A. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to the art of spreader assemblies used to spread salt and/or sand onto road surfaces, and more specifically to a spreader assembly that includes a spreader mount that supports the spreader assembly to a ground surface when the spreader assembly is detached from a vehicle and remains attached to the spreader assembly when the spreader assembly is attached to the vehicle.
B. Description of the Related Art
Salt and/or sand spreading is a common practice to maintain roads, parking spaces, and other ground surfaces during the winter months. It is known to use larger vehicles as well as smaller vehicles, such as pickup trucks, to perform this type of service. Numerous types of salt spreaders have been developed to be attached to conventional vehicles. Typically, the spreader is attached to the rear of the vehicle to spread particulate material, such as salt, sand, cinders, etc. onto the ground surface being traveled by the vehicle. One of the more common spreaders employs a hopper having a lower discharge opening through which the particulate material falls onto a rotating spinner plate. Such a spreader is known as a broadcast spreader. By rotating the spinner plate as material is being discharged onto the spinner plate, the particulate material is centrifugally propelled by the spinner plate in a wide pattern onto the ground surface. Typically, a motor is mounted on the spreader to cause the spinner plate to rotate. Typical spreader attachment assemblies used in conjunction with pick-up trucks fasten the spreader to the truck's rear bumper or tailgate.
Vehicles to which spreaders are attached are often capable of multiple uses. For this reason, it is well known to remove the spreader so that the vehicle can be used for non-spreading functions and then reattach the spreader to the vehicle when it is once again desired to use the spreader. Depending on the particular circumstances, it may be necessary to remove then reattach the spreader numerous times within a relatively short period of time. A well known issue with spreaders relates to how they are stored when they are not attached to the vehicle. Typically, a storage frame is provided for this purpose. While such storage frames generally work well for their intended purpose, they have disadvantages. One disadvantage is the space that must be dedicated for the storage frame. Even when the spreader is attached to the vehicle, the storage frame takes up space that could otherwise be used for other purposes. Another disadvantage with known storage frames is that they make it difficult to store the spreader in alternate locations. If the storage frame is in a first location, for example, and it is desired to store the spreader at a second location, then the storage frame must first be moved to the second location before the spreader can be stored there.
What is needed is a spreader mount that remains attached to the spreader at all times. In this case, the spreader can easily be stored at any location that is convenient for the operator. In this way the disadvantages known in the prior art can be overcome.
According to one embodiment of this invention, a spreader assembly comprises: a frame that is attachable to an associated vehicle; a hopper supported to the frame for use in holding an associated material; a spinner mechanism supported to the frame and comprising: a motor and a spinner plate that is rotatable by the motor to spread the associated material held in the hopper onto an associated ground surface; a spreader mount that: (1) comprises at least first, second, and third laterally spaced ground contacting surfaces that support the spreader assembly to the associated ground surface when the spreader assembly is detached from the associated vehicle; and, (2) remains attached to the spreader assembly when the spreader assembly is attached to the associated vehicle; and, a spinner guard member that: (1) is supported to the frame; (2) at least partially encloses the spinner mechanism; (3) extends away from the associated vehicle when the spreader assembly is attached to the associated vehicle; and, (4) comprises the first ground contacting surface.
According to another embodiment of this invention a method comprises the steps of: (A) providing a spreader assembly that comprises: (1) a frame; (2) a hopper supported to the frame for use in holding an associated material; (3) a spinner mechanism supported to the frame and comprising: a motor and a spinner plate that is rotatable by the motor to spread the associated material held in the hopper onto an associated ground surface; (4) a spreader mount that comprises at least first, second, and third laterally spaced ground contacting surfaces; and, (5) a spinner guard member that: is supported to the frame; at least partially encloses the spinner mechanism; extends away from the associated vehicle when the spreader assembly is attached to the associated vehicle; and, comprises the first ground contacting surface; (B) attaching the spreader assembly to an associated vehicle by attaching the frame to the associated vehicle; (C) detaching the spreader assembly from the associated vehicle by detaching the frame from the associated vehicle; and, (D) supporting the spreader assembly to the associated ground surface by placing the first, second, and third ground contacting surfaces onto the associated ground surface.
According to still another embodiment of this invention a spreader assembly comprises: a frame that is attachable to an associated vehicle tailgate; a hopper supported to the frame for use in holding an associated material; a spinner mechanism supported to the frame and comprising: a motor and a spinner plate that is rotatable by the motor to spread the associated material held in the hopper onto an associated ground surface; a spreader mount that: (1) comprises at least first, second, and third laterally spaced ground contacting surfaces that support the spreader assembly to the associated ground surface when the spreader assembly is detached from the associated vehicle; and, (2) remains attached to the spreader assembly when the spreader assembly is attached to the associated vehicle; a spinner guard member that: (1) is supported to the frame; (2) at least partially encloses the spinner mechanism; (3) extends away from the associated vehicle when the spreader assembly is attached to the associated vehicle; and, (4) is substantially U-shaped having a pair of arms that are attached to the frame and a mid-section that comprises the first ground contacting surface; and, wherein the spinner plate has a perimeter and the first, second and third ground contacting surfaces are laterally spaced outside the spinner plate perimeter.
One advantage of this invention is that a spreader can be easily stored at any location that is convenient for the operator.
Another advantage of this invention is that no space is required to be dedicated for a spreader storage frame when the spreader is attached to the vehicle.
Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.
The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, embodiments of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting the same,
With reference now to
With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 4-5, the manner in which the frame 52 attaches to the vehicle 10 can be any chosen with the sound judgment of a person of skill in the art. For the embodiment shown, the frame 52 may be connected to a pair of laterally extending members 78, 78 that are attached at their ends to a pair of vertically extending members 80, 80. The lower ends of the vertically extending members 80, 80 may be supported to the bumper 12, as shown. The frame 52 may include a main body 82 and a bracket 84 connected to the main body 82. Extending from the main body may be a vehicle attachment member 86 that attaches to a mounting bracket (not shown) or hitch (not shown) on the vehicle 10. Such attachments are well known and will not be described further here. The spinner mechanism 56 may be connected to the bracket 84, as shown, and the spinner guard member 64 may be connected to the main body 82.
With reference now to
With continuing reference to
Still referring to
Numerous embodiments have been described, hereinabove. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above methods and apparatuses may incorporate changes and modifications without departing from the general scope of this invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
Having thus described the invention, it is now claimed: