Simulated stone or brick column and method of fabricating same
A simulated stone or brick column which is fabricated by a method which involves providing a hollow closed mold which has an inner face in the form of a reverse image of the desired stone or brick surface. Two casting materials are sequentially introduced into the mold and in each case the mold is rotated about two perpendicular axes so that the casting material coats the inner face of the mold and results in the formation of a hollow column having the external appearance of the desired stone or brick surface. The two casting materials form an outer layer which has a texture and contour which simulate a stone or brick surface, and an inner layer which is adheredt to the outer layer and imparts high strength with minimal weight. A standard mailbox and newspaper tube can be integrally molded within the column.
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The present invention relates to a simulated stone or brick column which is configured to serve as a support for a plaque, light, or mailbox, or as a fence post.
Columns and posts of the described type are conventionally formed of wood, stone, or brick. Wooden posts quickly deteriorate and become unsightly, while stone or brick posts are expensive to fabricate at their location of use. Also, when such columns or posts are mounted adjacent a roadway, they can cause significant damage if accidentally impacted by an automobile.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a column or post of the described type, which presents an attractive appearance, which is long lasting, and which is relatively inexpensive to fabricate and maintain.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a simulated stone or brick column which can be placed adjacent a roadway to support a mailbox and/or newspaper tube, and which is of low weight, and is designed to easily break away from its mounting, to thereby minimize the risk of damage to an automobile which accidentally impacts the column.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a column or post which can be mass produced at a manufacturing facility and then easily mounted as a one-piece unit at its point of use.
It is still another object to provide a column or post of the described type which is highly resistant to deterioration, and yet is of low weight so as to further facilitate its mounting at the intended point of use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe above and other objects and advantages of the invention are achieved by the provision of a simulated stone or brick column which is fabricated by a method which involves providing a hollow closed mold which has a peripheral side wall and opposite end plates, and with at least the peripheral side wall having an inner face which comprises a reverse image of a stone or brick surface. A first liquid casting material is introduced into the mold, and the mold is rotated about two different axes so as to cause the material to coat the inner face of the side wall and the opposite end plates. The first casting material is allowed to cure and harden, and a second liquid casting material is then introduced into the mold and the rotation is repeated. After the second casting material hardens, the mold is opened to permit removal of the molded column. The peripheral side wall of the resulting molded column will thus have an exterior surface in the form of a positive image of the stone or brick surface.
The first liquid casting material thus forms an outer layer of the wall of the resulting molded column, and it is formulated to provide, upon hardening, the realistic look and texture of stone or brick. The second liquid casting material is formulated to provide, upon hardening, an inner wall layer which provides significant tensile strength while adding minimal weight to the resulting column.
The method of the present invention readily lends itself to an embodiment wherein a standard mailbox may be integrally mounted in the column. In such case, the hollow interior of the molded column can be partially or completely filled with an expandable foam forming material so that the resulting foam securely supports the portion of the mailbox which extends into the interior of the column.
In other embodiments, the resulting molded column can be used as a fence post, with a railing mounted between adjacent posts, or the column can be used to support a plaque with a house number, a light, or the like.
In all of the above embodiments, the column can be easily mounted upon a flat foundation footer at its final point of use, by utilizing an adhesive which is positioned between the bottom wall of the column and the footer.
Some of the objects and advantages of the present invention having been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds, when considered together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring more particularly to the drawings,
The four side wall members 12, the upper end wall 14, and the bottom end wall 15 each comprise an outer layer 16 (note
In one preferred embodiment, the column 10 mounts a standard mailbox 20 which extends through one of the side wall members 12 so that the openable end of the mailbox is accessible from the outside of the column and the rear end portion is within the hollow enclosure formed by the walls of the column. Also, as seen in
The above described support column 10 is preferably fabricated by a molding process which is described in detail in the following paragraphs.
The Fabrication of the MoldAs a first step in the production process, a mold 24 is fabricated in which the column 10 is molded.
As is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3A-3C, the fabrication of the mold 24 begins with the fabrication of a model which embodies the configuration and contoured surface of the desired column. The model may be formed by hand from stones or bricks, or by any other conventional technique.
Once the model is fabricated, it is covered with a layer of clay on all four sides and the top in the illustrated embodiment. The clay has a composition and consistency similar to that of conventional modeling clay used to make pottery, and it adheres to the model. The thickness of the clay is made as uniform as possible, and is typically about ¾ inches thick. The clay does not cover the bottom of the model in the illustrated embodiment.
Next, four outer panels 26 are formed, by for example spraying a coating of a fiberglass containing resin, such as polyester, onto the clay covered model. The outer panels 26 are preferably formed one at a time, and suitable forms are positioned along the edges and top and bottom to form side and end flanges on each panel. These flanges serve to interconnect the panels in a manner which will become apparent as the description proceeds. The fiberglass/resin coating is allowed to harden, resulting in the formation of a rigid outer panel 26 having a flat central portion which is surrounded by raised flanges.
A top end plate 28 is fabricated by the same technique, and a previously formed bottom end plate 29 is positioned to underlie the model and be attached to the flanges of the outer panels, note
The flanges of the outer panels 26 and the top and bottom end plates 28, 29 are then drilled, to accommodate bolts for securing the components together, as described below.
The outer panels 26 are then removed one at a time, and the underlying clay is stripped from the model. The removed outer panel is then repositioned with the other outer panels and attached thereto by the bolts which join the adjacent flanges. This forms a void in the area previously occupied by the clay beneath the outer panel which has been removed and replaced, as seen in
Upon hardening, a liner 30 is formed and the inner surface of the liner will thereby be formed as a reverse image of the surface of the model.
The second through fourth outer panels 26 are sequentially removed, with the clay under each panel being stripped, and with the resulting void being filled with the liner material in the above described manner. The top end plate 28 is then removed, and the underlying clay is stripped to form a void which is filled with the liner material, note
As seen in
As final steps in fabricating the mold 24, the side wall members 34 and top end plate 28 are separated from each other and removed from the model. Since the liner 30 is fabricated sequentially beneath each outer panel 26 and the top end plate 28, there will be break lines formed between the several sections of the liner, and cutting of the liner is not usually required during this separation operation. The side wall members 34 and top and bottom end plates 28, 29 are then re-assembled by interconnecting the adjacent flanges to form a hollow closed mold, with the inner face of the side wall members 34 of the mold, and the inner face of the top end plate 28, forming a reverse image of the model and thus the surface of the desired final column.
The Mounting of the Mailbox in the MoldAs best seen in
Next, an aperture 36 is cut or otherwise formed which extends through the liner 30 and outer panel 26 of one of the side wall members 34, note
While the present embodiment shows a mailbox joined to the interior of the mold, it will be appreciated that a newspaper tube or other similar tubular member can be joined in this fashion.
The Molding ProcessThe side wall members 34 and the top and bottom end plates 28, 29 are joined to form a closed mold 24, and the mold is then inverted as shown in
Such rotation causes the liquid casting material 40, which initially forms a puddle in the bottom of the mold, to flow onto and cover all interior surfaces of the liner 30 on all four side wall members 34 as well as the liner on the top end plate 28 and the bottom plate 29, note
A preferred first liquid casting material 40 has the following composition, which is thoroughly mixed before use:
First Liquid Coating Material Mix Composition
After the first liquid casting material has set up and hardened in the mold 24, a second liquid casting material 48 is mixed and introduced into the mold via the same aperture 41 in the bottom end plate 29, note
A preferred second liquid casting material 48 has the following composition:
Second Liquid Coating Material Mix Composition
In a preferred embodiment, the mold 24 is next moved to an inverted position and held in this position while a foam forming composition 50 is delivered into the mold through the aperture 41 in the bottom end plate 29. The resulting foam 21 typically surrounds and supports the mailbox 20, and occupies about ⅔ of the height of the inverted mold as represented by the letter A in
A preferred foam forming composition comprises:
Finally, after the foam composition 50 has cured to form the foam 21, the mold 24 is moved to its upright orientation and the side wall members 34 and top and bottom end plates 28, 29 are separated, note
The molded column 10 has the appearance as shown in
To highlight the appearance of stones in the illustrated embodiment, the top portion of the molded column 10 is spray painted with one or more colors. First, the top portion is covered with a rubber-like stencil 52 which is configured to match the outline of the grout lines between the stones, note
The molded column 10 is then laid horizontally upon a suitable dolly (not shown), and a rubber-like stencil 54 is applied to cover the grout lines on two sides of the column. The top portion of the column and mailbox opening are covered with a protective wrap 55. These two sides are then spray painted as described above, and the product is rotated through 1800 to expose the other two sides, which are then similarly covered with a stencil 54 and spray painted, note
The stencils 52, 54 for the top portion of the column and the sides of the column may be initially fabricated by extruding a line of urethane rubber composition along the grout lines using a caulking gun. Upon hardening, a rubber-like network is produced which conforms closely to the grout lines. Once formed, the stencils can be re-used with a number of molded columns which are produced in the same mold.
