Material dispersal blade for a bottom dump trailer

Abstract

A bottom dump trailer is disclosed that includes a spreading device mounted on the bottom dump trailer to spread material that is dumped by the bottom dump trailer. The spreading device spreads the material shortly after being dumped, eliminating the need for a separate machine to follow the bottom dump trailer to spread the material.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A bottom dump trailer attachment that is attachable to a bottom dump trailer for spreading material dumped from the bottom dump trailer, comprising:
 a leveling blade mounting frame that is configured to be removably attached to a rear end of a trailer frame of the bottom dump trailer, the leveling blade mounting frame includes a mounting plate at a forward end thereof, an end support plate at a rear end thereof and spaced from the mounting plate, and support plates extending rearward from the mounting plate to the end support plate, the support plates have longitudinal axes that are perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the mounting plate;   the mounting plate, the end support plate, and the support plates define an interior space;   a leveling blade pivotally mounted to the support plates and located beneath the leveling blade mounting frame, the leveling blade is rotatable relative to the leveling blade mounting frame between a stored position and a deployed position, and the leveling blade is movable in a direction toward the forward end of the leveling blade mounting frame when the leveling blade rotates from the stored position to the deployed position;   the leveling blade has a width that is greater than a width of the mounting plate;   the leveling blade has a forward surface and a rearward surface, a top edge and a bottom edge;   the leveling blade is pivotably mounted to the support plates by two pivot points on the rearward surface of the leveling blade; and   at least one actuator having a first end attached to the rearward surface of the leveling blade between the two pivot points and a second end attached to the leveling blade mounting frame, the second end of the at least one actuator is disposed within the space, wherein the at least one actuator can actuate the leveling blade between the stored position and the deployed position.   
     
     
         18 . The bottom dump trailer attachment of  claim 17 , wherein the bottom edge of the leveling blade is located farther away from the end support plate when the leveling blade is at the deployed position than when the leveling blade is at the stored position. 
     
     
         19 . A bottom dump trailer attachment that is attachable to a bottom dump trailer for spreading material dumped from the bottom dump trailer, comprising:
 a leveling blade mounting frame that is configured to be removably attached to a rear end of a trailer frame of the bottom dump trailer, the leveling blade mounting frame includes a mounting plate at a forward end thereof, an end support plate at a rear end thereof and spaced from the mounting plate, and support plates extending rearward from the mounting plate to the end support plate;   the mounting plate, the end support plate, and the support plates define an interior space;   a leveling blade pivotally mounted to the leveling blade mounting frame and located beneath the leveling blade mounting frame, the leveling blade is rotatable relative to the leveling blade mounting frame between a stored position and a deployed position, and the leveling blade is movable in a direction toward the forward end of the leveling blade mounting frame when the leveling blade rotates from the stored position to the deployed position;   the leveling blade has a width that is greater than a width of the mounting plate and greater than a width of the end support plate;   the leveling blade has a forward surface and a rearward surface, a top edge and a bottom edge;   at least one actuator having a first end attached to the rearward surface of the leveling blade and a second end attached to the leveling blade mounting frame, the second end of the at least one actuator is disposed within the space, wherein the at least one actuator can actuate the leveling blade between the stored position and the deployed position.   
     
     
         20 . The bottom dump trailer attachment of  claim 19 , wherein the bottom edge of the leveling blade is located farther away from the end support plate when the leveling blade is at the deployed position than when the leveling blade is at the stored position.