The present invention relates to an impact block splitter for splitting concrete casted blocks and to the method of operation thereof.
In the fabrication of concrete casted blocks for use as pavers, retaining walls, and all sorts of stone-like structures, in order to fabricate blocks which have a surface which closely resemble real stone, these blocks are split along straight lines whereby to expose the aggregate in the concrete in a surface of the block. This exposed aggregate results in a roughened surface resembling real stone. Such block splitting is usually effected by first casting a V-notched groove across a top face of a concrete block in an area where the block is to be split. A splitting blade is then positioned in the groove and a blow is imparted to the blade by suitable means, such as a hammer.
In our U.S. Pat. No. 7,077,121, issued on Jul. 18, 2006, entitled IMPACT BLOCK SPLITTER, there is described a machine for splitting casted concrete blocks. As therein illustrated, these machines are very bulky and therefore occupy a large area for splitting precasted concrete stones which are positioned under the machine on a platform at a precise location. Because of the large space occupied by such machines there is a limitation on the number of machines that can be installed and therefore the number of concrete casted blocks that may be split during one machine operation. Further, if one of the block splitters becomes defective, this often idles the entire machine set-up until that particular splitter machine is replaced or repaired. Such downtime is costly to the fabrication of these stories. Further, because these machines have many moving parts which are exposed to the environment wherein there is a substantial amount of dust in the air, they are prone to malfunction and rapid wear of its moving connections. These machines are also hazardous to personnel due to their many moving parts that are exposed and which are in motion. Such machines are also not easily adaptable for integration at positions over or alongside a conveyor line, as they are too bulky. Their operating cycle is also considered slow.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide an impact block splitter which substantially overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the referred to impact block splitter machine.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a method of splitting casted concrete blocks which substantially overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide an impact block splitter which is compact in construction, which can be easily adapted to existing concrete block manufacturing processes, and which can be easily arid quickly secured in a block splitter fabrication line and which, can be easily interchanged in the event of malfunction.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide an impact block splitter wherein the moving parts of the splitter are protected in a sealed housing.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide an impact block splitter which is operated by pneumatic control means and wherein the blade is actuatable by a single control signal and which is controllable by a computer program to modify its operating parameters.
According to the above features, from a broad aspect, the present invention provides an impact block splitter which comprises a cylindrical housing with a splitting blade secured to a lower end of the cylindrical housing. The splitting blade has an impact receiving rear end projecting inside the cylindrical housing. An impact element is displaceably mounted behind the impact receiving rear end of the spitting blade. Means is provided to displace the cylindrical housing axially to a downward position wherein the splitting blade is positioned on a surface of a block to be split. Actuating control means is further provided to cause the impact element to be projected in a downward motion against the impact receiving rear end of the splitting blade to impart a blow thereto and to also cause the impact element to be retracted in an upward motion.
According to a further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of splitting casted concrete blocks. The method comprises the steps of
positioning a casted concrete block below an impact block splitter, as above described, said casted concrete block being aligned with a splitting blade of the impact block splitter whereby said blade is above a predetermined location on a top surface of the casted concrete block. The cylindrical housing is lowered to position the splitting blade at the predetermined location on the top surface of the casted concrete block. An impact element inside the cylindrical housing is projected to impact onto a rear end of the splitting blade to split the concrete casted block. The impact element is then retracted inside the cylindrical housing and the cylindrical housing is then retracted.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now to the drawings, and more specifically to
As hereinshown, an elongated cylindrical impact element 16 is displaceably mounted behind and above the impact receiving rear end 15 of the splitting blade 12. This impact element 16 is a solid cylindrical steel rod having a lower contact impacting surface 17 . The impact element 16 is displaceable in a cylindrical casing 18 and spaced from an inner cylindrical wall 18′ thereof, as better shown in
An actuating spool assembly 25 is mounted in the cylindrical housing 11 at a top end of the impacting element 16 to control the movement thereof thereby causing the impact element 16 to be projected in a downward motion against the impact receiving rear end 15 of the splitting blade whereby to impart a blow thereto. This actuating spool assembly 25 also causes the impact element to be retracted in an upward motion to its standby position, as illustrated in
The actuating spool assembly 25 is operated by a pneumatic system which includes an air valve controller in the form of an airbox 26 which airbox has a valve operated by a signal and the operating cycle of which is configured by a computer, herein schematically illustrated at 27, provided with a program to set the positioning of the cylindrical housing 11, as will be described later, and the sequence of operation of the impacting element 16. This airbox is coupled to a spool valve 28 of the assembly 25 which is displaceable in a spool valve block 29 which is provided with conduits therein and schematically illustrated in
A compressor 30 provides the compressed air supply to the impact block splitter or a plurality of splitters. As hereinshown the compressor 30 has three manifolds 31, 32 and 33 with manifold 31 being connected to the air hose connector 34 of the airbox controller 26. Manifold 32 has its output connected to a pressure regulating valve 35 and connects to the hose connector 36 as shown in
With additional reference now to
Referring now to
Because the surrounding air chamber has now been evacuated to atmosphere through the air evacuating conduit 49, there is no resistance on the displacement of the impacting element 16 within the cylindrical casing 18. Accordingly, the impacting surface 17 of the impacting element 16 strikes the impact receiving rear end 15 of the splitting blade 12. This causes the splitting blade 12 to transmit the blow onto a concrete casted block 60 positioned thereunder (schematically illustrated in
In
As previously described and with reference again to
The cylindrical housing is in a retracted position as shown in
Referring now to
As hereinshown, a plurality of concrete casted blocks 60 are disposed at a precise location on a support steel plate 75 whereby the parting slots 76 in the top wall 61 of the blocks 60 are in alignment with the splitting blades 12 of the impact block splitters 10. Once in this position the cylindrical housings 11 are lowered in unison, as previously described, to position the splitting blades 12 at the predetermined locations on the top surfaces of these casted concrete blocks and namely in the parting slots 76. The impact element inside the cylindrical housing is then released to impact on the splitting blade 12 and split all of these concrete casted blocks 60 substantially at the same time. The splitting is done in a split second. The cylindrical housings are then retracted and the support plate 75 removed and a new support plate with casted blocks is placed in position. This support plate 75 is the plate on which these concrete casted blocks are formed and cured. Accordingly, the concrete casted blocks 60 are never removed from the support plate 75 during its transportation from the curing area to the block splitting station. After the blocks are split the support plate 75 is transported to a sorting or block packaging station.
It is pointed out that with the airbox and spool valve design, a single signal is sufficient to the airboxes to cause the airboxes to operate their associated spool valves in the system all in substantial synchronism causing each of the cylindrical housings to descend and to then release the impacting element to impart a blow to the splitting blade to split the blocks and to then cause the impacting element to retract while simultaneously retracting the cylindrical housings. It is pointed out that because of the compact cylindrical design of the impact block splitter 10 such occupies very little surface area space. Also, the splitter(s) could be adapted directly over a conveyor station where the one or more blocks are arrested at a precise location and orientation for splitting.
It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the preferred embodiment described herein provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2,585,693 | Apr 2007 | CA | national |