Windrow pickup attachment for asphalt pavement laying apparatus

Claim 1

In asphalt pavement laying apparatus including a longitudinally aligned asphalt aggregate spreading unit and a hopper arranged for feeding aggregate thereto, the hopper including a high back wall, a low front wall, and on its bottom a longitudinally extending conveyor, a windrow pickup attachment comprising in combination with the hopper: (a) a chute mounted pivotally at its rearward end adjacent the upper end of the front wall of the hopper and extending longitudinally forward thereof, (b) drive means interengaging the chute and hopper for pivoting the chute between a lowered, working position for receiving asphalt aggregate from a windrow, and a raised, transport position, (c) an elongated conveyor frame mounted pivotally at its rearward end adjacent the upper end of the back wall of the hopper and extending forwardly thereof over the hopper and chute, (d) an elongated endless flight conveyor supported at its longitudinal ends on the conveyor frame for longitudinal movement relative thereto and including a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse flight members, the lower working stretch of the conveyor being arranged for movement in the rearward direction relative to the chute for moving asphalt aggregate from a windrow rearwardly up the chute and into the hopper, and (e) conveyor support means on the conveyor frame arranged for releasable and movable engagement with the chute for supporting the forward portion of the frame freely by the chute and for limiting movement of the frame and conveyor toward the chute during movement of the chute between said working and transport positions and for allowing movement of the frame and conveyor freely toward and away from the chute as the flights engage a windrow of asphalt aggregate.