초록

A compaction apparatus includes a removable plate configured to at least partially cover an outermost arcuate surface of a wheel of a compactor vehicle. The plate defines a plurality of ports, each port being configured to receive at least a portion of a base of a compactor wheel projection.

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1. A compaction apparatus, comprising: a removable plate configured to cover a first area of, and be secured to, an outermost arcuate surface of a wheel of a compactor vehicle;the plate defining a plurality of rows that each include a plurality of rectangular ports that open to a second area of the

1. A compaction apparatus, comprising: a removable plate configured to cover a first area of, and be secured to, an outermost arcuate surface of a wheel of a compactor vehicle;the plate defining a plurality of rows that each include a plurality of rectangular ports that open to a second area of the arcuate surface that is exclusive of the first area, each port being configured to receive at least one of two feet of a base of a compactor wheel projection and engage the outermost arcuate surface of the wheel of the compactor vehicle and be attached with at least one of welds and bolts, and each of the two feet covering a portion of the second area; andeach of the plurality of rows extending along an arcuate profile of the plate, and adjacent rows being staggered and shifted clockwise along the arcuate profile. 2. The compaction apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ports includes a plurality of port pairs, each port of the port pairs being configured to receive one of the two feet of the base of one compactor wheel projection; and each of the plurality of ports having a rectangular shape defined by minor sides extending transverse to the arcuate profile and major sides extending along the arcuate profile. 3. The compaction apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plate further defines a plurality of mass reduction voids that open to a third area of the arcuate surface that is exclusive of the first area, and each void is positioned substantially between the two ports of a port pair in the plurality of port pairs; the base of one compactor wheel projection covering the void and a portion of the third area without being received therein. 4. The compaction apparatus of claim 3, wherein the two ports of the port pair and the void therebetween define a footprint, the footprint being one of a plurality of footprints defined by the plate, the lengths of the footprints in the plurality of footprints being approximately equal to one another. 5. The compaction apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plate further defines a plurality of mass reduction voids that open to a third area of the arcuate surface that is exclusive of the first area, and each void and a portion of the third area is configured to be substantially covered by the base of a compactor wheel projection, without the compactor wheel projection being received into the void. 6. The compaction apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of compactor wheel projections each having a base, wherein the base of each compactor wheel projection includes two rectangular feet configured to substantially engage the outermost arcuate surface of the wheel of the compactor vehicle, the two feet being further configured to be respectively received by two ports in the plurality of rectangular ports; and each of the rectangular feet having a width and a length approximately equal to a major side and a minor side, respectively, of each of the rectangular ports. 7. The compaction apparatus of claim 6, wherein the plate further defines a plurality of mass reduction voids that open to a third area of the arcuate surface that is exclusive of the first area, and each void and a portion of the third area is positioned to be substantially covered by the base of one of the plurality of compactor wheel projections, without the compactor wheel projection being received into the void. 8. The compaction apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plate further defines a plurality of mass reduction voids that open to a third area of the arcuate surface that is exclusive of the first area, and each void and a portion of the third area is positioned substantially between the two ports of a port pair in the plurality of port pairs. 9. A compaction apparatus, comprising: a removable plate configured to cover a first area of, and be secured to, an outermost arcuate surface of a wheel of a compactor vehicle;the plate defining a plurality of rows that each include a plurality of ports including a plurality of port pairs that open to a second area of the arcuate surface that is exclusive of the first area;the plate further defining a plurality of mass reduction voids that open to a third area of the arcuate surface that is exclusive of the first area, each void and a portion of the third area being positioned substantially between the two ports of a port pair in the plurality of ports;a plurality of compactor wheel projections each having a base, wherein the base of each compactor wheel projection includes two feet configured to be respectively received by one port pair in the plurality of port pairs and engage the outermost arcuate surface of the wheel of the compactor vehicle and be attached with at least one of welds and bolts, and wherein each void defined by the plate is positioned to be substantially covered by the base of one of the plurality of compactor wheel projections; andeach of the plurality of rows extending along an arcuate profile of the plate, and adjacent rows being staggered and shifted clockwise along the arcuate profile. 10. A compactor vehicle, comprising: a plurality of wheels that each include an outermost arcuate surface;a compaction apparatus on at least one wheel in the plurality of wheels, the compaction apparatus comprising a removable plate covering a first area of, and secured to, the outermost arcuate surface of the at least one wheel, the plate defining a plurality of rows that each include a plurality of port pairs that open to a second area of the arcuate surface that is exclusive of the first area, each port being configured to receive at least one of two feet of a base of a compactor wheel projection and engage the outermost arcuate surface of the wheel of the compactor vehicle and be attached with at least one of welds and bolts; andeach of the plurality of rows extending along an arcuate profile of the plate, and adjacent rows being staggered and shifted clockwise along the arcuate profile. 11. The compactor vehicle of claim 10, wherein the plurality of ports includes a plurality of port pairs, each port pair being configured to respectively receive two feet of the base of one compactor wheel projection; and each of the plurality of ports having a rectangular shape defined by minor sides and major sides. 12. The compactor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the plate further defines a plurality of mass reduction voids that open to a third area of the arcuate surface that is exclusive of the first area, and each void and a portion of the third area is positioned substantially between the two ports of a port pair in the plurality of port pairs. 13. The compaction apparatus of claim 12, wherein the two ports of the port pair and the void therebetween define a footprint, the footprint being one of a plurality of footprints defined by the plate, the lengths of the footprints in the plurality of footprints being approximately equal to one another. 14. The compactor vehicle of claim 10, wherein the plate further defines a plurality of mass reduction voids that open to a third area of the arcuate surface that is exclusive of the first area, and each void and a portion of the third area is configured to be substantially covered by the base of a compactor wheel projection. 15. The compactor vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of compactor wheel projections each having a base, wherein the base of each compactor wheel projection includes two feet configured to substantially engage the outermost arcuate surface of the at least one wheel, the two feet being further configured to be received by two ports in the plurality of ports; and each of the compactor wheel projections being attached with the at least one of welds and bolts. 16. The compactor vehicle of claim 15, wherein the plate further defines a plurality of mass reduction voids that open to a third area of the arcuate surface that is exclusive of the first area, and each void and a portion of the third area is positioned to be substantially covered by the base of one of the plurality of compactor wheel projections. 17. The compactor vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of compactor wheel projections each having a base, wherein the base of each compactor wheel projection includes two feet configured to be respectively received by one port pair in the plurality of port pairs; each of the compactor wheel projections being attached to the compactor vehicle with the at least one of welds and bolts; andeach of the feet having a width and a length approximately equal to a major side and minor sides, respectively, of the rectangular shape. 18. The compactor vehicle of claim 17, wherein the plate further defines a plurality of mass reduction voids that open to a third area of the arcuate surface that is exclusive of the first area, and each void and a portion of the third area is positioned substantially between the two ports of a port pair in the plurality of port pairs. 19. The compaction apparatus of claim 18, wherein the two ports of the port pair and the void therebetween define a footprint, the footprint being one of a plurality of footprints defined by the plate, the lengths of the footprints in the plurality of footprints being approximately equal to one another. 20. The compaction apparatus of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the removable plates are stackable one on top another to form a reduced space stack for packaging shipping and storage.