Block reinforcement cage having stem reinforcement portions with open apertures formed therein, for use in reinforcing a molded concrete U-wall construction block

• US 10,443,206 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Concrete Systems Incorporated, Stable Concrete Structures, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stable Concrete Structures, Inc.
• Inventors: O'Neill, Raymond, Carr, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Del Sole, Joseph S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hohenbrink, Jr., Lawrence D.
• Application Number:
  US16/101,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20190136482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 425438, 425441, 425442, 425443, 425436 RM, 425447, 425452, 425460, 425468, 425469, 425470, 425161, 425577, 425414, 249155, 249158, 249159, 249160, 249162, 249163, 249165, 249166, 249168, 249169, 249170, 249171, 249172, 249177, 249186, 249189, 249 63
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 13/04 Discharging the shaped articles discharging tubular articles after shaping B28B21/90; conveying systems for ceramic mouldings B65G49/08
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 13/06 Removing the shaped articles from moulds by means incorporated in, or carried by, the moulds B28B7/10
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 15/00 General arrangement or layout of plant ; Industrial outlines or plant installations
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/0029 Moulds or moulding surfaces not covered by B28B7/0058 - B28B7/36 and B28B7/40 - B28B7/465, e.g. moulds assembled from several parts
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/0041 the sidewalls of the mould being moved only parallelly away from the sidewalls of the moulded article
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/0044 the sidewalls of the mould being only tilted away from the sidewalls of the moulded article, e.g. moulds with hingedly mounted sidewalls
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/0058 Moulds, cores or mandrels with provisions concerning the elimination of superfluous material; Moulds with burr-removing means provided therein or carried thereby
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/0061 Moulds, cores or mandrels specially adapted for mechanically working moulding surfaces during moulding or demoulding, e.g. smoothing by means of mould walls driven during moulding or of parts acting during demoulding
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/02 Moulds with adjustable parts specially for modifying at will the dimensions or form of the moulded article
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/04 one or more of the parts being pivotally mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/10 Moulds with means incorporated therein, or carried thereby, for ejecting or detaching the moulded article flexible moulds bent open for ejecting B28B7/06; ejecting by tilting or inverting the mould B28B7/08; devices, not forming part of the mould, for ejecting the moulded article B28B13/06
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/16 Moulds for making shaped articles with cavities or holes open to the surface , e.g. with blind holes
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/18 the holes passing completely through the article
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/186 for plates, panels or similar sheet- or disc-shaped objects, also flat oblong moulded articles with lateral openings, e.g. panels with openings for doors or windows, grated girders
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/285 Core puller
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/36 Linings or coatings, e.g. removable, absorbent linings, permanent anti-stick coatings; Linings becoming a non-permanent layer of the moulded articlelubricating surfaces of moulds, cores or mandrels B28B7/38
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 2250/0007 using a mold
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 2250/0023 Cast, i.e. in situ or in a mold or other formwork
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 2300/002 Concrete
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 2300/0029 Steel; Iron
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/02 : Retaining or protecting walls piers or quay walls E02B3/06
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/025 : made up of similar modular elements stacked without mortar
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 29/0266 : made up of preformed elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/01 : Reinforcing elements of metal, e.g. with non-structural coatings E04C5/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A block reinforcement cage made from reinforcing material and adapted for loading within a machine during a block manufacturing process for molding a concrete U-wall construction block structure. The block cage includes an open aperture formed in each of its stem reinforcing portions. During the block manufacturing process, the first and second support members of a support mechanism are inserted within the open apertures formed in the stem reinforcing sections of the block cage, and cooperate with the open apertures of the block cage so as to (i) support the block cage when being loaded into a block manufacturing machine, (ii) define central apertures molded in each stem portion of the concrete U-wall construction block structure, and (iii) lift the molded concrete U-wall construction block when being unloaded from the machine.

Claims

1. A block reinforcement cage made from reinforcing material and adapted for loading within a machine during a block manufacturing process for molding a concrete U-wall construction block structure including (i) a front wall panel of solid prismatic construction having a front wall surface, a rear wall surface, side wall surfaces, and top and bottom wall surfaces, and (ii) a pair of stem portions of solid prismatic construction, arranged in a parallel manner, and protruding from the rear wall surface of said front wall panel in a substantially perpendicular manner, wherein each said stem portion has a back surface, an inner side surface, an outer side surface, an upper surface, and a lower surface, and a central aperture formed in each said stem portion of said molded concrete U-wall construction block structure, and wherein said front wall panel has a central region disposed between said pair of stem portions, and a pair of end portions extending from said central region, said block reinforcement cage comprising:

(i) a front wall reinforcing portion for reinforcing said front wall panel of said molded concrete U-wall construction block structure, and having a central reinforcing portion for reinforcing said central region,

(ii) a first stem reinforcing portion and a second stem reinforcing portion, said first and second stem reinforcing portions being connected to said front wall reinforcing portion about said central region, for reinforcing said pair of stem portions of said molded concrete U-wall construction block structure, and

(iii) an open aperture formed centrally in each one of said first and second stem reinforcing portions, for receiving first and second support members of a support mechanism employed during said block manufacturing process,

wherein said open apertures centrally formed in said stem reinforcing portions of said block reinforcement cage cooperate with said first and second support members of said support mechanism during said block manufacturing process and are configured to (i) support said block reinforcement cage when said block reinforcement cage is being loaded into said machine during block cage loading operations, (ii) define said central apertures molded in each stem portion of said molded concrete U-wall construction block structure during block molding operations, and (iii) support said molded concrete U-wall construction block structure when said molded concrete U-wall construction block structure is being unloaded from said machine during concrete block unloading operations.

2. The block reinforcement cage of claim 1, wherein said block reinforcement cage is encased in concrete material poured about said block reinforcement cage to form said molded concrete U-wall construction block structure about said block reinforcement cage when the poured concrete material has cured.

3. The block reinforcement cage of claim 1, wherein said first and second support members comprise first and second cylindrical support drums, respectively, that slide within said open apertures formed in said first and second stem reinforcing portions of said block reinforcement cage.

4. The block reinforcement cage of claim 1, wherein said first stem reinforcing portion has a first set of molding surfaces to form a saw-toothed notched pattern on said upper and lower surfaces of said first stem portion in said molded concrete U-wall construction block structure, and wherein said second stem reinforcing portion has second set of molding surfaces to form saw-toothed notched pattern on said upper and lower surfaces of said second stem portion in said molded concrete U-wall construction block structure.

5. The block reinforcement cage of claim 4, wherein said first set of molding surfaces on said first stem reinforcing portion form said saw-tooth notched pattern in said molded concrete U-wall construction block structure, comprising one of alternating projections formed by projecting planar surfaces, and indents formed by non-projecting planar surfaces with transition sloped surfaces;

and wherein said second set of molding surfaces on said second stem reinforcing portion form said saw-tooth notched pattern in said molded concrete U-wall construction block structure, comprising one of alternating projections formed by projecting planar surfaces, and indents formed by non-projecting planar surfaces with transition sloped surfaces.