US3375567A

US3375567A - Tile feeding apparatus for depositing tiles on tile boards

Info

Publication number: US3375567A
Application number: US506643A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wayne C Watson
Original assignee: American Olean Tile Co Inc
Current assignee: American Olean Tile Co Inc
Priority date: 1965-11-08
Filing date: 1965-11-08
Publication date: 1968-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 1985-04-02

Description

April 2, 1968 w. c. WATSON 3,375.567

TILE FEEDING APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING TILES ON TILE BOARDS Filed Nov. 8, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORZ BY WAYNE C. WATSON ATTYS Apnl 2, 1968 W. c. WATSON 3,375,567

TILE FEEDING APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING TILES ON TILE BOARDS Filed Nov. 8, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR2 BY WAYNE C. WATSON Z6 I WW ATTYS- April 2, 1968 w. C. WATSON 3,375,567

TILE FEEDING APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING TILES ON TILE' BOARDS Filed Nov. 6, 196

Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOFU WAYNE C. WATSON ATTYS.

April 2, 1968 w. c. WATSON TILE FEEDING APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITIN TILES ON TILE BOARDS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov.

INVENTORZ WAYNE C. WATSON ATTYS' 3,375,567 Patented Apr. 2., 1968 3,375,567 TILE FEEDING APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING TILES N TILE BOARDS Wayne C. Watson, Ambler, Pa., assignor to American Olean Tile Company, 1116., Lansd'ale, Pa., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 506,643 16 Claims. (Cl. 29-211) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a tile feeding apparatus for successively depositing rows of tiles in the transverse rows of pockets of partitioned tile boards, the tile feeding apparatus including means for moving a partitioned tile board along a predetermined path to successively advance the transverse rows of tile pockets into a tile-receiving position, an improved tile feed head assembly positioned above the traveling tile board for depositing rows of tiles in the tile pockets and conveyor means for continuously feeding parallel lines of tiles into the feed head. The tile feed head assembly comprises a plurality of downwardly arcuately curved tile feed channels providing sliding passage of parallel lines of tiles from the conveyor to a substantially vertical position, means for maintaining the tiles in abutting'edgetoedge relation in the feed channels, and tile ejecting means for successively ejecting rows of tiles from the tile delivery station and depositing the rows in successive transverse rows of pockets of the tile board. Movement of the tiles through the feed channels is effected both by movement of succeeding tiles on the conveyor means and by gravity force.

The present invention relates generally to apparatus for assembling ceramic tiles in sheet form and relates more particularly to a tile feed head for depositing tiles in the pockets of continuously moving partitioned boards or trays.

Ceramic tiles are customarily packaged in sheet form wherein a rectangular array of spaced tiles is held in position by a paper supporting sheet glued to the tile faces.

Such a tile sheet is applied to a wall or fioor by setting the tiles in cement, the supporting sheet providing the proper spacing and alignment of the individual tiles. The paper sheet is then soaked and removed, and the spaces between the tiles are filled with cement grouting.

During production of the tile, the paper sheets are most readily applied by arranging the tiles in the pockets of partitioned boards or trays, each of which may, for example, have twelve longitudinal rows and twenty-four transverse rows of pockets. In my United States Patent Number 3,172,525, issued Mar. 9, 1965, apparatus is shown wherein tile boards of this type are continuously advanced by suitable conveyors around a circuit which includes a tile filling station, a supporting sheet applying station, a dryer, a cooler, and a delivery station. A machine for filling continuously moving tile board is shown in United States Patent Number 3,177,568, issued Apr. 13, 1965, assigned with the present application to a common assignee. One section of the apparatus of the latter patent, termed a tile feed section, serves to transfer tiles from a tile orienting and aligning section into tile pockets on continuously moving tile boards. This tile feed section is characterized by an inclined ramp having channels formed thereon by vertical dividing strips along which tiles are advanced by upper and lower sets of rollers. The tiles are positively driven along the ramp by the rollers and dropped onto stacks at the end of the ramp, from which stacks the lowermost row of tiles are ejected into the pockets of the tile boards moving continuously therebeneath.

