US1946922A - Tie member for tandem pavers - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 13, 1934. E. L. TRANAAS TIE MEMBER FOR TANDEM PAVERS Filed Sept. 11, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 13, 1934. E. L. TRANAAS TIE MEMBER FOR TANDEM PAVERS Filed Sept. 11, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuenkoz {Zia/m5 ClHowcq Feb. 13, 1934. I E. TRANAAS 1,946,922

TIE MEMBER FOR TANDEM PAVERS Filed Sept. 11, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 E'ELG- t1 Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Emil L. Tranaas, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Koehring Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation Application September 11, 1931 Serial No. 562,402

4 Claims.

This invention relates to concrete mixing machines and more particularly to means for connecting a pair of paving machines in tandem.

An object of my invention is the provision of v 6 novel means for connecting two separate mixing machines of the usual type in tandem whereby extreme flexibility between the two machines is accomplished.

Another object is the provision of means for 10 connecting the two machines together to positively maintain in fixed spacing between the two machines the connecting means constituting the skip supporting means for one of the machines.

Another object is the utilization of the connecting member between the two machines as a supporting housing for the control instrumentalities between the two machines.

A still further object is to provide a positive spacing connecting means between the two machines arranged to permit the machines to be easily steered to either side of the road or driven over rough roads or grades without binding or undue strains on the connecting member. In order to materially increase the amount of concrete that can be mixed within a given time there is a tendency to utilize a pair of concrete mixing machines of the paver type, one of these machines being placed in front of the other so that the aggregates, cement or water, are first 3 introduced into the mixing drum of the first machine and there mixed a short period of time, approximately one-half of the usual mixing period. The drum of the first machine is then allowed to discharge into the skip of the second machine while the previous charge contained in the drum of the second machine is being discharged. The skip of the second machine is then raised to charge the drum of the second machine at which time the discharge chute of the second machine is turned to mixing position and remains in this position until the material just introduced has been mixed for the rest of the requirement length of mixing time.

An example of tandem mixing machine of this type is disclosed in the patent to Jaicks 1,815,357. My .copending application Serial No. 536,282, also discloses a tandem mixing machine in which a substantially complete automatic control is established between the two pavers in order to cause them to operate in synchronism. Since this copending application discloses certain details of construction and operation of the machines themselves these details will not be described specifically in this application, the same not forming an important part of this application.

In the above noted patent the method of connecting the two machines together was such that they could only be operated under .the most 6'3 ideal conditions, that is to say, on a perfectly smooth and level subgrade and in a substantially straight line. Due to their substantially rigid interconnection it is not possible to operate them on banked curves which are almost universally used in road building construction today nor could they be independently steered or manuevered.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation of a tandem mixer construction showing my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic top plan view of certain of the parts as seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of my improved tie member and skip supporting shock absorber;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the tie member as seen in Fig. 3 but disclosing in addition thereto the skip in loading position on the shock absorbing means and also connecting means carried by the pavers for establishing the interconnection between the pavers and the tie member;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed view partly in section and disclosing one end of the tie member and its associated paver connection;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the lines 6--6 of Fig. 4, the skip being omitted therefrom;

Fig. '7 is a detailed view of my improved nondrip transfer or extension chute and showing the chute in operative position, and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but disclosing the chute in inoperative position.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The reference letter A indicates generally a concrete paving machine of the conventional type, the distributing boom having been re- 1110 moved or omitted therefrom.

The paver A is coupled in tandem to a second paver B through or by the intermediate connecting tie member C as indicated at D and E, respectively, while intermediate the ends of the tie member C is arranged the skip supporting shock absorber F.

'The tie member C as seen in Figs. 3 to 5 comprising a pair of spaced longitudinal channels 1 suitably joined together intermediate their length by cross plates 2, the plates being welded or otherwise secured to the channel 1. At each end of the tie member and arranged between the channels are disposed a pair of spaced horizontal U-shape flanged plates 3 and 4. These plates are apertured at 5 to receive the coupling pins 6 connecting the tie member to the pavers.

The shock absorbing means F for the skip '7 as seen in detail in Fig. 6 comprises a cross member 8 having secured thereto adjacent its ends the downwardly projecting pins or rods 9. Surrounding these pins and extending between the cross member and the lower plates 11 are coil springs 10. These springs are of suitable size and strength to properly absorb the shock of the descending skip 7 as it returns to cement receiving position as shown in Fig. 1.

The plates 11 are suitably secured to the lower flanges of the channels 1 and extend laterally as clearly seen in Fig. 6. Spaced'vertical bracing plates 13 are provided which firmly support the free ends of the plates 11 on which the springs 10 rest. Surrounding the springs 10 and welded or otherwise secured to the plates 11 are the spring receiving barrels 12 ,which form a protection for the springs as well as guides.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 4 it will be observed that the supporting connection for the forward end of the tie member disposed on the paver B includes a longitudinal brace member 14 secured at 15 to a cross channel of the paver frame proper. The front channel of the paver B carries a depending flange plate 16 to which the other end of the bracing member 14 is secured as indicated at 17. Secured to the rear face of the plate 16 is the apertured ball-shaped member 18 having a vertical opening therethrough which is somewhat flared towards its ends.

As seen in .detail in Fig. 5 the ball member 18 is designed to be interposed between the two plates 3 and 4 of the tie member and when so positioned the coupling pin 6 may be inserted to couple the two members together. Due to the flared openings in the ball members and the ball shaped heads thereof a substantially universal connection is obtained between the tie member and the paver B.

A similar ball-shaped member 19 is disposed on the rear of the forward paver A, this member being suitably braced or secured to the paver A .by the channels 20 and flanged plates 21 and 22.

From the above it will be observed that the tie members C while positively connecting the two pavers together provides a substantially universal connection between them as well as a substantially universal connection between each of the pavers and the tie member itself.

Due to this arrangement the pavers may be independently steered to either side of the road on which they are working and may also be operated on uneven surfaces such as banked curves, grades, etc., thereby permitting the machines to be free to orient themselves to the surface on which they stand without the slightest stress or undue torsional strain being transmitted either to the tie member or the paver connections therefor.

As the skip is lowered upon the shock absorbing means F the supporting tie members C due to. the substantially universal end connections will shift or tilt to accommodate the flat undersurface of the skip and thereby prevent any undue stress from being distributed upon the skip or its supporting connections such as might be the case if the member C were not free to rock or oscillate as just described.

The pavers A and B as seen in Fig. 4 are arranged for synchronized operation and since the mechanical details of the structure utilized to effect this operation is clearly shown in my copending application, previously referred to, these details are not shown to any great extent in this case nor are they specifically described. It should be observed however, that the control operating connections 22' and 23 extending, between the two pavers A and B are effectively housed and protected within the tie member C.

The synchronized operation of the pavers may be briefly summarized as follows. Assuming that the mixing drums of both pavers contain a batch of cementand that the skip of the paver A contains a batch of unmixed materials, the batchmeter 24 of the paver A trips off at the predetermined time which in this case is substantially half of the time required to complete the mix. This causes the power discharge on the paver A to turn the discharge chute 25 from mixing to discharging position and simultaneously, linkage. arrangement as seen in Figs. '7 and 8, and later to be described, shifts the swing chute 26 into an operative position over the skip 7 of the mixer B. Simultaneously with the movement of the discharge chute 25 to discharging position the skip hoist clutch for the skip 28.

of the paver A is engaged and as the raising,

action of the skip 28 is initiated the arm 31 is actuated to engage the lever 32 causing the con nection 23 to be pulled, this connection extending through the tie member C, as shown in the drawings. The connection 23 extends to a control lever on the power discharge 33 of the paver B and trips this power discharge chute of this paver to discharging position.

At a proper point in the upward travel of the skip 28 the power discharge mechanism on the paver A (not shown) is tripped in the usual manner to throw the discharge chute 25 back to mixing position and as the chute is returned to mixing position the linkage arrangement between it and the swing chute 26 is actuated to move this swing chute out of the Way as seen in Figs. 1 and 8.

As the swing chute 26 is moved to the inoperative position above described the flexible connecting member 22 which also extends through the tie member C is pulled to the right/which movement swings the lever 29 to which the other end of the flexible member 22 is connected to the right. This lever also cams the lever 30 to the right. The lever 30 is operatively connected to the skip hoist mechanism to throw in the skip hoist clutch thus causing the skip 7 to be raised.

As the skip '7 approaches its discharging position with respect to the mixing drum of the paver B the discharge chute for this drum is turned to mixing position in the usual way. The charging action of the paver A, it will be observed, controls the discharging action of the paver B while the return of the discharge chute the 25 of the paver A controls the charging action lower end thereof a strip of flexible material 37 which extends entirely across the bottom of the chute 26 between the vertical side flanges there of. On the exterior face of these flanges are secured the brackets 38 to which a segmental or arcuate plate 39 is pivoted. The plate is provided with an extending lip 40 arranged to support the flexible member 3? when in operative or discharging position as seen in Fig. 7. An apertured lug 41 is secured to the plate side flanges 39a of the plate 39 as shown and has pivoted thereto the actuating rod or link 42. The other end of this link is pivotally secured to the irame or super-structure of the paver A.

The discharge chute 25 is operated in the usual manner and is provided with a lever 25a to which is pivoted the link member 43. The other end of this link member is pivoted to the end of a centrally pivoted lever a l which lever is pivoted to the paver frame super-structure at 45. The other end of the lever 14 has pivoted thereto the rod 46 which forms the shifting connection for the swing chute 26. A cylindrical spring cushion member 48 is disposed between the other end of the rod 45 and the lever 34, this member being pivoted to the bracket 48 carried by the lever 34.

As the discharge chute 25 moves from discharging position as seen in l to the mixing position the rod 43 is moved downwardly to the left causing the rod 46 to be moved to the right. This action causes the spring within the mem' ber 4-7 to move the member to the right thus swinging the arm or lever 34 to the right.

As the arm 34 is swung as above described the pivotal center of the side plate 39a is correspondingly moved to the right and due to the linkage connection 42 the plate 39 rocked upwardly to the left from the position shown in Fig. '7 to that disclosed in Fig. 8.

The lip 40 of the plate 39 raises the flexible strip or plate 37 upwardly across the mouth of the swing chute 26 and into the arcuate or curved portion while the side plate 39 and its side plates 39a form an eifective pocket to receive any cementitious material which happens to remain on the swing chute 26 at the time it is moved from mixing position as seen in Fig. '7 to the inoperative position as seen in Fig. 8. This arrangement effectively prevents any dribble or leakage of cement from the chute 26 as the skip '7 is raised to charge the mixer B.

The shock absorber means as shown in detail in Fig. 6 and the non-drip or dribble swing chute disclosed in Figs. '7 and 8 formed the subject matter of separate applications and are not claimed in detail herein.

While the specific details of construction have been herein shown and described, the invention is not confined thereto as changes and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit thereof as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A concrete mixing apparatus comprising a combination of a plurality of pavers arranged in tandem, mixing, charging and discharging instrumentalities for each paver and operating connections between the charging and discharging instrumentalities of the pavers, a tie member for pivotally connecting the pavers together in spaced relation, said tie member constituting supporting means for one of the charging instrumentalities, and a housing for the operating connections.

2. In a concrete mixing apparatus, a plurality of mixing machines arranged in longitudinally spaced relation, a charging skip for one of the machines disposed intermediate the machine, and a discharge chute for the other machine arranged to charge said charging skip, a tie member disposed longitudinally and centrally of the two machines and arranged below the skip to constitute a support therefor when in lowered position, and a universal connection between each end of the tie member and one of the mixing machines so that the tie member is free to adjust itself into proper supporting position with respect to the skip and when the same rests thereon.

3. In concrete mixing apparatus, a plurality of mixing machines arranged in tandem, charging means disposed intermediate the mixing machines and connecting means extending between the mixing machines, and arranged to permit independent steering of the machines while maintaining a substantially fixed spaced relation between the machines, said connecting means forming supporting means for the charging means.

l. In concrete mixing apparatus, a plurality of mixing machines arranged in spaced relation, a charging device disposed between the mixing machines, tie means extending between the machines and arranged to support the charging means, and connections between the tie means and the mixing machines for permitting relative independent angular adjustments of the tie means with respect to the charging devices.

EMIL L. TRANAAS.

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