US3681817A - Supporting structures for use in firing pottery - Google Patents

Supporting structures for use in firing pottery Download PDF

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Publication number
US3681817A
US3681817A US19312A US3681817DA US3681817A US 3681817 A US3681817 A US 3681817A US 19312 A US19312 A US 19312A US 3681817D A US3681817D A US 3681817DA US 3681817 A US3681817 A US 3681817A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
articles
cranks
plate
pillars
arms
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US19312A
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English (en)
Inventor
William John Lovatt
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Acme Marls Ltd
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Acme Marls Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Acme Marls Ltd filed Critical Acme Marls Ltd
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Publication of US3681817A publication Critical patent/US3681817A/en
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27D—DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS, OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE
    • F27D5/00—Supports, screens, or the like for the charge within the furnace
    • F27D5/0006—Composite supporting structures
    • F27D5/0025—Composite supporting structures assembled to present a three-point support

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A supporting structure for plate-like articles of pottery for use during firing comprising a plurality of vertically spaced cranks of refractory material.
  • the cranks are generally of V-shape in plan and atford a pair of arms having longitudinal center lines coinciding with the shorter sides of an imaginary isosceles triangular (or two adjacent sides of an imaginary regular hexagon).
  • the cranks are spaced apart by spacer blocks which form pillars disposed respectively at the free ends of the arms and at the junction thereof at positions corresponding to the corners of the imaginary isosceles triangle or regular hexagon.
  • the distance between the pillars is such that the plate-like article for which the support is intended can just be passed between them and placed on a respective arm.
  • the use of the supporting structure enables the articles to be assembled into a close packed hexagonal array whereby kiln space during firing may be utilized most efficiently.
  • This invention relates to supporting structures for use in firing pottery.
  • the invention is concerned with supporting structures adapted to receive a plurality of plate-like articles, such as saucers, and plates, to enable the latter to be passed through a kiln for firing.
  • the simplest kind of support for plate-like articles includes three pillars arranged at the corners of an obtuse angle triangle and each carrying a plurality of inwardly directed releasable pins.
  • the plate-like articles are inserted laterally between the pillars and rest at their undersides of the pins.
  • this inevitably causes small marks to be formed on the underside of the platelike article where it contacts the pins and this is undesirable for high grade ware.
  • Such a support structure comprises a plurality of stackable elements each including a central disc-like portion equipped with three equally spaced radially extending legs which at their outer ends are adapted to rest on and interengage with the outer ends of the legs of vertically adjacent elements of similar form.
  • the central disc-like portion of each such element is of such a size that the foot of a plate-like article can be received thereon.
  • Three radially arranged replaceable pins may be provided on the disc-like central portions so that the latter engages the foot of the plate-like article only at three spaced points.
  • the elements since the three legs are arranged at equal angular inter vals, the elements have to be assembled together and dis-assembled in order to enable the plate-like articles to be inserted and removed.
  • each stack of plate-like articles formed on such a support is surrounded by three pillars which are formed from the interengaging end portions of the legs of the elements, and this prevents the plate-like articles being stacked as closely together when viewed from above as is desirable.
  • a further type of supporting structure which does not require to be assembled and dis-assembled repeatedly to enable the plate-like articles to be inserted and removed, comprises a plurality of vertically spaced generally T-shaped plates (known, and hereinafter referred to as, cranks). These cranks are supported by three pillars at the outer ends of the three arms which form the T-shaped cranks. These arms are so dimensioned that the plate-like articles can be inserted between the two pillars at opposite ends of the two arms of the T-shaped crank which are in alignment with each other, and the length of the third arm is only slightly greater than the radius of the plate-like articles which is intended to be received in the support.
  • cranks are of generally Y- shape having two of the arms thereof arranged at an angle of approximately instead of 120 or as in the previous described arrangements.
  • the theoretically closest possible packing arrangement of stacks of generally circular plate-like articles consists of a close packed regular hexagonal array in which each stack of articles is surrounded by six equidistant stacks the center of which lie at the corners of a regular hexagon centered on the central stack.
  • each stack of articles would actually touch its six nearest neighbors, but to prevent the articles sticking to one another it is necessary to ensure that the stacks are spaced apart slightly.
  • the free space within the kiln consists of a plurality of generally triangular areas each bounded by three stacks of articles with their centers arranged at the corners of an equilateral triangle of which the sides are only slightly longer than the diameter of the articles.
  • Such an arrangement will hereinafter be referred to as a close packed hexagonal array.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a new or improved supporting structure for plate-like articles of pottery for use during firing in which the above mentioned disadvantages are avoided or at least reduced.
  • a supporting structure for plate-like articles of pottery for use during firing comprises a plurality of vertically spaced cranks of refractory material and pillars supporting the cranks so that the structure can be supported on a flat surface.
  • Each of said cranks is adapted to receive at least two of said plate-like articles and said cranks are so shaped, and the pillars so disposed relative to each other and said plate-like articles when placed on said cranks, that a plurality of such supporting structures with said plate-like articles thereon can be arranged to form said articles into a close packed hexagonal array with said articles spaced apart slightly at their peripheries and with said pillars of said supporting structures disposed in respective generally triangw lar spaces each by groups of three adjacent stacks of said articles.
  • the supporting structure includes three of such pillars arranged at three adjacent corners of a regular hexagon.
  • the distance between adjacent pillars may be slightly greater than the diameter of the articles to be carried thereby so that the latter can be inserted laterally between such pillars.
  • Said pillars preferably are disposed at positions corresponding to the corners of an obtuse angle isosceles triangle of which the shorter sides have a length which is greater than the diameter of said plate-like articles to be supported by the crank by only the extent necessary to enable said plate-like articles to be positioned on the cranks by lateral insertion between those pillars which are disposed at opposite ends of the respective shorter sides of the triangle.
  • Each crank may be shaped to afford two arms having longitudinal center lines which coincide with the shorter sides of said triangle and are each adapted to receive a single one of said plate-like articles thereon, one of said pillars being disposed at the junction of such arms and the remaining two of said pillars being disposed at the ends of the respective arms.
  • each crank could include three arms each adapted to receive one article, with the pi]- lars disposed at the outer ends of the respective arms.
  • Each of the arms may be provided with a set of pins arranged to support the foot of an article to be supported. Such pins may be replaceable.
  • cranks are of generally flat form, and conveniently the pillars are formed as spacers between respective cranks.
  • the cranks and spacers are bonded together to form a permanent structure.
  • FIG. 1 shows a supporting structure in accordance with the invention in a perspective view
  • FIG. 2 shows a horizontal section taken between a pair of cranks
  • FIG. 3 is a diagram of the hexagonal close packing arrangement which can be employed.
  • the supporting structure illustrated includes a plurality of cranks stacked in vertically spaced relation by means of three sets of spacer members 11, 12 and 13.
  • Each crank 10 comprises a flat plate of high grade refractory material and includes a central parallel sided portion 14 and two arm portions 15 which taper in width towards their outer ends. The arms are inclined towards each other at an angle of approximately 120 as defined by their longitudinal center lines 150.
  • the spacer members each comprise rectangular blocks of high grade refractory material.
  • the spacer members 11 and 12 disposed at the free ends of the arms 15, while the spacer members 13 are located adjacent to one edge of the central portions 14 at the junction of the two arms as defined by the intersection of their center lines.
  • the pillars are arranged at the comers of an isosceles triangle (or three adjacent corners of a regular hexagon.
  • spacer members 11 and 13, and 12 and 13 are made slightly greater than the diameter of the plate-like articles to be carried by the support.
  • the position of such plate-like articles is shown at 16 in FIG. 2.
  • the pillars defined by the columns of spacer members are located in such manner that a plurality of the supporting structures can be located in a kiln in such a manner that the stacks of articles carried thereby are arranged in a close packed hexagonal array as shown in FIG. 3 with the pillars disposed in respective areas which correspond to generally triangular spaces between such stacks of articles.
  • the use of the supporting structure as described therefore enables the plate-like articles to be stacked in a kiln in the most preferential manner as regards the number of articles that can be accommodated within any given area.
  • the supporting structure prefferably includes only three pillars since the arrangement of three point contact with a supporting surface will ensure that the structure will stand evenly on such surface despite irregularities in the latter, whereas the provision of four or more pillars could lead to uneven loading of the supporting structure with the possibility of fracture of the cranks.
  • the cranks it would be possible for the cranks to be of a. three armed form with the arms arranged at equal angles. In this case the spacer members would be arranged only at the outer ends of the arms and the articles could still be assembled in a close packed hexagonal array with no more than one pillar in any of the generally triangular spaces.
  • each arm To support the articles on the cranks, a respective set of pins is provided on each arm.
  • Each set includes three pins 18 which are disposed at angles of approximately 120 to each other to provide a stable support for the foot of a plate-like article.
  • These pins may be replaceably located in shallow grooves formed in the cranks, and one end of each pin may be of rounded form to enable an article to be inserted laterally with little risk of damage. However preferably such rounded portion is afforded by a small projection formed in the crank at one end of the recess which receives the pin.
  • This arrangement is particularly suitable for the second firing of china or like articles after glazing, the layer of glaze being removed from the foot of the article before it is placed on the supporting structure.
  • the pins may be omitted entirely so that the articles stand on the flat upper surface of the crank directly.
  • the supporting structure may be used for a single firing technique in which the articles are coated with a glaze before firing, and are fired only once.
  • the shape of the crank can be modified in various ways providing they do not protrude into the areas which are required to accommodate the pillars of the supporting structures when the articles are arranged in the close packed hexagonal array.
  • the shape described and illustrated is particularly convenient since it affords a zone at the inner end of the arms of a suitable width to accommodate the foot of a plate-like article of the size for which the support is intended while unnecessary weight is avoided by tapering the arms towards their outer ends.
  • cranks of a curved shape decreasing in width from the central portion of the outer ends thereof, or the cranks could be of generally rectangular or bar-like form with one pillar disposed mid-way along one of the longer sides and two further pillars disposed at opposite ends of the other longer side.
  • a support assembly for use in supporting plate-like articles of pottery during firing comprising a plurality of supporting structures; each supporting structure comprising a plurality of vertically spaced cranks of refractory material and pillars supporting the cranks, each of said cranks having two arm portions, each arm portion including support means for a respective plate-like article and the arm portions of each crank being angularly disposed relative to each other so as to define two adjacent sides of a regular hexagon and each of the cranks being supported by three pillars at spaced positions; the supporting structures being arranged relative to each other so as to place the support means for the plate-like articles in a hexa onal array and, to dis se inch pillar o the su portr g structures in a ggner y rranguar spa e bounded by three adjacent support means to enable plate-like articles supported by support means to assume a hexagonal close packed array.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Furnace Charging Or Discharging (AREA)
  • Tunnel Furnaces (AREA)
US19312A 1969-03-22 1970-03-13 Supporting structures for use in firing pottery Expired - Lifetime US3681817A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1515769 1969-03-22

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3681817A true US3681817A (en) 1972-08-08

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ID=10054048

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US19312A Expired - Lifetime US3681817A (en) 1969-03-22 1970-03-13 Supporting structures for use in firing pottery

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3681817A (xx)
DE (1) DE2012532C3 (xx)
GB (1) GB1297391A (xx)
NL (1) NL165548C (xx)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5393226A (en) * 1990-10-09 1995-02-28 Groom; Bryan Ware support apparatus

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3006376A1 (de) * 1980-02-20 1981-10-22 Annawerk Keramische Betriebe GmbH, 8633 Rödental Brennhilfsmittel zum brennen von flachgeschirr im tunnelofen
DE3818854A1 (de) * 1988-06-03 1990-01-11 Norton Gmbh Vorrichtung zum kapsellosen brennen von geschirr
DE4304646C2 (de) * 1993-02-16 1997-01-30 Norton Htk Gmbh Brennwagenaufbau für Flachgeschirr

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB190904370A (en) * 1909-02-22 1909-10-07 Frank Dransfield An Improved Device for use in the Manufacture of Earthenware Pipes and the like.
US1860374A (en) * 1928-02-06 1932-05-31 New Castle Refractories Compan Device for supporting tableware in alpha kiln
US1877424A (en) * 1929-06-04 1932-09-13 New Castle Refractories Compan Crank
US2006938A (en) * 1934-06-18 1935-07-02 Pie Bakeries Inc Pie baking pan
GB644755A (en) * 1948-09-23 1950-10-18 Horace Poole Improvements in means for supporting and separating pottery articles during firing
FR1100933A (fr) * 1954-03-09 1955-09-26 Nouveau dispositif et procédé pour la fabrication des fromages

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB190904370A (en) * 1909-02-22 1909-10-07 Frank Dransfield An Improved Device for use in the Manufacture of Earthenware Pipes and the like.
US1860374A (en) * 1928-02-06 1932-05-31 New Castle Refractories Compan Device for supporting tableware in alpha kiln
US1877424A (en) * 1929-06-04 1932-09-13 New Castle Refractories Compan Crank
US2006938A (en) * 1934-06-18 1935-07-02 Pie Bakeries Inc Pie baking pan
GB644755A (en) * 1948-09-23 1950-10-18 Horace Poole Improvements in means for supporting and separating pottery articles during firing
FR1100933A (fr) * 1954-03-09 1955-09-26 Nouveau dispositif et procédé pour la fabrication des fromages

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5393226A (en) * 1990-10-09 1995-02-28 Groom; Bryan Ware support apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL165548C (nl) 1981-04-15
NL165548B (nl) 1980-11-17
GB1297391A (xx) 1972-11-22
NL7003798A (xx) 1970-09-24
DE2012532B2 (de) 1977-09-15
DE2012532C3 (de) 1978-05-03
DE2012532A1 (de) 1970-10-01

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