Vertical Concrete Cap Block Molding for Wall Capping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing concrete cap blocks are inefficient due to the need for large production pallets and inconsistent concrete filling, leading to limited area coverage and durability variances.
Innovation Solution
The cap blocks are manufactured with opposed major faces oriented vertically, featuring grooves that receive protrusions from back-to-back walls, allowing for easier installation and increased durability, and a method involving a mold with a mold shoe for consolidating dry-cast concrete.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If cap blocks are manufactured in a flat or horizontal orientation with the major face occupying a large area of the production pallet, then the cap blocks can be easily molded, but the area of coverage per mold machine cycle is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by manufacturing cap blocks in a vertical orientation rather than the conventional horizontal orientation. The mold cavity is positioned vertically with the major face of the cap block oriented vertically during molding. This dimensional change allows the production pallet to accommodate multiple mold cavities arranged vertically, thereby increasing the area of coverage per mold machine cycle while maintaining ease of manufacture through the same vibration consolidation method
2Device complexity
If conventional horizontal molding is used, then the production process is simple, but the molds are not easily filled with the same consistency during manufacturing, resulting in variances in durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molding orientation from horizontal to vertical, which improves the consistency of concrete filling. In vertical molding, gravity assists in the uniform distribution of concrete mixture throughout the mold cavity, ensuring consistent filling. The vibration consolidation method is applied vertically to achieve uniform density and durability across all cap blocks manufactured in each cycle, reducing variances in the finished product
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables economical and efficient production of cap blocks that can cap two back-to-back walls, improving durability and reducing manufacturing inconsistencies, while allowing for increased production area per mold cycle.
Implementation Method 1
consolidating the concrete mixture with a mold shoe inserted through an open top end of the mold cavity
Data Source
AI summary
A cap block has opposed top and bottom major faces bounded by two opposed side faces and two opposed end faces. The bottom face has two grooves that extend lengthwise in a side-to-side direction of the cap block from one side face to the other side face. The two grooves are spaced apart from one another in an end-to-end direction of the cap block so that the cap block can be positioned atop and cap two back-to-back walls of wall blocks with each groove receiving therein protuberances that protrude upwardly from top faces of uppermost wall blocks of respective ones of the two walls. The cap block is manufactured by molding a dry-cast concrete mixture in a mold cavity having the shape of the cap block with a base of the mold cavity corresponding to one side face of the cap block.