US1766286A - Brick-making machine - Google Patents

Description

June 24, 1930. p, DAVls 1,766,286

BRICK MAKING MACHINE Filed June 11, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. P. M. DAVIS BRICK MAKING MACHINE Filed June'll, 1929 June 24, 1930.

lllllhl 66 1. 6% m I. MQ\\% W.

P. M. DAVIS 1,766,286

BRICK MAKING MACHINE June 24, 1930.

FiledJune '11, 1-929 5 Sheets-Sheet 6 June 24, 1930. P, DA 1,766,286

-BRICK MAKING MACHINE 'Filed June 11, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet June 24, 1930. R. P. M. DAVIS BRICK MAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet .5

Filed June 11, 1929 Patented June 24, 1930 iJNF-EEZD STATES PATENT @FFPCE BRICK-MAKING Macrame Application filed June 11,

This invention relates to brick making machines, and its object 1s'to improve and perfect the work of such machines, particu- V larly to handle the filled and empty molds and loaded and unloaded pallets in a more expeditious manner, during the various operations of the machine, than heretofore.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consisting in the construction, combination and novel arrangements of parts, will be fully understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, of which:

Figure 1 is a side diagrammatic view of the machine showing the drivingfland actuating mechanism for effecting mold move- J ment and operation of other moving parts;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation showing the direction of travel and movements of the molds and pallets during the various operations of the machine;

Figure 3 is a plan View partly in section talren on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing the molds and pallets at upper position or level;

Figure 4 is a plan view, partly in section, taken on the line 41-4 of Figure 2, show ing the molds and pallets at lower position or level;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the main frame of the brick making machine comprising horizontally disposed base beams 2, upper horizontal beams 3, vertical end beams or uprights 4L and intermediate upright beams 17, and 21 all suitably connected together and supported upon the floor 5 of the building in which the machine is install-ed. Suitably mounted in and supported by the frame 1 are upper and lower pairs of beveled rails 6 and 7 respectively, along which open molds S of the multiple compartment type are adapted to be moved during the various operations of the machine, the ends of the molds bein notched as at 9 to accommodate 1929. SeriaINo. 370,132.

the reversely beveled rails. It will be noted that these rails serve as a guide and support for the mold and restrain the latter against upward movement;

Position adjacent the forward ends of the rails 6 and 7 is a mold carriage or elevator 10 for lowering the empty molds one at a time from the upper'to the lower mold level of the machine. The elevator comprises end brackets 11 to which angle irons 12 are secured, as by means of bolts 13, each end being'provided with a pair of flanged wheels 1% mounted on axles 15. These wheels en age and are guided by vertically disposed tracks 16 secured to frame uprights 17, the wholebeing suspended between the tracks from the lower ends of rods 17, hereinafter referred to. A short beveled track 19 is suitably secured to each end bracket 11, to which tracks the molds are transferred from the upper tracks 6 and from there to the lower tracks 7 in a manner later described.

A second mold carriageor elevator 22 similar to the one just described is located at the opposite end, of the machine adjacent the rear ends of the tracks 7 and 6 for the purpose of elevating the empty molds from the lower to-the upper level of the machine. This elevator comprises a wheeled frame of substantially the same construction as the frame of elevator 10, small flanged wheels [23 being provided for engagement with vertically disposed tracks 24 secured to uprights 20. Short beveled tracks 25 similar to the tracks 19 previously described are secured to the frame of the elevator- 22 by means of brackets 26. The elevator 22, serves the purpose of a stripper as well as an elevator for the empty molds as will be presently nnderstoou.

Whenthe elevator 10 reaches its lowermost or Figure 2 dotted line position, reciprocating push rods 27, actuated in a man ner also hereinafter described and guided at each forwardiend of the machine by guide rollers 28, engage the mold on the elevator and push the latter from the short elevator tracks 19 onto the lower tracks 7. It will of course be understood that the tracks fi and 7 will be in horizontal alinement with the corresponding short tracks on the elevators when the latter are at their respective upper and lower positions. As the mold 8 is advanced over the tracks 7, depending lugs 28 formed on the lower corners of each mold engage the pallet 29, which has pre viously been advanced from any suitable source of pallet supply, not shown, along the tracks 30 and 31 to pallet station A by means of continuously driven chains 32 and 33 re spectively, the chains being provided with dogs 3% and 35 for picking up the pallets. The mold and pallet will then move forwardly together.

l1 suitably supported stationary cover plate 36, over which the mold is pushed, is preferably positioned between the mold and pallet. As the cover plate is somewhat narrower than the length of the pallet, the lugs 28 extend downwardly beyond and at each side of the cover plate and engage the ends of the pallet. The pallet will thus be advanced with the mold, the latter having passed from the short elevator tracks 19 to the lower mold tracks 7, will continue its travel along these tracks while the pallet will ride on tracks 37 secured to the frame by means of brackets 38. At the completion of one stroke of the push rods 27, the mold and pallet will have been moved to filling station B. The cover plate which is stationary and affords a smooth surface over which the mold travels is preferably provided with recesses 39 to permit the escape of brick making material which may have dropped thereon.

