EP1321262A1 - Installation for manufacturing and transporting of mortar - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine for preparing and conveying mortar has a feed for suspending (2) and emptying dry mortar bags (C) adjacent to the use site. Each container has an emptying sleeve (73) opening into a storage funnel for an extractor (4) with feeds (42,43). The dry mortar is fed towards a mixer (5) in which water is introduced along with a dye. All the components are mounted on a carriage for mobility.

Description

The subject of the invention is a preparation and transport installation from a mortar to the place of use.

The invention is specially adapted for the use of plasters facade but can also be used for the realization of floors, walls, ceilings or slabs, indoors or outdoors.

After the construction of the main structure of a building, it is necessary to use a certain amount of hydraulic mortar to make facade, interior wall or ceiling coatings or floor screeds.

The old technique, still used for weak construction sites importance, consists in first of all preparing a mass of dry mortar by mixture with cement of a sand having the desired particle size and of it add water as needed.

Mixing can be done on site by the mason, either manually, either by using a small concrete mixer which must be emptied and cleaned at the end of each working day. Therefore, the characteristics mortar and therefore its external appearance may vary slightly from one day to the next.

For some time, it has been possible to have it delivered to a site bags of ready-to-use dry mortar with a determined composition and may, in particular, include a coloring product, so as to produce a mass-colored mortar. This gives better uniformity of the external appearance of the plaster.

On the other hand, to facilitate the placement of the mortar, one can use a spray lance supplied under pressure by a pump associated with a mixing device.

Such a device comprises a mixer into which the sand and cement or ready-mixed mortar, to mix them with water and the mixture is then poured into a through hopper in a pumping device, for example screw or compressed air, which feeds a projection lance. The use of ready-mixed mortar ensures regular composition, the operator having only to adjust the water flow and the pumping flow.

However, such machines are quite expensive and relatively not very productive because the bags must be handled and opened manually one after the other. In addition, the mason must have, at proximity to the projection machine, a stock of bags you need constantly restock.

Progress has been made in recent years by the achievement of transportable metal silos with a large capacity, which can be placed on the ground and which feed a mixing and pumping the mortar.

Such a provision is described, for example, in the document FR-A-2511064. In this case, the silo pours out, by a hopper, to the lower part of an inclined conveyor-metering device, which dumps dry plaster in a predosing container closed at its base by a stop device for supplying a mixer conveyor associated with projection means.

Such mechanization of food increases considerably the productivity of the site since there is no longer handle many bags to and from the spraying machine open one after the other. However, such silos are quite expensive and require, to have a diet as regular as possible, the use of heavy lifting and handling equipment as well as extraction and transport means ensuring continuous and regular dosing in dry mortar.

Therefore, such a feed by silos is only profitable for fairly large sites requiring, for example, the use 20 to 25 tonnes per day of mortar of the same color.

It therefore appears that the materials available for food in materials, the preparation of the mortar, its transport and its installation are constantly evolving and must be adapted to the size of the site.

In particular, for some time now, solid materials not consistent such as sand, gravel or even a ready-to-use mortar, can be delivered in flexible containers often called "big bags", containing, for example, one to two tonnes of product.

JP-2001-269558, for example, shows such arrangement in which a flexible container is placed by means of lifting on a support provided at the top of an enclosure reserve in which it empties entirely. The spilled material collects in the bottom of the hopper-shaped enclosure, from which the material is taken up and reassembled by an inclined conveyor which opens out in a mixing and pumping device for the mortar thus produced.

Such a device is quite bulky and expensive and, so far, it had not seemed profitable to provide such means on a construction site low or medium importance such as a detached house or a small building for which it seemed preferable to use the methods usual by making the mortar on site or by using a mortar ready to use delivered in 30 kg bags.

Another problem is that it is often asked to make facade coatings colored in the mass. For that, we can pre-stain the dry mortar in the factory by mixing an additive or a coloring pigment with the constituents, in particular, in the case where use a ready-to-use mortar. We then deliver bags to the site corresponding to the requested color but, when it is necessary to realize several colors, it is necessary to plan the number of bags necessary for each with the risk of delaying work if the number of bags ordered is not not enough or, conversely, to have unused bags.

On the other hand, it is restrictive to use a pre-colored mortar when the site is supplied from large capacity silos. A product dye can then be added to the mixing water introduced into the machine projection, but it is difficult, in this case, to guarantee the regularity of the shade obtained.

The invention makes it possible to solve these problems thanks to an installation simple and compact, allowing the use, even for construction sites low or medium importance, flexible containers for the supply of materials or ready-to-use mortar, retaining the possibility of adjustment of the composition making it possible in particular to guarantee the color of the coating.

In particular, such an installation can be powered by flexible “big bag” containers without the need for important lifting and allows to precisely control the proportions of constituents so as to obtain a great regularity of the shade obtained, by carrying out, if necessary, coloring on site with the mortar.

Another problem arises in the case of sites that are difficult to access which are often not yet connected to the power supply networks electrical power and water under pressure. Even on construction sites enough important, the available powers are often insufficient.

The invention makes it possible to solve such problems thanks to a versatile and autonomous installation, easy and economical to use, able to adapt to a wide variety of circumstances and any importance.

The invention therefore relates, in general, to an installation of preparation, transport and installation of a mortar, which can be supplied by means of a flexible container filled with dry matter and consisting of an envelope having an upper part provided with a suspension from a lifting means which supports each container to lift it above a reserve hopper into which it pours the material through a lower container emptying orifice, said hopper having a lower part connected by a means for removing the material to a mixing device associated with a pumping device for pressure supply of a mortar transport line leading to the place of use.

