US 11,680,379 B2
Spreader with shaftless auger
Ryan Fossett, Hazel Park, MI (US); Christopher Aaron Horn, Menomonee Falls, WI (US); Gregory B. Neilson, Troy, MI (US); and Paul Yagiela, Rochester Hills, MI (US)
Assigned to Douglas Dynamics, L.L.C., Milwaukee, WI (US)
Filed by Douglas Dynamics, L.L.C., Milwaukee, WI (US)
Filed on Feb. 15, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/277,647.
Prior Publication US 2020/0263376 A1, Aug. 20, 2020
Int. Cl. E01H 10/00 (2006.01); B65G 33/32 (2006.01); B65G 33/24 (2006.01)
CPC E01H 10/007 (2013.01) [B65G 33/32 (2013.01); B65G 33/24 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A spreader comprising:
a hopper for containing sand, salt or other granular material to be spread upon snow or ice on paved surfaces, said hopper being adapted to be installed in or on a bed of a truck, said hopper having a trough and opposite side walls,
a shaftless auger positioned in said trough, said auger having flighting, said flighting having a radially outermost edge,
an auger motor for driving said auger,
a spinner positioned at one end of said auger for slinging the granular material upon the snow or ice,
a spinner motor for driving said spinner, and
at least one keeper extending completely over the diameter of said auger, said keeper configured to retain said auger in place during operation by interaction of said keeper with said edge of said flighting of said auger to reduce flexure of said auger and resulting loss of efficiency of material transport by said auger during operation of said spreader, said at least one keeper being one of:
an inverted U-shaped strap structure fastened to opposite sides of said trough with fasteners at different positions along a length of the trough, or
an inverted V-shaped plate structure suspended from a vertical support, said vertical support connected to a transverse support having opposite ends secured to said opposite side walls of said hopper.