Block, block system and method of making a block
A block, block system and method of making a wall block. A block with multiple embodiments of a visually exposed surface having three dimensional shaped areas and three dimensional angular valleys or joints that can be used to construct a patio, wall, fence or the like; the multiple embodiments creating a more random and natural appearance. A mold box having a moveable liner and a stripper shoe that impart three dimensional shaped areas and three dimensional angular valleys or joints onto an exposed surface of a block. The moveable liner and stripper shoe also impart a parting line onto the exposed surface of the block.
1. A method of producing blocks in a mold assembly which includes a production pallet, the method comprising:
providing a mold box including opposed side walls and opposed front and rear walls which together form a perimeter of at least one mold cavity shaped to form a block during a block forming process, the front wall being moveable from a molding position to a retracted position, the at least one mold cavity having an open top and an open bottom, and a stripper shoe;
positioning the production pallet beneath the mold box to enclose the bottom of the at least one mold cavity;
depositing block forming material into the at least one mold cavity with the front wall in the molding position;
lowering the stripper shoe to enclose the open top of the at least one mold cavity and to compress the block forming material within the at least one mold cavity to form a block, wherein, in an installed orientation, the block includes an outward-facing front face that is adjacent to a top planar surface and to first and second side surfaces, the stripper shoe having a planar molding surface shaped for forming the top planar surface of the block and a first contoured molding surface shaped for forming a first portion of the outward-facing front face of the block, wherein the top planar surface is configured to provide a flat surface to facilitate stacking of another block on the top planar surface, wherein the stripper shoe includes an irregular, non-linear transition between the planar molding surface and the first contoured molding surface, wherein the first contoured molding surface of the stripper shoe having an irregular front edge which is non-linear horizontally and vertically, the front wall having a contoured molding surface shaped to form a second portion of the outward-facing front face of the block, the first and second portions of the outward-facing front face of the block being separated by a parting line formed along the irregular front edge of the first contoured molding surface of the stripper shoe, at least a portion of the first contoured molding surface of the stripper shoe extending further into the at least one mold cavity than the planar surface of the stripper shoe to thereby provide an area of increased compression within the at least one mold cavity adjacent the contoured molding surface of the front wall, the contoured molding surface of the front wall having an irregular bottom edge, at least a portion of the irregular bottom edge being closer to the rear wall of the mold box configured to form a rear face of the block opposite the outward-facing front face than a vertically adjacent portion of the irregular front edge of the first contoured molding surface of the stripper shoe;
moving the front wall of the mold box from the molding position to the retracted position; and
removing the block forming material from the at least one mold cavity after moving the front wall to the retracted position.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein when in the molding position the front wall is adjacent the opposed side walls along first and second non-linear side edges, such that in a front view of a block formed in the at least one mold cavity a front face of the block has a shape that is not rectangular.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the planar molding surface and first contoured molding surface of the stripper shoe meet along an irregular top edge, at least a portion of the irregular bottom edge being closer to the rear wall of the mold box than a vertically adjacent portion of the irregular top edge.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first contoured molding surface of the stripper shoe includes a projecting ridge shaped to extend into the at least one mold cavity during a block forming process to impart a first section of a false joint into the first portion of the outward-facing front face of the block and the contoured molding surface of the front wall includes a projecting ridge shaped to extend into the at least one mold cavity during a block forming process to impart a second section of the false joint into the second portion of the outward-facing front face of the block.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the parting line extends from the first side surface of the block to the second side surface of the block.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the parting line intersects the plane of the top planar surface of the block at least once.