Apparatus

This invention relates to a material treatment system.

US-A-3,909,401 discloses a portable screening tower for mounting on a lorry having a cab and a load bed, the tower having a lower framework connected to the bed for supporting the tower in use, and an upper framework movable vertically with respect to the lower framework and having a material screening facility mounted thereon. The tower is for separation purposes, such as in connection with dredging operations and sand washing arrangements. The lorry wheels provide support and mobility. Columns of the lower framework have bottom end plates which are below the level of the bed and under which devices can be wedged for additional support and stability. The lifting of the upper framework into an operational position and the lowering thereof into a transport position can be performed by a power take-off from the lorry or independent hydraulic motors.

US-A-5,273,164 discloses a soil conditioning apparatus having a shaker screen assembly that is mountable for operation on a tipper lorry or a wheeled trailer having a tipper box or bed. The shaker screen assembly may operate either electrically or hydraulically using available systems on the vehicle operable from within the cab of the lorry and with multiple soil conditioning screens to provide multiple stages of soil conditioning. The conditioned soil materials are deposited directly into the vehicle container for transport to and tip-delivery at the site where it is needed, and this without having to remove the apparatus from the transporting vehicle.

US-B-6,382,424 discloses a lorry-mountable particle screener for mounting atop a tipper body of a tipper lorry and having a support frame, a screen deck, a plurality of spring assemblies connecting the screen deck to the support frame, and a vibrating mechanism attached to the screen deck for imparting vibratory motion to the screen deck. The support frame may have a set of legs for supporting the screener independently of the tipper body. The legs may be pivotally attached, removably attached, or telescopically attached to the frame and may be hydraulically, electrically, or mechanically operated. The legs may be constructed such that a tipper lorry can pass underneath the screener to receive screened material into the tipper body. The vibrating mechanism may be powered by using electrical or hydraulic power sources of the vehicle or an independent

power source. Sideboards are mounted along the sides of the tipper body and provide mounts for ends of members of the frame. Such mounts at differing heights may be used for positioning the frame at differing tilt angles.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for use with a vehicle-carried container, comprising a material treatment unit having legs for supporting said unit upon the ground, said unit including a control device external to said vehicle, but accessible by a driver on said vehicle, and operable by said driver to actuate said material treatment unit.

Owing to that aspect of the invention, it is possible to speed up the material treatment process, since the driver of the vehicle, particularly a dumper or a tipper lorry, does not need to leave the vehicle (in particular, the conventional driving position, perhaps the seat, of the vehicle) to operate the control(s) required to actuate the desired function(s) of the material treatment unit. Moreover, if he is in a cab and thus protected from foul weather, he may not need to descend from the vehicle and thus fully suffer the weather.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided material treatment apparatus including a material treatment device and mounting means whereby the apparatus can be mounted over a vehicle-carried container for receiving material passed through said device. Preferably, the apparatus is removably mounted.

Owing to that aspect of the invention, it is possible to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive material treatment apparatus for use with vehicles for transporting soil and other materials. The apparatus, when required, can be used as an accessory to be mounted on and over the container and later detached therefrom when no longer required. Alternatively, or additionally, the apparatus may be mountable over the container but upon its own supports, particularly legs, preferably adjustable in length, upon the ground. Even if mountable upon its own supports upon the ground, the apparatus might advantageously be releasably mountable on a vehicle for transportation thereof. The container may be part of a tipping vehicle, e.g. a hopper of a dumper or a tipping container of a tipper lorry. Preferably, the apparatus is made adjustable and/or in a range of sizes to suit various tipping vehicles. A carrying tipping vehicle needs very little or no modification to cater for the apparatus. The apparatus, if a screening apparatus, may have a single screen, or a plurality of screens in series, and the

