Multi-purpose installation for the manufacture of small and medium products of reinforced and unreinforced concrete
Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an installation for the manufacture of a large range of small and medium size products of reinforced and unreinforced concrete such as for example: ordinary and special curbs, ordinary and special gutters, covering and closing slabs, stakes, posts, double block sleepers, etc., capable of being produced with a better product surface appearance and increased strength. 
     Prior Art 
     Two principal types of installations for the manufacture of such elements are known. 
     The first type uses vibratory pressing of the concrete in very well machined molds and routing of the bare products on wooden boards. This type of installation has very narrow limits as regards diversification of the products to be manufactured, high manufacturing costs consequent upon rapid wear of the molds and of the wooden boards and requires considerable capital investment. 
     The second type uses the casting of concrete into batteries of molds, and unmolding by tilting and the routing of the bare products on metal boards. This type introduces an improvement from the point of view of diversification of the products to be manufactured but known installations do not succeed in achieving under good conditions the operations of distribution of the concrete, vibration, smoothing, compaction of the boards and unmolding, especially where a wide range of products to be manufactured in concerned and nor do they ensure a good surface on the products. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide the concrete manufacturing industry with a multipurpose installation which can ensure the manufacture of a wider range of small and medium size products of reinforced and unreinforced concrete under better conditions of cost price and quality. 
     According to the invention there is provided a multipurpose installation for the manufacture of such products characterized by the fact that it comprises: 
     a common distribution installation for the concrete, smoothing, removal of the hardened products from the installation and cleaning and oiling of the metal boards, 
     a tilting frame with one or two rows of molds, 
     a device for introducing the boards onto the frame, 
     one or several molds assembled in batteries, provided with means enabling at the same time the de-aeration of the concrete and good surface quality to be obtained, 
     a dismountable hardening circuit useable both in an overhead design or in a below ground design. 
     Preferably, the common distribution installation for the concrete, smoothing, removal of hardened products from the production line and cleaning and oiling of the boards includes a carriage-frame equipped with means for the proportioning and distribution of the concrete according to the volume and shape of the molds, pusher means for the hardened products from the board placed at the side of the frame and cleaning and oiling means for said boards, so that in the forward travel of the carriage the distribution of the concrete into the molds, the pushing of the hardened products from the board is effected and, in the return travel, the smoothing of the concrete and the cleaning and oiling of the board is effected. 
     Preferably, the tilting frame provided with rapid fastening means, with one or two rows of molds, with devices for compacting the boards on said molds, means for connecting vibrators and means for connecting to a vacuum pump, are fixed on the same framework as the installation described above so as to obtain a &#34;compact casting-unmolding head&#34;. 
     Advantageously, the device for introducing the boards, provided with means for raising said boards to the desired level and means for pushing the boards into the compacting device of the frame, is coupled to the casting-unmolding head so as to permit the carriage-frame described above to carry out at the same time the operations of proportioning, distribution and smoothing of the concrete and the operations of removing the hardened products from the board and the cleaning and oiling of the latter. 
     The molds or batteries of molds provided, with one or several shelves of folded sheet metal, with an assembly frame and with one or several beams provided with means for attaching vibrators and support means to the frame, are formed in two principal modifications, in no way limited, according to the surface finishing needs of the product to be manufactured. 
     In the first modification (I), the shell is made provided with holes, or of perforated sheetmetal, on the contour which has to have a better appearance and the mold or the battery of molds is closed in such a way that, by connecting to a vacuum pump, it is possible to carry out a suction phenomenon, enabling the maintenance in attached position, on said contour, of a smooth floating jacket or provided with stripes or imprintations (in paper, textile, plastics material, etc.), for the period of filling and compacting and so that, by stopping the suction and the unmolding, this jacket remains adhered to the concrete. It this was a good product surface (striated, smooth) and easy unmolding are obtained, the cleanliness of the molds is maintained and the bare products are protected against condensed water drops (when a steam hardening circuit is used). 
     In the second modification (II), on the shell provided with holes (or formed of perforated sheetmetal) is fixed a filtering layer (of felt, cloth, gauze, metal gauze, etc.) so that by the vibration of the concrete said layer allows excess water and a large amount of air to pass, thus improving not only the surface but also the strength of the product. 
     Advantageously, the hardening circuit includes means for routing the boards provided with bare products over two superimposed tracks hooked onto a dismountable metallic framework which, closed by an isothermal envelope, becomes an aerial tunnel and which, positioned notably as a support-flooring in a tank, forms with the latter an underground tunnel. 
     The invention comprises, apart from the features described above, certain other features which will be more explicitly considered below, with respect to two preferred embodiments, described with reference to the accompanying drawings but which are in no way limiting. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 of these drawings is a longitudinal section of a multipurpose installation for the manufacture of small or medium elements of reinforced or unreinforced concrete havng an aerial hardening circuit. 
     FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of an installation having a below ground hardening circuit. 
     FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section, on a larger scale, of the casting-unmolding head of such an installation having a tilting frame with one row of molds. 
     FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section, on a larger scale, of the casting-unmolding head of such an installation, having a tilting frame with two rows of molds. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-section along the line I--I (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) through the casting-unmolding head, having a tilting frame with one row of molds. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-section along I--I (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) through the casting-unmolding head, having a tilting frame with two rows of molds. 
     FIG. 7 is a transverse section along the line II--II (FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4) through the device pushing finished products from the boards and the device for introducing the latter onto the frame. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-section along the line III--III (FIG. 1) through an overhead hardening circuit. 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-section along the line IV--IV (FIG. 2) through a below ground hardening circuit. 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-section of a battery of molds for curbs designed according to the modification &#34;I&#34; for finishing the facing surface. 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-section of the same battery designed according to the modification &#34;II&#34;. 
     FIG. 12 is a longitudinal section of a battery of molds for slabs, designed according to modification &#34;I&#34;. 
     FIG. 13 is a longitudinal section of the same battery, designed according to the modification &#34;II&#34;. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The installation for the manufacture of small and medium elements of reinforced and unreinforced concrete comprises: a series of metal boards A, an installation B, for distributing concrete, smoothing, removing hardened products from the installation, and cleaning and oiling the boards; a tilting frame C, with one or two rows of molds, a device D for introducing boards onto the frame; some molds or batteries of molds E, provided with means for de-aerating the concrete; and a hardening circuit F, dismountable and usable both in the overhead design and in the below ground design. 
     The metal boards A (FIGS. 1 to 9) are constituted by a framework 1, with two sheetmetal surfaces 2, and some bearing and guide rollers 3, so as to ensure alternately on each surface, the closing of the molds during the tilting, the taking of the load of the products P, during the unmolding and routing of the latter along the hardening circuit. 
     The installation B (FIGS. 1 to 6) includes: a common support framework 4, provided with a working platform 5; two track rails 6, a fixed hopper 7, for supplying concrete; a hopper-buffer 8, provided with some means 9, for adjustment to the vertical; and a carriage-frame 10, provided with a device 11, for to-and-fro movement, and equipped with a proportioning and distribution device for the fresh concrete, with a smoothing device and a device for pushing the hardened products from the installation and for the cleaning and oiling of the boards. 
     The proportioning and distribution device for the concrete is constituted by platform 12, sliding below the hopper-buffer 8, of an interchangeable box-container, which can contain the fresh concrete necessary for filling, with compacting, the molds underneath, provided with two longitudinal walls 13, two head walls 14, and several intermediate walls 15, connected by some gussets 16, and placed above a trap 17, provided with opening-closing means 18, with some rollers 19 and two roller and guide rails 20. 
     The smoothing device is constituted by a rule 21, hooked to the beam, on the left side of the carriage-frame 10, by means of elastic suspension and adjustment means 22, and provided with one or several vibrators 23, notably with a vertical axis, with a block 24, and with a knife blade 25. 
     The device for pushing the hardened products from the installation and for cleaning and oiling the boards, itself also hooked onto the beam, on the left side of the carriage-frame 10, is provided on the front side with a plate 26 (FIG. 7) lined with rubber and with a spraying device 27, and on the rear side with a brush device 28, which can be moved vertically, with the aid of some means 29. 
     The operation of the installation B, is as follows. In the forward travel, from right to left (see FIGS. 5, 6 and 7) of the carriage-frame 10, the pushing of the hardened products from the board occurring at the side and at the same level as the molds is effected; in the end-of-travel position the trap 17 is opened, discharging concrete into the molds and actuating the compaction of the latter, which compaction is effected by means of some vibrators 30, hooked directly to the molds, after which, in the return travel of said carriage-frame, the smoothing of the concrete and the cleaning and oiling of the boards A is carried out. 
     The tilting frame C, (FIGS. 1 to 6) includes on the one hand a fixed framework-support, provided with some posts 31, some connecting and reinforcing beams 32, two bearings 33, and some protective walls 34, and on the other hand with a tilting frame-support provided in its turn with one or two devices for receiving and bringing together the boards, with a rotation device 35, and with one or two horizontal frames 36, suspended by the aid of some arms 37, and with two axles 38, on the bearings 33, which frames are provided with means 39, for fixing molds in the desired position, with means 40, for connecting vibrators, and in certain cases with means 41, for connecting to a vacuum pump. 
     The device for receiving and bringing together the boards comprises two rails 42, two synchronized jacks 43, some guides 44, and some protective means 45, so that, once the molds are filled and the carriage-frame 10 has moved laterally beyond the frame, the two rails 42 ascend into a position above the frame, called receiving position, load the board A, closing it against the molds and actuating at the same time the tilting of the frame. Once this operation is ended and the molds are &#34;face downwards&#34; said rails lower the board provided with unmolded products presenting it at the level of the lower track of the hardening circuit where, loaded by an extraction device, it leaves the frame which, at this precise moment, will tilt back into molds &#34;face upwards&#34; position for repeating the cycle. 
     The device D (FIGS. 1 to 7) for introducing boards onto the frame includes a platform 46, provided with two receiving rails 47, with raising-lowering means 48, notably one or two jacks, with guide means 49, with locking means 50, and with means 51, for pushing the boards so that, in lower position, the platform 46, being at the level of the upper track of the hardening circuit receives the board A, provided with hardened products, raises it in a first stage to the level of the molds where through the forward travel of the carriage-frame 10, the hardened products are pushed from the board by slate 26 (FIG. 7) and whereby the return travel of the same carriage the board is cleaned and oiled. Thereafter, in a second stage, the board is raised to the receiving level of the rails 42, in which it is pushed by means of jack 51. 
     The molds or the batteries of molds E (FIGS. 3, 4,5, 6, 10, 11, 12 and 13) provided with one or several shells 52, of folded sheetmetal, with one or several walls 53, with an assembly framework 54, and with one or several beams 55, provided with some plates 56, for hooking vibrators 30, and with some support parts 57, for support on the frame provided with elastic studs 58, are effected in two principal modifications according to the finishing requirements of the viewed surface of the products to be manufactured. 
     In the first modification (&#34;I&#34;) the shell provided with holes, or of perforated sheetmetal, is formed on the contour which has to have a better appearance and the mold or battery of molds is closed with the aid of an envelope 59, notably of sheetmetal, so that, by a connection 60, to a vacuum pump, it is possible to effect a suction phenomenon enabling the maintainance, during the filling and compacting, in the position adhered to said contour, either a floating sheet 61, smooth or provided with stripes or impressions (of paper, textile, plastics material, etc.), or a jacket 62, with a decorative, non-skid coating, etc., and so that, by the stopping of the suction and the unmolding, the sheet or the coating remains adhered to the concrete. Thus, there is obtained on the one hand, the de-aeration of the concrete and an attractive surface for the products (smooth, decorative, non-skid, etc.) and on the other hand easy unmolding, cleanliness of the molds and protection of the bare products against drops of condensed water. 
     In the second modification (&#34;II&#34;), there is fixed on the shell provided with holes, a filtering layer 63, (of felt, cloth, textile or metal gauze, etc.) so that, by the vibration of the concrete said layer allows excess water and a large amount of air to pass, thus improving not only the surface but also the strength of the concrete. 
     In certain cases, notably for the manufacture of slabs, when the compacting from above by means of the vibrating rule 21 is sufficient, it is possible to produce a battery with a double row of molds including some assembly frames 64, covered above and below with perforated sheetmetal 65, (FIGS. 12, 13) and provided with two symmetrical rows of support parts 66, provided with support studs 58, so that it is possible to use the two solutions for the finishing of the surface viewed, as described above (see FIGS. 12 and 13). 
     The hardening circuit includes: a routing means for the boards, on two superimposed tracks, in a tunnel provided with a dismountable frame-support, with different closure means according to the overhead tunnel or below surface tunnel and, in certain cases, means for distributing a heating agent. 
     The means for routing the boards provided with bare products include: four rails 67, arranged in pairs on two superposed levels and provided with some parts 68, for fastening to the frame-support, an extraction and pushing device for the boards onto the lower track provided with two jacks 69, having at the end of their rod some hooking plates 70, designed so as to slide on a triangular guide 71, which guide is fixed to the framework 32, in order to avoid any non-axial force in said rod, and a transfer device for the boards between the two tracks of the tunnel, provided in its turn with two pusher jacks 72, and with a platform 73, provided with two rails 74, with one or two raising and lowering jacks 75, and some guides 76, so that in the &#34;platform below&#34; position, the latter receives at each speed one board and that in &#34;platform above&#34; position said board is pushed, at the same speed, onto the upper return track. 
     The support-rame is constituted by a frame 77, for supporting the transfer device, and with a series of bearing members 78, provided with means 79, for fastening to the ground and with cross-bracing means 80, so that, placed above the ground and closed by an isothermal envelope 81, with the aid of some tubes 82, and some fastening parts 83, it provides a dismountable aerial tunnel and so that the same framework placed in a vat 84, as a support for a floor 85, provided with thermal isolation 86, provides a below ground tunnel, also dismountable. 
     The above-described circuit can be used with or without accelerated hardening of the concrete. In the first case, there is provided in the tunnel either a network 87, for the distribution of steam, or a network 88 for spraying with hot water, or again with other heating means such as for example infrared radiators, etc. 
     The various installations and devices described above, connected to a central control board 89, give a multipurpose installation for the manufacture of a large range of small and medium products of reinforced and unreinforced concrete, with a substantial improvement in the quality and the cost price.