Abstract: An apparatus for making concrete brick in a manner such that at least both elongated sides of the brick have an antique appearance. In the apparatus a first hopper is provided which discharges coloring material onto an empty pallet that passes below the same. The pallet is moved into a concrete brick-making machine where a plurality of bricks are formed on their sides with the lowermost side in engagement with the coloring material. Thereafter a second hopper discharges coloring material onto the upper side of the bricks and such coloring material on the top is spread lengthwise. The forming of the bricks on the coloring material on the pallet provides a mottled effect on one side of the brick and the spreading of the coloring material provides a streaked effect on the other side so that a different antique appearance is imparted to opposite sides of the brick.

Abstract: A pallet positioner is used to locate a pair of pallets in selected positions on the turntable of a concrete pipe making machine. The pallet positioner has a frame supported for vertical movement on upright supports below the turntable. A hydraulic cylinder connected to the frame operates to move the frame up and down. A pallet guide and positioning structure connected to the frame is moved up through holes in the turntable to support pallets above the turntable. The form assembly having two jackets is placed over the raised pallets and locked into the bell sections of the jackets. The form assembly has lock structures which hold the pallets in the bell section of the jackets. The frame and pallet guide and positioning structure is then lowered away from the turntable. The form assembly is moved by the turntable to locate the jackets in vertical alignment with two packerheads. A gear box mounted on a cross head is connected to downwardly directed packerhead shafts operable to rotate the packerheads.

Abstract: A press is provided of the type used in compressing refractory material at high pressures in the manufacture of bricks and the like. The press includes a bed, columns supported by the bed, and a mold table slidably supported on the columns, the mold table including a central aperture housing a removable mold. The press further includes at least one plunger extending upwardly into the mold cavity of the mold. The press also includes a pallet for supporting the plunger, the pallet being releasably attached by alignment pins to the press bed and being supported for slidable movement on the upper surface of the press bed by a plurality of inflatable air bags located between the upper surface of the press bed and the pallet, the air bags each including at least one aperture in the bottom wall of the air bag. Air can be forced into the air bags to cause inflation of the air bags and can escape through the aperture in the bottom wall to form a fluid cushion between the pallet and the upper surface of the press bed.

Abstract: Interlocking cementitious building blocks of special configuration are fabricated in a mold box apparatus which includes a pallet die, a mold box die and a head die which are used in conjunction with a conventional block making machine. The mold box assembly is a self-aligning apparatus for precision casting of the interlocking elements of the building blocks.

Abstract: Multi-cavity molds, comparatively small in size and stick-like in shape, are passed through mold inspection station, mold locking station, preheating station, a first orientation station, a molding station, a second orientation station, a curing station, an unlocking station, a molded product ejection station, an insert loading station, and to the inspection station again. The molding station provides means for temperature control of a runner and shothead, facilitating use of thermoset materials, with provision for easy cleaning thereof. Insert loading apparatus is employed where the molded product is to include an insert or inserts.

Abstract: A machine having two packer heads operable to simultaneously make two concrete pipes. A pair of jackets mounted on a turntable are located in vertical alignment with two packer heads. A gear box mounted on a cross head is connected to downwardly directed shafts operable to rotate the packer heads. The cross head is movably mounted on an upright frame to lower the packer heads into the bottom area of the jackets. Separately controlled conveyors discharge concrete into the jackets above the packer heads. Separately rotatable funnels and stationary wiper blades are used to control the movement of concrete into the jackets. The packer heads are simultaneously rotated and elevated in the jackets to build up the cylindrical walls of the pipes. A dual bell packer is moved into engagement with the pallets at the lower end of the jackets to rotate and vibrate the pallets to form the bell sections of the concrete pipes. A pallet positioner is used to locate the pallets on the turntable.

Abstract: Brick forms on stackable pallets are delivered in succession by a conveyor belt beneath the outlet of a clay hopper equipped with an internal vibrator and a clay feed auger. A pivoted flapper blade trips over each brick form divider wall and assures that the clay is forced first into the forward part of each mold cavity. Water is supplied to the front face of the flapper blade. Immediately beyond the hopper outlet, a diaper assembly having a mechanical vibrator engages each moving form to vibrate the clay and promote random clay crystal orientation. A strike blade on the diaper assembly removes excess clay and water from the top of each moving form. Water is also supplied constantly to the strike blade.

Abstract: A mold box carries a removable pallet and is supported for tilting movement between a generally vertical filling position and a generally horizontal stripping position. In the filling position, the mold box receives a self-hardening material such as concrete to form a molded article. In the stripping position, the pallet and the molded article are pulled from the mold box onto a horizontal platform by a pulling member guided along the platform and connected to a fluid cylinder mounted on the platform. The pulling member connects with an arm member disposed within the mold box under the pallet when the mold box moves to its stripping position. The mold box is also disclosed with a plurality of parallel spaced core members, and the upper or outer ends of the core members are supported by pivotally retractable core support members.

Abstract: A moulding method utilizing apparatus for forming a monolithic reinforced concrete modular building structure comprising walls and floor with apertures therein for doors, windows and the like. The apparatus comprises separable mould components in the form of a floor, end walls, side walls and a core moveable into cooperation with each other and a wheeled pallet to define a moulding cavity for forming the module, and out of cooperation to leave the formed module free for withdrawal on the pallet from the apparatus. The moulding apparatus is controllably connected to a source of pressurized wet concrete for filling the mould and is enclosed within an autoclave for accelerating the initial curing process of the concrete in the mould by heating.

Abstract: A concrete product making machine having a product forming mold with a cavity for receiving cementitious material; support surfaces such as pallets on which the formed products are supported; a transfer device by which "green" products or blocks are removed on their pallets from the vicinity of the mold; and a block height gauging device, downstream of the mold, for gauging the height of the products by gauging the distance from the top surfaces of the pallets to the top surfaces of the products.