US3754850A

US3754850A - Apparatus for manufacturing simulated aged bricks and the like

Info

Publication number: US3754850A
Application number: US00160466A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Pate
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-07-07
Filing date: 1971-07-07
Publication date: 1973-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1990-08-28

Abstract

Apparatus for treating green brick blocks prior to firing the blocks to harden them. Indentations in and roughening of the exposed face of the brick are produced by passing the blocks on a conveyor beneath and between a plurality of sets of rollers having hard rubber or plastic faces which engage and round the corners and edges of the brick blocks and may have roughened faces which indent the exposed faces thereof. The rollers are disposed to positively engage the forward and rear edges of the brick blocks extending transversely of the line of movement of the bricks on the conveyor beneath the rollers. If desired, sand or other particulate or comminuted material, or saw dust, may be applied to the upper face portion of the brick prior to treatment by the rollers to produce pits, charcoal effects and the like when the brick is fired or cured. If desired, smooth rollers and sand may be used to form adobe type bricks with rounded edges on the face.

Description

United States Patent 1 Pate 1 Aug. 28, 1973 APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING [57] ABSTRACT MPL AGED BRICKS AND THE LIKE Apparatus for treating green brick blocks prior to firing [76] Inventor: Rayford L. Pate, 4702 Trenton Dr., the blocks to harden them. indentations in and-rough- Tyler, Tex. 7570] ening of the exposed face of the brick are produced by passing the blocks on a conveyor beneath and between [22] July 1971 a plurality of sets of rollers having hard rubber or plas- [21] Appl. No.: 160,466 tic faces which engage and round the comers and edges of the brick blocks and may have roughened faces [52] US. Cl. 425/385 which indent the exposed faces thereof. The rollers are [51] Int. Cl. B28b 1/29 disposed to positively engage the forward and rear [58] Field of Search 425/385, 373, 374 edges of the brick blocks extending transversely of the line of movement of the bricks on the conveyor be- [56] References Cited neath the-rollers. If desired, sand or other particulate UNITED STATES PATENTS or comminuted material, or saw dust, may be applied tothe upper face portion of the brick prior to treatment 2:52" i 32 by the rollers to produce pits, charcoal effects and the 51 9/1889 [385 X like when the brick is fired or cured. If desired, smooth 1.631320 6/1927 Nicholson I D 425/335 rollers and sand may be used to form adobe type bricks 1,417,788 5/1922 Wilson 425/385 x ith rounded edges on the face.

402,962 5/l889 Morgan 425/385 X 8 Clai 7 D l Fl Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser ms "w sures Assistant Examiner-Ben D. Tobor Attorney-E. Hastings Ackley m w A /0 75 F l I ,5}, a I 7"." "Turf T? T I Q -L 1L L trsmi 37, .i- T "-i i- 4 'E? Patented Aug. 28, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Royford L. Pofe ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 28, 1973 3,754,850

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 42 5 Fig.6 INVEN'I Royford L. P01

Fig.5 BY

ATTOR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING SIMULATED AGED BRICKS AND THE LIKE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to new and useful improvements in methods and apparatus for treating the faces of green brick blocks to produce a simulated hand made, or worn or aged face on the finished bricks.

Brick having been exposed to the weather for a long period of time, and having been painted or subjected to fire and theelements over a length of time on the face of the brick, have a desired type or style of finish on the face of the brick. Such bricks are found in old brick buildings which are being razed or torn down, and must usually be cleaned before they can be reused. In this process many of the brick are broken and further damaged. Also, it is desirable in many instances to use a brick of the adobe type handmade style in which the corners and edges of the brick are rounded and sand appears on the exposed face. These bricks are also difficult to obtain and are slow and costly to produce. Many attempts have been made to producerou'ghened surfaces on bricks by scratching, cutting and wires, and

otherwise. However, none has produced a brick having worn appearance on the face and edges of the character and type of that produced by this method and apparatus.

