Apparatus and method for vertical slip forming of concrete structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9840053-B2
Application number	US-201414766550-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2014
Priority date	Feb 8, 2013
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

Apparatus ( 10 ) for vertical ( 72 ) slip forming of concrete walls and columns ( 55 ). The apparatus comprises an attachment portion ( 23 ) for a frame with a slipform assembly inside comprising an extrusion form providing side walls defining a cavity and actuators ( 20 ) to adjust the position of the side walls forms essentially arranged along the longitudinal axis of the slipform assembly. A concrete supply ( 45 ) is connected with the slipform assembly for delivering concrete ( 52, 53, 54 ) to that cavity through the top open surface. A mechanism ( 20 ) is provided for vertically displacing ( 72 ) that slipform assembly incrementally relative to the frame. Thus, a concrete structure ( 55 ) having a vertical orientation is continuously cast. The actuators ( 20 ) adjust the position of the side walls during the incremental vertical movement ( 72 ) of the slipform assembly to create new forms for a column or wall with variable diameter, variable form and/or twisted.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for vertical slip forming of concrete structure on a base comprising:
an attachment portion for a frame;
a slipform assembly having a top open surface and a bottom open surface and being connected with the frame;
concrete supply unit connected with the slipform assembly for delivering concrete to the slipform assembly through its top open surface as a gravity load;
a displacing unit for vertically displacing that slipform assembly incrementally relative to the base thereby to continuously or incrementally cast a concrete structure having a vertical orientation; and
a control unit,
wherein the slipform assembly comprises an extrusion form providing mould walls defining a cavity between the top open surface and the bottom open surface and actuators adapted to adjust the position of the mould walls essentially arranged along the longitudinal axis of the slipform assembly,
wherein the actuators are configured to adjust the position of the mould walls during the incremental vertical movement of the slipform assembly relative to the base,
wherein the control unit is connected to the actuators and adapted to generate and transmit control signals to the actuators causing the vertical incremental movement and to generate and transmit control signals to the actuators causing the adjustment of the position of the mould walls during the vertical incremental movement,
wherein the control unit is adapted to influence the control signals causing the vertical incremental movement and/or the adjustment of the position of the mould walls in function of the hardening of the concrete column leaving the apparatus at its bottom opening,
wherein the side walls of the slipform assembly form a cylindrical tube with a circular bottom surface and
wherein the actuators are adapted to change the diameter of the circular bottom surface.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the actuators are adapted to change said diameter parallel in time to the incremental vertical movement.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the actuators comprise a shutter system reducing the diameter of the inner cavity at the bottom surface.

4. An apparatus for vertical slip forming of concrete structure on a base comprising:
an attachment portion for a frame;
a slipform assembly having a top open surface and a bottom open surface and being connected with the frame;
concrete supply unit connected with the slipform assembly for delivering concrete to the slipform assembly through its top open surface; and
a displacing unit for vertically displacing that slipform assembly incrementally relative to the base thereby to continuously or incrementally cast a concrete structure having a vertical orientation,
wherein the slipform assembly comprises an extrusion form providing mould walls defining a cavity between the top open surface and the bottom open surface and actuators adapted to adjust the position of the mould walls essentially arranged along the longitudinal axis of the slipform assembly,
wherein the actuators are configured to adjust the position of the mould walls during the incremental vertical movement of the slipform assembly relative to the base,
wherein the actuators are adapted to move portions of the mould walls independently from other portions of the mould walls in a perpendicular direction relating to the longitudinal direction of the extrusion process in parallel to the incremental vertical movement,
wherein the mould walls comprise a side wall having an inner surface and provided with a foil, and
wherein the actuators are adapted to displace the foil from the inner wall of the slipform mould to reduce the diameter of the inner cavity near the bottom surface.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the actuators comprise a shutter system reducing the diameter of the inner cavity at the bottom surface.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the actuators are adapted to displace the open surface at the bottom level of the slipform assembly laterally offset from the initial position of said open surface at the bottom level of the slipform during the incremental vertical movement.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the actuators are adapted to rotate the slipform assembly relating to the longitudinal direction of the extrusion process parallel in time to the incremental vertical movement.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the actuators are adapted to tilt the slipform assembly relating to the longitudinal direction of the extrusion process parallel in time to the incremental vertical movement.

9. A method of vertical slip forming of concrete walls with a slipform apparatus comprising:
an attachment portion for a frame;
a slipform assembly having a top open surface and a bottom open surface and being connected with the frame;
concrete supply unit connected with the slipform assembly for delivering concrete to the slipform assembly through its top open surface; and
a displacing unit for vertically displacing that slipform assembly incrementally relative to the base thereby to continuously or incrementally cast a concrete structure having a vertical orientation,
wherein the slipform assembly comprises an extrusion form providing mould walls defining a cavity between the top open surface and the bottom open surface and actuators adapted to adjust the position of the mould walls essentially arranged along the longitudinal axis of the slipform assembly,
wherein the mould walls comprise a side wall having an inner surface and provided with a foil, and
wherein the actuators are adapted to displace the foil from the inner wall of the slipform mould to reduce the diameter of the inner cavity near the bottom surface,

the method comprising the steps of
providing the slipform apparatus at the place of the concrete form to be cast;
providing one or more batches of concrete with a predetermined hardening characteristic;
delivering the one or more batches of concrete to the supply unit of the apparatus; and
generating and transmitting control signals to the displacing unit for vertically displacing the slipform assembly for the incremental vertical movement as well as to the actuators to adjust the position of the side walls through displacing the foil from the inner wall of the slipform mould during the incremental vertical movement of the slipform assembly.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein additional control signals are generated and transmitted to the actuators, which are adapted to rotate and/or tilt the slipform assembly relating to the longitudinal direction of the extrusion process parallel in time to the incremental vertical movement.

Assignees

• Eth Zuerich

Inventors

• Gramazio Fabio
• Kohler Matthias
• Flatt Robert
• Kristensen Ena Lloret

Classifications

• E04B2/84

  Walls made by casting, pouring, or tamping in situ (E04B2/02, E04B2/56 take precedence; forms therefor E04G11/06; working of concrete or similar masses able to be cast or poured in situ E04G21/02) · CPC title

• B28B17/0081

  Process control · CPC title

• B29C39/44

  Measuring, controlling or regulating · CPC title

• E04G11/22 Primary

  Sliding forms raised continuously or step-by-step and being in contact with the poured concrete during raising {and which are not anchored in the hardened concrete}; Arrangements of lifting means therefor · CPC title

• E04G2021/049

  concrete mixing nozzles specially adapted for conveying devices · CPC title