Front-discharge transit concrete mixer

Claim 2

A front discharging transit concrete mixer comprising a tiltable cab-around-engine truck chassis of the type having means to permit forward tilt of the cab through an angle of substantially 45° or more about a lower forward transverse tilt axis and having within the cab an engine enclosure and a driver's position at one side thereof, a rotatable mixer barrel mounted on said chassis and having an axis of rotation directed forward and slantingly upward and having a barrel extension therealong projecting forward beyond the cab, said barrel and barrel extension having internal vanes so convoluted as to deliver concrete mix therefrom when rotated in one sense and to retain and continuously agitate it therein when rotated in the opposite sense, fixed discharge apparatus at the forward end of said barrel extension supported forwardly of the cab and above the level thereof, and having support structure including columns laterally outward of the cab adjacent to its forward end, said fixed discharge apparatus including a discharge funnel in position to receive concrete delivered by said barrel extension and a horizontal ring bearing positioned about the lower end of said discharge funnel, and a removable discharge chute the upper end of which is supported rotatably by and beneath said ring bearing in position to receive concrete from said discharge funnel, the cab roof and rear wall having a channel portion under the barrel extension and over the engine enclosure, whereby to accommodate said barrel extension, said channel portion increasing in depth toward the rear sufficiently to pass said barrel extension when the cab is tilted forward, whereby, on removal of said removable discharge chute from its support by said ring bearing, the cab may be tilted fully forward beneath the fixed discharge apparatus and between the columns for access to the engine.

Claim 3

A transit concrete mixer as defined in claim 1, wherein said support structure further includes a pair of longitudinal girders extending from said fixed discharge apparatus rearward spacedly above the forward part of the cab and flanking the barrel extension and descending slopingly downward, past the intersections of the cab roof and rear wall outboard of the channel portion, to girder mounts rearward of the cab, the portions of said girders forward of said roof-wall intersections being at such height as to provide clearance for the arcuate swing of said intersections about the tilt axis when the cab is tilted forward.

Claim 4

A transit concrete mixer as defined in claim 1, wherein the engine enclosure is offset from center away from the driver's position, and in which the axis of the mixer barrel and barrel extension is similarly offset, and in which the direction of convolution of the vanes for such continued agitation is in such sense as to displace concrete within the mixer to the opposite side of center, whereby such displacement substantially balances the offset of the barrel and barrel extension and permits greater room within the cab at the driver's position.

Claim 5

A transit concrete mixer as defined in claim 1, together with power drive means supported by said structure to rotate said ring bearing, whereby to control the azimuthal position of said removable discharge chute.

Claim 6

A transit concrete mixer as defined in claim 1, in which the ring bearing includes downward-extending pivot means having a common horizontal axis, and in which the support for said discharge chute includes pivot means removably mounted in said pivot mounts, whereby, when in place, said pivot means permit the chute to be inclined, and their removal permits the chute to be moved out of the path of tilt of the cab.

Claim 7

A transit concrete mixer as defined in claim 1, in which said discharge chute, when in place and supported by said ring bearing, is positioned at such spacing forward of the cab and at such height above the lateral tilting axis as to permit forward tilt of the cab through an angle of substantially 25° or more, whereby to permit limited access to the engine for routine servicing.

Claim 8

A front discharging transit concrete mixer comprising a tiltable cab-around-engine truck chassis of the type having means to permit forward tilt of the cab through an angle of substantially 45° or more about a lower forward transverse tilt axis and having within the cab an engine enclosure and a driver's position at one side thereof, a rotatable mixer barrel mounted on said chassis and having an axis of rotation directed forward and slantingly upward and having a barrel extension therealong projecting forward beyond the cab, said barrel and barrel extension having internal vanes so convoluted as to deliver concrete mix therefrom when rotated in one sense and to retain and continuously agitate it therein when rotated in the opposite sense, the cab roof and rear wall having a channel portion under the barrel extension and over the engine enclosure, whereby to accommodate said barrel extension, said channel portion increasing in depth toward the rear sufficiently to pass said barrel extension when the cab is tilted forward, discharge apparatus at the forward end of said barrel extension supported forwardly of the cab and including a discharge funnel positioned to receive delivered by said barrel extension, together with horizontal ring bearing means positioned about the lower end of said discharge funnel, and a discharge chute the upper end of which is supported rotatably by and beneath the said ring bearing means in position to receive concrete from said discharge funnel, together with support structure for said discharge apparatus, said support structure having as aft structure longitudinal girders extending from said discharge apparatus rearward spacedly above the forward part of the cab and flanking the barrel extension and descending slopingly downward, past the intersections of the cab roof and rear wall outboard of the channel portion, to girder mounts rearward of the cab, the portions of said girders forward of said roof-wall intersections being at such height as to provide clearance for the arcuate swing of said intersections about the tilt axis when the cab is tilted forward, together with means to release portions of the discharge apparatus in the path of tilt of the cab, whereby to permit their removal therefrom.

