US3363873A - Shuttering means and apparatus for the casting of underwater structures - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 16, 1968 A, BARBER ET AL 3,363,8 73 SHUTTERING MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE CASTING OF UNDERWATER STRUCTURES 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1, 1965 INVENTORS A MB fl m R E W 6W 0 RN m T n n T B R NA M fiL I Jami-6, 1968 A. BARBER ET 3,

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Jan. 16, 1968 A. BARBER. ET AL 3,363,873

SHUTTERING MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE CASTING OF UNDERWATER STRUCTURES Filed June 1, 1965 e Sheets- Sheet 4 TToreIvEs s Jan 16, 1968- A. BARBER ET AL 3,363,873 1 SHUTTERING MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE CASTING OF UNDERWATER STRUCTURES 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 1, 1965 INVENTORS Oh E 8 R 0m N V N R0 EH L W n am A u L Jan. 16, 1968 BARBER ET AL 3,363,873

SHUTTERING MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE CASTING OF UNDERWATER STRUCTURES Filed June 1, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ALAN BARBER ZX D WILLl/JM f/VTHONV BHRBEE A TTORNIFYS United States Patent 3,363,873 SHUTTERIN G MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE CASTING 0F UNDERWATER STRUCTURES Alan Barber and William Anthony Barber, both of Highfield Farm, Higher Road, Halewood, Lancashire, England Filed June 1, 1965, Ser. No. 460,298 Claims priority, application Great Britain, June 2, 1965, 22,701/ 65 6 Claims. (Cl. 249-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present apparatus is for use in the casting of under water or partially submerged structures and for this purpose employs two buoyancy chambers arranged in spaced apart position, a superstructure connecting and supported by said buoyancy chambers which superstructure has downwardly extending sub-frames, carrier frames linked to opposed inner sides of said sub-frames. Main shuttering elements are mounted on said carrier frames and means are provided for advancing and retracting said carrier frames to move said shuttering into and out of operative position and there is also means for admitting and exhausting water to and from said buoyancy chambers.

Description This invention relates to the construction of under Water, or partially submerged, structures, as for example sea walls, of concrete and the like, and has for its object to provide new or improved shuttering means and apparatus whereby the casting of concrete and the like below water will be expedited. A further object is to provide shuttering or apparatus which will enable an underwater structure to be constructed in a substantially continuous manner.

Broadly, according to the invention, shuttering apparatus for the purpose pecified comprises a superstructure or frame supported by a series of buoyancy chambers or tanks, shuttering elements carried by said apparatus and adapted for movement into and out of operative position, and means for admitting and exhausting water to and from said buoyancy chambers. Thus arranged, the complete apparatus is adapted to be floated into required position and then ballasted by the admittance of Water to the buoyant units thereof so that the lower edges of the moulding faces of the shuttering abut or may be abutted against the bed upon which the structure is to be cast. In this position concrete may be filled into the space between the shuttering of the apparatus and when sufficiently set, for example after twenty-four to forty-eight hours, the shuttering may be struck from the cast structure, the apparatus rendered buoyant by pumping water therefrom and then moved forward and re-settled for a subsequent casting operation in continuation of the already formed structure. The shuttering elements carried by the apparatus may be arranged so as to effect simple wall' structures, duplex or cavity walls, piers or the like.

Reinforcement means for the concrete may be introduced to the moulding space between the shuttering and can be in the form of prefabricated units lowered into position within the moulding spaces and secured by guide means adapted for removal as the concrete is poured. The shuttering elements are of course configurated in accordance with the work to be carried out and may be of any required size commensurate with building and handling requirements.

The invention is further described with the aid of the accompanying explanatory drawings which illustrate diagrammatically, and by Way of example only, one mode of embodiment suitable for the construction of a duplex or cavity type sea wall.

In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional elevation of apparatus for 5 the casting of an underwater or partially submerged sea wall structure, and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of same.

FIGS. 3 to 10 inclusive illustrate schematically eight stages in the casting of an underwater wall structure by means of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2, and

FIG. 11 is a plan view of part of a sea wall structure constructed in accordance with the invention.

Referring now to said drawings, the apparatus illustrated is designed so as to permit the casting of a submerged or partially submerged structure of concrete, comprising (see more particularly FIG. 11) parallel wall parts 10, 11 having battered sides and which are connected by webs 12 thereby to provide a duplex or cavity wall structure.

The apparatus comprises two series of buoyancy chambers or tanks 20, 21 which are connected in spaced and parallel relationship by a girder frame or superstructure, generally designated 22, and which comprises downwardly extending sub-frame portions 23, 24, 25 on the opposed inner faces whereof are mounted carrier frames 26, 27, and 28, 29. The said carrier frames 26, 27 are connected to the sub-frames 23, 24 by telescopic members 32, 33 and are adapted to be advanced and retracted towards and away from each other by means of linkages 30, 31 which may be operated in any suitable manner e.g. by fluid operable power means, screw-jacks, or the like. Similarly, the carrier frames 28, 29 are supported by telescopic members 34, 35 and are adapted to be advanced and retracted through the medium of linkages 30, 31.

At each corner of the superstructure there is provided a spud or leg 36 which is hydraulically extendable. Said legs are capable of supporting the entire structure on the sea bed as shown in FIG. I.

Said carrier frames 26-29 carry shuttering elements respectively designated 37, 38, 39, and 40 and these each may be of unitary or fabricated sheet metal construction of a length and breadth suited to the dimensions of the structure to be cast.

At one end of the apparatus stepped vertical shuttering elements are provided as at 41, 42 (FIG. 2) adapted to close the space between the ends of the co-operating pairs of shuttering elements 37, 38 and 39, 40. At the opposite end of the apparatus transverse shuttering elements 43, 44 are provided, the element 43 being supported adjustably by the superstructure 22 so a to be extended between the opposed exterior faces of the shuttering ele ments 38, 39. The shuttering unit 44 is supported so as to be locatable removably between the internal battered sides 10A, 11A of an already cast structure as indicated.

To provide additional buoyancy, a series of buoyancy chambers or tanks 50 may be provided at the end of the structure carrying the transverse shuttering elements 41, 42.

The method of employing apparatus as above described is as follows:

The apparatus is floated into required position with its buoyancy chambers or tanks 20, 21, 5-0 empty (or partially so) and with its main shuttering elements 37-40 in retracted position as shown in FIG. 3. When in appropriate position the tanks are flooded to sink the apparatus to required depth (FIG. 4) and the feet 36 extended to support the structure at desired level. The shuttering carrier frames 26-29 are now extended (FIG. 5) by means of the linkages 30, 31 and the main shuttering units 37-40 and transverse units 4144 positioned so as to enclose the space to be filled with concrete. At this a) stage, the sea bed is scoured to remove sediment and slurry (FIG. 6) by means of high pressure water jets and when this operation has been completed filling in of the space enclosed by the shuttering can be commenced as shown in FIG. 7.

When the space between the shuttering has been filled to required height (FIG. 8), and the concrete is sufficiently set, the shuttering is struck from the cast structure and raised clear of the now completed wall section (as X, FIG. 11). The tanks 20, 21, 50 are blown or pumped out, the legs 36 raised (FIG. 10) and the apparatus floated clear preparatory to being positioned for the casting of a subsequent wall section.

It will be seen that the apparatus can be employed simultaneously to cast two parallel wall portions 10, 11 with a connecting web 12, and may be moved forward step by step as each section X sets in order to permit of the casting of subsequent and mating continuations of said wall sections. The cavities of said sections may be filled with an inexpensive ballast material, or, if desired, piles may be driven into the sea bed within the areas defined by the wall sections 10, 11 and 12 and be surrounded by a layer of concrete adapted to bond said piles to the wall sections. The use of large quantities of ballast to create a foundation prior to the casting of an underwater structure may thus be avoided.

The superstructure 22 connecting, and supported by, the buoyancy chambers or tanks 20, 21 and 50 may be decked in and comprise or contain or house pump means for operating high pressure jets for scavenging and softening sea bed silt and soil preparatory to the pouring of the concrete; and sludge pumps, grabs or other equipment also may be provided for cleaning out and otherwise preparing the sea bed within the confines of the shuttering elements. Flexible or articulated chutes may be provided for directing concrete between the moulding faces of the shuttering and concrete mixing means also may be carried by said superstructure. If desired the apparatus may have means whereby it will be self-propelled and include living quarters or shelter for the operators.

In an alternative mode of embodiment, the inner opposed faces of the co-operating buoyancy chambers or tanks may be configurated and arranged so as to constitute moulding faces or shuttering means between which, in use, concrete may be poured and allowed to set. Such inner moulding faces may be arranged so as to extend below the bottoms of the buoyancy units.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for use in the casting of underwater or partially submerged structures, comprising at least two buoyancy chambers arranged in spaced disposition, a superstructure connecting and supported by said buoyancy chambers and comprising downwardly extending sub-frames, carrier frames linked to the opposed inner sides of said sub-frames, main shuttering elements mounted on said carrier frames, means for advancing and retracting said carrier frames thereby to move said shuttering into and out of the operative position, and mean for admitting and exhausting water to and from said buoyancy chambers.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said superstructure is arranged adjustably to support transverse shuttering elements for cooperating with said main shuttering elements.

3. Apparatus as claimedin claim 2, wherein the transverse shuttering elements at one end of the apparatus are of stepped configuration thereby to provide end surfaces in a cast structure adapted to mate with cooperating ends of succeeding cast structures in substantially continuous manner.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said apparatus is adapted to be supported by extendable feet or legs.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said superstructure is adapted so as to support pressure jets, pumps, grabs, concrete mixing means and chutes for use in the construction of underwater structures, and quarters for the operators.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the means for advancing and retracting the shuttering carrier frames into and out of the operative position are power operated.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,409,422 2/1922 Squire et al. 2491 1,615,069 1/1927 Brynoldt 24910 X 1,947,413 2/1934 Hay 2491 2,029,004 1/1939 Varni 2491 X 2,935,854 5/1960 Thompson et al. 61-46 2,972,234 2/1961 SuderOW 61-52 2,979,910 4/1961 Crake 61-46 3,097,493 7/1963 Blankevoort 6146 X FOREIGN PATENTS 694,259 9/1930 France.

WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Primary Examiner.

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