FURLANI, Michele (Via Zambelli 24, Verona - Italy, I-37121, IT)
| CLAIMS 1. A mobile concrete mixing system substantially- consisting of an inert materials hopper unit (1) with material extraction outlets (2) which discharge onto a weighing hopper (3) which, by means of an extractor belt (4) , feeds a mixing unit (5) consisting of a metal structure (6) which comprises a sloping belt (7) which receives the material from the extractor belt and transfers it to the cement mixer (8) characterised in that the inert materials unit (1) can be completely transported by a single vehicle and, in the transport configuration, presents the walls of the material receiving hoppers (9) and the base walls (10) turned over by 180°, while the dividers (11) and the side walls of the loading ramp (12) are folded up on themselves by 90° and positioned on the upper part of the unit, and characterised in that the mixing unit (5) is moved from the transport position to the working position by rotation of the cement mixer (8) around a pin (X) which acts as a pivot for it to reach the horizontal working position, otherwise not possible during transport . 2. A mobile concrete mixing system according to the foregoing claim, characterised in that the mixing unit (5) , which comprises the weighing unit, can be completely transported on one vehicle, and that, in the transport configuration, the weighing unit (13) of the mixing unit (5) slides on appropriate guides to the transport position (far right) , and that the cement mixer (8) is rotated around the axis X by means of the actuators (20) so that it is in a horizontal position and parallel to the frame of the unit, so as not to increase the overall dimensions of the unit, while the sloping belt (7) is partly moved forwards on appropriate sliding guides and partly- rotated to a vertical position at its left end (14) . 3. A mobile concrete mixing system according to either of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the mixing unit also comprises the automation control unit (15) , the compressor (16) , the powder filter (17) and other accessories, and that, during transport, the mixing unit also accommodates the support struts (18) with the relative fixing accessories inside the structure. 4. A mobile concrete mixing system according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the sliding of the belt (7) , the rotation of the mixer (8) and the sliding of the weighing unit (13) are controlled by mechanical actuators, for example the hydraulic type, and in that, to make the maintenance and management of the system easier, close to the cement mixer the side walls of the unit (19) can be extended by sliding part of the frame with the telescoping walls on guides, thus creating two service corridors at the sides of the mixer. 5. A mobile concrete mixing system according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the rotation around the axis X of the mixer also makes it possible to move the weighing unit (13) on sliding guides from the transport position 22 to the working position 23 by means of actuators (25) . 6. A mobile concrete mixing system according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that, once the weighing unit (13) is in the correct position, a system of inflatable seals is expanded, these seals being fitted to the edge (26) and creating a perfect seal between the closing lid of the mixer and the mixer itself, a secondary seal being also created between the weighing unit (13) and the infeed screw collector by movement along a vertical axis, controlled by mechanical (pneumatic) actuators, and expansion of an inflatable seal to connect these parts, and in that the inert material conveyor belt (7) is moved by means of another mechanical actuator from the transport position to the working position, and thanks to all the movements listed above, the system can be switched back from the working position to the transport position, with a considerable reduction of the overall dimensions and allowing transport by means of normal vehicles . 7. A mobile concrete mixing system according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the weighing unit (13) moves from the transport configuration to the working position by moving along sliding guides and by means of one or more mechanical actuators which also make it possible to easily carry out maintenance operations by switching from the working position to the transport position and vice versa by means of appropriate controls situated both in the control cabin and close to the mixer itself. 8. A mobile concrete mixing system according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the seals between the weighing unit (13) and the mixer (8) are achieved by means of inflatable seals fitted to the edge (26) , partly protected by mechanical guards, which expand and create a seal for the powders and the water between the described parts . 9. A mobile concrete mixing system according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the seal between the cement weigher and the infeed screw collector (28) or plate connecting the individual infeed screw is achieved by means of one or more radial expansion inflatable seals, fitted to the edge of the collector (28) , creating a seal with an appropriate vertical wall of the cement weigher. 10. A mobile concrete mixing system according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the inert material conveyor belt (7) is moved from the transport position to the working position by means of a mechanical actuator, for example the hydraulic type (29) moving along sliding guides, and that all the components making up the mixing unit are contained in a single frame, allowing complete prewiring of the equipment, optimizing the electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems. 11. A mobile concrete mixing system according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the support struts of the structure (18) are connected to the frame (5) , when this is still in the horizontal position on the ground, with evident advantages in terms of assembly and operator safety, and the struts automatically move into position during raising of the mixing unit (5) , with the assistance of lifting means, and are secured by means of safety cables positioned at the base of the struts, and in that complete mechanical fixing is achieved by connecting appropriate tie rods to the struts and connecting a service gangway which also acts as a connection between one strut and the other. 