Mortar mixer with powered dump control

A mortar mixing system having a powered dumping mechanism that can be precisely controlled by a single operator, comprising:

• a mortar mixing drum having a rotatable paddle shaft and at least one paddle attached thereto, said mortar mixing drum being operative between a home, mixing position, and a mortar dumping position;
• drive means operatively connected to said rotatable paddle shaft for rotatively driving said shaft and said at least one paddle attached thereto in order to mix mortar in said drum;
• a transmission mechanism comprising a ring gear attached to said mortar mixing drum and a pinion gear in rotative contact with said ring gear;
• said transmission mechanism further comprising a pulley system, said pulley system comprising a drive belt, a drive pulley rotatively attached to said rotatable paddle shaft and driven by said paddle shaft, and a transmission pulley, said transmission pulley being driven by said drive pulley via said drive belt in said mortar dumping position, and said transmission pulley being rotatively connected to said pinion gear, said drive pulley of said transmission mechanism tilting said mixing drum to said mortar dumping position;
• and
• a hand-operated lever operatively engageable with said drive belt of said transmission mechanism, said hand-operated lever being operative to engage said drive belt of said transmission mechanism for driving said transmission pulley, which causes tilting of said mixing drum to said mortar dumping position;
• said hand-operated lever, in conjunction with said transmission mechanism, providing a mechanical advantage to the tilting of said mixing drum.