Pavement, curb and gutter concrete laying machine

Claim 2

A machine for laying a plastic mixture such as concrete, asphalt or the like in a ribbon on a supporting surface as the machine travels forwardly over such surface, comprising: a. a frame having a rigid front portion supported on a steerable front wheel assembly and a rear portion comprising a cross-beam secured to said front portion and a pair of longitudinally extending beams projecting rearwardly therefrom; b. means adjustably mounting at least one of said longitudinally extending beams on said cross-beam for movement toward and away from the other in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the machine; c. a pair of wheel support assemblies supporting respective ones of said longitudinally extending beams and connected thereto by a vertical height adjusting mechanism; d. an open bottom hopper secured to said rear frame portion; e. a downwardly facing open bottom slip forming mold detachably secured to said hopper and extending rearwardly from the open bottom of said hopper; f. a paddle assembly rotatably mounted in said hopper for rotation about an axis transverse to the direction of travel of the machine to agitate the mixture in the hopper and transfer the same therefrom through the open bottom into said mold; and g. means for driving said paddle assembly.

Claim 3

A machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said mold has a forward end opening into the hopper to provide a continuation of the open bottom and a trailing end located rearwardly therefrom and from which the deposited material emerges as the machine moves forwardly, said trailing end of the mold being located between the pair of wheel support assemblies and arranged relative to the position of attachment of the support assemblies to the longitudinal beams and hopper such that a major distribution of the weight of the machine on the groundengaging support assemblies is located adjacent the trailing end of the mold so as to provide a pivot point at said trailing end of the mold for turning of the machine in changing direction as it moves forwardly.

Claim 4

A concrete laying machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the height adjustment mechanisms are operable by detector means on the machine adapted to detect vertical movement of the machine with respect to an external datum line.

Claim 5

A machine as defined in claim 3 including further detector means on said machine adapted to actuate the steerable front which assembly in rsponse to changes in direction of said datum line

Claim 6

A machine as defined in claim 1 including drive means connected to said front steerable wheel assembly to control the rate of travel of the machine in a forward direction.

Claim 7

A concrete laying machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said ground-engaging wheel support assemblies comprise two trains of longitudinally spaced ground wheels located respectively on opposite sides of the machine, said wheels in each train being mounted on independent axles parallel to each other and disposed transverse to the direction of travel of the machine.

Claim 8

A concrete laying machine according to claim 6 wherein each train of ground wheels consists of two pairs of tandem wheels and each pair of tandem wheels is independently pivotally connected to opposite ends of a major frame member of the respective ground wheel assembly.

Claim 9

A concrete laying machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said height adjustment comprises hydraulic motors operable by a hydraulic system, the circuit of which includes control means adapted to select the direction and magnitude of the height adjustment.

Claim 10

A concrete laying machine as defined in claim 8 wherein the height adjustment mechanisms are operable by detector means on the machine adapted to detect vertical movement of the machine with respect to an external datum line.

Claim 11

A machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said hopper is located between said pair of longitudinally extending beams.

Claim 12

A machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said hopper is cantilevered from said beams and projects laterally from the machine in a direction transverse to the direction of travel thereof.

Claim 13

A machine for laying a ribbon of moldable plastic mixture such as concrete or the like as the machine moves forwardly, comprising: a. a frame comprising a pair of longitudinally extending beams, a cross-beam interconnecting the same at the leading end thereof, and means adjustably mounting at least one of said longitudinally extending beams on said cross-beam for movement in a direction towards and away from the other one of said longitudinally extending beams; b. a pair of ground-engaging support assemblies; c. a height adjustment mechanism connected to the frame of said machine and connecting respective ones of two ground wheel assemblies located on opposite sides of the machine, said height adjustment mechanisms comprising hydraulic motors operable by a hydraulic system, the circuit of which includes control means adapted to select the direction and magnitude of the height adjustment and operable by detector means on the machine adapted to detect vertical movement of the machine with respect to an external datum line; d. a hopper secured to said frame for holding a plastic mixture to be deposited as the machine moves forwardly and having an open bottom for discharging the mixture directly onto the surface over which the machine travels, said hopper being located between the ground-engaging support assemblies; and e. a downwardly facing upon bottom mold mounted on said frame and extending rearwardly from said hopper, said mold having a forward end opening into the hopper to provide a continuation of the open bottom and a trailing end located rearwardly therefrom and from which the deposited material emerges as the machine moves forwardly, said trailing end of the mold being located between the ground-engaging support assemblies and arranged relative to the position of attachment of the support assemblies to the frame such that a major distribution of the weight of the machine on the ground-engaging support assemblies is located adjacent the trailing end of the mold so as to provide a pivot point at said trailing end of the mold for turning of the machine in changing direction as it moves forwardly.

Claim 14

A machine for laying a ribbon of moldable plastic mixture such as concrete or the like as the machine moves forwardly, comprising: a. a frame comprising a pair of longitudinally extending beams, a cross-beam interconnecting the same at the leading end thereof, and means adjustably mounting at least one of said longitudinally extending beams on said cross-beam for movement in a direction towards and away from the other one of said longitudinally extending beams; b. a pair of ground-engaging support assemblies; c. a height adjustment mechanism connected to the frame of said machine and connecting respective ones of two ground wheel assemblies located on opposite sides of the machine, said height adjustment mechanisms comprising hydraulic motors operable by a hydraulic system, the circuit of which includes control means adapted to select the direction and magnitude of the height adjustment and operable by detector means on the machine adapted to detect vertical movement of the machine with respect to an external datum line; d. a hopper secured to said frame for holding a plastic mixture to be deposited as the machine moves forwardly and having an open bottom for discharging the mixture directly onto the surface over which the machine travels, said hopper being located between the ground-engaging support assemblies; and e. a downwardly facing upon bottom mold mounted on said frame and extending rearwardly from said hopper, said mold having a forward end opening into the hopper to provide a continuation of the open bottom and a trailing end located rearwardly therefrom and from which the deposited material emerges as the machine moves forwardly, said trailing end of the mold being located between the ground-engaging support assemblies and arranged relative to the position of attachment of the support assemblies to the frame such that a major distribution of the weight of the machine on the ground-engaging support assemblies is located adjacent the trailing end of the mold so as to provide a pivot point at said trailing end of the mold for turning of the machine in changing direction as it moves forwardly.

Claim 15

A machine as defined in claim 12 wherein said hopper is located between said pair of longitudinally extending beams.

Claim 16

A machine as defined in claim 12 wherein said hopper is cantilevered from said beams and projects laterally from the machine in a direction transverse to the direction of travel thereof.