US1919639A - Tile machinery - Google Patents

Description

July 25, 1933. 'A. c. MYERS TILE MACHINERY Filed June 30, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

July 25, 1933.

A. c, MYERS TILE MACHINERY Filed June 50, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVEN TOR. M

A TTORNEY.

July 25, 1933.

Filed June 30, 1930 TILE MACHINERY 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 a I a I I2! u 70 w l5 8 I J a:

W INVENTOR.

Albert Elm. M m. WW4

A TTORNE Y.

A. cfMYERs TILE MACHINERY July 25, 1933.

Filed June 30, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 N VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Jul 25, 1935;

A. C, MYERS TILE MACHINERY Filed June -2' O, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 I INVENTOR. Albert Clay 1Ayers. BY; E I

ATTORNEY.

July 25, 1933. A. c. MYERS 1,919,639

TILE MACHINERY Filed June 50, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 I N VEN TOR.

Alberc Elm. M 21's. BY J J,

ATTORNEY.

" advancing mechanism.

Patented July 25, 1933 UNITED PATENT oFFIcs 4 ALBERT o AY MYERS, or nuns, GATJIFOBNIA, ASSIG'NOR o KnAn'rILn-oo., on nILEs, CALIFORNIA, A ooRPonArIo v or" DELAWARE V TILE MACHINERY Application filed June so. 1930. Serial in). 454,839."

This invention relates to improvements in tile machinery and the method of fabricatingtile.

Among the objects of the invention are I to simplify the method of producing tile,

and to lower the cost of production by culling out defective .tile beforethey reach the Another ob ect is to reduce the loss from.

breakage by subjecting the tile tothe mechanical operations before the firing period.

Another object is .to' produce a tile me- I chanically standardized as to thickness, lat

eral dimensions and edge bevel, before glazing and firing. 3

ing, and beveling machinery that willperform its accuracy and the minimum of breakage i losses. 1

Other "obj ects as the description progresses.

In this specification I and the annexed drawings, the inventionis disclosed in its '1 T preferred form. But it is to be understood that itis: not limited to this form] It is also to be understood that in and by thev claims following the description itis desiredto cover the invention in whatsoever form it may be embodied. In the six sheets of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view fromabove, .of-the general assembly of the gaging-edging and beveling machine, with the top guard plate 5' removedfrom the: gaging plate, from the line I- I upward, see Fig. 5. i

Fig. 2. is a slightly enlarged fragmentary detail'of the same, takenabove the said top guard plate, showing the tile discharging mechamsm from the gage wheel, indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the same.

hopper.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail in vertical section of the periphery of the gage plate mechanism. Y I V I .Fig. 6 is a side elevation detail of the tile A further-object is to provide gaging, edgfunctions on the unfiredtile with and advantages will appearv Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the tile feed- V carried on the trays or placed on drapers Fig. ;7 is a fragmentarydetail of tile engaging dogs ofthe advancing mechanism; Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the tile advancing and conveying mechanism and the. edging wheels, taken on the line VIII- VIII, Fig 1.

Fig. 9 is a perspective viewfrom above of a tilemanufactured-in accordance with 1 this invention.v i i Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail in elevation ofthe geartrain drivefor the gage plate." vFig. 11 is a similar View. of-the cam driving mechanisms "for advancing the tile onthe conveyors, f i

Fig. .12 is a. detail elevation view of a conventionaljcarding brush. v Fig. '18 is a details'ectionview of the ad justable yoke bearings .of the tile facing wheels.v F In the production of'tile in accordance with this invention, the properly blended and mixedclays are introduced-into an auger or pressure press. The plastic clay. issues from the press through a die, in the form ofa flat ribbon, onto, a stationary .oiled plate. This ribbon is severed by cutting wires passed transversely through it, cutting it into squares, or tile blanks. These still moist and plastic'blanks are pushed onto flat topped trays with cleats on the under sideof their ends, so'that free v circulation of air is providedfor when the trays are'stacked one above another. Any defective blanks are culled out by. an inspector before the blanksreach the trays. These trays are then conveyed to the ovens for baking. They'a re subjected to a cir culating atmosphere'at abou t 150 Fahrenheit, where they remain until they are hard and dry. i

. 0 From the drying ovens the baked tile are" conveyed to the trimming machine illustrated in the drawings. The tile maybe 95 for mechanical transportation." They should be again inspected and defectives eliminated before being trimmed in the machine, to

avoid processing any tile not structurally strong enough to withstand the operation.

These baked tile X are stacked vertically in the feed hopper as shown in Fig. 3.

The tile trimming machine comprises a main frame 1, preferably composed of architectural shapes andcastings properly de signed and rigidly constructedto hold the various mechanisms in proper relationship, see Fig. 1.

