PAVING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF PROVIDING SUCH AN ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A paving assembly includes a transporter with a material feed to arrange a layer of paving material at a first distance from the transporter, a first material hopper in connection with the material feed to receive a paving material, and a superstructure selectively arrangeable on or over the transporter. The superstructure includes a frame, a further material feed extending beyond the transporter to convey the paving material at a second distance from said transporter, and a second material hopper. The superstructure includes the first and the second material hopper each arranged substantially central relative to the width of the transporter and accessible during use to allow them to be filled with paving material by a feeder for a continuous paving operation. The further material feed is arranged substantially central relative to the width of the transporter and extending over the transporter. A method of providing such a paving assembly.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A superstructure that is configured to be selectively arrangeable on or over a transporter of a paving assembly, wherein said superstructure comprises: a frame; a further material feed that is extendable beyond the transporter and configured to convey a paving material at a discharge at a second distance from said transporter, wherein said further material feed is arrangeable substantially central relative to a width of the transporter and extendable over the transporter; and a second material hopper in connection with the further material feed and configured to receive the paving material, wherein said second material hopper is arrangeable substantially central relative to a width of the transporter; wherein the superstructure comprises the second material hopper and a first material hopper, wherein the first material hopper of the superstructure is: configured to receive the paving material; configured to be in connection with a material feed of the transporter that is configured to arrange a layer of paving material at a first distance from said transporter; and arrangeable substantially central relative to the width of the transporter; and wherein both the first material hopper and the second material hopper of the superstructure are readily and continuously accessible during use to allow them to be filled with paving material by a feeder for a continuous paving operation of the paving assembly.

15. A paving assembly, comprising: a transporter with a material feed configured to arrange a layer of paving material at a first distance from said transporter; a first material hopper in connection with the material feed and configured to receive a paving material; and a superstructure according to claim 14.

16. The paving assembly of claim 15, wherein the further material feed extends parallel to a longitudinal direction of said transporter.

17. The paving assembly of claim 15, wherein the superstructure comprises a power source configured to provide power for driving at least the further material feed.

18. The paving assembly of claim 17, wherein the further material feed extends towards a rear side of the superstructure and the power source is arranged on a front side of the superstructure.

19. The paving assembly of claim 15, wherein the transporter comprises: a base frame; and a base drive configured to drive wheels or tracks of the transporter.

20. The paving assembly of claim 19, wherein the superstructure is selectively arrangeable on at least one support of the base frame.

21. The paving assembly of claim 15, wherein the further material feed comprises at least one worm wheel that is arranged in a transport direction of said transporter.

22. The paving assembly of claim 15, wherein the further material feed comprises two worm wheels that are arranged in a transport direction of said transporter.

23. The paving assembly of claim 22, wherein the worm wheels are configured to be driven in an opposite driving direction.

24. A method of providing a paving assembly, comprising the steps of: providing a transporter with a material feed configured to arrange a layer of paving material at a first distance from said transporter; providing a superstructure according to claim 14; arranging said transporter under the superstructure; supporting the superstructure with the transporter; and connecting the superstructure to the transporter.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of supporting the superstructure with the transporter comprises supporting the superstructure on one or more than one support of a base frame of said transporter.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the paving assembly comprises: a transporter with a material feed configured to arrange a layer of paving material at a first distance from said transporter; a first material hopper in connection with the material feed and configured to receive a paving material; and a superstructure comprising: a frame; a further material feed that is extendable beyond the transporter and configured to convey a paving material at a discharge at a second distance from said transporter, wherein said further material feed is arrangeable substantially central relative to a width of the transporter and extendable over the transporter; and a second material hopper in connection with the further material feed and configured to receive the paving material, wherein said second material hopper is arrangeable substantially central relative to a width of the transporter; wherein the superstructure comprises the second material hopper and a first material hopper, wherein the first material hopper of the superstructure is: configured to receive the paving material; configured to be in connection with a material feed of the transporter that is configured to arrange a layer of paving material at a first distance from said transporter; and arrangeable substantially central relative to the width of the transporter; and wherein both the first material hopper and the second material hopper of the superstructure are readily and continuously accessible during use to allow them to be filled with paving material by a feeder for a continuous paving operation of the paving assembly.

Description

[0045] In the following description preferred embodiments of the present invention are further elucidated with reference to the drawing, in which:

[0046] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paving assembly according to the invention in series with a conventional paving machine;

[0047] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a transporter of the paving assembly of FIG. 1; and

[0048] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a superstructure of the paving assembly of FIG. 1;

[0049] The paving assembly 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a transporter 2 (FIG. 2) and a superstructure 3 (FIG. 3). The superstructure 3 is selectively arrangeable on or over the transporter 2 to allow for an efficient and fast conversion between a paving assembly 1 that is suitable for arranging a single layer of paving material (similar to paving machine 22 in the left of FIG. 1), and the paving assembly 1 shown in FIG. 1 that is capable of arranging a first layer 23 of paving material by itself while simultaneously supplying a further paving machine 22 with paving material. The paving machine 22 may arrange a further layer 24 of paving material on top of the first layer 23 of paving material. In this way, two layers 23, 24 of paving material may be arranged in a single operation, wherein the paving assembly 1 is applied in series with the paving machine 22. In a two-layer arrangement, the first layer 23 is a base layer and the second layer is a top layer.