The last step in the finishing process is to spray the entire column 10 with a sealer. This prevents moisture intrusion and lengthens the life of the paint. The protective wrap 55 is preferably retained on the mailbox during the spraying operation.
As shown in
The finished column 10 and integral mailbox 20 are adapted to be easily mounted upon a cement foundation footer 56 as seen in
The embodiment of
The features and advantages of the present invention can be achieved with a number of products in addition to a mailbox supporting column as described above. For example, and as illustrated in
Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. While the invention has been described herein as being useful as a support for a plaque, light, or mailbox, or as a fence post, other uses are possible. For example, the column could be formed to surround and thus provide an ornamental outer cover for a structural beam or piling. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
Claims
1. A method of fabricating a simulated stone or brick column, comprising the steps of
- providing a hollow closed mold having a peripheral side wall and opposite end plates, with at least the peripheral side-wall having an inner face which comprises a reverse image of a stone or brick surface,
- introducing a first liquid casting material into the mold,
- rotating the mold about two different axes to cause the first casting material to coat the inner face of the side wall and the opposite end plates of the mold,
- allowing the first liquid casting material to cure and harden,
- introducing a second liquid casting material into the mold,
- rotating the mold about said two different axes so as to cause the second casting material to coat the hardened first casting material,
- allowing the second liquid casting material to cure and harden, and
- opening the mold so as to permit removal of the resulting molded column, and such that the resulting molded column comprises a peripheral side wall and upper and bottom end walls, with at least the peripheral side wall of the molded column having an exterior surface in the form of a positive image of the stone or brick surface.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the peripheral side wall and upper and lower end walls of the resulting molded column each comprise an outer layer formed by the first casting material and an inner layer which is adhered to the outer layer and is formed by the second casting material.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first casting material comprises a composition which is formulated to provide the realistic look and texture of stone or brick in the outer surface of at least the peripheral side wall of the resulting molded column.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the second casting material comprises a mixture of a polymeric resin and fiber strands which is formulated to provide tensile strength while adding minimal weight to the walls of the resulting molded column.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the peripheral side wall and at least one of the end plates of the hollow closed mold comprise a relatively rigid outer panel and a liner releasably secured to the inside of the rigid outer panel, and wherein the liner is provided with said reverse image of a stone or brick surface.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the peripheral side wall of the mold comprises four generally flat side wall members which are releasably interconnected to define a rectangular configuration in horizontal cross section.
7. The method of claim 6 comprising the further step of assembling a standard mailbox in one of the side wall members of the mold so that the openable end portion of the mailbox extends through at least a portion of the liner of the side wall member of the mold and so that the openable end lies closely adjacent the outer panel of the side wall member.
8. The method of claim 7 comprising the further subsequent step of partially filling the interior of the resulting molded column with an expandable foam product so as to form a foam which surrounds and supports the mailbox in the interior of the resulting molded column.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the two different axes about which the mold is rotated are in each rotating step substantially perpendicular to each other.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the rotational speed about each axis in each rotating step is between about 2 and 20 rotations per minute.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the end plates of the mold is configured to form a closed bottom end wall of the resulting column having a smooth exterior surface, and wherein the method comprises the further subsequent step of mounting the molded column on the ground and including securing a flat footer on the surface of the ground, applying an adhesive to the exterior surface of the bottom end wall of the molded column and/or to the footer plate, and mounting the molded column upon the footer plate so that the exterior surface of the bottom end wall rests upon the footer plate and the adhesive secures the molded column thereupon.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the peripheral side wall and at least one of the end plates of the mold have an inner face which comprises a reverse image of a stone or brick surface with grout lines between the individual stones or bricks, and so that the positive image which is imparted to the peripheral side wall and at least one end wall of the molded column includes grout lines.
