GB2164079A

GB2164079A - Apparatus for laying concrete or other materials

Info

Publication number: GB2164079A
Application number: GB08422368A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alfred Clarke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-09-05
Filing date: 1984-09-05
Publication date: 1986-03-12
Also published as: GB8422368D0; GB2164079B

Abstract

Apparatus for progressively laying a continuous strip or bed of concrete or the like includes at least one distributor hopper (10) holding a bulk of the material which is fed by gravity, preferably under action of a vibrator (12), through a bottom opening, and a shutter (16) movable across the opening. The lower face of the shutter shapes and substantially supports the apparatus on the upper face of material discharged from the opening to form the bed in use and drive means, for example a hand-operated lever (20) is operated to cause relative oscillating movement of the hopper structure and shutter, the hopper being advanced relative to the shutter to deposit further material and extend the bed and then the shutter being drawn forward across the opening to shape that material before the next forward movement. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for laying concrete or other materials This invention relates to apparatus for laying wet or dry granular or particulate materials, in particular laying a bed of concrete, for example in forming or surfacing a roadway, path, floor or like structure.

The invention is particularly concerned with apparatus which is self-levelling in that it is supported or guided on the bed of material as it is laid so dispensing with guide tracks, form work or the like. Apparatus of this type is described and claimed in my co-pending British Patent Application 8331025 (2132257).

The object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of simple and reliable construction and operation which is effective and adaptable in use and which provides a uni .formly graded and levelled bed of material economically and efficiently.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for progressively laying a continuous bed of concrete or other wet or dry granular or particulate material along a path of forward motion of the apparatus in use comprising a hopper or other distributor for containing a bulk supply of the material and having a bottom opening, a shutter movable across said opening to cut flow therethrough, a lower face of said shutter shaping and substantially supporting the apparatus on an upper face of material discharged from said opening to form the bed in use, and drive means operable to cause relative oscillating movement of the distributor and shutter generally along the path of movement of the apparatus in a cycle in which the distributor is operatively advanced relative to the shutter permitting material to pass through the opening and be deposited to form a forward extension of the bed and then the shutter is drawn forward across the opening relative to the distributor and bed to shape the upper surface of the material last laid.

Preferably the distributor includes vibrating means acting on said bulk of material adjacent said opening.

Conveniently the apparatus comprises a pair of distributors respectively at the front and rear ends thereof, each having a bottom opening and respective shutter associated therewith, and the drive means is connected to cause oscillating movement of the shutters in opposite senses so that one shutter is being moved rearwardly as the other is moved forward relative to the distributor.

An example of the invention is now more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional diagram of the apparatus in operation; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus; Figure 3 is an end view of a front level adjustment assembly of the apparatus, Figures 4 and 5 are details of a vibrator of the apparatus, Figure 6 is a dis-assembled elevation of a front hopper back plate and Figure 7 is dis-assembled elevation of part of a rear hopper front plate assembly.

The example of the apparatus shown in the drawings will be described as used for the laying of wet concrete mix and the general principles underlying this operation using apparatus of this general type are described in my said co-pending application 8331025 (2132257) to which reference is directed for further details.

Referring to the drawings the apparatus comprises front and rear distributor hoppers 10, 11, the hopper 10 being of somewhat larger capacity than hopper 11, each operatively containing a bulk supply of concrete mix, differing mixes may be used in the respective hoppers, hopper 10 providing the main body of the laid bed and hopper 11 providing an upper or finish coating thereof, or they may be fed with the same material from a common bulk as referred to hereafter.

The hoppers are disposed so that their weight is substantially evenly distributed and each has a bottom opening at substantially the same level but spaced apart along the path of travel of the apparatus through which the mix flow by gravity assisted by the action of eccentrically mounted vibrators 12, 13 located within hoppers 10, 11 adjacent their respective openings and described in further detail hereafter. The vibrators are driven by belts from a common motor or other power source 14 located substantially centrally between lower portions of the hoppers.

A rigid frame or chassis 15 includes side members extending between the lower ends of the hoppers and also projecting substantially rearwardly thereof.

A sliding shutter 16 co-acts with the bottom opening of hopper 10 and can be shifted substantially horizontally along the path of movement of the apparatus between positions at which said opening is fully closed or fully opened. A like shutter 17 co-acts with the bottom opening of rear hopper 11.

