US3032851A

US3032851A - Apparatus for making and stacking concrete blocks

Info

Publication number: US3032851A
Application number: US789442A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gibbs Frederic Markell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-01-27
Filing date: 1959-01-27
Publication date: 1962-05-08
Anticipated expiration: 1979-05-08

Description

3,032,851 APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND STACKING CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed Jan. 27. 1959 F. M. GIBBS May 8, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FREDER/C M. GIBBS m; j w

May 8, 1962 INVENTOR. FREDER/C M. 6/885 ATTORNEY y 1962 F. M. GIBBS 3,032,851

APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND STACKING CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed Jan. 27. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. i 7 FREDER/C M. G/BBS United States Patent Ofiice 3,032,851 Patented May 8, 1962 3,032,851 APPARATUS FGR MAKING AND STACKHJG CONCRETE BLGCKS Frederic Marlrell Gibbs, 1717- Farley Road, Los Gatos, Calif. Filed Jan. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 789,442 3 Claims. (Cl. 25-2) This invention relates to an apparatus for making and stacking concrete blocks.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for making and stacking concrete blocks by labor saving means.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus whereby a single operator may process a large number of blocks without engaging in heavy manual labor ordinarily required in making such blocks.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for making concrete blocks in which there is employed a plurality of groups of block forms or molds which are adapted to be filled with concrete from a hopper type apparatus and which are adapted to be inverted to form stacks of blocks after the concrete blocks are hardened.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for making concrete blocks in which the concrete is shaped in molds that are arranged in groups, said molds being provided with block retaining means so that the groups may be inverted and placed upon a platform or pallet while they are still in the molds, and thereafter the molds may be removed therefrom, leavin the blocks stacked on said platform.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawing.

In accordance with this invention there is provided an improved apparatus for making and stacking concrete blocks of tapered configuration without requiring the use of heavy manual labor for handling the blocks. The blocks are first cast in suitable molds which are arranged in groups, for example, each group may contain sixteen concrete block forms that are attached together so as to form a substantially square mold group. These mold groups are arranged on an elongated platform which is positioned underneath the tracks of a traveling crane type apparatus that is employed for carrying a concrete hopper. .This hopper is filled with concrete and the operator then moves the hopper over the mold groups and fills each mold with concrete from the bottom of the concrete hopper. After all the molds on the elongated platform are filled with concrete, a certain length of time is allowed for the concrete blocks to set and harden.

The tapered molds are arranged in the aforesaid groups so that the large end of the mold is open and the small end forms the bottom of each mold. Thus the tapered concrete blocks are formed in the molds with the large end thereof uppermost to facilitate easy removal of the concrete blocks from the mold.

A pallet that is coextensive with the top of the mold group is placed on the first mold group on the elongated platform and a similar pallet is placed on the fourth, seventh and tenth groups on said platform after the concrete in the molds is set and hardened. Suitable retaining means is provided for clamping these pallets down on the top surfaces of the mold groups so that these mold groups may be inverted and the blocks allowed to rest on the pallet associated therewith as will be clear from the following description. The mold groups between the aforesaid groups are provided with means for attaching a pair of channel iron members to the tops thereof for the purpose of retaining the concrete blocks in the molds when these mold groups are inverted. After the pallets and block retaining channel irons are positioned on the tops of the mold groups, said groups are ready to be removed from the elongated platform by the traveling crane apparatus which may be the same traveling crane as is employed for transporting the concrete hopper along the elongated platform.

This crane is provided with a chain lift having a pair of ends which are adapted to engage the ends of a steel rod that is inserted through the center of the concrete block group to be lifted. When this rod is in position and is attached to the lift chain the concrete block group with the pallet or block retaining means attached thereto is lifted from the elongated platform and transported by the crane to the storage area. When a lifted concrete block group is in position over the storage area, it is inverted on the crane hoist simply by rotating the concrete block group on the centrally located steel bar that was employed for lifting the concrete block group until the group of blocks is in inverted position, in which position the pallet or block retaining means will be on the lowermost surface thereof. If a group of blocks that is provided with a pallet is being handled, then the pallet and the block group are lowered by the chain hoist so that the pallet rests on the storage surface. The pallet retaining means is then detached from the pallet and the concrete block form is removed from the blocks simply by using the crane to lift it therefrom. The concrete blocks are pulled out of the molds by the force of gravity and they are allowed to rest on the top surface of the pallet with their large ends positioned thereon.

The second form group following the one provided with a pallet, is next lifted from the elongated platform by using the aforesaid crane and the concrete block group therein is moved to the position directly over the first concrete block group. The second form group is not provided with a pallet but instead is provided with a pair of channel irons for holding the blocks in position in the molds. When the blocks of this group are resting on the tops of the blocks arranged on the pallet in the storage area, they are released from the mold group simply by removing the channel irons and the form is lifted from the released blocks by the chain hoist of the crane. The empty mold group is then transported by the crane to its position on the elongated platform ready for refilling with concrete. The third group is provided with the same type of block retaining means as the second group and the concrete blocks thereof are placed on the concrete blocks from the second group. The fourth group is provided with a pallet the same as the first group and the blocks thereof are placed on this pallet when this group is inverted. Thereafter the blocks from the fifth and sixth groups are placed on the blocks from the fourth group. This procedure is repeated until all of the mold groups are emptied in the storage area and the blocks are stacked on the pallets.

Further details of this invention will be set forth in the following specification, claims and drawing in which briefly:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of an embodiment of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the invention shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom perspective view of one of the block mold groups;

FIGURE 4 is a top perspective view of one of the mold groups having loops for receiving the channel iron members that are employed for retaining the blocks in the mold during handling;

FIGURE 5 is a top perspective view of a mold group with a pallet inverted over the top thereof and attached thereto;

snags-s1 FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of one of the concrete blocks;

FIGURE 7 is a side view of blocks such as shown in FIGURE 6 stacked on a pallet;

. FIGURE 8 is a side view of one of the mold groups with a pallet attached to the top thereof and the whole being supported by the chain hoist preparatory to inversion thereof;

FIGURE 9 is a side view of the block mold and chain hoist shown in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a side view similar to that shown in FIGURE 8 in which one of the even numbered mold groups shown in FIGURE 1 is attached to the chain hoist preparatory to inversion thereof;

FIGURE 11 is a side view of the mold group shown in FIGURE 10 inverted over the top of the concrete blocks removed from the mold shown in FIGURE 9 and positioned on the pallet;

FIGURE 12 is a side view of the hopper bottom concrete carrier employed for filling the block forms positioned on the elevated platform as shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 13 is a view taken along the line 13-13 of FIGURE 12.

Referring to the drawing in detail there is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 an elongated platform III that is supported by the posts 11 and on which there are positioned a plurality of concrete'block molds 12 which are arranged in groups such as the

groups

13 and 14 shown in FIGURE 2. It'will be noted that the first and fourth groups are designated as groups 13 and the second and third groups are designated as groups 14 and the purpose of this will be more fully described hereinafter. Each of these groups includes 16 of the molds 12 and these molds are permanently fastened together by welding at their adjoining top edges and by means of suitable iron straps or rods 12a welded thereto around the bottom of the mold group so that each mold group may be handled as a unit as will be described in detail hereinafter. The molds 12 are tapered for producing tapered blocks and when these molds are grouped as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 spaces or channels are formed therebetween. These channels are useful in the handling of the mold groups and stacking of the con crete blocks.

A pair of iron rails 15 and 15a which may be in the form of I-beams are supported by means of posts 17 along each side of the elongated platform 16 and these rails support the beam 17 of a traveling crane which is provided with carriages 18 and 18a that engage the rails 15 and 15a respectively. Each of these carriages 18 and 18a is provided with a plurality of wheels suitable for engaging the top surfaces of the rails 15 and 15a and selected ones of these wheels are attached to the end portions of the rod 19 which is adapted to drive these wheels and a suitable motor 20 is coupled to the rod 19 for this purpose. The motor 20 may be of the electrically driven type and a suitable extension cord 21 that is supported on the wire 22 by means of slidable rings 22a is provided for connecting the motor 20 to a suitable source of current supply.

