Leveling discharge system for ready-mix trucks

Claim 2

In combination with a truck having a transporting hopper for flowable material and an opening through which such material can be discharged, a leveling discharge system comprising: A. a first element mounted on the truck for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis disposed longitudinally of the truck and downwardly extended from said axis; B. a second element mounted on said first element for pivotal movement about a substantially erect axis below said horizontal longitudinal axis and in substantially right angular relation thereto; and C. a chute having a receiving end and a distal end, said chute being disposed below the opening and mounted on the second element for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis disposed transversely of the truck, said horizontal transverse axis being below the horizontal longitudinal axis.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 in which the substantially erect axis is substantially vertically aligned with the opening through which the flowable material is discharged whatever its pivotal position about the substantially erect axis.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 including a plate rigidly mounted on the truck in a substantially erect plane transversely of the truck forwardly adjacent to said first element; and a plurality of rollers mounted on the first element in rolling engagement with the plate having axes substantially radially related to the horizontal longitudinal axis.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 including an arcuate track rigidly mounted on the truck substantially concentrically of the horizontal longitudinal axis; and a plurality of rollers mounted on the first element in rolling engagement with the track having axes substantially parallel to the horizontal longitudinal axis.

Claim 6

A leveling discharge system for a ready-mix truck having a mixing hopper and a discharge opening comprising: A. a first element pivotally mounted on the truck adjacent to the opening for movement about a substantially horizontal first axis disposed longitudinally of the truck and bisecting said opening, said element being downwardly extended from said axis; B. a second element pivotally mounted on said first element below said first axis for movement about a substantially erect axis intersecting said horizontal axis; and C. a chute having a receiving end disposed below said opening and below the horizontal axis pivotally mounted on the second element for movement about a second substantially horizontal axis transversely related to both the horizontal and the erect axes and being below the first horizontal axis, the erect axis being substantially vertically aligned with the discharge opening of the hopper.

Claim 7

A leveling discharge system for a ready-mix truck having a mixing hopper and a discharge opening comprising: A. a first element pivotally mounted on the truck adjacent to the opening for movement about a substantially horizontal first axis disposed longitudinally of the truck and bisecting said opening, said element being downwardly extended from said axis; B. a second element pivotally mounted on said first element below said first axis for movement about a substantially erect axis intersecting said horizontal axis; and C. a chute having a receiving end disposed below said opening and below the horizontal axis pivotally mounted on the second element for movement about a second substantially horizontal axis transversely related to both the horizontal and the erect axes and being below the first horizontal axis, the erect axis being substantially vertically aligned with the discharge opening of the hopper.

Claim 8

The leveling discharge system of claim 5 having means mounted on the truck engageable with the first element in spaced relation to the horizontal axis thereof to resist thrust on said element longitudinally of the truck.

Claim 9

A leveling discharge system for a ready-mix truck having a mixing hopper and a discharge opening comprising: A. a first element pivotally mounted on the truck adjacent to the opening for movement about a substantially horizontal axis disposed longitudinally of the truck and bisecting said opening: B. a second element pivotally mounted on said first element below said horizontal axis for movement about a substantially erect axis intersecting said horizontal axis; C. a chute having a receiving end disposed below said opening and below the horizontal axis pivotally mounted on the second element for movement about a substantially horizontal axis transversely related to both the horizontal and the erect axes; D. a plurality of rollers mounted on the first element having individual axes substantially radially disposed to the horizontal axis of the first element engaging a vertical, transversely disposed plate mounted on the truck; and E. a plurality of rollers mounted on the truck having individual longitudinal axes engaging a downwardly disposed arcuate surface mounted on said first element and curved substantially concentrically about the horizontal axis of the first element.

Claim 10

A leveling discharge system for a ready-mix truck having a mixing hopper and a discharge opening comprising: A. a first element pivotally mounted on the truck adjacent to the opening for movement about a substantially horizontal axis disposed longitudinally of the truck and bisecting said opening: B. a second element pivotally mounted on said first element below said horizontal axis for movement about a substantially erect axis intersecting said horizontal axis; C. a chute having a receiving end disposed below said opening and below the horizontal axis pivotally mounted on the second element for movement about a substantially horizontal axis transversely related to both the horizontal and the erect axes; D. a plurality of rollers mounted on the first element having individual axes substantially radially disposed to the horizontal axis of the first element engaging a vertical, transversely disposed plate mounted on the truck; and E. a plurality of rollers mounted on the truck having individual longitudinal axes engaging a downwardly disposed arcuate surface mounted on said first element and curved substantially concentrically about the horizontal axis of the first element.

Claim 11

A leveling discharge system, for a ready-mix truck having a mixing hopper and a discharge opening for discharge of contents of the hopper therethrough, comprising: A. a first element pivotally mounted on the truck adjacent to the opening for movement about a substantially horizontal axis disposed longitudinally of the truck and bisecting said opening, said first element being downwardly extended from said axis; B. a trough mounted on said first element having a receiving end beneath the discharge opening to receive contents of the hopper and a distal discharge end; and C. means for resisting displacement of the downwardly extended first element by the weight of the trough and contents of the hopper received by the trough, said means comprising: 1. a plurality of rollers mounted on one of said truck and first element in spaced relation to said horizontal axis having individual axes substantially radially related to said horizontal axis, and 2. means rigidly mounted on the other of said truck and first element having the rollers in rolling engagement therewith.

Claim 12

A leveling discharge system, for a ready-mix truck having a mixing hopper and a discharge opening for discharge of contents of the hopper therethrough, comprising: A. a first element pivotally mounted on the truck adjacent to the opening for movement about a substantially horizontal axis disposed longitudinally of the truck and bisecting said opening, said first element being downwardly extended from said axis; B. a trough mounted on said first element having a receiving end beneath the discharge opening to receive contents of the hopper and a distal discharge end; and C. means for resisting displacement of the downwardly extended first element by the weight of the trough and contents of the hopper received by the trough, said means comprising: 1. a plurality of rollers mounted on one of said truck and first element in spaced relation to said horizontal axis having individual axes substantially radially related to said horizontal axis, and 2. means rigidly mounted on the other of said truck and first element having the rollers in rolling engagement therewith.

Claim 13

The leveling discharge system of claim 8 in which the means for resisting displacement of the first element includes an arcuate track rigidly mounted on one of said truck and first element substantially concentrically to said horizontal axis, and rollers mounted on the other of said truck and first element in rolling engagement with the track, said rollers having individual axes substantially parallel to said horizontal axis and substantially equally spaced therefrom.