Abstract: A building block is disclosed which is intended to be arranged in substantially horizontal layers stacked upon each other without the use of mortar. The upper and lower support surfaces of the blocks are wave-shaped in two perpendicular directions in such a manner that the wave-patterns in both directions have the same amplitude and periodicity and a constant wave section over their entire extension. Disclosed also is apparatus for manufacturing the blocks, comprising at least one mold which has a bottom surface having a wave-shape corresponding to that of the block and an upper edge profile corresponding to the wave-shape of the top of the block in the longitudinal direction of the block. Means is located above the mold for supplying a casting mass to the mold and a rotary and vertically movable roll is located above the mold for levelling out and smoothing the mass at the upper end of the mold.

Abstract: Articles are moulded from paraffin wax by melting the wax and then allowing the wax to solidify in a mould, the mould being refrigerated. The invention includes a machine for moulding the articles, and wax treated by the method.

Abstract: A factory for manufacturing concrete products, in particular prestressed concrete products, comprising a rotary supporting housing of a general cylindrical shape, having a horizontal axis of rotation and conveying moulds, for the concrete products, placed on its internal surface. The rotary housing comprises a circular carrier structure supported by means permitting the rotation of the said carrier, and a structure, resistant to longitudinal stresses, arranged in the interior of the carrier structure. The resistant structure comprises, on the one hand, longitudinal recesses adapted to receive sets of moulds, and, on the other hand, at one longitudinal end means for the attachment of reinforcement wires of the concrete products and, at its other longitudinal end, means for tensioning the reinforcement wires, such that the tensile stresses of these wires are taken up exclusively by the aforesaid resistant structure.

Abstract: A brick press is disclosed having a turntable carrying a plurality of molds angularly spaced from each other and having equipment associated therewith establishing a plurality of series of operating stations, each series including at least a precompression station, a compression station and an ejection station. The molds carried by the turntable are provided with replaceable liners. A material handling and feed system is also disclosed, providing for preparation of particulate or granular materials to be charged into the molds.

Abstract: An automated molding apparatus has a continuous movable belt trained about a pair of spaced apart sprocket pulleys rotatably mounted to a main support frame. A plurality of female dies are equidistantly mounted to the belt for mating with a plurality of male dies reciprocatively mounted in a plane above the female dies. A heated feeder is provided for introducing a predetermined amount of melted mix into the female dies prior to mating with the male dies. To insure that the resulting molded product is properly hardened, the female dies are adapted with internal channels connected to a liquid cooling system. The molding apparatus is readily adaptable for hydraulic operation and may be readily automated by an electrically actuated control and timing system.

Abstract: There is disclosed instrumentation for use in connection with one or more tablet presses of various types, and in particular rotary tablet presses, for virtually any reasonable combination and number of such tablet presses. Tablet formation information, in particular compression and ejection force information, tablet capping information and force information related to the time of occurrence of punch withdrawal is provided and processed by such instrumentation. This information is selectively applied to converting means which renders the selected information in a convenient data form for processing. Selection of the information may be made for example based on the need or desire to monitor a particular tablet press, tablet press station and/or individual tablet die/punch set combination.

Abstract: A continuous molding machine particularly adapted for but not limited, in principle, to the making of waffles includes a lower conveyor carrying a plurality of forms each constituting a first part of a respective two-part split mold, a second conveyor carrying a plurality of forms each constituting the other part of the respective split molds and means for guiding the respective conveyors in respective paths so that the first and second mold parts are carried from spaced apart positions to positions in which the parts meet in registry and each of the molds defined by the parts is thereby closed and then the first and second mold parts are carried away from each other again so that each of the molds is opened. The conveyors carrying the mold parts may be passed through an oven to different extents so that the respective conveyors are heated differently and means are provided for aligning the mating mold parts despite different thermal expansions of the conveyors.

Abstract: Plasticizable material is pressure molded into articles free from flash in mold cavities of specialized molds defined by separate mold sections with removable cores. Prior to and during molding, the sections are held clamped together to fully confine the material which is pressurized by reducing the volumetric capacity of each cavity. This pressurization is maintained until the material is set or cured, and may be increased before final set to forge or densify the material further. The method employs a conventional press and two gangs of specialized two-piece, multi-cavity molds. The molds of each gang are supported in a horizontal row, with their juxtaposed flat faces and parting planes disposed vertically, for movement of each mold section flatwise endwise of the row to open and closed positions. The mold sections are clamped closed by power means which apply extraneous clamping pressure independently of the press operation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming uniform patties from a mass of agglomerable edible material. The apparatus includes a supporting frame, drive means for operating the apparatus, a hopper, and a rotatable turret including a plurality of cavities radially aligned therein. Each cavity has a barrier means mounted for reciprocal movement therein including a working surface which together with a portion of the cavity forms a mold. Means in said hopper moves material therethrough and into each mold as it is rotated on the turret to a position in communication with the hopper. The patty is formed as the turret continues rotation and then the mold moves out of communication with the hopper. The barrier means reciprocates in the cavity and discharges the patty therefrom while maintaining its shape as formed The barrier means is removable and may be combined with a stationary core for changing the shape of the mold.

Abstract: Machine for making crayons or the like comprising means for supplying fluid material to a series of mold cavities in a horizontally rotatable mold table, means for controlling the temperatures of the cavities, means for ejecting the molded products from the cavities, means for receiving the ejected products and conveying them to one or more delivery points and means for removing excess material from the mold table and recycling it, with suitable controls for operating the several elements according to a desired program and with specific improvements in the apparatus and in the method of operation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing a measured quantity of extrudate material to a plurality of continuously moving uniformly spaced receptacles on a rotating conveyor which can travel at varying speeds. The extrudate material is severed by a cutting means having a driving means which is intermittent in operation and is preferably driven by a stepping motor, thereby enabling the cutting means to have a cutting velocity independent of the feed rate of receptacles and to cleanly sever a slug of extrudate material for each receptacle for any speed at which the conveyor is operating.

Abstract: Apparatus for moulding confectionery, comprising a series of moulds, each of which is divided into a fixed half and a hinged half which is normally aligned with the fixed half, a conveyor for traversing the moulds in sequence past a filling station, through a cooling zone to a discharge station and back to the filling station, a depositor at the filling station which is arranged to deposit different materials into moulding cavities in each half of each mould, mechanism disposed at a folding station beyond the cooling zone for folding the hinged half of each mould about its hinge against the fixed half and effecting deposition of the contents of the moulding cavities thereof into the moulding cavities of the fixed half, mechanism disposed at a following unfolding station for returning the folded hinged half of each mould into alignment with its fixed half, and means for inverting the moulds prior to arrival at the discharge station and turning them right way up during their return to the filling station.