Abstract:
A mold battery for molding planar products in cavities defined by adjacent mold flaps is disclosed, wherein each end of each mold flap is slotted in a lower portion thereof to receive a pivot which can be fastened at a desired position within the slot, thus easily and quickly providing adjustable mold flap locations which improve the edge sealing of one mold flap to another. A method of using slotted pivots to adjust the mold flaps of the mold battery is disclosed as is a method of using the adjusted mold battery.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to the field of molding multiple products simultaneously. More particularly, the present invention relates to the multiple molding of panel-shaped concrete products, within cavities defined by mold flaps arranged in an adjacent manner, commonly termed a mold battery.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     A mold battery comprises multiple mold flaps having a generally vertically planar shape, arranged side-by-side. By contacting one another at side seals and a bottom seal, and by providing an opening between adjacent top edges, multiple mold cavities are created. This arrangement makes it convenient to pour one batch of concrete onto the top of the mold battery, filling many cavities simultaneously. Excess concrete can be screeded off, imparting a straight top surface to the molded products.  
         [0005]     The internal mold surface of a mold flap can comprise a sculpted surface, meant to impart to the molded product an appearance which simulates stone, brick, or the like. The mold flap can be made of an elastomeric material, which aids in the release of the molded product and which seals well along the sides and bottom.  
         [0006]     A complete mold battery assembly comprises a base frame to support the weight of the mold flaps and panel products. The assembly could also comprise a means for clamping the mold flaps against one another, especially during the pouring of the concrete. This clamping means must thereafter disengage.  
         [0007]     Mold batteries of prior art have comprised some means of mold flap rotation, within the base frame, in a fashion similar to turning a page in a book. In this way, the mold flaps can be aligned and brought together, and also later opened to harvest the cured molded products.  
         [0008]     Some rotating prior art designs have used permanent hinges to rotate the mold flaps. However, those designs have proved ineffective in practice, since it is nearly impossible to predict the desirable hinge location, due to variables in the manufacturing of each mold flap. It is a well-known problem that several small dimensional errors can accumulate to cause a large error, resulting in the misfit of some mold flaps.  
         [0009]     A prior art mold battery design by Muidrey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,325 features an adjustable hinge, which is a component of the base frame. The present invention will be demonstrated to comprise a new adjustable pivot assembly, which is a component of the mold flap.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     An objective of the present invention is to improve the effectiveness of the seal of one mold flap to another. This is accomplished by providing a mold flap having an adjustable pivot.  
         [0011]     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a mold flap having an adjustable pivot which is easy to adjust. This is accomplished by utilizing a fastening means to secure the pivot at a desired location, using conventional hand tools.  
         [0012]     Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a mold flap having an adjustable pivot which is quick to adjust. This is accomplished by utilizing a fastening means which can be used to make the adjustment in a matter of minutes.  
         [0013]     These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The following drawings describe the present invention:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a mold flap according to the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of the adjustable pivot assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the mold flap of  FIG. 1  fitted into a base showing the pivoting action;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the base of  FIG. 3  fitted with three pivoting mold flaps and one fixed mold flap;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of the  FIG. 4  assembly, showing pivots secured centrally within slotted openings;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the base, fitted alternately with thick flaps having pivots secured to the left within slotted openings;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of the base, fitted alternately with narrow flaps having pivots secured to the right within slotted openings;  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of a mold flap having an alternate adjustable pivot construction;  
         [0023]      FIG. 9  is a partial perspective view of the adjustable pivot assembly of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of a mold flap having an alternate adjustable pivot construction;  
         [0025]      FIG. 11  is a partial cross sectional view of the adjustable pivot assembly of  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the mold battery of the present invention having a clamping assembly for holding flaps together.  
