U.S. patent number 3,917,236 [Application Number 05/447,663] was granted by the patent office on 1975-11-04 for concrete mixing plant.
Invention is credited to Raymond A. Hanson.
United States Patent |
3,917,236 |
Hanson |
November 4, 1975 |
Concrete mixing plant
Abstract
A concrete mixing plant for automatically mixing predetermined
amounts of wet concrete comprises a plurality of component bins
having metered outlets for depositing prescribed amounts of
individual concrete components onto a common conveyor belt moving
at a relatively fast speed. The acceleration of the material along
the belt is utilized to initially mix the components and to move
the components in layers to a discharge end. The components are
propelled from the discharge end against an upright abutment
surface. The moving impact of the components with the surface is
sufficient to mix the components into homogeneous concrete. The
mixed concrete is then moved from the abutment surface to a
dispensing station.
Inventors: |
Hanson; Raymond A. (Spokane,
WA) |
Family
ID: |
23777239 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/447,663 |
Filed: |
March 4, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
366/9;
366/49 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B28C
9/00 (20130101); B28C 5/34 (20130101); B28C
9/0454 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B28C
5/34 (20060101); B28C 9/00 (20060101); B28C
5/00 (20060101); B28C 9/04 (20060101); B28C
005/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;259/150,180,161,164,165,168,169,170,154,148,149,162,178R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Jenkins; Robert W.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wells, St. John & Roberts
Claims
What I claim is:
1. In a concrete mixing plant:
a framework;
supply means mounted on said framework for discharging quantities
of individual concrete components at controlled delivery rates at
individual outlets arranged along the framework in a straight
path;
an endless belt conveyor mounted on said framework, said endless
belt conveyor having an upwardly-facing surface arranged along said
path beneath said outlet, whereby concrete components may be
delivered from said outlets onto the upwardly facing surface of the
conveyor, the upwardly facing surface being terminated at a
discharge point at one end of the conveyor;
an upright abutment surface fixed to said framework and arranged
along said path outwardly from said one end of the conveyor, said
upright abutment surface having a width and elevation encompassing
the width and elevation, respectively, of said upwardly facing
surface;
and power means on said framework operatively connected to said
conveyor for imparting velocity to said moving surface in a
direction leading toward said one end of the conveyor at a rate
such that mixing of the concrete components will occur on the
conveyor and the concrete components will be propelled from said
one end of the conveyor to impact the upright abutment surface.
2. The apparatus set out in claim 1 further comprising:
a second endless belt conveyor mounted on said framework and having
an upwardly-facing surface arranged along a second path
perpendicular to said first path, the upwardly facing surface of
said second conveyor being elevationally located beneath said
upright abutment surface to thereby receive the concrete components
that impact the upright abutment surface.
3. In a concrete mixing plant:
conveyor means having an upwardly facing moving surface for
carrying material in a first direction of travel along a path
leading to a discharge point at one end of the conveyor means;
an upright abutment surface spaced outwardly from the discharge
point of said conveyor means in said first direction of travel,
said upright abutment surface having dimensions transversely and
elevationally spanning the upwardly facing moving surface of said
conveyor means;
supply means for placing controlled quantities of concrete
component material onto said upwardly facing moving surface of said
conveyor means;
power means operatively connected to said conveyor means for
imparting motion to the upwardly facing moving surface of said
conveyor means at a linear speed such that concrete component
material on said surface is propelled from said surface at said
discharge point in said first direction of travel and impacts said
upright abutment surface;
an upwardly facing working conveyor surface located beneath said
first upright abutment surface for receiving material that impacts
said first upright abutment surface, said working surface being
moved in a second direction of travel along a second path leading
to a second discharge point at one end of said working conveyor
surface;
a second upright abutment surface spaced outwardly from the second
discharge point of said working conveyor surface in said second
direction of travel, said second upright abutment surface spanning
the working surface of said working conveyor surface both
transversely and elevationally;
said power means being operatively connected to said working
conveyor surface for moving said surface at a linear speed such
that material is propelled from one end of said working conveyor
surface in said second direction of travel and impacts said second
upright abutment surface.
4. The apparatus set out in claim 3 wherein the second direction of
travel is substantially perpendicular to said first direction of
travel.
5. The apparatus set out in claim 3 further comprising:
cement slurry mixture means for placing controlled quantities of
mixed cement and water onto the working conveyor surface.
6. The apparatus set out in claim 3 wherein said first and second
abutment surfaces include concave impact surfaces facing said
conveyor means for deflecting the components substantially toward a
common focus.
