GB1598676A - Compaction - Google Patents

Description

(54) COMPACTION (71) We, CCL PLANT LIMITED, formerly Tremix Engineering Limited, a British Company of Tremix Works, Blagden Street, Sheffield, Yorkshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to compaction, and in particular to vibratory compactors for compacting substrates.

A vibratory compactor is often used to compact a sub-base material, such as hardcore, and a compactor with a hard vibratory surface such as a steel plate, is especially suited for this use. It is also known to use a vibratory compactor to compact paving blocks, but for this use it is prefered for the vibratory surface of the compactor to be of a resilient material such as rubber. A different compactor is therefore required for each use and it is an object of this invention to provide a vibratory compactor which is suitable for both uses.

According to the invention, a hand-pushable substrate compactor comprises a frame, an engine mounted on the frame, vibratory means mounted on the frame and driven by the engine by means of a belt, a first plate having a hard lower surface connected to the vibratory means so as to be vibrated thereby, a second plate detachably secured to the underside of the first plate so as to present a resilient lower surface, each of the plates having an unturned edge portion.

The plate presenting the resilient lower surface which may be used to compact paving blocks, preferably comprises a layer of resilient material bonded to the underside of a metal plate. Preferably the layer of resilient material is from 2 cm to 3 cm thick and is bonded to the underside of the metal plate by a self-setting adhesive.

The resilient lower surface may have surface deformations to improve the effectiveness in compacting paving blocks, and is preferably of rubber, polyurethane or like material.

The plates may be joined together by at least one nut and bolt or by at least one clip.

The vibratory drive means for vibrating one or both plates may be selected from any of those well known in the art, and may comprise a rotating shaft provided with one or more eccentric weights and driven by a petrol engine for example.

The invention may be further illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a compactor according to the invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of an exploded detail of the compactor of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is an enlargement of the view at A in Fig. 2.

The compactor comprises a frame 1 supporting a petrol engine 2, and a vibrator 3, all of which are shown schematically. The vibrator 3 is connected to the petrol engine by a belt 4 and is rigidly attached to a steel plate 5. The plate 5 is held to the frame 1 by four steel spring 6 only two of which are shown 6a, 6b. The front and rear edges of the plate 5 are upturned, 7, 8 respectively. A second plate 9 comprises a steel plate 10 which is thinner than the plate 5, and a rubber sheet 11 which is bonded to the underside of the steel plate 10. The second plate 9 covers part of the upturned front edge 7 of the plate 5, the rubber sheet 11 is about 2 cm thick and has an undersurface of about 0.2 to 0.3 square metres in area.

As shown in Figure 2, the second plate 9 is held to the plate 5 by bolts 12 received in aligned holes 13 in the two plates 5, 9. The bolts 12 are held by nuts 14. The holes 13 are countersunk 15, as shown in Figure 3, to receive the heads of the bolts 12. The underside of the rubber sheet 11 is provided with grooves 16.

When the compactor is used to compact a sub-base such as hardcore, loose gravels or loose chippings for example, the second plate 9 is unbolted and detached from the compactor. The petrol engine is started and the compactor is passed over the sub-base to compact it by a man pushing on the handles shown on the frame 1. When the compactor is used to compact paving blocks for example, which are generally laid on sand, the second plate 9 is bolted to the compactor.

The petrol engine is then started and the compactor is passed over the blocks. A fine dry sand is then swept into the joints between the paving blocks and the compactor is again passed over the blocks. For more details reference is made to Cement and Concrete Association publication 46.022, first published in January 1976.

The comparator is easy to use and is simple to adapt to compact either a sub-base or paving blocks. In each case the operator can see the work area without obstruction and in the case of paving blocks the compaction operation is relatively quiet and the risk of damaging the paving blocks during compaction is minimised. The upturned front and rear edges of the steel plate make it easier to pass the compactor over the sub-base and when the compactor is used to compact paving blocks the part of the upturned front edge covered by the second plate makes passage over the blocks easier.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A hand-pushable substrate compactor comprising a frame, an engine mounted on the frame, vibratory means mounted on the frame and driven by the engine by means of a belt, a first plate having a hard lower surface connected to the vibratory means so as to be vibrated thereby, a second plate detachably secured to the underside of the first plate so as to present a resilient lower surface, each of the plates having an upturned edge portion.

2. A compactor according to Claim 1, in which the second plate comprises a layer of resilient material bonded to a metal plate.

3. A compactor according to Claim 2, in which the layer of resilient material is from 2 cm to 3 cm thick.

4. A compactor according to Claim 2 or 3, in which the layer of resilient material is bonded to the metal plate by a self-setting adhesive.

5. A compactor according to any preceding Claim, in which the resilient lower surface has deformations.

6. A compactor according to any preceding Claim in which the plate presenting the resilient lower surface is a rubber of polyurethane.

7. A substrate compactor substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. shown on the frame 1. When the compactor is used to compact paving blocks for example, which are generally laid on sand, the second plate 9 is bolted to the compactor. The petrol engine is then started and the compactor is passed over the blocks. A fine dry sand is then swept into the joints between the paving blocks and the compactor is again passed over the blocks. For more details reference is made to Cement and Concrete Association publication 46.022, first published in January 1976. The comparator is easy to use and is simple to adapt to compact either a sub-base or paving blocks. In each case the operator can see the work area without obstruction and in the case of paving blocks the compaction operation is relatively quiet and the risk of damaging the paving blocks during compaction is minimised. The upturned front and rear edges of the steel plate make it easier to pass the compactor over the sub-base and when the compactor is used to compact paving blocks the part of the upturned front edge covered by the second plate makes passage over the blocks easier. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A hand-pushable substrate compactor comprising a frame, an engine mounted on the frame, vibratory means mounted on the frame and driven by the engine by means of a belt, a first plate having a hard lower surface connected to the vibratory means so as to be vibrated thereby, a second plate detachably secured to the underside of the first plate so as to present a resilient lower surface, each of the plates having an upturned edge portion.

2. A compactor according to Claim 1, in which the second plate comprises a layer of resilient material bonded to a metal plate.

3. A compactor according to Claim 2, in which the layer of resilient material is from 2 cm to 3 cm thick.

4. A compactor according to Claim 2 or 3, in which the layer of resilient material is bonded to the metal plate by a self-setting adhesive.

5. A compactor according to any preceding Claim, in which the resilient lower surface has deformations.

6. A compactor according to any preceding Claim in which the plate presenting the resilient lower surface is a rubber of polyurethane.

7. A substrate compactor substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.