Patent Application
20120056011
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
This invention relates generally to snow and ice control systems for motor vehicles. The invention more specifically relates to systems for mounting granular material spreading equipment, liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment onto trucks.
In areas throughout the world subject to snow and ice weather conditions, it is common for municipalities and institutions to own and employ vehicles for snow and ice removal and control (collectively referred to in this application as “snow/ice control”). As opposed to having a dedicated vehicle limitedly adapted for snow/ice control it is more common for those institutions with snow/ice control needs to own adaptable general purpose trucks with dump bodies (“dump trucks”) that can be used year-round. These dump trucks are primarily used to haul materials and perform other utilitarian tasks. During the winter months, snow plows and granular material spreading equipment are mounted to the trucks, thereby allowing the trucks to be used for snow/ice control purposes. In some cases, snow/ice control equipment is mounted onto a truck frame in place of the dump body or bed.
For purposes of this application, “granular material spreading equipment” is defined as equipment that may be connected to a truck and which is used to: a) convey material from a holding area on the truck (e.g, dump body) to a broadcasting device; or b) broadcast that material from the truck. Granular material spreading equipment may include equipment that can be mounted in or to the bed of a pick up or flat bed truck. A typical prior art material broadcasting device is the rotating disc spreader, which is capable of broadcasting a variety of snow/ice control substances. Known substances include granular ice melting materials, pre-wetted granular materials (e.g., salt) and traction-aiding granular materials such as sand. The substances are broadcasted over road surfaces from behind a moving truck to improve driver safety in winter conditions.
Granular material spreading equipment intended for mounting to the dump body of a general purpose truck can take many forms. For example, it is known to use an under-tailgate mounted cross conveyor attached to the back end of a dump body. The conveyor moves granular material to the broadcasting device, which in turn spreads the material over the road surface. Another piece of granular material spreading equipment that can be mounted to a dump body for purposes of snow/ice control is the vee-box spreader body. With this device, a “V”-shaped storage body is mounted either inside a dump body or directly onto the truck chassis frame. The vee-box body includes a storage cavity for snow/ice control substances and a conveying system. The conveying system is usually in the bottom of the vee-box body. As suggested by its name, the body of the vee-box usually has sloping side walls in the general shape of a “V.” These side walls aid in the delivery of the snow/ice control substances to the broadcasting system.
An example of prior art granular material spreading equipment used to convert a general purpose truck to a snow/ice control truck is a combination dump-spreader body. This device includes a body mountable to the described multipurpose truck. The device often includes a hoist system that allows the body to be used as both a snow/ice control substance conveying system and a general purpose dump body. The device also often includes a conveying system mounted into the body.
There are other versions of granular material spreading equipment but most are some combination of the above-identified styles of equipment. In recent years, the use of liquid materials for snow and ice control (melting) has increased dramatically. Multiple studies have shown that pretreatment (applying snow/ice control materials before a storm arrives) of road surfaces can be a useful tool in improving driving conditions. “Pre-wetting” the granular snow/ice control substances enhances ice melting or improves adhesion of the substances to the road surface. The deployment of liquid storage tanks in conjunction with liquid delivery equipment allows existing snow/ice control trucks to dispense salt slurry or liquefied snow/ice control substances. Thus, in addition, to having granular material storage and conveying mechanisms, the prior art snow/ice control truck may also have, liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment mounted to the truck or outside of the component body cavity. As used herein the term “liquid delivery equipment” includes equipment (including but not limited to tubing, valves, pumps, control systems, filters, sprayers and nozzles) used to deliver liquid from a liquid storage tank to either the roadway surface or to materials intended for application on the roadway surface.
Materials such as salt brine, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and other substances are being used at increasing rates in all areas of the country. Liquid delivery of salt via salt brine and other liquids has been a common approach for many years. In recent years it has become common to increase the liquid content over the historical pre-wetted granular levels to create a salt “slurry.” Such a slurry material is sticky and reportedly provides for faster snow and ice melting as well as longer lasting performance due to the high salt content.
