GB2103143A - A device for handling frames for making up moulds or casings for casting concrete or composite panels - Google Patents

Description

SPECIFICATION A device for handling frames for manufacturing moulds or casings for concrete or composite panels The present invention relates to devices for handling frames for manufacturing molds or casings for concrete or composite panels. Lateral or longitudinal casings for planimetric and thickness molding, further allowing profiling in different shapes with or without the presence of steel, are also called frames, framework or else formwork. The use of manufacturing molds or casings for concrete or composite panels is related to the building industry which attempts have been made to industrialize for a long time, that is to say for which optimum conditions are sought for executing constructional works adapted to modern economic conceptions and technical progress by a careful and methodic preparation of the work. This implies the use, at all manufacturing stages, of mechanical means and apparatus developed for preparing, manufacturing, handling and using the materials, but also involves the scientific organization of the worksite and more generally and more urgently the rational organization of all the functions whatever they may be which contribute to the building art. One particular aspect of industrialization is prefabrication which tends towards incorporating in a single element works which are required therein for carrying out a construction. Within the scope of the present invention, concrete or composite panels will be more specially considered of relatively large size which are manufactured in casings or molds where some operations are still carried out manually. Because the panels are manufactured on fixed horizontal tables or horizontal tables which may be raised and assume, for removal of the panel from the mold, a vertical position, the edges of the panels are defined by frames, a low hinged or pivoting or mobile frame, one or two high frames, at least two or more, currently four, side frames. In this case, we speak of two external lateral frames and two central frames. The handling of these frames still takes place at the present time in workshops by hand, either manually or sometimes with the help of external but auxiliary lifting means. The mechanical handling or handling assisted by mechanical means servo-controlled by electric, hydraulic, pneumatic or combined means, and moreover programmed, does not yet exist for casing frames. Figure 1 shows how the frames are disposed on a table for manufacturing a concrete or composite panel in accordance with the prior art. The outer rectangle R marks the limit of the table. At 1 we find the low frame, here in a single piece although it is possible to produce it in several parts. At 2 we find a high frame, at 3 an external lateral frame and at 4 a central lateral fra m e. In this figure two casings have been shown. According to the prior art, handling of these frames takes place manually and in what follows one example will be given for all the manual handling operations which would have to be carried out for a case of manufacture which is altogether current. When, for example, panels of varying dimensions are manufactured on a table, the low frame remains in place on its swinging pivots. On the other hand, the high frame(s) depending on circumstances, are manually moved apart so as to free the panel from its mold and to remove it therefrom and to take it out of its work area. Moreover, since the panels often vary in dimensions because they are dissimilar, the frames are not placed back in the same position with respect, for example, to the preceding casting. This means that the upper and lateral frames cannot be left in the same position. It will be readily understood, under these circumstances, that mechanical help or assistance for handling the frames would be advantageous, if not important and in most cases highly desirable. The present invention aims at providing a device for handling frames for manufacturing molds or casings for concrete or composite panels which replaces the manual work for handling the frames and facilitates it. According to the invention, a device for handling a frame comprises at least one bar or manipulator comprising means for fixing same to the corresponding frame, drive means acting on the manipulator and making it mobile either linearly or angularly, or both, causing the corresponding movement of the frame and allowing the panel to be removed from the mold, whatever the position of the table carrying the mold or the casing and the frames to be put back in position on the table. Other features or advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of embodiments of the handling device with reference to the figures which show: Figure 1, the arrangement of the frames on a table for manufacturing panels; Figure 2, an embodiment of a handling device according to the invention; Figure 3, a diagram showing the lay-out of handling devices around a manufacturing table; and Figure 4, another embodiment of a handling device. As was mentioned in the introduction to the present description, the aim of the invention is to define what has been called a manipulator capable of moving or of removing and also replacing the frames which define the casing in which concrete or composite panels are pre-fabricated. Such manipulators are capable of acting on the frames, whether they are low, high, external lateral or central lateral, when several casings, two in general, are disposed on the same table, and as shown in figure 1 representing the prior art. It will be noted that the manipulators carry out work which up to present was carried out manually, workmen moving the frames by hand, or disposing thereon by hand gripping means connected to traction