screen(s) may be fixed or vibratory or even in the form of (an) endless conveyor(s). Assuming that the vehicle has an electrical or hydraulic system, then the apparatus is advantageously connective to the electrical or hydraulic system by way of a quick- release electrical or hydraulic coupling. In that way, an electrical or hydraulic motor included in the apparatus for driving the same can be powered. The apparatus is advantageously of lightweight construction, not only to facilitate handling of the apparatus, but also so that the material received in the container of the vehicle, in particular the hopper of a dumper, can be tipped from the vehicle without overbalancing of the vehicle in the circumstances that the apparatus is still mounted upon the vehicle.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, which is closely related to the previously described aspects of the invention, and with which all relevant features may be interchanged, there is provided a material treatment apparatus, comprising a base unit; and a material treatment device removably attached to said base unit. By providing a material treatment apparatus with a removably attached material treatment device, the apparatus can be designed in a modular fashion.

Preferably, for greater modularity, the apparatus further comprises at least two different types of material treatment device, each different type of device being interchangeable one with the other so that it can be attached to said base unit.

The material treatment device may be a material screener, a material crusher, a material sorter, or indeed any other device for treating material.

Preferably, the base unit includes support means for supporting the apparatus above the ground. More preferably, the support means comprises a plurality of legs. Yet more preferably, the legs are adjustable in length.

Preferably, the length of each said leg can be adjusted individually. By enabling each leg to be adjusted individually the user is provided with an easier means of adjusting the device for different vehicle dimensions.

Preferably, the distance between at least two of said plurality of legs is adjustable, in order to allow the device to be used with different sized vehicles.

Preferably, the base unit includes an interface unit, the interface unit being detachable from the base unit, and the material treatment device is removably attached to the interface unit.

Preferably, for ease of operation, the interface unit includes means for tilting the material treatment device with respect to the base unit. The tilting means may advantageously comprise a pivotal attachment said base and interface units adjacent a first end of the interface unit, and adjustment means adjacent a second end of the interface unit. Preferably, the adjustment means comprises a linear actuator. By providing a linear actuator, such as a hydraulic ram, the inclination of the interface unit can be adjusted in dependence on the material to be treated.

Suitably, the material treatment device is resiliently mounted to said interface unit. More preferably, the resilient mounting comprises a plurality of springs. By resiliently mounting the device (in particular a screener) to the interface unit it can be vibrated for example to screen the material.

Preferably, the apparatus is adapted to be carried by a vehicle. It may suitably further comprise means for removably mounting said apparatus to a container carried on said vehicle. The removable mounting means may include a plurality of elongate members adapted to be adjustable in length and to bear upon said container.

Preferably the apparatus further comprises a control device accessible by a driver on said vehicle, and operable by said driver to actuate said material treatment apparatus. The control device is preferably operable to perform any, some or all of the following tasks: extend and retract said legs, adjust said interface unit, and control said material treatment device.

Further features are disclosed in dependent claims.

Apparatus and method features may be interchanged as appropriate, and may be provided independently one of another. Any feature in one aspect of the invention may be applied to other aspects of the invention, in any appropriate combination. In particular, method aspects may be applied to apparatus aspects, and vice versa.

United Kingdom Patent Applications Nos. GB 0809380.9 and GB 0815005.4 are hereby incorporated by reference.

In order that the invention may be clearly and completely disclosed, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a material treatment unit in the form of screening apparatus for mounting upon a hopper of a tipping vehicle in the form of a dumper;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a base assembly of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a modified version of the screening apparatus mounted upon a hopper of a fragmentarily illustrated tipping vehicle in the form of a dumper;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of what is shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a second modified version of the screening apparatus;

Figure 6 is a ^' fragmentary front elevation of the second modified version receiving thereunder a hopper of a dumper;

Figure 7 is a partly diagrammatic side elevation of a third modified version of the screening apparatus receiving thereunder a hopper of a dumper;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of a base module of the third modified version;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of that base module;

Figure 10 is a front elevation of a laterally retractable leg bracket of that base module;

