Moulding of concrete walls

Abstract

A method and apparatus for moulding concrete walls and for forming a mould assembly for moulding concrete walls using a pair of spaced moulds ( 11 ) formed by a plurality of mould panels ( 12 ) and ( 13 ) which have peripheral portions which overlap. Interconnecting pins ( 28 ) extend between the moulds ( 11 ) passing through the overlapping portions of the panels ( 12 ) and ( 13 ) to interconnect at least adjacent side by side mould panels ( 12 ) and ( 13 ) and space the moulds ( 11 ) from each other. Supporting frames ( 48 ), ( 49 ) or ( 60 ) form a supporting grid to support the moulds ( 11 ) at least at one side in an upright attitude.

1 . A method of constructing a wall of concrete or other settable material, said method including the steps of 
 providing first and second moulds, each said mould comprising a plurality of mould panels, each said mould panel having a moulding surface,    arranging said mould panels relative to each other such that peripheral portions of adjacent said mould panels overlap and said moulding surfaces are substantially coplanar to define mould faces of said first and second moulds,    providing interconnecting means for holding said moulds at a desired spacing to define a mould cavity therebetween, said interconnecting means extending through said overlapping portions of said mould panels to interconnect at least adjacent side by side mould panels in each said mould,    depositing concrete or other settable material into said mould cavity to form said wall, and    removing said moulds after curing of said concrete or settable material.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said interconnection means interconnects said moulds and mould panels in such a manner as to prevent movement of said mould faces transversely away from each other but permitting limited movement of said panels longitudinally relative to each other.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2  and including the step of providing flexible or elastic means between mating edges of the mould panels to accommodate said limited longitudinal movement thereof.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 2  or  claim 3  wherein said wall is constructed upon an existing floor and wherein said method includes the step of providing an impervious membrane or layer between said floor and moulds to permit a constructed wall to move relative to said floor.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to any one of  claims 1  to  4  and including the step of providing reinforcing between said moulds prior to depositing of the concrete or other settable material.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to any one of  claims 1  to  5  wherein said interconnecting means comprise elongated connectors and wherein said panels include apertures in said peripheral portions, and wherein opposite ends of said elongated connectors are passed through aligned said apertures in said overlapping portions of said panels to interconnect said panels and said moulds.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein at least some of said apertures carry flexible bushes or inserts and wherein said ends of said connectors are passed through said flexible bushes or inserts.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein said ends of said elongated connectors are removed after curing of said concrete or other settable material.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus for forming walls of concrete or other settable material, said apparatus including first and second moulds, each said mould having a mould face defined by a plurality of mould panels, each said mould panel having a moulding surface, the peripheral portions of adjacent said mould panels overlapping each other and said moulding surfaces being substantially coplanar to define mould faces of said first and second moulds, and interconnecting means holding said moulds at a desired spacing to define a mould cavity therebetween, said interconnecting means extending through said overlapping peripheral portions of said mould panels to interconnect at least adjacent side by side said mould panels  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein said panels are interconnected by said interconnecting means in such as manner as to permit limited movement of said mould panels relative to each other in a direction parallel to said mould face.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 10  and including flexible or elastic means between mating edges of said mould panels to accommodate said limited movement between said mould panels.  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 9  to  11  wherein one or both said moulds are supported in an upright position by at least one support post or frame, said mould or moulds being connected to said at least one support post or frame by said interconnecting means.  
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein a plurality of support posts or frames are provided and adjacent support posts or frames are interconnected by elongated spanning members which hold said posts or frames at a fixed spacing relative to each other.  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 9  to  13  wherein said peripheral portions of said mould panels are provided with a plurality of apertures therethrough, apertures in adjacent said panels being aligned when said peripheral portions thereof overlap and wherein said interconnecting means comprise elongated connectors which extend into opposite aligned apertures in opposite mould panels.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein said elongated connectors are provided with flanges which abut the mould faces to hold said moulds at a desired spacing.  
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein said elongated connectors have ends which project through said aligned apertures and wherein stop means engaged with said pin ends hold said panels to said elongated connectors.  
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein said pin ends include enlarged diameter bosses adjacent said flanges for location in said apertures, said bosses being of a length slightly greater than the width of joined panels.  
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to  claim 17  wherein said ends of said elongated connectors are separable from the remainder of the elongated connectors adjacent said flanges to leave a surface substantially flush with the outer surface of the wall being moulded.  
     
     
         19 . Apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein said elongated connectors are necked or undercut adjacent said flanges to facilitate separation of said ends  
     
     
         20 . Apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein said each said connector comprise an elongated sleeve having a said flange at opposite ends thereof and an elongated pin removably received within said sleeve, said pin projecting beyond said flanges to define said ends of said connectors.  
     
