Anti-Striping Material Spreading Device

This application takes priority from Provisional Patent Application No. 63/641,619, filed May 2, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

The invention relates to a material spreading device for spreading particles of a material. In particular, the invention relates to a spreading device for spreading a road treatment material, such as road salt.

Striping is a common issue in the salt spreading industry, characterized by the inconsistent application of salt.

Striping occurs throughout the entire salt spreading industry, presenting a persistent challenge that hasn't been solved. Striping can be described as uneven salt spread. However, various forms of striping may occur in the salt spreading process. Striping can take form as the physical formation of striped salt patterns, salt clumping, excessive salt accumulation in specific locations, and other variations. To account for this issue, extra salt must be used to account for the areas of salt spread that get poor dispersions of salt. Consequently, the environment is harmed by excessive amounts of salt.

There is a need for a material spreading device that can reduce striping, thereby enhancing the efficiency of salt spread to cut operational and environmental costs.

In existing products, such as spreading devices for use with V-box spreaders, salt, or other road treatment materials, is transported from a reservoir to a chute. The chute then directs the road treatment material to a spinner, which then spins to distribute the material across the road, typically by rotating, and thereby distributing the road treatment materials horizontally radially by way of inertia. However, striping results from salt arriving at the spinner disk at inconsistent rates or in clumps.

In some existing products, this is addressed by changing a method of transporting the treatment material from the reservoir to the spreading device. While transportation to the spreading device is typically by way of a cross bars or a belt over chains, some devices utilize an auger. While an auger may provide additional control, it presents its own problems, not the least of which is the excessive cost of implementing such an approach.

Further, many approaches to addressing this problem result in more even applications, but drastically reduce a speed at which road treatment materials can be applied to the road.

Accordingly, there is a need for a device for a material spreading device that can facilitate the even spreading of particles of a material, broken up so as to be distributed granularly, while maintaining a high flowthrough rate.

One objective of this disclosure is to resolve the striping phenomenon that occurs during salt spreading operations, with the emphasis on the delivery of salt to the disc responsible for spreading. A sifting device is therefore provided. The sifting device's purpose is to ensure an even distribution of salt is delivered onto the surface of the spreader disc, thereby optimizing the salt spreading process.

A spreading device is provided having an elongated housing with an inlet at a first end and an outlet at a second end in the direction of elongation of the housing. A plurality of plates are enclosed within the housing, each plate obstructing travel through the elongated housing in the direction of the elongation.

Each plate of the plurality of plates is provided with a plurality of perforations, the perforations being larger than a grain size of a substance to be spread by the spreading device. During use, each plate moves within the elongated housing, such that the movement of the corresponding plate generates movement of any substance to be spread located upon the corresponding plate. Such movement of the plates causes grains of the substance to pass through the corresponding perforations, such that the grains of the substance pass through the plurality of the plates consecutively along a path from the inlet to the outlet.

In some embodiments, the housing is elongated substantially vertically, such that the first end is at a top of the housing and the second end is at a bottom of the housing. In some such embodiments, each plate of the plurality of plates extends substantially horizontally across a cross-section of the elongated housing when in a first position, thereby obstructing passage of the substance from the first end to the second end.

In some such embodiments, the movement of each plate is a rotation of the corresponding plate relative to the corresponding cross-section of the elongated housing, such that in a second position, the plate is angled relative to the horizontally extending first position.

In some such embodiments, consecutive plates of the plurality of plates rotate in opposite directions, such that in the second position, consecutive plates are angled relative to the horizontally extending first position in opposite directions from each other and are not parallel to each other.

In some such embodiments, each of the plates have a first end and a second end, and the first end of each plate is fixed at a cross-sectional plane within the elongated housing, and the second end of each plate is moved out of the corresponding cross-sectional plane.

In some such embodiments, the first end of each plate is fixed such that it can rotate and translate horizontally within the corresponding cross-sectional plane, such that the corresponding plate rotates about the first end as a pivot point.

In some embodiments in which each plate has a fixed first end, a single motor generates movement at the second end of each of the plurality of plates, such that the movement of the plates is simultaneous.

In some such embodiments, movement from the single motor is transmitted by way of gearing so as to generate rotational movement adjacent the second end of each of the plurality of plates, and wherein a gearing arrangement transforms the rotational movement to vertical movement.

In some embodiments in which plates extend horizontally across an elongated housing, the movement of each plate is a horizontal translation at the corresponding cross-section, and the horizontal translation causes horizontal sliding of the grains of the substance along a top surface of the corresponding plate.

In some embodiments, the spreading device includes a spinning plate assembly, wherein following the passage of grains of the substance through the perforations of a final plate of the plurality of plates, the grains of the substance pass through the outlet to the spinning plate assembly. In some such embodiments, the spinning plate assembly distributes the grains of the substance across a road surface.

In some embodiments, the substance passes through the plurality of plates consecutively, such that clumps of the substance may break up upon impacting any plate of the plurality of the plates.

In some embodiments, the perforations of the plurality of plates are sized progressively smaller, such that the perforations of a plate closer to the inlet may allow passage of larger clumps of the substance than the perforations of a plate closer to the outlet.

In some embodiments, the spreading device further includes a conveyor for depositing the substance from a reservoir into the inlet of the elongated housing.

In some embodiments, the reservoir is a V-box, and wherein the conveyor is cross bars or a belt over a chain.

In some embodiments, the substance is road salt

In some embodiments, the housing has a substantially consistent cross-section in the direction of the elongation.

In some embodiments, the movement of the plates is generated by a drive unit located outside the elongated housing.

In some such embodiments, power is transmitted from the drive unit to the plates by way of an opening in the elongated housing.

The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivative thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to the exemplified embodiments. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combination of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended hereto.

This disclosure describes the best mode or modes of practicing the invention as presently contemplated. This description is not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but provides an example of the invention presented solely for illustrative purposes by reference to the accompanying drawings to advise one of ordinary skill in the art of the advantages and construction of the invention. In the various views of the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similar parts.

is an embodiment of a spreading devicein accordance with this disclosure.is an embodiment of a spreading devicein accordance with this disclosure with a housingremoved.is a portion of the spreading deviceofwith a portion of the housingremoved.is the portion of the spreading deviceofwith a remainder of the housingremoved. It is noted that the spreading devicewill be referred to herein using the same reference numeral regardless of whether additional components, such as a spinning plate assemblyor a reservoirare shown.

As shown, the spreading devicecomprises an elongated housingwith an inletat a first end and an outletat a second end in a directionof elongation.

A plurality of plates-are provided and are enclosed within the housing. Each plateobstructs travel through the elongated housingin the directionof the elongation. In the embodiment of the spreading deviceshown, the plurality of plates-is three plates, but other embodiments may have two plates or more than three plates.

Each plate of the plurality of plates-is provided with a plurality of perforations. The perforationsare sized to allow a substance to pass through the corresponding platebut only if the substance has been broken up to avoid clumps. Accordingly, the perforationsare sized larger than the grain size of a material to be used for spreading (i.e., the substance), but smaller than a multiple of the grain size.

The substance may be road salt or various substitutes for road salt. For example, the substance may be American road salt, European road salt, sand, gravel or rocks sized for such purpose (typically very small or fine rocks or gravel), as well as calcium chloride. Additional materials may be utilized as well-some materials not commonly used are utilized by specific municipalities in road treatment operations, such as coffee grounds or ground up peppers. Such substances, and others, may be utilized locally firm e.g., environmental purposes, and may be compatible with the described spreading device. However, the device may require some local modification, such as custom sized perforations, depending on the specific parameters of such a treatment. This type of modification does not change the function and structure of the embodiments described herein.

It will be further understood that while perforated plates-are discussed, screens may be utilized as well, so long as such screens are sufficiently strong and rigid to resist the forces of normal usage, with some safety factor allowing for occasional overload. The selection of a perforated plate or screen may impact the size of perforations used or the spacing of openings in the context of such a screen, as well as the form of material, such as a heavy wire, used to define the screen.

