Patent ID: 8408894

Claim:
Am automated concrete block machine comprising: a mold including a mold cavity; a feedbox driven between retracted and extended positions and depositing concrete in the mold cavity when at the extended position; a head shoe assembly having a surface for contacting and compressing concrete in the mold cavity; a cutoff bar having a moveable cutoff element; and a drive system coupled to and driving the cutoff bar in a direction of movement of the feedbox, the drive system including at least one track which is fixed relative to the mold, a portion of the track corresponding to the mold cavity being non-linear and non-parallel to the surface of the headshoe assembly, wherein the moveable cutoff element follows the track such that a distance between at least a portion of the cutoff bar and a top of the mold varies so that the cutoff bar removes varying amounts of concrete deposited in the mold cavity so that a depth of concrete remaining in at least a portion of the mold cavity varies so as to be unevenly distributed in a desired fashion in the direction of movement of the feedbox and so that the concrete remaining has a non-planar surface parallel to the track and non-parallel to the surface of the head shoe assembly.