Dispensing – Agitator followed by discharge assistant and/or... – All rotary
Patent
1995-04-10
1997-02-18
Huson, Gregory L.
Dispensing
Agitator followed by discharge assistant and/or...
All rotary
222241, 222242, 222413, 222527, 198662, G01F 1120
Patent
active
056034350
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to apparatus for applying a fluent material to a surface, and especially, but not exclusively, to a device for applying mortar or grout to brickwork during repointing and for grouting applications in general.
The usual method of repointing brickwork of, for example, a wall or chimney, is to mix grout on a board and then apply it with a trowel. This is time-consuming and tiring. Moreover, much of the grout is lost through being dropped or being inaccurately applied to too great an area and needing to be washed off. This is both messy and wasteful.
Powered grouting apparatus has been suggested in which grout is pumped from a pumping unit to a hand-actuated applicator through connecting tubes. This apparatus speeds up repointing and makes it less of an effort, but is expensive and unsuitable for use on high walls or chimneys, as the grout supply tubes are of restricted length and it is impractical to move the, rather bulky, pumping unit from ground level.
The present invention aims to overcome these problems, and provides a fluent material applicator in the form of a hand-held unit having a chamber therein communicating with an applicator nozzle, and a feed screw disposed within the chamber, the feed screw being arranged, in use, to feed fluent material from the chamber out through the applicator nozzle.
The present invention allows repointing, for example, to be carried out almost anywhere in an efficient and clean manner. The chamber may be filled with grout, and the applicator nozzle aimed to guide the grout to the desired application point. The feed screw may then be actuated, and the grout urged out of the nozzle, and into, for example, a joint between two bricks. The nozzle defines the area of application, so that the grout is applied precisely where it is needed without waste or mess, whilst the feed screw allows for quick and easy application, and may be provided with a drive of variable speed to provide accurate control of the amount of grout deposited.
Furthermore, as the applicator is hand-held, and itself contains the grout, it is highly portable and may be used in many situations which are inaccessible to bulky equipment, such as upon a roof when repointing a chimney.
Although not necessary, it is preferred that the feed screw extends into at least a portion of the nozzle, as this allows for better feed characteristics, and helps to ensure that all the material in the chamber is used up.
It is preferred for the feed screw to be driven by a reversible drive. This allows the screw to be driven in reverse in order to agitate the material and ensure that it is properly mixed, before the screw is driven to feed the material through the nozzle. Indeed, rather than just give the material a final mix, the components of the fluent material may be separately added to the chamber, and the material actually mixed in the applicator by driving the screw in reverse.
Preferably, mixing means comprising, for example, mixing blades or fins, shaped to effectively mix the fluent material when the screw is reversely rotated, may be provided on the same axis, and preferably same shaft, as the feed screw. This helps to ensure that the material is mixed properly prior to being fed out through the nozzle.
The mixing means may be provided in a separate portion of the chamber, behind the feed screw, and may provide a feed action during the forward rotation as, otherwise, some material may remain in the chamber, unless it is made to flow by other means, such as by having the chamber inclined to the horizontal to provide a gravity feed.
The chamber may be configured to form a feed chamber proximal to the nozzle, and a wider mixing chamber distal from the nozzle, as this has been found to be advantageous to mixing.
The chamber may taper towards the nozzle, and means for compressing the fluent material, again, for example, in the form of blades or fins, may be provided on the same axis, and preferably same shaft, as the feed screw (preferably between the feed screw and mixing means, where the latt
REFERENCES:
patent: 3768939 (1973-10-01), Gramling
patent: 5054658 (1991-10-01), Aronie
patent: 5244123 (1993-09-01), Benedict
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