CETA- Ram

Manual Block Presses Produced in Latin America 2

Manufacturer
CETA
Centro de Experimentacion
en Tecnologia Apropiada
Apartado 66-F
Guatemala C.A.

Description

The CETA-Ram Block Press was developed by Roberto Lou Ma, CETA, soon after the Guatemala earthquake of 1976. The CETARam is a modified CINVA-Ram for the production of hollow soil-cement blocks, intended for use in steel reinforced masonry for earthquake proof low-cost housing.

The design is essentially the same as that of the CINVA-Ram, but the piston of the CETA-Ram has two bushings, which slide along two vertical cylindrical columns (6 cm), which are fixed to the base of the machine. These columns also serve as inserts to form the holes in the blocks. An important feature of the CETARam is that the piston guiding mechanism never needs adjustment.

An alternative model of the machine has also been developed to produce both hollow and solid blocks. The piston of the CETA- Ram II is guided independently of the cylindrical inserts that form the cavities in the blocks. Thus the inserts can be removed to make solid blocks. A special insert with dividing plate for making two half-blocks at a time has also been developed, as well as Inserts for semi-hollow (frogged), channeled and rabbeted blocks.

The CETA-Ram has three main components:
- mould with cover plate
- piston
- yoke and lever device, which are extremely easy to assemble or dismantle (for inspection, cleaning, lubricating or repairing) by fixing or removing a few cotter pins.

Operating the CETA-Ram

The CETA-Ram is operated in the same way as the CINVA-Ram with only one minor difference. Before filling in the soil a steel pallet is laid at the bottom of the mould and after the compacted block is ejected, a second pallet is placed on top of it. The block is then hand carried between the two pallets and carefully laid on its side on the ground, thereby freeing the pallets for immediate reuse.

The CETA-Ram Block

The dimensions of the block are 32.3 x 15.7 x 11.5 cm, with two holes of 6 cm diameter running through its full height. In properly constructed masonry walls, the holes are aligned through the full height of the wall, so that steel reinforcing rods can be inserted at suitable intervals and cement mortar grout poured in from the top, to achieve earthquake resistance.

The block dimensions have been especially conceived for modular coordination on the basis of 50 or 100 centimeters: the lengths of three blocks, including the respective joints, add up to exactly 1 meter, and 24 blocks including the respective horizontal and vertical joints, make up exactly 1 m² of masonry wall.

FIGURE

Technical Details