Concrete pouring automatic switch valve and system and method using same

Abstract

The invention discloses a concrete pouring automatic switch valve and a system and method using the same, and relates to the technical field of concrete pouring valves. The valve comprises a power assembly and a valve body, a valve element with a channel is arranged in the valve body, and the valve element can be driven by power to rotate: at the first position, the channel is communicated with a feeding end and a sprue gate for pouring; at the second position, the channel is exposed out of the cleaning opening to facilitate cleaning, meanwhile, the valve element blocking face and the forming face seal the sprue gate in the same plane, and traceless forming is achieved. A non-series-connection structure is adopted, and the problems that a traditional series-connection valve is prone to being blocked and difficult to clean are solved; through the design of the arc-shaped transition part, the split sealing plate and the replaceable wear-resistant body, wear and torque are reduced, and the service life is prolonged; and concrete is prevented from invading precision parts through the unique interval and multiple sealing layout, high reliability and maintenance convenience are achieved, and the device is particularly suitable for tunnel secondary lining traceless pouring construction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of concrete pouring valve technology, specifically relating to an automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring, a system and method for using it. Background Technology

[0002] During the construction of the secondary lining concrete in tunnels, to ensure the quality of the concrete pouring and prevent the formwork from shifting or deforming due to uneven stress, the construction process requires that the concrete pouring process must follow the principles of "lateral symmetry, longitudinal horizontal layering, bottom-up, and window-by-window pouring." To achieve these requirements, the traditional construction method involves opening multiple formwork windows (also known as concrete feeding windows) on both sides and at different heights along the tunnel axis of the formwork. During construction, a detachable feeding hose is typically used to sequentially deliver concrete from the pump outlet to each feeding window. In practice, after each window is poured, pumping must be paused, the feeding hose removed from the current window, the residual concrete cleaned from the pipe, and then reinstalled to the next window to be poured. Pumping can only continue after the hose is re-secured. This traditional construction method suffers from low efficiency, high labor intensity, a tendency to cause pipe blockage, and poor forming results at the feeding windows, making it unsuitable for the high-efficiency and high-quality requirements of modern tunnel construction.

[0003] In order to overcome the shortcomings of traditional technologies, in recent years, people have proposed a solution of integrating special pouring valves on the trolley. For example, Chinese patent ZL202021793305.X discloses a conduit-type piping system, and Chinese patent ZL202111042459.4 discloses a concrete pressure-holding and placing pouring valve and pouring system, etc. This type of solution usually arranges multiple special pouring valves in series along the trolley from bottom to top to achieve layered and window-by-window pouring from bottom to top, which effectively avoids frequent disassembly and assembly of hoses and greatly improves construction efficiency. However, this type of series pouring system also introduces new technical problems, mainly including: (1) The series structure forms a long concrete conveying channel, which puts forward high requirements on the fluidity of concrete and the continuity of pumping. When the concrete performance fluctuates or the pumping interval time is not properly controlled, blockage can easily occur at any part of the series pipeline. Once blocked, the entire system will be paralyzed, and the blockage point is difficult to locate. Unblocking is time-consuming and laborious, often requiring the dismantling of large sections of pipe, and the resulting construction delays may even exceed those of traditional methods; (2) After the pouring is completed, the entire series pipeline system needs to be thoroughly cleaned. Due to the length and complexity of the pipeline, the cleaning process is not only time-consuming and requires a large amount of water, but it is also difficult to completely remove residual concrete. These residues will accelerate pipe wall wear and corrosion, reduce the service life of the equipment, and create a hidden danger of pipe blockage for the next pouring; (3) The valves in the series system are interconnected. If any valve fails to open or close properly or fails to seal, it will affect the normal operation of the entire system. The overall reliability of the system is low and the maintenance cost is high.

[0004] Furthermore, existing casting valves generally face severe problems of rapid wear and short lifespan in critical components such as the valve core and valve body when dealing with highly abrasive materials like concrete. Concrete, as a high-viscosity slurry containing aggregates of varying sizes, not only continuously scours the inner wall of the valve body as it flows through, but also, during valve rotation and opening / closing, traps and grinds hard particles due to the relative rotation of the valve core and valve body sealing surfaces, resulting in severe abrasive wear. Particularly noteworthy is the difficulty of effectively cleaning critical areas such as the valve core surface in existing valve structures. This leads to concrete residue gradually hardening and solidifying during downtime, forming hard lumps. When the valve is opened and closed again, these hardened lumps participate in friction between the sealing surfaces, further exacerbating wear. This not only significantly increases the valve's rotational torque and easily leads to overload of the drive mechanism, but also accelerates the failure of the sealing surfaces, creating a vicious cycle of "residue – hardening – wear – widened gap – more residue," severely restricting the overall service life and sealing reliability of the valve. Especially when the secondary lining trolley is poured to the arch area, the concrete pouring pressure is high and the flow control is difficult. Existing series pouring systems often suffer from poor sealing due to wear of valve core and valve shell, or delayed closing due to insufficient torque, resulting in concrete overflow, grouting pressure loss and incomplete arch filling. It is difficult to achieve the process requirement of "seamless top pouring", which directly affects the overall quality and long-term durability of the secondary lining structure.

[0005] Therefore, developing a specialized valve with wear-resistant valve core and valve body, low operating torque, and the ability to automatically and reliably close during the jacking stage, as well as a system using it, has become the key to improving the quality and efficiency of tunnel secondary lining construction. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, the present invention proposes an automatic switching valve for concrete pouring, a system and method for using the same, with the aim of solving at least one of the above problems.

[0007] To achieve the above technical objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: An automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring includes a power component and a valve body. The valve body includes a valve shell and a feed end component. A valve core with a straight passage is disposed inside the valve shell. At least one sealing surface is formed on the surface of the valve core. The valve shell is provided with a pouring port and a cleaning port. A forming surface is formed on the outer surface of the valve shell of the pouring port. The valve core can rotate between a first position and a second position under the drive of the power component. In the first position, the internal flow channel of the feed end component is connected to the pouring port through the straight passage. In the second position, the straight passage is exposed at the cleaning port, and one of the sealing surfaces is coplanar with the forming surface, thereby completely blocking the pouring port.

[0008] Preferably, the opening size of the cleaning port is larger than the diameter of the straight channel; a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft are respectively formed in the middle of both ends of the valve core body, and the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are rotatably supported and cooperated with the valve shell through a rotating support body, and the end faces of both ends of the valve core body are clearance-fitted with the rotating support body.

[0009] A system using the aforementioned automatic concrete pouring switching valve includes a trolley and at least one of the aforementioned automatic concrete pouring switching valves, the automatic concrete pouring switching valves being installed at a predetermined position on the trolley.

[0010] A method for using an automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring includes the following steps: Step S1: Install the automatic concrete pouring switch valve at the predetermined position on the trolley, ensuring that the forming surface of the automatic concrete pouring switch valve is flush with the outer surface of the trolley. Step S2: Driven by the power component, the valve core is placed in the first position. At this time, the straight channel vertically connects the feed end component and the pouring port. Then, the external grouting equipment is moved to the funnel-shaped opening of the feed end component. External force is applied to make the outlet of the grouting equipment and the funnel-shaped opening form a tight connection, establishing a sealed concrete conveying channel. Step S3: Start the grouting equipment to begin concrete pouring. The concrete enters the formwork cavity outside the trolley through the feed end component, the straight channel and the pouring port in sequence, and is continuously pumped until the top of the arch is filled and compacted. Step S4: After the arch is poured, the power unit drives the valve core to rotate to the second position. At this time, the sealing surface of the valve core and the forming surface are coplanar to completely seal the pouring port, achieving a markless top pouring; at the same time, the straight channel is completely exposed to the cleaning port. Step S5: Disconnect the external grouting equipment from the feed end assembly. Use the cleaning port to flush the straight channel and the exposed valve core body surface with high-pressure water. Use the feed end assembly to flush the inner wall of the inlet pipe and the valve core body surface with high-pressure water to remove residual concrete and complete the entire pouring process.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of the present invention has the following advantages: 1. Its unique structural design supports rapid docking with external grouting equipment and efficient pouring. After the pouring operation is completed, the valve core can be quickly switched to the closed position. At this time, the sealing surface of the valve core and the forming surface of the valve shell are precisely coplanar, effectively ensuring the forming quality and appearance of the concrete. At the same time, in the closed position, the straight passage is fully exposed to the cleaning port, and the surface of the valve core body around the straight passage is also fully exposed to the operating area corresponding to the cleaning port. This allows subsequent cleaning and maintenance work to thoroughly clean the valve core, ensuring no residue accumulation and greatly improving the reliability and maintenance convenience of the equipment. 2. The spacing between the rotating support and the valve core end face effectively reduces the contact area between the valve core and the valve body. This measure significantly reduces frictional resistance and mechanical wear during relative motion, thereby helping to extend the service life of key valve components and reduce their maintenance requirements and operating costs. The rotating support is suspended, so if a small amount of concrete leakage occurs during construction, the leaked concrete will first enter the reserved space below the rotating support, rather than directly intruding into the precision rotating components such as bearings. This "sacrificing space" design effectively prevents concrete impurities from affecting the bearing's operating condition, providing an important protective barrier for precision components and significantly extending the service life of key components. 3. The valve body adopts a split design (upper and lower cover) and a suspended rotating support, which not only facilitates the assembly, inspection, and replacement of internal components but also significantly improves the maintainability of the valve. In addition, key pressure-bearing and wear-prone parts (such as the bottom of the valve seat cavity below) are equipped with quick-replaceable wear-resistant bodies, which are fixed by an interlocking structure. These bodies can effectively resist the high-pressure erosion and wear of concrete. After the components wear out, they can be replaced individually, avoiding the scrapping of the entire structure and significantly reducing long-term maintenance costs and downtime. 4. The design of the split sealing plate is adopted. By precisely controlling the spacing of the interval area, the rotational friction resistance of the valve core is minimized while ensuring effective sealing. This reduces the requirements for the output torque of the power component and makes the operation easier. The valve of this invention can be used alone at the critical arch top punching position, or it can be flexibly arranged at other formwork windows of the trolley, providing an integrated pouring solution for the entire secondary lining trolley. It has strong versatility and can comprehensively improve the overall quality and efficiency of tunnel secondary lining construction. Moreover, the service life of the valve is significantly improved compared with the previous pouring valves. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of embodiments of the invention and form part of this application, do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the automatic switching valve for concrete pouring of the present invention in one direction; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the automatic concrete pouring switching valve of the present invention from another direction; Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the valve core used in this invention; Figure 4 yes Figure 3 The diagram shows the main structural view of the valve core. Figure 5 This is a top view schematic diagram of the automatic switching valve for concrete pouring of the present invention; Figure 6 yes Figure 5 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the automatic concrete pouring valve in the AA direction. Figure 7 yes Figure 5 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the automatic concrete pouring valve in the BB direction. Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the automatic switching valve for concrete pouring of the present invention during the valve closing process after pouring is completed. Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the automatic switching valve for concrete pouring of the present invention during the pouring construction process; Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the housing cover used in this invention; Figure 11 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the matching of the lower cover and the rear cover of the housing used in this invention; Figure 12 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the valve housing (without valve core) used in this invention; The meanings of the reference numerals in the attached figures are as follows: 1-Power assembly, 2-Valve body, 3-Feeding end assembly, 4-Cleaning port, 5-Valve core, 6-Forming surface, 7-Pour port, 8-First baffle, 9-Second baffle, 10-First limit switch, 11-Second limit switch, 12-Rotating seat, 13-Pin, 14-Power unit, 15-Rear cover, 16-Wear-resistant body, 17-Expansion tube, 18-Suspension body, 19-Rotating body, 20-Cart, 21-Upper valve seat, 22-Upper valve seat cavity, 23-Support column, 24-Lower valve seat, 25- Lower valve seat cavity, 26-inlet, 27-first plate, 28-positioning strip, 29-positioning groove, 30-second plate, 31-interval area, 32-concrete, 101-support, 501-valve core body, 502-first rotating shaft, 503-second rotating shaft, 504-straight passage, 505-first sealing surface, 506-second sealing surface, 507-arc transition section, 5021-rotating support section, 5022-drive connection section, 5041-upper opening, 5042-lower opening. Detailed Implementation

