US1121658A - Method and apparatus for handling bricks in bulk for drying and burning. - Google Patents

Description

- N v .R. 0. PENPIELD.- METHOD ANDAPPABATUS FOE HANDLINQBEIGKS IN BULK FOR-DRYING AND BURNING. I

APPLICATION rum) OCT, 7, 190a" Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

' 4 SHEETSSHEET 1 R. 0. *PEN PIELD. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING BRICKS IN BULK FOR DRYING AND BURNING.

11 658. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7, 1908. 22,

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. I APPLICATION FIND OUT. 7, 190a.

1,121,658, v Y. Patented Dec. 2-2, 1914.

f ,4 sfiu'rsi gnnn'r-a I ATTORNEY I .RPQPENFIEL J I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING BRICKS IN BULK. FOB. DRYING. AND BURNING.

- H APPLICATION rumour. '1, 1908. '1' 14,121-;658.- Patented Dec.-22,v1914.-

- 4 SHEETS-SHEB'LL I BY J y RAYMOND C. PENFIELD, OF NEW YORK. N. Y.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING BRICKS ,IN BULK FOR DRYING AND I BURNING.

Application filed October 7,

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, RAYMOND C. PEN- rnnin, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus for l'landling Bricks in Bulk for Drying and Burning, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to a method of and" apparatus for handling bricks and similar articles during their manufacture.

It is designed primarily to be employed in handling. the bricks after they leave the brick machine, and while they are undergoing the drying process and being made ready for burning in the kiln, but before the kiln is reached.

15ft becomes important in the successful prosecution of brick manufacturing, and-in order to obtain the best results in the other par 1 of the manufacture. that a method of the land to which this invention relates should be employed, and accordingly I have devised the same so that it may be used in conjunction with other processes and apparatus, or as an' independent system, according as the needsof each particular case may require.

An approved modern system of handling bricks in the course of manufacture, from the time they leave the molding or forming machine until they are'burned and delivered from the kiln ready for use, consists in initially arranging the bricks in large unit stacks in proper spaced or hacked relation and subsequently handling them, without disarrangement of this stacked formation, in such unit stacks from one stage and station to thenekt, usually by means of mechanical lifters adapted to engage the unit stack from beneath and transfer the same as required, while maintaining undisturbed the assembled stack formation.

A prime object of the present invention is to provide a method adapted to materially facilitate and contribute to this general 'stack handling scheme by providing a way whereby the step of drying th e' bricks can be carried outexpeditiously and effectively by providing adequate. spaces for air circulation between the portions 'of a unit stack,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914:.

1908. Serial No. 456,626.

and the stack thereafter brought together again to its former assembled state so that the subsequent handling thereof for transportation to the kiln may be carried out with the bricks in the standard unit stacks by the same mechanism which handles them in the other steps of manufacture. I

The invention therefore comprises essentially a method of so stacking the bricks in the unit stacks that the portions of the stack are capable of the requisite separation to provide adequate air circulatory spaces, separat ng the stack into such portions with air spaces therebetween, and again bringing the portions of the stack together into close 00- herent formation without in any way breakingup the stack arrangement.

The invention further has todo with a special construction of table or platform support adapted to carry out such method.

A further idea of the invention is first to when said stack is to be properly placed to receive the application of heat for drying,

set the brick 1n open stack formation; then my plan is to separate certain parts of the stack from each other; or, in other words, 1'

enlarge the openings or interstitial spaces between some of the bricks, so that certain portions or sections of the stack may be more widely spaced than when originally set, to the end that the drying action may be more faithfully, adequately and uniformly per-1 formed thereon; and my invention then includes the restoring of the bricks to the position occupied when originally set, this restoration taking place by bringing thesections close together again that were previously moved apart, or, in other words, contracting the interstitial openings or spaces from their enlarged size to the former size. \Vhen the bricks are originally set ac cording to the principle of this method, they are hacked in open or loose formation suitable for kiln burning, though not sufficiently wide apart (when the stack is quite large) everywhere for evenv and expeditious drying, and. hence when ready to be placed in the drier or brought under the action of the drying heat, it is found essential to spread them wider apart at certain places; but after tion suitable for burning, and are then ready plates of of illustration, therefore,

to be immediately transferred to the kiln. Furthermore, it is to be noted in connection with this method that the bricks of the lower layer of the stack formation are spaced apart to allow of the entrance of fingers or some suitable lifting mechanism by which the stack of bricks is lifted as a whole from one point to another..

The apparatus whereby the bricks after being originallyset in loose or open formation are spread more widely apart during the drying process, and are then brought together again into the original setting, is represented in the drawings and forms a part of this invention, the latter comprising therefore not only the method but also the apparatus. While this apparatus is shown as portable, .it is not necessarily so; and when portable its portability. may .be achieved not only in connection with a tramway or line, but in any other manner found acceptable. 1 w

The invention, therefore, may be said to consist essentially in the steps of the method herein described, and also in the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts of the apparatus, and in manifold details and peculiarities thereof, substantially as will be hereinafter set forth andclaimed. In the accompanying drawing illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved car for handling brick in accordance with the method herein specified. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end elevation with the rear gate partly broken away. Fig. l is a cross-section of the car, with its sectional platform spread apart for the purpose of thereby separating certain parts of the stack of bricks from each other. Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of a part of the mechanism for separating the sections of the car. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing anti-friction means adapted to be used in connection with the movable sections of the car.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the different figures of the drawing.

The car which forms one example of portable apparatus, belonging to the present invention, may, for example, as shown in Fig. 4, have a platform which consists of three equal longitudinal sections, the central-one of which, 1, is relatively stationary, while the other two, 2 and 2, are movable away therefrom and then back again into contact therbwith, according as it is desired to separate positions of the brick pile on said platform from each other, and then again to rejoin them together. Simply for purposes I have represented three sections (without being confined to that number), and each section 1, 2 and 2 is provided with three pallets, each marked with the reference numeral 3, on which palwarp or bend when loaded up to'their full capacity. They are secured on the platform sections by means of screws or bolts 20, and

are hence adjustable and removable. Their length in the present example is preferably such as to accommodate nine bricks, and the bricks may, obviously behacked up to any height, say eight.

In hacking the-glcks upon my improved handling apparat backstop or veptli'zal longitudinal alining board 4: supported in a stationary manner upon a frame alongside of a track on which the car moves, or it maybe attached to the car. Hence, when the car is being loaded,

I preferably employ a the bricks on the pallets of the first section, 3

z'. 6. section 2, can be placed in accurate position thereon by causing their ends to lie against the back stop 4, which stands vertically and in exact line withtheouteredge of a pallet as shown in Fig. 3; and when the bricks are being so placed, they will be put at right angles to the stop 4:,a'nd spacedapart a uniform distance,the intervals betwcen the bricks being large enough for the insertion of lifting devices.

This placing of bricks is seen clearly at A, Fig. 2.- Of course, when the car is being, loaded the sections 1, 2 and 2*" are close together; as seen in Fig. 3, so that transversely on the car there will be three bricks to a row accurately alined with and against each other, "andthere will be a large number of parallel rows between all of which there will be openspaces as seen in the lower layer represented in Fig. 1. This spacing of the members of the lower row of bricks s uniform distance apart makes it possible to insert the lifting fingers of any convenient and effective lifting mechanism, whereby the entire stack.

