US3539007A

US3539007A - Tile blending apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3539007A
Application number: US818881A
Authority: US
Inventors: Malcolm A Schweiker; Wayne C Watson
Original assignee: American Olean Tile Co Inc
Current assignee: American Olean Tile Co Inc
Priority date: 1966-06-23
Filing date: 1969-04-24
Publication date: 1970-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 1987-11-10
Also published as: US3495569A

Description

United States Patent l98/lnq; 259/5, 6. Inq; 209/75, 83, 85, 98, 99

[72] Inventors Malcolm A. Schwelker [56] References Cited Worcesterand UNITED STATES PATENTS A I N gg gg Pemylvan' 450,482 4/1891 Coxe 209/99 fg April 24 1969 2,615,567 10/1952 Campbell -209/85X 7 Division ofser. N0- 559943 June 23, 1966, 3,172,588 3/1965 Bertold et a]. 209/85X now Pat, N 3,495,569 Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles [45] Patented Nov. 10, 1970 Anomeyl-lowson and l-lowson [7 3] Assignee American Olean Tile Company, Inc.

Lansdale, Pennsylvania a corporation of New York ABSTRACT: Apparatus for blending ceramic mosaic tile ele- [54] if i g ments into a random assortment including a rotatable mixing 7 5 a table on which the tile elements are blended by blending pad- [52] US. Cl. 209/75, dles, brushes and the rotation of the table Tile elements are 209/83.209/99 ;259/6 removed from the table by rotation of a helical sweep-off [51] Int. Cl. 1. B07b 13/04 brush and pass onto an oscillating separator which advances [50] Field of Search 2l4/lnq; single tile elements to a conveyor while separating foreign matter and double-tiles therefrom Patentd Nov. 10, 1970 3,539,007

Sheet 1 01'5 INVENTORSZ MALCOLM A. SCHWEIKER WAYNE C. WATSON ATTYS.

Pat nt d Nbv.1 O,' 197O 3,539,007

Sheet 2 0:5

INVENTORS MALCOLM A. SCHWEIKER WAYNE c. WATSON ATTYS.

Patnted Nov. 10, 1970 3,539,007

p Sheet. '3 of s INVENTORSI MALCOLM A. SCHWEIKER WAYNE C. WATSON ATTYS.

Patght edfNov. 10, 1970 I Sheet 1 of 5 INVENTORS. A. S CHWEIKER WAYNE C- WATSON MALCOLM ATTYS.

, TILE BLENDING APPARATUS v The present'application is afdivisional application of our copending application Ser. No. 559,943, filed June 23, I966, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,495,569.

The present invention relates to apparatus for blending ceramic mosaic tile elements into a random assortment and includes a separator for screening out foreign matter and double-tiles. The invention has particular application to unglazed ceramic mosaic tile elements which are mostly commonly made in the 1 inch square size for flooring and similar uses.

7 The tile elements are conventionally formed into randomly arranged sheetlike tile assemblies which may for example be of the type-secured by an elastomeric bonding material or of the older paper-backed type.

Inorder to achieve a random grouping of the assembled tile elements, the present-invention provides a novel apparatus for effecting a blending of batches of tile elements prior to the placement of the elements in.the assembly board. Since tile elements of this size arenormally fired while on edge in a bed I of sand, grains of sand commonly adhere to the tile edges and tile elements occasionally become stuck together face to face.

The present invention includes novel means for separating double-tiles and for screening out foreign matter such as sand particles, tile chips and the like.

The invention in summary includes a rotatable blending table upon which a batch of tile elements is placed. A group of blending paddles and helical brushes in conjunction with the rotation of the table provide a-blending of the tile elements. A sweep-off brush is employed following the blending action to remove the tiles from the table in a random manner and deliver them onto an oscillating separator. Suitable screens are providedonfthe scparator'to sift out dust, sand and foreign matter and to divide out the double-tiles. The novel oscillating movement of the separator serves to advance the tiles across. the se'paratorscreen and also to jar loose dust, dirt and other foreign matter which might be carried by or between the tile elements.

It is accordingly a first object of the present invention to provide a tile blending apparatus adapted to blend a batch of ceramic tile elements intoa random assortment.

