US 5,730,523 A · Portable concrete plant

Abstract

A portable concrete plant that can be transported on a single vehicle to a construction site consists of a transporting vehicle, a rotating drum for mixing the concrete, containers for sand and crushed rock, a scale for weighing a mixture of sand and crushed rock, a conveyor for conveying the mixture of sand and crushed rock to the rotating drum, a container for portland cement, a conveyor for conveying the portland cement to the rotating drum, a source of water, and a concrete pump for dispensing the concrete from the rotating drum. A fly ash container and a second scale for weighing fly ash may also be on the vehicle. The entire apparatus may be controlled by a computer which controls the various containers and scales so as to vary the proportions of sand, crushed rock, fly ash, portland cement, and water in the rotating drum to produce concrete of varying strength. The entire apparatus has dimensions which meet the length, width and height requirements for vehicles moving on the highways.

Claims40

Dependent claims

A transportable apparatus for producing concrete from sand, crushed rock, and portland cement, comprising:

(a) a vehicle for transporting the apparatus,
(b) a rotating drum,
(c) a sand container,
(d) a crushed rock container,
(e) first weighing means for weighing a mixture of sand and crushed rock, the first weighing means receiving sand from the sand container and crushed rock from the crushed rock container,
(f) first conveying means for conveying a mixture of sand and crushed rock from the first weighing means to the rotating drum,
(g) a portland cement container,
(h) second conveying means for conveying portland cement from the portland cement container to the rotating drum,
(i) a source of water connected to the rotating drum, and
(j) dispensing means for dispensing concrete from the rotating drum;
the rotating drum, sand container, crushed rock container, first conveying means, first weighing means, portland cement container, second conveying means, and dispensing means all being mounted on the vehicle.

8 more elements

A transportable apparatus for producing concrete from sand, crushed rock, and portland cement, comprising:

(a) a vehicle for transporting the apparatus,
(b) a rotating drum,
(c) a sand container,
(d) a crushed rock container,
(e) a sand and rock conveyor, adapted to convey sand to the sand container and crushed rock to the crushed rock container,
(f) a diverter, adapted to switch the first conveyor between the sand container and the crushed rock container,
(g) first weighing means for weighing a mixture of sand and crushed rock, the first weighing means receiving sand from the sand container and crushed rock from the crushed rock container,
(h) a first conveyor mounted on the vehicle, adapted to convey a weighed mixture of sand and crushed rock from the first weighing means to the rotating drum,
(i) a portland cement container,
(j) a first auger for moving portland cement from the portland cement container to the rotating drum,
(k) a water container connected to the rotating drum by piping, and
(l) dispensing means for dispensing concrete from the rotating drum;
the rotating drum, sand container, crushed rock container, sand and rock conveyor, diverter, first weighing means, first conveyor, portland cement container, first auger, water container, piping, and means for dispensing concrete all being mounted on the vehicle.

10 more elements

A transportable apparatus for producing concrete from sand, crushed rock, and portland cement, comprising:

(a) a vehicle for transporting the apparatus,
(b) a rotating drum,
(c) a sand container,
(d) a crushed rock container,
(e) a sand and rock conveyor, adapted to convey sand to the sand container and crushed rock to the crushed rock container, and further comprising a diverter for switching the sand and rock conveyor between the sand container and the crushed rock container,
(f) a first scale for weighing a mixture of sand and crushed rock, the first scale receiving sand from the sand container and crushed rock from the crushed rock container,
(g) a first conveyor for conveying a mixture of sand and crushed rock from the first scale to the rotating drum,
(h) a portland cement container,
(i) a first auger for moving portland cement from the portland cement container to the rotating drum,
(j) a water container connected to the rotating drum by piping,
(k) an electric generator supplying power to the first convey or and sand and rock conveyor,
(l) a concrete pump for dispensing concrete from the rotating drum,
(m) a tractor connected to the vehicle and a transmission connected to the tractor, the transmission supplying power to the generator, to a hydraulic pump adapted to rotate the rotating drum, and to the concrete pump, and
(n) a computer for controlling the first scale, portland cement container and water container so as to vary the proportions of sand, crushed rock, portland cement, and water in the rotating drum to produce concrete of varying strength, a printer connected to the computer for printing out a receipt showing the proportions of sand, crushed rock, portland cement, and water in the rotating drum, and a modem connected to the computer and a cellular phone connected to the modem so as to allow the computer to be remotely controlled, the rotating drum, sand container, crushed rock container, sand and rock conveyor, first scale, first conveyor, first auger, portland cement container, water container, electric generator, concrete pump, and computer all being mounted on the vehicle.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Portable concrete plant

Life of this patent

Portable concrete plant

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims40