Abstract: A machine for manufacturing a unitary glass fibre reinforced body shell includes a carriage which is movable along the mold and a turntable which is mounted on a carriage for rotation about a first axis extending in the direction of longitudinal movement of the carriage. An arm is slidably mounted on the turntable for radial movement and a dispenser is located on the arm for dispensing glass fibre reinforced resin onto the surface of the mold. A guidance system is provided which interconnects the turret and the slidable arm and is operable to cause the arm to reciprocate with respect to the turret in a radial direction to maintain a substantially constant length of trajectory extending between the dispenser and the wall of the mold. A drive system is provided for rotatably driving the turret about the axis. The carriage is normally stored on a mobile end cap which may be moved from one mold to another and serves to close one end of the mold.

Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the thickness of a resin plate formed in a resin plate making machine comprising stacked, wedge-shaped members, each wedge-shaped member having an inclined surface slidably contacting the other inclined surface, the top most member being connected to either spacers positioned above a rigid base plate on which the resin plate is formed, or to the rigid base plate itself, for adjusting the height of the spacers relative to the base plate as the wedge-shaped members are moved relative to one another in the direction of inclination of the inclined surfaces.

Abstract: In manufacturing concrete tiles a stiff concrete mass is molded and heavily compacted by means of a rapidly rotating pressing roller on sheet metal molding trays, which during the molding operation are supported by carriers having relief-like supporting surfaces which are generally complementary to the bottom sides of the tiles. The tray carriers form parts of an endless conveyor passing a concrete extruding station, in which the pressing roller is included, the tray carriers being formed as platforms placed freely between a pair of driving chains, to which each platform is connected by one pair of coaxial pivots only. Each platform is composed of two segments, which are hingedly interconnected independently of the chains. When passing the concrete extruding station the tray carrying platforms rest on an endless intermediate belt moving over a stationary supporting bed, through the top side of which pressurized air is supplied in order to reduce the friction.

Abstract: A machine for making bricks and paving blocks, including a turntable having four moulds; a drive unit for rotating the turntable between work stations; a mixing chamber for raw materials; a hopper to receive mixed raw materials and to deliver them to each mould in turn; a hydraulic press to compress materials in a filled mould; and a ram for ejecting the resulting masonry product from the mould.

Abstract: A machine for casting concrete panels. The machine disclosed casts hollow core concrete panels in a single casting operation utilizing a slipform technique to fill cores with core material which can be dumped from the core after curing of the concrete has been accomplished. Vibration of the slipform during casting facilitates free flow of concrete around the slipform and core material extruded from slipforms. The slipfom has a closed front portion which is tapered to a reduced cross section. The machine utilizes a casting pallet employing improved side form cleaning apparatus. The machine also includes improved finishing screeds for applying decorative three-dimensional finishes on the top surface of cast panels.

Abstract: A machine for casting concrete panels. The machine disclosed casts hollow core concrete panels in a single casting operation utilizing a slipform technique to fill cores with core material which can be dumped from the core after curing of the concrete has been accomplished. Vibration of the slipform during casting facilitates free flow of concrete around the slipform and core material extruded from slipforms. The slipform has a closed front portion which is tapered to a reduced cross section. The machine utilizes a casting pallet employing improved side form cleaning apparatus. The machine also includes improved finishing screeds for applying decorative three-dimensional finishes on the top surface of cast panels.

Abstract: A high density concrete placer is longitudinally translatable along a pair of parallel oriented support rails positioned adjacent to an area in which wet concrete has been poured. The concrete placer includes a bridge having first and second ends and first and second roller assemblies coupled to the first and second ends of the bridge. The roller assemblies contact the support rails and enable the bridge to be longitudinally translated along the support rails. A frame includes a plurality of immersible vibrator units which are coupled at spaced apart intervals along one side of the frame and descend vertically downward therefrom. A rolling table is coupled to the bridge and to the frame to be laterally translated between the first and second ends of the bridge. The frame includes a subframe which is vertically displaceable between a first and a second position and serves to vertically displace the vibrator units between a first and a second position.

