Abstract:
A compact, easily transportable, surface preparation or road mill apparatus which includes a road mill housing or surface treatment unit having a cutter drum powered by its own power source. The apparatus also includes a mounting device for attachment of a working machine, such as the road mill housing, to a land vehicle having a lifting mechanism, preferably of the type provided on “front-end loaders”. The surface treatment unit or road mill housing preferably has an opening for receiving a cylindrical shaft and the mounting device includes an attachment device for attachment to a land vehicle and an interconnected cylindrical shaft upon which the road mill housing can be secured once the shaft is received within the shaft receiving opening.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a forward mounted asphalt road mill apparatus for attachment to and use in conjunction with a front-end loading land vehicle or the like having a loading bucket or other lifting mechanism. The preferred road mill apparatus includes a road mill housing and a mounting device for multiple tool attachment. The preferred mounting device includes a cylindrical shaft upon which a working machine, such as the road mill housing, may be secured. the present invention also includes a mounting device of the type described above. 
     Road surfaces, particularly asphalt road surfaces form a majority of road surfaces in the United States. Asphalt is also used in other applications, such as parking lots, biking paths, walking paths and the like. A problem with asphalt is that is has a limited useful life. When that useful life has been exceeded, the surface must be replaced or rehabilitated. The conventional units generally used to replace such surfaces are generally large machines capable only of replacing the entire surface area. Often, however, it is not desirable or cost effective to rehabilitate the entire road surface, particularly when only portions or segments of a paved section have deteriorated. As a result, the road surface is allowed to continue to deteriorate until use of a conventional full surface surfacing unit becomes cost effective. The need to wait until the use of conventional resurfacing units becomes cost effective, results in temporary repairs such as patching, which are not as desirable as resurfacing. However, without a more cost effective manner resurfacing small areas, or portions of larger areas, resurfacing which might otherwise be completed if smaller, more flexible resurfacing units were available, will be deferred. Furthermore, there will be a tendency to redo surfaces which might not need to be done because only larger areas can be accommodated by the larger conventional units. Conventional units tend to be very large and heavy. They are often self propelled or attached to existing vehicle frames. The power for such units is generally supplied by one unit which means that some of the power is used to drive the vehicle and some of the power is used in the surface treatment apparatus. For this reason, those units are also very slow. In addition, they can only be used to resurface large areas. It will be appreciated, therefore, that a need exists for smaller devices which are easily transportable, efficient for reconditioning or replacing portions of larger asphalt surface areas, and flexible in terms of the types of replacements which can be done. 
     Smaller pavement milling apparatus have been previously disclosed. Fowkes (U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,969) discloses a pavement milling apparatus having a frame, a manual cutting head with cutting teeth, an internal combustion engine power plant, a power transmitting mechanism, a torque amplifying mechanism, an adjustable gage, a cover. Taylor et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,045) discloses an apparatus for pulverizing asphalt including a rotating drum with removable cutting tips which engage the roadway. The apparatus is designed for receiving and rotating varies widths of rotating drums and is adaptable for moving the drum along the width of a mobile piece of equipment supporting the apparatus and adjacent a curb and gutter of a roadway. Numerous other patents, notably Guest (U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,793); King (U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,081); Baskett U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,732); Hackmack (U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,789); and Maxwell et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,893), disclose mechanism for attaching working machines to loading buckets on front-end loaders. Several of these patents disclose rotating drums and, of those, Hackmack and Maxwell et al. disclose rotating milling devices for pulverizing soil and the like. 
     Accordingly, it will be appreciated that there is a need for an efficient way to attach a asphalt road milling device to a loading bucket of a front-end loader so that such a device may be efficiently used to resurface asphalt, concrete in other surfaces used for roadways, walkways, parking lots and the like. The present invention provides advantages over the prior devices and the prior methods used to resurface these and other surfaces and will also offer advantages over the prior art and solve other problems associated therewith. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The forward mounted asphalt road mill apparatus of the present invention is compact, easily transportable and includes a surface treatment unit which has a cutter drum powered by its own power source. The apparatus includes a road mill housing having a rotatable cutter drum and a mechanism for driving the cutter drum; and a mounting device for attaching the road mill housing to a lifting mechanism attached to a land vehicle, preferably a loading bucket of a front-end loader or the like. The housing is easily transportable in a pickup truck or the like. The mounting device for attachment of the road mill housing to a land vehicle includes a cylindrical shaft upon which the housing may be secured, and the housing includes a shaft receiving opening for receiving the cylindrical shaft. Preferably, the road mill apparatus of the present invention further comprises an adjustable length connecting arm interconnecting the housing to the mounting device. The connecting arm is preferably oriented such that the housing will pivot about the cylindrical shaft with respect to the mounting device when the length of the connecting arm is changed. The connecting arm is preferably a hydraulic cylinder which is actuated remotely from the cab of the front-end loader or other prime mover having a forwardly mounted lifting mechanism. Preferred embodiments of the mounting device will be designed and constructed to engage a standard attachment mechanism such as a “quick attach” mechanism, a loading bucket, or the like. 
