US3790428A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for prefabricating vertical wall panels from blocks
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1971-10-05
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Granted: 1974-02-05
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Expires: 1991-10-05
Abstract
Abstract A device and method for prefabricating wall panels from blocklike articles comprising a first gripper for picking up rows of blocks from a storage area and placing them upon a conveyor belt so as to leave gaps between rows; a feeding device for supplying special blocks to at least partially fill these gaps, a mortar applying device which applies mortar to the upper faces of the rows of blocks and a second gripper for transferring the rows from the conveyor to a descending support device in which panels are created by stacking the rows. The panels may then be treated on one or both sides as with stucco. In addition, mortar may be supplied to individual rows or to the whole panel through a plurality of tubes which communicate with the facing edges of adjacent blocks and further, dividing or aligning plates may be associated with the second gripper to produce gaps in the rows to create a plurality of panels or an aperture within a single panel.
Inventors
- 👤 H Lingl
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 15:17
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04G; E04G21/00; E04G21/14; E04G21/16; E04G21/22; E04C; E04C2/00; E04C2/02; E04C2/04; E04C2/041; E04C2/042; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/10; Y10T156/1089; Y10T156/1092; Y10T156/17; Y10T156/1702; Y10T156/1744; Y10T156/1751; Y10T156/1761
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
245 words
A device for mechanically constructing vertical wall panels from blocks, comprising: a first mechanical gripper for picking blocks up from a stack or other transport and storage means, a sectional transport means arranged to receive blocks from said first gripper in rows, said transport device being furnished with a feeding means adapted to mechanically feed further blocks having different dimensions than said first-mentioned blocks into spaces between the rows of blocks, a mortar applying means which is arranged at a predetermined height above said sectional transport means for applying mortar to face portions of said rows of blocks which are being transported thereunder, a second mechanical gripper aligned with said rows of blocks beyond said mortar applying means for picking up said rows of blocks, and a descending support means arranged to cooperate with the seond mechanical gripper and to receive said rows of blocks from said second mechanical gripper, said descending support means being arranged to descend stepwise in sequence with transporting movements of said sectional transport means and said second mechanical gripper to build a vertical wall panel of blocks from said rows of blocks by placing each row on top of the preceding row, a horizontal transporter means adapted to receive said vertical panel from said descending support means and to transport the panel horizontally, and vertical transport means adapted to receive panels from said horizontal transporter means and to vertically move the vertical panel after its mechanical construction from said device.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
245 words
A device for mechanically constructing vertical wall panels from blocks, comprising: a first mechanical gripper for picking blocks up from a stack or other transport and storage means, a sectional transport means arranged to receive blocks from said first gripper in rows, said transport device being furnished with a feeding means adapted to mechanically feed further blocks having different dimensions than said first-mentioned blocks into spaces between the rows of blocks, a mortar applying means which is arranged at a predetermined height above said sectional transport means for applying mortar to face portions of said rows of blocks which are being transported thereunder, a second mechanical gripper aligned with said rows of blocks beyond said mortar applying means for picking up said rows of blocks, and a descending support means arranged to cooperate with the seond mechanical gripper and to receive said rows of blocks from said second mechanical gripper, said descending support means being arranged to descend stepwise in sequence with transporting movements of said sectional transport means and said second mechanical gripper to build a vertical wall panel of blocks from said rows of blocks by placing each row on top of the preceding row, a horizontal transporter means adapted to receive said vertical panel from said descending support means and to transport the panel horizontally, and vertical transport means adapted to receive panels from said horizontal transporter means and to vertically move the vertical panel after its mechanical construction from said device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
111 words
A device according to claim 1 in which: the sectional transport means comprises: a plurality of horizontal conveyor belts arranged in series, drives therefor and an automatic control means for controlling the drives of the belts to drive the last belt in the series with reduced speed relative to the other belts so that the rows of blocks are closed up to form continuous rows while moving under said mortar applying means, and wherein said feeding means is disposed at right angles to said conveyor belts at a position before the last belt of the series to feed said further blocks into spaces created between the rows of said first-mentioned blocks.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device according to claim 1 in which said mortar applying means is furnished with a scraping gate, adjustable in height above the sectional transport means, for applying the mortar at a precise height regardless of possible differences in the height dimensions of the blocks.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device according to claim 1 in which said feeding means is a further mechanical gripper which takes the further blocks from a supply belt and transfers them into spaces between the rows of said first-mentioned blocks.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
92 words