Claim 9

A front discharging transit concrete mixer comprising a tiltable cab-around-engine truck chassis of the type having means to permit forward tilt of the cab through an angle of substantially 45° or more about a lower forward transverse tilt axis and having within the cab an engine enclosure and a driver's position at one side thereof, a rotatable mixer barrel mounted on said chassis and having an axis of rotation directed forward and slantingly upward and having a barrel extension therealong projecting forward beyond the cab, said barrel and barrel extension having internal vanes so convoluted as to deliver concrete mix therefrom when rotated in one sense and to retain and continuously agitate it therein when rotated in the opposite sense, the cab roof and rear wall having a channel portion under the barrel extension and over the engine enclosure, whereby to accommodate said barrel extension, said channel portion increasing in depth toward the rear sufficiently to pass said barrel extension when the cab is tilted forward, discharge apparatus at the forward end of said barrel extension supported forwardly of the cab and including a discharge funnel positioned to receive delivered by said barrel extension, together with horizontal ring bearing means positioned about the lower end of said discharge funnel, and a discharge chute the upper end of which is supported rotatably by and beneath the said ring bearing means in position to receive concrete from said discharge funnel, together with support structure for said discharge apparatus, said support structure having as aft structure longitudinal girders extending from said discharge apparatus rearward spacedly above the forward part of the cab and flanking the barrel extension and descending slopingly downward, past the intersections of the cab roof and rear wall outboard of the channel portion, to girder mounts rearward of the cab, the portions of said girders forward of said roof-wall intersections being at such height as to provide clearance for the arcuate swing of said intersections about the tilt axis when the cab is tilted forward, together with means to release portions of the discharge apparatus in the path of tilt of the cab, whereby to permit their removal therefrom.

Claim 10

A front discharging transit concrete mixer as defined in claim 7, wherein said support structure further includes forward structure comprising vertical columns outboard of the cab adjacent to its forward end, and structural members extending inward from the upper ends of said columns at such height to clear the cab when tilted forward, there being means to connect said forward structure to the forward ends of said longitudinal girders, the said discharge funnel and horizontal ring bearing means being fixedly mounted to said forward structure at such level as to permit said channeled roof of the cab to pass therebeneath when the cab is tilted forward, and wherein said means to release portions of the discharge apparatus comprises means to release the discharge chute from the ring bearing.

Claim 11

A front discharging transit concrete mixer as defined in claim 7, wherein said support structure further includes forward structure comprising vertical columns supported by the chassis outboard of the cab adjacent to its forward end, and structural members extending inward from the upper ends of said columns at such height to clear the cab when tilted forward, and in which the said forward structure fixedly mounts a charging funnel and the said discharge funnel and horizontal ring bearing means, and wherein said means to release portions of the discharge apparatus comprises A. releasable means to connect said forward structure to the forward ends of said longitudinal girders, and B. means at the lower ends of the columns to permit said forward structure and said apparatus mounted thereon to be moved out of their positions relative to the barrel extension and cab, whereby, when said means to connect the forward structure to said girders is released, to permit servicing of said apparatus at ground level as well as unrestricted forward tilt of the cab without removing the discharge chute.

Claim 12

A front discharging transit concrete mixer as defined in claim 9, wherein the said means at the lower ends of the columns comprises means to permit forward tilt thereof about a transverse axis.

Claim 13

A front discharging transit concrete mixer as defined in claim 9, wherein the said means at the lower ends of the columns comprises vertical socket means into which the column lower ends are removably fitted.

Claim 14

A front discharging transit concrete mixer comprising a tiltable cab-around-engine truck chassis of the type having means to permit forward tilt of the cab through an angle of substantially 45° or more about a lower forward transverse tilt axis and having within the cab an engine enclosure and a driver's position at one side thereof, a rotatable mixer barrel mounted on said chassis and having an axis of rotation directed forward and slantingly upward and having a barrel extension therealong projecting forward beyond the cab, said barrel and barrel extension having internal vanes so convoluted as to deliver concrete mix therefrom when rotated in one sense and to retain and continuously agitate it therein when rotated in the opposite sense, the cab roof and rear wall having a channel portion under the barrel extension and over the engine enclosure, whereby to accommodate said barrel extension, said channel portion increasing in depth toward the rear sufficiently to pass said barrel extension when the cab is tilted forward, barrel charging and discharge apparatus at the forward end of said barrel extension supported forwardly of the cab, and support structure for said discharge apparatus, said support structure including forward structure normally mounted erect on the forward lower part of the chassis, and onto the upper part of which said discharge apparatus is mounted, and aft structure extending rearward spacedly above the forward part of the cab and sideward of the barrel extension and descending slopingly downward, past the intersections of the cab roof and rear wall outboard of the channel portion, to mounts rearward of the cab, whereby on tilting the cab said intersections may pass therebeneath, together with means to releasably connect said forward structure to the forward ends of said aft structure, whereby, on release thereof, said discharge apparatus may be moved from its normal erect position for servicing it and to permit unrestricted tilt of the cab.

