Mobile apparatus for applying non-skid surface to road plate

Abstract

An apparatus for applying a non-skid surface to at least one side of a road plate comprises an enclosure generally surrounding a conveyor to support a road plate during movement through a first station and a second station of the apparatus. The first station includes a positionable sandblasting nozzle for use in cleaning a side of the road plate, and the second station includes a positionable wire arc spray nozzle for use in applying a spray of molten metal and/or metal alloy droplets to the cleaned side of the road plate. The droplets adhere to the road plate and provide a non-skid surface that provides for better traction between the tires of vehicles that move over the road plate. The apparatus is supported on a frame having a plurality of wheels and may be moved to a field site on public roadways and apply the non-skid surface to road plates at a location at or near construction and repair locations where the road plates are used.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a mobile frame having a plurality of wheels to engage a support surface and a hitch connectable to a truck for moving the apparatus;   a loading conveyor coupled to the frame and having a first plurality of rolling elements for engaging a lower side of a road plate and for enabling movement of the road plate in a first direction;   a cleaning station disposed adjacent to the loading conveyor and having a second plurality of rolling elements coupled to the frame for engaging the lower side of the road plate, for rollably receiving the road plate from the loading conveyor and for supporting the road plate within the cleaning station, the second plurality of rolling elements oriented for translation of the road plate in the first direction;   a sandblasting nozzle oriented to direct a high velocity stream of abrasive particles onto an upper side of the road plate with the road plate in the cleaning station;   a third plurality of rolling elements coupled to the frame and deployable from a retracted position, in which an uppermost portion of each of the third plurality of rolling elements is below an uppermost portion of the second plurality of rolling elements, to a deployed position, in which the uppermost portion of each of the third plurality of rolling elements is above the uppermost portion of the second plurality of rolling elements, the third plurality of rolling elements oriented for translation of the road plate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;   an application station disposed adjacent to the cleaning station and having a fourth plurality of rolling elements coupled to the frame for engaging the lower side of the road plate, for rollably receiving the road plate from the cleaning station and for supporting the road plate within the application station, the fourth plurality of rolling elements oriented for translation of the road plate in the second direction;   a wire arc spray head oriented to direct a spray of molten material onto the upper side of the road plate, the wire arc spray head including two consumable electrodes, each comprising a conductive wire fed independently into the spray head, and a gas nozzle oriented to blow a stream of gas towards a zone of contact between the two consumable wires to spray a large plurality of molten metal droplets onto the upper side of the road plate;   a fifth plurality of rolling elements coupled to the frame and deployable from a retracted position, in which an uppermost portion of each of the fifth plurality of rolling elements is below an uppermost portion of the fourth plurality of rolling elements, to a deployed position, in which the uppermost portion of each of the fifth plurality of rolling elements is above the uppermost portion of the fourth plurality of rolling elements, the fifth plurality of rolling elements oriented for translation of the road plate in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction; and   an unloading conveyor coupled to the frame and having a sixth plurality of rolling elements for engaging the lower side of a road plate and for enabling movement of the road plate in the third direction for rollably receiving the road plate from the application station.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the loading conveyor is pivotally coupled to the frame. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the unloading conveyor is pivotally coupled to the frame. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the loading conveyor is pivotally coupled to the frame. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the third plurality of rolling elements is pivotally deployable from the retracted position to the deployed position. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the third plurality of rolling elements is deployable from the retracted position to the deployed position by activation of a fluid cylinder. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fifth plurality of rolling elements is pivotally deployable from the retracted position to the deployed position. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fifth plurality of rolling elements is pivotally deployable from the retracted position to the deployed position by activation of a fluid cylinder. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the third plurality of rolling elements is pivotally deployable from the retracted position to the deployed position. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an enclosure surrounding the cleaning station, the enclosure including a containment wall to contain abrasive particles.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an enclosure surrounding the application station, the enclosure including a containment wall.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the third direction is opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the loading conveyor is connectable to and pivotable by a winch for moving the road plate from the loading conveyor to the cleaning station. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the uppermost portion of each of the third plurality of rolling elements in the deployed position is above the uppermost portion of each of the fourth plurality of rolling elements of the application station. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the uppermost portion of the fifth plurality of rolling elements in the deployed position is above the uppermost portion of each of the sixth plurality of rolling elements of the unloading conveyor. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a frame having an enclosure and a plurality of wheels;   a partition within the enclosure dividing a first station from a second station, the partition having an aperture for movement of a road plate therethrough;   a loading ramp pivotally coupled to a first end of the frame;   a discharge ramp pivotally coupled to a second end of the frame;   a conveyor supported on the frame for moving a road plate from the loading ramp through the first station, the aperture of the partition, and the second station to the discharge ramp;   a motor coupled to drive the conveyor to move a road plate supported thereon;   a sandblasting nozzle disposed in the first station proximal to a top portion of the apparatus;   a wire arc spray nozzle disposed in the second station proximal to the top portion of the apparatus;   a wire arc spray head coupled to the wire arc spray nozzle;   a reservoir to receive a supply of abrasive particles;   a first spool of wire to feed the wire arc spray head;   a second spool of wire to feed the wire arc spray head;   a current source coupled to at least one of the first spool of wire and the second spool of wire;   a first pressurized air conduit coupled at a terminus to the sandblasting nozzle; and   a second pressurized air conduit coupled at a terminus to the wire arc spray nozzle.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a sandblasting nozzle positioning arm to vary the position of the sandblasting nozzle within the first station; and   a wire arc spray nozzle positioning arm to vary the position of the wire arc spray nozzle within the second station.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a first motor to operate the sandblasting nozzle positioning arm; and   a second motor to operate the wire arc spray nozzle positioning arm.