Agitating – Mortar mixer type – Methods
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-15
2001-05-01
Soohoo, Tony G. (Department: 1723)
Agitating
Mortar mixer type
Methods
C360S016000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224250
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of additives and admixtures for cement, concrete, mortar, and masonry, and more particularly to a mobile additive and admixture product manufacturing process and system that permits such additives or admixtures to be manufactured at a destination site, such as at a manufacturer's new or remote operations site or even at a customer's plant or site.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It may be helpful to understand what is meant, first, by the terms “cement” and “concrete,” and, consequently, what is meant by the phrases “cement additive” and “concrete admixture.” The term“cement” is used generally to refer to Portland cement, which is a hydraulic cement, produced by pulverizing clinker consisting essentially of hydraulic calcium silicates, usually containing one or more forms of calcium sulfate as an interground addition. The term“hydraulic cement” refers to one that hardens by a chemical interaction with water. A “cement mortar” is a mixture of cement fine aggregate (e.g., sand), and water. However, the term“concrete” is used herein to refer to a mixture prepared from a cement (acting as a hydraulic binder), fine aggregate (e.g., sand), course aggregate (e.g., gravel), and water which is added to initiate the hardening of the cement binder.
A “cement additive” is a material used to facilitate the manufacturing of the cement or to improve its quality. Cement additives have several uses, for example, such as (1) grinding aids to enhance the efficiency of the mineral grinding process (including clinker) and to improve the flowability of the ground material, or to prevent phenomena known as “pack set” or “silo set”; (2) quality improvers to change the set time of the cement; (3) workability improvers to reduce the water demand of the cement and/or to increase its workability; (4) masonry/mortar additives to improve the workability cements intended for use in masonry applications (as well as to entrain air, increase water retention or board life, control set time, provide water resistance or increase strengths); and (5) slurry thinners to reduce the water content in raw material slurries.
A “concrete admixture” is a material other than hydraulic cement, water, and aggregates used as an ingredient of concrete or mortar and added to the concrete batch before, during, or after mixing and before hardening. Admixtures are used for modifying one or more properties of the concrete in such a way as to make it more suitable for a particular purpose or more economical.
Some of the major reasons for using admixtures are: (1) to achieve certain structural improvements in the resulting cured concrete; (2) to improve the quality of concrete through the successive stages of mixing, transporting, placing, and curing during adverse weather or traffic conditions; (3) to overcome certain emergencies during concreting operations; and (4) to reduce the cost of concrete construction. In some instances, the desired result can only be achieved by the use of an admixture. In addition, using an admixture allows the use of less expensive construction methods or designs and thereby offsets the costs of the admixture.
The term “concrete admixture” as used herein and after shall also mean and include admixtures for masonry concrete as well. A masonry concrete mix is one having a low moisture content. Some of the reasons for using a masonry admixture are: (1) to reduce the passage of water through the finished unit; (2) to improve the appearance of the end product; (3) to lower production costs; (4) to reduce production losses due to breakage; and (5) to reduce wear on the production machinery.
Typically, cement additives and concrete admixtures are sold as a “finished product” shipped in a tanker truck having a number of compartments containing other finished products, or they are shipped in dorms, in “totes” (e.g., 300 gallon plastic barrels), or in other bulk forms. The term “finished product” means that the additive or admixture is comprised of a blend of “raw material” components. Raw admixture materials, for example, may include lignosulfonate, corn syrup, an amine, etc. which is either mixed with water and/or another raw material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a novel process and system for manufacturing finished cement additives and/or concrete admixture products at a destination site, such as at a customer's cement manufacturing plant or ready-mix concrete plant; or even at a new additive or admixture manufacturing site. A “destination” site may include, for example, a new or remote manufacturer's site, such as in another country, where manufacturing operations are being initiated by the manufacturer for the first time.
The mobile manufacturing system and process of the invention involve the use of a frame, preferably such as a “skid” (e.g., board or platform), on which at least two pumps are mounted, and optionally though preferably a blender, valves, and flow meters, such that these components can be conveniently transported to a destination site. Various tanks containing raw materials for manufacturing cement additive and/or concrete admixture products may be shipped together with the frame-mounted components, or separately, and then connected to the pumps at the destination site. The frame may itself be attached to, or function as, the frame of the vehicle; this may be accomplished simply by placing the frame or skid on wheels or on a truck frame, or using a truck frame to which the tanks, pump equipment, and wheels are mounted.
In exemplary embodiments in which the pumping equipment is placed on wheels, the invention will allow a manufacturer to custom blend cement additives and/or concrete admixtures, for example, at a remote destination site or at a customer's plant. The manufacturer can test and adjust the finished cement additive or concrete admixture product at the site, based on customer needs, quality control data and other factors. Use of quality control units permit monitoring of physical characteristics of finished product such as total solids, viscosity, specific gravity, pH, and other characteristics, and facilitates adjustments to the product, if needed, at the destination site.
The significance of the ability of the present invention to permit the manufacturer to dispense, blend, monitor, evaluate, and adjust the manufacturing process conveniently is bestowed by the ease whereby local variables such as the quality and type of hydraulic cement or limestone, aggregates, water, or other factors may be considered at the destination site. For example, a manufacturer can avoid spending time taking information or samples back to the usual manufacturing plant and then returning to a customer's site. The manufacturer can make quick and important adjustments to the raw materials, blending ratio(s), or physical characteristics of the final product at the destination site to conserve time, resources, and energy.
It is believed that the new capabilities of the present invention will have a profound impact in the cement and concrete industries. Customers will realize increased value in products and service through the manufacturer's enhanced capabilities in responding to different customer requirements and regional (and even plant-to-plant and site-to-site) variations.
An exemplary process of the invention for manufacturing cement additives or concrete admixture products comprises providing at a destination site a frame having at least two pumps for transferring the raw materials for manufacturing the cement additives and/or concrete admixtures to a blender, and providing at least two tanks of raw materials which are different from one another, whereby a finished product may be dispensed at the destination site. Further exemplary processes involve providing valves and meters for controlling and measuring the amount or flow rate of raw materials being pumped to the blender. In further exemplary embodiments, one or more quality control units, such as devices for measuring total sol
Gado James
Kreinheder Mark
Shea Thomas
Westgate Paul
Winkel Thomas
Baker William L.
Leon Craig K.
Soohoo Tony G.
W. R. Grace & Co.,-Conn.
LandOfFree
Mobile cement additive and concrete admixture manufacturing... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Mobile cement additive and concrete admixture manufacturing..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Mobile cement additive and concrete admixture manufacturing... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2536834