US3639086A

US3639086A - Concrete pump

Info

Publication number: US3639086A
Application number: US727119A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wayne Otto Robbins
Original assignee: TUBULAR STRUCTURES CORP
Current assignee: TUBULAR STRUCTURES CORP
Priority date: 1968-04-03
Filing date: 1968-04-03
Publication date: 1972-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 1989-02-01
Also published as: FR2005483A1; DE1917029A1; GB1201449A

Abstract

The invention is an improvement in joints between conduits and/or fittings. The invention is exemplified particularly as embodied in a concrete pump. The concrete pump has a pair of cylinders that discharge into a manifold, the manifold having a flapper valve in it, and a single discharge conduit. The manifold is hinged to the concrete pump so that it can be swung and locked in a position wherein its passageways are joined to the cylinders and the joint can be opened by swinging it about its hinge. Similarly, the discharge conduit is provided with a hinge hinging it to the manifold so that it can be swung into a position forming a joint with the manifold and a continuous passageway formed from the manifold through the discharge conduit and this joint may be opened by swinging the discharge conduit away from he manifold.

Description

United States Patent Robbins 1 1 Feb. 1, 1972 Tubular Structures Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif.

[22] Filed: Apr.3,l1968 [2|] Appl.No.: 727,119

[72] Inventor:

[73] Assignee:

Smith ..103/l53 X Schumann ..l03/49 Primary Examiner-William L. Freeh Attorney-Herzig & Walsh [57] ABSTRACT The invention is an improvement in joints between conduits and/or fittings. The invention is exemplified particularly as embodied in a concrete pump. The concrete pump has a pair of cylinders that discharge into a manifold, the manifold having a flapper valve in it, and a single discharge conduit. The manifold is hinged to the concrete pump so that it can be swung and locked in a position wherein its passageways are joined to the cylinders and the joint can be opened by swinging it about its hinge. Similarly, the discharge conduit is provided with a hinge hinging it to the manifold so that it can be swung into a position forming a joint with the manifold and a continuous passageway formed from the manifold through the discharge conduit and this joint may be opened by swinging the discharge conduit away from he manifold.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures mamas PATENTED FEB 1 I972 SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTOR W4 V/\/& 0. [655MB ATTOK/VH CONCRETE PUMP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in joints between conduits or between conduits and fittings of various types. There are many applications and environments where it'is necessary to provide for sealed joints between conduits or conduit sections and various types of fittings. This invention provides an improvement whereby a conduit and a fitting or two conduit sections are hinged together so that the joint can be closed merely by swinging one part about the hinge relative to the other and the joint may similarly be opened merely by swinging a part about a hinge.

In a preferred form of the invention, it is adapted and embodied in a concrete pump, the concrete pump being of the type having a pair of parallel, alternatively operating cylinders that discharge into a manifold. Concrete pumps ofthis general type are, of course, well known in the art. Machines as presently known in the art are subject to certain deficiencies and drawbacks. Generally, the parallel cylinders discharge into a manifold having a valve in it which directs the output of first one cylinder and then the other into a discharge conduit. Necessarily, there are sealed joints provided between the concrete pump itself, the manifold and the discharge conduit, the material being pumped being semifluid. conventionally, the parts forming the joints are bolted together with sealing gaskets ordinarily provided. Equipment of this type is, of course, subject to becoming blocked or jammed up by reason of foreign objects or the like getting into the material or for other reasons. In such an event, it is of course necessary to unbolt the parts at the joint to effectuate the unjamming, and of course this represents downtime during which expensive capital equipment is out of use and during which time highly paid personnel are not performing services. This applies similarly with respect to cleanup of the equipment. The invention herein, as briefly referred to in the foregoing, greatly alleviates this situation by making it possible to very quickly open and close the joints and to lock them in closed position. In this manner, the deficiencies referred to above are substantially overcome and the realization of this end is a primary object ofthe invention.

A further object of the invention is to realize the purpose in a joint constriction of the type described wherein substantially straight-throughtype passageways are realized, eliminating turns and constrictions in the passageways. It may be necessary or desirable to pump the concrete rather long distances and to relatively high levels such that rather large power requirements prevail. Thus, any improvements in design that eliminates or reduces constrictions or sharp turns or the like represents a direct economy in power requirements and an increase in capability with respect to the rate, distance and the likeat, and to which, the concrete can be pumped.

In a preferred form of the invention, the manifold contains a valve which is of the flapper type which is actuatable by a hydraulic actuator in synchronism with the movements of the pump cylinders. This actuator is carried by the manifold itself having a flexible connection to it, so that when the manifold which is hinged to the concrete pump is swung about its hinge the actuator moves with it.