The I-beam 17 of the traveling crane is adapted to support the bucket 23 which is employed for transporting concrete to the molds 12 from the concrete mixer 28. This bucket is provided with a hopper bottom 27 that may be opened and closed by the lever 27a, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, to permit dropping proper amounts of concrete out of the bucket 23 into the molds 12 through the open tops thereof. The bucket 23 is adapted to be supported from the chain 25 which is provided with a hook 25a. The chain 25 may be raised or lowered by means of the hoist 26 which is of conventional construction. Thus the crane may be moved on the rails 15 and 15a by means of the carriages 18 and 18a so that the bucket 23 may be transported to the concrete mixer 28 at the left hand end of the rails 15 and 150 at which point the bucket 23 ail may be lowered to receive a charge of concrete. When the bucket 23 is full of concrete it is transported on the rails 15 and 15a along the tops of the open molds 12, so that each of these molds may be filled with a suitable quantity of concrete that is released from the hopper bottom 27 of the bucket by manipulating the lever 270. Thus the bucket filled with concrete may be moved by the crane over the molds arranged on the platform 10 without the expenditure of hard manual labor.

The first and fourth mold groups 13 shown in FIGURE 2 are adapted to have pallets 30 such as illustrated in FIGURE 5 inverted over the tops thereof, after these mold groups have been filled with concrete which has been allowed to set and harden. Where the elongated platform 10 is long enough to support more than six mold groups then three additional mold groups are provided since the seventh mold group is adapted to be provided with a pallet and this is followed by two mold groups without pallets. In other words each mold group that is to be provided with a pallet is followed by two mold groups without pallets. These pallets 30 are of conventional construction in that they include a number of boards 31 attached to one side of the cross pieces 32 so that they form a small platform on which the concrete blocks release from the molds may be positioned as shown in FIGURE 7. Suitable spaced bracing boards 33 are attached to the other side of the cross pieces 32. The pallet 30 is held against the top of the mold group as shown in FIGURE 5, by means of a rod 42 which passes through the pallet and engages the boards 31 thereof. This rod 42 is held in place by a pair of strip members 43 and 43a which extend between this rod and another rod 36 which is positioned in the center of the mold group in the channellike cavity 45, that extends through the center of the mold group. Bearing member 34 in the form of an angle iron is attached to adjacent ones of the molds 12 as shown in- FIGURES 3 and 4 and functions as a bearing for the rod 36. Small straps 35 may also be attached to the exteriors of the outer molds adjacent to the ends of the angle iron member 34 if desired.

The ends of the rod 36 are inserted into loops 37 and 37a which are attached to the lower ends of the

chains

38 and 38a as shown in FIGURE 9 and the upper ends of these chains are attached to the angular members 40 and 40a respectively which are attached to the ends of the spreader member 39. Additional chains 41 and 41a are attached to the upper ends of the members 40 and 40a respectively and the upper ends of these chains are attached to the loop 42 which is adapted to be engaged by the hook 25a of the chain hoist 26 as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9.

After the pallet 30 is placed upon the first mold group 13 and secured thereto as shown in FIGURE 5, and after the chain hoist is attached to the ends of the bar or rod 36 as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9, the mold group is lifted from the platform 10 by means of the chain hoist 26 and while the mold group is in this lifted position it is transported by the crane to a storage area which may be oil? to one side of the platform 10. When the mold group and pallet that is attached thereto are located over the storage area, the mold group and pallet are rotated about the rod 36 as an axis so that the pallet 30 is on the lower surface of the concrete blocks positioned in the molds of the mold group. The pallet 36 and mold group including the concrete blocks therein are now lowered to the ground so that the members 33 of the pallet rest on the ground and the rod 42 is then detached from the strips 43. The chain hoist 26 is then operated and the mold group is raised leaving the concrete blocks 40 with their large ends resting on the pallet 3% as shown in FIG-1 URE 7.

