Concrete blocks with non-geometric face surfaces

Abstract

Concrete blocks having face surfaces embossed with non-geometric patterns. The blocks may be of various sizes with some having faces surfaces with lengths and heights that are multiples other blocks. The blocks may have multiple sizes, colors or combinations of colors, face surface patterns, and set back configurations. Also, walls formed from such blocks and mold boxes usable in the formation of the blocks are included.

1 . A concrete block comprising a face surface that is convergent toward a generally horizontal edge with respect to a plane extending vertically through the block, the face surface having a non-geometric pattern molded thereon, the face surface being configured such that no first point on said face surface is spaced further from said plane than any other point on said face surface positioned in a vertical line further from the generally horizontal edge than said first point. 
     
     
         2 . The concrete block of  claim 1 , wherein the block is a retaining wall block. 
     
     
         3 . The concrete block of  claim 2 , wherein the block has a first load bearing surface, a second load bearing surface, and, rear, side and front surfaces, said first load bearing and rear surfaces being generally planar and arranged generally normal to one another, said second load bearing surface including a support area defined over a predetermined area for the support of additional blocks, a vertically extending shoulder adjacent said front surface of said block and a surface at the end of said extending shoulder parallel to the second load bearing surface, said support area and said vertical shoulder providing a locating surface to receive an additional vertically positioned block thereon wherein the additional block may be positioned rearwardly from the front surface of the receiving and supporting block whereby a wall of tiers of such blocks may extend rearwardly and upwardly from a support surface. 
     
     
         4 . The concrete block of  claim 3 , said front surface further including a generally vertical portion generally normal to said first load bearing surface, said vertical portion configured to interact with the vertical shoulder of an additional block onto which the block is placed. 
     
     
         5 . The concrete block of  claim 2 , the block having first and second load bearing surfaces, rear, side and front surfaces, the side surfaces tapering rearwardly such that the rear surface is shorter than the front surface, the first load bearing surface having grooves defined thereon, the block having passages beginning within the grooves that pass completely through the block and allow for the installation of pins through the blocks to aid in the stabilization of a wall constructed from a plurality of the blocks. 
     
     
         6 . The concrete block of  claim 1 , wherein the block is a freestanding mortarless wall block. 
     
     
         7 . The concrete block of  claim 6 , wherein the block has opposed front and rear face surfaces opposed ends, a first generally horizontal surface resembling a truncated cone when viewed from an end, a second generally horizontal surface configured to interact with the first horizontal surface of a lower block by being angled inwardly and upwardly so that the inwardly angled second generally horizontal surface of a block surface will interact with the angled first generally horizontal surface of a vertically stacked adjacent block to form a stable wall of blocks. 
     
     
         8 . The concrete block of  claim 7 , wherein one end is recessed relative to the face surfaces and the other end extends beyond the face surfaces so that adjacent blocks in a row of blocks interact end-to-end to increase wall stability. 
     
     
         9 . The concrete block of  claim 6 , the block having first and second parallel load bearing surfaces, first and second ends, and first and second opposed face surfaces, the ends being transverse to the load bearing surfaces and the opposed face surfaces, the load bearing surfaces of the block having mating interlocks comprising arcuate cores and protruding arcuate interlocks receivable in the cores, wherein the interlocking cores are not vertically aligned with the protruding interlocks on the same building block, the block being configured so that each end of a block comprises a half interlock and adjacent ends of a pair of blocks in a row together define an interlock portion that interlocks with a mating full interlock portion carried by a block in an adjacent row of blocks. 
     
     
         10 . The block of  claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second opposed face surfaces has a different non-geometric pattern molded thereon. 
     
     
         11 . A mold box for forming concrete blocks in a high speed block machine, the mold box having an open top and bottom, opposed longitudinal side panels and opposed lateral end panels;
 a reciprocating shoe for reciprocatory up and down motion to engage a raw concrete mix within the mold box so as to configure a surface of the blocks as they are oriented within the mold box; and   a non-geometric pattern embossed on at least one surface of the mold box, the surface being tapered so as to allow the block formed within the mold to disengage from the mold box.   
     
     
         12 . The mold box of  claim 11 , further comprising a divider plate for separating blocks units within the mold box, the divider plate having opposed, outward facing surfaces that are downwardly convergent with respect to a vertical plane passing through the divider plate, each convergent surface having a non-geometric pattern embossed thereon and each convergent surface being configured such that no first point on said surface is spaced further from said plane than any other point on said surface positioned directly vertically above said first point. 
     
     
         13 . The mold box of  claim 12 , wherein one convergent surface of the divider plate has a non-geometric pattern embossed thereon that is different from the non-geometric pattern embossed on the other convergent surface. 
     
     
         14 . The mold box of  claim 11 , further comprising a movable planar base support arranged to travel along a generally horizontal axis of motion and to support said mold box. 
     
     
         15 . The mold box of  claim 11 , wherein the lateral side panels have core bar receiving openings formed therein and a core bar that may be reciprocally introduced and removed from the mold box to configure a bottom surface of the blocks as they are oriented in the mold box. 
     
     
         16 . The mold box of  claim 15 , further comprising core bars of various sizes, wherein the core bar receiving openings are large enough to accommodate core bars of various sizes so that blocks having grooves of various sizes may be formed using the same mold box. 
     
     
         17 . The mold box of  claim 14 , wherein the support is a conveyor belt. 
     
     
         18 . The mold box of  claim 12 , wherein the inside surfaces of the lateral side panels and/or the longitudinal walls are embossed with a non-geometric pattern. 
     
     
         19 . The mold box of  claim 12 , further comprising a second divider plate, wherein each side of each divider plate has a different non-geometric pattern embossed thereon. 
     
     
         20 . The mold box of  claim 18 , wherein each non-geometric pattern embossed on the divider plate is different from each non-geometric pattern embossed on the longitudinal side panels and/or the lateral walls, and each non-geometric pattern embossed on the longitudinal side panels and/or the lateral side panels is different from each other. 
     
     
         21 . A method for the manufacture of concrete blocks having non-geometric patterns on their face surfaces comprising:
 providing a mold box having an open top and bottom, opposed longitudinal side panels and opposed lateral side panels; a reciprocating top shoe for reciprocatory up and down motion to engage a raw concrete mix within the mold box so as to configure a surface of the blocks as they are oriented within the mold box; and a divider plate for separating individual blocks within the mold box, the divider plate having opposed, outward facing surfaces that are downwardly convergent with respect to a vertical plane passing through the divider plate, each convergent surface having a non-geometric pattern embossed thereon and each convergent surface being configured such that no first point on said surface is spaced further from said plane than any other point on said surface positioned directly vertically above said first point   charging concrete into the open top of the mold box, and forcing the concrete into intimate contact with the convergent surfaces of the divider plate to form a molded block unit comprising two or more blocks,   vertically separating the mold box and divider plate from the molded block unit with the block unit being spaced beneath the mold box and divider plate.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein one or more of the longitudinal side panels and/or the lateral side panels has a non-geometric pattern embossed thereon. 
     
     
         23 . A wall constructed of concrete blocks having various sizes and various patterns formed on their face surfaces comprising:
 a plurality of individual blocks stacked in an array of superimposed rows, with each block having at least one molded face surface with a non-geometric pattern formed thereon;   at least a first block of the plurality of blocks having a first face surface with a length that is a multiple of an integer greater than one of the length of a second face of a second block; and   at least a third block having a third face surface with a height that is a multiple of an integer greater than one of the height of a fourth face of a fourth block, wherein blocks of various sizes and various face surface patterns are distributed throughout the wall to create a non-uniform appearance.   
     
     
         24 . The wall of  claim 23 , wherein the wall is a mortarless retaining wall and each block has a vertically extending shoulder adjacent said face surface of said block and extending entirely therealong to provide a continuous block positioning member in close association to said face surface wherein an additional block is positioned rearwardly from the face surface of a receiving and supporting block whereby a wall of tiers of such blocks extend rearwardly and upwardly from a support surface.