The present invention relates in general to a concrete mixer and, in particular, to a portable concrete mixer that hydrates and mixes a prepackaged concrete mix containing gravel aggregate in a continuous process.
Concrete is a building material commonly used in a variety of construction applications. In many cases, the volume of concrete required for a particular application and/or the number of personnel available to handle the uncured concrete does not warrant delivery of the concrete via a mixer or ready-mix truck. Instead, for small jobs, concrete is often prepared in batches by emptying one or more sacks of prepackaged concrete mix into a wheelbarrow, adding water in various amounts, and then mixing the resulting slurry by hand utilizing tools such as a hoe or shovel until the desired consistency is reached. For slightly bigger jobs, concrete can be mixed from bags of concrete mix or from raw materials (e.g., aggregates, cement, and water) in a rotating drum mixer, which can be powered, for example, by electricity or a gasoline or diesel motor.