Mold group 14 following the mold group 13 is next transported from the platform 11) so that the blocks therein may be placed on the blocks 40 removed from the preceding mold group. Suitable channel iron members 43 are inserted into the loops 44 attached to selected molds of the mold groups 14. The purpose of these channel iron members 43 is to retain the concrete blocks in position in the molds of these mold groups when they are lifted and inverted. The mold groups 14 are also provided with hearing angle iron member 34 and straps 35 as previously described in connection with the description of mold group 13 and the rod 36 which is adapted to be attached to the chain hoist as described in connection with FIGURES 3-9 and as shown in FIGURE 10, is inserted through the mold group along the angle iron member 34. When the mold group is thus attached to the chain hoist and inverted, the channel iron members 43 effectively lock the concrete blocks in the molds of the mold group so that the inverted mold group may be positioned over the top of the blocks 40 as shown in FIG- URE 11 before rods 43 are removed from the loops 44. When the mold group 14 is in position over the concrete blocks 40 and the blocks in the mold group 14 are resting on the tops of the blocks 40 it will be observed that the channel iron members are located in spaces between the blocks 40 and below the upper surfaces thereof. Since they are clear of the blocks 40, the channel iron members 43 may be removed and the mold group elevated by the chain hoist leaving the blocks 41 released from the mold group 14 and resting on the tops of the blocks 4-3 as shown in FIGURE 7. The blocks from the next mold group 14 may be placed on the top of the blocks 41 shown in FIGURE 7 to make a stack that is three blocks high. The next mold group is designated by reference numeral 13 and this mold group is adapted to be provided with a pallet on which the blocks may be placed as previously described in connection with the first mold group 13 and thereafter the blocks from two mold groups 14 may be stacked thereon. The mold groups 13 are the first, fourth, and seventh mold groups on the platform It) and these are referred to as a first series whereas the mold groups 14 are the second, third, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth mold groups on the platform and these are referred to as the second series. Of course these series may be extended further if a longer platform is provided. Furthermore, these series may be altered. If it is desired to stack the blocks only two high the first series becomes the odd numbered mold group series and the second series becomes the even numbered series, or if the blocks are stacked four high then the first series includes the mold groups one, five and nine, and the second series includes the second, third, fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth. Also, two platforms 10 may be provided parallel to each other and the mold groups of the first series may be on one platform whereas those of the second series may be on the other platform.

The blocks formed in the molds 12 are in the shape of a frustum of a pyramid as shown in FIGURE 6. They may of course have other shapes if desired. Where these blocks are employed as elements of a foundation to which boards or similar structural members are to be attached, I

each of the blocks may be provided with a wooden insert 50. These wooden inserts may be placed in the bot-toms of the molds 12 as shown in FIGURE 4 prior to the filling of the mold with concrete so that when the concrete is placed into the mold, the wooden blocks 50 are embedded in the tops of the concrete blocks.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention it will be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown so that its scope should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus for making and stacking concrete blocks the combination of elongated platform means, a plurality of concrete block molds adapted to be supported on said platform means, means for attaching a plurality of said molds together to form a plurality of mold groups, said molds in said groups having open ends for receiving a charge of concrete to be set into concrete blocks, a pallet positioned over the open ends of the molds of a first one of said groups, attaching means for releasably attaching said pallet to said first mold group, lifting means adapted to be releasably attached substantially to the center of said first mold group for lifting and inverting said first mold group so that the concrete blocks therein are invented onto said pallet and released therefrom when said attaching means is detached therefrom, said concrete blocks being positioned on said pallet in spaced apart rows, retaining rods positioned over portions of the open ends of a second one of said mold groups such that each retaining tl'Od extends over parts of the tops of blocks in adjacent rows of the molds thereof, means for releasably attaching said retaining rods to said second mold group, said lifting means being adapted to be releasably attached substantially to the center of said second mold group for lifting and inverting said second mold group over the concrete blocks positioned on said pallet, said retaining rods being adapted to extend into spaces between rows of blocks on said pallet when said blocks in said second mold group are positioned on corresponding blocks on said pallet by said lifting means, said retaining rods being adapted to be released by said last-mentioned releasable attaching means when said blocks in said second mold group are positioned on corresponding blocks on said pallet whereby said blocks in said second mold group are released therefrom and stacked on the blocks on said pallet when said lifting means lifts said second mold group away from the last-mentioned blocks.

2. in apparatus for making and stacking concrete blocks the combination of elongated platform means, a plurality of concrete block molds adapted to be supported on said platform means, means for attaching a plurality of said molds together to form a plurality of mold groups,

each of said mold groups comprising a plurality of parallel rows of molds with tapered spaces therebetween, said molds in said groups having open ends for receiving a charge of concrete to be set into concrete blocks, a pallet positioned over the open ends of the molds of a first one of said groups, attaching means for releasably attaching said pallet to said first mold group, a rod passing through the tapered space substantially in the center of said first mold group, lifting means adapted to be releasably attached to said rod for lifting said first mold group and inverting said first mold group about said rod so that the concrete blocks therein are inverted onto said pallet and released therefrom when said attaching means is detached therefrom, said concrete blocks being positioned on said pallet in spaced apart rows, a plurality of retaining rods positioned over portions of the open ends of a second one of said mold groups such that each of said last mentioned rods extends over parts of the tops of blocks in adjacent rows of the molds thereof, means for releasably attaching said last mentioned rods to said second mold group, a rod passing through the tapered space substantially in the center of said second mold group, said lifting means being adapted to be releasably attached to said last mentioned rod for lifting and inverting said second mold group over the concrete blocks positioned on said pallet, said retaining rods being adapted to extend into spaces between rows of blocks on said pallet when said blocks in said second mold group are positioned on corresponding blocks on said pallet by said lifting means, said retaining rods being adapted to be released by said last-men tioned releasable attaching means when said blocks in said second mold group are positioned on corresponding blocks on said pallet whereby said blocks in said second mold group are released therefrom and stacked on the blocks on said pallet when said lifting means lifts said second mold group away from the last-mentioned blocks.

3. In apparatus for making and stacking concrete blocks the combination of elongated platform means, a plurality of tapered concrete block molds adapted to be supported on said platform means with the small end thereof resting on said platform means, means for attaching a plurality of said molds together to form a plurality of mold groups, each of said groups comprising a plurality of parallel rows of molds with tapered spaces therebetween, said molds in said groups having the large ends thereof open for receiving a charge of concrete to be set into concrete blocks, a pallet positioned over the open ends of the molds of a first one of said groups attaching means for releasably attaching said pallet to said first mold group, lifting means, means for attaching said lifting means substantially to the center of said first mold group for lifting and inverting said first mold group so that the concrete blocks therein are invented onto said pallet and released therefrom when said first-mentioned attaching means is detached therefrom, said concrete blocks being positioned on said pallet in spaced apart relation with the large ends of the blocks resting on said pallet, a plurality of block retaining rods positioned over portions of the open ends of a second one of said mold groups such that each retaining rod extends over parts of the tops of the concrete blocks in adjacent rows of the molds of said second group, means for releasably attaching said retaining rods to said second mold group, for retaining said blocks in the molds when the mold group is inverted, means for attaching said lifting means substantially to the center of said second mold group for 8 inverting and positioning said second mold group over the concrete blocks positioned on said pallet so that the large ends of the blocks from said second mold group rest on the small ends of the blocks positioned on said pallet, said retaining rods being adapted to project into spaces between the blocks on said pallet when said blocks References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 986,266 Carter et al. Mar. 7, 1911 1,493,732 Camp May 13, 1924 2,006,594 Hoch July 2, 1935 2,131,474 Henderson Sept. 27, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 150,890 Sweden July 26, 1955