Abstract: In a roadway surface reconditioning apparatus, for example, a scarifier for use with an asphalt or like bituminous roadway surface, a number of heaters of the luminous wall type are employed to direct large quantities of radiant heat downwardly towards the surface for softening it while travelling along the roadway. These heaters consist basically of porous fire bricks through which an air/propane mixture passes and on the surface of which it burns. Each heater also has porous side walls that project closer to the roadway surface than the main bricks and are supplied with air for forming a downward curtain of air to inhibit sideways escape of heat from the region beneath the heater. The heaters are assembled in banks that are spaced apart from each other in the direction of travel. This spacing can be adjusted. Each pair of adjacent banks is bridged by heat deflectors that help to provide heat soak areas between the heater banks.

Abstract: Apparatus for the re-surfacing of an ice surface particularly the surface of a curling rink. An ice melting machine having a plurality of burners is drawn at a slow and uniform rate of speed along a curling rink by a winch arrangement which is adapted for removable securement adjacent one end of the rink. A cable extends from the melting machine to the winch, and means are provided for stopping the winding of the cable when a predetermined length of cable has been wound on the winch. The winch includes a drum which has a diameter and a speed of rotation such that the machine is drawn along at a speed in the range of between about 3 to 4 feet per minute. This apparatus ensures uniform melting surface ice and frees an attendant for other duties.

Abstract: This invention concerns treatment of the heat-fusible materials by use of a fusing agent, according to which a fusing agent capable of producing red hot "embers" by combustion is applied to the surface of a worked object such as a sign formed from a heat-fusible material and worked at a construction site or to the area to be newly worked, and then said fusing agent is ignited and burned so that the combustion heat of the resultantly produced "embers" is directly conducted to the material to be worked to thereby remove the fused material from the worked area or fuse and affix the material to the working area.

Abstract: An ice road is formed over snow-covered terrain by traversing a pair of rearwardly converging snow gathering blades over the snow-covered terrain to form a continuous snow ridge. The top of the ridge is leveled with a leveling blade. A heater comprising an inclined heated plate and a plurality of downwardly depending fore-to-aft extending vanes is passed along the ridge to melt some of the snow therein and form a slush of water and snow of generally uniform depth and width, and of a temperature of about 32.degree. F. The slush is allowed to at least partially freeze while confined beneath a horizontal unheated plate which shapes the ice road. Freezing is completed upon exposure of the ice road to ambient air. The vanes are angled relative to the direction of travel and contain apertures to promote mixing of the water and snow as melting progresses.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for heating a road surface, in which hot air controlled to a predetermined temperature is blown against the road surface so as to heat the road surface. The apparatus includes a hot air generator provided with a burner and a thermal control unit, and a duct formed with blowing pores for blowing the hot air against the road surface.

Abstract: A roadway surface patching vehicle is described wherein virtually all roadway patching procedures may be performed by a single operator within a control station of the vehicle unit. The vehicle includes a number roadway repair tools mounted to a moveable carriage on the vehicle frame. This carriage is situated intermediate the control station and the front vehicle wheels. Among the operative tools are a cutter head and a vacuum head adjacent to the cutter head for receiving and directing loose particulate roadway surface material to a storage hopper for subsequent reblending and reuse. The vacuum head may also be used to clean the area adjacent the repair following placement and finished tamping and rolling of the new repair materials. A tamping head is also mounted to the carriage for movement therewith and a roller is mounted to the frame for finishing the repair to grade.

Abstract: A material spreader for spreading a topping material over a wet concrete surface utilizes a pair of hoppers which are driven back and forth on a bridge support spanning the surface. A gasoline engine mounts above the hoppers and furnishes power for a reversibly controllable hydraulic hopper drive motor. The motor is part of a hydraulic system in which the hydraulic fluid is cooled by using both a hopper wall as well as the flowing material being spread as heat sinks.

Abstract: A road resurfacing or repaving machine is disclosed. The machine is self-propelled, and has a chassis. A preliminary heater depends from the machine chassis to provide preliminary heat to the underlying road. A preliminary scarifier breaks up the top of the heated road surface. A main heater behind the preliminary scarifier provides a second heating action, and a main scarifier behind the main heater further scarifies the hot road material and the road surface. Spray means sprays liquid asphalt cutback over the hot, scarified material. A first macadam dispensing device behind the spray means dispenses new hot mix material to the hot, sprayed material and road surface to make up solid material lost through pot hole formation or other road deterioration. A first mixer commingles the newly added hot mix with the old, sprayed, scarified material on the road surface. A first screed levels and at least partly compacts this material to form a first lift.

