Embodiments of the invention generally relate to apparatus and methods to control the addition of moisture to materials for the production of concrete.

Mobile mixing devices, mobile mixing systems, and related methods are provided. A mobile mixing device can include a frame and a mixing drum securable to the frame. The mixing drum can include a body that forms an internal cavity and can have a forward end and a bottom end. The mixing drum can also include a mouth at the forward end of the body that provides access to the internal cavity of the mixing drum. The mobile mixing device can include a heater support arm having a heater secured to an end of the heater support arm that is distal from the mixing drum. The mixing drum can be used to process cement material when the heater support arm is in a stow-away position or asphalt when the heater support arm is in a heating position with the heater facing into the mouth of the mixing drum.

System and method of the invention involves use of a sensor-containing body which is mounted and/or rotatably disposed along the longitudinal rotational axis of a concrete mixer drum at the close end, the sensor-containing body being connected to a conduit for introducing water, chemical admixture, gas, and/or cleansing fluid through the closed end of the drum into the mixer drum. Numerous heretofore unrealized combinations of advantages and benefits are provided within the concrete industry by the invention.

An apparatus and method for producing fluid concrete include a first mixer configured to mix at least water and cement so as to make a low fluidity concrete having consistency class ≤S2, a truck mixer that can be configured to mix the low fluidity concrete with further water so as to make a fluid concrete having consistency class ≥S2, and a water supply and at least a cement supply configured so that the apparatus or method can produce fluid concrete. The apparatus and method include a control and adjustment unit, connected to the water supply and at least to the cement supply, configured to selectively control and adjust the introduction of water and cement into the first mixer and the introduction of further water into the cement mixer.

A solution dispensing system for injecting a fluid into a concrete mixing container, comprising of a sled including a housing; at least one spray head; a solution line coupled to the housing and to the spray head adapted to spray fluid into the concrete mixing container; a support structure adapted to attach to an external rigid frame and aligned with a hopper of the concrete mixing container; a guiding mechanism facilitating a raising and a lowering of the sled into the hopper of the concrete mixing container; and a supply source including a container and a pump adapted to regulate a flow of the fluid in the solution line where the sled is lowered into the hopper of the concrete mixing container and the fluid is delivered to a drum of the concrete mixing container through the spray head.

A portable mixer includes a frame, a hopper for receiving therein dry cementitious mix, and a chute rigidly coupled to the hopper that communicates with the hopper via an aperture. The hopper and chute are pivotally coupled to the frame. The portable mixer further includes an auger extending from the hopper into the chute via the aperture, a water supply system configured to apply water to cementitious mix, and a motor coupled to the auger and configured to rotate the auger to mix the dry cementitious mix with the water.

A portable mixer includes a frame, a hopper for receiving therein dry cementitious mix, and a chute rigidly coupled to the hopper that communicates with the hopper via an aperture. The hopper and chute are pivotally coupled to the frame. The portable mixer further includes an auger extending from the hopper into the chute via the aperture, a water supply system configured to apply water to cementitious mix, and a motor coupled to the auger and configured to rotate the auger to mix the dry cementitious mix with the water.

A method for the manufacture of foamed plaster utilizing a mixture of powdered casting plaster, powdered limestone and hemp fibre. The mixture is fed into a Venturi apparatus (40) under the influence of gravity. Compressed air may be supplied to the Venturi apparatus (40) through an inlet pipe (41) causing air and solid particles to be sucked into the Venturi apparatus (40). The elongated tube is provided with an inlet nozzle arranged to receive a mixture of water mixed with detergent agents. Further, the tube (50) is provided with an inlet nozzle (56) arranged to receive compressed air such that the elongated tube (50) delivers the mixture to a mixing and spray head (60) so as to feed the resulting mixture to a moulding means.

Mobile mixing devices, mobile mixing systems, and related methods are provided. A mobile mixing device can include a frame and a mixing drum securable to the frame. The mixing drum can include a body that forms an internal cavity and can have a forward end and a bottom end. The mixing drum can also include a mouth at the forward end of the body that provides access to the internal cavity of the mixing drum. The mobile mixing device can include a heater support arm having a heater secured to an end of the heater support arm that is distal from the mixing drum. The mixing drum can be used to process cement material when the heater support arm is in a stow-away position or used to process asphalt when the heater support arm is in a heating position with the heater facing into the mouth of the mixing drum after loading of the asphalt.

Embodiments of a system and a method for continuously manufacturing a joint compound can be used to produce ready mix joint compound. The system includes means for continuously mixing wet and dry joint compound ingredients together and means for homogenizing multiple volumetric units of mixed joint compound to reduce variation in at least one joint compound material property (e.g., viscosity) across multiple successively produced volumetric units of mixed joint compound (relating to standard commercial packaging sizes for joint compound, such as five-gallon pails, for example) relative to the material property of the respective multiple volumetric units before passing through the means for homogenizing.