A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN INSULATED/INSULATABLE REINFORCED BUILDING ELEMENT IN CONCRETE

Abstract: A rational production process for the manufacturing of insulated/isolatable building elements (foundation, wall, roof, ceiling or floor elements) in reinforced (4, 11, 12) concrete and having pegwood-forming ledges (4') connected (16, 17) to the reinforcement (4, 11, 12) and joining a concrete plate (2) via reinforced (11, 12) concrete ribs (3). For the casting process, a rectangular horizontally oriented upward open casting mould (13, 13') is utilized. One type of element is to have spaced cavities (15) for the subsequent embedment of soft insulation mats. For this type of elements, one uses a casting mould (13, 13') having spaced fixed cavity boxes (14), the spacings therebetween accomodating said pegwood-forming ledges (4'). A connection between said ledges (4') and said reinforcement (11, 12, 16, 17) is established within said mould (13, 13'). A main reinforcing net (4) is now positioned and attached to the reinforcing means (12) of the ledges (4'). Thereafter, concrete is filled into the mould. Prior to, during or immediately subsequent to hardening, one may effect the desired working on the freely accesible to surface (2) of concrete.

Description: A method of manufacturing an insulated/insulatable reinforced building element in concrete This invention relates to a method of manufacturing an insulated/insulatable reinforced building or construction element (foundation, wall, roof, ceiling or floor element) in concrete, one lateral face of said element exhibiting pegwoods in the form of wooden ledges connected to the reinforcement and being partially casted into the concrete, and wherein the . rectangular horizontal upward open casting mould may have a length corresponding either to the length/ height of use of the resulting element or to a multiple of said length/height. A rectangular building or construction element in reinforced concrete having pegwoods in the form of longitudinally and laterally extending wooden ledges equally spaced over one side or lateral face of the element, is shown and described in Norwegian patent application No. 863567. This element exhibits a high compression, tensile and bending strength in relation -to weight per surface area unit. Thus, in this known element one side face is formed by the concrete, while the opposite side face due to the pegwoods may be provided with clothing plates, panels or the like nailed thereon. More particularly, the concrete plate has one side face forming one external face of the element, the opposite side face of the concrete . plate being formed with reinforced longitudinally or laterally extending concrete ribs, to which the wooden ledges are anchored and between which soft insulation mats are being embedded prior to the application of vapour barrier and external building plate/panel or other plate, coating or covering material. In order to form said longitudinally or laterally extending reinforced concrete ribs and their intermediate cavities for the embedment of said soft insulation mats, the casting mould exhibits so-called cavity boxes. However, in some countries rigid insulation plates are permitted, and said cavity boxes are then superfluous. The concrete ribs and the pegwood-forming wooden ledges connected thereto as well as the cavities for soft insulation mats or said rigid insulation plates, respectively, may extend in the longitudinal or lateral direction of the casting mould. Usually, they will extend in the lateral direction of the mould, but with elements receiving a substantial height in the position of use, concrete ribs etc. have to be formed in the longitudinal direction of the casting mould. Building elements of the above-mentioned general type are quite complex in their construction, and it has hitherto been difficult to arrive at a rational production method. In accordance to current technique, the casting is effected in such a manner that the continuous concrete face is formed at the bottom face of the casting mould. Such a method involve technical disadvantages and limitations in the manufacturing step, because most of the " area of the top of the mould during casting is being covered by said cavity boxes. Therefore, the filling of concrete into the mould has to be carefully controlled when executed. Another disadvantage of known casting technique is that no steps are taker, in order to facilitate a working of the concrete surface, e.g. decoratively (facing, admixing shingle in the surface layer etc.). Facing of the concrete face is impossible when the element is laying in the mould, because said face is quite inaccessible in this position. Of couse, one may place a layer of shingle - as resulting surface layer on the concrete face - at the bottom of the mould, but such a method is less controllable, and the results thereof have mostly been very poor. The object of the present invention is to indicate a very rational method of manufacturing the elements in question, wherein said disadvantages, deficiencies and limitations of the prior art have been eliminated. To this end, the invention is characterized through the features defined in the following claims. The method according to the invention may be utilized in connection with, two main types of the present building elements, namely (1) elements having cavities for the embedment of soft insulation mats, and (2) elements having rigid insulation plates. The principle of the method is the same in both cases; the first main