Apparatus and method for making a masonry block
AssigneeWestblock Systems, Inc.
InventorsJames Hammer, Ronald Dunn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to one aspect, the present disclosure concerns embodiments of an apparatus and method for making a wall block, such as for constructing retaining walls or fences, that has at least one surface formed with a pattern resembling the faces of multiple blocks. In particular embodiments, the surface of the wall block has a plurality of discrete surface portions that are separated by one or more elongated recessed surface portions or scores such that each surface portion resembles the face of a separate block. The surface portions can be provided with roughened surface textures resembling the surface of a split block, which can be formed by roughening or texturing the uncured block as it is removed from a mold.
Claims34
An apparatus for molding and forming a roughened surface texture on at least one surface of an uncured masonry block, comprising:
- a mold defining at least one mold cavity, a first opening through which block-forming material is introduced into the mold cavity, and a second opening through which a formed, uncured block may be removed from the mold cavity;
- wherein the mold further comprises at least one wall having a plurality of projections extending into the mold cavity and contacting an adjacent surface of the uncured block, such that when the uncured block is removed from the mold cavity, the projections create a roughened surface texture on at least two surface portions of the adjacent surface, the at least two surface portions being separated by a recessed surface portion in the adjacent surface to give the appearance of two separate block faces in the adjacent surface.
An apparatus for molding and forming a roughened surface texture on at least one surface of an uncured masonry block, comprising:
- a mold defining at least one mold cavity, in which an uncured block can be formed, the mold having an inner surface that forms an elongated notch in at least one surface of the uncured block to define first and second surface portions on opposite sides of the notch, the inner surface comprising a plurality of block-texturing members that form a roughened surface texture on the first and second surface portions when the block-texturing members are moved across the first and second surface portions upon removal of the uncured block from the mold.
A method for forming a masonry block, comprising:
- introducing block-forming material into a mold cavity of a mold, the mold having a plurality of projections extending into the mold cavity and located between the top and bottom of the mold cavity;
- forming an uncured block in the mold cavity, the uncured block having at least one surface on which there is formed at least one elongated recessed surface portion separating the at least one surface into first and second surface portions;
- and
- removing the uncured block from the mold cavity to move the projections across the at least one surface of the uncured block to produce a roughened texture on the first and second surface portions so as to give the appearance of two split block faces on the at least one surface of the uncured block.
A method for forming a masonry block using a mold comprising a plurality of walls, a first opening, and a second opening opposite the first opening, the method comprising:
- introducing block-forming material into the mold via the first opening to form an uncured block having at least one surface on which there is formed at least one elongated notch separating the at least one surface into first and second surface portions;
- and
- removing the uncured block from the mold through the second opening, wherein the act of removing the uncured block from the mold creates a roughened texture on the first and second surface portions to provide the appearance of two separate split block faces on the at least one surface of the uncured block.
A method for forming a masonry block, comprising:
- placing a core bar in a mold, the core bar having a plurality of projections formed thereon;
- forming an uncured block in a mold;
- and
- moving the core bar relative to the uncured block to create a roughened surface texture on a surface portion of the uncured block contacting the projections of the core bar.
A core bar comprising an elongated body having plurality of projections configured to create a roughened surface texture on a surface of an uncured masonry block as the projections are moved across the surface of the uncured block.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.