Material placer and high volume supply hopper
AssigneeGuntert & Zimmerman Const. Div., Inc.
InventorsRonald M. Guntert, Jr., Iovtcho Delev
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A material placer having an augmented hopper, which can receive and convey concrete or other material at a greater rate than other material placers known in the industry. The augmented hopper has a relatively large volume, a bumper structure, a hinged flop gate, and a sliding gate plate that improves the process of receiving concrete or other discharged material from delivery trucks. The hinged flop gate and/or the sliding plate can optionally be vibrated to aid in moving concrete or other material into the trough of the augmented hopper. The material placer is further configured to have ease of access for cleaning and maintenance.
Claims13
A gate assembly for an augmented hopper, configured to receive material comprising concrete or other materials, the gate assembly comprising:
- a gate configured to be coupled to and pivot relative to an auger trough of the augmented hopper about a pivot axis, wherein the auger trough contains an auger;
- a sliding plate slidably coupled to the gate and configured so that the sliding plate pivots relative to the auger trough with the gate and so that the sliding plate is translatable relative to the gate in a sliding direction perpendicular to the pivot axis;
- and
- an actuation system mechanically coupled between the gate and the sliding plate, wherein the actuation system is configured to reciprocate the sliding plate back and forth in the sliding direction in order to move the material received onto the gate assembly into the auger trough toward the auger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.