The parts that are hinged together can be locked in closed position by a wedge lock providing for a quick securement and release. Thus, the opening and closing of the joints is effected merely by actuation of the wedge lock and relative movement ofa part about a hinge.

Further objects and additional advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a relatively schematic view ofa preferred form of the invention showing a discharge conduit hinged to a manifold and in open position;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the construction of FIG. 1 showing a manifold hinged to a concrete pump and in open position;

FIG. 3 is a partial side view of the structure of FIGS. 1 and 2 showing a hopper over the manifold and with the discharge conduit in closed position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring more in detail to the drawings; it will be understood that the concrete pump itself is conventional and may be like many different types of concrete pumps known in the art. The concrete pump may be of the type mounted on two wheels that is, as a two-wheel trailer having a chassis as shown at 10. The concrete pump includes a hopper 12 mounted in a position over the manifold as will be described and supported from the chassis by braces such as shown at 14. The hopper 12 has a discharge chute 16 which discharges into the manifold designated generally at 20. The manifold is hinged to the chassis of the concrete pump and the discharge conduit 22 is hinged to the manifold as will be described.

As pointed out, the concrete pump has a pair of parallel cylinders 24 and.26 which operate alternately in a manner well known in the art. The manifold 20 is in the form of housing which is trapezoidal as shown, having an inlet end plate 26 having

end openings

28 and 30 similar in size and spacing to the end openings of the

cylinders

24 and 26. The ends of the

cylinders

24 and 26 are substantially flush with an end plate 32 of chassis 10 of the concrete pump. The end plate or baseplate 46 of the manifold 20 has at its end a hinge pin or bar 36 which is journaled in

hinge lugs

38 and 40 secured to the end plate 32 of the concrete pump so that the manifold as a whole can swing about the hinge thus formed. The manifold can be swung about the hinge to bring the

openings

28 and 30 into re gistry with the ends of the

cylinders

24 and 26 and preferably sealing gaskets may be provided around the peripheries of

openings

28 and 30.

At the top of the manifold 20 are plates 42 and 44 suitably fastened to the manifold leaving a trapezoidal opening 48 between them. At the lower end of the chute 16 of the hopper there is a square conduit 50 having an end flange 52. When the manifold 20 is swung into position to provide joints between the cylinder and the interior of the manifold, cylinders flange 52 comes directly over the opening 48 and may be securely attached or secured to the manifold by way of the angularly

movable legs

56 and 58. In operation, the concrete feeds by gravity from the hopper 12 down thru the chute 16 into the interior of the manifold 20.

Within the manifold 20 there is a flapper valve having a flapper or vane 64 which swings about a vertical pivot 65 in synchronism with operation of the pump cylinders so that the concrete is directed from either one or the other of the

openings

28 and 30 into the discharge conduit 32. The flapper 64 can be swung about its vertical axis by a hydraulic cylinder '67 contained in a housing 66 and to which hydraulic fluid may be directed by flexible hose 69 and 70. Thus, when the manifold 20 is swung about its hinge, the valve actuator moves with it.

Numerals 70 and 72 designate wedge locks which secure and lock the manifold 20 in position when it is swung against the end plate 32. The wedge locks 70 comprises a threaded stem 74 which threads into the plate 32 having an eccentric cam 76 on it and being manually rotatable by handle 78 adjacent to the head 80 of the threaded member. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the closed and locked or secured position of the manifold relative to the. concrete pump. The wedge locks are secured merely by manually rotating them so that an edge of the eccentric cam engages over the edge of the faceplate 26 of the manifold 20 and upon further turning the threaded member tightly wedges and holds the manifold in locked position. Since the two wedge locks are alike, both need not be described in detail.

In the form of the invention shown the discharge conduit 22 is tapered having a square end plate providing a square inlet opening 92. The end plate 90 has a pair of extending

hinge lugs

94 and 96 journaled on hinge pin 100. Between the

lugs

94 and 96 is a hinge lug 102 on the manifold 20 with the hinge pin 100 extending thru the lug whereby the discharge conduit is swingable about the hinge formed to provide ajoint between it and the manifold and to provide a continuous passageway therethrough. The outlet or discharge opening 106 of the manifold 20 is similarly square and adapted to register with the inlet opening of the discharge conduit 22 and appropriate sealing gasket means may be provided relative to these openings. The end plate 90 of the discharge conduit 22 may be locked to the manifold 20 by way of a wedge lock 108 which is similar to the wedge locks previously described.

From the foregoing, those skilled in the art will readily understand the nature of the invention and its operation. The concrete pump itself of course operates in the conventional manner of such pumps, the cylinders operating alternately to discharge concrete. In operation the joints between the manifold, the concrete pump, and between the discharge conduit and the manifold are closed and locked as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. in this position the manifold is located so as to receive the concrete from the hopper 12 and to cause it to be delivered either on one side or the other of the flapper 64 in a position to be forced out of the discharge conduit 22 by operation ofthe pump cylinders.

In the event of jamup or blockage making it necessary to open the joints, this is greatly facilitated by the construction as described. The

lugs

56 and 58 are merely moved into position to release the flange 52 on the chute 16. The wedge locks 70 and 72 are then opened simply by giving them a partial angular turn. The manifold 20 is then swung out about its hinge into a position as shown in FIG. 2. If desired, the joint between the discharge conduit 22 and the manifold may be opened first by giving the wedge lock 108 a partial turn and then swinging it about its hinge into a position as shown in FIG. 1 and thus it will be seen that opening of the joints can be effected almost instantly to facilitate any unjamming, unblocking or other maintenance required. After the casualty has been corrected, the joints can be quickly and effectively closed as described merely by swinging the parts around their hinges and resecuring the wedge locks.

From the foregoing those skilled in the art will readily observe and understand the manner in which the invention achieves and realizes all of the objects and advantages as set forth in the foregoing as well as the many additional advantages that are apparent from the detailed description. The invention is a simple and practical one, but one which makes possible substantial benefits by way of reduction in downtime, facilitation and simplification of maintenance and repair as well as realization of more effective delivery of the material with reduced power requirements.

Although the invention has been described herein in an exemplary form as embodied in a concrete pump, needless to say the invention is adapted to utilization in connection with joints used in other applications and environments. The invention may be embodied in joints in connection with conduits and fittings, etc., in which many other materials are conveyed.

The foregoing disclosure is representative of a preferred embodiment of the invention and has to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense, if the invention is to be accorded the full scope of the claims appended hereto.

l claim:

1. Ajoint structure comprising in combination a fitting having a passageway therethrough having an end opening lying in a plane, means to which the fitting is attachable to provide for communication of fluid material from the said means to the said fitting without relative movement therebetween, conduit means having a passageway therethrough having an end opening lying in a plane; means comprising a hinge hinging the said fitting and conduit means whereby the said end openings may be brought together to provide a continuous passageway for fluid into and through the fitting and conduit means and whereby the fitting and conduit means may be swung relatively about the hinge to open the joint between them, the said fitting comprising a housing containing a valve controlling the passageway through a fitting the said housing itself bein swingable about said hinge means, and an actuator for sai valve means carried by said fitting and movable with it.

2. A concrete pump of the type having parallel alternately operating cylinders, means comprising a manifold into which said cylinders discharge, and means providing a hinge hinging the said manifold to the concrete pump whereby the manifold may be swung into a position providing a joint between the pump cylinders and manifold passageway and the said joint may be opened by swinging the manifold about its hinge, the manifold having a valve therein, and the valve actuator carried by the manifold and swingable therewith.

3. A structure as in claim 2, wherein the manifold has a discharge opening, conduit means, and means providing a hinge hinging the conduit means to the manifold whereby a joint may be formed between the conduit means and the manifold to provide a continuous passageway therethrough and said joint may be opened by swinging the conduit means about its hinge.

4. A concrete pump of the type having parallel alternately operating cylinders, means comprising a manifold into which said cylinders discharge, and means providing a hinge hinging the said manifold to the concrete pump whereby the manifold may be swung into a position providing a joint between the pump cylinders and manifold passageway and the said joint may be opened by swinging the manifold about its hinge, the manifold having a valve therein and means providing further fluid communication from a hopper to the manifold when the manifold is joined to the pump.

5. A concrete pump as in claim 2, including a fixedly mounted hopper having a discharge opening, said manifold having a receiving opening adapted to receive concrete, and said manifold being positionable so that concrete discharged through the said discharge opening passes into the receiving opening in the manifold.

6. A concrete pump as in claim 5, including means providing holding engagement between the hopper and the manifold.

Claims

1. A joint structure comprising in combination a fitting having a passageway therethrough having an end opening lying in a plane, means to which the fitting is attachable to provide for communication of fluid material from the said means to the said fitting without relative movement therebetween, conduit means having a passageway therethrough having an end opening lying in a plane; means comprising a hinge hinging the said fitting and conduit means whereby the said end openings may be brought together to provide a continuous passageway for fluid into and through the fitting and conduit means and whereby the fitting and conduit means may be swung relatively about the hinge to open the joint between them, the said fitting comprising a housing containing a valve controlling the passageway through a fitting the said housing itself being swingable about said hinge means, and an actuator for said valve means carried by said fitting and movable with it.