EP1035956B1 - Surfacing device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a surfacing device for substantially flatten the upper surface of a material viscous content in a container and a method of surfacing using such a device.

The term surfacing refers to the operation of rendering the surface of a viscous material such as concrete or cement.

According to the prior art, a surfacing operation is performed manually with a tool with a flat surface (a ruler or a mason's trowel), this tool being moved horizontally and substantially parallel to the surface to be smoothed by the operator, the flat surface, for example the edge of the tool, penetrating a few millimeters inside the material to "level" the surface top of the viscous material to flatten it. The operator prints to the tool a movement, left to his discretion, which can be circular, linear or any.

This manual surfacing operation is not strictly reproducible, gives very unequal results whose Quality is most often related to the experience of the operator. In addition, such an operation is not feasible within an environment hostile does not allow the presence of an operator, in particular in the case of a radioactive environment.

FR 2 693 399 relates to a device for ensuring the distribution, shaving and finishing of concrete poured by a hopper in molds mounted in the distribution module of a table vibrant. A mobile container, which moves on rolling tracks according to a horizontal alternative translation movement, mechanical means for the distribution, shaving and finishing of the concrete during and after the introduction of this concrete into the molds. These mechanical means are realized in the form of a system of rotors or a worm system.

SU 1 201 388 relates to a device for compacting concrete placed in a mold thanks to a pestle whose axis of rotation is shifted by a gamma angle to the axis of rotation of the shaft which carries it so as to obtain an eccentric rotation.

The present invention aims to solve the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a device for to automate the surfacing operation to make this operation reproducible and achievable without the intervention of an operator near the container.

This objective is achieved according to the present invention by means of a surfacing device according to claim 1.

So we understand that, thanks to the first means engines, it is possible to carry out the ascent or descent of the the major part of the device, including the rule constituting the surfacing, and that, thanks to the second motor means at speed variable, it is possible to rotate the rule and the part of the device that is integral to it to perform automatically a circular movement performing the smoothing.

Moreover,. the combination of the lift and rotation of the ruler, during the second phase, makes it possible to achieve the surfacing by the passage in several times, and at heights steadily growing, rule in every spot on the surface upper viscous material so that when the rule is more in contact with the surface, all the material has been regularly distributed without the need to remove surplus material, and by the same to clean any splashes.

According to an advantageous arrangement, the said subassembly further includes an arm attached to said lower portion of the shaft and extending diametrically above said opening in said operating position, an end portion of the arm being connected to said rule and the other end portion being connected to a system balancing device ensuring the horizontality of the longitudinal portion of the lower surface of said rule.

According to another particularly advantageous configuration, said subassembly further comprises a vibratory system connected to said rule, in order to add a vertical oscillations movement to said rule during its rotation, and a damping system placed between said arm and said ruler and avoiding the transmission of vibrations resulting from oscillations of the rule to the rest of said device.

In this case, preferably, said system vibratory includes a pneumatic vibrator integral with said rule and powered by a compressed air circuit comprising a source in compressed air, an angled feed tube having a section upstream, preferably vertical, connected to said source, a connection rotating connecting the downstream section of said tube to the upper part of said shaft, a longitudinal channel passing right through said shaft and a flexible tube connecting the lower end of said channel to said vibrator and said damping system has resilient studs.

• on positionne ledit dispositif de façon à placer ledit ensemble dans sa position opérationnelle au dessus de l'ouverture dudit récipient, l'arbre étant coaxial avec ledit récipient, la règle étant au-dessus d'un rayon de ladite ouverture,
• on réalise une première phase pendant laquelle on active lesdits premiers moyens moteurs pour faire descendre ledit ensemble jusqu'à ce que ladite portion longitudinale de la règle ait pénétré dans ledit matériau visqueux, et
• on réalise une deuxième phase pendant laquelle on active lesdits deuxièmes moyens moteurs pour mettre en rotation ladite règle et pendant laquelle on active lesdits premiers. moyens moteurs pour faire monter ledit ensemble au moins jusqu'à ce que ladite portion longitudinale de la règle soit sortie du matériau visqueux.

The present invention also relates to the surfacing method using the device defined above and characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

• said device is positioned so as to place said assembly in its operative position above the opening of said container, the shaft being coaxial with said container, the rule being above a radius of said opening,
• a first phase is carried out during which said first motor means is activated to lower said assembly until said longitudinal portion of the rule has penetrated into said viscous material, and
• a second phase is carried out during which said second motor means is activated to rotate said rule and during which said first is activated. motor means for raising said assembly at least until said longitudinal portion of the ruler is out of the viscous material.

