A portable hopper with vibration function for segment test block pouring

Abstract

The utility model provides a portable hopper with the function of pouring segment test block and carrying vibration, including hopper cavity, support leg, lifting lug, gate and electric vibrator, the upper portion of hopper cavity is rectangular or circular cavity, the lower portion of hopper cavity is the bucket -shaped cavity that gradually closes mouth from top to bottom, the bottom end of bucket -shaped cavity is the discharge gate, the inner wall of circular cavity and bucket -shaped cavity is smooth transition, the support leg is located at four sides of hopper cavity, the lowest end of support leg is lower than the discharge gate of hopper cavity, the top of each support leg is provided with lifting lug, the gate is provided at the discharge gate, the lower area between one pair or two pairs of support legs is provided with crossbeam handle part, is used for adjusting the discharge gate position under the state of suspension, the side portion of bucket -shaped cavity installs electric vibrator, this hopper has the advantages of higher pouring efficiency, construction cost reduction, does not occupy too much space, simple and easy to use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of tunnel construction technology, specifically to a convenient hopper with vibration function for casting test blocks of tunnel segments. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous expansion and innovation of tunnel construction technology, the support methods during tunnel excavation are also constantly being optimized. Generally speaking, support methods vary depending on the tunnel construction method. Manual drill-and-blast tunnels typically use initial shotcrete and rock bolt support, followed by secondary lining construction of the tunnel main body according to the design drawings. In addition to the shotcrete and rock bolt support method, TBM construction tunnels can also use precast concrete segment lining for tunnel support. Compared with shotcrete and rock bolt support, this method has advantages such as one-time tunnel forming, high support safety factor, and fast construction efficiency.

[0003] Once the precast concrete segment production line is constructed and commissioned, segment prefabrication can begin. On one hand, the entire segment production line can be tested to check whether it is operating normally and meets the segment production requirements. On the other hand, segment test rings can be produced to test the concrete strength, appearance, size, and quality of the segments, as well as whether the various indicators of the three-ring assembly test meet the design requirements.

[0004] In terms of existing technology, large-scale mechanical pumping of concrete is generally used in the concrete pouring stage of the tunnel segment test ring.

[0005] While the above methods offer fast pouring speeds and save on labor costs, they often face site constraints. Renting large machinery increases production costs due to daily billing, and is also subject to limitations in machinery availability and transportation. Some segment plants may not be able to provide sufficient space for concrete pouring operations, thus resorting to manual methods to assist in segment pouring.

[0006] However, if manual assisted pouring is adopted, the large size of a single segment makes it impossible to ensure the continuity of the pouring operation, resulting in low concrete pouring quality, which affects various technical indicators of segment production, and segment tests cannot be carried out normally.

[0007] To address a series of issues related to the quality, efficiency, and cost of casting the test rings for tunnel segments, a compromise solution needs to be found between manual casting and casting with large equipment. This solution should aim to achieve higher casting quality and efficiency compared to manual casting, while reducing construction costs. At the same time, it should also reduce the space requirements for the construction site compared to casting with large equipment. This issue is urgent. Utility Model Content

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a convenient hopper with vibration function for casting tunnel segment test blocks, which offers higher casting efficiency, lower construction costs, does not occupy too much space, and is simple and easy to use.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is: a convenient hopper with vibration function for casting test blocks of pipe segments, including a hopper cavity, support legs, lifting lugs, gate and electric vibrator;

[0010] The upper part of the hopper cavity is a rectangular or circular cavity, and the lower part of the hopper cavity is a bucket-shaped cavity that gradually narrows from top to bottom. The bottom end of the bucket-shaped cavity is the discharge port, and the inner walls of the circular cavity and the bucket-shaped cavity are smoothly transitioned.

[0011] The support legs are arranged on the four sides of the hopper cavity, and the lowest point of the support legs is lower than the discharge port of the hopper cavity.

[0012] Each of the aforementioned legs is provided with a lifting lug at its top;

[0013] A gate is installed at the discharge port;

[0014] A crossbeam handle is provided in the lower area between one or two pairs of outriggers for adjusting the position of the discharge port when suspended.

[0015] The electric vibrator is installed on the side of the funnel-shaped cavity.

[0016] Preferably, the volume of the hopper cavity is greater than the volume of concrete required for a single segment.

[0017] Preferably, the angle between the chute connecting the lower inner part of the bucket-shaped cavity to the discharge port and the vertical direction is no greater than 50°.

[0018] Preferably, the diameter of the discharge port is between 200mm and 400mm.

[0019] Preferably, the panel of the hopper cavity is a steel plate with a thickness of ≥6mm.

[0020] Preferably, the support leg is an equilateral angle steel.

[0021] Preferably, the upper outer side of the hopper cavity is surrounded by several layers of protective beams.

[0022] Preferably, the retaining beam is an angle steel, and adjacent retaining beams are welded together by arc-shaped steel sheets.

[0023] Preferably, the gate is a manually operated horizontal or vertical rotating gate.

[0024] Preferably, the handle of the gate extends beyond the outer wall of the hopper cavity.

[0025] This utility model has substantial features and advancements compared to existing technologies. Specifically, the hopper designed in this utility model is a suspended hopper that can be used in conjunction with cranes, overhead cranes, and other equipment on the construction site. Compared to traditional ground-mounted hoppers, it adds lifting lugs, an electric vibrator, and a crossbeam handle. The lifting lugs work in conjunction with the suspension mechanism, and the electric vibrator increases the vibration capacity of the hopper, thereby increasing the fluidity of the concrete. The addition of the crossbeam handle allows the operator to control the orientation of the discharge port and align it with the grouting hole of the segment mold.

[0026] Furthermore, to avoid interruptions during grouting, the volume of the hopper must be at least greater than the volume of a single concrete segment; to ensure the structural stability of the suspended hopper, angle steel is installed around the hopper as columns to ensure structural safety, while additional retaining beams are added to prevent horizontal expansion deformation of the hopper; the gate handle extends beyond the cavity, making it more convenient and less strenuous for technicians to operate. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a convenient hopper with vibration function for casting test blocks of pipe segments according to this utility model.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a top view of a portable hopper with vibration function used for casting test blocks of pipe segments according to this utility model.

[0029] In the diagram: 1. Hopper cavity; 2. Support leg; 3. Lifting lug; 4. Gate; 5. Handle; 6. Electric vibrator; 7. Crossbeam handle; 8. Enclosure beam; Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described in detail below through specific embodiments.

[0031] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a portable hopper with vibration function for casting test blocks of pipe segments includes a hopper cavity 1, support legs 2, lifting lugs 3, gate 4, and electric vibrator 5.

[0032] The upper part of the hopper cavity 1 is a rectangular or circular cavity, and the lower part of the hopper cavity 1 is a bucket-shaped cavity that gradually narrows from top to bottom. The bottom end of the bucket-shaped cavity 1 is the discharge port. The inner walls of the circular cavity and the bucket-shaped cavity are smoothly transitioned. Specifically, in this embodiment, the hopper cavity is made of 6mm thick steel plate welded together. The dimensions of the hopper in this embodiment are 1420×1420×1620mm (length×width×height). To ensure the smoothness of concrete pouring and avoid excessive accumulation of concrete in the hopper, the angle of the chute around the lower part of the hopper should not exceed 50° from the vertical direction. The diameter of the hopper discharge port should be about 300mm, not more than 400mm, and not less than 200mm. This prevents the hopper discharge port diameter from being too large, making it difficult to control the amount of concrete poured, and too small, causing concrete to accumulate in the hopper and easily leading to blockage.

