Improvements in Mixing Machines for Concrete and other purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 3rd July, 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mixing Machines for Concrete and other
purposes.
I, ROBERT HENRY TAYLOR 2, Winchester Terrace, Newcastle-on-Tyne in the
County of Northumberland, Civil and Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in portable mixing machines for concrete
and the like, the object being to mix the materials thoroughly, as quickly as possible,
and so allow time for the placing of the concrete in position before the initial
setting of the cement commences, which in consequence of the delay that often
occurs, is a source of great weakness in the concrete constructions of many works of
the present time.
I accomplish the accelerated mixing by means of a pair of steel plate truncated
cones of one third, one half, or two thirds of a cube yard mixing capacity, or more
if required, perfectly plain on their inner surface, mounted in a suitable manner on
a wagon or trolley, the same being supplied with the material to be mixed
through the truncated opening of one cone, by means of an irregular sided hopper
with spout, which is lifted to its discharging position by a specially designed lifting
screw or rack jack, if a screw is used it is formed with double three eights of an
inch square threads, one and a half an inch pitch to give quick motion, the head
of the screw being attached to the under side of hopper by an ordinary pin knuckle
joint fixed to the cross bar under the hopper for spreding the pressure, the
Ecrew being worked by a mitre wheel having a female thread in the boss to fit the
bci ew, the wheel being driven by two gun metal mitre pinions on the ends of two
small shafts (having crank handles) running in brasses carried on one double cast
iron bracket and two wrot iron ditto attached to the side of the wagon or trolley.
The bearing for the mitre wheel being of wrot iron, slung from the outside
of the brasses on the inner side of each of the cast iron double brackets.
arrangement enables the screw to have a pendulous motion as the head of same
traverses the arc of the circle, having its centre of motion at the mouth of the
hopper and opening of cone; In the case of this arrangement being worked by
steam power off the main driving shaft of the machine, a pair of chain wheels, and
endless chain are used, one of the small shafts and pinions described above are
dispensed with, and a geared connection for reducing the speed and reversing
is substituted. The lower chain wheel having a pinion fixed to it and two loose
pinions running in it on a carrier to lift up and down, so as to engage either one or
the other with a larger diameter wheel below them, and so produce reverse motion.
The said larger diameter wheel is mounted on a small shaft having bearings, and a
mitre pinion to engage with another at right angles that works the shaft and mitre
pinion gearing into the screw wheel.
This
If the rack jack is used for the smaller size hoppers the head of same is secured
in a similar manner, or with a tee head spreading out to two knuckle joints, the
rack being worked by the ordinary jack motion of wheels and pinions enclosed in a
wrot iron frame casing (having a crank handle outside) which is slung from the top
inside corner to the wagon or trolley on centre line of hopper, with straps and pin

page_text: joints to allow movement and give the pendulous action to rack to traverse the arc
described in lifting as before. Slung on the side of the said wagon or trolley in a
manner that enables a navvy single handed to lift and discharge the contents of the
hopper and return same for recharging.
In the meantime dry mixing is being proceeded with, and water added to the
mixture, by means of a hole bored through the centre of bearing shaft attached to
the truncated part of the other cone, a pipe from the shaft leading the water to the
centre of the pair of cones, and by means of holes in a bulb at the end of pipe
spraying the water over the aggregate material to be mixed, the water being
supplied from a fixed tank on standards on the wagon or trolley, and a flexible hose
leading the water from same to the shaft which has a special made stuffing box
joint for same. The gland of stuffing box screws on to the outside of shaft and is
fixed in the desired position by a set screw, the box being recessed out of the shaft,
and a further recess for the collar on the brass end of the flexible tube, the box
being filled with india rubber and flax stuffing, is pressed home lightly by the
sleeve of the gland preventing leakage while the shaft is turning round the tube of
the flexible hose, allowing the water to be supplied to the interior of the cones
while they are revolving, in the same manner that the aggregate is delivered into
the cones for mixing, also whilst revolving.
This invention also provides for the discharge of the mixed material into a shoot,
attached to wagon or trolley, during the revolutions of the machine, thereby also
saving much time.
This is accomplished by means of openings and doors on one of the cones,
manipulated by rods attached to a sliding boss on the bearing shaft, the said boss
being worked backwards and forwards ou the shaft whilst revolving by means of a
forked lever having pins projecting to carry brasses pressing against the boss
to keep the rods hard up to the short levers of the doors, and so keep the doors
tight.
The pressure being obtained from a screw and wheel and lever attached to
the shaft bearing standard, and to the side of the wagon or trolley, in a convenient
position for the use of the man having charge of the mixing, and emptying the
machine.
The doors are kept perfectly tight by means of india rubber, semicircular in
section let into the doors which press on rather blunt knife edges formed by the top
edge of the angle iron frame of the opening, thereby preventing any leakage
whatever, the small amount of pressure necessary, adds but little friction to the
machine, and it requires but little motive power to work it.
