A retaining wall block including a pair of curved engagement surfaces extending convexly from a rear side of the block and being symmetrical about a transverse axis are configured to engage a planar surface of a setback lip of similar overlying blocks when stacked in successive courses to form a wall structure, where the curved engagement surfaces maintain a desired setback distance successive courses for straight, convex, and concave wall structures.
E04C 1/39 - Building elements of block or other shape for the construction of parts of buildings characterised by special adaptations, e.g. serving for locating conduits, for forming soffits, cornices, or shelves, for fixing wall-plates or door-frames, for claustra
3.
Block with curved engagement surfaces for maintaining even setback
A retaining wall block including a pair of curved engagement surfaces extending convexly from a rear side of the block and being symmetrical about a transverse axis are configured to engage a planar surface of a setback lip of similar overlying blocks when stacked in successive courses to form a wall structure, where the curved engagement surfaces maintain a desired setback distance successive courses for straight, convex, and concave wall structures.
E04C 1/39 - Building elements of block or other shape for the construction of parts of buildings characterised by special adaptations, e.g. serving for locating conduits, for forming soffits, cornices, or shelves, for fixing wall-plates or door-frames, for claustra
A retaining wall block including a pair of curved engagement surfaces extending convexly from a rear side of the block and being symmetrical about a transverse axis are configured to engage a planar surface of a setback lip of similar overlying blocks when stacked in successive courses to form a wall structure, where the curved engagement surfaces maintain a desired setback distance successive courses for straight, convex, and concave wall structures.
E04C 1/39 - Building elements of block or other shape for the construction of parts of buildings characterised by special adaptations, e.g. serving for locating conduits, for forming soffits, cornices, or shelves, for fixing wall-plates or door-frames, for claustra
A masonry block includes a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, a front surface and an opposing rear surface, a first side surface and an opposing second side surface, an x-direction defined as extending parallel to the rear and bottom surfaces between the first and second side surfaces, and a y-direction defined as extending perpendicular to the x-direction between the front and rear surfaces, and a set of three leveling pads disposed on the rear surface. The set of three leveling pads being positioned on the rear surface such that the three leveling pads provide four regions of overlap with leveling pads of two similar blocks in both block courses above and below the given block when the blocks are arranged in a running bond pattern, such that the four regions of overlap form four load transfer lines through each block in the wall.
E04C 5/16 - Auxiliary parts for reinforcements, e.g. connectors, spacers, stirrups
E04B 5/00 - FloorsFloor construction with regard to insulationConnections specially adapted therefor
E04C 1/39 - Building elements of block or other shape for the construction of parts of buildings characterised by special adaptations, e.g. serving for locating conduits, for forming soffits, cornices, or shelves, for fixing wall-plates or door-frames, for claustra
E04B 2/02 - Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildingsWall construction with regard to insulationConnections specially adapted to walls built-up from layers of building elements
A feedbox for use in an automated dry-cast concrete block machine, including an agitator grid having a plurality of parallel agitator elements disposed parallel to a bottom of the feedbox, a plurality of prongs extending downward toward the bottom of the feedbox from each of the parallel agitator elements, and one or more restrictor elements slideably coupled with a coupling mechanism to one or more of the plurality of prongs which can be slideably adjusted along a length of the one or more prongs.
A mold assembly for manufacturing concrete blocks in an automated dry-cast block machine. The mold assembly includes a plurality of liner plates which together form a mold cavity, wherein at least one of the liner plates includes an internal network of shafts which is configured to receive and provide a flow path for heated fluid to pass through to heat the at least one liner plate.
A method of operating a mold assembly having a plurality of liner plates forming a mold cavity. The method includes driving a master drive element back and forth in a continuous loop about at least a portion of exterior perimeter sides of the mold cavity to provide a first and second linear forces in first and second directions substantially in parallel with each perimeter side of the mold cavity about which the primary drive element is routed, and driving a secondary drive element, which engages the at least one moveable liner plate, with the first and second linear forces to drive at least one moveable liner plate toward and away from the interior of the mold cavity.
B28B 3/08 - Producing shaped articles from the material by using pressesPresses specially adapted therefor wherein a ram exerts pressure on the material in a moulding spaceRam heads of special form with two or more rams per mould
B29C 37/00 - Component parts, details, accessories or auxiliary operations, not covered by group or
B28B 1/04 - Producing shaped articles from the material by tamping or ramming
B28B 21/02 - Methods or machines specially adapted for the production of tubular articles by casting into moulds
B28B 3/02 - Producing shaped articles from the material by using pressesPresses specially adapted therefor wherein a ram exerts pressure on the material in a moulding spaceRam heads of special form
B28B 15/00 - General arrangement or layout of plant
A mold assembly mold having a mold cavity formed by a plurality of liner plates, wherein at least one of the liner plates is moveable toward and away from an interior of the mold cavity, and a heater element contacting and heating the moveable liner plate.
An automated concrete block machine including a mold cavity, a feedbox driven between retracted and extended positions and depositing concrete in the mold cavity when at the extended position, a cutoff bar, and a drive system coupled to and driving the cutoff bar in a direction of movement of the feedbox such that a distance between at least a portion of the cutoff bar and a top of the mold varies so that the cutoff bar removes varying amounts of concrete deposited in the mold cavity so that a depth of concrete remaining in at least a portion of the mold cavity varies so as to be unevenly distributed in a desired fashion in the direction of movement of the feedbox.
A mold assembly for manufacturing dry-cast concrete blocks in an automated dry-cast block machine, the mold assembly a plurality of liner plates forming at least one mold cavity, each liner plate corresponding to a perimeter side of the mold cavity, wherein at least one of the liner plates is moveable toward and away from an interior of the mold cavity. A master drive element is routed about at least a portion of the perimeter sides of the mold cavity, including the perimeter side corresponding to the at least one moveable liner plate, and forming a continuous loop, wherein the master drive element is configured to be driven back and forth about the loop to provide a first linear force in a first direction and a second linear force in a second direction opposite the first direction substantially in parallel with each perimeter side along which the master drive element is routed. A secondary drive assembly includes a first drive element coupled to the master drive element and configured to rotate back and forth about a rotational axis which substantially normal to the perimeter side corresponding to the at least one moveable liner plate in response to the first and second linear forces, and a second drive element threadably coupled to the first drive element, wherein the second drive element is configured to move linearly back and forth along the rotational axis in response to rotation of the first drive element and to move the at least one moveable liner plate coupled thereto toward and away from the interior of the mold cavity.
A mold assembly for manufacturing concrete blocks in an automated dry-cast block machine. The mold assembly includes a plurality of liner plates which together form a mold cavity, wherein at least one of the liner plates includes an internal network of shafts which is configured to receive and provide a flow path for heated fluid to pass through to heat the at least one liner plate.
B28B 7/38 - Treating surfaces of moulds, cores, or mandrels to prevent sticking
B28B 13/06 - Removing the shaped articles from moulds
B30B 11/02 - Presses specially adapted for forming shaped articles from material in particulate or plastic state, e.g. briquetting presses or tabletting presses using a ram exerting pressure on the material in a moulding space
B30B 15/34 - Heating or cooling presses or parts thereof
A mold assembly for manufacturing dry-cast concrete blocks in an automated dry-cast block machine, the mold assembly a plurality of liner plates forming at least one mold cavity, each liner plate corresponding to a perimeter side of the mold cavity, wherein at least one of the liner plates is moveable toward and away from an interior of the mold cavity. A master drive element is routed about at least a portion of the perimeter sides of the mold cavity, including the perimeter side corresponding to the at least one moveable liner plate, and forming a continuous loop, wherein the master drive element is configured to be driven back and forth about the loop to provide a first linear force in a first direction and a second linear force in a second direction opposite the first direction substantially in parallel with each perimeter side along which the master drive element is routed. A secondary drive assembly includes a first drive element coupled to the master drive element and configured to rotate back and forth about a rotational axis which substantially normal to the perimeter side corresponding to the at least one moveable liner plate in response to the first and second linear forces, and a second drive element threadably coupled to the first drive element, wherein the second drive element is configured to move linearly back and forth along the rotational axis in response to rotation of the first drive element and to move the at least one moveable liner plate coupled thereto toward and away from the interior of the mold cavity.