7. In a concrete mixing plant:
a supporting framework;
an elongated hopper supported on the framework;
partitions dividing the hopper into individual bins for receiving
concrete components;
an opening extending through the bottom of each compartment;
control means for selectively adjusting the flow of components
through each compartment opening;
an upright abutment surface;
a powered endless conveyor belt positioned below the openings of
the compartments for receiving concrete components therefrom;
said endless belt having its working flight extending
longitudinally past the openings of the compartments to a discharge
end longitudinally spaced from the openings;
said upright abutment surface being mounted to the framework and
positioned adjacent the discharge end of such conveyor means in an
attitude transverse to the path of the components on the conveyor
belt;
power means on said framework operatively connected to said endless
conveyor belt for moving the working flight thereof at a velocity
such that components received on the belt are propelled against the
abutment surface to thereby mix the components together; and
delivery means for receiving the mixed concrete from the abutment
surface and moving it to a dispensing station.
8. The apparatus defined in claim 7 further comprising weigh
stations supported on the frame beneath the working flight of the
endless belt;
said weigh stations being longitudinally spaced along the belt with
one positioned downstream of each bin and including means for
weighing the individual components as they move along the conveyor
means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The apparatus of the present invention relates generally to
concrete mixing plants and more specifically to such plants
utilized to automatically and continuously mix separate concrete
components into a wide range of predetermined quantities or
batches.
Conventional concrete plants and mixer trucks that can normally
only be utilized for mixing single large batches of concrete. Such
apparatus often are preset to mix a batch that is too large for a
specific job. The remaining concrete must either be dmped or
resold. If the remaining concrete is to be resold, it often must be
watered down before it reaches the second job site.
Conventional truck-mounted mixers are necessarily large in volume,
to accommodate the labor cost of the individual driver.
Furthermore, the concrete must be used within a fixed time span
from its receipt in the truck. Delays in transit or unforeseen
delay at the site of usage make it difficult to maintain a constant
delivery schedule. Usually excess trucks and drivers must be used
to assure a ready supply of concrete.
Much greater control of concrete consistency and cost is possible
by on-site mixing. However, conventional concrete mixers are
designed for large scale batch mixing. The mixer described below
fills the need for an on-site mixer readily adjustable to meet the
instant demands of the user as to quantity and quality.
A further problem is that with a premixed batch, it is difficult or
impossible to make last minute adjustments in mixture proportions.
This difficulty arises frequently in areas where quick climate
changes are common and further, where specific building
construction techniques call for different concrete stress
characteristics.
These problems are realized to a limited degree by the apparatus
disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,339,898 and 3,469,824 granted to
Futty et al. These patents disclosed mixing methods and mixing
truck constructions wherein concrete components are supplied to an
elongated trough. An elongated shaft is provided within the trough
having a plurality of spatially disposed mixing paddles and helical
feeding screws. Rotation of the shaft simultaneously mixes the
particulate ingredients and moves them toward an output end.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,293 granted to Zimmerman discloses a concrete
mixing and delivery system wherein concrete components are held
within a plurality of bins supported on a truck frame. The
components are held separately within the bins that provide means
for dispensing predetermined amounts of the components onto an
elongated conveyor belt. The conveyor delivers the separate
components to an external mixing trough where water is applied to
the dry components and they are mixed by an elongated auger within
the mixing trough.
Another patent granted to Futty, U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,011, discloses
a system and means for selectively mixing concrete and
incorporating additives therein which, like the Zimmerman
apparatus, deposits concrete components onto a conveyor and
delivers them separately to a mixing trough. Water is added to the
components at the mixing trough as an auger is rotated to mix the
components together. The principal feature of this invention is the
provision of separate water supply systems in which either pure
water or an antifreeze solution may be selectively applied to the
mixture.