The rotary motion is given to the machine by means of a large spur wheel rim
attached by lugs to the base of one of the cones, worked by a pinion on a counter-
shaft having fast and loose pulleys, on standards attached to the wagon or trolley,
the pulleys being worked by belting from an ordinary portable steam engine or
traction ditto, or direct by gearing from a small vertical steam, gas, or oil
engine, arranged on the wagon or trolley, the whole self contained as to motive
power.
By the combination and arrangement of the various parts described, the inventor
is of opinion they will form one of the most successfully designed, and useful mixers
yet made.
The mode of working being, as may have been previously gathered, from the
foregoing.
The materials forming the aggregate are shovelled from the ground, or cart, or
other conveyance, or placed by crane skip, or small tip wagon into the hopper,
which is then lifted by the jack and emptied into the cones while revolving, where
they mix dry. The man lowers the hopper to the filling position, then water is let
into the mixer from the measure tank. The machine running at twenty revolutions
per minute, a short time-say 14 minutes-suffices to perfectly mix the materials.
The concrete, and the like is then discharged in 20 seconds into the shoot by the

page_text: man working the lever wheel screw. He then closes the doors by the reverse
operation, and the same method of recharging is repeated.
Dated this 20th day of November 1895.
Improvements in Mixing Machines for Concrete and other
purposes.
I, ROBERT HENRY TAYLOR Garfield Lodge, Stoke, Devonport, late of,
2, Winchester Terrace, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Civil and Mechanical Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in portable mixing machines for concrete
and the like, the object being to mix the materials thoroughly, as quickly as
possible, and so allow time for the placing of the concrete in position before the
initial setting of the cement commences, which in consequence of the delay that
often occurs, is a source of great weakness in the concrete constructions of many
works of the present time.
In order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I have illustrated the
several constructional features in the accompanying drawings, which are to be
taken as part of this specification, and read therewith.
Fig. 1, is a sectional elevation of the mixer on centre line shewing interior of the
double cones, A. A, the lifting hopper, B, in position for loading, and C, when
discharged into the double cones, A. A. The rack or screw jack, D, for elevating
the hopper. The discharging shoot E, into which the four doors, G, on one of the
cones open to pass the mixed materials, the doors being opened by the sliding
boss, lever, screw, and wheel, H attached to the cast iron standard.
Fig. 2. is a side elevation of the mixer.
The spur wheel rim, I, is fixed on the steel cones by lugs, J, and is put in motion
by pinion, K. The truncated part of inlet cone is carried on rollers, L, carried in
cast iron bearing M.
Fig. 3. is a plan shewing the double cones, A. A. Hopper, B, and one of the
discharging doors, G.
Fig. 4. is a side elevation of power arrangement of pitch wheel, pinion, spur
wheel and bearings, and mitre pinion for working the screw for lifting the
hopper.
Fig. 5. is the front elevation of same shewing the pitch chain, P. & wheels, and
method of reversing the motion, by the three geared pinions Q to bring the hopper
down again for reloading.
Fig. 6. is a longitudinal section of the water supply pipe stuffing box on the end
of bearing shaft through which the water passes to the inside of cones.
I accomplish the accelerated mixing by means of a pair of steel plate truncated
cones A. A. of one third, one half, or two thirds of a cube yard mixing
capacity, or more if required, perfectly plain on their inner surface, mounted in a
suitable manner on a wagon or trolley, the same being supplied with the
materials to be mixed through the truncated opening of one cone, by a hopper
having a spout at the end and an ordinary screw draw slide at bottom to allow the
materials to pass in, and then be closed to allow of hopper being refilled with the
proper proportions of the aggregate. This kind of hopper to be used when it in
necessary to have a fixed one, i.e. that there are times when the portable machine
would be used as a fixed mixer, and it would be necessary to place a filling stage
for the materials to go into the hopper, which would then be fixed against the

page_text: timber or iron stage, or it may be kept in its upright filling position by two iron
stays on to the body of the trolley or wagon and so permit a crane or shoot or the
like to fill it, as may suit the circumstances and convenience of the work in hand,-
or an irregular sided hopper, B, with spout, which is lifted to its discharging
position by a specially designed lifting screw or rack jack D, if a screw is used it
is formed with double three eights of an inch square threads one and a half an inch
pitch to give quick motion, the head of the screw being attached to the underside
of hopper B, by an ordinary pin knuckle joint fixed to the cross bar under the
hopper B, for spreading the pressure, the screw being worked by a mitre wheel
having a female thread in the boss to fit the screw, the wheel being driven by
two gun metal mitre pinions on the ends of two small shafts (having crank handles)
running in brasses carried on one double cast iron bracket and two wrot iron ditto
attached to the side of the wagon or trolley, the bearing for the mitre wheel
being of wrot iron slung from the outside of the brasses on the inner side of each
of the cast iron double brackets. This arrangement enables the screw to have a
pendulous motion as the head of same traverses the arc of the circle, having its
centre of motion at the mouth of the hopper B, and opening of cone, A: In the
case of this arrangement being worked by steam power off the main driving shaft of
the machine, a pair of chain wheels and endless chain are used, one of the small shafts
and pinions described above are dispensed with and a geared connection for reducing
the speed and reversing is substituted. The lower chain wheel having a pinion
fixed to it and two loose pinions running in it on a carrier to lift up and down, so
as to engage either one or the other with a larger diameter wheel below them, and
so produce reverse motion. The said larger diameter wheel is mounted on a small
shaft having bearings and a mitre pinion to engage with another at right angles
that works the shaft, and mitre pinion gearing into the screw wheel.
