US1455249A - Apparatus for the manufacture of hollow tile - Google Patents

Description

W. L.- HANLEY, JR APPARATUS FOR mm MANUFACTURE OF HOLLOW TILE May 15, 1923.

1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 22 I I 1 I I 1 II I II f1 TTOR/VEY Patented May 15, 1%23.

mw'gw ta sli -it ni ii a l i a? edit! APPARATUS FOR THE ldANUFACTURE 0F HOLLO JV TILE.

Application filed March 22, 1921. Serial No. %,590.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

B it known that I, \VILLIAM L. HANLEY, Jr, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Bradford, in the county of McKe-an and State of .?ennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Hollow Tile; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art t which it appertains to mak and use the same.

My invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described reference being had to the accompanying drawings which show one embodiment of my invention selected by me for purposes of illustration, and the said invention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

In the manufacture of hollow tile as ordinarily practiced, the tile is formed by passing a suitable clay mixture in plastic condition through a tile forming machine from which it is forced or expressed continuously through a die so formed as to produce the desired cellular tile structure, the side walls and cell partitions being formed integrall and the cells extending longitudinally of the tile. The continuous tile so formed is cut off in the desired lengths by a cut ofi' device of usual or well known construction and the tiles are then loaded by hand in vertical position on cars, trucks or other devices and transported to a drying chamber where they are treated with heated air for a suitable length of time, after which the tiles are placed in a kiln and fired. The handling of the tiles in this manner requires a considerable force of hand labor and it has also been found that where the green tiles are placed on end and dried, the shrinkage of the tiles in drying proceeds unequally on account of the fact that the end or ends of the tile are in frictional engagement with a supporting surface or another tile, so that cracks in the exterior walls or partition walls of the cells are developed which weaken the tiles and in many cases render them unmarketable. 1

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an apparatus or plant for the continuous manufacture of hollow tile in large quantities by means of which the amount of hand labor will be greatly reduced, resulting both in a great saving of expense, and

a further saving in avoiding the injury to and breakage of the tiles, which results from ino object of tile mechanica ly in a horizonal upon a traveling belt ving the tiles by hand, especially when in green or moist condition.

. Another my invention is to transfer the position, or apron by which it is carried through a drying chamber at such a speed that the desired amount of moisture will be r emoved by the time it leaves the drying chamber, each tile being supported on one side wall, while being dried without being subjected to pressure in any direction so that the tiles can shrink evenly and uniformly in drying,

enced in drying tiles in vertical position will be prevented.

Another object of my invention is to positively force currents of air longitudinally through the cells of the tiles while they are passing chamber forinity of shrinkage.

through the drying to facilitate the drying and uni- After drying, the

tiles are fired, and I prefer to load the dried tiles upon cars, suitably constructed to withstand the high temperature of the to pass the cars over a tunnel when the cars emerge tiles will ready to kiln, and suitable rails through at such a speed that from the kiln the fired or burned and My invention also type of kiln,

be completely be marketed.

contemplates certain details in the construction of my improved apparatus hereinafter deseribed.

In the lustrates accompanying drawings which ilone embodiment of my invention selected by me for purposes of illustration.

Fig. 1

tion, illustrating more or cally, the

is a top plan view, partly in secless diagrammaticonstruction and arrangement of my improved tile plant.

Fig. 2

is a vertical longitudinal section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 ratus.

F l tion of th inatic reciprocation of portion of the i-ecipr its supporting track.

Fig. 6

is a perspective view of one form of tile which can be successfully manufactured by this plant, selected by me for purposes of that the illustration, it being understood shape, size and cellular structure and the loss now experiof the tile can be varied to suit the requirements for which they are manufactured.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 represents the auger machine provided with a mold 2 through which the clay is expressed so as to produce a continuous cellular tile which may have the form, for example, illustrated in Fig. 6, the mold being constructed in a Well known way to produce the desired cellular tile structure, as the clay in plastic condition is forced through it. from the pug mill. In front of the mold 2 I prefer to-locate an oiling roller, indicated at 3, provided with any suitable means for applying afilm of oil upon the bottom of the claymass as it leaves the mold. In front of the mold 2 I also provide what I term a bridge plate, indicated at at, the oil roller 3 being preferably disposed between the, mold and the bridge plate in order to lubricate-the lower face of the clay stream before it passes over the plate. Beneath the. bridge plate at is a reciprocating roller table, indicated generally at 5, which comprises a. frame 6 arranged to slide longitudinally toward and from the auger machine and in alignment with the stream of clay, in any desired way. In the present instance it is shown in Fig. 5, for example. provided with grooved supporting wheels 7,,running on tracks or rails 8, supported bya suitable frame work 9, so that the frame as an entirety may be reciprocated toward and from the auger machine as hereinafter described. The frame 6 provided with a plurality of rollers, indicated at 10, of comparatively small diameter which forms a supporting surface for the stream of clay as it issues from the mold after passing off of the bridge plate l and thebridge-plate f is supported in any desired manner so as to have its upper face as, near to the level of the upper faces of the rollers 10 as possible. For this reason I prefer to employ a thin metal plate as the bridge plate so that the clay stream can pass ofi of the bridge plate and onto the rollers 10 without marring it.

Adjacent to and on one side of the reciprocating table 5 I provide a horizontally endless conveyor, indicated, at 11, of such width as to accommodate a plurality of separate tiles across its width and this conveyor is supported upon suitable drums l2 and 13 at its ends and upon suitable intermediate supporting rollers l l and 15 so that its upper surface will properly support a practically continuous load of tiles upon the upper surface of the conveyor 11. The conveyor 11 is operated by power applied to one or both of the drums 12l3. In this instance the shaft of drum 13 is shown provided with a gear wheel 16 connected by intermediate gearing 17-l8 on a counter shaft 19 with a driving pinion 20 on the shaft of a motor 21, which may be driven byelectricity, for example, or any other form of driving means may be employed to impart to the conveyor 11 a slow progressive movement so that the upper portion moves in a direction away from the table 5.

The conveyor 11 passes through a drying chamber, indicated at 22, which is preferably provided with series of transversely disposed air passages, indicated at 23, 24:, 25, 26 and 27, each of which coniniunicates at one end with the preceding chamber, and at the opnosite end with the succeeding chamber, so as to form a continuous back and forth or. zigzag passage through which heated air may be passed in any desired manner, I have shown the alternate end portions of these passages provided with air forcing fans or blowers, indicated at 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32. respec tively, adapted to be driven from line shafting, or by electric or other prime motors, collectively or otherwise, as preferred: for the purpose of driving the air through the Zigzag passages of the drying chamber first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, transversely of the conveyor. Any desired means may be employed for heat ing the air in the passages, as by means'of steam coils, indicated at 33, for example, and which may be located adjacent to the fans, or in any other desired part of the apparatus to enforce heat through the pass sages of the drying chamber. It will be apparent hereafter that the tile delivered to the conveyor 11 will be placed thereon at one side with the cellular passages disposed transversely ofthe conveyor 11. It will follow therefore that as the tiles are car ried slowly through the drying chamber, the currents of heated air will pass longitudinally through the cells of all" of" the tilesas well as around the exterior of the same, and the general direction of the airwill be from the rear or delivery end ofthe drying chamber toward the front or, receiving end, and hence the moist tiles will be moving continuously through air currents, which, become dryer and dryer. The. dry: ing chamber will be of such length and. the speed of the conveyor 1'1 will be so regulated that a tile in passing through the. length of the drying chamber will be relieved of so much of its contained moisture as will leave it substantially dry, so that: it can be handled without material danger of injury. When the tile is formed it" contains about 18% of moisture, of which116 0 will" be eliminated as it passes through the dryer.

For this purpose I prefer to heat the air to a temperature of about 180 F.

