GB2027602A

GB2027602A - Concrete Mixer

Info

Publication number: GB2027602A
Application number: GB7927076A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Alois Kober GmbH
Current assignee: Alois Kober GmbH
Priority date: 1978-08-03
Filing date: 1979-08-03
Publication date: 1980-02-27
Also published as: FR2432373B1; AT361365B; GB2027602B; DE2833963C2; DE2833963B1; ATA477479A; FR2432373A1

Abstract

To facilitate the compact folding of a concrete mixer during transportation, a foot (4) and a carriage (5) supporting a pair of wheels (6) are each articulatedly connected to a "U"-shaped frame (3), supporting the mixer drum, by a single bolt (9) traversing an elongate inclined hole (8) (or pair of aligned holes (8)), formed at the upper ends of the foot (4) and carriage (5). Figure 3 shows the bolts (9) at the upper ends of the holes (8) when the concrete mixer is lifted to enable the foot (4) and carriage (5) to be folded into the broken line position. The axle (7) supporting the wheels (6) is of "V"- shape when viewed in plan with the apex of the "V" pointing away from the foot (4). Thus, in the folded condition, the "V" embraces the horizontal bar of the frame (3) and the wheels (6) can be disposed higher nearer to the mixer drum. Since the wheels (6) and axle (7) are higher the foot (4) can be folded correspondingly higher beneath the axle (7). In the standing condition, the bolts (9) are at the bottom of the holes (8) and the reaction between the bolts (9) and an inclined side of the holes (8) causes the upper ends of the foot (4) and carriage (5) to be clamped with a wedge-like action against the upright parts of the frame (3). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Concrete mixer Technical field of the invention The invention relates to a concrete mixer with a frame having a longitudinal member, on which a supporting foot and carriage are mounted, the said supporting foot and carriage each having an oblong hole traversed by a bolt.

Background art In such a concrete mixer, which is known from German Utility Model 74 16631,the problem is solved of designing a mixer immediately ready for use together with the relevant surrounding packaging for transportation, in such a way that the mixer and packaging form a unit suitable for the rough transport conditions and can be driven as an independent transporting unit and stacked on top of one another.

In this connection, the supporting foot and carriage are dimensioned, in conjunction with the point of articulation, in such a way that both parts can be pivoted, for the purposes of transportation or packaging, towards one another as far as the longitudinal side members of the frame.

Since the supporting foot and carriage generally have a U-shape in the articulation region, the problem arises, on pivoting these parts about the axis of articulation, of avoiding the lower edge of the upright post of the frame. To this end, in German Utility Model 74 16631 both the supporting foot and carriage are provided with an oblong hole that extends vertically when the mixer is standing and which is traversed by a bolt. The supporting foot and carriage are each also secured by means of a second bolt, which has to be removed when the supporting parts are to be pivoted.By means of the oblong hole it is possible, after loosening the upper bolt, to execute a relative longitudinal movement between the frame and the supporting foot and carriage, which releases a path along which these parts can pivot Disclosure of the invention An object of the present invention is to design the carriage and the supporting foot in conjunction with the frame of the concrete mixer in such a way as to obtain a further reduction in the packaging space and in addition a simplification of the system of articulation.

On the basis of the known concrete mixer mentioned at the beginning, this objective is achieved in accordance with the invention by designing the wheel axle of the carriage offset or cranked in the direction opposite to the supporting foot and designing the oblong holes inclined and slanting upwardly from below in the direction of the mixing drum wherein the supporting foot and the carriage each has a single bolt which, in the standing position of the concrete mixer, produces via the inclined edge of the oblong hole a wedgeshaped clamping of the support foot and carriage with the vertical post of the frame.

A surprising simplification and improvement of the concrete mixer is thereby achieved. By virtue of the offset or crooked design of the wheel axle of the carriage, which extends roughly parallel to the ground and in the direction of movement, it is possible for the wheels of the carriage to lie closer to the mixing drum in the packing and transporting position. The height of the concrete mixer in the packing position is thereby substantially reduced without having to provide any additional structural features.

Furthermore, a substantial simplification and improvement is achieved by means of the articulated connection according to the invention, involving a single bolt and in each case an oblong hole inclined with respect to the mixing drum.

