This application is related to an application entitled “CYLINDRICAL MIXING DRUM ASSEMBLY INCLUDING END WIPERS AND ENLARGED CHUTE,” application Ser. No. 10/795,469, filed Mar. 8, 2004, by the present applicant, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,128,462 B2.
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mortar mixing drum assemblies and particularly to improvements in the mixing apparatus and associated operational safety matters.
2. Relevant Art
Conventional mortar mixing apparatus includes a bag splitter located on a pivotally mounted grate on the drum over rotating mixing paddles. In addition, the engine used to rotate the paddles is enclosed in a cab that can be opened to start/stop the engine and closed, for safety purposes, when the engine is running. What is needed is a new drum configuration for better loading and mixing and safe operation of the assembly engine at the same time.
In one aspect of the present invention there is provided a portable mixing drum assembly comprising a frame, a mixing drum having a lower hollow substantially cylindrical body with an upper enlarged outlet opening covered by a pivotally mounted grate, the drum including a pair of spaced end walls and a laterally disposed discharged chute of approximately 24 inches wide extending from the outlet opening and a back wall spaced away from the chute and integral with and extending upwardly from the body. A shaft is mounted medially between the end walls and carrying a pair of oppositely disposed arms each carrying a center paddle. An engine is mounted on the frame operatively connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft and starter operating controls located closely adjacent the engine for the safe operation thereof. The back wall of the body is inclined from the vertical by no more than 15° to inhibit build up of the mortar being mixed in the drum.
An additional pair of V-shaped mixing paddles is mounted on respective arms for increasing the amount of entrained air in mixed mortar. The arms are medially located on the shaft. Each of the additional paddles includes opposite end portions which are angled toward each other and toward the shaft for increasing air entrained in the mortar during mixing of the mortar. A bag splitter is affixed to the grate, including at least one vertically extending sharpened splitting member above the shaft for penetrating a bag carrying a mortar component to create an opening therein to cause the release of the contents thereof. Preferably, the splitter further includes a spaced pair of sharpened second splitting members on opposite sides of the first splitting member for increasing the size of the opening in a bag created by said at least one splitting member.
A cab mounted on the frame substantially encloses the engine; the cab includes a first section affixed to the frame, a second section movably attached to the first section and movable between a first portion covering the engine and a second position exposing a rearward portion of the engine, the second section includes a front open face and a rear face having an access opening in a lower portion thereof for access to the starter operating controls of the engine when the section of the cab is in the first position. The second section includes an exhaust vent to provide passages from the cab for exhaust from the engine. The discharge chute is located on one side of the assembly and the exhaust vent are located on another side. The rear face includes at least one vent above the access opening for directing engine exhaust rearwardly out of the cab. A two-part engine cab has a rear section pivotally attached to a fixed front section, the rear section includes a side engine exhaust vent, the rear section of the cab also including an enlarged opening for access to the starter operating controls of the engine.
The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
Introduction
In some mixing drum designs the back lip of the drum is angled in a manner that provides a “shelf effect” that allows for accumulation of mortar along the back lip of the drum. The present mixing drum has a back lip that varies from the vertical by no more than 15°. This structure eliminates the “shelf effect” found in prior art drums.
Many drums incorporate a bag splitter mounted on the covering grate to allow for ease of loading the drum with mortar, sand, or an appropriate mix as desired. The present drum assembly incorporates three upwardly directed splitter peaks. The middle peak is taller than the other two to provide a target for a user in placing the bag on the center of one side of the bag by a user, and is located directly over the mixing paddle shaft. In addition, the bag splitter is positioned over the widest area of the drum opening or throat to split the bag in the optimum position.
The width of the pouring or discharge chute has also been increased to provide for more effective use of the newly designed back lip and splitter.
Generally, belt-driven mortar mixers use two-piece engine cabs that should be closed when the engine is running to protect the users from engine parts and gears. In reality, however, cabs are left open while the engine is running because access to the “rope pull start” apparatus and the start/stop switch have to be operated many times during a normal day.
The present assembly provides a two-piece cab that totally encloses the engine but for access to the rear of the engine and the operating controls of the engine when in normal use. In addition, the vent ports have been modified.
Finally, additional shaped paddles are mounted to the center paddle arms to improve the mixing of mortar therein.
Construction
With respect now to the drawings,
With respect also to
The mixing drum 11 is illustrated in more detail in
Paddle shaft 33 is mounted via conventional bearings 34, 35. Handle 36 is used to rotate or tilt the drum body 11. Engine 22, gearing 37 and other transmission and clutch apparatus is conventional as understood in the art.
Outlet opening 32 is formed by vertical end walls 38, 39 that are integral with respective end walls 29, 30. Back wall or lip portion 40 includes flanges 41 and 42 which are used for pivotally mounted cover grate 43 on pins 44, 45 (
Grate 43 includes six bars 46 to which is mounted bag splitter 47 which includes two sharpened short peak members 48 and a sharpened taller peak member 49. Bag splitter 47 is mounted by bolting or welding on the third bar from the front of assembly 10 to position the splitter 47 over the widest portion of opening 32 to provide a target for a user.
Back wall 40 is inclined or angled to slant no more than 15°, preferably 5°-15°, from vertical axis 53 to eliminate the “shelf effect” that exists in drums with a back lip angled to a greater degree. Preferably, wall 40 is angled away from opening 32 at about 5°. The width of opening 32 has been increased to create a discharge chute 50 of approximately 24 inches from 15 inches in some earlier drums 11.
With regard to
Standard loop latches 54, 55 and associated posts 56, 57; 58,59; connect cab sections 14 and 16 together and connect section 16 to frame 17 and are used to secure front section 16 in the down closed position as understood in the art (
While the invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
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Number | Date | Country |
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1528182 | May 2005 | EP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20080101153 A1 | May 2008 | US |