The reciprocating table is provided with, a cut off of any usualfornn ndicatedat' tor severing the stream of clay issuing from the auger machine and mold when desired, and this cut off is operated by the attendant when a quantity of the clay stream has been forced out upon the table 5 suiiiciently to form enough separate tiles to constitute one transverse row on'the conveyor. I prefer to provide the outer end of the table 5 with a stop, indicated at 35, against which the outer end of the clay stream willabut, as it moves forward over the rollers 10. In order to insure the continuous operation of the pug mill, I prefer to make the reciprocating table 5 of greater length than the lateral width of the conveyor 11, and to arrange, as before described, that'the end of the table 5 nearest the auger machine may be passed beneath the bridge plate 4. In practice the table 5 is drawn to the left in Fig. 1, as far as possible beneath the bridge plate 4 so as to bring the cut off 34 substantially at the end of the bridge plate. As soon as the quantity of the clay has passed onto the table 5, and moved forward sufficiently to engage the stop 35, the table. 5 will be moved forward by the stream of clay upon its supporting rails 8 and at this instant the operator will operate the cut off 34 and sever the stream, a portion of which remains upon the bridge plate 4. The table5 is then moved rapidly in a direction away from the auger machine, carrying the severed section of clay a considerable distance away from the portion remaining on the bridge plate, the table 5 being of suflicient length to have its innermost end still beneath the bridge plate 4.so that as the operation of the auger machine continues the clay stream will pass upon the rollers 10 of the table. Adjacent to the conveyor 11 I provide a series of vertically disposed cutting wires, indicated at 36, supported in a suitable frame at one side of the table, and these cutting wires may if preferred, be carried by the table. The said cutting wires are placed a distance apart equal to the length of. an individual tile and on the opposite side of the table from the conveyor 11 I provide a mechanical push bar 37, or push bars, preferably provided with separate face blocks 38, adapted to correspond to the spaces between adjacent wires 36, the said pushbar 37 being provided with mechanism for moving it transversely of the table 5 toward the conveyor 11 to push the severed section of clay past the vertically disposed cutting wires 36 to sever it into individual tiles, which slide over an inclined plate 39and onto the conveyor 11. In the present instance I have shown the push bar provided with a. series of plungers 40 supported in suitable guides 41 and con- -nected by rods 42 and eccentric straps 43 with eccentrics 44 on a shaft 45 provided with suitable actuating means which may be thrown into and out of operation, in this instance an electric motor 46 being shown provided with a pulley 47 connected by a belt 48 with fast and loose pulleys 49 and 50 on the shaft 45, the belt 48 being controlled by a shifting lever 51, but any other convenient arrangement for operating the push bar 37 may be employed. As soon as the tile section has been severed into individual tiles and discharged from the table, the push bar 37 returns to its normal position, and the table 5 is then moved rearwardly toward the auger machine to its normal position with its forward end beneath the bridge plate 4, the continually advancing stream of clay sliding forward over the rollers 10 as the table'5 is moved backward, thus accommodating the stream of clay which has issued from the auger machine and mold during the severing of the pre viously separated section. In this manner the operation may be continued and the auger machine can 'be operated continuously at all times, thus insuring a more uniform product than where it is necessary to frequently stop the auger machine.

It will be seen that the stream of clay is first severed into large sections comprising a multiple of the single tile and these severed sections are simultaneously severed into separate tiles which are delivered upon the endless conveyor in horizontal position with the cells disposed transversely with respect to the conveyor, without any handling of the green tile, thus dispensing with a number of workmen, ordinarily required in loadingthe reen severed tiles upon suitable trucks an dispatching them to a dry room, and avoiding injury to the tile which frequently results in handling the moist articles. It will also be noted that the tiles are deposited upon the conveyor mechanically in such position that the transverse currents of air will pass through the cells of all the tiles as they are slowly moved from the receiving end of the drying room to the delivery end thereof.

In order to render the operation of the apparatus as automatic as possible and still further reduce the number of operatives required I contemplate effecting the forward movement and return movement of the table 5 more or less automatically, and in Fig. 4 I have illustrated more or less diagrammatically an arrangement for this purpose. In this figure the table 5 is provided with a rack, indicated at 52, engaged by a pinion 58 on a shaft driven from an electric motor 54 by a belt. 55, the motor.

being controlled in this instance by a switch 56 having a switch lever 57 in the path of a projection 58 on the table 5*. The forward movement of the table under the influence of the clay stream after the latter engages the stop 35 will bring the projection 58 into engagement with the switch lever 57 lit] and st'artthe motor in a direction to move the table in the direction of the arrow into operative relation with the push bar before described. As the table 5 approaches its correct posit-ion with respect to the push bar and the conveyor, the projection 58 which passes over'the lever 57 will engage a stop lever 59 connected to the switch lever by a linlr60, and return the switch to neutral position, thus stopping the forward movement of the table. After the tile section has been severed and discharged by the push bar, as before described, the operator can move the switch lever 57 in the reverse direction, to reverse the motor and retract the table, which when it reaches its originalposition, will engage the stop lever 61 connected to the switch lever by a link 62 and restore the switch to neutral position,

' and stop thetable with its inner end heneath the bridge plate.

Obviously connections from the switch lever 57 and from the shifting lever controlling the'push-bar can be extended to a point near the auger machine so that a single operator can control the entire apparatus without leaving his station, by operating the cut off 341 at the proper time, and then succes sively' operating the shifting lever and the switch lever 57 to effect the operation of the push bar and the return of the reciprocating table, thus making the operation substantially automatic and eliminating a large number of operatives adjacent to the pug mill, and feeding table.

At the discharge end of the drying chamber the dried tiles are discharged upon an inclinedplatform 63 down 'which they slide to a horizontal platform 64: in convenient position' to be loaded upon cars 65 running upon rails 66 leading into a tunnel type of kiln, indicated in Fig. 1 at 67, in which the tiles are baked or fired in a well known way. It will be necessary for the tiles to be handled from the dryer platform 64 to the cars, but when so handled they will lee-substantially dry and can be stacked on the cars without material danger of breaking in handling or during firing. The tunnel drying kiln will be of such length that as the cars 65 are moved therethrough in any desired manner, they will remain-in the kiln a sulhcient time to' completely fire the tile. I prefer that the tiles be loaded on the cars in horizontal position also as the ends will thereby be left open so that the hot air and products of combustion within the kiln can pass through the cellular structure of the tiles and thoroughly bake or fire the same.

Tiles produced by my improved plant will'be found to be much freer from cracks and splits at the intersection of the exterior walls with each other and with the cell partitions than where the tiles are drled on end as is the usual practice and the elimination of the handling of the green tiles further resultsin securing a larger outputwith fewer defective tiles,- thus cheapeningthe best .of manufacture and increasing the.

economy and productiveness'of the plant.

In the 'constructioirof the reciprocating table 5 (or 5 hereinbefore referred. to, it will be understood that the stream of clay issupported entirely upon the freely revolving rollers 10. If desired, the surface of these rollersmaybe supplied with a film ofoil in any usual or desired way in order to prevent any adhesion of the moist clay thereto. For cxamplmthe said rollers on their under sides may run in a tray or bath of oil. vAll other surfaces may be supplied with a film of oil if desired in any other preferred way.

It will also be understoodthat the conveyor 11 may be in one or more sections extending longitudinally of the drying chamber as may be found convenient. In the accompanying drawings 1 have shown the conveyor formed. in threeuparallel sections,- but this is not essential, and the surface plates of the'conveyor may extend entirely across the same if preferred.

In some instances I prefer to employ a counter balance weight 70foperatively connected with the reciprocating table, as by a flexible connection 71 passing over apulley 72 (see Figs. 3 and 5) for retracting the reciprocating table 5 .(or 5*) after the severed portions of the multiple tile section have been discharged from the table by the pushing mechanism or push bar. I prefer to make this counter balance of such weight that it will move the table when relieved of the load of the severed multiple tile'section,

but will not be sufiicient to move it when weighted withthe said multiple tile section. In the modification illustrated in Fig. & 70 represents the balance weight, 71 the flexible connection and 72 the pulley, this counter balance weight, if employed, (and it may be employed or not as preferred) will start the table rearwardly as soon as it is relieved from the load of the severed tile section, inwhich casethe table would move under the influence of the counter balance weight until the projection 58 engages the switch-lever 57 and causes the reverseaiction of the motor to rapidly restore the table to its original position, the projection 58 passing over the switch lever 57 and later engaging the stop lever 61, as before described, and restoring the switch to neutral position.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let-- ters Patent is i I 1. In a tile plant for the continuous man ufacture of hollow cellular tile, the combi nation with means for forming a continuous cellular tile, provided with longitudinally extending cells, of means for severing the continuous tile into individual tiles, a conveyor having its upper surface movable transversely with respect to the direction of movement of the continuous tile, a drying chamber through which said conveyor passes, and devices for transferring the severed tiles tosaid conveyor without handling, constructed to place the severed tiles upon said conveyor with their cells disposed horizontally and transversely to the direction of travel of said conveyor.

2. In a tile plant for the continuous manufacture of hollow cellular tile, the combination with means for forming a continuous cellular tile, provided with longitudinally extending cells, of means for severing the continuous tile into individual tiles, a drying chamber, supporting and conveying means for receiving the severed tiles and carrying them through the drying chamber, and mechanical means for transferring the severed tiles without handling, and placing them horizontally upon said supporting and conveying means with a lateral face of each tile in engagement with said supporting and conveying means.

