Molds and processes that permit high-speed, mass production of retaining wall blocks having patterned or other processed front faces, as well as retaining wall blocks formed by such processes. The invention permits the front face of the block to be impressed with a pattern or otherwise directly proc
Molds and processes that permit high-speed, mass production of retaining wall blocks having patterned or other processed front faces, as well as retaining wall blocks formed by such processes. The invention permits the front face of the block to be impressed with a pattern or otherwise directly processed, to allow the formation of pre-determined block front faces, while at the same time facilitating high-speed, high-volume production of blocks. A mirror image of the desired pattern can be created on a stripper shoe by selecting a desired three-dimensional surface from a naturally occurring or man made object and digitally scanning the selected three-dimensional pattern to create scanned data. The scanned data can then be used to machine a face of the stripper shoe that is the mirror image of the selected pattern.
대표청구항▼
1. A mold assembly for use in a machine adapted to form at least one pre-cured dry cast concrete block on a supporting surface during each cycle of the machine, each block having upper and lower faces, a front face, a rear face and opposed side faces, the mold assembly comprising: at least one mold
1. A mold assembly for use in a machine adapted to form at least one pre-cured dry cast concrete block on a supporting surface during each cycle of the machine, each block having upper and lower faces, a front face, a rear face and opposed side faces, the mold assembly comprising: at least one mold cavity having a plurality of side walls defining a mold cavity with an open mold top and an open mold bottom, a first of the side walls including a first moveable side wall portion that is moveably mounted so that it is movable between a first molding position in which the mold cavity is wider at its top than it is at its bottom when dry cast concrete is introduced into the mold cavity, and a second discharging position in which the bottom of the mold cavity is at least wide enough to allow a pre-cured concrete block to be discharged through the bottom of the mold cavity, wherein the first moveable side wall portion extends across an entire distance of the mold cavity between two opposed side walls that are adjacent a second side wall when dry cast concrete is introduced into the mold cavity; and at least one stripper shoe having a face that comprises a three-dimensional pattern for introduction into the mold cavity through the open top of the mold cavity to press the patterned face of the stripper shoe on dry cast concrete contained in the mold cavity, to impart a pattern to the front face of a pre-cured concrete block. 2. The mold assembly of claim 1 wherein the first moveable side wall portion converges in a direction toward the second side wall from the mold top to the mold bottom when dry cast concrete is introduced into the mold cavity. 3. The mold assembly of claim 1 wherein a second of the opposed side walls, which is generally perpendicular to a first of the opposed side walls, includes an undercut adjacent the open mold bottom, and including a pallet having a surface that temporarily closes an entire open bottom of each of the mold cavities, the undercut of each of the mold cavities and a portion of the surface of the pallet defining a flange-forming subcavity configured to form a flange of the block in that mold cavity. 4. The mold assembly of claim 1 wherein the pattern of the face of each of the stripper shoes simulates natural stone. 5. The mold assembly of claim 4, wherein the stripper shoes include a flange surrounding a perimeter of the patterned face and the flange is arcuate so as to produce rounded edges on the front face of the concrete blocks. 6. The mold assembly of claim 2, wherein a remainder of the second of the opposed side walls with the undercut is substantially planar and extends substantially vertically. 7. The mold assembly of claim 1 wherein a second side wall of each mold cavity opposite the first of the side walls includes a second moveable side wall portion which is opposite the first side wall portion and extends the entire distance across the mold cavity between the two opposed side walls that are adjacent the second of the side walls when dry cast concrete is introduced into the mold cavity, and wherein the second moveable side wall portion is moveably mounted so that it is movable between a first molding position in which the mold cavity is wider at its top than it is at its bottom when dry cast concrete is introduced into the mold cavity, and a second discharging position in which the bottom of the mold cavity is at least wide enough to allow the pre-cured concrete block to be discharged through the bottom of the mold cavity. 8. The mold assembly of claim 7 wherein the second moveable side wall portion converges from the mold top to the mold bottom when dry cast concrete is introduced into the mold cavity. 9. The mold assembly of claim 8, wherein the moveable side wall portions are pivoted near ends thereof adjacent the open mold top. 10. The mold assembly of claim 8, further including a mechanism for biasing each of the moveable side wall portions to the first molding position. 11. The mold assembly of claim 10, wherein the mechanism for biasing each of the moveable side wall portions comprises an air bag connected to each moveable side wall portion. 12. The mold assembly of claim 8, wherein each of the moveable side wall portions includes a substantially planar surface facing the mold cavity. 13. A mold assembly for use in a machine adapted to form multiple pre-cured dry cast concrete blocks on a supporting surface during each cycle of the machine, each block having upper and lower faces, a front face, a rear face, opposed side faces, the mold assembly comprising: a plurality of mold cavities, each comprising: a plurality of side walls defining a mold cavity having an open mold top and an open mold bottom, a first of the side walls including an undercut adjacent the open mold bottom; a second of the side walls, which is generally perpendicular to the first side wall, including a first moveable side wall portion that is moveably mounted so that it is movable between a first molding position in which the mold cavity is wider at its top than it is at its bottom when dry cast concrete is introduced into the mold cavity, and a second discharging position in which the bottom of the mold cavity is at least wide enough to allow a pre-cured concrete block to be discharged through the bottom of the mold cavity, wherein the first moveable side wall portion extends across an entire distance of the mold cavity between two opposed side walls that are adjacent the second side wall when dry cast concrete is introduced into the mold cavity; a third of the side walls, which is opposite the second side wall, including a second moveable side wall portion which is opposite the first moveable side wall portion and extends the entire distance across the mold cavity between the two opposed side walls that are adjacent the second side wall when dry cast concrete is introduced into the mold cavity, and wherein the second moveable side wall portion is moveably mounted so that it is movable between a first molding position in which the mold cavity is wider at its top than it is at its bottom when dry cast concrete is introduced into the mold cavity, and a second discharging position in which the bottom of the mold cavity is at least wide enough to allow the pre-cured concrete block to be discharged through the bottom of the mold cavity; and a stripper shoe having a face that comprises a three-dimensional pattern for introduction into the mold cavity through the open top of the mold cavity to press the patterned face of the stripper shoe on dry cast concrete contained in the mold cavity, to impart a pattern to the front face of a pre-cured concrete block. 14. The mold assembly of claim 13 wherein the first moveable side wall portion and the second moveable side wall portion converge from the mold top to the mold bottom when dry cast concrete is introduced into the mold cavity. 15. The mold assembly of claim 13 wherein the pattern of the face of each stripper shoe simulates natural stone. 16. A mold assembly according to claim 13, wherein each stripper shoe includes a flange surrounding a perimeter of the patterned face. 17. The mold assembly of claim 16, wherein the stripper shoe flange is arcuate so as to produce rounded edges on the front face of the concrete block. 18. The mold assembly of claim 13, wherein a remainder of the first of the side walls with the undercut is substantially planar and extends substantially vertically. 19. The mold assembly of claim 13, wherein the moveable side wall portions are pivoted near ends thereof adjacent the open mold top. 20. The mold assembly of claim 13, further including a mechanism for biasing each of the moveable side wall portions to the first molding position. 21. The mold assembly of claim 13, wherein the mechanism for biasing each of the moveable side wall portions comprises an air bag connected to each moveable side wall portion. 22. The mold assembly of claim 13, wherein each of the moveable side wall portions includes a substantially planar surface facing the mold cavity.
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