GB1591603A - Mould vibrator unit - Google Patents

Description

(54) MOULD VIBRATOR UNIT (71) We, Dow-MAc CONCRETE LIM ITED, of Tallington, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 4RL, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to moulds, particulary but not exclusively for the production of articles of concrete or other cementitious materials, and to means for vibrating such moulds.

In accordance with the invention, a mould vibrator unit comprises a rotary vibrator mounted on an outer surface of an elongated side plate, the side plate including parallel clamping flanges extending along its longer edges, each flange having an inward facing clamping surface lying at 45" to the inner surface of the side plate, and an inflatable sac mounted on the inner surface of the side plate and lying between the clamping surfaces.

In accordance with the invention, also, a mould includes a pair of opposite side members, each side member having upper and lower longitudinal clamping faces lying outwardly and, respectively, in the upward and downward direction from a horizontal plane between them, and having a vertical outermost face, and a vibrator unit mounted on each side member and comprising a plate with clamping elements on its longitudinal edges, each element having a clamping flange lying at 45" to the plate and engaging a respective one of the clamping faces with an inner surface of the plate parallel to and spaced from the said outermost face of the side member, a flexible inflated air sac between the plate and the outermost face, and a turbo vibrator secured rigidly to the outer surface of the plate.

For a clearer understanding of the invention, the embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1. shows an end view of a mould according to the invention.

Figure 2. shows, on a greatly enlarged scale, a side member of the mould with a vibration device mounted thereon, and Figure 3 shows a plan view of the device.

The mould shown in Figure 1 is used for the production of concrete beams e.g. railway sleepers, and comprises a plurality of parallel open-topped mould cells 1 of troughlike shape held together by spaced-apart cross beams 2. Such a mould is commonly supported on wheels (not shown) for movement along tracks. Attached to the outer ends of the cross beams are two opposed side members 3 each carrying a vibrator device 4.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. each vibrator device includes a pneumatically driven turbo vibrator 5 bolted to a cradle which consists of a pair of spaced apart cradle plates 6 welded to an outer surface of a sideplate 7 which is clamped on its respective side member 3. Thus its axis of rotation is parallel to the outer surface of the side plate. The side plate has its longitunal parallel edges bent to form clamping elements 8 which terminate in inturned clamping flanges 9 also formed from the bent over portions. Each flange 9 has a inward facing clamping surface 10 lying at 45 to the planes of the outer 11 and inner 12 surfaces of the main body of the side plate 7.

Each mould side member 3 is of box construction, and has angled bars 13, 14 welded to its top and bottom providing clamping faces 15, 16 which are in facial contact with the clamping surfaces 10 of the side plate 7. As will be clear from Figure 2, the faces 15, 16 lie at 45" to a horizontal plane between them and respectively upwardly and downwardly in an outward direction.

Attached to the inner surface 12 of the side plate 7 is an air sac 17 of elongated shape.

The sac lies in the space 18 between the surface 12 and the side member 3 and a thin wearing plate 19 attached at each end to the side plate lies between the sac and the side member. At one of its ends the sac has a connection 20 to a supply of air pressure so that the sac can be inflated thus pressing the side plate away from the side member and causing the generation of a clamping force between the contacting surfaces of the clamping elements and the angled bars.

The side plates and side member are prefcrably made of mild steel and the air sac is conveniently formed from a plastics coated glass fibre hose sealed at its ends. The sac may be supplied with air from the source driving the turbo-vibrator, through an automatic deflation valve so that ii can be deflated to mount and demount the vibrator device on and off the side member by a longitudinal sliding movement.

When the vibrating devices are in operation, the vibrations set up by the turbovibrators are transmitted to the cross beams and form some drive waves therein which produce vertical oscillations in the mould cells to settle concrete poured therein for moulding.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A mould vibrator unit comprising a rotary vibrator mounted on an outer surface of an elongated side plate, the side plate including parallel clamping flanges extending along its longer edges, each flange having an inward facing clamping surface lying at 45 to the inner surface of the side plate, and an inflatable sac mounted on the inner surface of the side plate and lying between the clamping surfaces.

2. A mould vibrator unit according to claim I wherein each flange is formed from bent over portions of the side plate.

3. A mould vibrator unit according to claim l or 2 wherein the rotary vibrator is a pneumatically driven turbo vibrator having its axis of rotation parallel to the outer surface of the side plate.

4. A mould vibrator unit according to claim 3 wherein the vibrator is fixed within a cradle mounted on the side plate.

5. A mould vibrator unit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the inflatable sac is formed by a length of plastics coated glass fibre hose sealed at its ends and having a connection for a supply of air pressure.

6. A mould vibrator unit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the inflatable sac is between the side plate and a wearing plate extending parallel to and spaced from the inner surface of the side plate.

7. A mould vibrator unit constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A mould having side members with mould vibrator units according to any of the preceding claims mounted thereon, each side member being provided with clamping faces engaging respective clamping surfaces of a unit, and clamped thereto by pressure exerted by the unit sac when inflated upon a face of the side member.

9. A mould according to claim 8 wherein the side members are attached to opposite ends of cross beams supporting mould cells.

10. A mould including a pair of opposite side members, each side member having upper and lower longitudinal clamping faces lying outwardly and, respectively, in the upward and downward direction from a horizontal plane between them and having a vertical outermost face, and a vibrator unit mounted on each side member and comprising a plate with clamping elements on its longitudinal edges, each element having a clamping flange lying at 45 to the plate and engaging a respective one of the clamping faces with an inner surface of the plate parallel to and spaced from the said outermost face of the side member, a flexible inflated air sac between the plate and the outermost face, and a turbo-vibrator secured rigidly to the outer surface of the plate.

I I. A mould for the production of concrete beams constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in Fig. 1, and with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The side plates and side member are prefcrably made of mild steel and the air sac is conveniently formed from a plastics coated glass fibre hose sealed at its ends. The sac may be supplied with air from the source driving the turbo-vibrator, through an automatic deflation valve so that ii can be deflated to mount and demount the vibrator device on and off the side member by a longitudinal sliding movement. When the vibrating devices are in operation, the vibrations set up by the turbovibrators are transmitted to the cross beams and form some drive waves therein which produce vertical oscillations in the mould cells to settle concrete poured therein for moulding. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A mould vibrator unit comprising a rotary vibrator mounted on an outer surface of an elongated side plate, the side plate including parallel clamping flanges extending along its longer edges, each flange having an inward facing clamping surface lying at 45 to the inner surface of the side plate, and an inflatable sac mounted on the inner surface of the side plate and lying between the clamping surfaces.

2. A mould vibrator unit according to claim I wherein each flange is formed from bent over portions of the side plate.

3. A mould vibrator unit according to claim l or 2 wherein the rotary vibrator is a pneumatically driven turbo vibrator having its axis of rotation parallel to the outer surface of the side plate.

4. A mould vibrator unit according to claim 3 wherein the vibrator is fixed within a cradle mounted on the side plate.

5. A mould vibrator unit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the inflatable sac is formed by a length of plastics coated glass fibre hose sealed at its ends and having a connection for a supply of air pressure.

6. A mould vibrator unit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the inflatable sac is between the side plate and a wearing plate extending parallel to and spaced from the inner surface of the side plate.

7. A mould vibrator unit constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A mould having side members with mould vibrator units according to any of the preceding claims mounted thereon, each side member being provided with clamping faces engaging respective clamping surfaces of a unit, and clamped thereto by pressure exerted by the unit sac when inflated upon a face of the side member.

9. A mould according to claim 8 wherein the side members are attached to opposite ends of cross beams supporting mould cells.

10. A mould including a pair of opposite side members, each side member having upper and lower longitudinal clamping faces lying outwardly and, respectively, in the upward and downward direction from a horizontal plane between them and having a vertical outermost face, and a vibrator unit mounted on each side member and comprising a plate with clamping elements on its longitudinal edges, each element having a clamping flange lying at 45 to the plate and engaging a respective one of the clamping faces with an inner surface of the plate parallel to and spaced from the said outermost face of the side member, a flexible inflated air sac between the plate and the outermost face, and a turbo-vibrator secured rigidly to the outer surface of the plate.

I I. A mould for the production of concrete beams constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in Fig. 1, and with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.