Abstract: A cutter drum of the type adapted for use in milling a roadway surface is disclosed, and which comprises a plurality of flighting assemblies fixed to the surface of the drum in a helical configuration. Each flighting assembly comprises a base plate which is aligned with a plane which perpendicularly intersects the central axis of the drum, and rear and forward support blocks fixed to one side of the base plate to define a channel therebetween. A tooth holder is mounted in the channel, and the holder has an outer portion which extends radially above the outer edge of the base plate, and the tooth holder is releasably mounted in the channel by means of a bolt. The portion of the tooth holder in the channel is protectively covered by the side surface of the base plate of an adjacent assembly.

Abstract: A drum mixer is disclosed which is useful in the continuous production of asphalt paving composition. The mixer includes a hollow drum which is mounted for rotation about an inclined axis, and the aggregate is introduced into the upper end of the drum so that the drum rotates, the aggregate cascades through the interior of the drum and moves toward a discharge outlet at the lower end of the drum. A burner is mounted adjacent one end of the drum so that a heated gas passes through cascading aggregate. To permit the temperature of the exhaust gas to be maintained within acceptable limits so as to avoid detrimental effects to a downstream filtering baghouse, there is provided a gas flow bypass tube which is mounted coaxially within the drum. The tube may be selectively opened and closed, and upon opening the bypass tube, a portion of the heated gas is able to pass freely through a portion of the length of the drum and to the exhaust duct, without passing through the cascading aggregate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing asphaltic mix for roadway use is disclosed, and which comprises a primary plant which is designed to be located remote from the point of use, and a separate satellite plant which is designed to be located relatively close to the point of use. The primary plant heats and dries the stone aggregate, segregates the aggregate by size, and mixes the aggregate with a small amount of liquid asphalt so as to suppress the dust. The resulting pre-mixed product of the primary plant is then transported by truck to the satellite plant, where it is stored and then mixed with a further quantity of liquid asphalt to render the mix suitable for roadway use. The primary plant performs the functions which require substantial equipment and space, and which have the more significant environmental impact, whereas the satellite plant may be relatively small and inexpensive, and its operation makes no significant environmental impact.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for the cold, in-place recycling of asphalt paving of an asphalt roadway. The apparatus is self-propelled, and it includes a cylindrical milling drum mounted at a medial location along its longitudinal length and which serves to remove a thickness of the asphalt paving and break the same into particles as the apparatus moves forwardly along the roadway. The particles are lifted to a separating screen which is positioned forwardly of the drum, and the particles are thereby separated into a first portion of relatively small particles suitable for recycling and a second portion of oversized particles. The first portion is delivered to the rear end of the apparatus where it is mixed with a suitable liquid additive, and then discharged onto the roadway. A following paver then forms the discharged material into new paving. The second portion of oversized particles is discharged onto the roadway at a location in front of the milling drum.

Abstract: A portable self-erecting storage apparatus for asphaltic mix or the like is disclosed, and which comprises a main frame, and three separate wheeled carriages which are mounted in tandem and are concurrently pivotable between a lowered ground engaging position so that the apparatus is highway transportable, and a raised position so that the frame contacts the ground and thus forms the foundation pad for the apparatus during use. The illustrated embodiment includes a secondary frame which supports a storage container, and the secondary frame and the container may be pivoted about an elevated axis between a generally horizontal transport position and a vertical upright or operative position.

Abstract: A portable self-erecting storage apparatus for asphaltic mix is disclosed and which comprises an elongate material conveying assembly and a separate material storage assembly. The two assemblies are adapted to be separately transported on a highway to the construction site. To effect erection at the construction site, the two assemblies are joined in a nose-to-nose arrangement, and then lifted together in a smooth, continuous lifting operation by a pair of hydraulic jacks mounted on the storage assembly. In the erected position, the container of the storage assembly is vertically oriented and positioned at an elevated location above ground level so as to permit a truck to be driven below the container, and the conveying assembly is inclined upwardly so that its discharge end overlies the top of the container.

Abstract: An asphalt plant apparatus includes an inclined rotary drum dryer, the lower end of which is received within a concentric fixed sleeve. Aggregate is introduced into the upper end of the rotary drum dryer for heating and drying and is discharged from the lower end of the drum into an annular space between the drum and the concentric fixed sleeve. Recycleable asphalt pavement (RAP) and fines may be introduced into the annular space along with the heated and dried aggregate. Flights on the exterior of the rotating drum mix the aggregate and RAP and move the mixture toward the opposite end of the concentric fixed sleeve, heat from the heated aggregate, from the flights, and from the hot shell of the drum melting the asphaltic content of the RAP. Liquid asphalt is introduced into the sleeve for mixing along with the aggregate and RAP, and the resulting mixture is discharged from the sleeve for use as an asphalt paving composition.

Abstract: A tandem screed for use with a paving machine for compacting and smoothing asphalt paving composition includes a front screed mounted at the end of a towing arm and a rear screed mounted to the rear of the front screed and laterally extensible with respect thereto. A rear screed hydraulic cylinder is hooked up in series with a tow point hydraulic cylinder such that as the tow point is lowered, the rear screed is lowered with respect to the front screed; and as the tow point is raised, the rear screed is raised with respect to the front screed. The rear screed is thereby maintained at the same elevation as the front screed as the tow point is raised or lowered, thus avoiding bumps and irregularities in the pavement surface.