3. In a tile plant for the continuous manufacture of hollow cellular tile, the combination with means for forming a continuous cellular tile, provided with longitudinally extending cells, of means for severing the continuous tile into individual tiles, a drying chamber, supporting and conveying means for receiving the severed tiles and carrying them through the drying chamber, and mechanical transferring mechanism for placing each severed tile upon said supporting and conveying means with its cells disposed horizontally and transversely to the direction of travel thereof, and with a lateral wall of the tile in contact with the supporting and conveying means.

4. In a tile plant for the continuous manufacture of hollow cellular tile, the combination with means for forming a continuous cellular tile, provided with longitudinally extending cells, of supporting means for portions of the continuous tile, capable of movement longitudinally with respect thereto, to enable severed portions of the continuous tile to be moved forward in advance of the unsevered portions, a drying chamber, a tile supporting and conveying mechanism located adjacent to said longitudinally movable support and constructed to receive severed tiles and carry them through the dry" ing chamber, means for severing the con-- tinuous tile into individual tiles, and trans ferring mechanism for mechanically deliw ering individual tiles from said longitudinally movable support, when in its advanced position and placing them with their cells disposed horizontally upon said supporting and conveying means without handling.

5. In a tile plant for the continuous manufacture of hollow cellular tile, the combination with means for forming a continuous cellular tile, provided with longitudinally xtending cells, of supporting means for portions of the continuous tile, capable of movement longitudinally with respect thereto, to enable severed portions of the continuous tile to be moved forward in advance of the unscvered portions, a drying chamber, an endless conveyor having its upper portion horizontal and extending through said drying chamber, said conveyor being located adjacent to and at one side of the longitudinally movable support and being movable transversely with respect thereto, means for severing the continuous tilesinto individual tiles, and transferring means for mechanically moving the severed tiles laterally and depositing them upon their lateral faces upon the conveyor with their cells disposed horizontally and transversely to the line of movement of the conveyor, without handling.

6. In a tile plant, the combination of means for forming a continuous cellular tile having longitudinal cells, a supporting table for said continuous tile capable of being reciprocated longitudinally of the continuous tile, a cut off for severing a multiple section of the continuous tile, multiple severing means located at one side of the path of travel of the continuous tile, pushing mechanism movable transversely of said path for moving the severed sections of the continuous tile into contact with said multiple severing means, and a conveyor having its supporting surface movable horizontally away from and in a direction perpendicular to the path of said continuous tile for receiving the severed tiles and supporting them on one side with their cells extending transversely with respect to the conveyor, said reciprocating table being of greater length than the severed multiple tile section and having a portion adjacent to the tile forming mechanism for supporting a portion of the continuous tile while the severed multiple section is operated upon by the pushing mechanism and multiple severing means, and a projecting device on the said table in the path of the continuous tile for imparting motion to the table from said continuous tile in a direction away from the tile forming mechanism, and means for retracting the reciprocating table to its original position after the severed portions of the multiple tile section have been removed therefrom.

7. In a tile plant, the combination of means for forming a continuous cellular tile having longitudinal cells, a supporting table for said continuous tile capable of being reciprocated longitudinally of the continuous tile, a cut off for severing a multiple section of the continuous tile, multiple severing means located at one side of the path of travel of the continuous tile, pushing mechanism movable transversely of said path for moving the severed sections of the continuous tile into contact with said multiple severing means, and a conveyor having its supporting surface movable horizontally away from and in a direction perpendicular to the path of said continuous tile for receiving the severed tiles and supporting them on one side with their cells extending transversely with respect to the conveyor, said reciprocating table being of greater length than the severed multiple tile section and having a portion adjacent to the tile forming mechanism for supporting a portion of the continuous tile while the severed multiple section is operated upon by the pushing mechanism and multiple severing means, and a projecting device on the said table in the path of the continuous tile for imparting motion to the table in a direction away from the tile forming mechanism, and a counter balance weight connected with said reciprocating table for retracting the same after the removal therefrom of the severed portions of the multiple tile section.

8. In a tile plant, the combination of means for forming a continuous tile having longitudinal cells, means for severing the continuous tile into individual tiles, a conveyor located at one side of the path of the continuous tile and movable horizontally and in a direction perpendicular to said path, means operable in a direction transversely of the path of the continuous tile for delivering the severed sections upon said conveyor horizontally with their cells disposed transversely of the conveyor, and a drying chamber surrounding portions of said conveyor.

9. In a tile plant, the combination of means for forming a continuous tile having longitudinal cells, means for severing the continuous tile into individual tiles, a conveyor located at one side of the path of the continuous tile and movable horizontally and in a direction perpendicular to said path, means operable in a direction transversely of the path of the continuous tile for delivering the severed sections upon said conveyor horizontally with their cells disposed transversely of the conveyor, and a drying chamber surrounding portions of said conveyor provided with transversely arran ed air passages. and means for tore ing the air through said passages transverselyof the conveyor and longitudinally through the cells of the tiles thereon. and heating means for the air.

10. In a tile plant for the continuous manufacture of hollow cellular tile, theconr 'b nation with means for formin a con "s cellular tile, provided with longi- 1311i ally ertending cells, of means for severing the continuous tile into individual tiles, a conveyor having its upper surface movable transversely with respect to the direction of movement olthe continuous tile, a drying chamber through which said convcyor passes, devices for transferring the severed tiles to said conveyor without handling, constructed to place the severed tiles upon said conveyor with their cells disposed horizontally, air heating means for said drying chamber, and means tor-causing the heated air in the drying chamber to pass longitudinally through the cells of said tiles as they arecarried through the drying chamber. i

11. In a tile plant for the continuous manufacture of hollow cellular tile, the combination with means for forming a continuous cellular tile, provided with longitudinally extending cells, of means for severing the continuous tile into individual tiles, a conveyor having its upper surface movable transversely with respect to the direction of movement oi the continuous tile, a drying chamber through which said-conveyor passes, devices for transferring the severed tiles to said conveyor without handling, constructed to place the severed tiles upon said conveyor with their cells disposed horizontally, and transversely tolthe direction of travel of said conveyor, air heating means for said drying chamber, and means for causing the heated air in said drying chamber to pass transversely with respect to the travel of the conveyor and longitudinally through the cells of said tiles as they are carried through the drying chamber.

12. In a tile plant tor the continuous manufacture ofhollowcellular tile, the combination with means for forming acontiiuiouscellular tile, provided with longitudinally extending cells, of means for severing the continuous tile into individual tiles, a conveyor having its upper surface movable transversely with respect to the direction of movement of the continuous tile, a drying chamber through which said conveyor passes, devices for transferring the severed tiles to said conveyor without handling, constructed to place the severed tiles upon said conveyor with their cells dispose-(l horizontally, and transversely to the direction of travel oi said conveyor, air heat iog means "for said. drying chamber. and means for Forcing the heated air in opposite directions transversely to'the direction of travel of the conveyor, at different points along the travel of the conveyor, and longitudinally through the cells of said tiles as they are carried through the drying chamber.

13. In a tile plant for the continuous manufacture of hollow cellular tile, thecombination with means for forming a con tinuous cellular tile, provided with longitudinally extending cells of supporting means for portions or the continuous tile capable of movement longitudinally with respect thereto to enable severed portions of the continuous tile to be moved forward in advance of the unsevered portions, a drying chamber, a tile supporting and conveying mechanism located adjacent to said longitudinally movable support and constructed to receive severed tiles with their cells extending horizontally, and carry them through the drying chamber, means for severing the continuous tile into individual tiles, transferring mechanism for mechanically delivering individual tiles from said longitudinally moving support when in its advanced position, and placing them with their cells disposed horizontally upon said supporting and conveying means, without handling, air heating means for said drying chamber and means for forcing the heated air longitudinally and horizontally through the cells of said individual tiles as they pass through the drying chamber.

14:. In a tile plant for the continuous manufacture of hollow cellular tile, the combination with means for forming a continuous cellular tile provided with longitudinally extending cells, of means for simultaneously severing a plurality of individual tiles, a drying chamber located at one side of the path of said continuous tile, an endless conveyor having its upper portion horizontal-and extending through said drying chamber in a direction substantially perpendicular to the line of movement of the continuous tile, transferring means for mechanically moving the severed tiles laterally and depositing them upon their lateral faces upon said conveyor with their cells disposed horizontally and transversely to the line of movement of the conveyor,-Without handling, air heating means for the drying chamber, and means for directing the heated air in the drying chamber transversely with respect to the direction of movement of said conveyor, and longitudinally through the cells of the individual tiles carried thereby.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM LEE HANLEY, J R.

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