US2699590A - Machine for producing construction units of hydraulically setting material - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 18, 1955 c s ss ETAL 2,699,590

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONSTRUCTION UNITS OF HYDRAULICALLY SETTING MATERIAL 7 Shuts-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1951 JNVENTORSL, 20191257 67' .Fasp S 2/ cyz aa/a arc/ CMJZ01ZQ Jan. "18, 1955 F. c. RESPESS ETAL 2,

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONSTRUCTION UNITS OF HYDRAULICALLY SETTING MATERIAL 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1951 1955 F. c:. RESPESS ET AL 2,699,590

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONSTRUCTION UNITS 0F HYDRAULICALLY SETTING MATERIAL Flled Aprll 2, 1951 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 8, 1955 F. c. RESPESS ETAL I MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONSTRUCTION UNITS 0F HYDRAULICALLY SETTING MATERIAL Filed April 2, 1951 I 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 m m a m mg m; kw M 5 ea I w 3% 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 C. RESPESS ET AL F. MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONSTRUCTION UNITS 015 HYDRAULICALLY SETTING MATERIAL Jan. 18, 1955 Filed April 2, 1951 Jam 1955 'F. c. RESPESS ETAL 2,699,590

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONSTRUCTION UNITS I 0F HYDRAULICALLY SEITTING MATERIAL Flled Apnl 2, 1951 7'SheetsSheet 6 Q lNl ENTORS': f frasi C 1? eapess Q4 m/a aflzafizzm/zfam F. RESPESS ETAL 2,699,590 onucmc CONSTRUCTION UNITS F HYDRAULICAL l 2, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 I JNVENTOLRS/ Farresf 6. )Fwpasa Kw United States Patent G MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONSTRUCTION ITJIIBIITS OF HYDRAULICALLY SETTING MA- Forrest C. Respess, Detroit, Mich., and Stoddard C. Hamilton, Jr., Lawrence, Ind.

Application April 2, 1951, Serial No. 218,717

10 Claims. (CI. 2561) Our invention relates to a machine for forming or molding various shapes of either light weight or heavy concrete into masonry construction units or other elements of precast cementitious material and of predetermined contour and dimensions; the invention having for one of its objects the provision of a continuously operating machine for successively and automatically producing the preselected units.

The machine involves a removable mold box whose cross-sectional dimensions and contour are in keeping with the preselected unit or element to be molded from hydraulically setting material; the exemplification of the invention shown in the drawings being primarily designed for casting panels to be used as wall sections, partitions, floor panels and ceiling and roof tiles.

The invention has for its object the provision of an economically operating machine and its advantages and purposes will be readily comprehended from the following detailed description of the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an exemplification in perspective of an article or panel of preselected width, thickness and length tllilat may be produced by our improved adjustable mac me.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of our improved machine.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the machine as viewed from the right, with the hopper omitted.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary and longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a pallet employed in the machine.

Figure 5 is a cross-section of the mold-box and pallet provided with hydraulically setting material at the lefthand end of the machine prior to compression.

Figure 6 is a similar view illustrating the pallet raised and the material placed under compression.

Figure 7 is a similar view of the mold-box showing the pallet elevating mechanism and pallet in raised position with the compressed material stripped from the mold-box; a portion of an air line control valve for controlling the wedge frame being shown in elevation.

Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the left-hand end of the mold-box with parts of the wedge member broken and in section.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the lower wedge frame.

Figure 10 is a plan view of the upper wedge frame.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of what may be called the rear or opposite side of the machine to that illustrated in Figure 2 and showing the relative positions of the pressing cylinders and the wedge retracting cylinder, with the mold-box at the initial or loading end of the machine with the retracting cylinder and the pressing cylinders located at the other end of the machine; the upper wedge frame, the loading hopper and the compression head omitted.

Our improved machine as exemplified in the drawings is primarily designed to cast panels of hydraulically setting material, namely, panels to be used in building construction, such as wall sections, partitions, floor panels, ceilings and roof tiles; that is to say, all units of general rectangular form that come within the maximum dimensions of the mold-box. It is apparent, however, that our improved machine may be adapted for the construction of other types of units, such as fence posts, stepping stones and the like coming within the vided with a longitudinally extending frame or base portion at 26 on which a superposed base frame 27 is mounted. The frame 26 is provided with longitudinally arranged guideways or tracks 28, for receiving the guides or slide blocks 29 secured to the lower sides of the frame 27, on which a skeleton mold-box 30 is arranged and which consists of two sides and ends and open at bottom and top.