formation may at the proper time be removed from the car or other portable apparatus and placed in the burning kilna or moved about from point to point as may be required in any of the'manufacturing processes. One example of lifting'mechanism is that shown and described in the patent of William H. Francis, No. 859,445, dated July 9, 1907 and another that shown and described in the patent of W. H. and G. Francis, No. 890,586, dated June 9, 1908. I cite these merely as sample machines without any intention of being limited to their use: In addition to the longitudinal al ining board 4, it will be found convenient to em vplay -means at one or both ends of the car having the same function as the alining toned by hooks or clamps 7 to the Opposite parts of the car. In lieu of the movable gates at the "ends of the car, permanent frames on the 'car may be utilized. Said gates when in proper position to permit the piling of the bricks will obviously be at right angles to the upright vertical faces of the alining board 4 and the bricks can be set accurately within the rectangular space thus formed. Further describing the platform of the car which T have stated consists of sections. 1, 2 and 2 adapted to be held'closely to-' gether, as shown in Fig. 3, or to be spread away from each other, as shown in Fig. 4:, I show in the drawings one formof mechanism for, accomplishing the spreading apart of said sections. This mechanism consists I essentially of a longitudinal shaft 8 situated below the platform "of, the car and supported in suitable bearings. This shaft is provided at certain oints, say near the ends thereof, with cranli arms9, to which are pivoted links 10, one of which has its opposite end pivotally connected to the underside of the movable platform-section 2 at 11, while the other is pivotally connected to the underside of the movable platform-section ,2 at 12. Each crank 9 projects in two directions so that it will provide pivotal points on opposite sides of the axis of the shaft 8 for the attachment of the two links 10 to said oppositely projecting portions of the crank 9. The longitudinal shaft 8 is susceptible of being rocked by means of a lever which is applied to either end of said shaft 8, as, for

example, at the squared part 14 shown in Fig. 5. The sections 1, 2 and 2 of the platform of the car are provided with angle I pieces 15 securely bolted thereto and de signed to slide upon and alongside of corresponding angle pieces 16 which are supported rigidlyin the general framework l'l of the car. In view of the fact that the Weight on the sections at times may be con sider'able, it may be found convenient, to

I employ anti-friction rollers or ball-bearings or the like, asindicated at 1 8 in Fig. 6, in

order to reduce the-friction of these sliding sections as they move from side to side. Obviously, moreover, the platform of the car may be supported upon the usual trucks as shown at 19 in Fig. 3. V

In the present example of ea" or portable apparatus, I have represented it as consisting of three longitudinal sections, the center of which is stationary, while the side ones are movable. I do not wish, however, tobe restricted to arr-ranging the sections in this way, for obviouslyone of the s deo nes may stationaryand the others movable, and

"surface for carrying a load of bricks for the purpose specified however the platform may be supported and moved about.

From the foregoing it will be perceived "that when the sectional, platform is properly placed alongside of the alining board, and the end gates or alining devices have been turned at right angles to said longitudinal alihing board, the bricks may be laid in place. In Fig. l, the arrangement of these bricks is clearly shown viewed from the side; while in Fig. 2 they are seen viewed from the top. At the right in Fig. 2 several courses of three each are seen, said courses running across the ca r at right angles thereto, and said courses being spaced apart suificiently to allow the introduction thereinto of the lifting parts of whatever lifting'apparatus is employed. It will be noted that on each section of the platform there is one brick on each transverse course. As the bricks are piled upon those lower courses each section of the platform will carry a sethem other bricks are transversely placed to form the third layer, and so on all as clearly indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Thus the whole car load is in stack formation and may be termed a unit stack. The parts thereof on the separate sections of the platform are also smaller units and are complete in themselves, for it is obvious that the nicks on each section of the platform abut closely against the'bricks on the adjacent section or sections, that is to say the rows of brick on one platformrsection arenot tied ,into therows of brick on the adjacent platform section, so that there is a more or less solid formation of these points, and while this is not objectionable for burning purposes, it is bad for drying, but by opening up the stack along these planes of division the drying is made efiectual. Taking the entire car-load as a whole, therefore, it will be seen that the mass is built up loosely or in open formation suitable for burning and also suitable for 'drying except Where the sub-units meet so that the hot air or other drying agency may easily pass through the openings thereof; and furthermore that the whole mass is built with distinct lines of vertical longitudinal cleavage so that the longitudinal portions or smaller units of the mass are easily separable from'each other by the separating movement of the supporting platform on which the entire pile of bricks is mounted. In thus arranging the bricks to becarried through the drier and in ap plying thereto the steps of thepresent proc-- ess of spreading apart the mass on lines of predetermined cleavage and then recombining the sections into an entire single mass again, it must be noted that all the while there is to be borne in mind the idea of the ultimate destination of the bricks in the burning kiln and the necessity of placing them in the burning formation in the original-setting, and maintaining their burning formation until the burning chamber of the kiln is reached.