[0033] The support legs 2 are arranged on the four sides of the hopper cavity, and the lowest end of the support legs is lower than the discharge port of the hopper cavity. In this embodiment, the support legs 2 are made of 100×100×10mm equilateral angle steel and are welded and fixed to the four corners of the hopper cavity 1.

[0034] Each of the outriggers 2 is equipped with a lifting lug 3 at its top, which is used in conjunction with suspension products such as horizontal cranes and hoists on the construction site to reduce the floor space occupied.

[0035] A gate 4 is provided at the discharge port. In this embodiment, the gate 4 is a manual gate, which is a horizontal or vertical gate that can be manually opened and closed. The handle 41 extends beyond the outer wall of the hopper cavity 1.

[0036] A crossbeam handle 6 is provided in the lower part between one or two pairs of outriggers 2, which is used to adjust the position of the discharge port in the suspended state. The crossbeam handle 6 can be made of steel bars. On the one hand, it is used to ensure the structural stability between the outriggers. On the other hand, its main function in this embodiment is to be used as a handle to adjust the position of the discharge port.

[0037] The electric vibrator 5 is installed on the side of the bucket-shaped cavity 1. During the concrete pouring process, the electric vibrator should be kept on continuously to increase the fluidity of the concrete.

[0038] Since the entire hopper is not used on the ground but suspended, it is necessary to ensure the structural stability of the hopper cavity to store enough concrete at a time and to prevent the hopper's shape from deforming during the suspension process. Therefore, several layers of protective beams 7 are arranged around the upper outer side of the hopper cavity. The protective beams 7 can be made of angle steel welded to the outer wall of the hopper. At the four corners, they are connected by arc-shaped steel sheets, so that the ring-shaped protective beams 7 form a whole, which greatly improves the stability.

[0039] Technical principle explanation:

[0040] Hopper size and processing material determined

[0041] The tunnel segment has an outer diameter of 5m, a wall thickness of 250mm, and a ring width of 1.5m. It is constructed using C60 unreinforced steel fiber reinforced concrete. Each ring of segments consists of four standard parallelogram segments and two wedge-shaped segments, totaling approximately 5.7m³ of concrete. Each parallelogram segment uses approximately 1.1m³ of concrete, and each wedge-shaped segment uses approximately 0.8m³. The wedge diameter is 50mm. Segments are connected by φ22mm straight-head bolts, and rings are connected by locating pins.

[0042] Based on the aforementioned construction conditions and the shape constraints of the segment mold, the hopper cannot be used on the ground and must be suspended using a suspension device. Therefore, a concrete hopper with a volume of approximately 1.8 m³ is proposed, with dimensions of 1420 × 1420 × 1620 mm (length × width × height). The hopper's external frame material is made of 100 × 100 × 10 mm equilateral angle steel, and the panel is made of 6 mm thick steel plate.

[0043] Hopper material feeding

[0044] Before cutting materials, technicians will brief the workers, prepare the necessary materials in advance, select skilled welders to carry out the work, cut each part according to the design drawings, and check whether the dimensions of each part are too large after completion. Cutting (material preparation) includes gas cutting and shearing. Before cutting, the plates or profiles should be leveled and straightened.

[0045] Hopper processing and manufacturing

[0046] Assembly: First, assemble the components on the ground and then spot weld them. Then measure their dimensions. If any excessive error is found, manually correct the components immediately. Finally, welding can begin.

[0047] Welding: Select personnel with excellent welding skills to perform the work, conduct visual inspection after welding, and then correct any local deformation.

[0048] Correction: From the start of assembly to welding, the dimensions of each component of the hopper must be measured and corrected throughout the entire process to ensure that the dimensions and shape of the components meet the design requirements of the drawings.

[0049] Surface treatment: After processing, all parts, components and components are cleaned by designated personnel to remove burrs, welding slag, spatter, dirt, etc., and undergo surface inspection.

