US953961A - Concrete-mixing machine. - Google Patents

Description

' C. F. LANCASTER. ooNonBTn mxrNe Mmmm.

A'PILIDATIDH FILED FEB. 11,1909.

`Panama Apr. 5, 1910.

VC. T. LANCASTER. GOKOBETE MIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION PILBD I'EB. l1. 1R08.

Patented, Apr. 5, 11910.

SHEETS-SHEET 2.

witncma aucun?! u. F. LANGASTBR,

` GONGRETB mma MAQBINB. i y unicum! Hmm 11:13.11. 1h99. 953,961. Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

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C. F. LANCASTER.

CONCRETE MIXING MAGHINE.

APPLIUATIQN FILED H1B. 11. 190s.

953,961 Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4,

C. P. LANCASTER.

CONCRETE MIXING MACHINE.

AYPLIOATION FILED H1B. 11, 1909.

953,96 1 Patented Apr. 5, 1910,

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

SMQ/11m CHARLES F. LANCASTER, OF PETOSKEY, MICHIGAN.

C ONCRETE-MIXING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

Application tiled February 11, 1909. Serial No. 477,312.

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that Il CHARLES F. LANCAS- Ten, citizen of the United States, residing at Petoskey, in the county of Emmet and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concrete-Mixing Machines, ot which the following is a specitication.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in concrete mixing machines of the continuous type, and the invention has for one of its ob eats improved mining devices which are e ective in commingling the ingredients, such as sand and cement after they have been fed thereto. And a further object of the invention is an improved feeding mechanism arranged to deliver to the mixing devices the ingredients in uniform proportions so as to always insure a proper mixture.

With these and other objects in view as will more fully appear as the description proceeds.y the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and .combinations of parte that I shall hereinafter fully describe-and claim.

For a full imderstanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a concrete mixing machine embodying the4 principles of my 1nvention. Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof, parts beingshown in section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, the section being taken on a lane just above the upper mixing pan. `ig. 4 is a similar view, being taken on a plane just above the lower mixmg pan. 141g. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section ol the lower portion of the machine. Fig. G is a transverse .sectional View through the hopper mechanism, and Fig. is a detail perspective view of on-e of the mixing blades. Fig. 8` is a fragmentary perspective view "shgwi' gthe under side of the ppper mixing pan;A e cams mounted thereon and the levers for actu-ating the mixing devices.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followmfr description and indicated itt all the views of) the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, F designates the machine framework which may he of any desired size, construction or design. lNithin this framework are mounted. one above theother. a nluralityot' rotatable pans,

twoheing illustrated in the present instance, designated l1 and l, respectively. The upper pan l" is formed with an integral upstanding rim l!` and the lower pan P2 is provided with a stationary rim 2 secured by any desired inc-.ins to the standards or posts ofthe framework F. The pans are secured to a vertically disposed shaft 3 which is mounted in any desired way at the center of the framework. The bottom of the lower pan P2 has a crown wheel or toothed rin 4:

'secured to it, thc teeth of said ring 'meshing Iwith a spur pinion 5 mounted upon a driveshaft (5. The shaft 6 may be driven in any desired way from any suitable source of powpr and preferably carries a grooved pulley Mixing blades 8 are mounted to operate in the respective pans P1 and P, the said blades being arranged in a plurality of substantially radially extending series, as shown, all the blades slanting in a direction against the direction of the rotation of the pans. The blades for the upper pan are twisted laterally toward the center of the pan, and the lane of the blade is therefore laterally inclined to the support 10. The lower edges of the blades are inclined rearwardly so as to contact with the bottom of the pan and actas lows to churn and direct the material inwar ly toward the center of the pan. The

`blades for the lower pan are twisted oppout sitely to the blades for the upper pan, are otherwise arranged in the same manner so ,as to act as plows extending in the direction opposite to that of the direction of movement of the lower table or pan. This is'clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, one of the blades alone being shown in Fig. 7.

These blades 8 may be formed with laterally extendingr sleeves 9 by which they are mounted to freely swing upon supporting rods l0. These rods may be secured in any desired Way, as by hangers 11 connected to them at their outer ends and to the posts or standards of the framework and may be supported at their inner ends by center plates 12l the center plate for the lower set. of rods being formed with un openingto accommodate the shaft 3. The upper` pau ll is formed near its center `with`o'nc or more openings 13 through which the matt-rial being mixed may drop otii to the lower pan. One or more of the blades` for the lower pan, as that designated 8 maybe wider than the rest and formed with :in angular upwardly Ut A extending inner edge constitutin a deflecting guard blade 14 arranged'c ose to the shaft for the purpose of scraping such inaterial as may lie close to the axis of the lower pan, and forcing this material upward on the pan so as to be engaged by the other blades. This guard blade prevents material from piling up around the central axis.

The rim 2 which constitutes the rim of the lower pan P2 is provided with a discharge gate 15 pivotally connected thereto and arranged to be swung inwardly so as to cut off a portion of the material on the rotating pan bottom from the remainder so that the thorou hly mixed materials may be; discharged in a continuons stream into suitable receptacles or molds. The discharge gate 15 may be provided with any desired construction of 1atch'16 to hold it in open and closed position.

The feeding devices comprise a hopper casing H, the side walls of which are formed with inturned lower edges 17 constituting guide rails for a cut-oil' 1S which is mounte to slide across the bottom of the hopper ca sing and which in the present instance is in the form of a plate, as shown, the said cutoff being formed with openings 19 designed to register with the open bottoms or measuring boxes 2O and 21, said boxes being spaced from each other as shown. A series of dependinv plates 22 and 22, 23 and 23 are pivotalTr swung from their upper edges betwee'n the side walls of the opper casinef H said plates being held in proper spaced relation to each other at their lower ends y means of a notched spacer-bar `24, which is secured to the plates at the lower edges thereof.

S designates the sand ho per and C the cement hopper` A driven ro ler 25 is mounted in the cement hopper and is arranged to coact with a driving roller 26 to thoroughly pulverize `the cement before it is passe to the feedin and leveling plates 22, 23 and 231'. The riving roller 26 is mounted upon a shaft 2T journaled in hangers sus ended from the (op bars of the frameworr F, a pulley 28 or the like being secured to one end of the shaft 27 and connected by a .relt 29 to the pulley 7. Preferably, the shafts of the rollers 25 and 26 are mounted in sectional bearings 30, the lower sections of the respective bearings being respectively formed with upwardly extending posts 31 which pro trude thronffh slots 32 formed in the u per section, angle levers 33 being fulcruine on said posts and carrying weights 33, as shown, one arm of th levers working in notches 34 formed in t e upper sections of the bearings so as to press one roller toward the other.

A link-rod 35 is connected to the spacerbar 24, and said link-rod is also connected to the upwardly and inwardly curving arm 3G of an actuating lever 37 fulcruined on any suitable support in the framework as indicated at 38. A link 39 connects the cut-oil 18 to an upwardly and inwardly extending arin 40 of another lever 41, also fulcrumed at one end as indicated at 38 to ears attached to one of the vertical supports F. The two levers, just mentioned, preferably work in a slotted guide-bar 42 which projects inwardly underneath the u per pan P1 from'one of the posts of the ramework F. The levers are respectively rovided with rollers 378L and 41, said rol ers being designed to be successively engaged by cams 37 and 41 secured to the lower face of the upper pan P;

The manner in which the levers 37 and 41 are operated by the rotation of the pan B is clearly shown in Fi 8. rIfhe cams 37b and 41b are formed eac by ashort section of channel iron having opposed straight walls. These walls bein strai ht and not concentric to the central s aft 3, it is obvious that the first action upon the roller 37l or 4l enterin the cam, will be to move the roller and t e lever attached thereto, inward until the roller has reached the middle of the cam. A further movement of the pan B in the same direction will now act to move the roller outward. It will be seen that the ends of either of the straight cams is farther away from the center of the rotation of the pan B than the middle of the cam.

