Abstract: A spreader, in particular for winter service vehicles, for spreading out solid spreading materials includes a spreading-material container for receiving the solid spreading materials to be spread out, and at least one liquid tank arranged within the spreading-material container and having an at least partly flexible sheath and variable volume for receiving liquid. The spreader furthermore comprises a conveying device in a floor surface of the spreading-material container for conveying the spreading materials out of the spreading-material container. The floor surface of the spreading-material container is horizontal or almost horizontal, with the at least one liquid tank being arranged on or above the floor surface such that, upon an at least partial filling of the liquid tank, there is formed a sliding surface for the solid spreading materials to be spread out that is inclined toward the conveying device relative to the floor surface.

Abstract: A spreader, in particular for winter service vehicles, for spreading out solid spreading materials includes a spreading-material container for receiving the solid spreading materials to be spread out, and at least one liquid tank arranged within the spreading-material container and having an at least partly flexible sheath and variable volume for receiving liquid. The spreader furthermore comprises a conveying device in a floor surface of the spreading-material container for conveying the spreading materials out of the spreading-material container. The floor surface of the spreading-material container is horizontal or almost horizontal, with the at least one liquid tank being arranged on or above the floor surface such that, upon an at least partial filling of the liquid tank, there is formed a sliding surface for the solid spreading materials to be spread out that is inclined toward the conveying device relative to the floor surface.

Abstract: Device and a process for generating a signal dependent upon a liquid film on a surface. The device includes one of a heating arrangement and a cooling arrangement for subjecting a portion of the liquid film to a temperature change, a temperature measuring arrangement for determining the temperature of the liquid film, the temperature measurement arrangement being capable of producing a signal, and a control and evaluation device for controlling one of the heating arrangement and the cooling arrangement and the temperature measuring arrangement. The process includes subjecting a portion of the liquid film to a temperature change using one of a heating and a cooling arrangement, measuring a temperature of the portion using a temperature measuring arrangement, assigning a value which corresponds to a thickness of the liquid film to the temperature change using an evaluation device, and producing a signal.

Abstract: For transmitting early warning signals of slick road conditions (1, 2, 3, 4), in addition to automatic measuring stations (AMS1-AMS5) that have probes for the weather conditions and the freezing point of liquid present on the road, virtual stations (VS1-VS 11) are created and used for which weather data, freezing point data, and parameters are taken from the automatic measuring stations in order to transmit an early warning of slick conditions for the virtual stations also, by means of an evaluating device (5).

Abstract: Method and arrangement for dispensing a deicing liquid onto a traffic area through a stationary spraying arrangement. The method includes generating deicing liquid jets in the spraying arrangement, and discharging an amount of deicing liquid from each deicing liquid jet at a rate of less than approximately 1 l/min. The arrangement includes at least one deicing liquid pump, at least one deicing liquid conduit coupled to the at least one deicing liquid pump, and a plurality of spraying heads coupled to the at least one deicing liquid conduit. The spraying heads include at least one outlet opening having an inner diameter between approximately 0.1 mm and 1 mm.

Abstract: A chassis frame is supported on a front steering axle and a rear steering axle. Between the two axles and beneath the chassis frame, a hollow support serving as a main blow duct is pivotingly disposed. Raisably and lowerably connected to the support via levers is a sweeping-brush roller. Connected to the support are blowing nozzles which lead air supplied by a fan mounted on the chassis frame into a blow duct formed by a cover plate disposed in front of the sweeping-brush roller. Disposed within the blow duct are two suction ports which are connected via dirt-suction pipes to a vacuum-sweepings container disposed on the chassis frame. The outlet of the vacuum-sweeings container is connected at a dismantling point to an air-suction duct which is in turn connected to the intake of the fan. This cleaning vehicle can be used for snow clearance by opening a flap and closing another flap in an air-outlet pipe piece and by moving an operating lever from a middle position into either of two end positions.

Abstract: The sweeping brush of the machine is composed of two or more parts in order to maintain a constant pressure of the sweeping brush against the ground, to achieve faster clearance of the snow, and to avoid downtime for adjustments. These brush parts are swivellable relative to one another in a vertical plane. The common raising and lowering movement of the individual parts is controlled by a cylinder-piston unit, and the piston acting upon the brush parts is always impinged upon by a pressure opposite to the direction of movement. The individual brush parts may be connected to one another by torsion bars.

