US1744309A - Making cementitious articles - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 21, 1930. A. HENDERSON MAKING GEMENTITIOUS ARTICLES Filed Dec. 21, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR A. HENDE'IQSON 1,744,309

MAKING CEMENT-ITIOUS ARTICLES Filed Dec/21. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 21, 1930.

z a. l 5 l 2 7M I a \l nflu 5 f Jan. 21 1930. A. HENDERSON 1,744,309

mxme CEMENTITIOUS VARTICLES Filed Dec. 21'. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 =xws ggsg INVENTOR Jan. 21, 1930. A. HENDERSON 1,744,309

MAKING QEMENTITIOUS ARTICLES Filed D80. 21. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MW m mm-i

allel. In making articles by the tamping or Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT -HENDERSON, OE PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AS SIG-NOR, BY DIRECT AND M ESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO HENDERSON & HATCHER, INC., F PITTSBURGH, PENN- SYLVANIA, A GQRPORATIONQF DELAWARE MAKING CEMENTITIOUS ARTICLES Application filed December 21, 1927. Serial No. 241,650.

pense and with unusually high quality. By

theaterm articles as herein used, I intend to include only cementitio'us bodies which are adapted to be transported after manufacture to a place of use as distinguished from cementitious bodies, such as curbs,

pavements, etc., which are cast in situ.

There are two general methods of makmg cementitious bodies, one of them being by mixing a fluid cementitious mix and pouring it into a mold; the other being by tamping a considerably drier mix into the mold. The general process of manufacturing poured articles comprising filling the molds at a pouring station and transporting them to a.

curing chamber where they are subjected Q to heat for a suflicient length of time to cause setting. 7 0 L The tamped articles are made 1n a press n or tamping machine, and are there strippe 0f the mold-and taken to the curing chamber on pallets. v

In either case,'there is a material disadvantage in moving the articles from the point of formation to the curing chamber. The. 4 cementitious mix for the poured articles is so fluid that there is danger of spilling a part of the material from. the mold, thus resulting in non-uniform articles. .Another disadvantage'lies in the fact that the molds frequently are not level when they are positioned in the curing chamber with the result that the finished articles are imperfect. In the case of a block or slab, this results in the top and bottom faces lying at an angle to one another instead of being truly parpressing method, there is danger of breaking some of the articles during transportation,

fthus increasing the expense. In either vide for forming a cementitious article and curing the same without. movement thereof curing chamber and fill them with a cementiand subjected to a curing heat.

method the cost of handling is high. .I'protious mix Without movement of the mold, after which the mold or molds are covered In the making of cored articles, provision is made for withdrawing the cores, either partially or entirely, after the articles have attained their initial set. This is of value inthat it permits the atmosphere in the curingchamberto circulate through the cored openings, thus obtaining more uniform and rapid curing of the articles.

The setting of cement may be said to occur in two stages. The initialasetting is a matter of hours and as soon as it" is completed the article is self-sustaining. However,"it requires a-further-ageing of some days or weeks before the article develops" its maximum strength. Unless the articles are carefully handled before the agein period has ad vanced, there is danger of hreakage. I provide a storage space adjacent the curing f chamber and a conveyor extending'from the curing chamber to this storage space so that the cured articles may be transported to the storage space with a minimum of difliculty, and are'allowed to age and develop their final strength. I

Since the articles are cured at the point where they are formed, gang forms may be employed. There is no practical limitation on the Weight of these forms since they need not be transported. It is therefore possible to provide a long curing chamber with a large number of forms placed side by side; and to supply the cementitious mix at the points desired along the curing chamber. A

hopper running on wheels may be employed and used to fill successive forms.

Material economies in equipment and space may be eifected by employing form members adapted to be arranged-side by-side, each member in itself being an incomplete form but cooperating with an adjacent member to formv a complete form. Y

In-the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferredembodiment'ofmy invention as applied to the manufacture of.

various types of articles, Figure 1 is a top plan view, largely diagrammatic, of a plant constructed according to my invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line IIII of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a view to enlarged scale ofa modified form of a curing chamber,

Figure 4 is a still further modified view corresponding to Figure 3 but'being partly broken away and showing another manner of supporting the forms in the curing chamber,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the curing :chamber showing one form of form for making slabs,

Figure 6 is a similar view showing'a modified slab form,

Figure 7 isea similar view showing the casting of slabs on edge,

Figure 8 is a view corresponding to Figure 4 but showing cored forms for making concrete blocks, f Figure'9 is a transverse view corresponding to Figure 8 and showing the 3 forms in elevation, Figure 10 is a section taken on the line XX of Figure 8,

Figure 11 is a top plan viewof the forms shown in Figure 8,

Figure 12 1s a top plan view of a modified form of formsfor making cored articles,

Figure 13 is a section taken on the. line' XIIIXI II of Figure 12,

Figure 14 is a vlew'taken longitudinally of the curing-chamber and showing a form of form for casting solid fiat slabs, and

Figure 15 is a longitudinal, horizontal section taken through one of the form members shown in Figure 14. 4

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a plant for making cementitious articles, comprising two main bays 2, each having storagejspaces 3, along each side for finished articles. Roadways 4 are provided alongside each row of storage spaces so that material in the storage spaces canbe readily transferred to trucks.

