CONCRETE PUMP CHAIN

From Concretepumping

Patented Sept. 3, 1935 2,012,944

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,012,944

CONCRETE PUMP

Charles F. Ball, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Chain Belt Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 16, 1933, Serial No. 652,076 5 Claims. (Cl. 103—204)

This invention relates to pumps for concrete and other plastic mixtures having physical characteristics similar thereto, and more particularly to a recently developed type of concrete pump in 5 which the valves are never completely closed but on the other hand are moved from a fully open position to a partly closed position in which they only partially restrict the passages through which the mixture is moving, advantage being taken of 10 the peculiar stowing property of the mixture upon meeting such a restriction to effectively prevent reverse movement thereof. In pumps of this type there is thus always present a more or less open passageway whether 15 the valve be in fully open position or in fully • ' restricting position, and the pumps are of course incapable of efficiently handling liquids, since these would freely flow back and forth through the valves, even when the latter were in their 50 most nearly closed positions. On the other hand it is highly desirable at certain times to be able to pump water, for example, with such a pump, for the purpose of forcing the same through the discharge line or sections thereof to remove adher- ; 5 ing portions of the mixture. It is the principal object of the present invention therefore to provide simple and effective means whereby pumps of this character which heretofore have been incapable of pumping clean ; 0 water may be quickly and readily enabled to do so. . . A further object of the invention is to provide means for thus converting the concrete pump into a liquid pump and vice versa, which may be 5 readily put in place and removed, so as not to interfere with the proper functioning of the normal concrete handling valves. A still further object of the invention is to provide a set of supplemental liquid valves which 0 may be readily introduced into the pump and removed therefrom without removing or in any . way interfering with the concrete handling, valves, and which when in place will automatically' function independently of such concrete handling 5 valves to enable the pump to efficiently handle liquids which are passed through. the concrete handling valves, thereby effectively flushing and cleaning the latter. With the above and other objects in view which ) will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. ( Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters designate like parts in all the views:— Figure 1 is a side elevational view, more or less diagrammatic, of One form of concrete pump to 5 which the present invention may be applied; Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, through the inlet and outlet passages and valves of the pump shown in Figure 1, and illustrating the supplementary or auxiliary 10 liquid handling valves in operative positions relative to the concrete handling valves; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the complete liquid handling valve structure employed in the inlet passage of the pump; 55 Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the valve structure shown in Figure 3 taken approximately on the plane indicated by the line 4—4 of the latter figure; Figure 5 is a detail side elevational view of the 20 valve and valve housing shown in' Figures 3 and 4; and . '• Figure 6 is a bottom plan view partly broken away of the parts shown in Figure 5. Referring more particularly to Figure 1 the 25 concrete pump there shown comprises a base member 10 which carries a cylinder 11 within which is reciprocably mounted a piston 12 adapted to be moved back and forth within the said cylinder by means of a connecting rod 13 operated by 30 a crank mechanism, not shown, which in turn is driven from an internal combustion engine or other prime mover located within the housing 14. The cylinder 11 has communicating with it an inlet passage 15, see Figure 2, which passage is 35 controlled by a valve 16, here shown as of the oscillating plug type. A feed hopper 17 surmounts the valve 16 and is adapted to feed concrete or other analogous plastic mixture to the passage 18 of the said valve. 40 The valve plug 1-9 is of somewhat smaller diameter than the interior of the housing of the valve 16 to provide a clearance 20 between the. parts which clearance, while ' not objectionable but in fact beneficial, so far as the concrete mixture 45 is concerned, tends to render the valve inefficient in so far as the handling of liquids is concerned. The plug 19 is furthermore provided with a passage 21 which in the open position of the valve is arranged to align with the passages 18 and 50 which in the most restricted position is moved only to a point substantially as indicated in Figure 2 in which the solid portions 22 of the plug fail to completely cut off communication through the valve but leave an open, although restricted 55 Loading... Loading...

