Leakproof spreader device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9458585-B2
Application number	US-201414245865-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2014
Priority date	Apr 4, 2014
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

A device for spreading a granular material over a road surface. The device includes a hopper fillable with the granular material and an agitating member configured to discharge the granular material from an outlet of the hopper. A brush is aligned with the outlet of the hopper and includes a plurality of bristles configured to inhibit leakage of the granular material from the outlet of the hopper during stoppage of the agitating member. Also provided are a system in which the spreader device is mounted on a vehicle, and a method of operating the spreader device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for spreading a granular material comprising:
a frame attachable to a vehicle;
a hopper supported by the frame and configured to hold the granular material;
an agitating member configured to discharge the granular material from an outlet of the hopper;
a spinner plate configured to spread the granular material discharged from the outlet of the hopper; and
a brush aligned with the outlet of the hopper, the brush including an outer peripheral rim and a plurality of bristles extending inwardly from the outer peripheral rim, the plurality of bristles being flexible relative to the outer peripheral rim and configured to inhibit leakage of the granular material from the outlet of the hopper during stoppage of the agitating member.

2. The device of claim 1 , the agitating member including a rotatable shaft that passes through the plurality of bristles.

3. The device of claim 2 , at least some of the bristles extending inwardly from an outer peripheral rim of the brush toward the rotatable shaft of the agitating member.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein each of the bristles extends radially inwardly from the outer peripheral rim of the brush and terminates at a respective free end, the free ends of the bristles defining a periphery of a hole, with the rotatable shaft of the agitating member passing through the hole.

5. The device of claim 1 , the outer peripheral rim being circular, wherein at least some of the bristles extend radially inwardly from the outer peripheral rim.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein an outer diameter of the outer peripheral rim of the brush is greater than or equal to a maximum dimension of an open end of the outlet of the hopper.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the brush is positioned exterior to the outlet of the hopper.

8. The device of claim 1 , comprising a mounting plate possessing an upwardly extending sleeve that extends into the outlet the hopper.

9. The device of claim 8 , the brush being clamped against a downwardly facing surface of the mounting plate.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the brush is disk-shaped and aligned with a rotational axis of the agitating member.

11. The device of claim 1 , the agitating member being an auger.

12. A system for spreading a granular material over a road surface comprising:
a vehicle;
a hopper attached to a rear of the vehicle and configured to hold the granular material;
an agitating member including a rotatable shaft being configured to discharge the granular material from an outlet of the hopper;
a motor configured to rotate the rotatable shaft of the agitating member;
a brush aligned with the outlet of the hopper, the brush including an outer peripheral rim and a plurality of bristles; and
wherein each of the bristles extends radially inwardly from the outer peripheral rim of the brush and terminates at a respective free end, the free ends of the bristles defining a periphery of a hole, with the rotatable shaft of the agitating member passing through the hole.

13. The system of claim 12 , comprising a spinner plate configured to spread the granular material discharged from the outlet of the hopper over a road surface.

14. The system of claim 12 , comprising a mounting plate possessing an upwardly extending sleeve that extends into the outlet the hopper.

15. The device of claim 14 , the brush being clamped against a downwardly facing surface of the mounting plate.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the outer peripheral rim of the brush is circular and an outer diameter of the outer peripheral rim of the brush is greater than or equal to a maximum dimension of an open end of the outlet of the hopper.

17. The system of claim 13 , the agitating member being an auger.

18. A method of operating a spreader device including a hopper filled with a granular material, an agitating member, a spinner plate and a brush aligned with an outlet of the hopper, the method comprising:
rotating the agitating member to discharge the granular material from the outlet of the hopper and push the granular material through the bristles of the brush so that the granular material falls onto the spinner plate;
rotating the spinner plate to spread the granular material over a road surface;
stopping rotation of the agitating member; and
inhibiting leakage of the granular material from the outlet of the hopper with the brush during stoppage of the agitating member.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the brush includes a plurality of bristles, and the agitating member passes through the bristles.

20. The method of claim 19 , the brush including an outer peripheral rim, the bristles extending inwardly from the outer peripheral rim toward the rotatable shaft of the agitating member.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein each of the bristles extends from an outer peripheral rim of the brush and terminates at a respective free end, the free ends of the bristles defining a periphery of a hole, with the rotatable shaft of the agitating member passing through the hole.

22. The method of claim 19 , the agitating member being an auger.

23. The method of claim 18 , comprising clamping the brush to an underside of a mounting plate possessing a sleeve that extends into the outlet of the hopper.

24. The method of claim 23 , comprising unclamping the brush from the underside of the mounting plate and clamping a replacement brush to the underside of the mounting plate.

Assignees

• Northern Star Ind Inc
• The Toro Co

Inventors

• Phelps Jen

Classifications

• B65G33/265

  with a continuous helical surface (flexible screws B65G33/16) · CPC title

• B05B3/1007

  characterised by the rotating member (B05B3/105 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E01H10/007 Primary

  Mobile apparatus specially adapted for preparing or applying liquid or semi-liquid thawing material or spreading granular material on wintry roads · CPC title

• B65D88/68

  using rotating devices · CPC title

• A01C15/007

  with agitators in the hopper · CPC title