The. ,vertical shaft 2 is suitably journaled in the main frame, anddriven by the bevel gearing 3-4, see Fig. 10. The gear 4 is fixed on the shaft 5 which is, in turn, driven by the bevel pinion 6, enmeshed with the gear 7 fixed on the shaft 8 of the spur gear the driving than the 9. This gear engages the pinion 10 on the shaft 11 of the gear 12'. This gear engages pinion 13 o'nthe shaft 14 of a prime mover or line shaft. This train comprises a reduction ear for rotating the vertica'l shaft 2 at suitable speed, about R. P.

M., the whole being suitably journaledin the main frame.

The gage plate 15 is fixed on the shaft 2, see Figs. 2, 4, 5. This plate is preferably 0f hardened steel with a thickness equal to and determining the thickness of the tile.v This plate has the peripheral gaps 16 therein, whichare more than thewidth of the tile X, being fed thereto, see Fig. 4. As the 4 gaps 16 pass beneath the vertical stack of.

blanks, each gap slides one tile from beneath the stack and carries it forward between the top andbottom shroudplates 17, 18, see Each blank tile X is slightly thicker gage of the plate 15. Unfired or merely baked tile cannot withstand the impactof abrasive wheels or metallic cutting tools. They fracture or disintegrate, under the chattering operation of 40" every form of abrasive means available.

One of the salient features of this invention is the scratch brush surfaces of the trimming mechanisms. I have discovered that the resilientscratching operation of the conventional carding brushes as used in the textile industry are ideal for the trimming operation, see Figs. 2, 3, 8, 12.

These cards consist ofa stiff fabric backing 19, through which short hooks of spring steel wire protrude to form a pile of crimped brush-like wire ends. These wires are crimped or bent toward the direction of travel where possible, especially in the edging. operation, see Fig. 8.

In Fig. 2 the cards are cut into segments 2020 and fixed to the faces of the wheels 21-22, respectively, fixedon the vertical shafts 2526, driven at relatively high speeds, about 1000 R. P. M.

These shafts arepreferably belt driven in opposite directions, from the shaft 14, or an independent: source. The independent source is preferred because of the reverse directions of the shafts and their transverse axial relation to and increased speed ratio,

slmilarly mounted on the to the shaft- 14. The respective drive belts engage the pulleys such as 27 on each shaft 2526, see Figs. 1, 2, 3.

The upper and lower wheels 21-23, and. the corresponding wheel 22- and its mate arc main frame by ad justable means, see Fig. 3. Since their mounting and operation are the same, only one mounting will be described.

The shafts are 2929 in the yokes 30. These yokes are vertically adjustable in the guides 31 fixed to the main frame. The guides are dovetailed in the yokes to prevent displacement. The guide has a lug 33 extending through a slot in the yoke 30. The spindle 34 is swiveled in this lug and threaded in the lug 35 on the guide, so that the yoke may be raised and lowered by turning the handle 36 on the spindle and the desired adjustment locked by the bolt 32.

The wheel 22 and its mate are similar to the wheels 21-23 and are similarly mounted in adjustable yokes, adjustably fixed in guides fixed to the main frame. In this manner both sets ofwheels 21 and itsmate 23, and 22 and its mate, are vertically adjustable with respect to the opposite sides of the plate 15. I

The top wheels revolve in opposite directions to the nether wheels in each set and are similarly driven by belts engaging the pulleys such as39.

It is the function of these opposed carded wheels to scratch off and remove the excess thickness of baked tile extending laterally beyond the faces of the plate 15, see Fig. 3. The thickness of the hard plate 15 determines the thickness of the tile passing between the card wheels. The reverse rotation of these wheels described, counteracts the thrust of the wheels against the tile which is carried between the wheels by the rotation of the plate 15. The resilient scratching action of the card surfaces 20 has no tendencyto fracture the baked tile even though a considerable thickness of material is removed over. thefull top and bottom areas of the tile.

From the last wheels 2123 the tiles X are carried around by the plate 15 between the plates 1718 and the peripheral guard 4.0, which latter counteracts the centrifugal force of the plate 15 acting on the tiles X. This guard is fixed to the plates 17-18 by the 'bolts 41 at proper intervals.