[0050] The transporter 2 comprises a base frame 14 and a base drive 4 that is configured to drive wheels or tracks 5 of the transporter 2. A forward driving direction of transporter 2 is indicated with the arrow F. The transporter 2 may comprise one or more seats 6 for operators/drivers of the paving assembly 1.

[0051] The superstructure 3 comprises a frame 7 and at least one material hopper 8 that is configured to receive a paving material. The paving material inside material hopper 8 may be conveyed out of said material hopper 8 through opening 20 with a material feed 9 of said transporter 2. The superstructure 3 comprises a further material feed 10. In an assembled state, the material feed 9 of transporter 2 is configured to arrange a first layer 23 of paving material at a first distance from said transporter 2, similar to a conventional paving machine 22. The further material feed 10 extends over and past the transporter 2 and is configured to convey the paving material at a discharge 21 at a second distance from said transporter 2. A conventional paving machine 22 may drive behind the paving assembly 1 with a material hopper 19 thereof being positioned below the discharge 21 of the further material feed 10, i.e. at the second distance from the transporter 2 of the paving assembly 1 (FIG. 1).

[0052] The second distance is larger than the first distance, i.e. the first layer 23 is first arranged relatively close behind the transporter 2. When the transporter 2 drives the superstructure 3 in forward direction F, paving material is discharged via the further material feed 10 at the discharge 21 at a second distance behind the transporter 2. In this way, while driving the transporter 2 of the paving assembly 1 in forward direction F, first a first layer 23 is arranged, and a second layer 24 is successively arranged on top of this first layer 23 with a conventional paving machine 22.

[0053] In the shown preferred embodiment, the superstructure 3 comprises a first material hopper 8, 11 in connection with the material feed 9 of transporter 2, and a second material hopper 8, 12 in connection with the further material feed 10 of the superstructure 3.

[0054] The superstructure 3 is selectively arrangeable on one or more than one support 13 of the base frame 14. Due to the supports 13 being arranged directly on the base frame 14 of the transporter 2, the superstructure 3 will be supported in a reliable manner without putting a load on a body 15 of the transporter 2.

[0055] The further material feed 10 comprises at least one worm wheel 16 that is arranged in a transport direction of said transporter 2. Thus, the further material feed 10 and a rotation axis of the at least one worm wheel 16 thereof extend in a longitudinal direction. This longitudinal direction coincides with a forward/rearward transport direction of said transporter 2. Using one or more than one worm wheel 16, the paving material can be reliably transported via the further material feed 10. Moreover, a worm wheel 16 mixes the paving material during forward displacement of said paving material.

[0056] In the shown embodiment, the further material feed 10 comprises two worm wheels 16 that are arranged in a transport direction of said transporter 2. The worm wheels 16 may be configured to be driven in an opposite driving direction.

[0057] The superstructure 3 may comprise a power source 17, such as an engine, that is configured to provide power for driving at least the further material feed 10. In this way, the superstructure 3 has a dedicated power source 17 for the further material feed 10, and consequently will not have to rely on the drive 4 or any other (not shown) power source of the transporter 2.

[0058] A screed 18, which is configured to heat and compress the freshly added layer 23, 24 of paving material, is arranged behind the transporter 2.

[0059] An optimum weight balance is obtained if the further material feed 10 extends towards a rear side of the superstructure 3 and the power source 17 is arranged on a front side of the superstructure 3.

[0060] The invention is further related to a method of providing a paving assembly 1, comprising the steps of: [0061] providing a transporter 2 with a material feed 9 configured to arrange a layer 23 of paving material at a first distance from said transporter 2; [0062] providing a superstructure 3 as described above; [0063] arranging said transporter 2 under the superstructure 3; [0064] supporting the superstructure 3 with the transporter 2; and [0065] connecting the superstructure 3 to the transporter 2.

[0066] The step of supporting the superstructure 3 with the transporter 2 preferably comprises the step of supporting the superstructure 3 on one or more than one support 13 of a base frame 14 of said transporter 2.

[0067] The above described embodiment is intended only to illustrate the invention and not to limit in any way the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that where features mentioned in the appended claims are followed by reference signs, such signs are included solely for the purpose of enhancing the intelligibility of the claims and are in no way limiting on the scope of the claims. The scope of the invention is defined solely by the following claims.