The two shutters are are oscillated by a hand lever 20 which can be rocked about a transverse pivot 21 at the front end of hopper 10 and connected by respective links 22, 23 to the respective shutters 16, 17 so that the latter are moved in opposite senses, one being shifted forward to the fully closed position while the other is shifted rearwards to the fully open position relative to the hoppers.

Each shutter is planar and is constrained for sliding movement in a respective plane which is inclined slightly downwards, e.g. at an angle of about 1 21O, in the forward direction.

The forward transverse edge of the bed be ing progressively laid is defined by a series of individually hinged downwardly depending plates or flaps 30 mounted on a rod 31 at the bottom edge of the front wall of hopper 10 with a curtain of rubber or other flexible material located immediately behind them.

Plates 30 are urged to a forward vertical position by the weight of material behind them but can be displaced to ride over any uneveness in the surface on which the concrete bed is being laid.

Vertically adjustable side plates 32 are carried on chassis 15 and it will be noted that the bottom opening and side plates 32 associated with rear hopper 11 and extending rearwardly therefrom are somewhat wider than those associated with front hopper 10.

Positioned rearwardly of each hopper are re respective level adjustment assemblies 33, 34 for smoothing and finishing the upper surface of the laid bed, these assemblies will be described in further detail hereafter The apparatus is provided with removable positioning wheels (not shown) which can be dismountably attached to chassis 15 both for movement of the apparatus when it is not in operation and for the initial positioning thereof to commence laying the bed. The ground surface (shown at 50 in Fig. 1) does not have to be specially prepared apart from normal compaction and/or placement of hard core to form any necessary foundation for the bed.

No fixed shuttering, formwork or guide rails have to be provided nor is any special concrete mix required unless a special finish is needed. If a special finish is wanted the surfacing concrete or other material will be fed from rear hopper 11, if this is not required a partition wall 51 which otherwise separates the hoppers can be removed and the same concrete mix used in both.

With the hoppers filled with concrete the vibrator motor 14 is switched on so compacting the material in the bottom of the hoppers and shifting air and excess water towards the upper surface of the bulk. The bottom of front hopper 10 is opened by shifting shutter 16 rearward allowing the vibrated mix to fall through onto the ground, the lever 20 is then pushed back to close that opening and repeat the process by discharge from the rear hopper, the front shutter 16 cutting through the mix to separate the contents of hopper 10 from what becomes the upper surface of the laid bed against which the lower face of shutter 16 abuts.Because of the slight inclination of the shutters 16 and 17 the discharged mix is urged rearwardly when the shutters are moved rearwardly relative to the hoppers and as this operation is repeated more mix is forced back onto and up the surface of the previously laid material, raising the apparatus until it is entirely supported on the bed so established. The positioning wheels will have been removed and the apparatus becomes self-levelling and, due to the density of the mix, continued operation of lever 20 to oscillate shutters 16 and 17 in opposite senses drives the apparatus forward by co-acting with the upper surface of the laid bed. The hoppers are refilled as necessary and a strip of concrete of indefinite length can be continuously laid to uniform level and finish.

To form a slab of any required width successive strips are laid side by side, one set of side plates 32 being removed and the extra width of the rear hopper opening permitting the deposited mix to overlay the edge of the parallel previously laid strip. If a decorative or other particular finish is wanted the separating wall 51 is inserted and the appropriate finish material placed in the rear hopper 11, final smoothing of the surface being effected by the rearmost level adjustment assembly 34.

The thickness of the laid bed can be varied according to requirements, e.g. within a range of from 10 to 100 mm and the effort required to operate the machine by hand is low, about 22 kg at lever 20 though it is contemplated that provision for power operation might be made, e.g. by oscillating the shutters 16, 17 from the motor or other source 14, possibly by hydraulic drive. This may be necessary with larger versions of the apparatus, the one described and illustrated lays a strip of about 600 mm width.

The construction of the vibrators 12, 13 will be described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5 showing some details of vibrator 12. It comprises a rotatably driven shaft 60 journalled in specially formed bearings 61 acting as eccentrics or cams, the offset or effective throw being about 1 mm. The part of the vibrator which actually acts on the material within the hopper consists of a tube 62 (Fig. 5) riding on shaft 60 and provided with a downwardly depending tapered fin 63. It has been found in practice that an air gap or void is created below a simple eccentrically acting cylindrical vibrator and the fin 63 fills that void and so increases the vibrating action of the surround ing material. The journals of the vibrator include resilient mountings, e.g. rubber vibration absorbing rings.