The single bolt no longer needs to be removed, as is the case with the state of the art, in order to be able to pivot the supporting foot and carriage. It is sufficient if the bolt is simply loosened. The inclined shape of the oblong hole has two different effects. On the one hand, when the bolt is loosened the supporting foot and carriage can execute an inclined longitudinal displacement with respect to the upright post of the frame, whereupon the walls of these parts that are adjacent to one another in the standing position of the mixer move apart from one another and thereby facilitate the pivotal motion.In the standing position the weight of the concrete mixer is distributed over the inclined wall of the oblong hole via the bolt passing therethrough, whereupon a wedge-shaped clamping is produced between the supporting foot and carriage on the one hand, and the frame on the other hand, which results in a firm clamping of the walls of these parts. It is surprising that a completely firm clamping of the supporting foot and carriage with respect to the frame can be achieved in the standing position by means of a single bolt An embodiment of the invention is hereinafter described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings Figure 1 is a side view of the concrete mixer, Figure 2 is a plan view of an offset or cranked axle of the carriage according to Figure 1, Figure 3 is a partial side view of the concrete mixer according to Figure 1 in a position off the ground, in which the supporting foot and the carriage can be pivoted inwardly towards one another, and Figures 4 and 5 are a side view and longitudinal section respectively through a locking connection between the vertical posts of the frame and the supporting foot and carriage.

Best mode for carrying out the invention Figure 1 shows a concrete mixer 1 of conventional design, whose mixing drum 2 is mounted in a U-shaped frame 3. A supporting foot 4 and a carriage 5 are articulatedly arranged at the lower ends of the upright posts of this frame 3, and can be pivoted towards one another and towards the longitudinal members of the frame 3 in the packing or transporting position of the concrete mixer 1 shown in broken lines in Figure 3.

The supporting foot 4 and carriage 5 are each connected by a single bolt 9 to the frame 3. The upper articulated ends of the foot 4 and the carriage 5 are each provided with at least one inclined oblong hole 8 traversed by the bolt 9.

Preferably as shown, the upper articulated ends of the foot 4 and the carriage 5 are of U-section and an inclined oblong hole 8 is provided in each side limb of the U-section, the two holes forming an aligned pair of inclined oblong holes 8. The holes 8, in the position of the foot 4 and the carriage 5 shown in Figure 1 or Figure 3, are inclined upwardly from below in a direction towards the mixing drum 2. The U-section of the upper articulated ends of the foot 4 and the carriage 5 embrace upright components of the frame 3 as shown particularly clearly in Figures 4 and 5. Each bolt 9 is accommodated in a normal circular bore in the associated upright post of the frame 3 and passes through the pair of oblong holes 8 of the foot 4 or carriage 5.In the standing position of the concrete mixer 1 shown in Figure 1 , the weight of the mixing drum 2 and frame 3 is distributed over the inclined edges of the oblong holes 8 via the bolts 9, thereby producing a wedge-shaped clamping of the supporting foot 4 and carriage 9 with respect to the frame 3 since, on account of the inclination of the said oblong holes 8, the wall surfaces of the frame 3 and supporting elements 4, 5 lie against one another and thereby produce a rigid and secure arrangement and also obviate the need for a second bolt.

If on the other hand the bolts 9 are loosened and the concrete mixer 1 is lifted, the supporting foot 4 and carriage 5 can move downwardly in an inclined manner corresponding to the length of the oblong holes 8, whereupon the wall surfaces move apart from one another. This ensures an improved inward pivotal movement about the pivots formed by the bolts 9 and towards the transporting position, without encountering any mechanical resistance.

