Barrel-Type Cement Mixer Mounts On Loader Arms

Barrel-Type Cement Mixer Mounts On Loader Arms TRACTORS Loaders 22-6-44 "It's almost unbelievable how well it works and how easy it makes the job of mixing and pouring concrete," says James Jantzen, a Newbern, Alabama, farmer who's come up with a first-of-its-kind cement mixer that virtually eliminates the need for heavy lifting, shoveling, and wheelbarrowing. What makes the mixer unique is that Jantzen totally abandoned the old-style revolving drum style of mixer. Instead he de-signed a mixing barrel that rotates end over end on a shaft that's designed so no moving parts come in contact with the wet concrete. What's more, the mixer can be used like a bucket to scoop up sand. To make it easy to get the mix right, Jantzen put a weigh scale on the loader arms that works off hydraulic pressure in the loader cylinders. By watching the scale, he can accurately load the precise amounts of sand, water and cement needed. To build the mixer, Jantzen used a piece of heavy-walled pipe about the size of a 55-gal. bucket. One end of the pipe is sealed shut. The other end has a half-moon hinged door. For scooping up sand, the door is opened and the back end of the mixer is pinned in place so the barrel can't turn. Once the correct amount of sand is scooped up, he pulls the pin so the barrel rotates down to a vertical position. Then he adds water and sand. The mixer is designed to fit onto skid-steer loader arms. "It's very easy to use. You scoop up a load of sand just like you would with a loader bucket. If you get too much sand, you just tip the mixer down to dump some out. Once you've added the cement and water, you just close the door on the mixer and activate the hydraulic motor that rotates the drum. The end-over-end motion of the drum mixes it up fast. Then you can lock the drum back into the loader arms to dump it. You can dump the load very precisely wherever you want it. You can dump a little bit at a time, or the whole load," explains Jantzen. "It's actually fun to use. It makes a hard job easy," he notes. A patent has already been applied for and Jantzen hopes to find a manufacturer. He continues to improve the mixer. He's currently adding an electric-actuated locking pin at the base of the drum so he can lock it into place for scooping up sand without getting off the skid steer. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, James Jantzen, 433 County Rd. 10, Newbern, Ala. 36765 (ph 334-624-1508).

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