Abstract: A self-propelled pavement lane apparatus comprising a radial-frequency microwave generator extending across one lane of the roadway having an antenna with a slotted waveguide directed toward the roadway for heating a lane-wide stretch of the roadway. A ripping device is provided behind the microwave generator to rip up pavement which was heated by the microwave generator. A screw conveyor conveys the heated and ripped pavement inwardly toward a central axis of the apparatus where it is fed by a chute to a mixing chamber containing counter-rotating mixing blades. Fresh bituminous binder and/or filler may be added to the mixing chamber to be mixed with the ripped pavement which is then discharged from the mixing chamber by a second screw conveyor, to be distributed across the lane. Following the second screw conveyor is a finished plate for initially compacting the refinished surface.

Abstract: Device for effecting protective treatments on manufactures in concrete constituted of the combination in a single apparatus of a panel for the heating of the surface to be treated provided with means for establishing on the surface itself a constant flow of hot air with the possibility to regulate the temperature, and of an assembly being apt to impregnate with a catalyzed monomer the surface of the already heat-treated concrete and to polymerize with hot water the catalyzed monomer once it has been absorbed by the manufacture itself.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a floating screed type asphalt paver provided with extendable, retractable auxiliary screed units which, in their retracted positions, are mounted in front of the main screed and carry edger plates. By mounting the screed extensions in front of the main screed units, it is possible to retract the extension units without interrupting paving operations. A strike-off plate may be positioned in front of the extension units to limit the presence of paving material between them and/or the extension units may be provided with bevelled inner edges for displacing such material during retraction. Novel arrangements are provided for mounting and adjusting the screed extensions.

Abstract: A method for forming a traffic regulating line or like sign on a roadway pavement even if the surface pavement is very wet and generally during very unfavorable weather, the method comprising maintaining the surface area on which the sign is to be formed and the means for forming it into a confined environment sheltered from the weather, and includes the sequential steps of washing said area, drying it and locally heating the pavement up to a temperature near to that at which a primer layer composition essentially melts where contacted to said surface, and then applying on said surface an at least predominantly thermoplastic primer layer and a sign forming tape material bonded thereabove. There is also described a machine designed to be driven along said road pavement and including means designed for performing the said sequential steps in said sheltered environment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for asphalt paving in which existing asphalt pavement is removed, mixed with additives and relaid as a fresh layer of pavement. The apparatus includes a train, composed of a series of cars or trailers, which is adapted to move along the roadway. The train includes a fuel operated electrical generating unit which generates electricity that is transmitted through a power line extending along the length of the train. The hot gases of combustion from the generating unit are discharged into contact with the pavement to pre-heat the pavement. Following the pre-heater in the train, is a microwave heating unit which is connected to the power line and operates to soften the pavement. Additional aggregate, asphalt and other additives can be applied to the existing softened pavement ahead of a planar, or other pavement removing unit.

Abstract: In a method for resurfacing a road, the road surface is first plastified and broken-up by first and second separable devices. The broken-up material is immediately distributed on the road surface by the second device, whereby the broken-up material is simultaneously rearranged and profiled or contoured without the introduction of fresh asphalt or bituminous material at this point of time. A road surfacing or repaver apparatus forming a third separate device then applies fresh asphalt or bituminous material onto the broken-up distributed, rearranged and profiled top surface of the road. Preferably, two distributions of the broken-up material are employed prior to the asphalt application and compaction of the broken-up and distributed material and the new asphalt material. A truck supplies fresh asphalt or bituminous material to the repaver.

Abstract: Asphalt roads or the like are repaved by heating and decomposing existing pavement with microwave energy and then remixing and recompacting the constituents of the pavement, the operations being performed at the original location of the old pavement and in some cases without removing the pavement constituents from the roadbed itself. A microwave energy applicator may be traveled along the pavement in front of remixing, grading and compacting equipment or some or all of the equipment may be integrated into a self-propelled vehicle. The vehicle may carry a microwave applicator followed by remixing means such as rotary tillers or the like and grading and compaction devices, and may travel continuously down a road which is reconditioned as the vehicle progresses. Motor generator sets on the vehicle power the microwave sources and the hot exhaust from the motors may be directed to the pavement to supplement the microwave heating and to maintain high temperatures during the additional operations.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for controlling the temperature of asphalt and concrete bodies (1) in connection to storing of heat in the ground or in rocks, whereby channels (3) are drilled into the ground or the rock at or underneath the asphalt or concrete body the temperature of which is to be controlled, and in the said drilled channels (3) are inserted adaptor elements comprising two or more inner tubes or channels (6; 17) for supply and removal of a heat transport medium. The inner tubes (6; 17) in the adaptor elements are preferably formed so as to open on different levels of the channel (3) and also preferably the adaptor element is formed with cross partition walls (13) providing severaL zones distributed along the channel whereby heat can be transported between the zones and between a particular zone and the body the temperature of which is to be controlled.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing and re-processing asphalt in which bitumen for the asphalt is heated by use of a microwave oven. Re-processed asphalt is recycled in a microwave oven in a closed vessel.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for repairing asphalt concrete road surfaces wherein a tractor a steam box and a car mounted with a screw cutter are coupled in this order and a series of linearly operated equipment is used on the asphalt concrete paved road surface, including a heater car, an asphalt finisher and a road roller in this order after the car. Each of the equipment is made to advance at low speed and the asphalt concrete paved road surface is artificially heated by the steam box to impart fluidity to the road surface, after which it is cut with the screw cutter and the cut asphalt concrete is conveyed into a heating chamber of the heater car, and water content in the asphalt concrete is removed by heating and stirring.

