MACHINE AND PROCEDURE FOR MANUFACTURING SPECIAL CONCRETE PARTS APPLIED OVER CONCRETE ROOF TILES AND INDEPENDENT PARTS

Abstract: A machine and process are applied for the conformation of independent elements or elements which are applicable to concrete tiles in order to solve appropriately singular points of the roof or to contribute to the architectonic and esthetic enhancement of buildings. It comprises a hopper (1) which receives the concrete and which is displaceable vertically with respect to the machine frame (9) on which is situated the tile (3) or base plate by means of a tool kit (15), a vertically displaceable rammer (2) provided inside the entire mouth (5) of the hopper (1) through which the concrete comes out, the rammer (2) having a lower face with the shape of the element or part to be molded (4), and which has a constant width which substantially coincides with the mouth of the hopper (1).

Description: OBJECT OF THE INVENTION This invention consists in a machine and associated procedure for forming independent parts or parts applied over concrete roof tiles utilized in providing an adequate solution to specific points in the roofing or contributing to the architectural or aesthetic improvement of buildings (see f.i. document DE-B-1102029). The machine now presented is outstanding in its mechanical simplicity and the low cost of the associated procedure based on the molding of special parts over the roof tile proper or independent thereof, the machine incorporating forming and compacting means designed to obtain the desired shapes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Roofing construction uses different parts to solve various issues of a functional and aesthetic nature that address the common feature of achieving a secure, rapid, simple and economic assembly. The basic product consists in various models of roof tiles for covering the main portion of the surface, although a considerable number of complementary parts are also used in constructing specific roof areas (joints, eaves, side finishing pieces, ridges, etc.) or emphasizing a particular item with additional ornamental elements (peaks, needles, weather vanes, crosspieces, totems, etc.). Thus, roofing parts can be divided into: roof tiles, which constitute the recurrent element on the basis of which automatic production lines are made profitable, and special parts and accessories, which, despite their being qualitatively important, are used in reduced quantities and must comply with structural requirements which limit or prevent mass production. A great number of possible complementary requirements apply to each roof tile model; however, their number is comparatively smaller than that of standard mass-produced roof tiles. Concrete roof tile manufacturers design their manufacturing lines for the mass production of the main product, so therefore stoppages or modifications for the purpose of turning out the very limited number of special parts needed are unacceptable. Thus, the most widely used form of building special parts relies on artisan methods, in which the worker manually adapts the previously formed added piece on the roof tile obtained from the production line. Optimizing this procedure in regard to time and cost makes the invention described hereunder feasible. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The proposed invention consists in a machine and associated procedure for the production of special independent parts or parts applied to concrete roof tiles which solve the above problems by adopting a mechanism of a great structural simplicity comprising a fast and reliable procedure for forming the independent part or for attaching said part over the roof tile. The machine comprises a bed for receiving the concrete roof tile or baseplate attachment tooling, and is associated to a concrete storage horizontally movable hopper through which runs a ram, the lower end of which is formed in the shape of the added piece to be fixed onto the roof tile, or the independent part to be formed. In its downward stroke, the ram compacts the concrete poured from the hopper over the surface of the roof tile or the baseplate, as the case may be, and also confers it the required shape. When the concrete leaves the hopper in its downward trajectory, vibration is applied to the hopper to prevent visible irregularities and air bubbles from forming after the concrete compacting stage. The machine includes a vibrator mechanism associated to the hopper for generating this vibration. The ram has a width which practically coincides with that of the hopper mouth through which the concrete is poured, said mouth width being practically constant up to a point a short distance from which one of the side faces of the hopper is tilted in order to facilitate concrete supply and storage before the concrete exits through the lower mouth, the remaining lateral face being vertical for the purpose of guiding the ram. From the position in which both ram and hopper rest on the roof tile or baseplate, and as the ram moves independently upward and becomes separated from the hopper side walls, concrete is poured into the hopper, falling immediately thereafter to be guided outwards through the mouth and to settle over the surface of the roof tile or baseplate. Once the specified quantity of concrete is poured and evenly distributed by the vibrator, the ram compacts the concrete and gives it a shape coinciding with that of the ram mold. In the course of the active stroke of the ram, a vibrator mechanism associated to the ram structure is activated, remaining thus activated until the ram reaches its lowermost position, at which time the hopper vibrator mechanism stops. The hopper is then raised and the ram vibrator is activated to facilitate the demolding operation after the part is formed. The shape of the ram mold incorporated in the device depends on the shape of the part to be obtained. The parts obtained by this device are diverse, among them eaves tiles, right and left side end tiles, ridge attachments, stepped tiles, ornamental tiles, among others. The compacting machine described is normally integrated in a production line comprising a storage facility for the roof tiles to be covered, and a line for applying adhesive over the roof tiles coming from said storage facility, specifically over the surface of the roof tile to be covered by the part. A blower is installed adjacent the machine for cleaning the surface of the roof tile on which the added piece is adhered, the finished part then being immediately coveyed to a warehouse. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to complement the description being provided and to facilitate a better comprehension of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is attached to this specification as an integral part thereof, wherein the following is represented in an illustrative an non-limiting character: Figure 1 - Shows a view of the production line integrating the machine that is the object of the invention. Figure 2 - Shows a perspective view of the special concrete part manufacturing machine. Figure 3 - Shows a sectional side view of the machine, according to section A-A' in figure 2. Figure 4 - Shows the approximation phase of the concrete hopper to the roof tile. Figure 5 - Shows the position of the hopper, located over the roof tile, with the ram moving upwards and the concrete being poured over the surface of the tile. Figure 6 - Shows the lowering and compacting phase of the ram over the concrete deposited on the roof tile. Figure 7 - Shows the raising of the hopper, the ram remaining over the concrete. Figure 8 - Shows the ram and hopper separation phase, revealing the part formed on the roof tile, of a shape coinciding with that of the ram mold. Figure 9 - Shows the finished part. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In the light of the above figures, a preferred mode of embodiment is described in regard to the machine for manufacturing special concrete parts that is the object of this invention, which machine, as may be seen from figure 1, is integrated in a production line comprising a storage facility for roof tiles (18) which feeds the tiles to an adhesive application line (19) that applies adhesive over the surface of the roof tile (3) to be covered by the part (4), the adhesive applicator being located prior to the machine and a blower device (20) being located after the machine for the purpose of facilitating the cleaning of the surface adjacent the adhesion area of the part (4) over the roof tile (3) after compactation, the tiles being subsequently conveyed to a finished parts warehouse (21), where the concrete is cured. Essentially, the machine comprises a hopper (1) which receives the concrete and moves vertically in respecto to the machine frame (9), the tooling (15) helping to position the roof tile (3) over which the part is formed, an equally vertically movable ram (2) being installed inside the hopper and extending throughout the concrete-supplying mouth (5) of the hopper (1), which ram (2) is fitted with a lower end formed in the shape of the part (4) to be molded over the roof tile (3), the ram being provided with a constant width which practically coincides with that of the hopper (1) mouth. The hopper (1) is associated to a supporting structure (6) attached to a central pneumatic cylinder (17) located at the lower end of the frame (9), and to respective pneumatic cylinders (7) resting through shanks (8) over the machine frame (9), the upward and downward strokes of the pneumatic cylinders (17) and (7) providing movement to the supporting structure (6), guided by respective vertical guides (10), and consequently to the hopper (1). The ram is part of a further supporting structure (11) that moves vertically and is likewise guided by respective vertical guides (12), the movement of the supporting structure (11) being associated to the movement of a cylinder shank (16) incorporated to the lower end of the frame (9). The hopper (1) incorporates a vibrating mechanism (13), the ram (2) itself also being fitted with a vibrator (14) that prevents the formation of bubbles and irregularities in the part being formed. Figures 3 to 8 show the means of obtaining the added piece to be molded over the roof tile, the operations for obtaining said independent part being implemented by the use of a baseplate that is subsequently removed after the part is formed. The process for forming the independent part or added piece (4) on the roof tile (3) is conducted according to the following phases: jointly approaching the ram (2) and the hopper (1) to the roof tile (3) or baseplate, placing the hopper mouth in contact with the roof tile (3) or baseplate while the ram is moving upwards, and pouring concrete from the hopper onto the surface of the roof tile or baseplate while the hopper vibrator (13) is in operation, lowering the ram (2), compacting the concrete and activationg the vibrator (14) in ram (11). stopping the vibrators (13) and (14) and raising the hopper (1), activating the ram vibrator (14) to facilitate the demolding and the raising of the ram (11) to reveal the independent part or added piece (4) formed over the roof tile, the shape of which piece coincides with that of the ram mold. This description is not made more extensive for an expert on the subject to perceive the scope of the invention and the advantages deriving therefrom.

Claims: Machine for manufacturing special concrete parts applied over concrete roof tiles and independent parts of the ornamental or finishing type, comprising a hopper (1) which receives the concrete and a vertically movable ram (2), characterized in that the hopper (1) is vertically movable in respect to the machine frame (9) over which the roof tile (3) or baseplate is positioned with the help of the tooling (15), the vertically movable ram (2) being installed inside the hopper and extending throughout the concrete-supplying mouth (5) of the hopper (1), which ram (2) comprises a lower end formed in the shape of the part (4) to be molded, the ram having a constant width which practically coincides with that of the hopper (1) mouth. Machine for manufacturing special concrete parts applied over concrete roof tiles and independent parts, according to claim 1, characterized in that the hopper (1) is associated to a supporting structure (6) attached to a pneumatic cylinder (17) located at the lower end of the frame (9) and to respective pneumatic cylinders (7) resting via their shank (8) over the machine frame (9), the upward and downward strokes of the pneumatic cylinders (17) and (7) providing an associated movement to the supporting structure (6), guided by respective vertical guides (10), and consequently to the hopper (1). Machine for manufacturing special concrete parts applied over concrete roof tiles and independent parts, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the ram is part of a further supporting structure (11) that moves vertically and is likewise guided by respective vertical guides (12), the movement of the supporting structure (11) being associated to the movement of a pneumatic cylinder (16) located at the lower end of the frame (9). Machine for manufacturing special concrete parts applied over concrete roof tiles and independent parts, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the hopper (1) incorporates a vibrating mechanism (13), the ram (11) itself also being fitted with another vibrating mechanism (14), both of which prevent the formation of bubbles and irregularities in the part being formed. Procedure for manufacturing special concrete parts applied over concrete roof tiles and independent parts, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that formation of the added piece (4) on the roof tile (3) is conducted according to the following phases: jointly approaching the ram (2) and the hopper (1) to the roof tile (3) or baseplate, placing the hopper mouth in contact with the roof tile (3) or baseplate while the ram is moving upwards, and pouring concrete from the hopper onto the surface of the roof tile or baseplate while the hopper vibrator (13) is in operation, lowering the ram (2), compacting the concrete and activating the vibrator (14) in the ram (11), stopping the vibrators (13) and (14) and raising the hopper (1), activating the ram vibrator (14) to facilitate the demolding and the raising of the ram (11) to reveal the independent part or added piece (4) formed over the roof tile, the shape of which piece coincides with that of the ram mold.

Inventors: HERNANDEZ LAMAGRANDE SANTOS, HERNANDEZ LAMAGRANDE, SANTOS
Applicants: IND TRANSFORMADORAS DEL CEMENT, INDUSTRIAS TRANSFORMADORAS DEL CEMENTO ETERNIT, S.A.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B28B11
IPC codes: E04D1, B28B11