GB2360732A

GB2360732A - A method of producing porous concrete bodies

Info

Publication number: GB2360732A
Application number: GB0107158A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gunter Lutkenhorst; Paul Wyndorps
Original assignee: Dorstener Maschinenfabrik AG
Current assignee: Dorstener Maschinenfabrik AG
Priority date: 2000-03-28
Filing date: 2001-03-22
Publication date: 2001-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 2021-03-22
Also published as: GB0107158D0; GB2360732B; DE10015088A1; DE10015088B4; NL1017698C2

Abstract

A method of producing porous concrete bodies wherein a starting mix is cast into a casting mould, the height of which is less than the length or width; the mix being pre-hardened to form a cuboidal cake 1; the cake 1 being tipped by 90{ from its horizontal position into a vertical position on its bottom narrow face and cut (4, 5 of fig 1) along planes parallel to its external faces thereby producing a bottom layer 3, the bottom layer 3 of the cake 1 being separated from the rest of the cake 1 by a distance so that the bottom layer 3 is removed; the cake 1 being subsequently hardened in a vertical position without its bottom layer 3. In order to remove the bottom layer 3, the concrete cake 1 may either be raised from the cake base 2 or the cake base 2 may be lowered with respect to the rest of the cake 1. After the bottom cake layer 3 is removed, the cake 1 may be fed into an autoclave for hardening.

Description

2360732 "A method of producing porous concrete bodies" This invention

relates to a method of producing of porous concrete bodies, wherein - a starting mix is cast in a casting mould, the height of which is less than its length and width, - the cast starting mix is pre-hardened to form a cuboidal cake, and - the pre-hardened cake is tipped by 90' from its horizontal position into a vertical position on its bottom narrow face.

This is followed by cutting the cake along planes parallel to its external faces with the production of a bottom layer, which has to be removed before the cake is hardened in an autoclave in order to reduce any decrease in hardness during the latter procedure. According to one embodiment, the cake is tipped towards its horizontal initial position by an extent such that the bottom layer adjoining the bottom narrow face can be removed. The cake subsequently has to be tipped back into its vertical position on its bottom narrow face, so as subsequently to be able to harden it in the autoclave. Accordina to another embodiment, the cake is turned by 180', so that the narrow face which was originally at the bottom is at the top and the bottom layer adjacent to this narrow face can be removed. The aim of this procedure is to prevent the bottom layer from falling off in an uncontrolled manner.

The cake is also hardened in a vertical position, without the cake being turned back for this purpose (see DE 196 54 139).

The underlying object of the present invention is to provide a method of the type described at the outset for producing porous concrete bodies, by means of which the removal of the bottom layer is made considerably easier and more efficient.

In order to achieve this object, the present invention relates to a method of producing porous concrete bodies. wherein - a starting mix is cast in a casting mould, the height of which is less than its length and width, the cast starting mix is pre-hardened to form a cuboidal cake, the pre-hardened cake is tipped by 90' from its horizontal position into a vertical position on its bottom narrow face, - the cake, which is standing with its narrow face on a cake base, is cut along planes parallel to its external faces with the production of a bottom layer, - at its bottom layer. the cake is separated from the cake base by a predetermined distance, - the bottom layer is removed, and - the cake is subsequently hardened in a vertical position without its bottom layer.

The result of these measures according to the invention is that, no turning or tipping movement of the cake is necessary in order to remove the bottom layer after the cake is situated in a vertical position on its bottom narrow face. The cake base can be a hardening base or any other board-like or plate-like base, which can also be a movable base. After removing the bottom layer, the cake can be replaced on the cake base and fed to an autoclave for hardening. It is also possible, however, to feed the cake to the autoclave and to harden it without the cake base. A fact which is particularly important in the context of the invention is that it is surprisingly possible to effect controlled separation of the bottom layer of the cake even if, according to a further proposal of the invention, the cake with the bottom layer is simply raised from the cake base or if the base is lowered. The invention stems from the recognition that after pre- hardening the cast starting mix in order to form the cake, the bottom layer adheres to the bottom narrow face of the cake which is ultimately to be hardened, so that uncontrolled falling-off of the bottom layer or of constituents of thereof is no longer a problem. Rather, controlled separation and removal of the bottom layer is ensured with the assistance of gravity. In this respect, the bottom layer does not even have to be rejected, but can be re-used for the production of porous concrete bodies.

According to another embodiment of the invention, which is important in its own right, the cake or the cut cake pieces is or are rearranged in order to remove the bottom layer, for example by placing it or them on another cake base so that ultimately only the bottom layer which is to be removed remains on the original cake base and can be removed.

Further details which form part of the essence of the invention are that the cake pieces can be picked in an arbitrary sequence and can then be hardened. It is also possible, however to deposit and harden the cake pieces individually.

The invention also relates to an apparatus which is particularly suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention, and which is distinguished by its simple, operationallycorrect mode of construction. This apparatus is characterised by a cake lifting apparatus comprising two or more vertically oriented clamping jaws and a clamping jaw driving mechanism for moving the clamping jaws, which clamp the cake between them, substantially horizontally, so as to be able to raise the cake in order to remove the bottom layer from the cake base. The cake lifting apparatus can be mounted, so that it can be raised and lowered, in a gantry which spans the respective cake. Within the scope of the invention, it is also possible for a cake support which can be raised and lowered to be situated under the cake lifting apparatus. This cake support can be lowered in order to remove the bottom layer, whilst the cake, which is situated in a vertical position, is held in its initial position or is additionally raised by the clamping jaws of the cake lifting apparatus. A bottom layer separating apparatus which can move in the transverse direction of the cake or in the longitudinal direction of the cake, e.g. a scraper, is advantageously disposed in the region between the raised clamping jaws and the lowered cake support. Furthermore, it is possible to remove the bottom layer by suction or to assist the bottom layer separating apparatus by applying suction during the separation of the bottom layer.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings, which merely illustrate one example of an embodiment. and where:

Figure 1 shows a cake which has been cut along planes parallel to its external faces in the course of producing a porous concrete body; Figure 2 shows the subject of Figure 1 on a cake base in a cake lifting apparatus; and Figure 3 shows the subject of Figure 2 with the cake separated from the cake base in order to remove the bottom layer.

The Figures illustrate an apparatus for producing a porous concrete body, wherein the cast starting mix has already been hardened to form a cuboidal cake 1 and the pre-hardened cake 1 has been tipped by 90' from its original horizontal position into a vertical position on its bottom narrow face. The cake 1, which is standing with its bottom narrow face on the cake base 2, has been cut along planes parallel to its external faces with the production of the bottom layer 3. The horizontal and vertical cuts 4, 5 are indicated. The cake 1, which has been cut into cake pieces 6 and which is situated on a cake base 2, which can be a hardening base, is moved on the cake base or on a conveying car, for example, into a cake lifting apparatus 7. In the embodiment exemplified, the cake lifting apparatus comprises two vertically oriented clamping jaws 8 and a clamping jaw drive mechanism 9 for moving the clamping jaws 8, which clamp the cake 1 between them, substantially horizontally. A cake support 10, which can be raised and lowered, is situated under the cake lifting apparatus 7. This cake support is merely indicated schematically. In this manner, the cake 1 with the bottom layer 3 to be removed can firstly be raised by means of the cake lifting apparatus 7, and/or the cake support 10 can be lowered with the cake base so as then to be able to separate the bottom layer 3 from the cake 1. For this purpose, a bottom layer separating apparatus 11 which can be moved in the transverse direction of the cake, e.g. a scraper, is disposed in the region between the raised clamping jaws 8 and/or the lowered cake support 10.

0 The cake lifting apparatus 7 is mounted so that it can be raised and lowered in a gantry 12 which spans the respective cake. This also is merely indicated by an arrow.

Claims

1. A method of producing porous concrete bodies, wherein - a starting mix is cast in a casting mould, the height of which is less than its length and width, - the cast starting mix is pre-hardened to form a cuboidal cake, - the pre-hardened cake is tipped by 90' from its horizontal position into a vertical position on its bottom narrow face, - the cake, which is standing with its narrow face on a cake base, is cut along planes parallel to its external faces with the production of a bottom layer, - at its bottom layer, the cake is separated from the cake base by a predetermined distance, - the bottom layer is removed, and 20 - the cake is subsequently hardened in a vertical position without its bottom layer.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the cake is raised from the cake base in order to remove the bottom layer.

3. A method according to claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the cake base is lowered in order to remove the bottom layer.

4. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the cake or cake pieces is/are 30 rearranged in order to remove the bottom layer, e.g. is/are placed on another cake base.

5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4. characterised in that after removing the bottom layer the cake is placed on the cake base again and is fed to an autoclave for hardening.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the cake 5 pieces are picked in an arbitrary sequence and are then hardened.

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the cake c pieces are deposited and hardened individually.

8. An apparatus for carrying out a method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised by a cake lifting apparatus (7) comprising two or more vertically oriented clamping jaws (8) and a clamping jaw driving mechanism (9) for moving the clamping jaws (8), which clamp the cake (1) between them, substantially horizontallyy.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, characterised in that the cake lifting apparatus (7) is mounted, so that it can be raised and lowered, in a gantry (12) which spans the respective cake (1).

10. An apparatus according to claims 8 or 9, characterised in that a cake support (10) 20 which can be raised and lowered is situated under the cake lifting apparatus (7).

11. An apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterised in that a bottorn layer separating apparatus (11), e.g. a driven scraper, is situated in the region between the clamping jaws (8) and the cake support ( 10) so that it can move in the transverse direction 25 of the cake or in the longitudinal direction of the cake.