Particularly advantageously, the second phase is a phase during which, at first, we activate said second motor means for rotating said rule according to a first speed of rotation then, in a second time, said second motor means is activated to rotate said rule at a second speed of rotation, less than first speed of rotation.

The present invention also relates to the use of surfacing device of the aforementioned type for a container, of preferably made of concrete, which contains said viscous material, preferably concrete, and at least one container containing waste contaminated for subsequent long-term storage and that said viscous material has been poured into said container during the vibratory phase of a vibrating table with vertical acceleration on which container is retained.

The invention will be better understood, and features and their advantages will become apparent during the description of an embodiment given below by way of example.

It is understood that the description and the drawings are not given as indicative and not limiting.

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe longitudinale d'un récipient contenant un matériau visqueux dont la surface supérieure doit être lissée ;
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique en coupe longitudinale d'un dispositif de surfaçage selon la présente invention positionné au-dessus du récipient de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en élévation de la règle de surfaçage telle qu'elle serait visible depuis l'arrière de la feuille de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue de dessus de la règle de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue de la règle selon la direction V-V de la figure 4 ; et,
• la figure 6 est une vue en coupe selon la direction VI-VI de la règle selon la figure 4.

Reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a container containing a viscous material whose upper surface must be smoothed;
• Figure 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a surfacing device according to the present invention positioned above the container of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is an elevational view of the surfacing rule as it would be visible from the back of the sheet of Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is a top view of the rule of Figure 3;
• Figure 5 is a view of the ruler in the direction VV of Figure 4; and,
• FIG. 6 is a sectional view in the direction VI-VI of the rule according to FIG. 4.

The illustrated embodiment relates to the use of the surfacing device which will be described hereinafter for a container used in the nuclear industry, to pack waste contaminated by coating in fiber concrete. The The waste in question is first placed in specially designed cases specifically that are stacked inside a container or cylindrical container 12, preferably made of concrete itself fiber.

The cases 10 are embedded within a mass of one highly viscous material 14, preferably of fiber concrete, which has been previously poured inside the container up to a level almost flush with the upper edge 12c of the container 12.

The container 12, formed of a bottom wall 12a and a cylindrical side wall 12b, rests, by the lower face 12d of the bottom wall 12a, on a support whose flatness is at least Same level of quality as the 12d face.

After pouring the concrete, the upper level 14a thereof is located a few inches below the free edge annular upper 12c of the container 12.

For this application, the concrete must have a state of perfect surface on its surface 14a to allow the superposition by stack of a series of containers 12 which ensures the absence of a any defect or damage to the concrete surface 14a when it is dry. Indeed such a defect would be likely to compromise the long-term tightness of the container 12, its storage being planned for several hundred years.

After complete solidification of the concrete, it is the surface upper 14a of the concrete 14 which constitutes the upper surface of the container, no other lid is needed. So. if this upper surface 14a has unevenness or unevenness of surface area, these may lead to cracking, for example following an infiltration of liquid.

For surfacing this surface 14a, a surfacing manual is excluded because of the radioactivity of waste enclosed in the cases 10, so that this operation must be able to be performed automatically with a remote control.

Prior to the surfacing stage, pouring concrete 14 within the container 12 is carried out while the container 12 is subject to a vibrating table to prevent any air bubbles inside concrete. If, after filling, it is judged that a quantity of concrete excess is present in the container 12, it is expected that, previously to the surfacing operation, the container 12 goes to level of a scraping station that removes the excess concrete, that is to say, almost all the concrete that protrudes beyond the edge upper 12c of the container 12.

Reference will now be made to Figure 2 illustrating schematic the surfacing device 20 according to the present invention, placed in its operative position above the container 12.

The surfacer 20 has an upper portion 20a corresponding to all the elements of motorization and guidance, advantageously controlled remotely, and which allow to realize simultaneously or successively a movement of vertical translation and a rotational movement as it will be described below. The lower part 20b of the device 20 comprises all the elements allowing the rule to be correctly positioned and to have the most appropriate movement to get, after surfacing, a state of the most plane surface possible, that is to say a upper surface 14a of the concrete as smooth as possible.

