Device for producing concrete blocks

Abstract

A device for producing concrete blocks, in particular concrete paving slabs, having a mold for filling with a concrete mixture, wherein the mold has at least one mold cavity for receiving the concrete mixture, and wherein the upwardly open mold cavity has walls as lateral boundaries, and wherein the at least one mold cavity can be filled with the concrete mixture by means of a filling device, and wherein the mold with the at least one mold cavity and the filling device are movable relative to one another in a filling axis. The filling axis is oriented obliquely to an axis of symmetry of the at least one mold cavity, with the result that preferably all of the walls of the mold cavity extend neither perpendicularly nor parallel to the filling axis, but at an angle.

Claims

1. A device for producing concrete blocks (19), the device having a mold (12) for filling with a concrete mixture and a filling device (25) having a filling axis (18), the mold (12) having at least one mold cavity (17) that is upwardly open for receiving the concrete mixture, the at least one mold cavity (17) having walls (13, 14, 15, 16) as lateral boundaries, the at least one mold cavity (17) being fillable with the concrete mixture by means of the filling device (25), and the mold (12) together with the at least one mold cavity (17) and the filling device (25) being movable relative to one another along the filling axis (18), wherein the filling axis (18) is oriented obliquely to an axis of symmetry of the at least one mold cavity (17), with the result that all of the walls (13 . . . 16) of the mold cavity (17) extend an angle (22) that is between perpendicular and parallel to the filling axis (18), wherein: the filling device (25) is a single downwardly open filling carriage; the downwardly open filling carriage is movable only along the filling axis (18); and the at least one mold is filled while the filling carriage is being moved along the filling axis.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is provides the concrete blocks (19) with a color shade or a color tinge, wherein the device applies the color shade or the color tinge parallel to the filling axis (18) via the downwardly open filling carriage while the filling carriage is being moved along the filling axis (18).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a production installation for concrete blocks according to the prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention in plan view;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a concrete block produced in the device according to FIG. 2 in plan view;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the device according to FIG. 2 with illustration of the surface structure of the concrete block;

(6) FIG. 5 shows the concrete block according to FIG. 3 with illustration of the surface structure;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a combination of the illustrations according to FIGS. 2 and 4;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a combination of the illustrations according to FIGS. 3 and 5;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention in plan view;

(10) FIG. 9 shows a concrete block produced in the device according to FIG. 8 in plan view;

(11) FIG. 10 shows the device according to FIG. 7 with illustration of the surface structure of the concrete block;

(12) FIG. 11 shows the concrete block according to FIG. 8 with illustration of the surface structure;

(13) FIG. 12 shows a combination of the illustrations according to FIGS. 7 and 9;

(14) FIG. 13 shows a combination of the illustrations according to FIGS. 8 and 10;

(15) FIG. 14 shows a third exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention in plan view;

(16) FIG. 15 shows a concrete block produced in the device according to FIG. 14 in plan view;

(17) FIG. 16 shows the device according to FIG. 14 with illustration of the surface structure of the concrete block;

(18) FIG. 17 shows the concrete block according to FIG. 15 with illustration of the surface structure;

(19) FIG. 18 shows a combination of the illustrations according to FIGS. 14 and 16; and

(20) FIG. 19 shows a combination of the illustrations according to FIGS. 15 and 17.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(21) FIG. 1 shows a device for producing concrete blocks, as is frequently used in practice. On an underlay board 10 there is situated a production zone 11 in the region of which a mold 12 is arranged. Walls 13, 14, 15, 16 of the mold 12 laterally bound a mold cavity 17 of the mold. Arrow 18 indicates a filling axis or filling direction in which the mold and a filling member are moved relative to one another, for example in accordance with DE 20 2013 003 472 U1 stated at the outset.

(22) What is of importance for the invention is the orientation of the walls 13 . . . 16 of the mold 12 with respect to the filling axis 18. All the walls 13 . . . 16 extend (with consideration to the customary manufacturing tolerances) either parallel to the filling axis 18 or perpendicularly thereto. Walls 13, 14 extend perpendicular to the filling axis 18 and walls 15, 16 extend parallel to the filling axis 18. The axes of symmetry of the mold 12 through the centers of the walls 13 . . . 16 also extend either parallel or perpendicularly to the filling axis 18. Since the mold is square in outline, the walls 13, 14 and 15, 16 respectively extend parallel to one another.