Although the above-described tile feed arrangement has operated effectively to fill tile boards, a number of shortcomings of the arrangement have become evident during such operation. The power feed of the tiles along the ramp has caused several problems, a primary one being the jamming of tiles in the channels. Sand and tile chips frequently become lodged in the channels or on the rollers causing not only tile jamming, but in some cases scratch.- ing of the tile faces. Frequent cleaning of the rollers and channels has thus been required, and the entire tile production line must be halted to permit this cleaning operation. It has moreover been extremely difiicult to free jammed rows of tiles from this feed section because of the complexity of the tile advancing and guiding structures.

A further disadvantage of this prior tile feed arrangement is the manner of the stacking of the tiles one atop the other and the sliding removal of the bottom row of tiles. The dropping of the tiles on stacks tends to mar the faces of the preceding tiles as does the sliding removal of the lowermost tile layer. In addition, should a tile stack become in some manner disoriented due to a chipped or faulty tile, a tile may be deposited on a tile board in a tilted or cocked position, and it is even possible that more than one tile might be fed into a single pocket.

The present invention provides a tile feed head which overcomes the several described disadvantages of the prior structure and it is a primary object of the invention to provide a tile feed head which utilizes the tile advancing force of a tile infeed conveyor in addition to gravity force to move the tiles through the tile feed channels into position for depositing in the tile boards, thereby eliminating powered roller drives and the tendency of such mechanisms to jam the tiles in the tile channels.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a tile feed head as described which maintains the tiles in abutting edge-to-edge relation so that the tile faces are not contacted by adjacent tiles.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a tile feed head as described, the tile feed channels of which may be readily opened for access to the tiles and for cleaning of the unit.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tile feed head as described which provides a positive, accurate feeding of tiles into the tile board pockets, thus eliminating the chance of tiles becoming tilted or cocked on the tile board.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing a tile feed head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial front elevational view of the tile feed head of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view taken along line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view partly in section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view partly in section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 3; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 are partial side elevational views partly in section showing the manner in which the tiles are ejected from the tile delivery station of the feed head into the pockets of the tile board.

Referring to the drawings, and specifically FIG. 1 thereof, a tile feed head 10 in accordance with the present 3 invention is positioned to receive tiles from a tile infeed conveyor 12 and to deliver the tiles into the pockets of partitioned tile boards 14 which are continuously advanced therebeneath upon the horizontal chain conveyor 16. The tiles are advanced from a flat horizontal disposition at the upper infeed end 18 of the feed head to a vertical, edge-wise disposition at the tile delivery station 20 thereof from which the tiles are discharged into the pockets of the tile boards 14 by a reciprocating ejecting mechanism 22. The tiles at all times during travel through the feed head are maintained in an abutting edge-to-edge relation to avoid contact of the tile faces with adjacent tiles. The tiles travel through downwardly arcuately curved feed channels with which the infeed conveyor is tangentially aligned, this arrangement permitting tile movement through the feed head to be effected by a combination of the pushing force of the succeeding tiles advanced by the infeed conveyor and the gravity'force acting on the tiles in the arcuate feed channels. A power driving of the tiles is unnecessary in this feed head structure, thus eliminating the primary cause of jamming of the tiles in the prior feed head units.

Considering the present apparatus in detail, a frame 24 includes spaced longitudinal angles 26 which support the horizontal table 30. Spaced parallel rails 32 extending longitudinally on the table support the roller chains 34 of the chain conveyor 16 on which the tile boards 14 are continuously advanced. The tile boards each include a wooden rectangular body portion 36 beneath which are secured spaced transverse battens 38 which rest on the 1 chains 34. Spaced longitudinal battens 39 extend between the transverse battens 38. The upper surface of the body portion of the board is covered by a metal sheet 40 in which are set a plurality of partitions 42 which form the tile pockets. A peripheral border strip 44 defines the edges of the tile pockets which adjoin the board edges. The boards are advanced on the chain conveyor by means of dogs 46 located at spaced intervals along the chains, the dogs engaging bolts 48 adjustably mounted on depending brackets 50 on the bottoms of the boards. The boards are maintained in proper alignment on the conveyor by the spaced parallel angle guides 52 secured to the table 30.

