equivalent features might all so be understood from the description of inventive features set forth below.

[0016] The present invention provides a passive pile breaking roller 31 that does not have separate power. The pile breaking roller 31 follows a mixing truck that dumps a substantially continuous pile of cold paving material onto a roadway as the truck moves forward. The pile breaking roller 31 is shorter than the full width of the paving surface. The paving material is partially flattened in the middle and partially spread out on either side of the pile breaking roller 31 within the width of the surface. A screed roller 50 behind the pile breaking roller 31 screeds the material by further spreading and flattening it to a proper thickness and to the width of the paving surface. A separate compacting machine may follow the mixing truck and the screed to compact the material to finish the pavement. The apparatus 2 in this invention with a passive roller is much simpler than a device with a power driven auger “rolling screed” spreader box. In an embodiment with a compacting roller 90 attached to the frame 12 and following the screed roller 50, the weight of the apparatus 4 with the compacting roller 90 is desirably sufficient to compact the paving material. Other means for applying pressure to compact the paving material might alternatively, include a hydraulic compression system may be attached from the mixing truck to the frame of the roller screed for applying additional compaction force.

[0017] One inventive aspect of this invention comprises pivotally mounted drag plates 24 on either side of the pile breaking roller 31 and the screed roller 50 to confine the material within the width of the paving surface. It has been found that pivoting drag plates 24 can avoid the “ride-up” of the whole apparatus 2 that might otherwise occur when a drag shoe 28 hits obstacles in the path of the roadway as the drag shoe 28 is being pulled along the roadway.

[0018] Reverse direction “strike-off” rollers that have been used to correct the paving thickness in certain concrete paving machines will not work effectively for sticky, cold asphalt paving materials. Those devices also require reverse direction power to be applied. The pile breaking roller 31 in the present inventive apparatus 2 is passive. The pile breaking roller 31 rotates in the same direction as the whole spreader box apparatus is pulled by a mixing truck. The spreader box controls the thickness of pavement by adjusting the height of various rollers: pile breaking roller 31, screed roller 50 and compacting roller 90. The apparatus 2 does not ride on forms as are used in concrete paving. The present invention is steerable and can pave curved surfaces more easily without the time consuming installation of forms.

[0019] Within the cold paving apparatus 2, the front axle 6 is used to connect the steerable wheels 10 to the frame 12. The front axle 6 may be any axle suitable for connecting the steerable wheels 10 to the frame 12. The cold paving apparatus 2 may have any number of front axles 6. The cold paving apparatus 2 preferably has a front axle 6 corresponding to each pair of steerable tires 10. In the depicted embodiment, the cold paving apparatus 2 has one front axle 6.

[0020] The steerable wheels 10 are used to control the direction and operation of the cold paving apparatus 2. The steerable wheels 10 are preferably pivotally connected to the front axle 6 at connection points 8. The steerable wheels 10 may be any wheels suitable for use within the cold paving apparatus 2. The cold paving apparatus 2 may have any number of steerable wheels 10 suitable for controlling the direction of the cold paving apparatus 2. In the depicted embodiment, the cold paving apparatus 2 has two steerable wheels 10.

[0021] The frame 12 defines the shape of the cold paving apparatus 2 and forms the body of the cold paving apparatus 2. The frame 12 is preferably connected to the steerable wheels 10 by the front axle 6. The frame 12 preferably has a length L and a width W, and has a front, a back, a first side, and a second side. The frame 12 is preferably coupled to the first vertical arm 16, the second vertical arm 20, and the third vertical arms 38 and fourth vertical arms 40.

[0022] The actuating handle 14 is used to adjust the height of the pile breaking roller assembly 30 within the cold paving apparatus 2. The actuating handle 14 may be any handle suitable for adjusting the height of the pile breaking assembly 30. In the depicted embodiment, the actuating handle 14 is coupled to the first vertical arm 16 by the screw 13. The cold paving apparatus 2 may have any number of actuating handles 14 suitable for adjusting the height of the pile breaking assembly 30. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the cold paving apparatus 2 includes two actuating handles 14.

[0023] The first vertical arm 16 is used to couple the pile breaking roller assembly 30 to the frame 12. The first vertical arm 16 also couples the actuating handle 14 to the pile breaking roller assembly 30. The cold paving apparatus 2 may include any number of first vertical arms 16. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the cold paving apparatus 2 includes two first vertical arms 16.

