Curb mold and extruding system

• US 6,540,435 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2000
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rodolfo Lizarraga
• Original Assignee: Rodolfo Lizarraga
• Inventors: Lizarraga, Rodolfo
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartmann, Gary S.
• Application Number:
  US09/716,030
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 249/2, 249/8, 249/208, 404/98, 404/96, 404/105, 425/63, 425/64
• US Class Current: 404/98
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/4893 Apparatus designed for railless operation

Abstract

A molding device for placement of formed cementitious material such as concrete on a mounting surface. The device is used in combination with a supply of pressurized cementitious material communicated through a hose from a conventional cement pump or the like. It features a mold unit having an a compression chamber at a first end communicating with an extrusion chamber at a second end. Cement material is forced into the compression chambers from the cement pump and extruded from the exit orifice of the extrusion chamber. The device is propelled forward by the pressure from the injected cement against the front of the device and away from the formed material means control any upward travel of said mold unit caused by said internal pressure against said top wall. Weights may be added to the top of the device to limit upward travel and a steering mechanism may be added to the front of the device to steer it on a defined course. By making the extrusion chamber detachable from the compression chamber the device is reconfigurable to extrude different shaped concrete curbs.

Claims

1. A molding device for placement of formed cementitious material on a mounting surface for use in combination with a supply of pressurized cementitious material communicated through a hose comprising:

a mold unit, said mold unit defined by a sidewall extending from a top wall, said top wall having an interior surface and an exterior surface, said mold unit having a compression chamber at a first end communicating with an extrusion chamber at a second end, said extrusion chamber having an exit orifice, for the passage of formed material structure therethrough, said exit orifice defined by the termination of said sidewall and said top wall, at said second end;

an intake pipe, said intake pipe having a passage therethrough, said passage in communication with said compression chamber at a discharge aperture, said passage communicating between said compression chamber and an attachment end;

means of sealed attachment of a hose to said attachment end of said intake pipe;

means to vent gas collected from said cementitious material in said compression chamber to the atmosphere; and

means of propulsion of said mold unit away from said formed material structure during use whereby said pressurized cementitious material is communicated to said compression chamber and extruded as said formed material through said exit orifice at said extrusion chamber in the shape determined by the shape of said exit orifice.

2. The molding device as defined in claim 1 wherein said intake pipe has a plurality of said discharge apertures communicating with said compression chamber and said passage, each of said plurality of discharge apertures communicating said supply of pressurized cementitious material from said hose attached at said attachment end of said intake pipe.

3. The molding device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means of propulsion of said mold unit away from said formed material is provided by internal pressure of said pressurized cementitious material against said side wall and against said top wall of said mold unit thereby forcing said mold unit away from said formed material being extruded at a determined speed.

4. The molding device as defined in claim 3 further comprising:

means to vary said determined speed of said molding device.

5. The molding device as defined in claim 3 further comprising:

means for controlling upward travel of said mold unit caused by said internal pressure against said top wall.

6. The molding device as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for controlling upward travel of said mold unit caused by said internal pressure against said top wall comprises a variable weighting device comprised of a mounting bracket on the external surface of said top wall, said mounting bracket configured to cooperatively mount one or a plurality of weights.

7. The molding device as defined in claim 6 wherein said means to vary said determined speed of said molding device comprises one or a combination of varying the weight imparted by said variable weighting device and adjusting the pressure of said supply of pressurized cementitious material communicated to said compression chamber.

8. The molding device as defined in claim 1 further comprising an insertion tube communicating through said side wall, said insertion tube having an axial passageway therethrough sized to accommodate the diameter of a reinforcing bar to be inserted into said formed material.

9. The molding device of claim 8 wherein said axial passageway provides said means to vent gas collected from said cementitious material in said compression chamber to the atmosphere.

10. The molding device as defined in claim 1 further comprising means to steer said mold unit.

11. The molding device as defined in claim 10 wherein said means to steer said mold unit comprises:

at least one wheel attached to a wheel mount, said wheel mount communicating with a mounting bracket at a lower end of said mounting bracket, said mounting bracket having a handle on an upper end;

said mounting bracket attached to one end of said mold unit at a steering end of said mold unit; and

, said mold unit being steerable by communication of force to said bracket in the direction of desired travel.

12. The molding device as defined in claim 11 further comprising:

means to adjust the height of said mold unit at said steering end.

13. The molding device as defined in claim 12 wherein said means to adjust the height of said mold unit at said steering end comprises:

said handle cooperatively engages threads on said mounting bracket;

said wheel mount being hinged and attached to said mold unit at said steering end; and

said wheel mount being rotationally adjusted by engagement of said handle on said mounting bracket to different positions on said mounting bracket.

14. The molding device as defined in claim 12 wherein said means to adjust the height of said mold unit at said steering end comprises:

said mounting bracket having internal cooperative gearing; and

said mounting bracket capable of elongation by turning of said handle.

15. The molding device as defined in claim 12 further comprising:

attachment of said mounting bracket to said molding device having cooperating first and second mounts;

said first mount attached to said mounting bracket and said second mount attached to said molding device; and

said first mount laterally translatable in said second mount.

16. The molding device as defined in claim 1 further comprising a selectively engageable means to block said formed material from being extruded from said exit orifice.

17. The molding device as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

said compression chamber releasably attachable to said extrusion chamber.

18. The molding device as defined in claim 17 wherein said compression chamber is configured for releasable engagement with any one of a kit having a plurality of different shaped extrusion chambers;

and

said different shaped extrusion chambers capable of extruding said formed material in different shapes.

19. The molding device as defined claim 1 further comprising a means to guide said molding device along a predetermined path of travel.

20. The molding device as defined in claim 19 wherein said means to guide said molding device along a predetermined path of travel comprises a pair of elongated poles attached to said molding device parallel to each other;

and

a pair of notches in the distal end of each of said elongated poles, whereby a string may be strung to defined said predetermined path and said molding device may be kept on said predetermined path by maintaining said string inside both of said notches during travel of said molding device.