The tile feed head 10 is supported over the board conveyor by a support arrangement which includes angles 54 extending outwardly from the angles 26 at each side of the apparatus and on which are mounted the supporting blocks 56. Forward and

rear support arms

58 and 60 extend upwardly from each of the supporting blocks 56, the forward support arms being secured to the horizontal plate 61 bolted to the top of the supporting blocks while the rear support arms are bolted in slots 62 in the supporting blocks. The rear support arms 60 terminate upwardly in inwardly directed shoulder plates 63 between which is secured the transverse slide plate support member 64. The forward support arms 58 are similarly provided with angularly disposed

shoulder plates

66 and 68 to which the transverse slide

plate support members

70 and 72 are respectively attached.

A slide plate 74 extending transversely above the board conveyor is of a downwardly arcuately curved configuration having a short substantially horizontal run 75 immediately above the support member 64. The slide plate is supported by the support plate 64 as well as the

support members

70 and 72, the latter support members including spacing elements 76 to accommodate the arcuate curve of the plate. Secured to the upper surface of the slide plate are a plurality of parallel longitudinally alinged Wear strips 77 between which are secured the thin vertical tile divider strips 78. The wear strips and divider strips on the slide plate form a plurality of downwardly arcuately curved tile feed channels which are adapted to provide sliding passage of parallel lines of tiles from a substantially horizontal disposition adjacent the infeed conveyor 12 to a vertical, edgewise disposition at the tile delivery 4 station 20. As shown in FIG. 4, the feed channels in the horizontal run 75 are not parallel for reasons set forth below.

The infeed conveyor 12 includes an endless conveyor belt 80 supported by the longitudinally extending belt support plate 82. The conveyor belt passes around conveyor belt rolls 84 at opposite ends of the support plate 82, the rolls being mounted on shafts 86 journalled in bearings 88. Drive means (not shown) are provided for selectively setting the speed of the conveyor belt 80. Tiles are advanced by the infeed conveyor in parallel lines which are maintained by the metal divider strips 90 positioned in parallel alignmentabove the conveyor beltby the transverse frame elementQZySpring fingers 94 extending from the frame element 92 over the edge of the adjoining feed head slide plate wear strips insure a smooth transition of the flow of lines of tiles from the infeed conveyor to the feed head. The infeed conveyor is tangentially aligned with the arcuately curved portion of the feed head tile channels to promote a smooth flowing movement of the tiles through the channels. The slide plate 74 and wear strips 77 are beveled asshown adjacent the discharge end of the conveyor belt 80 to provide a substantially uninterrupted support surface for the tiles.

In order to retain the lines of tiles in the feed head tile feed channels, guide elements 96 parallel to and spaced from the wear strips are provided. The guide elements are centered over the divider strips 78 and, in order to permit a ready removal thereof for access to the tile channels, are divided into two groups, the upper guide elements 98 and the lower arcuate guide elements 100. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the upper guide elements are adjustably bolted to overlying transverse guide element support bars 102 and 104 which are mounted at one end thereof to the hinge element 106 hingedly connected at 108 to the hinge plate 110 on the transverse support member 64. The opposite ends of the

bars

102 and 104 are attached to the angle 112 adapted to seat on the support member 64, being selectively secured thereto by the latch assembly 114. For access to the tile channels, the latch assembly 114 is released permitting the upwardly pivotal movement of the guide elements as shown in the broken line illustration at 116.

As shown in FIG. 4, the tile feed channels along. the horizontal run 75 of the feed head are not truly parallel but fan outwardly to accommodate the wider spacing of the tile channels of the infeed conveyor 12. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the ends 118 of the guide elements 98 adja-. cent the infeed conveyor are upwardly inclined to clear the beveled ends of the conveyor divider elements 90 and i to provide in conjunction with the spring arms 94 an orderly How of tiles into the feed head.