The operating principle is as follows: a rule 22 is placed above the container 12 opposite a radius of its opening 12e, the rule having a length substantially equal to inner radius of the container 12 and having a specific profile which will described later. Rule 22 is rotated around the Z axis of the container 12 while the bottom surface of the ruler is located at a few millimeters below the surface 14a of the concrete so as to divide the amount of concrete above this level. According to principle of the present device, while the rule 22 is in rotation. it is lifted vertically gradually out completely concrete to obtain a plane surface 14a '. Of preferentially, the raising of the rule takes place in two time (roughing and finishing) corresponding respectively to two successively fast rotation speeds (working speed) and slow (finishing speed).

To allow these two movements of Rule 22, the device 20 comprises a set of elements forming a set mobile in vertical translation, part of this mobile assembly 24 forming a subassembly 26 which is further rotatable,

As can be seen in Figure 2, the device 20 further comprises a housing 28 having an open bottom portion, fixedly disposed substantially above the 12th opening of the container 12 in said operational position illustrated on the FIG. 2. In this casing 28 is housed at least partially said mobile assembly 24 provided with a housing 30 movable in translation vertical to the housing 28 and housing the upper part of the subassembly 26. The housing 28 and the housing 30 form two elements hollow mechanically welded nested one in the other.

In order to allow the vertical translation movement of the moving assembly 24 relative to the housing 28, the device comprises first motor means in the form of a stepping motor 32 mounted at the top of said housing 28 and having an output shaft 34 vertical whose free end 34a is threaded and cooperates with the part upper 30a of the housing 30 forming a nut.

The housing 28 is extended in its lower part by a bell 36 which closes, covering it, the 12th opening of the container 12. This bell 36 thus constitutes the lower part of the housing forming a lid of the container 12, placed above the rule 22 and comprising a circular lower edge 36a connected to the side wall 12b, sealing means being placed between the lower edge 36a of this lower part 36 and said side wall 12. In the mode of embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the lower edge 36a of the bell 36 has a diameter equal to that of the upper edge 12c of the container 12, the seal being provided by a flat annular crush seal 38 compressed between the edges facing the bell 36 and the container 12.

In addition, means for centering said housing are provided. 28 to place this housing 28 in operational position by relative to the container 12: centering wedges 40 ensure this function.

A first guiding system ensures the movement of vertical translation between the casing 28 and the moving assembly 24 thanks to the presence of at least one bearing 42 placed between the inner surface of the housing 28 and the outer surface of the housing 30. Preferably, as illustrated in Figure 2, the device 20 comprises two bearings 42 located respectively at the top and at the bottom of the upper part 20a of the device 20.

In order to avoid any rotation between the housing 30 and the casing 28, a key 44 is mounted between them.

Thus, under the action of the stepper motor 32, the rotation of the threaded free end 34a of the shaft 34 causes the translation vertical housing 30 and all the elements it contains and which him are united. This is the case of the shaft 46 placed vertically and of coaxially with the Z axis of the container 12 in the position the operative part of the device 20, rule 22 being connected to the lower 46b of this shaft 46 which penetrates inside the bell 36. The upper portion 46a of the shaft 46 is connected to means for setting in rotation comprising second motor means, integral with the housing 30, which ensure, with a second guiding system, a rotational movement between said subassembly 26 and the housing 30, the shaft 46 being rotatably mounted in the housing 30.

The second motor means comprise a set motor-reducer 48 consisting of a motor driving a gear reducer vertical axis speed which rotates a pinion axis 50 vertical. This pinion 50 meshes with a toothed wheel 52 coaxial with said shaft 46 and fixed around the upper portion 46a of this shaft 46.

This toothed wheel 52 has a number of teeth which will have been determined in order to obtain the desired reduction ratio between the wheel 52 and pinion 50.

In order to guide the shaft 46 in rotation, provision is made for a second guide system comprising at least one bearing 54 placed between said shaft 46 and said housing 30. According to the method of illustrated embodiment, two bearings 54 have been placed, preferably tapered roller bearings along the shaft 46. These bearings 54 prevent lateral movement of the shaft 46, and all the elements attached to it that form the subset 26, compared to housing 30.

Advantageously, the device further comprises means for detecting the angular position of said subassembly 26 relative to the housing 30 through a coding ring 56 fixed on the wheel 52 and carrying, at two different heights, terminals regularly distributed over the circumference of the crown 56. Two inductive proximity sensors 58 are placed next to the crown 56 to possibly identify the passage of a terminal in look at one of the detectors 58. Terminals and detectors 58 form a logical whole allowing to know at any time the number of revolutions made by the shaft 46, that is to say by the rule 22.

