Block splitter assembly and method of producing wall blocks
The invention provides a block splitter assembly comprising first lower and second upper opposed splitter blade assemblies. The splitter blade assemblies have a splitting blade and two or more first forming blades. One forming blade is disposed to the right of and one forming blade is disposed to the left of the first splitting blade. The forming blades have forming edges. The splitting blade has a splitting edge that is straight, and the splitting blade has a greater maximum vertical dimension than the maximum vertical dimension of the forming blades. The splitting edge of the first splitting blade is opposed to the splitting edge of the second splitting blade.
1. A method of producing a concrete block comprising:
(i) providing a block splitter assembly comprising first lower and second upper opposed blade assemblies;
(ii) placing a concrete workpiece in the block splitter assembly at a splitting position to be engaged by the first and second blade assemblies; and
(iii) with the workpiece at the splitting position, engaging the first and second blade assemblies with the workpiece and thereby splitting the workpiece along a split line and forming the workpiece, wherein
the first blade assembly comprises at least one forming blade disposed away from and to the right of the split line and at least one forming blade disposed away from and to the left of the split line, each forming blade having a single forming edge, at least a first portion of each of the forming edges having a longitudinal length that is straight and parallel to the split line and at least a second portion of each of the forming edges having a length that is not parallel to the split line, and
the second blade assembly comprises at least one forming blade disposed away from and to the right of the split line and at least one forming blade disposed away from and to the left of the split line, each forming blade having a single forming edge, at least a first portion of each of the forming edges having a longitudinal length that is straight and parallel to the split line and at least a second portion of each of the forming edges having a length that is not parallel to the split line.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one forming blade of the first blade assembly extends between first and second opposite ends of the first blade assembly and wherein at least one forming blade of the second blade assembly extends between first and second opposite ends of the second blade assembly.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one forming blade of the first blade assembly disposed away from and to the right of the split line and at least one forming blade of the first blade assembly disposed away from and to the left of the split line both extend between first and second opposite ends of the first blade assembly and wherein at least one forming blade of the second blade assembly disposed away from and to the right of the split line and at least one forming blade of the second blade assembly disposed away from and to the left of the split line both extend between first and second opposite ends of the second blade assembly.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming edge of at least one first forming blade of the first blade assembly is opposed to the forming edge of at least one forming blade of the second blade assembly.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein all forming edges of the first blade assembly are opposed to forming edges of the second blade assembly.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming edge of at least one forming blade of the first blade assembly and the forming edge of at least one forming blade of the second blade assembly have end portions and midpoints and the end portions have greater vertical dimensions than the midpoints.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the end portions of the forming edge of the at least one forming blade of the first blade assembly and the end portions of the forming edge of the at least one forming blade of the second blade assembly have vertical curves.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming edge of at least one forming blade of the first blade assembly has a constant vertical dimension and the forming edge of at least one forming blade of the second blade assembly has a constant vertical dimension.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein all forming edges of the first blade assembly have the same constant vertical dimension.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein all forming edges of the second blade assembly have the same constant vertical dimension.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first blade assembly has exactly two forming blades.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second blade assembly has exactly two forming blades.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the four forming blades all have the same longitudinal length.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first blade assembly has exactly three forming blades.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second blade assembly has exactly three forming blades.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the forming edges of the two forming blades of the first blade assembly are separated by a distance of from 20 mm to 80 mm.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second opposed blade assemblies are identical except for their opposed orientation.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the block splitter assembly further comprises first and second side knife assemblies and the first and second side knife assemblies engage the workpiece at the same time that the first and second blade assemblies engage the workpiece.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the block produced by the method has a face and the face has a convex shape.
20. A method of producing a concrete block comprising:
(i) providing a block splitter assembly comprising first lower and second upper opposed blade assemblies;
(ii) placing a concrete workpiece in the block splitter assembly at a splitting position to be engaged by the first and second blade assemblies; and
(iii) with the workpiece at the splitting position, engaging the first and second blade assemblies with the workpiece and thereby splitting the workpiece along a split line and forming the workpiece, wherein
the first blade assembly comprises at least one forming blade disposed away from and to the right of the split line and at least one forming blade disposed away from and to the left of the split line, each forming blade having a single forming edge, at least a first portion of each of the forming edges having a longitudinal length that is straight and parallel to the split line and at least a second portion of each of the forming edges having a length that is not parallel to the split line, and
the second blade assembly comprises at least one forming blade disposed away from and to the right of the split line and at least one forming blade disposed away from and to the left of the split line, each forming blade having a single forming edge, at least a first portion of each of the forming edges having a longitudinal length that is straight and parallel to the split line and at least a second portion of each of the forming edges having a length that is not parallel to the split line, and
wherein all forming edges of the first blade assembly have the same constant vertical dimension, all forming edges of the second blade assembly have the same constant vertical dimension, the first blade assembly has exactly two forming blades, and the second blade assembly has exactly two forming blades.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein all forming edges of the first blade assembly are opposed to forming edges of the second blade assembly.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first and second opposed blade assemblies are identical except for their opposed orientation.
23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the block produced by the method has a face and the face has a convex shape.
24. A method of producing a concrete block comprising:
(i) providing a block splitter assembly comprising first lower and second upper opposed blade assemblies;
(ii) placing a concrete workpiece in the block splitter assembly at a splitting position to be engaged by the first and second blade assemblies; and
(iii) with the workpiece at the splitting position, engaging the first and second blade assemblies with the workpiece and thereby splitting the workpiece along a split line and forming the workpiece, wherein
the first blade assembly comprises at least one forming blade disposed away from and to the right of the split line and at least one forming blade disposed away from and to the left of the split line, each forming blade having a single forming edge, at least a first portion of each of the forming edges having a longitudinal length that is straight and parallel to the split line and at least a second portion of each of the forming edges having a length that is not parallel to the split line, and
the second blade assembly comprises at least one forming blade disposed away from and to the right of the split line and at least one forming blade disposed away from and to the left of the split line, each forming blade having a single forming edge, at least a first portion of each of the forming edges having a longitudinal length that is straight and parallel to the split line and at least a second portion of each of the forming edges having a length that is not parallel to the split line, and
wherein all forming edges of the first blade assembly are opposed to forming edges of the second blade assembly, all forming edges of the first blade assembly have the same constant vertical dimension, and all forming edges of the second blade assembly have the same constant vertical dimension.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the first and second opposed blade assemblies are identical except for their opposed orientation.
26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the block produced by the method has a face and the face has a convex shape.