GB2593517A

GB2593517A - A method of manufacturing a brickwork member

Info

Publication number: GB2593517A
Application number: GB2004376.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brader Paul; Craddock Andrew
Original assignee: Ibstock Brick Ltd
Current assignee: Ibstock Brick Ltd
Priority date: 2020-03-26
Filing date: 2020-03-26
Publication date: 2021-09-29
Anticipated expiration: 2040-03-26
Also published as: EP3885090A3; GB2593517B; GB202004376D0; EP3885090A2

Abstract

Method and apparatus for manufacturing brickwork member 30 by creating a textured surface 23, providing mould 22 defining base comprising the textured surface 23 and four walls extending around the base, dispensing building materials into the mould and applying pressure to the building material to imprint the texture surface of the base to the brickwork member. Creating the textured surface may comprise replicating or duplicating a textured brick surface. The textured brick surface may be imparted onto a deformable material which may be a plastics material such as a resin. Sand may be deposited onto the textured surface. The textured surface may be created on a removable mould insert where the method includes positioning the insert in the mould. The brickwork member may be a brick slip. Also claimed are a method of making a textured surface for a mould for manufacturing brickwork members by providing a deformable material and creating a textured surface onto the deformable material; and a mould.

Description

A Method of Manufacturing a Brickwork Member

FIELD

The present teachings relate to a method of manufacturing a brickwork member, a method of manufacturing a textured surface for a mould, and an apparatus for manufacturing a brickwork member.

BACKGROUND

Brickwork members, often referred to as brick slips, are thin sections of brick that are provided on external (or internal) surfaces of a building structure (i.e. a wall) to replicate the appearance of a conventional brick. An array of brick slips are typically mounted onto the surface in order to cover said surface, and provide a quick, and cost-effective route to providing a traditional 'brick' surface finish. In addition to being mounted to a building structure for aesthetic purposes, brick slips are also often used as they are durable and require low maintenance.

Brick slips may be manufactured via an extrusion process. However, in order to produce a brick slip that has a visual appearance similar to a traditionally manufactured brick, the brick slip is typically cut off from a traditionally manufactured brick, after the brick has been dried and fired, with the remaining part of the brick being discarded. This traditional method of producing brick slips can be time intensive. Moreover, this method of manufacturing brick slips results in large amounts of waste material and large amounts of wasted energy.

The present teachings seek to overcome or at least mitigate one or more problems associated with the prior art.

SUMMARY

A first aspect of the teachings provides a method of manufacturing brickwork members, the method comprising the steps of: a) creating a textured surface; b) providing a mould defining a base comprising the textured surface and four walls extending around said base so as to define a receptacle for receiving a building material, e.g. clay, therein; c) dispensing a building material into the mould; and d) applying pressure to the building material within the mould to form a brickwork member, wherein the applying pressure to the building material within the mould imprints the textured surface of the base onto a surface of the brickwork member.

Traditionally manufactured bricks may be provided with one or more textured surfaces. Brickwork members or brick slips may be manufactured using moulds, but this results in brick slips having a substantially smooth, uniform appearance.

Often, in order to manufacture a brick slip with the appearance of a traditionally manufactured brick, a full brick is manufactured and a slip is cut-off from said brick. This can be a very time intensive process and results in large amounts of waste material.

Through the present method of manufacture outlined above, a brickwork member (i.e. a brick slip) is able to be produced quickly by compressing a building material such as clay into a mould having a textured lower surface. During compression of the building material, the textured features are imparted/imprinted onto the building material, such that a surface of the manufactured brick slip has a textured surface similar to that of the mould. This textured surface advantageously enables the brick slip to appear as if it has been made using traditional methods.

In contrast to the traditional methods of manufacturing house bricks, the above method of manufacturing a brick slip enables the amount of building material deposited into the mould to be customised to just fill the volume of the mould, which helps to reduce waste material and energy.

Creating the textured surface may comprise replicating or duplicating a textured brick surface.

Through this process, the textured surface features of the mould/insert are a replica of a surface of an existing, e.g. traditionally manufactured, house brick. This in turn enables a brick slip to be manufactured, using the mould, to have a textured surface that is a replica a traditional brick. This advantageously improves the ability of the brick slip to appear as if it has been made using traditional methods.

