BACKGROUND ART For coating operations, a known technique is to provide, in a position facing the surface to be coated, formwork supported only on the outside by particular anchoring structures and then to cast the concrete in the space delimited by said formwork. Once the concrete has hardened, the formwork must be dismantled, with consequent penalization in terms of the overall times and costs of the works carried out.

Alternatively, for coating operations, a known technique is to fill and/or plaster existing walls and to raise additional walls up against existing constructions.

The modalities of making coating walls of the known type just described are far from satisfactory, in so far as they require relatively long times to be brought to completion, do not always provide the required resistance, and are not always applicable as barriers

for embankments.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for making coating walls by casting concrete for filling, which will enable the drawbacks outlined above to be overcome in a simple and inexpensive way, in particular eliminating the need to use complex equipment and cranes for lifting.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for making coating walls, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - forming a plurality of horizontal layers of panels set on top of one another starting from a base surface and facing a surface to be coated; and - filling the space between said panels and said surface to be coated by performing successive castings in order to make horizontal layers of concrete set on top of one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described with reference to the annexed drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting example of embodiment thereof and in which: - Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views, which illustrate in part a preferred embodiment of the method for making coating walls according to the present invention;

- Figure 3 is a front view, at a reduced scale, which illustrates part of the method illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; - Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view according to the line IV-IV of Figure 3; and - Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 and illustrates a different application of the method illustrated in Figures 1 to 4.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION With reference to the attached figures, the reference number 1 designates, as a whole, a wall for coating a vertical surface 2 defined by an existing wall.

The wall 1 is made by constructing, first, a base 3 defining a base surface 4 and/or a horizontal positioning guide (not illustrated) and by forming, on the surface 4 or on the aforesaid guide, a horizontal row 5 of vertical, modular, rectangular panels 6, made preferably of concrete.

The panels 6 are set in positions alongside one another and facing the surface 2 after construction of a metal supporting frame 8 has been started, by fixing a plurality of vertical uprights 9 to the base 3 in positions that are aligned and equidistant from one another.

In particular, the panels 6 of the first horizontal

row are stiffened and blocked by means of equipment of a known type (not illustrated herein) so as to form the self-supporting base for the panels that will be positioned on top, as is explained in greater detail in what follows.

The panels 6 have a height smaller than that of the uprights 9, define, along their own side edges, respective vertical grooves 10 and are slid into place from above, each one between a corresponding pair of uprights 9, by sliding the grooves 10 along respective side flanges 11 of the uprights 9 themselves.

The next step is the construction of the frame 8 by setting a row of horizontal cross members 12 for retention in a horizontal groove 13 made on the top edge 14 of the panels 6 in positions such as to cross the uprights 9 and to couple each panel 6 directly to the two adjacent panels 6. With reference to Figures 1 and 4, each cross member 12 is anchored to the surface 2 by fixing a horizontal rail 15 to the surface 2 and by fixing the horizontal rail 15 in turn to the cross member 12 by means of one or more horizontal spacer elements 16.

A first casting of concrete is then carried out in order to start to fill the space between the panels 6 and the surface 2 and to obtain a first horizontal layer 18 of concrete, the top layer of which is lower than the

top edge 14.

While the layer 18 is left to consolidate, which further holds the panels 6 in place, a horizontal row 20 of panels 19, which are the same as the panels 6, is formed. In particular, proceeding in the vertical direction, the row 20 is set on top of the row 5 by sliding a bottom terminal portion 21 of the panels 19 between the top ends 22 of the uprights 9. The construction of the frame 8 is then continued by piling a plurality of uprights 23, which form a prolongation of the uprights 9 between the panels 19 for a height such as to allow one top end 24 of the uprights 23 to project from a top edge 25 of the panels 19 and by arranging a row of horizontal retention cross members 26 along the top edge 25 itself in a manner similar to what was described above for the cross members 12.

Next, a second casting of concrete is carried out in order to form a second horizontal layer 27 of concrete, which is set on top of the layer 18 and has a top level comprised between the top edge 14 of the panels 6 and the top end 22 of the uprights 9.

