Power fold and swing chute assembly

A power repositionable chute system configured to be mounted on a rear portion of a concrete mixer truck for the delivery of concrete to a desired location, comprising:

• a power foldover chute assembly comprising a plurality of chute segments rotatably coupled to one another in an end-to-end manner, and a plurality of power foldover linkage systems, with one of the plurality of power foldover linkage systems positioned between any adjacent chute segments of the plurality of chute segments;
• wherein the power foldover linkage system provides appropriate forces to cause rotation of the adjacent chute segments;
• and
• a control system coupled to the plurality of foldover linkage systems to control a folding operation and an unfolding operation, wherein the folding operation causes the adjacent segments to rotate between an end-to-end orientation and a folded orientation, the control system comprising:
• a remote control having a plurality of control buttons thereon operable by an operator to control predetermined operations including the folding operation and the unfolding operations;
• a controller configured to receive signal from the remote control indicative of the operations desired by the operator;
• and
• a sequencing block coupled to the controller so as to receive signals which will carry out the predetermined operations, the sequencing block further capable of providing necessary signals to the plurality of foldover linkage systems thereby causing the predetermined operations to be carried out;
• wherein the unfolding operation causes the power foldover chute to transition from the folded orientation to the unfolded orientation in by following a plurality of unfolding steps in a sequential manner, and wherein the folding operation causes the power foldover chute to transition from the unfolded orientation to the folded orientation by following a plurality of folding steps in a sequential manner.

A foldover discharge chute for use with a concrete mixer truck capable of being configured in an extended configuration which creates a continuous delivery surface for carrying concrete to a delivery location, and which is capable of being configured in a folded configuration where the foldover discharge chute is stowed for transportation, the foldover discharge chute comprising:

• a primary chute segment having mounting structures configured to allow attachment at a first end to a rear portion of the concrete mixer truck so as to receive concrete to be delivered;
• a first chute segment rotatably coupled at a first end to the primary chute segment to allow the first chute segment to rotate between an extended position and a folded position, wherein the extended position has the first end of the first chute segment situation adjacent a second end of the primary chute segment thus forming a portion of the continuous delivery surface and the folded position has the first chute segment stacked above the primary chute segment;
• a second chute segment rotatbly coupled at a second end to the first chute segment to allow the intermediate chute to rotate between an extended position and a folded position, wherein the extended position has the first end of the second chute segment situation adjacent the second end of the first primary chute segment thus forming a further portion of the continuous delivery surface, and the folded position has the second chute segment stacked adjacent first chute segment and nested between the primary chute segment and the first chute segment;
• a first power folding linkage coupled to the primary chute segment and the first chute segment to cause the automated movement of the first segment between the extended position and the folded position;
• and
• a second power folding linkage coupled to the first chute segment and the second chute segment to cause the automated movement of the first segment between the extended position and the folded position.