[0013] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0014] like Figures 1 to 12 As shown, the present invention provides an automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring, comprising a power assembly 1 and a valve body 2. The valve body 2 includes a valve shell and a feed end assembly 3. The valve shell contains a valve core 5 with a straight passage 504 (it should be noted that although a straight passage is preferred in this embodiment, a non-straight passage should also be within the scope of protection of the present invention). The surface of the valve core 5 has at least one sealing surface. The valve shell has a pouring port 7 and a cleaning port 4. A forming surface 6 is formed on the outer surface of the valve shell of the pouring port 7. The valve core 5 can rotate between a first position and a second position under the drive of the power assembly 1. In the first position, the internal flow channel of the feed end assembly 3 is connected to the pouring port 7 through the straight passage 504 to form a concrete conveying path. In the second position, the straight passage 504 is exposed to the cleaning port 4, and one of the sealing surfaces is coplanar with the forming surface 6, thereby completely blocking the pouring port 7.

[0015] Preferably, the feed end assembly 3 adopts a flared opening pipe design, with flexible material and built-in reinforcing ribs at the opening. This assembly is used for quick docking with external grouting equipment. Its flared structure guides the external grouting equipment to precise alignment, reducing docking difficulty. When the grouting equipment reaches the flared opening, a tight fit can be achieved by applying external force, ensuring the sealing and continuity of the grouting process; after grouting is completed, automatic disengagement can be achieved by removing the external force, greatly improving work efficiency.

