Road repair systems

Abstract

A range of various sized attachments of infrared heaters powered by liquid petroleum gas (LPG) for installation to a number of different styles of vehicles. These infrared heaters are designed to heat asphalt and other road and structure surfaces for subsequent repair. The vehicles may be an adaptation to existing designs of medium to heavy road going flat bed trucks or to various types of construction loaders. The attachments to construction loaders may be installed as adaptions to front end loader quick-change systems or back hoe bucket mount positions. The whole attachment and its support operating and control assembly may be easily removed for addition to other vehicles of similar types. With the area heated to an appropriate temperature to release the bound surface structure it can then be raked and combined with minimal amounts of new surface fill if required to the previously damaged area. A rejuvenating liquid is then sprayed onto the mix, prior to compaction to provide a fast, economic, quiet and more environmentally friendly means of road repair than traditional methodology.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . An asphalt surface repair apparatus comprising:
 a vehicle road repair system that includes a heating gas source;   at least one gas fired heater carried by the vehicle and adapted to be moved towards and away from the surface to be repaired comprising:   a downwardly facing metal fabric heater blanket and adapted to face the surface to be repaired which supplies heat by burning a mixture of combustible gas and air on the downwardly facing surface;   wherein gas is supplied from the heating gas source and pre-mixed with air and the mixture is passed through the metal fabric heater blanket and is ignited on the downwardly facing surface of the blanket facing the surface to be repaired and a control system is provided to control the duration of heating to enable re-use of existing asphalt.   
   
   
       22 . An asphalt surface repair apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the heater is capable of heating the surface to be repaired to a depth of about 10 mm to about 100 mm to an average temperature of about 50° C. to about 200° C. for from about 5 to about 20 minutes. 
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the heater is mounted to the rear portion of the vehicle for pivotal articulation relative to an adjoining structure of the vehicle for moving the at least one heater towards and away from the surface to be repaired. 
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the control system turning on and is located on the heater. 
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising a sensor for sensing the distance between the heater and the surface to be repaired so that the control system activates the heater when the sensor senses the heater is approximate to the surface to be repaired. 
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the vehicle further comprises a storage compartment for storing tools and equipment, a compaction roller, or both. 
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the heater is controlled to produce an infrared output having a medium wave output that prevents burning of the asphalt surface. 
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the vehicle includes a rejuvenating liquid source a hot new asphalt source and the rejuvenating liquid source is positioned so that residual heat from the hot new asphalt source is used to maintain the working temperature of the rejuvenating liquid. 
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the vehicle includes a column for suspending the at least one heater therefrom such that the at least one heater may be moved towards and away from the surface to be repaired. 
   
   
       30 . The apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the knitted metal fabric is of an iron chromium alloy. 
   
   
       31 . The apparatus of  claim 21  comprising:
 a vehicle for transporting the heater and   i) the vehicle includes a hot new asphalt source;   ii) the vehicle includes a rejuvenating liquid source;   iii) the vehicle includes a rejuvenating liquid dispenser;   iv) the vehicle includes a controller for controlling an on/off operation of the at least one heater;   v) the apparatus further comprises a storage compartment for storing tools and equipment and a compaction roller; and   vi) the at least one heater includes a control system located thereon for independent turning on and turning off of the at least one heater.   
   
   
       32 . A method for repairing an asphalt surface comprising the steps of:
 a) heating the surface to be repaired by burning gas on the downwardly facing surface of one or more knitted metal fabric infrared heaters adapted to be moved towards and away from the surface to be repaired, the heating being to a depth of about 10 mm to about 100 mm from the surface to be repaired, wherein the average heating temperature is from about 50 to about 200° C., and the heating is for from about 5 to about 20 minutes;   b) applying a timing control system across the heating cycle to optimize the penetration of the heat into the asphalt to be repaired;   c) breaking up the heated surface to be repaired by raking, scarifying, or both;   d) compacting the surface to be repaired; and   e) cooling the surface to be repaired to harden the asphalt.   
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein a rejuvenating liquid is applied to the broken-up area. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the step of applying pre-coated chippings on hot rolled asphalt and compacting into the surface to give road texture. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising the step of applying a top coat of a sealer/binder to the surface to be repaired. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the gas is supplied to a vaporizer where it is mixed with air and the mixture passed through the knitted metal fabric and is ignited on the downwardly facing surface of the knitted metal fabric. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the steps of applying a dusting of fine aggregate to the surface to be repaired to provide initial skid resistance upon the surface to be repaired.