Screed plate apparatus and method for homogeneously applying paving material to a road surface

Abstract

The screed plate apparatus and method has a road paver/finisher, screed plate, and material matting apparatus having a power source and structural/conductor plate. Paving material is loaded into the material matting apparatus and applied homogeneously as a paving mat to a road surface in a road paver/finisher travel direction. The structural/conductor plate is attached to the road paver/finisher and to the screed plate to provide indirect heat to the screed plate. The screed plate bottom side has differing forms of textured surface impacting the paving material, by differing corrugations of differing patterns, into a more homogeneous consistency. The corrugated pattern may be oriented parallel or perpendicular to the paver travel direction, and/or progressively flattening or set in a crisscross rhombic pattern. A vibrating and oscillating mechanism operates horizontally and vertically upon the screed plate providing a homogeneously sorting on the paving material.

We claim: 
     
       1. A screed plate paving apparatus, comprising:
 (a) a screed plate comprising:
 (i) a screed plate front side and an opposing screed plate back side; 
 (ii) a screed plate top side and an opposing screed plate bottom side; 
 (iii) a screed plate first side and an opposing screed plate second side; 
 (iv) a coupling element incorporated into the screed plate front side; and 
 (v) at least two screed plate attaching means located on the screed plate top side; 
 
 (b) a road paver/finisher comprising:
 (i) a material matting apparatus having a plate bottom and paving material; 
 (ii) a structural/conductor plate, comprising: a conductor top side and an opposing conductor bottom side, a conductor front side and an opposing conductor backside, a plurality of conductor plate fastening means, and at least two screed plate retaining means located on the opposing conductor bottom side; 
 (iii) the plurality of conductor plate fastening means securely attaching the structural/conductor plate at the conductor top side directly to the plate bottom of the road paver/finisher material matting apparatus; 
 (iii) a power source attaching to(iv) a heating element between the plate bottom and the conductor top side; 
 
 (c)(v) a power source attached to the heating element, the power source generating and providing at least one of electric, gas or hydraulic heat to the heating element causing the heating element to heat; 
 (d) the heating element is freely and securely located between the plate bottom and the conductor top side and, immediately against the conductor top side providing direct heat to the structural/conductor plate; 
 (e)(c) the at least two screed plate retaining means securely and receivingeach constructed to receive the respective at least two screed plate attaching means, and the conductor front side securely and freely receivingconstructed to receive the coupling element; 
 (f) the structural/conductor plate securely and heat-conductively contacting and attaching at the opposing conductor bottom side to the screed plate at the screed plate top side; 
 (g) the structural/conductor plate providing indirect heat to the screed plate; 
 (h) the material matting apparatus applying the paving material to a road surface in a paver travel direction as traversed by the road paver/finisher; 
 (i)(d) the opposing screed plate bottom side, further comprising: a textured surface, the textured surface impacting the paving material applied homogeneously by the material matting apparatus into a paving mat on the a road surface when the screed plate compacts the paving material to the road surface as the road paver/finisher traverses the road surface in the a paver travel direction; and 
 (j)(e) the textured surface comprising: a corrugated pattern comprising: a plurality of corrugations. 
 
     
     
       2. The screed plate paving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the corrugated pattern comprising: the plurality of corrugations orienting are oriented parallel to the paver travel direction. 
     
     
       3. The screed plate paving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the corrugated pattern comprising: the plurality of corrugations orienting are oriented perpendicularly to the paver travel direction. 
     
     
       4. The screed plate paving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the corrugated pattern comprising: comprises a crisscross rhombus pattern of the plurality of corrugations acutely orienting oriented to the paver travel direction. 
     
     
       5. The corrugated pattern paving apparatus of  claim 2  comprising:, wherein the plurality of corrugations progressively flattening flatten in a dampening corrugated pattern from the screed plate first side toward the opposing screed plate second side. 
     
     
       6. The screed plate paving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein plurality of corrugations comprising: comprise at least one of a repetitive wave form, a repetitive v-shaped pattern, or a repetitive block shaped pattern, or a variably shaped wave pattern. 
     
     
       7. The screed plate paving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the material matting apparatus further comprises:
 (a) a vibrating and oscillating mechanism powered by the road paver/finisher; and 
 (b) the vibrating and oscillating mechanism causing so as to cause the material matting apparatus to forcibly operate horizontally and vertically upon the screed plate; and 
 (c) the vibrating and oscillating mechanism adding force to the screed plate to produce a more dense paving material. 
 