Abstract: Weathered asphaltic concrete road surface material is mined at each of a series of road locations and heated at or near the site of mining and future laydown to form particulate agglomerates of aggregate and asphalt in a form receptive to asphalt rejuvenation additives, mixed with such asphalt additives and passed to a laydown apparatus and returned to a road location near or at that location from which the weathered asphaltic concrete was initially taken. The steps of mining, rejuvenation and laydown and related storage and screening are simultaneous and continuous.

Abstract: Pavement (12) is rapidly heated in depth by irradiation with microwave energy accompanied by supplemental surface heating which counteracts an inverted temperature gradient otherwise produced by microwave heating. Energy efficiency is increased by performing the surface heating with thermal energy derived from the exhaust gases of a motor (19) which drives a generator (18) to energize the microwave source (68). An energy applicator (36) simultaneously applies both the microwave energy and hot gas to a selected area of pavement while blocking release of microwave energy in upward and outward directions and is preferably attached to a mobile support (37) through support and positioning linkage (38) which enables shifting of the applicator between localized areas of pavement to be heated.

Abstract: Asphaltic concrete constituents (13) or the like deposited in a windrow (14a) along a surface (12) to be paved are molded into a preliminary narrow layer (14b) of greater height than the final layer (14d) of pavement to be formed on the surface and are then heated by directing microwave energy into the preliminary layer. The heated preliminary layer is then spread out to form the final thinner layer of paving material for smoothing and compaction. Molding means (37) for the preliminary layer and microwave heating means (38) may be carried on a vehicle (16) which travels along the windrow. The vehicle may also carry mixing, spreading and compaction means (39, 92, 89) or some or all of these elements may be on a separate paver vehicle.

Abstract: A motorized, wheeled vehicle having a lowerable asphalt supply hopper, includes a small supply asphalt bucket, with a positive discharge, mounted on an articulated arm, also mounted on the bucket is an adjustable height burner and a tack oil sprayer, and a tamper, and a material volume compensating auger transfers asphalt from the main hopper to the small supply bucket. A joy stick controller provides easy control of the operation of the components of the patching apparatus.

Abstract: Portland cement concrete at a roadbed, bridge deck or the like is quickly and deeply heated and dried by directing microwave energy into the concrete and by applying hot gas to the surface. A layer of thermoplastic sealant is applied to the hot concrete followed by an overlayer of asphaltic concrete having a higher softening temperature than the sealant layer. Compaction then produces a composite pavement which is sealed against water intrusion and which can be quickly, easily and economically resealed and resurfaced at a later time using little or no additional paving materials. Resealing and resurfacing is accomplished by deeply reheating all three layers by microwave irradiation followed by recompaction. If cracking and deterioration are severe, the asphaltic concrete layer may be remixed and rescreeding between the reheating and recompaction steps.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for renewing road surfaces where in the course of one single operational step the road surface is milled away, heated and coated with new material and wherein according to a special embodiment of the invention the milling away or cutting away is performed to an amount not reaching the depth of the damages, at least part of the cut away material is distributed in the remaining recesses and is compressed, and subsequently the road surface is subjected to a heating and a subsequent aeration and is then uniformly coated with new material; and it relates also to a machine for performing the method, wherein, behind said cutting or milling device, a distribution device for distributing the milled off material in the remaining recesses of the road surface, a compression device for compressing the milled off material within the recesses, a heating device and optionally a scraper device provided for the aeration of the road surface, which are followed by a spreader device for applying

