Foam injection system with variable port inserts for slurry mixing and dispensing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10189180-B2
Application number	US-201414527417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2014
Priority date	Jan 15, 2014
Publication date	Jan 29, 2019
Grant date	Jan 29, 2019

Abstract

A foam injection system for use in the manufacture of cementitious products includes a foam injection body and first and second port inserts. The foam injection body defines a slurry passageway and a port passageway having a port opening in fluid communication with the slurry passageway. The first and second port inserts respectively define first and second foam passageways having first and second orifice sizes. The first and second orifice sizes are different. The first and second port inserts are adapted to removably mount to the foam injection body such that the respective foam passageway is in fluid communication with the slurry passageway via the port opening of the port passageway. One port insert can be replaced with another to readily vary the pressure of the foam passing through the particular port insert and injected into a cementitious slurry traveling through the slurry passageway.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foam injection system for a cementitious slurry mixing and dispensing assembly, the foam injection system comprising:
a foam injection body, the foam injection body defining a slurry passageway and a first port passageway, the first port passageway having a port opening in fluid communication with the slurry passageway, the foam injection body including a body engaging surface;
a first port insert, the first port insert defining a first foam passageway having a first orifice with a first orifice size, the first port insert adapted to removably mount to the foam injection body such that the first foam passageway is in fluid communication with the slurry passageway via the port opening of the first port passageway, the first port insert including a port insert engaging surface adapted to engage the body engaging surface of the foam injection body when the first port insert is mounted thereto such that the first foam passageway is in fluid communication with the slurry passageway via the port opening of the first port passageway; and
a second port insert, the second port insert defining a second foam passageway having a second orifice with a second orifice size, the second port insert adapted to removably mount to the foam injection body instead of the first port insert such that the second foam passageway is in fluid communication with the slurry passageway via the port opening of the first port passageway, and the second orifice size being different than the first orifice size, the second non insert including the port insert engaging surface such that the port insert engaging surface of the second port insert is adapted to engage the body engaging surface of the foam injection body when the second port insert, instead of the first port insert, is mounted to the foam injection body such that the second foam passageway is in fluid communication with the slurry passageway via the port opening of the first port passageway.

2. The foam injection system of claim 1 , wherein the foam injection body defines at least two port passageways, each port passageway having a port opening in fluid communication with the slurry passageway, and wherein the foam injection body is configured to permit either the first port insert or the second port insert to be removably mounted to the foam injection body to place the respective first and second foam passageway into fluid communication with each port passageway.

3. The foam injection system of claim 2 , wherein the foam injection body comprises a foam ring having an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface in spaced radial relationship to the outer circumferential surface, the port passageways extending radially between the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface, and the inner circumferential surface defining the slurry passageway.

4. The foam injection system of claim 1 , wherein the first port insert includes a port insert body having a foam supply end and a mounting end, the foam supply end adapted for retentive engagement with a foam supply conduit and defining a foam inlet opening, and the mounting end defining a foam outlet opening, the first foam passageway extending between and in fluid communication with the foam inlet opening and the foam outlet opening.

5. The foam injection system of claim 4 , wherein the foam inlet opening is larger than the first orifice and the first foam passageway includes a tapered entry portion and a main portion, the tapered entry portion including the foam inlet opening and an entry outlet opening in fluid communication with the main portion, the entry outlet opening being smaller than the foam inlet opening and corresponding to the first orifice size such that the entry portion narrows from the foam inlet opening to the entry outlet opening, the main portion including the foam outlet opening and having a cross-sectional size corresponding to the first orifice size.

6. The foam injection system of claim 5 , wherein the first port insert defines a pressure sensor passageway in fluid communication with the main portion of the first foam passageway.

7. The foam injection system of claim 4 , wherein the mounting end includes the port insert engaging surface, the insert engaging surface comprising a threaded surface, the body engaging surface of the foam injection body comprising a mating threaded surface, the threaded surface of the first port insert adapted to retentively engage the mating threaded surface of the foam injection body associated with the first port passageway.

8. The foam injection system of claim 7 , wherein the threaded surface of the mounting end defines an axis of rotation about which the first port insert rotates to threadingly engage and disengage the mating threaded surface of the foam injection body, and the port insert body includes a pair of planar surfaces in spaced relationship to each other, the planar surfaces being substantially parallel to each other and to the axis of rotation.

9. The foam injection system of claim 1 , wherein the first port insert includes a port insert body having a foam supply end and a mounting end, the port insert body extending along a longitudinal axis between the foam supply end and the mounting end, the first port insert includes a mounting flange extending radially outwardly from the port insert body, the mounting flange defining a mounting hole configured to receive a fastener therethrough, and wherein the foam injection body defines a mating mounting hole therein configured such that the mounting hole of the mounting flange is alignable with the mating mounting hole of the foam injection body when the mounting end of the first port insert is aligned with the first port passageway and the mounting flange is adjacent the foam injection body.

10. The foam injection system of claim 9 , wherein the mounting end of the first port insert has a distal end face, and the foam injection body has an inner surface defining the slurry passageway, the first port insert adapted to removably mount to the foam injection body such that the mounting end of the first port insert is disposed within the first port passageway and the distal end face of the first port insert is substantially aligned with the inner surface of the foam injection body.

11. The foam injection system of claim 9 , wherein the first port insert includes a rib projecting from the port insert body and extending along the longitudinal axis, the rib including the port insert engaging surface, and wherein the body engaging surface of the foam injection body defines a keyway configured to retentively receive the rib therein such that the first port insert is substantially constrained from rotating about the longitudinal axis relative to the foam injection body by the interengagement of the rib and the keyway.

12. The foam injection system of claim 11 , wherein the mounting end of the first port insert has a distal end face with a concave portion having a radius of curvature, and the foam injection body has an inner curved surface defining the slurry passageway, the inner curved surface having a concave portion adjacent the first port passageway with a radius of curvature substantially the same as the concave portion of the distal end face of the first port insert, the first port insert adapted to removably mount to the foam injection body such that the mounting end of the first port insert is disposed within the first port passageway and the concave portion of the distal end face of the first port insert is substantially concentrically disposed with respect to the concave portion of the foam injection body.

13. The foam injection syst

Assignees

• United States Gypsum Co

Inventors

• Wittbold James
• Carrazco Luis

Classifications

• B28C5/06

  the mixing being effected by the action of a fluid (in combination with driven mechanical means, producing cellular concrete B28C5/38) · CPC title

• B28B19/00

  Machines or methods for applying the material to surfaces to form a permanent layer thereon (making shaped articles on mandrels B28B1/30; applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces in general B05C; glazing or engobing C04B) · CPC title

• B28B19/0092

  to webs, sheets or the like, e.g. of paper, cardboard · CPC title

• B28C5/381 Primary

  Producing cellular concrete (B28C5/1269 takes precedence; producing foam B01F23/235, B01F23/291) · CPC title

• B28C7/0413

  two or more flows in predetermined ratio · CPC title