12. A mobile concrete mixing system according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the service corridors for the maintenance of the mixer and the relative accessories are created by sliding the two side walls (19) outwards on guides, controlled by mechanical actuators, and that, once in the maintenance position, the steps and the walkways hinged to the mobile walls can be folded down. 13. A mobile concrete mixing system according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the inert materials unit (1) consists of mobile walls which are all attached to the unit and which can be moved from the transport position to the working position by rotation around pins and fixed in their new position by means of fixing pegs, and in that the inert materials unit has a broad supporting base which allows it to be used without the need for anchoring foundations . 14. A mobile concrete mixing system according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the mixing unit (5) can be supported in the working position by means of the struts with reduced dimensions and which provide support for containers that can hold tanks and infeed systems for the additives and/or the control cabin of the entire system. 15. A mobile concrete mixing system according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that both the inert materials unit (1) and the mixing unit (5) are equipped with mechanical actuators which allow unloading of the units from the transport vehicle without making it necessary to use lifting means. 16. A mobile concrete mixing system according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the conveyor belts of the two units are mainly constructed with press-formed and not welded elements, with the advantage of better performance in terms of mechanical resistance/weight and a reduction in energy balance for their production. |
ON VEHICLES"
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TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention concerns a mobile concrete mixing system that can be transported on a truck or similar vehicle, with reduced installation and assembly times, suitable for the production of concrete on building sites or the like.
More specifically, the invention refers to a system which makes use of equipment comprising a dosing and mixing unit which, while being made with a single frame, can to be transported with the mixer in a horizontal position (avoiding the problems of possible losses of lubricants) , reducing the overall dimensions and allowing it to be transported on normal vehicles .
This is one of the main advantages of the system, which solves the problem of previous models in which either the mixer "protrudes" beyond the transport limits allowed with normal vehicles or the mixer is rotated together with the entire supporting frame with consequent lengthy and dangerous installation operations, especially considering the notable loads involved.
This invention can be applied in the industrial field of concrete production and in particular in the sector of mobile equipment for the production of concrete .
BACKGROUND ART
It is known that mobile concrete mixing equipment, suitable for transport on vehicles, substantially comprise a storage unit for the inert materials, a mixing unit, to accommodate, measure and dose the inert materials, the water and the cement, a loading system to transfer the inert materials from the storage unit to the mixing unit, and silos to hold the cement, generally- equipped with Archimedes' screws to transfer the cement to the mixing unit.
Depending on their type, these systems can be mounted on one, two or more trucks, more or less able to fit within the normal dimensions for road traffic foreseen by current regulations for truck transportation.
The silos and the relative means of transport do not differ greatly from one concrete mixing system to another and no further mention will thus be made of the silos or of the trucks used to transport mobile concrete mixing systems .
At present, in accordance with background art, there are substantially two types of mobile concrete mixing systems present on the market.
The first type concerns systems with a single frame, comprising a storage and mixing unit, with low production capacity, with mixers that in most cases are tilted during transport and moved to a horizontal position only when installed.
In addition to the low production capacity, these systems present the problem whereby the inclination of the mixer can cause the risk of lubricant loss from the mixer itself and from the auxiliary control units.
The second type of mobile concrete mixing systems present on the market consists of two units, one for the storage of the inert materials and one for the dosing and mixing of the ingredients.
This second type of system can be set up in a number of ways, for example by foreseeing transport with the mixer tilted (as in the previous case) , or with the mixer in a horizontal position but moved together with the entire supporting frame .
These solutions generally present the problem whereby the dosing unit (weighing unit for cement, water and additives) is not part of the ' module itself but is transported and positioned independently so that it can be subsequently positioned above the mixer.
From the above description of mobile concrete mixing equipment it is clear that an ideal mobile concrete mixing system must be able to satisfy the following requirements :
be demountable for loading on two trucks so as to respect the road traffic dimension limits in order not to penalise the production of cement with all the problems connected to the use of a single truck and not restrict the transport of the system because of the problems regarding the transport of special loads;
use a system of inert material loading that fits within the normal dimensions of a truck and which is economically advantageous and at the same time able to guarantee any appropriate delivery capacity of inert materials to the mixing unit;
be equipped with positioning means that allow the loading on a single truck of the inert material loading unit and the mixing unit, maintaining the latter in a horizontal position at all times during movement between the working position and the transport position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention proposes to provide a concrete mixing system that can be transported on a truck or similar vehicle, which is able to eliminate or at least reduce the problems described above . This is achieved by means of a concrete mixing system that can be transported on a truck or similar vehicle, the features of which are described in the main claim.
