Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1 I PUMP
11¦ Prior Art and Summary of the Invention
12 This invention relates to pumps and more particularly
13 pumps adaptea for conveying building materials such as plaster,
14 concrete; mortar and sLmilar moist compressible materials.
15 The pump which is the sub`ject of the present invention ;
16 is an improvement over the concrete pump disclosed and claimed
17 in u. s . Patent ReO ~6~8~0 granted on March lO, l9~0 o The
18 aforementioned patent discloses the construction of a mobile
19 concrete pump that ha~ been widely accepted throughout the
United States and in most of the commercially important ~oreign
21 countrie5. The concre~e pump disclosed in United States Patenk ;
22 Re. 26,820 is a pump which~is a hydraulicaliy operated pump of
23 the piston-cylinder class. The concrete pump includes a
24 material or concrete chamber having a single control valve
element for controlling the charging and discharging of th~
26 I material in the material chamber. The material chamber is
27 provided for housing a single control element or what is
28l, commonly known as a ~lapper element, The flapper element may
29j` be a simple plate that performs ~he desired function of
30¦ controlling the material undergoing pumping for purposes of
31l, cha~ging and discharging the mat~rial~ The conveyance of
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material such ~s concrete through the material chamber is an
important consideration in the construction of a concrete pump.
The present invention provides an improved pump for
conveying building materials such as plaster, concrete, mortar
and the like and is an imporvement over the speci~ic types of r
pumps described and claimed in U.S. Patent Re. 27,820.
In accordance with the present invention there is
provided apparatus for pumping a moist granular building material,
for example plaster, concrete, or mortar, and including-
first and second pumping units;
a material housing having a substantially cylindrical
chamber internally thereof, the housing including a material
inlet and a material outlet communicating with the chamber,
the hous.ing also having means connecting the chamber with the
5 pumping units;means for charging the cham~er ~hrough the inlet with the
material to be pumped;
a valve element rotatably mounted within the chamber for
movement between two alternate positions for controlling flow of
material at the inlet and the outlet, the valve element dividing
the chamber into two oscillating protions and alternately
allow the por~ions to function with the pumping units as a means
to charge the material t~erein and to discharge the material
therefrom, the valve element being arranged in the chamber
relative to the inlet and the outlet so that in each of said
positions it isolates the respective portion of the chamber
discharging material from communication with the charging m~ans
but connects the said portion with the outlet, the ~alve element
being a one-piece plate-like blade element having align~d
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- coaxial trunnions extending from opposite longitudinal edges
thereof and being rotatably mounted thereby to swing about the
trunnion axis between said two positions and having oppositely
contoured shallow concave faces of preselected depth within a
preselected perimeter of each lateral face thereof for mating
with the adjacent walls of the chamber to form a conduit-like
opening through the chamber for reducing flow restriction of the
material conveyed through the chamber; and automatic means for
operating the pumping units and for changing the position of the
valve element in preselected timed relationship therewith.
The housing of the control element is constructed and defined with
a large, removable cover permitting the flapper element to be readily removed
for servicing and the like. In addition, the large cover opening allows the
interior of the housing for mounting the valve element to be readily machined
and thereby greatly simplifies the installation of the wear plates for
the flapper element. More efficiency in the operation of the concrete pump
has been realized by locating the tank storing the lubrication medium or
water for the pumping units so that it is directly connected to the material
or concrete cylinders thereof thereby eliminating the need for any additional
power source for conveyîng the water to the point of use, such as when the
lubricating medium or water is located at a re~.ote location from the pumping
units. In additionat the relocation of the point of application of the
driving hydraulic fluid fox the piston-cylinder pumping units increases the
overall efficien~ of the hydraulic system and eliminates the need for certain
hydra~lic seals required in the prior art hydraulic systems.
