Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Title: MOLDING DEVICE FOR MODULAR CONCRETE UNIT
This invention relates to a molding device,
particularly to a molding device adapted to mold
box-like modular concrete units having large assembled
formwork boards that can be removed entirely from the
molded concrete structure and resetted ~uickly at th~
next location.
Molding devices of the above described type have
existed in various forms. U.S. Patent No. 2,544,297
discloses an inner collapsible form having multiple
plate parts interconnected at corners by means of
loc~ing devices. The inner form collapses and is
released from the molded structure when the corner
plate parts are unlocked. U.S. Patent No. 3,614,054
discloses an inner form with a core frame incorporating
means for collapsing and stripping the inner form from
the molded structure. ~. S. Patent No. 3,934,808
discloses an inner form having side panels, end panels
and corner panels. The corner panels can be pulled
inward by a central single power mearls through a center
linkage mechanism to leave a space between the adjacent
side paneI and end panel so that the whole inner form
contracts. French Patent 2~89206 discloses an inner
form having internal wall shutters and wedge-shaped
corner pieces which can be pulled inward by individual
power means. The wedge-shaped corner pieces are not
connected to the shutters and move individually
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independently of the shutters.
The object of the present invention is to provide
a molding device including a multi-sided contractible
inner form and outer forms that can be connected
detachably to the inner form. The inner form has, at
each side, a wedge-shaped spacer formwork board, on
which are mounted a power means and a linkage
mechanism, disposed between and connected detachably to
left and right component formwork boards. The wedge-
shaped spacer boards in all sides of the inner form canbe pulled inward by individual power means through
individual linkage mechanisms to leave space for the
approach of the left and right component formwork boards
at all sides to contract the entire inner form. When
each spacer board moves inward, the left and right
component baards move relatively and approach one
another.
Each linkage mechanism includes a lever pivoted to
a corresponding spacer board and connected to a
hydraulic pawer means mounted on the spacer boardt
crank members mounted at the upper and lower sides of
the spacer board and connected to the lever with
Iongitudinal links~ There are upper and lower links
connecting left and right component boards to the crank
members.
There are detachable connecting means for the
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inner form and outer forms which includes top fastening
means having a first top bar fixed to the top of the
inner form and having a portion projecting outward, and
a second top bar fixed to the top of the outer form and
having a portion projecting inward. One of the top bars
has a slot in the projecting portion thereof and
clamping screws extending threadedly into the slot, and
the other top bar has a protrusion in the projecting
portion thereof to be inserted into the slot and to be
clamped hy the clamping screws.
The detachable connecting means further includes
insert spacer members to be disposed between the inner
form and the outer forms, and screw fasteners for
fastening the insert spacer members to the inner Eorm
and the outer forms.
The molding device further includes a bottom form,
bottom spacer members of truncated-cone shape attached
detachably to the bottom form and projecting upward to
be connected to and to support the inner form. There
are also strut means to support the bottom form, and
strut locating members to be embedded in part in the
concrete floor to secure the lower end of the strut
means.
The present exemplary preferred embodiment will be
described in detail with reference to the following
drawings, in which:
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Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a molding device of
the present invention having a four-sided inner form,
our outer forms and a bottom form;
Fig. 2 is an elevation view of a wedge-shaped
spacer board incor~orating a power means and a linkage
mechanism;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of
Fig. 2;
Fig. 3A is a fragmentary sectional view taken
along line 3A-3A of Fig. 3;
Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing an
insert spacer ~ember disposed between the inner form
and the outer form;
Fig. S is a fragmentary sectional view showing a
bottom spacer member;
Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a
spacer rod disposed between the inner form and the
outer form;
Fig. 7 is an elevation view showing a top
fastening means of the molding device;
Fig. 8 is a ~lan view showing the top fastening
means of Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a strut support
body;
Fig. 10 is a ~iew showing the molding device which
is set up after the concrete floor is fabricated;
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Fig. 11 is a view showing the molding device in
which the inner form is support by vertical struts;
Fig. 12 is a view showing the connection between
a bottom spacer member and a vertical strut; and
Fig. 13 is a schematic view showing the spacer
boards which are moved inward relative to the left and
right component boards.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a molding device
is shown, in its molding position, including a bottom
form board 71, a four-sided inner form l and four
outer forms 2 for molding a box-like concrete
structure. The inner form l comprises a pair of
opposing first formwork boards lla and a pair or
opposing second formwork boards llb interconnecting
said flrst formwork boards lla. Each of the first or
second formwork boards is set up by using channel
members 12 and batters 13, and includes ~eft and right
component boards llc and a spa~cer board 4 between
the left and right component boards llc. Each left or
right componeot board llc has a concrete forming face
lld, and a web lle inclining in rela~ion to the forming
face lld.
