CA1089636A - Multipurpose installation for the manufacture of concrete elements - Google Patents

Abstract

IN THE PATENT OFFICE

PATENT APPLICATION

entitled MULTIPURPOSE INSTALLATION FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF CONCRETE ELEMENTS

in the name of Mircéa BORCOMAN

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A wide range of small and medium reinforced and unreinforced concrete elements can be produced by this installation, It includes: a series of boards, an installation for distributing concrete, smoothing it, removing the hardened products from the installation and for cleaning and oiling the boards. A tilting frame with one or two rows of molds, a device for the introduction of the boards onto the frame; some molds or batteries of molds, endowed with de-aeration means for the concrete; and a hardening circuit, dismountable and usable both in an over-head solution and in a below ground solution. This installation apart from diversifying production, provides a substantial improvement in the quality of the products and in the cost price of the latter.

Description

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BACKGROUND 0~ THE INVEN~ION

lo Field of~the~ I vention The invention relates to an ins-tallation for the manufacture of a large range of small and medium products of reinforced and unreinforced concrete such as for example:
ordinary and special curbs, ordinary and special gutters, covering and closing slabs, stakes, posts, double=block sleepers ~ etG . 9 capable of being produced with a better product surface appearance and increased strengthO

2. Description of the Prior Art ~wo principal types of installation for the manufacture of such elements are known.
The first type uses vibratory pressing of the concrete in very well machined molds and routing of the bare products on wooden boards. This type of in~talla-tion has very narrow limits as regards diversification of the products to be manufacture~, high manufacturing costs consequent upon rapid wear of the molds and of the ~ooden boards and considerable capital investment.
The second type uses the casting of concrete into batteries of molds, the unmolding by tilting and the routing of the bare product~ on metal boards. This type introduces an improvement from the point of v?ew of diversi~ication of the products to be manufactured but known installations do not succeed in achieving under good conditions the operations of distribution of the concrete, vibration, smoothing, compaction of the boards and u~molding, especially wher~ a wide range of products to be manufactured is concerned and nor do they ensure a good surface on the products.
It is an object of the invention to provide the concrete manufacturing industry with a multipurpose in~-tallation which can ensure the ma~ufacture of a wider range of small ', ''.

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and medium products of reinforced and unreinforced concrete under better conditions of cost price and quality.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a multi-purpose installation for the manufacture of small and medium products of reinforced and unreinforced concrete, comprising: a hardening circuit in which are routed boards supporting the concrete products; a tilting frame supporting at least one mould intended to be closed by one of said boards; an installation ~or distributing the concrete in the mould; a device for introducing boards one by one on to the frame, for closing the mould after it has been filled with concrete; means for tilting the frame through 180, after the mould has been filled with concretej; means for causing the downward movement of the board provided with products removed from thei mould with a view to its introduction into the hardening circuit and means for discharging this board in the hardening circuit which ~
extends over a closed path returning to the frame; an installation for : . :
discharging the hardened products from the manufacturing installation and for cleaning the boardss characterized by the fact that the installation for distributing ~he concrete and the installation for discharging the . .
hardened products from the manufacturing installation are combined so as ~ :
to foIm a common installation which comprises a carriage intended to be propelled by a reciprocal movement, which carriage is equipped with a measuring and distribution device for the fresh concrete and a device for pushing the products out of the manufacturing installation and for cleaning and oiling the boards, this pushing device being situated beside the measuring device so that during the outward travel of the carriage the pushing device ensures the pushing of the hardened products :`~
* om the board which is at the side and at the same level as the mould, i~
whereas the device for dis~ributing the concrete is brought above the mould and that at the end of the outward travel, the concrete is .
discharged into the mould and that, during the return travel of the carriage, the cleaning of the board is effected, this board being then ., . ~ , ~
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used to close the mould which has just been filled.
Preferably, the co~,mon distribution installation for the co.ncrete, smoothing, remDval of hardened products from the production line and cleaning and oiling of ~he boards includes a carriage-frame equipped with means for the proportioning and distribution of the concrete according to the volume and shape of the molds, pusher mEans for the hardened products from the board placed at the side of the frame and cleaning and oiling means for said boards, so that in the forward travel of the carriage the distribution of the concrete into the molds, the pushing of the hardened products from the board is effected and, in the return travel, the smoothing of the con- ~ :
crete and the cleaning and oilin~ of ~he board is effected.
Preferably, the tilting frame provided ~ith rapid fastening means, ~
with one or two rows of molds, with devices for compacting the boards on .:
said molds, means for connecting ~3a- . .
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vibrators and means for connecting to a vacuum pump, is fixed on the same framework as the installation described above so as to obtain a "compact casting-unmolding head".
Advantageously, the device for introducing the boards, provided with means for raising said boards to the desired level and means for pushing the boards into -the compacting device of the frame, is coupled to -the casting-unmolding head so as to permi-t the carriage-frame described above to carry out at the same time the operations of proportion-ing, distribution and smoothing of the concrete and the operations of removing the hardened products from the board and the cleaning and oiling of the latter.
The molds or ba-tteries of molds provided, with one or several shelves of folded sheet metal, with an assembly frame and with one or several beams provided with means for - attaching vibrators and support means to the frame, are formed in tw~ principal modifications, in no way limited, according to the surface finishing needs of the product to be manufactured.
In the first modification (I), the shell is -made provided with holes, or of perforated sheetmetal, on the contour which has to have a better appearance and the mold or the battery of molds is closed in such a way that, by connecting to a vacuum pump, it is possible to carry out a suction phenomenon9 enabling the maintenance in attached position, on said contour, of a smooth floating jacket or provided with stripes or imprintations (in paper, textile, plastics material, etc.), ~or the period of filling and compacting and so that, by stopping the suc-tion and the unmoldin~, this jacket remains adhered to the concrete.
In this way a good product surface (striated, smooth) and - easy unmolding are obtained, the cleanliness of the molds - . . . . . , ..... : , :: : .

