US3892516A

US3892516A - Battery molding apparatus with trolley transporting means

Info

Publication number: US3892516A
Application number: US337430A
Authority: US
Inventors: John P Mcgrew; Larry W Foster; John David Katzer; Ian S Wilson
Original assignee: Span Deck Inc
Current assignee: Span Deck Inc
Priority date: 1973-03-02
Filing date: 1973-03-02
Publication date: 1975-07-01
Anticipated expiration: 1992-07-01

Abstract

A battery molding apparatus for fabrication of concrete walls and panels. A series of mold plates are positioned in parallel, spaced relation and concrete poured therebetween to define slabs or panels. After hardening, each endmost mold plate is in turn removed by first jacking it upwardly to break the concrete to mold plate interbond, and thereafter transporting the mold plate laterally away from the slab on dollies each of which support a hydraulic jack. The dollies are disposed to travel along rails traversing opposite sides of the mold frame.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 McGrew et al.

1 1 BATTERY MOLDING APPARATUS WITH TROLLEY TRANSPORTING MEANS [75] Inventors: John P. McGrew; Larry W. Foster;

John David Katzer, all of Franklin, Tenns, [an S. Wilson, Windsor,

England [73] Assignee: Span-Deck, lnc.. Franklin, Tenn. [22] Filed: Mar. 2, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 337,430

[52] US. Cl. 425/443; 249/120; 249/129; 249/161 {51] Int. Cl B2811 7/26 [58] Field of Search 425/441, 443; 264/334; 249/119, 120, 129, 162, 167-9 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Held et a1 214/DIG. 4

[4 1 July 1,1975

1/1970 Katz 425/441 10/1972 Cross .1 249/120 Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin Assistant Examiner-John McQuade Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cameron, Kerkam, Sutton, Stowell & Stowell [57] ABSTRACT A battery molding apparatus for fabrication of com crete walls and panels. A series of mold plates are positioned in parallel, spaced relation and concrete poured therebetween to define slabs or panels. After hardening, each endmost mold plate is in turn removed by first jacking it upwardly to break the concrete to mold plate interbond, and thereafter transporting the mold plate laterally away from the slab on dollies each of which support a hydraulic jack. The dollies are disposed to travel along rails traversing 0pposite sides of the mold frame.

15 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SHEET 1 BATTERY MOLDING APPARATUS WITH TROLLEY TRANSPORTING MEANS BACKGROUND OF THE lNVENTlON This invention relates to the art of molding and more particularly to an apparatus'for molding a plurality of concrete panels or slabs. Such molds are commonly termed battery molds.

Premolded'or prefabricated concrete slabs display utility in the construction industry. In some instances, it is less expensive to premold concrete slabs either at a building site or at a site close to where the concrete slabs are to be used to minimize the transportation costs associated with large premolded concrete slabs or panels. Hence the need for simply fabricated battery molds.

In those cases where concrete slabs or panels are premolded, it is often the custom to mold a plurality of such slabs from a single mold apparatus, to thereby decrease the unit cost of a single slab. Further, because curing time is involved in the fabrication of concrete structures and devices, economies of time may also be realized when making a plurality of such slabs in a single apparatus at a single time.

A device for molding a plurality of slabs is shown for example in US. Pat. No. 3,488,8l7 to Katz. In such an apparatus, a plurality of mold plates are of an area or size corresponding to the area or size of the prefabricated concrete slab. The mold plates are positioned in vertical planes and are in face-to-face and parallel relationship with each other. Concrete is poured between the mold plates, and, after hardening the endmost plate is moved away from the endmost concrete slab.