or lifting apparatus. The manipulators of the invention may further be grouped together on mobile supports adapted therefore to move from one manufacturing table to another, the operations which they carry out being programmed so that the work that they accomplish is executed without a break in continuity. Moreover, the manipulators are arranged on the supports so that they are able to act on corresponding frames without timewasting preliminary adjustments and positioning. Figure 2 shows a handling device according to a preferred embodiment. In accordance with the invention however, in this figure the device may be considered as conceived in its general form, namely the righthand or left-hand part limited without discrimination by the broken line P. The device thus comprises a bar 8 or manipulator having at one of its ends means 9 for fixing to the corresponding frame. These fixing means are adapted so that they grip corresponding means fixed to the frame. At 13 locking means have been provided, by keying, jack or equivalent. This manipulator in accordance with the invention must be able to carry out certain linear or angular movements, or both successively. For this, a motor 11, preferably pneumatic but able to be electric, hydraulic or similar, imparts a linear movement to the manipulator through a driving pinion 61. In a variation, bar 8 is a slide and the fixing means 9 are mounted on a carriage 7 movable along the slide. Jack 10, or piston and cylinder arrangement, ensures the swinging of bar 8 on which it acts. It is evident that the assembly which has just been described drives, through its movements, the frame not shown in the drawings, to which it is fixed. Figure 2 as a whole shows a handling device more especially adapted to handling high, external lateral frames of greater length as is the case in general. It comprises two devices similar to the one which has just been described coupled together by means of a rigid transmission shaft 6 in the example described. On this shaft driven by a motor 11 motor 110 obviously does not need to be kept - are disposed two driving pinions 61 and 62 acting respectively on the manipulators 8-80, or in the case where these are slides, on the carriages 7-70 bearing the respective means 9-90 for fixing to the complementary means 5-50 (figure 3) provided on the frames. Shaft 1 is rigid so as to provide a certain synchronization in the movements which are imparted to the frames and so as to avoid any prejudicial stress. If motor 11 (110) imparts a linear movement to manipulators 8-80, a jack 10 (100) ensures the desired angular movement, controlling the swinging of manipulators 8-80. In another embodiment, the rigid shaft 6 may be replaced by an electric synchronization system, comprising two motors each driving a driving pinion and being synchronized with each other by any known means. For example, to remove a lateral frame, an angular movement may be imparted to the frame at one or at the other end or at both successively so as to loosen it from the corresponding side of the panel before removing it by pulling. Figure 3 shows schematically, the lay-out of the handling devices with respect to a panel manufacturing table, carrying as shown in figure 1 two molds. Figure 3 comprises moreover figure 1, except that the frames shown comprise lugs 5-50 cooperating with means for fixing the manipulators. As can be clearly seen in figure 3, the handling devices I, II, III, IV are disposed on a support, which may be movable but which has not been shown, and placed opposite the frames on which they will act. Device I on the right-hand external lateral frame 3, device II on the right-hand high frame 2, device III on the left-hand high frame 2 and device IV on the external lateral frame 30. It will be noted that no handling device is placed opposite the low frame. This is explained by the fact that generally, for manufacturing on a table panels whose dimensions may vary, the low frame remains in place on the hingeing pivots. It should however be understood that the low frame may be handled like the other frames. The high and external lateral frames must be able to be moved apart so as to free the panel and allow it to be moved away from the mold and removed from its work area, and the manipulators which are associated therewith effect the movements required for these operations.Moreover, since the panels have, as was mentioned, dimensions which are often different, the high and lateral frames may be put back in different positions when going over from one type of panel to another, these operations being executed by manipulators effecting movements opposite those which are executed during stripping of the mold. In figure 3 there can be seen at 60 a coupling device for connecting the shafts 6 of handling devices 2 and 3 when the high frame is of great length. In this case moreover, the fixing means 9 are in the form of a hinged fork which is automatically swung in the vertical direction by the action of a rear end-of-travel stop 12 placed on the manipulator. This stop is only shown on a single manipulator, figure 3. Such swinging causes the casing faces of the frames to be presented in a position which is practically horizontal but in any case accessible for the cleaning and greasing operation which generally takes place after the mold has been stripped. Locking of the holding clamps 9 on the frames by means of lugs 5-50 provided for this purpose is accomplished by means of jacks or similar systems 13 such as shown schematically in figure 2. The presence of two positions 14-15 disposed on table R will be noted in figure 3. At these positions are fixed, when that is required, manipulators specially adapted to handling central lateral frames. One embodiment of manipulators of this type is shown in figure 4. Because of their construction, the