AN APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING CONCRETE

Abstract: Apparatus for spraying walls, foundation walls, etc., onto a pre-insulated structural element (23) serving as a basis and where the sprayed material is concrete that is to be reinforced. The spray nozzle (1) for concrete (3) is provided on a jig (18) that is movable in relation to said structural element (23), said jig being provided with means (7, 8) for keeping spray nozzle (1) at a predetermined distance from structural element (23), means (4, 5, 6, 21) for moving spray nozzle (1) up and down (A), and means (9-15; 16, 17) for moving spray nozzle (1) along said structural element (23). Spacer means are positioned in front of the spray nozzle, as seen in the horizontal direction of travel of spray nozzle (1), outside its spray zone. Utilization especially in connection with fiber reinforced concrete.

Description: AN APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING CONCRETE The present invention relates to an apparatus for spraying walls, foundation walls, or the like, onto a preinsulated structural element serving as a basis, and where the sprayed material is concrete that is reinforced. Concrete spraying is a well-known method of constructing concrete walls/ foundation walls, and the like. Spray tools mounted on a vehicle positioned at a distance from the sur¬ face to be sprayed are commonly used for concrete spraying. To achieve a satisfactory result manual control by a skilled operator is commonly required for such spraying operations. Spraying is mostly carried out onto a structural element, e. g. a formwork with reinforcing bars attached to said form- work. It is an object of the present invention to provide an appa¬ ratus which avoids the disadvantages of the known methods. The apparatus according to the present invention permits sub¬ stantially fully automatic concrete spraying of walls, foun¬ dation walls, or the like, a structural element being pre¬ sent as a basis. The invention is especially important in the construction of e.g. terrace houses or larger develop¬ ment areas. Additionally, the invention does not require the presence of operators skilled in spraying for concrete spraying operations. According to the invention the mentioned apparatus is charac¬ terized in that the spray nozzle for concrete is provided on a jig that is mounted for movement in relation to the struc¬ tural element, said jig being equipped with first means for keeping said spray nozzle at a predetermined distance from said structural element, second means for moving said spray nozzle up and down, and third means for moving said spray nozzle along said structural element. If fiber reinforced concrete is used, reinforcing bars may be avoided on the face of the structural element that is to be sprayed. ^ ΈE Further features of the invention will appear from the follow ing claims as well as from the following description with reference to the attached drawing. Fig. l.is an elevation of the apparatus according to the present invention arranged on a structural element. Fig. 2 is a simplified plan view of the apparatus according to the invention. Spray nozzle 1 for concrete 3 is supplied with concrete through a supply hose 2. Said spray nozzle 1 is movable ver¬ tically in a guide 21 and it is moved by a conveying chain 4 running around a pulley 5 and being drived by a motor 6. Al¬ ternatively said conveying chain 4 might be replaced by a screw supported in a bearing 5 and driven by motor 6 in such a manner that said spray nozzle would be moved up and down due to screw rotation. To ensure that spray nozzle 1 has a predetermined distance from wall element 23, on which said jig, generally designat¬ ed 18, is provided, a spacer 7 is attached to the lower portion of guide 21, said spacer 7 having a traversing wheel 8 mounted on its ±ree end for contact with the surface of the wall element 23 to be sprayed with concrete. As shown in Fig. 2 said spacer 7 and its traversing wheel 8 will be po¬ sitioned in front of spray nozzle 1 and outside its spray zone as seen in th.e direction of travel B of the apparatus. On jig 18 first traversing wheels 10, 10 * are mounted to roll along a rail 11 on top of structural element 23. Said traversing wheels 10, 10' are connected with a motor 15 via pulleys 12, 14 and a power transmission 13. To prevent late¬ ral displacement of traversing wheels 10, 10' said wheels may at one end be provided with a collar and, furthermore, a traversing wheel 9 having a vertical axis is connected with jig 18. To prevent concrete from fouling traversing wheels 10, 10' a spray screen 20 may be provided along the entire horizontal length of said jig. In places where the,jig has to change its direction of move¬ ment it will be possible to replace said traversing wheels % 10, 10', and 9 with.an adjustable point-bearing means 16 in _ such a manner that -the point extending downwards may be b contacted with a suitable bearing-point mounted between