If the rack jack D is used for the smaller size hoppers the head of same is
secured in a similar manner or with a tee head spreading out to two knuckle joints.
The rack being worked by the ordinary jack motion of wheels and pinions enclosed
in a wrot iron frame casing (having a crank handle outside) which is slung from
the top inside corner to the wagon or trolley on centre line of hopper B, with
straps and pin joints to allow movement and give the pendulous action to rack to'
traverse the arc described in lifting as before. Slung on the side of the said
wagon or trolley in a manner that enables a navvy single handed to lift, and
discharge, the contents of the hopper B, and return the same for recharging.
In the meantime dry mixing is being proceeded with, and water added to the
mixture, by means of a hole bored through the centre of bearing shaft attached to
the truncated part of the other cone, a pipe O, Fig. 1. from the shaft leading the
water to the centre of the pair of cones A. A. and by means of holes in a bulb at
the end of pipe O, spraying the water over the aggregate material to be mixed,
the water being supplied from a fixed tank F on standards on the wagon or trolley
and a flexible hose leading the water from the same to the shaft which has a
special made stuffing box joint for same. The gland of stuffing box screws on to
the outside of shaft, and is fixed in the desired position by a set screw, the box
being recessed out of the shaft, and a further recess for the collar on the brass end
of the flexible tube, the box being filled with india rubber, and flax stuffing; is
pressed home tightly by the sleeve of the gland preventing leakage while the shaft
is turning round the tube of the flexible hose, allowing the water to be supplied to
the interior of the cones while they are revolving, in the same manner that the
aggregate is delivered into the cones for mixing also whilst revolving.
This invention also provides for the discharge of the mixed material into a
shoot E, attached to wagon or trolley, during the revolutions of the machine,
thereby also saving much time. This is accomplished by means of openings and
doors G, on one of the cones, A. A. manipulated by rods attached to a sliding boss
on the bearing shaft, the said boss being worked backwards and forwards on the
shaft whilst revolving, by means of a forked lever having pins projecting to carry
brasses pressing against the boss to keep the rods hard up to the short levers of

page_text: the doors, and to keep the doors tight. The pressure being obtained from a screw
and wheel, H, and lever attached to the shaft bearing standard, and to the side of
the wagon or trolley, in a convenient position for the use of the man having charge
of the mixing and emptying the machine.
The doors G are kept perfectly tight by means of india rubber semicircular in
section, let into the doors which press on rather blunt knife edges formed by the
top edge of the angle iron frame of the opening, thereby preventing any leakage
whatever, the small amount of pressure necessary, adds but little friction to the
machine, and it requires but little motive power to work it.
The rotary motion is given to the machine by means of a large spur wheel
rim 1, Fig. 2. attached by lugs J, to the base of one of the coues, A. worked by a
pinion K, on a countershaft having fast and loose pulleys, on standards attached
to the wagon or trolley, the pulleys being worked by belting from an ordinary
portable steam engine or traction ditto, or direct by gearing from a small vertical
steam, gas, or oil engine, arranged on the wagon or trolley, the whole self
contained as to motive power.
By the combination and arrangement of the various parts described, the inventor
is of opinion they will form one of the most successfully designed, and useful
mixers yet made.
The mode of working being as may have been previously gathered from the
foregoing.
The materials forming the aggregate are shovelled from the ground, or cart, or
other conveyance, or placed by crane skip, or small tip wagon into the hopper B,
which is then lifted by the jack D, and emptied into the cones, A. A. while
revolving, where they mix dry. The man lowers the hopper B, to the filling
position, then water is let into the mixer from the measure tank, F. The machine
running at twenty revolutions per minute, a short time, say 14 minutes,--suffices
to perfectly mix the materials. The concrete, and the like is then discharged in
20 seconds into the shoot E, by the man working the lever wheel screw, H. He
then closes the doors G by the reverse operation, and the same method of
recharging is repeated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination, and general arrangement of the mixing machine as set
forth.
2. The combination of the necessary motions to admit of the aggregate
materials of concrete, and the like from a hopper into the machine while revolving,
whether the same be mounted, and movable on a wagon or trolley or as a fixture in
a framing of timber or iron, as set forth.
3. The novel means designed for getting the required quantity of water into the
machine for mixing the concrete and the like, while revolving as set forth.
4. The combination, and arrangements for lifting the movable hopper both by
hand and steam power, as set forth.
5. The method of discharging the mixed materials from the machine as set
forth.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1896
ROBT. H. TAYLOR, C.E.,
A.M. Inst. C.E., and M.I. Mech. E., &c., &c.