type, however, requires a casting mould having permanently mounted longitudinally or laterally extending rectangular cavity boxes, said cavity boxes being quite superfluous and, additionally, interfering when manufacturing the other main type. Consequently, when casting elements having cavities for subsequent embedment of soft insulation mats, a casting mould is used having permanent cavity boxes the spacing thereof somewhat exceeding the width of said pegwood-forming wooden ledges, the width of the cavity boxes somewhat exceeding the width of said mats. The casting mould iε elongated rectangular and upward open as well as having a flat bottom and short walls extending along the lateral and end edges. For example, the mould may have a length of 50 metres. The lateral and end walls may have a height of about 15 centimetres. Preferably, the width is adapted to a standard measure for the height/width of use of the resulting element. In connection with such a large efficient mould length as of the order 50 metres, it is, of course, a supposition that the resulting caεted element subsequently is being cut into the necessary lengths/heights of use. Firstly, in the spacingε between the cavity boxes on the mould bottom, one places the pegwood-forming wooden ledges which previously or after their insertion into the mould, respectively, have been provided with upright reinforcement means for subsequent connection to the main reinforcement of the element. In wall elements, cavity frames for doors/ windows are thereafter placed upon the cavity boxes and the wooden ledges. The main reinforcement of the element " which may consist of a cross reinforcement in the form of a net (having cavities for the door/window cavity frames), is now- placed paralelly to the mould bottom, and is kept adequately spaced from the top of the cavity boxes through the reinforcement net's connection to the upright reinforcement means of the wooden ledges. Thereby one achieves partly a temporary attachment of the reinforcement net at a desired level above the mould bottom and at an intentional distance from the resulting upper concrete surface, and partly that the wooden ledges in the finished element are securely anchored to the main reinforcement. Everything is now ready for casting, which may take place very rationally because of the large area of filling (the cavity boxes are countersunk in relation to the "filling opening" represented by the entire efficient area of the mould). For example, it is feasible to use a so-called production jig arranged above the casting mould and movable therealong, and wherefrom the concrete may be distributed. Application of mould oil, hoisting of the casted element as well as transportation of the latter for storage, etc., may also be effected by means of a production jig. Along one edge of the casting mould, prior to casting, a girder or beam may be embedded, and possibly a wooden beam along the other edge. Thus, the elements to be manufactured may, beyond the previously mentioned general shape, exhibit constructive differences or differing detail designs. In a way of manufacturing as outlined above, the resulting concrete face of the element is located uppermost; this being in marked contrast with prior art casting technique wherein the concrete face is being formed at the- bottom face of the casting mould. According to the invention, it is, therefore, easy to work on the upward facing concrete surface as desired. For example, said surface may be assigned a desired surface layer through appropriate ' working of the concrete face or through the application of decorative materials, e.g. shingel, upon the same. When casting elements having embedded rigid insulation plates, a rational production requires a casting mould without cavity boxes. The rigid insulation plates and the wooden ledges are placed alternately at the bottom of the mould. For wall elements one uses, as usually, cavity frames for doors and windows. These cavity frames are in this case placed at the bottom of the mould and must, therefore, have a larger height dimension than when manufacturing the first main type of elements. The cavity frames extend from the bottom of the mould up to top of moulding, and as for the first-mentioned embodiment, insulation plates and wooden ledges are cut correspondingly to the cavity frames. The remaining features of this method is excactly the same as for the manufacturing of non-insulated elements having cavities for the embedment of soft insulation mats. Examplary embodiments of the invention are further described in the following, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 in perspective view shows an element of the general type advantageously manufacturable by means of the method according to the invention; Figure 2 is a sector of a longitudinal section through a mould containing a precast element having cavities for the embedment of loose soft insulation mats, wherein the pegwood-forming wooden ledges and said cavities e-xtend laterally of the longitudinal direction of the casting mould; Figure 3 in a simplified perspective view shows the casting mould in connection with a particular arrangement of a cavity frame for a resulting window cavity in a wall . element. In figure 1 the reference numeral 1 generally denotes a house building element of the kind concerned. The element 1 consists of a concrete plate 2 having lateral ribs 3 in this embodiment. The continuous side face of the concrete plate 2 is indicated by 2 ' . Both the concrete plate 2 and its ribs 3 are reinforced. For the concrete plate 2, the cross reinforcement net 4 is visible at the upper left corner of figure 1. The reinforced concrete ribs 3 carry pegwood-forming wooden ledges 4 ' casted thereon'. The element shown in figure 1 has also a wooden beam 5 extending along its upper edge. Between the ribs 3 are formed cavities 6 countersunk in relation to one side face of the element as represented through the front faces of the wooden ledges 4 ' . These cavities 6 are shaped in-order to receive loose soft insulation mats 7. When the insulation mats 7 are embedded, card board 8 forming vapour barrier is nailed thereon. Thin wooden ledges 9 are nailed on the outside of the card board plates 8 using the wooden leges 4' as pegwood. The element 1 may thereafter be provided with e.g. panel 10, buidling or covering plates or the like, nailed thereon. It appears from figure 1 that the main reinforcement, the net 4, is connected to a longitudinal reinforcing rod 11, e.g. in the form of a so-called cam steel, whereto are welded short reinforcing bows or inclined struts 12, the- connection between the main reinforcement net 4 and the bows 12 being effected by means of ordinary binder wire or in any other convenient way. The continuous side face 2 ' of the concrete plate 2 opposite the ribs 3 and the wooden ledges 4', may be plain. However, whenever another surface structure is desired, e.g. when shingle, facing, etc. is being used, this is very easy to perform in connection with the production process according to the present invention already when the element is still occupying the casting mould, giving rise to large productiontechnical advantages concerning the surface treatment. Figure 2 shows a short sector of a longitudinal cross- section through a casting mould, here represented by the bottom 13 and two adjacent lateral cavity boxes 14, the top edge of the mould being indicated at 13' . The cavities which are defined by the cavity boxes 14 and are to serve for the reception of subsequently embedded loose soft insulation mats 7, are indicated at 15. For the manufacturing of elements having lateral or longitudinal cavities 15 for soft insulation mats, the method is as follows : An upward open rectangular mould 13,13' iε used having permanent cavity boxes 14 placed with a spacing corresponding to the width of the pegwood-forming wooden ledges 4' desired to be used. When manufacturing most types of elements, the cavity boxes 14 will extend in the lateral direction of the mould. For floor elements and tall walls only, a longitudinal orientation of the cavity boxes 14 will be preferred. Between the cavity boxeε 14 are embedded wooden ledgeε 4 ' having a thickness equal to only a fraction of the height of the cavity boxes 14 and the width of which being adapted to the spacing between the cavity boxes 14, so that the wooden ledges 4' when resting against the bottom 13 of the mould with their future front face, fill said spacing entirely. The wooden ledges 4 ' are thereafter at each end connected to the cam steel 11 by means of in per se known clips 16 having a spike 17 which is driven into the wooden ledge 4 ' . When this is done, the reinforcement net 4 is placed and fixed at appropriate level below the top 13' of the mould through the connection to the upright reinforcing bows 12 welded to the cam steel 11. The upper ends of the bows 12 are attached to the reinforcement net 4 by means of common binder wire. The casting mould is thereafter ready to receive the concrete supplied from above by means of e.g. a production jib movable in the longitudinal direction of the mould; said jig may be a multi-function jig (for the application of mould oil, hoisting og possibly transportation of the finished element, etc. ). During the casting process, the wooden ledges 4 ' are secured by casting to the concrete ribs 3, which are reinforced partially through the cam steel, partially through the bows 12, simultaneously as the wooden ledges are connected to the reinforcement. After the mould has been filled with concrete, the top concrete surface is freely accessible to be worked on in non-hardened/hardened condition; this in contrast with prior art casting technique wherein the concret surface 2' " is formed at the bottom 13 of the mould. In figure 3, the spacings between adjacent cavity boxes 14 are indicated at 18. A cavity frame 19 for a resulting window cavity is placed upon some cavity boxes and has suspended lugs 20 shaped to engage into the spacing 18 and seal the same with regard to the cavity frame 19 , so that concrete cannot penetrate into the frame 19 via said spacings. Around cavities for doors/windows, pegwood ledges (not shown) are placed. Additionally, one may place beams at the resulting top edge and possibly at the bottom edge of the element to be manufactured. When manufacturing elements having rigid insulation plates (not shown) secured by casting, a casting mould lacking permanent cavity boxes iε used. At the bottom of the casting mould 13,13', rigid insulation plates and pegwood-forming wooden ledges 4' are placed alternately, whereafter the method is executed excactly as for the above-mentioned non-insulated ( insulatable ) elements. In this case, cavity frames for resulting windows and doors must have a somewhat larger height, as they are to extend from the bottom 13 of the mould up to top of cast. The attachment of the cam steel 11 and the bows 12 on the wooden ledges 4 ' may take place optionally prior to the embedment of the wooden ledges ' into the mould or subeseσuently to their embedment into the same.

Claims: C l a i m s 1. Method of manufacturing a insulated/insulatable reinforced building or construction element (1) (foundation, wall, roof, ceiling or floor element) in concrete, one side face of said element (1) being formed by a reinforced (4) concrete plate (2), the other side face exhibiting pegwoods in the form of longitudinally or laterally extending wooden ledges (4' ) connected (16,17) to the reinforcement (11,12,4) and joining said concrete plate (2) via longitudinally or laterally extending reinforced concrete ribs (3), and wherein is used a rectangular horizontally oriented upward open casting mould having a bottom (13) as well as lateral and end walls, and wherein said mould may have a length corresponding either to the length/height of use of the resulting element (1) or to a multiple of said length/ height of use, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n - that one for the manufacturing of elements ( 1 ) having countersunk cavities (15) for the subsequent embedment of soft insulation mats ' (7) uses a mould having longitudinally or laterally extending fixed cavities boxes ( 14 ) for sa ' id countersunk cavities ( 15 ) , said cavity boxes ( 14 ) being spaced correspondingly to the width of the pegwood-forming wooden ledges (4 1 ), and that one for the manufacturing of elements having rigid insulation plates secured by casting uses a mould lacking said fixed cavity boxes (loose cavity frames 19 for windows/doors may, of course, be used), whereafter one for the first-mentioned type of elements places pegwoodforming wooden ledges (4') into the spacings between the cavity boxes (14), making them resting against the bottom of the mould, or, alternatively, for the last-mentioned type of elements, places the rigid insulation plates and the pegwood-forming wooden ledges (4 1 ) alternately side by side at the bottom of the mould, said wooden ledges (4') in the first-mentioned and/or last- mentioned case may be connected (16,17) to a reinforcing means (11,12) in a preceding working operation or, respectively, be connected to the same subsequent to their embedment while resting against the bottom of the mould, whereafter one, for both types of elements, proceeds by embedding a main reinforcement, e.g. in the form of a cross reinforcing net (4), to be located in a plane extending paralell with the side faces of the resulting element, said reinforcing net (4) being fixed in a position paralell with e.g. the bottom face (13) of the mould through being connected to upright reinforcing means (11,12) thereby serving as distance-keeping means for the reinforcing net (4), whereafter concrete is being filled into the mould from above and allowed to harden, possibly after one has performed desired working on its freely accessible top surface ( 2 ' ) , whereupon the element is ready to be removed from the mould. 2. Method as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that one on top of the unhardened concrete places a layer of shingle or the like as surface layer. 3. Method as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i- z e d i n that one faces the free top surface of the concrete when the element is still embedded in the mould (13,13'). 4. Method as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the concrete is filled into the mould by means of a movable production jig, said jig thereby being moved over the mould (13,13') in the longitudinal direction of the same. 5. Method as defined in any one of the preceding claims, usable when manufacturing wall elements having cavity/ cavities for window( s)/door( s) , thereby using one or more square cavity frames to be placed upon the fixed cavity boxes of the mould, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that one uses one or more cavity frames ( 19 ) , providing the latter with suspending lugs (20), which are brought to engage into the spacing slot between adjacent cavity boxes (14), so that the slot is being sealed with regard to the frame (19), thereby preventing undesired concrete to penetrate into the latter.

Inventors: AUSDAL THORLEIF, AUSDAL, THORLEIF
Applicants: AUSDAL THORLEIF, AUSDAL, THORLEIF
Application year: 1990
Main classification: E04C2
IPC codes: E04C2