The spacer board 4 has a concrete forming face 4a
and two webs 4b inclining in relation to the forming
face 4a and extending divergingly from the forming face
4a, forming a wedge shape In cross-section. The webs
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4b of the spacer board 4 abut with and are secured to
the webs lle of the right and left component boards llc
by means of bolts 412.
A hydraulic cylinder 42, which is used to provide
power to move each spacer board 4 inward and outward
relative to left and right formwork boards 11;, is
mounted on a bracket 421 fixed to a transverse plate
423 which is secured to the webs 4b of the spacer board
4. The hydraulic cylinder 42 has a piston rod 422
connected to one end A of a lever 43 which is pivoted,
at point B, to a bracket 432 mounted on a fixed support
member 431 below the hydraulic cylinder 42. An upper
longitudinal link 433 is connected to the lever 43 at
a point C and extends therefrom longitudinally upward.
At the end point D of the lever 43 is connected a lower
longitudinal link 434 which extends longitudinally
downward therefrom. The points D and C are on two
sides of the point B.
Each of links 433 and 434 is connected to crank
means 44 provided at the top and bottom of the spacer
board 4. Each crank means 44 has an arm 445 connected
to the end of link 433 or 434 and extending from a
crank shaft 441 journalled in two journal supports 444
of the spacer board 4. Two arms 442 extend from crank
wheels 44 disposed at the ends of the crank shaft 441.
The arms 442 are connected pivotally to two links 443
respectively which are connected pivotally to the
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adjacent left and right component boards llc. The
operation of the hydraulic cylinder and the above
linkage mechanism will be described hereinafter~
The webs 4b of the spacer board 4 are connected
movably to the webs lle of the left and right component
boards llc by using bolt~ 412. Each bolt 412 is
threaded through a screw hole of one of the webs 4b
into a block 411 which is fitted movably in an
elongated guide groove 111 provided in the web lle of
the left or right component board llc, as shown in
Figs. 3~ and 3B. The blocks 411 can move in the
grooves 111 when the spacer board 4 is moved relative
to the left and right component boards. Angled brackets
413 are fixed to the webs 4b and then screwed to the
left and right component boards 11~ to secure
detachably the spacer board 4 to the left and right
component boards llc. In this situation, the spacer
boards 4 are wedged in between the adjacent left and
right component boards, and the forming faces 4a
thereof are flush with the forming faces of the left
and right component boards 11~. The whole inner form 1
is in a completely expanded position for molding.
Each outer form board 2 is assembled using modular
boards, channel members 22 and batters 23 and 24, and
is secured to each side of the formwork board of the inner
form 1 by securing means. The forming faces of the
outer form boards are spaced apart from the forming
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faces of the inner form 1.
The securing means includes insert spacer members
incorporating screw fasteners for fastening and
spacing the forming faces of the outer form 2 and the
inne.r form la, and top fastening means 6 for hanging
the outer forms 2 on the inner form 1.
The insert spacer members 5 can be truncated
cone-shaped insert bodies 5A and/or insert rods 5B as
shown in Figs. 4 and 6. The insert spacer members 5A and
SB are disposed between the forming faces of the lower
sides of the outer forms 2 and the inner form 1 and are
screwed to the channel members 22 and 12 of the outer
forms 2 and the inner form 1 by using bolts 51 and 52.
qlhe truncated cone-shaped insert members.5A can be
made of concrete, cast iron or the like. Each of them
has two opposlte threaded bores for engaging with the
bolts 51 which are attached to the channel member 22
. ~ or 21. The insert rod 5B is a screw rod having two
threaded ends for engaging with the bolts 52 having
threaded bores.
As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the top fastener means
6 includes top bars 61 secured transversely to a top
channeI member 12 of the inner form 1 at approprlate
~ locations, and top bars 62 secured transversely to a
top channel member 22 of the outer forms 2 at
appropriate locations. Each of the Eirst bars 61 has a
portion projecting outward and a protrusion 611 of
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square cross-section at the top side of said portion.
Each of the second bars 62 has a portion projecting
inward and has a coupling member 623 disposed fixedly
at the top side of said projecting portion. The
coupllng member 623 has a square slot 621 to receive
the protrusion 611 and a rectangular slot 622 near the
slot 621. Four clamp~ng screws 63 are attached
threadedly to the coupling member 623 and extend into
the slot 621 in directions perpendicular to four
sides of the slot 621 respectively. The rear portion
of one of the clamping screws 63 extends in the
rectangular slot 622. In assembly, the coupling member
623 of the seco~d bar 62 is brought to overlap the
projecting portion of the bar 61 so that the protrusion
611 is received in the slot 621 of the coupling member
623. Then, the protrusion 611 is clamped tightly ln
the slot 621 by the clamping screws 63, thereby
fastening the top sides of the outer forms 2 to the top
side of the inner form 1. Alternatively, the top
2~ fastener means 6 may be a fastening bar 64 which arP
screwed to the top side of the outer form 2 and the top
side of the inner form 1 at its two ends.
Referring to Figs. ~ 1 and 5, the bottom formwork
board 71 is held by horizontal beams 72 and vertical
struts t not shown)~ The bottom side of the whole
inner form 1 is supported by and spaced apart from the
top face of the bottom formwork board 71 by using
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spacer members ~C. The spacer members 5C are truncated
cone-shaped insert bodies which are placed on and
screwed to the bottom formwork board 71.
The molding device set up as described above can
~5 be used repeatedly and conveniently for casting modular
concrete units. The inner form 1, outer forms 2, and
bottom formwork board 71 can be detached from each
other and carried to a next location without
being disassembled into small units. The inner form
can be loosened and contracted to be released from the
concrete structure by detaching the wedge-shaped spacer
boards 4 from the left and right component boards llc
and moving them o~tward from between the left and right
component boards llc with the hydraulic means. Af~er
the inner form 1 is contracted it is lifted upward as a
whole and sent to the next location. Before the inner
form 1 is installed at the next location, the bottom
form board 1 must be set up. Then the inner form 1 is
p~ut on the spacer insert bodies Sc which are attacheà
to the bottom formwork board 71. By operating the
hydraalic means, the spacer boards 4 can be moved again
into between left and right component boards llc to
expand the whole inner form l tightly to the molding
position.
Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, when each wedge-
shaped spacer boards 4 is to be pulled inward it is
unfastened from the left and right component boards llc
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by detaching screws 413. The hydraulic cylinder 42 is
operated to move piston rod 422 to push the lever 43 to
turn counter-clockwise about point B. In this
situation, the link 433 and 434 are moved in the
S direction towards the mid portion of the spacer board 4
from the bottom side and the top side, thus rotating
the respective crank members 44. The crank members 44,
in turn, move the respective links 443 in the
direction towards the forming face of the left and
right component boards llc, thereby moving the spacer
board 4 inward. When the spacer board 4 moves
inward, it causes the adjacent left and right
component boards llc to approach one another, thus
contracting the inne~ form 1 and releasing it from the
concrete structure, as shown in Fig. 13.
If the piston rod of each hydraulic cylinder 42 is
pulled inward, the directions of the movements of the
lever 43, links 433 and 434, crank members 44 and links
443 are reversed, and each spacer boards is moved again
into between the adjacent left and right component
boards~
It is described hereinabove that the inner form
is supported by the bottom form board 71 by means of
~ spacer members 5C when the concrete floor is cast
simultaneously witn the molding of the concrete wall.
Alternatively, the inner form 1 can be set up after
the concrete floor is cast. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10,
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in casting the concrete floor, truncated cone-shaped
support bodies 5E are concealed in part in the
concrete before the concrete is hardened, the top side
of the support bodies being exposed on the surface of
the concrete. Each support body SE has a threaded bore
5,4 and an adjustable threaded core 55 received in the
bore 54. There are screw holes 56, 57 and 58 provided
in the body 54 and core 55. When the concrete
hardens, the support bodies 5E are secured in the
concrete floor as shown. At this time, concrete walls
can be fabricated by setting up the inner form 1 and
outer forms 2, The channel members 12 of the inner
form 1 can be connected to the support bodies 5E by
inserting screws 59 into the threaded bores 58 of the
core 55.
The support bodies SE secured in a concrete floor
can also be used for supporting an inner form 1 which
is set up to mold the next wall structure or an
bottom form 71 to mold the next concrete floor in a
second floor above. As shown in Fig. 11 , vertical
struts 9 are set upright with their lower ends screwed
to the cores 55 of the support bodie~s 5E. The top end
of each strut 9 is screwed to the beam 72 and the
bottom form board 71 for supporting the form board 71.
The height of the structs can be adjusted by rotating
the core 55 relative to the support body 5E.
To immobilize the insert spacer members 5C
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disposed on the bottom form board 71, the spacer
members SC can be screwed to hollow heads 91 of the
struts 9, as shown in Fig. 12. By using vertical
struts 9 and support bodies 5E, the whole weight of the
inner form 1 and ol~ter forms 2 can be borne by the
completely hardened concrete of a lower floor.
Although the inner form 1 described in the present
embodiment is a four-sided closed form, the present
invention is not limited to four sides only. The inner
form l can be a closed form having more or less than
four sides or an open form having three sides or more
than three sides.
With the invention thus explained, it is apparent
that various modifications and variations can be made
without departing from the scope of the invention. It
is therefore intended that the invention be limited as
Indicated in the appended claims.