The wheel axle 7 of the carriage 5 is formed offset or cranked as shown in Figure 2. The bend 10 of the axle extends roughly parallel to the ground and in the direction opposite to the supporting foot 4. When the carriage 5 is pivoted about the axis of the bolt 9 inwardly towards the frame 3, this curvature enables the wheels 6 to move to within close proximity of the mixing drum 2 (see Figure 3), since the horizontal component of the frame 3 can be received in the bend 10. In addition, the supporting foot 4 in its inwardly pivoted position can occupy the space thus liberated by the curvature or bend 10 below the axle 7.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a further improvement concerning the locking of the supporting foot 4 and carriage 5 in the standing position. To this end, the frame 3 has a stop means 13 on each side of its upright posts, which in the embodiment, are formed by pressing out a wall region of the posts. This stop means 13, for example in the form of a lug, projection or the like, engages in recesses 12 located in the upper edge 11 of the supporting foot 4 and carriage 5, and thereby forms a locking arrangement for additionally preventing these parts 4 and 5 from pivoting or swivelling in the standing position of the concrete mixer. Figures 4 and 5 show a position in the case of a loosened bolt 9, in which the supporting foot 4 and carriage 5 may pivot.In the standing position the stop means 13 engages in the recesses 12, the dimensions of these parts 12 and 13 being chosen so that no resistance is presented to the relative movement between the frame 3 and the parts 4 and 5 by virtue of the inclined oblong holes 8. In a modification, the stop means 13 is provided on only one side of the upright posts of the frame 3.

Without necessarily limiting the scope of the invention claimed, preferred embodiments of the invention may be summarised as follows:- 1. A concrete mixer with a frame having a longitudinal member, on which a supporting foot and carriage are mounted, the said supporting foot and carriage each having an oblong hole traversed by a bolt, characterised in that the axle (7) of the carriage is offset or cranked in the direction opposite to the supporting foot (4) and the oblong holes (8) are inclined slanting upwardly from below in the direction of the mixing drum, wherein the supporting foot (4) and carriage (5) each has a bolt (9), which produces a wedgeshaped clamping of the supporting foot (4) and carriage (5) with the upright post of the frame (3), via the inclined edge of the oblong hole (8).

. 2. A concrete mixer according to Summary 1, characterised in that the axle (7) of the frame has a V-shaped bend (10), the advantageously rounded curvature (10) lying in the middle between the two wheels (6).

3. A concrete mixer according to Summary 1, characterised in that the upper edge (1 1 ) of the supporting foot (4) and carriage (5) has at least one recess (12) in which a stop means (13) situated on the post of the frame (3) engages in the standing position of the concrete mixer(1).

4. A concrete mixer according to Summary 3, characterised in that the stop means (13) is formed as a lug, projection or the like pressed out from the wall of the post of the frame (3).

Although reference numerals have been used in the appended claims to improve the intelligibility of these claims, it is expressly stated that these reference numerals should not be construed as limiting the claims to the constructions illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Claims

1.A concrete mixer (1) comprising a frame (3), a mixing drum (2) supported by the frame (3), a supporting foot (4), and a carriage (5) provided with at least one wheel (6), the supporting foot (4) and the carriage (5) each having a hole (8) ora pair of aligned holes (8) traversed by a bolt (9) whereby the supporting foot (4) and the carriage (5) are articulatedly connected to the frame (3), characterised in that the carriage (5) supports the wheel or wheels (6) by means of an axle (7) which is offset or cranked at a position between its ends in a direction away from the supporting foot (4) and in that the or each hole (8) in the foot (4) and in the carriage (5) is oblong and is inclined upwardly from below in a direction towards the mixing drum (2) whereby, in the standing position of the concrete mixer (1), the reaction between each bolt (9) and an inclined edge of its hole (8) or pair of holes (8) produces a wedge-like clamping action between upright parts of the frame (3) and the foot (4) and the carriage (5).

2. A concrete mixer (1) according to Claim 1 characterised in that said axle (7) has its offset in the form of a "V"-shape (10) situated mid-way between two wheels (6) on the axle (7).

3. A concrete mixer (1), according to Claim 2, characterised in that the "V"-shape has a rounded curvature at its apex (10).

4. A concrete mixer, according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the upper edge (1 1)of the supporting foot (4) and of the carriage (5) has at least one recess (12) in which stop means (13) situated on the frame (3) engage in the standing position of the concrete mixer (1).

5. A concrete mixer (1), according to Claim 4, characterised in that each of the stop means (13) is formed as a lug, projection or the like pressed Out from the wall of said upright parts of the frame (3).

6. A concrete mixer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.