Concrete pumping apparatus

Claim 2

Concrete pumping apparatus comprising: a hopper for receiving concrete, a delivery line extending from said hopper, a cylinder having one end in communication with said hopper, said cylinder having a piston reciprocated therein, said piston being movable in one direction to withdraw concrete from said hopper into said cylinder and in an opposite direction to force concrete from said cylinder, a valve in said hopper, said valve having one open end connected to said delivery line and an opposite open end, drive means for reciprocating said valve between two positions, said valve connecting said cylinder to said delivery line in one position and placing said cylinder in communication with said hopper in the other position, said hopper having bearing housings supported by opposed walls thereof with said bearing housings having bearings supported therein and defining axially aligned openings, said valve including a rigid tube having a flange at said open end, and a sleeve rotatably supported in an opening defined by one of said bearing housings, said sleeve having a second flange secured to said first flange.

Claim 3

Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said drive means includes a shaft rotatably supported in the opening of the other bearing housing and rigidifying means between said shaft and said one end of said tube.

Claim 4

Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 2, in which said tube has said opposite open end offset from the axis of the openings in said bearing housings and an arm connecting said opposite end of said shaft to said tube.

Claim 5

Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 3, further including a wear plate supported in said hopper adjacent said cylinder, and adjustable means cooperating with said hopper and said wear plate for maintaining said wear plate in contacting engagement with said opposite end of said valve.

Claim 6

Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 4, in which said adjustable means includes bolts extending through one wall having said bearing housing supporting said shaft, said bolts extending through said one wall and said wear plate for loosely retaining said wear plate, and screws threaded into openings in one of said one wall and said wear plate, said screws having free ends engaging an adjacent surface of the other of said one wall and said wear plate.

Claim 7

Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said delivery line is fixed to said hopper at a location spaced from the wall having said one of said bearing housing supported thereon and said sleeve has an open end in communication with said fixed delivery line and rotatable relative thereto.

Claim 8

Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 6, in which said one of said bearing housing extends beyond said wall and has an end adjacent said delivery line and in which said delivery line is supported on said hopper by a bracket surrounding said one of said bearing housings.

Claim 9

Concrete pumping apparatus comprising: a hopper for receiving concrete, a delivery line extending from said hopper, a cylinder having one end in communication with said hopper, said cylinder having a piston reciprocated therein, said piston being movable in one direction to withdraw concrete from said hopper into said cylinder and in an opposite direction to force concrete from said cylinder, a valve in said hopper, said valve having one open end connected to said delivery line and an opposite open end, drive means for reciprocating said valve between two positions, said valve connecting said cylinder to said delivery line in one position and placing said cylinder in communication with said hopper in the other position, a wear plate supported in said hopper adjacent said cylinder, and adjustable means cooperating with said hopper and said wear plate for maintaining said plate in contacting engagement with said opposite open end of said valve, said adjustable means including bolts extending through said hopper and said wear plate for loosely retaining said wear plate on said hopper, and screws threaded into openings in one of said hopper and said wear plate, said screws having free ends engaging an adjacent surface of the other of said hopper and said wear plate.

Claim 10

Concrete pumping apparatus comprising: a hopper for receiving concrete, a delivery line extending from said hopper, a cylinder having one end in communication with said hopper, said cylinder having a piston reciprocated therein, said piston being movable in one direction to withdraw concrete from said hopper into said cylinder and in an opposite direction to force concrete from said cylinder, a valve in said hopper, said valve having one open end connected to said delivery line and an opposite open end, drive means for reciprocating said valve between two positions, said valve connecting said cylinder to said delivery line in one position and placing said cylinder in communication with said hopper in the other position, a wear plate supported in said hopper adjacent said cylinder, and adjustable means cooperating with said hopper and said wear plate for maintaining said plate in contacting engagement with said opposite open end of said valve, said adjustable means including bolts extending through said hopper and said wear plate for loosely retaining said wear plate on said hopper, and screws threaded into openings in one of said hopper and said wear plate, said screws having free ends engaging an adjacent surface of the other of said hopper and said wear plate.

Claim 11

Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 8, further including a wear ring surrounding said opposite open end of said valve, said wear ring having a surface in contacting engagement with an adjacent surface on said wear plate.

Claim 12

Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 8, further including a second cylinder having one end in communication with said hopper, said second cylinder having a piston reciprocated therein and having said one end in communication with said opposite open end of said valve when said valve is in the other position.

Claim 13

Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 8, in which said hopper has a bracket extending from a wall with said delivery line fixed to a free end of said bracket, a first bearing housing extending from said wall within said bracket and a sleeve connected to said open end of said valve, said sleeve having an open end in communication with said delivery line and rotatably supported in said bearing housing.

Claim 14

Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 11, in which said hopper has a second bearing housing axially aligned with said first bearing housing and said drive means includes a shaft rotatably supported in said second bearing housing with rigidifying means between said shaft and said valve, and in which said opposite open end of said valve is axially offset with respect to said bearing housings with an arm connecting said shaft to said opposite open end of said valve.

Claim 15

Concrete pumping apparatus comprising a hopper for receiving concrete, a cylinder having an open end extending through one wall of said hopper, a delivery line fixed to a second wall opposite said one wall, a bearing housing secured to said second wall and aligned with said delivery line, a valve in said hopper, said valve having an extension rotatably supported in said bearing housing and aligned with said delivery line, sealing means between said extension and delivery line, said valve having an open end adjacent said cylinder, and drive means for reciprocating said valve between two positions, said valve connecting said cylinder to said delivery line in one position and placing said cylinder in communication with said hopper in the other position.

Claim 16

Concrete pumping apparatus comprising a hopper for receiving concrete, a cylinder having an open end extending through one wall of said hopper, a delivery line fixed to a second wall opposite said one wall, a bearing housing secured to said second wall and aligned with said delivery line, a valve in said hopper, said valve having an extension rotatably supported in said bearing housing and aligned with said delivery line, sealing means between said extension and delivery line, said valve having an open end adjacent said cylinder, and drive means for reciprocating said valve between two positions, said valve connecting said cylinder to said delivery line in one position and placing said cylinder in communication with said hopper in the other position.

Claim 17

Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 13, in which said one wall has a second bearing housing aligned with the bearing housing in said second wall and said drive means includes a shaft rotatably supported in said second bearing housing and in which said open end is offset from the axis for said bearing housing with an arm connecting said shaft to said valve.

Claim 18

Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 14, further including rigidifying means between said shaft and said valve adjacent said extension.