Each bay 2'comprises a building 4housing .a lon curing chamber 5. The curing cham-; her 5 lsopen at the top and is provided with steam heating pipes 5" so that when the chamber is covered thedesired temperature conditions for curing the articles may be maintained in the chamber. The curing chamber is provided with a cover which is preferabl made in a plurality of sections 6 suspen ed by cables 7 from the roofof the building 4" and provided with counterweights 8 so that each section may bereadily raised or lowered, as desired.

Tracks 9 run along each side of the curing g chamber so that cementitious material can be transported to any point therealong.

The sidewalls of the curing chamber 5 iupport gangforms 10. These forms are filled with material carried thereto by trucks on the tracks 9. and after being filled are not moved until the articles have been cured. The forms are filled and then screeded, after which the covers 6 are lowered into place and .steam is admitted to the pipes 5 to raise' the curin chamber to the desired temperature. After the curing has been completed, the covers 6 are removed and the cured articles are transferred to the storage yards 3. Roller conveyor-s11 are provided so that the articles may be lifted directly. from the forms and placed thereonpfor delivery to thestoragespaces. The articles do not develop their maximum strength until after considerable ageing, and it is therefore important to miniinize handling .of the article's before this ageing has been eflected. With a plant layout such as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the articles may be readily taken from the forms to the storage yard with a minimum of expense and breakage.

Since the forms 10 are notv moved after I they are filled-, there is no danger of the material being partly spilled, thus reducing the volume ofthe articles, or of the forms being slightly tilted, thus producing articles which are out of square. p Figure 3 shows a modified form'of curing chamber wherein the chamber proper is built up of side walls 12 provided with heating pipes 13. I beams 14 are placed on topof the side walls 12 and the forms 15 are supported on the lower side flan es by these I beams. The upper flanges 0% the I beams constitute tracks for a wheeled carriage 16 carrying ahopper 17 which may be filled with the"ce mentitious mix from a mix at the end of the-curing chamber and then moved along the curin chamber so as to fill the forms therein. the forms have been filled the carriage 16 is moved to the end of the chamber and the covers 18 are lowered into place.

- Figures 4 to 15 inclusive, show various types of forms which may be employed. Figures 4'a-nd 5 ShOW'fl curing chamber having rails 19 supporting forms for the making of slabs which are generally U shaped in cross he cover is indicated at 18. After,

section. These forms comprise cores 20 and T sha ed members 21 having bases 22 which exten from one'core 20 to another and serve to hold them, in spaced relation. The upstanding leg of each T member 21 constitutes a side wall portion for each form. As

will be seen from Figure 5, the T shaped members 21 each constitute a part of two adjacent forms. After the form members 20 and 21 have been assembled, and members 22 are secured/inp'lace and the cementitious ma-' terial is then oured. Reinforcing 23 may be put in place uring the pouring if desired.

The core members 20 are of thin metal, and are open at the bottom so that the heat of the curing chamber is efficiently transferred to the poured cement, thus reducing the time required for curing.

After the curing has. been completed, the T member at the end of the filled set of forms is slid sidewise on the rails 19, thus making the cured article at the end of the string accessible for handling. After this end article has been removed the next T shaped form member 21 is slid out of the way and a second article in the string is removed, this process being continuned until all of the-articles have been taken away.

Figure 6 showsa modified form for slabs wherein the side forming members 24 are held in spaced relationby members 25; With thisconstruction circulation of heated air above the articles is made possible.

Figure 7 shows a set of forms forcastin slabs on edge. Each form 26 is generally E shaped in cross section and is provided with ends 27 so as to make, in efiect, an open sided box. When these boxes are placed side by side, as shown in Figure 7, they cooperate to form complete forms. Each box is provided with a fixed core 28 so as to make the slab generally U shape; Figures 8 to 1O for the manufacture of concrete blocks. The forms proper each comprise a central stringer 29 which, as shown in Figure 10,. may be shaped to provide rock or other ornamental faces on the blocks. The stringer-s29 are secured at each end to cross members 30 which rest on rails 31 on the sides of the curing chamber. The rails 31 are. made of angles which ,are so spaced as'to just receive the forms between them, thus accurately positioning the forms in the chamber. The cross members 30 maintain the stringers 29 truly.

vertical and are rovided with end faces 30 1 against which'stringers 32, forming the outer 38 which are secured in place, but the inter mediatecores are all connected to the cros members 35. I

