Concrete Block Machines

Under the name of the Ferguson System, we find a large number of patented special forms of concrete hollow-wall construction, two of which are illustrated in Fig. 25. The blocks are moulded by special machines controlled by the proprietors of this system, and operating under very heavy pressure—about 100,000 pounds—so that tamping. is done away with. Air-space for insulation against dampness and temperature changes, is provided by the two-piece block construction and the various shapes, sizes, and positions of the webs upon them, which enable bonding to be effected by means of header bonds both in the vertical and in the horizontal laid in the cement mortar, and yet leave the air-space practically continuous, thereby preventing pas sage of water by capillary attraction.

The "Somers" Block Machine is a hand operated pressure machine of the vertical-faced type, the blocks being made face out, the way they are to stand in the wall. It is adjustable to a great variety of sizes and styles of blocks. Power is applied by means of a hand-lever, which is so connected that a pressure of 150 pounds on the end of the lever exerts a pressure of 60,000 pounds uniformly over the contents of the mould-box. No tamping is necessary, and the block is automatically and instantly released by a single motion of the machine lever, the hopper being raised, core extracted, face-plates opened outwardly from the top, and the block left standing on the pallet in position to be set away The "Hayden" Automatic Block Machine is of the face-down type, makes one-piece hollow blocks with large air-spaces, and is readily adjustable to different-sized work.

The "World Beater" Block and Brick Ma chine is of the face-down type, and is adapted to a very wide range of work, including cored or solid cement blocks of any standard size or frac tional size, in various angles, shapes, and de signs; cement brick, either standard or fancy faced; full air-space veneer blocks; water-tables, window-sills and caps, cornices, steps, etc., up to 38 inches in length and any thickness from 2 to 12 inches; also silo blocks for silos of any radius, etc. The placing and removing of cores and the releasing of blocks and moulds are done by operating a foot-lever.

The "Multiplex" Block Machine

is another example of the pressure type, the mechanism being such that, by operation of the lever, enor mous pressure is brought to bear upon the con tents of the mould-box, equally from both top and bottom. The machines have interchange

able parts and have a wide range of output, such as hollow blocks, cavity and header bond sys tems, inside partition blocks, cistern and silo blocks, chimney flue blocks, etc.

The "Fisher" Hydraulic Stone Press is a machine employing hydraulic power and de signed especially for moulding the larger shapes used in construction work, and for extensive operations. The complete "Fisher" equipment includes a multiple-plunger vertical pump; ad justable core pressure-heads for making "angle stone" and other stone in various sizes and shapes; chimney block and pier or porch column heads; mould boxes; patterns; fillers; dividers; shapers, etc. The press exerts a tamping pres sure of from 60 to 200 tons. With the higher power, it is claimed, the concrete is condensed evenly from center to surface in the thickest stone, from 28 to 33 per cent, absorption being thus reduced to a minimum, and the blocks given density and strength.

The "X-L-ALL" Cement Tools comprise a large and varied line of machines and mechani cal appliances and devices for the manufacture of concrete moulded products, including column moulding machines, adjustable cap and sill moulds, coping block moulds, etc.

A complete enumeration of the various ma chines on the market would make a long list. Besides those already mentioned, there are the "Star," the "U. S. Standard;" the "Diamond;" the "Monarch;" the "New York;" the "Keller;" the "Hercules;" the "Mogul Invincible;" the "Acme;" the "Dayton;" and others.

The Kerlin Automatic Post Machine, for making fence-posts, is a machine of rapid output. It is equipped with two metal forms in which the posts are moulded, and within which the rein forcing steel is placed. While one form is being filled, the post may be removed from the other form. An elevating device automatically hoists the concrete into a hopper, from which it is fed to the two forms alternately.

The Barrer Combination Curb and Gutter Machine is an ingenious labor-saving device for use in the construction of curbs and gutters. It is adjustable to meet any specifications as to height, width, and batter. The equipment in cludes a special curved tamp, a special striker for removing superfluous concrete and getting surface into shape, besides level and plumb for setting front and back boards.