Forward and return movement of the push rods 27 is effected by means of a pair of cams 10, one for each rod, fixedly mounted on cam shaft 11, in turn rotatably supported in bearing brackets 42. A pair of rocker arms 413, one for each cam 40, and arranged in the path of movement of the cams, are pivotally mounted upon a fixed shaft or fulcrum 44, each arm being slotted at its upper end as at 45 for the reception of pins 46 projecting from the push rods. The lower angularly disposed ends of the rocker arms are provided with enlarged or weighted portions as at 47 for the purpose of returning the arms to normal position, as will be readily understood; One revolution of cams 4O pushes the rods 27 forwardly with a stroke sulhcientto transfer the mold 8, which has justbeen lowered by elevator 10, from the elevator to filling station position B. When this mold 8 has ad vanced half the distance of the complete pusher arm stroke, it picks up a pallet 29, as previously described, and then engages the next proceeding mold previously advanced to filling station position and during the second half stroke pushes it to the slicking station or position C, the mold already at the slicking station or position being pushed into the stripper or D position. In this connection it should be noted that the stroke between filling and slicking and between slicking and stripping positions is only one half of that from elevator 10 to filling position.

Rotation of the cams 10 is effected by means of power communicated from motor 48 through motor pinion gear 41-9, in mesh with large gear 50, mounted on transverse shaft 51, in turn connected to shaft 52 by chain 53 operating over sprockets 5 1- and 55 on the respective shafts. Shaft 52 is connected to a dra chain shaft 56, by means of sprocket and chain connection indicated in a general way by numeral 57, the shaft 56 being connected with the shaft 41, previously described, by means of sprocket and chain connection also indicated in a general way by numeral 58. It will thus be seen that rotation of the motor pinion gear 49 in an anti-clockwise direction causes the shafts 51, 52, 56 and 41 and the cams 40 to rotate in a clockwise direc ion; the latter in turn causing the push rods 27 to reciprocate for the purpose previously explained.

lVhen a mold 8 and its pallet 29 reach filling position B, the mold and cover plate are clamped tightly together by elevating a pedestal 59 into contact with the bottom of the pallet. The pedestal 59 is formed with two spaced leg members 64 which extend downwardly between a pair of U-beam frame members 121 and are connected together at their lower ends by means of a tie rod 122. Vertical reciprocating movement of the pedestal is accomplished by means of two pair of upper and lower toggle arms 60 and 61, pivotally connected together by a cross rod 62, in turn pivotally connected to an actuating rod 63, the latter being formed with a collar 127 which loosely receives the cross rod 62. The upper toggle arms 60 are pivotally connected together and to the legs 64; of the pedestal by a cross rod or shaft 65, and the lower toggle arms 61 are pivotally connected to a rod 66, the ends of which are ournaled in bearings 123, in turn secured between the U-beam frame members 121 by suitable fastenings, as at 12st. The actuating rod 63 is also pivotally connected to the upper end of an arm 67, the lower end of which is fixed to shaft 14. Consequently when shaft 44 is actuated in the manner previously described'upper toggle arms 60 will straighten out and cause the pedestal 59 to rise into engagement with and press the pallet tightly to the cover plate, and also press the latter to the mold. During this movement of the pedestal, the latter is guided by guide rolls 125, mounted on shafts 126, suitably mounted in the frame 1.

After the pedestal has been elevated the mold is filled with a charge of brick making which is caused by means, not shown, to pass across and back over the top of the mold at a predetermined level. By this time another mold 8 has been lowered by means of eleva tor 10 from upper to lower mold level, and is similarly advanced by pusher arms 27 until studs engage the mold ahead and push the latter into slicking position 0, the mold which was previously at the slicking station being pushed into the'stripping station or position D.

While at position C, the brick in the mold 8 are slicked by means of a slicker plate 71 supported at each end from cranks 72, actuated continuously by any suitable means, not shown, for causing the slicker plate to pass across the top of the mold both while the latter is in transit and stationary. After the slicking operation, the mold is moved to stripping position D, whereupon the brand imprint plate or push board 73 descends until it rests upon the top of the brick, imprinting the brand and holding the brick against upward movement until the mold has been lifted off the brick by the combined mold elevator and stripper 22, thus leaving the brick on the pallet. It will be noted that the mold in transit from slicking to stripping position is pushed off the tracks 7 onto the short tracks 25 carried by the combine'd'elevator and stripper 22, and that themold'is thus free to be elevated to the upper level, after the stripping operation, in a manner presently described.