With the advantages of using pre-wetted substances and slurries, the demand for mounting granular material spreading equipment together with storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment has increased. In an attempt to satisfy the need for pre-wetted substances and slurries, special tank-receiving structures have been developed. These tank-receiving structures allow basic dump bodies to carry liquid storage tanks. However, when such tanks are added to the combination dump bodies that have integral conveying systems, the tanks have limited capability for liquid storage.
The prior art liquid holding tank can have many shapes. A common tank shape is the “wedge” shape, which provides a profile to aid in the easy discharge of granular substances from the body cavity. Typically, the tank is attached to the inside of at least one of the sidewalls of the dump body (or combination body). This results in an open center section of the dump body, permitting the storage of the granular snow/ice control substances. Another method of deploying a′ liquid holding tank involves mounting a rectangular tank to the front of the dump body, allowing for the storage of granular snow/ice control substances to the rear of the tank in the dump body cavity. Another common practice is to mount tanks to the outsides of the combination bodies in shapes especially designed to match the shape of the combination dump/spreader body or specially shaped dump bodies.
Mounting a general purpose truck with granular material spreading equipment, liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment presents several issues. First, is the time needed to convert a general purpose truck to a snow/ice control truck. When a general duty truck is converted to snow/ice control mode, the conversion time can be as much as 200 man-hours. Secondly, the conversion inhibits the use of the vehicle for non-snow/ice control purposes. Hence, once a vehicle is converted for winter use, it is out of service for all other uses. This fact, in turn, creates pressure to quickly restore the truck to its original general purpose state. The second phase conversion from “snow/ice control truck” to “general purpose truck” also takes time. In many areas of the country, the winters can be harsh for only a few days and during the remainder of the year the general purpose truck must be used for other applications. With the time and manpower requirements of converting and restoring the general purpose truck, along with the fact the converted truck is no longer generally useful, municipalities end up having more trucks in their fleet than needed, resulting in many trucks sitting idle for extended periods. Alternatively, the manpower and budgetary issues attendant to converting and restoring general purposes trucks to snow/ice control trucks may cause a municipality to reduce the number of trucks in their fleet. Fewer resources can, in turn, mean longer times needed to clear ice and snow from roads. Additionally, if a truck goes out of service due to break-down, a greater share of the fleet is unavailable for supporting the general public needs.
In addition to the institutional issues, there are technical issues involved with the conversion of a general purpose truck to a snow/ice control truck and its subsequent restoration. The liquid delivery equipment that can be added to snow/ice control trucks has many constituent elements. These elements are usually individually mounted to the truck chassis and there frequently is not enough room to mount the equipment in locations where the items are both easy to access and service. Also, some of the elements need to be mounted at lower elevations on the truck in order to properly function. For example, the liquid pump must be mounted below the liquid tanks in order to provide positive head pressure to suction pumps. Hence, current methods for mounting liquid delivery equipment entail significant compromises as to where and whether liquid delivery equipment will be mounted to a truck.
Another drawback with prior art mounting methods for liquid storage tanks or liquid delivery equipment arises by virtue of the need for attachment points in the dump body beds in order to mount the liquid tanks. In this respect, with prior art mounting methods, the dump beds must be provided with attachment points in order to constrain the tanks at the desired locations. Frequently, these attachment points are in the form of protrusions welded to the sides and floors of dump bodies. These protrusions inhibit the gravity fed clean-out of the dump bodies during normal use and act like catch points to retain material being hauled. In other cases, holes are cut into the dump body surfaces to effect the attachment of the liquid tanks. These holes can reduce the component member strength and also act like catch points for many materials. Both the weld-on and hole-cutting attachment methods create areas where the original finish surface of the truck body is destroyed. Once the finish surface is destroyed, corrosion can set in and reduce the usable life of the truck body.
Another problem with prior art snow/ice equipment conversion methods arises from the fact that during the non-winter months, the many elements that make up the granular material spreading equipment, liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment are removed and stored for the season. Many of these elements will become misplaced, stolen or damaged. These incidents will often not be known until the following winter season when a truck needs to be converted to snow/ice control purposes. The lack of on-hand parts results in delays in effecting the truck's conversion. There are frames that provide for the unitary mounting and storage of granular material spreading equipment (such as for the vee-box spreader body). There are also frames that provide for the mounting and storage of liquid storage tanks. However, there are no known frames that have the capability to mount and store granular material spreading equipment, liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment.
There is thus a need in the art for a device that: reduces the time and effort for installing and removing granular material spreading equipment, liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment on general purpose dump trucks, flat beds and pick-up trucks; reduces the mounting damage and obstruction issues resulting from mounting liquid tanks for snow/ice control systems; and helps prevent the loss of equipment components due to storage.
The present invention satisfies the needs in the art and provides owners of general purpose dump, flat bed and pick-up trucks with a frame that both stores granular material spreading equipment, liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment and allows the rapid installation of that equipment on trucks. The preferred embodiment frame is adapted to hold granular material spreading equipment, liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment allowing for liquid spraying and slurry applications. In one particular respect, the present invention frame comprises a frame that holds granular material spreading equipment, liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment in a deployed (ready-to-use) position such that the frame with adjoined equipment may be unitarily installed in a general purpose truck.
A preferred embodiment present invention frame includes structure for mounting a material broadcasting spreader, such as is used to broadcast granular, pre-wetted granular and slurry materials. In accordance with the invention, when such a broadcasting mechanism is attached to the frame, it is simultaneously removed when the frame is “un-installed” from the truck body.
One embodiment of the present invention frame further includes structure for mounting spreader and conveyor equipment utilizing under-tailgate conveyor spreader mechanisms. In accordance, with the present invention, when such spreader conveyor equipment is attached to the frame, it is simultaneously removed when the frame unit is “un-installed” from the truck body.
The preferred embodiment present invention frame further includes structure for mounting liquid delivery equipment in an easily accessible and serviceable location. In this regard, without limitation, the frame can allow for the mounting of single-lane liquid dispensers, multi-lane liquid dispensers, spray booms, pre-wetted control systems and plumbing control equipment such as liquid pumps, liquid control valves, filters and flow monitoring devices. The frame holds liquid storage tanks and may include metalwork designed to cap off the rear end of the truck body to aid in transitioning the body from “snow truck” to “work truck.”
The preferred embodiment present invention frame further includes deflectors necessary to retain the granular materials inside the truck body and aid in directing flow of granular materials to a conveyor or to a material-dispensing spreader.
The preferred embodiment present invention frame includes mechanisms for safely attaching a unitary structure comprising the frame and adjoined granular material spreading equipment, liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment to the dump body or truck frame. In the case of a truck with dump body, the attachment mechanisms will preferably utilize the dump body tailgate latch and a dump body tailgate connection as connection points.
The present invention frame also allows for the unitary removal and storage of the frame with adjoined granular material spreading, liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment. For storage purposes, the preferred embodiment present invention frame includes an integral stand leg kit, which legs are preferably retractable. Preferably, the rear legs retract telescopically and the front legs retract by swinging (pivoting) up. This way, the legs can be positioned out of the way when the frame (along with adjoined equipment in deployed formation) is installed in a truck. However, by virtue of the integral stand leg kit, the frame's legs can be easily deployed when the frame and equipment are removed. In this respect, the legs are simply extended or dropped into a “standing” position when un-installing the unit from the truck body. In the preferred embodiment both pairs of legs are height adjustable. Once the legs are in the standing position, the unit is ready to be stored. Hence, by virtue of mounting the granular material spreading equipment, storage tank(s) and liquid delivery equipment on a frame with the integral legs, when the equipment is removed from a truck body after winter, all of the equipment can be safely and unitarily stored above-ground.