[0016] It should be noted that in the construction of tunnel secondary lining concrete, the traditional construction method involves connecting a detachable feed pipe to the formwork window, and then sequentially conveying concrete from the discharge port of the pump to each formwork window. This method has been phased out due to its inefficiency, high labor and time consumption caused by frequent disassembly and assembly, poor forming effect at the formwork window, and high risk of concrete leakage. While the integrated series pouring valve solution developed in recent years simplifies the connection process to some extent, the excessively long series pipelines, complex channel structure, and the presence of different aggregates in the concrete itself can easily lead to concrete residue accumulation, resulting in pipeline blockage, affecting the continuity of construction, and making unblocking difficult. To address the aforementioned technical challenges, the automatic concrete pouring switching valve proposed in this invention employs a straight-through valve core structure and a rapid cleaning design. By precisely switching the valve core between the first position (pouring position) and the second position (cleaning position), it ensures smooth flow of concrete during pouring and achieves rapid and thorough cleaning after pouring. This fundamentally solves the problems of easy clogging and wear of the pouring valve in traditional series valve systems. Furthermore, by designing the forming surface and the sealing surface to be coplanar, it ensures the sealing performance of the pouring port and the quality of concrete forming, providing a reliable technical guarantee for achieving "seamless top pouring." It should be understood that the automatic concrete pouring switching valve provided by this invention is not only applicable to the top pouring process at the arch crown, but also to the formwork entry windows of other parts of the secondary lining trolley (which also fall within the scope of protection of this invention). This flexible application not only significantly improves the pouring quality and forming effect in the arch crown area, but also provides an integrated solution for the entire concrete pouring operation of the secondary lining trolley, achieving a comprehensive improvement in construction quality.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the main body of the valve core 5, namely the valve core body 501, is a cylindrical structure, and at least one sealing surface is formed on its surface. See [reference needed]. Figure 3For example, two sealing surfaces are circumferentially spaced and symmetrically arranged, namely a first sealing surface 505 and a second sealing surface 506. In a preferred embodiment, the first sealing surface 505 and the second sealing surface 506 are parallel to each other, and a straight-through channel 504 is located between the first sealing surface 505 and the second sealing surface 506, with its axis parallel to the first sealing surface 505 and the second sealing surface 506 and perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical structure. This straight-through channel design allows for two sealing surfaces to be circumferentially spaced and symmetrically arranged on the surface of the valve core 5. During rotation, the sealing surfaces are configured not to contact the inner wall of the valve housing. The advantages of this structural feature are as follows: First, due to the reduced contact area, the frictional resistance is correspondingly reduced, making the rotation of the valve core 5 easier and more flexible, and its weight is lighter. Therefore, the output requirements of the power component 1 are also reduced, which helps to save energy and extend the service life of the components. Second, reduced friction also means reduced wear, which will improve the reliability and durability of the entire automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring. In addition, the symmetrically arranged sealing surfaces also constitute a redundant sealing design. When one sealing surface has poor sealing effect due to wear or impurities, the other sealing surface can serve as a backup sealing surface. This helps to ensure that an effective sealing state can still be maintained under single failure conditions, thus improving the overall reliability of the valve body.

[0018] Furthermore, a first rotating shaft 502 and a second rotating shaft 503 are respectively formed at the middle of both ends of the cylindrical structure. The axes of the three shafts coincide, constituting the rotation center of the valve core 5. The valve core 5 switches between a first position and a second position around this axis. The first rotating shaft 502 is connected to the output end of the power component 1 to provide the driving force required for switching. Both the first rotating shaft 502 and the second rotating shaft 503 are rotatably supported on the valve housing. In a preferred embodiment, the first rotating shaft 502 and the second rotating shaft 503 are respectively provided with a rotating support section 5021. The rotating support section 5021 is rotatably supported and engaged with the valve housing through a rotating support body composed of bearings or bushings. The first rotating shaft 502 is connected to the output end of the power component 1 through a drive connection section 5022. The drive connection section 5022 is located on the side away from the valve core body 501 compared to the rotating support section 5021. The symmetrically arranged rotary support sections 5021 at both ends form a stable rotary support system with the valve body, effectively constraining the radial runout of the valve core 5 and ensuring the coaxiality and positional accuracy of the valve core during rotation, thus guaranteeing the precise fit between the sealing surface and the forming surface 6. The drive connection section 5022 is located outside the rotary support section 5021, keeping the power input point away from the valve core body 501. This not only facilitates the connection and arrangement with the power component but also reduces torque loss during transmission, making the switching action of the valve core 5 smoother and more reliable. Precision bearings or bushings significantly reduce rotational friction and alleviate wear on the shaft and its mating parts. At the same time, the stable support also avoids premature failure of the sealing surface due to shaking or uneven wear, thereby extending the overall service life of the valve.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, an arc-shaped transition portion 507 is formed at the intersection of the straight passage 504 and the outer surface of the valve core body 501. This arc-shaped design effectively eliminates the hard shearing and interference that may occur between the valve core and the concrete aggregate during rotation; it not only guides the aggregate to slide smoothly and avoids aggregate breakage caused by compression and jamming, thus preventing the resulting increased wear, but also significantly reduces the rotational resistance of the valve core and the required driving torque. At the same time, it effectively improves the flow performance of the concrete and the flushing effect of the water flow during cleaning, thereby improving the overall operational reliability, durability, and maintenance convenience of the valve.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 1As shown, the opening size of the cleaning port 4 is larger than the diameter of the straight channel 504. The advantage of this design is that when the valve core is switched to the cleaning position, not only is the entire inner wall of the straight channel 504 fully exposed to the cleaning port, but also the outer surface of the valve core body 501 around the channel can be cleaned simultaneously. This expanded cleaning range ensures that concrete residues that may adhere to the valve core surface during rotation can be effectively flushed away by the high-pressure water flow, thereby effectively reducing the problem of hardening and clumping of concrete on the outer surface of the valve core body 501, effectively avoiding the vicious cycle of "residue-hardening-wear," significantly improving the long-term reliability of the valve, and reducing maintenance requirements. It should also be noted that the automatic concrete pouring switch valve of the present invention is preferably used independently and does not need to be connected in series. Therefore, after pouring is completed and the external grouting equipment is removed, workers can also perform partial flushing and cleaning of the valve core body 501 through the feed end component 3.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the valve body has a square structure. The feed end assembly 3 is connected to one side of the bottom surface of the valve body, the pouring port 7 is formed on one side of the top surface of the valve body, the cleaning port 4 is formed on the front side of the valve body, and the power assembly 1 is located on the left or right side of the valve body. This square structure design not only improves the ease of processing the valve body, but more importantly, its regular vertical structure allows the cleaning port 4 to face the outer surface area of ​​the valve core body 501 with the largest possible opening area. When the valve core 5 rotates to the cleaning position, this design ensures that the straight passage 504 and the outer surface of the valve core body 501 surrounding it are fully exposed to the operating field of vision and rinsing range of the cleaning port 4, thereby helping to significantly reduce concrete residue and significantly improve cleaning efficiency and maintenance convenience. It should be understood that valve body designs that are not square should also fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0022] To better achieve the purpose of this invention, a first baffle 8 and a second baffle 9 are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the valve housing. The rotating support is located between the first baffle 8 and the second baffle 9. The two end faces of the valve core body 501 are clearance-fitted with the rotating support (see attached figure). Figure 7 This gap significantly reduces the end-face frictional resistance of the valve core 5 during rotation, ensuring that the valve maintains flexible and reliable opening and closing performance throughout long-term use. The two baffles serve both an aesthetic purpose and effectively isolate external dust, which is highly beneficial for the arrangement of precision components such as bearings. Preferably, both the first baffle 8 and the second baffle 9 are detachably connected to the valve body, which facilitates regular maintenance, inspection, and cleaning of the support components, improving the maintainability of the valve body.