According to the invention, the envelope of each container is extended downward by an elongated sheath having an upper end plugged into the drain port and a lower end that goes down in the reserve hopper up to a mass of reserve material formed in said hopper, so that, during the emptying of the dry matter, this forms, inside the connecting sheath, a continuous column which gradually flows into the mass of material in reserve, as and measurement of its evacuation to the receiving section of the device of mixing.

Because the container is emptied gradually, the reserve hopper may have a capacity less than the volume of material dryer transported in a container.

Particularly advantageously, the lifting means include a means of progressive lifting of the flexible container, at as the material is emptied, so as to compensate the lengthening of the container envelope while maintaining a difference of substantially constant level between the container drain port and the lower end of the sheath opening into the mass of material contained in the hopper.

To this end, the container suspension member can advantageously be connected to the lifting means by an elastic member tared determining the lifting of the suspension member as and when measurement of the emptying of the container.

However, it is also possible to act directly on the means of lifting to progressively lift the suspension device from the container flexible.

Thanks to these provisions, the reserve hopper in which containers can be small and it is possible to achieve a much simpler and more compact installation than the devices used until now for container feeding.

In particular, it is possible to group on a mobile cart all the organs necessary for the supply of dry matter, the mixing and pumping the mortar, the energy required for operation of all these organs being provided by autonomous means of control mounted on the same cart.

In a particularly advantageous manner, the mobile carriage comprises a chassis in the form of a substantially horizontal platform having a central part on which the lifting and lifting means are supported container suspension and a side part on which are mounted the control means, the mixing device having an inlet orifice dry matter, placed in the central part of the platform and an orifice outlet opening into the pumping device mounted on one side of the platform.

In a first embodiment, the reserve hopper is placed on a first lateral part of the platform and the autonomous means on the second side, on the other side of the central part carrying the lifting means, the evacuation orifice of the hopper opening into a material extraction means with a flow rate controlled, associated with a means of conveying the material extracted up to a high end opening above the inlet opening in the receiving section of the mixing device. In this case, the mixing includes a tubular sheath extending across the portion center of the platform between two lateral sides thereof, respectively a first side on which is placed a connected inlet orifice by an adapter box at the upper end of the conveying device and a second side on which is placed an outlet opening opening into the pumping device, the latter being fixed on said lateral side of the platform.

In another particularly advantageous embodiment, the dry matter reserve hopper is placed above the tempering and leads directly into the receiving section of the device of mixing. In this case, the mixing device comprises a sheath tubular centered in a longitudinal median plane of the platform and having an inlet port placed in the central part of the platform below reserve hopper and an outlet opening into the device pumping, the latter being mounted at a longitudinal end of the platform.

According to another advantageous arrangement which facilitates the transport of installation from one place of use to another, the sheath of the mixing includes a first part limiting a reception room of the material and a second part limiting a mixing chamber of the material and articulated around a vertical axis on the first part so as to be able to be folded back into the carriage transport position, releasing the platform a space on which the pumping device can be raised, the latter being articulated around a horizontal axis on the end longitudinal of the platform.

In a first embodiment, the lifting and container suspension include a lifting crane with a boom mounted orientable, around a vertical axis of rotation, on a fixed mast on a central part of the platform and carrying a suspension hook radially movable relative to the axis of rotation of the boom, between a external position for handling containers in an area of storage, and an internal container hanging position above of the reserve hopper.

Preferably, the lifting crane comprises means for adjusting the boom level between a lowered position of taking over a container on a storage area and a raised position for emptying the container in the hopper.

Advantageously, this means of adjusting the level of the boom can be ordered according to the variation in weight of the container so as to determine a progressive lifting of the suspension organ as and when measure of the lightening of the container.

In another particularly advantageous embodiment, the container lifting and suspension means include a boom having an inner end hinged about a horizontal axis on the carriage and an outer end provided with a suspension member for a container and means for controlling the pivoting of the boom between a position lowered support by the suspension member of a container placed on a storage area and a raised position for emptying the container.

Particularly advantageously, it is possible to adjust the length of the articulated boom as a function of a variation in the weight of the container, so as to determine a progressive lifting of the suspension and lengthening of the envelope as the emptying the container.

In a preferred embodiment, the lifting arrow forms a articulated gantry spanning the platform and comprising a cross horizontal carrying a container hanger and two arms articulated respectively, around aligned horizontal axes, on the two lateral sides of the platform and on which two jacks are supported of the gantry pivoting.

Advantageously, the two arms of the gantry can be formed each of two parts mounted sliding on one another and associated with sliding control means for adjusting the length of said arms as a function of a variation in the weight of the container suspended from the crosses.

According to another advantageous arrangement, the arrow can pivot between a first position lowered towards a longitudinal end of the container handling platform, a raised position of container emptying and a second position lowered to the other longitudinal end of the platform for transporting the trolley from one place of use to another.

Thanks to these provisions, the means of lifting the containers and the means of evacuating, mixing and pumping the material are powered by hydraulic motors powered by a central hydraulic driven by a drive motor, the assembly being carried by the mobile cart.

Preferably, the drive motor is a heat engine of so as to realize a completely autonomous installation.

Furthermore, the mixing device can be associated with means incorporating a proportion of dye or additive into the mortar.

In particular, the installation may be provided with means for controlling the respective conveying rates of the material, at the outlet of the hopper reserve, in the mixing device and in the pumping device, which are regulated according to each other by a system of regulation of so as to ensure the continuous production, with a controlled flow, of a mortar of determined composition.

It should also be noted that, if the installation according to the invention is specially adapted for flexible container feeding, it can however, by simple and quick modifications, be fueled also, either from a silo associated with a means of evacuation opening directly into the reserve hopper after separation of the lifting means, either by means of a mortar transport member wet type "spinning top" the mortar being poured directly at the entrance of the pumping device, after separation of the mixing device.