Abstract: Improvements in molding apparatus and method for forming a plurality of patties from a mass of agglomerable edible material such as, chopped meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, or the like. The molding apparatus includes a rotatable turret having a plurality of mold cavities positioned therein with a piston reciprocably mounted in each cavity. Upward piston reciprocation forms a mold in the lower portion of the cavity. An improved food-feeding mechanism having an enlarged end opening in communication with the cavity pushes the edible material into the mold over a wide portion of the turret rotation. The piston reciprocates upwardly while in communication with said food-feeding mechanism to draw food material into the mold and avoid air pockets in same. As the turret rotates and the piston reciprocates downwardly to expell the patty, an improved continuous wire band patty cut-off mechanism cleanly separates the patty from the piston to which it typically sticks, without deforming the patty.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for making a plurality of building modules each having a foam core encased in a shell of fiber reinforced cement. A bottom layer is cast and fiber reinforced in a casting zone having side rails along a base and division members corresponding to the lengths of the modules being formed. End members are placed on top of the division members and foam cores are placed on the bottom layer between end members leaving free space between the core member, the side rails and the end members. Wet cement is applied to fill the free space surrounding each core member and to form a top layer which covers each core member thereby separately encasing each core member. Fiber reinforcement is applied to the top layer and a plurality of cured modules are removed from the casting zone.

Abstract: Prefabricated building components such as panels, roofing units, and floor blocks and a method and machinery for producing the same. The prefabricated components are obtained by casting in form a mix containing granules of expanded polystyrene or other suitable light thermal and sound insulating material which is bonded to cement by adhesive. Depending upon their particular application, the components may be used for either load bearing or non-load bearing purposes.

Abstract: A system for mass producing prestressed concrete railroad ties using a slip-forming method of casting concrete over a plurality of molds arranged side by side and end to end on a casting bed; a specially equipped continuous casting machine for slip-forming the railroad ties in an upside-down orientation; techniques an equipment for separating and removing finished railroad ties from the casting bed; a plant layout to facilitate casting and handling operations; a specially adapted apparatus for rotating groups of railroad ties to permit sticking thereof in rightside-up orientation.

Abstract: An upstanding plate adapted for supporting one end of an elongated screed member has a flat bottom edge for sliding movement along a generally horizontal surface at the base of a foundation wall. The upstanding plate is connected to one end of the screed members so as to extend below the screed member and support the screed member above the horizontal surface. The screed member may be received within an open bottomed channel secured to the upstanding plate and the plate may be provided with a leading edge which tapers forwardly and downwardly toward the bottom edge. A second elongated screed member may be supported on the upstanding plate and extended through an opening therein for engagement against the foundation wall. A spacer bar maintains the upstanding plate in spaced relation from the foundation wall.

Abstract: An apparatus for the manufacture of multilayer articles has a plurality of female dies mounted in a rotary disc. A plurality of feeding devices equal in number to the number of layers in the articles to be manufactured is distributed about the rotary disc. Each feeding device admits a quantity of material into the female dies as these travel by. A compressing device is arranged downstream of each feeding device as seen in the direction of movement of the female dies. The compressing devices compress the material admitted into the female dies by the respective feeding devices and also cause the various layers of material to adhere to one another. When the required number of layers has been formed, the resulting article is ejected from the respective female die. One or more of the feeding devices is movable to an inoperative position in which it is unable to feed the female dies. This movement may be effected while the female dies rotate.

Abstract: An apparatus for molding roofing panels having an insert portion extending from one end of the main body of the panel and offset stepwise from the surface of the main body. The apparatus comprises a lower die divided into a die segment for forming the insert portion and a die segment for forming the main body which have cavities conforming to the shapes of the insert portion and the main body of the panel respectively, and a movable hopper disposed to the front of the insert portion die segment and adapted to feed a material in a specified thickness. The main body die segment is initially held in its raised position with the bottoms of the two die segments positioned at the same level, and the movable hopper is reciprocated to feed the material into the combined cavity of the lower die to a uniform thickness. Subsequently an upper die is lowered into the lower die cavity to press the material, with the main body die segment also lowered by the amount of the offset of the panel insert portion.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for making a plurality of building modules each having an insulating foam core encased in a shell of fiber reinforced cementitious material. A longitudinal casting zone is provided having continuous side rails and end-to-end base members having lengths corresponding to the lengths of the modules being formed. A continuous bottom layer of fiber reinforced cementitious material is cast over the base members and extending the length of the casting zone. The bottom layer is divided into lengths and lateral end members are inserted between the side rails in the spaces between the divided bottom layer lengths. A foam core is placed on each bottom layer length and wet fiber reinforced cementitious material is successively applied over the entire length of the casting zone so as to fill in the free spaces surrounding each core member and cover it with a layer of cementitious material thereby completely encasing each core member.

Abstract: Prefabricated building components such as panels, roofing units, and floor blocks and a method and machinery for producing the same. The prefabricated components are obtained by casting in form a mix containing granules of expanded polystyrene or other suitable light thermal and sound insulating material which is bonded to cement by adhesive. Depending upon their particular application, the components may be used for either load bearing or non-load bearing purposes.

Abstract: A method and a device to cast elongate concrete structural members formed internally with channel means in horizontal moulds. The channel means is formed by a double-wall inflatable hose of an elastic and flexible material which is introduced into the mould and is provided with support walls extending between the inner and outer hose walls so as to divide the space therebetween into longitudinal chambers. After inflation of these chambers, concrete is poured about the hose while at the same time weights displaceable in the interior of and in the longitudinal direction of said hose, exert a load on the hose, thus preventing it from being lifted from its predetermined position inside the mould by the concrete.

Abstract: Brick forms on stackable pallets are delivered in succession by a conveyor belt beneath the outlet of a clay hopper equipped with an internal vibrator and a clay feed auger. A pivoted flapper blade trips over each brick form divider wall and assures that the clay is forced first into the forward part of each mold cavity. Water is supplied to the front face of the flapper blade. Immediately beyond the hopper outlet, a diaper assembly having a mechanical vibrator engages each moving form to vibrate the clay and promote random clay crystal orientation. A strike blade on the diaper assembly removes excess clay and water from the top of each moving form. Water is also supplied constantly to the strike blade.

Abstract: A manufacturing bench for molded construction elements is disclosed comprising molds whose bottom walls are defined by an elongated table and whose lateral walls are constituted at least in part by flexible blades placed edgewise on the table which are held taut. The lateral walls are longitudinally displaceable.

Abstract: A building block is disclosed which is intended to be arranged in substantially horizontal layers stacked upon each other without the use of mortar. The upper and lower support surfaces of the blocks are wave-shaped in two perpendicular directions in such a manner that the wave-patterns in both directions have the same amplitude and periodicity and a constant wave section over their entire extension. Disclosed also is apparatus for manufacturing the blocks, comprising at least one mold which has a bottom surface having a wave-shape corresponding to that of the block and an upper edge profile corresponding to the wave-shape of the top of the block in the longitudinal direction of the block. Means is located above the mold for supplying a casting mass to the mold and a rotary and vertically movable roll is located above the mold for levelling out and smoothing the mass at the upper end of the mold.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fluidizing crushed, pulverized, comminuted powdered or other particulate solids, with or without added liquid, that will not flow readily under gravity, to enable this material to flow through an aperture either as an extrusion or to cause it to conform precisely to the shape of a mold, including inserting the material into the top of a hopper having an aperture at its base through which the material is discharged under gravity to a surface or into a mold, subjecting the material while in the hopper to one or more vibrators arranged to effect vibration of said material in the intended direction of flow through the hopper to cause the material to flow freely through the hopper, and effecting relative movement between the hopper and the surface or mold to effect the withdrawal of the material discharged from the hopper.

Abstract: A concrete product making machine having a product forming mold with a cavity for receiving cementitious material; support surfaces such as pallets on which the formed products are supported; a transfer device by which "green" products or blocks are removed on their pallets from the vicinity of the mold; a block height gauging device, downstream of the mold, for gauging the height of the products by gauging the distance from the top surfaces of the pallets to the top surfaces of the products; and mechanism controlling the volume of material delivered to the mold accordingly.

