the Laying of Asphalt Concrete Pavements.
Year: 1886

page_text: the Laying of Asphalt Concrete Pavements.
I, AMZI LORENZO BARBER, Manufacturer, of 802, F. Street North West, in the
City of Washington, District of Columbia, in the United States of America, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My Invention relates to an improved plant or arrangement of devices for
facilitating the laying of Asphalt Concrete Pavements :-
The object of my invention is to provide means by which the sand or pulverized
stone is heated, the asphaltum melted, and the two mixed together, at a point
convenient to the place where it is to be laid, so that the concrete will not loose its
heat by being hauled long distances before it is laid on the street.
As heretofore practiced, the works for making the asphaltic concrete are often
located at some remote point in the city or town, thus necessitating long hauls, in
open carts, which chills the concrete and causes it to part with a large amount of
its heat.
This is objectionable for the reason that the asphaltic concrete should be laid as
hot as possible so as to insure a perfect bond, and form a continuous and unbroken
pavement.
Referring to the drawings -
Fig. 1, is a side elevation partly in section of the sand heater and mixer, showing
their relation to each other.
Fig. 2, is a top or plan view of the sand heater, asphalt melter, mixer and
engine.
Fig. 3, is an end view of the engine, mixer, and melter, and the apparatus for
moving the material from one device to the other.
Fig. 4, is a longitudinal sectional view of the melting device or furnace.
Fig. 5, is a top or plan view of a vessel or ship showing the heater, mixer and
melter mounted thereon.
A, indicates the sand heater, B, the furnace and cauldron in which the asphaltum
is melted.
C, is the mixing machine, in which the sand and asphaltum are mixed together
to form the asphaltic concrete.
D, is the engine which is employed for imparting motion to the shaft of the
mixer, and in turning the drums of the heater, as will more fully hereinafter appear,
'

page_text: said engine being by preference of that class known as road engines, as it can
be utilized not only in imparting motion to the devices already described, but
can be used to advantage in hauling the heater, mixer, and melter, from one point
to another, all of these devices being mounted on wheels, so they can be moved
along the street to be paved and transported to other points.
As before intimated, A, indicates the heating device in which the sand or
powdered stone is heated prior to being mixed with the liquid asphaltum.
The heater consists of a rectangular box or chamber, E, made of heavy boiler
iron the front end of which is provided with a suitable furnace, F while the rear
end is provided with a smoke stack, G, H, are heavy sheet iron drums or cylinders
secured to the shafts, I, said shafts being mounted in suitable bearings in the ends
of the chamber, E, and adapted to be revolved by means of the bevelled gear
wheels, K, secured to the ends of the shaft, I, which mesh with the bevelled gear
wheels, L, on the shaft, M, said shaft being mounted in suitable bearings transverse
to the shafts, I. N, is a band pulley secured to the outer end of the shaft, M, by
means of which power is imparted from the engine to revolve the drums, H.
A portion of the front end of the drums, H, are provided with wire cloth, O,
which act as screens to sift the sand or broken stone, and free it from pebbles or
large sized pieces.
P, is an opening formed in the rear end of the casing, E, in which is placed a
hopper or chute for directing the sand into the chamber, R, said chamber being
projected a short distance into the rear end of the drum, H, as shown in fig. 1.
The rear ends of the shafts, I, are provided with a spiral flange or endless
screw, S, the office of which is to move the material out of the chamber, R, into
the rear ends of the heating drums, H, said drums being made slightly larger at
their front ends than they are at the rear ends as shown in fig. 2, so that the
material will gravitate toward the front end of the heating drums and be deposited
in the chute or chamber, T, formed in the front end of the casing, E, from whence
it is taken by the elevator, U, and deposited in the hopper, V, located above the
mixing machine, C.
It will be noticed that the heating drums are enclosed in the case or chamber, E,
and that they are surrounded by and subjected to the heat from the furnace, F,
which heats the sand or pulverized rock up to the proper temperature, so as to
absorb the asphaltum when brought into contact with the same in the mixing
chamber. The heating device is mounted on suitable wheels so that it can be
moved from place to place.
A³, is a platform mounted on suitable wheels so as to be readily moved from
place to place, on which is mounted the mixing machine, C, said machine being of
any suitable construction.
The elevator, U, and hopper, V, are also mounted upon and supported by the
platform, A', and as before intimated the hopper, V, is located above the mixing
machine, C, and is designed to receive the heated sand from the heater.
The front end of the hopper, V, is provided with a door, B, through which the
sand is admitted to the measuring vessel or chamber, C¹
The measuring vessel is mounted in trunions in the supports D¹, so that it can
be tilted, and deposit the sand into the mixing machine, C.
The engine, D, is located at one end of the mixing machine and communicates
power to the same by means of the shaft, E, the shafts F¹ carrying the mixing
arms, being geared together by the pinion wheels, G₁, G₁.
H¹, is a shaft mounted in suitable supports on the platform A, and is provided
with a pinion wheel, I, which meshes with the pinion wheel, G¹.
K, is a pulley wheel mounted on the outer end of the shaft H, which is connected
to the pulley, L³, by means of the belt, M¹, and imparts motion to the elevator belt
for raising the sand from the heater to the hopper, V.
N¹, is an elevated track or way mounted on the platform, A¹, on which the car
or carrier, O', is adapted to be moved back and forth from the melter, B, to the
mixing chamber, C

page_text: P¹, is a vessel mounted on trunions in the vertical bars, R¹ of the car, O¹, in such
a manner that it can be turned to deposit its load of liquid asphaltum in the
mixer, C.
It will be noticed that the melter, B, is located at one side of the platform of the
mixing machine, and that the track or way projects over the melter in order that
the car, O¹ may be run over the melter to bring the vessel, P¹, into a convenient
position for receiving its load of melted or liquid asphaltum.
In operation the vessel or measure, C, is filled with the heated sand from the
hopper, V, the measure, P¹, is filled with the liquid asphaltum from the melter, B,
and moved over to the mixer, the two vessels or measures, C¹, and, P¹, are then
dumped, and deposit their loads in the mixer, C.
The melter is composed of a rectangular chamber, S¹, made of boiler iron or
other suitable material mounted on wheels and having a furnace, T¹, located in one
end, said furnace being lined with fire brick, U¹, or other fire resisting material.
V, is a tank secured in the upper portion of the chamber, S¹, in which the
asphaltum or other bituminous matter is placed to be melted, said tank being
provided with a suitable cover, W₁, to return the heat.
A, is a movable wrought or cast iron shield or deflector placed between the
furnace and the bottom of the tank, V, the object of which is to prevent the
flames from the furnace from coming in direct contact with the bottom of
the melting tank, and thus prevent the scorching or burning of the asphaltum.
2
The shield, A", is adapted to rest on top of the lining, U₁, of the furnace and on
suitable ledges formed on the inside of the chamber, S₁, a semicircular slot, B",
being formed in the end of the chamber, S¹, through which the shield, A", is passed
so that it can be moved back and forth, to expose more or less of the bottom of
the tank to the action of the heat, as occasion may require and also afford means
by which the shield can be entirely removed from the combustion chamber of the
melter, when burned or worn out and a new one inserted in its place.
The products of combustion pass from the furnace, T¹, under the shield to the
rear of the chamber, S¹, and then return above the shield and below the tank, V¹,
to the stack, C¹¹.
It will be noticed that by the arrangement herein described the engine heater,
mixer and melter, are placed in such relation to each other that all cooperate to
produce or manufacture the asphaltic mastic at the place where it is to be used.
In fig. 5, I have shown the heater, mixer and melter mounted on a boat by
which means the plant can be moved from one wharf to another, so as to bring the
plant near to the place where the material is to be used or the plant can be readily
moved from one city to another, the boat being provided with a suitable engine
for driving the heater and mixer and also with suitable propellers for driving
the boat.
A¹¹, indicates the boat which may be of any approved construction suitable for
the purpose and, B, indicates the engine located in the stern and hold of the
vessel and adapted to drive the propellers, C11, when it is desired to move the boat
from one landing or city to another, but when the boat is in position or at anchor,
the engine is adapted to be used to drive the heater and mixer by means of fast
and loose pulleys mounted on the shaft, D11, which communicates power to the
heater through the band or endless belt, F, while the mixer, G, is driven by
means of the endless belt or band, H. I is melter & K the bucket adapted
to travel from the melter to the mixer on the track, L as has already been
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1st. As an improvement in the art of laying asphalt pavements the plant herein
described for making the asphalt concrete at the point where it is to be laid, the
same consisting of the sand heater, asphalt melter, concrete mixer and engine all

page_text: mounted on wheels, and adapted to be used jointly and moved from one point to
another as set forth.
2nd. A plant for the preparation of asphaltic concrete for paving purposes
consisting of a boat having the heating mixing and melting devices mounted
thereon in substantially the manner described and for the purpose set forth.
3rd. A plant for the manufacture of asphaltic concrete for paving purposes
consisting of a boat with propellers and engine for driving the same and the heater
and mixer adapted to be driven by the same engine as set forth.
4th. In a plant for making asphalt concrete for paving purposes, the platform, A¹,
of the mixing machine provided with the elevator, U, hopper, V, and track or
way, N¹, in combination with the heater, A, mixer, C, and engine, D, arranged as
described and for the purpose set forth.
5th. In a plant for making asphalt concrete for paving and other purposes, the
portable sand heater, A, consisting of the revoluble drums, H, mounted in the
casing, E, and operated as described and provided with the screen portion, O, in
combination with the chute, T, and elevator, U, as set forth.
6th. In a plant for making asphalt concrete for paving purposes, the portable
platform or truck, A¹, carrying the mixing chamber, C, provided with the
elevator, U, hopper, V, measure, C¹, and the track or way, N¹, adapted to support
the carriage, O¹, and measure, P¹, as set forth.
7th. In a device for melting asphaltum or other bituminous substances the
removable guard or shield, A", adapted to be interposed between the fire of the
furnace and the bottom of the melting tank as set forth.