If one refers to the lower part 20b of the device 20, the lower part 46b of the shaft is connected to a horizontal arm 60, the shaft being centered on this arm 60. A first end portion 60a (left in FIG. 2) is connected, via a support system, to the rule 22 and the second end portion 60b of the arm 60 (part right of Figure 2) is connected to a balancing system under the form of a counterweight 62 for ensuring the horizontality of the arm 60 in order to also keep horizontal rule 22 without creating imbalance at the bottom of the shaft 46.

Advantageously, the device 20 also comprises a pneumatic vibrator 64 for printing at rule 22 a movement of vertical oscillations during its rotation, these oscillations which considerably improve the state of final surface of the concrete 14. In order to supply compressed air vibrator 64, from the top of the upper portion 20a, there is provided a compressed air circuit which arrives at the device 20 by a angled feed tube 66 having an upstream section 66a vertical, in fluid communication with an air source compressed, passing through the upper wall of the casing 28 so sliding and forming a pivot connection 68 with the upper wall of the housing 30.

The downstream section 66b of the feed tube 66 is connected to a rotating coupling 70 coaxially placed above the part upper 46a of the shaft 46 which has a longitudinal channel 46c opening into the lower part 46b of the shaft 46 at a tube flexible 72 whose other end is connected to the vibrator 64.

Rule 22 is fixed under an adjustable plate.74 which can slide against a fixed plate 75, placed above the plate 74, through a screw (not shown), the assembly forming means for adjusting the radial position of the ruler 22 relative to the shaft 46.

The vibrator 64 is placed above the fixed plate 75 which is connected to the arm 60 by four elastic studs 76 forming a system of damping intended to attenuate the transmission of vibrations vibrator to the rest of the elements of the device 20.

Before carrying out the surfacing operation, we refine the position of the ruler 22 so that its radially inner end 22a is centered with respect to the opening 12e of the container 12, that is to say coaxial with the axis Z. This radially inner end 22a is provided with a lug 78 or pin placed coaxially with the axis Z of the container 12 in the operative position of the device 20, this pin 78 making protruding down from Rule 22. During the first phase descent of said assembly, the lug 78 forms a depression at the upper surface 14a of the concrete, this depression being progressively filled by the concrete during the second phase of raising of said rule 22 so as to be able to use the residues accumulated in the center of the surface thus avoiding the formation of a central picot of material that would be unacceptable.

Concerning the form of Rule 22, we will refer more particularly in Figures 3 to 5.

The radially outer end 22b of the rule 22 is to it provided with a seal of elastomeric material 80 which extends radially the rule and which is intended to come into contact with the face internal sidewall 12b of the container 12 to prevent a material recovery at this level.

Rule 22 has a horizontal longitudinal portion 22c delimited by a contour forming a section of a ring having an inner radius R2 and a ring width e. This horizontal portion 22c is adjacent to and delimited by a wall vertical posterior 22d.

The horizontal portion 22c is extended towards the anterior wall 22e vertical, by an inclined portion 22f, ascending from the horizontal portion 22c towards the sidewall of the rule 22 forming the anterior wall 22e during the Rule 22. As can be seen more precisely in FIG. 3, the front edge 22g of the inclined portion 22f forms an ascending line from the radially inner end 22a direction of the radially outer end 22b of the ruler, this edge 22g prior forming an arc of radius R1 projection horizontal (figure 4) and a straight line in projection. vertical (Figure 3). The posterior edge 22h of the inclined portion 22f, adjacent at the horizontal portion 22c, forms an arc of radius of radius R2, R2 being larger than R1.

Thus, if we refer to Figure 6, we see that the Rule 22 has a polygonal cross section to five sides corresponding to a rectangle whose angle, between the wall front 22e and the horizontal wall 22c, is truncated to form the sloping portion 22f.

So, during the rotation of rule 22, whose meaning is indicated by the arrow in Figure 4, the concrete is driven from the center of rule 22 towards its periphery so that the thickness of the concrete excess is folded and spread out gradually, during the rotation of the ruler from the center of surface 14a to the periphery of the surface 14a.

The very particular profile of this Rule 22 is intended to homogenize the relative speeds of scrolling between the center 22a and the periphery 22b of the rule 22 with respect to the container 12.

