Method and apparatus for selectively extruding and applying a layer of mortar upon a selected surface
OwnerDouglas S. CAMPBELLinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for extruding and depositing a slurry or mortar onto a selected work surface uses a mortar gun assembly with a chamber for receiving mortar from a remote supply hopper and an extruder configured to selectively apply a bead or ribbon of mortar of selected thickness onto the work surface. The mortar gun assembly provides mortar from the hopper under pressure and the user selectively applies mortar by controlling a rotating port valve between the hopper and the mortar gun chamber. The rotating port valve provides a “rest state” in which the mortar is not sent to the mortar gun, but is instead re-circulated by the pump back to the hopper so un-dispensed mortar is kept moving and cannot dry or set.
Claims20
A mortar gun assembly comprising:
- a chamber connected at an inlet end to a supply hose to receive fluid material from a remote supply;
- an extruder at an outlet end of the chamber, said extruder configured to apply the fluid material as a bead or ribbon of selected thickness to a substrate;
- a pump connected to the supply hose to deliver fluid material from the remote supply to the chamber under pressure;
- a rotating port valve connected in the supply hose to regulate the flow of said fluid material to the chamber;
- a handle secured to the top of the chamber to allow a user to manipulate the mortar gun;
- and
- a manually operable on/off switch on said handle for controlling said rotatable port valve.
A mortar extrusion and deposition system for extruding and depositing or applying mortar upon a selected surface, comprising:
- a mortar gun having chamber connected at an inlet end to a supply hose to receive a fluid mortar material from a remote supply;
- an extruder at an outlet end of the chamber, said extruder configured to apply the fluid material as a bead or ribbon of selected thickness to a substrate's selected surface;
- a pump connected to the supply hose to continuously deliver pressurized fluid material from the remote supply to the chamber;
- a rotating port valve connected in the supply hose to selectively regulate the flow of said pressurized fluid material to said chamber when a selected portion of said fluid material is being deposited upon said selected surface;
- said rotating port valve also being connected to a recirculation hose which is also connected to the remote supply;
- a handle secured to the top of the chamber to allow a user to manipulate the mortar gun;
- a manually operable control on said handle for controlling said rotatable port valve;
- and
- wherein rotating port valve automatically recirculates any undeposited portion of said pressurized fluid material back to said remote supply via said recirculation hose.
A method for continuously extruding and depositing or applying an unbroken layer of a selected slurry or mortar upon a selected work surface or substrate, comprising:
- providing a mortar gun assembly which includes a chamber for receiving at an inlet end fluid material such as mortar from a remote supply hopper and an extruder at an outlet end, the extruder being configured to apply a continuous, unbroken layer, bead or ribbon of mortar of selected thickness upon the selected work surface or substrate;
- securing a handle to the top of the chamber to allow a user to position and manipulate the mortar gun;
- providing a manually operated on/off switch on the handle for controlling a mortar pump that to provide mortar from the hopper under pressure;
- connecting a rotating port valve between the hopper and the mortar gun assembly's chamber;
- wherein said rotating port valve is controllable to provide a rest state for said rotating valve in which the mortar does not flow to the mortar gun, but is instead re-circulated by the pump back to the hopper so it is kept moving and does not begin to dry or set, and provides an active state in which mortar is pumped from the supply hopper to the mortar gun to be extruded out onto a substrate;
- and switching said valve between rest and active states to either continuously dispense mortar from said extruder or recirculate it to said hopper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.