# US 11,897,644 B2 · Dosing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,644 B2 - Document ID: US11897644B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/504,058 - Filed: 2019-07-05 - Published: 2020-01-09 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-05 - Assignees: Masa Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: MASA GmbH - Inventors: Frank Reschke - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897644B2 ## CPC - B65B 37/20: by volume measurement - B28B 13/0215: {Feeding the moulding material in measured quantities from a container or silo} - B28B 13/022: {Feeding several successive layers, optionally of different materials} - B28B 13/0225: {Feeding specific quantities of material at specific locations in the mould} - B28B 13/023: {by using a feed box transferring the moulding material from a hopper to the moulding cavities} - G01F 13/001: {for fluent solid material} - G01G 11/08: having means for controlling the rate of feed or discharge (regulation of flow of fluent material G05D) - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - B28B: SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER (foundry moulding B22C; working stone or stone-like material B28D; shaping of substances in a plastic state, in general B29C; making layered products not composed wholly of these substances B32B) - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - G01G: WEIGHING (sorting by weighing B07C5/16) ## Abstract The invention relates to a dosing apparatus for dosing bulk material into block forming elements, and for arrangement on a filling car of a filling apparatus of a block-making machine for manufacturing patterned blocks, in particular paving blocks. The filling car may be pushed forward and backward over block forming elements in a displacement direction, and a first bulk material component may be filled into the block forming elements with this car. The dosing apparatus comprises at least one filling box that has a lower outlet that may be opened and closed by means of a closure. A second bulk material component may be filled from the filling box into the block forming elements via the lower outlet. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Dosing apparatus for dosing bulk material into block forming elements and for arranging on a filling car of a filling apparatus of a block-making machine for producing patterned blocks, wherein the filling car is pushed back and forth in a displacement direction (V) via block forming elements and a first bulk material component is filled into the block forming elements with the latter, the dosing apparatus comprising: at least one filling box, wherein the filling box has a lower outlet that is opened and closed by means of a closure, wherein a second bulk material component is filled from the filling box into the block forming elements through the lower outlet, characterized in that the outlet in its open state is still closed in partial areas in a direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V) with the aid of a partial closure element, wherein the partial closure element is designed as part of the closure and the partial closure element is replaceable, so that the second bulk material component is filled into the block forming elements in segments, and the second bulk material component that emerges in segments is moved back and forth in a transverse direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V) and relative to the block forming elements with the aid of a drive unit arranged on the dosing apparatus, whereby the dosing apparatus has at least one frame apparatus arranged on at least one side of the filling box to which the filling box is fastened in a suspended manner at the filling box's upper corners with at least one lever respectively, wherein the lever is rotatably fastened at one end to a support element of the frame apparatus and at its other end, the lever is rotatably fastened to the filling box, and with the aid of the drive unit, a pendulum movement of the filling box is induced relative to the frame apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Dosing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the outlet is arranged transverse to the displacement direction (V), over the entire width of the filling box. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Dosing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least when the closure is in an open state, the partial closure element is arranged directly in front of the outlet and the partial closure element has recesses in its extension that covers the outlet, so that the outlet is closed by means of the partial closure element in partial areas, and the second bulk material component is filled from the filling box into the block forming elements through the recesses. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Dosing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the filling box is moved back and forth relative to the frame apparatus in at least one direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V), by means of the drive unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Dosing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the partial closure element is moved back and forth relative to the filling box in at least one direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V), by means of the drive unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Dosing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure is designed as a slider, wherein the closure is displaced at least in one displacement direction parallel to the plane of the opening of the outlet and is thus brought from a position that closes the outlet into an opened position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Dosing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the partial closure element is arranged directly in front of the outlet in the opened position of the closure, and closes the outlet in partial areas. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Dosing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of partial closure elements are arranged on top of one another in the displacement direction of the closure, wherein the closure is displaced in the displacement direction into different opened positions, in each of which respectively, a partial closure element is arranged in front of the outlet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Dosing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure is designed as a flap that is brought from a position that closes the outlet into an opened position by rotation about a rotation axis arranged parallel to at least one of the outer edges of the closure. ### Claim 10 Dosing apparatus for dosing bulk material into block forming elements and for arranging on a filling car of a filling apparatus of a block-making machine for producing patterned blocks, wherein the filling car is pushed back and forth in a displacement direction (V) via block forming elements and a first bulk material component is filled into the block forming elements with the latter, the dosing apparatus comprising: at least one filling box, wherein the filling box has a lower outlet that is opened and closed by means of a closure, wherein a second bulk material component is filled from the filling box into the block forming elements through the lower outlet, characterized in that the outlet in its open state is still closed in partial areas in a direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V) with the aid of a partial closure element, so that the second bulk material component is filled into the block forming elements in segments, and the second bulk material component that emerges in segments is moved back and forth in a transverse direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V) and relative to the block forming elements with the aid of a drive unit arranged on the dosing apparatus, whereby the dosing apparatus has at least one frame apparatus arranged on at least one side of the filling box to which the filling box is fastened in a suspended manner at the filling box's upper corners with at least one lever respectively, wherein the lever is rotatably fastened at one end to a support element of the frame apparatus and at its other end, the lever is rotatably fastened to the filling box, and with the aid of the drive unit, a pendulum movement of the filling box is induced relative to the frame apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) Dosing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the outlet is arranged transverse to the displacement direction (V), over the entire width of the filling box. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) Dosing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that at least when the closure is in an open state, the partial closure element is arranged directly in front of the outlet and the partial closure element has recesses in its extension that covers the outlet, so that the outlet is closed by means of the partial closure element in partial areas, and the second bulk material component is filled from the filling box into the block forming elements through the recesses. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) Dosing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the partial closure element is replaceable. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) Dosing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the filling box is moved back and forth relative to the frame apparatus in at least one direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V), by means of the drive unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) Dosing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that at least the partial closure element is moved back and forth relative to the filling box in at least one direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V), by means of the drive unit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) Dosing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the closure is designed as a slider, wherein the closure is displaced at least in one displacement direction parallel to the plane of the opening of the outlet and is thus brought from a position that closes the outlet into an opened position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) Dosing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the partial closure element is designed as part of the closure, wherein the partial closure element is arranged directly in front of the outlet in the opened position of the closure, and closes the outlet in partial areas. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) Dosing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that a plurality of partial closure elements are arranged on top of one another in the displacement direction of the closure, wherein the closure is displaced in the displacement direction into different opened positions, in each of which respectively, a partial closure element is arranged in front of the outlet. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) Dosing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the closure is designed as a flap that is brought from a position that closes the outlet into an opened position by rotation about a rotation axis arranged parallel to at least one of the outer edges of the closure.