Patent US3890075A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3890075A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Transfer mechanism for structural members
Assignee: AUTOMATED CONSTRUCTION IND Inc
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Filing: 1974-02-25
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Granted: 1975-06-17
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Expires: 1994-02-25
Abstract
Abstract An improved mass production assembly line is provided for fabricating building walls and similar structural members in molds by applying a hardenable polyester film to the cavity surfaces of mold halves, joining the mold halves and then introducing a mixture into the mold cavity to form a polyurethane foam. First and second rectangular fields of rollers, each mounted on a pedestal, are adapted to carry respective mating halves of each mold in a horziontal plane from a start end of the fields to the terminating end. The mold cavities face upwardly. The lower surface of each mold half has secured thereto elongated T-shaped bars. The bars are parallel with each other, and each bar is adapted to be carried by one line of rollers in a respective one of the fields. The parallel axes of the rollers are set to an exact height by means of a laser light source and photoresponsive means so that the upper edges of the rollers lie in the same horizontal plane. The bars of each mold half have flat smooth lower edges lying in the same plane so that they support the large (e.g., 12 feet X 20 feet), thin-walled molds with minimum distortion. Minimum force is required of the workers for manually moving each mold along the field length or stopping it at work stations positioned along the field. A transfer mechanism at the terminating end of the fields receives each pair of mold halves on horizontal arms thereof. The arms include rows of rollers for receiving and supporting the T-shaped bars and are pivotally mounted at their adjacent edges. The transfer mechanism moves the mold halves to a position adjacent the fields; and the arms are pivoted to juxtaposed vertical positions to bring the mold halves together. The mold halves are secured to each other; and in this vertical position they are carried on an additional row of rollers on the transfer mechanism. The joined mold halves are manually moved over the latter rollers from the transfer mechanism to a row of supporting rollers on the floor of a foaming station. Rollers mounted on vertical axes in opposed vertical planes on either side of the floor roller support the mold halves for easy manual movement without falling over. Foam is applied to the cavity in the mold halves via an opening in the upper surface thereof. After the cavity is filled the mold halves are moved along the assembly line to a subsequent station where the mold halves are separated to removed the fabricated wall. An overhead crane is preferably used to pick up the mold halves at the foaming station and move them to the mold separation station.
Inventors
- 👤 John Lorin Bourdo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 06:44
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C44/00; B29C44/02; B29C44/12; B29C44/1228; B29C44/1233; B29C33/00; B29C33/20; B29C33/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
289 words
A transfer mechanism for joining and transporting mating mold halves in which building walls are formed comprising: a main supporting frame; a pair of swing frame assemblies; means pivotally connecting adjacent ends of assemblies to the main frame for movement of the assemblies about respective axes between central parallel vertical positions facing each other and horizontal positions outwardly from the axes of the pivotal means; first hydraulically controlled telescoping cylinder and ram means for each assembly pivotally mounted on the main frame below the respective pivotal axis of the assembly and pivotally connected to the respective assembly; second hydraulically controlled telescoping cylinder and ram means for each assembly pivotally connected to the main frame and pivOtally connected to the respective assembly outwardly of the assembly axes; means including a pump for controlling the first and second cylinder and ram means to move the respective assemblies between said vertical and horizontal positions; a pair of elongated conveyors carried by each frame assembly in spaced relation parallel to each other and to the pivotal axes of the frame assemblies; said conveyors pairs adapted in said horizontal positions of the assemblies to receive mating mold halves and further adapted in said vertical positions of the frame assemblies to hold the mating mold halves against each other for securing the halves together; shoulder means on each frame assembly adapted to engage and support the respective inner mold half end as the mold half is raised from the horizontal to vertical positions with the assembly, and an additional conveyor carried by the main frame intermediate and parallel with the pivotal axes of the assemblies and adapted to engage and support the mold halves above said shoulder means as the assemblies approach their vertical positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
289 words
A transfer mechanism for joining and transporting mating mold halves in which building walls are formed comprising: a main supporting frame; a pair of swing frame assemblies; means pivotally connecting adjacent ends of assemblies to the main frame for movement of the assemblies about respective axes between central parallel vertical positions facing each other and horizontal positions outwardly from the axes of the pivotal means; first hydraulically controlled telescoping cylinder and ram means for each assembly pivotally mounted on the main frame below the respective pivotal axis of the assembly and pivotally connected to the respective assembly; second hydraulically controlled telescoping cylinder and ram means for each assembly pivotally connected to the main frame and pivOtally connected to the respective assembly outwardly of the assembly axes; means including a pump for controlling the first and second cylinder and ram means to move the respective assemblies between said vertical and horizontal positions; a pair of elongated conveyors carried by each frame assembly in spaced relation parallel to each other and to the pivotal axes of the frame assemblies; said conveyors pairs adapted in said horizontal positions of the assemblies to receive mating mold halves and further adapted in said vertical positions of the frame assemblies to hold the mating mold halves against each other for securing the halves together; shoulder means on each frame assembly adapted to engage and support the respective inner mold half end as the mold half is raised from the horizontal to vertical positions with the assembly, and an additional conveyor carried by the main frame intermediate and parallel with the pivotal axes of the assemblies and adapted to engage and support the mold halves above said shoulder means as the assemblies approach their vertical positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
