Road construction apparatus with pivotally connected trimmer

Abstract

A road construction apparatus having a spreader, a pivotable trimmer assembly and an auger assembly. The trimmer assembly is movable between a first operational position and a second storage position. The trimmer assembly includes a housing, a rotatable cutter and a drive mechanism for rotating the cutter. A power drive system is coupled to the drive mechanism for rotating the cutter and moving the trimmer assembly between the first and second positions. The apparatus includes drive means for moving the apparatus on a supporting surface. A power source is coupled to the drive means and power drive system.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus used in the construction of load bearing surfaces, and specifically to a road construction apparatus having adjustable trimmer assemblies. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Road construction apparatuses usually combine multiple functions into increasingly automated and complex vehicles. Combining such functions in a single vehicle or device provides economy during road construction by reducing equipment and maintenance costs, but can also lead to compromises in terms of limiting the performance of the apparatus. [0005] Combination road construction apparatus are U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,801 to Swisher et al. which relates to a steering and cutter drum positioning for a paved roadway planing machine and U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,506 to Snow et al. which describes a trimmer with pivotally connected conveyor. Both of these disclosures are commonly assigned and are incorp...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018] The housing has a top end and a bottom end and accommodates the movement of the cutter in the housing at least partially between the bottom end and the top end. The mainframe includes a top end and a bottom end defining a vertical axis, the trimmer assembly in the first position being approximately aligned with the vertical axis. The trimmer assembly in the second position can range in position between being transverse to the vertical axis and being generally aligned with the length of the mainframe. The road construction apparatus preferably includes a concrete spreader assembly connected to the mainframe. The length of the mainframe is increased to accommodate the cutter in the second position.

Problems solved by technology

Road construction apparatuses usually combine multiple functions into increasingly automated and complex vehicles.

Combining such functions in a single vehicle or device provides economy during road construction by reducing equipment and maintenance costs, but can also lead to compromises in terms of limiting the performance of the apparatus.

Notwithstanding the benefits of multifunctional equipment, the combining of functions often results in imposing limitations on one function due to the requirement of another.

One such limitation has been in restricting the depth of concrete slabs that can be poured by the spreader due to the required clearance of assemblies such as the trimmer assembly above the supporting surface of the apparatus.

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