WO1985003026A1

WO1985003026A1 - Method and equipment for the manufacture of prefabricated concrete panels

Info

Publication number: WO1985003026A1
Application number: PCT/FI1984/000103
Authority: WO
Inventors: Heino Juvonen
Original assignee: INDUCO Oy
Current assignee: INDUCO Oy
Priority date: 1983-12-29
Filing date: 1984-12-31
Publication date: 1985-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 1986-06-29
Also published as: FI834844A7; DE3490630T; SE458994B; SE8503986D0; FI834844L; SE8503986L; FI834844A0

Abstract

According to the method, at least two conventional casting moulds (1) are placed side by side, which said moulds are provided with side beams and other equipment necessary for the manufacture of the panel. The moulds (1) may stand on their own legs (4) or on a foundation (5) prepared on the floor. The moulds (1) are reinforced and, if necessary, prepared for the casting in the conventional way. When the casting of the panel is performed, according to the invention, a multi-purpose wagon (2) is run to underneath the mould (1) along a track (3). The wagon is provided with a wedge mechanism (9) operating, e. g., by means of a hydraulic cylinder (8), by means of which mechanism (9) the wagon is detached from the support on its wheels and becomes placed against the base as well as raises the mould onto the support on the wagon. The wagon is additionally provided with means for the vibration, dumping and/or transfer (10) of the mold (1), or with other, corresponding devices by means of which a desired operation can be directed at the mould during or after the casting. Thus, in the above solution, separate actuating means are not required for each casting mould, but these means are located in a common multipurpose wagon (2) for the whole casting line.

Description

Method and equipment for the manufacture of pre¬ fabricated concrete panels

The present invention concerns a method in accordance with the preamble of claim 1 for the manu¬ facture of prefabricated concrete panels. The invention also concerns equipment used for carrying out the method.

The method and the equipment in accordance with the invention can be used most appropriately when prefabricated concrete panels are being cast in hori¬ zontal moulds. The method is suitable for the casting of, e.g., facade panels, sandwich panels, and partition wall panels.

One of the prior-art methods in which the casting takes place in horizontal moulds is the casting in stationary moulds. Therein, the mould rests stationarily on its legs or on its foundation. The mould is provided with side beams as well as with moulds for openings and with equipment for determining the shape of the panel. The casting of the concrete takes place by means of a casting machine or a vessel, and the compacting by means of vibrators attached to the mould or by means of rod vibrators. After the panel has hardened, the sides are opened, and the panel can be transferred away by means of a crane.

In dump-mould casting, as compared with the above, the main difference is the system of dumping of the mould, by means of which the panel can, after hardening, be raised to the vertical position and transported by means of a crane or a transport wagon in the vertical position. The dumping usually takes place mechanically or hydraulically. For vibrating, usually hydraulic, pneumatic or electric vibrating equipment is used. Of transfer plane mould lines, there are somewhat different versions as compared with each other, such as mould circulation line in the horizontal plane. mould circulation line in the vertical plane, centre- transfer wagon system, and the dogcart system. It is typical of all of these that the different working steps and the equipment required by them are located in stations of their own, and the mould is shifted either along a track or by means of a transfer wagon or equivalent from one working step to the other. Such working stations may be, e.g., dumping station, cleaning and furnishing station, reinforcing station, vibration and casting station, station for installation of heat insulation, station for casting and vibrating of the second concrete layer, after-work station, as well as heat treatment oven. There may always be a higher or lower number of stations and working steps, as required. As regards the solutions listed above, it may be stated with some generalization that casting with a stationary mould is suitable for simple panels, the dump-mould system is suitable mainly for facade panels that are tailor-made in relatively small-scale pro- duction, and that transfer-plane mould lines are suitable best for large-scale series production. In construction and in prefabrication, demands are ever increasingly presented that are not satisfied by the prior-art methods, including those mentioned above. Such demands are, for example, the following:

Construction projects may be of short duration, so that it must be possible to erect, to disassemble, and, if necessary, to re-erect the production line rapidly and at low cost. It must be possible to increase the production capacity easily. The production should be readily variable, even in accordance with daily variations in loading. The system ought to be suitable for different space solutions, and the space requirement should be preferably low.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks present in the prior-art technology and to provide such a system of an entirely novel type for the casting of prefabricated concrete panels as fulfils the operational requirements pre¬ sented in the preceding paragraph. The invention is based on the use of such a multi-purpose wagon as includes several functions required by the casting line and as can be shifted from one mould to the other in order to carry out these operations. More specifically, the method in accordance with the invention is characterized in what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 1.