ad¬ jacent structural elements 23, e.g. in a corner. By the aid of an adjustment "wheel 17, said bearing means are adjustable to ensure correct, support of jig 18 for spraying the corner. The same technique may be utilized e.g. for concrete spraying 10 of arcuate surfaces. r the like. For tasks of this kind jig 18 is lifted by 2ugs 19 and placed in a desired bearing point. The apparatus according to the invention is especially suit¬ 15 able in connection with structural elements of a "multiele¬ ment" kind, as produced by Norgips A/S, see e.g. NO-PS 134 359. If reinforcement bars are essential on the face of the 20 structural element 23 to be sprayed, it is conceivable with¬ in the scope of the present invention to design the rein¬ forcement bars with a portion that is wide enough to provide a sufficiently firm support for wheel 8.Said supporting portion may possibly be perforated, and it may consist of 25 a strip of expanded metal secured to the reinforcement bar. Within the scope .erf the invention said spacer 7 may also be adjustable as r-egards its distance from spray nozzle 1, as 30 well as to its dimension normal to the structural element 23. The vertical movement A of spray nozzle 1 as well as its horizontal movement B may be controlled by a timer circuit (not shown) or by the use of a conventional process control system. It will be obvious that the present invention is al¬ 35 so suitable with manual control. In the last mentioned case e.g. motor 15 may be a step motor, whereas motor 6 is a step- free variable motor. Thus, the operator will be able to move the jig stepwise in a horizontal direction and then move the spray nozzle by the aid of motor 6.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. An apparatus for spraying a wall, a foundation wall, or the like, onto a pre-insulated structural element (23) ser¬ ving as a basis, and where the spray material is concrete that is to be reinforced, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the spray nozzle (1) for concrete (3) is provided on a jig (18) that is mounted movably in relation to said struc¬ tural element (23) , said jig .being provided with first means (7, 8) for keeping spray nozzle (1) at a predetermined distance from said structural element, second means (4, 5, 6, 21) for moving said spray nozzle (1) up and down (A), and third means (9-15; 16, 17) for moving said spray nozzle • along said structural element (23). 2. An apparatus as stated in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d i n that said first means (7, 8) comprise a spacer (7) having a traversing wheel (8) provided on its free end to contact said structural element (23) or its reinforcing bars, the other end of said spacer being connected to a preferably vertical guide (21) of said jig (18) , and that said means are positioned in front of the spray zone of said nozzle, as seen in the direction of move¬ ment (B) of said spray nozzle. 3. An apparatus as stated in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said second means (4, 5, 6, 21) comprise a preferably vertical guide (21) for the spray nozzle (1) , provided with a conveying chain or a screw (4) that is connected with a support (5) and is driven by a motor (6) attached to the jig (18) . 4. An apparatus as stated in claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said third means comprise first traversing wheels (10,10') having a horizontal axis and being driven by a motor (15) and intended for con¬ tact with the upper edge of the structural element or a rail (11) thereon, and a second traversing wheel (9) having a vertical axis for contact with the vertical portion of said •*# pper edge or rail and arranged on the opposite face of said structural element (23) to the face to be sprayed. 5. An apparatus as stated in claims 1, 2, 3, or 4, c h a r a c t-e r i z e d i n that said third means additionally comprise an adjustable point-bearing means (16, 17) for supporting said jig (18) when corner faces, arcuate surfaces or the like are to be sprayed. 10 6. An apparatus as stated in claims 1, 3, 4, or 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said second and third means are supported in a common jig frame (18) . 15 7. An apparatus as stated in one or several of the preced¬ ing claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that fiber reinforced concrete is used. 8. An apparatus as stated in one or several of claims 1-7, 20 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said structural ele¬ ment in a manner known per se comprises two parallel sepa¬ rated plaster boards having an insulation material consist¬ ing of cellular plastic provided in the space between boards. 25 9. An apparatus as stated in claim 8, c h a r a c t e r¬ i z e d i n that stanchions, studdings, cable conduits etc are provided within said space . 30 -» 35 OMPI

Inventors: NILSEN WALTER, NILSEN, WALTER
Applicants: NORGIPS AS, NORGIPS A/S
Application year: 1983
Main classification: E04F21
IPC codes: E04F21, E04G21