Abstract: The surface of a mouldable material such as wet cement is shaped to a desired configuration by a profile forming device moved longitudinally relative to the material and rotated about an axis transverse to the direction of bodily movement. The profile forming device is eccentrically mounted or otherwise shaped to produce cyclic variation in level in the longitudinal direction and has a variable configuration along its length to provide a transverse variation in level of the surface. The profile forming device is driven at a speed to cause rubbing over the surface. It may also be moved bodily in a cyclic manner in the direction of its axis and/or away from and towards the surface.

Abstract: The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is directed to a curber and sidewalk-forming apparatus for contouring concrete along a predetermined run. The apparatus includes a hopper having at least one wall thereof sloping downwardly toward an opening formed in the bottom of the hopper which coincides with an opening formed in a slide plate surface at the bottom of the machine. Flowable concrete passes from the hopper through the opening in the slide plate and is directed rearwardly of the apparatus while the apparatus is transported in a predetermined direction along its run. A vibrating apparatus is secured to one of the walls of the hopper to insure proper flow of the concrete along the interior surface of the hopper so that the concrete continuously flows beneath the apparatus for forming curbs, gutters and sidewalks. A motor generator set is secured to the slide plate and produces electricity to operate electrical motors of the vibrator and winch secured thereto.

Abstract: A machine is provided for forming hollow cored concrete slabs in which the hollow core may be produced with shapes other than circular in cross section. The machine may produce a noncircular cross sectioned core by utilizing a novel auger assembly construction which employs an open spiral auger, in the form of a corkscrew, which is supported by an initial core forming member which constitutes a surface of revolution and which conforms substantially to the internal surface of the spiral auger member so as to permit the auger to move over the surface thereof and thus continuously wipe clean the surface and prevent any build up on the initial core forming member. The rotating auger is utilized to compress and form concrete material firstly over the initial core forming member and secondly over the final trowel member, in a manner such that the final slab product will have a core with a cross sectional shape approximating that of the final trowel member.

Abstract: The invention pertains to apparatus for forming elongated concrete structures, such as walls and the like, by slip forming. In particular, the invention is directed to the concept of slip forming walls of asymmetrical transverse cross section as required in the forming of highway barrier walls. The concrete slip form includes opposite sidewalls and open front and rear ends. At least one of the sidewalls is vertically adjustable wherein the sidewall configuration being formed thereby may have a height variance with respect to the opposite sidewall being formed. The form includes fixed wall portions associating with the adjustable wall portion and power means permit adjustment of the vertical adjustable wall. It is also within the scope of the invention to provide a form wherein both sidewalls are vertically adjustable, and the form includes means for introducing steel reinforcement into the formed wall, and periodically permitting accessory equipment to be embedded into the wall.

Abstract: A three-compartment, heated-environment conveyor structure equipped with individual compartment material-lay-down delivery systems, processing a three-layer building panel material product, continuously, by compartment-to-compartment material laydown, as the product buildup is conveyor-advanced through the machine. The apparatus and process is for manufacturing a continuously extruded running length of construction paneling from continuous flow sources of thermoplastic material bits and a mixture thereof with cellulose fiber bits, by successively fusing and pressure rolling even-distribution layers of thermoplastic bits, a mixture of thermoplastic and cellulose fiber bits, and, again, thermoplastic bits, in respective ones of three cascaded oven chambers through which a material carrying conveyor is selectively advanced.

Abstract: A roll of reinforcing wire mesh is mounted behind the last concrete hopper on the frame of a movable concrete plank-laying machine. The wire mesh is guided forwardly between an upper portion of the hopper and the lower end of a concrete-delivering chute so that the concrete passes through the wire mesh and into the hopper. A guiding plate connected to an upright wall of the hopper guides the wire mesh downwardly beneath the hopper where its direction is reversed so that it is laid on the concrete plank while concrete is discharged thereover from the hopper.

Abstract: Smooth and uniform concrete floor or roof sections of channel formation with metal reinforcement are produced by linear movement of a slip form guided by relatively stationary rails which mold the side faces of the channel sections. Skid members which follow the rails also serve to mold the top linear edges of the concrete channel sections. The proper placement of a welded reinforcing grid is achieved by a forward adjustable template and the wall thickness and internal radii of the molded channel are established by a rearward adjustable template. The cooperating templates provide a concrete hopper structure on the slip form.