TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a screed and, more particularly, to a step assembly for a screed that maintains a step in an orientation that permits standing by a user during a movement of the screed, and a walkway for the screed that remains centered with the step assembly during the movement of the screed.

BACKGROUND

A paving machine can be used in the laying of bituminous roadway mat. The typical paving machine employs a screed assembly (sometimes referred to as a floating screed) for spreading and compressing a bituminous material to form a smooth surfaced roadway mat. The screed assembly typically has many degrees of freedom of movement. For example, the screed assembly may be capable of various movements about a central line (e.g., lateral portions of the screed assembly may move independently about the central line) that changes an angle that the screed assembly makes with the roadway mat. This permits the screed assembly to compress the bituminous material into a curved or a sloping configuration that introduces a water drainage gradient to the roadway mat.

Often, the screed assembly has a walkway member to allow personnel (e.g., an operator, members of a paving crew, and/or the like) to stand in a position near the roadway mat and observe the paving process, and a step assembly to permit the personnel to travel from the walkway member to a platform of the screed assembly. The walkway member and the step assembly are typically connected to one side of the screed assembly (e.g., connected to one of the lateral portions of the screed assembly) to avoid stress on the walkway member and/or the step assembly that otherwise would occur if the walkway member and/or the step assembly were attached to both sides of the screed assembly (e.g., from torque applied by the independent movements of the lateral portions of the screed assembly).

However, the attachment of the walkway member and step assembly to one side of the screed assembly can cause a tilting of the step assembly, as well as cause the step assembly and walkway member to become off-centered, during a movement of the screed assembly. This may result in skewed viewing angles for personnel standing on the walkway member or the step assembly and may make travel across the step assembly more strenuous and difficult for personnel.

The step assembly and the walkway member of the present disclosure can be used in a screed assembly in order to solve one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art.

SUMMARY

According to some implementations, the present disclosure is related to a screed assembly. The screed assembly may include a screed frame, a first step support member connected to the screed frame, a second step support member connected to the screed frame, and a step frame movably connected to the first step support member and the second step support member. The step frame may be movably connected to the first step support member by a first pin engaged with the first step support member and a slot of the step frame. The step frame may be movably connected to the second step support member by a second pin engaged with the second step support member and an aperture of the step frame. The step frame may be biased to a position relative the first step support member and the second step support member by a first biasing member disposed between the step frame and the first step support member and a second biasing member disposed between the step frame and the second step support member.

According to some implementations, the present disclosure is related to a screed assembly. The screed assembly may include a screed frame, a walkway projection extending from a portion of the screed assembly, and a walkway member connected to the screed frame. The walkway member may be pivotal between a standing position and a stowed position. The walkway member may include a catch that surrounds a distal portion of the walkway projection in the standing position, and one or more bumper members proximate the distal portion of the walkway projection in the standing position or the stowed position.

According to some implementations, the present disclosure is related to a step assembly. The step assembly may include a first step support member to be connected to a screed frame, a second step support member to be connected to the screed frame, and a step frame movably connected to the first step support member and the second step support member. The step frame may be movably connected to the first step support member by a first pin engaged with the first step support member and a slot of the step frame. The step frame may be movably connected to the second step support member by a second pin engaged with the second step support member and an aperture of the step frame. The step frame may be biased to a position relative the first step support member and the second step support member by a first biasing member disposed between the step frame and the first step support member and a second biasing member disposed between the step frame and the second step support member.

