Patent ID: 7066167

Claim:
A method of producing a concrete block having an irregular front surface and at least one irregular edge along the front surface from a concrete workpiece, comprising: a) providing a concrete block splitting machine that includes a workpiece support and a first splitting assembly having: i) a first block splitter, the first block splitter being positioned to apply a splitting force to the workpiece to split the workpiece during activation of the first splitting assembly to result in the concrete block with the irregular front surface; ii) a first engagement surface extending away from the first block splitter across an adjacent portion of a first surface of the workpiece; and iii) a plurality of projections on the first engagement surface positioned so that they engage the first surface of the workpiece adjacent the front surface of the resulting concrete block during activation of the first splitting assembly to break away portions of the concrete adjacent the front surface of the resulting concrete block and produce the irregular edge; b) locating a concrete workpiece in the concrete block splitting machine so that the workpiece is supported on the workpiece support in position for splitting; and c) activating the first splitting assembly so that the first block splitter splits the workpiece and the projections engage the first surface of the workpiece adjacent the front surface of the resulting concrete block and produce the irregular edge.