     
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS USED IN THE DRAWINGS  
       [0027]     The following is a description of the referenced parts: 
     10  mold flap      11  top edge      12  side seal      13  bottom seal      14  leg      15  cavity      16  slotted opening      18  fixed mold flap      19  lug      20  thick mold flap      26  slotted opening      28  thick fixed flap      30  narrow mold flap      36  slotted opening      38  narrow fixed flap      40  mold flap      46  slotted opening      50  mold flap      56  slotted opening      60  threaded shank      61  bolt      62  washer      64  pivot tube      66  nut      67  pin      68  rod      69  wing nut      70  shoulder bolt      71  threaded shank      72  pivot shoulder      73  head      76  nut      80  pivot nut      81  pivot body      82  head      86  bolt      90  base      91  hole      92  pivot hole     N narrow width     P direction     T thick width     W width    
 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0071]      FIG. 1 . shows one embodiment of the present invention which comprises a mold flap  10 , which has a generally vertical planar shape. The mold flap is preferably fabricated of an elastomeric material such as polyurethane, which is wear resistant, is flexible for ease in removing cast product, and which provides fidelity in the molding surface. The mold flap has a top edge  11 , two side seals  12 , and a bottom seal  13 . Each seal can be comprised of a sealing surface, especially if the mold is fabricated of an elastomeric material, or each seal can be comprised of a strip of compliant material. The central area of the mold flap comprises a concave shaped cavity  15  which is negatively sculpted or imparting a positive texture to the molded product. All of the features on the shown side of the mold flap are also on the opposite side. In this way, a mold cavity can be created by sealing two mold flaps adjacent to one another. At each end of the mold flap, there are legs  14 , each having a slotted opening  16 , whose long axis is generally horizontal. The slotted opening may have dimensions of ½ inch×⅞ inch, but will work with other suitable dimensions. An adjustable pivot assembly is attached through the slotted opening, comprising a bolt  61  sized to fit through the slotted opening. The bolt has a head  63 , and a threaded shank  60 , on which is placed a washer  62 , and a pivot tube  64 . The pivot tube is a hollow cylinder having an inside diameter sized to receive the bolt, and an outside diameter of a size which would prevent it from passing though the slotted opening. By passing the bolt through the pivot tube and slotted opening, and securing it with a nut  66 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , a pivot is provided at a particular location along the slotted opening. Thus, it will be realized that the location of the pivot is adjustable, to suit the desired fit of one mold flap to another.  
         [0072]     Another embodiment, which would work equally well, would comprise a bolt with a head sufficiently large, so that the washer  62  could be eliminated. Other embodiments, comprising alternate hardware will be shown later in FIGS.  8  thru  11 .  
         [0073]      FIG. 3  shows a base  90  which is a structure for providing pivoting support for one or more mold flaps  10  by means of pivot holes  92  equally spaced apart from one another at a distance referenced by character W, wherein the nominal thickness of the mold flap is equal to W. One mold flap is shown supported in the base by the adjustable pivots fitted through the pivot holes, so that the mold flap may rotate in the direction shown by double-headed arrow referenced by character P. Note that he length of the pivot tube (reference numeral  64  in  FIG. 1 ) must be longer than the thickness of the all of the base, to prevent binding. Also the diameter of the pivot hole must be greater than the diameter of the pivot tube.  
         [0074]      FIG. 3  also shows holes  91  for securing a fixed mold flap (shown by reference numeral  18  in  FIG. 4 ). The fixed mold flap is similar to mold flap  10 , except that it has no adjustable pivots, but instead has holes to match holes  91  for rigid mounting in a vertical position, against which adjacent mold flaps  10  may pivot.  
         [0075]      FIG. 4  shows the fixed flap  18  and three of mold flaps  10  fitted into the base  90 . The same embodiment is shown as a cross-sectional side view in  FIG. 5 . Where each of the adjustable pivots is secured by bolts  61  centered in the slotted openings  16 .  
         [0076]      FIG. 5  shows a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 4 . The mold flaps  10 , each have a width noted as W and the pivot holes  92  are spaced equally at the same distance noted by W. The pivots are adjusted by loosening the hardware and retightening at the desired positions. Thus, each of the mold flaps  10  are able to fit and seal well together by securing the bolts  61  centrally within slotted openings  26  thus providing an adjustable location of the mold flaps centrally.  
