Patent ID: 7704434

Claim:
A method of forming a dry-cast concrete block with at least one core opening therein; the method comprising the steps of: providing a block mold having a plurality of sidewalls defining a mold cavity with an open top, an open bottom and a core form in the mold cavity at a location to form a core opening in, and extending completely through, a pre-cured concrete block formed therein; a pallet being positioned underneath the block mold to temporarily close the open bottom of the mold cavity; depositing dry-cast concrete in the mold cavity distributed around and against the core form and on the pallet; introducing a plate through the open top of the mold cavity and compacting the dry-cast concrete in the mold cavity to form a pre-cured concrete block; the plate having a first surface that, in use, faces the mold cavity and the dry-cast concrete; the plate having a core form opening therein configured to allow passage therethrough of the core form; and, the plate including a beveled ridge on the first surface around at least a portion of the core form opening and projecting from the first surface toward the mold cavity, the beveled ridge including: a first section that forms an extension of a wall that forms the core opening; and, a second section that extends from the first section to the first surface and which is disposed at an acute angle relative to a direction of travel of the core form through the core opening during forming of the block; the second section facing away from the core form opening; and, the beveled ridge extending partially through the dry-cast concrete; the step of introducing the plate and compacting the concrete including molding a beveled section in the dry-cast concrete while compacting; the beveled section being adjacent the core and the upper surface of the pre-cured block as molded; opening the temporarily closed bottom of the mold cavity; discharging the pre-cured concrete block from the mold cavity through the opened bottom of the mold cavity; the step of discharging comprising lowering the pre-cured block relative to the core form until no portion of the pre-cured concrete block engages and surrounds the core form; and, the step of discharging further comprising discharging from the mold and on the pallet a pre-cured block having; a front surface; a rear surface; side surfaces that extend from the front surface to the rear surface; a bottom surface and a top surface; and a core opening extending completely through the block from a lower surface as molded to an upper surface as molded; the core opening having a ridgeless perimeter at the portion of the core opening adjacent the upper surface as molded; and, curing the pre-cured concrete block.