Grader

Abstract

A grader for a roadway surface includes a material hopper having a hopper inlet, and a hopper outlet. The hopper outlet is configured to flow material from the hopper onto the roadway surface. A grader blade is located rearward of the hopper outlet relative to a travel direction of the grader along the roadway surface. The grader blade has a lowermost blade surface such that a blade height from the lowermost blade surface to the roadway surface is selectable changeable to provide a selected thickness and/or distribution of the material on the roadway surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A grader for a roadway surface, comprising:
 a material hopper including:
 a hopper inlet; and 
 a hopper outlet, the hopper outlet configured to flow material from the hopper onto the roadway surface; 
   a grader blade disposed rearward of the hopper outlet relative to a travel direction of the grader along the roadway surface, the grader blade having a lowermost blade surface such that a blade height from the lowermost blade surface to the roadway surface is selectable changeable to provide a selected thickness and/or distribution of the material on the roadway surface.   
     
     
         2 . The grader of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the hopper outlet is disposed in a hopper platform disposed at a lower portion of the hopper; and   the grader blade extends through a blade opening in the hopper platform.   
     
     
         3 . The grader of  claim 2 , wherein the hopper platform is disposed at a platform height from the hopper platform to the roadway surface, the platform height greater than the blade height. 
     
     
         4 . The grader of  claim 1 , wherein the grader blade is operably connected to one or more actuators that, when activated, adjust the blade height. 
     
     
         5 . The grader of  claim 1 , wherein a hopper length in the travel direction tapers between the hopper inlet and the hopper outlet. 
     
     
         6 . The grader of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more indicator markings on the grader to indicate the blade height to an operator. 
     
     
         7 . The grader of  claim 1 , wherein the lowermost blade surface is one of planar or has a curvilinear profile along a blade width. 
     
     
         8 . The grader of  claim 1 , wherein the grader is configured to be one of pushed, towed or self propelled along the roadway. 
     
     
         9 . The grader of  claim 1 , further comprising a movable baffle disposed at the hopper outlet configured to selectably meter the flow of material from the hopper outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The grader of  claim 1 , wherein the material is one or more of sand, stone, dirt or other paving material. 
     
     
         11 . A method of distributing a material onto a roadway surface, comprising:
 loading a volume of the material into a hopper of a grader at a grader inlet;   flowing the material out of the hopper via a hopper outlet; and   distributing the material on the roadway surface to a selected thickness and/or distribution by a grader blade extending from the grader rearward of the grader outlet relative to a travel direction of the grader along the roadway, the grader blade having a lowermost blade surface such that a blade height from the lowermost blade surface to the roadway surface is selectable changeable to provide the selected thickness and/or distribution of the material on the roadway surface.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising selectably changing the blade height via one or more actuators operably connected to the grader blade. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more actuators are one or more hydraulic actuators, one or more electromechanical actuators, or one or more electromagnetic actuators. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising indicating the blade height via one or more indicator markings on the grader. 
     
     
         15 . A hopper for a grader for a roadway surface, comprising:
 a material hopper including:
 a hopper inlet; and 
 a hopper outlet, the hopper outlet configured to flow material from the hopper onto the roadway surface. 
   
     
     
         16 . The hopper of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the hopper outlet is disposed in a hopper platform disposed at a lower portion of the hopper; and   a grader blade extends through a blade opening in the hopper platform.   
     
     
         17 . The hopper of  claim 16 , wherein the hopper platform is disposed at a platform height from the hopper platform to the roadway surface, the platform height greater than the blade height. 
     
     
         18 . The hopper of  claim 15 , wherein a hopper length in the travel direction tapers between the hopper inlet and the hopper outlet. 
     
     
         19 . The hopper of  claim 15 , further comprising a movable baffle disposed at the hopper outlet configured to selectably meter the flow of material from the hopper outlet. 
     
     
         20 . The hopper of  claim 15 , wherein the hopper includes one or more hopper plates disposed therein to urge a portion of the material across a width of the roadway.