A further patent granted to Futty, U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,708
discloses a system and means for selectively mixing concrete and
incorporating dry additives therein. The apparatus includes means
for delivering dry additives to the concrete batch and incorporates
a hopper assembly for holding the dry additives. The hopper
contains agitator means for mixing and breaking up the dry additive
ingredients. A controlled feed means selectively controls the
amount of dry additives passed from the hopper into an enclosed
auger arrangement. The additives are conveyed by the auger
arrangement into an auxiliary mixing trough where they are
incorporated into a concrete batch.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,976,025 granted to G. M. Pro discloses a combined
mixer and conveyor for concrete components. Individual hoppers are
used in the Pro apparatus for storing each concrete component. The
apparatus includes means for delivering sand and cement to a
helical conveyor within a trough. The materials are received within
the trough and tumbled and agitated as they are moved upwardly.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 2,946,597, granted to M. W. Simonsen,
discloses a fertilizer mixer and spreader with a partition
container wherein fertilizer components are kept separately in
longitudinally spaced bins. The bins include bottom openings
through which the individual components are placed onto a conveyor
and delivered to a fertilizer dispensing impeller. The fertilizer
dropped onto the impeller is spread across the ground behind the
supporting vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 796,591 granted to W. B. Martin describes a concrete
mixer in which individual concrete components are contained within
separate hoppers. The apparatus includes means for removing
measured amounts of gravel, stone, cement and sand in predetermined
quantities and dropping them gravitationally downwardly into a
mixing auger.
It may be noted that each of the above-cited patents relating to an
apparatus for mixing separate concrete components utilizes an auger
or paddled wheel arrangement as means for mixing the components
together. The apparatus of the present invention differs from this
art in that the mixing of the components is accomplished by impact
and shearing action. Mixing by impact is accomplished as the
components are propelled against a stationary abutment surface,
while mixing by shearing layers or strata of the components is
affected as the components are delivered from storage bins or fall
from the abutment surface onto to second conveyor belt or other
receiving conveyor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A concrete mixing plant is described comprising conveyor means for
carrying concrete component materials along a first direction of
travel to a discharge point where they are propelled against an
upright abutment surface. Supply means is also provided for placing
controlled quantities of concrete component materials onto an
upwardly facing surface of the conveyor means.
It is a first object of my invention to provide a concrete mixing
plant that is capable of producing a continuous supply of
consistent wet concrete.
Another object is to provide such a plant that may be controlled
while in operation, to change mixture proportions and the
consistency of the concrete produced.
It is an additional object of my invention to provide such a
concrete mixing plant that is relatively simple in construction and
therefore easy to operate. It can be transported to the job site or
used as a central mixing plant.
A yet further object is to provide such a mixing plant that
includes separate storage bins for each individual concrete
component with a metering and discharge mechanism attached to each
bin to facilitate control of the quantity of each individual
component supplied to the mixture.
These and further objects and advantages will become apparent upon
reading the following disclosure which, taken with the accompanying
drawings, discloses two preferred forms of the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a first embodiment of the mixing
plant;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational section view taken substantially
along line 2--2 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational section view taken substantially
along line 3--3 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational section view taken substantially
along line 4--4 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary operational view taken substantially along
line 5--5 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a section view illustrating a weighing mechanism utilized
in conjunction with the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a slurry mixing mechanism incorporated in
the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line
8--8 in FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a plan view of a mixing plant mounted to a truck
frame;
FIG. 10 is an elevational view of the plant and truck as shown in
FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a sectioned view taken along line 11--11 in FIG. 9;
and
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectioned view taken along lines 12--12 in
FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A first embodiment of the concrete mixing plant invention is
illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 8 of the attached drawings and is
generally designated therein by the reference numeral 10. A mixing
plant 10 as shown, is supported by a framework 11. A plurality of
component bins 12 and a dry cement bin 12a are located on the
framework for receiving and storing individual concrete components
such as sand, various size aggregate and, of course, dry
cement.
The component bins are elements of a supply means whereby the
individual concrete components are placed in controlled layered
quantities on an upwardly facing surface 13 of first and second
conveyor means 14 and 26 respectively. In operation, the supply
means is utilized to deliver idividual dry concrete components to
the first conveyor means 14 which in turn initially moves the
components along a first direction of travel to a discharge end 15.
The dry components fall from discharge end 15 onto the second
conveyor means 26. A wet cement slurry is added to the components
as they move along on the second conveyor means 26 to a second
discharge end 33. The components leave the discharge end 33 as a
concrete mixture.
The first conveyor means 14 is powered by means of a motor 16 to
move the upward-facing surface 13 at a relatively high linear speed
sufficient to propel the components outward from the discharge end
15 and against a first abutment surface 17. The abutment surface 17
is held stationary relative to the material moving on conveyor
means 14.
The component material is propelled from the discharge end 15 and
impacted against a concave-shaped surface 21 on abutment 17.
Surface 21 is positioned adjacent discharge end 15 to face the
oncoming concrete components. The concave surface 21 deflects the
component material downwardly while simultaneously "focusing" the
material somewhat toward a center point of the surface 21. The
component layers are thereby blended together as they fall
gravitationally from abutment 17.
The concrete components fall from abutment surface 17 onto the
working surface 25 of a second conveyor means 26. As may be noted
in FIG. 1 and 5, the working flight of conveyor means 26 is
angularly positioned relative to the upwardly facing surface 13 of
conveyor means 14 so that the path of movement of the concrete
components is abruptly changed upon reaching the working surface
25. This change in direction shears the vertical layer arrangement
of components and effectively mixes them into a continuous mixed
stream.
The second conveyor means 26 is mounted on framework 11 and leads
past an upright cement bin 12a. Dry cement is supplied from the
cement bin 12a to a slurry mixer 30 that combines the cement with
water to form a slurry. The slurry is then deposited onto the
working surface 25 and is mixed with the blended components
thereon.
The second conveyor means 26 is powered by means of a motor 32 to
move the working surface 25 at a linear velocity substantially
faster than the velocity of the upwardly facing surface 13 of the
first conveyor means 14. By providing such increased speed in
combination with the angular relationship between the first and
second conveyor means 14 and 26 respectively, an additional mixing
function is performed as the components and slurry are deposited
onto the working surface 25. This mixing action may be described as
a shearing action wherein layers primarily comprising the blended
components on one level and the slurry on another are thoroughly
tumbled and rolled together due to the abrupt acceleration of the
components as they engage the rapidly moving surface 25.
The second conveyor means 26 moves the mixed concrete along a
second path of travel to a discharge end 33. A second abutment
surface 34 is held stationary outward from the discharge end 33 so
that the concrete propelled from the discharge end 33 will strike a
second concave surface 36 and be deflected before falling to a
receptacle below (not shown). The purpose of the second abutment
surface 34 is to insure that the concrete is finally delivered as a
consistent mixture.
Referring now in greater detail to the supply means, attention is
directed to FIGS. 4 and 6. Each component bin 12 and cement bin 12a
includes a metered outlet 40. Outlets 40 are controlled to
continuously deliver prescribed amounts of component material, in
terms of units of weight per foot, along continuous weighting
conveyors 41. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the weighing conveyors 41
are supplied with a weight sensing transducer 42. Transducer 42 is
a component of the gate control means associated with each
component and cement bin 12, 12a for monitoring the amount of the
components and cement to be mixed together to form a concrete
mixture.
The gate control means utilizes a weight sensing transducer for
each bin 12, 12a to provide a signal that operates a cylinder 45 to
open or close a metering gate 46. The metering gates 46 are
positioned directly adjacent to the lower discharge openings 47 of
component bins 12, 12a. The gates 46 may be raised or lowered in
response to the weighing transducers to continuously flow from the
bins onto the working flights 52 of weighing conveyors 41.
It may be noted from FIG. 1 that the weighing conveyors 41 are
powered by a common motor 50 and drive shaft 51. Motor 50 and
common drive shaft 51 insure that the working flights 52 are
powered at identical linear speeds. This provision insures that a
proper ratio of components by weight is delivered to the first
conveyor means 14.
In the preferred embodiment described above, all "dry" components
(sand, aggregate, cement) are controlled as to quantity by weight.
Such controls pre-suppose a known water content for the sand and
aggregate, which must be known for final concrete composition.
While weight monitoring is most versatile and is adaptable to
components of any water content, volumetric monitoring of
components can be used where the sand and aggregate are
water-saturated or provided at a constant water content such that
their water component can be overlooked in calculating mixer
requirements.
A shut off gate 55 is provided on each bin 12, 12a. The gates 55
are powered by cylinders 66 to cut off the supply of material to
the bin discharge openings. This provision enables independent
operation of metering gates 46 so that they need not be reset for
purposes other than controlling the component mixture ratios.
The slurry mixer 30 of the supply means is best illustrated in
FIGS. 7 and 8. Slurry mixer 30 is positioned on framework 11
adjacent the metered outlet 40 of the weighing conveyor 41
associated with cement bin 12a. Slurry mixer 30 includes a
partially enclosed housing 60 having an upwardly facing inlet 61
for receiving measured amounts of cement from bin 12a. Cement
entering the slurry mixer 30 first falls gravitationally onto an
upright cone 63. Cone 63 is continuously powered by a motor 64 to
rotate about the axis of an upright shaft 65. The cement introduced
at the top of cone 63 hits the moving surfaces and slides down the
inclined sides of cone 63 where it is engaged and propelled
radially outward by protruding paddles 69 mounted to the cone
63.
Water is supplied to the slurry mixer by a metered supply pipe 70.
The metered water is directed through supply pipe 70 to a circular
spray tube 71 within housing 60. Spray tube 71 includes a plurality
of discharge holes 72 for directing the water onto the cement
powder sliding down the inclined sides of cone 63. The water
quickly combines with the cement to form a slurry mixture, which is
propelled radially outward from the housing 60 through tangential
discharge ducts 75. Paddles 69 and the scroll housing combine to
produce a centrifugal pump for the mixed slurry. A pair of delivery
tubes 76 are connected to the discharge ducts and lead to discharge
ends 80 directed toward the working surface 25 of second conveyor
means 26, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3.
One important feature of the slurry mixer 30 is its ability to mix
relatively small amounts of slurry continuously and efficiently. It
also facilitates selective control of the end condition of the
concrete mixture by enabling individual control of the amounts of
water and cement entering the housing 60.
The slurry mixer 30 assures even control of incoming material
proportions and constantly mixes small amounts of cement and water
to assure production of homogeneous slurry. This is impossible in a
short duration when using conventional mixers. It includes no pumps
which would require priming. It is self-emptying, as the cone 63 is
constantly rotated and flow of material is dependent only upon
control of incoming cement and water. In effect, slurry mixer 30
works "on demand", being always ready to supply mixed fresh slurry
to surface 25 as needed. When slurry is not required, flow is
temporarily halted by stopping the incoming flow of cement and
water to mixer 30.
Where liquid additives are desired in the final concrete mixture,
they are conveniently introduced in the water supply to pipe 70.
Separate supply conduit and nozzles may be used when required.
In a typical slurry mixer having a cone of about 4 feet in
diameter, cone 63 should be rotated at about 300 to 400 r.p.m.
Typical belt speeds for the conveyors should be above 1,000 feet
per minute for conveyor 14 and up to 2,000 feet per minute for
conveyor 26. The final discharge conveyor for the mixed concrete
can operate at about 500 feet per minute without appreciable
separation of components.
Operation of the mixing plant may now be easily understood. Before
or during initial operation, the metering gates 46 are set
according to specific requirements for a desired concrete mix. The
mixing procedure may then be initiated simply by activating motors
50, 16 and 32 to power the weighing conveyors 41 and the first and
second conveyor means 14 and 26 respectively. Dry sand and
aggregate components are delivered from the weighing conveyors 41
in layers or "ribbons" onto the upwardly facing surface 13 of first
conveyor means 14. They tumble, roll and mix with one another as
they are abruptly accelerated. The dry components are propelled
from the discharge end 15 against the concave surface 21 of the
first upright abutment surface 17. The deflection of the dry
components from the concave surface serves to further blend the
components together as they fall gravitationally onto the rapidly
moving working surface 25 of the second conveyor means 26.
The linear speed of the working flight 25 and the abrupt angular
directional change of the path of component travel facilitate
further mixing of the components by shearing what remains of the
component layers.
The wet cement slurry previously mixed by the slurry mixer 30 is
then delivered onto the components to be tumbled and rolled along
the surface 25, thoroughly mixing with the remaining components to
form a concrete mixture before reaching the discharge end 33. The
second abutment surface 34 insures a consistent mixture by again
deflecting the moving stream of concrete as it is propelled from
the discharge end 33 of the second conveyor means 26.
A slightly modified concrete plant incorporating this invention in
a truck-mounted arrangement is shown in FIGS. 9 through 12 and is
designated generally by the reference numeral 110. The mixing plant
as shown is mounted to the framework 112 of a truck 111.
The mixing plant is comprised of a hopper 116 mounted to the
framework 112 of the truck 111. The hopper is comprised of a series
of bins defined by longitudinally spaced partitions 117 for the
purpose of optimum weight distribution on the truck frame. The
forward bin 121 is intended to store sand for the concrete mixture,
a second or middle bin 122 is utilized to store cement, and a third
or rear bin 123 is utilized to receive and store aggregate. As
shown in FIG. 9, the bins are of relatively different size to
accommodate proper proportions of the concrete components.
The bins include openings 124, 125 and 126 respectively in the
bottom ends thereof. The openings are aligned above an elongated
conveyor means 118 which serves to receive the concrete components
from the individual bins and convey the components rearwardly to an
abutment surface 119. The individual components are mixed as they
strike the abutment surface. The abutment surface is utilized to
mix the components into a relatively homogeneous concrete mixture.
The mixture drops from the abutment surface onto a delivery means
120 which serves to direct the mixed concrete outward from the
truck to be received and further transported by conventional
concrete handling means.
The components held within the individual compartments are agitated
by means of a plurality of fingers 127 mounted to rotatable shafts
128. The shaft 128 is powered by a drive motor 130 to continuously
rotate the shafts and thereby agitate the components held within
the bins.
The size of the openings 124, 125 and 126 are individually
controlled by movable gates 135. The gates 135 each move within
slides 136 formed in the bottoms of the bins. The gates are powered
to slide across the openings by means of lever linkages 137 as
shown in FIG. 10. Linkages 137 are actuated by cylinders 138 to
selectively slide together or apart to control the amount of
material flowing through the openings. Individual control of the
gates facilitates adjustments in the ratio of components in the
concrete mixture.
The components flowing gravitationally through the openings are
received by a vane meter 140 which along with gates 135 define a
control means for enabling selective control of component
proportions. The meter 140 is comprised of a shaft 141 and a number
of vanes extending along the shaft. The shaft is powered to rotate
within a circular housing 143 by a drive shaft 144 from motor 130.
By selectively rotating the shaft 141, measured amounts of each
component may be received between the vanes, and deposited
gravitationally onto the conveying means 118. The motor 130 may be
controlled by a conventional switching means to facilitate
selective rotation of the shaft to vary the amounts of concrete
components deposited on the conveying means.
The conveying means is basically comprised of an elongated conveyor
145. Conveyor 145 includes an endless belt 146 having an upper
working flight 147. As shown in FIG. 11, the cross-sectional
configuration of the working flight 147 is concave. This
configuration serves to hold the components near the longitudinal
centerline of the belt. The belt 146 is powered by a drive motor
150 as shown in FIG. 10 to rotate about a circuit in the direction
of the arrow shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The conveyor extends from an
idler roller 148 between the forward bin 121 and the cab of the
truck readwardly under the bins 121, 122 and 123 to a discharge end
149 adjacent the rear end of the rearward bin 123. The working
flight 147 of the belt is carried by a trough-shaped support 151
which serves to form the concave cross-sectional shape of the belt
as described.
As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the support 151 includes independent
weighing sections 152 spaced downstream from each bin 121, 122 and
123. The weighing stations may be utilized to indicate the
proportions of the concrete components by weight.
Water is supplied to the concrete components from water supply
tanks 153 which are mounted to the longitudinal sides of the bins
121, 122 and 123. Controlled amounts of water are provided to the
concrete components through pipes or hoses 154 extending downwardly
from the supply tanks 153. The pipes 154 extend longitudinally
along the working flight of the conveyor 147 and include nozzles
156 which are directed toward the working flight 147. Water is
added to the concrete components through the nozzles 156 as
controlled by a valve 155 on each pipe 154.
It is conceivable that the water pipes and tanks could be
eliminated and, in place of dry cement in the hopper 122, a wet
slurry of cement could be produced in a suitable mixer and be
selectively deposited on the working flight of the conveyor 145.
With such an arrangement, the water tanks 153 could be used
alternately as a water supply for production of the slurry and for
cleaning purposes.
The primary feature of this embodiment of my invention is the
operation of the conveyor 145 in relation to an abutment surface
119 positioned adjacent the discharge end 148. The working flight
147 is powered to move at a velocity of between 700 and 1000 feet
per second. With such a velocity, it has been found that the
components leaving the discharge end 149 of the conveyor will
become substantially intermixed as they strike the abutment surface
119. The surface 119 is shown in FIG. 12 as a vertical wall. It may
be noted however that such a surface may be provided by an upwardly
moving flight of an upright conveyor belt whereby the individual
components would be further intermixed as they strike the upwardly
moving flight. In other instances, downward or transverse movement
might be imparted to the conveyor flight.
The mixed concrete falls from the abutment surface 119
gravitationally into the delivery means 120 which is comprised of a
series of mixing blades 160 mounted to a rotatable shaft 161. The
mixing blades 160 are radially mounted to the shaft 161 to form a
helix along the shaft axis and are powered to rotate about the
shaft axis by a motor 164. The mixing blades 160 and shaft 161
extend longitudinally through the circular opening of a housing
162. The housing 162 extends to an open end or dispensing station
163. The concrete received from the abutment surface is moved along
the housing by the blades 160 toward the dispensing station
163.
Housing 162 serves as a "surge" hopper for temporarily storing
mixed concrete. The mixing blades 160 are therefore provided to
maintain the concrete as a homegenous mixture within housing 162
until it is delivered from dispensing station 163.
* * * * *