     
     
       8. A screed plate paving apparatus, comprising:
 (a) a screed plate comprising:
 (i) a screed plate front side and an opposing screed plate back side; 
 (ii) a screed plate top side and an opposing screed plate bottom side; 
 (iii) a screed plate first side and an opposing screed plate second side; 
 (iv) a coupling element incorporated into the screed plate front side; and 
 (v) at least two screed plate attaching means located on the screed plate top side; 
 
 (b) a road paver/finisher comprising:
 (i) a material matting apparatus having a plate bottom and paving material; 
 (ii) at least two screed plate retaining means located on the plate bottom; and 
 (iii) a power source attaching to a heating element between the material matting apparatus and the screed plate top side and arranged to provide direct heat to the screed plate; 
 
 (c) the(iv) a power source generating and providing at least one of electric, gas or hydraulic heat to the heating element causing the heating element to heat the screed plate; 
 (d) the heating element is freely and securely located between the plate bottom and the screed plate top side and, immediately against the screed plate top side providing direct heat to the screed plate; 
 (e)(c) the at least two screed plate retaining means securely and receiving the respective at least two screed plate attaching means, and the bottom plate securely and freely material matting apparatus releasably receiving the coupling element; 
 (f) the heating element providing direct heat to the screed plate; 
 (g) the material matting apparatus applying the paving material to a road surface in a paver travel direction as traversed by the road paver/finisher; 
 (h)(d) the opposing screed plate bottom side, further comprising: a textured surface, the textured surface impacting the paving material applied homogeneously by the material matting apparatus into a paving mat on the a road surface when the screed plate compacts the paving material to the road surface as the road paver/finisher traverses the road surface in the a paver travel direction; and 
 (i)(e) the textured surface comprising: a corrugated pattern comprising: a plurality of corrugations. 
 
     
     
       9. A method for homogeneously applying paving material to a road surface, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a screed plate,
 (i) the screed plate comprising: a screed plate front side and an opposing screed plate back side, a screed plate top side and an opposing screed plate bottom side, and a screed plate first side an opposing screed plate second side and at least two screed plate attaching means located on the screed plate top side; and   (ii) incorporating a coupling element into the screed plate front side;   
 (b) providing a road paver/finisher, the road paver/finisher comprising: a material matting apparatus having paving material, a plate bottom and a structural/conductor plate; 
 (c) providing the structural/conductor plate comprising: a conductor top side and an opposing conductor bottom side, a conductor front side and an opposing conductor backside, a plurality of conductor plate fastening means, and at least two screed plate retaining means located on the opposing conductor bottom side; 
 (d) securely attaching the a structural/conductor plate by the a plurality of conductor plate fastening means at the a conductor top side directly to the plate bottom of to the road paver/finisher; 
 (e) providing a power source to the road paver/finisher attaching a power source to a heating element between a plate bottom of the road paver/finisher and the conductor top side of the structural/conductor plate to provide heat to the structural/conductor plate; 
 (f) generating and providing electricity by the power source to the heating element causing the heating element to heat; 
 (g) locating the heating element freely and securely between the plate bottom and the conductor top side and immediately against the conductor top side to provide direct heat to the structural/conductor plate; 
 (h) securely and receiving the respective at least two screed plate attaching means, located on a screed plate top side of a screed plate, to the a respective at least two screed plate retaining means located on a conductor bottom side opposing the conductor top side and securely and freely receiving the a coupling element at a screed plate front side against the a conductor front side of the structural/conductor plate; and  
 (i) securely and heat-conductively contacting and attaching the structural/conductor plate at the opposing conductor bottom side to the screed plate at the screed plate top side: 
 (j) providing indirect heat through the structural/conductor plate to the screed plate; 
 (k) applying the a paving material from the a material matting apparatus of the road paver/finisher to a the road surface in a paver travel direction as traversed by the road paver/finisher; where  
 (l) providing the opposinga screed plate bottom side, further comprising:opposing the screed plate top side comprises a textured surface impacting the paving material applied by the matting material apparatus on the road surface when the screed plate compacts the paving material into a paving mat to the road surface as the road paver/finisher traverses the road surface in the paver travel direction; and 
 (m) whereby the screed plate homogeneously applies paving material as the paving mat to the road surface. 
 
