This invention relates generally to snow and ice control, and more particularly to improvements in spreaders for spreading sand, salt, or other granular chemicals onto snow and ice covered paved surfaces.
Spreaders for spreading salt or other granular chemicals for melting snow and ice on paved surfaces, or for spreading abrasives such as sand for otherwise reducing the deleterious effects of snow and ice on paved surfaces, are well known. One type of spreader has a container for containing the material to be spread, a spinner for spreading the material onto the pavement, and an auger for moving the material from the container to the spinner.
Pre-wetting is a technique utilized in some spreaders. In pre-wetting, a liquid, for example water, salt brine, beet juice, magnesium chloride, or calcium chloride, is applied to the material just before it is spread by the spinner. Pre-wetting salt is advantageous in that it starts a chemical reaction that accelerates melting of the snow and ice thus achieving faster results. Another advantage of pre-wetting is that pre-wet particles or granules bounce less, resulting in more of the material staying on the pavement. Some studies show that pre-wetting can reduce salt application rates by 20-30%.
One known technique for pre-wetting the material to be spread is to inject or otherwise spray liquid onto the material near the end of its travel along the auger just prior to the material being spread by the spinner. A criticism of this technique is that the liquid and material does not mix completely.
Accordingly, it is desirable to completely or at least more thoroughly mix the liquid and material spread by the spreader.
In one aspect, a vehicle mounted spreader for spreading materials such as sand, salt, or other granular chemicals onto snow and ice covered paved surfaces is provided. The spreader comprises a material container for containing the material to be spread, a liquid container for containing liquid with which to pre-wet the material, a spinner for spreading the pre-wet material, an auger for conveying the material to the spinner, a liquid applicator for applying liquid to the material to pre-wet the material, and a paddle mixer mounted to an end of the auger adjacent the liquid applicator for mixing the liquid and the material.
The material container can be a V-hopper. In that case the auger is oriented generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and the spinner is located generally on the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The spreader can include two such augers.
The material container can also be a dump body of a dump truck. In that case, the auger is oriented generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and the spinner is located off of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The dump body can have a tailgate; the auger is positioned adjacent a lower edge of the tailgate. Alternatively, the auger can be fabricated as a portion of a replacement tailgate for replacing an OEM tailgate of the dump body.
The paddle mixer can comprise a plurality of longitudinally extending blades attached to the auger, spaced circumferentially around the auger, and extending away from the auger. The blades can extend away from the auger at an angle of between about 0 degrees and about 90 degrees relative to a cross-sectional centerline of the auger. Preferably the blades extend away from the auger at an angle of about 23 degrees relative to a cross-sectional centerline of the auger. The paddle mixer can further comprise first and second circular rings spaced along and secured to the auger, with the blades having first ends secured to the first ring and second ends secured to the second ring. Each blade can include a plurality of notches spaced along a radially outer edge of the blade. The notches can be oriented at an angle of between about 0 degrees and about 90 degrees relative to an axis of rotation of the auger. Preferably the notches are oriented at an angle of about 45 degrees relative to the axis of rotation of the auger. The paddle mixer can comprise four blades spaced equally about a circumference of the auger, a first pair of blades being positioned diametrically opposite to one another and having radially inner edges closely adjacent to an outer surface of the auger, a second pair of blades being positioned diametrically opposite to one another and having radially inner edges spaced away from the outer surface of the auger. The blades and notches can be configured such that the notches in the first pair of blades face one end of the auger and the notches in the second pair of blades face the other end of the auger. The blades can be straight or helical. One suitable helical geometry is for the blades to make about a quarter turn in about twelve inches.
In another aspect, a paddle mixer adapted to be used in a vehicle mounted spreader for spreading materials such as sand, salt, or other granular chemicals onto snow and ice covered paved surfaces is provided.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the summary of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.
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The paddle mixer 40 includes first 50 and second 52 spaced apart circular rings. Blades 42, 44, 46, 48 are secured to the rings 50, 52 and the rings 50, 52 are secured to the auger 28. Each blade includes a plurality of notches 54 spaced along a radially outer edge of the blade. As shown in
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The various embodiments of the invention shown and described are merely for illustrative purposes only, as the drawings and the description are not intended to restrict or limit in any way the scope of the claims. Those skilled in the art will appreciate various changes, modifications, and improvements which can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details and representative apparatus and methods shown and described. Departures may therefore be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept. The invention resides in each individual feature described herein, alone, and in all combinations of any and all of those features. Accordingly, the scope of the invention shall be limited only by the following claims and their equivalents.
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/552,138 filed Aug. 30, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62552138 | Aug 2017 | US |