The mold-box carrying frame 27 is power actuated from end to end of the machine by suitable driving mechanism such as a cable 31, one end whereof is secured at 32 to the left-hand end of the frame 27 and passes around pulleys 33 and 34 and driving drum 35, about idlers 36, 36, guide pulley 37 and is then secured to the opposite end of frame 27 is shown in Figure 2. The driving drum 35 is driven by a suitable motor, preferably electric, as at 38, arranged in the base of the machine.

The mold-box 30 is adapted to receive a removable pallet 39 which constitutes the bottom of the mold-box; the pallet 39 being inserted into the skeleton mold-box 30 before the latter is passed beneath the hopper 40 which contains the hydraulically setting material and which is adapted to discharge, either manually or automatically, into the mold-box as the latter is arranged in the charging zone, at the right-hand end of the machine as illustrated in Figure 2. The pallet 39 is supported on a skeleton frame 41, which is held against transverse movement by angles 42. The pallet-supporting frame 41, on its lower side, is provided with a plurality of wedge blocks at 43 immovably secured thereto; the wedges 43 being complemental to the lower matching wedge members 4311 secured to a frame 44.

The left-hand end of the machine is provided with a crosshead or compression head at 45 provided with a plate 46 which is intended to cover the top of the moldbox 30 when the pallet 39, with the superposed material, is elevated into compressing position through the action of suitable power actuated mechanism and uniform compressing action throughout the pallet being induced by operation of the wedge block carrying frame.

The upper wedge carrying frame 41 is also provided with a pair of cross-bars 41a which rest on frame 41 and have vibrating mechanisms as at 411) to cause uniform distribution of the aggregate material and cement in the mold-box and produce a compact mass by eliminating air pockets or voids. The vibrators are activated prior to the compression operation. Cross bars 411: also have a suitable number of depending posts 47, preferably socketed at their lower ends to receive the vertically disposed rams 48 located near one end of the machine; the rams 48 being rigidly mounted in the base of the machine and operated pneumatically, hydraulically or by any suitable valve-controlled operating medium, which may be automatically or otherwise controlled.

After the mold-box is positioned in the compression zone at the left in Figure 2, the lower wedge carrying frame 44 is forced beneath and into wedging relation with the upper wedge frame members 43, through the action of the ram or push-rod 49 of cylinder 50 (which is hydraulically, pneumatically or otherwise operated) which engages an extended arm or strip 59 at the end of the wedge carrying frame 44 (see Figure 5), forcing the frame 41 with the superposed loaded pallet 39 upwardly, thereby subjecting the hydraulically setting material throughout the mold-box to the desired pressure (controlled by the overlapping relation of the wedge blocks) against the top plate 46 as shown in Figure 6.

After subjecting the material in the mold-box 30 to the maximum desired compression, the mold-box with the loaded pallet is then moved to the right-hand end of the machine, as disclosed in Figure 2 thus causing the upper part of the molded material to be subjected to a troweling effect by the top plate 46; movement or travel of the mold-box being induced by operation of the pull-cable 31 until the mold-box with pallet is arranged above the stripping mechanism shown in Figure 2. The stripping mechanism comprises a suitable air or hydraulic vertically disposed cylinder 51 which is provided, at the top, with a frame 52 which latter, at its four corners, is provided with rams 48. These rams,

when cylinder 51 is provided with the operating medium, move upwardly into engagement with the posts 47 secured to the cross bars 41a of the upper wedge frame 41, see Figure 7, thereby elevating the pallet 39 with.

superposed molded material, above the top edge of the mold-box, permitting the pallet and mold to be taken from themachine.

The admission of the operating medium, from a suitable source, to an air operated cylinder 53' is controlled by means of a valve 54 mounted on the stripper frame 52, controlled by a pivoted arm 55 (see Figure 7) whose free end isadapted to engage a member 56 of frame 26 when arm 55 has been elevated, as shown in Figure 7, thus causing cylinder 53 to retract its piston 57.

Through this operation, the lower wedge frame 44 is shifted out of wedging position through the action of the cylinder piston 57-Figure 7 which is provided with an adaptor 58 shown. provided with a head which engages with the shouldered strip 59 secured to wedge frame 44. This causes the latter, with its wedge blocks, to be withdrawn from the full-line position shown to the dotted-line position shown in Figure 7. The maximum retracted position of wedge frame 44 is controlled by a stop-block 60 secured to the lower side of frame 44; the stop-block 60 being adapted to abut against the adjustable set-bolt 61 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 7; while the maximum wedging position of the wedge frame is determined by stop-block 60 engaging the side 62 of the frame member 27 or the strip 59 engaging an adjacent frame angle.

The mold-box is then provided with a new pallet 39 and the box. recharged from hopper 40, after which the loaded mold-box is returned to the left-hand end of the machine as disclosed in Figure 2-namely, to the compression zone of the machine where the compression operation, as heretofore described, is repeated until the desired number of forms have been molded.

