Portable concrete mixing and transport apparatus

Abstract

A portable concrete mixing and transport device comprises a trailer having wheels and a drum supported above the wheels, said drum being movable into and out of engagement with the wheels. Concrete mix carried in the drum is agitated by pulling the trailer with the drum in contact with the wheels, causing the drum to rotate. The drum may be tilted to allow pouring of the mix. The device allows for convenient and inexpensive transport and mixing of small quantities of concrete.

What is claimed is: .[.1. Apparatus for mixing and transporting concrete comprising: 
     
        rotating elements..]. 7. Apparatus for mixing and transporting concrete comprising: a trailer frame with a longitudinal axis;   two axels mounted on said trailer frame parallel to each other, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trailer frame and in the same plane as formed by said trailer frame;   four rubber tired wheels rotatably mounted on the four respective ends of said two axels and supporting said axels and said trailer frame for transport;   a cylindrical steel drum having an axis of rotation parallel to said axels, longer in length than said axels and having a diameter greater than the distance between the wheels on each side of said trailer, cradled between and supported on said four wheels for rotation by the same;   a forward support frame mounted on and extending upwardly from said trailer on the forward side, in a longitudinal direction of said drum;   a rearward support frame mounted on and extending upwardly from said trailer on the rearward side, in a longitudinal direction of said drum;   four longitudinal rollers, parallel to said drum and rotatably engaging the cylindrical surface of said drum at its vertical mid-point, two longitudinal rollers rotatably mounted spaced apart on the top of said forward support frame, the other two longitudinal rollers rotatably mounted spaced apart on the top of said rearward support frame, for stabilizing said drum against longitudinal movement away from said wheels;   two ring-shaped flanges mounted on and extending outwardly from the cylindrical surface of said drum, each ring shaped flange forming a plane normal to the axis of rotation of said drum;   four pairs of laterally opposed rollers having axes of rotation perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said drum, two pairs being rotatably mounted on said forward upright support, the other two pairs being rotatably mounted on said rearward upright support, each pair of laterally opposed rollers defining a low friction guideway for rotatably engaging a respective one of said flanges therebetween, for stabilizing said drum against shifting in the direction of its rotational axis which allowing said drum to rotate about its axis on said wheels;   a mechanical jack having a base mounted on said trailer frame, having a toothed upright support connected to said forward upright support and having a movable car which includes an internal ratchet mechanism for climbing up the toothed upright support;   a forward rigid cross-bar extending parallel to the rotational axis of said drum and perpendicular to the toothed upright support of said jack being pivotally connected to the movable car of said jack;   a rearward rigid cross-bar extending parallel to said forward cross-bar being pivotally connected to said rearward upright support;   two spaced apart curved steel straps extending between said forward and said rearward cross-bars and beneath said drum, one end of each said strap being attached to said forward cross-bar, the other end of each said strap being connected to said rearward cross-bar, for lifting said drum out of contact with said wheels when the movable car of said jack is jacked up the toothed upright support of said jack; and   two cradles hingeably mounted spaced apart on said trailer frame parallel to each other and hingeably moveable into and out of engagement with said drum, said cradles when engaged with said drum forming a semi-cylindrical surface with an axis parallel to the rotational axis of said drum, beneath said drum for supporting said drum on said trailer frame above said wheels, and when out of engagement said cradle hanging from said trailer   
     
     
        out of contact with all rotating elements. .[.8.  Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said drum comprises: a cylinder having closed end walls;   an inlet door in said cylinder for facilitating loading the concrete into said cylinder;   an access door in one end wall for access to facilitate maintenance or to facilitate loading the concrete into said cylinder;   a sliding door in the other end wall;   a discharge chute mounted on the other end wall below said sliding door and cooperating with said sliding door in order to facilitate discharge of the concrete from said cylinder; and   a plurality of agitating bars mounted on one end to the interior surface of one end wall and on the other end, mounted to the interior surface of the other end wall, said plurality of agitating bars parallel to each other and parallel to rotational axis of said cylinder, for agitating the   
     
     
        concrete when the cylinder is rotated..]. 9. A method of transporting and mixing concrete, which comprises: placing a predetermined amount of dry concrete mix into a cylindrical drum which is mounted on a trailer having four wheels;   towing the trailer to the site where the concrete is to be used with the drum out of engagement with the wheels;   placing a predetermined amount of water into the drum at the site where the concrete is to be used; and then   engaging the drum into rotatable contact with said wheels and   towing the trailer so that the wheels rotate the drum and mix the concrete mix with the water; and then   tilting the drum to one side of the trailer to discharge desired quantity of mixed concrete. .[.10. Concrete mixing and transport device comprising a trailer having ground engaging wheels, a rotatable concrete containing and mixing means supported on said trailer above said wheels, means between said trailer and said concrete containing and mixing means for raising and lowering said concrete containing and mixing means out of and into rotatable driving engagement with said wheels, and means for raising one end of said containing and mixing means to discharge mixed concrete   
     
     
        therefrom..]. .Iadd.11.  A method of transporting and mixing concrete, which conmprises: placing a predetermined amount of dry concrete mix into a cylindrical drum which is mounted on a trailer having four wheels;   towing the trailer to the site where the concrete is to be used with the drum out of engagement with the wheels;   placing a predetermined amount of water into the drum at the site where the concrete is to be used; and then   engaging the drum into rotatable contact with said wheels and   towing the trailer so that the wheels rotate the drum and mix the concrete mix with the water; and then removing the desired quantity of mixed   
     
     
        concrete from the drum. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12.  Apparatus for mixing and transporting concrete comprising: a trailer with a longitudinal axis;   a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on said trailer and supporting said trailer for transport, said pair of wheels having a coincident axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trailer;   a rotatable drum for holding concrete and having an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of said pair of wheels;   support means mounted on said trailer for receiving and rotatably supporting said drum and for holding said drum in contact with said pair of wheels for rotation by said wheels; and   a cradle hingeably mounted on said trailer and movable into and out of engagement with said drum, said cradle when engaged with said drum supporting said drum above said wheels, and when out of engagement with said cradle being out of contact with all rotating elements..Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.13.  The apparatus of claim 12 comprising means for lifting one side of the drum to tilt said drum and discharge the concrete therefrom. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. Apparatus for mixing and transporting concrete comprising: a trailer with a longitudinal axis;   a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on said trailer and supporting said trailer for transport, said pair of wheels having a coincident axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trailer;   a rotatable drum for holding concrete and having an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of said pair of wheels;   support means mounted on said trailer for receiving and rotatably supporting said drum and for holding said drum in contact with said pair of wheels for rotation by said wheels;   means between said trailer and said drum for raising and lowering said drum out of and into driving engagement with said wheels, said drum comprising: a cylinder having closed end walls;   an inlet door in said cylinder for facilitating loading the concrete into said cylinder;   an access door in one end wall for access to facilitate maintenance or to facilitate loading the concrete into said cylinder;   a sliding door in the other end wall;   a discharge chute mounted on the other end wall below said sliding door and cooperating with said sliding door in order to facilitate discharge of the concrete from said cylinder; and   a plurality of agitating bars mounted on one end to the interior surface of one end wall and on the other end, mounted to the interior surface of the other end wall, said plurality of agitating bars parallel to each other and parallel to rotational axis of said cylinder, for agitating the concrete when the cylinder is rotated. .Iaddend.