. After the mold has been stripped,the pallet with brick thereon is pushed to bobbing position E, along rails '74, by means of chains 127, having mold engaging dogs 128 secured thereto. At this position, a bobbing plate 7 5 is pressed gently into contact with the top surface of the brick in order to smooth off any frills or irregularities resultin from the stripping operation. The

loaded pallet is then propelled along tracks 74, into the racker, not shown. 1

The bobbing plate 7 5 is pivotally supported at the lower end of rods 7 6, connected at their upper ends to arms 7 7 in turn'fulcrumed at 81 in the frame upright 4; These arms 77 are provided intermediate their ends with small rollers 7 8 which engage and rest upon recessed rollers or cams 79 mounted on the shaft51 previously referred to. Consequently during each revolution of the shaft 51, the small rollers 78 on arms 77 drop into the recesses 80 in cams 79, thus permitting the bobbing plate 75 to drop momentarily by gravity just sufficiently long to gently engage the top of the brick, whereupon the rollers 7 8 will ride out of the recesses and the plate 75 will be elevated inan obvious manner and the pallet and brick will be moved into the racker Shortly before-the loaded mold-=8 which has'been advanced to stripping position is stripped from the brick and elevated to upper level position by the combined elevator and stripper 22, the brick in, the mold are pressed tightly to the pallet by means of the push board or brand imprintmember 73 and pedestal 82. Push board.73.carries a plurality of .pads83, one foreach mold compartment 84:: and of corresponding size, the whole being suspended from. rods 85 connected attheir lower ends to opposite ends of the push board. The upper ends of.

the rods 85 are connected .to the free ends of rocker arms 86 fulcrumed at :87 to tlie frame uprights l, the intermediate portions of these arms having small rollers .88 in engagement with a pair of cams 89 mounted on shaft 51. Rotation of the shaft 51 causes the cams 88 to force the rocker arms 86 downwardly thus imparting .a cone spending movement to the push board 73, return movement of the board being effected by means of counterweight '90 connected "at one end to cable 91passing overpulleys 92 and at tie other end connected'to the free ends of rocker arm 86. Each cam 8911s formed with a slight hump or protuberance 93 for imparting a momentary additional pressure to the push board to insure. clear imprint of the brand on the brick.

'The pedestal 82, is identical in construction and operation to that of the pedestal 59, and as the rod 63 is connected :to the toggle arms 94 and'95 of pedestal82,suffice it to say that the two pedestals are 'actuated. simultaneously, and by the same :means.

ping position are being tightly held by the pusher board 7-3, the combined mold elevator and stripper 22 is caused to rise slightly in advance of the pusher board and lift the.

mold off or away from the brick, thus leav ing the latter on the pallet and free to be moved by dogs 128 on chains 127 to bobbing position. Upward movement ofthe eleva tor is arrested when the short elevator tracks 25 arrive at thehorizontal plane of the upper level tracks 6, but the push board continues to rise somewhat higher, or until the dowel pins 96 projecting downwardly from each end of the push board are withdrawn from the centering holes 97 formed in opposite ends'of the mold. This movement of the elevator '22 is effected by means of a pair of rocker arms 98, fulcrumed at 99 to frame uprights l, and at their free ends being connected to opposite ends of the elevator 22 by means of rods 100. Intermediate the ends of these rocker arms 98 are positioned small rollers 101 which are engaged by and rest upon a pair of cams 102 fixedly mounted upon opposite ends of shaft 51. Consequently as the shaft 51 rotates the elevator 22 will be raised by the cams or permitted to descend by gravity according to which faces of the cams are in contact with the rollers 101.

WVhen the combined elevator and stripper 22 arrives at the upper mold level position, with the short tracks 25 aligned horizontally with the tracks 6, the mold 8 on the elevator 22 is engaged by dogs 103 on chains 104 in turnrunning over gears 105 and 106 fixed to the shafts 56 and 107 respectively, driven from motor 48 through chain drives 53 and 57 previously referred to. At each complete rotation of chain 104 a mold is moved from the tracks 25 to and along the tracks 6 and into the washer 108, where it engages and pushes the next proceeding mold out of the washer onto the tracks 19 of elevator 10, it being understood that the elevators 10 and 22 will make one round trip for each complete revolution of the chain 104. As a mold 8 is deposited in or above the washer 108, a cover plate 109 drops into contact with and seats the top of the mold, whereupon water or other washing fluid is ejected from nozzles 110, from a suitable source of supply, not shown, thus cleaning the sides of the mold. The cover plate is then lifted and the succeeding mold pushes the washed mold into the elevator 10, by means of which it is carried to the lower mold level, to complete the cycle.

