Process for making brick-faced construction material and brick-faced block made by this process

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Technical Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to a process for making brick-faced construction material in the form of blocks or panels useful for various interior and exterior works such as construction of fencing and/or gateposts and to brick-faced blocks suitable for said applications.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] It is well known to fill individual brick molds with colored brick material such as colored mortar to mold bricks and to cure these bricks after stripping. Such process of prior art typically uses the brick molds made of synthetic rubber such as urethane rubber or silicone rubber or made of metal such as aluminum and provided with micro pores for degassing in order to ensure that the brick can be free from need for any surface finishing after molded and the step of stripping can be facilitated. The molding surface of each brick mold is usually covered with film or sheet of thermoplastic resin, silicone resin or the like. In some cases, the colored brick material is laid into the individual brick molds while these molds are heated and vacuum sucked through said degassing micro pores.

[0005] While such process of prior art can offer individual bricks each having a desired shape, an applicability of the brick obtained in this manner is substantially similar to the applicability of the conventional brick, for example, of ceramic type. In other words, the bricks obtained by said process of prior art should be laid on the concrete block or the base panel at the site of construction. Therefore, said process of prior art is certainly effective to reduce a cost of the brick but has not merit other than such merit of cost reduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In view of the problem as has been described above, it is a first object of this invention to provide a process for efficiently and reliably making brick-faced construction material, for example, brick-faced block or panel, through a series of steps inclusive of a brick molding step so that interior and/or exterior works such as construction of fencing and gateposts may be quickly done and labor saving at the construction site may be achieved. It is a second object of this invention to provide brick-faced block particularly suitable for construction of fencing and/or gateposts.

[0007] The first object set forth above is achieved, according to one aspect of this invention, by a process for making brick-faced construction material comprising steps of: molding a plurality of bricks with a predetermined space between each pair of adjacent bricks at once by laying colored brick material such as colored mortar or a mixture of inorganic material and binder into a plurality of individual molds distributed on a molding unit; placing and pressing a base coated on its surface with still uncured adhesive layer formed by suitable adhesive such as mortar- or resin-based adhesive against said plurality of bricks arranged with said predetermined space between each of adjacent bricks so that said base may be bonded to said plurality of bricks at once and at the same time joints are formed by said still uncured adhesive layer in accordance with said predetermined space between each pair of adjacent bricks; stripping said bricks bonded to the base by means of said adhesive layer from said molding unit at once; and aging said bricks and adhesive layer and thereby curing them.

[0008] According to one preferred embodiment of this first invention, said process for making brick-faced construction material defined by claim 1 further comprises immediately before said step of molding the bricks, a step of coating said individual molds with inorganic pigment having a tone differing from the tone of said colored brick material by applying or spraying said inorganic pigment.

[0009] According to another preferred embodiment of this invention, said step of molding the bricks is carried out placing a jig on the molding unit so that its mortar permeable zones defined by through-holes, meshes, stripes or parallel lines lie over the individual molds and its masking zones cover ribs defining peripheries of the individual molds arranged with said predetermined space between each pair of adjacent bricks, laying the colored brick material on said jig and smoothing said colored brick material with a smoothing tool so that said colored brick material may be evenly laid into the plurality of individual molds.

[0010] According to still another preferred embodiment of this invention, said step of placing and pressing the base against the bricks includes a step of vibrating the molding unit after placement of said base or during pressing said base.

[0011] According to further another preferred embodiment of this invention, said base comprises a block or a panel made of organic or inorganic material.

[0012] The second object set forth above is achieved, according to another aspect of this invention, by brick-faced block comprising: a base block made of foamed resin; an adhesive layer formed by adhesive such as mortar- or resin-based adhesive; and a plurality of bricks molded from colored brick material such as colored mortar or a mixture of inorganic material and binder and bonded to said base block by means of said adhesive layer with a predetermined space between each pair of bricks so that said adhesive layer may be partially exposed to form joints in accordance with said predetermined space between each pair of adjacent bricks.