It is therefore one object of this invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for producing sim-' ulated hand made, worn or aged brick faces on new brick.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a method of producing from green brick blocks a brick face having a pitted, worn, roughened face closely resembling an aged worn brick. I

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for carrying out the method of manufacturing new brick having simulated hand made, or aged worn faces and edges.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide an apparatus which permits the rapid treatment of green brick blocks passing from a mold or pug mill and cutter to a kiln along a conveyor to be treated to produce the desired hand made, or worn and aged, surface on the face of the brick block prior to firing the same in the kiln.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means for producing a pitted face on the brick block prior to firing the brick, and to provide means for producing a simulated burned or worn condition on the face of the brick blocks prior to firing the same.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the character described which is adjustable to accommodate bricks of different thickness and sizes and which is operable to treat bricks automatically and rapidly as they move along the conveyor from the mold and cutter to the kiln.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TnsbRAwiNos Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIG. I is a top plan view of one segment of an apparatus for treating green brick blocks, as they pass along a conveyor in a brick plant from a mold and cutter to partly in elevation, of one of the roller assemblies for treating the brick block faces;

' FIG. 4 is a horizontal corss-sectional view, taken on the line 4 4 of FIG. 3; v

FIG- 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view takenon the line 6 6 of FIG. 3; and,

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 7 7 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT I h drawings, IG, 1, a conveyor belt C is shown passing beneath a brick treating apparatus A of the invention for treating brick blocks B moved by the conveyor beneath the treating apparatus. A treated brick block TB having a treated face TF is shown as having passed beneath the treating apparatus on the conveyor.

The green brick block B, prior to passing beneath the treating apparatus A may be sprinkled with sand or other particulate matter, or saw dust, on the upper face F thereof to provide a desired effect, as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The treated face of the brick is designated as TF and has indentations, pits and similar roughened surfaces on the face, and at the same time the comers or edges of the face of the brick are rounded as will be explained.

The treating apparatus includes a supporting frame 10 which comprises an elongate rectangular upper supporting section having elongate side bars 10a on each side and end or cross bars or straps 10!; at each end thereof joining the side bars. The end bars 10b are supported by upright legs which extend perpendicularly upwardly from a suitable base below the conveyor belt C. Thus, the upper side bars 10a and cross bars 10b of the frame are disposed at an elevated positon above the conveyor belt C. The frame 10 is substantially rectantular in configuration and has a plate 11 supported at each end by adjusting screws 12 having enlarged heads 13 with reduced necks 14 between the head and the threaded body 12a (FIG. 3) of the adjusting screw. The reduced necks are receivable in suitable slots 15 in the opposite ends of the plate 11. Such a slot is best shown in FIG. 3, which also shows, in fragmentary form, the adjusting screw and supporting head 13disposed in the slot 15 for adjustably supporting the plate at various desired elevations above the conveyor belt for a purpose which will behereinafter more fully described. A hand wheel 16 is secured to the upper end of each of the adjusting screws 12 by nuts 17 threaded on reduced end portions of the adjusting screws, and by rotating the hand wheels 16 the screws may be turned to vary the elevation and the angle of the plate 11 above the conveyor belt C. The adjusting screws 12 are threaded through threaded apertures 18 formed in the mid-portion of each of the cross bars 10b of the frame and are supported by such cross bars to support the plate 11 above the conveyor belt.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the plate 11 has secured thereto, as by welding at 19, a plurality of vertically disposed guide sleeves which are shown to be cylindrical on their exterior surface and which have rectangular or square bores 21 therein. The upper and lower ends of the sleeves 20 extend above and below the upper and lower surfaces of the plate 11, as clearly shown in FIG. 3. A plurality of the sleeves are shown as disposed in laterally and longitudinally offset array along the surface of the plate 11 for a purpose which will be hereinafter more fully explained. Each of the supporting sleeves 20 receives in its square bore a square supporting shank 24 of an elongate adjustable supporting shaft or member 25 which has a transverse substantially cylindrical head 26 at its lower'end, and which has a reduced threaded upper end 27 which receives

nuts

28 and 29, respectively, for supporting the supporting shaft or member at a desired positon in the sleeve 20.

