Expandable and contractable paver assembly for narrow access paths

Abstract

A paver assembly includes a paving unit assembly having a first side wall, a second side wall, and an expandable frame connecting the first side wall and the second side wall together. The expandable frame can move the first side wall and the second side wall towards and away from one another to contract and expand the paving unit assembly so that a width of the paving unit assembly can be the same as a width of a surface paved by the paver assembly. The paver assembly can also include a first paving unit fixedly connected with respect to the first side wall and a second paving unit fixedly connected with respect to the second side wall, where the first paving unit and the second paving unit are offset with respect to one another and move past one another as the paver assembly expands and contracts.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A paver assembly for paving over a roughly excavated subgrade, the paver assembly configured for driving over paving material deposited on the roughly excavated subgrade to form the paving material into a paved trail, the paver assembly configured to be contained within a width of the roughly excavated subgrade while forming the paving material into the paved trail, the paver assembly comprising:
 a power unit for driving and powering the paver assembly, the power unit including   a first adjustable width expandable frame,   a platform for supporting power equipment for powering the paver assembly, the platform supported by the first adjustable width expandable frame, and   a pair of tracks for driving and supporting the first adjustable width expandable frame and the platform over the roughly excavated subgrade, each one of the pair of tracks positioned at an opposing side of the first adjustable width expandable frame so that the power unit can be expanded and contracted to be the same width as the width of the roughly excavated subgrade; and   a paving unit assembly connectable to the power unit and configured to form the paving material into the paved trail, the paving unit assembly including   a first side wall having a first support surface,   a second side wall having a second support surface,   a second adjustable width expandable frame connecting the first side wall and the second side wall together for moving the first side wall and the second side wall towards and away from one another so that the paving unit assembly can be expanded and contracted to be the same width as the width of the roughly excavated subgrade,   a first paving unit fixedly connected with respect to the first side wall, and   a second paving unit fixedly connected with respect to the second side wall, the first paving unit and the second paving unit offset with respect to one another to move past one another as the paving unit assembly is expanded and contracted.   
     
     
         2 . The paver assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first support surface and the second support surface of the paving unit assembly are independently adjustable to control at least one of a height or a cross slope of the paved trail. 
     
     
         3 . The paver assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a slope sensor attached to the paving unit assembly for measuring and transmitting a slope of the paving unit assembly while the paving unit assembly is forming the paving material into the paved trail. 
     
     
         4 . The paver assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the power equipment of the power unit comprises hydraulic power equipment for powering the paving unit assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The paver assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the power unit is configured for lifting the paving unit assembly off the ground. 
     
     
         6 . The paver assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a connection between the power unit and the paving unit assembly for pulling the paving unit assembly is below a center of gravity of the paving unit assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The paver assembly as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the connection between the power unit and the paving unit assembly comprises a pintle hitch. 
     
     
         8 . A paving unit assembly for paving over a roughly excavated subgrade, the paving unit assembly configured for driving over paving material deposited on the roughly excavated subgrade to form the paving material into a paved trail, the paving unit assembly configured to be contained within a width of the roughly excavated subgrade while forming the paving material into the paved trail, the paving unit assembly comprising:
 a first side wall having a first support surface;   a second side wall having a second support surface;   an adjustable width expandable frame connecting the first side wall and the second side wall together for moving the first side wall and the second side wall towards and away from one another so that the paving unit assembly can be expanded and contracted to be the same width as the width of the roughly excavated subgrade;   a first paving unit fixedly connected with respect to the first side wall; and   a second paving unit fixedly connected with respect to the second side wall, the first paving unit and the second paving unit offset with respect to one another to move past one another as the paving unit assembly is expanded and contracted.   
     
     
         9 . The paving unit assembly as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the first support surface and the second support surface of the paving unit assembly are independently adjustable to control at least one of a height or a cross slope of the paved trail. 
     
     
         10 . The paving unit assembly as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising a slope sensor for measuring and transmitting a slope of the paving unit assembly while the paving unit assembly is forming the paving material into the paved trail. 
     
     
         11 . The paving unit assembly as recited in  claim 8 , wherein a connection to the paving unit assembly for pulling the paving unit assembly is below a center of gravity of the paving unit assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The paving unit assembly as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the connection to the paving unit assembly comprises a pintle hitch. 
     
     
         13 . A paver assembly for paving over a roughly excavated subgrade, the paver assembly configured for driving over paving material deposited on the roughly excavated subgrade to form the paving material into a paved trail, the paver assembly configured to be contained within a width of the roughly excavated subgrade while forming the paving material into the paved trail, the paver assembly comprising:
 a power unit for driving and powering the paver assembly, the power unit including   a first adjustable width expandable frame,   a platform for supporting power equipment for powering the paver assembly, the platform supported by the first adjustable width expandable frame, and   a pair of tracks for driving and supporting the first adjustable width expandable frame and the platform over the roughly excavated subgrade, each one of the pair of tracks positioned at an opposing side of the first adjustable width expandable frame so that the power unit can be expanded and contracted to be the same width as the width of the roughly excavated subgrade; and   a paving unit assembly connectable to the power unit and configured to form the paving material into the paved trail, the paving unit assembly including   a first paving unit,   a second paving unit, the first paving unit and the second paving unit offset with respect to one another to move past one another as the paving unit assembly is expanded and contracted, and   a second adjustable width expandable frame connected to the first paving unit and the second paving unit for moving the first paving unit and the second paving unit towards and away from one another so that the paving unit assembly can be expanded and contracted to be the same width as the width of the roughly excavated subgrade.   
     
     
         14 . The paver assembly as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the paving unit assembly further comprises a first side wall having a first support surface and a second side wall having a second support surface, the second adjustable width expandable frame connecting the first side wall and the second side wall together for moving the first side wall and the second side wall towards and away from one another so that the paving unit assembly can be expanded and contracted to be the same width as the width of the roughly excavated subgrade, and the first paving unit and the second paving unit fixedly connected with respect to the first side wall and the second side wall, respectively. 
     
     
         15 . The paver assembly as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the first support surface and the second support surface of the paving unit assembly are independently adjustable to control at least one of a height or a cross slope of the paved trail. 
     
     
         16 . The paver assembly as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising a slope sensor attached to the paving unit assembly for measuring and transmitting a slope of the paving unit assembly while the paving unit assembly is forming the paving material into the paved trail. 
     
     
         17 . The paver assembly as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the power equipment of the power unit comprises hydraulic power equipment for powering the paving unit assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The paver assembly as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the power unit is configured for lifting the paving unit assembly off the ground. 
     
     
         19 . The paver assembly as recited in  claim 13 , wherein a connection between the power unit and the paving unit assembly for pulling the paving unit assembly is below a center of gravity of the paving unit assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The paver assembly as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the connection between the power unit and the paving unit assembly comprises a pintle hitch.