Modular screed plate assembly and method of assembling a screed plate

Abstract

The modular screed plate assembly and method has a road paver/finisher, a structural/conductor plate and modular screed plates. The road paver/finisher has a paver under side, a power source and a heating element, for heating the modular screed plates. The modular screed plates have coupling elements, and retainer quick-connect/releases, and align as a modular screed plate array, providing a tensionally yielding gap allowing the modular screed plate array to absorb pressures from paving operations. The structural/conductor plate couples with the coupling elements and has screed plate retaining locks to securely receives the retainer quick-connect/releases, in order to secure itself to the modular screed plates. The structural/conductor plate receives heat directly from the heating element, and provides indirect heat to the modular screed plate array.

We claim: 
     
       1. A modular screed plate assembly paving apparatus, comprising:
 (a) a road paver/finisher paver or finisher; 
 (b) a structural/conductor structural or conductor plate, comprising:
 (i) a top conductor side and an opposing bottom conductor side, a conductor front side and an opposing conductor backside, a plurality of conductor plate fastening means; and 
 (ii) a plurality of screed plate retaining locks; 
 
 (c) the road paver/finisher paver or finisher comprising: a paver under side, a power source and a heating element, the power source generating and providing at least one of gas heat, hydraulic heat or electricity to the heating element causing the heating element to heat; 
 (d) the heating element attaching to the top conductor side by a plurality of heating element fastening means and being located between the paver under side and the top conductor side and, immediately against the top conductor side providing direct heat to the structural/conductor structural or conductor plate; 
 (e) the plurality of conductor plate fastening means attaching the structural/conductor structural or conductor plate at its top conductor side to the paver under side of the road paver/finisher paver or finisher; 
 (f) a plurality of modular screed plates, each of the plurality of modular screed plates 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 coupling element being located on the screed plate top side proximal to the screed plate front side; 
 (iv) a plurality of retainer quick-connect/release quick-connect or release means being located on the screed plate top side proximal to the opposing screed plate back side; 
 (v) a screed plate interlocking side and an opposing screed plate receiving side; 
 (vi) the screed plate interlocking side securely, cooperatively, tensionally yielding, and conductively interlocking with the opposing screed plate receiving side to an adjacent one of the plurality of modular screed plates; 
 (vii) the screed plate interlocking side and the opposing screed plate receiving side interveningly providing a tensionally yielding gap acting as a paving material flow interrupting barrier, where the screed plate interlocking side and the opposing screed plate receiving side are interlocking; and 
 (viii) the plurality of modular screed plates aligning and interlocking as a modular screed plate array; 
 
 (g) each of the plurality of screed plate retaining locks to the structural/conductor structural or conductor plate securely receiving each of the plurality of retainer quick-connect/release quick-connect or release means from each of the respective plurality of modular screed plates, and concurrently the conductor front side of the structural/conductor structural or conductor plate securely and freely receiving the respective coupling element from each of the respective plurality of modular screed plates, the opposing bottom conductor side being in direct contact with the screed plate top side; 
 (h) the modular screed plate array securely and heat-conductively contacting the opposing bottom conductor side of the structural/conductor structural or conductor plate; and 
 (i) the structural/conductor structural or conductor plate providing indirect heat to the modular screed plate array. 
 
     
     
       2. The modular screed plate assembly paving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the structural/conductor structural or conductor plate comprising: comprises a heat conductive material. 
     
     
       3. The heat conductive material paving apparatus of  claim 2  comprising:, wherein the heat conductive material comprisesat least one of nickel, copper, aluminum, steel, copper plated steel, copper plated aluminum or metal alloy of copper or nickel. 
     
     
       4. The modular screed plate assembly paving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conductor plate fastening means comprising: comprises a plurality of threaded nut and bolt fastenings. 
     
     
       5. The modular screed plate assembly paving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises: at least one electrical heating strip. 
     
     
       6. The modular screed plate assembly of  claim 1  wherein the power source comprising: one of electrical, gas or hydraulic power. 
     