The transfer mechanism of claim 1 further comprising: wheels carried by the main frame on axes parallel with the pivotal axes of the assemblies and adapted to support the main frame for movement on floor-mounted rails transverse to said wheel axes, and means, including a pneumatic-tired drive wheel carried by the main frame and adapted to engage the floor below the mechanism, for moving the transfer mechanism back and forth along the rails.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
140 words
A transfer mechanism for joining and transporting pairs of mating structure mold halves having dimensions as large as in the order of 12 by 20 feet, said mechanism comprising: a main frame; a pair of swing frames pivotally carried by the main frame on adjacent parallel axes and adapted in horizontal positions thereof to receive respective ones of said mold half pairs and adapted in vertical positions thereof to hold the mating mold halves in engagement with each other between the swing frames to permit clamping of the mold halves together; means connected to the main frame and to the swing frames for moving the swing frames between said horizontal and vertical positions, and conveyor means carried by the main frame between the swing frames for supporting the mating mold halves when the swing frames are in their vertical positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
140 words
A transfer mechanism for joining and transporting pairs of mating structure mold halves having dimensions as large as in the order of 12 by 20 feet, said mechanism comprising: a main frame; a pair of swing frames pivotally carried by the main frame on adjacent parallel axes and adapted in horizontal positions thereof to receive respective ones of said mold half pairs and adapted in vertical positions thereof to hold the mating mold halves in engagement with each other between the swing frames to permit clamping of the mold halves together; means connected to the main frame and to the swing frames for moving the swing frames between said horizontal and vertical positions, and conveyor means carried by the main frame between the swing frames for supporting the mating mold halves when the swing frames are in their vertical positions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The transfer mechanism of claim 3 further comprising: wheels mounted on the main frame adapted to support the main frame for movement along rails, and means including a pneumatic-tired drive wheel adapted to move the main frame along the rails.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
The transfer mechanism of claim 4 wherein the main frame moving means further comprises: mounting means rotably carrying the pneumatic tired drive wheel; spring means connected to the main frame and to the mounting means and urging the drive wheel into engagement with the floor; a hydraulic motor carried by the mounting means, and means providing a drive coupling between the motor and the drive wheel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
72 words
The transfer mechanism of claim 3 adapted to join and transport mold halves having T-shaped bars secured thereto to inhibit warping of the mold halves, said mechanism further comprising: rows of parallel rollers carried by each swing frame, each row adapted to receive thereon one of the T-shaped bars, whereby the mold halves can be manually moved onto the swing frames with minimum friction and with minimum distortion of the mold halves.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The transfer mechanism of claim 6 wherein the rows of rollers engage the T-shaped bars in the vertical positions of the swing frames and force the pair of mold halves into engagement with each other so that they can be secured together.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The transfer mechanism of claim 7 further comprising: manually adustable stops carried by each swing frame adapted to engage and position sides of the pair of mold halves to aligN them for subsequent connection to each other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
81 words
The transfer mechanism of claim 3 wherein the swing frame moving means comprises: first hydraulically controlled telescoping cylinder and ram means pivotally connected to the main frame and to one of the swing frames; second hydraulically controlled telescoping cylinder and ram means pivotally connected to the main frame and to the other swing frame, and means selectively supplying hydraulic actuating fluid to the first and second cylinder and ram means for moving the swing frames between their vertical and horizontal positions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
179 words
The transfer mechanism of claim 3 wherein the swing frame moving means comprises: a first pair of hydraulically controlled telescoping cylinder and ram assemblies, each pivotally connected to the main frame below the pivotal axis of one of said swing frames and each pivotally connected to the one swing frame; a second pair of hydraulically controlled telescoping cylinder and ram assemblies, each pivotally connected to the main frame outwardly from said pivotal axis and each pivotally connected to the one swing frame; a third pair of hydraulically controlled telescoping cylinder and ram assemblies, each pivotally connected to the main frame below the pivotal axis of the other swing frame and each pivotally connected to the other swing frame; a fourth pair of hydraulically controlled telescoping cylinder and ram assemblies, each pivotally connected to the main frame outwardly from the pivotal axis of the other swing frame and each pivotally connected to the other swing frame, and means selectively supplying hydraulic actuating fluid to the cylinder and ram assemblies for moving the swing frames between their vertical and horizontal positions.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-16 | 1978-12-16 | 1979-06-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-16 | 1982-12-16 | 1983-06-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-16 | 1986-12-16 | 1987-06-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |