A forming system and methods that can more efficiently, safely, and economically produce pre-cast modular blocks having desired shapes and surfaces, such as those having reverse tapered shapes. The forming system and methods disclosed herein allow for quick, easy, and efficient demolding and reinstalling of inserts for the production of reverse tapered pre-cast modular blocks.

This invention is an additively manufactured wall panel using computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) to design and manufacture multi-colored and multi-layered wall panels. This results in a variety of highly attractive, multi-colored wall panel faces ranging from brick, colored grout lines and multi-colored stones to multi-colored geometric designs. The design and manufacturing process greatly reduces the amount of precast cementitious materials by efficiently using higher quality materials. This reduces cost and weight while simultaneously producing a much more comprehensive, multi-functional wall panel complete with an interior frame, exterior insulation and an air, vapor and moisture barriers.

A bulkhead system for a concrete casting bed includes a pair of base track members spaced apart from one another along a longitudinal direction and a pair of form walls each removably attached to one of the base track members. Each of the form walls has a lower end abutting one of the base track members and an upper end opposite the lower end in a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Each of the form walls has a tendon slot extending into the form wall in the vertical direction from at least one of the upper end and the lower end. The tendon slot receives a tendon extending in the longitudinal direction.

A bulkhead system for a concrete casting bed includes a pair of base track members spaced apart from one another along a longitudinal direction and a pair of form walls each removably attached to one of the base track members. Each of the form walls has a lower end abutting one of the base track members and an upper end opposite the lower end in a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Each of the form walls has a tendon slot extending into the form wall in the vertical direction from at least one of the upper end and the lower end. The tendon slot receives a tendon extending in the longitudinal direction.

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.

In a head assembly for use on a concrete products forming machine (CPM), a framework is configured to be secured to a vertically displaceable compression beam on the CPM. An array of shoes are sized to be fully received within complimentary mold cavities within a mold box of the CPM. An array of plungers are interposed between the framework and array of shoes, with at least a plurality of the plungers of the array secured at one end to the framework and at another end to a single one of the array of shoes. The plurality of plungers are configured with a C-shaped webbing comprised of upper and lower substantially parallel flange pieces connected via a structural upright forming an outside right-angle edge with each of the upper and lower flange pieces.

In a head assembly for use on a concrete products forming machine (CPM), a framework is configured to be secured to a vertically displaceable compression beam on the CPM. An array of shoes are sized to be fully received within complimentary mold cavities within a mold box of the CPM. An array of plungers are interposed between the framework and array of shoes, with at least a plurality of the plungers of the array secured at one end to the framework and at another end to a single one of the array of shoes. The plurality of plungers are configured with a C-shaped webbing comprised of upper and lower substantially parallel flange pieces connected via a structural upright forming an outside right-angle edge with each of the upper and lower flange pieces.

A mold assembly and method for molding two concrete blocks in face-to-face non-contacting relationship forms blocks having smooth front faces. The mold assembly includes a mold box having two mold cavities configured to form two blocks in face-to-face non-contacting relationship. A common partition plate separates the two mold cavities and opposite sides of the partition plate form the smooth front faces of the blocks. The two mold cavities are each configured to form a block having a raised front face with a beveled edge around its entire perimeter and a border around the entire perimeter of the beveled edge. The portions of the border at the top and the sides of the raised front face are curved and the portion of the border at the bottom of the raised front face is straight. A core bar is slidably inserted into the mold box beneath the bottom of the partition plate, and opposite sides of the core bar extend into and form the front bottom portions of the mold cavities.

A retaining wall having a plurality of courses of retaining wall blocks including a first upper course and a second lower course. Each retaining wall block has opposed front and rear faces, opposed first and second side surfaces, and opposed and substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces, and at least one weight bearing pad extends from one of the upper and lower surfaces. The at least one weight bearing pad extends substantially from the rear face to the front face of the block. The weight bearing pads are the only areas of contact between the blocks in the first upper course and the blocks in the second lower course.

A mold assembly and method for molding two concrete blocks in face-to-face non-contacting relationship forms blocks having smooth front faces. The mold assembly includes a mold box having two mold cavities configured to form two blocks in face-to-face non-contacting relationship. A common partition plate separates the two mold cavities and opposite sides of the partition plate form the smooth front faces of the blocks. The two mold cavities are each configured to form a block having a raised front face with a beveled edge around its entire perimeter and a border around the entire perimeter of the beveled edge. The portions of the border at the top and the sides of the raised front face are curved and the portion of the border at the bottom of the raised front face is straight. A core bar is slidably inserted into the mold box beneath the bottom of the partition plate, and opposite sides of the core bar extend into and form the front bottom portions of the mold cavities.