Apparatus for actuating inner and outer forms of a concrete pipe forming mold

In a molding apparatus for fabricating concrete pipe of the type including an inner mold form and an outer mold form which comprises a pair of form sections that are completely separable along two longitudinal gates, and clamping means at each gate for releasably securing said form sections together and enabling said form sections to be completely separated at both gates for the removal of hardened pipe, the improvement wherein said clamping means comprises:

• a shaft rotatably mounted on one of said form sections adjacent a respective gate;
• a radial flange on the other form section;
• a plurality of eccentric discs mounted in spaced relation along said shaft for rotation with said shaft;
• a locking arm mounted on each eccentric disc, each locking arm including a hook-shaped end engageable with said radial flange on the other form section and completely disengageable therefrom in response to selective rotation of said eccentric discs;
• motor means mounted on said one form section and connected to said shaft for selectively rotating said eccentric discs in an unlocking direction of rotation to displace said hook-shaped ends away from said flange, and in a locking direction of rotation to displace said hook-shaped ends toward said flange;
• and
• contact face means associated with said one form section engageable with said locking arms to cause said locking arms to rotate relative to said eccentric discs in a manner displacing said hook-shaped ends away from said flange.

A clamp assembly for closing a gate between mold sections, comprising:

• an eccentric disc mountable for rotation on one of said mold sections;
• a flange mountable on another mold section;
• a locking arm mounted on said eccentric disc for rotation relative thereto;
• said locking arm including a clamping hook which is engageable with said flange on said other form section and completely disengageable therefrom, in response to eccentric rotation of said eccentric disc;
• motor means operably connected to said eccentric disc for rotating the latter in one direction to displace said clamping hook away from said flange, and in another direction to bring said clamping hook towards and against said flange;
• and
• a finger mounted for rotary movement with said eccentric disc during displacement of said hook away from said flange, to engage and impart rotation to said locking arm relative to said eccentric disc so as to displace said hook away from said flange.

In a molding apparatus for fabricating concrete pipe of the type including an outer mold form and an inner mold form which comprises a pair of form portions that are separable along a gate, and means for collapsing said inner form to permit removal thereof from a hardened pipe;

• the improvement wherein said collapsing means comprises:
• eccentric disc means mounted for rotation on one of said form portions,
• connecting arm means mounted at a first end thereof on said eccentric disc means for rotation relative thereto,
• means connecting said connecting arm means at a second end thereof to the other of said inner form portions;
• stationary means;
• means mounting said connecting arm means to said stationary means at a point intermediate said first and second ends of said connecting arm means for relative pivotal movement and also relative translating movement in a direction generally laterally of the radial direction;
• motor means operably connected to said eccentric disc means for rotating the latter in one direction to displace said connecting arm means in a manner causing it to flex said other form portion inwardly relative to said one form portion so as to reduce the diameter of said inner form and thereby permit removal of said inner form from a hardened pipe.

In a molding apparatus for fabricating concrete pipe of the type including an outer annular mold form and an annular inner mold form which comprises a pair of form portions that are separable along a gate, and means for collapsing said inner form to permit removal thereof from a hardened pipe, the improvement comprising:

• a shaft mounted for rotation on one of said form portions;
• a plurality of discs mounted eccentrically on said shaft for rotation therewith;
• a connecting arm mounted at a first end thereof on each of said eccentric discs for rotation relative thereto;
• means connecting each connecting arm at a second end thereof to the other form portion;
• a stationary means;
• means mounting said connecting arms to said stationary means at a point intermediate said first and second ends of each arm for relative pivotal movement and also relative translatory movement in a direction generally laterally of the radial direction;
• motor means operably connected to said shaft for rotating said eccentric discs in one direction to flex said other form portion inwardly in a manner reducing the diameter of said inner form to permit removal of said inner form from a hardened pipe, and in the opposite direction to reengage said form portions to close said gate;
• said connecting means including means constraining said other form portion to move in a generally radial direction during a first portion of eccentric disc rotation in said one direction and thereafter permitting movement of the end of said other form portion toward said one form portion in a direction generally laterally of the radial direction.

A molding apparatus for forming concrete pipe comprising:

• inner and outer annular forms spaced radially from one another to define an annular chamber therebetween for receiving concrete;
• said inner form comprising a pair of form portions which are separable along at least one gate;
• and
• means for collapsing said inner form to permit removal thereof from a hardened pipe comprising:
• a plurality of vertically aligned first brackets mounted on one of said form portions;
• a plurality of vertically aligned second brackets mounted on the other of said form portions;
• a shaft mounted on said second brackets for rotation;
• a plurality of discs mounted eccentrically along said shaft for rotation therewith;
• a plurality of connecting arms mounted at a first end on respective ones of said eccentric discs for rotation relative thereto, and mounted at a second end to respective ones of said first brackets;
• each connecting arm being mounted intermediate its ends to its associated second bracket for rotation about a vertical axis and for relative sliding movement in a direction generally laterally of the radial direction;
• said second end of said connecting arm being movable relative to its associated first bracket in a direction generally laterally of the radial direction;
• and
• a motor means connected to said shaft for rotating said eccentric discs:
• in one direction to swing said connecting arms about said vertical axis such that said second ends thereof pull an end of said one form portion radially inwardly as said second ends move relative to said first brackets a predetermined distance, and thereafter pull said end of said one form portion toward said other form portion in a direction generally laterally of the radial direction, and in the opposite direction to return said form portions into engaging relationship to close said gate.