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is maintained and the bare products are protected against condensed water drops (when a stea~ hardening circuit is used).
In the second modification (II), on the shell provided with holes (or formed of perfora-ted sheetmetal) is fixed a filtering layer (of felt, cloth7 gauze, metal gauze, etc.) so -that by -the vibration of the concrete said layer allows excess water and a large amount of air to pass, thus improving not only the surface but also the strength of the produc-t.
Advantageously, the hardening circuit includes means for routing the boards provided with bare products over two superimposed tracks hooked onto a dismountable metallic framework which, closed by an isothermal envelope, becomes an aerial tunnel and which, positioned notably as a - support-flooring in a tank7 forms with the latter an underground tunnel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 of these drawings is a longitudinal section of a multipurpose installation for the manufacture of small or medium elements of reinforced or unreinforced concrete having an aerial hardening circuit.
~igure 2 is a longitudinal section of an installation having a below ground hardening circuit.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section, on a larger scale, of the casting-unmolding head of such an installation having a tilting frame with one row of molds~
~igure 4 is a longitudinal section, on a larger scale, of the casting-unmolding head of such an installation, having a tilting frame with two rows of molds.
~igure 5 is a cross sec-tion along the line I-I
(Figures 1, 2 and 3) through the casting-unmolding head~
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having a tilting frame with one row of molds.
Figure 6 is a cross-section along I-I (Figures 1, 2 and 4) through the casting-unmolding head, having a tilting frame with two rows of molds.
Figure 7 is a transverse section along the line II-II (Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4) through the device pushing finished produc-ts from the boards and the device for introducing the latter onto the frame~
Figure 8 is a cross-section along the line III-III
(Figure 1) through an overhead hardening circuit.
~igure 9 is a cross-section along the line IV-IV
(Figure 2) through a below ground hardening circuit.
Figure 10 is a cross-section of a battery of molds for curbs designed according to the modification "I'` for finishing the facing surface.
- Figure 11 is a cross-section of the same battery designed according to -the modification "II".
Figure 12 is a longitudinal section of a battery of molds for slabs, designed according to modification "I".
Figure i3 is a longitudinal section of the same battery, designed according to the modification "II".