The dependent claims of the solution in question described advantageous embodiments of the invention.
The device according to the invention therefore substantially consists of a unit for inert materials in which the supporting structure of the unit, the side walls of the hoppers which receive the inert materials and the side walls of the loading ramp are all premounted and/or transported on the unit itself, without the need for additional means .
The inert materials unit is constructed according to a modular concept and can thus be expanded by the addition of other units and replacement of the drive head of the conveyer belt
The inert materials unit is supported by means of longitudinal elements (similar to the upper walls) with a wide supporting surface allowing the system to be used without the need for specific foundations.
In addition, although the dosing and mixing unit is made with a single frame, it can be transported with the mixer in a horizontal position (avoiding the problems of possible lubricant loss) , reducing the overall dimensions and allowing transport with ordinary vehicles .
The advantage of having a practically fixed frame which must only be lifted on one side makes it possible to construct the electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic system already pre-wired without the need for further on- site operations other than connection of the distribution points .
The movements for the switch from transport position to working position are assisted by mechanical actuators (hydraulic and/or pneumatic) . A typical sequence could be:
a. Raising of the rear part of the belt (transmission head) in line with the belt body
b. Movement of the belt body into the working position
(towards the outside of the module)
c. Raising of the mixer module to the working position d. Rotation of the mixer to the working position e. Expansion of the sides (side surfaces of the mixer) f . Positioning of the weighing unit above the mixer for closure and connection with the mixer
g. Connection of the seals with the infeed screws for the cement or powders in general .
The mixing unit can also be equipped with accessories for fast unloading of the unit from the transport vehicle; lifting means must however be used for the subsequent installation.
The possibility of the mobile weighing unit being mounted on sliding guides provides the additional advantage of making maintenance of the mixer easier: when it is necessary to carry out in-depth cleaning of the mixer, the weighing unit can be mechanically moved by means of a hydraulic (and/or pneumatic or other) cylinder from the working position to the transport position, making the inside of the mixer accessible for more thorough cleaning or for the replacement of any worn-out parts .
A further innovation is that, once the weighing unit has been positioned above the mixer, it can be attached to the mixer by means of an inflatable seal.
The connection between the cement weighing unit and the infeed screw discharge conduits is also closed by means of an inflatable seal which expands radially (in order not to affect the weight reading) .
This makes it possible to move the weighing unit without intervention on the part of the operator. The infeed screws are connected by means of a flexible tube to a plate which acts as a discharge collector.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear on reading the description given below of one embodiment of the invention, provided as a non- binding example, with the help of the accompanying drawings in which:
figure 1 represents a schematic side view of the overall system according to the invention;
figures 2 to 5 show schematic views of the inert materials unit;
figures 6 to 8 show additional views of the inert materials unit;
figures 9 to 13 represent schematic views of the mixing unit and of its parts during operation;
figures 14 and 15 show schematic views of the mixing unit in the working position and in the closed transport position;
figure 16 shows a view of the sloping belt movement cylinder assembly;
figures 17 and 18 show schematic views of a detail of the weighing unit.
DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
With reference to the accompanying drawings, the mobile concrete mixing equipment according to the invention substantially consists of an inert materials hopper unit 1 with material extraction outlets 2 which discharge onto a weighing hopper 3 which, by means of an extractor belt 4 , feeds a mixing unit 5.
The mixing unit 5 consists of a metal structure 6 which comprises a sloping belt 7 which receives the material from the extractor belt and transfers it to the cement mixer 8.
The inert materials unit 1 can be completely transported by a single vehicle and, in the transport configuration, presents the walls of the material receiving hoppers 9 and the base walls 10 turned over by 180°, while the dividers 11 and the side walls of the loading ramp 12 are folded up on themselves by 90° and positioned on the upper part of the unit .
The mixing unit 5, which includes the weighing unit, can also be transported on just one vehicle.
In the transport configuration, the weighing unit 13 of the mixing unit 5 slides on appropriate guides to the transport position (far right) , the cement mixer 8 is rotated around the axis X by means of the actuators 20 so that it is in a horizontal position and parallel to the frame of the unit, so as not to increase the overall dimensions of the unit, while the sloping belt 7 is partly moved forwards on appropriate sliding guides and partly rotated to a vertical position at its left end 14.
The mixing unit also comprises the automation control unit 15, the compressor 16, the powder filter 17 and other accessories. During transport, the mixing unit also accommodates the support struts 18 with the relative fixing accessories inside the structure.
The sliding of the belt 7, the rotation of the cement mixer 8 and the sliding of the weighing unit 13 are controlled by mechanical actuators, for example the hydraulic type.