handling devices one of which has been described with reference to figure 2 are well adapted to handling high frames, whether they are two in number, as shown in figure 3, or constructed as a single unit of great length. The frames are thus linearly movable, i.e. by translation, the clamp supporting carriages being driven over the slides by means of driving pinions 61-62 mounted on the rigid shaft 6 controlled by motor 11, and also angularly movable, one of the slides at least being able to be swung by the action of a jack 10 which may obviously also cause the other slide to swing. These movements may also be accomplished at rest, i.e. without any action on the frames. Thus, swinging the slides through 90[deg] causes them to retract and frees the work area. There may be only frontal retraction of the slides. In this case, jacks 11 are moved behind the device and operate for locking. Mechanical or other memories may be provided which allow the movements of the fixing means 9-90 to be regulated automatically. Moreover, the memories themselves are adjustable, depending on the positional modifications of the frames which are desired. The handling devices operate similarly to the one which has just been described, for the external lateral frames. However, it will be noted that preferably, as has already been mentioned, pulling and repositioning of the lateral frames take place rather along an angular path. However, other movements which the handling device may accomplish or to which it may be subjected, may be considered. Thus a manipulator may be retracted by rotation in one direction or in the other. It may also move laterally or horizontally in the raising or lowering direction with respect to its support so as to facilitate the movements of a table or generally to facilitate the work on the tables. For central lateral frames, there is used in accordance with the invention a variation of the handling device which has just been described. In fact, because of their position on the table for manufacturing the panels, such as it appears in figure 1 or figure 3, these frames cannot be readily moved by means of a manipulator such as shown in figure 2. In fact, the central frames can only be handled when the high frame(s) have been withdrawn or retracted. This explains why the devices for handling central frames are disposed in special positions such as 14-15 on the table R for manufacturing the panels. A handling device for central frames is shown in figure 4. According to the invention, such a device comprises a bar or manipulator 16 fixed by one of its ends to the central frame considered 4 by means of fixing means 17, a mortise in the example described and by its other end to a pneumatic box 24 comprising two jacks 18 and 20. These two jacks are fixed to the manipulator 16 by means of a mortise 19. These two jacks may impart to the manipulator two movements occurring respectively in two planes perpendicular with respect to each other. These two planes are a plane perpendicular to the plane of the figure, and the plane of the figure. The movements are imparted depending on the way the central frame is to be acted on during mold stripping. Generally, the central frames may be fixed to the low frame 1 by means of a fork-joint 21 which is fixed to this low frame which itself remains fixed but capable nevertheless of pivoting about an axis. The central frame may thus rotate about the axis of the fork-joint, by a few degrees only, but sufficient to free the side of panel 22 which it defines. This movement, which takes place in the plane of the figure or of the panel is imparted by the so-called pulling jack 20. So as to be able to remove the panel from the mold under proper conditions, frame 4 and its associated manipulator 16 are "lifted" by means of the so-called lifting jack and this movement is executed in a plane perpendicular to the preceding one; in this case the low frame 1 rotates about its axis, driven by the central frame to which it is fixed. Thus, in the case of a central frame, two angular movements in planes perpendicular to one another are to be considered. When the panel has been removed, and after cleaning and greasing, the frame may be put back in position by the reverse movements. For reasons of ease of construction, manipulator 16 is originally slidably mounted in frame 4 and at the time of the mold stripping operation, sliding bar 16 is fixed in the mortise 19. A mobile key 23 has been provided preventing the sliding bar from inopportunely going back down into the frame. In the case of a mobile table, placed in the vertical position for mold stripping and withdrawal of the panel, the angular "lifting" movement executed by the frame may be caused by the table being placed vertically, the panel taking with it by friction and gravitational force the low hinged frame 1 which drives the central lateral frame through fork-joint 21 being fixed along the axis of the low frame. In this case, the so-called lifting jack 18 maintains the frame vertical through the mortise 19. This latter, during the mold stripping operation is free, able to be placed in any desired position, facilitating dismantling of the formwork of the mold bottom. When the panel has been removed and the table goes down again for example, the mortise is no longer free; automatic locking thereof holds the frame away from the work surface which allows, as has already been mentioned, easy cleaning of the equipment and correct greasing. The low frame integral with the central frame remains also held away from the table. With this work finished, mortise 19 is freed, the sliding bar 16, after key 23 has been removed, returns into frame 4 and this latter is repositioned. Thus, a device has been described for handling frames for manufacturing molds or casings for concrete or composite panels.