From a structural standpoint, the preferred enbodlment provides
apparatus for pumping moist ccmpressible materials such as plaster, concre-te,
mortar and the like wherein two pumping units are pro~ided. The pumping units
are arranged within an
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ellclos~d mat~rial housing having a material inlet means and
mat~rial outl~t m~ans arrang~d on opposite sides of the
cylindrical material chamber defined therein. The pump includes
means ~or charging the material ~o be pumped into the material
chamber. The material chamber includes apertures for placing
each of the pumping units in direct communication with the
material chamber. A single plate-like control member is
swingably or rotatably mounted in the material chamber to
subdivide the chamber for alternately allowing the individual
subdivided portions to function wlth the pumping units as a
means to charge and discharge material. The control member is
further characterized as a plate-like element having aligned
trunnions extending outwardly therefrom for rotatably mounting
the control element in the ma~erial chamber and being constructed
and defined from one-piece of material. The lateral ~aces of
the element is constructed and defined with concave surfaces
for matin~ with the adjacent surface of the cylindrical material
chamber for defining conduit-like passages for reducing the flow
restriction of the material conveyed throu~h the chambex.
The pum~i~ng units may be in the ~orm o~ piston-cylinder
Ul~its wherein the material cylinders are in direct communication
with the material chamber and a closed ~rolume is def ined behind
the reciprocating piston heads. A lubricating fluid storage
tank is mounted between ~he pumping units so as $o be coupled
directly in communication with the closed e~ds of each material
cylinder for permitting the lubricating medium to ~low in and
oui of the closed volume behind the pistc~n heads in accordance
with their positions without resorting to any addi~ional power
source.
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These al-d other featurcs of the present invention may be
morc fully appreciated when considered in the light of the
following specification and drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view wi~h a portion shown in section,
of the pump assembly embodying the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the material chamber
taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the material
chamber taken along the line 3~3 of Fig. 2;
FIGS. 4A and 4B when aligned as indicated aré a cross-
sectional view through an entire pumping unit taken along the
line 4-4 of Fig. l; .
FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the control valve~
~ounted on the pumping uni~s and taken in the direction of
line 5-~ of Fig. l;
FIG. 6 is a partial, sectional view taken along the line
6-6 of Fig. l;
FIG. 7 is a partlal, sectional view taXen along the line
7-7 of Fig. 4B, and
FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the principal elements of
the material housing illustrated in Fig. 1.
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1 ~he p~np of the present invention is particularly adapted
2 for pumpirlg moist, compressible materials ~u~h as l:uilding
3 materials, plaster, concrete, mortar, and the like. The pump
4 will be described in conjunction with the pumping of concrete.
The concrete pump may be mounted to the rear of the cab
6 of a motor vehicle or truck. In such an application the power
7 unit for the motor vehicle is employed as the primary power sourc
8 for~the concrete pump and i~ therefore provided with a drive
9 member coupled between the power ~nit ~or the motor ~ehicle and
the concrete pump. The power unit may be an~ other type of
11 convenient unit w~en the pump lS not mo,unted on a motor vehicle,
12 such as an electric motor~ for example~
13 The concrete pump generally comprises a pair of pumplng
14 units which are mounted on opposite side$ of a material or
concrete hopper~ The hopper~ as îs conventional, is,utili~e~
16 to receive and store.the,material or concrete to be pumped and t
17 supplied thèreto. , . . :
18 The pumping units are connected with a common material or .
19 concrete chamber for the~pumps!and are arranged in communication
therèwith and with the~hopper to allow.the pumping units to be .
21 directly charged with the concrete to be pumped from the hopper
22 and to be discharged from the pumping units in response to their
pumping strokes through a common outlet for the concrete
24 chamber. A,conduit is normally coupled to the outlet for 11
conveying the concrete to the point of utilization of the ',
26 concrete. The concrete chambex is provided with a single control
valve that is adapted to assume two positions and thereby
28 subdivide the chamber into,two portions for allowing the
29 , alternate.charging and.discharging o the concrete to occur
30 ! substantially.si~ultaneously in each portion of the chamber.