A further object of the invention is toprovide a blending apparatus asdescribed which includes aseparator for removing foreign matter from the tile elements and for dividing out double-tiles.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparentfrom the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof when taken together withthe accompanying drawings in which: v

FIGS. 1a and 1b are a divided side elevational view of a tile blending and separating apparatus in accordance with the present invention; V

FIG. 2 is a plan'view takenalong line2-2 of FIG. la;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view similar to FIG.'2' showing the operation of the tile blending unit;

FIG. 4 is-anelevational view partly in section taken along line 4-4 ofFlGi2;

FIG. 5 is a view'partly in sectiontaken alongline 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view partly in sectiontak'en along line 66 of 60 FIG; 5;

FIG. 7 is aview partly in'sectiontaken along line 7-7 of FIG. 2 showing details of the tile sweep-off brush assembly;

FIG. 8 is a view partly in section'taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 2 showing the separator unit;

FIG 9 is a partial plan viewtakenalong line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a view taken along line 10-l0of FIG. 8;

FIG. '10ais a sectional view taken along line l0a-l0a of FIG. 10;

FIG. 11 is a view taken along line 11-11 ofFIG. 8;-

FIG. 12 is a view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 8';

FIG. l3yis a partial sectional view taken along line l3-l3 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 14'is a sectional viewctaken along line 14-14 of FIG. 8 showing the separation of the double-tiles from the single tiles.

' reference to FIGS. 1-7, the tile blending means associated The apparatus of the present invention is adapted 'to receive a batch of ceramic tile elements of various colors or shades and to blend the tile elements into a random assortment. The

tiles are screened by the apparatus to remove dust and foreign matter and any "double-tiles are removed by passage of the tiles through narrowly spaced rods. The present apparatus is particularly adapted for 'use with automatic tile processing equipment and is accordingly shown in conjunction with the tile treating apparatus disclosed in our copending application Ser. No. 559,943 referred to above, although it should be understood that this showing is only an illustration of and not a limitation on the possible applications of the invention. The tile treating apparatus serves to present the edges of each tile element to a grinding wheel to remove the residual grains therefrom, following which the edges are presented to a primer applicator roll to' apply a primer coating to the tile edges. The tiles are subsequently passed through a drying region to dry the primer and are then distributed in a random assortment onto a conveyor leading to a tile tray filling station.

-To provide an initial understanding of the embodiment of the invention illustrated, a brief description of the primary features thereof will be presented. Referring to the drawings, and

' particularly FIGS. la, 1b, 2 and 3 thereof, the ceramic tile elemerits T are introduced into the tile treating apparatus on the belt type tile infeed conveyor 42, the tiles dropping therefrom onto a circular tile blendingtable 44 upon which they are blended into a random assortment by a group of blending paddles, brushes, and the rotationof the table. The tiles are then transferred from the table by the tile sweep-off brush 45 onto the oscillating separator unit 46 whereon dirt and foreign matter as well as double-tiles are separated from the single tiles which are advanced by the oscillating motion of the separator onto the tile guide conveyor 47. Each tile element is removed from the conveyor 47 by a chain-advanced tile clamp assembly and the edges of each tile are successively presented to sanding or grinding wheel assembly 51 to remove the sand grains therefrom. The tiles are further advanced by the tile clamp assemblies through a primer application station 52 and under dryers 53 located therebeneath. The treated tiles are then released into the tile distributor assemblies 54 which distribute the tile in a random assortment onto the outfeed conveyor 55 for'delivery to a tile assembly station (not shown).

With the above general description of the apparatus in mind, the embodiment will now be considered in detail. With with the horizontal tile blending table 44 includes means for rotating the blending-table. As shown in FIG. 4, the table is supported by a plurality of spaced rollers 56 mounted on a suitable supporting frame 57. A central vertical shaft 58 secured at its upper end to the table 44 is journaled by a hearing unit 59 mounted on the frame 57 and at its lower end by a bearing unit 60 mounted on the lower frame 61. The shaft 58 and table 44 are driven-slowly in rotation through a large sprocket 62 on the shaft 58 by chain drives connecting the motor 63, speed reducer 64 and the sprocket 62.

The tile elements advanced by the conveyor 42, upon reaching-the edge 65 of the conveyor, drop onto the table 44 which is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as indicated in FIG. 3. The tiles are retained on the table surface by the peripheral tile guide 66 attached to the frame 57. During rotation of the table, tiles are subjected to the stirring action of the three blending

paddles

67, 68 and 69, each of which as indicated inFIGS. 2 and3, is rotated in a counterclockwise direction. The blending paddles are preferably made of rubber or other resilient material and are continuously rotated in a plane parallel to the table surface by the motor 70 acting through gear reducer 71 and driving the transverse shaft 72 by means of the drive chain and sprocket assembly 73. Suitable transmission units 74 and 75 connected with the shaft 72 drive the respective

vertical shafts

76 and 77 to the lower end of whichthe

paddles

69 and 67 are attached. A transmission 78 spaced from the shaft 72 and driven thereby through the drive chain and sprocket assembly 80 rotates the vertical shaft 81 carrying the blending paddle 68. All three of the blending paddlcs are thus driven continuously by the motor 70 in a counterclockwise direction.

A tile spreading brush 82 comprising helically arranged brush elements 83 on a horizontal shaft 84 is journaled in pillow blocks 85 depending from the frame member 86 to position the brush parallel to the table with the brush elements contacting the table surface as shown in FIG. 5. The spreading brush is disposed diagonally across the table to feed the tile into the paddles and the tile sweep-off brush 45 as illustrated in FIG. 3. A motor 87 and speed reducer 88 mounted on the frame member 86 effect rotation of the brush by means of the chain and sprocket assembly 90.

The sweep-off brush 45, which is similar to the spreading brush 82 although larger in size, includes the helically disposed brush elements 91 secured to the shaft 92 which is journaled by pillow blocks 93 on the brush carriage 94. The sweep-off brush is driven in rotation by a motor 95 mounted on the carriage 94 acting through speed reducer 96 and chain drive 97. The carriage 94 includes the rollers 98 which engage the V-type guide rails 100 on the frame 101 as shown in FIG. 7 to permit horizontal travel of the carriage. As illustrated, the sweep-off brush is radially aligned in parallel contiguous relation with the circular blending table 44 and is of a slightly greater length than the table radius.

As shown in FIG. 2, the guide rails 100 and the supporting frame 101 extend radially outwardly from the blending table across the separator unit 46. Drive means are provided to effect a continuous reciprocation of the sweep-off brush back and forth along the guide rails, the reciprocating and rotating movement of the brush serving to blend the tiles into a random assortment in the inward stroke and to advance the tiles onto the separator unit during the outward stroke in the manner schematically illustrated in FIG. 3. The drive means for effecting the brush reciprocation includes a drive chain 102 disposed between and parallel to the guide rails 100 and connected to the brush carriage 94. The chain 102 at one end passes around idler sprocket 103 on shaft 104 extending between the support plates 105 on the frame 101 and at its opposite end passes over the drive sprocket 106 keyed to drive shaft 107. The drive shaft 107 extends beyond the edge ofthe blending table 44 and is connected at its outer end by a chain and sprocket assembly 108 to the clutch unit 110 located below the table as shown in FIG. 1a. The clutch unit 110, which is driven by the motor 111 shown in FIG. 2, includes direction reversing means actuated by appropriate limit switches (not shown) in a known manner to reverse the direction of drive of the drive chain 102 when the sweep-off brush carriage 94 reaches its end points of travel. The chain 102 is pinned at 112 to the bracket 113 of the brush carriage to provide a reciprocating drive of the carriage along the guide rails 100.

