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Add a Mirror to the Paver
BY JOHN BALL
To give your paver operator a better view of the entire material movement process, attach adjustable mirrors above the hopper. The team at APC, Golden, Colorado, installed mirrors on the left and right light brackets above the hopper. This allows the paver operator to keep an eye on mix entering and moving through the hopper from either operator platform.
To avoid end-of-load segregation, you want to keep material in the hopper. The goal is to never “see” the flow gates. You never want to see a hole at the back of the hopper, but the paver operator can’t monitor what he can’t see. The mirrors give him a view of the entire hopper, including material moving with conveyors.
HERE’S A QUICK SAFETY TIP: REMEMBER YOUR FALL-ARREST PROTECTION. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS USE A SHORT TETHER ATTACHED TO EQUIPMENT WHEN CLIMBING TO ADJUST ELEMENTS OR TO CLEAN EQUIPMENT. TAKE THE TIME TO STAY SAFE IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE JOB.
This is a convex mirror—like you see on school buses for safety. The team at APC has affixed it so that it rests on the light bracket. They’ve used a u-joint, which allows them to move the mirror forward and back, as needed. The knob atop the u-joint allows them to loosen and tighten the grip on the mirror’s handle for ease of adjustment.
John Ball is the proprietor of Top Quality Paving & Training, Manchester, New Hampshire. He provides personal, on-site paving consulting services around the United States and into Canada. For more information, contact him at (603) 493-1458 or tqpaving@yahoo.com.