[0013] According to one preferred embodiment of this second invention, said plurality of bricks of said colored brick material arranged with said predetermined space between each pair of adjacent bricks are molded at once utilizing the molding unit including the individual molds arranged in accordance with positions at which said bricks being still uncured will be bonded at once to said adhesive layer being also still uncured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of brick-faced blocks;

[0015]
FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of such brick-faced blocks;

[0016]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating basic steps of a process according to this invention;

[0017]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating specific substeps of the respective basic steps in one preferred embodiment of this invention;

[0018]
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing, by way of example, a relationship between a molding unit and a jig;

[0019]
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing, by way of example, a relationship between colored brick material immediately after laid on the molding unit and a smoothing tool as partially in a longitudinal section;

[0020]
FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing, by way of example, a phase in which colored brick material has been laid in and pressed against individual molds ; and

[0021]
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing, by way of example, a relationship between the bricks having been molded from colored brick material and a base coated with an adhesive layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Details of this invention will be more fully understood from the description given hereunder in reference with the accompanying drawings. Reference letter A designates a brick-faced block comprising a base block 1 made of foamed resin, an adhesive layer 4 of mortar-based type, resin-based type or the other type laid on a surface of said base block 1, and a plurality of bricks 5 adhesively laid on said adhesive layer 4. Said bricks 5 are molded from colored brick material such as colored mortar or a mixture of inorganic material and binder and laid on said adhesive layer 4 with a predetermined space left between each pair of adjacent bricks 5 in such a manner in which said adhesive layer 4 are partially exposed to form joints 6. As in the case of concrete block, reinforcement may be inserted into the filling hole 2 of the base block 1 and then the filling hole 2 may be filled with concrete at the site of the work to construct a fence or a gate. According to the embodiment of this invention described here in reference with the drawings, said plurality of colored bricks to be laid on the base block 1 with a predetermined space left between each pair of adjacent bricks 5 are molded at once using a molding unit 7 including individual molds 8 arranged in accordance with the placement of said bricks on said base block 1. Then, these bricks 5 which have been molded but yet uncured are adhesively set at once on the base block 1 with interposition of said adhesive layer 4 which is also still uncured in this phase.

[0023] More definitely to describe, said block A is obtained, according to this invention, as illustrated by FIG. 3, by a method basically comprising steps of: a step of molding the bricks wherein a plurality of individual molds 8 distributed on the molding unit 7 with a predetermined space between each pair of adjacent individual molds 8 are filled with colored brick material 11 such as colored mortar or a mixture of inorganic material and binder and thereby the bricks 5 distributed with said predetermined space between each pair of adjacent bricks 5 are molded at once; a step of placing and pressing the base block against the unit mold wherein the base block 1 is placed and pressed against said molding unit 7 with interposition of the adhesive layer 4 applied said base block such as mortar- or resin-based adhesive and facing the uncured bricks 5 so that said plurality of bricks 5 may be bonded to the base block 1 at once and at the same time the joints 6 may be formed by a partial amount of said adhesive layer exposed between each pair of adjacent bricks 5 by said adhesive layer 4; a step of stripping the molding unit 7 wherein the molding unit 7 is stripped from the bricks 5 bonded to the base block 1 by means of the adhesive layer 4; and a step of aging wherein the bricks 5 and the adhesive layer 4 are aged and thereby cured.

[0024] The molding unit 7 used for said brick molding step is of a relatively large-size, for example, in order of 800×300 cm and made of suitable synthetic rubber such as urethane rubber or silicone rubber. The molding unit 7 includes a plurality of individual molds (cavities) 8 in the form of depressions and ribs 9 protruding upward so as to define peripheries of the respective individual molds 8. The molding unit 7 inclusive of the individual molds 8 is provided with micro pores (not shown) for the purpose of degassing. The molding unit 7 includes the individual molds 8 of used brick tone which were made in accordance with actually available used bricks to mold a plurality of bricks 5 of so-called used brick tone at once.

[0025] The molding unit 7 utilizes thermoplastic resin film 10 adapted to stick to a molding surface of said molding unit 7 under vacuum suction and the individual molds 8 are filled with the colored material 11 with interposition of said film 10 to perform the operation of molding. More specifically, said thermoplastic resin film 10 is preformed by heating this and placed, while it is continued to be heated, upon the molding surface of the molding unit 7 which is, for example, immovably supported by a table 16 provided with a suction device. Vacuum suction performed by this suction device through said degassing micro pores causes a single sheet of said film 10 to cover and stick to a plurality of individual molds 8. In the course of this step, said vacuum suction may be continued until the later step of stripping in order to prevent said film from being deformed and/or shifting. The step of stripping will be described later more in detail.

