Patent GB-1134817-A (GB)
Title: A method and apparatus for manufacturing concrete elements
Inventor: MULDER HENDRIK
IPC: B65G49/08
Filed: 1966-11-17
Abstract: 1,134,817. Hardening concrete mouldings. VAN EGTEREN INDUSTRIELE CONSTRUCTIEBETON MAATSCHAPPIJ N.V. 17 Nov., 1966, No. 51542/66. Heading B5A. [Also in Division B8] Concrete elements are produced in a series of moulds (1) (Figs. 2 and 3, not shown) each comprising a support table (2) which is intermittently propelled along a U-shaped track, comprising sections 4, 5 and 6, past a plurality of processing stations terminating in a hardening device 22 wherein the moulds are intermittently raised. The tables (2) are supported and propelled around the track by flanged rolls 8 which are intermittently driven, via chains 9, from an hydraulic motor (not shown) and are conveyed from the commencement 13 of a section 4 for the provision thereon, at various stations, of upstanding angle iron mould walls (3) and the insertion into the mould of reinforcement and, if required, electrical wiring or tubes. A portion 15 of track section 4 and a portion 20 of parallel track section 6 extends between the rolls of a transverse section 5, the rolls of each thereof being respectively mounted for vertical reciprocation on hydraulically driven cylinderpiston assemblies (16, 19, 21) (Fig. 4, not shown) whereby a mould table (2) at position 14 is lowered from track portion 15 on to a vibrating table 17, filled with concrete and subsequently lifted therefrom by track section 20 for incremental transport, via deposition on an intermediate vibrating table 17 (not shown) to deposition on a similar table 17 at position 18 from which it is raised for transport along track section 6, where the concrete element is given several after treatments, prior to delivery to a hardening device 22, for intermittent vertical ascent through a first compartment 23 thereof and descent through a second compartment 24 thereof, to return to track 6 for transport to track portion 7 where the mould walls and moulded element are removed prior to return of the mould table to the commencement 13 of track section 4. The hardening device 22 is surrounded by insulated sheet metal walls 34 and a roof 35 and is divided by a similar partition 36 and the walls 34 contain hot water or steam circulating tubes; a perforated steam discharge conduit may also be disposed inside the device. Each compartment 23, 24 of the hardening device 22 is provided with four rotatable and vertically reciprooable transport bars 25 having spaced horizontally extending transport arms (26) (Fig. 6, not shown), and is also provided with four non-vertically reciprocable but rotatable support bars 28 having spaced horizontally extending support arms 29; each support table (2) is provided with a pair of laterally extending upper and lower projections (30<SP>11</SP>, 30<SP>1</SP>) at each corner thereof and the lower (30<SP>1</SP>) of which is engaged by the transport arms (26) for incremental vertical movement and deposition on to successive support arms 29, upwardly through compartment 23 and downwardly through compartment 24, the arms 26 and 29 pivoting through 90 degrees to avoid engagement with the projections (30<SP>1</SP>, 30<SP>11</SP>) during the appropriate relative vertical movements. The support tables (2) are horizontally displaced from compartment 23 to 24 at the top of device 22 by a reciprocable carriage 32 provided with gripping arms (33) which engage and disengage from between the spaced projections (30<SP>1</SP>, 30<SP>11</SP>). Means are provided to ensure that the transport bars 25 are vertically displaced in unison notwithstanding load variations (see Division B8). The temperature in the upper part of device 22 is higher than in the lower part and the temperature of the moulds is thereby raised as they are lifted in compartment 23 and cooled as they are lowered in compartment 24 and this effect may be enhanced by generating an air flow inverse to the direction of mould movement.