One wall of the measuring box 2l for the cement is preferably formed by an angular plate 43 which is designed to be slipped own into either of a pair of slots 44 formed in the side walls of the hopper casing, so as to Var according as the plate is moved outwardly or inwardly. If desired the outer side wall ofthe hopper casing H may be provided with an outwardly opening door 45 held closed in any desired way, and which when opened permits access to be had to the interior o thehop er casing for any purpose.

f. In the practica operation of my improved concrete mixer, the sand and cement are duntped into the res )ective hoppers S and C and the drive sha t 6 is started. As the pans I", P2 are rotated', the cement is pulverized and passed downwardly between the said plates 23, 23, while the sand fills the space between the plates 22, 22a. During the rotation of the upper an P1, the cam 37b will engage the rol er o the lever 37 and will move said lever inwardly and outwardly, the inward movement of the lever swinging` the feed plates in a direction to bring their lower edges in alinement with the upier open tops of the measuring boxes 2O an 21, so as to deposit the materials therein and the movement of the latesjf'in the opposite direction as eiected by heqitward travel of the lever 37 w'illcauseI he lower "edges of the plates to smooth otl he the proportions of the ingredients lll materials at the top of the measuring boxes and bring the lower ed es of the feedin plates in registry with t e solid, horizontai walls that extend to one side of the respective measuring boxes, thereby cutting off the flow of material into the boxes. In this back and forth swin ing movement of the feeding plates, it is ovious that the' materials will be prevented from arching or clogging, owing to the differences of the position which the plates assume in this movement. After this movement just described, has been imparted to the feeding plates and they have been brought back to the relatively closed position, the cut-oil' 18,

- wlich up to this time has been in a position to close the open bottoms of the measuring boxes, will be caused to move in a direction to bring its openings 19 in registry withI the open Abottoms of the measuring boxes to discharge the mixed ingredients on to the bottom of the upper pan P1, whereu .on the cut-oil will be slid backwardly to t e closed osition preparatory to the introduction o another charge into the measuring boxes by the swinging of the plates before described. lt is obvious that the movements of the cut-- oil plate result from the engagement of the cani 41b with the roller of the ever 41.

When the ingredients are thus depsited upon the upper pan P1, thelrotation oft-he pan will, in connection with the seriesof mixing plates cause the materials to be effectively mixed and gradually passed to the center of the pan, the materials thus falling onto the lower pan and being again comininglcd until the are passed outwardly through the open ischarge' gate 15, it being understood .that these movements are repeated, so that the operation of mixing ispractically a continuous one.

Having thus describedthe inventicmwliat is claimed as new is:-

1. In a concrete mixing machine, the combination of a rotatable pan, a framework in which said pan is mounted, means for rotating the pan, and mixing blades in a lurality of substantially radially, extending series mounted on said framework, each lof said blades being independently pivoted for free vertical movement, said blades being laterally twisted and extending downward at an inclination to the bottom of the pan in a direction reverse to the direction of movement of the pan.

2. In a concrete niixin machine, the combination of an upper an lower pan each rotatably mounted` means for rotating said pans` a plurality of blades pivotally supported on the framework above the upper pan and depending into the same, said blades being twisted laterally in the direction ofgthe center ofv the pan and inclined downward in a direction reversi` to the movement of the pan, a plurality of blades supported on the framework and depending into the lower pan, said blades being twisted laterall toward the circumference of the pan an `inclined downwardly in a direction reverse t`o the direction of movement of the pan, the upper pan being provided with a central opening and the lower pan being provided with a circumferential gate.

3.' In a concrete mixing machine, the conibination of a supporting framework, upper and lowerl pans mounted to rotate in said framework, means for rotating said pans and aplurality of. mixing blades mounted in the respective pans, the blades of the upper pan being twisted transversely and arranged to deflect the. materials toward the center of the pan and the blades for the lower pan being twisted oppositely to the blades of the upper p'an'and arranged to deflect the material outwardly toward the outer edge of the lower pan, the upper pan being formed at its center with an o ening through which the material may fall) onto the lower pan and the lower pan having a fixed rim independent of the pan, and said rim having a discharge gate extending inward across the upper margin of the pan and adapted to direct material therethrough.

4. In a concrete mixing machine, the combination with a framework, of a pan mount ed to rotate therein, means for rotating said pan, a series of rods secured in the framework above the pan and extending inwardly thereover, a centiLally located rectangular plate in 'wliieh the inner extremities of said rods are supported, laterally projecting sleeves loosely surrounding said rods and contacting with each other, and mixing blades formed with said sleeves and extending downward thereover with their lower ends u on the bottom of the pan. .said blades being aterally twisted.

5. In a concrete mixing machine. the coinbination with a supporting framework. ot upper and lower pans mounted to rotate in the framework, means for rotating the paus. and a plurality of independentl \v pivote/.l mixing blades niount'e in the respectivo pans in radial series, the blades` of thc upper pan being twisted transversely toward thc center of the pan and arranged to deflect the materials iiiward,and .the blades for the lower pan beingtwisted oppositclytethe blades of the upper pan and arranged to detioct the inuterials outward toward thi` on'ter edge of thti lower pan, the upper pan living formed :il its center with an opening through which the material may he dropped on to tho lower pan. a fixed riin surironiuling the circumference of the lower pan. and an inwardl)V projecting dcflerting platt` pivotallv iuonnted on said riln and adapted to extend in ward across thi` outer margin of thiI lowi-r plate.

6. In a concrete mixing machine. )fhtwww bination of a hopper casing, measuring` boxes secured therein, means for filling sai boxes, the boxes being formed with open bottoms, a 4cut-off designed to open said boxes and mounted to slide in the casin and means for rcciprocatin said cut-o said means including an osci lating lever, a rotatable mixing pan, and a cam carried by said pan and designed to engage said lever. 7. In a mixing machine, the combmatxon with a hopper and boxes into which the material from the hopper is to be directed, of spaced guide plates pivoted at their upper ends immediately beneath the hopper and having their lower ends contiguous to the upper ends of said boxes, and means for reclprocating said guide plates so as to alternately guide the material into the boxes and cut it o therefrom, the lower ends of the plates acting to strike said material across the top of the boxes. 4

8. In a concrete mixing machine, the combination of a hopper casing, measuring boxes mounted "therein and formed with open to s, a plurality of swin ing plates mount in the casin above sai boxes, the lower edges of the p ates being adapted to swing over the top of said boxes, the plates forming thercommuiication between the receiving portions of the hoppers and the `measurmg boxes, hoppers from which said plates lead, a spaoenbar connecting said plates to ether in spaced relation and for the simu taneous movement thereof, an oscillating lever operativel connected to said spacer-bar and means or oscillating said lever.

9. In a concrete mixing machine, the combination of a hopper casing, measurin boxes mounted therein and formed wit open to s, a plurality of swinging plates mounte in the casin above said boxes, the llower edges of the p ates being adapted to swing over the top of said boxes, said plates forming the communication between the receiving portions of the hoppers and the measuring boxes',\hoppers from which said plates lead, a spacer-bar connecting said plates to ether in spaced relation and for the simu taneous movement thereof, an

oscillating lever o eratively connected to said spacer-bar an means for oscillating said lever, said means consisting ota rotatable mixing pan mounted beneath tho mixing boxes and a cam carried by said pan and engaging said lever.

10. In a concrete mixing machine, the combination of a hopper casing, hoppers leadin thereto, measurin boxes mounted in sai casing and forme with open tops and bottoms, said plates forming the communication between the receiving portions of the hop ers and the measurmg boxes, said plates being mounted to sv'in in said casing', means for swinging said p atea into registry with and into .one side of the open top of the` measuring boxes, said means includin an oscillating lever connected to said i stes, a sup ort for said lever, a cutotf p ate mounte to open and close the bottoms of the measuring boxes, an oscillating lever operatively connected to said cnt-ott' plate, a mixing pan mounted underneath the boxes and ada ted to receivetlre materials therefrom an cams carried by said pan and arranged to successively engage the respective levers to oscillate the same.

11. In a concrete mixin combination with a supportmg framework, ot' an upper rotatable pan having a rim fixed thereto, a lower rotatable' pan having a rim independent thereof and attached to the sup machine, the

porting framework, a mechanism for rotating both of said pans, mixingl blades support ed above each of said pans and engaging with the material therein to force the material of the upper pan to the center thereof and the material on the lower pan to the Outer edge thereof, said u per pan being provided with openings for tiie passage of the material to the lower pan, and the rim of the lower pan being provided with a discliarge openin a gate pivctally attached to the rim1 and e osmg the discharge opening in the lower pan, said gate being adapted to be moved across the margin of the lower pan, and a hopper arranged above the upper pan and having a sand compartment an a `cement compartment.

12. In a concrete mixing machine, a hopper having separate sand and cement compartments, stationary measuring com artments located beneath the hopper and a apted to receive sand and cement from said ho per, reci rocating means for alternate y cutting o the measnrin compartments and alternately openin the ,ottom of said compartments, rotatab e mixing means located' beneath the measuring compartments, and means whereby t-he rotation of the mixing means `will act to operate `said reciprocating means to alternately open and close said measuring compartments. y

13. The combination with a supporting framework, ot a hopper supported thereon having sand and cement compartments, measuring boxes, one for the sand and one for' the` cement, located beneath their respective munpartments, means located above thc measuring boxes for intermittently directing the sand and cement into the meas; uring boxes, said means movingacross the top of the measuring boxes and directing the material therefrom, a gate operating intermittently to close andopen the lower end of the measuring boxes when filled, mixing means located beneath the gate and receiving the contents of the measuring boxes, and

the supply of sand and cement to means for continuously o erating the mixing means, oscillating the irecting means for the sand and cement, and reciprocating said gate.

14. In a concrete mixing machine, the combination with a supporting framework, of a hopper havin(1r a sand and cement compartment arranged adjacent to each other and mounted on the framework and measuring compartments located above'but spaced from .the lower end of said hopper, said measuring compartments being supported from each other, oscillating guide lates hinged at their upper ends beneath sai hopper and extending between the hopper and the measuring compartments, means for oscillating said plates to bring their lower ends into or out of alinement with the openings of the measuring compartments, an intermittently actuated cut-oil' closing the lower ends of the measuring compartments, means for movin the cut-off in one direction to open sai compartments when the oscillating guide plates' are moved to cut olf the upper ends of said compartments from the hopper, and mixing mechanism supported on the framework beneath the vmeasuring compartments.

15. In a concrete mixing machine, the combination with a framework, of a hopper divided into a sand and a concrete compartment, pivoted plates extending downward from the lower edges of the same and the cement compartments, measuring compartments, with the sides ot' which said plates t are ada ted to register, means for oscillating sai plates so as to bring them out of registry with the sides of the measuring compartments, a cut-off intermittently actuated and 'adapted to close the lower ends of the measuring compartments, and a mixing table arranged beneath the measuring compartments.

16. In a concrete mixing machine, the combination with a framework, of a hopper supported on the upper portion of the for said plates, and cams arranged on the -4 vlower face of the table and engaging the levers to oscillate the same.

17. In a concrete mixing machine, the combination with a framework, of a. hopper supported on the upper portion of the framework and having sand and cement compartments, crushing :rollers mounted immediately beneath the cement compartments, means for yieldingly forcing said rollers toward each other, guide plates pivotally mounted immediatelybeneath the hopper to form channels from the sand compartments and from the cementfgampartments, measur; ing compartments ar -anged beneath the said plates with which the lower ends of said plates are adapt.ed to contact, means for oscillating said guide plates into and out of alinement with the measuring compartments, an oscillating cut-ofi" alternately1 opel ating with respect to said guide plates and mounted beneath the measuring compartments, and a rotatable mixing pan supported beneath. the cut-of into which the material from the measuring compartments drops.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES r. LANCASTER. [a a] Witnesses:

` 'ROBERT D. Tmrr,

GEO. SCHNEIDER.

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