Thus, a compact, mobile and autonomous installation was created which can, without fundamental modification, be used on construction sites of any importance, since large construction sites using several tonnes of mortar per day, to building sites or even houses individual.

La figure 1 montre schématiquement l'ensemble d'une installation selon l'invention montée sur un chariot mobile.

La figure 2 est une vue de côté du chariot mobile.

La figure 3 est une vue de dessus du chariot, la grue étant enlevée.

La figure 4 est une vue de détail, à échelle agrandie, d'un organe de suspension des conteneurs.

La figure 5 est une vue de côté schématique d'une installation selon un second mode de réalisation.

La figure 6 est une vue de face de l'installation de la figure 5.

La figure 7 est une vue de côté de l'installation de la figure 5, en position repliée pour le transport.

La figure 8 montre une possibilité d'alimentation par silo.

La figure 9 montre une possibilité d'alimentation directe en mortier humide préparé à l'avance,

However, the invention will be better understood from the following description of certain particular embodiments, given by way of example and illustrated by the appended drawings.

Figure 1 shows schematically the whole of an installation according to the invention mounted on a mobile carriage.

Figure 2 is a side view of the mobile carriage.

Figure 3 is a top view of the cart with the crane removed.

Figure 4 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of a container suspension member.

Figure 5 is a schematic side view of an installation according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the installation of FIG. 5.

Figure 7 is a side view of the installation of Figure 5, in the folded position for transport.

Figure 8 shows a possibility of feeding by silo.

FIG. 9 shows a possibility of direct supply of wet mortar prepared in advance,

In Figure 1, there is shown schematically a first mode of realization of the invention, applied to a site of low or medium importance such as the construction of a single house A.

Even for such a small site, the installation according to the invention can be supplied in flexible containers filled with a large quantity, for example from 500 kg to 2 tonnes of dry matter such than a ready-to-use mortar.

Such an installation therefore generally comprises a means 2 for handling a container C which pours into an enclosure of reserve 3 connected by an evacuation means 4 to a mixing device 5 opening into a pumping device 6 associated with means such as a spray lance D, for the application of wet mortar by a operator, for example on the facade of a house A.

As the figures show, the invention makes it possible to produce a particularly compact arrangement in which all means necessary for the preparation and installation of the mortar, are grouped together on a mobile carriage B which can thus be easily moved from one place of use to another without worrying about the importance of the site.

As shown in more detail in Figures 2 and 3, this mobile carriage essentially comprises a frame 1 forming a horizontal platform substantially rectangular in shape and resting on the ground by one or two axles, respectively one or two rear axles 11 which support the main part of the load and, at the front, a steerable “jockey” wheel 12 which is articulated around a vertical axis and can be oriented by a drawbar 13. In service, the chassis 1 is advantageously held by crutches 14 of adjustable level, which are raised when the carriage moves.

Thanks to the mobility of the carriage B, such an installation bringing together all the means necessary for emptying the containers, mixing and pumping of the mortar, can be brought to a storage area S of flexible containers, located in the immediate vicinity of the site and on which containers C brought by a truck are arranged in at minus one row.

Such containers generally have, when full, a roughly square shape, which makes it easier to place them next to the other, on soil S, as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

The mobile carriage B brought in tow on site, is therefore placed and oriented so that it can move along or in front of this row of containers.

Each container consists of a flexible envelope 7 in the form large bag provided, at its upper part, with hanging means such as straps 71 and the lower part of which forms a substantially flat bottom 72 provided, in its central part, with a drain orifice 70.

In the arrangement described, for example, in document JP-A-2001-2691558, such a flexible container, supported by a crane, is simply placed on a support provided at the top of a large enclosure into which it pours entirely after opening of the lower drain opening.

In another known arrangement, described in document JP-A-2000-64613, the enclosure in which the container is emptied is provided, in its central part, of a point-shaped organ which simply tears the container bottom. Such a rudimentary device does not allow effectively control the container emptying rate.

On the other hand, in the arrangement according to the invention shown, in particular, in FIG. 2, the bottom 72 of the envelope 7 of the container is extended by an elongated sheath 73 having an upper end plugged into drain port 70 and a lower end going down inside a reserve enclosure 3 up to the level of its part lower hopper-shaped 3.

This elongated sheath 73 is equipped with a closure means removable not shown in the drawing and which can be constituted, simply, a link that can be opened by hand.

After the opening of this link, the material M contained in the casing 7 pours out through the lower orifice 70 and the sheath 73 and forms a mass M ₂ which rises, in the lower part 31 of the hopper 3, including the lower end of the sheath 73. Therefore, if the flow stops by itself as long as this mass M ₂ is not discharged, the sheath 73 being filled with a column M ₁ of material.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the reserve enclosure 3 forms a hopper mounted on a lateral part 16 of the chassis 1 of the carriage extending on the side of the steering axle 12 by relative to the lifting means which is mounted in the central part 15 of the platform and will be described later.

The hopper 3 is centered on the longitudinal axis 10 of the chassis 1 of the carriage and advantageously has a truncated pyramid shape inverted with a square base and limited by four flat faces which converge down to a rectangle-shaped outlet port 32 elongated, placed in a plane inclined to the horizontal. Hopper 3 is, on the other hand, oriented so that the vertical median plane P1 of the orifice 32 makes an angle K with the vertical median plane P of the carriage B.

The square base of the hopper 3 is located in a horizontal plane, slightly above the upper face of chassis 1 of the carriage and is preferably closed by a cover 33 consisting of a flat wall at the center of which is formed an introduction orifice 34 centered on an axis vertical 10 placed in the longitudinal median plane P of the carriage.

This orifice 34 has a diameter equal to that of the drain sheath 73 a container C, which can thus enter the interior of the hopper 3 when the container C, suspended from the lifting means 2, is centered on the axis 10 of the hopper, in the position shown in Figure 2.

