Method for producing purpose-made blocks, a device therefor and a purpose-made block

[0001] The invention relates to a method of producing molded blocks as defined in the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device, in particular mold, for the production of molded blocks as defined in the preamble of claim 8, and also to a row of molded blocks as defined in the preamble of claim 12.

[0002] The invention relates, in particular, to the production of what are known as plantable wall blocks. This involves producing a plurality of molded blocks as a continuous unit in a mold and, following mold removal, separating them from one another in the region of predetermined breaking points. The molded blocks are generally separated by hand using suitable tools. In the region of the predetermined breaking points, side faces of the molded blocks have a fracture plane which forms an exposed face after the molded blocks have been laid. A disadvantage of known methods is the high expenditure on time and energy required to separate the molded blocks.

[0003] Taking this as a starting point, the invention is based on the object of proposing measures, such as a method, a mold and a molded block row, by means of which it is possible in a simple and reliable manner to form molded blocks by dividing the molded block row.

[0004] To achieve this object, the method according to the invention has the measures of claim 1. These measures make it possible in a surprisingly simple manner to separate the individual molded blocks of a molded block row from one another. By virtue of the lateral pressure, the molded block row is exposed to corresponding forces which lead to the rupture of the molded block row in the region of the predetermined breaking points and thus to the separation of the molded blocks. In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the axes and, in particular, the side faces of the molded blocks have directions which deviate from one another in the longitudinal direction of the respective molded block row, in particular such that they have an approximately zigzag-shaped course. For example, the longitudinal axes of adjacent molded blocks can run obliquely or at an angle to one another. This means that by applying comparatively little pressure, the molded block row is exposed to tensile forces which lead to the separation of the molded blocks from one another, specifically in the region of the predetermined breaking points. It is also conceivable that within a molded block row some molded blocks have axes which are parallel to one another and some molded blocks have obliquely oriented axes.

[0005] According to a development of the method according to the invention, a plurality of molded block rows are arranged in such a way, in order to sever the predetermined breaking points, that the molded block rows lie against one another only in certain regions, in particular in the region of predetermined breaking points, and that the respective outer molded block rows are moved toward one another. By means of the lateral pressure on the molded block rows, the latter are pressed against one another. It is preferable for this purpose for the respective outer molded block rows to be moved toward one another.

[0006] Also serving to achieve the object set at the beginning is a device as claimed in claim 8. This device is preferably suited for use in the method according to the invention. After they have been fabricated by the method according to the invention, the molded blocks or molded block rows produced in this device can be separated from one another in a simple and reliable manner, particularly using a machine.

[0007] A molded block row serving to achieve the object has the features of claim 12. In the above-described method according to the invention, such molded block rows can be divided in a particularly simple manner to form individual molded blocks. Each molded block row preferably has at least two molded blocks.

[0008] According to a further development of the invention, molded blocks of shorter length, in particular end blocks, are arranged at at least one free end of a molded block row. The end blocks, too, are connected to an adjacent molded block in the region of a predetermined breaking point, with the result that when the molded block row is divided, each molded block (with the exception of the end blocks) has two exposed faces with a broken structure.

[0009] Further details of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a plurality of molded block rows,

[0011] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged illustration of a subregion of FIG. 1,

[0012] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a molded block row on an enlarged scale, and

[0013] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a device for fabricating molded blocks, in vertical section.

[0014] The exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 relates to the production of what are known as plantable wall blocks. Such blocks are used, for example, for the construction of partially plant-bedecked retaining walls or the like. Since the blocks are not exclusively restricted to being used in conjunction with plantable walls, the general term molded block 10 is used hereinafter to represent other types of blocks.

[0015] In the present exemplary embodiment, the molded block 10 shown is composed of a basic body 11 of substantially rectangular outline having upright side faces 12, 13, 14, 15 and horizontally oriented top surface 16 and bottom surface 17. Two projections 18 of trapezoidal outline are arranged in the region of the side face 13. The opposite side face 15 has four corresponding recesses 19 likewise of trapezoidal outline. Within a laid soil cover or retaining wall, the projections 18 and recesses 19 serve for the horizontal and/or vertical interlocking of the molded blocks 10. In this arrangement, the projections 18 of a molded block 10 mate with recesses 19 of an adjacent molded block 10.

[0016] The molded blocks 10 are produced in a device having substantially known parts according to FIG. 4. Here, a mold frame 20, open at the top and bottom, of a mold 37 rests on a support board 21. The mold frame 20 has a plurality of mold cavities 22 which are delimited by upright mold walls 23 of the mold frame 20. Concrete is introduced into the mold cavities 22 from above and compacted by means of vibratory action. As in the exemplary embodiment shown, the support board 21 can rest on a vibrating table 24 for this purpose. To delimit the top surface 16 of the molded blocks 10, a ram 25 is lowered into the mold cavities 22 from above. A bottom surface of the ram 25 is additionally profiled in order to create constrictions 29 in the region of the top surface 16 of the molded blocks 10. In order to create constrictions 29 in the region of the bottom surface 17 of the molded blocks 10, a drawing plate 26 is arranged between the mold frame 20 and the support board 21. The drawing plate 26 features upwardly protruding webs 27 on its top surface. In order to create the constrictions 29, the drawing plate is drawn away laterally under the mold frame 20, with the webs 27 forming the constrictions 29.