During the ascent of Rule 22, it first turns to a first rotational speed of the geared motor unit 48, in order to rough out the surface 14a, then the speed is decreased of rotation of the rule 22 before this one is out of the concrete in order to achieve a finishing step on several turns of rotation of rule 22, still rotating with an upward movement, so to have less and less concrete folded by the inclined portion 22f, to finally arrive at a position in which the portion 22c is flush with the flat upper surface 14a 'of the concrete.

It is then sufficient to disengage the container 12 from the device 20 by moving them apart from each other to proceed to the next step corresponding to the drying of concrete 14.

• un système de rinçage automatique de la cloche 36 qui permet, entre deux opérations de surfaçage, d'éliminer toutes les salissures et/ou éclaboussures présentes sur la paroi interne de la cloche 36 et sur les éléments tournants présents dans cette cloche, notamment sur la règle de surfaçage 22, et
• un système de surveillance à distance comprenant des caméras dont certaines d'entre elles permettent de surveiller l'état de la surface du béton en cours et en fin de lissage ; ce système de télésurveillance permettant à l'opérateur de suivre de manière détaillée le déroulement du procédé de surfaçage afin de le stopper si nécessaire.

Preferably, the surfacing device 20 described above is associated with:

• an automatic rinsing system of the bell 36 which allows, between two surfacing operations, to eliminate all the dirt and / or splashes present on the inner wall of the bell 36 and on the rotating elements present in this bell, in particular on the surfacing rule 22, and
• a remote monitoring system comprising cameras, some of which make it possible to monitor the state of the concrete surface in progress and at the end of smoothing; this remote monitoring system allows the operator to follow in detail the progress of the surfacing process in order to stop it if necessary.

Claims (17)

1. A surfacing device (20) for making substantially plane the top surface (14a) of a viscous material (14) contained in a receptacle (12) having a bottom wall (12a) and a cylindrical vertical side wall (12b) whose top edge (12c) defines a circular opening (12e), the device being characterised in that it comprises:

   a moving assembly (24) designed to be placed in an operating position relative to said receptacle (12) in which position said assembly (24) is above said opening (12e);

   first motor means (32) and a first guide system (30a, 34a, 42) enabling, when in said operating position, vertical translation movement to be imparted to said assembly (24) relative to said receptacle (12); and

   variable-speed, second motor means (48) and a second guide system (54) enabling, when in said operating position, rotary movement to be imparted to a moving subassembly (26) belonging to said assembly (24);

   said subassembly (26) comprising:

   a vertical shaft (46) on the axis of said cylindrical side wall (12b) when said assembly (24) is in said operating position, the top portion (46a) of said shaft being secured to said second motor means (48); and