Furthermore, the hopper 3 is associated with a seat belt allowing safe access below the container C and constituted, for example, a circular tube 35 fixed by legs on the frame 1 to a short distance, for example ten centimeters, above the cover 33 of the hopper 3.

It should be noted, however, that container C is not placed on the tube 35 which is simply a seat belt but remains suspended, permanently by lifting means 2 by straps 71.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3, the lifting means 2 mounted on the carriage B consists of a small crane having a horizontal boom 21 rotatably mounted, around a vertical axis, at the upper part d 'a mast 20 fixed on a base 22 embedded in the central part of the chassis 1 of the carriage. Preferably, the mast 20 is telescopic and its length can be adjusted by a hydraulic cylinder 24 so as to vary the level of the boom 21 between a low position F ₁ indicated in phantom in Figure 2 and a high lifting position F ₂ shown in solid lines.

The arrow 21 carries a suspension hook 23 fixed on a carriage 25 which can be moved horizontally, for example, under the action of an endless screw driven in rotation by a motor 26 and engaging in a nut carried by the carriage 25. The suspension member 23 can thus move radially, along the arrow 21, between an internal position 23a and an external position 23b. When the arrow is oriented, the suspension hook placed in its external position 23b therefore describes a circular path T shown in phantom in Figure 3. The carriage B is placed along the row of container C at a fairly low distance from it, so that, in its path T, the suspension hook 23 passes over several adjacent containers, for example, three containers C in the case of FIG. 3. Thus, for the same position of the carriage B, the orientation of the arrow and the radial position of the hook 23 can be adjusted so as to place the latter above one or other of the containers C ₁ covered by the trajectory. After removing these containers, it is possible to put the carriage B back on its wheels and move it longitudinally to cover other containers in the row.

Having thus placed the hook 23 above a container and hung the straps 71, it is possible to lift the container then, by radial displacement of the hook 23, to bring the latter into the internal position 23a for which the hanging container is vertical to the reserve enclosure 3, centered on the axis 30 thereof.

Preferably, to avoid the use of a winch, the containers are lifted by means of the jack 24 for adjusting the height of the boom 21, which is first placed in the low position F ₁ to bring the hook 23 above a container C in the row and hang the suspension straps 71, then raised to its high position F ₂ , by lifting the container C.

According to another particularly advantageous characteristic of the invention, the means for lifting and suspending the container C is arranged so as to maintain a substantially constant level difference between the orifice 70 for emptying the container and the lower end 74 of the sheath 73 which opens into the mass of material M ₂ contained in the lower part 31 of the hopper 3. Since the flexible envelope 7 of the container is stretched when the container is full and tends to lengthen when it empties , it is necessary to compensate for this elongation by raising the suspension point 23 of the container as and when emptying 70 to a substantially constant level.

For this, it is possible to act directly on the means 24 of adjustment of the level of the jib 21 of the crane 2 which can be a jack hydraulics controlled by a microprocessor depending on the variation, measured by a sensor, of the weight of container C suspended on the hook of the crane.

To avoid using such a position and position adjustment system pressure of the jack 24, the jib 21 can also be kept at a level constant and act on the length of the suspension member 23.

For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 4 which is a detailed view of the hook 23, in cross section along the line I, I of Figure 2, the hook 23 is connected to the carriage 25 by a tared elastic member 27 consisting for example of sliding rods 26 associated with springs or stacks of Belleville washers. The calibration of the springs corresponds to the weight of a full container C. When the arrow 21 is raised from position F ₁ to position F ₂ , the elastic member 26 first elongates by a length corresponding to the weight of the full container, for which the elastic suspension member 27 has been tared, then the container is lifted and brought, by rotation of the arrow, above the reserve enclosure 3 to the position 23a shown in FIG. 2.

The elastic member 27 is adjusted so that the bottom 72 of the container passes just above the seat belt 35.

The suspended container is then connected to the reserve hopper 3 by the sheath 73 which can be opened. As the oil drains, the weight of the container C decreases and the hook 23 rises upwards under the action of the calibrated suspension member 27, accompanying the narrowing of the envelope 7 of the container whose flattened shape 7 'is indicated in phantom in figure 2.

Thus, the lower orifice 70 of the casing 7 remains at a substantially constant level and the sheath 73 is filled with a column of material 71 which flows as this material M _{2 is} extracted by the evacuation means 4 which will be described later.

Since the material flows gradually through the sheath 73 with a flow which can be controlled by the evacuation means 4 and corresponds to that of the mixing device 5, the drain sheath 73 can have a fairly small diameter, for example, of about 1/4 or 1/5 of that of the bottom 72 of container C when it is full.

On the other hand, the reserve hopper 3 can have a reduced volume since it must simply contain a reserve mass M ₂ sufficient to serve as a buffer in order to continue feeding the mixing device 5 for the time necessary for replacing d 'a container. However, the means according to the invention allow, precisely, to quickly carry out such a replacement.

Indeed, loading a new container can be done very simply as follows:

By rotation of the arrow 21 which is in its low position F ₁ and radial displacement of the carriage 25, the hook 23 is brought above a container C ₁ of the row and the straps 71 are hooked there.

By means of the jack 24, the container is then raised so that its bottom 72 is a little above the level of the seat belt 35, taking into account the lengthening of the calibrated springs 27.

We then rotate the arrow 21 to bring the container suspended in its emptying position centered on the axis 30, the bottom 72 of the container located substantially at the waist 35 but without build on it. An operator protected by the belt 35 against an untimely fall, can then access the sheath 73 to introduce manually this in hole 34 and loosen the closing link of the container which is thus placed in communication with the hopper 3.

