Casting of structural walls

Abstract

A machine (13) for the continuous casting of structural concrete walls (10) has a chassis (19) mounted on tracks (20). A telescopic boom (26) is mounted for buffing movement on a work platform (21) mounted for slewing movement relative to the chassis (19). A work head (30) has a work head unit (38) mounted for movement in three axes relative to the boom (26). The work head unit (38) has a continuous bucket excavator which digs a trench as the work head unit (38) is advanced and a continuous formwork (46) which supports the sides of the trench and defines the structural wall (10) which is cast as the work head unit (38) is advanced, pressurized concrete being supplied to the cavity defined by the formwork (46) by a pipe (14). Sensors on the work head (30) detect the beams from rotating laser and a fixed laser which defines the datum and line for the wall and the operation of the machine ( 13) is controlled by a computer which controls the orientation and advance of the work head unit (38) and the advance of the machine (13).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.