         [0077]      FIG. 6  shows a different set of mold flaps which are thick flaps  20 , each having a slightly thicker width denoted as T. These are fitted into the same base  90  as was shown in  FIG. 5  having pivot holes  92  spaced equally at the distance noted by W (wherein T is greater than W.) Therefore, the thick flaps would not fit properly together, were it not for the present invention, whereby the pivot locations are adjusted by loosening the hardware and retightening at the desired positions. Thus, each of the thick flaps  20  are able to fit and seal well together by securing the bolts  61  toward the left within-slotted openings  26  thus providing an adjustable location of the thick flaps toward the right.  
         [0078]     By contrast,  FIG. 7  shows yet a different set of mold flaps which are narrow flaps  30 , each having a slightly narrower width denoted as N. These are fitted into the same base  90  as was shown in  FIG. 5  having pivot holes  92  spaced equally at the distance noted by W (wherein N is less than W.) Therefore, the narrow flaps would not fit properly together, were it not for the present invention, whereby the pivot locations are adjusted by loosening the hardware and retightening at the desired positions. Thus, each of the narrow flaps  30  are able to fit and seal well together by securing the bolts  61  toward the right within slotted openings  36  thus providing an adjustable location of the narrow flaps toward the left.  
         [0079]     Having shown, by way of illustration in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , how thick mold flaps  20  and narrow mold flaps  30  are accommodated by the adjustable pivots of the present invention, it can now be appreciated how the present invention provides adjustment for any combination of thick or narrow mold flaps. Furthermore, the adjustable pivots of the present invention can provide flush mold seal fitting between mold flaps  10  in spite of other variations, such as where the pivot hole  92  spacings are not equal, or where the thickness of a mold flap on one end is different from the thickness at the other end.  
         [0080]     The adjustable pivot of the present invention can also correct for dimensional variations over a period of time. It is well known that the dimensions of mold flaps fabricated of an elastomeric material can change overtime. For example, the thickness of the mold flap can become more narrow due to compression set caused by repeated and prolonged clamping forces. On the other hand, the mold flaps may increase in dimension due to swelling caused by exposure to water, chemicals, or temperature changes. If the mold flap dimensions change over time then the flaps will not seal well. However the adjustable pivots of the present invention may be loosened, repositioned, and retightened in a matter of minutes.  
         [0081]     An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 8  where a mold flap  40  having a slotted opening  46  is fitted with a shoulder bolt  70  having a threaded shank  71 , a pivot shoulder  72  and a head  73 . The shoulder bolt passes through the slotted opening and is secured by a nut  76 . The secured adjustable pivot of this embodiment is shown in  FIG. 9 .  
         [0082]     An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 10  where a mold flap  50  having a slotted opening  56  is fitted with a bolt  86  which passes through the slotted opening and is secured by a pivot nut  80  having a female thread (not visible in this view) and a pivot body  81  and a head  82 . The secured adjustable pivot of this embodiment is shown in cross section in  FIG. 11 .  
         [0083]     Several embodiments of the adjustable pivot assembly have been illustrated in which various hardware parts have been utilized to provide a pivot. For example,  FIG. 1  shows a pivot tube  64 , and  FIG. 8  shows a pivot shoulder  72 , and  FIG. 10  shows a pivot body  81 . In every embodiment, a pivot is provided which is defined as generally cylindrical having a diameter suited to fit through the pivot hole ( 92  in  FIG. 3 .) for supporting the weight of the mold flap  10  and for providing pivoting action to rotate the mold flap.  
         [0084]     Several embodiments of the adjustable pivot assembly have been illustrated in which the fastening of the adjustable pivot is facilitated by applying torque to a head ( 63  in  FIG. 1, 73  in  FIG. 8 , and  82  in  FIG. 10 .) However, the present invention would work equally well having an adjustable pivot without a head. Other means of applying torque to fasten, such as grasping, or using a screw slot, or using a spanner hole, would work equally well.  
