Concrete mould and method of moulding concrete panels

Abstract

A concrete mould employs resilient side shuttering, made of rubber for example, which is prevented from deflecting, when concrete is poured, by tensioning wires extending along the length of the shuttering. Pieces of the shuttering, forming the sides of a casting box, extend between fixed end plates having a series of holes to receive the tensioning wires for adjusting the modular width of panels cast in the box. A series of apertures is provided in each piece of side shuttering so that pneumatic core formers can be inserted through aligned apertures so as to extend across the casting box. Different types of joint formers, either fully or partly resilient, can be located about the core formers, each joint former having a series of grooves to receive reinforcement or tensioning wires or rods. When inflated the pneumatic core former locks the joint formers in place. Opening formers can be made from the shuttering and the joint formers. Standard reinforcement cages can be located in the casting box at modular position corresponding with aligned apertures in the side pieces of shuttering. The modular positions are digitally coded to enable the casting process to be automated by a machine travelling on rails along the length of a casting bed which supports the side shuttering and end plates. The machine stops at the modular position to locate the respective formers and/or reinforcement cages and it also carries out automatic functions such as cleaning and oiling, laying, packing, screeding and finishing wet concrete.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.