Patent ID: 6555040
Filing Date: 2003-04-29
Classification: B28B

Abstract:
A method of making a block comprising the steps of:raising a press foot within a breech to a first level even with an open upper end of the breech; moving a feed drawer having an open lower end and filled with granular material laterally across a planar surface into registration over the breech; lowering the press foot to a second level in the breech to receive a volume of the granular material from the feed drawer into the breech; withdrawing the feed drawer laterally across the planar surface out of registration with the breech to remove excess granular material from above the open upper end of the breech; lowering a bucking foot to close the upper end of the breech; raising the press foot to a third level within the breech to compress the granular material in the breech into a block; and raising the bucking foot to a level higher than the top of the feed drawer and the block to permit ejection of the block from the open upper end of the breech into a path of the feed drawer.