Pavement surfacing machine with vacuum water recovery system

Claim 1

In a pavement surfacing machine the combination of: a. frame means having longitudinally spaced front and rear ends; b. front wheel means connected to and supporting said frame means adjacent said front end thereof; c. rear wheel means connected to and supporting said frame means adjacent said rear end thereof; d. power means carried by said frame means; e. propelling means connecting said power means to one of said wheel means for propelling the machine; f. transversely extending rotary surfacing means carried by said frame means between said front and rear wheel means, and rotatable about a transverse axis, for cutting grooves in pavement over which the machine runs, in the direction of movement of the machine; g. means connecting said power means to said rotary surfacing means for driving said rotary surfacing means; h. means for delivering water to a transversely extending zone of engagement between said rotary surfacing means and the pavement; i. transversely extending, downwardly facing vacuum head means paralleling said rotary surfacing means, and spaced longitudinally from said rotary surfacing means in the direction of longitudinal movement of said rotary surfacing means through said zone of engagement, whereby said rotary surfacing means propels water toward said vacuum head means; j. vacuum means connected to said vacuum head means for causing the latter to pick up water and cuttings there adjacent; k. another transversely extending, downwardly facing vacuum head means paralleling said rotary surfacing means on the opposite side thereof from the vacuum head means first mentioned, and also connected to said vacuum means; l. shroud means surrounding said rotary surfacing means and said vacuum head means and having depending skirt means engageable with the pavement; and m. flexible means dependently suspending said vacuum means so that they may float relative to said rotary surfacing means.