Patent ID: 7578634

Claim:
A heater system for attachment to a vehicle having a rear trailer hitch to preheat a joining area of a first layer of asphalt prior to joining with said second layer of asphalt, said heater system comprising; a plurality of heaters wherein each of said heaters comprises: a mobile heater trailer comprising a frame having a front, a rear, a bottom and a top, a front trailer hitch coupler mounted to said front and a rear trailer hitch coupler mounted to said rear, wherein said front trailer hitch coupler of one heater is dimensioned to mate with said rear trailer hitch coupler of another heater; an infrared chamber attached to said mobile heater trailer for generating heat; a source of fuel in communication with said infrared chamber; and a control box in electrical communication with said infrared chamber, and said source of fuel, said control box comprising controls for controlling the flow of fuel from said source of fuel to said infrared chamber; and at least one reflector apparatus comprising: a mobile reflector trailer comprising a frame and having a front, a rear, a bottom, a top, a front trailer hitch coupler mounted to said front, and a rear trailer hitch coupler mounted to said rear, wherein said front trailer hitch coupler of one reflector apparatus is dimensioned to mate with said rear trailer hitch couplers of said heaters; and at least one heat reflector attached to said bottom of said mobile reflector trailer, wherein said heat reflector is manufactured of a heat reflective material, is dimensioned to cover a substantial portion of said bottom of said mobile reflector trailer, and comprises a body and a pair of wings extending downward from said body and terminating at a pair of terminal edges; wherein said at least one heat reflector is attached to said bottom of said mobile reflector trailer such that said terminal edges of said wings are disposed proximate to the surface of the heated asphalt and define a plane that is substantially parallel to a plane formed by the surface of the heated asphalt; wherein said front trailer hitch coupler of one of said plurality of heaters is attached to said rear trailer hitch coupler of said vehicle, wherein said front trailer hitch coupler of a first of said at least one reflector apparatus is attached to one of said plurality of heaters and wherein said rear trailer hitch coupler of said first of said at least one reflector apparatus is attached to said front trailer hitch coupler of another of said plurality of heaters.