Patented Sept. 3, 1935 2,012,944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,012,944 CONCRETE PUMP Charles F. Ball, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Chain Belt Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 16, 1933, Serial No. 652,076 5 Claims. (Cl. 103—204) This invention relates to pumps for concrete and other plastic mixtures having physical characteristics similar thereto, and more particularly to a recently developed type of concrete pump in 5 which the valves are never completely closed but on the other hand are moved from a fully open position to a partly closed position in which they only partially restrict the passages through which the mixture is moving, advantage being taken of 10 the peculiar stowing property of the mixture upon meeting such a restriction to effectively prevent reverse movement thereof. In pumps of this type there is thus always present a more or less open passageway whether 15 the valve be in fully open position or in fully • ' restricting position, and the pumps are of course incapable of efficiently handling liquids, since these would freely flow back and forth through the valves, even when the latter were in their 50 most nearly closed positions. On the other hand it is highly desirable at certain times to be able to pump water, for example, with such a pump, for the purpose of forcing the same through the discharge line or sections thereof to remove adher- ; 5 ing portions of the mixture. It is the principal object of the present invention therefore to provide simple and effective means whereby pumps of this character which heretofore have been incapable of pumping clean ; 0 water may be quickly and readily enabled to do so. . . A further object of the invention is to provide means for thus converting the concrete pump into a liquid pump and vice versa, which may be 5 readily put in place and removed, so as not to interfere with the proper functioning of the normal concrete handling valves. A still further object of the invention is to provide a set of supplemental liquid valves which 0 may be readily introduced into the pump and removed therefrom without removing or in any . way interfering with the concrete handling, valves, and which when in place will automatically' function independently of such concrete handling 5 valves to enable the pump to efficiently handle liquids which are passed through. the concrete handling valves, thereby effectively flushing and cleaning the latter. With the above and other objects in view which ) will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. ( Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters designate like parts in all the views:— Figure 1 is a side elevational view, more or less diagrammatic, of One form of concrete pump to 5 which the present invention may be applied; Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, through the inlet and outlet passages and valves of the pump shown in Figure 1, and illustrating the supplementary or auxiliary 10 liquid handling valves in operative positions relative to the concrete handling valves; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the complete liquid handling valve structure employed in the inlet passage of the pump; 55 Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the valve structure shown in Figure 3 taken approximately on the plane indicated by the line 4—4 of the latter figure; Figure 5 is a detail side elevational view of the 20 valve and valve housing shown in' Figures 3 and 4; and . '• Figure 6 is a bottom plan view partly broken away of the parts shown in Figure 5. Referring more particularly to Figure 1 the 25 concrete pump there shown comprises a base member 10 which carries a cylinder 11 within which is reciprocably mounted a piston 12 adapted to be moved back and forth within the said cylinder by means of a connecting rod 13 operated by 30 a crank mechanism, not shown, which in turn is driven from an internal combustion engine or other prime mover located within the housing 14. The cylinder 11 has communicating with it an inlet passage 15, see Figure 2, which passage is 35 controlled by a valve 16, here shown as of the oscillating plug type. A feed hopper 17 surmounts the valve 16 and is adapted to feed concrete or other analogous plastic mixture to the passage 18 of the said valve. 40 The valve plug 1-9 is of somewhat smaller diameter than the interior of the housing of the valve 16 to provide a clearance 20 between the. parts which clearance, while ' not objectionable but in fact beneficial, so far as the concrete mixture 45 is concerned, tends to render the valve inefficient in so far as the handling of liquids is concerned. The plug 19 is furthermore provided with a passage 21 which in the open position of the valve is arranged to align with the passages 18 and 50 which in the most restricted position is moved only to a point substantially as indicated in Figure 2 in which the solid portions 22 of the plug fail to completely cut off communication through the valve but leave an open, although restricted 55 Loading... Loading...