     The surface preparation apparatus of the present invention is compact, easily transportable, and includes a surface treatment unit which has a surface modifier or “cutter drum” powered by its own power source. The surface modifier or cutter drum is preferably off-set relative to the transverse aids of the surface treatment unit such that the surface modifier operates substantially to one side of the surface treatment unit. 
     One objective of the present invention is to provide a surface preparation apparatus which may be easily transported in or on vehicle or attached to a lifting mechanism of a vehicle. 
     Another objective is to create a compact surface preparation apparatus which is useful to efficiently recondition small sections of deteriorated asphalt surfaces. 
     A further objective is to rehabilitate surfaces of various widths and compositions. 
     Another objective is to reduce the potential of injury due to flying debris. 
     Another object is to provide an apparatus which will move the debris from the treated surface area. 
     These and various other advantages and features of novelty that characterize the present invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto informing a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the present invention, its advantages and other objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings, which form a further part hereof and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like and primed reference numbers reference like features or aspects of the various embodiments of the present invention: 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a generalized embodiment of a forward mounted asphalt road mill apparatus of the present invention shown engaged with a loading bucket of a front-end loader shown in phantom; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of an alternate housing of a forward mounted asphalt road mill apparatus similar to that shown in FIG. 1, but having an adjustable depth gauge mechanism including a support wheel; the front-end loader is shown in phantom and the road mill housing is shown in an offset position relative to the loading bucket, and consequently, the front-end loader, such that the portion of the housing including the cutter drum is positioned outside of the width parameters of the outer sides of the loading bucket; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the forward mounted asphalt road mill apparatus shown in FIG. 2, but showing the loading bucket partially broken away; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of the road mill housing of the forward mounted asphalt road mill apparatus shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded side view of the forward mounted asphalt road mill apparatus shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 but from the opposite side as that shown in FIG.  3  and showing only the road mill housing and the mounting device when disengaged, and not showing the adjustable connecting arm or hydraulic cylinder shown in subsequent FIGS. 7 and 8; 
     FIG. 6 is a rear view of the road mill housing shown in FIG. 5 when disconnected from the mounting device, which shows the electronic actuating mechanism used to control various functions of road mill apparatus; 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view of the forward mounted asphalt road mill apparatus shown in FIGS. 2-6, but showing the loading bucket partially broken away and showing an alternate loading bucket in phantom in a different position in sect to the road mill housing, where the alternate loading bucket is generally aligned with the road mill housing such that the cutter drum is within the outer width parameters of the loading bucket alternate; 
     FIG. 8 is a front view of the mounting device shown in FIG.  5  and also showing an adjustable connecting arm which is interconnected with the mounting device as it is when the mounting device is engaged with the road mill housing (not shown); 
     FIGS. 9A,  9 B, and  9 C are schematic diagrams of a forward mounted asphalt road mill apparatus, similar to that shown in FIG. 2, during use; FIG. 9A showing the road mill housing in a generally horizontal orientation to the bucket mounting device when the adjustable connecting arm is extended to an intermediate length and the cutter drum is in a generally horizontal orientation with resect to the ground surface; FIG. 9B being similar to FIG. 9A, but showing the adjustable connecting arm in a contracted position causing the road mill housing to be pivoted on a cylindrical shaft in respect to the bucket mounting device from the position shown in FIG.  9 A and enabling the cutter drum to engage the ground surface at an angle to a generally horizontal plane provided by the ground surface; and FIG. 9C depicts a forward mounting asphalt road mill apparatus similar to FIGS. 9A and 9B except that the adjustable connecting arm is extended such that the housing is pivoted in the opposite direction of that shown in FIG. 9B such that the cutter drum is at a different angle with respect to the generally horizontal plane represented by the ground surface; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a hydraulic conveyor belt of an alternate embodiment of the present invention showing segments of a generalized road mill housing, similar to that shown in FIG. 2, in phantom with the exception of connection member; 
     FIG. 11 is a schematic view of an alternate housing similar to that shown in FIG. 10 engaged with a bucket mounting device of the present invention, similar to that shown in FIG. 2, which is in turn engaged with a loading bucket of a front-end loader shown in phantom, and also showing pickup truck in phantom forward of the hydraulic conveyor belt to receive pulverized surface material; 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an alternate housing plate attached to a portion of a alternate housing proximate the cutter drum (not shown), showing fluid conduit apparatus for delivering fluids such as polymer modified emotions or water suspended asphalt into a grinding chamber within the alternate housing to be mixed with asphalt or other ground surface material pulverized by the cutter drum; 
     FIG. 13 is a schematic view of the cutter drum chamber of an alternate housing similar to that shown in FIG. 12 showing a liquid spray emerging from a spray nozzle inside the cutter drum chamber; 
     FIG. 14 shows a portion of an alternate housing in phantom and a mechanically driven auger device attached to a front plate proximate the cutter drum chamber; 
     FIG. 15 is a partial schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of a housing similar to that shown in part in FIG. 14 wherein the auger is transferring pulverized surface material to the side of the ground surface to the right of the housing as the housing moves forward (or to the left of the front of the housing as shown in the schematic drawing); 
     FIG. 16 is a schematic plan view of a broadcasting device similar to that shown in FIG. 17, attached to an alternate housing shown in phantom, when is used broadcasting pulverized road surface materials pulverized by the road mill cutter drum; 
     FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a broadcasting device similar to that shown in FIG. 16; 
     FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an alternate mounting device including a preferred bucket attachment device for mounting upon a loading bucket and supporting a forward mounted asphalt road mill apparatus; 
     FIG. 19A is an exploded partial perspective view of a portion of an alternate mounting device similar to that shown in FIG. 18, but showing the tool bars in phantom and only one of the two hook-like catch extensions attached to the tool bars in place of the bucket attachment device shown in FIG. 18; 
     FIG. 19B is a side view of an alternate mounting device similar to that shown in FIG. 19A, but showing the hook-like catch extensions (far side not visible) secured to the tool bars shown in phantom and engaged with a standard “quick attach” attachment mechanism which is shown in phantom; 
     FIG. 20 is a front view of the mounting device shown in FIG. 18; 
     FIG. 21 is a top view of the mounting device shown in FIG. 18; 
     FIG. 22 is a side view of the mounting device shown in FIG. 18 with the adjustable depth setting support wheel on the far side thereof shown in phantom; and 
     FIG. 23 is a side view of the bucket mounting apparatus shown in FIG. 18 with the portions of the mounting apparatus with the exception of the adjustable depth setting support wheel shown in phantom. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention includes a road mill apparatus  10  having a mounted device  12  and a road mill housing  20  including an engine  22  and a rotating cutter drum  24  (not shown) driven by the engine  22 . The housing  20  is disengageably engaged with the mounting device  12  for attachment to a lifting mechanism  13  on a land vehicle  16 . The cutter drum  24  (not shown) rotates within a cutter drum chamber  26  (not shown) in a manner consistent with alternate embodiments of the housing described herein below, and the housing  20  can have any of the features of those embodiments unless otherwise indicated. When resting on a ground surface, the housing  20  rests on sidewalls and at least one skid bar (not shown) located on the inside of the cutter drum chamber  26  (not shown), immediately adjacent to the cutter drum  24  (not shown). The cutter drum chamber  26  (not shown) lies immediately behind the adjustable skirt  58  which can slide up or down relative to the other parts of the housing. Although the adjustable skirt  58  has a skid bar  60 , that skid bar does not bear the weight of the housing  20 . 
     Referring now also to FIGS. 2-8, an alternate embodiment of the forward mounted asphalt road mill apparatus  10  includes a bucket mounting device  12 ′ for attachment to a loading bucket  14 ′ of a front-end loader  16 ′. The road mill apparatus  10 ′ also includes an adjustable connecting arm  18 ′ (shown in FIG. 7) and a road mill housing  20 ′. Within the housing is an engine  22 ′ which drives a rotating cutter drum  24 ′ which resides within a cutter drum chamber  26 ′ within the housing  20 ′. 
     When engaged together, as shown in FIGS.  2 , 3 , 4  and  7  the housing  20 ′ and mounting device  12 ′ provide an effective forward mounted asphalt road mill apparatus  10 ′. The depth of the cut can be adjusted with an adjustable depth gauge  63 ′ including and adjustable support wheel  64 ′. the depth gauge  63 ′ is adjustable by adjusting the distance between the support wheel  64 ′ and a depth gauge housing  65 ′. This can be done either manually or automatically using mechanical and electronic/hydraulic mechanisms and controls which are well known. 
     As shown particularly in FIG. 5, the bucket mounting device  12 ′ includes a cylindrical shaft  30 ′ including a pin receiving cannula  32 ′ through which a securing pin  34 ′ (shown in FIG. 4) is passed to secure the housing  20 ′ to the mounting device  12 ′. The housing  20 ′ includes a shaft receiving opening  36 ′ extending entirely though the housing  20 ′ which will receive the cylindrical shaft  30 ′ when the housing  20 ′ is engaged with the bucket mounting device  12 ′. 
     The mounting device  12 ′ shown in FIGS. 5 and 8 is designed and constructed specifically to clamp down on a loading bucket  14 . A frame  27 ′ is provided which includes several tool bars  28 ′ which are generally disposed in a horizontal orientation when the mounting device  12 ′ is engaged with a loading bucket  14 ′ when the top surface  50 ′ of the bottom side  52 ′ of the loading bucket  14 ′ is generally oriented in a horizontal position. A fuel tank  54 ′ having fuel lines  56 ′ to transfer fuel to the engine  22 ′ is preferably attached to one of the tool bars  28 ′ as is the cylindrical shaft  30 ′. A mounting bracket  29 ′ is also provided on the outside of the frame  27 ′ so that a connecting arm  18 ′ can be attached to adjustably connect the mounting device  12 ′ with the housing  20 ′. 
     When mounted on the bucket mounting device, the adjustable connecting arm  18 ′, preferably a hydraulic cylinder, interconnects the housing  20 ′ with the mounting device  12 ′ in a manner which enables the housing  20 ′ to pivot within a generally vertical plane about the cylindrical shaft  30 ′ when the cylindrical shaft  30 ′ resides in a generally horizontal plane, if the adjustable connecting arm is either extended or contracted from an intermediate extension orientation when the housing  20 ′ and the mounting device  12 ′ reside generally in a horizontal plane and are generally residing in planes which are parallel with one another as shown schematically in FIG.  9 A. Referring now also to FIG. 9B, the housing may be rotated clockwise about the cylindrical shaft  30 ′ when viewed from the rear, when the adjustable connecting arm  18 ′ is contracted from the intermediate orientation shown in FIG.  9 A. In this position, the cutter drum  24 ′ will engage the ground surface  40 ′ at an angle to a horizontal surface similar to that shown. As shown in FIG. 9C, the housing  20 ′ may also be rotated counter clockwise about the cylindrical shaft  30  as seen from the rear when the adjustable connecting arm  18 ′ is extended beyond the intermediate extension shown in FIG.  9 A. In this case, the cutter drum will also sit at an angle to the generally horizontal ground surface shown in the Figures. 
     Although a hydraulic cylinder  18 ′ is the preferred adjustable connecting arm, it will be appreciated that a turnbuckle (not shown) may also be used to adjust the length of the adjustable connecting arm. However, in such a case, the length of the adjustable connecting arm  18 ′ will not be readily adjustable. Nor will it be adjustable during operations, as is generally desired. For that reason the use of a hydraulic cylinder is preferred, preferably one which is remotely controllable from a cab of the front-end loader  16 ′ or other prime mover using electronic hydraulic controls  41 ′. Such controls are well known and may be provided along with additions controls for started, stopping, accelerating and decelerating the engine  22 ′ which drives the cutter drum  24 ′. 
     In preferred embodiments, the forward mounted asphalt road mill apparatus  10 ′ of the present invention is a “right-handed” machine which can extend 3 degrees from a generally horizontal plane to the left (counter clockwise as viewed from the rear of the housing) and up to 12 degrees to the right (clockwise as viewed from the rear of the housing) when a hydraulic cylinder  18 ′ is used which can extend from a contracted length of 20 inches to a fully extended length of 28 inches. It will be appreciated, however, that the housing  20 ′ may be rotated to a larger degree in either direction depending on the length of the adjustable connecting arm  18 ′ when fully contracted and when fully extended and upon the respective connection points to the mounting device  12 ′ and the housing  20 ′. It will be appreciated that any known adjustable length connecting arm may be used to accomplish this function, and that the arm need not necessarily be automated, but that, if it is automated or remotely controlled, any known system for providing such control can be used and is fully contemplated to fall within the scope of the present invention. 