After these forms have been assembled and the material has been poured the cover is lowered and curing commences. After the articles have attained their initial set, the

hooks 36 are removed thus leaving the cross members unsupported. The/cross members 35 are forced down until they rest on. the upper steam fpipeii. ,Since the cores are-ta-fi pered, this leaves an opening around each core so that the heated gases may circulate through the cored open-mgs- With this arrangement uniformly size'dand shaped blocks I may be manufactured at a t IJIICIHSIVB, show gang forms may be employed.

minimum of expense.

type of form comprises bottom stringers 39 whichmay have rock or other ornamental faces 40 formed thereon. A central vertical stringer 41 havingcross members 42'secured to the ends thereofis placed on the supporting rails and a bottom member 39 is placed on either side'thereof. A stringer 41 carries spaced horizontally extending cores 43.. The stringers 39 carry upstanding division walls 44defining the endsof the articles being cast. A stringer 45 carrying cores 46 adapted to abut,the cores 43 is placed at either side of the unit; The complete assemblage isshown in Figure 12. After the material Figures 12 and 13 showa form wherein the ,cores are in the horizontal direction. This has been poured, and has attained its initial set, the stringers 45 may be pulled sidewis'e and then the bottom members 39 may be pulled away from the central stringer 41. In

this way the cores are removed from the articles and] further curing is effected with free w circulation of air through the cored openings. Figures .14 and 15 show forms for the casting of solid slabs; These forms are similar to those of Figure 7 except that they are not provided with cores. Figure 15 shows a longitudinal section through one of the form bottom wall 47, a vertical longitudinal wall '48 and walls 49 which divide each form member into a plurality of open sided boxes. The forms herein illustrated may be filled with a fluid cementitious mix which is pouredjnto place, or a stiffer mix 'ad -ptedfor tampifig or vibrating so as to The various forms em loyed for making-: the different articles may e readily handled,

as the form members need not be lifted, but

can be slid along the supporting rails so as to make the cast articles accessible for removal. When assembling the form members, it is only necessary to slide them tomembers. The form members comprises a properly fill the forms, I

gether. This does away with a great deal of heavy labor and'materially speeds up the r process. 1

Where the forms are filled with a mix which is stiff enough to be vibrated qr tamped into position, it is not necessary to wait until the articles have. acquired their initial set before removing the cores, as the mix is stiff enough to be self-sustaining after it has been, properly compacted by the ta nping or vibrating operation. In certain cases it may be advantageous to employ tainping orvibrating rather than to use a mix which is thin enough to be poured as the cores can be dropped almost immediately after the articles have been formed by the camping orvibrating method, thereby doing'away with the necessity of raising the cover. Where a poured mix is employed, the cover of the curing chamber will be lowered during'the period in which the mix acquires its initial set and must thereafter be raised in an amount sufiicient to give accessjtozthe coring structure.

While have illustratedand described the preferred form of my invention, it will be understood that it is not thus limited, but

may be otherwise practiced or embodied withy in the scope of the following claims.

\Iclaim: 1 i

1. The method of making cementitious articles, 'which includes fillin a mold with a cementitious mix and, with substantially no with acementi'tious mix, permitting the mix to set sufliciently to be self-sustaining and then so moving the core that it isout of contact with the .formed article, and curing the formed article while it remains in the mold. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 1

ALBERT HENDERSON.

movement of the mold, applying heat in such manner that the entire mold is surrounded with a heated atmosphere, thus curing the article therein;

2. The-method of making cementitious are chamber a mold with a core, filling the mo with a cementitious mix, withdrawing the 'core after the mix has set .sufiiciently to be self-sustaining, and curing the article thus formed while it remains in the mold.

3. The method of making cementitious articles, which includes providing in a curing chamber a mold having walls and a core, filling the mold with a cementitious mix, withdrawing the core and removing a mold well after the article thus formed has set sufliticles, which includes providing in a curin cientlyto be self-sustaining, and.curing the article. while it remains in the-mold.

4. The inethodof making cementitious articles, which includes providing in a curing chamber a mold havingv walls, filling the mol with-a cementitious mix, removing a mold I wall after the mix has set suificiently to be' self-sustaining, and curing the article thus 40 formed while it remains in the mold.

5. Apparatus for making cementitious ar-,

ticles, including a mold hav in' a bottom and side wallsada'pted for the ormation of a cementitious article, a curing chamber comvpletely surrounding the mold, and means for supplying a cementitious mix to the mold while it is in the curing chamber, whereby movement of the mold from the time it is filled until the article therein ris cured is ILVOldd v entitious mix to the mold while it is positioned in the curing chamber, whereby movement of the mold from the time it isfilled until the article therein is cured is avoided.

7. The method of making cementitious ar- 1 ticles, which includes providing in a curing chamber a mold with a core, filling the mold

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