The mold plates or leaves may be supported at their sides by wheels which ride on spaced parallel rails on the same side which permits interleaving of the wheels on each side and displaceability of plates. The displacing means includes sprockets which engage endless chains connected to a crank as shown in the Katz patent. The cranks are located at opposite sides of the apparatus and often require at least two workmen for operation. If the mold plate being removed is pulled away from the concrete surface with the faces in exactly parallel relation, a strong suction force is experienced which could cause damage to the face of the slab. Even where care is taken to initially strip the mold plateso as to avoid the suction forces, upon removal of the plate one side of the plate may get slightly ahead of the other resulting in jam ups and time consuming clearing operations. Thus, unless an exactly parallel relation can be maintained by the mold plate withdrawing apparatus, the displacement apparatus may jam causing costly work interruptions. This might be avoided by stationing workmen above the mold frame to monitor displacement; however, the presence of workmen above the frame and at the cranks on the battery mold to ensure parallel travel and protect against misalignment of opposite sides of the mold plate during displacement, undesirably increases the labor cost of manufacture.

Another disadvantage of the type of apparatus shown in the aforementioned US. Pat. No. 3,488,817 is that the molded panels must be removed by lifting of the molded articles out of the mold. This generally necessitates the use of an overhead crane and a building tall enough to provide clearance for transporting the lifted molded panel clear of the mold apparatus.

These disadvantages of the prior art type of battery molds are overcome by the present invention which allows for side removal of molded concrete walls, panels, slabs and the like and the molding of said panels with a minimum of labor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By the present invention, a battery mold apparatus is provided which incorporates at each side a hydraulic jack mounted on a moveable dolly. The jack and dolly are controlled by a single operator. Advantageously, a suspended control box may be provided for controlling operation of the jacks and movements of the dollies. The jacks arepositioned and energized so as to impart to the mold plates a slight vertical movement, of the order of magnitude of 1 inch, for the purpose of evenly breaking the mold panel to concrete slab interbond. After this interbond is broken by the initial vertical movement, the panel is moved by means of the dollies away from the remaining mold plates and after removal of the slab the process is repeated.

in one embodiment of the invention, a pair of elevated rails is positioned along and on each side of the upper portion of the battery mold, with a movable trolley supported on each pair of rails, a trolley thus being positioned on both sides of the apparatus. A hydraulic jack is carried by each of the two trolleys and is adapted to engage an upper portion on opposite sides of each of the mold plates simultaneously for initially lifting the mold plate for the purpose of breaking the interbond. In a second and preferred embodiment of the invention, the side trolleys which carry the hydraulic jacks are supported on rails along the base of the battery mold, with the hydraulic jack adapted to engage a horizontally extending abutment carried by each of the mold plates. Upon lifting, a pin horizontally extending from the edges of opposite sides of the mold plate engages an aperture or notch provided on a side plate carried on each trolley, to thereby stabilize the mold plate and ensure that the mold plate is in a precisely vertical plane during the vertical movement of the individual mold plates. According to the preferred embodiment, the sides of the battery mold frame adjacent the end of the battery mold where the slabs are formed are fabricated free of any vertical or horizontal supporting members which might interfere with lateral displacement of cast panels or slabs so that the cast concrete slab may be removed sidewise from the battery mold apparatusinstead of being lifted upwardly.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a battery mold apparatus constructed according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an endelevational view looking from the right of FIG. 1, of the battery mold apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the battery mold apparatus shown at FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial transverse cross-section illustrating the relationship between one of the laterally positioned trolleys and one side of one of the mold plates of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of an alternate embodiment of a battery mold apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 4 of the drawings, the numeral I denotes generally the battery molding apparatus of this invention and includes a plurality of longitudinally extending, base rail support members 12. A plurality of transversely positioned support members 13 support and elevate base rail support members 12 slightly above the floor. The numeral 14 denotes one of two identical trolley members of generally truncated triangular form. Each trolley includes two pair of trolley wheels 16 supported for rotation on opposite end an axle of which in turn is supported at each lower end. The wheels 16 are supported and roll on a pair of rail members 17 (See FIG. 4). The numeral 18 denotes a gusset or web positioned adjacent the upper apex of the triangular trolley frame formed by members I9 and is displaced inwardly from the trolley plane. Each gusset or web 18 is provided with a central downward depending notch 20 for a purpose which will be later described.

