GB2276581A

GB2276581A - Process and apparatus for brick manufacture

Info

Publication number: GB2276581A
Application number: GB9306957A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David William Jones
Original assignee: CONSOLIDATED MANUFACTURING COR
Current assignee: CONSOLIDATED MANUFACTURING COR
Priority date: 1993-04-02
Filing date: 1993-04-02
Publication date: 1994-10-05
Also published as: GB9306957D0

Abstract

In the manufacture of building bricks, a succession of pallets P are advanced on a conveyor, each pallet supporting a mould M which is open at its top and bottom. Each mould is filled with concrete at first position 1, and the mould is lifted from the pallet at a later position 5, after which the pallet of bricks B is placed on a stack for the bricks to cure. <IMAGE>

Description

Brick Manufacture This invention relates to the manufacture of building bricks, blocks, slabs or other building elements.

This invention relates particularly to the manufacture of concrete bricks or other building elements. These building elements are generally pressed from concrete in a mould. In one method of manufacture, a stationary array of moulds is filled with concrete and then vibrated, then a base plate of the moulds is lowered to lower the bricks out of the moulds.

However, the apparatus used for this method tends to be complicated and expensive.

We have now devised an improved method and apparatus for the manufacture of building bricks or other elements.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing building bricks or other building elements, comprising advancing a succession of pallets, each pallet supporting a mould which is open at its top and bottom, each mould being filled with concrete at one position of its pallet, and then lifted from its pallet at another position of that pallet.

Preferably after the mould is filled, the pallet is moved to a second position and subjected to vibration.

Preferably the mould and pallet are subjected to vibration at one or more further positions, before reaching the mouldremoval position. Preferably the mould and pallet are clamped together during each vibration.

Once the mould has been lifted from the pallet, the pallet is left, preferably in a stack of such pallets and typically overnight, for its bricks or other building elements to cure.

Preferably as the mould is lifted from its pallet, each brick or other building element is held down on the pallet by a plate lowered onto the upper surface of that brick.

Also in accordance with this invention, there is provided an apparatus for manufacturing bricks or other building elements, comprising a conveyor for advancing a succession of pallets, each pallet supporting a mould which is open at its top and bottom, means for filling the mould with concrete when the pallet is at one position, and means for lifting the mould from the pallet when the pallet is at another position.

Preferably the apparatus comprises means to vibrate the pallet and mould at one or more positions downstream of the mould-filling position. Preferably the apparatus comprises means to clamp the mould and pallet together at the or each vibration position.

Preferably the apparatus includes a stacker for placing each pallet onto a stack once its mould has been lifted clear.

Preferably the apparatus includes a hold-down means which engages each brick or other building element to hold it down on the pallet, as the mould is lifted clear.

It will be appreciated that whilst a pallet is at each of its operating positions, the next pallet in the succession will be at the previous operating position: preferably the pallets are stationary at each of their successive positions and the conveyor advances in steps (typically at 20 second intervals).

An embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a schematic view of an apparatus for manufacturing bricks or other building elements of concrete.

Referring to the drawings, in accordance with this invention, concrete bricks or other building elements are manufactured on an apparatus which comprises a conveyor diagrammatically indicated at. 10. The conveyor carries a succession of flat pallets P, each supporting a mould M: the mould M is open at its top and bottom and may comprise any number of mould cavities; in the example shown, each mould M has an array of twelve cavities, for making twelve bricks of conventional size. The top surface of each pallet may be formed with protrusions to form the usual recess or "frog" in one face or bed of the brick.

The conveyor advances each pallet P, carrying a mould M, to a position 1 underneath a hopper 12. With the conveyor temporarily stationary, the mould M is filled with concrete from the hopper 12.

The conveyor then advances by one step to bring the second pallet into position below the hopper 12, and to advance the first pallet to a position 2 over a primary vibrating mechanism. The moulds are then clamped to the pallets by clamp C and the vibrating mechanism is then run for a period of time.

The conveyor then advances by a further step, to bring the third pallet into position below the hopper 12 and to advance the second pallet to position 2. The first pallet advances to position 3 in which it is clamped by a clamp C and then vibrated by another vibrator mechanism.

In a further step-advance of the conveyor, the first pallet is positioned at 4, clamped to the mould by clamp C and then vibrated for a further period of time.

In the next step-advancement of the conveyor, the first pallet is brought to position 5, at which the mould M is lifted vertically from the pallet P. However, before this movement takes place, an assembly 14 of hold-down plates is lowered onto the top of the mould M, so that these plates engage the top surfaces of the bricks B now moulded in the individual mould cavities; the assembly 14 is arranged so that the mould M can be lifted whilst its plates hold the bricks down on the pallet.

After the mould M has been lifted clear of the bricks, the assembly 14 is lifted, and then the conveyor is step-advanced again: the apparatus includes a stacker mechanism at the end of the conveyor, which places the pallet P, with its moulded bricks, onto a stack. When the stack is completed, it is removed from the apparatus and left, typically overnight, for its bricks (which are at this time in a "green" condition") to cure. Thereafter, the bricks are removed from the pallets, which are then cleaned and re-used.

The action of lifting the mould M from the pallet P involves sliding the walls of each mould cavity upwards over the four vertical faces of the brick: this imparts a textured finish to the four edge faces of the brick. If desired, the interior walls of each mould cavity can be sprayed with a colouring composition prior to filling with concrete from the hopper 12: this causes some coloration to be imparted to the four edge faces of each brick.

Claims

1) A method of manufacturing building bricks or other building elements, comprising advancing a succession of pallets, each pallet supporting a mould which is open at its top and bottom, each mould being filled with concrete at one position of its pallet, and then lifted from its pallet at another position of that pallet.

2) A method as claimed in claim 1, in which after a mould is filled, its pallet is moved to a second position and subjected to vibration.

3) A method as claimed in claim 2, in which the mould and its pallet are subjected to vibration at one or more further positions, before the pallet reaches its mould-removal position.

4) A method as claimed in claim 2 or 3, in which the mould and its pallet are clamped together during the or each vibration step.

5) A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each brick or other building element is held down on its pallet as the associates mould is lifted from that pallet.

6) A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which after the mould has been lifted from the pallet, the pallet is left in a stack of such pallets, for the bricks or other building elements on those pallets to cure.

7) A method of manufacturing building bricks or other building elements, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

8) An apparatus for manufacturing bricks or other building elements, comprising a conveyor for advancing a succession of pallets, each pallet supporting a mould which is open at its top and bottom, means for filling the mould with concrete when the position is at one position, and means for lifting the mould from the pallet when the pallet is at another position.

9) An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising means to vibrate the pallet and mould at one or more positions downstream of the mould-filling positions.

10) An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, comprising means to clamp the mould and pallet together at the or each vibration position.

11) An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, further comprising a stacker for placing each pallet onto a stack once its mould has been lifted clear.

12) An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, further comprising hold-down means which engages each brick or other building element to hold it down on its pallet as the associated mould is lifted clear.

13) An apparatus for manufacturing bricks or other building elements, the apparatus being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.