The dry mortar contained in the casing 7 of the container C pours out by the sheath 73 in the hopper 3 and is taken up by the evacuation device 4 which includes an extraction box 41 connected to the outlet orifice 32 of the hopper 3 and associated with a conveying device 42 consisting of a sheath elongated tubular inside which is threaded a transport screw 45 driven in rotation, about its axis, by a motor 43.

Preferably, the transport screw is of the shaftless type comprising a flat ribbon wound helically around an empty axial space and having a lower end which extends below the outlet orifice 32, in the box. extraction 41 and thus makes it possible to continuously extract the material M ₂ contained in the hopper 3 by entraining it in the elongated sheath 42 up to a discharge box 44 placed at a higher level, above the chassis 1 of the carriage , the elongated sheath 42 being inclined upwards between the extraction box 41 and the evacuation box 44, as shown in FIG. 2.

This evacuation box 44 is provided, on its underside, with a orifice which is connected to the mixing device 5 by a shaped adapter 45 hopper.

The mixing device 5 is specially designed for making a very compact installation of which all the organs can be grouped on a chassis of relatively small dimensions. Indeed, it essentially comprises a tubular enclosure 51 having an axis 50 substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal median plane P of the carriage, and placed across the central part 15 of the chassis 1, next to the base 22 of the crane 2. The tubular enclosure 51 forms a sheath limiting two successive rooms, respectively a reception room 52 and a mixing chamber 53 and provided, at its two opposite ends, respectively of an inlet port 55 connected by a tube to the adapter 45 of the device 4 and opening into the receiving chamber 52 and a outlet orifice 56 of the mixing chamber 53, connected by a tube to a pumping device 6.

Inside the sleeve 51 is threaded a conveying member with mixing, driven in rotation by a motor 57 and comprising a first part in the form of a conveyor screw, at the level of the reception 52 and a second part with blades, at the level of the room mixing 53.

As indicated above, the device 4 for evacuating the material M ₂ is placed at an angle on the chassis 1 so that the evacuation box 43 extended by the adapter 45 can be connected to the tube 55 of entry into the sheath 51.

The dry mortar poured into the hopper 3 and taken up by the device evacuation 4 is thus introduced into the receiving chamber 52 of the sheath 51 and driven towards the mixing chamber 53 in which is injected with mixing water. To this end, the sheath 51 is provided, in its central part, of an orifice 54 connected to a circuit (not shown) of supply in water which is provided with means for adjusting the flow of water to be mixed with mortar, depending on the rate of advance thereof along the sleeve 51. One thus obtains, at the exit of the mixing chamber 53, a mortar wet with the desired consistency, which is discharged through the outlet tubing 56 in a reserve chamber 61 of the pumping device 6.

Preferably, the mixing water is supplied by a connected pump to a reservoir mounted on the chassis 1 of the carriage so as to ensure a flow constant water avoiding pressure variations.

The pumping device 6 essentially comprises two chambers cylindrical coaxial, respectively, the reserve chamber 61 already mentioned and a pressurization chamber consisting of a sheath tubular removably attached to the chamber 61, in the extension of this one, and inside which is threaded a conveyor screw and compression, driven by a motor 63 and having a part which extends to the interior of the reserve chamber 61 to below the outlet of the outlet pipe 56 for the wet mortar. In known manner, the sheath of pressurization 62, ends with a convergent 64 on which is connected a flexible pipe 65 provided, at its opposite end, with a mortar projection lance which can be of known type and is not shown in the figure.

Advantageously, all of the reserve chamber 61 and the pressurization chamber 62 is rotatably mounted around the vertical axis of the tubing 56 so as to allow the orientation of the device without interrupt the continuity of its supply.

According to another particularly advantageous characteristic, the mobile carriage B carries an autonomous system for controlling the operation of all of the means mounted on the chassis 1.

Preferably, all the motor means, in particular the motor 26 for adjusting the position of the hook 23, the motor 43 for driving the evacuation device, the motor 57 for driving the transport member and kneading of the mixing device 5 and the motor 63 for driving the screw of the pumping device 6 are hydraulic motors. Likewise, the lifting cylinder 24 and the stands 14 are hydraulically actuated. All these means are controlled from a hydraulic power station 8 driven by a motor 81, the assembly being placed on a platform 17 formed on the rear side part of the chassis 1, next to the mixing 5 and opposite the reserve hopper 31.

Preferably, the motor 81 which supplies the energy necessary for the operation of all organs is a heat engine, which allows to perform a fully autonomous installation that does not require a electrical connection.

The platform 17 also carries a compressor 82 driven by the heat engine 81 and connected to a circuit (not shown) for introducing air in the pumping device 6 to allow the projection of the mortar wet.

Advantageously, the platform 17 can also carry a device 84 of known type allowing the incorporation of dye or adjuvant in the wet mortar, preferably through water of mixing. Such a device can, in particular, be of the type described in the international application published under the number WO 00/05047.

We have thus described an autonomous installation and particularly compact all of whose components can be placed on a mobile carriage reduced dimensions that can be brought in the immediate vicinity of the building under construction, along a row of big bags which are taken load one after the other by crane 2.

The container C being suspended by the hook 23 above the hopper 3, the operator, protected by seat belt 35, introduces the sheath 73 in the hole in the cover 33 and unravels the closing link.

The dry mortar pours into the hopper 3 but, when the mass of material M ₂ includes the lower end of the sheath 73, the flow stops by itself. We can then start the evacuation device 4 which extracts the mortar from the hopper 3 to reassemble it in the sheath 42. The quantity of mortar extracted, at each instant, by the outlet orifice 32 is replaced by a quantity equivalent coming from the container C passing through the sheath 73. Under normal conditions, the hopper 3 is practically full.