DESCRIP~ION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The installation for the manufacture of small and medium elements o~ reinforced and unrein~orced concrete comprises:
a series of metal boards A, an installation B, for distributing concrete, smoothing~ removing hardened products ~rom the installation, and cleaning and oiling the boards; a tilting f~ame C, with one or two rows of molds~ a device D for introducing~
boards onto -the frame; some molds or batteries o~ molds E, provided with means ~or de aerating the concrete; and a hardening circuit F, dismoun-table and usable both in the overhead '~

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?~36 design and in the below ground design.
The me-tal boards A (~igures 1 to 9) are constituted by a framework 19 with -two sheetmetal surfaces 2, and some bearing and guide rollers 3, so as to ensure alternately on each sur~ace, the closing of the molds during the til-ting, the taking of the load of the products P, during the unmolding and routing of the latter along the hardeni~g circuit.
T~e installation B (Figures 1 to 6) includes:
a common support framework 4, provided with a working platform 5; two -track rails 6, a fixed hopper 7, for supplying concrete;
a hopper-buffer 8, provided with some means 99 for adjuatment to the ver-tical; and a carriage-frame 10, provided with a device lI, for to-and-fro movement, and equiped with a -proportioning and distribution device for the fresh concrete, with a smoothing device and a device for pushing the hardened ~ products from the installation and for the cleaning and oiling of the boards.
The proportioning and distribution device for the concrete is constituted by platform 12, sliding below the hopper-buffer ~, of an interchangeable box-container, which can contain the fresh concrete necessary for filling9 with compacting, the molds underneath, provided with -two longitudinal walls i3~ two head walls 14, and several intermedia-te walls 15, connected by some gusse-ts 167 and placed above a trap 17, .
provided with opening-closing means 18, with some rollers 19 : ~:
and two roller and guide rail~ 20.
The smoothing device i9 constituted by a rule .:.
21, hooked to the beam, on the lef-t side, of the carriage- `~
frame 10, by means of blastic suspenslon and adjustment means 22, and provided with one or several vibrators 23, notably with a vertical axis9 with a block 24, and with a knife blade 25.
' ~' ' j36 The device for pushing -the hardened products from the installation and for cleaning and oiling the boards, itself also hooked onto the beam, on the left side, of the carriage-frame 10, is provided on the fron-t side with a plate 26, lined with rubber and with a spraying device 27, and on the rear side with a brush device 28, which can be moved to the vertical, with the aid of some means 29.
~ he operation of the installation B, is as follows~
In the forward travel, from left to right (see Figures 5, 6 and 7) of the carriage--frame 10, the pushing of the hardened products from the board occurring at the side and at -the same l.evel as the molds i9 effected; in the end-of~travel :
position the trap 17 is opened, discharging concrete into the molds and actuating the compaction of -the latter, which compaction is effected by means of some vibrators 30, hooked directly to the molds, after which, in the re-turn travel of said carriage-frame, the smoothing of the concrete and the cleaning and oiling of the boards A is carried out.
The tilting frame ~, ~Figures 1 to 6) includes on the one hand a fixed framework-support, provided with some posts 31, some connecting and ~einforcing beams 327 two bearings 33, and some protective walls 34, and on -the other hand with a tilting frame-support provided in its turn with one or two devices for receiving and bringing together the boards, with a rotation d0vice 35, and with one or two horizontal frames 36, suspended by the aid of some arms 37, and with two :.
axles 38, on the bearings 33, which frames are provided with means 39, for fixing molds in the desired posi-tion, with means 40 for connecting vibrators, and in certain cases with means 41, for connecting to a vacuum pump.
The device for receiving and bringing together the boards comprises two rails ~2, two synchronized jacks 43, 3 ~

some guides 44, and some protective means 45, so that? once the molds are filled and the carriage-frame 10, emerged outside Qf the frame, the two rails 42, ascend into a position above the frame, called receiving position, load the board 5 A, closing it against the molds and actuating a-t the same time the -tilting of -the frame. Once -this operation is ended and the molds are "face downwards" said rails lower the board provided with unmolded products presenting it at the level of the lower track of the hardening circuit where 9 loaded by an extraction device, it leaves the frame.which, at this . :
precise moment, will tilt back into molds "face upwards"
position for repeating the cycle.
The device D (Figures 1 to 7) for introducing bo~rds onto the frame includes a pla-tform 46, provided with . 15 two receiving rails 47, with raising-lowering means 48, - notably one or two jacks, with guide means 49, with locking means 50, and with means 51, for pushing the boards so that, in lower position, the platform 46, being at the level of the upper track of the hardening circui-t receives the board A, provided with hardened products, raises it in a first stage to the level of the molds where through the forward travel of the carriage-frame 10, the hardened products are pushed from the board and where by the return travel of the same carriage the la-tter is cleaned and oiled. After which in a second stage, the board is raised to the receiving level of the rails 42, in which it is pushed by means of jack 51.
~he molds or the batteries of molds ~ (Figures 3,

4~5, 6, 10~ 11, 12 and 13) provided with one or several ~:
shells 52, of folded sh-eetmetal, with one or several walls 53 with an assembly framework 54, and with one or several beams 55, provided with some plates 56, for hooking vibrators 30, and with some support parts 57~ for support on the frame provided _g_ .