Replicating or duplicating a textured brick surface may comprise imparting a textured brick surface onto the base of the mould.

The textured brick surface may be imparted onto a deformable material.

The deformable material may comprise a plastics material. The deformable material may comprise a resin material. The deformable material may comprise a polyurethane resin material.

The base wall (i.e. the surface having the textured features thereon) is formed from a plastics material. These materials have been found to have the desired viscosity to enable it to produce an accurate cast of the traditionally manufactured brick surface, whilst also having sufficient structural strength to withstand the brickwork member manufacturing process.

The deformable material may comprise a filler material for increasing the structural strength thereof.

This increased structural strength helps the mould insert to withstand the brickwork member manufacturing process.

Creating the textured surface may comprises applying a deformable material to a textured brick surface and hardening/curing said deformable material.

Creating the textured surface on the base may comprises producing a cast of a textured brick surface.

This provides an effective way to replicate the surface features of a traditionally manufactured house brick.

The textured surface may be created on a removable mould insert. The method may comprise positioning the mould insert in the mould such that the textured surface of the mould insert forms the base of the mould.

Providing the textured surface features on a removable insert enables the textured surface to be changed (i.e. by changing the insert) without requiring the entire mould to be replaced. Thus, the provision of a removable insert having textured surface features facilitates the manufacture of brickwork members having a range of surface textures.

The mould insert may define a height in a direction parallel with the side walls of the mould. The method may comprise the step of selecting a height of the mould insert.

Allowing an operator to select a thickness of a mould insert to be used enables the thickness of the manufactured brick slip to be predetermined. Moreover, this arrangement enables the thickness of a brick slip to be varied between production runs by simply changing the mould insert.

The method may comprise the step of inverting the mould and removing the brickwork member from said mould.

Removing the brickwork member from the mould may comprise the step of vibrating the mould and/or using pressurised air to remove the brickwork member from the mould.

The method may comprise providing a volume of building material that is substantially equal to the volume of the receptacle.

Providing a volume of deformable building material that is substantially equal to the volume of the mould receptacle (i.e. equal to the volume of the mould that remains vacant after the mould insert is placed therein) enables the amount of building material deposited into the mould to be customised to just fill the volume of the mould, which helps to reduce waste material.

The method may comprise the step of depositing sand onto the textured surface.

This aids in the removal of the brickwork member from the mould.

The brickwork member may be a brick slip, for example having a thickness in the range lOmm to 50mm, optionally 15mm to 30mm.

According to a second aspect there is provided a method of creating a textured surface for a mould for manufacturing brickwork members, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a deformable material; and b) creating a textured surface on the deformable material, wherein creating the textured surface comprises replicating or duplicating a textured brick surface.

This enables the surface texture imparted onto the brickwork member to be a replica of a traditionally made house brick. This advantageously improves the ability of the brick slip to appear as if it has been made using traditional methods.

Moreover, this provides an effective way to provide an insert having substantially the same features as a traditionally manufactured house brick.

Replicating or duplicating a textured brick surface may comprise imparting the textured brick surface onto the deformable material.

Creating the textured surface may comprise applying the deformable material to a textured brick surface and hardening/curing said deformable material.

Creating the textured surface may comprise producing a cast of a textured brick surface.

The deformable material may comprise a plastics material. The deformable material may comprise a resin material. The deformable material may comprise a polyurethane resin material. The deformable material may comprise a filler material for increasing the structural strength of the deformable material.

These materials have been found to have the desired viscosity to enable it to produce an accurate cast of the traditionally manufactured brick surface, whilst also having sufficient structural strength to withstand the brickwork member manufacturing process.

This increased structural strength helps the textured surface to withstand the brickwork member manufacturing process.

According to a third aspect there is provided a mould for use in manufacturing brickwork members, the mould comprising: a base and four upstanding walls extending around said base so as to define a receptacle for receiving a deformable building material, e.g. clay, therein, wherein the base comprises a textured surface thereon.

The textured surface may be a replica or duplicate of a textured brick surface. The textured surface may be a cast of textured brick surface.

This provides an effective way to provide an insert having substantially the same features as a traditionally manufactured house brick.

The mould may comprse a removable mould insert positioned in the receptacle such that the removable mould insert defines the base having the textured surface thereon.

According to a fourth aspect there is provided an apparatus for manufacturing brickwork members from a building material, the apparatus comprising: a mould comprising a base and four upstanding walls extending around said base so as to define a receptacle for receiving a building material, e.g. clay, therein; a dispenser for dispensing a building material into the mould; and a compressor for applying pressure to building material within the mould for forming a brickwork member, wherein the base comprises a textured surface such that said textured surface is imprinted onto the building material when the compressor applies pressure to building material within the mould.

The apparatus may comprise a plurality of moulds, wherein two or more of the plurality of moulds comprise a different textured surface.

The textured surface may be a replica or duplicate of a textured brick surface.

The textured surface may be a cast of a textured brick surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mould for forming a mould insert; and Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mould for forming a brickwork 25 member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S)

The present teachings relate to a method of producing a textured surface for a mould. Put another way, the present teachings relate to a method of producing a textured surface on a base of a brickwork mould for manufacturing brickwork 30 members.

Referring now to Figure 1, a mould 10 for producing a textured surface for a mould is illustrated. The mould 10 is used in the production of a textured surface for use in a brickwork mould for manufacturing brickwork members.

In the exemplary embodiment, the mould 10 is used to produce a textured surface on a removable inset that is positionable in a brickwork mould for manufacturing brickwork members. In the exemplary embodiment, the mould 10 may be considered to be an insert mould. It will be appreciated that in alternative arrangements the textured surface may be formed as an integral, e.g. fixed, part of a brickwork mould.

The insert mould 10 includes a body defining a base 12 and four upstanding walls 14 extending from said base 12 so as to define a receptacle 16. The receptacle 16 of the insert mould 10 is configured and arranged for receiving a brick 18 (e.g. a traditionally manufactured brick) therein. The brick 18 is positioned in the insert mould 10 such that a textured surface 19 of the brick 18 arranged to be uppermost in the insert mould 10.

In order to produce a textured surface that resembles a textured surface 19 of a brick 18, a deformable material is applied to the textured surface 19 of the brick 18. Put another way, in order to produce a textured surface that has a visual appearance similar to a textured surface 19 of a brick 18, a deformable material is applied to the textured surface 19 of the brick 18.

It will be appreciated that whilst the method of producing a textured surface has been described in terms of applying a deformable material to a textured surface 19 of a brick 18 whilst in a mould, it will be appreciated that in alternative arrangements the deformable material may be applied to a brick 18 and then cut to desired dimensions (i.e. without a mould 10 being used).

The deformable material defines a body 20. The deformable material substantially covers the textured surface 19 of the brick 18. Put another way, the body 20 defines a surface 21 that substantially covers the textured surface 19 of the brick 18. In this way, a textured surface is formed on the surface 21 of the body 20.

The step of forming a textured surface on the surface 21 of the body 20 is carried out by imparting/imprinting the features of the textured surface 19 of the brick 18 onto the deformable material (i.e. onto the surface 21 of the body 20). In this way, a textured surface 21 is able to be produced having a textured surface features similar or substantially the same as the textured surface 19 of the brick 18.

In the exemplary embodiment, the process of forming the textured features on the surface 21 of the body 20 is done by producing a cast of the textured surface 19 of the brick 18. Put another way, a cast of the textured surface 19 of the brick 18 is produced by applying the deformable material onto the textured surface 19 of the brick 18.

In the exemplary arrangement, the brick 18 is positioned within the receptacle 16 of the insert mould 10 with the textured surface 19 uppermost. The deformable material is then poured in to the mould 10 to partially or completely fill the receptacle 16 (i.e. to partially or completely fill the remaining empty volume of the receptacle 16). The deformable material is then left on the textured surface 19 of the brick 18 so as to harden/cure. In alternative arrangements, the method may require the body 20 of the deformable material to be pressed onto the textured surface 19 of the brick 18 so as to form the textured surface on the body 20.

