Continuous mixing and delivery machine for temporarily flowable solid materials

• US 7,645,064 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OneManConcrete LLC
• Original Assignee: OneManConcrete LLC
• Inventors: Foster, Tommy Lee, Cestti, Alvaro A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sorkin; David L
• Application Number:
  US11/379,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20060233040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 366/40, 366/41, 366/50, 366/318, 366/323
• US Class Current: 366/40
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/62 comprising liquid feeding, e.g. spraying means
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/724 with a single helix closely surrounded by a casing
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/501 Movable mixing devices, i.e. readily shifted or displaced from one place to another, e.g. portable during use
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7173 using gravity, e.g. from a hopper
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71731 using a hopper
• CPC Class Codes: B28C 5/1246 with feeding devices B28C5/1276, B28C5/1292 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B28C 5/143 for materials flowing continuously through the mixing device
• CPC Class Codes: B28C 7/068 having means to elevate or hoist a charging-bin or container

Abstract

A mixing and delivery machine for flowable materials having on-site and towable mobility for mixing, hydrating, and delivering an admixture such as cementious mix, concrete, binder, graveled sand, mold sand and various other mixtures via an extended auger and elevatable hopper is used to facilitate both loading and releasing the hopper contents into the feed end of the auger. The auger is driven by a primemover and a wheel set on the machine facilitates the raising and lowering of the delivery end of the mixing auger.

Claims

1. A machine for mixing and conveying temporarily flowable solid materials to a delivery location comprising:

a base frame;

an elongated conveyor frame connected to said base frame;

a mixing conveyor mounted within said conveyor frame;

a material delivery hopper connected to said base frame;

an outlet located in a lower end of said delivery hopper for selectively admitting materials from the hopper into a proximal end of said conveyor; and

fluid delivery system connected to said base frame for admitting a fluid into said conveyor wherein an admixture of materials are deposited into a proximal end of said mixing conveyor by said hopper and fluid is added to said conveyor and the admixture of materials and fluid are combined within the conveyor to deliver a mixture;

wherein said conveyor further comprises;

a set of side walls and a base residing on a conveyor frame so as to define a trough-like containment for the materials and fluid;

a delivery port resident at the distal end of said mixing conveyor; and

a containment end wall located at the proximal end of said mixing conveyor;

a lifting system for said hopper, said lifting system including at least two legs pivotally connected between said base frame and said hopper; and

means for pivoting said hopper from a lowered position with respect to said base to a parked end of said mixing conveyor.

2. A machine for mixing and conveying temporarily flowable solid materials to a delivery location as defined in claim 1 and further comprising:

at least a pair of movement wheels depending from of the base frame to facilitate movement of said machine to a desired deposit site.

3. A machine for mixing and conveying temporarily flowable solid materials to a delivery location as defined in claim 2 and further comprising:

a mixing conveyor drive system comprising a variable speed direct drive connection between said base frame and said mixing conveyor.

4. A machine for mixing and conveying temporarily flowable solid materials to a delivery location as defined in claim 3 and further comprising:

said mixing conveyor drive system includes a hydraulic motor.

5. A machine for mixing and conveying temporarily flowable solid materials to a delivery location as defined in claim 3 and further comprising:

said mixing conveyor drive system includes an electric motor.

6. A machine for mixing and conveying temporarily flowable solid materials to a delivery location as defined in claim 2 and further comprising:

a drive connection between a mixing conveyor drive system and said mixing conveyor comprising a transmission system.

7. A machine for mixing and conveying temporarily flowable solid materials to a delivery location as defined in claim 2 and further comprising:

a stabilizer arm extending from the base frame and having a projection in the direction of pivotal travel of the hopper as defined by the support arms for stabilizing the hopper in a lowered condition.