Flexible mat forming system and method

A system for forming a flexible mat having a sheet of open mesh embedded in and interconnecting a plurality of blocks of a hardened paste, the system comprising:

• a frame;
• a cylindrical drum rotatably mounted on the frame and contacting the ground, the drum having a plurality of mold cavities about an outer periphery thereof that receive a hardenable paste;
• a sheet of open mesh that is carried on a support mounted on the frame, the sheet of open mesh fed over the mold cavities so that the sheet of open mesh is embedded in the hardenable paste deposited in the mold cavities;
• and
• a flexible sheet that is carried on a roll mounted on the frame, the sheet placed against the outer periphery of the drum over the mold cavities containing the hardenable paste and the sheet of open mesh and extending downwardly to a pinch point between the drum and the ground to retain the hardenable paste within the mold cavities and retain the sheet of open mesh embedded in the hardenable paste as the hardenable paste solidifies to form the flexible mat;
• wherein the flexible sheet is a plastic sheet having a non-stick surface facing the mold cavities and a width approximately equal to a width of the drum.

A method for forming a flexible mat having a sheet of open mesh embedded in and interconnecting a plurality of blocks of a hardened paste, the method comprising:

• rotating a drum having a plurality of mold cavities about an outer periphery thereof;
• depositing a hardenable paste in the mold cavities;
• feeding a sheet of open mesh over the mold cavities so that the sheet of open mesh is embedded in the hardenable paste deposited in the mold cavities;
• placing a flexible sheet against the outer periphery of the drum over the mold cavities containing the hardenable paste and the sheet of open mesh to retain the hardenable paste within the mold cavities and retain the sheet of open mesh embedded in the hardenable paste as the hardenable paste solidifies to form the flexible mat;
• and
• separating the flexible sheet from the flexible mat.

A method for forming a flexible mat having a sheet of open mesh embedded in and interconnecting a plurality of blocks of a hardened paste, the method comprising:

• rotating a drum having a plurality of mold cavities about an outer periphery thereof;
• depositing a hardenable paste in the mold cavities;
• feeding a sheet of open mesh over the mold cavities so that the sheet of open mesh is embedded in the hardenable paste deposited in the mold cavities;
• and
• placing a flexible sheet having a non-stick surface facing the mold cavities against the outer periphery of the drum over the mold cavities containing the hardenable paste and the sheet of open mesh to retain the hardenable paste within the mold cavities and retain the sheet of open mesh embedded in the hardenable paste as the hardenable paste solidifies to form the flexible mat.