Process and apparatus for artificially ageing blocks

1. A process for artificially ageing blocks ( 1 ) including at least one of concrete blocks, vitrified blocks and natural stone blocks, the process comprising the steps of:

applying the blocks ( 1 ) onto an underlying surface ( 2 ),

suspending substantially freely movable distressing bodies ( 4 ) above an upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) to be worked,

vibrating the underlying surface ( 2 ) to cause relative motion between the blocks ( 1 ) and the distressing bodies ( 4 ) by at least one of vertical movement and horizontal movement of the distressing bodies ( 4 ) caused by transmission of the vibrating motion of the underlying surface ( 2 ) to the distressing bodies ( 4 ), via the blocks ( 1 ), such that the distressing bodies ( 4 ) are repelled upward away from the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) and subsequently fall back toward and collide, due to gravity, with at least one of the upper surface ( 1 a ) and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ) to artificially age the upper surface ( 1 a ) and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ).

2. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of restricting at least one of the vertical and the horizontal movement of the distressing bodies ( 4 ) substantially to the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ).

3. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of transmitting a vertical component of the vibrating motion of the underlying surface ( 2 ), through the blocks ( 1 ), so as to cause the upper surfaces ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) to propel the distressing bodies ( 4 ) upward, from the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) and thereafter fall back onto the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ).

4. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of limiting one of lateral movement and horizontal movement of the blocks ( 1 ) applied to the underlying surface ( 2 ).

5. The process according to claim 4 , further comprising the step of spacing the blocks ( 1 ) horizontally apart from one another by a distance less than a maximum diameter of the distressing bodies so as to permit the distressing bodies ( 4 ) to partially fall into a space between adjacent blocks ( 1 ) and act on at least one of two adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of two blocks ( 1 ) and an edge ( 1 b ) of one block ( 1 ) and a surrounding border ( 3 ) without the distressing bodies ( 4 ) completely entering the space between the adjacent blocks.

6. The process according claim 1 , further comprising the step of transmitting the vertical component of the vibrating motion of the underlying surface ( 2 ), through the blocks ( 1 ), so as to cause the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) to propel the distressing bodies ( 4 ) upward away from the surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) with a magnitude sufficient to distress at least one of the upper surface ( 1 a ) and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ) once the distressing bodies ( 4 ) fall back onto the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ).

7. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming the distressing bodies ( 4 ) from at least one of hard metal, metal and steel.

8. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of, after the working of the at least one of the upper surface ( 1 a ) and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ), removing the distressing bodies ( 4 ) from the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks.

9. The process according to claims 1 , further comprising the step of utilizing an amount of the distressing bodies ( 4 ) such that 30 to 90% of the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) is covered with the distressing bodies ( 4 ) when working the upper surface and the adjacent edges of the blocks ( 1 ).

10. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of permitting the distressing bodies ( 4 ) to act on at least one of the upper surface ( 1 a ) and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ) for a period of from 5 to 50 seconds.

11. A process for artificially ageing at least one of concrete blocks, vitrified blocks and natural stone blocks, the process comprising the steps of:

applying the blocks ( 1 ) onto an underlying surface ( 2 );

applying substantially freely movable distressing bodies ( 4 ), formed of at least one of metal and steel, to an upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) to be worked;

vibrating the underlying surface ( 2 ) so as to cause at least one of relative vertical movement and horizontal movement between the distressing bodies ( 4 ) and the blocks ( 1 ) caused by transmission of vibrating motion of the underlying surface ( 2 ), via the blocks ( 1 ), to the distressing bodies ( 4 ) such that the distressing bodies ( 4 ) are repelled upward, away from the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) and subsequently fall back toward and collide, due to gravity, with at least one of the upper surface ( 1 a ) and adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ) to artificially age the upper surface ( 1 a ) and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ); and

after the artificially aging at least one of the upper surface ( 1 a ) and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ), removing the distressing bodies ( 4 ) from the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ).

12. An apparatus for artificially ageing at least one of concrete blocks, vitrified bricks and natural stone blocks, the apparatus comprising:

an underlying surface ( 2 ) onto which the blocks ( 1 ) are placed in such a way that an upper surface ( 1 a ) and adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the upper surface of the blocks ( 1 ) to be worked are exposed,

a plurality of freely movable distressing bodies ( 4 ) for applying to the upper surface ( 1 a ) and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ) to be worked, and

a vibration device ( 8 ) for causing vibrating motion, comprising at least one of vertical movement and horizontal movement, of the underlying surface ( 2 ) to induce relative motion between the blocks ( 1 ) and the distressing bodies ( 4 ) by transmission of the vibrating motion from the underlying surface ( 2 ) to the distressing bodies ( 2 ), via the blocks ( 1 ), such that the distressing bodies ( 4 ) are repelled upward away from the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) and subsequently fall back toward and collide, due to gravity, with at least one of the upper surface ( 1 a ) and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ) to artificially age the upper surface ( 1 a ) and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ).

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein lateral limitations ( 9 ) are provided for restricting the horizontal movement of the distressing bodies ( 4 ) essentially to the upper surfaces ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ).

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the underlying surface ( 2 ) is provided with a surrounding border ( 3 ), which restricts horizontal movement of the blocks ( 1 ).

15. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the lateral limitations ( 9 ) for the distressing bodies ( 4 ) are formed by a vertical extension of a surrounding border which extends upward from the underlying surface ( 2 ) to a position above the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ).

16. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the surrounding border ( 3 ) restricts movement of the blocks ( 1 ), on the underlying surface ( 2 ), so that spacing between adjacent blocks ( 1 ) is less than a minimum diameter of the distressing bodies ( 4 ).

17. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the vibration device ( 8 ) generates a vertical component which propels the distressing bodies ( 4 ) sufficiently vertically upward away from the surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) to distress at least one of the upper surface ( 1 a ) and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the block ( 1 ) when the distressing bodies ( 4 ) fall back onto the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ).

18. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the distressing bodies ( 4 ) are formed from at least one of hard metal, metal and steel.

19. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the distressing bodies ( 4 ) are formed in at least one of a spherical shape, an annular shape, a polygonal shape and a cylindrical shape.

20. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein a depositing and removing device ( 5 ) is provided for providing the freely movable distressing bodies ( 4 ) onto the upper surfaces ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) and removing the distressing bodies ( 4 ) from the upper surfaces ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ).

21. The apparatus according to claim 20 , wherein the depositing and removing device includes a magnet ( 5 ) for magentically attracting the distressing bodies ( 4 ).

22. The apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein the apparatus supports the magnet ( 5 ) vertically above the blocks ( 1 ) once applied to the underlying surface ( 2 ).

23. The apparatus according to claim 20 , wherein the depositing and removing device ( 5 ) has a stripping element ( 6 ), which is guided over the surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) for removing the distressing bodies ( 4 ).

24. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the underlying surface ( 2 ) is provided with a transporting belt ( 10 ) for at least one of feeding in the blocks ( 1 ) and carrying away of the blocks ( 1 ).

25. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the underlying surface ( 2 ) is formed for receiving a layer of blocks ( 1 ) to be worked.

26. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the underlying surface ( 2 ) is in the form of a channel.

27. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein a sufficient number of the distressing bodies ( 4 ) is applied to the upper surface ( 1 a ) such that 30 to 90% of an area of the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) is covered with the distressing bodies ( 4 ) during working of the upper surface and the adjacent edges of the blocks ( 1 ).

28. An apparatus for artificially ageing at least one of concrete blocks, vitrified bricks and natural stone blocks, the apparatus comprising:

an underlying surface ( 2 ) onto which the blocks ( 1 ) are placed in such a way that an upper surface ( 1 a ) and adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the upper surface of the blocks ( 1 ) to be worked are exposed,

a plurality of freely movable distressing bodies ( 4 ) for being suspended above the upper surface and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ) to be worked, and

a vibration device ( 8 ) for causing vibrating motion, comprising at least one of vertical movement and horizontal movement, of the underlying surface ( 2 ) to induce relative motion between the blocks ( 1 ) and the distressing bodies ( 4 ) by transmission of the vibrating motion from the underlying surface ( 2 ) to the distressing bodies ( 2 ), via the blocks ( 1 ), such that the distressing bodies ( 4 ) are repelled upward away from the upper surface ( 1 a ) of the blocks ( 1 ) and subsequently fall back toward and collide, due to gravity, with at least one of the upper surface ( 1 a ) and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ) to artificially age the upper surface ( 1 a ) and the adjacent edges ( 1 b ) of the blocks ( 1 ).