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with elastic studs 58, are effected in two principal modifications according to the finishing requirements of the viewed surface of the products to be manufactured.
In -the first modification ("I") the shell provided with holes, or of perfora-ted sheetm~tal, is formed on the contour which has to have a better appearance and the mold or battery of molds is closed with the aid of an envelope 59~ notably of shee-tmetal, so that, by a connection 60, to a vacuum pump~ it is possible to effect a suction phsnomenon enabling the maintainance, during the filling and compacting, in thé position adhered to said contour, either a float1ng sheet 61, smooth or provided with stripes or impressions (of paper, -textile, plastics material, etc.), or a jacket 62, with a decorative, non-skid coating, etc., and so that, by the stopping of the suction and the unmolding, the sheet or the coating remains adhered to the concrete. Thus, there is obtained on the one hand, the de-aeration of the concrete and an attractive surface for the products (smooth, decorative9 non-skid, etc.) and on the other hand easy unmolding, cleanliness of the molds and protection of the bare products against drops of condensed water.
In the second modification ("II")9 there is fixed on the shell provided with holes, a filtering layer 63, (of felt, cloth, textile or metal gauze9 etc.) ~o that~ by -the vibration of the concrete said layer allows excess water and a large amount of air to pass~ thus improving not only the surface but also the strength of the concrete.
In certain cases, no-tably for the manufacture of slabs, when the compac-ting from above by means o~ the vibrating rule 21, is sufficient, it is possible to produce a battery with a double row of molds including some assembly frames 64, covered above and below with perforated sheetmetal 65, and -10- ' .. . .
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provided with two symmetrical rows of support parts 66, provided with support studs 58, so that it is possible to use the two solutions for the finishing of the surface viewed, as described above (see Figures 12 and 13~
The hardening circuit includes: a routing means for the boards, on two superimposed -tracks, in a tunnel provided with a dismountable frame-support7 with different closure means according to -the overhead tunnel or below surface tunnel an~ in certain cases, means for distributing a heating agent. . ~::
~he means for routing the boards provided with .
- bare products include: four rai~s 67, arranged in pairs on two superposed levels and provided with some parts 68, for fastening to the frame-support, an extraction and pushing device for the boards onto the lower track provided with .
two jacks 69, having at the end of their rod some hooking plates 70, designed so as to sllde on a triangular guide 71, which guide is fixed to the framework 32, in order to avoid any non-axial force in said rod, and a transfer device for the boards between the two tracks of the tunnel 9 provided in its turn with two pusher jacks 72, and with a platform 73, provided with two rails 74, with one or two raising and lowering ~:
jacks 75, and some guides 76, so that in the "platform below"
positionp the latter receives at :aach speed one board and that in "platform above'9 position said board i~ pushed, at the same speed, onto the upper return track.
The support-~rame is constituted by a frame 77, for supporting the trans~er device! and with a series of bearing members 78, provided with means 79, for fastening to the ground and with cross-bracing means 80, so that, placed above the ground and closed by an isothermal envelope 81, with -: ..

the aid of some tubes 82, and some fastening parts 83, it :' ' '' ' .. . .. .

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provides a dismountable aerial tunnel and so that the same framework placed in a vat 84~ as a support for a floor 85~ provided with thermal isolation 86, provides a below ground tunnel, also dismountable.
The above-described circuit can be used with or without accelerated hardening of -the concre-te. In the first case, there is provided in the tunnel either a network 87, for the distribution of steam, or a network 88 for spraying with hot water, or again with other heating means such as for example infrared radiators, etc.
r~he various installations and devices described above,connected to a central control board 89, give a multi- ;
purpose installation for the manufacture of a large range of small and medium products of reinforced and unreinforced concrete, with a substantial improvement in the quality and - the cost price.