[0050] Installation of remaining components

[0051] Once the main frame of the hopper is fabricated, the electric vibrator can be installed, the lifting lugs welded, and the discharge gate installed to facilitate subsequent concrete pouring operations. A 10T bridge crane from the segment plant is used to lift the hopper and move it under the segment mold, where concrete can then be poured.

[0052] This invention eliminates the need for large-scale mechanical pumping for tunnel segment test block concrete pouring, saving on machinery costs and solving the problem of insufficient space for concrete pouring. Furthermore, the hopper is inexpensive to manufacture, has a very short production period, and a convenient and stable structure. It boasts advantages such as stable structure, fast pouring speed, easy operation, low personnel requirements, and controllable concrete volume, resulting in highly satisfactory practical application.

[0053] This scheme was tested in the Polihali Water Transfer Tunnel (PTT) in Lesotho, a project approximately 38 km long that transports water from the Polihali Dam to the Katse Reservoir. The total TBM excavation length was 34 km, constructed using two double-shield TBMs working in opposite directions, with each TBM excavating 17 km. The tunnel was lined with precast C60 unreinforced concrete segments. The segments had an outer diameter of 5 m, a wall thickness of 250 mm, and a circumferential width of 1.5 m.

[0054] To ensure that all technical indicators of the tunnel segments meet the design drawings, test rings must be produced before formal production. Since the current tunnel segment production line lacks automated production capabilities, manual labor is required for casting the test rings. Furthermore, due to the small volume of concrete to be poured, this solution is adopted to reduce the investment in large machinery and save construction costs. A portable hopper with a vibration function is fabricated to ensure smooth concrete pouring. A gate switch at the discharge port controls the amount of concrete poured. Simply pour the mixed concrete into the hopper, then have it lifted to the pouring location by a 10T crane at the tunnel segment plant. Opening the gate switch at the discharge port easily completes the casting of the test tunnel segments.

[0055] Finally, it should be noted that: the preferred embodiments of this patent have been described in detail above, but this patent is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of this patent.

Claims

1. A portable hopper with vibration function for casting tunnel segment test blocks, characterized in that: Includes hopper cavity, support legs, lifting lugs, gate, and electric vibrator; The upper part of the hopper cavity is a rectangular or circular cavity, and the lower part of the hopper cavity is a bucket-shaped cavity that gradually narrows from top to bottom. The bottom end of the bucket-shaped cavity is the discharge port, and the inner walls of the circular cavity and the bucket-shaped cavity are smoothly transitioned. The support legs are arranged on the four sides of the hopper cavity, and the lowest point of the support legs is lower than the discharge port of the hopper cavity. Each of the aforementioned legs is provided with a lifting lug at its top; A gate is installed at the discharge port; A crossbeam handle is provided in the lower area between one or two pairs of outriggers for adjusting the position of the discharge port when suspended. The electric vibrator is installed on the side of the funnel-shaped cavity; The angle between the chute connecting the lower inner part of the hopper-shaped cavity to the discharge port and the vertical direction is no greater than 50°. Several layers of protective beams are arranged around the upper outer part of the hopper cavity. The protective beams are angle steel, and adjacent protective beams are welded together by arc steel sheets. The gate is a manually operated horizontal rotating gate, and the handle of the gate extends beyond the outer wall of the hopper cavity.

2. The portable hopper with vibration function for casting tunnel segment test blocks according to claim 1, characterized in that: The volume of the hopper cavity is greater than the volume of concrete required for a single segment.

3. The portable hopper with vibration function for casting tunnel segment test blocks according to claim 2, characterized in that: The diameter of the discharge port is between 200mm and 400mm.

4. The portable hopper with vibration function for casting tunnel segment test blocks according to claim 3, characterized in that: The panel of the hopper cavity is made of steel plate with a thickness of ≥6mm.

5. The portable hopper with vibration function for casting tunnel segment test blocks according to claim 4, characterized in that: The support legs are made of equilateral angle steel.

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