As previously stated, our improved machine may either be mechanically or hydraulically and electrically operated and the positioning of the mold-box with inserted pallet maintained in or retarded and the length of time of its passage or repassage through the charging zone controlled for any desired reason, as for example, the insertion of reenforcing material or other inserts intothe mold-box before the latter is completely filled so as to have the reenforcing material or inserts imbedded in the cementitious mass before the mold-box is moved into the compression zone where the rigid wedge frames are brought into compression exerting position beneath the mass-holding pallet; the complementary wedges having similar, but oppositely disposed, sloping ends which, at the maximum pressure exerting points, terminate in horizontal top surfaces for holding the entire pallet in horizontal position whilebeing horizontally slid from beneath the pressure plate and during its travel back to the original cementitious material involving an elongated main frame provided with a guideway extending lengthwise of the machine; a mold-box supporting frame slidably mounted on the guideway; power mechanism whereby said supporting frame may be shifted from end to' end of the machine; a wedge carrying skeleton frame mounted on said supporting frame; a skeleton mold-box loosely mounted on said supporting frame; a pallet, confined to the outline defined by the mold-box side and end walls, adapted tofit into and constitute the mold-box bottom and supported by said wedge-carrying skeleton frame; hydraulically setting cementitious material-holding hopper mounted above one end of said guideway and adapted to discharge into said mold-box when the. latter is atone end of the elongated main frame; a cross-head mounted above the other end of said guideway and provided on its bottom with a plate adapted to extend. across said: mold-box and the loaded pallet; slidably mounted wedge means complemental to said wedge-carrying skeleton frame whereby the pallet with superposed material is elevated into compression relation with said cross-head plate; vertically movable means arranged beneath said guideway whereby said pallet with superposed material is raised above the mold-box.

2. in a machine of the character described, a. topless mold-boxwith a loosely mounted bottom adapted to receive the moldable material; a wedge element carrying frame for the mold-box bottom; precipitation-inducing vibration mechanism secured to said frame; a slidably mounted frame provided on its upper face with wedge elements complemen'tal to the first mentioned wedge elements; a top plate at one end of the machine spaced above the path of the mold-box; power means for forcing the slidably mounted. frame into wedging position with said wedge element carrying frame, thereby compressing the material in the mold-box against said topplate; power actuated means for retracting the slidably mounted wedge.

frame from beneath said wedge element carrying. frame; means for removing the mold-box from beneath said top plate and power actuated rams for elevating the moldbox button with superposed molded material thereby forcing the molded form from the mold box through the top thereof.

3. In a machine of the character described provided with a supporting frame; a topless and bottomless moldbox slidably mounted on said frame; a cementitious massholding pallet loosely arranged in said mold-box; means whereby the position of the mold-box may be controlled; a controllable hydraulically setting cementitious materialholding member mounted inv a plane above that of the mold-box and adapted to discharge said material into the mold-box when the latter is positioned therebeneath; a plate mounted above the path of the slidable moldbox; a pair of shiftable complementary wedge-carrying frames adapted to be shifted into wedging relation beneath said pallet when the latter is positioned beneath said plate whereby the. pallet with the superposed mass is uniformly elevated into compression relation with.

said plate and its elevated horizontal position maintained while the mold-box is slid from beneath said plate.

4. A machine of the character described provided with a supporting frame arranged to constitute a loading and stripping zone at one end and a compression zone at the other end; a topless and bottomless mold-box slidably mounted from end to end on said frame from zone to zone; a cementitious mass-holding pallet loosely mounted in said mold-box and upwardly removable therefrom; a controllable hydraulically setting material-holding member arranged in the loading zone at the first mentioned end of the machine in spaced relation with the top of the mold-box; a plate mounted in the compression zone at the other end of the machine above the path of the mold-box; controllable power operated means disposed lengthwise of the machine whereby the mold-box is made to travel from zone to zone and its period of time in the zones regulated; a pair of wedge-carrying frames; adapted to be shifted into wedging relation beneathsaid pallet while the mold-box is in the compression zone beneath said plate; whereby the pallet with its superposed mass is uniformly elevated into compressing relation. with said plate, said wedge carrying frames with their cor related wedges being adapted to force the pallet with its superposed mass into compression relation with said plate and to maintain the pallet and compressed mass in horizontal position during its return to the stripping zone; and power actuated means in the lower part of. the stripping zone whereby the pallet with the superposed compressed mass will be stripped upwardly out of the mold-box.

5; A machine of the character described involving a supporting frame provided with a guideway; one end of the machine constitutingthe charging and stripping zone, while the. other end constitutes the compression zone; a topless and bottomless mold-box adapted to be moved along said guideway; a cementitious mass-holding pallet removably arranged in said mold-box; a controllable cementitious material-charging member arranged in the charging zone along. the path of saidv mold box; means whereby the mold-box is actuated and the period of time of travel to and from the charging zone controlled; pres shifted into wedging relation with the complementary wedge-carrying frame beneath said pallet whereby the latter with superposed material is forced into pressureapplying relation with said pressure means; and means in the charging and stripping zone whereby the pallet with superposed molded material is stripped upwardly from the mold-box.

6. In a machine of the character described, an elongated main frame provided with a fixedly mounted guideway extending lengthwise of the machine; a carrier frame slidably mounted on said guideway; a topless and bottornless mold-box carried by said carrier frame; a hydraulically setting material-holding charger adapted to discharge said material into said mold-box when the latter enters its position beneath said charger; power up erated means whereby said carrier frame with superposed mold-box may be shifted from said charging position to the opposite or compression end of the machine; a re movable pallet resting on said carrier frame within the mold-box and adapted to be vertically movable in and constituting the bottom of the mold-box; a cross-head arranged at the opposite or compression end of the machine above said guideway and having a top plate to fit across the mold-box and the loaded pallet; a pair of wedge frames extending throughout the bottom of said pallet whereby uniform upward pressure on the pallet is exerted and the latter forced against said top plate; and means whereby the wedge frames are forced into wedging relation.

7. In a machine of the character described compri;-;- ing an elongated main frame; a topless and bottomless mold-box; a supporting and wedge element carrying frame for the mold-box; a removable pallet resting on said wedge-carrying frame and constituting a movable bottom for the mold-box; hydraulically setting material-holding receptacle adjacent one end of the main frame arranged to discharge into the mold-box; means whereby said supporting wedge-carrying frame with the charged mold-box may be shifted lengthwise toward the opposite end of the main frame; a cross-head mounted at one end of the main frame and provided with a top plate arranged above the path of the mold-box and adapted to fit onto said mold-box across the loaded pallet; 21 slidable wedge frame having wedge elements complemental to the wedge elements of said first mentioned supporting frame; power means whereby said slidable wedge frame is shifted into wedging relation with the first mentioned wedge frame and the material-carrying pallet raised into compressing relation with said cross-head plate; power means whereby said last mentioned wedge frame is retracted from wedging position at conclusion of the compression operation; and power actuated mechanism at the first mentioned end of the main frame beneath the path of the mold-box whereby the pallet and superposed compressed material are elevated above the walls of the mold-box.

8. In a machine of the character described, an elongated main frame provided with fixedly mounted guideways; a frame slidably mounted on said guideways; a wedge element carrying frame movably mounted above said frame; a complementary wedge element frame mounted above the first mentioned wedge element carrying frame; a topless and bottomless mold-box carried by said wedge element carrying frames; a removable bottom vertically slidable in said mold-box; a cross-head mounted at one end of the frame above the path of the mold-box; means whereby said wedge element carrying frames are brought into wedging relation and said bottom with the superposed material raised into compressing relation with said cross-head; and power means at one end of the frame beneath the path of the mold-box whereby said bottom and molded material are forced upwardly through the top of the mold-box.

9. In a machine of the character described, a movably mounted bottomless mold-box; hydraulically setting material-holding pallet loosely mounted in the mold-box; a pressure plate spaced above the mold-box; a pair of wedge carrying frames arranged one above the other beneath said pallet, one of said frames also having depending posts and vibrating mechanism; power controlled ram mechanism for shifting the lower wedge frame into and out of wedging position for moving said pallet upwardly into material compressing relation with said pressure plate; power operated lift rams arranged along the path of the mold-box and pallet and adapted to move upwardly into lifting engagement with said depending posts of the wedge frame, whereby the pallet with superposed molded mategial is elevated above the side and end walls of the mold- 10. In a machine of the character described, having an elongated frame, a bottomless and topless mold-box slidable lengthwise of the frame; a material-holding pallet loosely mounted in the mold-box; a pressure member adjacent one end of the frame mounted above the path of said mold-box; mechanism arranged beneath the moldbox at said end of the frame involving a pair of complementary wedge-carrying frames whereby said pallet is moved upwardly into pressure applying relation with said pressure member; and means disposed at the other end of the machine beneath the path of the mold-box whereby the pallet may be elevated above the mold-box and the compressed material stripped from the mold-box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,033,092 Erpicum July 23, 1912 1,399,325 Straub Dec. 6, 1921 2,308,132 Wellnitz Jan. 12, 1943 2,515,491 Briscoe July 18, 1950

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