Brick and method for its manufacture

A method for making at least one concrete brick having a matrix with flashings within the matrix, comprising:

• providing a brick machine including a funnel shaped hopper having a first opening through which material is received and a second opening through which material exits from the hopper, the hopper in operable communication with a vibrating mechanism, the hopper releasing to a feeder drawer of a mold;
• mixing a first batch of concrete of a first color in a mixer;
• transferring the first batch of concrete of the first color from the mixer to the hopper by a conveyor between the mixer and the hopper, and the hopper receiving the first batch of concrete from the mixer;
• after the transferring of the first batch of concrete to the hopper, mixing a second batch of concrete of a second color in the mixer, wherein the first color is different than the second color;
• transferring the second batch of concrete of the second color from the mixer to the hopper by the conveyor between the mixer and the hopper, and the hopper receiving the second batch of concrete from the mixer after the receiving of the first batch of concrete from the mixer into the hopper;
• wherein the second batch of concrete is transferred to the hopper and placed on top of and in contact with the first batch in the hopper;
• forming a mixture of the first batch and the second batch by causing the first batch and the second batch to collapse inwardly into a central void with a downwardly moving vortex upon flowing through the hopper, and continuously vibrating the hopper at a speed of at least approximately 1500 revolutions per minute with the vibrating mechanism and mixing the first and second batches via the continuous vibration as the first and second batches flow through the hopper;
• interspersing the flashings of the second color of the second batch throughout the matrix of the first color of the first batch by the vibrating;
• directing at least a portion of the mixture from the hopper to the feeder drawer and then to the mold while continuously vibrating the hopper;
• and
• molding the portion of the mixture into at least one concrete brick with the flashings throughout the entire brick.

A method for making at least one concrete brick having a matrix of a first color with flashings of a second color within the matrix, comprising:

• providing a brick machine including a funnel shaped hopper in operable communication with a vibrating mechanism for vibrating the hopper, the hopper releasing to a feeder drawer of a mold;
• mixing a first batch of concrete of a first color in a mixer;
• after the mixing of the first batch of concrete, transferring the first batch of concrete of the first color from the mixer to the hopper and the hopper receiving the first batch of concrete from the mixer, wherein the first batch of concrete is conveyed to the hopper;
• after the transferring of the first batch of concrete to the hopper, mixing a second batch of concrete of a second color in the mixer, wherein the first color is different than the second color;
• transferring the second batch of concrete of the second color from the mixer to the hopper, and the hopper receiving the second batch of concrete from the mixer after the receiving of the first batch of concrete from the mixer into the hopper, wherein the second batch of concrete is conveyed to the hopper and placed in contact with the first batch of concrete in the hopper;
• vibrating the hopper with the vibrating mechanism at a speed of at least approximately 1500 revolutions per minute and causing the first batch and the second batch to collapse inwardly into a central void with a downwardly moving vortex as the first and second batches flow through the hopper by gravity and mixing the first and second batches via the vibration to form a mixture where the concretes of the first and second batches remain physically and chemically distinct;
• interspersing the flashings of the second color of the second batch throughout the matrix of the first color of the first batch by the vibrating;
• directing at least a portion of the mixture from the hopper to the feeder drawer and then to the mold while vibrating the hopper;
• and
• molding the portion of the mixture from the hopper and stamping the mixture at a pressure of approximately 20,000 pounds per square inch to approximately 50,000 pounds per square inch into at least one concrete brick with the flashings throughout the entire brick.