GB1286371A - A method and apparatus for producing modular boxlike units - Google Patents

Abstract

1286371 Moulding building units S W SHELLEY 9 Jan 1970 [10 Jan 1969 30 Dec 1969] 1272/70 Heading B5A [Also in Divisions E1-E2] Apparatus for casting an integral building unit of concrete comprising a ceiling slab 22, Fig. 2, and opposed side walls 24 to which a floor slab is eventually cast, includes a horizontal interior form 36 for casting the ceiling slab and interior vertical forms 44 for coating the side walls, and vertical forms being laterally and angularly movable between an open stripping position and closed casting position; an exterior vertical form 64 is movable into spaced apart alignment with each form 44 for casting the walls. Each form 44 comprises an assembly of I-beams 46, 48 arranged at right angles to which an outer flat facing plate is attached, the assembly being pivoted by arms 42 to a scaffold 32 and raised and lowered by a screwjack 54 having rotary drive arms 56 threaded to mountings 58 connected to drive rod 62. Each exterior vertical form is constructured of I-beams with a flat facing plate and is mounted on a carriage 68. The scaffolds 32 also support similarly constructed vertical forms such as 44<SP>1</SP> whereby one or more partition walls such as 26 may be simultaneously cast; the scaffolds may also include arms 92, 93, Fig. 4, pivoted thereto which assist in supporting preformed side walls 76a, 76b and partition walls 80, 82 during the main casting operation. The preformed walls may include corner reinforcement 77, 84, 108 by which they are interconnected to the cast unit or the subsequently cast floor slab. For the latter purpose the unit is transferred to a floor casting station, placed on a flat base to which concrete is supplied and the lower edges of the partition walls are recessed to enable the casting material to flow there through. The various walls may include openings for windows and doors and provision for electrical wiring, plumbing etc.; the preformed walls may be of wood or synthetic materials. In a modification the interior vertical forms have rollers depending from their lower edges which engage rigidly mounted guide plates, and hand operated jacks are used for moving them. In Fig. 9 the interior forms comprise inverted L-shaped structures pivoted at 152 and movable to and from the casting position by pneumatic motors 162, 168; in a modification only one motor is used, interconnected between the structures, one of which has a stop which is brought into abutment with a fixed member when the structure is retracted to its full extent. In a further modification, the L- shaped structures are pivoted to the upper end of a scaffold and are operated by fluid motors. The vertical forms may be shaped to provide for the casting of vertical support columns at the corners and intermediate the ends of the side walls. With the apparatus of Fig. 14 all the side walls and ceiling slab are integrally cast, and the apparatus includes a triangular corner section 352 which with the vertical forms 330, 330<SP>1</SP>, the section and forms being pivotally mounted on a scaffold and moved by jacks 366, 339 and 338.