   a rule (22) connected to the bottom portion (46b) of said shaft (46), the rule of length substantially equal to the radius of said opening (12e) and having a bottom surface presenting a horizontal longitudinal portion (22c) for smoothing the top surface (14a) of the viscous material (14), said bottom surface of the rule (22) having a sloping portion (22f) that rises from the horizontal portion (22c) towards a side wall of the rule that forms a front wall (22e) during rotation of said rule (22), the front edge (22g) of the sloping portion forming a line that rises from the radially inner end (22a) towards the radially outer end (22b) of said rule, said rule (22) penetrating through said opening (12e) into said viscous material (14) during a first stage in which the first motor means (32) are activated to lower said assembly (24), said rule (22) being set into rotation during a second stage during which the first motor means (32) are activated to cause said assembly (24) to rise.
2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that said subassembly (26) also includes an arm (60) fixed to said bottom portion (46b) of the shaft and extending diametrically over said opening (12e) when in said operating position, one end portion (60a) of the arm being connected to said rule (22) and the other end portion (60b) being connected to a balancing system (62) ensuring that the longitudinal portion (22c) of the bottom surface of said rule (22) is horizontal.
3. A device according to claim 2, characterised in that said subassembly further includes a vibrator system (64) connected to said rule so as to add vertical oscillatory motion to said rule (22) during rotation thereof, and a damping system (76) placed between the arm (60) and said rule (22) to avoid transmitting the vibration that results from oscillation of the rule (22) to the remainder of said device.
4. A device according to claim 3, characterised in that said vibrator system comprises a pneumatic vibrator (64) secured to said rule (22) and fed by a compressed air circuit comprising a compressed air source, an angled feed tube (66) having an upstream segment (66a) connected to said source, a rotary coupling (70) connecting the downstream segment (66b) of said tube to the top portion (46a) of said shaft, a longitudinal channel (46c) passing along said shaft (46), and a flexible tube (72) connecting the bottom end of said channel (46c) to said vibrator (64), and in that said damper system has resilient studs (76).
5. A device according to claim 2, characterised in that said subassembly (26) also includes means (74, 75) for adjusting the radial position of said rule (22) relative to said shaft (46).
6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said device also comprises a housing (28) having an open bottom portion (36), which is disposed, when in said operating position, in stationary manner essentially over the opening (12e) of the receptacle (12), and in which at least part of said moving assembly (24) including a case (30) is housed, in that the top portion of said subassembly (26) is housed in said case (30), in that said first motor means (32) and said first guide system (30a, 34a, 42) impart the vertical translation movement between said housing (28) and said assembly (24), in that said second motor means (48) are secured to said case (30) in such a manner that in co-operation with said second guide system (54) they impart rotary motion between said subassembly (26) and said case (30), and in that said shaft (46) is rotatably mounted in said case (30).
7. A device according to claim 6, characterised in that said housing (28) has a bottom portion (36) forming a lid for said container, the bottom portion being placed over said rule (22) and having a circular bottom edge (36a) connected to said side wall (12b), and in that sealing means (38) are placed between the bottom edge (36a) of said bottom portion (36) and said side wall (12b).
8. A device according to claim 6, characterised in that it further comprises means (40) for centring said housing (28), enabling said housing (28) to be placed in the operating position relative to said receptacle (12) in such a manner that said shaft (46) lies on the axis of said side wall (12b) of the receptacle (12).
9. A device according to claim 6, characterised in that it further comprises means (56, 58) for detecting the angular position of said subassembly (26) relative to the case (30).
10. A device according to claim 6, characterised in that said first motor means comprise a stepper motor (32) mounted at the top of said housing and having a vertical outlet shaft (34) whose free end (34a) is threaded and co-operates with the top portion (30a) of said case (30) which forms a nut, and in that said first guide system includes at least one bearing (42) between the bottom surface of said housing (28) and the outer surface of said case (30).
11. A device according to claim 6, characterised in that said subassembly (26) further includes a toothed wheel (52) coaxial about said shaft (46) and fixed around the top portion (46a) of said shaft (46), in that said second motor means (48) comprise a motor driving a vertical-axis speed-reducing gear box which rotates a gear (50) which meshes with said toothed wheel (52), and in that said second guide system comprises at least one roller bearing (54) placed between said shaft (46) and said case (30).
12. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said front edge (22g) forms a circular arc of radius R1 and in that said sloping portion (22f) presents a rear edge (22h) adjacent to said horizontal portion (22c) and forming a circular arc of radius R2 > R1.
13. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said radially inner end (22a) of said rule is centred relative to said opening and is provided with a peg (78) projecting downwards and lying on the same axis as said shaft (46), said peg (78) acting during the first stage to create a depression in the top surface (14a) of the concrete, said depression being progressively filled with said viscous material during the rising, second stage of said rule (22).
14. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the radially outer end (22b) of said rule is extended radially by an elastomer gasket (80) designed to come into contact with the inside face of the side wall (12b) of said receptacle.
15. A surfacing method using the device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, the method being characterised in that it comprises the following steps:

    said device (20) is positioned in such a manner as to place said assembly (24) in its operating position over the opening (12e) of said receptacle, the shaft (46) lying on the axis of said receptacle (12), the rule (22) being above a radius of said opening (12e);

    a first stage is performed during which said first motor means (32) are activated to lower said assembly (24) until said longitudinal portion (22c) of the rule (22) has penetrated into said viscous material (14); and

    a second stage is performed during which said second motor means (48) are activated to set said rule (22) into rotation and during which said first motor means (32) are activated to cause said assembly (24) to rise at least until said longitudinal portion (12c) of the rule (22) has moved out from the viscous material (14).
16. A surfacing method according to claim 15, characterised in that said second stage is a stage during which said second motor means (48) are initially activated to set said rule (22) into rotation at a first speed of rotation, and subsequently said second motor means (48) are activated to cause said rule (22) to rotate at a second speed of rotation slower than said first speed of rotation.
17. The use of a surfacing device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, the use being characterised in that said receptacle (12), preferably made of concrete, contains said viscous material (14), preferably concrete, and at least one box (10) containing contaminated waste for subsequent long-duration storage thereof, and in that said viscous material (14) was cast into said receptacle (12) during vibration of a vibrating table which vibrates with vertical acceleration and on which said receptacle (12) was retained.

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