FR2540033A1 - Method and device for the continuous manufacture of cast concrete products or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

Method and device for the continuous manufacture of cast concrete products or the like. The invention relates to an installation intended for the continuous production of large cast objects in a cycle comprising phases of casting, removal from moulds, drying, palletisation and depalletisation of the product-carrying trays, storage in a flat configuration or in an inclined plane of the finished products, all the operational phases being carried out by a gantry crane which can move in translation along the work path and is provided with a chassis with hydraulic 180 degrees turn where the elements to be transported, such as a mould, mould-carrying tray, cast objects, are momentarily secured by a rapid clamping system. Application to the manufacture of very large concrete components, such as constructional elements of 5 to 6 ô 1 to 3 metres, weighing up to 6 tonnes.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of molding of prefabricated bloments in air-hardenable material, in particular concrete or the like. It concerns very special nnnnt a whole process and device for the production
semi-automatic tion of large size molded parts.

 In the known technique for manufacturing molded concrete objects, molds fixed to a vibrating table are usually used and the prefabricated product is left to dry in its mold according to the principle of "deferred molding, which practically requires setting using as many molds as there are types of products to be manufactured in a day, the hardening time being at least 24 hours, it is also necessary to use series of carrier machines such as: cranes, overhead cranes, carts elevators for demolding, product transport, palletization, storage and depalletization.

 Various improvements have been made, particularly in terms of demolding, for example by using a plurality of juxtaposed molds for the production in a single pass of elements of various shapes and uses (French patent N078.25363 of 4/09/1978 ) or by installing vibrators on - trestles supporting the beam (without being attached to it) on which the molds rest, this to have a vertical and unidirectional vibration of the material to be molded (French patent N080.00273 of 8 / 01/1980.

 In order to automate at least part of the molding operations, a stationary machine is advantageously used comprising a hopper for supplying pasty product for the mold or molds and a mobile unit constituted by a gantry, translatable on rails, which is fitted with a 180-degree turning frame and allows, on the one hand, the demoulding of the product deposited on a tray on a pallet stack, with displacement of the latter towards a drying or steaming position, and on the other hand, unit recovery of trays.

 Such a machine gives good performance for the manufacture of various molded products such as fence posts, gutters, grating, sheet pile lintels. etc. However, in this embodiment, the mold is integral with the turning frame and requires long hours of work for its replacement. Furthermore, such an apparatus is not suitable for continuous production, in open or closed cycle, of very large molded parts.

 The object of the invention is precisely to alleviate the aforementioned drawbacks and to this end proposes an installation which also uses a translatable gantry with turning frame but which is specially adapted for the manufacture, in automatic or semi-automatic cycle, of molded concrete or similar objects of very large dimensions, such as 5 to 6 meters by 2 to 3 meters, in an immediate release system.

The new installation according to the invention is essentially characterized in that it comprises, along a rail bench, a series of workstations, all served by a single gantry with reversing dhassis moving in the forward and backward direction on the bench, and corresponding to the following successive operations: a) after filling of the mold (s) with hopper, molding of the product under vibration and trowelling of the free surface b) positioning of the gantry, as soon as it returns from the end of the product storage cycle dry, on the molding axis then arise from the mold by 1. turning frame fitted with a plate; c) translation of the gantry and return to 1800 of the chassis then depositing of the product and its tray at the demolding station; d) after unclamping the tray and storing the products to be dried, with evacuation by hydraulic pusher of the stack of trays to the depalletizing zone, return from the gantry to the de-moirlag-polish area, sorry for the mold on vibrating easels, then moving the gantry in the depalletizing zone and taking of a storage frame with turning the frame then transfer to the storage station; e) at the end of the gantry translation cycle, storage of the molded product either flat or in an angular position between 0 and 90 degrees with inclination of the product holder frame; the gantry being then brought back, provided with a plate on said chassis, to the initial molding station; the set of operations /
/ demoulding palletizing - depalletizing - depositing dry products for storage at the end of the bench, being carried out in time coordination between two filling-vibration phases in the mold (s).

The invention will be better understood from the detailed description of a nonlimiting embodiment, with reference to the drawings of the attached plates which represent
Figure 1 and illustrations of Figures la to the a block diagram showing schematically the different phases of implementation of an open cycle according to the method of the invention.

Figures 2 and 3: schematic views, respectively in profile and in projection on a horizontal plane, of an installation conforming to the process t
Figure 4: a partial view of the installation, illustrating in more detail the assembly of a feed hopper and a molding table
Figure 5: a perspective view of a gantry with turning frame, usable according to the invention
Figure 6: a detailed view of the clamping system of a mold or a tray on the gantry turning frame
Figure 7: a block diagram illustrating the hydraulic turning system of the gantry frame and
t Figure 8: a variant of the installation according to Figures 2 and 3, according to which a transfer carriage is interposed between the molding assembly and the demolding station.

