GB1598940A

GB1598940A - Method and apparatus for the grouping of green bricks into a setting formation

Info

Publication number: GB1598940A
Application number: GB10586/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Fuchs & Co AG Elektrodraht
Current assignee: Fuchs & Co AG Elektrodraht
Priority date: 1977-03-18
Filing date: 1978-03-17
Publication date: 1981-09-23
Also published as: DK80778A; IT1107524B; FR2383766A1; FR2383766B1; CH626825A5; IT7883610A0

Abstract

The green bricks (16) are produced from a strand portion (13), which is placed on a conveyor belt in the longitudinal direction of the harp cutter (5) and cut to length by a strand cutter (3), by means of a vertically lowerable cutting device once the conveyor belt has been stopped. After the return of the cutting device, the conveyor belt is set in motion once again and the individual green bricks (16) are pushed, via a transfer device (6), onto a spacing belt (7). This moves more rapidly than the conveyor belt, as a result of which the individual green bricks (16) are spaced apart. When the first green brick (16) reaches a sensor (17), the spacing belt (7) is stopped. A driver plate (18) pushes the green bricks (16) onto a plateau carriage (19) arranged in a transverse direction with respect to the spacing belt (7). As soon as the plateau carriage (19) is charged with a plurality of rows of green bricks, it is moved along a guide device (10) to the drying unit. The green bricks (16) which are already arranged at the correct, expedient mutual spacing are then shifted, by means of shifting grippers, to produce green-brick stacks and are fed to the drying and firing procedure. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE GROUPING OF GREEN BRICKS INTO A SETTING FORMATION (71) We, FUCHS & CO. AKTIEN GESELLSCHAFT FUR ELEKTRO DRAHT-ERZEUGUNG UND MASCHIN ENBAU, of Puntiganerstrasse 127, A-8055 Graz, Austria, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the grouping of green bricks into a setting formation.

In the commercial manufacture of bricks, it is known to cut single green bricks, corresponding in width to the finished bricks, by means of a cutter from a column or strip of raw material continuously extruded by a press. The green bricks are then transferred singly onto pallets which are continuously fed in the direction of transport, for example, by means of a so-called palletisation device, the bricks at the same time being spaced the desired distance apart. The pallet, charged with a predetertnrned number of green bncks, is grouped together with other pallets, which are placed onto cars or racks for drying in a drying kiln.

The feeding-in of the individual pallets is complicated and necessitates substantial use of controlling, switching and driving means. Furthermore, the space between the serially arranged bricks forming one row, and the next row, is dictated by the width of construction of the pallets, so that, when a change is made in the size of the bricks, uneconomic use is made of the drying chamber, unless different types of pallet are held in stock and the automatic palletisation device is also readjusted whenever the brick size is changed.

In the case of the above-described apparatus, there is no certainty that the green bricks in one row will always be in alignment with the bricks of the next following row, so that a predetermined arrangement of the green bricks into an ordered array, such as to facilitate transfer, is not achieved. On the contrary, following drying, it is necessary to use a complicated transfer device, which takes hold of the dried green bricks and spaces them at uniform intervals during transfer, so that it is possible to place a plurality of ordered arrays on the so-called tunnelkiln cars in order to form stacks.

In order to rationalise cutting, it is also known to use so-called "harp" wire-type cutting appliances, which, in a single operation, divide a blocs or segment of material, approximately one to three metres long, cut from an extruded column or strip of raw material by means of a cutting device, into a plurality of green bricks, so that substan tidily higher outputs are achievable.

In known apparatus of the above-mentioned type, the soft, and therefore deformable, extruded blocks are conveyed on rollers or belts, and are - then pushed beneath a vertically movable frame in which the cutting wires are damped, the blocks being cut by the lowering of the frame. Since the cutting wires must completely sever the block, they pass through the bottom face of the block into a specially constructed base. This base is divided into sections corresponding in size to the cut length of the green bricks, so that, in consequence, owing to the frequent changes which need to be made in the length of cut, it is necessary not only to alter the spacing of the cutting wires, but also to replace the base.When the block has been cut into green bricks, the latter are pushed onto a further conveyor belt, and the cutting appliance is then raised again. Continuous operation of the appliance is substantially precluded owing to constant replacement of the base when the length of cut is changed, so that the use of a wire-type cutting device, though in itself rational, is called into question.

Further, the cut green bricks, which travel forwards en bloc, must then be spaced the desired distance apart by means of special devices, in order that all the sides of the green bricks may be exposed to the hot air in the drying kiln.

In another known wire-type cutting ap pliance, the extruded block is conveyed on rollers beneath the cutting appliance, where it is stopped and cut into separate green bricks by the lowering of a cutting frame, after which the cut green bricks are removed from the cutting appliances by the setting in motion of the roller conveyor. In this case, however, only relatively long bricks can be produced, since short bricks would fall between the rollers and overturn.

The above-described wire-type cutting ap pliances have substantial productive capacities, but are not universally usable for many different types of brick, so that it is not economically possible to use them in continuously operating apparatus for the grouping of green bricks into setting formations.

It is therefore an object of the invention to create a method and apparatus by means of which the creation of ordered arrays composed of green bricks spaced the correct distance apart for drying and grouped as a final array for subsequent firing, is made possible by means of continuously operating apparatus, which is readily adjustable for different sizes of bricks, so that after the drying process, the arrays can be transferred by means of simple transfer forks onto tunnel-kiln cars, so as to form stacks.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of producing and grouping green bricks into a convenient formation for further treatment, wherein segments are cut from an exuuded column of raw brick material by means of an extruded column cutting device and are advanced individually on a conveyor of a cutting appliance in the direction of travel and extrusion to a position beneath a vertically-lowerable segment cutting mechanism of the appliance, the conveyor is stopped whilst the segment cutting mechanism is lowered so that the cutters of the latter sever a segment beneath the mechanism of the appliance into a plurality of separate green bricks, whereafter the cutters are raised and the conveyor is again set in motion to transfer the green bricks via a transfer device serially from the appliance onto a spacing belt, disposed alongside the cutting appliance in the direction of travel, the spacing belt, when being driven, travelling during at least part of the time at a speed greater than that of the conveyor extending beneath the segment cutting mechanism, whereby the green bricks are equally spaced apart in a row on the spacing belt, and furthermore wherein the row of green bricks is halted when the leading brick of the row in the direction of travel reaches a switching device and is transferred onto supporting means, extending from below the spacing belt transversely to the direction of travel, by means of a pusher which engages the row of bricks, the relative movement of the pusher and the supporting means being so adjusted that successive rows of green bricks are arranged at spaced apart intervals upon the supporting means.

If small bricks, of a mass which can be relatively easily accelerated, are to be produced, according to an advantageous feature of the invention, the conveyor of the cutting appliance and the spacing belt may be driven at a uniform speed, the selected speed of the spacing belt being greater than the speed of the conveyor belt, and depending upon the desired spacing of the green bricks. If, however, large bricks are to be produced and arranged in setting formations, the conveyor of the cutting appliance may be driven intermittently, while the spacing belt is driven continuously, the duration of the stationary periods of the conveyor belt of the cutting appliance being adjusted according to the desired spacing of the rows of green bricks.

This has the advantage that the speed of travel of the spacing belt can be the same as that of the conveyor of the cutting appliance at the moment when each brick is transferred, so that the relative speed in the transfer zone is zero, which enables smooth transfer to be effected, without damage to the bricks, such as might occur on the acceleration of large masses.

For smooth transfer of soft, pressuresensitive green bricks from the spacing belt to the supporting means, the pusher and the supporting means may be intermittently driven at such a rate that there is no difference in the relative speed of the green bricks and the supporting means. The driving speed of the pusher and the supporting means may, advantageously, be constant, and the length of the driving time of the supporting means is so selected, in dependence upon the desired spacing of the pregrouped rows of green bricks, that it exceeds the length of the driving time of the pusher, so that the final setting formation comprises green bricks arranged in rows spaced the desired distance apart.

For performance of the method according to the present invention, apparatus is proposed which comprises an extrusion press and an extruded-column cutting device, a take-off belt, a cutting appliance having a series of cutters and a conveyor, a spacing belt whose conveying surface lies in the same plane as that of the conveyor of the cutting appliance, arranged serially in the direction of extrusion and travel of material issuing from the extrusion press, the cutting appliance being connected to the take-off belt and the spacing belt at its inlet and outlet ends respectively by means of transfer devices, and a pusher which extends longitudinally of the spacing belt and is movable transversely to the direction of travel, for sweeping each row of green bricks off the active run of the spacing belt, by pushing them onto a supporting means extending from beneath and transversely of the spacing belt, which means is drivable in a direction at right angles to the direction of extrusion and of travel of the belts and conveyor.

The cutting appliance may be a wire-type one in which the cutters comprise cutting wires.

The conveyor of the cutting appliance may, for example, comprise endless chains or belts, on which there are arranged closely spaced transverse supports, between which the cutting wires of the cutting appliance may freely extend after severing the extruded block. The transverse supports may advantageously comprise narrow blades extending perpendicularly from the endless conveyor, and having in their central region a recess in their upper edge, so that a cutting wire which may strike a support somewhat obliquely and which may slide to opposite sides thereof, can be received in the recess, whereby breakage of the cutting wire is advantageously prevented.

The individual blades are spaced only a few millimetres apart, so that the respective cutting wires are able to pass without friction between two adjacent blades, while, at the same time, a stable base for the soft green bricks is formed.

The conveyor of such a cutting appliance permits simple adjustment of the apparatus for different sizes of bricks, without the need to replace or adjust the base, since the cutting wires, which are clamped any desired distance apart, can always, irrespective of their spacing, be received in the recesses of the conveyor.

A further preferred feature of the wiretype cutting appliance which may be used in the apparatus is that the cutting wires are attached to a frame, which is vertically reciprocatingly pivotable, and whose upper side is provided with a stiffening frame having at least one cross member, extending in the longitudinal direction of the frame, to which cross member there are attached vertical supporting rods, provided at their free ends with loops through which the cutting wires extend. The operating range of the wire-type cutting appliance is thereby substantially enlarged, since relatively wide bricks can be cut by means of the wire-type cutting appliance. The supporting rods prevent flexure of the long cutting wires, and consequently ensure that, even in its central region, each cutting wire passes completely through the extruded block and between the blades.Consequently also, the height of the blades may be relatively low, which is advantageous as regards the rigidity of the blades.

If a substantial number of blades is used in order to support large green bricks, it may happen that the cutting wires slide to different sides of respective blades when they enter the recesses between the blades. The wire is thereby stretched. If this stretching of the wire occurs frequently, there is a danger that the wires may break, or that the overstressed wires may occasionally not be guided back precisely into the incisions on their return stroke, but may strike the green brick, at least initially, a little to the side of the incision so that, when a substantial number of wires is used, there is a risk that the green bricks may be lifted from their supporting base and/or may be damaged.

In order to avoid such a disadvantage, the conveyor of the cutting appliance, which is in the form of an endless conveying device, can be provided with resiliently supported transverse bearers, against or between which cutters are movable following the cutting of the segment from the extruded column. Advantageously, the bearers may be in the form of elongate supporting slats, whose top faces are planar, and whose bottom faces are strengthened by profiling, preferably in the form of a rib. Advantageously, the bearers may be arranged side by side, so that, throughout the upper run of the conveyor, they present a planar bearing surface for the extruded column segment. The entire bottom face of the extruded column segment is consequently evenly supported during its passage through the cutting appliance.

The bearers may be resiliently attached to the conveyor by telescopically movable supporting means. The supporting means may be in the form of hollow cylindrical elements fitted one inside another and held apart by means of a spring arranged in the interior of the cylinder. One cylindrical element may advantageously be attached to the bottom face of a bearer, and the other cylindrical element may be fastened to an attachment member, such as a bracket, on the conveyor.

Instead of wires, the cutting elements may advantageously comprise blades, which are not deflected sideways when they strike against the bearer slats, but, owing to their predetermined inherent rigidity, retain their shape and press the bearer slat, against which they strike, resiliently downwards. This ensures, on the one hand, that the extrudedcolumn segment is completely severed, and, on the other hand, that the blades remain in the same cutting plane during their return stroke, so that neither the conveyor slats, nor the blades, nor even the green bricks are damaged In order to prevent raw material from the green bricks adhering to the sides of the cutter blades, cleaning devices may be provided, either in the form of mechanical wipers, preferably in the form of resilient lips of a profiled strip arranged adjacent to the blades, or in the form of a spraying device, by means of which the cutting blades may be wetted with a solvent. Alternatively, it is possible for the cleaning device to be in the form of an electrical charging device, by means of which an electrical charge is ap plied to the blades in order to prevent the adhesion of raw material. In any case, the purpose of the cleaning devices is to improve sliding between the blades and the green bricks, so that the blades may pass without hindrance through the green bricks. Known mechanical, electrical, electromagnetic and solvent methods may be used for this purpose.