         [0085]     Referring again to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the present invention benefits by attaching the fixed mold flap  18  rigidly and vertically to the base frame  90  by means of fasteners through holes  91 . Fixing at least one mold flap prevents the rest of the mold flaps from leaning over away from vertical, especially when they are all clamped together during the pouring and filling of the mold cavities. The mold flap which is fixed to the base frame could be one on the end, in which case the other mold flaps would later separate in one direction away from that end mold member, in order to remove each molded product. Or, the fixed mold flap could be one of the middle mold flaps, in which case the other mold flaps would separate in two directions, away from the fixed middle mold flap.  
         [0086]     The present invention comprises a clamping means for clamping the mold flaps together prior to pouring and filling. One version of the clamping means is shown in  FIG. 12 , having a lug  19  attached to each end of mold flap  18 . There is a pin  67  attached to each end of the last mold flap  10 . On each end, there is a rod  68  having a hooked end secured around the pin, and a threaded end passing through a hole in the lug. By turning a wing nut  69  against the lug on each end, the flaps can be clamped tightly together. Alternate versions of a clamping means could be comprised of a chain or cable, on two sides (or completely surrounding all of the mold members) and joining with a screw, lever, ratchet, over-the-center latch, or other well-known mechanisms for drawing a chain or cable tight.  
         [0087]     Having demonstrated several embodiments of the present invention, it can now be understood how one may adjust a mold battery of the present invention, comprising the steps of: Providing a mold battery comprised of two or more mold flaps each having a generally planar shape oriented vertically, each mold flap having at each end: a slotted opening having a long axis which is generally horizontal, a pivot having a generally cylindrical shape, a fastening means for fastening the pivot to the slotted opening at an adjusted position; wherein further providing a base for pivotal attaching each mold flap wherein the base has pivot holes though which each pivot is rotatably guided, then providing a clamping means for clamping the mold flaps together, then uncapping the clamping means, then loosening each fastening means, whereby each pivot is free to move horizontally along its respective slotted opening, then clamping the flaps together with the clamping means, whereby mold flaps can make desirable planar contact to one another, unrestrained by loosened pivots, and finally fastening each fastening means, whereby each pivot is secured at the adjusted position, whereby, if the clamping means is uncapped, then each mold flap can be pivoted to an open position, and whereby if the mold flaps are clamped together with the clamping means, the mold battery is adjusted by the adjusted position of each pivot.  
         [0088]     Also, the products which can be cast by the present invention are improved by being cast in a mold battery that has been adjusted by: Providing a mold battery comprised of two or more mold flaps each having a generally planar shape oriented vertically, each mold flap having a cavity, and each mold flap having at each end: a slotted opening having a long axis which is generally horizontal, a pivot having a generally cylindrical shape, a fastening means for fastening the pivot to the slotted opening at an adjusted position; wherein further providing a base for pivotal attaching each mold flap wherein the base has pivot holes though which each pivot is rotatably guided, then providing a clamping means for clamping the mold flaps together, then uncapping the clamping means, then loosening each fastening means, whereby each pivot is free to move horizontally along its respective slotted opening, then clamping the flaps together with the clamping means, whereby mold flaps can make desirable planar contact to one another, unrestrained by loosened pivots, and finally fastening each fastening means, whereby each pivot is secured at the adjusted position, then pouring a hard enable material into the cavities between mold flaps, then waiting for the hard enable material to harden, then uncapping the clamping means, then pivoting each mold flap to an open position, and finally removing the hardened product.  
         [0089]     Thus, it can now be appreciated how the present invention offers many improvements and advantages in adjusting, aligning, sealing, and separating the mold flaps of a mold battery. The applications of the present invention are not limited to concrete molding, but can also benefit molding and casting of other materials in planar and non-planar shapes. While the above descriptions and embodiments contain many specific features by way of example, they should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention. Many other variations are possible within the scope of the following claims.