METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLELEPIPED FORMWORK MODULES FOR CONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS, RESTRAINING WALLS, EMBANKMENTS, DYKES, ANTI-EROSION AND ANTI-SEISMIC FOUNDATIONS STARTING FROM OUT-OF-USE TIRES, AND RELATED FORMWORK MODULE

Abstract

A method for making substantially parallelepiped square cross-section formwork modules for building constructions, cut-off walls, embankments, dams, anti-erosion and anti-seismic foundations and/or the like, starting from used pneumatic tires, having at least the steps of: a) providing a used pneumatic tire deriving both from a periodic replacement of worn tires or from the rubber industry wastes or from the recovering of used pneumatic tires; b) removing from the pneumatic tire the two wall iron beads; c) performing cuts at diametrically opposite positions on the edges, wherein the cuts define cut-out regions separated by a middle solid region of the tire wall; d) removably mounting the pneumatic tire on basket-drum supporting means; and e) pressing in diametrical directions towards a center of the pneumatic tire the pneumatic tire tread portions near the cuts thereby causing the tire to assume a substantially parallelepiped configuration.

Claims

1. A method for making substantially parallelepiped square cross-section formwork modules for building constructions, cut-off walls, embankments, dams, anti-erosion and anti-seismic foundations and/or the like, starting from used pneumatic tires, characterized in that said method comprises at least the steps of: a) providing a used pneumatic tire deriving both from a periodic replacement of worn tires or from the rubber industry wastes or from the recovering of used pneumatic tires; b) removing from said pneumatic tire the two wall iron beads; c) performing cuts at diametrically opposite positions on the edges, said cuts defining cut-out regions separated by a middle solid region of the tire wall; d) removably mounting said pneumatic tire on basket-drum supporting means; e) pressing in diametrical directions towards a center of said pneumatic tire the tread portions of said pneumatic tire near said cuts thereby causing said tire to assume a substantially parallelepiped configuration, preferably of a square cross-section; f) pressing the corner regions of said substantially square configuration toward the center of said pneumatic tire and simultaneously continuing said pressing step thereby defining, at said cuts, hollow ribs of a substantially U-shape substantially extending through the overall width of said pneumatic tire, from a wall to the other wall of said pneumatic tire; g) providing a plurality of locking elements for locking the arms of each said rib and related connecting means; h) providing a corresponding plurality of substantially laminar flat upright elements; i) locking the arms of the U hollow rib of each said rib and simultaneously locking to each outer wall of each arm of said U of the two walls of each said rib a respective pair of said upright elements; l) introducing the pneumatic tire having assumed said substantially parallelepiped configuration, and supported by said supporting means, into a heating and/or cooking oven; m) withdrawing the pneumatic tire from said oven and cooling it to definitively fix said substantially parallelepiped configuration.

2. A method, according to claim 1, characterized in that each said locking element for locking the arms of each said rib comprises a substantially U-shape bridge metal element, having an integral plate base, with two plate arms extending perpendicularly from said base, each said arm having at least a throughgoing hole, said base having a projecting flat portion therethrough is defined a respective throughgoing opening and said connecting means comprising a bolt each engageable in a respective hole of each said arm and having a threaded end portion for an engagement with a corresponding locking nut.

3. A method, according to claim 1, characterized in that each said upright element is constituted by a flat laminar strip element preferably made of a same rubber of said pneumatic tire and having a height substantially greater than a width of said pneumatic tire, and each being adapted to be locked by respective bolts and nuts to the outer wall of each said U rib.

4. A method, according to claim 1, characterized in that said method comprises, immediately following said cooking step 1), a further step of applying to the processed wall of said pneumatic tire a wire bead element adapted to be affixed by a respective iron wire element and/or the like.

5. A method, according to claim 1, characterized in that said method further comprises, after said cooking step, a further bending step of bending at least the top side edge of said pneumatic tire.

6. An apparatus for carrying out the method according to claim 1, characterized in that said apparatus comprises, functionally intercoupled, a plurality of operating units each including removable supporting means for said pneumatic tire, adjusting and measuring means, pressing means, heating means, cooling means, unloading means and packaging means for packaging the parallelepiped formwork thus made.

7. An apparatus, according to claim 6, characterized in that said pneumatic tire supporting means comprise a basket-drum element, preferably having an octagonal configuration, with which are operatively associated centering and measuring means of said pneumatic tire and said pressing means, said pressing means supported by said basket being adapted to press at least four portions of said pneumatic tire tread arranged diametrically opposite by pairs.

8. An apparatus, according to claim 6, characterized in that said operating units are arranged and interconnected on-line and stacked thereby forming units of basket or drum columns for supporting said pneumatic tires.

9. A formwork structure, of a substantially parallelepiped configuration, preferably of a square cross-section, made from a used pneumatic tire by the method according to claim 1, characterized in that said formwork structure comprises a rubber formwork body being made substantially rigid and means for facilitating a stacking of a plurality of said formworks and their lockable coupling.

10. A building construction, a containment or cut-off wall, an embankment, a dam, anti-erosion and anti-seismic foundations and/or the like, each including a plurality of formwork structures, according to claim 9, being operatively intercoupled to one another and filled-in by an inert material of a high weight.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Further characteristics and advantages of the method, apparatus and formwork structure according to the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed disclosure of currently preferred embodiments of the invention, which are illustrated by way of an indicative but not limitative example in the accompanying drawings, where:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a used pneumatic tire to be subjected to the method for transforming it into a formwork, according to the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 2 is a further schematic top view of a possible configuration of the basket or drum of an apparatus for performing the main operating steps of the inventive method;

[0029] FIG. 3 is yet another schematic view showing the pneumatic tire mounted on the pneumatic support drum structure of FIG. 2;

[0030] FIG. 4 schematically shows a pressing of the used tire edges of FIG. 1;

[0031] FIG. 5 is a further schematic view showing a pressing of the tire also at its corner portions, in a substantially squared configuration;

[0032] FIG. 6 is yet a further schematic view showing another operating step of the method according to the present invention, immediately following the operating step shown in FIG. 5;

[0033] FIG. 7 shows yet another operating step of the method according to the present invention, immediately following the operating step of FIG. 6;

[0034] FIG. 8 shows the pneumatic tire substantially fully transformed into a formwork;

[0035] FIGS. 9 and 10 are detail views, showing locking means to be associated to the formwork thus made in order to lock hollow rib portions of said formwork, and to favor a stacking or piling up of a like formwork on the previously produced formwork;

[0036] FIG. 11 shows yet another operating step of the method, in which the fully formed formwork of FIG. 7 is introduced into a cooking oven;

[0037] FIG. 12 shows a further schematic view of the formwork exiting the cooking oven;

[0038] FIG. 13 shows a schematic top view of the formwork thus made, locked in its shape and being cooled, with means for favoring a stacking of a further formwork thereon according to the present invention;

[0039] FIG. 14 is a schematic perspective view of the formwork thus made, in a substantially rigid stabilized shape;

[0040] FIG. 15 is an exploded view showing a manner for overlapping or stacking two substantially identical formworks, made by the method according to the present invention;

[0041] FIG. 16 shows the two formworks as arranged onto one another and removably locked to one another; and

[0042] FIG. 17 shows a schematic perspective view of a possible application of a plurality of formworks of the present invention, as suitably stacked onto one another and being operatively connected to form, for example, a containment embankment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0043] With reference to the above mentioned figures, is herein shown a preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus and related formwork according to the teachings of present invention.

[0044] On the other hand, it should be apparent that this embodiment, which will be disclosed in a detailed manner hereinafter, is susceptible to several modifications and variations all coming within the scope of the inventive idea.

[0045] In particular, the apparatus shown by way of an example in the accompanying drawings may be easily modified to make formworks on an industrial making scale, that is by using or suitably modifying the several means schematically shown in the accompanying drawings, which will be disclosed, as stated, by way of an indicative but not limitative example only.

[0046] In FIG. 1, the pneumatic tire P is schematically shown by a top plan view.

[0047] In this connection, it should be apparent that the used pneumatic tire to be processed by the present invention could have a size ranging within a conventional size range of motor vehicle used pneumatic tires, which at present constitute, as previously mentioned, an enormous waste material mass.

[0048] Reverting to the above mentioned figures, as a starting step of the inventive method, on the pneumatic tire P walls are formed suitable pairs of cuts, for example constituted by generally trapezoidal cut-outs T1 and T2 and T1 and T2, diametrically vertically opposite with respect to one another; as well as further horizontal cut-outs, also diametrically opposite to one another and also having a substantially trapezoidal configuration, T3 and T4 and T3, T4.

[0049] As shown, between each pair of cut-outs T1 and T2 is provided a solid portion, of which only the rib T5 has been indicated.

[0050] Corresponding solid portions are also defined, with the disclosed cut-out configuration, between the other pairs of trapezoidal cut-outs.

[0051] This first operating method step, that is a performing of cut-outs through the pneumatic walls, may be preferably made even away from the plant in which are performed the other method steps, for example at the used pneumatic tire source, such as at the pneumatic tire dealers or makers.

[0052] Thus, it will be possible to maximize the pneumatic tire loading capability. From FIG. 1 it should be also apparent that from the pneumatic tire P have already been removed the usual metal bead wires (not shown).

[0053] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the basket or drum unit C supporting the pneumatic tire P, and including pressing jack elements 1, 2, 3 and 4 at the respective diametrical end portions of the body of the basket or drum C.

[0054] In FIG. 3 the pneumatic tire P is shown in its condition mounted on the basket or drum C which, in a preferred embodiment, will have a substantially octagonal configuration.

[0055] Moreover, the invention also provides to associate with said basket C further operating means which, in addition to centering the pneumatic tire, are also adapted to perform the required measurements, for example of the pneumatic tire diameter and/or width.

[0056] In this connection it should be noted that, even if the subject apparatus is disclosed with reference to a single operating unit, it could also comprise a plurality of like on line operating units, also arranged on different operating planes, to provide a column of on line processing molds or drums.

[0057] In FIG. 4 the pneumatic tire P is deformed under pressure at its diametrical vertical and horizontal portions, by the above mentioned jack elements 1, 2, 3 and 4, thereby gradually transforming from its starting circular shape into its parallelepiped target shape, for example of square cross-section, as desired.

[0058] This is achieved owing to the pressure provided by the diametrical jack pressing elements 1 and 2, according to the arrows F1 and F2, on the vertical diameter, and 3 and 4, according to the arrows F3 and F4, on the horizontal diameter.

[0059] In FIG. 5, the pressing method of the pneumatic tire is continued by using further substantially plate curvilinear pressing elements, indicated by P1, P2, P3 and P4, respectively (in a clockwise direction), cooperating with the diametrical pressing elements 1, 2, 3 and 4 to deform by pressure even the corners of the square shape.

[0060] In FIG. 6, with a continued operation of the diametrical pressing elements 1, 2, 3, 4 (arrows F1, F2, F3 and F4) in cooperation with the substantially curvilinear plate elements P1, P2, P3 and P4, at the pneumatic tire tread diametrical portions, the diametrical pressing elements 1, 2, 3 and 4, continuing their pressing operation, as shown by the respective arrows, will provide, by pressing toward the center of the pneumatic tire P a respective pneumatic tire tread portion, a hollow rib having a substantially U-shape cross section, substantially extending through the overall height or width of the pneumatic tire.

[0061] In FIG. 7, the pneumatic tire has assumed a substantially fully pressed configuration, which may be considered as having a substantially octagonal contour or profile with four substantially curvilinear sides having a respective size larger than that of the four sides where the mentioned U hollow ribs are defined.

[0062] At this time, according to a main aspect of the present invention, the mentioned U rib is properly locked in its U-shape, by locking or clamping elements schematically shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

[0063] More specifically, the locking element in FIG. 10 comprises a small bridge bracket, generally indicated by the reference number 5, of a substantially U-shape.