[0017] A particular feature of the device shown in FIG. 4 consists in the arrangement of the mold cavities 22 in the mold frame 20. The mold cavities 22 are arranged in a row in the mold frame 20. In this arrangement, adjacent mold cavities 22 are in each case connected to one another in the region of the side faces 12, 14, so that a plurality of molded blocks 10 of one row in each case are fabricated as a continuous unit to form a molded block row 28. FIG. 1 shows the outline of three molded block rows lying next to one another and fabricated in such a mold. The mold cavities 22 are also designed in such a way that the molded block rows 28 have constrictions 29 at the transition from the side faces 13, 15 to the side faces 12, 14 of adjacent molded blocks 10. Further constrictions 29 are arranged between the top surfaces 16 and bottom surfaces 17 of adjacent molded blocks 10. As a result of the constrictions 29, the cross-sectional area of the molded block row 28 is reduced, and, consequently, predetermined breaking points 30 are formed between the adjacent molded blocks 10 of a molded block row 28. The predetermined breaking points 30 in each case run between two constrictions 29 which are situated opposite one another on the side faces 13, 15 or the top surface 16 and bottom surface 17. The constriction 29 between the top surfaces 16 and bottom surfaces 17 of adjacent molded blocks 10 are formed on the one hand by appropriate profiling of the ram 25 and on the other hand by the webs 27 on the drawing plate 26 (FIG. 4). As shown, the constrictions 29 here can have a triangular or notch-like cross section. Accordingly, it is preferred for the constrictions 29 to be arranged such that they run around the cross-sectional area of the molded blocks.

[0018] An important particular feature of the invention consists in the fact that the mold cavities 22 or the molded blocks 10 of a molded block row 28 are arranged in different relative positions with respect to one another. Each molded block 10 has an imaginary axis 31 in the longitudinal direction of the molded block row 28. In horizontal projection, the axis 31 runs parallel to the opposite side faces 13, 15 in the center of the molded blocks 10. In the case of antiparallel side faces 13, 15, the axis 31, seen in horizontal projection, runs as a bisector between the two side faces 13, 15. The mold cavities 22 or the molded blocks 10 of a molded block row 28 are aligned in such a way that their axis 31 runs in a deviating manner with respect to the longitudinal direction of the molded block row 28. For the purpose of clarification, FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of part of a molded block row 28 on an enlarged scale. The axes 31 of the molded blocks 10, and correspondingly the side faces 13, 15, here run obliquely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the molded block row 28, which is indicated by the longitudinal axis 32. As a result, the side faces 13, 15 of the molded blocks 10 of a molded block row 28 have a nonuniform course in the longitudinal direction of the molded block row 28. The angle 33 between the axes 31 of adjacent molded blocks 10 can be, for example, between 179 and 140, in particular between 179 and 170. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the angle 33 is approximately 177. The axes 31 of adjacent molded blocks 10 within a molded block row 28 run antiparallel in this case. The axis 31 of every second molded block 10 of a molded block row runs at the same angle 33 in the same direction, with the result that the molded block row 28 has an approximately zigzag-shaped course or contour in the region of the side faces 13, 15 of the molded blocks 10. In this case, the molded blocks 10 are not exactly rectangular in outline, but instead are approximately parallelogram-shaped.

[0019] A plurality of molded block rows 28 are preferably fabricated in a mold frame 20 in one operation. The arrangement of the mold cavities 22 of a molded block row 28 deviates here from the arrangement of the mold cavities 22 of an adjacent molded block row 28, with the result that, in the region of the side faces 13, 15, the molded block rows have an at least partially deviating course from one another in the longitudinal direction thereof. FIG. 2 shows an extract 38 according to FIG. 1 of three molded block rows 28 lying next to one another and having a course deviating from one another. In this case, the side faces 13 of one molded block 10 run at an angle 34 of, for example, 1.4 to adjacent side faces 15 of a further molded block 10, with the result that these side faces 13, 15 have a maximum spacing 35 of 5.5 mm. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the molded block rows 28 are designed and arranged in such a way that they have in each case an oppositely directed course with respect to the adjacent molded block row 28. After the concrete has been introduced into the mold cavities 22 and compacted, the mold frame 20 is immediately withdrawn upward from the molded block rows 28, with the result that the latter lie freely on the support board 21, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. Alternatively, the mold frame 20 can also be withdrawn after at least partial setting of the concrete.