     The cutter drum  24 ′ rotates about an axis (not shown) within a cutter drum chamber  26 ′ in the housing  20 ′. The cutter drum may have any width or diameter, however, preferred cutter drums have a width of from about 1 inch to about 26 inches preferably having widths of 1, 2, 8, 14, 20, 26 inches. Optional 8 inch and 12 inch widths can also be used. The cutter drum preferably includes quick change bits and bit holders, preferably kennemetal quick change bit holders and blocks or the like, wherein ½ inch bit spacing is preferred. The cutter drum  24 ′ preferably rotates in a clockwise direction when seen from the side shown in FIG. 5, so that the cutter drum  24 ′ pulverizes asphalt or other pavement by striking it from below when moving upward in a forward direction. 
     The bucket mounting device  12 ′ includes a pair of side bars  25 ′ which are interconnected by a plurality of tool bars  28 ′ to form the frame  28 ′ of the mounting device  12 ′. The cylindrical shaft  30 ′ is preferably secured to at least one of the tool bars  27 ′. U-shaped side pieces  42 ′ each have a pair of mounting pins  48 ′ which can be screwed down onto a top surface  50 ′ of the bottom side  52 ′ of the bucket  14  to secure the bucket mounting device  12 ′ to the bucket  14 ′ are provided to secure the mounting device  12 ′ to the bucket  14 ′. When the top surface  50 ′ of the bottom side  52 ′ of the bucket  14 ′ is in a generally horizontal plane and the bucket mounting device  12 ′ is engaged with the bucket  14 ′, the surfaces of each of the tool bars  28 ′ of the bucket mounting device  12 ′ will lie generally in a horizontal plane parallel with the generally horizontal plane in which the top surface  50 ′ lies. 
     The housing  20 ′ preferably includes an adjustable skirt  58 ′ which partially defines the cutter drum chamber  26 ′ the skirt  58 ′ includes a skid surface  60 ′ which permits the skirt to slide along the ground. The skirt  58 ′ is engaged with the housing on bolts  61 ′ which slide within slots  62 ′ which permit the skirt  58 ′ to rise and fall to a limited degree depending on the height of the ground surface approximate the skid surface  60 ′. As shown in FIG. 4, the road mill housing  20 ′ also includes an adjustable support wheel  64 ′ discussed above which may be used to set the distance between the housing  20 ′ and the ground surface  40 ′ proximate the support wheel  64 ′. In alternate embodiments (not shown) the adjustable support wheel may be replaced by a series of skid bars, or perhaps a single skid bar, the height of which will be varied so as to vary the distance between the bottom of the housing  20 ′ and the ground surface  40 ′ proximate the placement of the selected skid bar. In preferred embodiments, controls for the engine and all hydraulic cylinders of the apparatus  10 ′ are provided. Such controls are TO preferably available in a remote control box  66 ′ which can be placed in the cab of the land vehicle  16 ′, front-end loader or other prime mover. 
     In alternate embodiments of the present invention, the bucket mounting device has a width which is less than the standard width of a loading bucket, generally about 8 feet, by an amount equal to or greater than the width of the cutter drum  24 ′ so that the width of the cutter drum  24 ′ may be outside of the width parameters of the loading bucket  14 ′. This enables the operator of the apparatus to sit in the front-end loader  16 ′ or prime mover and watch the cut without having an obstructed view of the results. Furthermore, when the cutter drum  24 ′ extends outside of the parameters of the standard loading bucket  14 ′, because the wheels or other traction mechanism driving the prime mover  16 ′, are generally within the width parameters of the loading bucket  14 ′, the wheels or traction mechanism remain on the undisturbed surface over which the road mill housing  20 ′ has passed and the cut created by the cutter drum  24 ′ as the housing  20 ′ passes over the surface will be outside of the width parameters of the loading bucket  14 ′. This is helpful in that it allows the prime mover  16 ′ and the housing  20 ′ to remain in a generally level orientation with respect to the ground surface without a need to straddle the inside edge of the cut as would be required if the cutter drum  24 ′ were within the outside width parameters of the bucket  14 ′ in the case of most front-end loaders  16 ′ or prime movers. 
     Referring now also to FIGS. 10 and 11, a further alternate housing  20 ″ is equipped with a hydraulic conveyor belt  70  which may also be controlled electronically by a control box  66 ″ (not shown). The conveyor belt  70  is pivotally attached to the housing  20 ″ and can be lowered into position and raised using an electronic wench  72  which may also be actuated electronically by controls in an alternate control box  66 ′ (not shown) similar to that shown in FIG.  6 . When lowered into position as shown in FIG. 11, the conveyer  70  can convey pulverized road materials from an opening to the cutter drum chamber  26 ″ to a vehicle  46 ′ in position to collect such material. 
     Referring now also to FIGS. 12 and 13, a further embodiment of the housing  20 ′″ fit includes a front plate  74  having a series of spray nozzles  76  interconnected by a fluid conduit  78  which communicates from a fluid storage reservoir (not shown) for storage of water suspended asphalt or other polymer modified emulsions for treating pulverized asphalt or other surface materials pulverized by the cutter drum  24 ′″ during operation of the alternate apparatus  10 ′″. 
     Referring now also to FIGS. 14 and 15, a further alternate embodiment of the housing  20 ″″ includes a auger device  80  having a driven auger for transporting pulverized surface materials from the cutter drum chamber  26 ″″ to either side of the cutter drum  24 ″″ as the cutter drum  24 ″″ passes over the ground surface. 
     Referring now also to FIGS. 16-17, a further embodiment of the housing  20 ″″ includes a broadcasting device  84  having a driven spinner  86  including a plurality of paddles  88  which rotate about a spinner axis  90  to throw the pulverized ground material to either side of the cutter drum  24 ″″ (not shown) as the cutter drum passes over the ground surface  40  and pulverizes ground materials. The direction to which the spinner  86  broadcasts the pulverized material is limited by a shroud  92  which partially surrounds the spinner  86 . 
     Referring now also to FIGS.  18  and  20 - 23  a further embodiment of the mounting device  112  is shown having a plurality of tool bars  128  which are welded to a frame  127 . A fuel tank  154  is secured to the mounting device as is the cylindrical cylinder  130 . The alternate mounting device  112  also has a pair of U-shaped side brackets  142  including mounting pins  148  which may be tightened down upon a bottom side of a loading bucket (not shown) to secure the mounting device  112  to such a loading bucket in generally the same manner as the mounting device  12 ′ is secured to a loading bucket  14 ′ as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     The alternate mounting device  112  includes an adjustable depth gauge  163  which is secured to two of the three tool bars  128  the third tool bar  12 &amp; to which the depth gauge  163  is not attached is shortened to make room for the support wheel  164  of the depth gauge  163 . In preferred embodiments of the road mill apparatus of the present invention, the mounting device  112 , shown in FIGS.  18 . and  20 - 23  is engaged with a road mill housing  20  similar to that shown in FIG. 1, but having all the features of the road mill housing  20 ′, shown in FIG. 2, except that the road mill housing does not include a depth gauge  63  as shown in FIG.  2 . Instead, the depth gauge  163  is attached to the mounting device  112  as shown in FIGS.  18  and  20 - 23 . In preferred embodiments, the depth gauge will be automated with electronic and/or electronic and hydraulic controls of the type known in the art, which can automatically adjust the distance between the depth gauge housing  165  and the depth gauge support wheel  164 , thereby adjusting the depth of the cut made by the cutter drum  24  (not shown). 
     Referring now also to FIGS. 19A and 19B, a further embodiment of the mounting device  112 ′ is provided where the U-shaped side pieces  142  of the mounting device  112  shown in FIG. 18 are interchanged for a pair of hook-like extension brackets  143  which are secured to the respective tool bars  128 ′ with a series of u-bolts  145  in a manner similar to that shown in FIG.  18 . This alternate mounting device  112 ′ will include the remaining features of the mounting device  112  shown in FIG. 18, but will not be secured to a loading bucket. Instead, a standard front and loading attachment mechanism having a catch bar  193  and a pair of securing pins  195  will engage the respective hook-like extension brackets  143  to lift the alternate mounting device  112 ′ as shown in FIG.  19 B. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of present invention, the sequence or order of the specific steps, or the actual compositions or materials used may vary somewhat. Further more, it will be appreciated that this disclosure is illustrative only and that changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, arrangement of parts or sequence or elements of aspects of the invention within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.