A device according to claim 1 in which said second mechanical gripper is arranged at the end of said sectional transport means, the length of said second mechanical gripper being approximately the same as the length of said descending support means, said second mechanical gripper further including movable aligning plates mounted perpendicularly to the gripping arms provided therein for widening spaces between said rows of blocks to predetermined values, said aligning plates being guided against adjustable stops to align said blocks as desired for each course of blocks in said wall panel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device according to claim 1 in which said second mechanical gripper is furnished with individual block grippers which can be drawn apart to space the blocks in a panel width course having even head joints.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device according to claim 1 including stops for the alignment of the rows of blocks in said second mechanical gripper in both directions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A device according to claim 1 in which the device is furnished with a head joint filling device with mortar feeding pipes equal to the number of the head joints to reach into said joints and to fill them with mortar.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device according to claim 1 including control system means for automatically controlling all steps of the operation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device according to claim 1 and wherein said vertical transport means is furnished with a stucco applying device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
191 words
ApparAtus for mechanically constructing a vertical wall section from blocks and mortar, said apparatus comprising: first means for mechanically forming rows of blocks, horizontal conveying means cooperating with said first means for horizontally conveying said rows of blocks, feeding means cooperating with said horizontal conveying means for mechanically inserting further blocks into spaces between said rows, said further blocks having different horizontal dimension than said first-mentioned blocks, mortar applying means disposed a predetermined height above said first horizontal conveying means for applying mortar to the top surface of said blocks as they pass thereunder, second means cooperating with said horizontal conveying means for mechanically transporting rows of blocks having overall lengths corresponding to a course of blocks in said wall section at a location after the blocks have passed under said mortar applying means, and a descending support means cooperating with said second means to successively receive said lengths of blocks, one length on top of another, as the support means descends stepwise between each successively received length of blocks whereby a vertical wall section is mechanically formed from said first-mentioned blocks and said further blocks on the descending support means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
191 words
ApparAtus for mechanically constructing a vertical wall section from blocks and mortar, said apparatus comprising: first means for mechanically forming rows of blocks, horizontal conveying means cooperating with said first means for horizontally conveying said rows of blocks, feeding means cooperating with said horizontal conveying means for mechanically inserting further blocks into spaces between said rows, said further blocks having different horizontal dimension than said first-mentioned blocks, mortar applying means disposed a predetermined height above said first horizontal conveying means for applying mortar to the top surface of said blocks as they pass thereunder, second means cooperating with said horizontal conveying means for mechanically transporting rows of blocks having overall lengths corresponding to a course of blocks in said wall section at a location after the blocks have passed under said mortar applying means, and a descending support means cooperating with said second means to successively receive said lengths of blocks, one length on top of another, as the support means descends stepwise between each successively received length of blocks whereby a vertical wall section is mechanically formed from said first-mentioned blocks and said further blocks on the descending support means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising: a further horizontal conveying means cooperating with said descending support means for recieving and horizontally transporting said vertical wall section after its mechanical construction on said descending support means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as in claim 12 further comprising: vertical transport means cooperating with said further horizontal conveying means for receiving and vertically transporting said vertical wall section from said further horizontal conveying means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as in claim 13 further comprising: surface finish applying means mounted to cooperate with said vertical transport means for applying a surface finish to a vertical surface of said vertical wall section as it is being vertically transported therein.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
98 words
Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein: said horizontal conveying means comprises three serial sections of independently controllable transport sections, the first and second sections cooperating to form spaces of predetermined dimensions between successive rows of blocks, said feeding means is disposed to insert said further blocks into such spaces formed on said second section, the second and third sections cooperating to accumulate all the blocks on said third section adjacent to one another, and sand mortar applying means in disposed over said third section to apply mortar to the top of the thusly closed-up rows of blocks thereon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as in claim 11 comprising a plurality of said second means and descending support means cooperating with the other recited means to increase the effective capacity of the apparatus.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said second means includes individual block gripping means which cooperate to mechanically space the head joints between such blocks by a substantially equal amount.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as in claim 11 further including head joint feeding pipes cooperating said second means for simultaneously filling the headjoints between such blocks with mortar.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-04 | 1977-08-06 | 1978-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-04 | 1981-08-06 | 1982-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-04 | 1985-08-06 | 1986-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |