Abstract:
An apparatus for attachment to dump trucks having a dump bed and a chute for discharging material onto a road shoulder and/or roadway. The apparatus allows the truck with a single operator to perform shoulder and/or roadway surfacing and/or repair by receiving and grading repair material into place. The attachment being adjustable as to pitch, width and depth of the repair material. The attachment being adjustable to allow a greater or lesser amount of material to be applied to a shoulder closer to the roadway surface if a deeper fill is required. The apparatus allows for rotational movement between the apparatus and the dump truck in a direction parallel to the roadways length and perpendicular to the roadways surface. The tires of the dump truck being utilized to compact the repair material. The apparatus being stored in a vertical position when not in use.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for laying, leveling and compacting road aggregate material and, more particularly, for providing an apparatus and method for adjusting the height, width and pitch of the shoulder as well as accommodating the pivotal movement of the yaw, or rotational movement, between the truck and apparatus perpendicular to the length of the road and for the vertical rotation of the truck and apparatus parallel to the length of the road. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Most paved or concrete roadways in the U.S. are provided with shoulder regions consisting of granular aggregates such as gravel, sand, crushed rock, pebbles, crushed shells, crumbled waste rubber and other such materials or mixtures of materials as are readily available in local areas. After new roads are laid, or old roads refurbished, the road shoulders are laid down and compacted. Most often, this is accomplished using a dump truck to lay the aggregate in a strip next to the road. Then a grader is utilized to spread the aggregate evenly along the side of the road and slightly above the road surface. A compactor is then driven over the aggregate to compact the aggregate level with the road surface at one edge and pitching down and away from the road at the outside edge. The pitching of the aggregate away from the road surface allows for any rain, snow and other debris to flow away from the road surface for vehicle safety reasons. Finally, any aggregate remaining on the road is swept off the road and onto the shoulder. 
     Over the course of time, existing shoulders are subject to wind, rain, snow plowing, drivers driving on the shoulder and other conditions that cause the shoulders to deteriorate such that the shoulder needs to be repaired. The responsibility for road and shoulder maintenance and repair varies by area. Typically, a city, township or village is responsible for certain roadway areas within their boundaries while the counties and state are responsible for the other roadways and shoulders within the counties and states. The cost for purchasing graders and compactors can run into many hundred of thousands of dollars. For those counties and states that have a larger tax base to draw from, and where those areas have a greater amount of roadways to maintain, that cost may be justified. However, for most cities, townships and villages, those equipment purchasing costs cannot be justified as they only lay down and/or repair three (3) to five (5) miles of shoulder per year. The result is a wide range of alternatives for laying and/or maintaining road shoulders. Some smaller communities contract out the shoulder maintenance work to local contractors on a bidding process. Other villages and townships contract the work out to the county. Not including the cost of the aggregate, which costs between $4.25 and $5.25 per ton of material, the contracted costs, per mile of shoulder, varied between $3200.00 and $6383.00 in a local survey of nearby villages and townships. This amounts to between $9600.00 and $31,915.00 per year in taxpayer expense, depending upon the miles and bidding results. Others areas use their own dump trucks and a crew of employees to hand shovel and level the shoulders. Still others use their own snow plow trucks and snow plow blades to lay and level the shoulders. Neither of which are cost effective or easy to accomplish. 
     There have been other attempts at road shoulder working apparatus&#39;. U.S. Pat. No. 7,789,587 to James discloses an apparatus for working up existing shoulder aggregate, leveling and then compacting the aggregate. However, any new aggregate material must be laid by a separate piece of equipment and the leveling and compacting device is not adjustable in width. As such, varying conditions, such as differing shoulder widths and mailboxes and roadway signs placed near the roadway cannot be accommodated. U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,185 to Foertsch discloses an asphalt spreader, and, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,774 to Dulin, is utilized to spread road shoulder aggregate. However, the &#39;185 patent is also of a fixed width at either of two dimensions. Those being the width of the box if there is no baffle in place, or the distance between the bottom edge of the baffle and a sidewall of the box when the baffle is in place. Furthermore, while the &#39;185 patent allows for straight vertical movement of the apparatus, there is no allowance for any pitch or width adjustment of the shoulder and no allowance for the yaw and vertical rotation of the apparatus relative to the truck when laying asphalt or aggregate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,119 to Jones et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,785 to Bergman have identical problems in that they are not width nor pitch adjustable, nor do they accommodate for any yaw and vertical rotation of the apparatus. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed towards the laying, working, grooming and compacting of roadway shoulders while providing for the yaw and vertical rotation of the laying and leveling apparatus relative to the truck and while providing for adjustments for the height, pitch and width of the shoulder. However, it is entirely feasible that the present invention could as easily be utilized for the laying of asphalt with variable heights, widths and pitch while accommodating the yaw and vertical rotation of the apparatus and the roadway relative to the truck. 
     According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention, there is provided a deployable retractable apparatus configured for demountably cooperating with a self propelled operator controlled machine, preferably a dump truck, for laying an aggregate material at an adjustable width to a roadway or roadway shoulder and spreading the aggregate at the appropriate height, width and pitch to the roadway. The compaction of the aggregate being accomplished by the tires of the self propelled operator controlled machine driven over the aggregate after the aggregate has been laid and leveled. 
     The apparatus being attached to a dump truck box that is equipped with conveyors or augers to move the aggregate towards an opening in the dump truck box. The apparatus can be mounted either to the rear of a backward dumping dump truck or to the front of a forward dumping dump truck. It can also be mounted in a forward or rearward facing position. In one of the rear mounted embodiments, a square steel bar is inserted horizontally and secured with a pin or fastener to the hitch receiver on the truck frame. If no hitch receiver is available, the apparatus can be secured by attaching a mounting plate to the square steel bar and then fastening the mounting plate to the truck frame. Secured to the square steel bar is a first steel support, shown as a channel, dropping vertically from the square steel bar. Pivotally attached to the lower end of the first steel support is the first end of a first hydraulic cylinder. The first hydraulic cylinder being operably connected to the dump trucks existing hydraulic and control systems, which are well known in the art. As is also well known in the art, the control systems are typically located in the cab of the truck. Pivotally connected to the square steel bar are two (2) frame support bars mounted on either side of the first steel support which is attached to the first square steel bar. The first steel support prevents the frame support bars from sliding horizontally on the square steel bar attached to the truck frame. The outer ends of the frame support bars ending proximate the outer rear tire of the dump truck. Approximately ¾ths down the frame support bars is a second steel support, also shown as a channel, fixed to the two (2) frame support bars to strengthen and maintain the rigidity of the frame support bar structure. A lower pivotal plate is mounted under the second steel support and the second end of the first hydraulic cylinder is pivotably attached to the lower plate. 
     Secured to the outer ends of the two (2) frame support bars is a connection plate, also shown as channel, through the center of which is a pivot hole. Attached to the pivot hole by a first pivot pin is a rectangular enclosure also shown as made of steel channel although plate, angle iron or tubing would work equally as well. On the rectangular enclosure at the top near both ends is a raised stop bar. This arrangement allows the rectangular enclosure to rotate in a left or right direction until one of the stop bars encounters the connection plate within the range allowed by the two raised stop bars when viewed from the side of the dump truck. In the alternative, the stop bars could be mounted to the connection plate and used to encounter the rectangular enclosure. In another embodiment, the connection plate could be equipped with a stop pin that resides in an enlarged hole in one surface of the rectangular plate. The rotational movement of the rectangular enclosure being constrained by the pin and the size of the enlarged hole. 
     On the forward and rearward sides of the rectangular enclosure there are second and third pivot holes, respectively. Pivotally mounted by pivot pins into these second and third pivot holes are a forward and rearward support plates extending downward. Fixedly attached to the support plates are an inner and outer runner, both of which are rounded in the front and rear for ease of following the roadway surface. When viewed from the rear of the truck, this arrangement allows for the runners to pivot in a left and right motion to relative to the roadway in relation to the truck. This also allows the leveling apparatus to be pivoted into a vertical position when the apparatus is being transported. 
     A support brace is fixed to the outer runner at one end of the support brace and to the first part of the leveling plate at the other end through vertically slotted holes in the support brace. There is a height adjusting plate with two through holes and a threaded rod attached to the top of the height adjusting plate. The threaded rod going through an adjusting bar that is fixed to the top of the support brace. A nut on the threaded rod allows a user to raise or lower the height adjusting plate, and thereby the first part of the leveling blade, as a means for adjusting the height of the leveling plate and thereby the height of the aggregate above the road. The aggregate is later compacted evenly with the road way. The support brace being taller than the runners and leveling plate in order to keep the aggregate onto the shoulder and off of the road. The first part of the leveling plate is mounted to the support brace and height adjusting plate at an obtuse angle to the runners with two fasteners, one fastener going through a lower through hole and the other fastener going through an upper horizontally slotted hole in the first part of the leveling plate. By loosening the two fasteners, the first part of the leveling plate can be rotated about the lower fastener and within the range defined by the upper horizontal slot in order to adjust the pitch of the leveling plate to a desired angle. The first part of the leveling plate is hinged proximate to where the support brace is attached to the first part of the leveling plate. There is at least one and preferably two fastening mechanisms, such as a bolt or the like mounted to the first part of the leveling plate. 
     The second part of the leveling plate has the same height as the first part of the leveling plate but also includes an elongated horizontal slot in the second part of the leveling plate which is adjustably engaged with the fastening mechanisms on the first part of the leveling plate. This allows the operator to adjust the width of the leveling plate assembly and thereby adjust the width of the shoulder being laid. At the outer end of the second part of the leveling plate there is a retaining plate hingedly attached to the outer end. A first adjustable pivotable telescoping length rod connects the outer end of the retaining plate to the inside end of the second part of the leveling plate to secure the position of the retaining plate. This arrangement allows for the adjustment and securing of the angle of the retaining plate to the first and second parts of the leveling plate. A second adjustable pivotable telescoping length rod connects the outside edge of the second part of the leveling plate proximate the front of the outer runner. This arrangement allows for the adjustment and securing of the angle of the leveling plates in relation to the runners. 
     During transportation of the apparatus, the hydraulics are activated which raises the frame support bars and the attached runners and leveling plates off of the ground surface. The operator then manually pivots the runners and leveling plates upward and secures them in place with a locking mechanism for transportation. In an alternative embodiment, a second hydraulic cylinder could be pivotably attached to the frame support bars and to the runners so that the operator could use the truck&#39;s existing hydraulics and controls to raise the runners and leveling plates to secure them in place for transportation. 
     Once at the work site, the operator lowers the runners and leveling plates and then lowers the frame support bars such that the runners are resting on the roadway. An auger or conveyor belt is mounted to the rear of the dump truck box for unloading the aggregate from the dump truck box. The operator then lowers a chute which is rotatably deployed beneath the auger or conveyor belt opening in order to accept the aggregate and direct the aggregates&#39; deposition between the outer runner, the leveling plate assembly and the outer retaining plate. As aggregate fills the space, the operator slowly backs down the roadway depositing and leveling the aggregate. Once the aggregate is deposited and leveled, the apparatus is returned to its transportation mode and the operator drives the trucks tires over the aggregate to compact the aggregate. In the alternative, the leveling portion of the apparatus could be reversed such that the operator drives forward to lay and level the aggregate. 
     For areas that require a deeper fill of aggregate, the leveling assembly and retaining plate can be adjusted from an obtuse angle to an acute angle, with the retaining plate being repositioned more or less parallel with the runners. This position causes more material to be forced upward towards the road to allow for a greater amount of aggregate deposition nearer the road. The retaining plate keeps any loose aggregate up on the shoulder when laying the aggregate. 
     This apparatus allows for a one person operation for shoulder creation, maintenance and repair. For those communities with salting/sanding and snow plowing trucks, those same vehicles can be easily and quickly converted for shoulder placement, repair and maintenance as the salting and sanding dump trucks easily handle the aggregate as well. The end result being better roadway shoulders at less cost. It further provides for adjustable shoulder widths, adjustable shoulder heights, adjustable shoulder pitch, adjustable shoulder depth and allowance for the yaw and vertical rotation of the apparatus in relation to the roadway and truck while in operation. 
     Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional features and advantages be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A system and a method according to the invention will be described in more detail by means of a preferred embodiment with reference to the appended drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a rearward dumping dump truck equipped with a distribution chute and the present invention in a first embodiment in its deployed position. 
         FIG. 2  is a first perspective view of the present invention from the rear of the dump truck depicting the invention with only one hydraulic cylinder and without the chute being present so as not to obscure the view. 
         FIG. 3  is a second perspective view of the present invention from the rear of the dump truck depicting the invention with two hydraulic cylinders and without the chute being present so as not to obscure the view. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the frame mounting portion of the present invention showing the rotational movement “A-B”. 
         FIG. 5  is a first top planar view of the frame mounting portion of the present invention when used with a hitch receiver of a truck frame. 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom planar view of the frame mounting portion of the present invention when used with a flange for mounting to a truck frame with no hitch receiver. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the pivoting hydraulic cylinders connection to the second channel. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternate straight style hitch bar. 
         FIG. 9  is an end planar view of the distribution and leveling portion of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a first top planar view of the distribution and leveling portion of the present invention with the leveling blade at an obtuse angle to the runners and in a rearward facing position. 
         FIG. 11  is a second top planar view of the distribution and leveling portion of the present invention with the leveling blade at an acute angle to the runners. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the distribution and leveling portion of the present invention showing the relative rotational movement E-F, between the inner frame structure and distribution and leveling portion of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a top planar view of the first part of the leveling plate and the height adjusting bar. 
         FIG. 14  is a side planar view of the first part of the leveling plate, the support brace and the height adjusting bar. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the assembly of the first part of the leveling plate, the support brace and the height adjusting bar. 
         FIG. 16  is an end planar view of the leveling portion of the present invention depicting the loose aggregate being leveled at a pitch to the road surface and slightly higher than the road surface. 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional planar end view of the pivot connection and stops where the frame mounting portion joins with the distribution and leveling portion showing the rotational movement G-H. 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of the pivot connection and stops where the frame mounting portion joins with the distribution and leveling portion of the present invention. 
         FIG. 19  is a side planar view of the present invention in its transportation position and showing the vehicle tires being used to compact the newly laid and leveled shoulder aggregate. 
         FIG. 20  is a side planar view of the present invention deployed in a forward facing position when used by a front unloading dump truck. 
         FIG. 21  is a planar view of the support brace. 
         FIG. 22  is a top planar view of a second embodiment of the leveling portion mounted in a forward facing position. 
         FIG. 23  is a cross-sectional end planar view depicting the rotational movement “G-H” with and alternate stop mechanism. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the description of the invention as illustrated in the drawings. Although the invention is described in connection with the drawings, there is no intent to limit the invention to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed therein. On the contrary, the intent is to include all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents included within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims. However, the invention and its alternatives, modifications, derivatives and/or equivalents in other applications are meant to be included within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, but without limitation, the invention has been described using channel, however, flat steel stock and/or angle iron can readily be substituted for channel. Similarly, the hitch bar could be solid or tubular and alternatives to the use of pivot pins, such as rotational sockets, and other means well known in the art, could be substituted without detracting from the form, intent and purpose of the present invention. Similarly, electrical servo-motors could be utilized in place of the hydraulic cylinders where the dump trucks do not have hydraulic systems and controls. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is depicted a rear dumping dump truck  10  with the adjustable laying and leveling apparatus  20  of the present invention, in its deployed position, mounted to the rear of the dump truck  10 . The truck has a bulk material receiving dump bed  400 , an aggregate feeding mechanism or auger  15  and an aggregate material applicator or distribution chute  16  also attached to the rear of the dump truck  10 . The aggregate  17  is depicted on the shoulder  18  of the roadway  19 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  depict the adjustable laying and leveling apparatus  20  of the present invention in two embodiments respectively.  FIG. 2  depicts the distribution and leveling apparatus  20  with a first hydraulic cylinder  21  for use in raising and lowering the frame mounting portion  22  of the present invention  20 . The auger  15  and distribution chute  16 , which are well known in the art, are not shown in order to more clearly depict the distribution and leveling apparatus  20 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the distribution and leveling portion  23  of the present apparatus  20  has to be manually raised and secured for transportation and manually lowered to its deployed position.  FIG. 3  depicts the distribution and leveling apparatus  20  with the first hydraulic cylinder  21  for raising and lowering the frame mounting portion  22  and a second hydraulic cylinder  24  for raising and lowering the distribution and leveling portion  23  of the present apparatus  20 . In both  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the distribution and leveling apparatus  20  is depicted as secured to the dump truck  10  through a hitch receiver  25  mounted to the trucks frame  26 . 
       FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  6  and  7  depict the frame mounting portion  22  of the distribution and leveling apparatus  20 .  FIG. 4  is a view of the frame mounting portion  22  when viewed from the rear of the dump truck  10 .  FIGS. 5 and 6  are top and bottom views, respectively, of the frame mounting portion  22 . The frame mounting portion  22  includes a drop down style hitch bar  30 . If the dump truck  10  has a receiver  25 , then the hitch bar  30 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , can be inserted horizontally into the receiver  25  and secured to the truck  10  by a lock pin or fastener (not shown) going through the receiver  25  and through the through hole  31  in the hitch bar  30 . If the dump truck  10  has no receiver, then, as depicted in  FIG. 6 , a mounting flange  32  can be attached to the hitch bar  30  and the mounting flange  32  then secured to the dump truck frame  26  either at the rear of the truck  10  for a rear dumping dump truck  10  or proximate the front of the dump truck box for a forward dumping dump truck  100  as shown in  FIG. 20 . 
     There are two frame support bars  33  and  34 . To a first end of each frame support bars  33  and  34 , there is fixedly attached two horizontal open-ended tubes  35 . The open-ended tubes  35  are slid over the hitch bar  30  such that the frame support bars  33  and  34  can rotate about the direction shown in  FIG. 4  as the arrow “A-B”. Fixedly attached to the hitch bar  30  is a vertically mounted first support  36  depending downward from the hitch bar  30  and in between the open-ended tubes  35  on the frame support bars  33  and  34 . A second support  37  is fixedly attached to both frame support bars  33  and  34  approximately three fourths down the length of the frame support bars  33  and  34  thereby forcing the two frame support bars  33  and  34  to rotate in unison about the hitch bar  30 . A connection plate  38  is fixedly attached to the second ends of the frame support bars  33  and  34  at an angle. The first support  36  prevents the joined frame support bars  33  and  34  from coming off of the hitch bar  30 . 
     At the bottom end of the first support  36  there is a first flange  39  for rotatably connecting the first end of a first hydraulic cylinder  21 . Shown in  FIG. 7  attached to the second supports  37 , there are fixedly attached four (4) second flanges  41 . A first rotatable pivot plate  42  is secured in between the first two second flanges  41  by pivot pin  43  (not shown). The second end of the first hydraulic cylinder  21  is rotatably attached to the pivot plate  42  by pivot pin  44 . The first hydraulic cylinder  21  being operably coupled to hydraulic hoses  90  and  91  at a first end and the second ends of the hydraulic hoses  90  and  91  being operably coupled to the hydraulic system  48  of the truck  10  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Applying hydraulic pressure to either hydraulic hose  90  and  91  causes the hydraulic cylinder  21  to either expand or withdraw thereby either raising or lowering the second end of the frame support bars  33  and  34  by pivoting the frame mounting portion  22  about the hitch bar  30 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, there is a second hydraulic cylinder  24  rotatably connected at a first end to a flange  45  fixedly attached to the leveling portion  23  of the apparatus  20  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The second end of the second hydraulic cylinder  24 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , is connected to a second swivel plate  42  by pivot pin  44 . The swivel plate  42  being pivotably attached to the second two second flanges  41  which are fixedly attached to the second support  37 . The hydraulic hoses  46  and  47  being operably connected at a first end to the second hydraulic cylinder  24  and the second end of the hydraulic hoses  46  and  47  being operably connected to the hydraulic system  49  of the truck shown in  FIG. 3 . Applying hydraulic pressure to either hydraulic hose  46  or  47  causes the hydraulic cylinder  24  to either expand or withdraw thereby either raising or lowering the distribution and leveling portion  23  of the present apparatus  20 . 
       FIG. 8  depicts a perspective view of an alternative straight style of hitch bar  30 . This style could be utilized in place of the drop down hitch bar  30  shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4  and  6  if the drop down style hitch bar was unnecessary. 
       FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11  depict several views of the distribution and leveling portion  23  of the present apparatus  20 .  FIG. 9  is an end planar view of the distribution and leveling portion  23  of the apparatus  20 . There are inner and outer runners  50  and  51  respectively, which, when the apparatus  20  is deployed, rest on the roadway surface  19  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The leading and trailing edges  52  of the runners  50  and  51  being curved, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , to allow the distribution and leveling portion  23  to ride smoothly over the roadway surface  19 . Fixed in between the runners  50  and  51  are first and second vertical plates  53  and  54  respectively. Attached to the outer runner  51  by fasteners  55  is a support brace  56 . Adjustably connected to the support brace  56  by fasteners  57  is the first half of the distribution and leveling blade  58  and the height adjustment plate  92 . The first half of the distribution and leveling blade  58  being pivotably hinged  59  proximate the support brace fasteners  57 . This allows the first half of the distribution and leveling blade  58  to have an adjustable angle  60  as depicted in  FIG. 10 . 
     The second half of the distribution and leveling blade  61  is adjustably coupled to the first half of the distribution and leveling blade  58  by fasteners  62 . The adjustability of the width “W” of the shoulder  18  is accomplished by loosening both telescoping rods  68  and  71  by loosening the telescoping rod set screws  69  and loosening the fasteners  62 . The operator then repositions the second half of the distribution and leveling blade  61  to the desired width “W” and retightening the fasteners  62  through the elongated slot  63  in the first and second half of the distribution and leveling blades  58  and  61 . 
     The second half of the distribution and leveling blade  61  is pivotably hinged  65  proximate the middle of the second half of the distribution and leveling blade  61 , thereby creating an inner distribution and leveling blade  66  and an outer aggregate retention blade  67 . Once the first half of the distribution and leveling blade  58  has been set to the desired angle  60 , the angle  60  is adjustably fixed in place by a first telescoping rod  68  which is pivotally attached with a first pivot pin  70  and bracket  64  at a first end to the outer runner  51  and at a second end to the second half of the distribution and leveling blade  61  by a second pivot pin  70  and a bracket  64 . The telescoping rod  68  is held in position by a set screw  69 . 
     Similarly, the angle  72  of the inner distribution and leveling blade  66  and the aggregate retention blade  67  is adjustable by means of the hinge  65  and is adjustably held in place by a second telescoping rod  71  which is pivotally attached at a first end to the aggregate retention blade  67  by a third pivot pin  70  and bracket  64  and at a second end to the inner distribution and leveling blade  66  by a fourth pivot pin  70  and bracket  64 . 
     As should be apparent from the description, in combination with the drawings, both angle  60  of the distribution and leveling blades  58  and  61  and the width “W” between the outer runner  51  and the aggregate retention blade  67  are adjustable. This arrangement provides for the creation of variable width shoulders (distance “W”) either by lengthening or shortening the first telescoping rod  68  or by repositioning the second half of the distribution and leveling blade  61  in relation to the first half of the distribution and leveling blade  58  by the fasteners  62 . Furthermore, by changing the angle  60  to an acute angle by adjusting the first half of the distribution and leveling blade  58 , the aggregate  17  is forced upward towards the outer runner  51  to provide for a deeper fill of aggregate  17  nearer the roadway  19 . 
     In addition, the distribution blades  58  and  61  and the aggregate retention plate  67  can be set in a straight line for leveling in which event any excess aggregate  17  is pushed out past the shoulder  18 . 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  further depict an inner frame structure  200  consisting of four channels  73 ,  74 ,  75 , and  76  fixedly attached to each other to form an open rectangle with sufficient space between the two channels  75  and  76  and the inner and outer runners  50  and  51  to allow the inner frame structure to rotate inside the void created by the runners  50  and  51  and the vertical plates  53  and  54  about the pivot points  77  and  78  which pivotally connect channels  73  and  74  to the vertical plates  53  and  54 . The inner structure  200  could be made of flat stock, angle iron or a combination thereof.  FIG. 12  is a perspective showing the direction of rotation “E-F” of the channels  73 ,  74 ,  75  and  76  in relation to the runners  50  and  51 . The hole  300  in channel  75  being used to rotatably connect the inner frame structure  200  to the connection plate  38  with a pivot pin. 
       FIGS. 9 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15  and  16  depict the distribution and leveling apparatus  23  with the height “D” and pitch “P” adjustments. Sandwiched in between the height adjustment plate  92  and the inner distribution and leveling blade  58  is the support brace  56 . The inner distribution and leveling blade  58  having an upper horizontal slotted hole  94  and a lower through hole  95 . The support brace  56  having two open ended vertical slots  96  and two vertical slotted holes  97  as shown in  FIG. 21 . Fixed to the top of the support brace  56  is an adjustment bar  93  with two through holes  98 . The height adjusting plate  92  has a threaded rod  99  attached to one end and two through holes  102  in the adjusting plate  92 . The threaded rod  99  goes through one hole  98  in the adjustment bar  93 , depending upon if the apparatus  20  is positioned in a forward or rearward operating position, with a nut  103  on the end of the threaded rod  99 . By loosening the fasteners  57 , an operator can change the height “D” of the amount of aggregate  17  leveled above the roadway  19  by turning the nut  103  which causes the height adjusting plate  92  to move up or down. Once the height “D” has been set, the operator can seize the inner distribution and leveling blade  58  and adjust the pitch “P” of the leveling blade  58  and  61  by pivoting about the fastener  57  in the hole  95  within the limits of the fastener  57  in horizontal slot  94  in the first part of the leveling blade  58 . The fasteners  57  can then be tightened to maintain the height “D” setting and the pitch “P” setting. This allows an operator to set a desired height of aggregate  17  above the roadway  19  surface such that when the aggregate  17  is compacted later, the end result is a compacted shoulder even with the roadway  19  and pitched P away from the roadway surface  19 . 
       FIG. 16  depicts the distribution and leveling portion  23  positioned on a roadway  19  with the un-compacted aggregate  17  leveled and at a pitch “P” to the roadway  19  surface to allow for water and debris runoff. 
       FIGS. 17 and 18  depict the pivotal connection  80  that joins the connection plate  38  of the frame mounting portion  22  to the inner frame structure  200 . The frame support bars  33  and  34  are fixedly attached to the connection plate  38  as shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6 . A pivot pin  80  passes through the connection plate  38  and through one side of the inner frame structure  200  located in the void created by the runners  50  and  51  and the vertical plates  53  and  54 . This allows the inner structure  200 , and thereby the entire distribution and leveling portion  23  to rotate in the direction “G-H” as shown in  FIG. 12 . There are two stops  81  and  82  fixed on either end of the inner frame structure  200  that limit the amount of “G-H” rotation that the inner frame structure  200 , and consequently the distribution and leveling portion  23 , can rotate. 
     In an alternate embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 23 , the two stops  81  and  82  could be eliminated and replaced with a stop pin  201  fixed to the connection plate  38  and an enlarged hole  202  in one side of the inner frame structure  200 . The stop pin  201  rides inside the enlarged hole  202  allowing the inner structure  200 , and thereby the entire distribution and leveling portion  23  to rotate in the direction “G-H” as shown in  FIG. 23  within the limits of the enlarged hole  202 . 
       FIG. 19  depicts the distribution and leveling apparatus  20  secured in an upright position by a rod  97  for transportation. Also depicted are the rear tires  96  of the dump truck  10  driving over the leveled aggregate  17  and compacting the aggregate  17 .  FIG. 20  depicts a forward dumping dump truck  100  with the distribution and leveling apparatus  20  mounted in a forward moving direction attached behind the cab of the truck  100  with the mounting flange  32  depicted in  FIG. 6 . 
     To convert the apparatus  20  from a rearward operating position to a forward operating position, the support brace  56  shown in  FIG. 21  is removed from the distribution and leveling portion  23  and reattached in the position shown in  FIG. 22 . The telescoping rods  68  and  71  are disconnected as is the inner and outer leveling blades  58  and  61  and reattached as depicted in  FIG. 22 . 
     The method for adjustably laying, leveling and compacting a shoulder in accordance with the present invention will now be explained. If necessary, an operator first removes any salt or sand spreading devices and any un-needed equipment such as a snow plow or the like. The operator then installs the distribution and leveling apparatus  20 , either by attaching the hitch bar  30  to the truck&#39;s  10  or  100  receiver  25  or by attaching the mounting flange  32  to the truck frame  26  at a suitable location. The operator then connects the hydraulic hoses  90 ,  91 ,  46  and  47  to the truck&#39;s hydraulic systems and controls. Hydraulic systems, connections and controls are well know in the art and most dump trucks  10  or  100  come pre-equipped with such hydraulics, connections and controls. The hydraulic controls typically being located in the cab of the truck  10  or  100 . The operator then activates the hydraulic controls for the first and second hydraulic cylinders  21  and  24  to raise the distribution and leveling device  20  off of the road surface  19  and into its upright position for transportation and secures the apparatus  20  with the rod  97 . If the second hydraulic cylinder  24  is not available, the operator manually raises the distribution and leveling portion  23  and secures it to the side of the dump truck  10  with the rod  97 . 
     The operator then drives the dump truck  10  or  100  to an aggregate filling yard and fills the dump truck bed with aggregate  17 . The operator then drives the dump truck  10  or  100  to the road where shoulder application or maintenance is required. The operator then un-secures the rod  97  and the distribution and leveling apparatus  20  and, by means of the dump trucks hydraulics or manually, deploys the distribution and leveling apparatus  20  to the roadway  19 . The operator then positions the distribution and leveling apparatus  20  such that the outer runner  51  is near the edge of the roadway  19 . Based upon the current shoulder  18  conditions, the operator can then adjust the distribution and leveling portion  23  in a variety of means. First, the operator can infinitely adjust the angle  60  of the leveling blades  58  and  61 , within the limits of the telescoping rod  68 , to the outer runner  51  to allow for a deeper or shallower aggregate  17  fill amount next to the road by adjusting the first telescoping rod  68 . Then the operator can infinitely adjust the angle  72  of the aggregate retention blade  67 , within the limits of the second telescoping rod  71 , so as to keep the loose aggregate  17  up on the shoulder by adjusting the second telescoping rod  71 . Next, the operator can infinitely adjust the bottom of the leveling blades  58  and  61  up or down, within the limits of the length of the horizontal slots  97  in the support brace  56 , to create a greater or lesser amount of loose and leveled aggregate  17  above the road surface  19  by loosening the fasteners  57  and turning the nut  103  attached to the height adjusting plate  92  which in turn raises or lowers the leveling blades  58  and  61  to a desired height D. Next the operator can infinitely adjust the pitch “P” of the shoulder  18 , within the limits of the horizontal slot  94  in the first half of the distribution and leveling blade  58 , by pivoting the leveling blades  58  and  61  about the lower fastener  57  and within the limits of the upper slotted hole  94  and then tightening the fasteners  57  to maintain the pitch “P” and height “D” adjustments. Next, the operator can infinitely adjust for the width “W” of the shoulder  18 , within the limits of the slot  63  in the second half of the distribution and leveling blade  61 , the setting of the angle  60  between the outer runner  51  and the first and second distribution and leveling blades  58  and  61 , and the setting of the angle  72  between the retention blade  67  and the second half of the distribution and leveling blade  61 , by loosening the fasteners  62  and sliding the outer leveling blade  61  by the fasteners  62  running in the slot  63  either in closer or further away from the outer runner  51  and then tightening the fasteners  62 . 
