Abstract: A method for treating the surfaces and edges of a block to mimic the appearance of natural stone. The apparatus and method can treat up to four sides of a block, can be adjusted to provide varying degrees of surface and edge treatment, and useful in high volume block production equipment. Blocks are produced having a natural, weathered appearance without the damage, breakage, dust, or expense associated with conventional splitting and tumbling methods.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for treating the surfaces and edges of a block to mimic the appearance of natural stone. The apparatus and method can treat up to four sides of a block, can be adjusted to provide varying degrees of surface and edge treatment, and useful in high volume block production equipment. Blocks are produced having a natural, weathered appearance without the damage, breakage, dust, or expense associated with conventional splitting and tumbling methods.

Abstract: A cartridge carrier and dispenser with a shoulder sling support is disclosed. It comprises a curved rigid tube witha unitary dispenser and is adapted to receive plural cartridges in end-to-end relation. A cartridge dispenser slot is provided in the wall of the tube adjacent a stop pin at the bottom of the tube. A finger opening with a deflectable tongue is provided opposite the dispenser slot so that the user can apply finger pressure to displace the lower end of the cartridge through the dispenser slot. The dispenser slot is bounded by gripping edges and a tab to retain the cartridge in an oblique position with the lower end extending out of the tube and the upper end within the tube. The cartridge is held in the oblique position until the user grasps the lower end and pulls it through the dispenser slot.

Abstract: A hydraulic press having upper and lower hydraulically operated plates whereby the upper plate is movable with a long stroke cylinder and the lower plate is movable wth a short stroke cylinder. The press has a grooved load bearing rod which is attached to the upper moving plate and passes through the upper fixed plate of the press with a series of slots machined in the rod. A split ring and an especially ground shim are located on a bushing in the upper plate and in one of the ground grooves. A locking plate is attached to the lower part of the upper fixed plate and using a hydraulically operated cylinder has locking plates which move into and out of engagement with the grooved rod to accurately locate the position of the upper moving plate when the machine is stroked. This method of adjusting the horizontal position or parallelism of the plates enable very accurate positioning of the mold or dies which are mounted between the plates of the press.

Abstract: This invention embodies an intensifier cylinder assembly within the main hydraulic ram of a plastic molding machine whereby the clamping force holding the mold halves together can be increased during the shot cycle of the machine by at least three times the normal clamp force of the machine. Additionally, the location of the intensifier reduces the number of high pressure hydraulic fittings in the machine improving the safety factor while reducing the overall cost of the intensifier itself since the ram piston now becomes the housing for the intensifier piston.