The cover plate 109 is supported by rods 111 connected at their upper ends to one end of a pair of rocker arms 112, in turn fulcrumed at 113 to the machine frame, the other end of each rocker arm being provided with a small roller 114 engaged by and resting upon a cam 115 mounted'on shaft 52, previously described as being driven from chain 53. The weight of that portion of the rocker arms which carry the rollers 114, plus the weight of the rollers is suflicient to normally maintain the cover plate in raised position. Consequently it will be seen that the cover plate will be lowered by action of the cams 115 and raised by force of gravity.

WVhen a mold 8 has been pushed from the washer into the elevator 10, the latter drops by gravity to lower mold level position, and after its mold has been pushed therefrom on to tracks 7 in a manner previously explained, the elevator is returned to the upper level to receive another empty mold;

This movement is effected by means of a pair of rocker arms 116 fulcrumed at one end at 117, in the main frame 1 of the machine. These rocker arms which are connected to the elevator 10 by rods 118 each carry a roller 119 intermediate their ends,

which rollers engage a pair of cams 120, fixedly mounted upon opposite ends of the shaft 52.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as my invention is:

1. A brick making machine comprising upper and lower pairs of horizontal mold tracks, a pair of vertical tracks adjacent each end of said horizontal tracks, an elevator confined between one of said pairs of vertical tracks for lowering the molds from said upperto said lower tracks, a combined elevator and stripper confined between the other of said pairs of vertical tracks for stripping the molds from the brick therein and elevating the molds from the lower to the upper tracks, means for transferring the molds from the elevators to the horizontal tracks and from the horizontal tracks to the elevators, and means for filling the molds, slicking the brick therein, and washing the molds in transit over said horizontal tracks.

2. A brick making machine comprising upper and lower rigid horizontally disposed mold supporting members, an elevator at one end for lowering the molds from the upper to the lower mold supporting members, a combined elevator and stripper at the other end of said mold supporting members for stripping the molds from the brick therein and elevating the molds from the lower to the upper mold supporting members, means for reciprocating the elevators vertically between the said upper and lower members, rigid means for confining the vertical path of movement of said elevators, means for pushing the molds from the elevators to the mold supporting members and from the mold supporting members to the elevators, and means for filling the molds, slicking the brick therein, and washing the molds in transit over said mold supporting means.

' 3. A brick making machine comprising upper and lower pairs of horizontally disposed mold supporting tracks, vertically disposed pairs of tracks adjacent the ends of the horizontal tracks, a washer for cleaning the mold while on the upper tracks, an elevator in one pair of said vertically disposed tracks for lowering the washed mold to said lower tracks, means for transferring the mold from the elevator to and advancing the same across the lower tracks, means for filling and slicking the mold in transit over the lower tracks, a combined elevator and stripper mounted in the other of said pairs of vertical tracks for stripping the mold from the brick and lifting the stripped mold back to the upper tracks, and means for transferring the mold from the combined stripperand elevator to the upper tracks and advancing the mold over said upper tracks back to and through the washer to said first mentioned elevator.

4. A brick making machine comprising upper and lower beveled mold supporting tracks in combination with molds having recessed ends adapted to slidably engage said tracks, elevators for transferring the mold from one level to the other, said elevators having tracks corresponding to the mold supporting tracks, means for moving the elevators to bring the tracks on the elevators in alinement with the mold supporting tracks, means for alternately pushing the molds from the elevator tracks to the mold supporting tracks and from the mold supporting tracks to the elevator tracks, when the elevators are at their respective upper and lower positions.

5. A brick making machine comprising upper and lower pairs of horizontally disposed rigid mold supporting tracks, means for transferring an empty mold from the upper to the lower tracks, means for pushing the mold along the lower tracks, means forfilling the mold and slicking the brick therein in transit over said lower tracks, means for stripping the mold from the brick, said last mentioned means also adapted to elevate the mold to the upper tracks,

and means for pushing the mold from the c said last mentioned means onto and over the upper tracks in the reverse direction to the line of travel of the mold over the lower tracks.

6. A brick making machine comprising upper level and lower level mold supporting tracks, a mold elevator adjacent one end of the tracks for lowering the molds. from upper to lower lever position, an elevator adjacent the opposite end of said tracks for raising the molds from the lower to upper level position, means for raising and lowering the elevators, means operative when the elevators are in upper level position for pushing the molds from one elevator along the upper tracks onto the second eleva tor, means operative when the elevators are in lower level position for pushing the molds from the said second elevator along the lower tracks back onto the other of said elevators, and means for slicking the brick in the molds and for washing the molds in transit over said tracks.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

ROY P. M. DAVIS.

Images