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The two positions of the single control valve are ef fect-
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ive for subst~ntially closing off one of the pumping uni~s from
the hopper while allowin~ the same pumping unit to discharge
concrete through the outlet. During this same interval, the other
pumping unit is substantially closed off from the discharge out-
let while being in communication with the hopper through the
hopper port. The charging of a pumping unit results due to the
drawing in of the concrete from the hopper as a resul~ of the
suction created by the pumping unit to be charged being xetracted
from its completed pumping stroke. The control valve is positioned
by ~ fluid pressure motor in a position to allow the pumping unit
to discharge concrete through the discharge outlet while the other
pumping unit is drawing concrete from the hopper.
The pumping units are constructed in the form of fluid
pressure pumping units and preferably are hydraulically operated
piston cylinder units ehreby the units are charged during their
return strokes. The pumping units are controlled by a fluid
power control circuit, preferably a hydraulic circuit, adapted
to control the alternate charging and discharging of the concrete
into and out of the pumping units while controlling the position
of the control valve.
The above structure and operation is a brief summary of
~he concrete pump which is disclosed and claimed in the afore-
mentioned U.S. Reissue patent Serial No: Re 26,280, a more
complete description of the construction of the mobiel concrete
pump may be found in the specification of the said Patent.
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1 ¦ Now spe~ifically refexring to ~he drawing, the general
2 ¦ organization of the concre~e pump lO will be examined in detail.
3 ¦ The pump lO generally comprises a pair of pumping units A and
4 ¦ B arranged with a concrete chamber housing e having a single
5 ¦ valve control element or flapper element ~ rotatably mounted
6 ¦ within the cylindrical concrete chamber CC. .The concrete to be
¦ pumped is charged into the concrete chamber CC by means of the
8 ¦ hopper H arranged in communication therewithO The sequencin~
91 of the pumping units A and B is controlled b~ means of the
10¦ hydraulic drive means ~DM~ The hydraulic drive means HDM
11¦ functions with a pair of mechanically actuated valves shown as
12¦ the cycle valve CV and the sequence make-up valve S. A
13 storage tank ST for stcring a lubri~ating or cooling medium,
14 such as water~ for the pumping units A and B is mounted
between the units A and B as illustrated in FigO lo
16 The pumping units A and B are arranged i~ a parallel
17 rel~tionship with the concrete chamber housing ~. The pumping
18 units A and B each comprise reciprocating piston-cylinder
19 assembles controlled so that their forward or power strokes
are utilized fox pumping concrete through the housing C and
21 their return, or suction strokes~ are utilized to charge
22 concrete into the pumping unitsO The pumping units A and B
23 are both identically constructed and for the purposes of
24 understanding the present invention only one of the units need
be examined in detail. To this end~ the pumping unit B is
26 shown in detail in Figs. 4A and 4Bo When the structure of
27 Fig. 4A is aligned with the structure o~ Fig. 4B~ the complete
28 ! assembly of thP pumping un~t B Wi 11 be appreciated. The
29 I pumping unit B comprises a material or concrete cylinder 12B
30 I having a reciprocating piston unit 13B mounted therein. The
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1 ! piston unit 13B comprises a pi~ton head 13HB mounted at the
2 end o the shaft 13SB. The concrete cylinder 12B is cl~sed at
3 one end, the left-hand end as illustra~ed in Fig. 4B, and
4 sealed by means of an ~loll ring 12-OB for enclosing the cylinder~
The shaft 13SB i5 arranged to reciprocate through the closed
end of cyclinder 12B~ The remaining end of the material or
concrete cylinder 12B is arranged in direct communication with
8 the concrete chamber housing C in order to receive the concrete
to be pumped in the cylinder 12B. The piston head 13BH is ~ :
hyaraulically controlled to reciprocate in a sliding relation
11 ship with the concrete cylinder 12B for drawing in the concxete
12 to be pumped from the hopper H through the concrete chamber
1 housing C and then pumping it through the concrete chamber CC
14 through a discharge outlet DO~ ~hen the piston head 13HB is
being retracted during the suction stroke rom the right-hand
position towards the left end~ or closed end~-o~ the cylinder
17 12B, the concre~e is drawn into the concrete cylinder 12B
18 behind the piston head 13HB~ During the pumping strokes of
the piston head 13H it ~avels from i~s left-hand end extremity,
as illustrated in Fig~ 4B t~ the right` for pumping the concrete
21 previously drawn into the cylinder 12B ba~k through the
23 concrete chamber CC and out a disch~rge outlet~ .