(23) As customary in the prior art, the mold cavity 17 is filled with a concrete mixture, wherein mold cavity 17 and filling device are moved relative to one another. This can be followed by further work steps, such as, for example, removing the upper side of the mold 12 and compacting the filled-in concrete mixture, for example by vibration. After the concrete mixture has cured, the concrete block 19 can be released from the mold.

(24) FIGS. 2 to 7 show a first exemplary embodiment of the invention. A particular feature consists in the fact that the walls 13 . . . 16 of the square mold 12 extend or are arranged so as to be directed obliquely to the filling axis 18. The same applies to the axes of symmetry of the mold 12 which extend through the centers of the walls 13 . . . 16.

(25) In the concrete case, the angle 22 between the filling axis 18 and the walls 15, 16 is 25°. As evident from the further exemplary embodiments, the angle 22 can also have other sizes.

(26) A further particular feature is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, namely a surface structure 20 which is formed on an upper side of the concrete block 19.

(27) The surface structure 20 can be applied by embossing by means of a stamp or using one of the other methods customary in the art. The surface structure 20 can be formed as a structure or texture in the region of the upper side of the concrete block, and in particular recreate a corresponding structure or texture of a natural stone.

(28) Furthermore, the surface structure 20 can be supplemented or supported by a corresponding coloring in the region of the upper side. The coloring in question can take the form of different color shades or a color tinge, for example just as in a natural stone to be simulated.

(29) There is preferably provision that the surface structure 20 is formed by coloring and shaping the concrete block 19. Alternatively, however, only one of the two methods can be used.

(30) A particular feature with respect to the surface structure 20 consists in the fact that it extends substantially in a longitudinal direction which extends so as to be directed substantially parallel to the filling axis 18. In the drawings, the longitudinal direction is indicated by parallel axes 21. Correspondingly, the longitudinal direction of the surface structure 20 extends obliquely, that is to say neither parallel nor perpendicularly to the walls 13 . . . 16 of the mold 12 or to the side walls of the concrete block 19. The coloring or color tinge is applied parallel to the filling axis and thus parallel to the longitudinal direction of the surface structure 20.

(31) The second exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 8 to 13 differs from the first exemplary embodiment in that three molds 12 are arranged in a row 23 in the production zone 11, the row 23 extends transversally to the filling axis 18, each mold 12 is arranged at another angle 22 to the filling axis 18, all the molds 12 are rectangular, and the angles 22 have other sizes which differ from one another, namely 8°, 10° and 15°.

(32) The third exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 14 to 19 has the following particular features: in the production zone 11 there are arranged six molds 12 in two rows 23 of three molds 12 each or in three columns 24 of two molds 12 each; there is an identical number of molds 12 in each row 23; the angles 22 within each column 24 correspond to one another; the molds 12 are square; and the angles have sizes of 10°, 15° and 20°.

(33) At least theoretically, combinations or variants of the exemplary embodiments shown are conceivable, for example square and/or rectangular molds 12, one or more molds 12 in the production zone 11, a plurality of rows 23 and/or columns 24 with molds 12 in the production zone 11, angles 22 between 0° and 30°, and identical or different angles 22 of the molds 12.

(34) All of the variants share the following features: the molds 12 are arranged obliquely to the filling axis 18; and the longitudinal direction of the surface structure 20 extends parallel to the filling axis 18.

(35) Not illustrated in the drawings are spacers which are possibly integrally formed in the region of the upright lateral faces of the concrete block 19. It will be understood that the concrete block 19 in this sense can also have other features which are not illustrated in the drawings.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(36) 10 Underlay board

(37) 11 Production zone

(38) 12 Mold

(39) 13 Wall

(40) 14 Wall

(41) 15 Wall

(42) 16 Wall

(43) 17 Mold cavity

(44) 18 Arrow/filling axis/filling direction

(45) 19 Concrete block

(46) 20 Surface structure

(47) 21 Axis of the longitudinal direction

(48) 22 Angle

(49) 23 Row

(50) 24 Column