SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MAKING MASONRY BLOCKS

• US 20090235606A1
• Filed: 03/19/2009
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ness Inventions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ness Inventions, Inc.
• Inventors: Ness, John T., Ness, Jeffrey A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,765,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/596
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 17/0081 Process control
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 3/021 Ram heads of special form
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 3/022 combined with vibrating or jolting
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 3/086 The rams working in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/0041 the sidewalls of the mould being moved only parallelly away from the sidewalls of the moulded article
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/0061 Moulds, cores or mandrels specially adapted for mechanically working moulding surfaces during moulding or demoulding, e.g. smoothing by means of mould walls driven during moulding or of parts acting during demoulding
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 1/395 for claustra, fences, planting walls, e.g. sound-absorbing pots for vertical horticulture A01G9/022

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. 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 comprising:

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.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

compacting the dry cast concrete to form a pre-cured masonry block with a surface corresponding to the moveable liner plate having the desired texture imparted therein.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the compacting is performed as the moveable liner plate is being moved to the desired extended position.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the compacting is performed after the moveable liner plate has been moved to the desired extended position.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein moving the moveable liner plate includes moving the moveable liner plate to the desired extended position based on a position signal from a magnetic position sensor that is indicative of a position of the moveable liner plate relative to an interior of the mold cavity.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein

moving the moveable liner plate to a retracted position;

expelling the pre-cured masonry block from the mold cavity; and

curing the pre-cured masonry block.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the moveable liner plate is coupled via at least one guide post to a master bar which is configured to ride along a stationary support shaft, and wherein moving the moveable liner plate between the retracted position and the extended position includes moving the master bar toward and away from an interior of the mold cavity with a drive assembly which is operatively coupled to the master bar.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the drive assembly comprises a gear drive assembly including:

a first gear element having a plurality of substantially parallel angled channels and selectively coupled between the master bar and the at least one movable liner plate;

a second gear element having a plurality of substantially parallel angled channels configured to slidably interlock with the angled channels of the first gear element; and

an actuator selectively coupled to the second gear element and configured to move the master bar along the stationary support shaft and the moveable liner plate in a first direction toward an interior of the mold cavity by applying to the second gear element a force in a second direction, which is different from the first direction, causing the second gear element to move in the second direction and the first gear element, the master bar, and the moveable liner plate to move in the first direction toward the interior of the mold cavity, and to move the first gear element, the master bar, and the moveable liner plate opposite the first direction away from the interior of the mold cavity by applying to the second gear element a force in a direction opposite the second direction.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the drive assembly moves the moveable liner plate between the extended and retracted position based on a position signal provided by a magnetic position sensor including a permanent magnet positioned on the master bar and a sensor probe positioned within a shaft internal to stationary support shaft, wherein the position signal indicative of the position of the permanent magnet relative to the sensor probe.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

20. A masonry block produced by the method of claim 1.

11. A mold assembly comprising:

a plurality of frame members positioned to form a mold box;

a plurality of liner plates positioned within the mold box and configured to form a mold cavity, wherein at least one liner plate is moveable between a retracted position and a desired extended position toward an interior of the mold cavity;

at least one stationary support shaft;

a master bar configured to ride along a length of the stationary support shaft;

at least one guide post coupled between the master bar and the moveable liner plate and extending through a frame member corresponding to the moveable liner plate;

a magnetic position sensor including a permanent magnet positioned on the master bar and a sensor probe positioned within a shaft internal to stationary support shaft and configured to provide a position signal indicative of the position of the permanent magnet relative to the probe; and

a drive assembly operatively coupled to and configured to move the master bar toward an interior of the mold cavity so as to move the liner plate, via the guide post, to the desired extended position based on the position signal.

12. The mold assembly of claim 11, wherein the stationary support shaft, master bar, and drive assembly are positioned external to the mold box.

13. The mold assembly of claim 11, including a housing substantially enclosing the stationary support shaft, the master bar, and the drive assembly, wherein the stationary support shaft is selectively coupled between the housing and the side member corresponding to the moveable liner plate and configured to selectively secure the housing to the mold assembly.

14. The mold assembly of claim 11, wherein the drive assembly comprises a gear drive assembly including:

a first gear element having a plurality of substantially parallel angled channels and selectively coupled between the master bar and the at least one movable liner plate and extending through the corresponding side member;

a second gear element having a plurality of substantially parallel angled channels configured to slidably interlock with the angled channels of the first gear element; and

an actuator selectively coupled to the second gear element and configured to move the master bar along the stationary support shaft and the moveable liner plate in a first direction toward an interior of the mold cavity by applying to the second gear element a force in a second direction, which is different from the first direction, causing the second gear element to move in the second direction and the first gear element and at least one moveable liner plate to move in the first direction toward the interior of the mold cavity, and to move the first gear element, the master bar along the stationary support shaft, and the moveable liner plate opposite the first direction away from the interior of the mold cavity by applying to the second gear element a force in a direction opposite the second direction.

15. The mold assembly of claim 11, wherein magnetic position sensor comprises a linear position sensor.

16. The mold assembly of claim 11, wherein the stationary support shaft comprises a non-magnetic material.

17. The mold assembly of claim 16, wherein the stationary support shaft comprises stainless steel.

18. The mold assembly of claim 11, wherein master bar includes a bushing comprising a non-magnetic material through which the stationary support shaft extends, and wherein the permanent magnet is coupled to the bushing and positioned proximate to the stationary support shaft.

19. The mold assembly of claim 18, wherein the bushing comprises brass.