The numeral 22 denotes a hydraulic jack positioned atop each trolley 14 and having a ram head 23 adapted to move upwardly upon the application to the jack of hydraulic fluid under sufficient pressure in a manner well known in the art. The hydraulic fluid is supplied by flexible hose 24 carried by drum 26 about which is wound a plurality of turns of hose 28. The drum 26 is rotatably biased so as to take up slack in the hose run 28 as the trolley 14 is moved back and forth along its supporting tracks so to prevent entanglement of the hose or the exposure of excessive hose in the work area. Hydraulic fluid is supplied to hose 28 by means of a conventional hydraulic pressure apparatus (not illustrated) which is conveniently mounted to the frame and, by itself, forms no part of this invention.

The numeral denotes any one of a plurality of mold plates of generally rectangular configuration and provided with upper transverse stiffening members 46 of generally rectangular cross-section. Members 46 protrude as illustrated at FIG. 3, from the plates. Each side mole plate 40 carries side mold support brackets 41 which in turn are adapted to support side plates not shown for, the purpose of completing the mold cavity. The numeral 42 denotes any one of a pair of central protruding ears or abutment members carried by each vertical edge of the side mold plates 40. Each abutment member may be reinforced by gusset plate 43. Each mold plate 40 carries at its upper edge thereof a pivoted latch 48 adapted to engage the upper extending edge portion of an adjacent plate, as illustrated at FIGS. 1 and 3. The latches have sloping cam surfaces such that as a plate 40 is moved thereagainst, the latch swings upwardly and then down for latching engagemerit.

The numeral 64 denotes any one of a plurality of vertically extending reinforcing beams bearing against the endmost mold plate 40 and secured at their upper ends to catwalk I-beam 65. A plurality of tension rods ex tend between the endmost mold plate and the righthand portion of the frame and are there secured in sockets 51, as shown in FIG. I.

The numeral 66 denotes any one of a plurality of abutments or blocks secured to longitudinally running support elements 67 which are, in turn, parallel to side rails 12. A plurality of hydraulic rams 68 are positioned along the lower edges of beams 64 and are supplied from common hydraulic line 69 for the purpose ofplacing uniform force on the various abutments 66 in accordance with Pascal's principle.

Numeral 70 denotes the frame at the left end of the entire apparatus as viewed at FIG. 1 and into which area the several mold plates 40 are adapted to be placed upon removal, as will be later described. Advantangeously, there are no vertical frame supports at the sides of the right end of the battery molds where the slabs are formed. This allows for side removal of the slabs after the concrete has set and one mold plate is removed.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the numeral 60 denotes any suitable mode of driving means such as, for example, an electric or hydraulic motor coupled to rotatable shafts 62. Shafts 62 are, in turn, coupled to sprocket wheels 71 shown in dash lines at FIG. 1. An endless chain 72 is indicated at FIG. 1 by dash lines and passes around each of the sprockets 71. There are thus two such endless chains 72, one for each side of the apparatus. Each of the chains 72 has one run thereof secured to its corresponding trolley l4 for the purpose of moving the trolley back and forth upon energization of the motor.

The

numerals

74 and 76 denote upper railing elements to enable personnel to gain access to the top of the apparatus, and stairway members 78 are provided for this purpose.

Suspended along one side of the frame 70 of the battery mold at the end of a cable 79 is an operators control box 80 which houses the control switches for energizing the motor for driving sprocket wheels 71, hydraulic rams 68 and hydraulic jack 22. To this end, there is provided an overall on/off power switch 81, a trolley movement control switch 82 having a forward, a reverse and an off position, a hydraulic jack control switch 83 having a raise, a lower and an off position, and a hydraulic ram control switch 84 having an in, out and off position. Indicator light 85 provides an indication of power being available to the motor and hydraulic controls. As should be readily apparent, the suspended control box provides an advantageous means for an operator to monitor the fabrication process and enables the operator to be on top" of the job during each step of the process. The control box 80 may be suspended from the overhead in which the building is located or from a swinging boom (not shown) mounted to the frame. In either case, a suitable take up reel is provided for cable 79.

In the operation of the device, mold plates 40 are coated with a conventional release agent and are positioned as indicated at FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings, with hydraulic line 69 being pressurized to the end plate in the indicated position, hydraulic rams 68 engaging abutments 66. Side mold plates (not illustrated) are secured in brackets 41 to define a mold cavity, with bottom closures 39. Tension rods 50 are positioned in sockets 51. A concrete admixture is poured in each rectangular mold cavity. The concrete is thus constrained to assume the shape of a generally rectangular slab between the plates 40 and an associated base channel 39, and is maintained for an initial curing period. At the conclusion of the curing period, the tension rods 50 are released, the hydraulic rams 68 depressurized and abutments 66 removed. Motor 60 is energized to simultaneously position each of the trolleys so that they assume the position illustrated at FIG. 3. The hydraulic jacks 22 are now energized and the associated plate 40 moved vertically upwardly a short distance, approximately 1 inch. As the plate moves upwardly, aligning pins or elements 44 enter into the notches in gussets 18. By references to FIG. 4, it is seen that an upward motion of plate 40 will cause elements 44 to move upwardly into the general area of gusset or web 18.

The lower portion of cars 42 are apertured to thereby allow the tapered ram ofjacks 22 to partially enter the abutment. In this manner, the plate 40 is constrained to remain in a vertical plane. Also, the latches 48 rotate only slightly to assist in inhibiting any tilting of the plate away from the slab while the plate is being raised. At the conclusion of the lifting motion motor 60 is again energized to move the trolleys 14 in the reverse direction, to the right as illustrated in FIG. 3 and displace the plate 40 clear of the slab casting area. After the side mold plates (not illustrated) have been removed, the concrete slab is then removed sidewise from the apparatus and, thereafter, the next mold plate 40 is raised and displaced to the storage area. The cycle is repeated until all slabs are removed.

By virtue of the initial vertical lifting motion, the in terbond between the concrete slab faces and the mold plate faces is broken in a uniform manner so as to inhibit forces on the face of the concrete slabs which might chip or otherwise mar the face. The initial breaking in a vertical plane avoids having to overcome the suction force which would be present if the mold plate 40 was pulled directly away. in a horizontal direction, from the face of the concrete slabs.

Referring now to FIG. 5 of the drawings, an alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated wherein the individual leaves or mold plates of the battery mold are given an initial vertical motion by means of an elevated trolley.

The numeral 100 denotes generally a battery mold apparatus according to the embodiment of FIG. 5 and includes a generally rectangular base 112 formed of metal beams and struts. The numeral 114 denotes a vertical portion of the frame and the upper portion includes

railings

116 and 118 to enable workmen to make necessary adjustments on the upper portion of the apparatus. Two longitudinally extending beams 120, in the general shape of I-beams, extend longitudinally of the apparatus, one being on each side thereof. A sprocket 122 is positioned at the rear end of each beam I20 and a corresponding sprocket 124 is positioned at the right or front end of the beams, as viewed at FIG. 5. An elongated shaft 125 passes from one sprocket 124 to a motor and gear apparatus 126 and thence to the other sprocket 124 on the far side of the apparatus. An endless chain, not illustrated, passes around

sprockets

122 and 124, there being thus two such chains with one on either side of the apparatus.

The numeral 128 denotes one of twotrolley elements, one for each side of the apparatus and supported on beam 120. Each trolley is supported by wheels 130 and is secured to its corresponding endless chain passing around

sprockets

122 and 124. Each trolley also carries a hydraulic jack 132 having a slightly concave upper ram portion.

