Construction of buildings or parts thereof

Transport means comprising a load carrying portion having at least one storage compartment adapted for carrying in a generally upright position walls and jigs that are to be used in the construction of buildings, said storage compartment being provided with sides entirely around its periphery and divided into three parts, one of said compartment parts being centrally disposed relative to the other two compartment parts and being smaller than said other two compartment parts which are substantially the same size, wherein the transport means has a discharging device which includes an articulated and turnable supporting member that is adapted to be placed over said compartment and to project outwardly in substantially horizontal positions it may occupy beyond all normal boundaries of the transport means as seen in plan view, said discharging device also including coupling means for temporary connection to selected of said walls and jigs in said parts of said compartment and for the lifting of same vertically therefrom, said supporting member being turnable through substantially 360.degree. about a substantially vertical axis which is fixed relative to the remainder of the transport means whereby said supporting member is adapted to unload walls and jigs vertically from said compartment and unload same substantially 360.degree. outwardly of the transport means, said axis being located adjacent the rear end of the transport means with respect to the intended direction of forward travel thereof.

A combination of transport and discharge means used in a method of construction of the kind set forth wherein the transport means which is provided with a discharging device carries a plurality of mold parts to the construction site for a building and, at a single location at said site, said discharging device transfers said mold parts to substantially their positions of use in forming parts of that building, said mold parts being carried in a compartment having sides defining its periphery by said transport means vertically disposed and in parallel alignment with the usual direction of travel of said transport means, said discharging device being pivotable about a vertical axis located on said transport means to the rear or said mold parts carried thereby, said discharging device having an extended length which is substantially the same as said transport means and being carried at substantially the forward end of said transport means and forward of said mold parts carried therein, said discharging device being articulated about a horizontal axis proximate said vertical axis and being simultaneously foldable at both ends of a portion thereof disposed at a location approximately midway of its length about further horizontal axes at each said end, said transport means being oriented at said location whereby the rear of said transport means substantially faces at least part of the building being constructed.

A tractor trailer combination for transporting mold parts for forming molds to cast at least a substantial portion of a building, which comprises a bed of said trailer, sides and forward and after walls extending around the periphery of said trailer bed enclosing an elongated rectangular area as seen from above adapted for receiving said mold parts in an upright position parallel to the usual direction of travel of the trailer, a discharging device mounted on the after portion of said trailer behind said rectangular area, said discharging device comprising an articulated arm adapted to extend a distance equal to at least the length of said trailer, said arm comprising two elongated portions which are substantially equal in length and are connected by a substantially shorter portion, hydraulic means connecting said arm portions and controlling them whereby they are foldable from a substantially straight configuration to that of an inverted "V" with said shorter portion remaining substantially horizontal, said arm being on turnable means mounted on the rear portion of said trailer whereby it is turnable about a vertical axis, coupling means provided on said discharging device for engaging a said mold part by said discharging device, support means for receiving said arm on the forward part of said trailer, said coupling member being disposed substantially forward of said support means and over said tractor when said arm is in transport position.

A tractor trailer combination for transporting mold parts for forming molds to cast at least a substantial portion of a building, which comprises a bed of said trailer, sides and forward and after walls mounted around the periphery of said trailer bed enclosing an elongated rectangular area as seen from above adapted for receiving said mold parts in an upright position disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said trailer, a discharging device mounted on the after portion of said trailer, said discharging device comprising an arm capable of projecting beyond the entire periphery of said trailer bed, said arm comprising three articulated interconnected parts and being provided with means whereby it is turnable from its after mounting about a substantially vertical axis, a first of said arm parts extending from said after mounting, a second of said arm parts extending from said first arm part, and a third arm part extending from said second arm part and having coupling means for lifting said mold parts on its opposite end, said first and third arm parts being substantially equal in length and said second arm part being substantially shorter in length than said first and third arm parts, two hydraulic mechanisms for articulating said parts relative to each other connected to said second arm part and to said first and third arm parts whereby said arm is foldable from a horizontal aligned position to an inverted V-shaped folded position in which said first and third arm parts are inclined downwardly from said second arm part which is retained in a substantially horizontal position.

An elongated trailer adapted to be towed by a tractor truck in highway traffic for transporting mold parts adapted to be positioned at a building site to provide molds to receive castable material for casting in one operation a substantial portion of one floor of a building, said trailer comprising a framework which is supported at least in part by ground engaging wheels disposed near the rear of the trailer, peripheral walls extending from said framework, enclosing an elongated rectangular space adapted to receive said mold parts in an upright position, at least two further walls longitudinally dividing said space, support means for a discharge device mounted on a platform provided at the rear of the trailer behind of said space and rearwardly of said wheels, an arm included in said discharging device which is rotatably mounted on said support means, said arm being extensible to lift mold parts from all parts of said space and place same at substantially their intended positions at the building site, a pair of stabilizing members mounted on each side of said trailer disposed laterally between said ground engaging wheels and said support means as seen from the side which are adapted to extend outwardly from the rear of the trailer whereby they engage the ground and provide props for said discharging device outwardly of said wheels whereby said support means may be extended over an excavation for the building, said stabilizing members provided with hydraulic means for raising and lowering same, said hydraulic means interconnecting said stabilizing members and stud means provided immediately to the rear of said enclosed spaces.