     
       7. A modular screed plate assembly paving apparatus, comprising:
 (a) a road paver/finisher paver or finisher; 
 (b) the road paver/finisher paver or finisher further comprising: a paver under side, a power source and a heating element, the power source generating and providing electricity to the heating element causing the heating element to heat; 
 (c) the paver under side having a plurality of screed plate retaining locks; and 
 (d) a plurality of modular screed plates, each of the plurality of modular screed plates 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 coupling element located on the screed plate top side proximal to the screed plate front side; 
 (iv) a plurality of retainer quick-connect/release quick-connect or release means located on the screed plate top side proximal to the opposing screed plate back side; 
 (v) a screed plate interlocking side and an opposing screed plate receiving side; 
 (vi) the screed plate interlocking side securely, cooperatively, tensionally yielding, and conductively interlocking with the opposing screed plate receiving side to an adjacent one of the plurality of modular screed plates; 
 (vii) the screed plate interlocking side and the opposing screed plate receiving side interveningly providing a tensionally yielding gap acting as a paving material flow interrupting barrier, where interlocking; and 
 (viii) the plurality of modular screed plates aligning and interlocking as a modular screed plate array; 
 
 (e) each of the plurality of screed plate retaining locks securely receiving each of the plurality of retainer quick-connect/release quick-connect or release means from each of the respective plurality of modular screed plates, and concurrently the paver under side of the paver under side securely and freely receiving the respective coupling element from each of the respective plurality of modular screed plates; 
 (f) the modular screed plate array securely and heat-conductively contacting the paver under side; and 
 (g) the heating element being located immediately between and securely against the paver under side and the screed plate top side, thereby providing direct heat to the modular screed plate array and the respective plurality of modular screed plates. 
 
     
     
       8. The modular screed plate assembly paving apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the heating element comprising: comprises at least one electrical heating strip. 
     
     
       9. The modular screed plate assembly paving apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the power source comprising: comprises at least one of electrical, gas or hydraulic power. 
     
     
       10. A screed plate An assembly method, the said method comprising:
 (a) having a road paver/finisher paver or finisher comprising: a paver under side, a power source and a heating element:;  
 (b) providing a structural/conductor structural or conductor plate, comprising:
 (i) having a top conductor side and an opposing bottom conductor side, a conductor front side, and a plurality of conductor plate fastening means; and 
 (ii) providing a plurality of screed plate retaining locks; 
 
 (c) generating and providing at least one of gas heat, hydraulic heat or electricity from the road paver/finisher paver or finisher to a heating element causing the heating element to heat; 
 (d) locating the heating element immediately against the top conductor side; 
 (e) providing direct heat from the heating element to the structural/conductor structural or conductor plate from the heating element; 
 (f) attaching the structural/conductor structural or conductor plate at its top conductor side to the paver under side of the road paver/finisher paver or finisher using the plurality of conductor plate fastening means; 
 (g) providing a plurality of modular screed plates, each of the plurality of modular screed plates comprising:
 (i) having a screed plate front side and an opposing screed plate back side; 
 (ii) having a screed plate top side and an opposing screed plate bottom side; 
 (iii) having a coupling element located on the screed plate top side proximal to the screed plate front side; 
 (iv) having a plurality of retainer quick-connect/release quick-connect or release means located on the screed plate top side proximal to the opposing screed plate back side; 
 (v) having a screed plate interlocking side and an opposing screed plate receiving side; 
 (vi) securely, cooperatively, tensionally yielding and conductively interlocking the screed plate interlocking side to an adjacent one of the plurality of modular screed plates with an opposing screed plate receiving side; 
 (vii) aligning and interlocking the plurality of modular screed plates as a modular screed plate array; and 
 (viii) creating a tensionally yielding gap between the screed interlocking side and the opposing screed plate receiving side acting as a paving material flow interrupting barrier; and  
 (ix) using the tensionally yielding gap to allow for a bowing of the modular screed plate array, the bowing resulting from tensional yielding of the modular screed plate array; 
 
 (h) securely receiving each of the plurality of retainer quick-connect/release quick-connect or release means at each of the respective plurality of screed plate retaining locks, and concurrently, securely and freely receiving the respective coupling element at the conductor front side of the structural/conductor structural or conductor plate, the opposing bottom conductor side being in direct contact with the screed plate top side; 
 (i) securely and conductively contacting the opposing bottom conductor side of the structural/conductor structural or conductor plate with the modular screed plate array; and 
 (j) providing indirect heat to the modular screed plate array from the heating element and conducting the heat through the structural/conductor structural or conductor plate. 
 
     
     
       11. The screed plate assembly method of  claim 10 , wherein the structural/conductor structural or conductor plate comprising: comprises a heat conductive material. 
     
     
       12. The screed plate assembly method of claim  10   11 , wherein the heat conductive material comprising: comprises at least one of nickel, copper, aluminum, steel, copper plated steel, copper plated aluminum or metal alloy of copper or nickel. 
     
     
       13. The screed plate assembly method of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of conductor plate fastening means comprising: comprises a plurality of threaded nut and bolt fastenings. 
     
     
       14. The screed plate assembly method of  claim 10  wherein the heating element comprising: comprises at least one electrical heating strip. 
     
