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US 5,512,005 AGranted
Process and apparatus for automatically engraving stone memorial markers
AssigneeMichael P. Short
InventorRobert L. Gulling
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AssigneeMichael P. Short
InventorRobert L. Gulling
Estimating the term…
The present invention relates to process and apparatus for automatically engraving stone memorial markers comprised of granite or marble. The markers have their polished facing surfaces covered with a cut-out blast-resistant stencil having prescribed lettering, numerals, decorative patterns and the like. The markers are conveyed through a sand blast chamber at a uniform rate and plural direct-air-feed nozzles are moved uniformly transversely thereover to effect precisely uniform engraving of the facing surfaces. The engraving is more precisely defined to a prescribed uniform depth with finer detail than heretofore possible by manual or other automated single-nozzle methods. The plural nozzles are essentially continuously fed with pressurized air and blast cutting media to obtain faster and more accurate engraving.
The process of automatically engraving a plurality of stone memorial markers in series, each said stone memorial marker having a smooth planar facing surface, said process comprising the steps of:
The process of engraving stone memorial markers having a smooth planar facing surface for engraving the same in series on an essentially continuous basis, said process comprising the steps of mounting a flexible plastic stencil in adhered relation on said planar facing surface of each marker, said stencil being formed of sand-blast-resistant material and having cut-out portions in the pattern of indicia to be engraved on said marker, mounting a plurality of sand-blast nozzles in lineal spaced-apart adjacent alignment over the said marker contained within an enclosed sand-blast chamber, continuously moving said marker at a uniform rate of advancement through said sand-blast chamber, oscillating said plurality of nozzles back and forth over said marker in overlapping relation while delivering pressurized air and sand-blast abrasive media against said marker to engrave the said indicia on the facing surface of said marker to a prescribed uniform depth, said nozzles being oscillated in overlapping relation transversely to the direction of travel of said marker, collecting the said waste products from the sand blasting operation adjacent to said enclosed sand-blast chamber, and separating the said waste products to recover the said abrasive sand blast media for reuse on a substantially continuous feeding basis.
Combined apparatus for automatically engraving indicia on stone memorial markers having a smooth planar facing surface, said apparatus comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.