Apparatus and method for processing marble

A method for surface treating marble to produce a weathered appearance comprising the steps of:

• (a) selecting a group of marble materials having similar hardness;
• (b) depositing said marble materials in a horizontally disposed drum having an interior surface lined with a material from the group of limestone, soapstone, porcelain or ceramic;
• (c) placing three distinct meshes of silica into said drum;
• (d) placing pea gravel into said drum
• (e) adding water into said drum;
• (f) adding clay to said drum;
• (g) rotating said drum at about 16 revolutions per minute for a predetermined period of time dependant upon the hardness of said marble materials;
• (h) removing said marble materials from said drum;
• and
• (i) slicing said marble materials along a longitudinal length thereof to provide two separate marble pieces with weathered veneer surfaces and flat mounting surfaces.

An apparatus for tumbling a large quantity of marble to provide a weathered appearance to the marble without chipping of the marble, said apparatus comprising:

• a drum formed from a tubular housing means having two end walls and a continuous side wall, said walls forming a shell to support an inner surface having a solid lining of a material from the group of limestone, soapstone, porcelain or ceramic used in combination with a slurry formed from a combination of silica sand, pea gravel and moistened clay, said inner surface defining an interior chamber with at least one inlet means disposed along said side wall;
• said end walls each having a centrally disposed bearing truss;
• each said bearing truss having a structural steel support member having a bearing housing operatively associated with each said bearing truss;
• a drive means for rotation of said drum about said centrally disposed bearing truss.