Astec Industries, Inc.

James G May

M Earl Edwards

J Donald Brock

J Don Brock

James G Renegar

Gary R Keylon

A drum mixer is useful in the continuous production of asphalt paving composition, and has provision for the accurate control of the final temperature of the composition being produced. The drum mixer comprises a fixedly mounted cylindrical sleeve disposed in a generally horizontal orientation, and rotating blades for conveying the heated aggregate longitudinally through the interior of the sleeve. An opening is provided in the side wall portion of the sleeve, and a box-like enclosure covers the opening and mounts a plurality of sensor mounting tubes, so as to permit one or more sensors to be positioned at a location within the enclosure. The enclosure is located where the blades or mixing action in the sleeve will supply a regular flow of the aggregate into the enclosure, and so that the aggregate then slides over the sensors. The sensors are thus subjected to a representative portion of the aggregate, and they are protected from both the radiant heat of the burner and the physical abuse of the mixing action.

Asphalt drum mixer having temperature sensor enclosure

An apparatus is disclosed which is adapted to heat and dry stone aggregate useful in the production of asphalt paving, and which also has the ability to incinerate contaminated soil. The apparatus comprises a rotary drum for heating and drying the stone aggregate, and a separate rotary incinerator for incinerating the soil. The incinerator includes an outlet housing for withdrawing the incinerated soil and selectively conveying the soil so as to be mixed with the heated and dried aggregate, or delivered to a separate location. Further, the incinerator has an exhaust duct for conveying the gaseous products of combustion from the incinerator into the rotary drum, so that any volatile hydrocarbons contained in the gaseous products of combustion from the incinerator are effectively incinerated before being discharged to the atmosphere.

Aggregate dryer and soil incinerator

An asphaltic mix storage system has an improved conveying apparatus including a housing which is upwardly inclined from the horizontal so as to extend from approximately ground level to the top of a storage container. The conveying apparatus also includes a drag-type conveyor in the housing comprising an endless conveyor chain having spaced apart conveying blades carried thereby with the lower edges of the conveying blades in sliding engagement with the lower wall of the housing. The forward faces of the conveying blades and the lower wall of the housing define an acute angle therebetween to prevent carryover of asphaltic mix beyond the discharge chute at the upper end of the apparatus.

Conveying apparatus for asphaltic mix and the like

A portable self-erecting storage apparatus for asphaltic mix or the like is disclosed, and which comprises a main frame, and three separate wheeled carriages which are mounted in tandem and are concurrently pivotable between a lowered ground engaging position so that the apparatus is highway transportable, and a raised position so that the frame contacts the ground and thus forms the foundation pad for the apparatus during use. The illustrated embodiment includes a secondary frame which supports a storage container, and the secondary frame and the container may be pivoted about an elevated axis between a generally horizontal transport position and a vertical upright or operative position.

Highway transportable material storage apparatus and frame assembly

A portable self-erecting storage apparatus for asphaltic mix is disclosed and which comprises an elongate material conveying assembly and a separate material storage assembly. The two assemblies are adapted to be separately transported on a highway to the construction site. To effect erection at the construction site, the two assemblies are joined in a nose-to-nose arrangement, and then lifted together in a smooth, continuous lifting operation by a pair of hydraulic jacks mounted on the storage assembly. In the erected position, the container of the storage assembly is vertically oriented and positioned at an elevated location above ground level so as to permit a truck to be driven below the container, and the conveying assembly is inclined upwardly so that its discharge end overlies the top of the container.

Portable self-erecting asphalt storage apparatus and method of erecting

An asphalt plant apparatus includes an inclined rotary drum dryer, the lower end of which is received within a concentric fixed sleeve. Aggregate is introduced into the upper end of the rotary drum dryer for heating and drying and is discharged from the lower end of the drum into an annular space between the drum and the concentric fixed sleeve. Recycleable asphalt pavement (RAP) and fines may be introduced into the annular space along with the heated and dried aggregate. Flights on the exterior of the rotating drum mix the aggregate and RAP and move the mixture toward the opposite end of the concentric fixed sleeve, heat from the heated aggregate, from the flights, and from the hot shell of the drum melting the asphaltic content of the RAP. Liquid asphalt is introduced into the sleeve for mixing along with the aggregate and RAP, and the resulting mixture is discharged from the sleeve for use as an asphalt paving composition.

Asphalt plant with fixed sleeve mixer

The invention comprises a coal-fired burner system for use in a drum mix asphalt plant or drum dryer used for producing asphalt paving composition. Coal to fire the burner is ground to a -200 mesh size by an air-swept rotary impact mill, and a classifier at the exit from the mill controls the size of the particles leaving the mill. The pulverized coal particles are recovered from the exhaust airflow exiting the mill by a fiber filter collector and temporarily stored in a small surge bin. Coal is metered from the surge bin into a primary air conduit leading to the burner. The availability of a small but ready supply of coal in the surge bin provides quick response to a need for increased coal while avoiding the dangerous storage of large quantities of pulverized coal dust. As the weight of coal dust in the surge bin decreases, control circuitry provides for the processing of additional coal to maintain a ready supply of processed coal in the surge bin. Use of a burner having swirl vanes to create a short cyclonic flame pattern permits the burner to be mounted directly in the upper end of the drum without the need for a separate combustion chamber, but without sending a long flame into the mixing area of the drum where liquid asphalt is introduced, which would cause a fire hazard and pollution problem.

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Hixson, TN, United States of America

James G May