A flexible bat for attachment to a pottery wheel. The flexible bat containing a pre-engraved design impresses texts, patterns, or designs onto the bottom surface of clay workpieces as they are simultaneously molded on the pottery wheel. These simultaneous steps save time and eliminate the additional steps of impressing these designs to the bottom of pliant clay pieces after molding is completed on the pottery wheel.

A flexible bat for attachment to a pottery wheel. The flexible bat containing a pre-engraved design impresses texts, patterns, or designs onto the bottom surface of clay workpieces as they are simultaneously molded on the pottery wheel. These simultaneous steps save time and eliminate the additional steps of impressing these designs to the bottom of pliant clay pieces after molding is completed on the pottery wheel.

A flexible form device is intended to provide users with a product that allows curved shapes to be poured with concrete while still providing the structural stability needed to hold back large amounts of poured concrete. To accomplish this, the device includes a flexible form device that may be arranged in different shapes and forms. Further, the device includes a plurality of attachment means for securely attaching the flexible forms to the surface on which the concrete may be poured. Furthermore, the device includes connecting segments that help retain specific shape and fixed spacing between multiple flexible panels. Additionally, one flexible form device maybe used multiple times to make multiple structures, without losing the integrity of the device. Thus, the device provides an environment friendly and cost-effective apparatus for creating curved structures and shapes with concrete or other liquid to solid transforming materials.

A flexible form device is intended to provide users with a product that allows curved shapes to be poured with concrete while still providing the structural stability needed to hold back large amounts of poured concrete. To accomplish this, the device includes a flexible form device that may be arranged in different shapes and forms. Further, the device includes a plurality of attachment means for securely attaching the flexible forms to the surface on which the concrete may be poured. Furthermore, the device includes connecting segments that help retain specific shape and fixed spacing between multiple flexible panels. Additionally, one flexible form device maybe used multiple times to make multiple structures, without losing the integrity of the device. Thus, the device provides an environment friendly and cost-effective apparatus for creating curved structures and shapes with concrete or other liquid to solid transforming materials.

The problem of wet-cast concrete products getting stuck or being uncontrollably ejected from a flexible mold during demolding is solved by moving the flexible mold through a passage, defined by both a mold-receiving surface and a rotatable mold-support distanced therefrom, while moving an edge of the flexible mold along an unsmooth path that includes at least one sharp point.

The problem of wet-cast concrete products getting stuck or being uncontrollably ejected from a flexible mold during demolding is solved by moving the flexible mold through a passage, defined by both a mold-receiving surface and a rotatable mold-support distanced therefrom, while moving an edge of the flexible mold along an unsmooth path that includes at least one sharp point.

A method of forming a coating includes providing a mold that has a flexible wall that defines a mold cavity, inserting a component that is to be coated into the mold cavity, the component having a component surface roughness and there being a coating gap defined between the component and the flexible wall of the mold cavity, introducing a molding slurry into the mold cavity, the molding slurry filling the coating gap and contacting the component so as to overcoat the component surface roughness, solidifying the molding slurry to form a green coating on the component, and consolidating the green coating to form a final coating on the component, the final coating having a coating surface roughness that is less than the component surface roughness.

A method of forming a coating includes providing a mold that has a flexible wall that defines a mold cavity, inserting a component that is to be coated into the mold cavity, the component having a component surface roughness and there being a coating gap defined between the component and the flexible wall of the mold cavity, introducing a molding slurry into the mold cavity, the molding slurry filling the coating gap and contacting the component so as to overcoat the component surface roughness, solidifying the molding slurry to form a green coating on the component, and consolidating the green coating to form a final coating on the component, the final coating having a coating surface roughness that is less than the component surface roughness.

A void former is arranged in a mold (30). The void former includes an insert (1) made of flexible material that forms a loop around a core region (15) within the mold. Casting material is added in a fluid state into the mold so as to fill a predefined volume for the facing element, including the core region. After hardening of the casting material, the facing element (10) is removed from the mold, and the void former is removed from the facing element. The facing element comprises an anchoring core formed by the hardened casting material in the core region (15). Removing the void former comprises pulling the insert (1) away from a rear surface of the facing element (10). The flexible material of the at least one insert is deformed around the anchoring core (15) while it is pulled.

A void former is arranged in a mold (30). The void former includes an insert (1) made of flexible material that forms a loop around a core region (15) within the mold. Casting material is added in a fluid state into the mold so as to fill a predefined volume for the facing element, including the core region. After hardening of the casting material, the facing element (10) is removed from the mold, and the void former is removed from the facing element. The facing element comprises an anchoring core formed by the hardened casting material in the core region (15). Removing the void former comprises pulling the insert (1) away from a rear surface of the facing element (10). The flexible material of the at least one insert is deformed around the anchoring core (15) while it is pulled.