Abstract: A method and apparatus for cubing paving stones or similar stones which are not adapted to forming a self-supporting unit through the means of pressure applied to opposite sides of a tier of such stones. In the present invention, the stones on a flat pallet are contacted with side pressure to bring the stones into a compact unit on the pallet. While the stones are so clamped, the pallet is clamped along its opposite side edges and transported, with the tier of stones thereon, to a location above a previously deposited tier of such stones or a pallet. When so positioned, the pallet is withdrawn from its supporting position beneath the stones and the stones settle gently onto the previously laid tier or pallet. The force applied to the stones on the pallet is chosen to be less than the force that would be required to urge the stones against one another to form a self-supporting unit.

Abstract: An acceleration control device for a hydraulic drive unit having a rotatable control shaft movable between an on position and an off position. An arm is connected to the control shaft for rotating the shaft between the off and on positions. A motive apparatus is movable between a first position which corresponds to the off position of the control shaft and a second position which corresponds to the on position of the control shaft. A mechanical linkage is connected between the motive apparatus and the arm. The linkage imparts movement to the arm in response to movement of the motive apparatus to cause the control shaft to move between the off and on positions as the motive apparatus moves between the first and second positions, respectively. The linkage is configured to provide a substantially nonlinear relationship between the speed of the arm and the speed of the motive apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring palletized uncured concrete blocks to a curing kiln from a block making station and rapidly loading the palletized uncured blocks into the kiln. Typical kilns include a plurality of rows of tiered passageways extending from an open front end to an open rear end of the kiln. The transferring and loading apparatus includes a conveyor device for moving palletized blocks from the block making station to a location below the open front end of any selected one of the passageways a distance greater than the height of the palletized blocks, a lifting device for lifting the pallet of blocks from the conveyor device to the open front end of the selected passageway, and a palletized block moving device for moving the pallet of blocks from the lifting device into the selected passageway as another pallet of uncured blocks moves into position on the conveyor device below the selected passageway.

Abstract: An apparatus for storing a plurality of pallets and for distributing pallets one at a time to a work station includes a vertically oriented magazine with an open top end for storing a plurality of pallets one above the other and a pallet unloading device horizontally movable to and from the open top end of the pallet magazine. The pallet unloading device removes pallets one at a time from the open top end of the magazines and delivers them to a work station. The magazine has a pallet lifting device to lift pallets in the magazine to the open top end of the magazine and in position to be removed therefrom by the pallet unloading device. A pallet loading device is located over the top open end of the magazine to selectively load the magazine with pallets as the number of pallets stored in the magazine diminishes.

Abstract: A system is provided for loading concrete blocks, carried on pallets, into a kiln. The kiln includes a front end wall and a rear end wall and a plurality of guideways extending from the front end wall to the rear end wall. The guideways are arranged in a grid pattern of horizontally aligned layers and vertically aligned tiers. The pallets are inserted into a selected guideway. A laterally movable main frame carries a vertically movable subframe which includes an arcuate conveyor. An elevator delivers pallets to the subframe which inserts the pallets into the selected guideway. The main frame and subframe are indexed for exact alignment with the selected guideway.