[0023] Furthermore, one of the first baffle 8 and the second baffle 9 is also used to mount the power assembly 1. Figure 2As shown in the example, the power assembly 1 includes a bracket 101, a first limit switch 10, a second limit switch 11, a rotary seat 12, and a power unit 14. The bracket 101, the first limit switch 10, and the second limit switch 11 are all detachably fixed to the second baffle 9. One end of the rotary seat 12 is fixedly connected to the drive connection section 5022 of the first rotating shaft 502, and the other end is connected to the output end of the power unit 14, allowing the power unit 14 to drive the rotary seat 12 to rotate, thereby precisely controlling the switching of the valve core 5 between the first and second positions. The first limit switch 10 and the second limit switch 11 can be mechanical contact switches, or non-contact proximity switches or magnetic induction switches, etc., for position detection. The two switches correspond to the first position (pouring position) and the second position (cleaning position) of the valve core 5, respectively. When the rotary seat 12 rotates with the valve core to the corresponding angle, it triggers the corresponding limit switch, thereby providing an accurate valve position feedback signal to the control system, ensuring reliable detection and closed-loop control of the valve's operating status.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the power unit 14 is a piston cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder. A pin 13 (preferably two symmetrically arranged near the rotating seat 12) is fixedly mounted on the outside of the piston cylinder or hydraulic cylinder. The pin 13 and the bracket 101 are rotatably connected through a shaft hole. This pivot point design allows the power unit 14 to adaptively adjust its angle when performing push-pull actions, effectively eliminating additional stress caused by installation tolerances or structural deformation during operation, ensuring precise transmission of driving force along the piston rod axis, and significantly reducing wear on the connection points, thus improving the service life and operational reliability of the power assembly. Furthermore, the piston rod end of the piston cylinder or hydraulic cylinder is hinged to the rotating seat 12, converting the linear reciprocating motion of the piston rod into the oscillation of the rotating seat, thereby driving the valve core 5 to rotate precisely. This mechanism, which converts linear motion into rotational motion, combined with the rotational support design of the pin 13, not only simplifies the transmission structure but also maintains a compact overall size while providing high torque output, making it particularly suitable for installation and use in space-constrained tunnel construction environments.

[0025] To better achieve the objectives of this invention, the valve housing includes a detachably connected upper housing cover and a lower housing cover, which are connected by a support post 23. In one embodiment, the support post 23 is formed as part of the upper housing cover, for example... Figure 10 As shown. In another embodiment, the support post 23 is formed as part of the lower cover of the housing (not shown). Alternatively, the support post 23 is a component independent of the upper and lower covers of the housing, and is detachably connected to the upper and lower covers of the housing.

[0026] Further, see Figure 7 and 10The housing cover includes an upper valve seat 21, which is a rectangular plate structure with an upper valve seat cavity 22 formed in the middle. A pouring port 7 is formed at the top of the upper valve seat cavity 22. At least a portion of the valve core body 501 is confined and accommodated in the upper valve seat cavity 22. A rotating support is suspended at the bottom of the upper valve seat 21. The rotating support is located on both sides of the upper valve seat cavity 22. The rotating support on both sides is precisely fitted with the rotating shafts at both ends of the valve core 5, namely the first rotating shaft 502 and the second rotating shaft 503. Furthermore, a predetermined axial clearance is maintained between the end face of the rotating support and the corresponding end faces at both ends of the valve core body 501. The advantages of this design are as follows: the suspended rotating support provides reliable support for the valve core 5's shaft, ensuring that the valve core 5 maintains precise coaxiality and operational stability during rotation; the suspended support design makes it easier to inspect, adjust, or replace the support components, allowing maintenance without disassembling the entire valve housing; furthermore, the suspended and spaced arrangement ensures that if a small amount of concrete leaks during construction, the leaked concrete will first enter the reserved space below the rotating support, rather than directly intruding into the bearings and other precision rotating components; this "sacrificing space" design effectively prevents concrete impurities from affecting the bearing's operating condition, providing an important protective barrier for precision components and significantly extending the service life of critical components.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the rotating support includes a suspension body 18 and a rotating body 19. The suspension body 18 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the upper valve seat 21. The rotating body 19 is mounted on the suspension body 18 and rotates in cooperation with the rotating shafts at both ends of the valve core 5, namely the first rotating shaft 502 and the second rotating shaft 503. The rotating body 19 is a bearing or a bushing.