Abstract: A probe is fixed to a vertically displaceable rack. Under the probe is a reference plate freely exposed to snowfall. The probe is periodically lowered toward the reference plate and stopped when it encounters either the plate or a layer of snow which has fallen on the plate. With the aid of a light barrier and a perforated disk, electrical signals dependent upon the distance travelled by the probe are generated and transmitted to an evaluating device. This device calculates, on the basis of the signals received, the difference between the aforementioned distance travelled and the distance from the reference plate to the probe in its uppermost position. This difference corresponds to the thickness of the deposit of snow on the plate. For subsequent measurements, a new reference value corresponding to the surface of the snow already lying on the plate can be used for the calculation. Hence there is no need for clearing the plate of snow after each alarm signal.

Abstract: The spray valve comprises a cylindrical component having a central passage, which body is slidingly disposed in a widened portion of the valve body. The cross-sectional area of the central passage is smaller than that of the widened portion, so that the cylindrical component is displaced outwardly against the return force of a spring by the flow occuring when the spray valve is opened. A permanent magnet is embedded in the wall of the cylindrical component. In the wall of the valve body surrounding the widened portion thereof there is a blind bore in which a reed contact is inserted. Through the flow of liquid occuring when the spray valve is opened, the magnet is displaced into the field of response of the reed contact, which thus indicates the opening of the spray valve. This spray valve is intended to be utilized in a system for spraying a thawing agent. A plurality of control circuits are disposed along a roadway, one of the spray valves being associated with each control circuit.

Abstract: An eccentric-disk tamper, comprising a vibrator frame intended to be raisably and lowerably attached to a vehicle, also comprises at least one vibrator unit connected to the frame by means of parallel guide linkages and bolts disposed at the pivot points. To avoid wear and tear on the joint bolts and to maintain the damping effect of a rubber insert, the bolts are non-rotatably secured to an inner metal sleeve of a coupling link which further includes an outer metal sleeve and, compressed between these two sleeves, a rubber cylinder non-rotatably fixed to both sleeves. Each such coupling link is non-rotatably connected to a respective guide rod of a parallel linkage. A stop disposed between two such guide rods limits their angle of displacement to displacement within the elastic limit of the rubber.

Abstract: A portion of the test liquid is placed in the middle of a cooling plate having a central recess in which a thermometer probe is embedded in a heat-insulating material. Two Peltier elements disposed beneath the plate are connected in series and can be energized via a switch or a relay contact, thus chilling the portion of liquid. The probe may be connected to a voltage source and to an oscillograph which displays the voltage drop caused by the cooling liquid in the form of a curve. In another embodiment, the probe is series-connected to a constant-current source, and the voltage drop is amplified and supplied to an analog-to-digital converter connected to a microprocessor which both initiates the chilling operation and orders the A-D converter to sample the voltage and supply the equivalent digital value to the microprocessor itself.

Abstract: An early warning signal is produced when there is a danger of ice forming on a road surface by means of a device comprising a temperature sensor for determining the ambient temperature, a sensor unit for determining the temperature and moisture of the road surface, a heatable sensor unit having a heating element and a moisture-detecting gap, and comparators for comparing the voltages supplied by the temperature sensors and the moisture sensors with reference voltages, comprises in addition thereto a sensor unit having a further moisture-detection gap, one or more elements for alternately cooling or heating this further moisture-detection gap, and a temperature sensor for determining the temperature of this further moisture-detection gap, as well as signal generators generating signals in response to the output signals of the comparators for indicating whether the road surface is dry, wet, or icy.

Abstract: Automatic valve for controlling the passage of an in-feed pressure fluid to be delivered in predetermined quantities into one receiver. After delivery of the predetermined quantity, the flow to the one receiver is cut off and the flow is directed to the next receiver. The receivers may be sequential nozzles of a sprinkler system. The automatic control valve comprises two tandem-joined piston cylinders. The first piston cylinder comprises two cavities of different volumes. The second piston cylinder comprises only one cavity. There is placed a piston in each of the cavities of the first piston cylinder, which pistons have different diameters and the circumferential surfaces spaced from the inside walls defining the respective cavities of the first piston cylinder to afford flow of pressure fluid past the pistons. The cavity of the second piston cylinder comprises a shock-absorbing device, or dash pot connected with a common piston rod carrying also both the pistons in the cavities of the first piston cylinder.