초록 ▼

A spreader assembly for spreading a material and for mounting to a bed of a truck is disclosed. The assembly includes a hopper and a frame having an upper rail for supporting the hopper in the bed of the truck. The frame includes a pair of front and rear posts extending downwardly from the upper rai

A spreader assembly for spreading a material and for mounting to a bed of a truck is disclosed. The assembly includes a hopper and a frame having an upper rail for supporting the hopper in the bed of the truck. The frame includes a pair of front and rear posts extending downwardly from the upper rail and an upper rail extending in a cantilevered fashion from the rear posts to support the outlet spout outside the bed of the truck. A quick-release connector releasably engages the frame for preventing longitudinal movement within the bed of the truck. A spinner is rotatably attached and is moveable between an operating position and a storage position. The hopper includes a lower portion having a bottom with a first slanted portion having a first slope and a second slanted portion having a second slope with the first slope being different than the second slope.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A spreader assembly for mounting to a bed of a truck, said assembly comprising;a hopper having a front end and a rear end and a bottom downwardly sloping toward said rear end to an outlet spout having an opening; a frame including an upper rail for supporting said hopper in the bed of the truck;

1. A spreader assembly for mounting to a bed of a truck, said assembly comprising;a hopper having a front end and a rear end and a bottom downwardly sloping toward said rear end to an outlet spout having an opening; a frame including an upper rail for supporting said hopper in the bed of the truck; a pair of front posts and a pair of rear posts extending downwardly from said upper rail for engaging the bed of the truck; said upper rail extending in a cantilevered fashion from said rear posts to support said outlet spout outside the bed of the truck. 2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein in said upper rail extends continuously from said front posts to said rear posts for extending outside the bed of the truck.3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said upper rail further includes a front rail member, a rear rail member and two side rail members interconnecting said front rail member to said rear rail member.4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said rear rail member is arcuate.5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 further including a diagonal support extending between said upper rail and said rear posts for providing additional support for said hopper outside the bed of the truck.6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 further including a spout support plate interconnecting said diagonal support to said rear posts.7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 further including a spout rail extending from said spout support plate for supporting said outlet spout.8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 further including cross bars extending between said upper rail and each of said posts for providing additional support for said hopper.9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said frame further includes a lower rail connecting said front posts and said rear posts for providing additional support for said hopper.10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 further including hopper supports connected to said rear posts and at least one of said lower rail and said spout plate for supporting said hopper.11. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said frame is sectional.12. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including a quick-release connector releasably engaging said frame for securing said assembly to the bed of the truck and for preventing longitudinal movement of said assembly within the bed of the truck.13. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said quick-release connector further includes a bracket having a hole and a pin mechanism engaging said hole of said bracket for interconnecting said frame to the bed.14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said pin mechanism is further defined as a plate being U-shaped with a first leg and a second leg, each leg having a hole being coaxial and further includes a pin and a biasing device for biasing said pin through said holes of said plate.15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said biasing device further includes a spring engaging said pin and either one of said first and said second legs for biasing said pin through said holes.16. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said quick-release connector further includes a stop engaging said pin, said stop being rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position.17. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said stop is further defined as having a flat portion and a leg portion, such that in said locked position said flat portion engages said second leg and in said unlocked position said leg portion engages said second leg.18. An assembly as set forth in claim 17 wherein said pin further includes a handle for rotating said stop between said locked position and said unlocked position.19. An assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said quick-release connector further includes stakes for inserting into the bed of the truck to secure said assembly.20. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 further including a spinner rotatably attached to said spout rail and being moveable between an operating position and a storage position.21. An assembly as set forth in claim 20 further including a locking mechanism for locking said spinner in said operating position and in said storage position.22. An assembly as set forth in claim 21 wherein said locking mechanism further includes a pivot and a first locking point for locking said spinner in said operating position and a second locking point for locking said spinner in said storage position.23. An assembly as set forth in claim 22 further including a pin for inserting into either one of said first locking point and said second locking point for locking said position of said spinner.24. An assembly as set forth in claim 23 wherein said spinner is removable from said pivot.25. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said hopper further includes an upper portion having four upper walls and a lower portion having a bottom downwardly sloping and at least three side walls.26. An assembly as set forth in claim 25 wherein said sloped bottom further includes a first slanted portion having a first slope and a second slanted portion having a second slope with said first slope being different than said second slope and each of said slanted portions sloping downwardly from said rear end to said front end.27. An assembly as set forth in claim 26 further including a horizontal auger extending toward said opening for facilitating the discharge of material from said hopper through said outlet.28. An assembly as set forth in claim 27 further including a flow facilitator connected to said hopper and positioned within said hopper adjacent said horizontal auger for directing flow of material to said auger.29. An assembly as set forth in claim 28 further including a vibrator connected to said flow facilitator for vibrating said flow facilitator.30. A spreader assembly for spreading material, said assembly comprising:a hopper including an outlet spout having an opening for receipt of material to be discharged, an upper portion having four upper walls, and a lower portion having a sloped bottom and at least three lower side walls for holding material to be spread; a horizontal auger extending toward said opening of said outlet spout for facilitating the discharge of material from said hopper through said outlet spout; and said sloped bottom including a first slanted portion having a first slope and a second slanted portion having a second slope with said first slope being different than said second slope and each of said slanted portions sloping downwardly from said front end to said rear end. 31. An assembly as set forth in claim 30 wherein said first slanted portion has a first width at said front end and a second width at said rear end, said first width being larger than said second width.32. An assembly as set forth in claim 31 wherein said second slanted portion has a first width at said front end and a second width at said rear end, said first width being smaller than said second width.33. An assembly as set forth in claim 30 further including two of said second slanted portions with said first slanted portion disposed between said two second slanted portions.34. An assembly as set forth in claim 30 wherein said first slanted portion and said second portion extends from one of said upper walls.35. An assembly as set forth in claim 30 further including a mouth interconnecting said sloped bottom and said lower side walls with said outlet spout for emptying the material into said outlet spout.36. An assembly as set forth in claim 35 wherein said mouth further includes a mouth front, a mouth rear and mouth sides.37. An assembly as set forth in claim 36 wherein said mouth front further includes a first edge aligned with said first slanted portion and a second edge aligned with said second slanted portion.38. An assembly as set forth in claim 37 wherein said mouth sides are aligned with said lower side walls.39. An assembly as set forth in claim 30 wherein said lower side walls are slanted.40. An assembly as set forth in claim 30 further including an access hole in said outlet spout for accessing said horizontal auger.41. An assembly as set forth in claim 34 wherein said first slope has a slope from 8 to 35 degrees.42. An assembly as set forth in claim 41 wherein said second slope has a slope from 8 to 35 degrees.43. An assembly as set forth in claim 34 wherein said first slope has a slope from 10 to 25 degrees.44. An assembly as set forth in claim 43 wherein said second slope has a slope from 10 to 25 degrees.45. An assembly as set forth in claim 30 further including a frame for supporting said hopper in the bed of the truck wherein said frame includes an upper rail supporting said hopper and a pair of front posts and a pair of rear posts extending downwardly therefrom for engaging the bed of the truck.46. An assembly as set forth in claim 45 wherein said upper rail extends in a cantilevered fashion from said rear posts to support said outlet spout outside the bed of the truck.47. An assembly as set forth in claim 46 wherein said upper rail extends continuously from said front post to said rear posts for extending outside the bed of the truck.48. An assembly as set forth in claim 47 wherein said upper rail further includes a front rail member, a rear rail member and two side rail members interconnecting said front rail member to said rear rail member.49. An assembly as set forth in claim 48 wherein said rear rail member is arcuate.50. An assembly as set forth in claim 49 further including a diagonal support extending between said upper rail and said rear posts for providing additional support for said hopper outside the bed of the truck.51. An assembly as set forth in claim 50 further including a spout support plate interconnecting said diagonal support to said rear posts.52. An assembly as set forth in claim 51 further including a spout rail extending from said spout support plate for supporting said outlet spout.53. An assembly as set forth in claim 52 further including a spinner mounted to a vertical drive shaft for receiving material from said outlet spout and for throwing material over a large distribution area.54. An assembly as set forth in claim 53 wherein said spinner is rotatably attached to said spout rail and being moveable between an operating position and a storage position.55. An assembly as set forth in claim 54 further including a locking mechanism for locking said spinner in said operating position and said storage position.56. An assembly as set forth in claim 55 wherein said locking mechanism further includes a pivot and a first locking point for locking said spinner in said operating position and a second locking point for locking said spinner in said storage position.57. An assembly as set forth in claim 56 further including a pin for inserting into either one of said first locking point and said second locking point for locking said position of said spinner.58. An assembly as set forth in claim 57 wherein said spinner is removable from said pivot.59. An assembly as set forth in claim 52 wherein said spinner is removably attached to said spout rail.60. An assembly as set forth in claim 59 further including a spinner bracket engaging said spinner and said spout rail for removably attaching said spinner to said spout rail.61. An assembly as set forth in claim 60 wherein said spout rail further includes rods extending from said spout rail for supporting said spinner bracket.62. An assembly as set forth in claim 61 further including a safety latch connected to said spinner bracket, said latch being urged into engagement with said spout rail for limiting vertical movement of said spinner.63. An assembly as set forth in claim 30 wherein said hopper is formed by rotational molding.64. An assembly as set forth in claim 63 wherein said hopper is formed of plastic.65. An assembly as set forth in claim 30 further including a controller connected to said horizontal auger, said controller being adapted to control said horizontal auger by sensing said horizontal auger being jammed.66. An assembly as set forth in claim 65 wherein said controller is adapted to reverse said horizontal auger a predetermined number of rotations in response to sensing said horizontal auger being jammed.67. An assembly as set forth in claim 66 wherein said controller is adapted to continually switch between forward and reverse with said horizontal auger until said horizontal auger is operational.68. An assembly as set forth in claim 67 wherein said controller includes a display for displaying operation of said horizontal auger.69. An assembly as set forth in claim 68 wherein said controller is connected to said spinner and said controller is adapted to control said spinner.70. An assembly as set forth in claim 30 further including a flow facilitator connected to said hopper and positioned within said hopper adjacent said horizontal auger for directing flow of material to said auger.71. An assembly as set forth in claim 70 further including a vibrator connected to said flow facilitator for vibrating said flow facilitator.72. A spreader assembly for spreading material, said assembly comprising:a hopper including an outlet spout having an opening for receipt of material to be discharged, an upper portion having four upper walls, and a lower portion having a sloped bottom and at least three lower side walls for holding material to be spread; a horizontal auger extending toward said opening of said outlet spout for facilitating the discharge of material from said hopper through said outlet spout; a controller connected to said horizontal auger; said controller being adapted to control said horizontal auger by sensing operation of said horizontal auger; and wherein said controller is adapted to reverse said auger a predetermined number of rotations in response to sensing said horizontal auger being non-operational. 73. An assembly as set forth in claim 72 wherein said controller is adapted to continually switch between facilitating the discharge of the material and reverse until said horizontal auger is operational.74. An assembly as set forth in claim 73 wherein said controller includes a display for displaying operation of said horizontal auger.75. An assembly as set forth in claim 74, further including a spinner mounted to a vertical drive shaft for receiving material from said outlet spout and for throwing material over a large distribution area.76. An assembly as set forth in claim 75 wherein said controller is connected to said spinner and said controller is adapted to control said spinner.77. An assembly as set forth in claim 76 wherein said controller is adapted to operate said horizontal auger motor in a 20 to 1 ratio.78. An assembly as set forth in claim 73 further including a motor disposed between said horizontal auger and said controller for rotating said horizontal auger.79. An assembly as set forth in claim 78 further including a sensor connected to said motor and in communication with said controller for sensing operation of said horizontal auger.