Block splitting assembly and method
AssigneeAnchor Wall Systems, Inc.
InventorsRonald J. Scherer, Paul W. Bailey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to equipment and related methods for producing concrete retaining wall blocks. The equipment and methods described herein can be used to enhance the effectiveness of splitting assemblies that utilize workpiece engaging members disposed to at least one side of a splitting line and which engage the workpiece as it is split into at least two pieces.
Claims56
A method of producing a concrete block having an irregular front surface and at least one irregular edge along the front surface from a concrete workpiece, comprising:
- a) providing a concrete block splitting machine that includes a workpiece support and a first splitting assembly having:
- i) a first block splitter, the first block splitter being positioned to apply a splitting force to the workpiece to split the workpiece during an activation of the first splitting assembly to result in the concrete block with the irregular front surface;
- ii) a first engagement surface extending away from the first block splitter across an adjacent portion of a first surface of the workpiece;
- and,
- iii) a plurality of projections on the first engagement surface positioned so that they engage the first surface of the workpiece adjacent the front surface of the resulting concrete block during the splitting operation to break away portions of the concrete adjacent the front surface of the resulting concrete block and produce the irregular edge;
- b) locating a concrete workpiece in the concrete block splitting machine so that the workpiece is supported on the workpiece support in position for splitting;
- c) applying at least one biasing force to the workpiece to bias the workpiece downward against the workpiece support;
- and
- d) activating the first splitting assembly so that the first block splitter splits the workpiece and the projections engage the first surface of the workpiece adjacent the front surface of the resulting concrete block and produce the irregular edge while the biasing force is being applied to the workpiece.
A method of producing a concrete block having an irregular front surface and at least one irregular edge along the front surface from a concrete workpiece, comprising:
- providing a concrete block splitting machine having a workpiece support and a first splitting assembly that includes a first block splitter positioned to apply a splitting force to the workpiece to split the workpiece during an activation of the first splitting assembly to result in the concrete block with the irregular front surface, and a first plurality of projections disposed adjacent to at least one side of the first block splitter and positioned so that they engage the workpiece adjacent the front surface of the resulting concrete block during the splitting operation to break away portions of the concrete adjacent the front surface of the resulting concrete block and produce the irregular edge;
- locating a concrete workpiece in the concrete block splitting machine on the workpiece support in a position to be split;
- and
- applying at least one biasing force to the workpiece to bias the workpiece downward against the workpiece support, and
- activating the first splitting assembly to split the workpiece while the biasing force is being applied to the workpiece.
A block splitting machine for splitting a concrete workpiece to result in a concrete block with an irregular front surface and at least one irregular edge along the front surface, comprising:
- a workpiece support;
- a first splitting assembly including a first block splitter that is positioned to apply a splitting force to the workpiece when the workpiece is supported on the workpiece support to split the workpiece during an activation of the first splitting assembly to result in the concrete block with the irregular front surface, the first splitting assembly further including a first plurality of projections adjacent at least one side of the first block splitter and positioned so that they engage the workpiece adjacent the front surface of the resulting concrete block during activation of the first splitting assembly to break away portions of the concrete adjacent the front surface of the resulting concrete block and produce the irregular edge;
- and
- a first mechanism for applying a biasing force to the workpiece to bias the workpiece downward against the workpiece support during activation of the first splitting assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.