Back to results
US 6,284,172 B1Granted
Rapid moulding of long concrete poles
AssigneeHume Brothers Pty Ltd
InventorGraeme Reginald Hume
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeHume Brothers Pty Ltd
InventorGraeme Reginald Hume
Estimating the term…
The present invention discloses apparatus for molding an elongate annular product such as a pole, the apparatus including two outer mold sections (1) relatively movable to form in a first position a substantially enclosed upright molding cavity and in a second position opening said molding cavity, an upright core member (3) is moveable into and out of said molding cavity and when located in said molding cavity defining an annular molding zone (37) between the core member (3) and the outer mold sections (1), filling means (5) arranged to fill the annular molding zone (37) from below, and end capping means (6) arranged to close an upper end region of the zone (37), the end capping means (6) including a filter membrane adapted to allow fluids to escape through the filter membrane while fine solid particles are retained within the molding zone (37).
A method of moulding an elongated annular concrete product, said method including positioning a core within at least one outer mould section to form an annular moulding space around said core, capping one end region of the annular moulding space in a manner permitting escape of fluids therefrom but retaining solid particles within the annular moulding space, introducing flowable concrete into said annular moulding space from a second end region of said mould until said flowable concrete reaches said one end region of the annular moulding space where fluids escape through said one end region of the annular moulding space and fine cement and sand are retained therein, sensing that solid materials in said flowable concrete have reached said one region of the moulding space where upon introduction of flowable concrete to said moulding space is stopped, applying inwardly and outwardly directed radial pressure forces to the concrete located in said annular moulding space while at the same time removing surface fluid drawn to an adjacent surface of the concrete in response to application of said pressure forces;
Apparatus for moulding an elongated annular concrete product, said apparatus including at least two outer mould sections relatively movable to form in a first position a substantially enclosed moulding cavity and in a second position opening said moulding cavity, a core member movable into or out of said moulding cavity and when located in said moulding cavity defining an annular moulding zone between said core member and said outer mould sections, filling means arranged to fill said annular moulding zone with flowable concrete from a first end region of said annular moulding zone, and end capping means arranged to close a second end region of said annular moulding zone, said end capping means cooperating with the second end region of the annular moulding zone to permit fluids to flow therefrom while retaining fine solid particles within said annular moulding zone, pressure sensing means arranged to sense a predetermined pressure rise within a half of the moulding zone adjacent said second end region, said predetermined pressure rise being indicative of solids of the flowable concrete engaging against the end capping means, and control means being provided to prevent flow of concrete into said moulding zone when said predetermined pressure rise is sensed, and means to remove said core from said moulding cavity while in a substantially upright position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.