A system features an acoustic sensor configured to mount on a wall of a mixing drum, sense an acoustic characteristic of a mixture of a slurry, including concrete, contained in a mixing drum when rotating, and provide acoustic sensor signaling containing information about the acoustic characteristic sensed; and a signal processor configured to receive the acoustic sensor signaling, and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a slump characteristic of the mixture of concrete contained in the mixing drum, based upon the signaling received.

A system features an acoustic sensor configured to mount on a wall of a mixing drum, sense an acoustic characteristic of a mixture of a slurry, including concrete, contained in a mixing drum when rotating, and provide acoustic sensor signaling containing information about the acoustic characteristic sensed; and a signal processor configured to receive the acoustic sensor signaling, and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a slump characteristic of the mixture of concrete contained in the mixing drum, based upon the signaling received.

A cleaning system for washing an internal surface of a container located on a vehicle, the cleaning system comprising an elongate boom with at least one nozzle located at a first end of the boom, a support assembly for supporting the boom, wherein the boom is movable with respect to the support assembly, a controller configured to control movement of the boom, and a vehicle identification system comprising an identification reader configured to identify the vehicle and communicate with the controller, wherein one or more parameters of the vehicle can be stored on or retrieved from the vehicle identification system upon identifying the vehicle, and wherein the boom is configured to extend into the container to wash the internal surface based on the one or more parameters.

An improved blending apparatus for manufactured wood products with a rotating blending drum or cylinder with a pattern of alternating flights of different configurations extending from the interior of the drum. The flights lift the strands as the drum rotates to different heights before the strands free-fall back to the bottom of the drum. One flight is shorter, and may be trapezoidal in cross-section. The second flight is taller, and may have a “bull-nose” configuration with substantially vertical sides. During operation, the design of the bull-nose flight tends to hold more strands and to carry them closer to the top of the drum before the strands drop and fall. In contrast, the shorter height and angled sides of the trapezoidal flight tends to hold fewer strands and to not carry them as high along the side before strands drop and fall. The alternating pattern causes a more consistent and dispersed fall of strands as the drum rotates, resulting in a significantly larger and more consistent amount of the sprayed adhesives and waxes being applied to the strands, and not passing through gaps to build up on the drum wall.

An improved blending apparatus for manufactured wood products with a rotating blending drum or cylinder with a pattern of alternating flights of different configurations extending from the interior of the drum. The flights lift the strands as the drum rotates to different heights before the strands free-fall back to the bottom of the drum. One flight is shorter, and may be trapezoidal in cross-section. The second flight is taller, and may have a “bull-nose” configuration with substantially vertical sides. During operation, the design of the bull-nose flight tends to hold more strands and to carry them closer to the top of the drum before the strands drop and fall. In contrast, the shorter height and angled sides of the trapezoidal flight tends to hold fewer strands and to not carry them as high along the side before strands drop and fall. The alternating pattern causes a more consistent and dispersed fall of strands as the drum rotates, resulting in a significantly larger and more consistent amount of the sprayed adhesives and waxes being applied to the strands, and not passing through gaps to build up on the drum wall.

A portable mixing apparatus for mixing components is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a container for receiving components to be mixed, a frame for supporting the container in a first orientation for mixing components and a driving assembly couplable with the container for rotating the container. The frame comprises: a first handle for gripping with a first hand of a user, the first handle being disposed above a centre of mass of the portable mixing apparatus, when orientated in the first orientation, the first handle extending forwardly of the apparatus over the container; a second handle for gripping with a second hand of the user while the first hand grips the first handle, the second handle being disposed below the centre of mass of the portable mixing apparatus when orientated in the first orientation, the first and second handle being arranged to enable the user to carry the mixing apparatus and re-orientate the apparatus between the first orientation and a second orientation for emptying the components from the container.

A rotating drum apparatus for the mixing and processing of materials, the rotating drum apparatus comprising: a rotating drum (12) arranged with the length of the drum and the axis of rotation of the drum extending along the horizontal; an inlet at a first point on the drum (12) for receiving materials prior to mixing and/or processing; a screw (14) within the drum (12) for mixing the materials whilst conveying them lengthwise along the drum (12), wherein the screw (14) includes a helical blade extending along the length of the drum (12) with the outer edge of the helical blade being fixed to the inner surface of the drum (12) such that material can be conveyed and mixed in separated volumes (16) between each turn of the screw blade (14); an outlet at a second point along the drum for discharge of materials after mixing and/or processing; and a plurality mixing devices (18) for promoting mixing of the material in each of the separated volumes (16) of material as the material is conveyed along the screw (14), wherein the plurality of mixing devices (18) are spaced apart along the blade of the screw (14), and wherein there is at least one mixing device (18) for each turn of the screw blade (14).

A mixing drum includes a body defining a head aperture and a discharge aperture opposite the head aperture, a head coupled to the body and extending across the head aperture, and a mixing element positioned within the volume and coupled to the body. The head and the body define a volume. The body is formed from at least a first section and a second section. The first section overlaps the second section.

The present invention relates to a system for backmix the reagent mass in rotating cylindrical reactors. In this context, the present invention provides a system for internal backmix of the reagent mass in a rotating cylindrical reactor (2), comprising a first set of drag fins (27) adapted for dragging the reagent mass in a first direction, and a second set of drag fins (28) adapted for dragging the reagent mass in a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein the first (27) and the second (28) set of drag fins are positioned internally along the length of the cylindrical rotating reactor (2). The system described above allows the mixing of a portion of the reagent mass at a more advanced stage of the reactor with another portion at an earlier stage of processing, homogenizing the reagent mass temperatures and increasing the reactor's productivity.

The present invention relates to a system for backmix the reagent mass in rotating cylindrical reactors. In this context, the present invention provides a system for internal backmix of the reagent mass in a rotating cylindrical reactor (2), comprising a first set of drag fins (27) adapted for dragging the reagent mass in a first direction, and a second set of drag fins (28) adapted for dragging the reagent mass in a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein the first (27) and the second (28) set of drag fins are positioned internally along the length of the cylindrical rotating reactor (2). The system described above allows the mixing of a portion of the reagent mass at a more advanced stage of the reactor with another portion at an earlier stage of processing, homogenizing the reagent mass temperatures and increasing the reactor's productivity.