After being gaged to thickness, the blanks X drop from the gaps 16 onto the conveyor rails 4242, between the vertical guards 4343, both of which are supported on the main frame. a

The conveyor truck 44, see Figs. 6-7, has the flanged rollers 4545 thereon supported on the tracks .46-46, mounted upon the main frame 1. These rollers support the journaled in bearings vent lateral-play:

weight of thetruck and the flanges pre- 48. These dogs are fulcrumed on the pivots 48 sothat they counterbalance and stop against'the pins 48 to hold thev heads .49

normally above'rthe level of the rails 42,

to engage. behind the tiles. X X X as they are moved forward by the cross head 47 as .they dropzfrom thegage plate. I

The. truck-44. is moved forwardgand back bythe link 50,-pivotedythereto'at 51, and at 52 to the lever 53, that-is in turn pivoted at 5.4 to the base'of the main frame. 55 on the lever has an antifriction roller engaging in the groove 56 on the cam wheel 57, see Fig. 6@ 1 This. cam is fixed-on the endof the shaft 58,;which is driven by the bevel pinion 59 fixed on the other endof the shaft-58, see Fig. 11. This pinion is enmeshed with the bevel gear 60-on the-transverse shaft 61, driven by thespur gear 62 fixed. thereon.- The driving pinion 63 is fixed on .the primary shaft 14 and drives the gear 62in synchronism with the plate 15, both derivingstheirimpulses from theshaft 14 with proper interposed gear ratios to cause the truck to move back and forth synchronously with the gaps 16 to remove the'tile asthey drop therefronm'w'lhe various intermediate shafts.58-6l are properly journa'led in the main framel.

The dogs 47 and 47 are tipped to the horizontal position in passing under the tiles X X see Fig. 7,. on the backward movement of the truck 44. 'As thecross head 47 engages behind the tileX for the forward movement, the pair of dogs 47 -engagebe-- hind the tile X and push it into the position- X An inspector should be stationed atthe truck 44 to removeany tiles which show defects.- From the position X, the tiles are pushedforward bythe dogs-47' off the ends of the rails 42 from whence they drop.

onto a similar set ofrails 64, seeFig; 1.

In passing from the position X to X the tile blank is pushed between the edging card wheels 6566, see Figs. 1-8. These.

Wheels have peripheral bands of carding 67-68 fixed thereon. The card material. is the same'as that described on the wheelsat 20 I These wheels are mounted on-their respec-: tive shafts 69-70 mounted in suitable bear ings on the adjustable.bed-plates 71' 72,

guided on the main frame and. laterally adjustable by the threaded spindles 27 3'7 4 engaging the main frame and swiveled in their respectivebed plates. Theseshafts have-the pulleys 7 5-7 6fixed thereonrespectively, anddriven by belts engaging an overhead line shaft, not shown, or they m ay be individually motored. These cardv wheels The stud.

polygonal shapes.

scratch' foff the edges67" and 68' of the tile blank. These wheels engage these edges at their diameters for. z..perpendicular'edges or Y Fig. .8. .'lhe'y"zformv theibeveliand also de-.

termine the .width of the baked tile. The opposite edges are-.similarly treated by a similar meansui-n connection with'the rails .64, seezF1g.,1.

The Shaft 61 has a cam 77, 1ike57, ear on: "the end thereof. The bevel gearing 5960"beingfofthe-same pitch diameters,, l

drive .theshafts58-6l at the same speed from the same source, the shaft'14. It is therefore possible by timing the cams 57- 67.

toy-synchronize theop'erationpf the levers as 53'78, and their coinbinative assemblies, to movethe trucks 4479 in unison. These trucks 44+? 9 are similar as to general constructionandfunction, exceptthat only the? cross: head is :required. This cross head 80.,engages the baked tile X and pushes it between the'card-wheels 81-82, which-com pletethe other width and beveling of the,

TThe wheels 81-82 are respectively mount;

ed-on the shafts 83.84,i suitably 'journaled on the adjustable bed plates 85-86 guided on the main frame and laterally adjustable by the threaded spindles 87-8 8 engaging the main frame and swiveled in theirrespe'ctive bed plates. The pulleys 89-90 are fixedfon the shafts 83.-84 and driven by belts to a .lineshaft or as-describedin connection withthe similar'wheels'67'68.-

After passing between thewheels 81-82. the tiles are advanced along the rails 64-:64 by each succeeding tile pushing. the preced-v ing one forward in solidformation, see Fig. 1. Here they shouldbeagain inspected and culled. Fromthe rails 64-,64 they are thus pushed onto a draper, not shown, still in solid formation, whereon they are sprayed 'with the liquid glazing materiah'preparatorv tofiring in they conventional manner.

