GB2219220A - Mixer for building materials - Google Patents

Abstract

In a mixer, suitable for building materials, which comprises a rotatable drum, the drum may be tilted by means of a hand wheel and means (4-10) are provided for locking the drum in selected tilted positions. In use, a fixed quantity of a first material is placed in the drum and then the drum is filled to the brim with further material, the amount of the further material being determined by the angle of tilt of the drum whereby the proportions of the materials may be determined. <IMAGE>

Description

BUILDING MATERIALS MIXER This invention relates to a standard 5-3* free-fall mixer for use with building materials.

Mixers for building materials are well known machines. They are comprised of a wheeled chassis upon which is mounted an open-ended drum.

The drum is rotated about a variable plane which is usually inclined more to the vertical.

Mixing is achieved by blades within the revolving drum, and gravity.

Power is provided by a petrol, diesel or electrical motor.

With this mixer there are no facilities for controlling the ratio of materials being mixed.

The ratio of mix strengths is dependent upon a volume of material added to a known quantity of cement per mixing cycle.

Because the mixing drum on the standard mixer can be adjusted in inclination by the operative, no control over ratio strengths is possible. But if the mixing drum is locked to receive only a specified amount of material to a known quantity of cement, and irrespective of a unit standing on an inclined base, the volume of material remains constant, then the requirements of a specification can be met.

According to the present invention, a conversion unit can be attached to any standard mixer, to provide a variable mix ratio, and means of locking the mixing drum so as to determine the volume of the material.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompaying drawing in which Figure 1 shows in perspective a typical 5-3 free-fall mixer with conversion unit attached.

Figure 2-2A show a front and side view of the unit in Figure 1 Figure 3 shows in perspective an exploded detail of each item.

Figure 4 shows the assembled control unit.

Referring to the drawings, the component parts are all on and supported by a common spindle (1) which at the drum end is fixed to the drum trunnion yoke (2) and at the other end is fixed to the turning wheel (3), with the whole supported on R. H. S. cranked struts (12) The disc (4) with cut-out to receive the locking latch (10) is also fixed to the spindle (1) and these items are used to turn and incline the mixing drum.

The hinged pendulum lever (5) is hanging freely on the spindle (1) and at the top of the lever a hole is formed to receive a retaining stud (6) from the gauge plate (7).

The gauge plate (7) is also freely fixed to the spindle (1) and receives the mix control studs (8), adjacent to each stud is stamped the mis ratio that applies, i.e. 1:3, 1:6, 1:9.

When a selected mix is required, the locking arm (9) is located on the appropriate stud (8) and secured by attaching padlock (11), the latch (10) on the locking arm (9) engages on the drum disc (4) and retains the mixing drum at the correct inclination until the drum is filled to the brim.

The correct ratio for the selected mix is now complete.

To discharge, the latch (10) is released and the drum turned and emptied.

Claims (3)

1.

A conversion unit fixed to a standard 5-3% free-fall mixer to achieve a variable mix control, means of locking the mixing drum so that different volumes can be mixed, means of releasing the mixing drum for discharge of the contents.

2.

A building material mixer as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the variable volume mixing drum has fixing means so as to determine the ratio of the contents of the drum referenced to a standard unit or quantity.

3.

A building material mixer as claimed in Claim 1 and 2 wherein materials other than those used for building are mixed.