An inverted U-shaped roller carrier frame 30 is swingably secured to the cylindrical head 26 of the supporting member 25 by a shaft secured to the

side plates

32 and 33 by set screws or bolts 31 which extend through the side plates. The bolts 31 are shown to have countersunk heads 31a and threaded shanks 31b which engage in the threaded bores 34 of the shaft or bearing member 35 which fits in a transverse bore 36 in the cylindrical head 26 at the lower end of the-supporting member 25. The invertedU-shaped roller supporting frame 30 has its two

parallel side plates

32 and 33 depending from an upper web plate 300 having a transverse aperture 300 therein for receiving the cylindrical head 26 of the supporting member 25 in the supporting member between the side plates and below the web plate, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. As shown, the roller supporting frame 30 is of one piece constructing having the transverse slot or opening 300 formed therein by cutting away portions of the web 300 to provide the opening 300 for receiving the supporting member and the cylindrical head 26.

Each of the roller supporting frame members 30 carries a pair of

rollers

40 and 41, which are mounted on

transverse bolts

42 and 43, respectively, extending between the

side plates

32 and 33 of the supporting frame. As clearly shown in FIG. 6, the

bolts

42 and 43, which are identical, support spacer shafts 44 having anti-friction bearing sleeves 45 mounted thereon for reducing the friction between the hubs 46 of the

rollers

40 and 41 as the same rotate. Suitable lubricant apertures 47 are provided in the bearing sleeves, which may be of the Oilite type. The pin 42 has a threaded end 420 which receives a nut 42b for retaining the spacer shaft in place to support the bearing 45 and the roller 40 between the

side plates

32 and 33 of the frame. While the sectional view of FIG. 6 shows only the roller 40, the roller 41 is identical in construction and the supporting bolt 43 for the roller 41 is identical to the supporting bolt 42, of FIG. 6, and the structure of the roller bearing and shaft and hub of the roller 41 is the same. The exterior surface of the

rollers

40 and 41 may differ in that the surfaces 50a and 50b, respectively, thereof may be roughened in a different manner on each roller.

As clearly shown in FIG. 3, the roller 40 mounted on the bolt 42, and this bolt is slidable in an elongate slot 52 which extends longitudinally toward the bolt 43 on which the roller 41 is mounted. The slot provides for adjustment of the roller 40 with respect to the roller 41 between the positions shown in dotted lines and the position shown in full lines in FIG. 3. The bolt 42 is held in adjusted positions by means of a pair of spring adjusting

strap lock members

53 and 54 which have holes at one end through which the bolt 42 extends and which are directed longitudinally of the slot 52 toward the bolt 43. A plurality of complementary apertures 55 in each of the straps are designed to engage over outwardly projecting

positioning pins

56 and 57 secured to the

side plates

32 and 33, respectively, of the roller supporting frame member 30, whereby the

lock straps

53 and 54 may be positioned as desired on the

pins

56 and 57 to hold the bolt 42 and the shaft 44 supported thereby in the desired adjusted position in the slot 52. This adjustment porvides for forming the desired surface on bricks of different thickness or height, as will hereinafter be more fully explained. The outer ends 58 and 59, respectively, of the

straps

53 and 54 are bent outwardly to provide finger grip means for readily manipulating the same to adjust the position of the roller. The straps are made of spring steel so that they retain the position on the

pins

56 and 57 to which they are adjusted.

It will be noted that the roller supporting frame member 30 is supported on the bolts 31 and bearing shaft 35 at a point nearer the roller 41 than the roller 40 so that the major portion of the roller supporting frame 30 is spaced longitudinally from the supporting bearing shaft 35 than the portion which carries the roller 41. Above the roller 41 on the-smaller section 30b of the transverse web portion 30a is secured a stud bolt 60 which has a large shank with a hexagonal head and a reduced threaded opposite end 600 which is threaded through the web to a nut 61 which secures the stud 60 on the surface of the smaller section 30b in a position projecting upwardly therefrom substantially centrally of such narrower portion of the web above the roller 41. A resilient helical coil spring 65 has its lower end engaged over the upwardly projecting stud 60 and its upper end disposed in a recess 66 formed in the underside of the supporting plate 11. The spring 65 is thus confined-between the plate 11 and the roller supporting frame member 30, and biases the portion of the roller supporting frame member carrying the roller 41 downwardly and the longer portion of the frame carrying the roller 40 upwardly about the shaft 35, as shown in FIG. 3, for a reason which will be hereinafter more fully explained. The spring, however, permits the roller supporting frame member 30 to pivot or tilt about the shaft 35, as shown in FIG. 2, to permit the rear roller 41 to pass over the treated face of the brick blocks as the brick blocks pass beneath the treating apparatus A on the conveyor belt C.

The square shank 24 of the elongate supporting shaft member 25 engaged in the square opening 21 in the sleeve 20 secured to the supporting plate 11 holds the roller supporting frame 30 and the rollers carried thereby in a desired longitudinally aligned position beneath the plate 11, as shown in FIG. 1, wherein the roller supporting frame extends longitudinally of the supporting plate 11 and the conveyor belt C and the rollers are disposed to engage the brick blocks transversely of their longitudinal dimension when the blocks move beneath the treating apparatus for application of the treatment to the face of the green brick blocks. The spring 65 permits the rear end of the roller supporting frame 30 to tilt upwardly and the forward end carrying the roller 40 to tilt downwardly, while the supporting shaft member 25 is slidable upwardly and downwardly in the bore 21 of the sleeve to permit the roller carrier members to rise and fall with respect to the sleeve as the brick blocks pass beneath the rollers.

As shown in FIG. 2 at U, the shaft 24 of one of the rollers is shown raised to disengage the nuts 28 and 29 from the upper end of the sleeve 20 and to permit the rollers to pass over the treated face TF of the brick block with a predetermined desired force applied to the treated face of the brick block by the rollers as the blocks pass therebeneath. The spring and the weight of the roller carrier and rollers and the support combine to apply a predetermined pressure to the face of the green brick blocks as the same move beneath the rollers, and so control the indentation or impression or deformation of the treated face of the brick blocks to provide the desired surface effect thereon.

If desired, a resilient protective gasket 70, which is substantially U-shaped in cross-sectional configuration, may be secured to the edge of the shorter web plate 30b in the aperture 30c to engage the underside or lower end of the sleeve 20 when the supporting member 30 is tilted. Also, the gasket or resilient shock absorber 70 will engage the elongate supporting shaft member as the roller support member tilts about the shaft35. This gasket thus will absorb shock and prevent damage to the supporting shaft and to the sleeve and to the roller carrier or support member.

In carrying out the method of the invention, the green brick blocks are formed in the pug mill and are cut into the desired shape and size in the usual manner, and are then placed upon the conveyor belt C for transport from the mold and cutter to the firing kiln, where the bricks are cured for use.

The treating apparatus A is disposed above the conveyor belt C on which the green brick blocks B are moved from the mold and cutter to the kiln. The blocks pass beneath the

rollers

40 and 41 of each of the roller support frames 30, and the roller faces a and 50b thereof engage the upper face F of the brick block to indent and deform the same to produce the desired finish on the face of the brick. It will be noted in FIG. 2 that the roller 40 will engage the advancing leading longitudinal edge of the upper face of the brick block and roughen the edge of the block as it moves beneath the roller. As the brick block advances beneath the roller 40, the supporting frame 30 will be lifted slightly until the brick block B engages the rear roller 41. At this time the front roller 40 rolls off the rear or trailing longitudinal edge of the face of the brick block B and rounds that edge of the face after having deformed or indented the face to produce the treated face TF on the block. Similarly, the rear roller 41 engages the front or leading longitudinal edge of the face of the brick and further rounds that edge and further indents the face of the brick block as the block passes beneath the roller supporting frame 30. As the brick block passes out from beneath the rear roller 41, the trailing longitudinal edge of the face of the brick is also further rounded or roughened by the roller.

