Block press equipment having translating fluid injection apparatus and method of forming building blocks using same

Abstract

A block press apparatus provides operations for forming a building block. An operation is performed for depositing a quantity of article-forming media within a media receiving cavity of article forming equipment. After depositing at least a portion of the article-forming media within the media receiving cavity, an operation performed for depositing a volume of a prescribed fluid into the media receiving cavity. Depositing the prescribed fluid includes moving a first fluid delivery device through the quantity of the article-forming media while injecting the prescribed fluid through the first fluid delivery device into the quantity of the article-forming media.

1 . Block fabricating equipment, comprising:
 a compression case;   two compression bodies slideably disposed within a compression body receiving passage of the compression body; and   a fluid delivery mechanism within a first one of said compression bodies, wherein a first fluid delivery device of the fluid delivery mechanism is extendable through a delivery device receiving opening within the media compressing face of the first one of said compression bodies and into a delivery device receiving opening within the media compressing face of a second one of said compression bodies and wherein the first fluid delivery device has a substantially straight longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the compression body receiving passage;   wherein a media receiving cavity is jointly formed by a media compressing face of each one of said compression bodies and walls of the compression case defining the compression body receiving passage;   wherein the compression case and said compression bodies are jointly configured for allowing a quantity of article-forming media to be deposited within the media receiving cavity;   wherein the first fluid delivery device is configured for depositing a volume of a prescribed fluid into the media receiving cavity after depositing at least a portion of said article-forming media within the media receiving cavity;   wherein the first fluid delivery device is configured for being extended through the delivery device receiving opening within the media compressing face of the first one of said compression bodies and into the delivery device receiving opening within the media compressing face of the second one of said compression bodies during said depositing of the prescribed fluid; and   wherein the first fluid delivery device is configured for being moved through the quantity of said article-forming media while injecting the prescribed fluid through the first fluid delivery device into the quantity of said article-forming media during said depositing of the prescribed fluid.   
   
   
       2 . The block fabricating equipment of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first fluid delivery device includes a tube having a delivery orifice integral therewith;   the delivery orifice of the first fluid delivery device is configured for being within the media receiving cavity during said depositing of the prescribed fluid; and   the first fluid delivery device is configured for translating the tube through the media receiving cavity for causing the delivery orifice to translate through the media receiving cavity during said depositing of the prescribed fluid into the media receiving cavity when the quantity of said article-forming media at least partially covers the tube.   
   
   
       3 . The block fabricating equipment of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a second fluid delivery device expose within an opening in a wall of the compression case, wherein the first fluid delivery device extends through said compression bodies and wherein the second fluid delivery device is configured for injecting a portion of the prescribed fluid through the second fluid delivery device into the media receiving cavity during said depositing of the prescribed fluid into the media receiving cavity.   
   
   
       4 . The block fabricating equipment of  claim 3  wherein:
 the second fluid delivery device includes a delivery orifice;   the delivery orifice is situated for spraying a portion of the prescribed fluid through the opening into the media receiving cavity while the quantity of said article-forming media at least partially covers the opening in the wall of the compression case; and   the compression case is configured for being translated while the portion of the prescribed fluid is being sprayed from the second fluid delivery device during said depositing of the prescribed fluid into the media receiving cavity.   at least a portion of the prescribed fluid deposited via the first fluid delivery device is deposited simultaneously with the portion of the prescribed fluid deposited via the second fluid delivery device.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein:
 the first delivery device is configured for removing the delivery orifice from within the media receiving cavity after said depositing of the prescribed fluid is completed;   the first delivery device being configured for removing the delivery orifice from within the media receiving cavity after said depositing of the prescribed fluid is completed includes the first delivery device being configured for translating the tube such that the delivery orifice is outside of the media receiving cavity and such that a non-orifice portion of the first fluid delivery device remains within the delivery device receiving opening of each one of said compression bodies.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein:
 the first fluid delivery device includes a delivery orifice shut-off structure that is movable between an at-rest position in which flow of the prescribed fluid is inhibited and a displaced position in which flow of the prescribed fluid is allowed.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein:
 the compression case and said compression bodies are jointly configured for compressing said article-forming media within the media receiving cavity; and   the first fluid material delivery device is configured such that the non-orifice portion thereof remains within the delivery device receiving opening of each one of said compression bodies during said compressing.