The lower edge of the rear wall of each hopper mounts a vertically displaceable scra per blade 70 (the blade for the front hopper back plate is shown dis-assembled in Fig. 6) which rides on the upper surface of the asso ciated shutter 16 and prevents escape of material rewardly thereon.

The lower part of a front plate assembly of rear hopper 11 is shown dis-assembled and with part broken away in Fig. 7. This mounts a vertically displaceable levelling or sole plate 70 which rides on the surface of the material laid from the front hopper 10 and prevents escape of material forwardly from the opening of hopper 11. Also mounted on front wall are a pair of guide plates or skids 71 to assist in guiding the hopper 11 on the bed.

A detail of one of the level adjustment assemblies is shown in Fig. 3, in this case the front assembly 33 associated with hopper 10 though the rear assembly 34 is of the same construction though greater in width. The assembly comprises a horizontal planar levelling plate 80 provided with a pair of vertical telescoping guides 81, 82 locating it in relation to a cross member 83 of the chassis to prevent displacement other than in a vertical plane, the vertical location of plate 80 relative to the chassis and hoppers being determined by a pair of screw adjusters 84, 85 which can be set depending on the bed depth and levelling action required.

While the dual hopper or distributor arrangement with the two longitudinally spaced shutters acting in opposite senses is preferred it is contemplated that other arrangements might be employed, e.g. possibly a single hopper or distributor having one discharge opening only and a single oscillating shutter, or possibly a plurality of hoppers or distributors acting in tandem or in laterally staggered relationship.

Various forms of vibrator and/or levelling assemblies might be employed.

Claims

1. Apparatus for progressively laying a continuous bed of concrete or other wet or dry granular or particulate material along a path of forward motion of the apparatus in use comprising a hopper or other distributor for containing a bulk supply of the material and having a bottom opening, a'shutter movable across said opening to cut flow therethrough, a lower face of said shutter shaping and substantially supporting the apparatus on an upper face of material discharged from said opening to form the bed in use, and drive means operable to cause relative oscillating movement of the distributor and shutter generally along the path of movement of the apparatus in a cycle in which the distributor is operatively advanced relative to the shutter permitting material to pass through the opening and be deposited to form a forward extension of the bed and then the shutter is drawn forward across the opening relative to the distributor and bed to shape the upper surface of the material last laid.

2. Apparatus as in Claim 1 wherein the distributor includes vibrating means acting on said bulk of material in use adjacent said opening.

3. Apparatus as in Claim 1 or 2 comprising a pair of distributors respectively at front - and rear ends thereof, each having a respective bottom opening and respective shutter associated therewith.

4. Apparatus as in Claim 3 wherein the drive means is connected to cause oscillating movement of the shutters in opposite senses so that one shutter is being moved rearwardly as the other is moved forward relative to the distributors.

5. Apparatus as in Claim 3 or 4 wherein each distributor includes a separate hopper operatively holding a bulk supply of material, the front distributor providing the main body of the laid bed in use and the rear distributor providing an upper or finish coating thereof.

6. Apparatus as in Claim 5 wherein the hopper of the front distributor is of larger capacity than that of the rear distributor.

7. Apparatus as in Claim 3 or 4 wherein both distributors are operatively fed with material from a common bulk supply.

8. Apparatus as in any one of Claims 3 to 7 wherein the two shutters are linked to a common rocking hand lever actuated to oscillate them in use in opposite senses relative to the distributors.

9. Apparatus as in any preceding claim wherein the or each shutter is planar and is constrained for sliding movement in a plane inclined downward in the forward direction.

10. Apparatus as in Claim 9 wherein said angle is about 1 210.

11. Apparatus in Claim 2 or any one of Claims 3 to 10 so far as dependent on Claim 2 wherein the vibrating means comprises a rotatably driven shaft journalled for eccentric movement and a tube riding on the shaft within the material in use.

12. Apparatus as in Claim 10 wherein the offset or effective throw of said eccentric movement is about imam.

13. Apparatus as in Claim 11 or 12 wherein said tube is provided with a downwardly dependent fin formation.

14. Apparatus as in any preceding claim including removable ground-engaging positioning wheels which can be dismountably attached for movement of the apparatus when not in operation and/or for initial positioning to commence laying the bed.

15. Apparatus as in any preceding claim including one or more levelling plates co-acting with the upper surface of the bed in use.

16. Apparatus as in Claim 15 including means for adjusting the vertical relationship of the levelling plate or plates relative to the distributor or distributors.

17. Apparatus for laying concrete or other material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.