In order to make the maintenance and management of the system easier, close to the cement mixer the side walls of the unit 19 can be extended by sliding part of the frame with the telescoping walls on guides, thus creating two service corridors at the sides of the mixer.
One feature of the invention is that, once the mixing unit 5 has been raised on one side to reach the working position, the cement mixer 8 can be moved from the transport position to the working position by turning the mixer 8 around a pin (X) which acts as a pivot for it to reach the horizontal working position. Without this rotation, the size of the mixer would mean that, during transport, the dimensions of the entire unit would exceed the limits allowed for road transport.
The rotation movement of the mixer 8 is controlled by appropriate actuators 20, which facilitate the movement and allow reduced dimensions during transport thanks to the alignment of the mixer and the frame containing the mixing unit .
The rotation around the axis X of the mixer also makes it possible to move the weighing unit 13 on sliding guides from the transport position to the working position by means of actuators 25.
Once the weighing unit 13 is in the correct position, a system of inflatable seals is expanded, these seals being fitted to the edge 26 and creating a perfect seal between the closing lid of the mixer and the mixer itself . A secondary seal is also created between the weighing unit 13 and the infeed screw collector by movement along a vertical axis, controlled by mechanical (pneumatic) actuators, and expansion of an inflatable seal to connect these parts .
The inert material conveyor belt 7 is also moved by- means of another mechanical actuator from the transport position to the working position. Thanks to all the movements listed above, the system can be switched back from the working position to the transport position, with a considerable reduction of the overall dimensions and allowing transport by means of normal vehicles.
As can be seen in figures 17 and 18, the weighing unit 13 moves from the transport configuration 22 to the working position 23 by moving along sliding guides 24 and by means of one or more mechanical actuators 25 which also make it possible to easily carry out maintenance operations by switching from the working position to the transport position and vice versa by means of appropriate controls situated both in the control cabin and close to the mixer itself .
The closures between the weighing unit and the mixer 8 are achieved by means of inflatable seals, partly protected by mechanical guards, fitted to the edge 26, which expand and create a seal between the parts for the powders and the water.
The closure between the cement weigher 27 and the infeed screw collector 28 or plate connecting the individual infeed screw is achieved by means of one or more radial expansion inflatable seals, fitted to the edge of the collector 28, creating a seal with an appropriate vertical wall of the cement weigher.
The inert material conveyer belt 7 is moved from the transport position to the working position by means of a mechanical actuator, for example the hydraulic type 29 fig. 16, moving along sliding guides.
All the components making up the mixing unit are contained in a single frame, allowing complete pre-wiring of the equipment, optimizing the electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems.
The support struts of the structure 18 are connected to the frame 5, when this is still in the horizontal position on the ground, with evident advantages in terms of assembly and operator safety. The struts automatically move into position during raising of the mixing unit 5, with the assistance of lifting means, and are secured by means of safety cables positioned at the base of the struts. Complete mechanical fixing is achieved by connecting appropriate tie rods 30 (fig. 1) to the struts and connecting a service gangway 31 (fig. 1) which also acts as a connection between one strut and the other.
The service corridors for the maintenance of the mixer and the relative accessories are created by sliding the two side walls 19 outwards on guides, controlled by mechanical actuators. Once in the maintenance position, the steps and the walkways hinged to the mobile walls can be folded down.
The inert materials unit 1 consists of mobile walls which are all attached to the unit and which can be moved from the transport position to the working position by rotation around pins and fixed in their new position by means of fixing pegs.
The inert materials unit has a broad supporting base which allows it to be used without the need for anchoring foundations .
The mixing unit 5 can be supported in the working position by means of the struts with reduced dimensions and which provide support for containers that can hold tanks and infeed systems for the additives and/or the control cabin of the entire system. Both the inert materials unit and the mixing unit can be equipped with mechanical actuators which allow unloading of the units from the transport vehicle without making it necessary to use lifting means.
The conveyor belts of the two units are mainly constructed with press-formed and not welded elements, with the advantage of better performance in terms of mechanical resistance/weight and a reduction in energy balance for their production.
The reference number 31 in figure 9 indicates the fixed part of the frame, while 32 indicates the extractable part; in figure 10 the reference number 33 indicates the vertical beam supporting the gangway and 34 the free space for the corridor at its maximum extension.
The reference number 35 in figures 12 and 13 indicates the vertical beams which can be used to support the gangways during transport, while 36 indicates the non-slip metal surface fixed to the mobile frame.
The invention is described above with reference to a preferred embodiment . It is nevertheless clear that the invention is susceptible to numerous variations which lie within its scope, within the framework of technical equivalents .
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