[0026] A mixture of inorganic material and binder is used as the colored brick material 11 and pulverulent material obtained by pulverizing ceramic tile, roof tile or the like is used as said inorganic material. Depending on a desired effect, such colored brick material 11 may be further added with pigment prepared in the form of the similar pulverulent material or inorganic pigment prepared in the form of colored grains or the like and mixed with suitable binder such as silicone-modified acrylic emulsion. In this case, said inorganic pigment serves to adjust a tone of said pulverulent material so that said used brick's tone can be obtained. Pigment of two or more different colors, for example, red, black and white may be simultaneously added to the base components and mixed together to obtained the colored brick material 11, or pigment of single or plural colors may be added to the said components and mixed together to obtain separate batches of the colored brick material 11 so that the brick 5 of varicolored fashion can be obtained by partially using these separate batches.

[0027] The process according to this embodiment includes an earlier step of pigment placement wherein inorganic pigment having a tone differing from that of the colored brick material 11 itself is applied or sprayed to the individual molds 8 which are closely coated with, in this embodiment, said film 10. Transfer of this inorganic pigment on the surface of the colored brick material 11 (i.e., surface of each brick 5) which is subsequently laid into the individual molds 8 cooperates with the tone of the colored brick material 11 itself to emphasize said used brick tone. Aesthetic appearance of the brick can be improved in this manner particularly using appropriate pigment, for example, of black, yellow, white etc.

[0028] The colored brick material 11 is laid in the individual molds 8 with interposition of said film 10 from a single batch of the colored brick material 11 or from two or more batches of the colored brick material 11 so as to obtain the varicolored effect. Then the colored brick material 11 filling the individual molds 8 is placed under a pressure to mold the bricks having said inorganic pigment(s) transferred to their top surfaces.

[0029] In the course of laying the colored brick material 11 in the individual molds 8, the jig 12 is placed upon the molding unit 7 and the colored brick material 11 is smoothed by a suitable smoothing tool so that a plurality of individual molds 8 distributed over the molding unit 7 with a predetermined space between each pair of adjacent individual molds 8 may be evenly filled with the colored brick material 11. Said jig 12 defines mortar permeable zones 13 formed by through-holes, meshes, stripes, parallel lines or the like and masking zones 14 corresponding to the ribs 9 which define, in turn, the outer peripheries of the individual molds 8.

[0030] If the colored brick material 11 is laid in the individual molds 8 without use of said jig 12, the colored brick material 11 would sometimes remain on the ribs 9 (i.e., on the film 10 covering these ribs 9) and cling to the adhesive layer 4. Consequently, boundaries of the colored brick material 11 would become indefinite and the bricks 5 would be partially forced out onto or cover the joints 6. On the contrary, said jig 12 may be placed upon the molding unit 7 and a predetermined amount of the colored brick material 11 supplied on said jig 12 may be smoothed by a smoothing tool 15 such as spatula or brush to ensure that the masking zones 14 prevent the colored brick material 11 from partially clinging to the ribs 9 and the mortar permeable zones 13 assist the colored brick material 11 to be evenly distributed into the individual molds 8. In this way, it is possible to fill the individual molds 8 with the colored brick material 11 reliably and smoothly.

[0031] According to the present embodiment, the jig 12 comprising a frame formed by blank layout of sheet metal so as to define the masking zones 14 and metallic mesh material laid across the mortar permeable zones 13. The smoothing tool 15 comprises, for example, a brush having bristles each of a diameter corresponding to a mesh size of said mortar permeable zones 13. The jib 12 may be used with the smoothing tool 15 to ensure that the individual molds 8 are evenly filled with the colored brick material 11 and, at the same time, to prevent the colored brick material 11 from clinging to the ribs 9 (i.e., to the film 10 covering these ribs 9) in efficient and reliable manner. In this way, the bricks 5 and the joints 6 presenting tones different from each other can be formed with high aesthetic effect as if the bricks 5 have been individually laid and thereafter the joints 6 have been finished.

[0032] As will be apparent from the foregoing description, the step of molding the bricks 6 from the colored brick material 11 is carried out using said molding unit 7 so that a plurality of bricks 5 arranged with a predetermined space between each pair of adjacent bricks 5 may be molded at once. Specifically, after said colored brick material 11 has been laid in the individual molds 8, said jig 12 is removed from the molding unit 7. Then the colored brick material 11 is manually or mechanically pressed together utilizing suitable means such as panel, cloth, pressure jig or the like simultaneously for all of the individual molds 8 or separately for every individual mold 8 or several individual molds 8.