Numeral 134 denotes any one of a plurality of mold plates or leaves, the upper portion of each provided with a transversely extending beam 138 which extends, on both upper portions thereof, beyond the edge of each leaf 134. The plates carry side mold plate support brackets 135. Numeral 140 denotes one of a plurality of clamping and spacing bars which are secured to the transverse beams 138 in the indicated manner. The numeral 144 denotes any one of side mold plates or fillers positioned between the leaves or plates 134, there being one adjacent each vertically extending edge of facing plates 134 to thereby define a mold cavity by facing plates 134, opposite end plates 144 and an associated base channel 136. Vertical beams 146 corresponding to beams 64 in FIG. 3, are secured at their upper portions to a transverse, upper catwalk beam 148. The latter element has secured thereto at spaced portions along its length a plurality of hydraulic jacks 150 which are adapted to abut corresponding against abutment elements 152 which are, in turn, removably secured to beam 120. The lower portion of each base 146 is provided with a hydraulic jack 154 adapted to abut corresponding, removable abutment elements 156 secured to frame member 112.

As in the previously described side removal embodiment,

hydraulic jacks

150 and 154 are fed from a common source (not illustrated) of fluid pressure and along with motor 126. Hydraulic jacks 132, also fed from a common hydraulic source are controlled from a central portable control box.

The mode of operation of the embodiment of FIG. 5 is as follows. Mold plates 134 (coated with a release agent) and side sealing members 144 are positioned as illustrated in FIG. 5, spacer bar 140 secured, and

hydraulic jacks

150 and 154 pressurized so that they abut their corresponding abutment elements. A concrete admixture is then poured into the mold cavities and allowed to harden or set. At the end of the hardening period, spacers 140 are released and

hydraulic jacks

150 and 154 depressureized. Motor and gear assembly 126 is actuated to move trolley 128 so that hydraulic jack 132 is directly underneath transverse beam 138 of the endmost plate 146. Hydraulic jack 132 is then pressurized to thereby lift plate approximately 1 inch for the purpose of breaking the interbond between the right hand face of the plate and the left face of the endmost concrete slab as viewed in the drawing. After the initial vertical motion, motor and gear assembly 126 is again actuated to displace the plate away from the slab face. End plates 144 are removed, and the outermost slab is then lifted clear of the frame of the battery mold and carried to a slab storage area, after which the trolley upon deenergization of the hydraulic jack is positioned under the abutment of the next outermost plate and the cycle repeated.

To facilitate removal of the cast slabs, hooks or eyes may be set in position in the concrete admixture for integral molding therewith for later displacement of the molded slabs after the mix has been set. Also, if there are any frames, conduits, piping or the like to be integrally cast, they are located in position on the face prior to casting. To this end, it should be noted that in the preferred embodiment, many of the pieces such as framework, screening, conduit may be brought in sidewise between plates and assembled. This facilitates set up. The framework and other elements are supported in position by suitably positioned blocks held by screws engaging threaded holes provided in the plates. When not in use, the holes are plugged with a temporary filling material to ensure a flat surface finish.

We claim:

l. A battery molding apparatus for simultaneously molding a plurality of concrete slabs or panels including a frame, a plurality of mold plates movably supported within said frame and arranged in spaced, face to-face relation and having base channels and side plates therebetween, said mold plates being movable towards and away from each other along the longitudinal axis of the apparatus, means to position said mold plates relative to each other in spaced relation to thereby define with said base channels and end plates upward opening mold cavitites therebetween adapted to receive an admixture of concrete prior to hardening, means for displacing said mold plates along the longitudinal axis of said apparatus, said mold plates each having a first set of horizontally extending ears, said second set being positioned below said first set, said means for displacing said mold plates comprising a first and a second trolley movable along opposite sides of said mold plates and parallel to said longitudinal axis, each said trolley including hydraulic jack means supported thereto and having means for engaging one of said first set of ears to lift the corresponding mole plate upon actuation of the hydraulic jack means and means on said trolley cooperating with said second set of ears for in hibiting non-vertical motion of the lifted mold plate.

