US1734980A - Means for transporting concrete - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 12, 1929. 5:5 PHILIPS 1,734,980

'MEA'NS FOR TRAN-SPORTING CONCRETE Filed Sept. 12.- 1928' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HIIHW Nov..12, 1929. E. s. PHILIPS MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING CONCRETE Filed Sept. 12. 1928 2 Sheds-Sheet Mij Patented Nov. 12, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EARLE S. PHILIPS, F KENNETT SQUARE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN ROAD MACHINERY COMPANY, OF K'ENNETT SQUARE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- Y TION OF DELAWARE MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING CONCRETE Application filed September 12, 1928. Serial No. 305,338.

a This invention relates to means for transporting'concrete and more particularly toa motor-driven truckwhich is adapted to mix or maintain mixed a charge of wet concrete during transportation.

Heretofore it has been attempted to mix concrete at central mixing plants and transport the concrete from such plants to the place of use. At first, ordinary dump trucks were used but it was found that in a very short time after loading, and probably due to vibration of the truck during transportation, the aggregate, being heavier than the more liquid portions of the mix, would settle on the bottom of the truck, forming a hard compact mass which was removable only with diiiiculty and which necessitated a re-mixing of the concrete at the point of use.

To avoid these difliculties, various trucks have been designed having revolving tanks thereon. In one form of this construction, the revolving tank is pro vided with a plurality of inwardly extending blades which are designed to churn the concrete, thus effectively maintaining a proper mixture. Such construction has been found impractical, however, by reason of the fact that the concrete collects and solidifies at the junction of the blades with the walls of the cylinder, coating the same so as to render them substantially ineffective and preventing the ready removal of the mixed concrete.

To avoid this objectionable feature resulting from the use of blades, attempts have also been made to use smooth walled cylindrical tanks concentric with the axis of rotation. in such tanks, relatively little mixing occurs, the tanks being only effective to a relatively slight degree to maintain mixed an already thoroughly mixed concrete, but being inoperative to actually mix the unmixed ingredients to form a finished concrete. Com sequently, the use of such tanks necessitates complete mixing prior to the filling of the tank, a process more costly than that resulting when tanks with blades are used, since if blades are used the unmixed ingredients may be dumped into the tank and thorough mixing will take place during the transportation.

A further objection to the use of smooth walled tanks of circular cross section is the necessity of having the tank substantially more than half full in order to even maintain mixed an already mixed concrete. It is found that if the tank is less than half full substantially no mixing will occur. Furthermore, in these smooth walled tanks in order to obtain any mixing a more vigorous rotation is necessary, the result of which is rapid wearing of the walls 'of the tank. If blades are used, a more thorough mixing takes place with less vigorous rotation and the blades, which are relatively cheap and may be replaced take up the wear rather than the walls of the tank.

Rotary tanks of the character described are generally provided with discharge openings in the rear end walls thereof. Upon opening a sliding gate or the like, when the walls of the tank are smooth it is found that the concrete gushes out in an uncontrollable and objectionable manner which renders impossible the eiiicient use of chutes since the concrete tends to spill over the sides thereof. On the other hand, when blades are used, they have heretofore presented obstructions to the discharge of the concrete.

It is accordingly the broad object of the present invention to provide a rotary tank of the character described which avoids both the objections noted above to both the smooth walled tank and to that provided with blades in the ordinary manner. A further object consists of an arrangement of guiding vanes within the tank which will prevent the gushing therefrom of the concrete during discharge but which will serve to so control the concrete without obstructing it that it may be discharged into chutes which will carry it to the point of use.

These and other more specific objects and their accomplishment will be apparent from the following description read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic elevation showing the improved transporting and mixing means,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the tank.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tank.

m0tor or by the truck motor.

Fig. 4; is a side elevation partly in section showing an interior blade.

The chassis of a motor truck is indicated at 2. Pivotally mounted about a transverse axis at the rear of the chassis is a supporting frame on which is suitably journalled a rotary cylindrical tank 6 driven by a motor 8. Details of the mounting of the tank are not shown, since any suitable well known means may be used. While a separate drivingmotor is shown, it will be obvious that the cylindrical tank may be driven through suitable transmission mechanism from the driving motor of the truck. As shown, the tank is journalled in suitable bearings at its front and rear and is driven directly through a shaft connected to motor 8. It will be obvious, of course, that the tank may be rovided, as in someof the usual forms, wit an annular gear meshing with the pinion which is driven either by the separate 7 A suitable charging opening 10 is provided in the top of the rotary tank, while a discharge opening 12 is provided at the bottom of the rear end thereof. The discharge opening may be provided with the usual sliding gateway (not shov. a).

so I

. Within the tank are positioned a plurality of fins 14 arranged in pairs. These fins 14 may be secured to thecylindrical wall of the tank by means of outwardly extending bolts or the like passing through the tank and secured on the outside thereof by nuts.

By this construction, the fins are so mounted as to be 'readil detachable for cleaning or replacement. shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 4, the fins are arranged in pairs, two pairs being shown, although it will be clear that any number of pairs might be provided. In Fig. 2, the tank is shown in its discharge position with discharge opening 12 at the bot- ,tom thereof. It will be noted that a pair of fins 14 extending longitudinally of the tank and at an angle to the direction of its axis converge rearwardly toward opening 12. By this arrangement, when the gate covering opening 12 is raised, the concrete outwardly of the "fins is not free to rush cross-Wise of the' opening but an even and controlled flow of the concrete outwardly from between the fins is maintained. Thus gushing of the concrete is prevented and the discharged mixture may be made to flow quietly down a chute.

The outer edges of fins 14 arespaced from the cylindrical wall of the tank. This spacing' preferably varies from about one inch lat the 'discharge end, as indicated at 18, to

one'iandlone-halfinch or two inches at the front'end; as indicated at 20. By this arrangement;acirculation of the concrete is produced during rotation of the tank.

' Byreason ofthe spacing of the fins from the wall of the tank, as a blade moves outwardly above the surface of concrete during over its upper surface and soon after the blade emerges from the surface it will be substantially free from concrete. Any concrete which tends to remain clinging to the blade surface will be wiped therefrom by friction during a subsequent movement of the blade through the mixture, whereas if the blade contacts with the wall the portion adjacent to the wall will not be subj'ectto a movement of the mixture thereover which might tend to cleanse it.

With the construction described, not only will mixed concrete be maintained in erfect- 1y mixed condition but the unmixed mgredients will be thoroughly mixed so that it is necessary to erect at a central plant only means for measuring proper batches of ingredients for delivery to the tank, without the necessity of providing any mixing means at the plant, since thorough mixing will take place during the first few minutes of transportation, the tank acting, thereafter, to maintain theingredients thoroughly mixed.

By reason of the provision of blades which perform the primary function of mixing, it is unnecessary to rapidly rotate the cylinder, or to have the tank filled to any particular degree, to obtain mixing by friction with the walls, since the mixing due to this friction would be negligible. As a consequence,'the walls of the tanks are saved from erosion, blades which may become destroyed or corroded being readily r moved.

W hat I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. Means for transporting and mixing concrete comprising a vehicle, a rotarytank mounted on the vehicle, means for rotating the tank, and a plurality of mixing fins ex-'.

tending along the inner walls of thetank in spaced reldtion thereto, said fins being ar ranged in pairs, the members of each pair extending inwardly from thewalls of the tank in approximately the same direction.

2. Means for transporting and mixing concrete comprising a vehicle, a rotary tank mounted on the Vehicle, means for rotating the tank, and a plurality'of mixing fins extending along the inner walls of the tank in spaced relation thereto, the fins being spaced from the walls of thatank to a greater extent at one end than at the other.

3. Means for transporting and mixing concrete comprising a vehicle, a rotary tank mounted on the vehicle, means for rotating thietank, said tank having a discharge opening at one end thereof, and a pair of fins within the tank converging towards the opening- 4. Means for transporting and mixing concrete comprising a vehicle, a rotary tank mounted on the vehicle, means "for rotating the tank, said .tank having adischarge opening at one end thereof, and a pair'of'fins within the tank converging towards the opening, said fins being spaced from the walls of the tank.

5. Means for transporting concrete comprising a vehicle, a rotary tank mounted on crete comprising a vehicle, a rotary tank the vehicle, means for rotating the tank, and a mixing fin extending along the inner wall of the tank in spacedrelation thereto and forming acute angles with radii of the tank intersecting it.

6. Means for transporting concrete comprising a vehicle, a rotary tank mounted on the vehicle, means for rotating the tank, said tank having a discharge opening at one end thereof and opposed pairs of fins within the tank, the fins of one pair converging towards the opening.

7. Means the vehicle, means forrotating the tank, said tank having a discharge opening at one end thereof and opposed pairs of fins within the tank, the fins of one pair extending from the opening-towards the opposite end of the tank. I

8. Means for transporting and mixin concrete comprising a vehicle, a rotary tan ,mounted on the vehicle, means for rotating the tank, and a plurality of mixing fins extending along the inner Walls of the tank and being substantially coextensive in the direction of the axis of rotation, said fins converging towards each'other.

9. Means for transporting and mlxing conmounted on the vehicle, means for rotating the tank, anda plurality of mixing fins extending along the inner walls of the tank and being substantially coextensive in the direction of the axis of rotation and extending substantially the full length of the tank, said for transporting concrete co1nprising a vehicle, a-rotary tank mounted on 7 adjacent the opening, said ends being spaced apart a distance less than the width of the opening.

12. Means for transporting and mixing concrete comprising a vehicle, a rotary tank mounted on the vehicle, means for rotating the tank, said tank having a discharge opening at one end thereof adjacent its side wall,

- and-a pair of fins Within the tank extending longitudinally thereof and having their ends adjacent the opening, said fins being.spaced from the walls of the tank.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on this 11th day of September, 1928.

' 'EARLE S. PHILIPS.

fins being spaced from the walls of the tank.

10. Means for transporting and mixing concrete comprising avehicle, a rotary tank mounted on the vehicle, means for rotating the tank, said tank having a discharge opening at one end thereof adjacent its side wall, and a pair of fins within the tank extending longitudinally thereof and having their ends

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