Arrangement for casting concrete products

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for casting concrete products, which comprises at least one central transfer wagon movable on a path on a center process line for moving the molds/mold tables from one work station for a process stage to another work station on a main level of the production process line, which work stations are located along the path of the central transfer wagon on at least at one side of the path of the center process line. At least one of the central transfer wagons of the arrangement comprises a lifting mechanism by which the molds/mold tables are liftable to at least one upper level.

Claims

1. An arrangement for casting concrete products, which comprises: a main process level located on a first floor and comprising a first plurality of work stations; at least one upper process level located on a second floor above the first floor and comprising a second plurality of work stations for overcoming limitations of a floor space of the main process level; and at least one central transfer wagon movable on a path on a center process line of the main process level for moving molds or mold tables or both from one work station for a process stage to another work station, where the one and the other work stations are corresponding work stations out of the first and second pluralities of the work stations located on one or both sides of the path on the first or the second floor for performing corresponding steps of a process for the casting concrete products, wherein the at least one of the central transfer wagons of the arrangement comprises a lifting mechanism by which the molds or the mold tables or both are liftable to the at least one upper process level on the second floor, and a cross transfer mechanism is configured to move the molds or the mold tables or both to or from any of work stations located on the one or both sides of the path on the first or the second floor, and wherein the at least one upper process level comprises at least one opening in the second floor for passing through the molds or the mold tables or both by the lifting mechanism of the central transfer wagon and a locking mechanism for fastening the molds or the mold tables or the both to the at least one upper process level on the second floor.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a station out of the first and second pluralities of the work stations is configured to be used for a corresponding process stage, for a storage or for an exchange of mold tables between central transfer wagons.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the central transfer wagon comprises a longitudinal transfer mechanism by which the mold tables and molds are moved in and from the central transfer wagon in a longitudinal direction along the pass.

4. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the longitudinal transfer mechanism, the cross transfer mechanism or both are located on the lifting mechanism providing transfers of the mold table onto and from the central transfer wagon on the at least one upper process level of the second floor as well as on the main process level of the first floor.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement comprises an intermediate level between the main level and the at least one upper level for placing further work stations.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement comprises at least one turning/tilting station located at least at one of the ends of the center process line.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising safety means for providing personnel's safety.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second plurality of work stations doubles a total number of work stations on the first and second floors relative to a number of the first plurality of work stations.

9. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one central transfer wagon is movable on rails or guides.

10. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one central transfer wagon comprises the cross transfer mechanism.

11. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising an upper level cross transfer mechanism configured to move the molds or the mold tables or both to a corresponding work station on the second floor.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following the invention and its advantages are explained in greater detail below in the sense of examples and with reference to accompanying drawings, where

(2) in FIGS. 1A-1C is schematically shown an example of a casting production process line, in which the present invention is utilized and

(3) in FIG. 2 is schematically shown an example of a central transfer wagon with a lifting mechanism according to an example of the arrangement according to the present invention.

(4) In the figures the corresponding elements, parts and part components of the arrangement are denoted by same reference signs in the figures unless otherwise mentioned.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) In the example of FIGS. 1A-1C the production process line is a center conveyance line with work stations 24 located on both longitudinal sides of the path of the central transfer wagon 20 in the center process line 12. In FIG. 1A is shown the part of the production process line located at the main level 10 seen from above and in FIG. 1B is shown the production process line seen from side and in FIG. 1C is shown the part of the production process line located at the upper level 20. In this example the production process line comprises two levels but it can also comprise more levels.

(6) The central transfer wagon 20 is movable on longitudinal path on the center process line 12 located centrally between on both sides of the path located work stations 24. The work stations 24 are located on each side on a row with several work stations 24 next to each other. On either or on both sides of the center process line 12 there may be more than one row of work stations 24. At either or at both ends of the center process line 12 a turning station 26 may be located. The central transfer wagon 20 is depending on the process stage provided with the mold table/the mold 25. The central transfer wagon 20 comprises longitudinal transfer mechanism 23, cross transfer mechanism 22 and lifting mechanism 21. By the longitudinal transfer mechanism 23 the mold tables 25 are moved in and from the central transfer wagon 20 in longitudinal direction. By the cross transfer mechanism 22 the mold table (with or without the mold depending on the process stage) 25 is moved to a work station 24 or fetched from a work station 24 on either side of the center process line 12 as required by the process stage to be performed. By the lifting mechanism 21 the mold table 25 is lifted from the main process level 10 to an upper process level 11 or fetched from the upper process level 11 and returned to the main process level 10.

(7) As can be seen from FIGS. 1B-1C the upper process level 11 comprises openings 15 through which the mold table 25 is moved to the upper level 11. The mold table 25 may be attached at the opening 15 by a locking mechanism 17 for the process stage to be performed at this upper level work station 24. Or it may be moved in cross direction by an upper level cross transfer mechanism 27 to a work station 24 on the upper level 11 located next to the opening 15. At the opening 15 is located safety means, for example guard rails 16 by which the safety of personnel is ensured.

(8) In the example of FIG. 2 the central transfer wagon 20 comprises a lifting mechanism 21 with an actuator 29 for lifting the mold table 25 to an upper level 11 from the main level 10 and for lowering the mold table 25 from the upper level 11 to the main level 10 onto the central transfer wagon 20. In the central transfer wagon 20 the cross transfer mechanism 22 can be arranged on the top of the lifting mechanism 21 and thus no separate upper level lifting mechanism 27 is needed. The longitudinal transfer mechanism 23 can also be provided on the lifting mechanism 21.

(9) As shown in the example of the figures the arrangement for casting concrete products comprises a central transfer wagon 20 movable on a path of the center process line 12 for moving the molds/mold tables 25 from one work station 24 for a process stage to another work station 24 on a main level of the production process line, which work stations 24 are located along the path of the central transfer wagon 20 on at least at one side of the center process line 12, advantageously on both sides. The central transfer wagon 20 comprises the lifting mechanism 21 with on actuator 29 by which the mold table 25 can be lifted to a work station 24 located in the upper level 11 above the main level 10 of the production process line, advantageously located one floor above the main level 10.

(10) The arrangement thus comprises at least two process levels: main process level 10 and at least one upper level 11, which upper level 11 comprises at least one opening 15 for passing through the mold table 25 by the lifting mechanism 21 of the central transfer wagon 20 and locking means 17 by which the mold table 25 is fastened on the upper level 11 and thus releasing the central transfer wagon 20 for other transportation needs of the production process line, for example transfers of other mold tables 25 on the main level 10, and safety means 16 by which the safety of personnel is ensured.

REFERENCE SIGNS USED IN THE DRAWING

(11) 10 main level 11 upper level 12 center process line 15 opening 16 guard rails 17 locking mechanism 20 central transfer wagon 21 lifting mechanism 22 cross transfer mechanism 23 longitudinal transfer mechanism 24 work station 25 mold/mold table 26 tilting table 27 upper level cross transfer mechanism 29 actuator