The present invention is further directed to a snow/ice control apparatus that comprises the described frame bearing granular material spreading equipment, liquid storage tank(s) and liquid delivery equipment in a ready-to-use position such that the frame with the borne equipment may be unitarily installed on a dump, flat-bed or pick-up truck. A preferred embodiment apparatus includes integral legs. The integral legs are connected to the frame such that when the frame is removed from the truck, the frame and adjoined granular material spreading equipment, liquid storage tank or tanks and liquid delivery equipment may be unitarily stored with the borne equipment off the ground. It is preferred that the legs of the apparatus be retractable. Desirable leg arrangements include an apparatus wherein the legs comprise a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs, with the rear legs retracting telescopically and the front legs retracting by pivoting. In the preferred embodiment, the legs are height adjustable. Those frames lacking integral legs, can include lifting structures such as rings to allow for securing of hooks, ropes or chains to aid in installation.
In a further refinement to the preferred embodiment, the snow/ice control apparatus includes one or more pieces of liquid delivery equipment selected from the following: a single-lane liquid dispenser, a multi-lane liquid dispenser, a spray boom and a liquid delivery control system. The liquid delivery equipment may also include one or more pieces of equipment selected from the following: a liquid pump, a liquid control valve, a filter and a flow monitoring device.
The snow/ice control apparatus may comprise metalwork that caps off the rear end of the truck. It may also comprise deflectors adapted to retain granular materials inside the truck body or direct flow of granular materials to a conveyor or material spreader.
The present invention is further directed to an apparatus comprising a frame with one more adjoined liquid storage tanks. The frame is adapted to receive granular material spreading equipment and liquid delivery equipment in a ready-to-use position such that the frame with the borne equipment in deployed position may be unitarily installed on a dump, flat-bed or pick-up truck.
By providing for unitary mounting and storage of granular material spreading, liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment, the present invention frame and snow/ice control apparatus increase the time available to use the granular material spreading and liquid delivery equipment, while reducing the time and costs associated with equipment change-out as well as reducing the number of vehicles needed in the fleet.
Further features and advantages of the present invention frame and snow/ice control apparatus include reduced transformation time to restore a snow/ice control truck to a general purpose truck from days to minutes, improved vehicle utilization and reduced manpower needs for the changeover. Further, the granular material spreading, liquid storage tank(s) and liquid delivery equipment can be easily inspected and serviced while mounted on the frame. In addition, the frame and snow/ice control apparatus allow for the storage of the granular material spreading equipment, one or more liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment on a single assembly, in an area no larger than that required for the liquid storage tank or tanks.
The present invention frame and snow/ice control apparatus also eliminate the need to alter a dump body's sides and floor via welding and cutting operations that are required for prior art systems. The frame can come in a variety of configurations to allow for the mounting of the several types of granular material spreading equipment including conveying dump bodies, standard dump bodies with under-tailgate conveying systems and vee-box style systems.
Embodiments of the present invention frame 10 with adjoined granular material spreading equipment, liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment are shown in
As shown in
Frame weldment 15 further includes main rear support bracket 25. Rear support bracket 25 comprises rear weldment strut 18 along with other structure adapted to hold preferred embodiment legs 12 of frame 10 and supporting structure for granular material spreading, one or more liquid storage tanks and liquid delivery equipment. Rear support bracket 25 may also be adapted to hold granular material spreading and liquid delivery equipment. In the depicted weldment embodiment shown in
The preferred embodiment frame 10 further includes height adjustable front legs 13 which may be of similar box section telescoping construct as rear legs 12. In the depicted embodiment, front legs 13 are pivotably retractable so as to permit frame 10 to be securely received by a dump body. In the shown preferred embodiment, legs 13 retract by pivoting inward toward the center of frame 10. Frame 10 further includes frame securing system 40 at the ends of rear weldment strut 18 to aid in the securing of the frame to a dump body.
As used herein the words “connect,” “connected” or “connection” include direct or indirect connection by any known means including but not limited to welding, adhesive, mechanical fastening or otherwise. Having described the invention in detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications may be made of the invention without departing from its spirit. Therefore, it is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and described.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/311,139, filed on Mar. 5, 2010. The entire content of that application is incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61311139 | Mar 2010 | US |