2. A battery molding apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one side of said frame is open adjacent one end to permit lateral movement of the set concrete slabs.

3. A battery molding apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for inhibiting non-vertical motion comprises a notched plate adapted to receive the second set of ears.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a latch carried by each mold plate at the top portion thereof and engagable with one of its next adjacent mold plates, each latch preventing separation of the two latched adjacent mold plates and permitting limited upward motion of one of them relative to the other while in the latched configuration.

5. A battery molding apparatus for simultaneously molding a plurality of concrete slabs or panels comprising a frame, at least one pair of mold plates supported at one end of said frame in spaced face-to-face relation, a base channel and side plates supported between each adjacent pair of mold plates, means to selectively position said mold plates, base channel and side plates relative to each other to thereby define an adjustable mold cavity therebetween for receiving an admixture of wet concrete adapted to be set into a concrete slab said mold plates each having a first set of horizontally ex tending ears, rails disposed at opposite sides of said frame, a movable trolley supported on each said rail for selectively displacing said mold plates vertically and horizontally along the longitudinal axis of said frame, each said movable trolley being supported at opposite sides of said frame and having hydraulic jack means supported thereto and including ram head means engageable with said first set of ears to effect said vertical displacement of said mold plates, upon actuation of said hydraulic jack means, means for driving said mov able trolleys along said rails to thereby transport said mold plates, one at a time, along the longitudinal axis of said frame and effect said horizontal displacement of said mold plates and means for stabilizing the mold plate when said mold plate has been vertically displaced.

6. A battery molding apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein at least one side of the frame is open adjacent one end to permit lateral removal of the set 4 concrete slabs.

7. A battery molding apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said rails are supported intermediate the base and top of the frame.

8. A battery molding apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said rails are disposed along the base of the frame.

9. The battery molding apparatus of claim 5 further including a second set of horizontally extending ears on said mold plates, each being positioned below a corresponding one of said first set of horizontally extending ears, and wherein each said trolley includes stabilizing means adapted to receive one of said second ears upon upward motion of the corresponding mold plate upon actuation of the hydraulic jack means.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said stabilizing means comprises notch means on each said trolley and means horizontally extending from the sides of said forms and adapted to cooperatively engage said notch means upon vertical displacement of a mold form.

11. A battery molding apparatus for simultaneously molding a plurality of concrete slabs or panels, including, a frame, a plurality of mold plates arranged in spaced, face-to-face relation base channels and side piates supported therebetween, said mold plates being movable towards and away from each other along the longitudinal axis of the apparatus, means to position said mold plates relative to each other and in spaced relation to thereby define with said base channels and end plates a plurality of upwardly opening mold cavities therebetween disposed at one end of said frame and adapted to receive an admixture of concrete prior to hardening, means for displacing said mold plates along the longitudinal axis of said apparatus, said mold plates each having a first set of horizontally extending ears, each ear of said first set of cars including a downward extending socket and said means for displacing said mold plates includes a pair of trolleys movable along opposite sides of said mold plates and parallel to said longitudinal axis, each said trolley including hydraulic jack means supported thereto and having vertical reciprocable ram head means engageable with said sockets of said first set of ears of a mold plate upon actuation of said jack means to lift the corresponding mold plate and means on said trolley for inhibiting nonvertical motion of a mold plate when it is lifted upwardly by said hydraulic jack.

12. The battery mold apparatus of claim 11 wherein said trolley is mounted on an elevated track and wherein said first set of ears is positioned adjacent the upper horizontal edge of each mold plate, whereby each mold plate, successively, may be removed without the undesired application of bending movements.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said trolley is movable along the lower portion of said apparatus on tracks positioned adjacent opposite sides of the frame at the lower portion of said mold plates whereby the trolley may be moved to a position towards the other end of the frame to permit sidewise, horizontal removal of concrete slabs from the apparatus.

14. The battery molding apparatus of claim 11 further including rail means mounted to said frame along the upper portion of said frame, said trolleys being movable along said rail means.

15. The battery molding apparatus of claim ll further including rail means mounted along the base of the frame for movably supporting said trolleys.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3 3 892 51 DATED July 1 1975 INVENTORIS) John P. McGrew et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 1 column 7 line 15 after "ears" insert --and a second set of horizontally extending ears-.

Claim 1, column 7, line 22, "mole" should be -mold--.

Claim 6, column 8, line S, cancel 4.

Signed and Scaled this sixteenth Day Of September 1975 [SEAL] Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting ()jfl'cer (mmnissinm'r ujlarenls and Trademarks

Claims

1. A battery molding apparatus for simultaneously molding a plurality of concrete slabs or panels including a frame, a plurality of mold plates movably supported within said frame and arranged in spaced, face-to-face relation and having base channels and side plates therebetween, said mold plates being movable towards and away from each other along the longitudinal axis of the apparatus, means to position said mold plates relative to each other in spaced relation to thereby define with said base channels and end plates upward opening mold cavitites therebetween adapted to receive an admixture of concrete prior to hardening, means for displacing said mold plates along the longitudinal axis of said apparatus, said mold plates each having a first set of horizontally extending ears, said second set being positioned below said first set, said means for displacing said mold plates comprising a first and a second trolley movable along opposite sides of said mold plates and parallel to said longitudinal axis, each said trolley including hydraulic jack means supported thereto and having means for engaging one of said first set of ears to lift the corresponding mole plate upon actuation of the hydraulic jack means and means on said trolley cooperating with said second set of ears for inhibiting nonvertical motion of the lifted mold plate.

5. A battery molding apparatus for simultaneously molding a plurality of concrete slabs or panels comprising a frame, at least one pair of mold plates supported at one end of said frame in spaced face-to-face relation, a base channel and side plates supported between each adjacent pair of mold plates, means to selectively position said mold plates, basE channel and side plates relative to each other to thereby define an adjustable mold cavity therebetween for receiving an admixture of wet concrete adapted to be set into a concrete slab said mold plates each having a first set of horizontally extending ears, rails disposed at opposite sides of said frame, a movable trolley supported on each said rail for selectively displacing said mold plates vertically and horizontally along the longitudinal axis of said frame, each said movable trolley being supported at opposite sides of said frame and having hydraulic jack means supported thereto and including ram head means engageable with said first set of ears to effect said vertical displacement of said mold plates, upon actuation of said hydraulic jack means, means for driving said movable trolleys along said rails to thereby transport said mold plates, one at a time, along the longitudinal axis of said frame and effect said horizontal displacement of said mold plates and means for stabilizing the mold plate when said mold plate has been vertically displaced.

11. A battery molding apparatus for simultaneously molding a plurality of concrete slabs or panels, including, a frame, a plurality of mold plates arranged in spaced, face-to-face relation base channels and side plates supported therebetween, said mold plates being movable towards and away from each other along the longitudinal axis of the apparatus, means to position said mold plates relative to each other and in spaced relation to thereby define with said base channels and end plates a plurality of upwardly opening mold cavities therebetween disposed at one end of said frame and adapted to receive an admixture of concrete prior to hardening, means for displacing said mold plates along the longitudinal axis of said apparatus, said mold plates each having a first set of horizontally extending ears, each ear of said first set of ears including a downward extending socket and said means for displacing said mold plates includes a pair of trolleys movable along opposite sides of said mold plates and parallel to said longitudinal axis, each said trolley including hydraulic jack means supported thereto and having vertical reciprocable ram head means engageable with said sockets of said first set of ears of a mold plate upon actuation of said jack means to lift the corresponding mold plate and means on said trolley for inhibiting non-vertical motion of a mold plate when it is lifted upwardly by said hydraulic jack.

15. The battery molding apparatus of claim 11 further including rail means mounted along the base of the frame for movably supporting said trolleys.