Patented Sept. 3, 1935 2,012,944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,012,944 CONCRETE PUMP Charles F. Ball, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Chain Belt Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 16, 1933, Serial No. 652,076 5 Claims. (Cl. 103—204) This invention relates to pumps for concrete and other plastic mixtures having physical characteristics similar thereto, and more particularly to a recently developed type of concrete pump in 5 which the valves are never completely closed but on the other hand are moved from a fully open position to a partly closed position in which they only partially restrict the passages through which the mixture is moving, advantage being taken of 10 the peculiar stowing property of the mixture upon meeting such a restriction to effectively prevent reverse movement thereof. In pumps of this type there is thus always present a more or less open passageway whether 15 the valve be in fully open position or in fully • ' restricting position, and the pumps are of course incapable of efficiently handling liquids, since these would freely flow back and forth through the valves, even when the latter were in their 50 most nearly closed positions. On the other hand it is highly desirable at certain times to be able to pump water, for example, with such a pump, for the purpose of forcing the same through the discharge line or sections thereof to remove adher- ; 5 ing portions of the mixture. It is the principal object of the present invention therefore to provide simple and effective means whereby pumps of this character which heretofore have been incapable of pumping clean ; 0 water may be quickly and readily enabled to do so. . . A further object of the invention is to provide means for thus converting the concrete pump into a liquid pump and vice versa, which may be 5 readily put in place and removed, so as not to interfere with the proper functioning of the normal concrete handling valves. A still further object of the invention is to provide a set of supplemental liquid valves which 0 may be readily introduced into the pump and removed therefrom without removing or in any . way interfering with the concrete handling, valves, and which when in place will automatically' function independently of such concrete handling 5 valves to enable the pump to efficiently handle liquids which are passed through. the concrete handling valves, thereby effectively flushing and cleaning the latter. With the above and other objects in view which ) will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. ( Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters designate like parts in all the views:— Figure 1 is a side elevational view, more or less diagrammatic, of One form of concrete pump to 5 which the present invention may be applied; Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, through the inlet and outlet passages and valves of the pump shown in Figure 1, and illustrating the supplementary or auxiliary 10 liquid handling valves in operative positions relative to the concrete handling valves; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the complete liquid handling valve structure employed in the inlet passage of the pump; 55 Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the valve structure shown in Figure 3 taken approximately on the plane indicated by the line 4—4 of the latter figure; Figure 5 is a detail side elevational view of the 20 valve and valve housing shown in' Figures 3 and 4; and . '• Figure 6 is a bottom plan view partly broken away of the parts shown in Figure 5. Referring more particularly to Figure 1 the 25 concrete pump there shown comprises a base member 10 which carries a cylinder 11 within which is reciprocably mounted a piston 12 adapted to be moved back and forth within the said cylinder by means of a connecting rod 13 operated by 30 a crank mechanism, not shown, which in turn is driven from an internal combustion engine or other prime mover located within the housing 14. The cylinder 11 has communicating with it an inlet passage 15, see Figure 2, which passage is 35 controlled by a valve 16, here shown as of the oscillating plug type. A feed hopper 17 surmounts the valve 16 and is adapted to feed concrete or other analogous plastic mixture to the passage 18 of the said valve. 40 The valve plug 1-9 is of somewhat smaller diameter than the interior of the housing of the valve 16 to provide a clearance 20 between the. parts which clearance, while ' not objectionable but in fact beneficial, so far as the concrete mixture 45 is concerned, tends to render the valve inefficient in so far as the handling of liquids is concerned. The plug 19 is furthermore provided with a passage 21 which in the open position of the valve is arranged to align with the passages 18 and 50 which in the most restricted position is moved only to a point substantially as indicated in Figure 2 in which the solid portions 22 of the plug fail to completely cut off communication through the valve but leave an open, although restricted 55 Loading... Loading...

Patented Sept. 3, 1935 2,012,944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,012,944 CONCRETE PUMP Charles F. Ball, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Chain Belt Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 16, 1933, Serial No. 652,076 5 Claims. (Cl. 103—204) This invention relates to pumps for concrete and other plastic mixtures having physical characteristics similar thereto, and more particularly to a recently developed type of concrete pump in 5 which the valves are never completely closed but on the other hand are moved from a fully open position to a partly closed position in which they only partially restrict the passages through which the mixture is moving, advantage being taken of 10 the peculiar stowing property of the mixture upon meeting such a restriction to effectively prevent reverse movement thereof. In pumps of this type there is thus always present a more or less open passageway whether 15 the valve be in fully open position or in fully • ' restricting position, and the pumps are of course incapable of efficiently handling liquids, since these would freely flow back and forth through the valves, even when the latter were in their 50 most nearly closed positions. On the other hand it is highly desirable at certain times to be able to pump water, for example, with such a pump, for the purpose of forcing the same through the discharge line or sections thereof to remove adher- ; 5 ing portions of the mixture. It is the principal object of the present invention therefore to provide simple and effective means whereby pumps of this character which heretofore have been incapable of pumping clean ; 0 water may be quickly and readily enabled to do so. . . A further object of the invention is to provide means for thus converting the concrete pump into a liquid pump and vice versa, which may be 5 readily put in place and removed, so as not to interfere with the proper functioning of the normal concrete handling valves. A still further object of the invention is to provide a set of supplemental liquid valves which 0 may be readily introduced into the pump and removed therefrom without removing or in any . way interfering with the concrete handling, valves, and which when in place will automatically' function independently of such concrete handling 5 valves to enable the pump to efficiently handle liquids which are passed through. the concrete handling valves, thereby effectively flushing and cleaning the latter. With the above and other objects in view which ) will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. ( Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters designate like parts in all the views:— Figure 1 is a side elevational view, more or less diagrammatic, of One form of concrete pump to 5 which the present invention may be applied; Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, through the inlet and outlet passages and valves of the pump shown in Figure 1, and illustrating the supplementary or auxiliary 10 liquid handling valves in operative positions relative to the concrete handling valves; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the complete liquid handling valve structure employed in the inlet passage of the pump; 55 Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the valve structure shown in Figure 3 taken approximately on the plane indicated by the line 4—4 of the latter figure; Figure 5 is a detail side elevational view of the 20 valve and valve housing shown in' Figures 3 and 4; and . '• Figure 6 is a bottom plan view partly broken away of the parts shown in Figure 5. Referring more particularly to Figure 1 the 25 concrete pump there shown comprises a base member 10 which carries a cylinder 11 within which is reciprocably mounted a piston 12 adapted to be moved back and forth within the said cylinder by means of a connecting rod 13 operated by 30 a crank mechanism, not shown, which in turn is driven from an internal combustion engine or other prime mover located within the housing 14. The cylinder 11 has communicating with it an inlet passage 15, see Figure 2, which passage is 35 controlled by a valve 16, here shown as of the oscillating plug type. A feed hopper 17 surmounts the valve 16 and is adapted to feed concrete or other analogous plastic mixture to the passage 18 of the said valve. 40 The valve plug 1-9 is of somewhat smaller diameter than the interior of the housing of the valve 16 to provide a clearance 20 between the. parts which clearance, while ' not objectionable but in fact beneficial, so far as the concrete mixture 45 is concerned, tends to render the valve inefficient in so far as the handling of liquids is concerned. The plug 19 is furthermore provided with a passage 21 which in the open position of the valve is arranged to align with the passages 18 and 50 which in the most restricted position is moved only to a point substantially as indicated in Figure 2 in which the solid portions 22 of the plug fail to completely cut off communication through the valve but leave an open, although restricted 55 Loading... Loading...

Sept. 3, 1935. C. F. BALL $ CONCRETE PUMP Filed Jan. 16, 1933 2,012,944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Loading... Loading...

2,012,944 this outlet valve assembly identical with those previously described in connection with the inlet valve assembly. The outlet valve assembly is placed in posi- f. tion by detaching the first section of the discharge conduit 34, which is usually a short section, and substituting therefor the valve assembly just described which is retained in position by means of the wedges 33 and ears 32 above 10 mentioned. The water forced through the outlet valve IB' and the pipe section 31 will pass the valve 39, which is opened against the pressure of the spring 45, and flow through the pipe 72 and into the discharge conduit sections, as will 15 be readily understood. The conduit 34 is usually flushed in its assembled condition, although if necessary or desirable the sections may be dismantled and flushed one at a time. After the flushing operation is completed the outlet valve 2f assembly may likewise be removed from the position shown in Figure 2 and the discharge conduit connected up to pipe 31, whereupon the pump will function as an ordinary concrete pump. In some instances it may be found desirable -•"> to omit the valve spring 45 and permit the valve 39 to function as a gravity controlled check valve which is normally open, and which is closed solely through the action of the water on the pressure stroke of the pump piston. This will avoid the "•<> formation of air pockets in the pump. It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction as well as the precise arrangement of 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 claims. What I claim is: 1. Means for facilitating the washing of the elements of a concrete pump of the type havinc 40 a pressure member, mixture passages, and valves which are inherently incapable of efficiently pumping ordinary fluids, comprising additional valve means capable of efficiently handling washing fluids, removably positioned in and controlling j-, the mixture passages of the apparatus, whereby washing fluid may be circulated therethrough by means of the pressure member of the pump. 2. Mechanism for facilitating the washing of the elements of a concrete pump and connec- 50 tions, said pump having a pressure member, inlet and outlet passages and valve means which are inherently incapable of efficiently handling washing fluids controlling said passages, said mechanism comprising an additional set of valves capable of efficiently handling washing fluids,.removably positioned in and controlling said inlet and outlet passages without removal of said first named valve means, whereby washing fluid may be circulated through the passages, connections, and the concrete handling valves of the pump, by means of the pressure member of the pump. 3. Mechanism for facilitating the washing of the elements of a concrete pump and connections, said pump being of the type having a pressure member, inlet and outlet passages, and valves controlling said passages which are inherently incapable of efficiently pumping washing liquids, comprising supplemental valve structures capable of efficiently handling washing liquids, removably positioned in the inlet and outlet passages respectively ahead of and beyond the inlet and outlet concrete-handling valves, whereby the latter valves may be cleaned by washing liquid circulated through the pump by means of the pressure member thereof. 15 4. Mechanism for facilitating the washing of the elements of a concrete pump of the type having a mixture passage and a concrete handling valve which is inherently incapable of efficiently handling washing liquids, comprising a supplemental valve structure capable of efficiently handling washing liquids, arranged to be removably positioned in said mixture passage of the pump, said structure including an expansible packing member, a follower, and means for moving said follower to expand said packing member and thereby provide a liquid-tight joint between the valve structure and the wall of the mixture passage. '••• 35 5. Mechanism for facilitating the washing of the elements of a concrete pump of the type haying a mixture passage, and a Concrete handling valve which is inherently incapable of efficiently handling washing liquids, comprising a supplemental valve structure capable of efficiently handling washing liquids, arranged to be removably positioned in said mixture passage of the pump; and means engageable with the wall of said passage for positively retaining said structure in place against unintentional displacement. CHARLES P. BALL. 45 CO