Patent Application
20180280861
Not applicable to this application.
Not applicable to this application.
Example embodiments in general relate to a water spray bar that enables a mixer truck with a drum and mixer chute to distribute water from the drum in a manner that can suppress dust cloud formation.
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Near concrete ready-mix plants and the gravel haul rods that lead to and from these plants, the creation of large dust clouds is a major problem. In order to combat this problem, there are several unsatisfactory options. One option is the use of chemical dust suppression agents, such as magnesium chloride. This method is costly and does not last very long under high traffic conditions. Another method is the use of water trucks with spray bars and gas-powered pumps. This method requires the maintenance of a separate piece of equipment that may only be used for one hour per day. Another method is to distribute water from the concrete mixer barrel and down its ordinary chute. Using an ordinary chute in this manner does not evenly distribute water, which results in either wasted water or less effective dust suppression. Thus, the existing methods of dust suppression are either inefficient or needlessly expensive.
An example embodiment is directed to a water spray bar for a mixer truck that can efficiently distribute water to suppress dust cloud formation using its drum and mixer chute. The water spray bar generally includes an entrance chute configured to receive water from a mixer truck's drum via the mixer truck's chute. The entrance chute is removably attachable to the mixer truck's chute using one or more connectors on the mixer truck's chute and one or more hooks on the entrance chute. A manifold is attached to the entrance chute that is oriented substantially perpendicular to the entrance chute and comprises a plurality of apertures configured to externally distribute water through the apertures without the use of the pump.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the embodiments of the mixer truck water spray bar in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional embodiments of the mixer truck water spray bar that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the mixer truck water spray bar in detail, it is to be understood that the mixer truck water spray bar is not limited in its application to the details of construction or to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The mixer truck water spray bar is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
Example embodiments will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are represented by like reference characters, which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of the example embodiments herein.
Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views,
The various embodiments of the present invention may be utilized with a typical ready-mix cement truck, such as, but not limited to a McNellius Mixer or a Schwing Mixer.
The mixer truck 10 comprises a drum 12, a rear opening 14 and a mixer chute 16, and is best illustrated in
The water spray bar has an entrance chute 30 that is attached to mixer chute 16 to receive water from the drum 12 of the mixer truck 10 as illustrated in
As shown in
In order to detach entrance chute 30 from mixer chute 16, the reverse process is utilized. Entrance chute 30 is pivoted upward by lifting it at least until flange 33 disengages with the outer edge of underhang 17. Entrance chute 30 is further lifted until it has been sufficiently pivoted at connectors 20, 22, such that they can be lifted off of loops 18, 19. Entrance chute 30 and mixer chute 16 can be reattached as needed.
Although first connector 20 and second connector 22 are illustrated as hooks with openings facing downward, these connectors 20, 22 could also have hooks with openings facing upward. In such an embodiment, the entrance chute 30 would need to approach mixer chute 16 from the side. Alternatively, if loops 18, 19 were configured to be within the interior of mixer chute 16, connectors 20, 22 could be similarly configured inside entrance chute 30. Moreover, first connector 20 and second connector 22 may not have the same configuration. For example, the first connector 20 could further comprise a locking mechanism the uses a lever or a spring-loaded catch to enhance the attachment of entrance chute 30 to mixer chute 16. In addition, flange 33 and underhang 17 could also comprise one or more connectors 20, 22 and loops to create additional removable attachment points.
Entrance chute 30 creates a path to entrance opening 32 of manifold 40. When attached to mixer chute 16, water from drum 12 can pass through rear opening 14, down mixer chute 16, over entrance chute 30, and through entrance opening 33 into manifold 40. Entrance chute 30 can also include an entrance shroud 31. Entrance shroud 31 can capture water from mixer chute 16 or entrance chute 30 that might otherwise slosh over the sides of entrance chute 30 or over the top of entrance opening 33. Entrance shroud 31 can also prevent the introduction of dust or other debris into manifold 40 via entrance opening 33. Although entrance shroud 31 is shown covering substantially all of the exposed surface of entrance chute 30, entrance shroud 31 could also cover part of mixer chute 16 or could cover less than substantially all of the exposed surface of entrance chute 30.
Entrance chute 30 is attached to a manifold 40, as best illustrated in
Manifold 40 comprises a plurality of apertures 50, 52 as illustrated in
Manifold 40 contains a first end 42 and a second end 46 that contain a first opening 44 and second opening 48, respectively, as illustrated in
As shown in
In use, the entrance chute 30 of the disclosed water spray bar is attached to the mixer chute 16 of a mixer truck 10. The entrance chute 30 is attached to the mixer chute 16 by coupling a first connector 20 on the entrance chute 30 to a first loop 18 on the mixer chute 16 and a second connector 22 on the entrance chute 30 to a second loop 19 on the mixer chute 16. The first connector 20 is coupled to the first loop 18 by lowering a hook opening on the first connector 20 upon the first loop 18. The second connector 22 is coupled to the second loop 19 by lowering a hook opening on the second connector 22 upon the second loop 19. Once both connectors 20, 22 are coupled to their respective loops 18, 19, the entrance chute 30 is pivoted downward by lowering it until flange 33 on entrance chute 30 engages with an underhang 17 on mixer chute 16.
Either before or after the water spray bar has been attached, the drum 12 of the mixer truck 10 is filled with a desired amount of water. Once the water spray bar has been attached and the mixer truck 10 has been filed with the desired amount of water, the mixer truck 10 is moved to the desired location for dust suppression, if not already located there. Then, the drum 12 is operated so as to cause water to pass through rear opening 14, down mixer chute 16, over entrance chute 30 and through entrance opening 32 into manifold 40. Some amount of water may contact the interior of entrance shroud 31 before passing through entrance opening 32. The water that passes into manifold 40 is distributed out of apertures 50, 52 onto the road surface or other area where dust suppression is desired. The mixer truck 10 with attached operating water spray bar drives over any surface where dust suppression is desired and the mixer truck 10 is permitted to travel. This process continues until the desired dust suppression effect has been achieved, the supply of water has been depleted, or the driver or mixer truck 10 is otherwise unavailable to continue performing dust suppression.
Once the water spray bar is no longer needed and assuming the mixer truck 10 is parked and the flow of water halted, the water spray bar can be removed in much the same way that it was attached. The entrance chute 30 is lifted upward and pivoted at first connector 20 and second connector 22 until flange 33 is no longer engaged with underhang 17. Entrance chute 30 will continue to be lifted and pivoted until it is possible to lift first connector 20 and second connector 22 off of first loop 18 and second loop 19. Once the first connector 20 and second connector 22 are no longer coupled, the water spray bar can be stored for future use by this mixer truck 10 or another mixer truck 10 as needed.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar to or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the water spray bar for a mixer truck, suitable methods and materials are described above. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the extent allowed by applicable law and regulations. The water spray bar for a mixer truck may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Any headings utilized within the description are for convenience only and have no legal or limiting effect.
