Hopper assembly for paving machines

摘要

A paving machine includes a hopper assembly movable between a lowered position and a raised position and a conveyor frame. A first hopper is pivotally connected to the conveyor frame at a first hopper axis and a second hopper is pivotally connected to the conveyor frame at a second hopper axis. A first apron is connected to the first hopper about a first apron axis. A second apron is connected to the second hopper about a second apron axis. The first apron axis and the second apron axis are respectively perpendicular to the first and second hopper axis. A central apron is pivotally connected relative to the conveyor frame about a central axis that is inline to the first and second apron axis in the lowered position. The first and the second apron axis are planarly translated to the central axis from the lowered to the raised position.

主权项

1. A paving machine comprising:
a conveyor portion with a conveyor frame; a hopper assembly communicable with the conveyor portion and movable between a lowered position and a raised position, the hopper assembly including:
a first hopper pivotally connected to the conveyor frame about a first hopper axis;a second hopper pivotally connected to the conveyor frame about a second hopper axis;a first apron with a first wing portion, the first wing portion being pivotally connected to the first hopper about a first apron axis;a second apron with a second wing portion, the second wing portion being pivotally connected to the second hopper about a second apron axis,
wherein the first apron axis and the second apron axis are respectively and substantially perpendicular to the first hopper axis and the second hopper axis; anda central apron pivotally connected relative to the conveyor frame about a central axis,
wherein the first apron axis and the second apron axis are substantially in-line to the central axis in the lowered position of the hopper assembly,wherein when the hopper assembly is in the lowered position, the first wing portion and the second wing portion can be in a vertical or horizontal position,wherein the first apron axis and the second apron axis are not in-line relative to the central axis in the raised position of the hopper assembly, the first wing portion and second wing portion being operable by a central wing portion of the central apron.