Claims (12)

1. A device for handling frames for manufacturing molds or casings for concrete or composite panels, comprising at least one bar or manipulator having means for fixing said manipulator to the corresponding frame, drive means acting on said manipulator and making it mobile either linearly, angularly or both successively, causing the corresponding movement of said frame, allowing, on the one hand, the panel to be removed from the mold whatever the position of the manufacturing table carrying the mold or the casing and, on the other hand, the frames to be put back in position on the table.

2. The handling device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising two manipulators, each with means for fixing to the corresponding frame carrying complementary means, the movements of these manipulators being synchronized by means of a rigid shaft coupled to a drive motor imparting a linear movement to the manipulators through driving pinions, a motor being provided for causing the manipulators to swing if an angular drive movement is desired.

3. The handling device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said manipulator is a slide, along which may move a carriage bearing fixing means.

4. The handling device as claimed in one of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said fixing means comprise locking means.

5. The handling device as claimed in claim 2, wherein, for handling frames of large dimensions, two handling devices are used, disposed side by side, the rigid shafts of the two devices being coupled to each other by means of a coupling device.

6. The handling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the manipulator is slidably mounted in the frame with which it is associated, having means for fixing it to the frame by its lower end when it is drawn outside the frame, having other means for fixing it by its upper end to two jacks, called lifting and pulling jacks, each imparting to the manipulator an angular movement in two planes perpendicular to each other, one of these planes being the plane of the panel against one edge of which is placed the frame considered.

7. The handling device as claimed in claim 6, wherein, acting more particularly on a central lateral frame, this latter is fixed by a fork-joint to the low bar on which it normally rests, the fixing point of the central frame to the low frame forming the center of rotation of the angular movement imparted by the pulling jack to the manipulator, which drives the frame to which it is fixed.

8. The handling device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the manipulator comprises a removable key preventing an inopportune downward movement of the manipulator into the frame.

9. The handling device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a manipulator may comprise a rear endof-travel stop causing the fixing means to swing automatically in the vertical direction in the case of a high frame of great length.

10. The rational use of handling devices such as claimed in claim 2, wherein said devices are grouped together on a mobile support, either moving from one panel manufacturing table to another, or in front of which the tables move, so that these devices are disposed opposite the frames on which they will act, which frames are disposed on a manufacturing table on which they define one or more casings.

11. The rational use of handling devices as claimed in claim 6, wherein the movements of said devices acting on the central frames are provided on the manufacturing table.

12. A handling device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.