When the container is empty, the level in the hopper drops and a detector not shown controls an alarm signal to warn the operator having to replace the container. However, the organ extraction 41 can continue to operate as long as mortar remains in the hopper 3. This therefore constitutes a buffer tank whose volume is determined according to the maximum discharge flow 4 so as to maintain the supply of the discharge device 4 for the time necessary for the replacement of container C.

Conversely, if the emptying device 4 is stopped for a reason any level in the hopper 3 rises and the container emptied stops by itself, at the latest when the material fills all of the hopper 3 to cover level 33.

The diameter of the opening 34 for entering the hopper 3 as well as the drain hose 73 of the container is determined so as to allow, in in all circumstances, the passage of a sufficient flow of mortar to compensate for the quantity extracted by the outlet orifice 32. The flow rate mortar flow can therefore only be controlled by adjusting the speed of the motor 43 of the discharge device 4.

The dry mortar thus extracted from the hopper 3 is conveyed to the box evacuation 43 and poured into the mixing device 5.

Preferably, the powder extraction rate, controlled by the motor 43, is adjusted so as to always remain greater than that of the device mixing 5 which can thus be fed continuously with a constant flow, so as to produce a homogeneous and regular paste. The evacuation box 44 of the evacuation device 4 constitutes, moreover, a buffer tank which can be filled when the flow rate of the mixing device is lower than that of the evacuation device 4 and which, conversely, feeds the mixing 5 if the upstream flow becomes insufficient, for example in the event of delay in replacing an empty container.

Likewise, the reserve chamber 61 of the pumping also serves as a buffer tank between the mixing device 5 and the pumping device 6 by filling with wet mortar if the projection rate is insufficient and, on the contrary, by supplying the chamber pressurizing 62 if the flow rate supplied by the mixing device 5 is, momentarily, lower than the projected mortar flow.

Generally, however, the discharge device 4 is designed to ensure an extraction flow rate greater than the flow rate of the mixing 5 which is itself higher than that of the pumping device 6, by example 25 liters of dough per minute.

In normal operating conditions, a control system 85 easy to design and mounted on chassis 1 of the trolley, allows control as a function of each other the relative speeds of all the motors to ensure the continuity of the mortar supply with, in all organs, controlled flow. Buffer tanks provided at each stage of the material circuit ensure regular dosing thereof constant or variable flow and, thus, to obtain a homogeneous paste and regular.

This regular dosage of all the constituents of the mortar allows, if necessary, add an adjuvant or coloring agent, for example to achieve on-site coloring while ensuring color retention chosen. For this purpose, one can place on the platform 17 of the chassis 1, a device 84 of the type described in international application No. WO 00/05047 allowing the dye to be added directly to the mixing water.

As indicated, the installation is completely autonomous, the chassis 1 which can carry not only all the components necessary for feeding, mixing and spraying the mortar, but also hydraulic unit with its cover, a water tank with its pump, a coloring device and a heat engine to operate all organs if the site is not yet connected to the supply network electric.

Such an installation can be used profitably on small or medium-sized projects and only requires an area storage for big bags. An air compressor mounted on carriage B and being able to provide a pressure of six bars at 400 liters per minute, allows to project the mortar.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the details of the mode of preferential embodiment which has just been described in detail, by way of simple example and could be subject to variations by remaining within the framework of protection defined by the claims.

For example, the mixing device 5 described above has the advantage of a small footprint but could however be replaced by a more conventional mixer. This device could also be placed at a higher level, for example to place axle 11 in the section chassis 1 central unit to better balance the load.

On the other hand, the various organs which have just been described and which are grouped on the carriage B could be arranged differently.

This is how Figures 5, 6 and 7 show a more simple with multiple advantages.

In this case, the lifting means 2 comprises a tilting boom 21 'in the form of a gantry comprising two arms 21'a, 21'b articulated by a internal end, around a horizontal axis 22 ', on platform 1 of the carriage and connected, at their outer end, by a cross member 20 'in the center of which is mounted a hook 23 'for hanging the containers.

Two 25 'cylinders, the body of which is articulated on the chassis 1 and the rod on each arm 21 'rotate the gantry 2 between a lowered position of handling of containers on a storage area S and a position emptying record of container C supported.

As before, the mixing device 5 consists of a tubular sheath having an inlet port 55 and an outlet port 56 between which the material passes successively through a receiving chamber 52 then a mixing chamber 53 with the introduction of water. However, in the previous arrangement, shown in Figures 2 and 3, the mixing device 5, placed in the central part 15 of the platform 1, was arranged across, between the two lateral sides of the chassis 1, the pumping device 6 being fixed on one side of the frame and the inlet port 55 of the sleeve 51 being placed on the other side.

In the arrangement of Figures 5 and 6, however, the device mixing which consists, as before, of a tubular sleeve 51 associated with means for conveying the material between an inlet orifice 55 and an outlet 56, is centered on the longitudinal axis 10 of the platform, the inlet orifice 55 being placed in the center thereof and the orifice of outlet 56 at the longitudinal end of the platform. The device of mixing therefore extends over the lateral part 16 of the platform, the means for controlling the control operation 8 being placed, as before, on the second lateral part 17.

In this case, the reserve hopper 3 is placed above the device 5 and is connected to the inlet tubing 55 so as to lead directly into the receiving section 52 of the mixing 5.

The drain sheath 73 is then shorter and the means 4 can be removed, the material flowing from the container being taken care of directly in the receiving section by the organ for conveying the material associated with the tubular sheath 51.

Since the volume of the hopper 3 is quite small, the height total of crane 2 remains moderate. Besides the use of a gantry allows to reduce this height.

Furthermore, the pumping device 6 is fixed on the end longitudinal of part 16 of platform 1, below the orifice of output 56 of the mixing device 5.

