Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for the continuous casting of a structural concrete wall including the steps of: mounting a work head on the distal end of an extendible boom mounted on the chassis of a moving vehicle, said work head being mounted for .[.movement about.]. .Iadd.rotation in .Iaddend.three axes relative to the boom, .Iadd.providing an excavator mounted on said work head, .Iaddend. .[.excavating.]. .Iadd.operating said excavator to commence .Iaddend.a trench .[.using an excavator mounted on said work head.]. .Iadd.by digging substantially vertically downward to one side of the chassis, .Iaddend. .Iadd.further operating said excavator to excavate said trench, .Iaddend. temporarily supporting the sides of the trench with moving formwork immediately following the excavator, pumping concrete under pressure into the formwork to fill the trench and stabilize the sides of the trench, and allowing the concrete to set to form the structural wall.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for the continuous casting of a structural concrete wall including the steps of: mounting a work head on the distal end of an extendible boom mounted on the chassis of a moving vehicle, said work head being mounted for .[.movement about.]. .Iadd.rotation in .Iaddend.three axes relative to the boom, .Iadd.providing an excavator mounted on said work head, .Iaddend. .[.excavating.]. .Iadd.operating said excavator to commence .Iaddend.a trench .[.using an excavator mounted on said work head.]. .Iadd.by digging substantially vertically downward to one side of the chassis, .Iaddend. .Iadd.further operating said excavator to excavate said trench, .Iaddend. temporarily supporting the sides of the trench with moving formwork immediately following the excavator, pumping concrete under pressure into the formwork to fill the trench and stabilize the sides of the trench, and allowing the concrete to set to form the structural wall.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
186 words
Apparatus for the continuous casting of a structural concrete wall including: a work head mountable on a movable vehicle; a continuous excavator on said work head adapted to dig a trench as said work head is advanced; formwork means on said work head immediately behind the excavator to support the sides of the trench as said work head is advanced; and means to supply concrete under pressure to the trench to fill the trench, stabilize the sides of the trench and form the wall; wherein said work head is mounted on the distal end of an extendable boom mounted for slewing and luffing movement on the chassis of the movable vehicle; said work head being mounted for movement in three axes relative to the boom includes: a housing pivotally mounted on the boom for pivotal movement relative to the boom about one of the horizontal axes; and a separate work head pivotally mounted on the housing for pivotal movement relative to the housing about the second of the horizontal aces, said separate work head unit being further rotatable about a vertical axis relative to the housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
186 words
Apparatus for the continuous casting of a structural concrete wall including: a work head mountable on a movable vehicle; a continuous excavator on said work head adapted to dig a trench as said work head is advanced; formwork means on said work head immediately behind the excavator to support the sides of the trench as said work head is advanced; and means to supply concrete under pressure to the trench to fill the trench, stabilize the sides of the trench and form the wall; wherein said work head is mounted on the distal end of an extendable boom mounted for slewing and luffing movement on the chassis of the movable vehicle; said work head being mounted for movement in three axes relative to the boom includes: a housing pivotally mounted on the boom for pivotal movement relative to the boom about one of the horizontal axes; and a separate work head pivotally mounted on the housing for pivotal movement relative to the housing about the second of the horizontal aces, said separate work head unit being further rotatable about a vertical axis relative to the housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein: the vehicle has a wheel- or track mounted chassis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein: sensor means are provided to monitor the orientation of said work head to the two horizontal axes of movement.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein: the excavator includes a continuous bucket excavator mounted vertically on the forward end of said separate work head unit, the excavator being adapted to excavate a trench as said separate work head unit is advanced.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 and further including: a reciprocating digger arm at the base of said separate work head unit adapted to dig a hole to enable said separate work head unit to be lowered into the soil at the commencement of the trench.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein: the formwork is of substantially U-shape in plan and open to the rear to enable the wall to be cast as said work head is advanced, the formwork having a pair of side plates interconnected by a dividing wall to separate the formwork from the excavator and, a top plate, the side plates supporting the sides of the trench and defining the side faces of the cast wall and the top plate defining the top face of the wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein: the means to supply the concrete under pressure includes a flexible hose connected to a concrete pump and having its outlet with the cavity defined by the formwork.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 and further including: at least one vibrator unit within the cavity defined by the formwork to compact the concrete as it is being cast.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
110 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein: a rotating laser is provided to establish the datum level of the wall and a fixed laser is provided to establish the datum line of the wall; the sensor means including sensors provided on said work head to detect the laser means generated by the rotating and fixed lasers; and a computer receives data from the sensors to determine said orientation of the work head relative to the datum level and line and is operable to cause movement of the boom and said separate work head unit to correct any deviation of the orientation of the work head from the datum level line.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and further including: sensors on the work head to monitor the orientation of said work head relative to the horizontal axis, said outputs from the sensors being fed to the computer for processing and control of the orientation of said work head.