Patent Publication Number: US-RE39639-E

Title: Liftable grout hopper and dispenser

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In cement block building construction, it often times is necessary to place grout inside of the cement blocks after the blocks have been laid in place. Historically this has involved labor intensive activity especially if the grout is being placed at the first or second story level. One technique is to use a grout pump which takes a lot of time to set up and dismantle. An average of 200 feet of two inch hose is required to get from the pump to the location. This involves three to four men moving hoses during pumping. The other historical approach is to use a mortar tub, shovel and five gallon buckets. The five gallon buckets are filled from the mortar tub and raised by hand to a place to where the grout or mortar would be put into the cement block. This is also very labor intensive. An attempt to solve this problem is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,760 Kohout which uses a scoop to load grout into the scoop and there is an auger connected to an opening, the auger being hydraulically operated. In use, the opening is placed near the location where the grout is to be delivered. This limits the flexibility of use of the device and also there is no provision to stop the flow of the grout from the opening. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Applicant&#39;s grout hopper and dispenser utilizes a container into which grout may be placed. The bottom of the container has an auger which moves the grout into a tube. When the auger is not turning, it functions as a shut off valve in the tube and when the auger is moving, the grout moves through a flexible hose so that the grout may be placed conveniently in the preferred locations in the cement block construction. The auger is hydraulically operated and remotely controlled by the operator of a forklift which is used to lift the entire container and dispenser into position above the cement block portion of the building into which the mortar or grout is to be introduced. The auger is remotely controlled by the forklift operator responding to visual signals from the workman who is placing the grout in the cement block construction. 
     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a combined grout hopper and dispenser in which the flow of the grout from the dispenser may be remotely controlled. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide such a grout hopper and dispenser wherein the flow of mortar from the dispenser can be carefully positioned in the cement block with a minimum amount of labor. 
     This together with other objects of the invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG.  1 . Applicant&#39;s grout hopper and dispenser positioned on a forklift. 
       FIG.  2 . Applicant&#39;s combined grout hopper and dispenser on the forklift with the grout hopper in position so that gravity flow with the help of the auger will permit the grout to be directed to the appropriate position in the concrete block wall under construction. 
         FIG. 3. A  rear perspective view of the grout hopper and dispenser. 
         FIG. 4. A  side elevation view of the grout hopper and dispenser. 
         FIG. 5. A  top view of the grout hopper and dispenser. 
         FIG. 6. A  section of the dispenser portion of the grout hopper and dispenser on the section lines  6 — 6 . 
         FIG. 7. A  perspective view of one of the supports for the grout hopper and dispenser adapted to fit over the forklift arm. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows Applicant&#39;s grout hopper and dispenser  10  on a typical forklift vehicle  11 . The grout hopper and dispenser  10  is essentially square in shape with the bottom being narrower than the top and extending from the narrow portion  12  of the grout hopper and dispenser  10  is a tube  13 . This tube is provided with a thumb plug  14  through which water may be added to the tube to avoid plugging of the tube by grout in hot weather. Removable cap  15  is located at the end of tube  13  removal of auger for easy cleaning and will be further described below. A flexible hose  16  is connected to the tube  13  to enable the operators to accurately place the grout in the concrete block. The base  17  of the grout hopper and dispenser  10  is so constructed as to fit over the arms of the forklift and also enable the grout hopper and dispenser  10  to swivel. This is shown in greater detail in FIG.  3 . 
       FIG. 2  shows the forklift vehicle  11  with the grout hopper and dispenser  10  positioned above a concrete block wall  18  so that the grout will be placed precisely where desired in the concrete block wall. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3  which is a rear perspective view, the grout hopper and dispenser  10  is shown supported on a center post  20  on which it can swivel and also on four rollers  20 a— 20 a which in turn are supported on a platform  21  provided with two tubular members  22 — 22  of a size adapted to fit over the arms of the forklift. Also shown is the hydraulic motor  23  which is used to drive the auger to be later described and the hydraulic hoses  24 — 24  which are connected to the hydraulic system on the forklift vehicle  11 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , this is a side elevation view of Applicant&#39;s grout hopper and dispenser  10 , showing the unit positioned on one of the arms  25  of a forklift shown in dotted outline. The clean out cap  15  is shown being held by clamp  15 a and this may be seen more readily in  FIG. 5  where there are two clamps  15 a— 15 a which hold the auger removal and clean out cap  15  in place on the tube  13 . This top view of the grout hopper and dispenser  10  also shows the auger  26  which is driven by the hydraulic motor  23  and which auger  26  extends the entire length of the grout hopper and dispenser and the full length of the tube  13 . This will be more apparent from a review of  FIG. 6  which is a sectional view of  FIG. 5  on the section lines  6 — 6 . 
     It will be noted that when the auger  26  is not turning, because of its placement in the tube  13 , and because of the nature of the product being delivered, it acts as an effective shut off valve to prevent more of the grout to flow through the tube. 
       FIG. 7  shows a locking mechanism which may be placed on the ends of member  22  and is provided with two flat members  27 — 27  provided with holes  28 — 28  into which a bar  29  may be inserted. The arms of the forklift are flat where they support the weight being lifted but terminate at an upstanding right angle in the portion that is connected to the forklift. So if the forklift arm is inserted into member  22 , the upstanding portion of the forklift arm will be closer to the open end of member  22  than the two holes  28 . Thus if the bar  29  is inserted therein, it effectively locks the grout hopper and dispenser from possible sliding off the arms of the forklift. 
     In use the grout hopper and dispenser  10  may be slid over the forklift arms  25 — 25  (see  FIG. 1 ) and the grout may be placed in the grout hopper and dispenser. The forklift  11  then moves to the appropriate location adjacent a concrete wall  18  so that the workman  19  may be in a position to utilize the flexible hose  16  to place the grout in the concrete block openings with the auger  26  being controlled by the operator of the forklift in response to commands from the workman  19 . 
     By utilizing Applicant&#39;s invention, a minimum amount of labor is required and the workmen are able to place the grout with great accuracy in the concrete block openings. The forklift can move the grout hopper and dispenser  10  slightly on command from the workman  19  to the forklift operator as needed. When the grout is fully discharged from the grout hopper and dispenser  10 , it may be readily brought back down to a level where it may be refilled, thus making for a very efficient, cost effective operation. 
     While this invention has been shown and described with respect to a detailed embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the scope of the claims of the invention.