Method and apparatus for mixing concrete with controlled energy absorption and variable discharge gate
OwnerMelvin L. Black, Todd W. Blackinventors
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Abstract
An apparatus for making concrete is disclosed. The apparatus includes one or more measurement devices that is used to provide controlled quantities of at least cement and sand; a high intensity mixer that receives the controlled quantities of the cement and sand, mixes the controlled quantities of the cement and sand to produce grout, and outputs a flow of grout; and a controller coupled to the measurement devices and the mixer. The controller monitors and controls mixing energy applied by the mixer during mixing. In one embodiment, the mixing energy is altered by controlling the degree of opening of a discharge gate of the mixer. A concrete plant design including such an apparatus is also disclosed.
Claims21
An apparatus for making concrete, comprising:
- one or more measurement devices that are used to provide controlled quantities of at least cement and sand;
- a batch discharge mixer, said mixer receives the controlled quantities of the cement and sand, mixes the controlled quantities of the cement and sand to produce grout, and outputs a flow of grout, said mixer including a mixing container including a rotatable mixing head disposed therein for rotation about a vertical axis, said mixing head mounted to a shaft coupled to a motor, the mixing head having a plurality of short blades mounted on the periphery thereof, said mixing head having a cap for directing materials to the blades;
- and
- a controller coupled to said measurement devices and said mixer, said controller monitors and controls mixing energy applied by said mixer and absorbed by the grout during mixing,
- wherein said mixer further includes a discharge gate, and said controller operates to control the mixing energy by controlling the degree of opening of the discharge gate.
An apparatus for making concrete from separate sources of water, cement, sand and gravel, said apparatus comprising:
- one or more measurement devices that are used to provide controlled quantities of at least cement and sand;
- a high intensity, low power mixer for pre mixing sand and cement into an initial mixture without mixing gravel into the initial mixture, said mixer including a motor, a mixing drum and a variable discharge gate at an outlet of said mixer, said mixing drum including a rotatable mixing head disposed therein for rotation about a vertical axis, said mixing head mounted to a shaft coupled to the motor, the mixing head having a plurality of short blades mounted on the periphery thereof, said mixing head having a cap for directing materials to the blades;
- and
- a controller coupled to said measurement devices and said mixer, said controller monitors a load signal on said motor and controls the load of said motor by adjusting an opening amount provided by the variable discharge gate responsive to the load signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.