Although the embodiments shown provide consistent perforationsizes across the plates-it will be understood that this is not necessary. For example, in some embodiments, the spreading deviceis designed such that when the substance passes through the plates consecutively, clumps of the substance are broken up upon impacting any plate of the plurality of plates. As such, it may be expected that clumps of the substance are more likely to be broken up following the second platethan the first plate

Accordingly, the perforationsin the first platemay be larger than the perforationsin the second plateso as to allow clumps of the substance to pass through the first plateeven if they should not pass through the second plateSimilarly, the perforationsof the third plate may be smaller than the perforations of the second plate, so as to allow only individual grains of the substance to proceed to the spinner plate. In this way, perforationsof the plurality of plates-may be sized progressively smaller, such that perforations of the platecloser to the inletmay allow passage of larger clumps of the substance than the perforationsof the platecloser to the outlet.

Additionally, hole positioning and configuration may vary between plates-in order to optimize the functionality of the spreading device.

The perforation sizemay be selected based on the grain size of the substance to be spread. Accordingly, a different perforation size may be selected depending on the specific substance to be utilized. Similarly, different plate sets may be provided, such as in a spreading device kit, to allow a user to switch between materials to be spread. Such plate sets may changed by users in some embodiments, or they may be semi-permanently or permanently fixed in place, such that a factory modification is required to switch plate sets for optimizations related to different materials.

During use, each plate-moves within the elongated housing. Movement of the corresponding plate-then generates movement of any substance to be spread that is located upon the corresponding plate. The movement of the plate-then causes grains of the substance to pass through the plurality of the plates consecutively along a path from the inletto the outlet.

As shown, the elongationof the housingis typically in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the first end, or the inlet, is at a top of the housing and the second end, or the outlet, is at a bottom of the housing. In the embodiment shown, each plate-then extends substantially horizontally across a cross-section of the elongated housingwhen in a first position, such as that shown in, thereby obstructing passage of the substance from the first endto the second end. As shown, the cross-section of the housingmay be substantially consistent in the directionof the elongation. Typically, the first end, or inlet, receives the substance from the reservoirand the second end, or outlet, deposits the substance onto the spinning plate assembly.

show a side view of the portion of the spreading deviceofwith plates-in three different positions.show a perspective view of the portion of the spreading deviceofwith plates-in two different positions.show a front view of the portion of the spreading deviceofwith plates-in two different positions similar to the two positions ofrespectively. Similarly, the two positions shown inare similar to the two positions shown in.

As shown, in a first position such as that shown in, each plate-of the plurality of plates extends horizontally across a cross-section of the elongated housing(with the housing not shown). With the housing in place, the plates then obstruct passage of a substance from the first endto the second endof the housing. A cross-sectional plane-is shown for each plate-insolely for reference.

The movement of each plate-to a second position, such as that shown in, may then be a rotation of the corresponding plate relative to the corresponding cross-section of the elongated housing. In the second position, the plate is then angled-relative to the horizontally extending first position, as well as relative to the corresponding cross-sectional plane-

In the embodiment shown, consecutive platesrotate in opposite directions between the first and second positions, such that in the second position, consecutive plates are angledrelative to the horizontally extending first position and the corresponding cross-sectional planein opposite directions from each other. Accordingly, in the second position, the platesare not parallel to each other, although non-consecutive platesc may be.

The rotation of the plates-relative to the cross-sectional plane-may use a variety of mechanisms. In the embodiment shown, each of the plates-have a first endand a second end. The first endof each plate-is then fixed at a cross-sectional plane-such that the corresponding plate rotates about the first endas a pivot point. In the embodiment shown, the first endof each plate comprises a pinwhich mates with a slotin either the housingor a structural member of the spreading device.

The second endof each plate-is then moved out of the cross-sectional plane-The second endof each plate-can then be moved vertically out of the corresponding plane-and the first endof each plate-can rotate and translate simultaneously.

show the spreading deviceofwith a motorand drive chainsin place. As shown, a single motormay be provided to generate movement at the second endof each of the plurality of plates-. Power from the motormay be transmitted to gearing associated with each plate-by way of a drive chain. In this manner, the movement of the plates-may be simultaneous and easily coordinated. Movement from the single motormay be transmitted by way of gearing so as to generate rotational movement adjacent the second endof each of the plurality of plates-The gearing arrangement may then transform the rotational movement to vertical movement.