24 From the above description~ it should be appreci-ated that
there is a closed volume dPfined behind the piston head 13HB
when it is spaced from the closed end of the cylinder 12Bu
27 The closed volume is employed ~or receiving a lubricating and/~r
28 cooling medium behind the piston head 13HB a~ it reciprocate~
within the cylinder 12B~ as will be explained more fully
29 hexeinafter. A push/pull rod ass~mbly 14B is coupled to the
30 ~ p ston head 13HB and lS carried by the piston head. The rod
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1 ~ assenbly 14B is mounted outside of the pumping unit proper and ~ -
2 ¦ as illustrated in Figs. 4A and 4B is mounted on the top of the
3 ¦ pumping units A and B. The specific coupling of the push/pull
4 ¦ rod assemblies 14A and 14B to the piston heads 13H~ and 13HB is
5 ¦ best appreciated from examining Fig. 4b. A push-pull rod 14B
61 is mounted in a rod guide tube 15 secured adjacent the left-hand
71 end of the concrete cylinder 12B as best appreciated from .
~¦ examining Fig. 7O The sleeve 15 mounts an override spring 16
9¦ seated between a pair of spaced bushings 16B and ~urrounding
10¦ the sleeve enclosed poxtion of the push/pul~ rod 14B; see
11¦ Fig. 4a. The remaining end o~ the push/pull rod 14B is .
12 connected to a linkage assembly generally ide~tified by the
13 reference numeral 17B for operating one of the control valves
14 associated with the hydraulic drive means HDM. The push/pull
rod 14B for ~he pumping unit ~4 is specifically coupled to
i6 operate a cycle val~e ~V~ The push/pull rod 14A for the
17 pum~ing unit is similarly couplea to a linkage 17A f~r operating
18 a sequencing make-up oil valve S~ The hydraulic drive means
for the pumping units A and B is diagrammatically represented
2 by a box HDM in Fig. 1 and is generally o~ the same construction
22 as that disclosed in ~he aforementioned U. 5. Patent Re~ 26J820
The hydraulic pressure provided by thedrive means HDM is
23 alternately applied to the two pumping units A and B so as to.
24 alternately power the corresponding piston heads 13HA an~ 13HBo
The hydraulic pressure is also alternati~ely applied to the
26 opposite ends of a hydraulic cylinder 20 m~unted over the
Il concrete chamber housing C for controlling the position of the
¦I single control element, or flapper element F~ in accordance
29 I with the alterna~e pumping strokes;of the pumping units A and B.
31 The hydraulic drive means HDM alternately pressurizes the
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1 pumping units A and B to cause one o~ the piston heads 13H~ or
2 13HB to move forward on a pumpinq or concrete discharge stroke,
3 while the closed loop arrangement of the hydraulic circuit will I f
4 cause the okher pumping unit or piston head to move in the
5 return or suction stroke for charging the pumping unit with
6 concrete ~rom the hopper ~O The cycle of operati~n is controlled
7 by the two push/pull rods 14A and 14B mounted with the pumping
units A and B for operating the cycle ~alve CV and the sequence
9 make-up and valve S~ The cycle va- ~e CV when operated is
effective for changing the position of the flapper element F
11 and the valving (nct shown) for reversing the direction of the
12 pumping units A and B. The push/pull rod 14A for the pumping
13 unit A actuates the valve S for aut~matically maintaining a
14 constant volume of oil in the closed hydraulic circuit so as
to assure a full stroke o~ the pistons 13HA and 13HB. This
16 general type of operation ;s disclosed in the aforementioned
17 reissue Patent ReO 26~820~ .
