Apparatus for handling particulate material

Claim 2

A loader mounted for movement with a paver having a material receiving portion, said loader comprising, a rearwardly inclined conveyor and wall means defining a storage area, which wall means include a rear wall adjacent said conveyor, a chute communicating with the top of said rear wall and arranged for receiving material from said conveyor, said chute having a lower discharge end spaced a predetermined distance above the material receiving portion of said paver whereby any excess material piled up in said material receiving portion of the paver will back up in said chute and drop back into said storage area.

Claim 3

A loading machine mounted for movement with an apparatus having a particulate material receiving area, said loading machine comprising, wall means defining a cavity for receiving and storing particulate material, a conveyor in said cavity for elevating material from the bottom of the cavity to an upper portion thereof, a chute having one end thereof communicating with said cavity adjacent said upper portion thereof for receiving particulate material elevated by said conveyor, said chute having its other end spaced a predetermined distance above said material receiving area for discharging material thereinto and for being closed by excess material piling up in said area thereby causing additional material being elevated by the conveyor to back up in said chute and drop back into said cavity for recirculation by the conveyor.

Claim 4

A loading machine mounted for movement with an apparatus having a particulate material receiving area, said loading machine comprising, wall means defining a cavity for receiving and storing particulate material, a conveyor in said cavity for elevating material from the bottom of the cavity to an upper portion thereof, a chute having one end thereof communicating with said cavity adjacent said upper portion thereof for receiving particulate material elevated by said conveyor, said chute having its other end spaced a predetermined distance above said material receiving area for discharging material thereinto and for being closed by excess material piling up in said area thereby causing additional material being elevated by the conveyor to back up in said chute and drop back into said cavity for recirculation by the conveyor.

Claim 5

The loading machine according to claim 2 wherein said apparatus is a paving machine, said loading machine being supported for movement with the paving machine.

Claim 6

A loading apparatus mounted for movement with a paving machine and adapted to transport particulate material deposited on the surface to be paved to the material receiving area of the paving machine, said loading apparatus comprising, wall means defining a cavity for receiving and storing particulate material, said wall means also defining an inlet adjacent the bottom of said cavity and said surface and an outlet adjacent an uppEr portion of said cavity, a conveyor in said cavity for elevating material from said inlet to said outlet, scraping means adjacent said inlet to facilitate the advancement of particulate material from said surface to a location for being engaged by said conveyor, a chute having one end thereof communicating with said outlet for receiving material elevated by said conveyor, said chute having its other end spaced a predetermined distance above said material receiving area for discharging the particulate material thereinto and for being closed by excess material piling up in said area thereby causing additional material being elevated by the conveyor to back up in said chute and drop back into said cavity for recirculation by the conveyor.

Claim 7

A loading apparatus mounted for movement with a paving machine and adapted to transport particulate material deposited on the surface to be paved to the material receiving area of the paving machine, said loading apparatus comprising, wall means defining a cavity for receiving and storing particulate material, said wall means also defining an inlet adjacent the bottom of said cavity and said surface and an outlet adjacent an uppEr portion of said cavity, a conveyor in said cavity for elevating material from said inlet to said outlet, scraping means adjacent said inlet to facilitate the advancement of particulate material from said surface to a location for being engaged by said conveyor, a chute having one end thereof communicating with said outlet for receiving material elevated by said conveyor, said chute having its other end spaced a predetermined distance above said material receiving area for discharging the particulate material thereinto and for being closed by excess material piling up in said area thereby causing additional material being elevated by the conveyor to back up in said chute and drop back into said cavity for recirculation by the conveyor.

Claim 8

The loading apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said loading apparatus is in the form of a separate, self-propelled vehicle.

Claim 9

The loading apparatus according to claim 4 further defined by said scraping means including scrapers extending outwardly from both sides of said inlet for directing material on said surface on either side of the path of movement of the loading apparatus toward said inlet in response to movement of the loading apparatus.

Claim 10

The loading apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said scrapers are pivotally mounted to each side of the loading apparatus.

Claim 11

The loading apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said conveyor includes spaced blades thereby defining openings to facilitate the dropping of excess material to the bottom of said cavity.

Claim 12

The loading apparatus according to claim 4 further defined by, said loading apparatus being in the form of a separate vehicle, means connecting said vehicle to said paving machine, said connecting means including lifting means adapted to transfer a portion of the weight of the paving machine to said vehicle.

Claim 13

The loading apparatus according to claim 4 further defined by, said conveyor being mounted for movement in a direction opposite the direction of movement of said paving machine as the conveyor passes said inlet whereby the engagement of the conveyor with the material on said surface assists in moving the paving machine.

Claim 14

The loading apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said loading apparatus is in the form of a separate, self-propelled vehicle connected to said paving machine.

Claim 15

The loading apparatus according to claim 4 wherein such apparatus is an integral part of the paving machine.

Claim 16

The loading apparatus according to claim 6 wherein such apparatus is in the form of a separate vehicle having a pair of front wheels, said pair of wheels being mounted on respective pivotable arms connected to opposite sides of the apparatus with each of the pivotable arms having means for varying the angle thereof with respect to the path of movement of the apparatus thereby to enable selection of the transverse spacing between said wheels, and wherein said scrapers are carried by said arms, respectively.