If oblongtile are desired, either set of whels-67.-.68 .or}.8l.=82 may be'adjusted to meet the narrower .or wider tile shape. These edging wheels and the conveyor. and feed means such as 44and .79 and the conveyors 42 42 and64-64 may be duplicated and, arranged at proper angles to each other to edge octagonal, hexagonal andother By fabricating tile by the method'and machinery of this invention, a fully "standard- 7 izedproduct results. The tiles are of-. uniform thickness and dimensions, and squared or beveled on the edges if desired. i

Scratching the front, b. k and edge surfaces, as described, creates an ideal surface for-adhesion to the cement base in which the oring effect with an impervious face sur-' face and a pervious'back, with the necessary suction'for the plastic base. i

The beveled edges-greatly facilitatesetting of the tile, since they can be set edge-to-edge in contact, the bevels automatically forming the pointing spaces for the intervening grout. The scratched edgesalso have astrong suction aflinity for the grout, as previously explained. Such tiles will not dropout of Wall and ceiling installations. The practice'of this invention de parts from the practice of grinding and tooling ceramic or fired tile.

In the present invention all mechanical operations are performed on the baked tile beforeit is glazed, decorated or fired.

'Having thus described this invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat out is:

1. A tile machine including a pair of intel-spaced abrasive wheels; and a gage plate movable between said Wheels and having openings therethrough adapted to carry tile.

2. A tile machine including a pair of interspaced abrasive brushes; a gage plate movable between said brushes and having openings therethrou'gh adapted to carry tile.

3. A tile machine including a pair of interspaced shroud plates; a pair of interspaced abrasive brushes having their faces alined with said'shroud. plates; and means for passing tile between said plates and brushes. .7 v

4. A tile machine including a pair of in terspaced rotary abrasive brushes; a rotary gage wheel movable-between said brushes and having openings'therethrough adapted to carry tile; and means for feeding tile into :and out of 'said openings.

A tile machine including apairof interspaced shroud platesfa gage plate mov able between said plates and having openings th'erethrough adaptednto carry tile; abrasive meansbearing against the opposite sidesof said plate.

6. A tile machine including a pair of interspaced shroud plates; a gage plate movable betweensaid shroud plates and having tile carrying openings therethrough; resilient abrasive means bearing against the face of said gage plate; means for feeding tile into said openings; interspaced tile edge abrading means; and means for carrying'the tile between said edge abrading means from said openings.

7. A tile machine including a pair of interspaced shroud plates;"a rotary gage plate movable between said shroud plates the- Q gage and having tile carrying openings there gage plate apair of on opposite sides gage plate; means to feed tile into the openings in said gage plate; means to eject the tile from said openings after the tile have been passed between said scratch brushes; a conveyor to receive the tile when ejected from said gage plate; a pair of scratchbrushes mounted on each side of said conveyor and adapted to contact the edges of the tile when moved by the conveyor.

9. A tile machine including a resilient abrasive means to trim the top and bottom of a tile; means to move said tile through said abrasivemeans; a conveyor to receive the trimmed tile; resilient abrasive brushes mounted on each side of said conveyor and angularly disposed to the plane of the tile; means to move the tile along said conveyor between said brushes, thereby trimming the sides of said tile; a second conveyor disposed at rightangles to the first conveyor and adapted to receive the tile from the first conveyor; resilient abrasive brushes on each side of the second conveyor and angularly disposed to the plane of the tile; and means to pass the tile between said brushes, there by trimming the ends of the tile.

10. A tile machine including a pair of interspaced driven wheels mounted on par allel shafts, abrasive brushes on the'periphcries of said wheels, a conveyor adapted to feed tile between said brushes below the plane of the axis of said wheels to trim and bevel the ends of said tile.

11. A tile machine including a rotatable gage plate having openings therethrough; interspaced shroud plates on each side of said gage plate; means to feed tile into said openings in said gage plate; a pair of adjustably mounted resilient abrasive wheels bearing onsaid gage plate and the tile in the openings in said gage plate; and means to rotate said abrasive wheels in opposite directions.

12. A tile machine-including a rotatable plate having openings therethrough adapted to carry tile; interspaced shroud plates on each side of said gage plate; a peripheral guard fixed to said shroud, and adapted to arrest centrifugal movement of the tiles; and abrasive brushes adjacent said gage plate and adapted to trim the top and bottom of said tile. I I r 13. A tile machine including a conveyor,

onto said rails, a reciprocating truck between and beneath said rails, depressible dogs mounted on said truck and adapted to engage and intermittently advance said tile a pair of interspaced driven Wheels mounted on opposite sides of said conveyor;

abrasive brushes on the peripheries ofsaid Wheels; a second pair of conveyor rails arranged at right angles to the end of and adapted to receive tile from the first conveyor, a second truck between the second pair of conveyor rails and timed insynchronism wlth the first truck, tile 'engaglng means of said second truck, and a pair of interspaced driven Wheels having abrasive brushes on their peripheries mounted on oppositesides of said second pair of conveyor rails.

r I so" ALBERT CLAY MYERS.

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