Machine for producing marble tiles and related method

A machine for producing tiles from a block, in particular a block of marble, granite and the like, said machine comprising:

• a support surface for supporting said block;
• a plurality of first cutting means for cutting said block parallel to a first horizontal line, said first cutting means being arranged above said support surface, comprising respective lower edges, configured for cutting said block longitudinally on the upper part, said lower edges being arranged at the same adjustable height, with reference to a vertical line, and being arranged with an axis aligned along at least a first horizontal axis, parallel to a second horizontal line, orthogonal to said first horizontal line;
• a second cutting means for cutting said block transversally, i.e. parallel to said second horizontal line, said second cutting means being configured to move along a second horizontal axis relative to said support surface, said second horizontal axis being parallel or inclined by a first angle α<90°, with respect to said second horizontal line, said second cutting means comprising a resting position, wherein it does not interact with the block, and a working position, wherein it comprises a lower edge arranged at said same adjustable height as said first cutting means;
• and
• a horizontal blade for cutting said longitudinally and transversally cut block along a horizontal plane, said horizontal blade comprising a first cutting edge arranged at said same adjustable height as said first cutting means,
• wherein said support surface is apt to move on said horizontal line along a first cutting direction, relative to said first cutting means, to said second cutting means, and to said horizontal blade, said horizontal blade being arranged downstream of said first horizontal axis and said second horizontal axis, with reference to said first cutting direction.

A method for cutting a plurality of tiles from a block, in particular a block of marble, granite and the like, said method comprising the following steps:

• A. moving said block along a first cutting direction on a first horizontal line;
• and simultaneously
• B1. longitudinally carving a top surface of said block with a plurality of carvings parallel to said first horizontal line, said plurality of carvings being spaced apart from one another by a first distance and having a predetermined depth, with reference to a vertical line;
• B2. if said block has travelled a predetermined length with respect to said first cutting direction, transversally carving said top surface of said block at said predetermined length and at said predetermined depth, parallel to a second horizontal line, orthogonal to the first horizontal line, for the whole width of said block, optionally blocking the movement of said block in said first cutting direction;
• B3. cutting the longitudinally and transversally carved portion of said block, carved in said step B1 and/or in said step B2, on a horizontal plane at said predetermined depth;
• and
• C. executing said steps B1-B3 until said entire top surface of said block has been cut, obtaining a plurality of tiles having a length equal to a predetermined length, a width equal to said at least a first distance, a thickness equal to said predetermined depth;
• and
• D. unloading said plurality of formed tiles and repeating said steps A-C, preferably until said block is exhausted.