Figure 11 is a partly diagrammatic top plan view of an intermediate module of the third modified version;

Figure 12 is a side elevation of that intermediate module;

Figure 13 is a top plan view of a top module of the third modified version, but with a screening funnel omitted for the sake of clarity;

Figure 14 is a rear elevation of that top module; and

Figure 15 is a partly diagrammatic side elevation of the material treatment unit in an alternative form of crushing apparatus and receiving thereunder a hopper of a dumper.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the screening apparatus includes a base assembly 2 consisting of rear upper and front lower bars 4 and 6 which are to extend transversely of the tipping hopper (not shown) and two opposite channels 8 welded at their respective ends to the respective ends of the bars 4 and 6. The channels 8 are rolled steel joists (RSJs) of C-shaped vertical section, with the mouths of the channels facing towards each other. The channels 8 are shaped to be slid longitudinally over outwardly protruding, elongate, stiffening members at the respective opposite lateral top edges of the hopper, so that the channels 8 embrace the respective stiffening members. The base assembly 2 may be prevented from sliding along those stiffening members by, if necessary, drilling bores down through those stiffening members and drilling corresponding bores 10 down through the channels 8 through which can be passed headed securing pins. Aligning of the bores 10 in the channels 8 with the bores in the stiffening members is simplified because, when the bar 6 abuts front portions of the hopper, alignment is achieved. As an alternative to the provision of securing pins and downwardly extending bores 10 and corresponding bores in the stiffening members, the base assembly 2 can be provided with clamps mounted thereon for engaging around the stiffening members. Extending laterally over the base assembly 2 at the rear thereof is a frame 12 of inverted U-shape, the frame 12 including a horizontal element 14 and, at each end thereof, vertical members 16 which are formed, at their lower ends, with a vertical row of horizontal bores 18 which can be aligned horizontally with one or more horizontal bores through the vertical wall of the corresponding channel 8. By inserting pins or bolts into the bores 18 and the therewith aligned bores through the vertical walls of the channels, it is thereby possible to set adjustably the level of the element 14 relative to the base assembly 2. At the front of the base assembly 2 is another frame 19 of inverted U-shape, but consisting of a single vertical member 20 at each side and a horizontal element (not seen). Again, each member 20 is formed with a vertical row of horizontal bores 22 for aligning with one or more horizontal bores through the vertical

wall of the corresponding channel 8, again to enable the horizontal element (not seen) to be adjustably set relatively to the base assembly 2. Mounted on the horizontal element 14 is an hydraulic motor 24, which drives, in an appropriate manner, for example by way of a belt, an eccentric 26 connected to the rear part of a four-sided frame 28, the front part of which is hingedly mounted, for example, by way of a pin-and-slot connection, on the horizontal element of the frame 19. The frame 28 is obturated by a screen 30 and carries fixedly a screening hopper 32 consisting of the screen 30 and a screening funnel 33 which is of U-shape form with downwardly and inwardly inclined lateral plates 34 and rear plate 36 and an open front end 38. Connected between the frame 28 and the horizontal element 14 is a series of springs 40.

The method and use of the screening apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2 is as follows. The apparatus as shown in Figure 1 is pushed onto the front end of the tipping hopper, i.e. at that end of the dumper opposite the driver's end, until the bar 6 abuts front end portions of the tipping hopper, whereupon the securing pins (not shown) are inserted downwardly through the bores 10 and the bores in the stiffening members at the top edges of the tipping hopper, the pins being held in position by, for example, butterfly clips. Either before or after mounting the screening apparatus upon the tipping hopper, the adjustment of the levels of the front and rear - ends of the frame 28 is performed by appropriately setting the members 16 and 20 at the desired levels relative to the base assembly 2 and then inserting pins or bolts into the selected bores 18 and 22; thereby the inclination of the screen 30 can be set to an angle appropriate to the material to be loaded into the screening hopper 32. By way of a quick-release hydraulic coupling, the hydraulic motor 24 is put in communication with the hydraulic system of the dumper and the motor 24 is then started to produce vibration of the frame 28, which is dampened by the springs 40. Material to be screened is loaded into the rear end of the hopper 32 adjacent to the plate 36 and advances down the screen 30, with the finer material falling through into the tipping hopper and the coarser material falling from the front end 38 of the screening hopper 32. The gap between the front part of the frame 28 and the front part of the rim of the tipping hopper is of such a height, for example approximately 12-15 inches (30-37.5cm), that, once the tipping hopper has been filled to a desired extent with the finer material, the latter can be tipped from the tipping hopper with the screening apparatus in place, if so desired.

A range of screens 30 of differing size meshes are supplied with the apparatus and are interchangeable, to allow the fitting of a screen 30 of a mesh size appropriate to the material to be screened.

The bars 4 and 6 may be adjustable longitudinally, such as telescopically, to adjust the apparatus for mounting upon a hopper of any appropriate width. Alternatively, the channels 8 may be adjustable in position along the bars 4 and 6 for the same purpose. As another alternative, a variety of bars 4 and 6 of differing lengths can be provided for releasable connection to the channels 8.

Instead of the channels 8, the base assembly 2 may include respective elongate members each of inverted L-shape cross-section, with the horizontal limbs of their cross- sections directed towards each other and serving to bear downwardly upon the upper longitudinal edges of the hopper, and with the vertical limbs of their cross-sections being formed with horizontal bores through which are inserted pins or bolts to extend also through aligned bores through the respective opposite side walls of the hopper, to fix the screening apparatus relative to the hopper. This alternative embodiment is used particularly in circumstances where the hopper does not have the outwardly protruding, elongate, stiffening members mentioned hereinabove.

The modified version shown in Figures 3 and 4 differs from the version shown in Figures 1 and 2 in a number of respects. Firstly, the base assembly 2 includes the above mentioned elongate members (42) each of inverted L-shape cross-section, with their vertical limbs being formed with the above-mentioned horizontal bores (44). The bores 44 enable adjustment of the position of the assembly 2 along the hopper 46 of the dumper 47. Secondly, the screening hopper 32 is carried by a single framework 48 angularly adjustable about a pair of pins 50 mounted in a rearward pair of the bores 44. Pairs of pins 52 inserted through forward pairs of bores 44 and selected ones of pairs of bores 54 distributed up pairs of uprights 56 at the front of the framework 48 adjustably set the angle of inclination of the screen 30 to the vertical. Thirdly, the screen 30 is vibrated by an hydraulic motor 24 by way of a crank mechanism 58. The motor 24 and the crank mechanism 58 are totally enclosed in a housing 60 provided with access panels. Fourthly, safety guards 62 may be provided above at least the lateral plates 34 of the hopper 32 to discourage access to the screen 30 while it is vibrating. Fifthly, there may be a downward recess 64 in the front plate 36 of the hopper 32 to minimise

obstruction of the dumper driver's view when travelling. Again, the width of the frame 32 may be adjustable to cope with differing widths of hoppers 46.

The version shown in Figures 5 and 6 differs from that shown in Figures 3 and 4 principally in that it is provided, at the four corners of its assembly 2, with respective ground legs 66 which are adjustable in length by manually or hydraulically operable devices 68 and are braced by ties 70 at respective opposite sides of the screening apparatus. To the upper ends of the legs 66 are fixed respective horizontal arms 72, particularly by way of reinforcing plates 74. The inner end zones of the arms 72 are guided, for longitudinal adjustment, in respective horizontal guides 76 fixed to the assembly 2 near respective corners thereof. Adjustability is again obtained by the provision of pin-and-bore connections 78 between the arms 72 and the guides 76. The screening apparatus of Figures 5 and 6 is thus self-supporting upon the ground and a dumper vehicle 47 may be driven to beneath the apparatus to receive screened material into its hopper 46, as illustrated. If it is desired to transport the apparatus to a different location, the legs 66 can be shortened, using the devices 68, until the assembly 2 rests upon the hopper 46, and the assembly 2 then pinned to the hopper 47, and the arms 72 can be retracted into the guides 76, with resetting of the connections 78, so that the apparatus, now reliably attached to the hopper 47, can be transported to the new location, and, by reversal of the procedure, the apparatus left standing upon the ground. Alternatively, the assembly can be clamped or strapped to the hopper 47.

In the version to be described with reference to Figures 7 to 14, the material treatment unit 100 presents, to a tipper driver 102 of a dumper 104 with a hopper 106, at a convenient level for the driver 102 sitting in the normal driving position of the dumper 104, not only controls in the form of control levers 108 for the various functions of the unit 100, but also hydraulic quick-release coupling parts 113 at an hydraulic steering column 114 of the dumper 104 for coupling to complementary, hydraulic, quick-release coupling parts of a pair of hydraulic hoses 112 themselves attached to a control box 110 of the unit. From the control box 110 extend, independently of each other, two pairs of hydraulic hoses 116 for actuating respective screen-tilting, hydraulic piston-and-cylinder devices 118 at respective opposite sides of the unit 100, a pair of hydraulic hoses 120 for actuating an hydraulic motor 122 for vibrating the screen, and four pairs of hydraulic hoses 124 for actuating respective telescopically extensible and retractable corner legs 126 of the unit 100. As will be appreciated, the dumper 104 can be driven forwardly until

its hopper 106 is beneath the screen, material to be screened can then be loaded onto the screen and the screen vibrated such that screened material falls into the hopper 106, whereafter the dumper 104 can be driven rearwards to bring its hopper 106 from underneath the screen and then the dumper 104 driven to wherever the contents of the hopper 106 are to be delivered. The unit 100 can be considered as consisting of a lower module 128, an intermediate module 130, and an upper module 132.

The lower module 128 is illustrated in Figures 8 to 10. It comprises a horizontal, rectangular frame 134 to which are fixed hydraulically operable front telescopic legs 126A and to which are laterally adjustably connected in a manner corresponding to that of the legs 66 in the version of Figures 5 and 6 rear hydraulically operable telescopic legs 126B mounted on brackets of which one is shown and referenced 136 in Figure 10. The intermediate module 130 is hinged at its front at a pivot 138 on the front part of the frame 134 and is linked at its rear part to the rear part of the frame 134 by way of the hydraulic piston-and-cylinder device 118. The frame 134 has its lateral members formed with respective pairs of eyes 140 to receive rods which are to bear on the lateral edges of the mouth of the hopper 106 when the unit 100 is to be transported by the dumper 104. The rods are telescopic to enable different sized dumper hoppers to be used. Before retracting the legs, when the unit is above the dumper, the telescopic rods are extended to a suitable length in order that they will bear upon the dumper hopper when the legs are retracted. In order to facilitate ease of transportation, the rods can be clamped or strapped to the dumper hopper to prevent it from falling off. The laterally fully retracted positions of the legs 126B are shown in chain lines in Figure 8.

The intermediate module 130 is shown in more detail in Figures 11 and 12. It comprises a rectangular frame 142 which is hinged at its front at 138 to the frame 134 and which has fixed thereto at its rear a mounting plate 144 for the hydraulic motor 122. The motor 122 rotates a pulley 146 which, through belts 148, rotates a pulley 150 fixed on a mainly eccentric, transverse shaft 154 mounted in bearings (of which one is seen at 152 in Figure 12) on the lateral members of the frame 142. The shaft 154 has fixed thereto, in its eccentric part, flywheels 156 and has, at its opposite end from the pulley 150, and as a balance weight therefor, a further flywheel 158. Rotation of the shaft 154 and, thus, eccentric rotation of the flywheels 156, produces vibration for the screen. The hydraulic motor is capable of rotating in either direction, and thus the direction of rotation can be selected based on the properties of the material to be screened. During normal

operation, the motor rotates anti-clockwise as shown in Figure 12. However, if the time required to screen the material needs to be increased, the direction of rotation is changed to clockwise.

The upper module is shown in more detail in Figures 13 and 14 and comprises a rectangular frame 160 which, with the aid of a middle, transverse supporting member 162, supports the screen 164 and a screening funnel 166. Pins 168 depending from the frame 160 have attached thereto respective springs 170 attachedly received over upwardly protruding, complementary pins 172 (see Figure 11) fixed to the corners of the frame 142, the springs 170 allowing damped, vibratory movement of the frame 160, and thus the screen 164, relative to the frame 142. Corresponding damping springs (not shown) are arranged between the frame 142 and the frame 134 to discourage transmission of the vibrations to the lower module 128.

Figure 15 shows that, instead of the lower module 128 carrying a vibratory screening arrangement constituted by the intermediate module 130 and the upper module 132, it may have detachably connected thereto, so as to be replaceable by the screening arrangement 130,132 as and when desired, a material crushing module 174 with crushing rollers 176 and a loading funnel 178, the module 174 delivering crushed material into the hopper 106 of the dumper 104, but this time with the hydraulic hoses 120 being connected to an hydraulic motor (not shown) for driving the crushing rollers 176. The material crushing module is adapted to crush material such as concrete into small aggregate. If required, the resultant crushed material can then be screened using the screening arrangement of the device.

In use of the unit 100, the dumper 104 is driven forwards until the hopper 106 is directly under the frame 134, so that the dumper driver can, from the seat of the dumper 104, connect the hydraulic hoses 112 to the quick release couplings 113 and then, through the control levers 108, actuate all of the hydraulic drives without leaving his seat. If and when the unit 100 is to be moved, he simply lets it down by hydraulically retracting the legs 126 until the rods (not shown) rest upon the sides of the hopper 106 and then drives the dumper 104 to another desired location for the unit 100, where he then hydraulically extends the legs to lift the rods from the dumper to allow him to reverse the dumper from under the unit. In order to prevent the unit from falling from the dumper while it is being transported, the unit is removably attached to the dumper using clamps,

straps or the like. As well as being significantly adjustable in height, the unit 100 has its rear legs laterally adjustable in their spacing from each other, so that the unit can cater for various widths and heights of dumper. For example, the adjustable length legs allow the height of the unit to be adjusted up to 2m or more from ground level.

In order to assist the user in adjusting the width of the rear legs, the centre of gravity of the unit is such that it remains in balance when standing on only three legs of its four legs. Therefore, to adjust the width of the legs, the user retracts a first leg, and then adjusts the width of that first leg to the desired width, and then extends the first leg until it is in contact with the ground. The user then follows the same process for adjusting the width of the second leg.

Varying sizes of dumper are available and, where necessary, the units can be provided in accommodating sizes; to this end the unit is scalable with the size of the dumper without the requirement to change the relative positions of, for example, the control levers. However, where possible, the adjustable height and width of the legs enables a single size of material treatment unit to be used with multiple sizes of dumper.

A similar material treatment unit would be usable with a tipper lorry, where the lorry would be reversed under the base module frame and the driver would, while still in the vehicle, operate the control device on the unit and interconnect the quick-release couplings for the hydraulic or electrical power supply from the lorry to the unit before operating the unit to deliver the treated material into the tipper container and/or lowering the unit onto the tipper container for transport of the unit to another location.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (which term includes the claims) and/or shown in the drawings may be incorporated in the invention independently of other disclosed and/or illustrated features. In particular but without limitation the features of any of the claims dependent from a particular independent claim may be introduced into that independent claim in any combination.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiments which are described by way of example only, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention. The text of the abstract filed herewith is hereby incorporated within the body of the specification.