[0033] The base block 1 to placed against the molding unit 7 at the step of placing and pressing the substrate 1 against the molding unit 7 may be organic or inorganic block or panel, preferably said organic block. According to the present embodiment, this base block 1 comprises a lightweight block obtained by expansion-molding expandable resin such as polystyrene resin at an expansion ratio of 25˜30. The base block 1 is relatively thick and provided with the filling hole 2 vertically extending therethrough. The filling hole 2 is not limited to such through-hole but may be a blind hole of which the longitudinally opposite ends are breakably covered. Said base block 1 is coated on its one side with a predetermined thickness of adhesive such as mortar- or resin-based adhesive, particularly according to the present embodiment, resin-based adhesive colored in black by mixing with corresponding pigment powder to form the adhesive layer 4. Said base block 1 is placed against the unit mold 7 with said adhesive layer 4 facing the bricks 5 to bond said adhesive layer 4 to the colored brick material 11 laid in the individual units 8 and the ribs 9 (i.e., the surface of the film 10 covering these ribs 9) of the molding unit 7. From this state, an appropriate pressure is exerted on the base block 1 so that a plurality of bricks 5 arranged with a predetermined space between each pair of adjacent bricks 5 may be bonded to the substrate, i.e., the base block 1 and simultaneously the joints 6 may be formed by a part of said adhesive layer 4 in accordance with said space between each pair of adjacent bricks 5.

[0034] Operation of pressing the base block 1 is carried out, for example, by a hydraulic press adapted to press the base block 1 from its upper surface (i.e., the surface not coated with the resin-based adhesive) against the table 16, i.e., against the molding unit 7.

[0035] The step of placing and pressing the base block 1 against the molding unit 7 further includes a step of vibrating the unit mold 7 after placement of the base block 1 or during the operation of pressing the base block 1. Vibration of the molding unit 7 reliably fills the individual molds 8 with the colored brick material 11 without voids and/or pits and prevents the bricks 5 from getting out of their desired shapes. In this way, said step of molding the bricks 5 can be reliably achieved and, in the case of the present embodiment, the molding unit 7 intending to realize said used brick tone can be faithfully reproduced with desired aesthetic appearance.

[0036] According to the present embodiment, operation of vibrating the molding unit 7 is carried out after the base block 1 has been placed against the molding unit 7 and before or during pressing said base block 1 against said molding unit 7 using a vibrator adapted to vibrate the table 16 immovably supporting said molding unit 7 at a high frequency.

[0037] At the step of stripping subsequent to the step of placing and pressing the base block 1 against the molding unit 7, the bricks 5 bonded to the base block by means of said adhesive layer 4 are stripped at once from the molding unit 7 and, at the subsequent step of aging, the colored brick material 11 as well as the adhesive layer 4 is aged and thereby cured. The step of stripping may be started, for example, by turning over the table 16 immovably supporting the molding unit 7 and at the same time removing the vacuum suction on said film 10. Then the table 16 is lifted together with the molding unit 7 immovably supported thereon so that the brick-faced block A may be transferred on a separate table 16 adapted to be turned over in operative association with said table 16 supporting the molding unit 7 and provided for the purpose of receiving said brick-faced block A. The step of aging is carried out at the normal temperature so that the colored brick material 11 and the adhesive layer 4 may be cured under the film 10 remaining to cover them. While the film 10 can be peeled off even in the course of the aging, it is apprehended, if the film 10 is prematurely peeled off, that the inorganic pigment applied or sprayed on the film 10 at the earlier stage might remain on the film 10 and the bricks might fail to obtain the tone expected to be produced by said inorganic pigment.

[0038] The basic steps of the process for making the brick-faced block A has been described above. Now these steps of molding the bricks 5, placing and pressing the base block 1 against the molding unit 7, stripping and aging will be more specifically described in reference with FIG. 4. Said step of molding the bricks 5 includes a step of sucking the thermoplastic resin film 10 so as to stick to the molding unit 7, a step of placing the inorganic pigment on the molding unit 7, a step of placing the jig 12 on the molding unit 7, a step of smoothing the colored brick material 11 with the smoothing tool 15 and a subsequent step of pressing the colored brick material 11 against the molding unit 7. The step of placing and pressing the base block 1 upon and against the bricks 5 includes a step of placing the base block 1 coated with the adhesive layer 4 upon the molding unit 7 and a step of vibrating and pressing the substrate 1. The step of stripping includes a step of turning over the table 16, a step of removing the vacuum suction from the film 10 and a step of taking out the brick-faced block a as a final product. The step of aging a step of curing the colored brick material 11 as well as the adhesive layer 4 by aging them and a subsequent step of peeling off the film 10 from said brick-faced block A.