18 The efficiency of the hydraulic circuit HDM is increased .
19 over prior art hydraulic circuits such as disclosed in Patent .
Re. 26~820 by coupling the hydraulic fluid to act against ~he
21 head side of the hydraulic pistons;see~FigO ~Bo In the
22 hydraulic circuit disclosed in PatPnt ReO 26/820 the hydraulic
23 pressure is developed to act on the rod side of the hydraulic
24 piston, see FigO 3 of Patent ~e. 26~820, or.example The
circuit arrangement in accordance with the pxesent invention
26 results in more efficient operation since there are less
27 hydraulic line lossesO In addition, certain costs are
28 eliminated by operating with a very low hydraulic pressuxe
29 on the rod side of the piston~ n~mely, the elimination of the
3 requirement for a high pressure seal between the hydraulic
31 cylinder ana the concret cylinder; no~e col. 8~ lines 57~71. .. -.
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1 ¦ The water tank ST in accordance with the present invention
2 ¦ is mounted between the parallel arrangement of the pumping units
3 ¦ A and B with the concrete cylinders 12A and 12B. The water
4 ¦ tank ST is specifically illustrated in Figs~ 1 and 6 of the
51 drawings. The water tank ST is of a substantially L-shaped
6 configuration and is arranged to be in direct communication with
. 7 the left-hand end of the concrete cylinders 12A and 12B, as
8 best appreciated ~rom examining Fig. lo The upstanding section .
9 of the L-shaped tank ST is provided with a cover 20~ The cover
~0 is ~ecured to the tank by means of a chain 21 fastened
11 between the cover and a fastener 21F~ as best appreciated from
examining Fig. 6. T,he tank includes means for draining the
13 lubricating medium or water from the tank~ The means for
draining the tank STI as lllustrated in Fig. 6~ is a manually
operated stopper 22 mounting a drain aperture 22D provided in
16 the bottom wall of th~ upstanding portions of the tank ST. The
17 stopper 22 includes a handle 22H of an L-shaped configuration .
18 .that is accessible through the tank opening when the cover 20
is removed to readily allow the water in the tank to be drained
21 through the aperture 22Do It is necessary to have clear water
in the cylinders to prevent damage to the pistons 13HA ~nd
22 13HB.
24 Important features of the present invention are the
constructions of the concrete housing C and its eoacting single
control element or flapper element F~ The ~oncrete housing
26 is internally constructed and defined to mate with the
27 configuration of the flapper element F so a~ to minimize any
28
tendency for flow restriction of the material passing through
29 the chamber CO The construction o~ the concrete chamber C
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and the flapper element F is bes~ appreciated from examini~g
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1 I Figs 2, 3 and 8~ The concrete housing C has a concrete
2 ~ chamber cylinder CC defined therein which houses the flapper
3 ¦ element F. The flappe.r element F is constructed ~f one piece
4 ¦ of material with coaxial trunnions YT arranged on opposi~e
~ J~ / L ~
: 5 ~ ~ of the rectangular plate--liXe element functioning as a
6 flapper element. The lower trunnion FT is rotatably mounted
7 in the concrete ~ousing C so as to mount the flapper or
8 rectangular portion of the element F adjacent the bo~tom wall
9 of the concrete chamber CC~ The upper trunnion FT is simil~rly
mour.ted.
11 The coniguration of the element F for the above-mentioned
12 purposes is produced by the contouring of the lateral faces of
13 the rectangular plate-like element functioning as the flapper
14 element.F. Within a preselected area of the faces of the
flapper element F a concavity is defined for mating with the
16 cylindrical wall surfaces of the concrete chamber CC within
17 the housing C. As best appreciated from examining Fig. 3,
1 the concave portion of the flapper element is in the form of
19 a shallow C coniguratîon. The contoured face of the flapper
. ~ r ~a~
21 element F/ when arranged with the àdjacent~u~&ee of the
22 cylindrical concrete chamber forms a conduit-like opening
through the concrete housing for minimizing any tendency for ¦
23 restricting the material or concrete flow through the chamber
24 CC. Since the flapper element F is constructed of one piece of I
ma~erial/ it is easier to machine and thereby the concentricities
26 can be more easily controlled than when several pieces haYe to
be machined and assembledO
~8 i It should also be noted that the flapper element F is
29 I provided with corrosive resistant sleeves secured by welding
30¦ to the trunnions FT and FS. Th.e sleeves are identified in
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1 Figs. 2 and 3 a~ sleeves ~S illustrated in their assembled
21 relationship with the concrete chamber C. The sleeves FS are
31 preferably cons~ructed of a chrome-plated material for corrosion
41 purposes. In addition~ the outer ends o~ the flapper elemen~ F
are tapered and provided with a hard facing overlay for the
6 complete lateral extent thereof for providing shearing edges
7 for the flapper element. The hard ~acing overlay is illustrated
8 in Fig. 2 and is identified as the portion ~OV on the opposite
g ends of the flapper element Fo
The flapper element F and the concrete ch~mber housing C
11 are also provided with wear means for minimizing the wear on
12 the flapper element F and the housing C per se. The wear means
13 comprises wear plates WP in the orm o di~cs, one of which is
14 mountea on the bottom surface of the cylindrical concrete
chamber CC within the housing C~ A similar wear plate WP
16 is mounted to the top side o~ the cylindrical chamber as shown
17 in FigsO 2 and 3O The concrete housing C is provided with a
18 large cover CC that is secured ~o the top thereof by fasteners
1 and is therefore readily removableO As illustrated in Fig. 3,
the cover CC is secured in position by means of fasteners 22.
22 The large opening provided upon the removal o~ the cover CC
23 permits the interior of the housing C to be readily machined
24 for providing a smooth surface. As a resulty the accuracy
with which the interior surfaces of the housing C can be
definea is closely controlled~ This permits the wear plate WP
26 'to be easily mounted and assembled in the desired relationship
on the bottom surface of the concxete cylinder CCO On prior art
28 structures~ machining was so difficult to accomplish that the
29 wear plates were mounted on uneven. cas~ surfaces and had to
be shimmed to provi~e even surfaces. The shimming was by means
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1 ¦ o~ a putty-like material which required a high degree of skill
2 ¦ to accomplish. The remaining weax plate WP is advantageously
3 ¦ secured to the inside surface of the cover CC; see Figs. 2 ~ 3.
4 ¦ ~ portion o~ the upper trunnion FT extends ou~ of the c~ver CC
51 to allow it to be coupled to the control valve 20 for rotating
61 the flapper element F between its two positions. The control
71 element 20 is best illustrated in Fig. l mounted to the top
81 surface of the concrete chamber and is readily accessible.
91 The concrete chamber CC is also provided with a plurality of
10¦ wear pins WPI secured in the housing C at the four joints that
11¦ the edges of the flapper element F move into sliding engagement 1
12¦ with; see Fig. l~ for example~ .
13¦ For the purposes of cleaning out the housing C, a pair of
14¦ doors CD, one of which is illustrated in Fig. 8, permit.
15¦ access to the interior of th housing C on opposite sides of
16 the flapper element F. The door CD is s~cured to the door
17 opening CDO.by means vf a seal CDS This allows any residual
19 concrete left in the housing C after completion Gf the pumpîng
operation to be readily cleaned out from both sides of the
flapper element F. With the remo~al of the doors CD~ a tool
22 may be inserted into the openings C~O to scrape out ~he co~crete
residue.
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