Chute actuating mechanism for concrete mixers

Aug. 12, 1947. G. A. FLEISCHMANN 2,425,674

CHUTE ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR,CONCRETE MIXERS. Original Filed March 1, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

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Georgefl.FleischTjianrv, teas#Aug. 12, 1947.

G. A. FLEISCHMANN

2,425,674

CHUTE ACTUATINS MECHANISM FOR CONCRETE MIXERS

Original Filed March 1, 1944

Sheets-Sheet 2

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Patented Aug. 12, 1947

2,425,674

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2-,425,674

CRETE· ACTUATING MECHANISM:. F©R: CONCRETE MIXERS

George A. Fleischmann, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Chain Belt Company, Milwaukee, Wis.,. a corporation of Wisconsin ©riginal application; March 1,. 194-4, Serial No. 524,595. Divided, and this application, April, 9, 1945, Serial. No, 587,399

Claim. (Cl. 259—172) 2 matin, and illustrating- more in detail the mechanism of the present invention for operating and locking; the discharge chute, the parts beingshown in the' positions- they occupy- during- the mixing of a batch of, concrete;

Fig, 4 is a view similar- t.o Fig; 3-,, but- illustrating·. the positions of the parts when the- chute has been, moved into the drum, to discharge the- mixed ToSitch.*

Fig,’ 5 is an elevational view- of the chute operating and locking mechanism, as seen from the left of Fig. 3; ,

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view on the plane indicated by the line G-—6 of Fig-. 5, looking- in the direction of the arrows; andFig. 7 is a partial horizontal sectional view- on approximately the. plane, indicated by the line7—1 of Fig. 4, looking down.

The mixer illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is- of the 20 semi-trailer type; and comprises a. chassis. 20 normally supported by wheels 2t mounted upon an. axle 21*. A pair of transversely spaced frame members, 22 of substantially inverted. U-shape extend upwardly from the said, chassis, and; a mixing, drum.. 23. is rotatably mounted within the framework provided by said frame members,, by means of supporting rollers 24 and; 25. The mixing- drum is driven by means of a. chain and sprocket drive 26 from a countershaft 27, which in. turn is driven,, through appropriate transmission gearing,. by an internal combustion engine, not here shown. The rear end wall of the drum 23, is, provided with the usual discharge- opening 28, and a. discharge chute 30 is mounted adjacent thereto,'being carried by a shaft 3f journalled in bearings, 32 carried by the upright frame members 22, whereby the said chute may be swung from an operative or discharging position shown in full lines, in Figs, 1 and. 2,, to an inoperative or- nondis.charg.c position, indicated in dotted lines in the latter

It. will be readily apparent from Fig. 2 that as above indicated, when in its non-discharge or dotted, line, position, the chute extends, considerably farther to the rear of the machine than it does, when in the discharge, or fuff line, position. Obviously therefore, valuable cargo space may be saved and the chute better protected against damage, if the machine be arranged for transport I with the chute positioned and locked in its full line or discharging position; and the chute operating mechanism of the present invention provides a simple and effective means whereby this may be accomplished.

The said chute operating mechanism comprises

The invention relates to concrete- mixers, and the present application is- a division of; my priorco-pending- application Serial No. 524,595 filed March 1,1944, entitled Concrete mixer.

As. set forth in said, parent application, the mixer therein disclosed is- particularly- intended tor air transport and in view of space limitations imposed by present day- cargo planes it is highly desirable- that so far as is compatible with- its rated: size and capacity,, the machine be- so con- ] structed and arranged as to take up a- minimum of space within the plane fuselage. The mixer is equipped with a discharge chute which is swingable from an “out” or non-discharging position to an “in”* or discharging position, and back again. The “out” position is the normal position of the chute, and* as is customary-in t-his class of machine, the mechanism for actuating the chuteincludes means for retaining- the chute in this “out”' or non-discharge position except when it is intentionally moved therefrom by the operator .

When In the non-discharge position however, the chute projects, materially farther from the rear of the machine, than it does when in its discharging position, and therefore, in order to meet the. above mentioned, space limitations, it is desirable that the chute be readily movable to and retainable in its discharge position for loading and transport by plane.