 As can be seen in Figures 2 to 4, a preferred installation according to the invention essentially comprises, substantially aligned on a track 1 provided with translation means 2 for the equipment (for example rails or the like): a hopper 3 of supply and distribution of molding material (for example concrete); a device 4 of vibrating assembly and of mold t a gantry 5 movable along the track 1; - a demolding station 6 where the molded products 7 are stacked on their plates 8 of the devices for advancing by pushers 9; an assembly 10 for storing the molded products where the latter undergo drying and await, on their trays 8, their evacuation; a depalletizing station 11- where, thanks to the gantry, the molded product and its tray are taken; then, a stacking zone 12 vertically or in an inclined plane of the dry molded products 7, before their removal from the manufacturing cycle and finally return of the gantry 5 provided with a plate 8 towards the molding station 4.

 The hopper 3 for supplying the mold (see FIG. 4) is of the type known per se. It is mounted on a translatable carriage on the rail 2 and its movements can advantageously be ensured by an electric chain 13 sliding on the waveguide 14 installed above the track 1 and which also serves as a conductor for the displacements of the gantry -5. This hopper ensures the number of passages required on the molding assembly 4 for filling and, during the return phase, it floats the free surface of the concrete in the mold and then, at the end of the operation, it s 'clears at the waiting station as shown in Figure 4.

The molding assembly -4 is preferably produced according to the indications of the aforementioned patent FR. 80.00273 and essentially comprises easels 15 provided with vibrators and which normally support a beam to which are fastened the interchangeable mold or molds i6. In the context of the present invention, the mold 16 re
this mold is placed directly on the vibrating easels, / being carried each cycle by the turning frame of the gantry. In the present case, these are very large mussels, for example five to six meters in length (or more) over one or more meters. of width, intended for the realization of molded parts for constructive systems of houses or buildings and being able to weigh up to 6 tons.

The handling gantry, designated by the general number 5 (Figures 2 and 3) is detailed in its structure in FIG. 5 and in the detail figures 6 and 7 for certain particular points. Its frame, mounted on wheels for translation on the rail 2, is essentially composed here of metal tubes 17 with rectangular section (for example 40 × 20 cms) and it is provided with a set of pulleys 18 for mounting and lowering the chassis
turning 19 and bogies (not visible in FIG. 5) for running on rail; a general console 20, actuated by operator, allows the control of all of the gantry translation and lowering-lifting and turning-over operations.

According to an originality compared to the devices already known, the gantry 5 authorizes the principle of an immediate demoulding of the molded products thanks to its supporting frame 19 which remains permanently on the frame and which fulfills several functions. As will be described in more detail during the operation of the installation, the chassis receives the assembly of a tray and of the mold containing the molded product while, during the demolding operation, the chassis keeps the mold and deposits the tray and
the molded product, at the end of the cycle. Referring to Figure 6 we can see an advantageous embodiment of the temporary clamping system of a mold and / or tray on the turning frame. The mold and / or tray (here the tray 8) being supported on the side member 21 of the turning frame (19, Fig. 5), a jack 22 pushes a bayonet comb 23 which slides in the guides 24 and comes to tighten the clamping lugs 25 secured to the mold (or plate): this gives , by the clamping of the mold or plate on the chassis, a compact assembly allowing a rotation of the chassis of 180 degrees with a minimum tension effort.

 According to another originality, the rotation of the chassis 19 of this gantry 5 is ensured by a hydraulic device whose operating principle is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 7 where it can be seen that a rotary hydraulic cylinder 26 transmits to the chassis 19, by the intermediate of a bearing 27 for turning and guiding, the torque necessary for the rotation of the chassis.

 In accordance with an interesting alternative embodiment, a transfer station can be provided between the molding device 4 and the demoulding station 6 (if reference is made to FIGS. 2 and 3) as illustrated in the view. partial view of Figure 8. This station is materialized by a rolling cart 28 capable of receiving another mold 16 'and provided with a cradle 29 intended to lift the mold 16 and transport it from position (A) to the position (B) and vice versa according to arrows 30 and 31. The complete molding-demolding-storage cycle being relatively long, this arrangement makes it possible to have a waiting station for a second mold in which the preliminary operations are carried out. usual oiling and reinforcement, i.e. placing scrap bars in the mold before pouring concrete. In addition, according to another advantage of this variant, while the portal 5 is at the end of the cycle (for example 11 or 12 in FIG. 2), the carriage 28 comes to carry and place its mold 16 on the vibrating easels 15 of the first device (A). This can save significant time between two normal work cycles.

 In order to better understand the invention, a mode of improvement of the installation will now be described according to the possible or preferential operating cycles with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 1 appended.