As before, the arrow 2 ′ can have a variable length, the two arms 21'a, 21'b being made up of two telescopic parts sliding one inside the other and each associated with a 24 'cylinder not shown in detail, which adjusts the level of the suspension 23 'depending on the weight variation of container C, at by means of a regulation system in position and pressure of the cylinders 24 ' comprising a microprocessor associated with a sensor for measuring weight variations of the container suspended from the hook 23 '. As previously, it is therefore possible to lift the suspension member 71 of container C as it is emptied and the elongation of the flexible envelope 7, so as to maintain substantially constant the level of the drain orifice 70 and the length of the sheath 73 entering the hopper 3.

Furthermore, when the installation is not in service and must be transported from one place of use to another, the 24 'cylinders allow completely fold the two arms 21'a, 21'b and the gantry 2 'can be folded back over the control means 8, in the position shown in Figure 7.

In addition, the sleeve 51 of the mixing device 5 can advantageously be made up of two parts 52, 53 constituting respectively the receiving chamber and the mixing chamber and hinged on each other around a vertical axis so that the part of mixing 53 can be folded down along the receiving part 52 in thus freeing up, at the longitudinal end of the platform 1, a space free on which the pumping device 6 can be raised, the latter being articulated around a horizontal axis 60 on the corresponding longitudinal side of platform 1.

This resulted in a simple and compact installation which, even for small sites, be economically supplied by flexible containers, such an installation being, moreover, autonomous from the that the energy required for the functioning of all organs can be supplied by a motor mounted on carriage B.

But such an installation is also versatile because it can, with minor modifications, adapt to other means of feeding in dry matter.

Thus, in the operating mode represented diagrammatically in FIG. 8, the dry matter is supplied by a transportable silo 7 ′ mounted on legs which span the platform 1 so that the orifice outlet 70 'from the silo opens above the reserve hopper 3.

In the case where part 53 of the sleeve 51 of the mixing device can be folded down, the installation can also be supplied with mortar wet prepared in advance and delivered to the site by a truck of the type "Concrete mixer". In this case, as shown in Figure 9, the pumping 6 must simply be fitted with an extension 66 in which opens the chute of the router, the mortar thus spilled being immediately taken over by the pumping device to be projected by lance D.

It should also be noted that the evacuation devices 4, mixing and pumping 6 can be provided to convey a material dried. If the installation is supplied with ready-to-use mortar, we could therefore, in known manner, transport the dry matter to the lance 65 and introduce the water necessary for leaving it, just before the projection.

The reference signs inserted after the technical characteristics mentioned in the claims, have the sole purpose of facilitating the understanding of them and in no way limit their scope.

Claims (28)

