Patent ID: 9677244
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: B28B,E02D,E04G

Claim:
1. Removable void former assembly for displacing a casting material to form a strip anchorage channel in a substantially planar rear face of a cast facing element during casting of the cast facing element, the cast facing element being configured for facing backfill stabilized by means of a flexible reinforcement strip passed through the strip anchorage channel such that the strip follows a substantially arcuate path between a first channel opening in the rear face, around a substantially cylindrical or cylindroidal core element, the core element being cast contiguously with the cast facing element, to a second channel opening in the rear face, wherein the removable channel void former assembly comprises: a first void former, shaped for forming a first part of the strip anchorage channel, the first part of the strip anchorage channel extending between the first channel opening and an intermediate location in the strip anchorage channel, a second void former, shaped for forming a second part of the strip anchorage channel, the second part extending between the second channel opening and the intermediate location, support means for supporting the first and second void formers in position during casting of the cast facing element, and withdrawal displacement means for rotationally displacing the first and/or second void formers about the core element in a rotational withdrawing direction from the strip anchorage channel of the cast facing element, the first void former being decouplable from the second void former such that the first void former can be withdrawn from the cast facing element substantially without mechanical interaction between the first void former and the second void former, wherein the withdrawal displacement means are configured for performing, in addition to the rotational displacement of the first and/or second void formers about the core element in a rotational withdrawing direction, a linear translational displacement of the first and/or second void formers along a linear withdrawal direction.