Concrete extrusion apparatus

• US 4,384,806 A
• Filed: 02/24/1981
• Issued: 05/24/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conform Industries Incorporated, Edgar J. Taylor Jr, James Bayless
• Original Assignee: Edgar J. Taylor Jr
• Inventors: Taylor, Edgar J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Byers, Jr., Nile C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hjorth, Beverly E.
• Application Number:
  US06/237,556
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 404/98, 404/105, 404/108, 404/110, 425/63, 425/449
• US Class Current: 404/98
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/4893 Apparatus designed for railless operation

Abstract

Apparatus for extruding a continuous concrete structure along a surface such as a curb and gutter. The apparatus includes an open bottom hopper for containing a supply of concrete mounted to a vehicle. An open bottom mold extends rearwardly from the open bottom of the hopper and causes the concrete flowing from the hopper onto the surface to be provided the proper cross-sectional shape as the vehicle moves along the surface. The lower leading face of the hopper is slanted rearwardly. Vibrators are immersed within the concrete overlying the open bottom of the hopper and in an area generally horizontal with and to the rear of the lower leading face of the hopper. The combination of the slanted lower leading face and the properly situated vibrator causes the apparatus to creep or walk forward so that very little if any motive power need be applied to the vehicle. The upper surface of the mold has a slight negative pitch along most of its length, that is, it slants upwardly from front to rear, to reduce the drag on the apparatus.

Claims

1. Apparatus for extruding concrete in a desired cross-sectional shape onto a surface as the apparatus moves forward comprising:

an open bottom hopper for holding a quantity of concrete, said hopper having a downwardly and rearwardly directed lower leading face;

vehicle means for moveably supporting said hopper above the surface;

an open bottomed mold having entrance and discharge ends, said entrance end configured for attachment to an edge of the open bottom of said hopper, said mold supported immediately above the surface, said mold having said desired cross-sectional shape at a first point near said entrance end of said mold for extrusion of the concrete into said desired cross-sectional shape, a major portion of an upper surface of said mold rearward of said first point being inclined upwardly and rearwardly above a horizontal; and

means for vibrating the concrete while passing from said hopper into said mold, said vibrating means located directly rearward of said leading face and including a vibrating member immersed within the concrete and vibrating in at least a first direction generally parallel to said forward direction so that the concrete flows from said hopper, past said leading face and said vibrating member, and is extruded through said mold, the vibration of the immersed vibrating member tending to propel said apparatus forward.

2. The extrusion apparatus of claim 1 wherein said leading face forms an angle of about 30°

to a vertical.

3. The extrusion apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upper surface is inclined at a second angle of between about 0.4 and 0.8 degree.

4. The extrusion apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vibrating means at least partially overlies the open bottom of said hopper.

5. The extrusion apparatus of claim 1 wherein said moveable supporting means is steerable thereby enabling extrusion of the concrete along straight or arcuate paths.

6. In a curb forming apparatus of the type having an open bottom concrete hopper mounted to a vehicle, said vehicle having a front and a rear, vibration means immersed within the concrete, and an open bottom concrete mold extending rearwardly from the open bottom of said hopper, the improvement comprising:

said hopper having a downwardly and rearwardly angled lower leading face;

at least a portion of said vibration means mounted to overlay said open bottom and to be directly behind said leading face so that vibration from said vibrating means within said concrete tends to drive said vehicle in a forward direction; and

said mold having a top surface a majority of which is angled upwardly from front to rear to reduce the drag on said apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said vibration means includes a vibrator mounted within said hopper at an angle to the horizontal.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein a portion of said vibrator extends within said mold.