Device for tilting stones

Abstract

A device for tilting split stones, which have a broken structure on at least one surface such that a surface which is orientated laterally before the tilting process, is rotated to form the upper side of the stone after the tilting process. At least one receptacle is provided for a row of stones, the receptacle having a first bottom surface on which the row of stones rests in an initial position, and a second bottom surface on which the row of stones rests in an end position after the tilting process. A rotational axis extends along a connecting point between the two bottom surfaces and about which the receptacle is rotated to tilt the stones. An actuator is moved linearly and engages one of the two bottom surfaces such that the receptacle rotated about the rotational axis as a function of the linear movement of the actuator device.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 776,312, filed Feb. 23, 2006, which claims priority from German Application Serial No. 10 2006 007 513.7 filed Feb. 16, 2006.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to a device for tilting stones, in particular split stones, which have a broken structure on one surface in such a way that a surface which is orientated laterally before the tilting forms the upper side of the stone after the tilting. The invention also relates to a method for artificially aging split stones. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Walls, particularly for landscape architecture, are preferably manufactured from natural or artificial stones which are provided on the visible side with a surface structure with an irregular relief and / or broken edges such as are produced, for example, by manually dressing natural stones. [0004] The use of split stones, preferably made of concrete, is also known in this context. Untr...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] The present invention is based on the object of providing a device for tilting stones, in particular split stones, which makes it possible to tilt the stones quickly, effectively and reliably in such a way that a surface which was previously orientated laterally forms the upper side of the stone after the tilting.

[0008] The present invention is also based on the object of providing a method for artificially aging split stones, which makes it possible to carry out post-treatment on the split stone surface quickly, effectively and cost-effectively in order to smooth the resulting fractured edges and / or give the stone an aged appearance.

[0009] The present invention also provides a device with which it is possible in a simple, fast and effective way to tilt a complete row of stones such that a surface which is orientated laterally before the tilting forms the upper side of the stone after the tilting. In one simple embodiment the device only requires a receptacle which is formed from two bottom surfaces so that the stones can rest on a first bottom surface before the tilting and rest on the second bottom surface after the tilting. The receptacle is arranged in a rotatable and pivotable fashion here such that the rotational axis runs along the connecting point or in the spatial vicinity of the connecting point between the two bottom surfaces, i.e. at the location where they adjoin one another. According to the invention, the rotational movement is easily initiated by an actuator device which can be moved essentially linearly and engages on a bottom surface. The actuator device does not need to engage directly on the bottom surface here but rather can be connected to said bottom surface via an activation lever or another corresponding extension. This can have advantages depending on the arrangement of the actuator device. In one particularly favorable embodiment it is possible to provide for the tilting of the receptacle from an initial position into the end position and back to be carried out exclusively by the actuator device. In this case, a suitable arrangement of the actuator device or, if appropriate, the use of activation levers or other extensions which are connected to a bottom surface have to ensure that in any position the actuator device can apply a force which brings about a rotational movement of the receptacle.

Problems solved by technology

When stones are aged, in particular if they are split stones, the problem arises that the surface of the stone to be processed, i.e. generally the side of the stone which will later be the visible one, does not form the upper side of the stone after it leaves production.

Such methods are however costly and not efficient.

Raising stones and putting them down again by means of a vacuum device or a rotating gripper has the disadvantage of being expensive, susceptible to faults and time consuming.

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