A continuous asphalt mix system for using a microwave heating vessel at the point of production that includes a microwave energy suppression tunnel with one or more mesh flaps for substantially reducing or preventing the leakage of microwave energy from a microwave system, while having a continuous flow of product through the vessel and suppression tunnels. The suppression tunnels are installed on the inlet and/or the outlet side of the system and are sized to suppress leakage.

A salt spreader for distributing a material includes a bucket including a front surface, a rear surface, and first and second side surfaces. The front and rear surfaces tend toward one another at a base of the bucket, and the bucket includes first and second ejection ports in the base. The salt spreader further includes a separator positioned in a center of the bucket parallel to the first and second side surfaces, and first and second covers within the bucket extending downwardly from the first and second side surfaces, respectively, toward the separator.

A system for processing material, including at least one microwave generator, at least one microwave guide operatively connecting the at least one microwave generator to at least a first conveyor unit, and the first conveyor unit provided in a first housing that comprises at least one opening configured to receive microwave energy via a first microwave guide. The first conveyor unit is configured to receive and process a quantity of material, which includes heating the material to a first temperature by applying microwave energy to the material within the first housing.

An auger segment can comprise a base having a first end, a second end opposite the first end in a length direction of the base, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side; a first receptacle projecting from the first side of the base; a second receptacle projecting from the first side of the base; and a flight projecting from the first side of the base between the first receptacle and the second receptacle. A first recess of the first receptacle can be defined by a first sidewall thereof and a second recess of the second receptacle can be defined by a second sidewall thereof. A first through hole can extend through the base in the first recess of the first receptacle and a second through hole can extend through the base in the second recess of the second receptacle.

A method of controlling a DC motor that includes the step of providing a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal to the DC motor. The PWM signal provides a voltage to operate the DC motor. The method also includes the steps of measuring a voltage generated by the DC motor when the PWM signal is off. In more particular embodiments, the method includes measuring a current being supplied to the DC motor when the PWM signal is off. The method may further require determining a motor speed of the DC motor based on the measured voltage. The method further includes controlling the DC motor to maintain a relatively constant motor speed with varying loads on the DC motor.

A salt spreader for distributing a material includes a bucket including a front surface, a rear surface, first and second side surfaces, and a base surface, wherein the front and rear surfaces tend toward one another, and wherein the base surface includes an ejection port, a spinner mount attached to the base surface of the bucket under the ejection port, a spinner rotatably mounted atop of the spinner mount, and an auger positioned in a base of the bucket.

The described systems can include any suitable component that allows them to move material (e.g., gravel and/or another bulk material), under at least a portion of a frame or other portion of a vehicle, and from one portion of the vehicle to another portion. In some cases, the systems include a chip spreader that includes a motorized vehicle and a material transfer device that is configured to move the material from a first end of the motorized vehicle to a second end of the motorized vehicle. In some cases, the material transfer device is disposed below an axle, frame, drivetrain, radiator, and/or other component of an undercarriage of the motorized vehicle. In some cases, the material transfer device includes one or more conveyors, augers, vibrators, gravity slides, and/or pneumatic systems that are configured to move the material. Other implementations are described.

A truck-mounted system for dispensing a coating to a road surface includes a coating storage and dispensing system and an aggregate storage and spreader system disposed on the truck chassis. The coating storage and dispensing system includes a liquid storage unit, a plurality of heating units, and a plurality of pumping units for separately storing, heating, and pumping the liquid components of the coating. The liquid components are mixed and dispensed to the road surface by a dispenser. The aggregate storage and spreader system includes a container for aggregate material and a spreader unit for dispensing the aggregate material to the road surface over the coating. The spreader unit is movable between folded and extended positions on the truck chassis.

A system for spreading material on a surface comprises a housing having a closed bottom and an open top to allow the material to be loaded into the housing and to store the material. A pair of interior walls are spaced from one another and extend between a first end of the housing and a second end of the housing. A dispenser is selectively coupled to the housing via an interlocking connection between the housing and the dispenser to allow the dispenser to be removed from the housing to define a disassembled position and to be attached to the housing to define an assembled position. The interlocking connection is formed by a sliding connection between the housing and the dispenser adjacent the first end.

A continuous asphalt mix system for using a microwave heating vessel at the point of production that includes a microwave energy suppression tunnel with one or more mesh flaps for substantially reducing or preventing the leakage of microwave energy from a microwave system, while having a continuous flow of product through the vessel and suppression tunnels. The suppression tunnels are installed on the inlet and/or the outlet side of the system and are sized to suppress leakage.