Following this hardening/curing process, the body 20 is separated from the brick 18 to form the mould insert. Put another way, following this hardening/curing process, the body 20 is removed from the mould 10 so as to separate said body 20 from the brick 18. The resulting body 20 incorporating the textured surface 21 may then be used to form a base of a brickwork mould (as is discussed in more detail below).

In the exemplary embodiment, the deformable material includes a plastics material, optionally a resin material, for example a polyurethane resin material. It will be appreciated that a large number of plastics materials may be used to form a cast of the brick surface, and that any suitable material may be used. It will be appreciated that the deformable material may include two or more different of said plastics materials.

In some arrangements, the deformable material may also include filler material so as to increase the structural strength of the body 20. An example of a filler material that may be used is aluminium oxide, but it will be appreciated that a large number of possible filer materials may be used, and that the filler material may be selected to suit the plastics material.

The present teachings also relate to a method of manufacturing a brickwork member using a brickwork mould.

Referring now to Figure 2, a mould 22, i.e. a brickwork mould 22, for use in the manufacture of brickwork members is illustrated.

The mould 22 includes a body defining a base 24 and four upstanding walls 26 extending around said base 24 so as to define a receptacle 28. The base 24 of the mould 22 is provided with a textured surface 23. The textured surface 23 is configured to resemble the appearance of a traditionally manufactured brick. Put another way, the textured surface 23 is configured to have a visual appearance that is similar to or substantially the same as a traditionally manufactured brick.

The textured surface 23 of the mould 22 is formed on the surface 21 of a body 20. In the exemplary embodiment, the body is provided as a removable insert 20 for positioning in the brickwork mould 22 so as to provide the base 24 with a textured surface 23. Put another way, in the exemplary arrangement, the receptacle 28 of the brickwork mould 22 is configured and arranged for receiving a removable mould insert 20 therein so as to provide the base with a textures surface 23. The provision of the textured surface 23 on a removable insert 20 enables the textured surface 23 on the base 24 of the mould 22 to be easily changed without having to change the entire mould 22. However, in alternative arrangements, it will be appreciated that the body 20 may be an integral (i.e. permanently fixed) part of the brickwork mould 22. Put another way, in alternative arrangements, the textured surface 23 may be provided directly on the base 24 of the mould 22, e.g. the textured features 23 on the base may be integrally formed with the mould 22.

As has been discussed above, the textured surface 21 is provided on the body 20 (i.e. the mould insert 20). The removable mould insert 20 is positioned in the mould 22 such that the textured surface 21 (i.e. the upper surface) of the mould insert 20 defines the base 24 of the mould 22.

A second process is a method relating to the manufacture of brickwork members, also known as brick slips, which will now be discussed.

The method includes providing the brickwork mould 22 with a base 24 having a textured surface 23. In the exemplary arrangement, the method includes positioning the removable mould insert 20 in the mould 22 such that the textured surface 21 is positioned uppermost in the mould 22. In this way, the textured surface 21 of the body 20 defines the textured surface 23 of the base 24 of the brickwork mould 22.

A building material, for example clay, is dispensed or placed into the brickwork mould 22 so as to fill the remaining empty volume of the receptacle 28. It will be appreciated that the volume of building material dispensed into the mould 22 may be such that the remaining empty volume of the receptacle 28 is just filled, e.g. such that there is no/little waste material.

In some arrangements, the textured surface 23 of the base (and the rest of the internal surfaces of the brickwork mould 22) may be coated with water or oil, or another suitable liquid. Sand is then deposited onto the surface(s) and cling/adheres to the liquid on the surface(s) of the brickwork mould 22. In this way, sand may be deposited so as to substantially cover the textured surface 23. This helps to aid in the removal of the resulting brickwork member from the brickwork mould 22. In some alternative arrangements, it will be appreciated that alternative materials such as lubricating oils may be deposited onto the brickwork mould 22 so as to aid the removal of a brickwork member from the brickwork mould 22. In such arrangements, it will be appreciated that the material used to form the textured surface 23, and also possibly the other internal surfaces of the brickwork mould 22, may be selected to have a suitable surface texture so as to retain a thin layer of liquid, e.g. water, on the surface thereof so as to be capable of holding the sand thereon.