     
         21 . Apparatus according to  claim 20  and including bungs receivable in opposite ends of said sleeve upon removal of said elongate pin to close said ends of said sleeve adjacent to said flanges.  
     
     
         22 . Apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein said elongated pin comprises an inner pin member and an outer tubular sleeve member surrounding said inner pin member and being of a length greater than said elongated sleeves to define bosses for location in said aligned apertures.  
     
     
         23 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 16  to  22  wherein said ends include at least one slot for receiving a stop member therethrough defining said stop means.  
     
     
         24 . Apparatus according to  claim 23  wherein said stop member is of a wedge-shaped or tapering configuration for wedging into said slot.  
     
     
         25 . Apparatus according to  claim 23  wherein a pair of spaced slots are provided in at least one end to locate said stop members at different positions in said ends.  
     
     
         26 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 16  to  18  wherein said ends have one or more flats for cooperation with a socket of a tool and whereby the tool may be twisted or rotated to effect separation of said ends of said elongated connectors.  
     
     
         27 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 16  to  22  wherein said ends are threaded and wherein said stop means comprise nuts threadably engageable with said ends.  
     
     
         28 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 15  to  27  wherein said stop means when engaged with said ends allow said panels to move longitudinally of said mould faces and transversely of said connectors.  
     
     
         29 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 14  to  28  wherein at least some of said apertures in said panels are provided with a flexible bush or insert to receive said ends of said elongated connectors.  
     
     
         30 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 14  to  29  wherein said panels include outer flanges which overlap and wherein said apertures in the panels are provided in said flanges, said apertures in adjacent panels being aligned when the flanges overlap each other.  
     
     
         31 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 9  to  30  wherein said panels are substantially rectangular and wherein the corners of the flanges of at least some of the panels are truncated at 45 degrees to allow cooperation which adjacent diagonally arranged panels.  
     
     
         32 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 9  to  30  wherein said panels are of a curved configuration for forming moulds of curved configuration to form curved walls.  
     
     
         33 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 9  to  32  and including reinforcing between said moulds, said reinforcing including a plurality of vertical reinforcing members.  
     
     
         34 . Apparatus according to  claim 33  wherein said vertical reinforcing members are secured to upwardly projecting starter bars and wherein resilient sleeves are provided over the starter bars to allow for independent expansion movement of the concrete wall.  
     
     
         35 . Apparatus according to  claim 33  wherein said wall is erected on a floor slab and wherein mounts are provided in said floor slab for supporting said vertical reinforcing members, said mounts allowing limited movement of said reinforcing and thus said wall relative to said floor slab.  
     
     
         36 . Apparatus according to  claim 35  wherein each said mount comprises a base member which is anchored in the slab and a coupling member which is supported for limited horizontal and vertical movement relative to the base member.  
     
     
         37 . Apparatus according to  claim 36  wherein said coupling member includes a plate carrying a socket for engagement by a vertical reinforcing member and wherein said base member captures said plate.  
     
     
         38 . Apparatus according to  claim 37  wherein said base member includes first and second plates located above and below said coupling plate.  
     
     
         39 . Apparatus according to  claim 37  or  claim 38  wherein said socket projects above said slab and a cover seals the socket to said base member to prevent ingress of concrete or other settable material into said mount.  
     
     
         40 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 37  to  39  wherein resilient pads are provided to limit movement of said coupling member.  
     
     
         41 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 9  to  40  wherein said wall is formed directly on a floor slab.  
     
     
         42 . Apparatus according to  claim 41  and including external clamp means for holding said moulds to a floor.  
     
     
         43 . Apparatus according to  claims 9  to  41  wherein said wall is erected on a floor slab and including an impervious membrane or layer which is applied said floor slab prior to pouring of the concrete or other settable material to allow the formed wall to expand independently of the slab.  
     
     
         44 . Apparatus according to  claim 41  or  claim 43  and including a door frame for defining a door opening through a said wall, said door frame being located between opposite said moulds prior to pouring of concrete or other settable material into said mould cavity.  
     
     
         45 . Apparatus according to  claim 44  and including a reinforcing link located within said slab and extending between said door opening and into said mould cavity on opposite sides of said door opening.  
     
     
         46 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 9  to  45  and including first and second aligned frames positioned adjacent opposite said moulds and there being provided infill panels extending between said first and second frames and defining a window opening.  
     
     
         47 . Apparatus according to  claim 46  wherein diagonally arranged mould panels defining corners of said widow opening are mitred to mate at two mutually perpendicular edges, said panels having mating flanges for overlapping by a further mould panel which defines with said corner mould panels part of a said mould face.  
     
     
         48 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 9  to  45  and including a frame for defining a window opening, said frame being located between opposite side moulds prior to pouring of concrete or other settable material into said mould cavity.  
     
     
         49 . Apparatus according to  claim 48  wherein said frame includes a sill defining member, said sill defining member having one or more closable air expulsion openings therein to permit expulsion of air during moulding.  
     