Conveniently the pusher comprises a reciprocatingly movable pusher plate, which is mounted on an endless chain drive and is movable through a distance greater than the width of the spacing belt in the feed direction of the supporting means. The fact that the green bricks move in the direction of extrusion and travel onto the spacing belt ensures that the pusher plate applies itself uniformly to one end face of the green bricks and pushes the evenly spaced green bricks uniformly onto the supporting means arranged below the spacing belt. This supporting means may advantageously comprise flat trolleys, which are presented consecutively and are movable perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the spacing belt, and whose upper surface passes directly beneath the upper strand of the spacing belt.Alternatively, the supporting means may comprise consecutively grouped pallets, which are continuously fed in and whose upper surface passes immediately beneath the upper run of the spacing belt. When the spacing belt stops, the pregrouped green bricks are pushed from the spacing belt by means of the pusher plate and, in order to ensure smooth transfer, it is advantageous if the speed of movement of the pusher plate and that of the supporting means, as it emerges from beneath the spacing belt, are equal, so that the relative speed of movement of the green bricks and the supporting means is zero.

The spacing belt may advantageously comprise an endless conveying element, whose lower, return run passes beneath the transversely moving supporting means. This permits the upper run to be arranged substan tially in the same plane as the upper side of the supporting means, which renders it unnecessary to provide transfer blades or plates or the like. The spacing belt may also be provided, in the direction of its travel, with a saw-tooth or serrated profile, having straight transverse sides. On the one hand, removal of the green bricks from the cutting appliance is thereby facilitated, and, on the other hand, improved guidance of the bricks during their transfer from the spacing belt to the supporting means is achieved.

Advantageously, control of the conveyor and spacing belt may be effected by means of limit switches, operated by one end of the cut-off extruded block or of the cut green bricks respectively. The limit switches may, advantageously, comprise photo-electric cell sensors thus permitting contactless switching, which is particularly desirable since the bricks consist of soft, defonnable material.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic overall plan view of green brick making and assembling apparatus in accordance with the invention in which the individual stages of the method are indicated by the disposition of the green bricks; Fig. 2 is a different-scale diagrammatic side elevation of the wire-type cutting appliance used in the apparatus; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the wire-type cutting appliance shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation of a blade, together with a cutting wire extending from one side of the blade to the other through a central recess; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic front elevation of the spacing belt and the charging of the flat trolleys; and Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view of part of another embodiment of wire-type cutting appliance.

Fig. 1 shows the complete apparatus, comprising substantially the following components: an extrusion press 1, a takesff belt 2, an extruded-column cutting device 3, a transfer device 4, a wire-type cutting appliance 5, a transfer device 6, a spacing belt 7, a pusher 8, a supporting means 9, and a guideway 10.

The individual components are arranged serially in the direction of transportation or conveyance shown by the arrow 11, so that a column 12 of raw material leaving the extrusion press 1 can be moved continuously from the left-hand end of Fig. 1 towards the right-hand end of Fig. 1, while operations are at the same time performed on the column of raw material.

In detail, the column 12 of raw material is cut transversely by means of the cutting device 3, so that a block or segment of extruded material 13, approximately one to three metres long, is formed, which block is accelerated by means of the take-off belt 2 and is fed via the transfer device 4 to the wire-type cutting appliance 5. When the leading end of the block 13 reaches a sensor 14, the conveyor 15 (shown more clearly in Fig.

2) of the wire-type cutting appliance 5 is stopped. The extruded block 13 is then cut into separate green bricks 16 in the manner hereinafter described, the bricks then being fed via the transfer device 6 onto the spacing belt 7. Transfer is effected in such a way that the green bricks 16 are arranged a predetermined distance apart on the spacing belt 7, this being achieved by driving belt 7 faster than conveyor 15. When the first green brick reaches a sensor 17, the spacing belt 7 is stopped, and a pusher plate 18 of pusher 8 located opposite to a flat trolley 19 is set in motion, so that the row of green bricks is swept transversely onto the flat trolley, upon which a second row is subsequently placed at a predetermined interval, the green bricks of the first row being in alignment with the bricks of the second row.

When the flat trolley is fully charged with a spaced array of green bricks, it is moved along the guideway 10 to a drying unit. Since, by means of the apparatus according to the present invention, the green bricks are already arranged in such a way that they are advantageously spaced for drying and are already grouped into rows of courses for setting in stacks, no transfer operation, for grouping purposes, is necessary between drying and firing, so that simplified transfer forks can be used for the formation of stacks of green bricks. The above-described method of operation not only provides advantages as regards the use of technically substantially simplified appliances, but also optimises the drying and firing processes, the configuration of the green bricks during drying being such that economical use of the kiln is made possible.

The wire-type cutting appliance 5, shown diagrammatically in Figs. 2 and 3, comprises a stand 20, in which a frame 21 is vertically movably supported. Movement of the frame is effected by means of crank discs 22 and connecting rods 23 pivotably attached to the under side of the frame 21.

On Its upper side the frame 21 is provided with a stiffening member 24, which extends longitudinally and centrally of the frame 21, and to which depending supporting rods 25 are attached, the free bottom end of each supporting rod 25 being provided with' a loop 26, through which respective cutting wires 27, disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the frame, extend. The cutting wires 27 are therefore supported centrally, so that flexure of the wires during the cutting of a very wide extruded block 13 is prevented.

The conveyor 15 of the wirecutting appliance 5 is supported on two sprockets 29 carried on the strand 20. The right-hand sprocket (as shown in Fig. 2) is driven by a known driving means.

The conveyor 15 comprises an endless conveyor belt 28, or two conveyor chains supported on corresponding pulleys, on the surface of which belt or chains bearers or blades 30 extend transversely to the direction of travel of the conveyor. These blades 30 are arranged very close together, preferably several millimetres, for example 6 mm, apart, so as to prevent their penetrating the surface of the green bricks. On the other hand, the selected clearance between two adjacent blades 30 is such that the cutting wires 27 are able to pass into the gap when the frame 21 is lowered. Since the cutting wires 27 are supported at their centres by the supporting rods 25 and consequently are subject to hardly any flexure, the selected height of the blades may be relatively low, whereby the firmness of support is enhanced.

A blade 30, a larger scale view of which is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, has in its central region a recess 31, into which a cutting wire 27, which may meet the top edge of the blade 30 slightly obliquely and slide to either side of the blade, and also the supporting rod 25, may pass.

Fig. 6 shows that the spacing belt 7 is supported by means of a return pulley and a driving pulley in a stand 32, and comprises an endless conveyor belt, whose upper run 33 is guided immediately above the surface of the flat trolley 19, shown by a broken line, while the lower run 34 returns below the flat trolley. Above the upper run 33 is the pusher plate 18, which is supported on a guideway 35 (not shown in detail), upon which it is movable back and forth.

Figure 7 shows a second preferred embodiment of the cutting appliance. The frame construction of this cutting appliance corresponds substantially to the embodiment shown in Figure 2, so that no further description is necessary. Accordingly, only differences between them will be described.

The cutting appliance of Fig. 7 has a series of cutting blades 125 in place of cutting wires.

The conveyor 126 of the cutting appliance is supported in the frame of the cutting appliance on two sprockets 127, of which only the right-hand sprocket is shown.

The conveyor 126 comprises two conveyor chains 128 supported on respective pulleys, bearers 129, extending transversely to the direction of travel, being arranged on the upper surfaces of the conveyor chains 128.

These bearers 129 are in the form of narrow supporting slats, whose upper faces are planar, and whose bottom faces are provided with stiffening flanges 130.eached to the 130.

'be bearers 129 are attached to the conveyor chains 128 by telescopically movable supporting means 131. These supporting means comprise an upper hollow cylindrical element 132 attached to the bottom face of the bearer 129, and a lower hollow cylindrical element 133 attached via a bracket 134 to a link of the conveyor chain 128. The two cylindrical elements 132 and 133 are held apart by means of a compression spring 135 accommodated in the cylinder interior, the compression springs being so dimensioned that the extruded column of raw material is maintained at a predetermined height above the conveyor chain 128.

On operation of the cutting appliance, the blades 125 enter the extruded-column 113 and cut it into separate green bricks. When the blade 125 has cut through the extrudedcolumn 113, as shown by the broken lines, it emerges through the bottom face of the extruded-column and strikes against the respective transverse bearer 136, 137. Since these transverse bearers 136, 137 are resiliently supported, the blades 125 press the bearers downwards against the action of springs 135, while the bearers adjacent to them remain in their original elevated positions. This ensures that the blades 125 cut through the extruded-column 113 completely to form separate blocks.Since the blades 125 do not emerge completely through the bottom face of the extruded-column 113, but remain partially within the cut column and between adjacent cut blocks, the blades do not damage the cut faces of the blocks or green bricks during their return movement. Moreover, re silient supporting of the bearers prevents lateral deflection of the blades and consequent damage to them.

A cleaning device 138, which may, for example, be in the form of resilient lips of a profiled strip arranged adjacent to the blades, is shown applied to the right-hand blade in Figure 7. The sides of the blades wipe against these lips 138 during the return movement of the stiffening frame, so that residual raw material, left on them following cutting, may be wiped off. In addition to these resilient lips, a spraying device may be provided, by means of which a solvent or releasing agent may be introduced between the lips 138 and the blades 125.

Alternatively, of course, it would be possible to use the bearer system 129 to 137 in combination with the cutting wires of the wire-type cutting appliance shown in Figure In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the transfer devices 4 and 6 comprise simple sheet-metal shoes or blades; alternatively, however, they may comprise separate conveying and driving means, as shown, for example, in the right-hand portion of Fig. 2, particularly if the green bricks 16 are to be accelerated, while the conveyor 28 runs continuously, in which case the speed of the conveyor belt 36 may be substantially a mean speed between the speed of travel of the conveyor 28 and the speed of travel of the spacing belt 7.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A method of producing and grouping green bricks into a convenient formation for further treatment, wherein segments are cut from an extruded column of raw brick material by means of an extruded column cutting device and are advanced individually on a conveyor of a cutting appliance in the direction of travel and extrusion to a position beneath a vertically-lowerable segment cutting mechanism of the appliance, the conveyor is stopped whilst the segment cutting mechanism is lowered so that cutters of the latter sever a segment beneath the mechanism of the appliance into a plurality of separate green bricks whereafter the cutters are raised and the conveyor is again set in motion to transfer the green bricks via a transfer device serially from the appliance onto a spacing belt, disposed alongside the cutting appliance in the direction of travel, the spacing belt, when being driven, travelling during at least part of the time at a speed greater than that of the conveyor extending beneath the segment cutting mechanism, whereby the green bricks are equally spaced apart in a row on the spacing belt, and furthermore wherein the row of green bricks is halted when the leading brick of the row in the direction of travel reaches a switching device and is transferred onto supporting means, extending from below the spacing belt transversely to the direction of travel, by means of a pusher which engages the row of bricks, the relative movement of the pusher and the supporting means being so adjusted that successive rows of green bricks are arranged at spaced apart intervals upon the supporting means.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the conveyor and the spacing belt, when driven, travel at a constant speed that of the belt being faster than that of the conveyor dependent upon the desired spacing of the green bricks on the belt.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the conveyor is driven intermittently whilst the spacing belt is driven continuously, the two speeds being substantially equal during transfer of each brick from the conveyor to the belt, and the stationary periods of the conveyor being adjusted according to the desired spacing of the green bricks on the belt.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the pusher and the supporting means are intermittently driven at such a speed that, in the region of transfer of the rows of green bricks, there is no difference between the speed of the green bricks and that of the supporting means.

--i. A method as claimed in claim 4 in which the speed of driving the pusher and the supporting means is constant, and in which the duration of driving of the supporting means exceeds the duration of driving of the pusher, dependent upon the desired spacing of the rows of green bricks, so that

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Claims

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held apart by means of a compression spring 135 accommodated in the cylinder interior, the compression springs being so dimensioned that the extruded column of raw material is maintained at a predetermined height above the conveyor chain 128.

On operation of the cutting appliance, the blades 125 enter the extruded-column 113 and cut it into separate green bricks. When the blade 125 has cut through the extrudedcolumn 113, as shown by the broken lines, it emerges through the bottom face of the extruded-column and strikes against the respective transverse bearer 136, 137. Since these transverse bearers 136, 137 are resiliently supported, the blades 125 press the bearers downwards against the action of springs 135, while the bearers adjacent to them remain in their original elevated positions. This ensures that the blades 125 cut through the extruded-column 113 completely to form separate blocks.Since the blades 125 do not emerge completely through the bottom face of the extruded-column 113, but remain partially within the cut column and between adjacent cut blocks, the blades do not damage the cut faces of the blocks or green bricks during their return movement. Moreover, re silient supporting of the bearers prevents lateral deflection of the blades and consequent damage to them.

A cleaning device 138, which may, for example, be in the form of resilient lips of a profiled strip arranged adjacent to the blades, is shown applied to the right-hand blade in Figure 7. The sides of the blades wipe against these lips 138 during the return movement of the stiffening frame, so that residual raw material, left on them following cutting, may be wiped off. In addition to these resilient lips, a spraying device may be provided, by means of which a solvent or releasing agent may be introduced between the lips 138 and the blades 125.

Alternatively, of course, it would be possible to use the bearer system 129 to 137 in combination with the cutting wires of the wire-type cutting appliance shown in Figure In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the transfer devices 4 and 6 comprise simple sheet-metal shoes or blades; alternatively, however, they may comprise separate conveying and driving means, as shown, for example, in the right-hand portion of Fig. 2, particularly if the green bricks

16 are to be accelerated, while the conveyor 28 runs continuously, in which case the speed of the conveyor belt 36 may be substantially a mean speed between the speed of travel of the conveyor 28 and the speed of travel of the spacing belt 7.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A method of producing and grouping green bricks into a convenient formation for further treatment, wherein segments are cut from an extruded column of raw brick material by means of an extruded column cutting device and are advanced individually on a conveyor of a cutting appliance in the direction of travel and extrusion to a position beneath a vertically-lowerable segment cutting mechanism of the appliance, the conveyor is stopped whilst the segment cutting mechanism is lowered so that cutters of the latter sever a segment beneath the mechanism of the appliance into a plurality of separate green bricks whereafter the cutters are raised and the conveyor is again set in motion to transfer the green bricks via a transfer device serially from the appliance onto a spacing belt, disposed alongside the cutting appliance in the direction of travel, the spacing belt, when being driven, travelling during at least part of the time at a speed greater than that of the conveyor extending beneath the segment cutting mechanism, whereby the green bricks are equally spaced apart in a row on the spacing belt, and furthermore wherein the row of green bricks is halted when the leading brick of the row in the direction of travel reaches a switching device and is transferred onto supporting means, extending from below the spacing belt transversely to the direction of travel, by means of a pusher which engages the row of bricks, the relative movement of the pusher and the supporting means being so adjusted that successive rows of green bricks are arranged at spaced apart intervals upon the supporting means.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the conveyor and the spacing belt, when driven, travel at a constant speed that of the belt being faster than that of the conveyor dependent upon the desired spacing of the green bricks on the belt.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the conveyor is driven intermittently whilst the spacing belt is driven continuously, the two speeds being substantially equal during transfer of each brick from the conveyor to the belt, and the stationary periods of the conveyor being adjusted according to the desired spacing of the green bricks on the belt.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the pusher and the supporting means are intermittently driven at such a speed that, in the region of transfer of the rows of green bricks, there is no difference between the speed of the green bricks and that of the supporting means.

--i. A method as claimed in claim 4 in which the speed of driving the pusher and the supporting means is constant, and in which the duration of driving of the supporting means exceeds the duration of driving of the pusher, dependent upon the desired spacing of the rows of green bricks, so that

the final stacked array comprises green bricks arranged in rows spaced a desired distance apart.

6. An apparatus for carrying out the method claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, comprising an extrusion press and an extruded-column cutting device, a take-off belt, a cutting ap pliance having a series of cutters and a conveyor, a spacing belt whose conveying surface lies in the same plane as that of the conveyor of the cutting appliance, arranged serially in the direction of extrusion and travel of material issuing from the press, the cutting appliance being connected to the takeoff belt and the spacing belt at its inlet and outlet ends respectively by means of transfer devices, and a pusher which extends longitudinally of the spacing belt and is movable transversely to the direction of travel, for sweeping each row of green bricks off the active run of the spacing belt, by pushing them onto a supporting means extending from beneath and transversely of the spacing belt, which means is drivable in a direction at right angles to the direction of extrusion and of travel of the belts and conveyor.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the pusher comprises a pusher plate, which is movable back and forth on an endless chain drive and is movable beyond the width of the spacing belt in the direction of travel of the supporting means.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 7 in which the supporting means comprises flat trolleys, which are serially advanceable and are movable perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the spacing belt, and whose surface passes immediately below the active run of the spacing belt.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8, in which the supporting means comprises pallets which are grouped parallel to one another and are serially advanceable and whose surface passes immediately below the active run of the spacing belt.

10. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9, in which the spacing belt comprises an endless conveyor element whose lower return run is guided below the transversely movable supporting means.

11. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6 to 10, in which the spacing belt has in its direction of travel a serrated profile, having straight transversely extending sides.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6 to 11, in which limit switches, whose operation is effected by means of the leading end of the cut-off segment of extruded material or of the cut green bricks, are provided for stopping the movement of the conveyor or the spacing belt respectively.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, in which the limit switches comprise photoelectric cell sensors.

14. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6 to 13, in which the cutting appliance is a wire-type cutting appliance whose cutters are in the form of cutting wires.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, in which the conveyor of the wire-type cutting appliance is in the form of an endless conveyor, fitted with closely spaced transverse supports, between which the cutting wires of the cutting appliance freely pass after cutting through the segment of extruded material.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, in which the transverse supports comprise narrow blades extending perpendicularly from the endless conveyor.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15 or 16, in which in their central regions, the transverse supports are provided with a recess in their top edges, into which it is possible for a cutting wire whch may meet a support slightly obliquely and slide to different sides, to pass.

18. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 14 to 17, in which the cutting wires are attached to a vertically reciprocatingly movable frame, to the upper side of which there is fitted a stiffening frame having at least one cross member extending longitudinally of the frame, to which cross member there are attached vertical supporting rods, provided at their free ends with loops through which the cutting wires extend.

19. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6 to 13, in which the cutters of the cutting appliance comprise a series of cuting blades.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19 in which cleaning means are provided in the region of the cutting blades for removing from the surfaces of the blades residual material from the green bricks which may still adhere to the blades.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 20, in which the cleaning means comprises mechanical wipers.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21 in which the wipers comprise profiled strips aranged adjacent to the blades and having wiping lips for engaging the faces of the blades.

23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 20, in which the cleaning means comprise spraying devices for wetting the cutting blades with a solvent or release agent.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 20, in which the cleaning means comprise an electrical charging device for applying an electrical potential to the cutting blades.

25. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6 to 14, or in any of claims 19 to 24, in which the conveyor of the cutting appliance is in the form of an endless conveying element, and is provided with resiliently mounted transverse bearers, against or between which the cutters are movable after cutting through the segment of extruded material.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25, in which each bearer comprises an elongate supporting slat, whose top face is plantar, and whose bottom face is provided with a stiffening formation.

27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, in which the stiffening formation comprises a flange.

28. An apparatus as claimed in claim 26 or 27, in which the bearers are arranged side by side so as to present a planar bearing surface for the extruded-column segment on the upper run of the conveyor.

29. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 25 to 28 in which the bearers are resiliently attached to the conveyor by means of telescopically movable supporting means.

30. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, in which the supporting means comprise hollow cylindrical elements which are fitted one inside another and are held apart by means of a spring arranged in the interior of the cylinders.

31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 30, in which one cylindrical element is attached to the bottom face of a bearer and the other cylindrical element is attached to an attachment member on the conveyor.

32. A method for groupmg green bricks into a setting formation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

33. An apparatus for grouping green bricks into a setting formation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

34. An apparatus for grouping green bricks into a setting formation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 7 of the acompanying drawings.