With reference to Figure 3, whilst the layer 27 is left to consolidate, which further holds the panels 19 in place, all the uprights 23 except one, designated by the reference number 23a, are slid into place, and there is thus formed a third horizontal row 29 of panels 30 on

top of the row 20. The panels 30 are the same as the panels 6,19 and are slid horizontally into place one after the other along the cross members 26 in the direction of the upright 23a. In particular, a first panel, designated by 30a, is set up against the upright 23a and blocked horizontally in position by sliding an adjacent upright 23b once again from above into the place occupied previously as a prolongation of an upright 9 set below it. A second panel, designated by 30b, is then set alongside the upright 23b and blocked in position by sliding another adjacent upright 23c into place from above. The procedure continues in a repetitive way for all the other panels 30 until the row 29 is completed.

After the row 29 has been formed, a plurality of uprights 31 is inserted from above between the panels 30 as prolongation of the uprights 23, and a row of cross members 32 is set along the top edge 33 of the panels 30 in a manner similar to what was described above for the uprights 23 and the cross members 12,26.

Next, a third casting of concrete is carried out in order to form a third horizontal layer 34 of concrete, which is set on top of the layer 27 and has a top level comprised between the top end 24 of the uprights 23 and the top edge 25 of the panels 19.

After the layer 34 is left to consolidate, which

further holds the panels 30 in position, the process can continue in a manner similar to what has been described above, making other rows of panels on top of the row 29 and performing successive castings of concrete in order to fill progressively the space between the surface 2 and the containment structure 36 constituted by the set of frames 8 and the panels.

Alternatively, each casting of concrete could be carried out after two or more horizontal rows of panels, instead of just one, have been constrained to the surface 2 using the elements 16.

Figure 4 illustrates a different application, which regards the coating of an embankment 38.

The structure 36 remains separate from the embankment 38 in so far as it would be somewhat complex to fix the rails 15 in a stable and correct position.

Notwithstanding this, the particular modality of performing the castings of concrete to fill in"by layers"enables a solid wall 1 to be obtained without the structure 36 being deformed or yielding as a result of the pressure exerted during the successive castings of the concrete.

What has been outlined above is due, on the one hand, to the fact that the consolidated layer 18 serves as a support for the subsequent casting of the layer 27, which, in turn, serves as a support for the subsequent

casting of the layer 34 and, on the other hand, to the fact that the height of the layers 18,27, 34 and hence the amount of concrete in each casting are relatively contained.

In addition to the advantages just referred to, it is evident how the procedure of fabrication described above enables coating of the surface 2 as the wall 1 is raised in a progressive way, i. e. , without constructing the entire structure 36 before casting the concrete.

Consequently, by appropriately choosing the size of the panels 6, 19, 30, it is possible to make the structure 36 and to form the casting of concrete for filling-in little by little, avoiding the use of complex equipment or cranes for lifting.

In addition, owing to the fact that the row 29 is formed by sliding out the uprights 23 and by sliding the panels 30 horizontally along the uprights 26, the procedure is simpler and involves less encumbrance as compared to a possible insertion of the panels 30 from above between the top ends 24 of the uprights 23. This latter procedure can in any case be carried out as required.

As has been set forth above, then, it is not necessary to fix the structure 36 to the surface 2, in that each layer of concrete holds a corresponding portion of the structure 36 in place and performs the

function of support for the subsequent castings.

In addition, using the method described above, it is possible to set the panels 6,19, 30 at a particularly contained distance, for example 3 cm, from the surface 2 in so far as the panels 6, 19, 30 form an integral part of the wall 1 and do not require additional external supporting structures designed to be dismantled once the coating is completed.

Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations may be made to the method described herein, without thereby departing from the sphere of protection of the present invention.

In particular, the frame 8 could be made in a way different from what is described herein.

More specifically, horizontal spacer elements 16 could be bent downwards and not secured to vertical surface 2 so as they could remain embedded in the relative horizontal layer of concrete. In this way, it would be possible to improve the strength of the modular construction to the trust exerted on the panels by fresh concrete during casting.

Alternatively, horizontal spacer elements 16 could be secured to anchoring members inserted in the concrete during casting.