[0024] The second vertical arm 20 is used to couple the drag plate 24 to the frame 12 through the connector 26. The cold paving apparatus 2 may include any number of second vertical arms 20. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the cold paving apparatus 2 includes two second vertical arms 20.

[0025] The drag plate 24 is used to define the side boundary within which the cold paving material is contained within the cold paving apparatus 2. The drag plate 24 is coupled to the frame 12. The cold paving apparatus 2 preferably includes a number of drag plates 24 suitable for defining the boundaries within which the paving material is contained within the cold paving apparatus 2. In the depicted embodiment, the cold paving apparatus 2 includes two drag plates 24, with one drag plate 24 being coupled to the first side of the frame 12 and one drag plate 24 being coupled to the second side of the frame 12.

[0026] The drag shoes 28 preferably operate along with the drag plates 24 to define the boundaries within which the paving material is contained within the cold paving apparatus 2. The drag shoes 28 may be understood to include a first side, a second side, a front end, and a back end. The front end of the drag shoe 28 is preferably pivotally connected to the second vertical arm 20 by the connector 26. The back end of the drag shoe 28 extends away from the connector 26 to a position immediately in front of the screed roller 50 within the gauge wheel 60. The connector 26 operates to allow the rear end of the drag shoe 28 to move in a vertical manner, but not in a horizontal manner. The cold paving apparatus 2 may include any number of drag shoes 28 suitable for defining the boundaries within which the paving material is contained within the cold paving apparatus 2. In the depicted embodiment, the cold paving apparatus 2 includes two drag shoes 28. The two drag shoes 28 are spaced apart to define the boundaries within which the cold paving material is contained. The two drag shoes 28 are preferably spaced apart no wider than a width of the screed roller 50 so that the screed width is maintained.

[0027] The pile breaking assembly 30 is used to break up piles of paving material by flattening and spreading out the paving material. The pile breaking assembly 30 preferably includes the pile breaking roller 31 that rotates freely at a desired height. For example, the pile breaking roller 31 is rotatably coupled through the pile breaking axle 36 to the first vertical arms 16. Advantageously, the height of the pile breaking assembly 30 may be adjusted by the actuating handle 14, as described earlier. The cold paving apparatus 2 may include additional pile breaking assemblies 30 without departing from certain aspects of the present invention. In the depicted embodiment, the cold paving apparatus 2 has one pile breaking assembly 30. Furthermore, the pile breaking assembly 30 may contain any number of pile breaking rollers 31 on each pile breaking axle 36. In the depicted embodiment, each pile breaking assembly 30 contains one pile breaking roller 31 on each pile breaking axle 36.

[0028] The first cleaning pad 18 and the first sprayer 22 are used to apply a release agent to prevent the cold paving material from accumulating on the pile breaking roller 31 during the operation of the cold paving apparatus 2. The first sprayer 22 is shown coupled to the frame 12. The first sprayer 22 may be any sprayer suitable for spraying the release agent onto the pile breaking roller 31. The first cleaning pad 18 is coupled to the first vertical arms 16 and brushes against the pile breaking roller 31 to remove cold paving material from the roller 31. The first cleaning pad 18 may be any cleaning pad suitable for removing cold paving material from the roller 31 after the application of the release agent. The cold paving apparatus 2 may include any number of first sprayers 22 and first cleaning pads 18. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the cold paving apparatus 2 includes one first sprayer 22 and one first cleaning pad 18 to facilitate simplicity. The release agent may be any substance suitable for breaking up the paving material and facilitating the removal of the paving material from the pile breaking roller 31, such as, for example, oil, water, or solvent.

[0029] The third vertical arms 38 and fourth vertical arms 40 are used to couple the frame 12 to the frame support 44 of the screed roller assembly 39. The cold paving apparatus 2 may include any number of third vertical arms 38 and fourth vertical arms 40. In the depicted embodiment, the cold paving apparatus 2 includes two third vertical arms 38 and two fourth vertical arms 40 to increase stability of the structure.

[0030] The screed roller assembly 39 is used to level the paving material that has been applied to the surface and flattened by the pile breaking roller 31. The screed roller assembly 39 is shown coupled to the third vertical arms 38 and fourth vertical arms 40, and as depicted includes the frame support 44, the screed roller 50, the screed roller axle 46, the gauge wheels 60, the gauge wheel bearings 66, and a plurality of bolts 62 and 64.

[0031] The frame support 44 couples the third vertical arms 38 and fourth vertical arms 40 to the remainder of the screed roller assembly 39. The frame support 44 is coupled to the third vertical arms 38 and fourth vertical arms 40 by the bolts 42.

[0032] The screed roller axle 46 passes through the screed roller 50 and the gauge wheels 60 and couples the screed roller 50 and the gauge wheels 60 to the frame support 44 and the gauge wheel bearings 66.

[0033] The screed roller 50 rolls and levels the paving material that has been applied to the surface. The screed roller 50 is coupled to the frame support 44 by the screed roller axle 46 and the gauge wheel bearings 66. The screed roller 50 is also shown coupled to the gauge wheels 60 by a plurality of bolts 62.

[0034] The gauge wheels 60 preferably interact with the screed roller 50 to determine the height at which the screed roller 50 levels the paving material. The height at which the screed roller 50 levels the paving material may be adjusted by adjusting the size of the gauge wheels 60. The gauge wheels 60 are coupled to the screed roller 50 by a plurality of bolts 62. The gauge wheels 60 are connected to the frame support 44 by the screed roller axle 46 and the gauge wheel bearings 66. The cold paving apparatus 2 may include any number of gauge wheels 60. In the depicted embodiment, the cold paving apparatus 2 includes two gauge wheels 60. Advantageously, the two gauge wheels 60 may or may not be of equal size. In the depicted embodiment, the two gauge wheels 60 are of equal size, and advantageously act to level the paving material on a flat surface. In an alternative embodiment, one of the gauge wheels 60 is larger than the other gauge wheel 60, and the different diameter gauge wheels 60 advantageously act so that the screed roller 50 provides a level coating of paving material to an uneven surface.

[0035] The gauge wheel bearings 66 rotatably attach the gauge wheels 60 and the screed roller 50 to the frame support 44. The gauge wheel bearings 66 are coupled to the frame support by the bolts 64. The cold paving apparatus 2 may include any number of gauge wheel bearings 66 as may be required to provide adequate support and durability. In the depicted embodiment, the cold paving apparatus 2 includes two gauge wheel bearings 66.

[0036] The second cleaning pad 34 and the second sprayer 32 are used to apply a release agent to prevent the cold paving material from accumulating on the screed roller 50 during the operation of the cold paving apparatus 2. The second sprayer 32 is coupled to the vertical frame arm 38. The second sprayer 32 may be any sprayer suitable for spraying the release agent onto the screed roller 50. The second cleaning pad 34 is coupled to the vertical frame arms 38 so that it brushes against the screed roller 50 to remove cold paving material from the screed roller 50. The second cleaning pad 34 may be any cleaning pad suitable for removing cold paving material from the screed roller 50 after the application of the release agent. The cold paving apparatus 2 may include any number of second sprayers 32 and second cleaning pads 34. In the depicted embodiment, the cold paving apparatus 2 includes one second sprayer 32 and one second cleaning pad 34. The release agent may be any substance suitable for breaking up the paving material and facilitating the removal of the paving material from the screed roller 50, such as, for example, oil, water, or solvent.

[0037] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, an alternative embodiment of a cold paving apparatus 4 will now be described. The cold paving apparatus 4 is similar to the cold paving apparatus 2 in that it includes the front axle 6, the steerable wheels 10, the frame 12, the screw 13, the actuating handle 14, the first vertical arm 16, the first cleaning pad 18, the second vertical arm 20, the first sprayer 22, the drag plates 24, the connector 26, the drag shoe 28, the pile breaking roller assembly 30 including the pile breaking roller 31 and the pile breaking axle 36, the second sprayer 32, the second cleaning pad 34, the third vertical arms 38 and fourth vertical arms 40, the plurality of bolts 42, the frame support 44, the screed roller axle 46, the bolts 64, and the gauge wheel bearings 66. However, the cold paving apparatus 4 further includes a third sprayer 58, a screed roller assembly 69 including a screed roller 70, a screed roller screw 76, a screed roller handle 78, a screed roller axle 80, a bearing 82, a plurality of bolts 84, and one or more hinged arms 88, a fourth sprayer 72, a cleaning pad 74, a plurality of bolts 86, a compacting roller 90, one or more turning handles 92, one or more screws 94, a compacting roller axle 96, and starting wheels 98.

[0038] The screed roller assembly 69 of the cold paving apparatus 4 preferably includes the screed roller 70, the screed roller screw 76, the screed roller handle 78, the screed roller axle 80, the bearings 82, the bolts 84, and the hinged arms 88 to provide height adjustment to screed roller 70.

[0039] The screed roller 70 preferably rolls and levels the paving material that has been applied to the surface. The screed roller 70 is preferably coupled to the hinged arms 88 by the screed roller axle 80 and the bearings 82.

[0040] The screed roller screw 76 and the screed roller handle 78 preferably work together to adjust the height of the screed roller 70 that is held in a fixed lateral position by hinged arms 88 attached within the apparatus 4. The screed roller screw 76 may be an equivalent adjustment means suitable for working with the screed roller handle 78 to adjust the height of the screed roller 70. The screed roller handle 78 may be any handle suitable for working with the screed roller screw 76 to adjust the height of the screed roller 70. The cold paving apparatus 4 may include any number of screws 76 and handles 78 for adjusting the height of the screed roller 70. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, the cold paving apparatus 4 includes two screws 76 and two handles 78.

[0041] The screed roller axle 80, the bearings 82, and the bolts 84 preferably work together to couple the screed roller 70 to the hinged arms 88. The screed roller axle 80 may be any axle suitable for passing through the screed roller 70 to couple the screed roller 70 to the hinged arms 88. The bearings 82 may be any bearings suitable for rotatably coupling the screed roller 70 to the hinged arms 88. The bolts 84 may be any bolts suitable for coupling the bearings 82 to the hinged arms 88. The hinged arms 88 are coupled to the second vertical arms 20 by the bolts 86.

[0042] The cleaning pad 74 and the fourth sprayer 72 are used to apply a release agent to prevent the cold paving material from accumulating on the screed roller 70 during the operation of the cold paving apparatus 4. The fourth sprayer 72 is coupled to the frame 12. The fourth sprayer 72 may be any release agent application means suitable for applying the release agent onto the screed roller 70. The second cleaning pad 34 is coupled to the second vertical arms 20 and brushes against the screed roller 70 to remove cold paving material from the screed roller 70. The third cleaning pad 74 may be any cleaning pad suitable for removing cold paving material from the screed roller 70 after the application of the release agent. The cold paving apparatus 4 may include any number of fourth sprayers 72 and third cleaning pads 74. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the cold paving apparatus 4 includes one fourth sprayer 72 and one third cleaning pad 74. The release agent may be any substance suitable for breaking up the paving material and facilitating the removal of the paving material from the screed roller 70, such as, for example, oil, water, or solvent.

[0043] In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, the compacting roller 90 preferably follows the screed roller assembly 69. The compacting roller 90 is used to compact the cold paving material after the cold paving material has been flattened and spread by the pile breaking roller 31 and leveled by the screed roller 70. The compacting roller 90 may be any roller suitable for compacting cold paving material. In the depicted embodiment, the compacting roller 90 is coupled to the frame support 44 by the axle 46, the bearings 66, and the bolts 64.

[0044] The starting wheels 98 are advantageously provided to facilitate the starting of a new paving job using the cold paving apparatus 4. The starting wheels 98 may be any wheels suitable for supporting the apparatus 4 with the compacting roller raised slightly above the surface to be paved to thereby facilitate the start-up of the apparatus 4. In the depicted embodiment, the starting wheels 98 are coupled to the fourth vertical arms 40 by the compacting roller axle 96. The apparatus 4 may include any number of starting wheels 98. In the depicted embodiment, the cold paving apparatus 4 includes two starting wheels 98.

[0045] The screw 94 and the handle 92 preferably work together to adjust the height of the starting wheels 98 within the apparatus 4. The screw 94 and handle 92 provide an adjustment mechanism suitable to adjust the height of the starting wheels 98. The apparatus 4 may include a number of screws 94 and handles 92 for adjusting the height of a corresponding number of starting wheels 98. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, the apparatus 4 includes two screws 94 and two handles 92 for two starting wheels 98.

[0046] Referring now to FIG. 5, a method 500 for applying cold paving material to a surface will now be described. In a preferred embodiment, the method 500 includes mixing the cold paving material in step 502, placing the cold paving material in front of the cold paving cold paving apparatus 2 or the cold paving apparatus 4 in step 504, flattening the cold paving material in step 506, spreading the cold paving material in step 508, and compacting the cold paving material in step 510.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, in step 502 the cold paving material is mixed. The cold paving material may be mixed using any suitable method for mixing cold paving material. In a preferred embodiment, a mixing truck is used to mix the cold paving material. The cold paving material may be any material suitable for paving a surface such as, for example, cold asphaltic material, Portland cement concrete, and other paving material applied at ambient temperature.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment, in step 504 the cold paving material is dumped in front of the cold paving apparatus 2 or the cold paving apparatus 4. The mixing truck used in step 502 to mix the cold paving material is preferably a mixing tow truck and is therefore also used to tow the cold paving apparatus 2 or the cold paving apparatus 4. The mixing tow truck preferably dumps the cold mixing material in front of the towed cold paving apparatus 2 or the cold paving apparatus 4. The amount of cold paving material dumped by the mixing truck varies depending on the desired thickness of the cold paving layer being added. The mixing truck preferably dumps the cold paving material at a predetermined rate and volume to achieve a desired width and thickness of cold paving material.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment, in step 506 the cold paving material is flattened to break up the pile of cold paving material dumped onto the surface by the mixing truck. The cold paving material is preferably flattened by the cold paving apparatus 2 or the cold paving apparatus 4. In particular, the cold paving material is partially flattened by the pile breaking roller 31. The cold paving apparatus 2 or the cold paving apparatus 4 advantageously rolls over the central region of the dumped cold paving material, and the pile breaking roller 31 flattens the material and squeezes excess material to both sides of the roller 31. The degree to which the paving material is squeezed varies as a function of the width and the height of the pile breaking roller 31. The pile breaking roller 31 has a width less than the width W of the frame 12. Preferably, the width is significantly less thatn the width W of Frame 12 and more preferavbly is between about one-fourth to about two-thirds the width W of the frame 12. A pile breaker having a width of about one-third the frame width W has been found to work well. The height of the pile breaking roller 31 may be adjusted to modify the thickness of the cold paving material layer. In a preferred embodiment, the height of the pile breaking roller 31 is adjusted according to the amount of cold paving material dumped by the mixing truck in step 504. The height of the pile breaking roller 31 may be adjusted using the actuating handle 14 and screw 13 as described above.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, in step 508 the cold paving material is spread onto the surface. The cold paving material is spread into a layer of substantially uniform thickness and covers the surface. In a preferred embodiment, the cold paving apparatus 2 or the cold paving apparatus 4 spreads the cold paving material. In particular, the combination of pile breaking roller 31 and screed roller 50 within the cold paving apparatus 2 preferably spreads and levels the cold paving material onto the surface. The height of the screed roller 50 within the cold paving apparatus 2 may be adjusted according to the desired thickness of the cold paving material. The height of the screed roller 50, and thus the thickness of the cold paving material, is preferably adjusted by adjusting the size of the gauge wheels 60 within the screed roller assembly 39.

[0051] In an alternative embodiment, the combination pile breaker roller 30 and screed roller 70 within the cold paving apparatus 4 preferably spreads and levels the cold paving material onto the surface. The height of the screed roller 70 within the cold paving apparatus 4 may be adjusted according to the desired thickness of the cold paving material. The height of the screed roller 70, and thus the thickness of the cold paving material, is preferably adjusted using the screed roller handle 78 and the screed roller screw 76, as described above.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment, in step 510 the cold paving material is compacted to complete the paving job. The cold paving material may be compacted using any suitable method for compacting paving material. In one preferred embodiment, the cold paving material is compacted using a conventional compacting machine following the cold paving apparatus 2. The conventional compacting machine operates independently from the cold paving apparatus 2. In another preferred embodiment, the cold paving material is compacted using the compacting roller 90 within the cold paving apparatus 4.

[0053] Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, a wide range of modification, changes and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure. In some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for spreading and screeding cold paving material to a surface to be paved, comprising: a frame having first and second sides defining a width to be paved; a pile breaking assembly having at least one pile breaking roller, wherein the pile breaking roller has a width, and wherein the width of the pile breaking roller is smaller than the width to be paved; and a height-adjustable screed roller for screeding the cold paving material, wherein the screed roller is connected to the frame and positioned behind the pile breaker.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of drag shoes coupled to the frame for confining the cold paving material, wherein each of the drag shoes extends from the pile breaker to a position ahead of the screed roller in the direction of movement, and the drag shoes are connected to the frame so that the drag shoes are free to move up and down to facilitate traversing small obstacles while retaining the width of the cold paving material.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: at least one sprayer connected to the frame for spraying a releasing agent onto the pile breaking roller; and at least one cleaning pad connected to the frame for removing paving material from the pile breaking roller after application of the releasing agent.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: at least one sprayer connected to the frame for spraying a releasing agent onto the screed roller; and at least one cleaning pad connected to the frame for removing paving material from the screed roller after application of the releasing agent.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an actuating handle operatively coupled to the frame and the pile breaking roller for raising or lowering the pile breaking roller within the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of steerable wheels for controlling the direction of the apparatus; and at least one front axle for coupling the steerable wheels to the frame.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: at least two gauge wheels coupled to the screed roller, wherein at least one gauge wheel is located on each side of the screed roller, and wherein the size of the gauge wheels determines the height of the screed roller.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the gauge wheels are selectably replaceable to adjust the height of the screed filler.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the gauge wheels are unequal in size so as to make the screed roller substantially level when the gauge wheels ride over uneven terrain.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: at least one sprayer connected to the frame to spray release agent onto the pile breaking roller; at least one sprayer connected to the frame to spray release agent onto the screed roller; at least one cleaning pad connected to the frame for removing cold paving material from the pile breaking roller; at least one cleaning pad connected to the frame for removing cold paving material from the screed roller; and a drag shoe on each side of the frame to confine the cold paving material within the width, wherein each of the drag shoes extends from the pile breaker to just before the screed roller in the direction of movement, and each front end of the drag shoes is pivotally connected to the frame and each rear end of the drag shoes is free to move up and down to facilitate traversing small obstacles while still retaining the width of the cold paving material.

11. An apparatus for spreading, screeding and compacting cold paving material to a surface to be paved, comprising: a frame having first and second sides defining a width to be paved; a pile breaking assembly having at least one pile breaking roller, wherein the pile breaking roller has a width, and wherein the width of the pile breaking roller is shorter than the width to be paved; a height-adjustable screed roller for screeding the paving material, wherein the screed roller is connected to the frame and positioned behind the pile breaker in the direction of movement; and a compacting roller behind the screed roller.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising at least one starting wheel, wherein the starting wheels are adjustably connected to the frame so that the starting wheels can be raised or lowered.

13. A screed roller assembly for use in an apparatus for spreading and screeding cold paving material to a surface to be paved, the screed roller assembly, comprising: a screed roller coupled to the apparatus for screeding and partially compacting cold paving material; and a plurality of gauge wheels removably coupled to the screed roller for adjusting the height of the screed roller within the apparatus.

14. An apparatus for spreading and screeding cold asphaltic mixture to a surface to be paved, comprising: a frame having first and second sides defining a width to be paved; a pile breaking assembly having at least one pile breaking roller, wherein the pile breaking roller has a width, and wherein the width of the pile breaking roller is shorter than the width to be paved; and a height-adjustable screed roller for screeding the paving material, wherein the screed roller is coupled to the frame and positioned behind the pile breaker in the direction of movement.

15. An apparatus for spreading, screeding and compacting cold asphaltic mixture to a surface to be paved, comprising: a frame having first and second sides defining a width to be paved; a pile breaking assembly coupled to the frame having at least one pile breaking roller, wherein the pile breaking roller has a width, and wherein the width of the pile breaking roller is shorter than the width to be paved; a height-adjustable screed roller for screeding the paving material, wherein the screed roller is connected to the frame and positioned behind the pile breaker in the direction of movement; and a compacting roller coupled to the frame and positioned behind the screed roller.

16. A method for applying cold paving material to a surface, comprising: mixing the cold paving material; dumping the cold paving material in front of a cold paving apparatus; flattening the cold paving material using the cold paving apparatus; spreading the cold paving material using the cold paving apparatus; and compacting the cold paving apparatus using a compacting device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the cold paving material is mixed in a mixing tow truck, and the cold paving apparatus is towed behind the mixing tow truck.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the mixing tow truck measures the cold paving material and dumps the cold paving material at a predetermined rate and volume to achieve a desired thickness of cold paving material.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the cold paving material is flattened by a pile breaking assembly within the cold paving apparatus.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the cold paving material is spread using a screed roller assembly within the cold paving apparatus.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the compacting device is a conventional compacting machine.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the compacting device is a compacting roller within the cold paving apparatus.