Control valve

• US 20060054645A1
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EZ Grout Corporation
• Original Assignee: EZ Grout Corporation
• Inventors: Lang, Damian L., Thieman, Gregory A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,152,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/529
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/025 Buckets specially adapted for use with concrete

Abstract

A control valve for controlling the flow of fluent material from a machine, the machine having a frame including a hopper and a tube mounted to the hopper, an auger within the tube and a hose mounted to the tube. The control valve has a clamp, which has a first arm mounted to the frame on a first side of the hose and a second arm mounted to the frame on an opposite side of the hose. The first arm is movably mounted to the frame in a direction toward the hose. A prime mover is drivingly linked to the first arm and the frame for displacing the first arm toward the hose, thereby clamping the hose between the first and second arms for restricting the flow of fluent material through the hose.

Claims

1. A control valve for controlling the flow of fluent material from a machine having a frame including a hopper and a tube mounted to the hopper, the machine also having a hose mounted to the tube, the control valve comprising:

(a) a clamp having a first arm mounted to the frame on a first side of said hose and a second arm mounted to the frame on an opposite side of said hose, wherein at least the first arm is movably mounted to the frame; and

(b) at least one prime mover drivingly linked to the first arm and the frame for displacing the first arm toward the hose, thereby clamping the hose between the first and second arms for restricting the flow of fluent material through the hose.

2. The control valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first arm is drivingly linked to said second arm for contemporaneous movement of the arms from an open position to a flow restricting position.

3. The control valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein the machine has an auger within the tube, each of said arms is pivotably mounted to the tube, and the first arm is drivingly linked to the second arm by intermeshing gears on each of the arms for movement of the arms from an open position to a flow restricting position.

4. The control valve in accordance with claim 3, wherein said prime mover is pivotably attached to the first arm at a first prime mover end.

5. The control valve in accordance with claim 4, wherein said prime mover is a hydraulic ram.

6. The control valve in accordance with claim 5, wherein the prime mover has a power source.

7. The control valve in accordance with claim 6, wherein the power source is a forklift hydraulic motor.

8. The control valve in accordance with claim 3, further comprising a housing removably attached to said tube for covering the clamp.

9. The control valve in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a handle rigidly attached to the housing.

10. The control valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second arm is immovably attached to the frame and the first arm is moveable in a direction toward the hose.

11. The control valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first and said second arms are moveable in a direction toward the hose.

12. The control valve in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a second prime mover attached to the second arm and the frame for displacing the second arm relative to the first arm.

13. The control valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second arm is movably mounted to the frame, said first arm is moveable at a first predetermined rate and said second arm is moveable at a second predetermined rate, wherein the first predetermined rate is toward the hose, and the second predetermined rate is less than the first predetermined rate and is in a direction away from the hose.

14. The control valve in accordance with claim 13, further comprising a second prime mover attached to the second arm and the frame for displacing the second arm away from the first arm.

15. A control valve for controlling the flow of fluent material from a machine having a frame including a hopper and a tube mounted to the hopper, the machine also including an auger within the tube and a hose mounted to the tube, the control valve comprising:

(a) a clamp having a first arm pivotably connected to the tube near a first side of said hose and a second arm pivotably connected to the tube near an opposite side of said hose, wherein the first arm is drivingly linked to the second arm by intermeshing gears on each of the arms for movement of the arms from an open position to a flow restricting position; and

(b) a prime mover pivotably mounted to the first arm near a first prime mover end and mounted to the frame near a second prime mover end for displacing the arms toward the hose.

16. The control valve in accordance with claim 15, wherein said prime mover is a hydraulic ram.

17. The control valve in accordance with claim 16, wherein said prime mover has a power source.

18. The control valve in accordance with claim 17, wherein said power source is a forklift hydraulic motor.

19. The control valve in accordance with claim 15, further comprising a housing removably attached to said tube for covering the clamp.

20. The control valve in accordance with claim 19, further comprising a handle rigidly attached to the housing.