Installation for preparing, transporting and using a mortar, comprising means (2) for supplying dry matter with a mixing device (5) connected to a pumping device (6) for feeding under pressure from a transport pipe (65) leading to the place of use, the mixing device comprising two successive sections, respectively a receiving section (52) into which opens a dry matter inlet orifice (55) and a mixing section (53), associated with means (54) for introducing a metered quantity of water and opening into an outlet orifice (56) connected to the pumping device, and the supply means comprising means (2) for lifting and suspending, one after the other, flexible containers (C) filled with dry matter, consisting of an envelope (7) having an upper part provided with a suspension member ( 71) and a lower part provided with an orifice (70) for draining the material in a reserve hopper (3) having a lower part (31) connected by a means (4) for evacuating the material to the receiving section (52) of the mixing device (5),
characterized in that the envelope (7) of each container (C) is extended downwards by an elongated sheath (73) having an upper end connected to the drain opening (70) and a lower end which descends into the reserve hopper (3) up to a mass of reserve material (M ₂ ) formed in said hopper (3), so that, during the emptying of the dry matter, the latter forms, inside from the connection sheath (73), a continuous column (M ₁ ) which flows progressively through the mass (M ₂ ) of material in reserve, as it is evacuated towards the section of reception (52) of the mixing device. Installation according to claims 1, characterized in that the reserve hopper (3) has a capacity less than the volume of dry matter transported in a container (C). Installation according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the lifting means (2) comprise means (24, 27) for progressive lifting of the flexible container (C), as the emptying of the material, so as to compensate for the elongation of the envelope (7) of the container (C) by maintaining a substantially constant level difference between the orifice (70) for emptying the container and the lower end of the sheath ( 73) opening into the mass of material (M ₂ ) contained in the hopper (3). Installation according to claim 3, characterized in that the suspension member (71) of the container (C) is connected to the lifting means (2) by a calibrated elastic member (27) determining the lifting of the suspension member (71) as the container (C) is emptied. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mixing device (5) comprises a tubular enclosure (51) comprising two successive chambers, respectively for receiving (52) and for mixing (53), between which opens a water supply circuit (54) with an adjustable flow rate, said enclosure (51) being associated with a conveyor member (57) with mixing of the material between an inlet orifice (55) and an outlet orifice (56 ) of the tubular enclosure (51). Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a mobile carriage (B) on which are grouped together all the members necessary for the supply of dry matter, the mixing and the pumping of the mortar, and that the energy necessary for the operation of all these members (2, 5, 6) is supplied by control means (8, 81) mounted on the same platform (1). Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that the mobile carriage (B) comprises a chassis (1) in the form of a substantially horizontal platform having a central part (15) on which the lifting and suspension means (2) bear. containers and a side part (17) on which the control means (8) are mounted, the mixing device (5) having a hole (55) for entering dry matter, placed in the central part of the platform ( 1) and an outlet (56) opening into the pumping device (6) mounted on one side of the platform (A). Installation according to claim 7, characterized in that the reserve hopper (3) is placed on a first lateral part (16) of the platform (1) and that the control means (8) (81) are placed on a second lateral part (17), on the other side of the central part (15) carrying lifting means (2), the orifice (32) for evacuating the hopper (3) opening into a means (41) extraction of the material with a controlled flow rate, associated with a device (42) for conveying the extracted material to a high end (44) opening above the inlet orifice (55) in the section of reception (52) of the mixing device (5). Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that the mixing device (5) comprises a tubular sheath (51) extending across the central part (15) of the platform (1) between two lateral sides of it ci, respectively a first side on which is placed an inlet orifice (55) connected by an adapter box (45) to the upper end (44) of the conveying device (42) and a second side on which is placed an outlet (56) opening into the pumping device (6), the latter being fixed on said lateral side of the platform (1). Installation according to claim 7, characterized in that the hopper (3) for dry matter reserve (M ₂ ) is placed above the mixing device (5) and opens directly into the receiving section (52) of the tempering (5). Installation according to claim 10, characterized in that the mixing device (5) comprises a tubular sheath (51) centered in a longitudinal median plane of the platform (1) and having an inlet orifice (55) placed in the central part (15) of the platform (1) below the reserve hopper (3) and an outlet opening opening into the pumping device (6), the latter being mounted at a longitudinal end of the platform (1) . Installation according to claim 11, characterized in that the sheath (51) of the mixing device (5) comprises a first part (51) limiting a material receiving chamber and a second part (52) limiting a kneading chamber of the material and articulated around a vertical axis on the first part (51) so as to be able to be folded back in the carriage transport position (B), freeing on the platform (1) a space on which the pumping device (6), the latter being articulated about a horizontal axis on the longitudinal end of the platform (1). Installation according to one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that the container lifting and suspension means comprise a lifting crane (2) with a jib (21) mounted orientable, around a vertical axis of rotation , on a mast (20) fixed on a central part (15) of the platform (1) and carrying a suspension hook (23) movable radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the boom (21), between a position external (23b) for handling the containers on a storage area (S), and an internal position (23a) for suspending a container (C) above the reserve hopper (3). Installation according to claim 13, characterized in that the lifting crane comprises a vertical mast (20) having a base (22) embedded in the central part (15) of the carriage (B) and a horizontal boom (21), mounted rotatable on the mast (20) around a vertical axis and the suspension hook (23) is connected to a carriage (25) movable radially along the boom (21). Installation according to claim 14, characterized in that it comprises means (24) for adjusting the level of the boom (21) between a lowered position for taking charge of a container (C) on a storage area ( S) and a raised container emptying position (C) in the hopper (3). Installation according to claim 15, characterized in that the means (24) for adjusting the level of the boom (21) is controlled as a function of the variation in weight of the container (C) so as to determine a progressive lifting of the suspension member (71) as the container (C) is lightened. Installation according to one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that the means for lifting and suspending the containers comprise a boom (21 ') having an internal end articulated around a horizontal axis on the carriage (B) and an outer end provided with a suspension member (23 ') of a container (C) and means (25) for controlling the pivoting of the boom (21') between a lowered position for support by the member of suspension (23 ') of a container (C) placed on a storage area (S) and a raised position for emptying the container (C). Installation according to claim 17, characterized in that it comprises means (24 ') for adjusting the length of the articulated boom (21') according to a variation in the weight of the container (C), so as to determining a progressive lifting of the suspension member (71) and an elongation of the envelope (7) as the container (C) is emptied. Installation according to claim 17, characterized in that the lifting jib (21 ') forms an articulated gantry spanning the platform (1) and comprising a horizontal crosspiece carrying a container suspension member (23') and two articulated arms respectively , around aligned horizontal axes, on the two lateral sides of the platform (1) and on which two cylinders (25 ') for controlling the pivoting of the gantry bear. Installation according to claim 19, characterized in that the two arms of the gantry each consist of two parts mounted to slide one on the other and associated with means (24 ') for controlling the sliding for adjusting the length of said arms as a function of a variation in the weight of the container (C) suspended from the crosspiece. Installation according to claim 17, characterized in that the boom (21 ') can pivot between a first lowered position towards a longitudinal end of the platform (1) for taking over the containers (C), a raised emptying position container (C) and a second position lowered to the other longitudinal end of the platform (1) for transporting the carriage (B) from one place of use to another. Installation according to one of claims 5 to 21, characterized in that the means (2) for lifting the containers and the means for removing (4), mixing (5) and pumping (6) the material are actuated by hydraulic motors (26, 43, 57, 63) powered by a hydraulic unit (8) driven by a drive motor (81), the assembly being carried by the mobile carriage (B). Installation according to claim 22, characterized in that the hydraulic unit (8) associated with a cover (8) is placed, with the drive motor (81) on a lateral part (17) of the chassis, next to the mixing device (5). Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pumping device (6) comprises a mortar reserve chamber (61) placed below the outlet orifice (56) of the mixing device (5 ) and opening into a mortar pump (62) supplying a pipe (65) for transporting the mortar to the place of use. Installation according to claim 22, characterized in that the means (62, 65) for transporting the mortar to the place of use are associated with a compressor (72) for introducing air into the mortar, at least at an outlet end of the pipe, said compressor (73) being placed on the chassis (1) of the mobile carriage and driven by a motor (81). Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mixing device (5) is associated with means (84) for incorporating a proportion of dye or adjuvant into the mortar. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means (43, 57, 63) for controlling the respective flow rates of conveying the material at the outlet of the reserve hopper (3) in the device mixing device (5) and in the pumping device (6), which are adjusted as a function of each other by a regulation system (85) so as to ensure the continuous production, with a controlled flow rate, of a mortar of determined composition. Installation according to one of claims 5 to 27, characterized in that , depending on the size of the site and the means available, it can be supplied with dry matter, either by means of flexible containers (C) supported by the lifting means (2), either from a silo associated with a conveying means opening directly above the reserve hopper (3), after separation of the lifting means (2), or by means of a wet mortar transport member poured directly at the inlet of the pumping device (6) after separation of the mixing device (5).

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