B28B 3/02 - Producing shaped articles from the material by using pressesPresses specially adapted therefor wherein a ram exerts pressure on the material in a moulding spaceRam heads of special form
B28B 15/00 - General arrangement or layout of plant
21.
CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE HAVING A CONTROLLABLE CUTOFF BAR
A concrete block machine including a mold having at least one mold cavity, a feedbox driven back and forth between retracted and extended positions, wherein the feedbox is positioned over a top of the mold deposits concrete in the at least one mold cavity when at the extended position, a cutoff bar coupled to the feedbox and including a moveable cutoff element, and a drive system. The drive system is coupled to the moveable cutoff element and moves the moveable cutoff element to adjust a distance between the moveable cutoff element and the top of the mold as the feedbox is driven from the extended position to the retracted position such that the moveable cutoff element removes varying amounts of concrete deposited in the mold cavity so that a depth of concrete remaining in the mold cavity varies in a desired fashion in a direction of movement of the feedbox.
A method of making a masonry block employing a mold assembly having a plurality liner plates each having a major surface that together form a mold cavity having an open top and an open bottom, wherein at least one liner plate is moveable between a retracted position and a desired extended position within the mold cavity. The method includes providing a negative of a desired texture on the major surface of the moveable liner plate, moving the moveable liner plate to a retracted position, closing the bottom of the mold cavity by positioning a pallet below the mold assembly, filling the mold cavity with dry cast concrete via the open top, vibrating the mold assembly and dry cast concrete therein, and moving the moveable liner plate to a desired extended position during the vibrating.
A method of making a masonry block employing a mold assembly having a plurality liner plates each having a major surface that together form a mold cavity having an open top and an open bottom, wherein at least one liner plate is moveable between a retracted position and a desired extended position within the mold cavity. The method includes providing a negative of a desired texture on the major surface of the moveable liner plate, moving the moveable liner plate to a retracted position, closing the bottom of the mold cavity by positioning a pallet below the mold assembly, filling the mold cavity with dry cast concrete via the open top, vibrating the mold assembly and dry cast concrete therein, and moving the moveable liner plate to a desired extended position during the vibrating.
B28B 3/08 - Producing shaped articles from the material by using pressesPresses specially adapted therefor wherein a ram exerts pressure on the material in a moulding spaceRam heads of special form with two or more rams per mould
B28B 17/00 - Details of, or accessories for, apparatus for shaping the materialAuxiliary measures taken in connection with such shaping
B28B 17/02 - Conditioning the material prior to shaping
A block having a top surface, a bottom surface opposing the top surface, a front surface, a rear surface opposing the front surface, the front and rear surfaces extending between the top and bottom surfaces, a first side surface, a second side surface opposing the first side surface, the first and second side surfaces extending between the front and rear surfaces, and a set of at least three leveling pads extending from the rear surface.
A mold assembly for manufacturing concrete blocks and which is adapted for use in a concrete block machine. The mold assembly includes a plurality of liner plates forming at least a first mold cavity, wherein at least a first liner plate is moveable, and a drive assembly. The drive assembly includes a first drive element having a first end and coupled to the first moveable liner plate proximate to a second end, and an actuator assembly. The actuator assembly includes a second drive element selectively coupled to the first drive element proximate to the first end, wherein the actuator assembly is configured to drive the second drive element along a first axis so as to cause at least the second end of the first drive element to move along a second axis and cause the first moveable liner plate to move toward and away from an interior of the first mold cavity.
A mold assembly including a plurality of mold components configured to form a mold cavity having a desired shape, at least one of the mold components having a notch configured to form a set-back flange in a masonry block formed in the mold cavity, the notch having a depth. The mold assembly further includes a moveable flange plate and a drive assembly configured to extend the moveable flange plate into and retract the moveable flange plate from the notch within a desired range of distances so as to adjust the depth of the notch.
