ES362700A1 - Improved method for conveying semifluid material and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

In a concrete or other semi-fluid material pump concrete is drawn from a hopper 1 into an intermediate container 4 partially under gravity and partially by suction on the retraction of a piston 6 actuated by fluid, preferably water, pressure supplied and exhausted through an opening in the bottom of container 4. The concrete then passes into a cylinder 14 on the forward stroke of piston 6 as a piston 16 retracts by means of a belt 53 rotated around a reel 54 driven by a motor 58. A pipe 18 closed on the suction stroke of piston 16 by engagement with a fixed conical valve seat member 33, has a piston 22 and is moved under fluid-pressure acting through inlet and outlet pipes 25, 26 into sealing engagement, with cylinder 14, and the piston 16 actuated on its forward stroke by fluid-pressure acting through inlet and outlet pipes 65, 67 to force concrete past the fixed valve seat member 33 and into a discharge pipe 17 vibrated during this phase by a vibrator 40 to maintain a homogeneous mix of concrete. The pumping sequence and operation of fluid-pressure is controlled by switches 12 in the container and 64 on the drive belt of motor 38 to open and close quick acting valves in the fluid circuit at the appropriate time. The concrete temperature is maintained substantially constant during weather changes by means of a cooling jacket 2 around hopper 1. For facilating assembling and dismantling of components cylinder 14 is clamped with rods 74, Fig. 5 (not shown) between sealing sleeves (42) and (57) and a tie rod (75) retains the conical members 20, 21 in engagement. In further embodiments the piston 6 maybe a diaphragm and the piston 16 retracted by means of a hydraulically operated piston connected to traction band 53.