[0028] Further, see Figure 6 and 11 The lower cover of the housing includes a lower valve seat 24, which is a rectangular plate structure with a lower valve seat cavity 25 formed in the middle. An inlet 26 is formed at the bottom of the lower valve seat cavity 25. The inlet 26 is connected to the internal flow channel of the feed end assembly 3. At least a part of the valve core body 501 is limited and accommodated in the lower valve seat cavity 25.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, positioning strips 28 are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the lower valve seat cavity 25 above the top surface of the lower valve seat 24. Positioning grooves 29 are formed between the positioning strips 28 and the side walls of the lower valve seat cavity 25. Two independent sealing plates (extending between the upper valve seat 21 and the lower valve seat 24) are installed on the positioning grooves 29 on the same side, namely a first plate 27 and a second plate 30. The inner sides of these sealing plates form a contact seal with the end faces of both ends of the valve core body 501, effectively preventing concrete slurry from entering the rotating shaft area. It should be understood that the working surfaces of the first plate 27 and the second plate 30 are kept on the same plane, and there is a horizontal gap 31 between them. The first rotating shaft 502 and the second rotating shaft 503 pass through the gap 31. It should be noted that the sealing plates effectively reduce the possibility of concrete entering the rotating shaft area. From a sealing perspective, the smaller the horizontal spacing of the interval regions 31, the more difficult it is for concrete to enter the shaft area where the first rotating shaft 502 and the second rotating shaft 503 are located. However, as the horizontal spacing of the interval regions 31 decreases, the contact area between the sealing plate and the valve core end face increases accordingly. This significantly increases the frictional resistance when the valve core rotates, leading to an increase in the required driving torque and exacerbating the wear of the sealing surface. Using a solution not described in this invention, the horizontal spacing of the interval regions 31 can be adjusted according to the actual construction conditions. By precisely optimizing the horizontal spacing of the interval regions 31, while ensuring effective prevention of concrete intrusion, the frictional resistance is controlled within a reasonable range, achieving the best balance between sealing performance and rotational flexibility. This balanced design ensures both the long-term sealing reliability of the valve and the ease of valve core operation and service life, solving the dilemma faced by traditional valves at this critical technical juncture. It should also be noted that, in order to achieve positioning constraints on the sealing plates, i.e., the first plate 27 and the second plate 30, a corresponding positioning strip 28 can also be provided at the bottom of the upper valve seat 21 of the housing cover. However, as a preferred embodiment, since a rotating support is suspended at the bottom of the upper valve seat 21, a suspension plate or similar structure is required to suspend the rotating support (see Appendix). Figure 10 Since the top of the suspension body 18 is a suspension plate, the suspension plate and other structures can be formed on the side near the upper valve seat cavity 22 as a positioning structure corresponding to the positioning strip 28 on the lower valve seat 24. This achieves the suspension function of the rotating support body while completing the positioning constraint on the upper part of the sealing plate in one piece. This setting simplifies the structure and improves the assembly accuracy.

[0030] To better achieve the objectives of this invention, the rotating support is spaced apart from the first plate 27 and the second plate 30 on the side away from the valve core body 501, near the end face of the valve core body 501. Here, the first plate 27 and the second plate 30 firstly prevent concrete from directly contacting the rotating support, and even if a small amount of grout crosses the sealing plate, its subsequent flow path is effectively blocked due to the spaced arrangement, thereby ensuring that precision components such as bearings are always in a relatively clean working environment and extending their service life.

[0031] To better achieve the objectives of this invention, the width of the cleaning port 4 in the horizontal direction is designed to be equal to the distance between the second plates 30 on the left and right sides. This dimensional matching ensures that the cleaning port 4 has a sufficiently large opening size, allowing the high-pressure cleaning water flow to fully cover the entire working area of ​​the valve core body 501, including the gaps around the sealing plate. This design not only improves cleaning efficiency and completely eliminates cleaning dead zones, but also effectively prevents the accumulation of concrete residue in the valve cavity, providing a reliable guarantee for the long-term stable operation of the valve.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, a rear cover 15 is also included, which is disposed between the upper valve seat 21 and the lower valve seat 24 and is limited and fixed by the first plates 27 on the left and right sides.