     
         50 . Apparatus according to  claim 49  wherein said sill defining member is provided with one or more access openings and there being provided means for closing said openings.  
     
     
         51 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 9  to  50  and including an expansion joint incorporated into said moulds to separate said moulds into adjacent mould sections, said expansion joint including complementary end members secured to adjacent mould sections and having cooperable configurations to maintain said mould sections in longitudinal alignment.  
     
     
         52 . Apparatus according to  claim 51  and including a resiliently compressible material between said end members.  
     
     
         53 . Apparatus according to  claim 51  or  52  and including means spanning said adjacent mould sections at said expansion joint for limiting longitudinal movement of said mould sections away from each other.  
     
     
         54 . Apparatus according to  claim 9  and including an end member secured to a free end of said moulds to define a moulded said wall as a buttress wall.  
     
     
         55 . Apparatus according to  claim 9  and including a pair of angled corner mould panels joined to and aligned with the respective said moulds by bridging members to define a corner of a moulded wall.  
     
     
         56 . Apparatus according to  claim 9  and including T-junction defining mould panels comprising a first planar mould panel and a pair of opposite right angled mould panels, said planar mould panel being aligned with and secured to one said mould and said angled mould panels being aligned with and secured to the other said mould to define walls extending at right angles to each other.  
     
     
         57 . Apparatus according to  claim 41  or  claim 43  and including a conduit spanning the junction between said floor slab and wall cavity, opposite ends of said conduit being connected to flexible conduits for carrying cables or pipes.  
     
     
         58 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 9  to  57  and including one or more further curved moulding members or inserts adapted for location between said moulds for forming an arch in a formed said wall.  
     
     
         59 . Apparatus according to any one of  claims 9  to  58  and including one or more further moulding members or inserts adapted for location between said moulds to form a gable in a formed said wall.  
     
     
         60 . A method of erecting a mould assembly for constructing a wall of concrete or other settable material, said method including the steps of providing first and second moulds, each said mould comprising a plurality of mould panels, each said mould panel having a moulding surface, 
 arranging said mould panels relative to each other such that peripheral portions of adjacent said mould panels overlap and said moulding surfaces are substantially coplanar to define mould faces of said first and second moulds,    providing interconnecting means for holding said moulds at a desired spacing to define a mould cavity therebetween, said interconnecting means extending through said overlapping portions of said mould panels to interconnect at least adjacent side by side mould panels in each said mould.    
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60  wherein said interconnection means interconnects said moulds and mould panels in such a manner as to prevent movement of said mould faces transversely away from each other but permitting limited movement of said panels longitudinally relative to each other.  
     
     
         62 . A method according to  claim 61  and including the step of providing flexible or elastic means between mating edges of the mould panels to accommodate said limited longitudinal movement thereof.  
     
     
         63 . A method according to any one of  claims 60  to  62  wherein said interconnecting means comprise elongated connectors and wherein said overlapping peripheral portions of said panels include aligned apertures, and wherein opposite ends of said elongated connectors are passed through said aligned said apertures to interconnect said panels and said moulds.  
     
     
         64 . A method according to  claim 63  and including the step of providing at least one support frame for supporting one or both said moulds in an upright position, and wherein at least one said end of a said elongated connector is passed through an aperture in said support frame to secure said mould to said support frames.  
     
     
         65 . A method of erecting a mould assembly for constructing a wall of concrete or other settable material, said method including the steps of arranging at least one pair of mould panels in a desired spacing to define a mould cavity therebetween, said mould panels having apertures therein, the apertures in the respective mould panels being transversely aligned with each other, providing flexible elements within said apertures, providing interconnecting means between said mould panels for holding said mould panels at said desired spacing, said interconnecting means extending through said flexible elements and apertures in said spaced mould panels, whereby to permit limited longitudinal movement of said mould panels relative to said interconnecting means.  
     
     
         66 . A method according to  claim 65  and including the step of arranging a plurality of mould panels in an edge-to-edge mating relationship and providing flexible or elastic means between mating edges of the mould panels to accommodate said limited longitudinal movement thereof.  
     
     
         67 . A method according to  claim 66  and including the step of providing a plurality of upright support means for supporting said mould panels in an upright attitude, and securing said interconnecting means to said support means on at least one side of said mould panels.  
     
     
         68 . A method according to  claim 67  and including the step of providing elongated spanning members for spanning said upright support means and interconnecting said elongated members to said upright support members to form a support grid for said panels.  
     
     
         69 . A method according to  claim 68  and including the step of securing a plurality of elongated upright members to said upper and lower elongated spanning members between said upright support means.  
     
     
         70 . A method according to  claim 69  and including the step of securing said elongated spanning members to said upright support means and said elongated upright members to said upper and lower spanning members with said interconnecting means.