Lightweight concrete composite blocks

Abstract

An apparatus for manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks includes a form, a station conveyor, a form-loading station, a form assembly station, a curing oven, and a block removal station. The station conveyor conveys the form or a multitude of forms around the apparatus in a continuous loop to produce a desired rate of production of lightweight concrete composite blocks. The form-loading station fills the form with a lightweight concrete composite. The form assembly station assembles the form to seal the composite within the form. The curing oven cures the lightweight concrete composite into a lightweight concrete composite block. The block removal station removes the lightweight concrete composite block from the form prior to the return of the form to the form-loading station for re-use.

1 - 13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . A method for manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks, comprising: 
 loading composite into a form of a desired shape;    assembling the form loaded with composite;    curing the composite into a lightweight concrete composite block; and    removing the lightweight concrete composite block from the form.    
   
   
       15 . The method for manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 14 , further comprising placing a conduit within the form at a designated depth prior to loading composite into a form.  
   
   
       16 . The method for manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 14 , further comprising placing an electrical conduit connected to an electrical box within the form at a designated depth prior to loading composite into a form.  
   
   
       17 . The method for manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 14 , wherein loading the composite into a form of desired shape comprises: 
 removing a cap of the form from a bottom assembly of the form;    delivering composite into the bottom assembly of the form; and    replacing the cap onto the bottom assembly.    
   
   
       18 . The method for manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 14 , wherein assembling the form loaded with composite comprises: 
 depressing a cap of the form onto a bottom assembly of the form; and    coupling a latch attached to the cap with a catch attached to the bottom assembly.    
   
   
       19 . The method for manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 17 , wherein delivering composite into the bottom assembly of the form comprises: 
 conveying a screed box to a loading position, whereby the screed box is located directly over the bottom assembly of the form;    delivering composite to a leveling hopper contained within the screed box; and    sliding the leveling hopper back and forth within the screed box, whereby the composite fills the bottom assembly of the form with composite.    
   
   
       20 . The method for manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 19 , further comprising rotating an auger to evenly distribute the composite throughout the leveling hopper.  
   
   
       21 . The method for manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 19 , further comprising conveying the screed box to a retracted position.  
   
   
       22 . The method for manufacturing lightweight concrete composite blocks according to  claim 14 , wherein removing the lightweight concrete composite block from the form comprises: 
 uncoupling a latch attached to a cap of the form from a catch attached to a bottom assembly of the form;    removing the cap from the bottom assembly;    locking down the bottom assembly of the form;    uncoupling latches securing sidewalls of the bottom assembly to endwalls of the bottom assembly;    rotating the sidewalls away from the endwalls; and    pushing a lightweight concrete composite block from the locked down bottom assembly.    
   
   
       23 - 50 . (canceled)