Patent ID: 7654502

Claim:
An apparatus for manufacturing simulated stone products, the apparatus comprising: a mold having one or more mold cavities, the mold cavities having a first section and a second section, the first and second sections having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis of the first section intersecting with the longitudinal axis of the second section to form a cavity angle, the first and second sections having top openings, the first and second sections being positioned such that castable material introduced into the top opening of the first section can flow by gravity into the second section; and a hopper configured to introduce castable material into the top opening of the first section of the mold cavity, the hopper and the mold being moveable with respect to each other, enabling them to be selectively engaged with each other, the hopper including a first funnel wall and a second funnel wall, the angle between the first funnel wall and the second funnel wall being the same as the cavity angle, the first funnel wall being configured to contact the top of the of the first mold cavity and to introduce castable material into the top opening of the first section of the mold cavity, the second funnel wall being configured to contact the top of the second mold cavity and act as a barrier to close the top opening of the second section of the mold cavity, the hopper and the mold being separable to allow removal of the simulated stone product from the mold cavity after hardening.