[0033] To better achieve the objectives of this invention, a wear-resistant body 16 is detachably provided at the bottom of the lower valve seat cavity 25. The top surface of the wear-resistant body 16 is the bottom surface of the lower valve seat cavity 25. An expansion tube 17 is also provided at the inlet 26. The wear-resistant body 16 is locked at the bottom of the lower valve seat cavity 25 by cooperating with the expansion tube 17. The bottom of the lower valve seat cavity 25 adopts a detachable wear-resistant structure. The wear-resistant body 16 effectively copes with the friction from concrete particles when the valve core rotates. The wear-resistant body 16 is precision machined so that its top surface is perfectly flush with the bottom surface of the lower valve seat cavity 25, forming a complete pressure-bearing surface. Considering the special working conditions of the automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring, the valve body needs to withstand extremely high concrete pumping pressure in the vertical direction. This pressure is directly transmitted to the bottom of the lower valve seat cavity 25 through the valve core 5. The wear-resistant body 16 plays a key role here: the wear-resistant body 16, made of special wear-resistant materials, can effectively resist the continuous scouring and high-pressure impact of coarse aggregate in the concrete, significantly extending the service life of the bottom of the valve seat cavity. The interlocking design between the expansion tube 17 and the wear-resistant body 16 ensures that the wear-resistant body 16 will not shift or loosen under high-pressure conditions, thus guaranteeing the overall stability of the valve structure. When the wear-resistant body 16 wears out after long-term use, it can be quickly disassembled and replaced without replacing the entire lower valve seat 24, significantly reducing maintenance and time costs.

[0034] It is worth noting that, see Figure 8 and Figure 9In this invention, the automatic concrete pouring valve has a vertically upward-facing straight channel 504 during the pouring process. Figure 9 When construction is completed, during the valve closure process, an upper opening 5041 will be formed between the concrete pouring space outside the trolley 20 and the upper end of the straight passage 504, and a lower opening 5042 will be formed between the lower end of the straight passage 504 and the inlet 26. Furthermore, the upper opening 5041 is also connected to the cleaning port 4. According to the common understanding of those skilled in the art, such a multi-opening structure may pose a risk of grout leakage under high pressure. However, the product of this invention has been verified through practical applications at multiple construction sites, and this structural design does not cause grout leakage problems. This superior performance, exceeding expectations, is likely due to several key factors: 1) The concrete itself has high viscosity and poor fluidity, and the valve closing time is short, meaning that the concrete has little or no time to leak during the valve closing process; 2) During the valve closing process, the external grouting equipment at the feed end component 3 remains in place, and the concrete below the lower opening 5042 still has a certain back pressure, which effectively suppresses the leakage tendency of the concrete; 3) The reliable sealing on one side of the rear cover 15 ensures the stable support of the concrete in the straight channel 504, effectively avoiding collapse or sagging caused by the weight of the concrete, and providing important structural protection for the valve closing process.

[0035] It should be understood that any system using the automatic concrete pouring valve of this invention in the concrete pouring construction process of tunnels, mines, etc., should fall within the protection scope of this invention. For example, this invention provides a system using the aforementioned automatic concrete pouring valve, comprising a trolley 20 and at least one of the aforementioned automatic concrete pouring valves. The automatic concrete pouring valve is installed at a predetermined position on the trolley 20, such as at the concrete inlet window, for pouring concrete into a formwork cavity outside the trolley 20. The valve housing of the automatic concrete pouring valve is provided with a pouring port 7 and a cleaning port 4. A molding surface is formed on the outer surface of the valve housing of the pouring port 7. When the automatic concrete pouring valve is installed at the predetermined position on the trolley 20, the molding surface is flush with the outer surface of the trolley 20 (the surface on one side of the tunnel wall).

[0036] The method of using the automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring of the present invention is as follows (taking top-pouring as an example): Step S1: Install the automatic concrete pouring switch valve at the predetermined position on the pouring template such as the trolley 20; ensure that the forming surface of the automatic concrete pouring switch valve is flush with the outer surface (the surface on one side of the tunnel wall) of the pouring template such as the trolley 20. Step S2: Under the drive of the power component 1, the valve core 5 is placed in the first position (pouring position). At this time, the straight channel 504 vertically connects the feed end component 3 and the pouring port 7. Then, the external grouting equipment is moved to the funnel-shaped opening of the feed end component 3. By applying external force, the outlet of the grouting equipment is tightly connected with the funnel-shaped opening to establish a sealed concrete conveying channel. Step S3: Start the grouting equipment to begin concrete pouring. The concrete enters the trolley formwork cavity through the feed end component 3, the straight channel 504 and the pouring port 7 in sequence. During this process, the pumping is continuously maintained until the top of the arch is filled and compacted. Step S4: After the arch is poured, the power component 1 drives the valve core 5 to rotate to the second position (closed position). At this time, the sealing surface of the valve core and the forming surface 6 are coplanar to completely seal the pouring port 7, achieving a markless top pouring; at the same time, the straight channel 504 is completely exposed to the cleaning port 4. Step S5: Remove the connection between the external grouting equipment and the feed end component 3. Use high-pressure water to flush the straight channel 504 and the exterior of the valve core body 501 exposed at the cleaning port 4. Use high-pressure water to flush the inner wall of the pipe at the inlet 26 and the exterior of the valve core body 501 at the feed end component 3 to remove residual concrete and complete the entire pouring process.

