Fold-over chute safety device

Details Fold-over chute safety device Fold-over chute safety device

2002-09-24

2004-04-13

Ridley, Richard (Department: 3651)

Conveyors, chutes, skids, guides, and ways

Chutes

For rotary drum

C193S00200R, C193S005000, C193S006000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06719118

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a safety device for a foldable two-section chute system of a concrete mixing truck. In particular, the present invention relates to a blocking member positionable between adjacent ends of two chute sections when the chute system is transitioning from a folded position to an unfolded position.
Concrete mixing trucks are a common sight on the roads and at construction sites.
FIG. 1
depicts a typical concrete mixing truck
10
used to transport, mix, and pour concrete. The concrete mixing truck
10
comprises a rotatable drum
12
connected to the frame of the truck
10
. The rotatable drum
12
has an outlet
14
directed towards a two-section chute system
16
comprised of a first chute section
18
and a second chute section
20
. The first chute section
18
has a first end
22
and a second end
24
. The first end
22
of the first chute section
18
is pivotally connected to the concrete mixing truck
10
. The second end
24
of the first chute section
18
is connected to a hydraulic cylinder
26
that is attached to the frame of the truck
10
. The second chute section
20
has a first end
28
opposing the second end
24
of the first chute section
18
. The first chute section
18
and the second chute section
20
are attached by a pivotal connection
30
located at top edges
32
,
34
of chute sections
18
,
20
, respectively, adjacent to the second end
24
of the first chute section
18
and the first end
28
of the second chute section
20
.
The two chute sections
18
,
20
are traditionally capable of being in either a folded position or an unfolded position. During transport, the chute sections
18
,
20
are placed in the folded position with the second chute section
20
resting on top of the first chute section
18
as shown in FIG.
1
. When the concrete is ready for pouring, the second chute section
20
is rotated about the pivotal connection
30
until the second end
24
of the first chute section
18
and the first end
28
of the second chute section
20
make contact. The hydraulic cylinder
26
aligns the unfolded two-section chute system
16
with the desired location for pouring concrete. Concrete in the rotatable drum
12
is moved through the outlet
14
onto the chute system
16
.
One of the problems related to the two-section chute system of concrete mixing trucks occurs when the second chute section is in the process of unfolding. To move from the folded position to the unfolded position, the second chute section is initially manually rotated to an angle sufficient to allow the second chute section to continue rotating by gravity into the final unfolded position. The two-section chute system is in the final unfolded position when the opposing end of the second chute section abuts the opposing end of the first chute section and the second chute section is forced to stop its rotation. The weight of the second chute section, combined with the momentum of the second chute section from the gravitational rotation, can cause injury to a person working alongside a concrete mixing truck in the event the person has a body part located between the opposing edges of the two chute sections. If a person is unaware that the second chute section is being unfolded, the person may not be able to remove the body part from the contact area of the two chute sections in time to avoid injury. It is thus desirable to improve the safety of two-section chute systems.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The spacing device of the present invention prevents unintended contact between two pivotally attached chute sections of a concrete mixing truck, where the first chute section comprises an annular flange adjacent to a second end of the first chute section and the second chute section comprises an arcuate edge configured to contact the annular flange of the first chute section. The spacing device comprises a mounting flange connected adjacent to the second end of the first chute section and a blocking member connected to the mounting flange. The blocking member comprises a contact surface that is spaced from the annular flange and positioned to contact a portion of the arcuate edge of the second chute section when the blocking member is in a blocking position.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1946222 (1934-02-01), Mandt
patent: 2488292 (1949-11-01), Hilkemeier
patent: 3053367 (1962-09-01), Lynch
patent: 3456769 (1969-07-01), Prichard et al.
patent: 3542179 (1970-11-01), Prichard
patent: 4498568 (1985-02-01), Christenson
patent: 4919249 (1990-04-01), Alexander
patent: 5660260 (1997-08-01), Bareiss
patent: 731010 (1955-06-01), None
Schwing America drawings (6 sheets) of device on sale in the U.S. prior to Aug. 24, 2001.

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