A system (100) for injecting cooling fluid into a concrete mixing container (502), the system (100) comprising:
- A) a support structure (116) comprising:
- a) a leg assembly having two or more supporting legs (201);
- and
- b) a cross member beam (200) supported between the two or more legs (201);
- the two or more legs (201) and the cross member beam (200) being positioned with respect to one another in such a manner as to define a passageway (210) of sufficient height (H) and width (W) between the two or more legs (201) and beneath the cross member beam (200) to allow passage of a concrete mixer truck (504) through the passageway (210);
- and
- B) a lance device (190) positioned on the cross member beam (200) of the support structure (116), the lance device (190) comprising:
- a) an articulated arm that includes a rigid lance (102) which allows for the flow of a cooling fluid there through;
- and
- b) a means for acting on the articulated arm to cause pivotal movement of the articulated arm in a non-linear motion thereby controlling the angle of the rigid lance (102) while at the same time controlling the insertion and retraction movement of the rigid lance (102) into the concrete mixing container (502) for fluid injection of the cooling fluid into the concrete mixing container (502);
- wherein the rigid lance (102) of the articulated arm has a fluid receiving end (102A), a fluid exit end (102B), a fluid path in the form of a tube that extends from the fluid receiving end (102A) to the fluid exit end (102B) and allows for the flow of a cooling fluid there through, wherein when the cooling fluid is injected into the fluid receiving end (102A) of the rigid lance 102 the cooling fluid flows along the fluid path of the rigid lance (102) and into the concrete mixing container (502) through the fluid exit end (102B);
- wherein the components that comprise the articulated arm include the rigid lance (102) in combination with:
- a) an upper lifting arm (104) having a first end (104A) and a second end (104B);
- b) a lower slide arm (108) having a first end (108A) and a second end (108B);
- and
- c) a vertical support member (110) having an upper end (110A) and a lower end (110B);
- and
- wherein the fluid receiving end (102A) of the rigid lance (102) is pivotally connected to the second end (104B) of the upper lifting arm (104), the upper lifting arm (104) is further pivotally connected to the upper end (110A) of the vertical support member (110) at a point between the first end (104A) of the upper lifting arm (104) and the second end (104A) of the upper lifting arm (104), the second end (108B) of the lower guide arm (108) is pivotally connected to the rigid lance (102) at a point between the fluid exit end (102b) of the rigid lance (102) and the pivotal connection of the rigid lance (102) to the upper lifting arm (104), and the first end (108A) of the lower guide arm (108) is connected either directly or indirectly to the vertical support member (110) in a manner selected from:
- i) the first end (108A) of the lower guide arm (108) is pivotally connected directly to the vertical support member (110);
- ii) the first end (108A) of the lower guide arm (108) is pivotally connected at one or more points along a mounting bracket (314) that is attached at one or more different points to the lower end (110B) of the vertical support member (110);
- iii) the first end (108A) of the lower guide arm (108) is pivotally connected at one or more points along a breakaway bracket (304) that is further pivotally connected at one or more different points along the breakaway bracket (304) to the lower end (110B) of the vertical support member (110);
- and
- iv) the first end (108A) of the lower guide arm (108) is pivotally connected to at one or more points along a first breakaway bracket (304) that is further pivotally connected at one or more different points along a mounting bracket (314) that is positioned between the breakaway bracket (304) and the vertical support member (110).