Abstract: Asphalt plant apparatus comprising a drum dryer, a collection chamber or "knock-out box," a "baghouse," and a separate pugmill coater disposed directly underneath the collection chamber so that dust particles which settle out of the airstream in the collection chamber fall directly into the pugmill coater. The apparatus solves the problem of light-end hydrocarbon pollutants which can be stripped from liquid asphalt by contact with steam, in that the liquid asphalt is introduced not into the drum dryer but into the separate pugmill coater instead. Since no liquid asphalt is present in the drum dryer to coat and control the aggregate dust, the exhaust air from the dryer is more heavily dust-laden than that from a conventional drum mixer. However, the apparatus utilizes a collection chamber to compensate for the additional dust in the exhaust air by recovering part of that dust and dropping it directly into the pugmill coater, where it is mixed with the aggregate and liquid asphalt.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recycling asphalt shingles in an asphalt plant which heats and dries aggregate and mixes the heated and dried aggregate with liquid asphalt to form an asphalt paving composition. The shingles are comminuted to particles of a size which can be easily flowed and metered, and the shingle particles are introduced into the asphalt plant such that they are heated to melt the asphalt in the shingle particles. The aggregate, heated shingle particles, and liquid asphalt are thoroughly mixed to form an asphalt paving composition.

Abstract: The invention comprises a coal-fired burner system for use in a drum mix asphalt plant or drum dryer used for producing asphalt paving composition. Coal to fire the burner is ground to a -200 mesh size by an air-swept rotary impact mill, and a classifier at the exit from the mill controls the size of the particles leaving the mill. The pulverized coal particles are recovered from the exhaust airflow exiting the mill by a fiber filter collector and temporarily stored in a small surge bin. Coal is metered from the surge bin into a primary air conduit leading to the burner. The availability of a small but ready supply of coal in the surge bin provides quick response to a need for increased coal while avoiding the dangerous storage of large quantities of pulverized coal dust. As the weight of coal dust in the surge bin decreases, control circuitry provides for the processing of additional coal to maintain a ready supply of processed coal in the surge bin.

Abstract: Self-erecting apparatus for transporting and temporarily storing material such as asphalt; the apparatus includes a surge bin and a drag chute for transporting the asphalt material from a drum plant to the surge bin. The drag chute and the surge bin are pivotally attached to each other and to a flat bed trailer, permitting their simultaneous raising and lowering by means of a winch apparatus attached by means of cables to the support legs of the surge bin to provide ease of lowering the bin for transportation of the apparatus from one site to another and ease in erecting the bin at a new site. A foldable side panel of the surge bin permits the drag chute to nest in the surge bin thus providing a more compact arrangement of the apparatus when in the lowered configuration.

Abstract: Apparatus for weighing-out material from a collapsible surge bin. The surge bin is mounted above a collapsible frame such that the points of attachment of the surge bin to the collapsible frame comprise a load cell for weighing the surge bin and the contents thereof. The load cells are connected to control circuitry which actuate a gate in the bottom of the surge bin to thereby dispense asphalt-aggregate material from the surge bin. The control circuitry also operates a door in a batcher above the surge bin to thereby regulate the flow of asphalt-aggregate material being delivered into the surge bin.

Abstract: Closure apparatus for the opening in the top of a storage bin or the like, including means for providing a liquid seal between the inside of the storage bin and the outside atmosphere. The apparatus includes a reservoir surrounding the opening in the storage bin and a movable gate structure including a downwardly extending wall that is lowered into the reservoir when the gate structure is moved into a closed position.

Abstract: Self-erecting apparatus for transporting and temporarily storing material such as asphalt; the apparatus includes a surge bin and a drag chute for transporting the asphalt material from a drum plant to the surge bin. The drag chute and the surge bin are pivotally attached to each other and to a flat bed trailer, permitting their simultaneous raising and lowering by means of a winch apparatus attached by means of cables to the support legs of the surge bin to provide ease of lowering the bin for transportation of the apparatus from one site to another and ease in erecting the bin at a new site. A foldable side panel of the surge bin permits the drag chute to nest in the surge bin thus providing a more compact arrangement of the apparatus when in the lowered configuration.

Abstract: Apparatus for weighing-out material from a collapsible surge bin. The surge bin is mounted above a collapsible frame such that the points of attachment of the surge bin to the collapsible frame comprise a load cell for weighing the surge bin and the contents thereof. The load cells are connected to control circuitry which actuates a gate in the bottom of the surge bin to thereby dispense asphalt-aggregate material from the surge bin. The control circuitry also operates a door in a batcher above the surge bin to thereby regulate the flow of asphalt-aggregate material being delivered into the surge bin.

Abstract: The improved homopolar generator includes a unit carrying the brushes which may be easily removed from the yoke structure. The unit includes brushes, a portion of the return conductor and a movable segment of the yoke, and rides along tracks extending from within the yoke cavity to a position outside of the yoke cavity. The yoke segment included in the unit fits into a mating opening in the yoke, and the magnetic field created by the field coil holds the movable yoke segment in position against the yoke.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring out material from a cold feed bin for use with a drum mix plant. The apparatus comprises a plurality of cold feed bins supported on a plurality of legs above a frame. Each leg of the bins rests upon a load cell which thereby measure the weight of the bin and material contained therein. Control circuitry connected to the load cells regulates belt feeders disposed below each bin which adjust the rate at which material is dispensed from each bin in response to the weight measured by the load cells to maintain a desired rate of weight reduction. A belt conveyor disposed below the belt feeders transports the dispensed material to the input of a mixing plant.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for measuring out liquid asphalt gravimetrically. The apparatus comprises a plurality of tanks for containing liquid asphalt, each tank being suspended from a load cell, a series of pipes, valves and a pump for selectively filling the tanks with asphalt and a series of pipes, a valve and a variable rate pump for selectively removing the liquid asphalt from the tanks. The load cells are connected to a control circuit which converts the signals from the load cells into the corresponding weight of the tanks and the liquid asphalt contained therein. The control circuit is also connected to the variable rate pump to control the rate at which liquid asphalt is removed from the tank in response to the load cells.