     
       15. The screed plate assembly method of  claim 10 , wherein the power source comprising: comprises one of electrical heat, gas heat or hydraulic heat. 
     
     
       16. A screed plate An assembly method, comprising:
 (a) having a road paver/finisher paver or finisher further comprising: a paver under side, a power source and a heating element; 
 (b) generating and providing electricity to the heating element from the power source causing the heating element to heat; 
 (c) having a plurality of screed plate retaining locks on the paver under side; and 
 (d) providing a plurality of modular screed plates, each of the plurality of modular screed plates comprising:
 (i) having a screed plate front side and an opposing screed plate back side; 
 (ii) having a screed plate top side and an opposing screed plate bottom side; 
 (iii) having a coupling element located on the screed plate top side proximal to the screed plate front side; 
 (iv) having a plurality of retainer quick-connect/release quick-connect or release means located on the screed plate top side proximal to the opposing screed plate back side; 
 (v) having a screed plate interlocking side and an opposing screed plate receiving side; 
 (vi) securely, cooperatively, tensionally yielding, and conductively interlocking the screed plate interlocking side to an adjacent one of the plurality of modular screed plates with the opposing screed plate receiving side; 
 (vii) aligning and interlocking as a modular screed plate array the plurality of modular screed plates; 
 (viii) providing a tensionally yielding gap between the screed plate interlocking side and the opposing screed plate receiving side acting as a paving material flow interrupting barrier; and 
 (xi) using the tensionally yielding gap to allow for a bowing of the modular screed plate array, the bowing resulting from tensional yielding of the modular screed plate array; 
 
 (e) securely receiving each of the plurality of retainer quick-connect/release quick-connect or release means from each of the respective plurality of screed plate retaining locks to the paver under side, and concurrently, securely and freely receiving the respective coupling element from each of the respective plurality of modular screed plates to the paver under side; 
 (f) securely and heat-conductively contacting the modular screed plate array with the paver under side; and 
 (g) locating the heating element immediately between and securely against the paver under side and the screed plate top side, thereby providing direct heat to the modular screed plate array. 
 
     
     
       17. The screed plate assembly method of  claim 16 , wherein the heating element comprising: comprises at least one electrical heating strip. 
     
     
       18. The screed plate assembly method of  claim 16 , wherein the power source comprising: comprises at least one of electrical heat, gas heat or hydraulic heat. 
     
     
       19. A road paver comprising:
 a structural or conductor plate having:
 a structural or conductor top side; 
 a structural or conductor bottom side opposing the structural or conductor top side; 
 a structural or conductor front side connecting the structural or conductor top side and the structural or conductor bottom side; and 
 a structural or conductor rear side opposing the structural or conductor front side and connecting the structural or conductor top side and the structural or conductor bottom side; and 
   one or more modular screed plates arranged along the structural or conductor bottom side of the structural or conductor plate, each of the one or more modular screed plates including:
 a paving surface, an attachment surface opposite the paving surface, a front surface, and an opposing rear surface; 
 a first connector having a protruding edge extending from the attachment surface and positioned proximal to the front surface and constructed to be mateable to at least a portion of the road paver via a pressure connection; and 
 a second connector positionable proximal to the rear surface, and configured to cooperate with the first connector to releasably secure the one or more modular screed plates to the at least the portion of the road paver; 
 wherein the first connector is opposite the second connector and the first connector and the second connector are positioned proximal to different surfaces; 
 wherein the paving surface lies below the second connector; 
 wherein the second connector is variably extendable; 
 wherein the first connector has a first angled surface configured to engage and mate with the at least a portion of the structural or conductor front side of the structural or conductor plate, and wherein the second connector has a second angled surface configured to mate with the structural or conductor rear side of the structural or conductor plate.  
   
     
     
       20. The road paver of  claim 19 , wherein the first connector has a curved or angular configuration.  
     
     
       21. The road paver of  claim 19 , wherein the second connector comprises a threaded bolt.  
     
     
       22. The road paver of  claim 21 , wherein the threaded bolt is arranged so that threads of the threaded bolt extend into the one or more modular screed plates and the structural or conductor plate.  
     
     
       23. The road paver of  claim 19 , wherein the second connector is proximal to the rear surface.  
     
     
       24. The road paver of  claim 19 , further comprising a heating element located proximal to the attachment surface.  
     
     
       25. The road paver of  claim 24 , wherein the heating element is positioned between the first connector and the second connector.  
     
     
       26. The road paver of  claim 19 , further comprising at least one heating element proximal to the structural or conductor top side.