On the other hand, the equipment in accordance with the invention is characterized in what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 3..

According to the invention, several moulds are used, which may be of a very simple construction, as well as a track or tracks are used, along which the multi-purpose wagon runs from one mould to the next mould. Of course, the wagon may also run without tracks by using rubber wheels or other suitable wheels. The multi-purpose wagon may be provided, e.g., with mould dumping means and vibration means, and it may function as a mould transfer wagon. If necessary, the wagon may also be provided with other functions. In this method, the casting of the concrete into the moulds takes place by using casting machines or casting vessels known in prior art.

By means of the invention, considerable advantages are obtained. Thus, for example, in a casting line of ten moulds, according to the method, dumping, vibration, and the other operations can be taken care of by means of one device, whereas, e.g., in the prior-art dump mould solution, ten devices would be required. This permits considerable economies in the investment costs. In the method, the moulds may be placed close to each other and located relatively freely, whereby the economies of space are important. The moulds may be very simple planes without running wheels, dumping means, etc. structures, resting on a foundation or on legs, so that this also yiels economies in costs. In the method, the equipment can be placed on a very little foundation, even straight on the floor of a normal prefabrication factory, whereby the time taken by the installation of the equipment is very short.

In the method, moulds can be readily added to the casting line, moulds can be taken out of the line, or moulds can be exchanged for the purpose of repair work, special furnishing. In such a case, the space required by the line is only the space required by the moulds at each particular time in production. The remaining space can always be used freely for other purposes.

The present invention permits a real mobile- factory thinking highly economically, wherein the prefabrication of panels can be started and discon¬ tinued individually for each particular project.

In the following, the invention will be examined in more detail with the aid of the attached drawings.

Figure 1 shows one casting line in accord¬ ance with the invention, meant for plane moulds, as viewed from above.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a casting line in accordance with Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a side view of one exemplifying embodiment of a multi-purpose wagon in accordance with the invention.

Figure 4 shows the construction of the ulti- purpose wagon in accordance with Fig. 3 as viewed from above. The moulds 1 in accordance with Figures 1 and 2 are provided with side beams and with the other equipment for forming the panel. The mould 1 may stand on its own legs 4 or on a foundation 5 provided on the floor. The moulds 1 may be reinforced and prepared for the casting in any arbitrary sequence. When the casting is performed, the multi-purpose wagon 2 is driven to underneath the mould 1 concerned along the track 3. The wagon 2 is preferably provided with a drive motor 6 of its own, by means of which the wagon 2 moves on its running wheels 7. By means of a wedge mechanism 9 operated by means of a hydraulic cylinder 8 the wagon is detached from its running wheels 7 and becomes placed against the foundation as well as lifts the mould so as to be supported on the wagon.

In stead of a wedge mechanism 9, it is, of course, possible to use an eccentric cam or other prior- art mechanisms. Thereby, the vibration required for compacting the concrete can be passed from the wagon 2 to the casting mould 1. The vibration devices 10 placed on the wagon 2 may be hydraulic, pneumatic or electric vibrators in themselves known in prior art. The counter-mass 11 required in particular in hydraulic vibration is obtained by means of the wedge means 9 of the wagon 2. If necessary, the multi-purpose wagon 2 may also be made so massive that it functions as an anvil mass. The casting of the concrete may be per¬ formed by means of prior-art casting methods and equipment. If desired, the wagon 2 may also be used as a transfer vehicle for transferring the moulds from one place to another.

When a hardened panel is to be removed from the mould 1 and pivoted to the vertical position, the multi-purpose wagon 2 is run to underneath the mould concerned, the necessary side beams of the mould 1 are opened, and the mould 1 is pivoted by means of a dumping device provided on the wagon almost to the vertical position. The dumping device is preferably operated by means of hydraulic cylinders 12. The staying of the mould 1 in contact with the dumping device of the wagon 2 during the pivoting can be made sure by means of a manual or mechanical catch 13.

Hereupon, the panel can be removed out of the mould 1 , e.g., by means of a crane.

In the following example, the operation of the equipment is described in more detail.

EXAMPLE:

In the line, there are 6 pcs. of moulds 1 initially, and the number of moulds in the line may be increased later.

