Apparatus for stripping concrete forms from bridge structures

Abstract

Apparatus for stripping concrete forms from the undersurface of a concrete roadbed of a bridge under construction has a carriage positioned on and driven longitudinally along the upper surface of the roadbed. The carriage carries spaced apart transversely extending support beams having rack gearing which meshes with pinions carried by housings telescopically received on the support beam and having rollers for rolling on tracks on the support beams. Each support beam has two housings which may move toward and away from each other. The housings carry downwardly depending framework extending beneath the roadbed and supporting a work platform support section. The two work platform support sections associated with each carrier beam may interlock to form a continuous work platform support at each longitudinal end of the apparatus, and may separate when the housings associated with each support beam are driven away from each other to provide a clearance about the pier caps of the bridge. The work platform supports have transversely extending rails on which a longitudinally extending stripping buggy is driven transversely, the stripping buggy carrying scissors jacks which may be raised to receive the concrete forms and thereafter lowered. The stripping buggy with the forms are driven to the ends of the work platform for removal and transfer to a subsequent section of the bridge.