     Once suitably adjusted, the operator returns to the cab of the dump truck  10  or  100  and raises the dump truck bed to get the aggregate  17  flowing toward the auger or conveyor belt  15  that the dump truck&#39;s  10  or  100  come equipped with. By activating the auger or conveyor belt  15  with the controls already existing in the dump truck, the aggregate  17  is moved to an opening where the aggregate  17  falls out and onto the material applicator or chute  16  which directs the aggregate  17  into the space between the outer runner  51 , the inner and outer leveling blades  58  and  61  and the aggregate retention blade  67 . Once a suitable amount of aggregate  17  has been deposited, the operator slowing backs the truck  10  or  100  down the road continuously laying the aggregate  17 . Meanwhile, the distribution and leveling portion  23  evenly distributes and levels the aggregate  17  based upon the adjustments made as provided above. 
     The curved surfaces  52  of the runners  50  and  51  allow the distribution and leveling portion  23  to operate smoothly over the road surface  19 . The pivot point  80  between the third channel  38  and the inner frame structure  200  at channel  75  allows the runners  50  and  51  to rotate vertically within the limits of the stops  81  and  82  to account for varying road heights. The inner frame structure  200  cooperating with the vertical plates  53  and  54  allow the distribution and leveling portion  23  to rotate thereby allowing variation in the road surface linear irregularities running crosswise to the roads  19  direction. The rotation of the frame mounting portion  22  about the hitch bar  30  accommodates the rotational or yaw movement of the roadway  19  in relation to the truck frame  26 . In an alternative embodiment, the distribution and leveling portion  23  could rotate within the limits created by the hole  202  and the pin  201  shown in  FIG. 23 . 
     Once the aggregate is laid and leveled, the operator returns the distribution and leveling apparatus  20  to its upright position for transportation and secures the apparatus  20  with the rod  97  or other securing means well known in the art. The operator then directs the dump truck  10  or  100  onto the loose and leveled aggregate  17  and slowly drives over the aggregate using the truck tires  96  to compact the shoulder aggregate  17 . 
     In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus  20  can be mounted on the right hand side, or passenger side, of the truck  10  or  100  in a forward leveling position. The operator then follows the procedures above for filing the dump truck  10  or  100  and setting the pitch, width, height and other adjustments described above. The operator then drives the truck  10  or  100  forward while depositing and leveling the aggregate  17  on the shoulder. Once the aggregate  17  is deposited and leveled, the operator backs the truck  10  or  100  up and slowly drives over the aggregate  17  with the truck&#39;s tires being utilized to compact the aggregate  17 . 
     In an identical manner, asphalt could be laid, leveled and compacted to various widths, pitch and yaw or utilized to patch small areas or holes in the roadway  19 . In a further embodiment, the runners  50  and  51  could have hardened edges or a carbide or other suitable material attached to the base of the runners  50  and  51  to reduce the wear on the runners  50  and  51  similar to snow plow blades. 
     For those areas with dump trucks  10  and  100 , but without hydraulics, such as in the southern States where there is no need for salting and snow plowing, electrical servo-motors can be substituted for the hydraulics to accomplish the same movements provided by the hydraulic cylinders  21  and  24 . 
     In compliance with the statute, the invention and method of operation has been described in language more or less specific as to the structural features. It is to understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, since the means and construction herein disclosed comprise a preferred form of putting the invention into practice. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims, appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.