Claim 15

A front discharging transit concrete mixer comprising a tiltable cab-around-engine truck chassis of the type having means to permit forward tilt of the cab through an angle of substantially 45° or more about a lower forward transverse tilt axis and having within the cab an engine enclosure and a driver's position at one side thereof, a rotatable mixer barrel mounted on said chassis and having an axis of rotation directed forward and slantingly upward and having a barrel extension therealong projecting forward beyond the cab, said barrel and barrel extension having internal vanes so convoluted as to deliver concrete mix therefrom when rotated in one sense and to retain and continuously agitate it therein when rotated in the opposite sense, the cab roof and rear wall having a channel portion under the barrel extension and over the engine enclosure, whereby to accommodate said barrel extension, said channel portion increasing in depth toward the rear sufficiently to pass said barrel extension when the cab is tilted forward, barrel charging and discharge apparatus at the forward end of said barrel extension supported forwardly of the cab, and support structure for said discharge apparatus, said support structure including forward structure normally mounted erect on the forward lower part of the chassis, and onto the upper part of which said discharge apparatus is mounted, and aft structure extending rearward spacedly above the forward part of the cab and sideward of the barrel extension and descending slopingly downward, past the intersections of the cab roof and rear wall outboard of the channel portion, to mounts rearward of the cab, whereby on tilting the cab said intersections may pass therebeneath, together with means to releasably connect said forward structure to the forward ends of said aft structure, whereby, on release thereof, said discharge apparatus may be moved from its normal erect position for servicing it and to permit unrestricted tilt of the cab.

Claim 16

A front discharging transit concrete mixer comprising a cab-around-engine truck chassis of the type having within the cab an engine enclosure and a driver's position at one side thereof, a rotatable mixer barrel mouned on said chassis and having an axis of rotation directed forward and slantingly upward and having a barrel extension therealong projecting forward beyond the cab, said barrel and barrel extension having internal vanes so convoluted as to deliver concrete mix therefrom when rotated in one sense and to retain and continuously agitate it therein when rotated in the opposite sense, the cab roof and rear wall having a channel portion under the barrel extension and over the engine enclosure, whereby to accommodate said barrel extension, said channel portion increasing in depth toward the rear sufficiently to accommodate said barrel extension, barrel charging and discharge apparatus at the forward end of said barrel extension supported forwardly of the cab and including a discharge funnel positioned to receive concrete delivered by said barrel extension, together with horizontal ring bearing means positioned about the lower end of said discharge funnel, and a discharge chute the upper end of which is supported rotatably by and beneath the said ring bearing means in position to receive concrete from said discharge funnel, together with support structure for said discharge apparatus, whereby front discharge of concrete mix is achieved at a minimum height without loss of seating space within the cab.

Claim 17

A front discharging transit concrete mixer comprising a cab-around-engine truck chassis of the type having within the cab an engine enclosure and a driver's position at one side thereof, a rotatable mixer barrel mouned on said chassis and having an axis of rotation directed forward and slantingly upward and having a barrel extension therealong projecting forward beyond the cab, said barrel and barrel extension having internal vanes so convoluted as to deliver concrete mix therefrom when rotated in one sense and to retain and continuously agitate it therein when rotated in the opposite sense, the cab roof and rear wall having a channel portion under the barrel extension and over the engine enclosure, whereby to accommodate said barrel extension, said channel portion increasing in depth toward the rear sufficiently to accommodate said barrel extension, barrel charging and discharge apparatus at the forward end of said barrel extension supported forwardly of the cab and including a discharge funnel positioned to receive concrete delivered by said barrel extension, together with horizontal ring bearing means positioned about the lower end of said discharge funnel, and a discharge chute the upper end of which is supported rotatably by and beneath the said ring bearing means in position to receive concrete from said discharge funnel, together with support structure for said discharge apparatus, whereby front discharge of concrete mix is achieved at a minimum height without loss of seating space within the cab.

Claim 18

A transit concrete mixer as defined in claim 13, wherein the engine enclosure is offset from center away from the driver's position, and in which the axis of the mixer barrel and barrel extension is similarly offset, and in which the direction of convolution of the vanes for such continued agitation is in such sense as to displace concrete within the mixer to the opposite side of center, whereby such displacement substantially balances the offset of the barrel and barrel extension and permits greater room within the cab at the driver's position.