A batch of tiles in introduced onto the blending table 44 from the conveyor 42 when the sweep-off brush 45 is located at its outermost position 114 shown in broken lines in FIG. 2. As the blending table rotates in a counterclockwise direction, the tiles are intermixed by the blending paddles 67, 68 and 69 and by the action of the spreading brush 82 while the sweepoff brush 45 is slowly advanced from the outermost position 114 toward the center of the table. The inwardly advancing sweep-off brush is at the same time rotating in a clockwise direction as sectionally viewed in FIG. 7 to provide a further shuffling of the tiles. The brush is preferably advanced at a relatively slow rate on the order of one-half inch per revolution of the blending table. When the sweep-off brush reaches its innermost position shown in FIG. 2, a limit switch is triggered which reverses the clutch unit 110 thus starting the brush in the reverse direction to provide a feeding of the tiles onto the separator unit as shown in FIG. 3. The movement of the brush in this reversed direction can be somewhat faster than its inward travel rate.

The separator unit 46 includes a rigid base frame 115 above which the tile separator assembly 116 is supported by the flexible support units 117 for oscillatory movement. The support units comprise plastic straps 118 bolted to the

angles

120 and 121 welded respectively to the frame 122 of the separator assembly and the base frame 115. The

angles

120 and 121 are so oriented as to provide an angular disposition of the plastic straps 118 for a purpose which will shortly become evident. The separator assembly 116 is oscillated by an oscillating drive means comprising a motor 123 driving a shaft 124 through the drive belt 125 and sheave 126 keyed to the shaft, the shaft being journaled by pillow blocks 127 adjustably mounted on a support 128 on the base frame 115. Eccentric cams 130 keyed to the shaft 124 coact with the eccentric straps 131 which are pivotally connected by means of crank arms 132 to the downwardly depending angles 133 of the separator frame 122. This drive arrangement provides an oscillation of the entire separator assembly 116 supported on the plastic straps 118, the plastic having sufficient flexibility and resilience to permit the desired oscillations of the assembly while providing sufficient support thereto. Because of the angular disposition of the plastic support straps 118, the oscillation of the assembly by the drive means is primarily along a plane normal to the plane of the straps thereby providing a movement of the tiles in the desired direction of travel along the separator'unit.

The separator assembly 116 includes a sloping floor 134 attached to the frame 122 which slopes downwardly to an opening 135 located above a collecting bin 136 on the base frame 115. Supported abovethe floor 134 by suitable framing elements at the left hand end of the separator assembly 116 as viewed in FIG. 8 is a perforated rubber covered plate 137 shown most clearly in the enlarged view of FIG. 13. The tiles advanced from the blending table 44 by the sweep-off brush 45 fall from the table onto the rubber covered plate 137, the rubber covering of the plate preventing chipping ofthe tiles on contact therewith. Due to the oscillatory movement of the separator assembly 116, the tiles are advanced on the rubber plate to the right as viewed in FIG. 8 and any dust, tile chips, dirt or other foreign matter passes through the perforations of the plate 137 onto the floor 134 and thence through the opening 135 into the collecting bin 136.

On reaching the edge of the plate 137, the tiles drop onto the upper separating screen 138 which, as illustrated in FIG. 14, comprises upper and

lower rows

140 and 141 of transversely spaced wires, the vertical and horizontal spacing ofwhich is such as to permit the passage thcrebetween ofall single tiles T while any double tiles T are carried to the end of the upper screen 138 into a double tile discharge trough 142 extending transversely thereacross as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8. The trough 142 is preferably arranged to direct the double tiles into a suitable container (not shown) for which purpose a sloping bottom is provided as illustrated.

The

wires

140 and 141 of the upper screen 138 are passed through spaced holes in the transverse partition 142 at the left hand end of the screen as viewed in FIG. 8, being secured thereto by nuts on the threaded end thereof, and are fastened to a transverse plate 144 adjacent the discharge trough 142 at the opposing end thereof in a similar manner. As indicated in FIGS. 10 and 10a, shims 145 are inserted beneath the wires 140 to provide the desired spacing above the wires 141.

The single tiles T, following passage through the upper screen 138, drop onto the lower screen 146 made up of wires 147 extending between the partition 143 and a transverse member 148 in a manner similar to the wires of the upper screen. The wires 147 are of a smaller diameter and spaced closer together to prevent passage of the single tiles therethrough but permitting dirt and dust to drop downwardly onto the floor 134. As shown in FIG. 11, the single tiles are advanced from the lower screen 146 to the right onto a final separating screen 150 nearly identical with the lower screen 146 which provides still another opportunity for foreign matter to disassociate itself from the tiles and drop into the collecting bin 136. The tiles then pass from screen 150 onto plate 151 connecting the separator unit with the tile guide conveyor 47.

The operational the device, which has been presented in veyor 42 of a batch of tile elements onto the tile blending table 44. The tilesare fed onto-the blending table when the sweepoff brush 45 is in'the outermost position 114. As the table is slowly rotated, the

paddles

67, 68 and 69 are continuously rotated to stir the/tiles and the sweep-off brush is slowly advanced toward the center of the table. The continual rotation of the spreading brush 82 and the sweep-off brush in conjunction with the rotation of the paddles and the table serves to blend the tiles into a random assortment. When the sweep-off brush reaches the innermost position illustrated in FIG. 2, the clutch assembly isactuated to reverse the direction of transverse travel of'the brush and its slow outward movement advances thetiles onto the oscillating separator assembly as illus trated inFlG, 3, Dust and foreign matter pass through the per forated rubber coated screen 137 and the tiles are advanced onto the upper screen 138 thro'ughwhich the single tiles drop I onto the lower screen 146, The single tiles are then advanced across the screen 150 onto the plate 151 and conveyor 47.

Manifestly, changes in details of construction may be cf fccted by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in and limited solely by the appended claims.

We claim: a

1, Apparatus for blending and separating ceramic tile clements comprising a horizontal tile biending'table, means for sweep=off brush adapted to receive tiles swept from said table thereby, said separator assembly comprising a perforated plate upon which said tiles are deposited fromsaid table, said plate adapted to permit passage therethrough of foreign matter, a separating screen adapted to separate single tiles from double=tiles, and oscillating means for oscillating said plate and screen to advance tile elements across said plate and screen.

2, Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for mixing tile elements disposed on saidtable comprises at least one blending paddle adjacent said table surface adapted for rotation in a plane parallel with said table surface, and a tile spreading brush rotatabiy mounted adjacent said table surface and disposed diagonally across said table, and means for rotat= ing said tile spreading brush and said blending paddle,

'- 3. Apparatus for blending ceramic tile elements into a random assortment comprising a horizontal tile blending table,

means for rotating said blending table, at least one blending paddle adjacent said table surface adapted for rotation in a plane parallel with said table surface, means for rotating said blending paddle, a tile sweep-off brush adjacent said table surface radially aligned with the axis of rotation of the table, and means for providing rotary as well as reciprocatory movement of said sweep-off brush.

4. Apparatus for blending ceramic tile elements into a random assortment comprising ahorizontal tile blending table, means for rotating said blending table, at least one blending paddle adjacent said table surface adapted for rotation in a plane parallel with said table surface, a tile spreading brush rotatably mounted adjacent said table surface and disposed diagonally across said table, means for rotating said tile spreading brush and said blending paddle, a tile sweep-off brush adjacent said table surface radially aligned with the axis 1 of rotation of the table, and means for providing rotary as well as reciprocatory movement of said sweep-off brush, the inward movement of said sweep-oft brush in conjunction with the rotation oi the table, blending paddle, and spreading brush serving to blend the tiles on said table into a random assortment, the outward movement thereof serving to advance the blended tiles from the table in a random manner.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said tile spreading brush and said tile sweep-off brush comprise helical brushes.

' 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said tile blending table is substantially circular in shape and wherein said sweep oif brush is longer than the radius of said table.

7. A separator assembly for separating fine matter from ceramic tile elements and for separating single tiles from douhie tiles, said assembly comprising a perforated plate adapted to continuously receive ceramic tile elements, and to permit passage thcrethrough of foreign matter, a separating screen adjacent said plate adaptcd'to separate single tiles from doubie tiles, spaced flexible support units supporting said plate and screen, said support units having flexible support elements inclined away from the desired direction of advancement of the tile elements, and oscillating means for oscillating said plate and screen to advance tile elements thereacross,

8 The invention as claimed in claim 7 wherein said oscillating means comprises an eccentric cam, means for driving said eccentric cum in rotation, eccentric straps cooperatively mounted on said eccentric cam, and means connecting said straps with said plate and screen.