Patent Application
20080279628
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to an apparatus for cutting up and dislodging asphalt pavement so that it can be removed with minimal disturbance to the subgrade, and, optionally, replaced. More particularly, this invention relates to an attachment for a skid steer, bucket loader, tractor or the like which is then used to cut and dislodge asphalt pavement
2. State of the Art
Asphalt is one of the most popular materials for paving roads, driveways, and parking lots. There are many reasons why asphalt pavement may need to be removed and replaced. One reason is to access something buried beneath it such as a cable or a fluid conduit. Another reason is normal maintenance. Over the course of time asphalt pavement deteriorates to the point where it must be removed and replaced.
It has been known for some time to attach an asphalt pavement cutting device to moving equipment such as a tractor, backhoe, or forklift. U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,833 to Lemieux discloses a cutter attachment which is adapted to be installed on the forward edge of a bucket of an earth moving vehicle. The attachment includes an elongated blade support body with a rear horizontal slot for receiving the forward lower edge of the bucket and a forward end or nose. The attachment further includes a pair of generally rectangular and flat, co-planar, vertically extending fins mounted centrally on the cutter body. This attachment is intended for cutting the surface of blacktop. The fins extend upward and downward respectively. However, only the downward extending fin is actually used to cut.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,601 to Schiller discloses an asphalt cutter having a flat-sided lifter blade with inner edges and a pair of flat co-planar “keepers” on each side of the blade. The asphalt cutter is attached to a tractor-like machine equipped with an adjustable header, bucket or draw bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,048 to Kelly discloses a ripper attachment for a skid steer loader having a triangular frame, a mounting plate attached at the base of the triangular frame, and a scarifier receptacle attached at the apex of the triangular frame. A single shank scarifier is fastened to the apex and is oriented downward so that the tooth is drivable into the ground for ripping purposes.
All of the known asphalt pavement cutter attachments have some disadvantages. In general, it would be desirable to provide an attachment for a skid steer, bucket loader or the like which overcomes all of the disadvantages of the prior art devices.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an attachment for a skid steer, bucket loader or the like which cuts asphalt pavement
It is another object of the invention to provide an attachment for a skid steer, bucket loader or the like which cuts asphalt pavement while moving in a forward direction.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an attachment for a skid steer, bucket loader or the like which cuts asphalt pavement without impairing the operator's view of what is being cut.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an attachment for a skid steer, bucket loader or the like which cuts asphalt pavement and also rips it up from the ground.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide an attachment for a skid steer, bucket loader or the like which cuts asphalt pavement, rips it up from the ground with minimal disturbance to the subgrade and which has a relatively high flexibility.
In accord with these objects, which will be discussed in detail below, the asphalt pavement remover includes a rectangular backplate for attachment to the moving equipment, an L-shaped lifting blade attached to the front of the backplate and a wedge-shaped splitter attached to the L-shaped blade. The L-shaped blade includes an upstanding arm and a lower arm, the latter of which is similar to a fork-lift blade. The wedge-shaped splitter extends in the direction of the lower arm of the L-shaped blade, i.e., away from the upstanding arm. The splitter has a forward wedge-shaped edge which is located rearward of the forward end of the lifting blade.
The backplate is designed to be fitted to a particular moving machine. A skid steer is preferred because it can provide the best visibility of what is being cut and lifted. The lifting blade is preferably thirty-six to forty-two inches long and is preferably four to five inches wide. The thickness of the lifting blade is preferably varied along its length with the thickest part being where it is joined to the backplate. The preferred thickness is three sixteenths of an inch at the tip and one and one half inches at the back. The lifting blade is preferably made from a relatively flexible carbon steel such as AISI 15B37H steel which has an elastic modulus of 190-210 GPa at 25° C. The flexibility of this steel prevents the lifting blade from breaking or becoming deformed when lifting asphalt pavement.
The wedge shaped splitter is preferably eight to fourteen inches tall and about the same length. The angle of the cutting edge of the wedge-shaped splitter is preferably forty-five degrees and the wedge-shaped splitter, at its widest part, is preferably no wider than the lifting blade. Depending on the moving equipment the lower arm of the L-shaped blade may or may not form a right angle with the backplate. According to the preferred embodiment, the lower arm of the L-shaped blade is horizontal when the hydraulics of the machine are tipped full back.
When in operation, the lower arm of the L-shaped blade is angled down and the machine is moved forward to get the blade underneath the asphalt. Once underneath the asphalt, the blade is straightened and the machine is moved forward so as to cause the splitter to cut the asphalt in a line while the L-shaped blade lifts the asphalt.
Depending on the depth of the asphalt, it may be ripped up by the L-shaped blade before it is cut by the splitter. When the ripped asphalt reaches the wedge-shaped splitter, it is broken up and separated further (much like a log splitter). The lower arm of the L-shaped blade is disposed lower than the back plate so that the broken apart asphalt can pass underneath the plate as the skid steer moves forward.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the provided figures.
Turning now to
An L-shaped lifting fork or blade 18 attached to the front of the backplate 12 and a wedge-shaped splitter 20 is attached to the L-shaped lifting blade 18. The one-piece L-shaped blade 18 includes an upstanding arm 22 and a lower arm 24, the latter of which is similar to a fork-lift blade. The wedge-shaped splitter 20 extends in the direction of the lower arm 24 of the L-shaped blade 18, i.e., away from the upstanding arm 22. The splitter has a forward wedge-shaped edge 26 which is located rearward of the forward end of the lower arm 24 of the lifting blade 18.
The lower arm 24 of the lifting blade 18 is preferably thirty-six to forty-two inches long and is preferably four to five inches wide. The thickness of the lifting blade 18 is preferably varied along its length with the thickest part being where it is joined to the backplate. The preferred thickness is three sixteenths of an inch at the tip and one and one half inches at the back. The lifting blade is preferably made from a relatively flexible carbon steel such as AISI 15B37H steel which has an elastic modulus of 190-210 GPa at 25° C. The flexibility of this steel prevents the lifting blade from breaking or becoming deformed when lifting asphalt pavement.
The wedge shaped splitter 20 is preferably eight to fourteen inches tall and about the same length. The angle of the cutting edge 26 of the wedge-shaped splitter is preferably eighty to forty-five degrees and the wedge-shaped splitter, at its widest part, is preferably no wider than the lifting blade 18. Depending on the moving equipment, the lower arm 24 may or may not form a right angle with the backplate 12. According to the preferred embodiment, the lower arm of the L-shaped blade is configured so that it is horizontal when the hydraulics of the machine are tipped full back. Depending on the machine it is attached to, the L-shaped blade may form an angle relative to back plate 12 greater than or less than ninety degrees.
As mentioned above, the backplate is designed to be fitted to a particular moving machine. A skid steer (skid loader) is preferred because it can provide the best visibility of what is being cut and lifted.
When in operation, the lower arm 24 of the L-shaped blade is angled down and the machine is moved forward to get the blade underneath the asphalt as shown in
Depending on the depth of the asphalt, it may be ripped up by the L-shaped blade before it is cut by the splitter. When the ripped asphalt reaches the wedge-shaped splitter, it is broken up and separated further (much like a log splitter). As seen best in
There have been described and illustrated herein an asphalt pavement remover. While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto, as it is intended that the invention be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. It will therefore be appreciated by those skilled in the art that yet other modifications could be made to the provided invention without deviating from its spirit and scope as claimed.
