AU2010202881B2 - Reconstituted limestone blocks - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for making reconstituted limestone blocks, the method comprising making a mould (10) having fascia plate (26) having which is representative of a plurality of blocks. The method further contains the steps of filling a mould (10) containing a fascia plate (26) with slurry and allowing the slurry to cure, so as to produce a reconstituted limestone block (50) having the appearance of a number of reconstituted limestone blocks along its front face. LU '

Description

AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO: LODGED: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION LODGED: ACCEPTED: PUBLISHED: RELATED ART: NAME OF APPLICANT: Big Hit Enterprises Pty Ltd ACTUAL INVENTOR: Martin Daniel Murphy ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: LORD AND COMPANY, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, of 4 Douro Place, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, AUSTRALIA. INVENTION TITLE: "RECONSTITUTED LIMESTONE BLOCKS" DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO'S: Australian Provisional Patent Application 2009903251 filed on 10 July 2009 The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us: TITLE "RECONSTITUTED LIMESTONE BLOCKS" 5 The present invention relates to reconstituted limestone blocks. Reconstituted limestone bricks are commonly used for landscaping and for retaining walls. A problem arises because each construction requires a large number of bricks to be laid which is expensive and labour intensive. 10 The present invention provides a limestone block which alleviates at least in part problems associated with known limestone bricks. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of 15 making a reconstituted limestone block which comprises providing a mould having a fascia plate which is representative of a plurality of blocks at least partially filling the mould with a slurry containing particulate limestone, curing the slurry, removing the mould from the cured material so as to form a single block which has a fascia having an appearance corresponding to a plurality of individual blocks. 20 In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a reconstituted limestone block which is in the form of a single block having a fascia which is representative of a plurality of individual blocks 2 The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first stage of the method of the present invention; 5 Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a second stage of the method; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a third stage of the method; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a fourth stage of the method; Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a plurality of moulds used in the present invention at different stages of the method; 10 Figure 6 is a perspective view of a mould used in the method of the present invention in demounted condition. Figure 7 is an upper front perspective view of a reconstituted limestone block in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 8 is a lower rear perspective view of the block of Figure 7. 15 In Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings there is shown an apparatus comprising a mould 10 mounted on a trolley 11 provided with wheels 12. For ease of movement it is understood that the trolley 11 may be integrated onto a base 26. The trolley 11 is mounted on rails 14 by means of the wheels 12 and is arranged to be moved along the rails 14 in use. 20 There is also provided a container 16 arranged to receive cement and particulate limestone from supplies 18 and 20 respectively. The container 16 is also arranged to receive water from a supply (not shown). Further, the container 16 also contains a rotary agitator 22 (part of which can be seen). In addition the container 16 is provided with an 3 outlet hose 24 and a means (not shown) for pumping a cement, particulate limestone and water slurry. As shown in Figure 1, the mould 10 comprises the base 26, a pair of stepped spaced apart 5 side walls 28 and a rear wall 30. The base 26 comprises a fascia plate and is formed with a pattern as will be described hereinafter in more detail. Further, each side wall 28 has a plurality of steps with upright faces 32 substantially at right angles to the base 26. Typically, the mould 10 is initially placed on the rails 14 by means of a crane or the like. 10 As can be seen in Figure 1, the apparatus also comprises a plurality of front wall sections 34 which are arranged, in use, to be mounted to pairs of faces 32 across the mould 10. Further, it can be seen that the rear wall 30 is provided with a pair of spaced, upright parallel channel members 36. 15 In Figure 2, there is shown the arrangement when the mould 10 is being filled to the lowest level of the mould 10. At this stage a first front wall section 34 has been mounted to the faces 32 at the lowest level of the mould 10. 20 Further the hose 24 is shown supplying slurry from the container 16 to the mould 10 at the lowest level. Once the mould 10 at the lowest level is full the supply of slurry is stopped. Then the material in the mould 10 is compacted by means of a reciprocating ram 38. The ram 38 comprises a hydraulically operated reciprocating device 40 and a plurality of planks 42. The arrangement of the number and lengths of planks 42 used are 4 changed as the mould is filled to ensure that the planks 42 come into abutting contact with all of the slurry to compact the material in the mould 10. Once the lower level has been compacted a further section 34 is put in place, as shown in 5 Figure 3. Then the second intermediate level of the mould 10 is filled up as described in relation to Figure 2. Once again the material in the second level is compacted by the compactor 38. However, at this stage the plank 42 is removed as the second level of the mould 10 is narrower longitudinally than the lowest level. 10 Subsequently, the final section 34 is put in place, as shown in Figure 4. Then the third highest level of the mould 10 is filled in the same manner described in relation to Figures 2 and 3. However, as shown, a further plank is removed to leave a single plank on the ram 38. 15 After the mould 10 is filled and compacted, as shown in Figure 4, it is moved by any suitable means along the rails 14, as shown in Figure 5. The movement enables a further mould 10 to be mounted on the rails 14 ready to be filled up as described hereinabove. The initial mould 10 is moved progressively along the rails 14, as shown in Figure 5, to 20 enable the slurry contained therein to undergo a primary cure. Once primary curing has been effected the initial mould 10 is transferred to a mould rotation station. At this station the initial mould is rotated by any suitable means so that the mould 10 is now resting on the rear face 30. This enables the base 26 to be removed 5 from the remaining components of the mould 10 and made ready for reuse. The mould 10 with the base 26 removed remains otherwise intact until curing of the reconstituted limestone is complete so as to form a block. The remaining components of 5 the mould 10 are subsequently stripped from the cured limestone. The components are then washed and replaced for re-use. The channels 36 described hereinbefore enable elongate external hollows to be formed in a base of the limestone block. This enables the cured block to be lifted up by a forklift or 10 the like and transported to a delivery truck. The completed limestone block is equivalent to a substantial number of individual bricks and is arranged to be installed on-site with less difficulty and expense compared to conventional methods of forming limestone walls. 15 Further, the base 26 is formed with a pattern to cause a corresponding pattern to be imprinted on a front face of the completed block so as to resemble a conventional wall. The pattern may be changed as required to suit customer requirements. 20 A limestone block 50 in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figures 7 and 8. The block 50 is formed as a single unit and comprises a front face 52 which is formed with a pattern resembling a number of individual blocks. Further, the block 50 has a rear 6 face 54 which is formed in a plurality of steps 57. Still further, the block 50 has abase 56 which has channels 58 for receiving the blades of a forklift or the like. The block of the present invention is particularly envisaged for use in retaining walls and 5 for landscaping. Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. 7

Claims (10)

1. A method of making a reconstituted limestoneblock which comprises providing a mould having a fascia plate which is representative of a plurality of blocks, at least partially filling the mould with a slurry containing particulate limestone, curing the slurry, removing the mould from the cured material so as to form a single block which has a fascia having an appearance corresponding to a plurality of individual blocks.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mould has a base which constitutes the plate, opposed side walls, and a rear wall and a front wall.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the side walls comprise a plurality of steps and the front wall has a corresponding number of wall sections so that the mould is filled in a plurality of stages at different levels.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein a first lowest level of the mould is filled first with a lowest front wall section in place, upto the level of the first step, and subsequent levels are filled subsequently with corresponding front wall sections 0 in place, upto the levels of subsequent steps, so that a face of the block corresponds to the front wall is stepped.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein at each stage the slurry is compacted prior to formation of the next stage. 8

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein after the mould has been filled the slurry is allowed to undergo a primary cure until it is self supporting.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein subsequent to the mould being cured the mould is rotated so that it is resting on the rear face and then removing the base for reuse,

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein curing of the slurry is completed and the remaining components of the mould are then reused from cured limestone.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rear face is provided with means for filling parallel channels on the rear face of the block to enable the cured block to be lifted up by a forked transportation device.

10. A reconstituted limestone block which is in the form of a single block having a fascia which is representative of a plurality of individual blocks. 9