System and method for coloring top surface of claddings and concrete paving stones
An apparatus for spraying fluid phase color is integrated into a cladding manufacturing machine and synchronized with the manufacturing process. The apparatus is attached to the basket through which the concrete of the claddings is poured into a mould; color spraying initiates after completing the concrete filling phase of the manufacturing of the cladding and the basket retreats to its starting point. Color guns, attached to the basket, connect to color buckets and pump and condensed air pumps to deliver sprayed fluid color onto the top surface of the claddings. A control unit controls the color spraying via a sequential, parallel or pre-selected program or set of values of parameters that determine the final design or pattern on the claddings surface.
1 . An integrated machine for manufacturing claddings and integrated coloring top surface of said claddings, said integrated machine comprising:
a cladding manufacturing machine comprising:
at least one basket, funnel and hopper for filling, delivering and pouring dry concrete, said at least one basket is movable along a selected path;
a mould for receiving said concrete from said at least one basket;
a vibrating table;
a vibrator below said vibrating table and in mechanical contact with said vibrating table;
a production board that carries said mould on it and that lays on said vibrating table and in friction contact with said vibrating table for vibrating said production board and mould and said concrete in said mould; and
a tamper head for pressing defined cladding units of said concrete in said mould; and
a color spraying apparatus comprising:
color spraying guns attached to said at least one basket for spraying fluid phase color mass on top surface of an upper layer of said claddings;
a container for holding said fluid phase color mass;
a mixer for mixing said fluid phase color mass;
at least one pipe fluidly connecting said container with said color spraying guns; and
a pump for moving said phase color mass through said at least one pipe,
wherein said spraying guns are inclined at an angle greater than zero relative to an axis perpendicular to said top surface of said claddings,
wherein air pressure is controlled and regulated by valves for spraying said color mass off of said spraying guns, said air pressure meeting the fluid phase color mass at the spraying guns to break the fluid phase mass into droplets,
wherein said vibrator vibrates said vibrating table at an intensity to embed the droplets of said fluid phase color mass inside said top surface of said claddings.
2 . The integrated machine according to claim 1 , wherein said pump comprises compressed air pump and pipe that connects to said color spraying guns for generating color spray, and air pressure controlled and regulated valves for spraying said color mass off of said color spraying guns.
3 . The integrated machine according to claim 1 , wherein said pump comprises auxiliary compressed air pumps and pipes for introducing compressed air to break the fluid phase mass into droplets and increase a velocity of the droplets sprayed from the spray guns.
4 . The integrated machine according to claim 1 , wherein said container comprises at least one bucket for containing color, wherein said mixer is inside said at least one bucket.
5 . The integrated machine according to claim 4 , wherein said mixer is a mechanical mixer.
6 . The integrated machine according to claim 4 , wherein said mixer is a magnetic stirrer, electric mixer, pneumatic mixer, or mechanical mixer.
7 . The integrated machine according to claim 1 , further comprising back pipes for returning color residues or over flown amount of said fluid phase color mass from said color spraying guns to containers and for creating a continuous homogenization of the fluid phase color mass.
8 . The integrated machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a computer processing unit for controlling and synchronizing speed of said at least one basket of said upper layer with color spraying by said color spraying guns, activating, initiating and terminating color spraying for every color spraying gun, and timing color spraying and coordinating with forward and backward movement of said at least one basket of said upper layer.
9 . The integrated machine according to claim 8 , wherein said computer processing unit interfaces a machine control.
10 . The integrated machine according to claim 8 , wherein said computer processing unit is configured to simultaneously, sequentially or according to any pre-determined or pre-selected program control and monitor actions as follows: synchronize spraying of colors on top surface of said upper layer with travelling back of said at least one basket; select colors and color mix to be sprayed according to a selected pattern or design;
control timing of spraying by said color spraying guns of each of selected colors and color mixes; control pressure and number of air pumps active in formation of a color spray; control intensity and spread of said colors and color mixes on top surface of said upper layer of said claddings; stir a mixer in at least one bucket of said colors constantly or in any selected time intervals to maintain said fluid phase color mass homogeneous and a suspension of said colors stable without precipitates formed at bottom of said at least one bucket; and
synchronize said color spraying with operation schedule of said cladding manufacturing machine.
11 . The integrated machine according to claim 10 , wherein said computer processing unit is further configured to synchronize initiation and retreat times and speed of said at least one basket of said upper layer of said claddings with said color spraying.
12 . The integrated machine according to claim 1 , wherein said color spraying apparatus is configured to spray fluid phase color mass selected from suspensions, emulsions and solutions comprising color pigments, dyes or colorants, wherein particle size ratio between particles of said color pigments, dyes and colorants and particles of cement of said cladding is one order of magnitude in favor of said particles of cement.
13 . The integrated machine according to claim 12 , wherein said color pigments, dyes and colorants are selected from oxidants of natural minerals.
14 . The integrated machine according to claim 13 , wherein said natural minerals are selected from magnetite and hematite (iron oxides) for black and red colors, respectively.
15 . The integrated machine according to claim 14 , wherein said particle size of said magnetite and hematite is one order of magnitude less than cement particle size of said cladding.
16 . The integrated machine according to claim 1 , wherein said vibrator vibrates said vibrating table at the intensity to cause embedded color particles of said fluid phase color mass to penetrate below said top surface of said claddings.
17 . The integrated machine according to claim 1 , wherein said vibrator vibrates said vibrating table at the intensity to facilitate strong adherence of said color particles to particles of said concrete of said claddings.
18 . The integrated machine according to claim 1 , wherein said vibrator vibrates said vibrating table at the intensity to increase a resistance of embedded color particles to degradation.
19 . The integrated machine according to claim 1 , wherein said vibrator vibrates said vibrating table at the intensity to increase a visibility factor of embedded color particles.