Method and apparatus for lifting and transporting composition blocks

Claim 1

A METHOD OF CASTING AND TRANSPORTING A POROUS CONCRETE BLOCK COMPRISING: POURING A FLOWABLE CONCRETE MOLDING COMPOSITION INTO A BLOCK FORM TO FORM A BLOCK THEREIN, SAID FROM HAVING OPPOSED SIED WALLS AND OPPOSED END WALLS, SAID END WALLS BEING DISCONNECTABLE FROM SAID SIDE WALLS; REMOVING THE END WALLS OF SAID FORM WHILE THE BLOCK IS IN A PLASTIC CONDITION AND SIMULTANEOUSLY MAINTAINING THE SIDE WALLS IN PLACE AGAINST THE SIDES OF THE BLOCK SO THAT SAID SIDE WALLS REMAIN ADHERED TO THE SIDES OF SAID BLOCK AND ARE CAPABLE OF RELATIVELY SLIGHT MOVEMENT TOWARD EACH OTHER;

Claim 2

A METHOD OF CASTING AND TRANSPORTING A POROUS CONCRETE BLOCK COMPRISING: POURING A FLOWABLE CONCRETE MOLDING COMPOSITION INTO A BLOCK FORM TO FORM A BLOCK THEREIN, SAID FROM HAVING OPPOSED SIED WALLS AND OPPOSED END WALLS, SAID END WALLS BEING DISCONNECTABLE FROM SAID SIDE WALLS; REMOVING THE END WALLS OF SAID FORM WHILE THE BLOCK IS IN A PLASTIC CONDITION AND SIMULTANEOUSLY MAINTAINING THE SIDE WALLS IN PLACE AGAINST THE SIDES OF THE BLOCK SO THAT SAID SIDE WALLS REMAIN ADHERED TO THE SIDES OF SAID BLOCK AND ARE CAPABLE OF RELATIVELY SLIGHT MOVEMENT TOWARD EACH OTHER;

Claim 3

AN APPARATUS FOR CASTING A POROUS CONCRETE BLOCK AND TRANSPORTING THE BLOCK WHILE IT IS IN A PLASTIC CONDITION, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A CASTING FORM FOR FORMING SAID BLOCK, SAID FORM HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDE WALLS ADN A PAIR OF OPPOSED END WALLS, THE END WALLS BEING DICONNECTIBLE FROM SAID SIDE WALLS, EACH OF SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING ONITS OUTER SIDE BETWEEN THE BOTTOM EDGE AND THE MIDDLE THEREOF AN OUTWARDLY FACING SURFACE WHICH IS INCLINED OUTWARDLY, WITH RESPECT TO A VERTICAL PLANE, IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION; A LIFTING DEVICE INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE TONG-LIKE DEVICE HAVING ARMS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY ALONGSIDE SAID SIDE WALLS, THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID ARMS BEING MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND HAVING CLAMPING RAILS ATTACHED THERETO, SAID CLAMPING RAILS EXTENDING TOWARD SAID OUTWARDLY FACING SURFACES FOR GRIPPING SAID SURFACES WHEREBY SAID SIDE WALLS CAN BE LIFTED IN UNISON; AND MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID ARMS.

Claim 4

AN APPARATUS FOR CASTING A POROUS CONCRETE BLOCK AND TRANSPORTING THE BLOCK WHILE IT IS IN A PLASTIC CONDITION, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A CASTING FORM FOR FORMING SAID BLOCK, SAID FORM HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDE WALLS ADN A PAIR OF OPPOSED END WALLS, THE END WALLS BEING DICONNECTIBLE FROM SAID SIDE WALLS, EACH OF SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING ONITS OUTER SIDE BETWEEN THE BOTTOM EDGE AND THE MIDDLE THEREOF AN OUTWARDLY FACING SURFACE WHICH IS INCLINED OUTWARDLY, WITH RESPECT TO A VERTICAL PLANE, IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION; A LIFTING DEVICE INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE TONG-LIKE DEVICE HAVING ARMS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY ALONGSIDE SAID SIDE WALLS, THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID ARMS BEING MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND HAVING CLAMPING RAILS ATTACHED THERETO, SAID CLAMPING RAILS EXTENDING TOWARD SAID OUTWARDLY FACING SURFACES FOR GRIPPING SAID SURFACES WHEREBY SAID SIDE WALLS CAN BE LIFTED IN UNISON; AND MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID ARMS.