 At the molding station 32, the mold is placed on the vibrating trestles and the distribution hopper, moving on the mold, deposits the concrete, floats the free surface then disappears at its waiting station (illustrated in position figure 4) while the concrete molding is carried out under vibration.

 The part having just been molded (position 33), the operator moves the gantry 5 provided with a plate 8 towards the axis of the mold, this plate coming either from the station 34 for packaging dry molded products (closed cycle) or from the station 35 waiting for the trays (open cycle). The operator then maneuvers the controls of the turning frame 19 of the gantry to carry out the successive operations of: lowering the frame until pressing on the mold clamping the mold on the frame mounted then turning the frame 180 degrees then translation of the gantry towards the demoulding station 6. These series of operations are indicated by the arrow directions in the part of figure 1 a.

 In the following demolding phase 6, illustrated by the part in FIG. 1b, the gantry 5 is placed in the axis of the demolding station and the operator controls the descent of the chassis until contact with the drying track 10 or of the lower plate then: the unclamping of the plate 8, the lifting of the frame with mold then the deposit of the mold '16 on the vibrating trestles 15, the removal cycle being identical to the above-mentioned laying cycle. On the storage track 10 for drying the products, as soon as the pallet height of the trays is reached, the hydraulic pusher 9 evacuates the stack of dried products to the depalletization zone 11 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

The gantry crane 5 is then translated to the depalletizing station 11 or 34 (FIG. 2 or FIG. 1) so as to take hold of a storage frame 37 in the same way as taking a mold with clamping
is illustrated in figure îc.

 When the gantry crane 5 arrives in the depalletization axis (11 or 34) j illustrated in FIG. Id, the whole is grasped: plate 8 - molded product 7 with clamping on the chassis 19 then the operations already mentioned of: lifting, turning and transfer to the storage station according to arrow 36.

The final storage operation, illustrated by FIGS. 1 a, can be envisaged in various ways, namely either either flat (illustration S1) or at an angle or at 90 degrees (illustration S2). In the case of flat storage, on arrival in the corresponding zone of the installation bench, the operator controls the descent and then the unclamping of the mold and release it from the storage ladder and the concrete molded part; after removal, the gantry crane 5 loaded with a tray 8 leaves for the molding station or else stores the tray at the tray stand 35 when space permits. In the case of storage of molded products in an inclined position, the appropriate angle - determined after a series of tests - is provided by sight glass on the gantry control panel; the lowering of the chassis then the unclamping of the mold are done in the chosen position then the raising of the chassis and the rear transfer of the gantry are carried out as already indicated above, but with necessarily more delicate maneuvers.
The invention is, of course, not. limited to the above embodiments and extends to all variants of structure and construction with functions equivalent to those described above.

Claims (3)

 - CLAIMS  I. Installation for the continuous production of molded concrete products, or the like, of large dimensions, characterized in that it comprises, along a rail bench, a series of work stations, all served by a single gantry (5) with turning frame (19) moving back and forth on the bench (1) and corresponding to the following successive operations: a) after filling of the mold (s) (16) by hopper (3), molding of the product under vibration and float on the free surface; b) positioning the gantry, upon its return from the end of the "dry product storage cycle, on the molding axis then taking the mold (16) by the frame (19); c) translating the gantry (5) and turning the frame over at 1800 and then depositing the molded product (7) and its plate (8) at the demolding station; d) after unclamping the plate (8) and storage of the products to be dried, with evacuation by hydraulic pusher of the stack of plates towards the depalletization zone, return of the gantry (5) to the molding zone (4) for removal of the mold (7) on vibrating trestles (15) then displacement of the gantry towards the depalletization zone (11,34) and take of '' a storage frame (36) with inversion of the frame then transfer to the storage station (10); e) at the end of the gantry translation cycle, storage of the dry molded product (7) either flat or in a position angular between 0 and 90 degrees with tilting of the turning frame (19); the gantry being then brought back, provided with a plate ( 8) on said chassis, at the initial molding station (4) l; all demolding-palletizing-depalletizing-depositing dry products for storage at the end of the bench, being carried out in time coordination between two phases of filling-vibration in the mold (s).  2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame (19) of the gantry (5) can receive both a mold (16), containing or not the molded product (7), as a mold assembly (16) - tray (8), depending on the work at the various aforementioned stations S; the momentary fixing of the elements subject to the chassis being effected by a heel device (23,25) actuated by hydraulic cylinder (22); the 180 degree rotation of the chassis (19) for the turning phases being ensured by a set of rotary hydraulic cylinder (26) and turning and guide bearing (27).  3. Installation according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises, near the molding device (4) on vibrating trestles (15) fed by hopper (3), a transfer carriage (28) able to carry another mold (16 ') for preparing oiling and reinforcement and to transport this mold, by means of a carrier cradle (29), on the molding device; the mold (16) of the latter can dirty transfer to said rolling cart (28).