13. The method of claim 12 comprising the further subsequent steps of covering the grout lines of the molded column with a removeable stencil, then spray painting the peripheral side wall and the at least one end wall of the molded column so that the stencil prevents the application of the paint to the grout lines, and then removing the stencil from the molded column.
14. A method of fabricating a simulated stone or brick mailbox supporting column, comprising the steps of
- providing a hollow closed mold having four peripheral side wall members disposed in a rectangular configuration in cross section, and opposite end plates, with the side wall members and at least one of the end plates each comprising a relatively rigid outer panel and a relatively thick liner adhered to the inside of the panel, with the liner having an inner face which comprises a reverse image of a stone or brick surface,
- assembling a standard mailbox in the mold so that the openable end portion of the mailbox extends into a close fitting opening in the liner of one of the side wall members and to a point adjacent the outer panel thereof,
- introducing a first liquid casting material into the mold,
- rotating the mold about two essentially perpendicular axes to cause the first casting material to coat the inner face of the liners of the four side wall members and the liner of the at least one end plate of the mold,
- allowing the first liquid casting material to cure and harden,
- introducing a second liquid casting material into the mold,
- rotating the mold about said two axes so as to cause the second casting material to coat the hardened first casting material,
- allowing the second liquid casting material to cure and harden, and
- opening the mold so as to permit removal of the resulting molded column, and such that the resulting molded column comprises four peripheral side wall members and upper and bottom end walls, with the peripheral side wall members and at least one of the end walls of the molded column having an exterior surface in the form of a positive image of the stone or brick surface.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the resulting molded column has a closed upper end wall and a closed bottom end wall, and comprising the further subsequent step of positioning the resulting molded column so that its upper end wall is below its bottom end wall, and then introducing an expandable foam material into the column so as to fill the bottom portion of the column and surround the mailbox, while causing the upper portion of the column to remain open.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the first casting material comprises a gypsum based composition which generates an exothermic reaction when mixed and which is formulated to provide the realistic look of grout and stone or brick in the resulting molded column.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the second casting material comprises a mixture of polyurethane and chopped fiberglass strands and which is formulated to provide tensile strength while adding minimal weight to the resulting molded column.
18. A simulated stone or brick column configured to serve as a support for a plaque, light, mailbox, or the like, or a fence post, and comprising
- a molded column of elongate tubular configuration and which comprises a peripheral side wall, an upper end wall, and a bottom end wall which are joined together to form a hollow enclosure,
- said peripheral side wall, said upper end wall, and said bottom end wall each comprising an outer layer of a material which is formulated to simulate the texture of stone or brick and grout in the molded column, and an inner layer which is adhered to the outer layer and comprises a mixture of a polymeric resin and fiber strands which is formulated to provide tensile strength while adding minimal weight to the molded column, and
- said outer layer having an outer surface which is contoured to resemble a stone or brick surface with grout between the stones or bricks.
19. The column of claim 18 wherein the peripheral side wall comprises four generally flat side wall members which collectively form a rectangle in horizontal cross section.
20. The column of claim 19 further comprising a standard mailbox mounted to extend through one of the side wall members so that the openable end of the mailbox is accessible from the outside of the column and the rear end portion of the mailbox is within the hollow enclosure.
21. The column of claim 20 wherein the hollow enclosure is at least partially filled with a foam material so as to surround and support the rear end portion of the mailbox within the enclosure.
22. The column of claim 18 wherein the thickness of the outer layer and the inner layer is in each case between about 3/32 and 3/16 inches.
Type: Application
Filed: May 16, 2006
Publication Date: Nov 22, 2007
Applicant:
Inventors: William Stephen Oram (Taylorsville, NC), Weldin Wayne Oram (Taylorsville, NC)
Application Number: 11/435,119
International Classification: E04F 15/00 (20060101);