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for resurfacing a road, the road surface is first plastified and broken-up by first and second separable devices. The broken-up material is immediately distributed on the road surface by the second device, whereby the broken-up material is simultaneously rearranged and profiled or contoured without the introduction of fresh asphalt or bituminous material at this point of time. A road surfacing or repaver apparatus forming a third separate device then introduces fresh asphalt or bituminous material to the broken-up distributed, rearranged and profiled top surface of the road. Preferably, two distributions of the broken-up material are employed prior to the asphalt application and compaction of the broken-up and distributed material and the new asphalt material. A truck supplies fresh asphalt or bituminous material to the repaver.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for recycling asphalt concrete roadways. The apparatus includes means for heating the roadway and applying emulsified asphalt thereto prior to scarifying the heated surface. The surface is then scarified so as to loosen the heated asphalt. The scarified material is then treated with asphalt and, if desired, a rejuvenating agent. They are mixed thoroughly to form a hot mix of asphalt concrete from the old road material. New material is added, and mixed with the old material by a pug mill rotor. The combined rejuvenated hot mix is further mixed and leveled by means of screws and then compacted substantially by a vibrating screed. The screed has a continuous bottom plate and a plurality of relatively movable upper sections which are connected by turnbuckles adapted to be adjusted for bending the bottom plate of the screed to conform to the contour of the road crown. Final compaction of the road surface is obtained by rollers.

Abstract: A snow removal machine that comprises a carriage assembly including ground engaging supporting wheels connected to and disposed beneath the carriage assembly and a handle extending from one end of the carriage assembly for manual control of the snow removal machine by the user thereof. A snow plow is mounted at the other end of the carriage assembly for engagement with the snow as the snow removal machine is advanced by the user thereof. The snow plow includes a transversely extending scoop having a contoured bottom wall with an outer surface terminating at a leading edge for engagement with the snow and a pair of spaced apart side walls at each end of the bottom wall.

Abstract: A road maintenance machine is provided with a heater assembly mounted on a general purpose chassis which is adapted for selectively attaching various road working devices. The heater assembly includes multiple rows of high temperature burner units each having means for burning fuel and projecting the generated heat downward against the road surface. The rows are spaced apart to allow the top of the surface to partially cool between burner rows as the heat penetrates the pavement in order to maintain the surface temperature below its flash point but high enough to achieve sufficient heat penetration to soften the pavement material to a significant depth. Heat shields and exhaust hoods are provided between the rows of burners to confine and direct the heat and combustion products. The chassis is provided with an adjustable hydraulic mechanism to which an asphalt planer, a scarifier assembly or a grooving cylinder may be attached to work the softened pavement material.

Abstract: An apparatus for clearing of land mines are disclosed. One or more rocket engines is mounted above the surface of an area to be cleared, and are then moved over this surface with their stream of exhaust gases directed downwardly towards the surface at a forward angle. The effect of the exhaust gas stream or streams is to exert a plowing action on the land, either detonating or dislodging any land mines that may be buried.

Abstract: A road maintenance machine is provided with a heater assembly mounted on a general purpose chassis which is adapted for selectively attaching various road working devices. The heater assembly includes multiple rows of high temperature burner units each having means for burning fuel and projecting the generated heat downward against the road surface. The rows are spaced apart to allow the top of the surface to partially cool between burner rows as the heat penetrates the pavement in order to maintain the surface temperature below its flash point but high enough to achieve sufficient heat penetration to soften the pavement material to a significant depth. Heat shields and exhaust hoods are provided between the rows of burners to confine and direct the heat and combustion products. The chassis is provided with an adjustable hydraulic mechanism to which an asphalt planer, a scarifier assembly or a grooving cylinder may be attached to work the softened pavement material.

Abstract: In surfacing apparatus for asphaltic surfaces and the like, there is provided a truck-drawn trailer, a hood and burner assembly having a hood suspended from the trailer open at the bottom that heats the surface over which the assembly is moved, a scarifying assembly supported by the trailer that breaks up the heated surface and a leveling device drawn behind the scarifying assembly that levels the broken surface material. The hood and burner assembly has a refractory lined combustion chamber with a sloping roof so that the combustion chamber decreases in volume toward the trailing end for heating uniformly, a joint gap between liner members that is wider at the top and top filled to retain a gap filler material, side sections that swing up to reduce the width for transport, side extension sections that optionally may be added for greater surface widths and separate controls for different banks of burners for independent heat control of different sections of the hood.

Abstract: A method and machine for constructing ice roads upon snow-covered regions. The machine gathers snow from the region upon which the road is to be built, heats the gathered snow until it is partially melted and becomes slush, and then spreads the slush to form the road. In one embodiment, the surface upon which the slush is deposited is pre-heated to enhance the road base.

Abstract: A method of freeing a coating of ice, snow or frost frozen on to the surface of a manufactured material, such as a metal partition, a masonry or painted structure, or a paved roadway or runway, by concentrating an intense beam of visible light on to the interface between the coating and the surface adequate to raise the temperature at the interfacial zone to the melting point so as to free the coating from the surface, and apparatus for carrying out this method. The apparatus preferably includes structure for immediately breaking and removing the coating.