Once the brickwork mould 22 has been filled with a building material, pressure is applied to said building material within the mould 22. The pressure is applied to an upper surface 32 of the building material (i.e. to a surface that is remote from the base 24 of the mould 22). Through the application of pressure to the building material, the features of the textured surface 23 of the mould 22 are imprinted onto the building material (i.e. onto a lower surface of the building material).

It will be appreciated that the pressure applied to the building material may be done so using any suitable means such as a pressure plate. The method may include the step of removing any small excesses of building material, e.g. using a cutting tool.

It will be appreciated that this removal of excess material may occur whilst the building material is in the mould 22.

Following this manufacturing process (i.e. the filling the mould 20 and the application of pressure), the building material is formed into a brickwork member 30, e.g. a brick slip, which is removed from the mould 22. In order to remove the brickwork member from the mould 22, the mould may be inverted. In some arrangements, the process may include applying a vibration to the mould when it is in the inverted state in order to aid removal of the brickwork member from the mould 22. In some arrangements, the process may incorporate the use of pressurised air to in the removal of the brickwork member 30 from the mould 22.

Following removal of the brickwork member 30 from the mould 22, said brickwork member it is put into a dryer to reduce its moisture content. It will be appreciated that the drying process may be varied to suit the building material used and the use of the brickwork member. As an example, the brickwork member may be dried for approximately 24 hours at a temperature at or above 100°C. Once the brickwork member has been sufficiently dried, it will be placed in a kiln to be fired.

Through the above described method, a brickwork member 30 (i.e. a brick slip) is produced having a textured surface 34 with a visual appearance that is similar or substantially the same as the textured surface 19 of the brick 18. Put another way, through the above described method, a brickwork member 30 is able to be manufactured having a textured surface that resembles a brick 18 manufactured using traditional methods.

It will be appreciated from Figure 2 that the size of the brickwork member that is produced is dependent on the volume of the receptacle that is empty after the mould insert 20 is positioned in the mould 22. Thus, the method of manufacturing the brick slip may include the selection (or the manufacture) of a mould insert having a specific height so as to produce a brickwork member with a predetermined thickness.

It will be appreciated that the brick slips manufactured using this method may have a thickness in the range lOmm to 50mm, for example in the range 15mm to 30mm. Contrastingly, it will be understood that a traditionally manufactured brick may have a thickness of around 100mm to 110mm. The brickwork member may define a body height of approximately 65mm along an axis extending between the first and second surfaces.

Although not illustrated, an apparatus for manufacturing brickwork members will be briefly discussed.

An apparatus for use in the manufacturing of brickwork members 30 includes a brickwork mould 22 that may be supported on a frame. The brickwork mould 22 includes a base that is provided with a textured surface, as has been described above.

The apparatus includes a dispenser for dispensing a building material into the brickwork mould 22. It will be appreciated that the dispenser may be positioned substantially above the brickwork mould 22. The apparatus is also provided with a compressor, e.g. a compressing plate, for applying pressure to deformable building material within the brickwork mould 22. Through compression of the building material, the textured surface of the base is imprinted onto the building material.

It will be appreciated that in arrangements, where the textured surface of the brickwork mould 22 is provided on a removable insert 20, said insert 20 may be quickly and easily exchanged by an operator so as to change the appearance of the manufactured brickwork members. Alternatively, in arrangements where the textured surface is integrally formed with the brickwork mould 22, said brickwork mould 22 may be quickly and easily exchanged by an operator so as to change the appearance of the manufactured brickwork members. Moreover, it will be understood that the apparatus may include a plurality of brickwork moulds 22 such that the apparatus may contain brickwork moulds 22 having each having a different textured surface. This enables the apparatus to be capable of manufacturing brickwork members having a range of different surface features in a single manufacturing process.

The apparatus may include a cutting tool, such as a wire or a metal cutting tool so as to remove small excess material from the brick slip. It will be appreciated that this removal of excess material may occur whilst the building material is in the mould 22.

Although the teachings have been described above with reference to one or more preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that various changes or modifications may be made without departing from the scope as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A method of manufacturing brickwork members, the method comprising the steps of: a) creating a textured surface; b) providing a mould defining a base comprising the textured surface and four walls extending around said base so as to define a receptacle for receiving a building material, e.g. clay, therein; c) dispensing a building material into the mould; and d) applying pressure to the building material within the mould to form a brickwork member, wherein the applying pressure to the building material within the mould imprints the textured surface of the base onto a surface of the brickwork member.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein creating the textured surface comprises replicating or duplicating a textured brick surface.
3. A method according to claim 2, wherein replicating or duplicating a textured brick surface comprises imparting a textured brick surface onto the base of the mould.
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the textured brick surface is imparted onto a deformable material.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the deformable material comprises a plastics material, optionally a resin material, for example a polyurethane resin material.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the deformable material comprises a filler material for increasing the structural strength thereof.
7. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein creating the textured surface comprises applying a deformable material to a textured brick surface and hardening/curing said deformable material.
8. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein creating the textured surface comprises producing a cast of a textured brick surface.
9. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the textured surface is created on a removable mould insert, and wherein the method comprises positioning the mould insert in the mould such that the textured surface of the mould insert forms the base of the mould.
10.A method according to claim 9, wherein the mould insert defines a height in a direction parallel with the side walls of the mould, and the method further comprises the step of selecting a height of the mould insert.
11.A method according to any preceding claim, further comprising the step of inverting the mould and removing the brickwork member from said mould.
12.A method according to claim 11, wherein removing the brickwork member from the mould comprises the step of vibrating the mould and/or using pressurised air to remove the brickwork member from the mould.
13.A method according to any preceding claim, wherein step c) comprises providing a volume of building material that is substantially equal to the volume of the receptacle.
14.A method according to any preceding claim, further comprising the step, prior to step c), of depositing sand onto the textured surface.
15.A method according to any preceding claim, where the brickwork member is a brick slip, for example having a thickness in the range lOmm to 50mm, optionally 15mm to 30mm.
16.A method of creating a textured surface for a mould for manufacturing brickwork members, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a deformable material; and b) creating a textured surface on the deformable material, wherein creating the textured surface comprises replicating or duplicating a textured brick surface.
17.A method according to claim 16, wherein replicating or duplicating a textured brick surface comprises imparting the textured brick surface onto the deformable material.
18.A method according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein creating the textured surface comprises applying the deformable material to a textured brick surface and hardening/curing said deformable material, optionally wherein creating the textured surface comprises producing a cast of a textured brick surface.
19.A method according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the deformable material comprises a plastics material, optionally a resin material, for example a polyurethane resin material, and optionally wherein the deformable material comprises a filler material for increasing the structural strength of the deformable material.
20.A mould for use in manufacturing brickwork members, the mould comprising: a base and four upstanding walls extending around said base so as to define a receptacle for receiving a deformable building material, e.g. clay, therein, wherein the base comprises a textured surface thereon.
21.A mould according to claim 20, wherein the textured surface is a replica or duplicate of a textured brick surface, optionally wherein the textured surface is a cast of textured brick surface.
22.A mould according to claim 20 or claim 21, comprising a removable mould insert positioned in the receptacle such that the removable mould insert defines the base having the textured surface thereon.
23.An apparatus for manufacturing brickwork members from a building material, the apparatus comprising: a mould comprising a base and four upstanding walls extending around said base so as to define a receptacle for receiving a building material, e.g. clay, therein; a dispenser for dispensing a building material into the mould; and a compressor for applying pressure to building material within the mould for forming a brickwork member, wherein the base comprises a textured surface such that said textured surface is imprinted onto the building material when the compressor applies pressure to building material within the mould.
24.An apparatus according to claim 23, comprising a plurality of moulds, wherein two or more of the plurality of moulds comprise a different textured surface.
25. An apparatus according to claim 23 or claim 24, wherein the textured surface is a replica or duplicate of a textured brick surface, optionally wherein the textured surface is a cast of a textured brick surface.