The compacting of the concrete takes place as low-frequency vibration as follows: The wagon 2 is run to underneath the mould 1 and stopped at an appropriate location. The vibrating is performed by means of the hydraulic cylinders 10 so that the cylinders 10 raise the mould 1 by about 4 to 5 mm and let the mould fall suddenly onto the legs . In practice, this takes place at a frequency of about 2 c/s. The vibrating may also be performed in a differ- ent way, e.g., by placing high-frequency vibration beams on the wagon 2.

The transfer of the mould 1 takes place as follows: The wagon 2 is run to underneath the mould 1 to the desired location, the mould 1 is raised by means of the cylinders 10 and the cylinders 10 are stopped, the mould 1 is driven by means of the wagon 2 to the desired location, and the mould is lowered onto its legs 4 by means of the cylinders 10.

Dumping of the mould takes place as follows: After the panel has hardened and it can be removed out of the mould, the wagon 2 is run to underneath the mould 1. The catches 13, operated by means of hydraulic cylinders, are opened, by means of which said catches the mould 1 is kept on the dumping device of the wagon 2 during dumping. The mould 1 is dumped almost to the vertical position by means of the cylinders 12 of the dumping device of the wagon 2, whereupon the panel can be removed out of the mould 1, e.g., by means of a crane. The mould 1 is dumped down by means of the dumping device. The catches 13 are pivoted down, whereupon the wagon 2 can be run to the next function. The operations of the casting line can be controlled most appropriately from a stationary or mobile control desk, not shown, placed alongside the line.

The equipment in accordance with the inven- tion may also be accomplished by using constructional solutions differing from those described in the example. Likewise, the multi-purpose wagon may also be pro¬ vided with other functions, e.g. auxiliary equipment required for the finishing of the concrete panel, but even in such a case, an embodiment of the invention is concerned.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. Method for the manufacture of prefabri¬ cated concrete panels, according to which method - at least two moulds (1) are used, preferably plane moulds, into which concrete is cast in a way in itself known,

- each mould (1) is vibrated for the purpose of compacting the concrete, and - after sufficient hardening, each panel is placed into the tranportation position and transferred to the next stage of treatment, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that

- each mould (1) is fitted on such supports (4, 5) from, which it can be detached at least partly,

- such a multi-purpose wagon (2) is used as includes at least vibration (10), dumping (12), and trans¬ fer devices (7) and as is shifted from one mould (1) to the other for individual treatment of the panel placed in each mould, and

- the multi-purpose wagon (2) is shifted alter- natingly to each mould (1) so that the vibration and dumping operations performed by the wagon (2) are directed alternatingly at each panel.

2. Method as claimed in claim 1, according to which method plane moulds are used, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that, for the^"purpose of vibration and dumping, the multi-purpose wagon (2) is shifted alternatingly to underneath each mould (1) placed on supports (4, 5), the vibration means (10) are connected into contact with the mould (1) and vibration is per¬ formed, and the dumping means (12) are connected into contact with the mould (1) and dumping of the mould (1) and of the panel is performed at least almost to the vertical position.

3. Equipment for the manufacture of pre¬ fabricated concrete panels, which equipment includes at least two plane moulds (1), - vibrating devices (10) for vibrating the moulds, and dumping devices (12) for the dumping of each mould (1) in order to bring the panel placed in the mould (1) to the transportation position, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that each mould (1) is fitted as supported on such supports (4, 5) from which it can be detached at least partly, - the equipment comprises at least one such multi¬ purpose wagon (2) as is provided with vibrating (10) and dumping (12) devices and as can be shifted to underneath each mould (1) for the purpose of vibration and dumping operations.

4. Equipment as claimed in claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in a track (3) , preferably a track with rails, along which the wagon (2) can be shif ed from one mould (1) to the other.

5. Equipment as claimed in claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the vibration contact between the wagon (2) and the mould (1) has been pro¬ duced by means of a wedge equipment (9) .

6. Equipment as claimed in claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the dumping device consists of a power device, preferably a hydraulic cyl¬ inder (12), fitted on the wagon (2) and acting against the bottom of the mould (1) .

7. Equipment as claimed in claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the vibration devices consist of hydraulic cylinders (10) .

8. Equipment as claimed in claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that each mould (1) is provided with hinges at one edge in view of facili¬ tating the dumping.