[0039] The brick-faced construction material, particularly the brick-faced blocks A, after they have been shipped and delivered to a construction site, may be used with reinforcing bars and mortar to construct gateposts or fencing by the same construction method as in the case of concrete blocks more easily and more reliably than in the case of said concrete blocks. The gateposts or fencing will have not only the bricks 5 of so-called used brick tone offered by the colored brick material but also the joints 6 formed by the adhesive layer 4. In this manner, said brick-faced blocks A well contribute to labor saving at the construction site. Since the block A according to the embodiment described and illustrated herein is provided only on its one side with the bricks 5 as well as the joints 6, a pair of blocks A may be assembled back to back to form said fencing or gateposts or the side of said block A having neither bricks 5 nor joints 6 may be also provided with said bricks 5 or coated with suitable paint to finish such fencing or gateposts. Said blocks A are made of lightweight foamed resin facilitating not only transport but also execution of work and contribute to labor saving. In addition, said blocks A offer mortar- or inorganic-based brick-finished construction of desired aesthetic appearance.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 3, reference numeral 3 designates a tongued-and-grooved joint of the base block 1 to join two or more base blocks 1 in vertical direction.

[0041] While the typical embodiment of this invention has been described hereinabove, various variations and modifications will be apparent those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing description. For example, it is possible to fill the individual molds directly and one by one with the colored brick material or to use the jig and to lay the colored brick material onto the molding unit via said jig without use of the film. It is also to replace the base block made of said foamed resin by a block or a panel made of organic material such as synthetic resin or a block made of inorganic material such as mortar or a panel made of metallic material depending on particular applications. In use of the jig, it is possible to provide the mortar permeable zones corresponding to the bricks in the form of a plurality of through-holes, stripes or parallel lines. It is possible to mold the bricks under a sufficient pressing effect to eliminate use of vibration. It is possible to place the jig on the molding unit after the colored brick material has been laid in the individual molds and then to smooth said colored brick material. It is possible to carry out the step of stripping manually by turning over only the molding unit supported by the table without turning over said table. It is possible to produce the brick-faced block in the form of the block provided on its both sides with the brick as well as the joints. Without departing from the spirit of this invention, additional variations and modifications are possible with respect to specific manners to implement various features such as the step of molding the bricks, the step of placing and pressing on and against the molding unit, the step of stripping, the step of aging, the molding unit used for these steps, the colored brick material, the base and the adhesive layer. Furthermore, sequential steps of the process; materials, shapes and structures, correlation of these factors and possible additions to them; specific materials, shapes and structures of the foamed resin base block, the joints and the bricks, correlation of these factors and possible additions to these them; and possible applications of the brick-faced block as the construction materials.

Effect of the Invention

[0042] The novel process and the novel product made by this process as have been described hereinabove provide high industrial applicabilities in various aspects. The invention defined by claim 1 provides a process for efficiently and reliably making brick-faced construction material, for example, brick-faced block or panel, through a series of steps inclusive of a brick molding step so that interior and/or exterior works such as construction of fencing and gateposts may be quickly done and labor saving at the construction site may be achieved. The invention defined by claim 2 enables the surface tone of the bricks to be adjusted to present, for example, an antique tone of used bricks or aesthetic effect of unevenly baked bricks. The invention defined by claim 3 effectively prevents the joints formed by the adhesive mortar from being partially covered with the brick materials to make the boundaries between the bricks and the joints definite and thereby to improve an aesthetic appearance of the brick-faced construction material. The invention defined by claim 4 enables the individual brick molds to be properly filled with the colored mortar and eliminates an apprehension that voids and pits might remain in said colored mortar and the bricks might get out of their desired shapes. The invention defined by claim 5 allows the type of the base to be selected depending on the particular application. The invention defined by claims 6 or 7 provides the brick-faced block particularly suitable for construction of fencing and/or gateposts.

	Number	Date	Country
Parent	09474745	Dec 1999	US
Child	09864572	May 2001	US

Process for making brick-faced construction material and brick-faced block made by this process

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