Apparatus for reconditioning, leveling and compacting non-asphalted roads

Abstract

 The present invention relates to an apparatus for reconditioning, levelling and compacting non-asphalted roads comprising means for reconditioning (2), means for levelling (3), and means for compacting (4), where said means are connectable by a frame (5) to a vehicle, and said means for levelling comprises one or more levelling plates (8a,8b), wherein said means for reconditioning comprises one or more shares (7), and said means for compacting comprises one or more compacting plates (9).

Description

Scope of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for reconditioning, levelling and compacting non-asphalted roads comprising means for reconditioning, means for levelling and means for compacting, where said means are connectable by a frame to a vehicle, and said means for levelling comprises one or more levelling plates.

Background of the invention

[0002] In rural areas where the traffic is not so dense, many roads are not asphalted because the cost for asphalting these roads is too high compared to the advantages achieved in the light of the low number of people using the roads.

[0003] Such roads are for example roads through forests, paths, open spaces in for example parks, roads connecting fields to the nearest highway or farm, roads surrounding lakes or roads following rivers, streams or the like.

[0004] Driving on non-asphalted roads with vehicles such as cars, motorcycles, trucks or tractors or similar motorised vehicles will eventually cause some wear on the road surface and cause holes to develop, deep wheel tracks, or will force the upper layer of the road surface out against the sides of the roads.

[0005] This kind of wear from vehicles combined with the wear caused by weather can make it unpleasant to drive a vehicle on such roads, and may in some cases furthermore cause damage to vehicles driving at too high speed.

[0006] To maintain a non-asphalted road in an acceptable condition, periodic maintenance is necessary that repairs holes, levels deep wheel tracks, or distributes the upper layer of the road surface on to the road again.

[0007] It is common to maintain such roads by running a scraper unit or the like along the road whereby excess road material is scraped off and used to fill holes or level out wheel tracks.

[0008] The disadvantages of using only a scraper unit to maintain a non-asphalted road are:

• The road is left with a loose surface on which it can be difficult to drive with vehicles having narrow tires.
• The road is left with an uneven surface that advances the wear by vehicles driving on the newly reconstructed road.
• A part of the upper layer of the road material is not used for repairing the holes in the road, but is forced out against the sides of the road, thereby causing the road either to be narrower, or to lower the level of the road each time the scraper unit is moved along the road.

[0009] To overcome the first disadvantage, it is possible to use a roller unit to compact the loose road material, thereby providing a harder surface of the road, which makes it easier to drive on.

[0010] To overcome the second disadvantage, it is possible to use a reconditioning unit to loosen the whole upper layer of the road along the entire length of the reconditioning unit. This makes the upper layer of the road material more homogeneous and easy to compact to an even and hard surface.

[0011] To reduce the effect of the third disadvantage it is possible to use a scraper unit with one or more oblique blades. This gives a better distribution of the upper layer of road material and reduces the amount of unused road material.

[0012] By doing this, it is possible to provide a road having an acceptable condition. The disadvantage of this is that it is necessary to perform all these different reconditioning processes, and for each reconditioning process, it is necessary to move a single unit along the road to be repaired.

[0013] This is a very time-consuming way to maintain a non-asphalted road, and in rural areas, such roads can be many kilometres long, which means that it is quite costly to maintain such roads.

[0014] An alternative way of maintaining a road is to fill new road material onto the road and then use a scraper unit to distribute the new road material into holes or wheel tracks. The disadvantages of this are that it is costly to fill new road material onto the road, and over time, the level of the road will slowly be raised.

[0015] The international patent application WO 00/06829 describes a milling, levelling and compacting machine for roads, comprising a rotating cutter with a horizontal axis, one or more levelling plates, and one or more compacting rollers that are connectable by an appropriate frame to a tractor or an equivalent vehicle.

[0016] The described milling, levelling and compacting machine resolves the aforementioned disadvantages of prior art and it is possible to maintain a non-asphalted road in an acceptable condition, but the machine has several disadvantages such as:

• The rotating cutter is provided with hooks or protruding teeth and rotates with the motion of the tractor or vehicle which will only cause the hooks or teeth to slightly loosen, or in worst case, only perforate the upper layer of the road whereby the subsequent levelling plates will function as a scraper unit.
• The rotating cutter is provided as a cylinder with a horizontal axis which only loosens the upper layer on the highest part of the road surface. In worst case, the rotating cutter will either loosen only the high sides of the road and leave the low middle part of the road untouched, or, in the opposite situation, only loosen the high middle part of the road and leave the low sides of the road untouched.
• The hooks or protruding teeth wear down quickly because of their rotation through the upper layer of the road, and the replacement of the worn-down hooks or protruding teeth is very costly.
• The compacting rollers are described to be vibrating to compact the upper layer of the road. It is then necessary to have connected means for vibrating the rollers and the vibration can cause strains on the machine, or in worst case, make it difficult to operate the machine.