The present invention relates, more specifically to mechanism whereby the discharge chute may be easily moved to. and effectively locked in its discharging position whereby to conserve space during transport; and it further includes the provision of means whereby the chute· operating lever or handle may be moved to and retained in a more out-of-the-way position, where it is less likely to be engaged and/or damaged by other cargo.

One; form of construction embodying the principles. of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevational, view of a concrete mixer of the. type, disclosed in said parent- application Serial No. 524,595, with numerous conventional elements thereof being omitted however, as being unnecessary to an understanding of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the rear end of the mixer, as seen from the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view looking in the same direction as Fig. 2, partly in section and somewhat diagram25

2,425,674 an arm 35 rigidly mounted on the chute-carrying shaft 31, to which arm is pivotally connected as at 36 one end of a link 37, the other end of which is pivotally connected as at 38 to a crank arm 39 rigidly carried by a short rock-shaft 40 journalled in a bearing 41 mounted upon one of the frame members 22. The bearing 4i i_s provided with a pair of rigid angularly spaced lugs or projections 42 and 43, the latter of which has an adjustable stop screw 44 threaded through it.

। The shaft 40 projects outwardly beyond the bearI ing 41 and its projecting end rigidly carries a , hub 45 having a rigid quadrant arm 46 and a pair ; of angularly spaced ears 47 and 48, the latter of which has an adjustable stop screw 49 threaded 15 through it. As is best shown in Figs. 5 and 7, the said ears 47 and 48 project beyond the inner end of the hub 45, for circumferential alinement with the lugs or projections 42 and 43 of the bearing 41. An operating lever 50 is pivotally 20 connected to the actuating arm 46 by a bolt 51, and said lever is provided with a housing 52 in which is slidably mounted a spring-pressed plunger 53, the end portion of which is adapted to be alternatively engaged in the holes 54 and 55 25 formed in the quadrant arm 46.

When the chute is in its discharging position (shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 4) the several elements of the operating mechanism which have just been described, occupy the relative positions 30 shown in Figs. 4 and 7, with the end of the plunger 53 in the hole 54 of the arm 46. If now the operator swings the lever 50 in a clockwise direction through an angle of approximately 190°, from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown 35 in Fig. 3, the quadrant arm 46 will rotate the shaft 40 and the arm 39 carried thereby will lift the link 37, which motion will be transmitted through arm 35 to the chute-supporting shaft 31, whereby the chute will be swung to its “out” or 40 dotted line position of Fig. 2. In the course of this movement the pivot 38 between the arm 39 and the link 37 will be swung beyond the deadcenter line 56 between the pivot 36 and shaft 40, as indicated in Fig. 3, and thus the normal tend- 45 ency of the weight of the chute 30 to rotate the shaft 31 in a counterclockwise direction will tend to continue rotation of shaft 40 in a clockwise direction. However, as the parts reach the Fig. 3 positions the stop screw 49 engages with the 50 fixed lug or projection 42 of the bearing 41 (see Fig. 6) thereby preventing further rotation of the shaft 40 in such direction. A toggle lock is thus secured which is effective to retain the chute in its elevated nondischarging position, from 55 which it may be released however, by merely swinging the lever 50 upwardly and back to the position of Fig. 4. Motion of the parts in this direction is limited by engagement of the ear 47

As above indicated, in its discharge position the chute does not extend as far beyond the rear of the machine as it does when in its non-discharge position, and therefore the former position is the 5 preferable one for loading and/or stowage, particularly in cargo planes. However, as will be clear from Fig. 4, in the discharge position of the chute the operating lever 50 projects rearwardly, approximately as far as does the chute in its non-discharge position, thereby offsetting the advantages accruing from locking the chute in discharge position for loading and transport. To avoid this objection, with the parts in the full line positions of Fig. 4, the plunger 53 may be withdrawn from the hole 54 of the quadrant arm 46 and the lever swung upon its pivot 51 until the plunger end engages in the hole 55 of the arm 46, when the parts will have assumed the positions shown in broken lines in said Fig. 4, and in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2. In this condition the lever 50 parallels and is relatively closely adjacent the frame member 22, and lies wholly within the space limits defined by the other elements of the machine.

While one form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction as well as the precise arrangements of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore it is not wished to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be required by the claim.