GB647496A - Improvements relating to the production of ceramic ware - Google Patents

Abstract

647,496. Hoppers; endless-belt conveyers. SCHWEITZER, H. V. Aug. 8, 1947, No. 22112. Convention date, Dec. 28, 1943. [Class 78 (i)] [Also in Group V] A machine for sanding unfired or green ceramic ware with silica sand, powdered flint, clay, &c. comprises an adjustable speed endless-belt conveyer for moving the ware from a loading to an unloading station, and means to vibrate the conveyer and the ware so as to pack the sand evenly around the ware. A hopper 30 with compartments 32, 33, Figs. 1, 3, is positioned above the conveyer 15. Sand is fed from a bulk container 38 into the hopper and discharged through adjustable gates 34, 35, in compartments 32, 33, on to the conveyer, the rate of discharge past each of the gates 34, 35, being controlled by the adjusting screws 36, 37, respectively. The stack or bung of ware is carried from the loading station over belt-supporting rollers 22 on to inclined rollers 20 which form the upper run of the belt into trough shape by raising up the marginal sides of the belt, and also slightly vibrate the bung. The return run of the belt is supported by rollers 23. The bung is thus carried beneath the hopper where it is lightly sanded from the compartment 32 and heavily sanded so as to be completely covered from the compartment 33. The bungs are then conveyed over a sprung plate 50 and vibrated by an electrical synchronous vibrator 55, which in conjunction with the flexing movements of the troughed conveyer sides causes the sand to pack around the ware. After passing over the vibrating plate the bung then leaves the troughing rollers and moves on to another set of supporting rollers 21, the conveyer sides flatten allowing some of the surplus sand to fall into gutters 42, and an adjustable scraper 47 removes the surplus sand from the top of the bung. The ware is then moved on to an unloading grill 45 where it is removed for firing, the surplus sand being collected from the gutters and grill into a sump 41. If the allowed height of the machine is insufficient to permit the collection by gravity of the surplus sand, the collecting hopper 40 may be supplied with vibrators or similar feed means to cause the sand to flow into the sump. The number of hopper discharge gates may be increased, or the hopper may be closed by a plate adjusted so that the discharge slot of the hopper will be narrow toward the loading end and wider toward the discharge end of the machine.