[0017] Thus the described milling, levelling and compacting machine is a mechanically complicated and not so efficient machine for reconditioning a road to an acceptable condition.

Object of the invention

[0018] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a mechanically simple apparatus by which it is possible to recondition, level and compact a non-asphalted road in one reconditioning process, and to leave the road with one or more gradients of the road surface.

[0019] This is obtained by an apparatus described in the preamble of claim 1, and wherein said means for reconditioning comprises one or more shares, and said means for compacting comprises one or more compacting plates.

Summary of the invention

[0020] To provide a mechanically simple apparatus by which it is possible to recondition, level and compact a non-asphalted road in one reconditioning process, the apparatus, according to the present invention comprises means for reconditioning, means for levelling and means for compacting.

[0021] Said means for reconditioning comprises one or more shares for loosening the upper layer of the road along the entire width of the apparatus followed by

1) said means for levelling, comprising one or more levelling plates for distributing the loosened road material along the entire length of said levelling plates, and

2) said means for compacting comprises one or more compacting plates for compacting the upper layer of the road to a harder road surface. By having the compacting means right after the levelling means, it is possible to utilize the moist content of the loosened upper layer of the road to ensure a better compacting of the surface. A moist upper layer makes it possible to better compact the road material because the moist in the material will make the particles "adhere" to each other, in comparison to dry road material where the single particles are loose.

[0022] Said shares, said levelling plates, and said compacting plates are connected to one single frame or to a combined frame provided by two or more frame parts.

[0023] Said single/combined frame is provided with an arrangement for connecting to a vehicle, for example a tractor, in such a manner that it is possible to lift the whole apparatus off the ground at one time.

[0024] Said shares are connected to said frame by a crossbeam where said shares are distributed along said crossbeam, either evenly positioned, or positioned in separate sections that take the position of wheel tracks in the road into account.

[0025] To ensure the loosening of the upper layer of the road, said shares can be forwardly protruding hooks, protruding teeth, ploughshares or the like or a combination of these. Furthermore said shares can be of a different size depending on the position across said crossbeam.

[0026] Said means for reconditioning can be height-adjusted to ensure the necessary loosening of the upper layer of the road surface.

[0027] This is an advantage if the apparatus is used on different types of roads because, with an existing road having a hard surface, it is necessary to loosen a large upper layer to ensure enough loose road material to obtain a satisfying levelling of the surface.

[0028] This is in contrast to an existing road having a soft surface where it is only necessary to loosen a thin upper layer because the subsequent levelling plates can easily scrape the soft surface.

[0029] If new road material is laid onto the existing road, it is an advantage if the upper layer of the road surface is loosened because it ensures a better distribution and blending of the new road material with the loosened road material.

[0030] Said means for reconditioning furthermore acts as a first levelling device because the upper surface is loosened and spread out by said shares.

[0031] As said means for reconditioning are height-adjustable, they can be adjusted to the condition of the existing road or the contour of the material surrounding the road. In order to ensure a certain height above the ground, said means for reconditioning is provided with a mechanical arrangement for regulating the depth of said means for reconditioning. This prevents the means for reconditioning from working itself too deep in for example one side of the road due to a tilt of the road surface.

[0032] The mechanical arrangement for regulating the depth is either manually operated or automatically operated. If it is manually operated, the maximum depth of the means for reconditioning must be set before using the apparatus.

[0033] Said one or more levelling plates are crossbeams or plates connected to said frame, which are positioned at a height above the ground allowing a certain amount of loosened road material to be moved, thereby levelling the surface of the road.

[0034] The height above the ground is attuned to the degree of loosening of the upper layer by said shares, thereby reducing the amount of loose road material that must be pushed in front of the levelling plates.

[0035] Excess loose road material is piled up and pushed in front of said levelling plates until a hole is found into which said loose road material can fall.

[0036] By piling up and pushing said loose road material in front of said levelling plates, said loose road material is furthermore distributed across the entire width of said levelling plates and left in those parts of the road that need to be filled to reach the level of the surface of the road after said levelling plates.

[0037] Said one or more compacting plates is a heavy plate that presses down on the levelled surface of the loose road material so as to ensure a hard and even road surface on which any kind of vehicle can drive.

[0038] Said one or more compacting plates preferably have a width corresponding to or wider than said levelling plates.

[0039] To add further weight to said one or more compacting plates, they are connected to the frame in such way that they support the apparatus on the ground.

[0040] As an alternative to said one or more compacting plates, said means for compacting could be one or more heavy rollers that compact said loose road material.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention said means for reconditioning, said means for levelling and said means for compacting is each designed in two parts interconnected by a longitudinal hinge-like axis.

[0042] By providing said means in two parts interconnected by a longitudinal hinge-like axis, it is possible to provide the reconstructed road surface with one or more gradients.

[0043] The gradients of said road surface ensure that rainwater will automatically run off said hard road surface and out to either one side or both sides of the road without causing damage to the road surface.

[0044] The longitudinal hinge-like axis allows the apparatus to be configured in different manners whereby it is possible to adjust the angle between the two parts of said means for reconditioning, said means for levelling and/or said means for compacting.

[0045] This possibility allows the user to provide a reconstructed road with one or more gradients of the road surface. For example the road could have:

• one gradient, sloping from one side of the road to the opposite side of the road, or
• two gradients, providing a ridging where the road slopes from a middle part and outwards to both sides, or
• a combination of the aforementioned gradients where one part of the road is formed with one gradient, for example in bends, and another part of the road with two gradients, for example in the case of straight roads.

[0046] The angle between the two parts of said means for reconditioning, said means for levelling and/or said means for compacting can be adjusted manually and set before the apparatus is used on a part of the road, or the means can be adjusted automatically while using the apparatus.

[0047] If said angle is adjusted automatically while using the apparatus, the parts of said means for reconditioning, said means for levelling and/or said means for compacting are provided with means for moving the part in relation to said longitudinal hinge-like axis.

[0048] Said means for moving could for example be:

• hydraulic cylinders that are connected to the hydraulic system of the tractor or vehicle,
• pneumatic cylinders that are connected to a compressor unit, or
• electric motors that are connected to the electric system of the tractor or vehicle.

[0049] Common to all the aforementioned means for moving/adjusting is that the person driving the tractor or vehicle must be able to operate the means from the inside of the tractor or vehicle.

[0050] By designing said means for reconditioning, said means for levelling and said means for compacting in two parts, it is possible to arrange said means at different angles between their respective parts interconnected by a longitudinal hinge-like axis.

[0051] This is an advantage if the existing road surface has one gradient and the reconstructed road surface is to have another gradient or several gradients. The levelling plates could have one angle to ensure the distribution of the loosened road material, and the compacting plates could have another angle to provide the desired gradients of the road surface.

[0052] If the angle between the two parts of the compacting plates is adjusted to provide a road surface with two gradients forming a ridging where the road surface slopes from a middle part and outwards to both sides, the apparatus is used for roads.

[0053] However, if the angle between the two parts of the compacting plates is adjusted to provide a road surface with two gradients forming a channel where the road surface slopes inwards from both sides to the middle of the road, the apparatus is used for drains or sunken roads.

[0054] Alternatively, it is possible to have said means for reconditioning, said means for levelling and said means for compacting being designed in more than two parts interconnected by more than one longitudinal hinge-like axis.

[0055] In an embodiment of the present invention said one or more shares are connected to said frame and tilted inwards, and the shares can furthermore be rotated and tilted outwards when being positioned in a extreme outer position.

[0056] The shares that are tilted inwards ensure that the loosened road material is moved to the middle of the road so as to ensure that there is enough loose road material to level the road.

[0057] The shares in the extreme outer position can be rotated and tilted outwards for moving a small amount of the loose road material out into the side of the road. This can be an advantage because often there is more loose road material than what is required for levelling of the road, or there may be a risk of contamination of the road material by soil, weeds, etc.

[0058] In an embodiment of the present invention, said means for reconditioning furthermore comprises one or more disk coulters, which are positioned in the extreme outer position of the crossbeam of said means for reconditioning.

[0059] Disk coulters are especially suitable if the apparatus is used along lawns, football pitches and the like where it is desirable to have a sharp edge between the road and the surroundings.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment of the invention said means for levelling comprises two sets of levelling plates that are connected to said frame, and where a first set of levelling plates is positioned in front of a second set of levelling plates and both of said sets are positioned in a forwardly leaning way.

[0061] The first set of levelling plates is positioned right after the means for reconditioning and provides a rough levelling of the surface and distribution of loose road material, thereby ensuring that holes and irregularities are filled.

[0062] The second set of levelling plates is positioned at a distance behind the first set of levelling plates and finishes off the levelling of the surface.

[0063] The height above the road surface of the two sets of levelling plates is different. The height above the road surface of the first set of levelling plates is typically 0-5 cm, and the height above the road surface of the second set of levelling plates is typically 0-3 cm.

[0064] Both of said sets are positioned in a forwardly leaning way which ensures that the loose road material is more easily moved in front of the levelling plates, and this furthermore provides a compacting effect on the levelled surface.

[0065] As mentioned there are different heights above the road surface of the two sets of levelling plates. Therefore said sets of levelling plates are provided with means for adjusting the heights of said levelling plates above said road.

[0066] Said means for adjusting could be a spindle operated either manually or hydraulically. If the spindle is operated manually, the height of the levelling plate is set before using the apparatus and kept at the same level throughout the reconditioning of the road. If the spindle is operated hydraulically, the height of the levelling plate can be adjusted during the use of the apparatus.

[0067] An alternative to a spindle could be a hydraulic cylinder or a mechanical arrangement driven either by a hydraulic unit, an electric unit, a pneumatic unit, or manually.

[0068] The frame of said apparatus is provided with side plates in the full height of the apparatus. Typically the side plates extend from the lower part of the levelling plates and up to the upper part of the frame. The side plates ensure that loose road material is kept inside the width of the apparatus and used for reconditioning the road surface.

[0069] In addition to this, said first set of levelling plates in an embodiment of the present invention is provided with one or more upright side plates.

[0070] These upright side plates are positioned inside the side plates of the frame. This ensures that new road material filled inside the compartment formed of the two sets of levelling plates and the upright plates cannot be distributed further outwards on the road surface than the position of the upright side plates.

[0071] The first levelling plates distribute loose road material outwards onto the side plates of the frame, and because the new road material is only distributed outwards onto the upright side plates, a water drain is formed.

[0072] In case of heavy rainfalls, the water drain is an advantage because the rainwater will run off the road surface due to the gradient of the road surface and into the water drain and to a drain hole, or to a place where it can run into the surroundings without damaging the reconstructed road, or cause environmental damage to the surroundings.

[0073] The water drain will have the same profile as the road surface which will contribute to transporting the rainwater.

[0074] To be able to fill new road material on to the road surface, said means for levelling furthermore comprises a buffer zone compartment arranged for containing new road material in front of said second set of levelling plates. The buffer zone compartment is the aforementioned compartment formed of the two sets of levelling plates and either the upright side plates or the side plates of the frame.

[0075] The new road material is filled into the buffer zone compartment and pushed in front of the second set of levelling plates whereby it is added slowly to the road surface.

[0076] New road material is any loose material, typically sand or gravel which can move under the second set of levelling plates without damaging the road surface provided by the first set of levelling plates.

[0077] To finish off the reconstruction of the road, the compacting means is used. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said means for compacting is connected to a backside of said second set of levelling plates.

[0078] This ensures that the levelled road surface is compacted right after having been compacted by the said second set of levelling plates, without any risk of reshuffling of the road material or contamination by other material from the surroundings, e.g. stones, leaves, etc.

[0079] By connecting the means for compacting to a backside of said second set of levelling plates, the length of the whole apparatus is reduced.

[0080] The means for compacting supports the weight of the whole apparatus whereby the weight increases the compacting effect of the apparatus. Furthermore the means for compacting functions as an adjustment means for the height above the road surface of the apparatus. This height is determined by the amount of road material moving under the means for compacting and the moist content of the road material.

[0081] To ensure compacting of the loose/new road material said compacting plates are bended in a slight V-shape, preferably transversely of said longitudinal hinge-like axis where one part of said V-shaped compacting plates is moved parallel to the road surface, and the second part is raised upwards.

[0082] The raised second part is the part of the V-shaped compacting plates that is connected to the backside of the second levelling plates.

[0083] By having the second part of the V-shaped compacting plates positioned forwards, the first part of the V-shaped compacting plates will compact the loose/new road material and press it forwards and downwards when moving the compacting means over the road surface, thereby ensuring an efficient compaction of the road surface.

[0084] Alternative cross-section forms of the bended compacting plates can be used. The only important thing is that the loose/new road material is pressed forwards and downwards when moving the compacting means over the road surface. An example could be bended compacting plates in U shape.

[0085] To be able to determine the best gradient of the road surface in comparison to the surroundings, said frame is optionally provided with a level tube unit. By having a level tube unit on the frame, it is possible register in-situ the gradient of the existing road whereby it is possible to react to whether the new road surface should have one or more gradients and thereby adjust the angle between the two parts of the means for reconditioning, the means for levelling and/or the means for compacting.

[0086] To obtain this advantage, the apparatus must be provided with automatic adjustments means so that it is easy for the driver to adjust one or more specific parts of the apparatus from the tractor or vehicle.

[0087] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention said level tube unit comprises a transparent plate having at least two layers, a frame, a marker and a liquid, where the frame encloses the transparent plate, and the liquid is filled into the cavity of the transparent plate having at least two layers.

[0088] The marker, for example a tape, marks a horizontal level and is placed outside the transparent plate either on both sides, or on the side facing the person in the tractor or vehicle.

[0089] The liquid is preferably a coloured liquid. The reason is that a coloured liquid, in any kind of weather condition, makes it easier for the person in the tractor or vehicle to see if the apparatus is operated in a horizontal plane.

[0090] By using an apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to reconstruct a road with several different configurations of the apparatus with regard to the desired condition of the reconstructed road.

[0091] Examples of configurations of the apparatus are:

• Predetermined width of the apparatus and predetermined gradients of the levelling plates and/or compacting plates.
• Predetermined width of the apparatus and variable gradients of the levelling plates and/or compacting plates.
• Predetermined width of the apparatus including side plates and variable gradients of the levelling plates and/or compacting plates.
• Variable width of the apparatus and variable gradients of the levelling plates and/or compacting plates.

Brief description of the drawing

[0092] The invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the apparatus according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the means for reconditioning, according to the invention,

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the apparatus according to the invention,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upright side plates,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the means for compacting, according to the invention, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the arrangement for regulating the depth of the means for reconditioning, according to the invention.

Detailed description of the drawing

[0093] Fig. 1 shows an apparatus 1 comprising means for reconditioning 2, means for levelling 3 and means for compacting 4, where said means are connectable by a frame 5 to a vehicle 6.

[0094] Said means for reconditioning 2 comprises one or more shares 7, and said means for levelling 3 comprises one or more levelling plates 8a, 8b and said means for compacting 4 comprises one or more compacting plates 9.

[0095] Said shares 7 are connected to the frame 5 by the crossbeam 10 and positioned in the front of the apparatus and thereby dug into the road surface 11 for losing an amount of road material 12.

[0096] Subsequently the two sets of levelling plates 8a, 8b are placed, which are adjusted so as to have different heights above the road surface 11, where a first sets of levelling plates 8a allows more loose road material 12 to pass than the second sets of levelling plates 8b.

[0097] In connection with the second set of levelling plates 8b a compacting plate 9 for compacting the road surface 11 is positioned, said road surface having been levelled by the two sets of levelling plates 8a, 8b.

[0098] The frame 5 is connected to the vehicle 6 by a hydraulic cylinder 13 and a set of lift arms 14 thereby allowing the vehicle 6 to raise or lower the whole apparatus 1.

[0099] The compacting plates 9 rest on the road surface 11 and support the weight of the apparatus 1, thereby adding extra weight to the compaction of the loose road material 12.

[0100] Fig. 2 shows the frame 5 from a perspective view of the person (not shown) positioned inside the vehicle (not shown).

[0101] A 3-point arrangement 16 for connecting the frame 5 to the vehicle (not shown) is mounted on the front end 5a of the frame 5.

[0102] A level tube unit 17 is mounted on the rear end 5b of the frame 5 for controlling the gradient of the frame 5 under the reconstruction of the road surface (not shown).

[0103] Beneath the frame 5 a first set of levelling plates 8a is positioned and subsequently a second set of levelling plates 8b. Together with the side plates 15, the levelling plates 8a, 8b form a compartment 18 wherein it is possible to fill new road material.

[0104] Fig. 3 shows a rear view of the means for reconditioning 2, where the shares 7 are connected to the frame 5 via crossbeam 10.

[0105] The shares 7 are shown as being positioned in a separate section to allow for wheel tracks (not shown). The shares 7c are tilted inwards to gather the loose road material (not shown) into the middle of the road (not shown). The shares 7a, 7b are positioned in an extreme outer position and tilted outwards to push excess loose road material (not shown) outside the road (not shown).

[0106] Fig. 4 shows a rear view of the apparatus 1 while reconstructing road surface 11 so that it will have two gradients and slope from the middle of the road surface 11 outwards towards the water drains 20.

[0107] The form of the road surface 11 ensures that rainwater runs off the road surface 11 and into the water drains 20 without damaging the road.

[0108] To be able to adjust the angle between the two parts 9a, 9b of the means for compacting 4, the two parts 9a, 9b are interconnected by a longitudinal hinge-like axis 19.

[0109] The level tube unit 17 is mounted on the rear end of the frame 5 facing the person in the vehicle (not shown).

[0110] The side plates 15 are mounted in connection with levelling plates 8b, and they extend from the base of the levelling plates 8b to the frame 5.

[0111] Fig. 5 shows how the upright side plates 21 are positioned inside side plates 15 for forming a water drain 20, which can be formed by adding new road material into compartment 18 and then moving the apparatus 1 along the road 22.

[0112] The loose road material 12 from the existing road 22 is distributed outwards to the side plates 15, while at the same time, the new road material from compartment 18 is only distributed outwards to the upright side plates 21.

[0113] Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the means for compacting 4 where the compacting plates 9 are connected to a backside of the second set of levelling plates 8 and formed in a slight V-shape.

[0114] The bend line 24 is preferably transverse of said longitudinal hinge-like axis.

[0115] The front part 9c of the V-shaped compacting plates 9 is raised in comparison to the end part 9d of the V-shaped compacting plates 9, which are moved parallel to the road surface.

[0116] The gap between the front part 9c and the road surface ensures an efficient compacting because the loose road material 12a passed under the levelling plate 8b will be pushed forwards and downwards.

[0117] Fig. 7 shows an arrangement 30 for regulating the depth of the reconditioning means (not shown) which comprises plates 31 and profiles 32.

[0118] The profile 32 is connected to the frame 5, and the profile 33 is movably mounted inside the profile 32. At its lower end, the profile 33 is connected to the shares 7, and at its upper end to a polygonal plate 31. The shares 7 can be lifted by moving the profile 33.

[0119] The plates 31 can be rotated around the axes 35 so that the lower edge parts of he plates 31 abut against the upper edge of the profile 32 whereby the shares 7 are prevented from digging further into the upper layer of the road.

[0120] The polygonal shape of the plates 31 ensures different depth positions of the reconditioning means. The plates are rotated around the axis 35 to set the maximum depth of the shares 7.

Claims

1. Apparatus for reconditioning, levelling and compacting non-asphalted roads comprising means for reconditioning, means for levelling, and means for compacting, where said means are connectable by a frame to a vehicle, and said means for levelling comprises one or more levelling plates, characterised in that said means for reconditioning comprises one or more shares, and said means for compacting comprises one or more compacting plates.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that said means for reconditioning, said means for levelling and said means for compacting is each designed in two parts interconnected by a longitudinal hinge-like axis.

3. Apparatus according to any of the claims 1-2, characterised in that said one or more shares are connected to said frame and tilted inwards, and said shares can furthermore be rotated and tilted outwards when being positioned in a extreme outer position.

4. Apparatus according to any of the claims 1-2, characterised in that said means for reconditioning furthermore comprises one or more disk coulters.

5. Apparatus according to any of the claims 1-2, characterised in that said means for levelling comprises two sets of levelling plates which are connected to said frame and where a first set of levelling plates is positioned in front of a second set of levelling plates and both of said sets are positioned in a forwardly leaning way.

6. Apparatus according to any of the claims 1-2 or 5, characterised in that said set of levelling plates is provided with means for adjusting the height of said levelling plates above said road.

7. Apparatus according to any of the claims 5-6, characterised in that a first set of levelling plates is provided with one or more upright side plates.

8. Apparatus according to any of the claims 5-7, characterised in that said means for levelling furthermore comprises a buffer-zone compartment arranged for containing new road material in front of said second set of levelling plates.

9. Apparatus according to any of the claims 1-2 or 5, characterised in that said means for compacting is connected to a backside of said second set of levelling plates.

10. Apparatus according to any of the claims 1-2 or 9, characterised in that said compacting plates are bended in a V-shape, preferably transversely of said longitudinal hinge-like axis.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that a level tube unit comprises a transparent plate having at least two layers, a frame, a marker and a liquid.

Drawing