[0020] Following possible further setting of the concrete, the molded block rows 28 are removed from the support board 21. A particular feature here consists in the fact that the molded block rows 28 are gripped, for example by mechanical gripping members, along the outer side faces 13, 15 of the outer molded block rows 28. During the gripping operation, the molded block rows 28 are pressed against one another laterally, transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the molded block rows 28, the latter lying only partially against one another as a result of the different course in the longitudinal direction. In this respect, the molded block rows 28 are designed in such a way that they lie against and among one another only in the region of some predetermined breaking points 30, in particular in the region of every second predetermined breaking point 30, as in the exemplary embodiment shown. During the gripping operation, the molded block rows 28 are consequently stressed in flexure transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of said rows. With correspondingly high lateral pressure, the molded block rows 29 rupture in the region of the predetermined breaking points 28, with the result that the molded blocks 10 of the molded block rows 28 are separated from one another. A broken surface which roughly resembles a natural stone thus results in the region of the side faces 12, 14 of the molded blocks 10. During the subsequent laying operation, the molded blocks 10 can be arranged in such a way that the side faces 12, 14 are positioned in the region of an exposed face of, for example, a wall or soil cover.

[0021] The number of molded blocks 10 which can be produced in a mold frame 20 in one operation is essentially limited only by the dimensions of known devices for producing molded blocks 10. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the length of a molded block row 28 is about 1.10 m. In this case, a molded block row 28 in each case comprises four molded blocks 10 plus two end blocks 36. The end blocks 36 are in each case arranged at a free end of the molded block row 28 and have a shorter length than the molded blocks 10, for example 80 mm. By virtue of the arrangement of the end blocks 36, the two outer molded blocks 10 of a molded block row 28 also have a broken surface in the region of both side faces 12, 14 after separation has taken place. If the formation of the broken surface is unimportant, it is also possible to dispense with the end blocks 36. As an alternative, it is also possible for a molded block row 28 to be composed of only two molded blocks 10, in which case the end blocks 36 are also dispensed with, with the result that two molded blocks 10 each having a single broken exposed face can be obtained from a molded block row 28.

[0022] As already mentioned above, it is possible to produce a plurality of molded block rows 28 in a mold frame 20 in one operation, with the molded block rows 28 having, in the region of the side faces 13, 15, a mutually deviating course in the longitudinal direction thereof, with the result that they lie against one another only in certain regions during the severing of the predetermined breaking points 30. As described above, the molded blocks 10 can be separated directly after mold removal. However, to separate the molded blocks 10, it is also possible, after mold removal, to lay a plurality of molded block rows 28 next to one another, for example at the processing location, i.e. the building site. It is conceivable here to use mold frames 20 of different design so that the molded block rows 28 have a mutually deviating course. However, it is preferable to operate in such a way that the molded block rows 28 are fabricated in identical mold frames 20 and that, for the purpose of separation, the molded block rows 28 are laid next to one another with, in alternation, the top surface 16 and the bottom surface 17 facing upward, or that the molded block rows 28 are arranged with their relative positions rotated in each case through 180 to one another. It is also conceivable that the molded block rows 28 are in each case laid next to one another with the top surface 16 facing upward, in which case, however, the molded block rows 28 are arranged laterally offset with respect to one another. This ensures that, for the purpose of separating the predetermined breaking points 30 between the molded blocks 10, the molded block rows 28 lie against one another only in certain regions in the region of the side faces 13, 15.

[0023] Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the axes 31 of the molded blocks 10 run parallel to the longitudinal axis 32 and with a spacing from the latter. In this arrangement, the axes 31 of adjacent molded blocks 10 of the respective molded block row 28 in each case have another spacing from the longitudinal axis 32, preferably lying on another side of the longitudinal axis 32. It is also conceivable that axes 31 of some molded blocks 10 of a molded block row 28 are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis 32 and some axes 31 of other molded blocks 10 of a molded block row 28 run obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis 32.

[0024] Alternatively, it is also possible, for example, for only one molded block row 28 to be produced in a mold frame 20. In this case, the molded blocks 10 of this molded block row 28 are separated by means of pressure on opposite sides of the individual molded block row 28. This can also take place in situ on the building site.

[0025] As mentioned at the outset, the above-described method of producing molded blocks 10 is not restricted to being used in conjunction with the production of plantable wall blocks. In principle, it is possible in this way to produce molded blocks 10 for any other intended use. The same applies to the above-described device or mold 37. The described arrangement and alignment of the mold cavities 22 can also be used independently of the outline shape of the molded blocks 10.

[0026] List of Reference Numerals

[0027] 10. Molded block

[0028] 11. Basic body

[0029] 12. Side face

[0030] 13. Side face

[0031] 14. Side face

[0032] 15. Side face

[0033] 16. Top surface

[0034] 17. Bottom surface

[0035] 18. Projection

[0036] 19. Recess

[0037] 20. Mold frame

[0038] 21. Support board

[0039] 22. Mold cavity

[0040] 23. Mold wall

[0041] 24. Vibrating table

[0042] 25. Ram

[0043] 26. Drawing plate

[0044] 27. Web

[0045] 28. Molded block row

[0046] 29. Constriction

[0047] 30. Predetermined breaking point

[0048] 31. Axis

[0049] 32. Longitudinal axis

[0050] 33. Angle

[0051] 34. Angle

[0052] 35. Spacing

[0053] 36. End block

[0054] 37. Mold

[0055] 38. Extract