Material transfer vehicle with ground operator station
A material transfer vehicle includes a material-receiving device that is adapted to receive asphalt paving material, and a loading conveyor that is operatively connected to the material-receiving device and adapted to receive asphalt paving material from the material-receiving device. A ground operator's station is located adjacent to the material-receiving device. The ground operator's station includes a lower platform on which the ground operator may stand, and a seat on which the ground operator may sit.
1. A material transfer vehicle comprising:
a material-receiving device that is adapted to receive asphalt paving material;
a loading conveyor that is operatively connected to the material-receiving device and adapted to receive asphalt paving material from the material-receiving device;
a ground operator's station that is located adjacent to the material-receiving device, said ground operator's station comprising:
a lower platform on which the ground operator may stand;
a seat on which the ground operator may sit,
wherein the loading conveyor has a long axis a width W C that is measured transverse to the long axis,
wherein the material-receiving device has a width W M measured transverse to the long axis of the loading conveyor that is greater that the width W C of the loading conveyor, so that a recess is created adjacent to the loading conveyor and behind the material-receiving device, and
wherein the ground operator's station is located in the recess adjacent to the loading conveyor and behind the material-receiving device.
2. The material transfer vehicle of claim 1 wherein the ground operator's station further comprises:
a vertical support;
a transition support which connects the lower platform to the vertical support;
a seat platform on which the seat is mounted, which seat platform is attached to the upper end of the vertical support.
3. The material transfer vehicle of claim 1 which includes a ground operator's control panel that is mounted across from the seat, said ground operator's control panel being adapted to pivot or swing from a first position which is accessible to a ground operator standing on the lower platform or seated on the seat to a second position which is accessible to a ground operator walking alongside the material-receiving device.
4. The material transfer vehicle of claim 1 wherein:
the loading conveyor is supported at its lower end by a wheel set;
at least a portion of the ground operator's station is attached to the wheel set supporting the lower end of the loading conveyor.
5. The material transfer vehicle of claim 1 wherein the ground operator's station further comprises:
a grab bar that is adapted to assist the ground operator to climb onto the lower platform;
a back support that is adapted to provide support for the ground operator's back when seated on the seat.
6. The material transfer vehicle of claim 1 wherein the lower platform of the ground operator's station is attached to the material-receiving device.
7. The material transfer vehicle of claim 1 :
wherein the material-receiving device includes a sidewall;
which includes a plurality of tool support plates that are spaced across the top of the sidewall of the material-receiving device to create at least one tool slot between a pair of adjacent tool support plates, which tool slot cooperates with the tool support plates to allow for secure storage of a hand tool.
8. The material transfer vehicle of claim 1 which includes a pair of tool support walls mounted atop the loading conveyor, which tool support walls include aligned tool slots that are adapted to support a rod-shaped tool across the width of the loading conveyor.