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US 4,536,145 AGranted
Apparatus for forming an expanded foam form liner including a contoured surface
AssigneeTom Sawyer Supply & Equipment
InventorsRobert D. Sawyer, Michael W. Fohl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for use in cutting a contoured surface in the face of a polystyrene foam block for use in casting concrete, wherein the contoured surface will form the mold surface. The apparatus comprises means for supporting a block of polystyrene foam material, a generally rigid wire having opposite ends, and means for heating the helical wire such that the wire can cut through the polystyrene foam block. The apparatus also comprises means for supporting the heated wire for controlled vertical and horizontal movement with respect to the polystyrene foam block, and with respect to a reference position.
Claims20
Apparatus for use in forming a decorative surface configuration in a block of expanded polystyrene foam, the apparatus comprising:
- support means for supporting a block of expanded polystyrene foam,
- a wire having opposite ends and being adapted to be connected to a voltage source whereby electrical current flowing throught the wire will heat the wire to a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the polystyrene foam,
- means for supporting the wire in generally linear relation, said means for supporting the wire including means for causing movement of the wire through the expanded foam block to cut a decorative surface configuration in the block, the means for causing movement including a carriage supported for linear reciprocal movement along the length of the block of expanded polystyrene foam between a retracted position and an extended position, means for causing movement of the carriage along the length of the block, and means for causing movement of the wire including means for causing lateral reciprocal movement of the wire in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the wire as the wire moves from the retracted position to the extended position, and means for causing vertical reciprocal movement of the wire as the wire moves from the extended position to the retracted position, the means for causing reciprocal movement of wire in the direction of the longitudinal direction and the means for causing vertical reciprocal movement of the wire being connected to the means for causing movement of the carriage along the length of the block such that the vertical position of the wire and the lateral position of the wire are dependent on the position of the carriage with respect to the block.
Apparatus for use in forming a decorative surface configuration in a block of expanded polystyrene foam, the apparatus comprising
- support means for supporting a block of expanded polystyrene foam,
- a wire having opposite ends and being adapted to be connected to a voltage source whereby electrical current flowing through the wire will heat the wire to a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the polystyrene foam.
- means for supporting the wire in generally linear relation, said means for supporting the wire including means for causing movement of the wire through the expanded foam block to cut a decorative surface configuration in the block, the means for causing movement including a carriage supported for linear reciprocal movement along the length of the block of expanded polystyrene foam between a retracted position and an extended position, means for causing movement of the carriage along the length of the block, and the means for causing movement of the wire including means for causing lateral reciprocal movement of the wire in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the wire as the wire moves from the retracted position to the extended position, and means for causing vertical reciprocal movement of the wire as the wire moves from the extended position to the retracted position, said means for causing movement of the carriage including a pair of spaced apart elongated drive members, one of the elongated drive members positioned adjacent one side of the carriage and the other of the elongated drive members positioned adjacent an opposite side of the carriage, the elongated drive members being parallel and extending in the direction of movement of the carriage, a rotationally driven shaft including a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the elongated drive members, the driven shaft including opposite ends, a first engaging member fixed to one of the opposite ends and engaging one of the elongated drive members and a second engaging member fixed to the other of the opposite ends of the driven shaft and engaging the other of the elongated drive members such that rotation of the driven shaft causes the carriage to be driven along the length of the elongated drive members.
Apparatus for use in forming a decorative surface configuration in a block of expanded polystyrene foam, the apparatus comprising:
- support means for supporting a block of expanded polystyrene foam,
- a wire having opposite ends and being adapted to be connected to a voltage source whereby electrical current flowing through the wire will heat the wire to a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the polystyrene foam,
- means for supporting the wire in generally linear relation, said means for supporting the wire including means for causing movement of the wire through the expanded foam block to cut a decorative surface configuration in the block, the means for causing movement including a carriage supported for linear reciprocal movement along the length of the block of expanded polystyrene foam between a retracted position and an extended position, means for causing movement of the carriage along the length of the block, and the means for causing movement of the wire including means for causing lateral reciprocal movement of the wire in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the wire as the wire moves from the retracted position to the extended position, and means for causing vertical reciprocal movement of the wire as the wire moves from the extended position to the retracted position, said means for causing lateral reciprocal movement of the wire in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the wire including a first driven shaft, and the means for causing vertical reciprocal movement of the wire including a second driven shaft mechanically joined to the first driven shaft such that the first driven shaft and the second driven shaft are simultaneously driven, the means for causing movement of the carriage including a third driven shaft drivingly connected by a first pair of meshing gears to the first driven shaft, and the third driven shaft being drivingly connected to the second driven shaft by a second pair of meshing gears.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.