     
     
       10. The method for applying paving material homogeneously to a road surface of  claim 9 , wherein the textured surface comprising: comprises a corrugated pattern comprising a plurality of corrugations. 
     
     
       11. The method for homogeneously applying paving material to a road surface of  claim 9 , the method further comprising: orienting the plurality of corrugations parallel to the paver travel direction. 
     
     
       12. The corrugated pattern method for homogeneously applying paving material to a road surface of  claim 10 , the method further comprising: the plurality of corrugations orienting the plurality of corrugations perpendicularly to the paver travel direction. 
     
     
       13. The corrugated pattern method for homogeneously applying paving material to a road surface of  claim 10  further comprising: the plurality of corrugations orienting the plurality of corrugations in a crisscross rhombic pattern acutely to the paver travel direction. 
     
     
       14. The method for homogeneously applying paving material to a road surface of  claim 9  further comprising: progressively flattening, wherein the plurality of corrugations progressively flatten in a dampening corrugated pattern from the screed plate first side toward the screed plate second side. 
     
     
       15. The plurality of corrugations method for homogeneously applying paving material to a road surface of  claim 10  comprising:, wherein the plurality of corrugations comprise at least one of a repetitive wave form, a repetitive v-shaped pattern, or a repetitive block shaped pattern, or a variably shaped wave pattern. 
     
     
       16. The method for homogeneously applying paving material to a road surface of  claim 9 , the method further comprising:
 (a) providing the material matting apparatus further comprising:
 (i) with a vibrating and oscillating mechanism powered by the road paver/finisher; and 
 (ii) the vibrating and oscillating mechanism causing which causes the material matting apparatus to forcibly operate horizontally and vertically upon the screed plate; and 
 
 (b) adding force to the screed plate from the vibrating and oscillating mechanism, driving and moving the screed plate horizontally and vertically, providing homogeneous sorting and producing a more dense paving material. 
 
     
     
       17. A road paver comprising:
 a structural/conductor plate having:
 a conductor top side; 
 a conductor bottom side opposing the conductor top side; 
 a conductor front side extending from a first edge of the conductor top side to a first edge of the conductor bottom side; 
 a conductor backside opposite the conductor front side, the conductor backside extending from a second edge of the conductor top side to a second edge of the conductor bottom side; and 
   a screed plate selectively engageable with the structural/conductor plate proximal to the conductor bottom side of the structural/conductor plate, the screed plate having a paving surface side with a plurality of mounds, hummocks or topographical highs extending therefrom,   wherein the plurality of mounds, hummocks or topographical highs form a crisscross rhombic pattern;   wherein the screed plate further includes:
 a side opposite the paving surface side; 
 a screed front side extending between the paving surface side and the side opposite the paving surface side; 
 a screed backside opposing the screed front side and extending between the paving surface side and the side opposite the paving surface side; 
 a coupling element positioned at the screed front side, the coupling element being coupleably engageable with the conductor front side; and 
 two screed plate attaching means positioned at the screed backside, the two screed plate attaching means and the coupling element releaseably securing the screed plate with the conductor backside; 
   wherein the two screed plate attaching means comprise a threaded bolt;   and wherein the threaded bolt is arranged so that a longitudinal axis thereof is approximately parallel to the side opposite the paving surface side.   
     
     
       18. The road paver according to claim 17, wherein the crisscross rhombic pattern includes plurality of rhombic edges oriented acutely relative to a paver travel direction of the screed plate. 
     
     
       19. A screed plate comprising a base plate having a paving surface side with a plurality of mounds, hummocks or topographical highs extending therefrom, the plurality of mounds, hummocks or topographical highs arranged in a crisscross rhombic pattern;
 the screed plate further comprising:
 a screed front side extending between the paving surface side and a side opposite the paving surface side; 
 a screed backside opposing the screed front side and extending between the paving surface side and the side opposite the paving surface side; 
 a coupling element positioned proximal to the screed front side and constructed to coupleably engage the screed plate to a road paver; and 
 two screed plate attaching means positioned proximal to the screed backside, and configured to cooperate with the coupling element to releaseably secure the screed plate to the road paver; 
   wherein the two screed plate attaching means comprise a threaded bolt; and   wherein the threaded bolt is arranged so that a longitudinal axis thereof is approximately parallel to the side opposite the paving surface side.   
     
     
       20. The screed plate according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of mounds, hummocks or topographical highs are configured to apply variable force vectors to a paving material when the screed plate is moved in a paver travel direction of the screed plate across the paving material. 
     
     
       21. A road paver comprising:
 a screed plate including:
 a paving surface side; and 
 a plurality of mounds, hummocks or topographical highs extending from the paving surface side, the plurality of mounds, hummocks or topographical highs being arranged in a crisscross rhombic pattern, 
   wherein the screed plate is configured to be releasably attached to a lower portion of the road paver;   wherein the screed plate further includes:
 a side opposite the paving surface side; 
 a screed front side extending between the paving surface side and the side opposite the paving surface side; 
 a screed backside opposing the screed front side and extending between the paving surface side and the side opposite the paving surface side; 
 a coupling element at the screed front side, the coupling element being coupleably engageable with a conductor front side; and 
 two screed plate attaching means at the screed backside, the two screed plate attaching means and the coupling element releaseably securing the screed plate with a conductor backside; 
   wherein the two screed plate attaching means comprise a threaded bolt; and   wherein the threaded bolt is arranged so that a longitudinal axis thereof is approximately parallel to the side opposite the paving surface side.   
     
     
       22. The road paver according to claim 21, wherein the crisscross rhombic pattern includes plurality of rhombic edges oriented acutely relative to a paver travel direction of the screed plate. 
     
     
       23. A screed assembly comprising:
 a screed plate including:
 a paving surface side; and 
 a plurality of mounds, hummocks or topographical highs extending from the paving surface side, 
   the plurality of mounds, hummocks or topographical highs being arranged in a crisscross rhombic pattern,   wherein the screed plate is configured to be releasably attached to the screed assembly;   wherein the screed plate further includes:
 a side opposite the paving surface side; 
 a screed front side extending between the paving surface side and the side opposite the paving surface side; 
 a screed backside opposing the screed front side and extending between the paving surface side and the side opposite the paving surface side; 
 a coupling element positioned proximal to the screed front side and constructed to coupleably engage the screed plate to a road paver; and 
 two screed plate attaching means positioned proximal to the screed backside, the two screed plate attaching means and the coupling element releaseably securing the screed plate to the road paver; 
   wherein the two screed plate attaching means comprise a threaded bolt; and   wherein the threaded bolt is arranged so that a longitudinal axis thereof is approximately parallel to the side opposite the paving surface side.   
     
     
       24. The screed assembly according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of mounds, hummocks or topographical highs are configured to apply variable force vectors to a paving material when the screed plate is moved in a paver travel direction of the screed plate across the paving material. 
     
     
       25. The screed assembly according to claim 23, wherein the crisscross rhombic pattern includes plurality of rhombic edges oriented acutely relative to a paver travel direction of the screed plate. 
     
     
       26. A screed assembly comprising:
 a screed plate including:
 a paving surface side; and 
 a plurality of mounds, hummocks or topographical highs extending from the paving surface side, 
   wherein the screed plate is releaseably attachable to the screed assembly, and   wherein the plurality of mounds, hummocks or topographical highs form a rhombic pattern;   wherein the screed plate further includes:
 a screed front side extending between the paving surface side and a side opposite the paving surface side; 
 a screed backside opposing the screed front side and extending between the paving surface side and the side opposite the paving surface side; 
 a coupling element positioned proximal to the screed front side and constructed to coupleably engage the screed plate to a road paver; and 
 two screed plate attaching means positioned proximal to the screed backside, the two screed plate attaching means and the coupling element releaseably securing the screed plate to the road paver; 
   wherein the two screed plate attaching means comprise a threaded bolt; and   wherein the threaded bolt is arranged so that a longitudinal axis thereof is approximately parallel to the side opposite the paving surface side.   
     
     
       27. The screed assembly according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of mounds, hummocks or topographical highs are configured to apply variable force vectors to a paving material when the screed plate is moved in a paver travel direction of the screed plate across the paving material. 
     
     
       28. The screed assembly according to claim 26, wherein the rhombic pattern includes plurality of rhombic edges oriented acutely relative to a paver travel direction of the screed plate.