THERMALLY INSULATING BUILDING BLOCKS

摘要

Building blocks each having a thermal insulating layer of expanded polystyrene bonded to one face are made by placing load-bearing concrete blocks 33 in a mould 3 with a space 34 between them. The mould 3 is then moved on a table 2 by a pneumatic ram 4 to the left (Fig. 1) so that a steam chest 13 having perforated probes 14 extending from it passes through the space 34 into a part 9 of the mould. The mould 3 is then closed. Polystyrene beads are then supplied to the space 34 by guns 30 and these beads are expanded by passing steam into them from the probes 14. When the polystyrene layer in the space 34 has set rigid and has become bonded to the blocks 33 and keyed to the blocks by penetration into undercut grooves 35. In the embodiment shown two blocks are formed simultaneously, the blocks being separated in a subsequent operation.