Material spreader for trucks

Claim 2

A material spreader usable with a dump truck having a material carrying bin with a pair of lateral sidewalls to dispense material from the bin and onto a roadway, comprising: a material moving apparatus attachable to the truck and mountable adjacent the rear of the bin, said apparatus including dispensing means positionable to receive material from the bin and to release the material in a rearward and downward direction to define a flow of material extending substantially between the lateral sidewalls of the bin, and further including an open-ended conveyor positioned below said dispensing means to receive material from said dispensing means and capable of moving material received from said dispensing means laterally relative to the truck and discharging the material laterally from the open-ended conveyor and onto the roadway; and ramp means movably mounted to said material moving apparatus and movable between a storage position permitting unobstructed flow of material from said dispensing means to said conveyor, and an operating position overlying said conveyor, wherein said ramp means intercepts material released from said dispensing means, said ramp means when in operating position being angled transversely to said rearward and downward direction of flow rearwardly and downwardly from said dispensing means to rearwardly deflect and distribute the material.

Claim 3

The material spreader of claim 1 wherein said ramp means is swingably mounted to said material moving apparatus to swing between said storage and said operating positions.

Claim 4

The material spreader of claim 1 wherein said ramp means is swingably mounted to said conveyor to swing between said storage and operating positions.

Claim 5

The material spreader of claim 1 wherein said ramp means includes a plurality of rigid, flat, generally rectangular shields.

Claim 6

The material spreader of claim 1 wherein said dispensing means includes a framework attachable to said bin and an elongated dispensing drum rotatably mounted to said framework and extending transversely across the rear of the truck to dispense the material in said downward rearward direction toward said ramp means.

Claim 7

The material spreader of claim 5 wherein said conveyor includes a hopper positioned to receive material from said dispensing drum and wherein said ramp means in swingably mounted to said hopper to swing between said operating and storage positions.

Claim 8

The material spreader of claim 6 wherein said material moving apparatus includes an elongated splash panel positioned forwardly of and generally parallel to said hopper and below said dispensing means to block unwanted snow, water and mud which would otherwise splash into said hopper during movement of the truck.

Claim 9

The material spreader of claim 1 wherein said ramp means is swingably mounted to said conveyor and said conveyor is pivotally mounted to said dispensing means so as to be self leveling when the bin of the truck is elevated, and said ramp means having a leading edge spaced closely adjacent said dispensing means and movable along a path as said conveyor pivots during self leveling, said path being clear of said dispensing means so as to permit unimpeded operation of said dispensing means while said ramp means is in operating position to intercept material released from said dispensing means.

Claim 10

The material spreader of claim 8 wherein said ramp means is carried pendently downwardly from said conveyor when in storage position.

Claim 11

The material spreader of claim 8 wherein said conveyor includes an endless conveyor surface and wherein said ramp means includes a generally flat surface oriented transversely relative to said conveyor surface when in said operating position.

Claim 12

In combination with a dump truck having a material carrying bin, a material spreader usable to dispense the material from the bin and onto a roadway, comprising: dispensing means attached to the rear of said bin and including a rotatable dispensing drum, said dispensing drum receiving the material from within the bin and discharging the material rearwardly and downwardly from said drum all along the rear of said bin; an open-ended conveyor having a hopper positioned below said dispensing means to receive material from said dispensing drum, said conveyor arranged to move the material laterally relative to said truck and discharge the material laterally from said open-ended conveyor; and interception means pivotally mounted to said conveyor and extending substantially all along said drum, said interception means movable between a storage position permitting free flow of material from said drum to said conveyor hopper and an operating position overlying said hopper and below and rearwardly of said drum to intercept material released from said dispensing drum and prevent such material reaching said hopper, said interception means being angled rearwardly and downwardly from said dispensing means and over said hopper to receive and guide material rearwardly over said hopper and dispense a flow of the material rearwardly of said conveyor and all along the said interception means.

Claim 13

In combination with a dump truck having a material carrying bin, a material spreader usable to dispense the material from the bin and onto a roadway, comprising: dispensing means attached to the rear of said bin and including a rotatable dispensing drum, said dispensing drum receiving the material from within the bin and discharging the material rearwardly and downwardly from said drum all along the rear of said bin; an open-ended conveyor having a hopper positioned below said dispensing means to receive material from said dispensing drum, said conveyor arranged to move the material laterally relative to said truck and discharge the material laterally from said open-ended conveyor; and interception means pivotally mounted to said conveyor and extending substantially all along said drum, said interception means movable between a storage position permitting free flow of material from said drum to said conveyor hopper and an operating position overlying said hopper and below and rearwardly of said drum to intercept material released from said dispensing drum and prevent such material reaching said hopper, said interception means being angled rearwardly and downwardly from said dispensing means and over said hopper to receive and guide material rearwardly over said hopper and dispense a flow of the material rearwardly of said conveyor and all along the said interception means.

Claim 14

A material spreader usable with a dump truck having a material carrying bin to dispense the material from the bin and onto a roadway, comprising: a material moving apparatus attachable to the truck and mountable adjacent the rear of the bin, said apparatus including dispensing means positionable to receive material from the bin and to release the material from the bin, and further including a conveyor positioned adjacent said dispensing means to receive material from said dispensing means and capable of moving the material laterally relative to the truck and discharging the material laterally onto the roadway; and interception means movably mounted to said material moving apparatus and movable between a storage position wherein said interception means extends pendently downward from said apparatus permitting material from said dispensing means to be freely transmitted to said conveyor, and an operating position between said conveyor and said dispensing means, wherein said interception means is oriented transverse to the direction of flow of material from said dispensing means to said conveyor to intercept material released from said dispensing means and deflect the intercepted material away from said conveyor and rearwardly onto the roadway.

Claim 15

A material spreader usable with a dump truck having a material carrying bin to dispense the material from the bin and onto a roadway, comprising: a material moving apparatus attachable to the truck and mountable adjacent the rear of the bin, said apparatus including dispensing means positionable to receive material from the bin and to release the material from the bin, and further including a conveyor positioned adjacent said dispensing means to receive material from said dispensing means and capable of moving the material laterally relative to the truck and discharging the material laterally onto the roadway; and interception means movably mounted to said material moving apparatus and movable between a storage position wherein said interception means extends pendently downward from said apparatus permitting material from said dispensing means to be freely transmitted to said conveyor, and an operating position between said conveyor and said dispensing means, wherein said interception means is oriented transverse to the direction of flow of material from said dispensing means to said conveyor to intercept material released from said dispensing means and deflect the intercepted material away from said conveyor and rearwardly onto the roadway.