The arcuately curved guide elements 100 are mounted I on the transverse guide element support bars 120 and 122, the ends of which are secured to the

angles

124 and 126 which seat respectively on the

support members

70 and 72 at each side of the unit. The angles, and hence the

bars

120 and 122, are removably secured to the support members by the stud and

thumb screw arrangements

128 and 130 which coact with slots 131 of the angles. U-pon loosening of the thumb screws, the guide elements 100 may be completely removed from the machine;

Extending horizontally beneath and spaced from the discharge end of the tile feed channels is the tile stop plate 132 which is supported just above the conveyed.

tile boards in a manner described in detail herebelow. As shown most clearly in FIG. 9, individual tiles 133 on passing from the discharge end of the feed channels reach. the tile delivery station 20 at which point the tiles are in a vertical edge-wise disposition with the lower edge of each tile resting on the stop plate 132 while the upper edge has not yet cleared the lower end of the feed channel wear strip. The tile divider strips extend forwardlyat their lower ends in wing portions 134 aligned by the; transverse rod 136, the wing portions assuring the con tinned alignment of the tile elements as they are discharged into the tile board pockets.

In order to maintain the tiles in the tile delivery station until they are positively ejected into the tile boards, spring fingers 138 are positioned to bear against the face of the tiles to resiliently support the tiles on the stop plate. The spring fingers 138 are mounted on a tile support bracket assembly 140 which includes a transverse spring finger support plate 142 to which the spring fingers are bolted. The tension of the individual spring fingers may be controlled by the adjusting screws 144 on the plate 142. The plate 142 is secured at each end thereof to a vertical support arm 146 pivotally attached at 148 to a base plate 150 on the plates 61. During operation of the feed head, the tile support bracket assembly 140 is held in the vertical operative position by the latches 152 pivotally mounted on the posts 154 and coacting with the pins 156 of the support arms 146. To permit removal of the guide elements 100 and for cleaning the lower portions of the feed channels, the tile support bracket assembly is pivoted outwardly to the position shown at 158 i of FIG. 3. Inclined adjustable stop arms 160 extending from the base plates 150 support the tile support bracket assembly in the open position.

The tile ejecting mechanism 22 includes a plurality of spaced parallel tile ejecting fingers 162, said fingers having beveled tips 164 for contacting and inclining the tiles 133 upon movement of the ejecting fingers into the tile delivery station as shown in FIG. 10. The ejecting fingers extend from a transverse plate 166 which is pivotally connected at 168 to the arms 170 of a reciprocating drive mechanism. The drive mechanism includes a rotatable shaft 172 having an eccentric cam 174 attached'thereto and an eccentric strap 176 secured to the arms 170. As shown in FIG. 6, the shaft 172 is journalled in pillow blocks 178 mounted on the support blocks 56 at each side of the machine. Rotation of the shaft 172 by an appropriate drive means (not shown) will in a well known manner provide a reciprocating movement of the ejecting fingers 162.

The ejecting fingers are held in a substantially horizontal plane by guide fingers 180' secured to the plate 166 at each side of the mechanism. The guide fingers 180 are supported on rollers 182 mounted on a transverse support plate 184 extending across the full width of the machine. Guide rollers 186 journalled on shafts 188 located above the guide fingers 180 insure the proper horizontal reciprocating movement of the ejecting fingers. The stop plate 132 which supports the tiles in the tile delivery station is bolted beneath and extends forwardly from the support plate 184. g

For operation of the feed head, the empty tile boards are advanced on the chain conveyor at a continuous rate beneath the tile delivery station 20. The infeed conveyor is supplied in a known manner with lines of tiles which are fed into the feed channels of the feed head. The lines of tiles are moved through the feed channels by a combination of gravity force acting on tiles in the arcuately curved portion of the head and by the movement of succeeding tiles on the infeed conveyor. The infeed conveyor should be driven at a speed sufficient to establish a con veyor tile advance rate slightly in excess of the tile deposit rate of the feed head thereby maintaining the tile feed channels filled with tiles in abutting edge-to-edge relation whiel causing a slight slippage of the conveyor with respect to the lines of tiles. The tile guide elements and divider strips prevent escape or misalignment of the tiles in the feed channels.

The tiles upon reaching the tile delivery station 20 are ejected therefrom in rows by the ejecting fingers 164 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the rows of tiles being positively and accurately dislodged from their resiliently held position on the stop plate into the tile pockets of the tile boards. The drive means controlling the ejecting fingers 164 is coordinated with the speed and position of the moving tile boards, for example, in the manner shown in the aforementioned United States Patent Number 3,177,568, to insure that rows of tiles will only be ejected when a tile board is present in the proper position beneath the tile delivery station. Automatic means for halting the machine and sounding an alarm in the event all of the feed channels are not filled with tiles may also be provided similar to that described in the above patent.

Changes in details of construction may, of course, be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in and limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a tile feeding apparatus for successively depositing rows of tiles in the transverse rows of pockets of partitioned tile boards, and including means for moving a partitioned tile board in continuous, substantially horizontal travel to successively advance the transverse rows of tile pockets thereof into a tile-receiving position, a tile feed head positioned above said traveling tile board adapted for depositing rows of tiles in the transverse rows of tile pockets as said pockets are advanced to the tile-receiving position, and conveyor means for continuously feeding parallel lines of tiles into the feed head; an improved tile feed head comprising means defining a plurality of downwardly arcuately curved tile feed channels adapted to provide sliding passage of parallellines of tiles from a position adjacent said conveyor means to a substantially vertical disposition at the tile delivery station thereof, said conveyor means being tangentially aligned with said arcuate feed channels, means for maintaining said tiles in abutting edge-to-edge relation in said feed channels and in substantially vertical disposition adjacent the tile delivery station, and tile'ejecting means for successively ejecting rows of tiles from the tile delivery station of said feed head and depositing said rows in the successive transverse rows of pockets of said tile board, the movement of tiles through the feed channels of said feedhead being effected both by the movement of succeeding tiles on said conveyor means and by gravity force.

2. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tile feed channels include guide elements parallel to and spaced from the channel slide surfaces to retain the tiles in said channels.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for maintaining said tiles in abutting edge-to-edge relation in said feed channels comprises feed control means for said conveyor means adapted to permit a tile advance rate of said conveyor means in excess of the tile deposit rate of said feed head and a resultant slippage of said conveyor means with respect to said parallel lines of tiles.

4. The invention as claim in claim 1, said feed head including a tile delivery station comprising a stop plate extending beneath and spaced from the discharge end of said feed channels, and spring means for resiliently supporting the tiles in a vertical position on said stop plate, said tile ejecting means being adapted to eject said tiles from said spring means into the pockets of said tile boards.

5. The invention as claimed in claim 4 wherein said tile ejecting means comprises a plurality of connected ejecting fingers adapted for movement between the discharge end of-said feed channels and said stop plate, and means for actuating said fingers in a reciprocating manner coordinated with the speed and position of said tile board to eject successive rows of tiles from the tile delivery station into the tile board pockets.

6. The invention as claimed in claim 4 including means permitting removal of said feed channel guide elements and said delivery station spring means to provide access to said feed channels.

7. In a tile feeding apparatus for successively depositing rows of tiles in the transverse rows of pockets of partitioned tile boards, and including means for moving a partitioned tile board in continuous, substantially horizontal travel to successively advance the transverse rows of tile pockets thereof into a tile-receiving position, a tile feed head positioned above said traveling tile board adapted for depositing rows of tiles in the transverse rows of tile pockets as said pockets are advanced to the tilereceiving position, and substantially horizontal conveyor means for continuously feeding parallel lines of tiles into the feed head; an improved tile feed head comprising a downwardly arcuately curved tile slide plate extending from adjacent said conveyor means to a tile delivery station proximate said traveling tile board, a plurality of parallel tile dividers on said slide plate, said tile dividers forming a plurality of tile feed channels on said plate adapted to provide sliding passage of parallel lines of tiles from a substantially horizontal disposition adjacent said conveyor means to a substantially vertical disposition at said tile delivery station, said conveyor means being tangentially aligned with said arcuate tile slide plate, means for maintaining said tiles in abutting edge-to-edge relation in said feed channels and in substantially vertical disposition adjacent the tile delivery station, and tile ejecting means for successively ejecting rows of tiles from the tile delivery station and depositing said rows in the successive transverse rows of pockets of said tile board, the movement of tiles through the feed channels of said feed head being effected both by the movement of succeeding tiles on said conveyor means and by gravity force.

8. The invention as claimed in claim 7 wherein said tile feed channels include guide elements parallel to and spaced from said tile slide plate to retain the tiles in said channels.

9. The invention as claimed in claim 8 wherein said means for maintaining said tiles in abutting edge-to-edge relation in said feed channels comprises feed control means for said conveyor means adapted to permit a tile advance rate of said conveyor means in excess of the tile deposit rate of said feed head and a resultant slippage of said conveyor means with respect to said parallel lines of tiles.

10. The invention as claimed in claim 7, said feed head tile delivery station comprising a stop plate extending beneath and spaced from the discharge end of said slide plate, and a tile support assembly including a plurality of spring elements arranged to resiliently support the tiles in a vertical position on said stop plate.

11. The invention as claimed in claim 10, wherein said guide element and said tile support assembly are pivotally mounted so as to swing away from said slide plate to provide access to said tile feed channels.

12. The invention as claimed in claim 10, said tile ejecting means comprising a plurality of ejecting fingers adapted for movement between said slide plate and said stop plate, said fingers having beveled tips for contacting and inclining said tiles upon ejecting thereof from said delivery station, and means for actuating said fingers in a reciprocating manner coordinated with the speed and position of said tile board to eject successive rows of tiles from the tile delivery station into the tile board pockets.

13. In a tile feeding apparatus for successively depositing rows of tiles in the transverse rows of pockets of partitioned tile boards, and including means for moving a partitioned tile board in continuous, substantially horizontal travel to successively advance the transverse rows of tile pockets thereof into a tile-receiving position, a tile feed head positioned above said traveling tile board adapted for depositing rows of tiles in the transverse rows of tile pockets as said pockets are advanced to the tilereceiving position, and conveyor means for continuously feeding parallel lines of tiles into the feed heads; an improved tile feed head comprising means defining a plurality of downwardly arcuately curved tile feed channels adapted to provide sliding passage of parallel lines of tiles from a position adjacent said conveyor means to a 8 substantially vertical disposition at the tile delivery station thereof, said conveyor means being tangentially aligned with said arcuate feed channels, means for maini taining said tiles in abutting edge-to-edge relation in said feed channels, and tile ejecting means for successively ejecting rows of tiles from the tile delivery station of said feed head and depositing said rows in the successive transverse rows of pockets of said tile board, the movement of tiles through the feed channels of said feed head being effected both by the movement of succeeding tiles on said conveyor means and by gravity force, said tile ejecting means comprising a plurality of ejecting fingers having beveled tips for contacting and inclining said tiles upon ejecting thereof from said delivery station, and means for actuating said fingers in a reciprocating manner coordinated with the speed and position of said tile board to eject successive rows of tiles from the tile delivery station into the tile board pockets.

14. In a tile feeding apparatus for successively depositing rows of tiles in the transverse rows of pockets of partitioned tile boards, and including means for moving a partitioned tile board in continuous, substantially horizontal travel to successively advance the transverse rows of tile pocket-s thereof into a tile-receiving position, a tile feed head positioned above said traveling tile board adapted for depositing rows of tiles in the transverse rows of tile pockets as said pockets are advanced to the tilereceiving position, and substantially horizontal conveyor means for continuously feeding parallel lines of tiles into the feed head; improved tile feed head comprising a downwardly arcuately curved tile slide plate extending from adjacent said conveyor means to a tile delivery station proximate said traveling tile board, a plurality of parallel tile dividers on said slide plate, said tile dividers forming a plurality of tile feed channels on said plate adapted to provide sliding passage of parallel lines of tiles from a substantially horizontal disposition adjacent said conveyor means to a substantially vertical disposition at said tile delivery station, said conveyor means being tangentially aligned with said arcuate tile slide plate, means for maintaining saidtiles in abutting cdge-to-edge relation in said feed channels, and tile ejecting means for successively ejecting rows of tiles from the tile delivery station and depositing said rows in the successive transverse rows of pockets of said tile board, the movement of tiles through the feed channels of said feed head being effected both by the movement of succeeding tiles on said conveyor means and by gravity force, said tile ejecting means comprising a plurality of ejecting fingers adapted for movement relative to said slide plate, said fingers having beveled tips for contacting and inclining said tiles upon ejecting thereof from said delivery station, and means for actuating said fingers in a reciprocating manner coordinated with the speed and position of said tile board to eject successive rows of tiles from the tile delivery station into the tile board pockets.

15. In a tile feeding apparatusfor successively depositing rows of tiles in the transverse rows of pockets of partitioned tile boards, and including means for moving a partitioned tile board in continuous, substantially horizontal travel to successively advance the transverse rows of tile pockets thereof into a tile-receiving position, a tile feed head positioned above said traveling tile board adapted for depositing rows of tiles in the transverse rows of tile pockets as said pockets are advanced to the tilereceiving position, and conveyor means for continuously feeding parallel lines of tiles into the feed head; an improved tile feed head comprising a tile slide plate extending from adjacent said conveyor means to a tile delivery station including a stop plate extending beneath and spaced from the discharge end of said slide plate, means for maintaining said tiles in abutting edge-to-eclge relation on said slide plate, and tile ejecting means for successively ejecting rows of tiles from the tile delivery station of said feed head and depositing said rows in the succesive transverse rows of pockets of said tile board, the movement of tiles being effected both by the movement of succeeding tiles on said conveyor means and by gravity force, said tile ejecting means comprising a plurality of ejecting fingers adapted for movement between said slide plate and said stop plate, said fingers having beveled tips for contacting and inclining said tiles upon ejecting thereof from said delivery station, and means for actuating said fingers in a reciprocating manner coordinated with the speed and position of said tile board to eject successive rows of tiles from the tile delivery station into the tile board pockets.

16. In a tile feeding apparatus for successively depositing rows of tiles in the transverse rows of pockets of partitioned tile boards, and including means for moving a partitioned tile board in continuous, substantially horizontal travel to successively advance the transverse rows of tile pockets thereof into a tile-receiving position, a tile feed head positioned above said traveling tile board adapted for depositing rows of tiles in the transverse rows of tile pockets as said pockets are advanced to the tilereceiving position, and conveyor means for continuously feeding parallel lines of tiles into the feed head; an improved tile feed head comprising means for delivering 10 said tiles in abutting edge-to-edge relation to a tile delivery station proximate said traveling tile board, tile ejecting means for 'sucessively ejecting rows of tiles from the tile delivery station of said feed head and depositing said rows in the successive transverse rows of pockets of said tile board, the movement of tiles being effected both by the movement of succeeding tiles on said conveyor means and by gravity force, said tile ejecting means comprising a plurality of ejecting fingers having beveled tips for contacting and inclining said tiles upon ejecting thereof from said delivery station, and means for actuating said fingers in a reciprocating manner coordinated With the speed and position of said tile board to eject successive rows of tiles from the tile delivery station into the tile board pockets.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,315,166 9/1919 Semashko 29211 3,162,937 12/ 1964 Schweiker 29-211 3,177,568 4/ 1965 Schweiker 292 11 3,302,278 2/1967 Whitney 29200 THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner.