Field of the invention
[0001] This invention relates to a container of the type that is roadable and transportable
to a road construction site to hold a bituminous mix pending its delivery by trucks.
Description of the prior art.
[0002] The containers or bins of the above type which have been used and proposed so far
are facing an annoying problem of segregation of the components of the.mix when they
fall into it from the end of a conveyor at the top of the container. The common way
to avoid undue segregation is to always keep the container at least half full, so
that the incoming bituminous mix falls a shorter distance and is thus subject to less
segragation. This is only partly satisfactory concerning segregation and, besides,
it results that, in fact, only half of the container or bin is really useful. Those
previous bins are erected by crane and thus need substantial time and labor before
they are ready. Another disadvantage is that those bins are only made to store bituminous
mix and the fuel used on the site and the conveyor to load such bin must come in other
trucks.
Summary of the invention
[0003] It is a general object of the present invention to provide a roadable storage container
of the above type, which substantially eliminates the problem of segregation in the
bituminous mix that is loaded in it.
[0004] It is another object of the present invention to provide a roadable storage container
of the above type which is self-erecting and which thus avoids the need of a crane
for its erection on the construction site.
[0005] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a roadable storage container
of the above type, which efficiently and fully uses its volume, not only to store
a load of bituminous mix but also to carry required fuel and the conveyor needed to
load the bituminous mix in it, and to thus avoid the need of other trucks to transport
the fuel and the conveyor.
[0006] It is also an object of the present invention to provide a roadable storage container
of the above type, which is roadable or towable on the road by a truck tractor and
constructed and arranged to be readily lifted to an operative position.
[0007] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a roadable storage
container of the above type that is provided with a conveyor arrangement particularly
adapted to avoid loading of the bituminous mix by dropping it in the container from
its top.
[0008] It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a roadable storage
container that is provided with a bituminous mix compartement and a fuel compartment
relatively positioned to assist the pivoting of the storage bin between its erected
and its lowered positions and to allow positioning of the unloading or discharge outlet
for convenient dumping into the trucks.
[0009] It is also an object of the present invention to provide a roadable storage container
of the above type, which is adapted to provide loading inlets which are arranged to
discharge the bituminous mix in the storage bin with minimum of the mix to thus minimize
its segregation.
Brief description of the drawings
[0010] The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be better
understood with reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment
thereof which is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in
which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a roadable storage container, according to the present
invention and shown attached to a truck tractor drawn in dashed lines;
Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same roadable storage container;
Fig. 3 is a section taken longitudinally through the same roadable storage container
with the latter shown in erected operative position;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 3, particularly illustrating a section
of a conveyor in the process of loading a bituminous mix in a compartment according
to the present invention and
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view as seen along line 5-5 in Fig. 4.
[0011] The illustrated readable storage container 10 is adapted to be towed by a truck tractor
11, of conventional construction. For that purpose, the roadable storage container
10 includes a trailer chassis and road wheel assembly 12.
[0012] The trailer chassis and road wheel assembly 12 com
- prises a trailer chassis or frame 13, of any appropriate and conventional construction,
defining a front and a rear end. The rear end of the trailer chassis 13 is carried
by road wheel assembly including the road wheels 14 and appropriate axle connection,
not shown.
[0013] The roadable storage container includes an elongated storage bin 15 extending substantially
co-extensive with the trailer chassis 13 and defining a front end and a rear end.
The front end of the elongated storage bin is pivoted at 16 to the trailer chassis
13 about a transverse pivot axis to operatively pivot between a transport or roadable
position in which it rests on the trailer chassis 13 and an erected inclined position,
as shown in fig. 1 and 3, respectively. The elongated storage bin 15 is provided with
a forward structure projection 17 at its front end for attachment to the truck tractor
11 by any appropriate fifth wheel assembly at 18. A telescopic hydraulic cylinder
19 is connected at one end to the structural projection 17 and has its other end connectable
to a bracket 20 on the chassis of the truck tractor to elevate the elongated storage
bin to its operative position, shown in fig. 3. Pads 21, 22, and 23 are provided to
support the trailer chassis and the storage bin in the elevated position. A brace
24 is connected in position between the trailer chassis and the storage bin to secure
them relative to each other. The inside of the storage bin 15 is divided by a transverse
partition 25 into a rear fuel tank at 26 and a front compartment 27 for bituminous
mix 28. The fuel tank thus forms a ballast to assist the elevation of the storage
bin to the position shown in fig. 3.
[0014] The uppermost longitudinal surface portion of the elongated storage bin 15 forms
a trough at 29 which longitudinally extends lengthwise of the bin. The trough 29 is
formed with a rear open and providing an inlet at 30 for loading of the bituminous
mix on the conveyor 31 of the drag type that runs in the trough 29 and extends substantially
co-extensive therewith. Conveyor 31 is driven by a motor 31' in the direction of arrows
31". A series of loading inlet apertures 32 are provided in the trough 29 in registry
with the bituminous mix compartment 27 and serially extend co-extensive therewith
in the longitudinal direction of the bin 15. The loading inlet apertures 32 are geometrically
shaped, such as a square, to define an apex pointing toward the upstream open end
of the trough. Each inlet aperture 32 is provided with a baffle 32' extending from
the top of aperture 32 downwardly into compartment 27. The drag conveyor 31 is provided
with drag blades 33 of truncated V-shape configuration, as shown in fig. 5. The lowermost
longitudinal surface portion of the storage bin 15 is formed with an unloading aperture
registering with the lowest rear end of the bituminous mix compartment 27. A trap
door at 34, actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 35, selectively opens and closes the
unloading aperture to unload bituminous mix into trucks 36.
[0015] After the storage bin has been towed to the proper road construction site, it is
pivotally lifted by the cylinder 19 until its rear end is operatively mounted on the
pads 22 and 23 and the trailer chassis 13 rests like a post on the pad 21 to support
the front of the bin. The brace 24, or any other appropriate bracing, is then put
in place to stabilize the bin.
[0016] A mixer and heater 37, of any appropriate construction, is positioned to discharge
hot bituminous mix in the open inlet end of the conveyor assembly, so that the bituminous
mix will be upwardly dragged by the blades 33. The bituminous mix is loaded in the
compartment 27 through the loading apertures 32 first through the lowermost one and
serially through the next ones in succession as they become successively filled. There
results a progressive filling of the compartment 27 always through an aperture 32
which is not much higher than the level of material in the compartment at any particular
time. This produces a sort of stratification in the bituminous mix compartment that
is substantially free of segregation of the bituminous particles. The baffles 32'
prevent the mix from re-entering the conveyor trough 29 through apertures 32.
[0017] The mixer heater 37 is fed with fuel oil from fuel tank 26 and it will be noted that
conveyor trough 29 is enclosed in bin 15, and that the latter can be heat insulated
so that the mix can be kept hot for a long time. Also the full capacity of compartment
27 can be used, namely it can be emptied completely if called for by the scheduling
of the delivery trucks 36.
1. A roadable storage container (10) for bituminous mix and comprising a trailer chassis
(13) and road wheel assembly (12), an elongated storage bin (15) connected to the
trailer chassis and road wheel assembly and defining a bituminous mix compartment
(27) and unloading outlet means (34, 35) in communication with the bituminous mix
compartment, actuator means (19) connected to the storage bin and operatively tilting
the latter to a longitudinally inclined operative position defining a lowermost longitudinal
surface portion and an uppermost longitudinal su-r-face portion (29), and conveyor means (31) longitudinally extending lengthwise of
the storage bin along the uppermost longitudinal surface portion thereof and including
loading inlet means (32) extending co-extensive and in communication with the bituminous
mix compartment (27), lengthwise of the elongated storage bin, whereby the conveyor
means is constructed and arranged for progressive filling of the bituminous mix compartment
through the loading inlet means.
2. A roadable storage container as defined in claim 1, wherein the actuator means
comprises a telescopic hydraulic cylinder (19) connected at one end to the front end
of the elongated storage bin (15) and connectable at the other end to a truck tractor
(11) and constructed and arranged to upwardly lift the front end of the storage bin
and hold the latter in the longitudinally inclined operative position.
3. A roadable storage container as defined in claim 2, wherein the unloading outlet
means includes an unloading aperture through the lowermost longitudinal surface portion
communicating with the bituminous mix compartment (27) at a lowest point thereof,
a trap door (34) selectively opening and closing the unloading aperture, and a hydraulic
cylinder (35) connected to the trap door and operatively opening and closing the same.
4. A roadable storage container as defined in claim 1, wherein the conveyor means
comprises a trough (29) longitudinally extending lengthwise along said uppermost longitudinal
surface portion and having an open loading end (30) rearward of the bituminous mix
compartment (27), and a conveyor (31) extending longitudinally in the trough from
the open loading end and forwardly of the latter into registry with the loading inlet
means (32).
5. A roadable storage container as defined in claim 4, wherein the loading inlet means
(32) extends substantially co-extensive with the bituminous mix compartment (27) longitudinally
along the trough (29).
6. A roadable storage compartment as defined in claim 3, wherein the conveyor means
comprises a trough (29) longitudinally extending lengthwise along said uppermost longitudinal
surface portion and having an open loading end (30) rearward of the bituminous mix
compartment (27) and a drag conveyor (31) extending longitudinally in the trough from
the open loading end and forwardly of the latter into registry with the loading inlet
means, and the latter constitutes a plurality of inlet apertures (32) underlying the
drag conveyor serially along the length thereof and communicating with the bituminous
mix compartment (27).
7. A roadable storage container as defined in claim 6, wherein said inlet apertures
(32) geometrically define at least one apex with the latter pointing toward the upstream
open end of the trough (29).
8. A roadable storage container as defined in claim 7, wherein the bituminous storage
bin (15) includes a fuel supply tank (26) positioned rearward of the bituminous mix
compartment (27) and forming a ballast operatively assisting upward lifting of the
storage bin by the telescopic hydraulic cylinder (19).
9. A roadable storage container as defined in claim 8, wherein the trailer chassis
and road wheel assembly includes a trailer chassis and a road wheel and axle assembly,
the trailer chassis (13) including a front end pivotally connected to the elongated
storage bin (15) about a transverse axis (16) and a rear end operatively carried by
the road wheel (14) and axle assembly.
10. A roadable storage container as defined in claim 9, wherein the elongated storage
bin includes a front end and a rear end, a fifth wheel assembly (18) secured to the
front end of the elongated storage bin (15) and constructed and arranged to support
the same on the fifth wheel assembly of a truck tractor (11) and for road transportation
thereof to and from a construction site.
11. A roadable storage container as defined in claim 10, wherein the rear end of the
elongated storage bin (15) operatively forms a base constructed and arranged for resting
of the bin thereon in the longitudinally inclined operative position and the trailer
chassis (13) forms a post upwardly erected upon said tilting of the bin and operatively
supporting the front end of the latter when lifted to the inclined position.
12. A readable storage container as defined in claim 6 further including a baffle
(32') extending from the top of each inlet aperture (32) downwardly into said bituminous
mix compartment (27).