Slipforming assembly

• US 9,228,300 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brian Scattergood
• Original Assignee: Brian Scattergood
• Inventors: Scattergood, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Addie, Raymond W
• Application Number:
  US14/274,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20150322633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 404/2, 404/4, 404/89, 404/98, 404/84.1, 404/105, 404/108, 404/118, 405/175, 405/179, 371/425
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/008 by reference lines placed along the road, e.g. wires co-operating with feeler elements E01C19/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/4886 for forming in a continuous operation kerbs, gutters, berms, safety kerbs, median barriers or like structures in situ, e.g. by slip-forming, by extrusion removable forms for kerbs, gutters or similar structures E01C19/506; making conduits in situ E02D29/10
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/4893 Apparatus designed for railless operation

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an assembly and method for slipforming a slot drain with concrete. The assembly includes a slipform paver, a movable sleeve adapted to fit over a void forming means, a first taut tether, sensing means and one or more actuators. The first taut tether is provided and maintained in an inclined or declined disposition to provide a parallel reference for guiding the sleeve which in use is driven forward by the slipform paver. The sensing means are adapted to receive guidance from the inclined or declined tether for dictating the elevations and dispositions of the sleeve. The one or more actuators are connected to the sleeve and adapted to be controlled by the sensing means to achieve the dictated elevations and dispositions of the sleeve.

Claims

1. An assembly for slipforming a slot drain with concrete, the assembly comprising:

a slipform paver;

a movable sleeve adapted to fit over a void forming means;

a first taut tether provided and maintained in an inclined or declined disposition to provide a parallel reference for guiding the sleeve which in use is driven forward by the slipform paver;

sensing means adapted to receive guidance from the inclined or declined tether for dictating the elevations and dispositions of the sleeve; and

one or more actuators connected to the sleeve and adapted to be controlled by the sensing means to achieve the dictated elevations and dispositions of the sleeve.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a slipforming mould configured to be driven forward by the slipform paver.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises a cylindrical pipe.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the pipe has a chamfered end configured to reduce concrete load on the cylindrical pipe during dispensing of the concrete.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the tether comprises a stringline held in place by a system of stakes and fastening means.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said one or more actuators comprises first and second actuators, the first actuator being associated with a first end of the pipe, the second actuator being associated with a second end of the pipe.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the first actuator is configured to actuate a first connecting means which is affixed to the first end of the pipe.

8. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the second actuator is configured to actuate a second connecting means which is affixed to the second end of the pipe.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second actuators is a hydraulic ram.

10. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the first and second connecting means are in the form of plates.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the plates are disposed perpendicular to one another, each plate being at least one of connected to or forming part of the slipforming mould.

12. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensing means comprises first and second sensing wands, each wand configured to ride beneath the stringline to receive guidance.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the first and second sensing wands are in electronic communication with a control means.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the first and second wands are configured for feeding signals to the control means via an amplifier to operate the first and second actuators, respectively.

15. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the first and second actuators are synchronised to place and maintain the forward moving cylindrical pipe in the inclined or declined disposition at a selected angle.

16. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the slipforming mould includes form guiding means adapted to define an upper portion of the slot drain.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein an uppermost surface of the upper portion forms a longitudinally level road surface.

18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the form guiding means are in the form of a pair of substantially L-shaped elongate brackets.

19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein each of the pair of L-shaped brackets comprises first and second limbs.

20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein each first limb is transversely slanted so as to form the uppermost surface capable of directing water flows towards the slipformed slot.

21. The assembly of claim 19, wherein each second limb is substantially vertically placed.

22. The assembly of claim 16, further comprising means configured to allow the form guiding means to be adjustably placed at a desired level.

23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the means include a pair of longitudinally elongate legs, each leg having a foot.

24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein each leg is extendably connected to the corresponding second limb of each L-shaped bracket.

25. The assembly of claim 23, wherein each leg is configured to be inwardly inclined so as to prevent excess concrete from escaping during slipforming.

26. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the foot of each leg is configured in use to rest on a base alongside the trench.

27. The assembly of claim 23, which includes a pair of activators adapted to allow manual control of each longitudinally elongate leg.

28. The assembly of claim 27, wherein the activators are provided towards the opposite ends of the longitudinally elongate leg.

29. A method of slipforming a slot drain with concrete, the method including the steps of:

providing a slipform paver;

fitting a movable sleeve over a void forming means;

providing and maintaining a first taut tether in at least one of an inclined or declined disposition to provide a parallel reference for guiding the sleeve which in use is driven forward by the slipform paver;

providing sensing means adapted to receive guidance from at least one of the inclined or declined first tether for dictating the elevations and dispositions of the sleeve; and

providing one or more actuators connected to the sleeve and adapted to be controlled by the sensing means to achieve the dictated elevations and dispositions of the sleeve.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of moving the slipform paver thereby causing the sleeve to move accordingly at a selected angle of inclination or declination along an excavated trench whilst the concrete is dispensed from a slipforming mould.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of running the slipform paver from pit to pit resulting in the slot drain having a changing fall or rise from pit to pit.