[0064] Such a U-shape comprise a plate base portion 6 and two further portions or arms 7 and 8, also of a substantially plate-like configuration, extending perpendicularly from the base portion.

[0065] The two arms 7 and 8 comprise two central holes 9 and 10, respectively, designed for receiving therethrough respective bolts 11 and 12.

[0066] This U-shape is locked by the above mentioned bridge-bracket element 5 and bolts 11 and 12, in cooperation with two upright elements M, of a substantially laminar flat configuration, and clearly shown in FIGS. 13 and 14.

[0067] Each pair of said upright elements M abuts against a respective wall of a corresponding rib N1, N2, N3 and N4 and, together with the rib, the uprights M extend substantially through the overall width or height of the pneumatic tire.

[0068] The removable locking of the upright elements M to said hollow U ribs is made by the corresponding bracket-bridge elements 5 and respective bolts 11 and 12 in turn locket by the respective nuts 13 (see FIG. 14).

[0069] From FIG. 14 it should be apparent that the pneumatic tire has assumed the substantially parallelepiped square hollow configuration, with its respective edge B suitably inward bent.

[0070] This configuration of FIG. 14 being moreover already clamped or made rigid by cooking the pneumatic tire in a cooking oven, on its related drum C, as shown in FIG. 11.

[0071] The temperature of the cooking oven, constituting an important processing parameter for processing the pneumatic tire according to the present invention, being selected by one skilled in the art depending on further related parameters, such as the pneumatic size, the type of rubber constituting the pneumatic tire, and so on.

[0072] Thus, from the preceding disclosure it should be apparent that the pneumatic tire processed by the method and apparatus according to the present invention will assume, at the end of the transforming method, the configuration shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, which may be considered a substantially rigid configuration, and this not only owing to a use of the disclosed locking elements, but also owing to the cooking operation in the cooking oven, which cooking will represent an indispensable operating step of the inventive method, as well as the following cooling step to further fix the end formwork shape.

[0073] In other words, the pneumatic tire, at this time, has been transformed into a substantially square cross-section parallelepiped formwork, including, at the square corners, the upright elements M locking, by pairs, each said corner rib N in cooperation with the small bridge plates 5.

[0074] From FIG. 10 it should be apparent that each said small plate 5 comprises an extension having a preferably triangular configuration of the base portion 6, integral with the base portion 6 itself, through the projecting portion of which is defined an opening, for example a triangular opening, and on which portion may bear, guided by the upright elements M, a like portion of a further like formwork which may be easily overlapped or stacked on the identical base formwork as disclosed and shown for example in the perspective view of FIG. 15.

[0075] FIG. 16 shows two overlapping or stacked formworks, the stacking of which is favored by the upright elements M of a pneumatic tire which may be easily and quickly threaded through threading portions of the top formwork module, the two formworks being abutted, in addition to their edges B substantially bent to a flat status, even on the small bridge plates 5, more specifically on their extension portions, thereby the triangular openings will facilitate a further stabilizing locking of the two substantially square formworks being stacked and bound, or connected, for example, by a simple connecting metal wire or band passing through the mentioned openings.

[0076] FIG. 17 shows a possible stacked and juxtaposed arrangement of a plurality of inventive formworks, to make an embankment generally indicated by the reference letter A, which is constructed by stacking the mentioned plurality of square cross-section formworks, as suitably filled-in by an inert material, preferably sand S or mortar material, or a concrete material and/or like inert material of a high weight.

[0077] One skilled in the art will easily understand that the making of the embanking A may be achieved in a very simple, quick and also automatic manner, owing to the facility with which the single formwork modules may be mutually automatically coupled and filled-in by the mentioned inert material S.

[0078] From the above disclosure it should be apparent that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects.

[0079] Although the invention has been disclosed with reference to a currently preferred embodiment thereof, the disclosed embodiment is susceptible to several modifications and variations, all coming within the scope of the invention.

[0080] In particular, the inventive method could be automated and controlled by an electronic processor, and the apparatus for carrying out the method may be designed with different configurations and could also comprise packaging means, for suitably packing the made formworks, and all coming within the scope of the inventive teachings.