The method which I am describing is to -'be construed broadly therefore as a method of taking a mass of material, the members of which have originally been set in loose or burning formation with portions thereof adapted to be separated by predetermined lines of longitudinalcleavage, and carrying this mass to the drier, when it is opened on said lines of cleavage in order to expose a greater surface to the drying action, and then at the conclusion of the drying action re-coinbiningthe separated pa-rtsiogether again without'destroying the loose or burning formation so that the mass ma be picked up and placed in the burning 0 amher.

- Obviously the method is capable of being changed within considerable limits in its details without departing from the essence of the invention, and also the mechanism whereby the mass of bricks is carried about can be changed greatly without going outside of the scope of my claims. It is essential, however, that the original building ofthe entire stack should be in kiln formation suitable for burning but with detachable smaller units that are not tied together so that these smaller units may be separable from each other for drying or for any other purpose. The means whereby the stack is transported into the drier may be a car or anyv other mechanical device, but it is important that when-the stack is submitted to the action of the drying agent, or submitted to some other operation to which it may be necessary to subject a mass of material, the entire stackwill be separated into its individual detachable smaller unit stacks to remain in this segregated state until after the car or other device has passed through the drier and themass of material issued in a dried or treated state ready to go to the kiln to be burned. In actual,practice, moreover, it will be found that the entire stack should have a perfectly rectangular form and that the complete highs of material or unit may be five or six hundred bricks which under the influence of the drying agency,

whatever it may be and wherever situated, whether in a drier proper or inthe atmosshore, or some apartment. But after the rying action is concluded the sections of the mass will be brought into close association with each other in the manner fully described and set. forth in my main description, this being essential in order that the various sections may be roperly placed in the kiln for the success ul burning of the brick and-so that a lifting mechanism may take hold of the entire mass on the car or sectional platform for the purpose of transferring the same to the kiln for burning. It will be clearly understood, therefore, that vmy invention may take this form as well as -the other, and may omlt the initial active step of spreading apart certain sections which have been piled up with predetermined lines of division, the piling, as I have stated, being with open spaces and the method then consisting essentially of the closing up step of the process. In hacking the brick, however, with open spaces between the subunits, instead of predeter mined lines of separation or cleavage or planes of division, it must be understood that said open spaces are located in the same places as the planes of division and that when, after the drying operation is performed, the sections are brought together there will exist the lines or planes of cleavage similarly as explained in the main do scription.

By the term bricks as herein used, I mean to include, not only ordinary standard building bricks, but any blocks of regular form for building or other purposes adapted or requiring to be handled and treated according to the method set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by'Letters Patent. is: i

1. The method 'of treating bricks, which consists in arranging the same in regular stack formation adapted for definite lines of separation, separating such stack along the lines of separation into sub-stacks with air circulatory spaces thcrebctwcen. and again, bringing said sub-stacks together to restore the stack to a unit formation, whereby it 1,1a1,eas

allelplanes, separating the stack alon' said lines of separation into sub-stacks wit vertical air circulatory spaces between the substacks, and again bringingzthe substacks of the stack together to restore its unit formation while preserving the stacked relation of the bricks, whereby the stack may be further handled en masse.

3. The herein described method, which consists in hacking green bricks in open formation for kiln burning in unit stacks adapted to be handled en maase, with the stack formation arranged for vertical lines .of cleavage, separating the stack into sub-stacks 'with vertical air spaces therebetween fordrying, and again bringing the sub-stacks of the stack close together .to restore the unit stack for further handling en masse by a mechanical lifter. I

4. The herein described method, which consists n piling green bricks on top of one another in definite relation and loose formation suitable for kiln burnin with each pile forming a unit stack a apted to be handled en masse, separating such unit stack into parts with vertical air spaces between parts for drying, and again bringing'the parts of the stack together into close forma-.

tion, whereby the stack may again be handled as a unit for transfer to the kiln.

5. The herein described method, which consists in hacking green bricks in loose or open formation suitable for burning and in unit stacks, with planes of division adapted to separate the stack into sections, separating said sections along said planes during the drying operation to provide 'air circulatory spaces between sections, and then bringing the sections back to original close formation to restore the unit stack without disturbing the loose burning arrangement,

whereby the unit stack may be subsequently handled en worse for transfer to a kiln.

6. An apparatus of the kind described,

- comprising a platform composed of separable sections adapted to each receive a portion of a unit brick stack, and means permanently associated therewith for positively separating the platform portions with their stack and positively bringing them together :1 gain at will while still loaded to restore the unit formation of a stack thereon.

7. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a platform composed of s parable sections, each section adapted to support a plurality of layers, each a plurality of bricks wide-and long, and all in a unit stack formation, and positively operating connections to certain of said sections adapted to effect relative movement thereof for spacing apart 'pcrtions of said brick stack piled thereon, said connections being formed to thereafter positively bring said sections together again at will for restoring the unit stack formation.

8. In apparatus for handling brick, a suring in the same plane, means for moving face composed of a plurality of sections lysaid jsections relatively to each other consisting essentially of a leverage mechanism,

and alining means placed longitudinally in,

g vertical position alongside of the said surace.

9. In an apparatus for handling bricks in the course of manufacturing the same, the combination of a platform composed of a plurality ofsections,'means for moving said sections relatively to each other, a vertical longitudinal stop device for enabling the bricks to be properly placed, and alining means at the ends of the platform for enabling thebricks to be )roperly placed.

10.. An apparatus of the k1nd described, comprising a platform composed of a plurality of separable sections each composed of a plurality of spaced-apart pallets adapted to receive transversely thereon thelower layer of a sub-stack of spaced-apart bricks superposed in stack-formation, and positively operating connections to certain of said sections for positively separating the sections and bringing them together again at will to separate the sub-stacks with air circulatory spaces therebetween and to bring said sub-stacks together again into unit stack formation.

11. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a platform composed of a plurality of separable sections each composed of three separatcdpallets s0 placed that the width from the outer edge of the one on one side to the outer edge of the one on the other side is approximately equal to the length of a brick, each section being adapted to receive transversely thereon the lower layer of a sub-stack of spaced-apart bricks superposed in stack-formation, and positively operating connections to certain of said sections for positively separating the sections and bringing them together again at will to separate the sub-stacks with air circulatory spaces therebetween and to bring said sub-stacks together again into unit stack formation. 7

.12. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a platform'composed of a plurality of separable sections each composed of a plurality of relatively fixed and spacedapart pallets extending lengthwise of the platform and adapted to receive a series of spaced-apart bricks placed thereon transversely of the pallets and of the platform,

separating said separable sections and positively bringing them together again, said sections and vtheir pallets being so posi- '-tioned as to bring the bricks thereon into approximately touching engagement with each other when the sections are brought together.

13. An apparatus of the kind. described, comprising a platformcomposed of a plurality of separable sections, each section having a width, corresponding' approxi mately to the length of a brick and. having stacks into a single unit stack formation.

a length adapted to receive in spaced-apart relation the lower layer of transversely arranged bricks. Qtasub-stack, and connections directly connected to certain of said sections for positively separating all of the sections with their superimposed sub-stacks .of bricks and for positively bringing together again. said sections and their sub- 14: An apparatus of the kind described,

*comprising a, platform composed of a plularly spaced apart and connecting at one end to certain of the sections and at the other end to the respectivelcrank arms, and

1,1a1,cca

means for simultaneously operating said crank arms and link mechanisms to spread said sections from closed position or to retract the sections from. spread position.

15. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a platform composed of a plurality of separable sections, each section 'having a Width corresponding approximately to the length of a brick and having a length-adapted to receive in spaced apart relation the lower layer of transversely arranged bricks of a sub-stack, and spreading mechanism for said sections, comprising crank arms spaced apart lengthwise of said sections, and rigid link mechanisms similarly spaced apart and 1 connecting at one end to certain of the sections and at the other end to the respective crank arms, means for simultaneously operat ng said crank arms and link mechanisms to spread said sections from closed position or to "retract the sections from spread position, the apparatus having transversely extendingjbearings for the platforms to travel upon in their aforesaid movements, and said platforms having transversely arranged guiding members to 005 eratewith said bearings in maintaining the platforms in' roper alinement.

In testimony w ereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RAYMOND c. PENFIELD.

Witnesses:

FRANK PAUL, C. B. Scnnonos'n.

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