Patent ID: 8715557
Filing Date: 2014-05-06
Classification: B28B

Abstract:
1. A process for manufacturing dry cast concrete wall blocks front face up; the wall blocks, with respect to orientation in a wall, having the front face molded with a predetermined three-dimensional pattern, an opposite rear face, top and bottom opposite faces extending between the front and rear faces, and side faces extending between the front and rear faces and the top and bottom faces; the process comprising the steps of: molding a concrete wall block by depositing a dry cast concrete mixture comprising at least 13.5%, by weight, cementitious material content into a mold; the mold being positioned upright and having two mold sidewalls and two mold end walls; the upright mold having an open top and an open bottom; the upright mold being positioned on a pallet so that the open bottom is closed by the pallet; the mold further having at least a first division plate having a bottom region, side regions, an upper region, and face regions; the first division plate extending from the open top of the mold to the open bottom of the mold; the side regions of the first division plate defining a first side edge and an opposite second side edge; forming the concrete wall block side faces by compacting the dry cast concrete mixture against the mold sidewalls; forming the concrete wall block rear face by compacting the dry cast concrete mixture against the pallet; forming one of the concrete wall block top or bottom face by compacting the dry cast concrete mixture against one of the face regions of the first division plate that is rigidly constrained during operation of the process; forming the other top or bottom face of the concrete wall block by compacting the dry cast concrete mixture against a face region of a wall or plate that is opposite to the first division plate and that extends to the open bottom of the mold; forming the concrete wall block front face by compacting the dry cast concrete mixture with a stripper shoe in the open top of the mold to impart a predetermined three-dimensional pattern to the concrete wall block front face; the predetermined three-dimensional pattern having a relief, in at least a portion thereof, of at least about 0.5 inch; stripping the concrete wall block from the open bottom of the mold onto the pallet; and curing the concrete wall block to result in a cured concrete wall block.