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Claims (11)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A multipurpose installation for the manufacture of small and medium products of reinforced and unreinforced concrete, comprising: a hardening circuit in which are routed boards supporting the concrete products; a tilting frame supporting at least one mould intended to be closed by one of said boards; an installation for distributing the concrete in the mould; a device for introducing boards one by one on to the frame, for closing the mould after it has been filled with concrete; means for tilting the frame through 180° after the mould has been filled with concrete; means for causing the downward movement of the board provided with products removed from the mould with a view to its introduction into the hardening circuit and means for discharging this board in the hardening circuit which extends over a closed path returning to the frame; an instal-lation for discharging the hardened products from the manufacturing instal-lation and for cleaning the boards, characterized by the fact that the installation for distributing the concrete and the installation for discharg-ing the hardened products from the manufacturing installation are combined so as to form a common installation which comprises a carriage intended to be propelled by a reciprocal movement, which carriage is equipped with a measuring and distribution device for the fresh concrete and a device for pushing the products out of the manufacturing installation and for cleaning and oiling the boards, this pushing device being situated beside the measur-ing device so that during the outward travel of the carriage the pushing device ensures the pushing of the hardened products from the board which is at the side and at the same level as the mould, whereas the device for distributing the concrete is brought above the mould and that at the end of the outward travel, the concrete is discharged into the mould and that, during the return travel of the carriage, the cleaning of the board is effected, this board being then used to close the mould which has just been filled.

2. A manufacturing installation according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the device for pushing the hardened products out of the manufacturing installation and for cleaning and oiling is hooked on to a beam of the carriage on one side of this carriage, this pushing device being pro-vided, at the front, with a plate, coated in particular with rubber, and with a spraying device and, at the rear, with a brush device, able to be moved vertically.

3. A manufacturing installation according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that the device for measuring and distributing the concrete comprises a smoothing device formed by a rule hooked on to a beam of the carriage on the same side of this carriage as the pushing device, this rule being hooked on by elastic suspension and adjustment means, said rule being provided, particularly, with at least one vibrator, with a guide block and with a knife blade.

4. A manufacturing installation according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the common installation for distributing the concrete and discharging the hardened products out of the manufacturing installation, and for cleaning and oiling the boards, comprises a common supporting framework, provided with a work platform, with two running rails, for the carriage, with a fixed hopper for feeding the concrete and with a buffer hopper pro-vided with means for vertical adjustment.

5. A manufacturing installation according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the device for measuring and distributing the concrete comprises an interchangeable box-container able to contain the fresh concrete required for filling the moulds situated therebelow, this box being placed above a trap provided with opening and closing means, and with a platform sliding below a buffer hopper.

6. A manufacturing installation according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that each board is formed by a framework, by two sheet-metal faces and by guiding and running rollers, so as to ensure alternately on each face the closing of the moulds during tilting of the frame, the taking of the products during removal from the mould and the routing thereof along the hardening circuit.

7. A manufacturing installation according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the tilting frame is provided with two devices for clamp-ingly receiving the boards and with two horizontal frames each provided with means for securing the moulds so that the operations of filling the moulds and stripping the moulds can be carried out simultaneously.

8. A manufacturing installation according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the device for introducing the boards on to the frame com-prises a platform provided with receiving rails, means for raising and lowering this platform, locking means and means for pushing the boards, the whole being such that, in the lower position, the platform is at the level of the hardening circuit for receiving a board provided with hardened pro-ducts, said platform then raises this board to the level of the moulds so that during the outward travel of the carriage the hardened products are pushed from the board, whereas during the return travel of this same carriage said board is cleaned and oiled, and that finally, the platform raises the board to a level for receiving a device for receiving and clamping the board on the moulds, the pushing means pushing said board into said reception device.

9. A manufacturing installation according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that the device for receiving and clamping the boards on the moulds comprises two rails, synchronized jacks for moving the rails and vertical guides, the whole being such that the two rails are mounted above the frame to take charge of a board which has just been cleaned and oiled, and to press this board against the moulds while controlling at the same time the tilting of the frame, and so that, when the tilting operation is finished, said rails lower the board provided with products removed from the moulds while presenting it at the entrance to the hardening circuit.

10. A manufacturing installation according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that the mould is provided with one or more shells provided with holes on the contour which is to have a better appearance, this mould being closed by means of an envelope, particularly made from sheet-metal, so that by coupling to a vacuum pump there is provided a suction cup phenomenon for maintaining in a clinging position, on said contour, either a loose sheet or a jacket with a decorative or non-skid coating.

11. A manufacturing installation according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that the mould, particularly for the manufacture of slabs, is formed by a double-row battery comprising assembly frames covered, at the top and at the bottom, with perforated metal sheet.