[0037] This method of use fully leverages the core advantages of the valve of this invention: the controllable switching of the valve core position achieves integrated functions of pouring, sealing, and cleaning; the flared interface design ensures rapid connection and disconnection; the straight-through flow channel effectively reduces the risk of blockage; and the special sealing structure guarantees the forming quality of the top section. The entire process is simple to operate and highly efficient, fully demonstrating the advanced nature and practicality of this invention in modern tunnel secondary lining construction.

[0038] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring, comprising a power assembly (1) and a valve body (2), characterized in that, The valve body (2) includes a valve shell and a feed end assembly (3). A valve core (5) with a channel is provided inside the valve shell. At least one sealing surface is formed on the surface of the valve core (5). A pouring port (7) and a cleaning port (4) are provided on the valve shell. A molding surface (6) is formed on the valve shell surface outside the pouring port (7). The valve core (5) can rotate between a first position and a second position under the drive of the power assembly (1). In the first position, the internal flow channel of the feed end assembly (3) is connected to the pouring port (7) through the channel. In the second position, the channel is exposed to the cleaning port (4), and one of the sealing surfaces is coplanar with the molding surface (6) to block the pouring port (7).

2. The automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The channel can be a straight-through channel (504) or a non-straight-through channel.

3. The automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The valve core body (501) of the valve core (5) is a cylindrical structure, and the sealing surface is formed on the circumferential surface of the valve core body (501).

4. The automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The opening size of the cleaning port (4) is larger than the diameter of the channel.

5. The automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The valve core body (501) has a first rotating shaft (502) and a second rotating shaft (503) formed in the middle of both ends. The first rotating shaft (502) and the second rotating shaft (503) are both rotated and supported by the valve shell through a rotating support body. The end faces of the valve core body (501) are fitted with the rotating support body with a clearance.

6. The automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The valve housing includes an upper cover and a lower cover. The upper cover includes an upper valve seat (21). An upper valve seat cavity (22) is formed in the middle of the upper valve seat (21). A pouring port (7) is formed at the top of the upper valve seat cavity (22). At least a portion of the valve core body (501) is limited and accommodated in the upper valve seat cavity (22). A rotating support is suspended at the bottom of the upper valve seat (21). The rotating support is located on both sides of the upper valve seat cavity (22). A predetermined axial gap is maintained between the end face of the rotating support and the corresponding end faces of the two ends of the valve core body (501).

7. The automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The lower cover of the housing includes a lower valve seat (24), a lower valve seat cavity (25) is formed in the middle of the lower valve seat (24), an inlet (26) is formed at the bottom of the lower valve seat cavity (25), the inlet (26) is connected to the internal flow channel of the feed end assembly (3), and at least a part of the valve core body (501) is limited and accommodated in the lower valve seat cavity (25).

8. The automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Above the top surface of the lower valve seat (24), positioning strips (28) are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the lower valve seat cavity (25). Positioning grooves (29) are formed between the positioning strips (28) and the side wall of the lower valve seat cavity (25). Two independent sealing plates are installed on the positioning grooves (29) on the same side, namely the first plate (27) and the second plate (30). The working surfaces of the first plate (27) and the second plate (30) are kept on the same plane, and there is a horizontal gap area (31) between them. The first rotating shaft (502) and the second rotating shaft (503) pass through the gap area (31).

9. A system using the automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, It includes a trolley (20) and at least one of the aforementioned automatic concrete pouring switching valves, wherein a pouring port (7) is provided on the valve body of the automatic concrete pouring switching valve, and a forming surface (6) is formed on the valve body surface outside the pouring port (7). The automatic concrete pouring switching valve is installed at a predetermined position on the trolley (20) and the forming surface (6) is flush with the outer surface of the trolley (20).

10. A method of using an automatic on / off valve for concrete pouring according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: Step S1: Install the automatic concrete pouring switch valve at the predetermined position on the trolley (20) to ensure that the forming surface (6) of the automatic concrete pouring switch valve is flush with the outer surface of the trolley (20). Step S2: Under the drive of the power component (1), the valve core (5) is placed in the first position, so that the feed end component (3) is connected to the pouring port (7); then the external grouting equipment is moved to the horn-shaped opening of the feed end component (3), and the outlet of the external grouting equipment is tightly connected with the horn-shaped opening by external force to establish a sealed concrete conveying channel. Step S3: Start the external grouting equipment to begin concrete pouring. Concrete enters the formwork cavity of the trolley (20) through the feed end component (3) and the pouring port (7) in sequence. During this process, continuous pumping is maintained until the top of the trolley formwork cavity is filled densely. Step S4: After the pouring is completed, the power component (1) drives the valve core (5) to rotate to the second position. At this time, the sealing surface of the valve core (5) and the molding surface (6) are coplanarly matched to completely seal the pouring port (7). At the same time, the channel of the valve core (5) is completely exposed to the cleaning port (4). Step S5: Remove the connection between the external grouting equipment and the feed end component (3), and flush with high pressure water through the cleaning port (4) to remove residual concrete and complete the entire pouring process.

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