Crowning grader assembly

Abstract

A crowning grader assembly connects with a machine to grade a road or driveway. The crowning grader assembly has a rear drive mount and a forward drive mount. The grader assembly is configured to be selectively connected to the machine and be pushed forward from the rear drive mount or be connected to the machine and be pulled forward from the forward drive mount. The grader assembly has components that allow the blade of the grader assembly to be moved or set to a desired angle through the use of various actuators to set a desired crowning angle of the blade to impart to the road during operation of the grader assembly.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A grader assembly comprising:
 a front end opposite a rear end defining a first direction therebetween, and a first side opposite a second side defining a second direction therebetween, and a top opposite a bottom defining a third direction therebetween, wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are orthogonal to each other;   a frame including a first side member, a second side member, a rear member, and a front member, wherein the first side member and the second side member extend in the first direction between the front end to the rear end, wherein the rear member and the front member extend in the second direction between the first side member and the second side member;   a moveable blade coupled to the frame, wherein the moveable blade is positioned between the first side member and the second side member and is positioned between the rear member and the front member, and the moveable blade having a first side and a second side, wherein at least one of the first side and the second side the moveable blade is moveable relative to the first direction or the third direction; and   at least one drive mount coupled to one of the rear member and the front member, wherein the at least one drive mount is configured to couple with a machine to move the grader assembly forward in the first direction.   
     
     
         2 . The grader assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first blade mount coupled to the first side member, wherein the first side of the moveable blade is coupled to the first blade mount; and   a second blade mount coupled to the second side member, wherein the second side of the moveable blade is coupled to the second blade mount.   
     
     
         3 . The grader assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the second blade mount is disposed rearward from the first blade mount relative to the first direction. 
     
     
         4 . The grader assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a length of the moveable blade that extends from the first side of the moveable blade to the second side of the moveable blade, wherein the length of the moveable blade lies along a blade axis;   a lower edge of the moveable blade;   a lower horizontal plane of the grader assembly;   a crowning angle defined between the lower edge of the moveable blade and the horizontal plane, wherein the crowning angle is adjustable depending on an orientation of the lower edge relative to the horizontal plane, wherein the angle is adjustable in response to actuation of moveable blade from at least one component coupled to one of the first blade mount and the second blade mount.   
     
     
         5 . The grader assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a manual jack coupled with the first blade mount and the first side of the moveable blade, wherein actuation of the manual jack raises and lowers the lower edge of the moveable blade.   
     
     
         6 . The grader assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a hydraulic actuator coupled with the second blade mount and the second side of the moveable blade, wherein actuation of the hydraulic actuator raises and lowers the lower edge of the moveable blade.   
     
     
         7 . The grader assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a support flange that is part of the first blade mount, wherein the support flange defines a slot that permits a range of travel in the third direction, wherein bounded ends of the slot bound a maximum position and a minimal position of the lower edge at the first side of the moveable blade that define the range of travel for the lower edge at the first side of the moveable blade in the third direction, wherein the range of travel for the lower edge extends from two inches below the bottom of the frame to one inch above the bottom of the frame; and   a slide bracket coupled to the at least one component and the support flange, wherein the slide bracket slides in the third direction along or within the slot in response to movement of the at least one component in the third direction, wherein the slide bracket is directly or indirectly coupled with the first side of the moveable blade, and the lower edge of the moveable blade moves in the third direction in response the slide bracket being slid along or within the slot.   
     
     
         8 . The grader assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a support flange that is part of the second blade mount, wherein the support flange defines a slot that permits a range of travel in the third direction, wherein bounded ends of the slot bound a maximum position and a minimal position of the lower edge at the second side of the moveable blade that define the range of travel of the lower edge at the second side of the moveable blade in the third direction, wherein the range of travel of the second side extends from four inches below the bottom of the frame to one and a half inches above the bottom of the frame; and   a slide bracket coupled to the at least one component and the support flange, wherein the slide bracket slides in the third direction along or within the slot in response to movement of the at least one component in the third direction, wherein the slide bracket is directly or indirectly coupled with the second side of the moveable blade, and the lower edge of the moveable blade moves in the third direction in response the slide bracket being slid along or within the slot.   
     
     
         9 . The grader assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a length of the moveable blade that extends from the first side of the moveable blade to the second side of the moveable blade, wherein the length of the moveable blade lies along a blade axis;   a transverse axis of the grader assembly extending parallel to the second direction;   an angle defined between the moveable blade axis and the transverse axis, wherein the angle is adjustable relative to the first direction depending on an orientation of the moveable blade relative to one of the first blade mount and the second blade mount, wherein the angle is adjustable between about 15 degrees and 25 degrees.   
     
     
         10 . The grader assembly of  claim 9 , wherein one of the first blade mount and the second blade mount is a slide mount adapted to slide the moveable blade in the first direction to adjust the angle between the blade axis and the transverse axis. 
     
     
         11 . The grader assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drive mount has two drive mounts including:
 a rear drive mount coupled to the rear member to allow the grader assembly to be pushed forward from the rear end; and   a forward drive mount coupled to the front member to all the grader assembly to be pulled forward from the front end.   
     
     
         12 . The grader assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an actuator, wherein the moveable blade is moveable in the first direction or the third direction in response to movement of the actuator.   
     
     
         13 . The grader assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sensor to gather data pertaining to surrounding environment or operation of the grader assembly, wherein sensed data is evaluated and processed with machine learning to predict or identify underlying patterns and relationships of sensed data pertaining to surrounding environment or operation of the grader assembly.   
     
     
         14 . A method of operation for a grader assembly comprising:
 selectively coupling a machine to one of a rear drive mount and a front drive mount on a grader assembly, wherein the rear drive mount and the front drive mount are coupled to a frame including a first side member, a second side member, a rear member, and a front member, wherein the first side member and the second side member extend in a first direction between the front member to the rear member, wherein the rear member and the front member extend in a second direction between the first side member and the second side member, and the frame including a top opposite a bottom defining a third direction therebetween, wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are orthogonal to each other;   moving at least one side of a moveable blade in the third direction, wherein the moveable blade is coupled to the frame and positioned between the first side member and the second side member and positioned between the rear member and the front member;   setting a lower edge of the moveable blade at a crowning angle, wherein the crowning angle is defined between a horizontal plane and the lower edge;   wherein if the machine was selectively coupled to rear drive mount of the grader assembly, then pushing the grader assembly in the first direction via the machine;   wherein if the machine was selectively coupled to the front drive mount of the grader assembly, then pulling the grader assembly in the first direction via the machine; and   grading a road with the moveable blade set at the crowning angle.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 moving a first side of the moveable blade in the third direction, wherein the first side of the moveable blade moves relative to a first blade mount coupled to the first side member, wherein the first side of the moveable blade is coupled to the first blade mount; and   moving a second side of the moveable blade in the third direction, wherein the second side of the moveable blade moves relative to a second blade mount coupled to the second side member, wherein the second side of the moveable blade is coupled to the second blade mount, wherein the second blade mount is disposed rearward from the first blade mount relative to the first direction.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 actuating a manual jack coupled to the first blade mount to impart movement in the third direction to the first side of the moveable blade.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 sliding a slide bracket along a support flange that is part of the first blade mount, wherein the slide bracket includes a pin that travels between bounded ends of a slot defined in the support flange; and   wherein the bounded ends of the slot bound a maximum position and a minimal position of the lower edge at the first side of the moveable blade that define a range of travel of the lower edge at the first side of the moveable blade in the third direction, wherein the range of travel extends from two inches below the bottom to one inch above the bottom.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 actuating a hydraulic actuator coupled to the second blade mount to impart movement in the third direction to the second side of the moveable blade.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 sliding a slide bracket along a support flange that is part of the first blade mount, wherein the slide bracket includes a pin that travels between bounded ends of a slot defined in the support flange;   wherein the bounded ends of the slot bound a maximum position and a minimal position of the lower edge at the second side of the moveable blade that define a range of travel of the lower edge at the second side of the moveable blade in the third direction, wherein the range of travel extends from four inches below the bottom to one and a half inches above the bottom.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 wherein the moveable blade includes a length that extends from the first side of the moveable blade to the second side of the moveable blade, wherein the length of the moveable blade lies along a blade axis; and   adjusting an angle defined between the blade axis and a transverse axis of the grader assembly that extends in the second direction, wherein the angle is adjustable between about 15 degrees and 25 degrees.