Highway spreader

Claim 2

Apparatus for spreading granular material on the surface of highways comprising a hopper adapted to be mounted on a motor truck for containing a supply of granular material, said hopper having sidewalls, end walls and a bottom wall, said bottom wall being formed with two troughs extending lengthwise of the hopper in parallel spaced relation, the areas of said bottom wall adjacent the sides of said troughs inclining downwardly toward said troughs, an enclosed passageway disposed in upwardly spaced relation relative to each of said troughs and extending lengthwise of the hopper between the end walls thereof, one of said end walls being formed with discharge openings arranged in registration with like ends of said troughs, said one end wall being also formed with a return chain opening located above each of said discharge openings, a spreader unit housing affixed to one said end wall in registration with each of said discharge openings, a driving sprocket and an idler sprocket journaled in each of said housings, a pair of free running sprocKets journaled at the opposite ends of each of said troughs, a conveyor chain having a lower run arranged in each of said troughs and trained over said sprockets at the ends of the trough, power means connected to each of said driving sprockets and operable to move the lower runs of said conveyor chains along said troughs toward said discharge openings, and a power operated spreader arranged in juxtaposition to each of said discharge openings for receiving material therefrom.

Claim 3

Apparatus for spreading granular material on the surface of highways comprising a hopper adapted to be mounted on a motor truck for containing a supply of granular material, said hopper having sidewalls, end walls and a bottom wall, one of said end walls being formed with a discharge opening, a conveyor operable to move granular material from said hopper through said opening, a vertically disposed spreader unit housing affixed to said end wall in registration with said discharge opening, a spreader spinner journaled in said housing for rotation about a vertical axis, power means for effecting rotation of said spinner, a pair of material deflecting plates mounted in said housing above said spinner and extending upwardly therefrom, said plates being pivotally attached at their upper ends to said housing and adjusting means operable exteriorly of the housing for adjusting the lower ends of said plates in a direction fore and aft of the axis of said spinner.

Claim 4

Apparatus for spreading granular material on the surface of highways comprising a hopper adapted to be mounted on a motor truck for containing a supply of granular material, said hopper having sidewalls, end walls and a bottom wall, one of said end walls being formed with a discharge opening, a conveyor operable to move granular material from said hopper through said opening, a vertically disposed spreader unit housing affixed to said end wall in registration with said discharge opening, a spreader spinner journaled in said housing for rotation about a vertical axis, power means for effecting rotation of said spinner, a pair of material deflecting plates mounted in said housing above said spinner and extending upwardly therefrom, said plates being pivotally attached at their upper ends to said housing and adjusting means operable exteriorly of the housing for adjusting the lower ends of said plates in a direction fore and aft of the axis of said spinner.

Claim 5

Apparatus for spreading granular material on the surface of highways comprising a hopper adapted to be mounted on a motor truck for containing a supply of granular material, said hopper having sidewalls, end walls, and a bottom wall, said bottom wall being formed with two troughs extending lengthwise of the hopper in parallel spaced relation, an enclosed passageway disposed in upwardly spaced relation relative to each of said troughs and extending lengthwise of the hopper between the end walls thereof, said hopper end walls being formed with discharge openings arranged in registration with the ends of said troughs, closures detachably fixed to one of said end walls closing said discharge openings in said end wall, a discharge housing affixed to the opposite end wall of said hopper in registration with each discharge opening therein, a driving sprocket and an idler sprocket journaled in each of said discharge housings, a pair of freerunning sprockets journaled in said hopper in proximity to the opposite end wall thereof, a conveyor chain having a lower run arranged in each of said troughs and trained over said sprockets at the ends of the troughs, a power means mounted on each of said discharge housings and being operatively connected to said driving sprockets journaled therein and operable to move the lower runs of said conveyor chains along said troughs toward said discharge openings, and a power-operated spreader arranged below and in juxtaposition to each of said discharge housings for receiving material therefrom.

Claim 6

Apparatus for spreading granular material on the surface of highways comprising a hopper adapted to be mounted on a motor truck for containing a supply of granular material, said hopper having sidewalls, end walls, and a bottom wall, said bottom wall being formed with two troughs extending lengthwise of the hopper in parallel spaced relation, an enclosed passageway disposed in upwardly spaced relation relative to each of said troughs and extending lengthwise of the hopper between the end walls thereof, said hopper end walls being formed with discharge openings arranged in registration with the ends of said troughs, closures detachably fixed to one of said end walls closing said discharge openings in said end wall, a discharge housing affixed to the opposite end wall of said hopper in registration with each discharge opening therein, a driving sprocket and an idler sprocket journaled in each of said discharge housings, a pair of freerunning sprockets journaled in said hopper in proximity to the opposite end wall thereof, a conveyor chain having a lower run arranged in each of said troughs and trained over said sprockets at the ends of the troughs, a power means mounted on each of said discharge housings and being operatively connected to said driving sprockets journaled therein and operable to move the lower runs of said conveyor chains along said troughs toward said discharge openings, and a power-operated spreader arranged below and in juxtaposition to each of said discharge housings for receiving material therefrom.