As will be seen in FIG. 1, a plurality of laterally and longitudinally spaced sets of rollers are provided in overlapping array on the plate 11 disposed in the path of movement of the brick blocks B beneath the treating apparatus A, to assure that a desired finish is provided on the face of each of the brick blocks. Also, it will be seen that the rollers are so positioned that they engage the face of the brick blocks in succession and at spaced points, so that there is not a sudden large force or a great amount of impact applied to the brick blocks, and the brick blocks will remainupright as they pass beneath the rollers. Any desired number of the roller supporting frame members 30 and rollers carried thereby may be positioned on the supporting plate 11, or a plurality of treating apparatuses A may be disposed above the conveyor belt, if desired, to obtain the desired finish on the brick blocks.

It thus will be seen thatthe roller carrier members 30 and the rollers carried thereby are disposed at a plurality of laterally and longitudinally spaced positions above the conveyor belt, in which the roller faces are disposed for an overlapping treating engagement of the brick blocks as they move on the conveyor belt. Also, it will be seen that the substantially entire upper surface of the conveyor belt is disposed beneath the sets of rollers so that brick blocks positioned at substantially any point on the conveyor belt will be engaged by the rollers to provide the desired finish treatment to the face of the brick blocks and produce the desired finish to the'face of the cured bricks.

If desired, sand, or other particulate material, or fine cut saw dust, may be dropped from a hopper H onto the face F of the brick blocks B prior to movement of the brick blocks beneath the treating apparatus A, so that the sand or cut stone or other material, or the saw dust, will be pressed into the face of the brick blocks by the rollers as the brick blocks pass beneath the sets of rollers in the treating apparatus. This will cause pitting of the brick face or the appearance of sand or other mat ter in the face of the finished brick, and when the saw dust is retained in the face of the brick and enters the treating or curing kiln, the saw dust will be turned to charcoal and produce a burned effect on the face of the brick, or a burned pit, which darkens the color of the face and provides an unusual used or aged appearance to the finished brick.

Also, if desired, water spray may be directed toward the treated face TF of the treated brick blocks TB after they have passed beneath the treating apparatus A, to wash off any excess sand or large pieces of saw dust or other particulate matter from the face of the brick and produce pits therein prior to curing the brick blocks.

It will therefore be seen that means has been provided for treating the face of green brick blocks as they are moved from the mold and cutter to the kiln to produce a treated face which, when burned or cured, will have the appearance of aged or worn brick. It will also be seen that by varying the force with which the rollers engage the face of the brick blocks, the depth of the indentation and the roundness of the edges of the treated face may be controlled and varied. Also, the vertical adjustment provided by the adjusting screws 12 for lifting and lowering the supporting plate 11 permits adjusting the position of the rollers to accommodate bricks of different width or size. Likewise, the adjustment provided for by movement of the front roller 40 toward the rear roller 41 for adjustment of the position of the bolt 42 in the slot 52 of the roller supporting frame 30, permits adjustment of the rollers so that the front roller will still be in engagement with the face of the brick block being treated when the rear roller 41 engages the leading longitudinal edge of the face of the brick. Thus, both rollers contact the brick simultaneously to provide a positive force downwardly on the brick and to further positively roughen the leading and trailing longitudinal edges of the treated face of the brick. Adjustment of the rollers 40 toward or from the rear rollers 41 also permits treating of brick blocks of various thicknesses.

It will also be seen that a new and improved method has been described for treating brick blocks to produce an aged worn face appearance on the brick when the same have been cured in the kiln by firing.

Obviously, the brick may be treated as fast as the same are made and transported from the mold and cutter to the kiln for treatment, so that there is no delay in the manufacture of the bricks and the finish is produced economically and with great speed.

It will further be seen that the

rollers

40 and 41 may be provided with cylindrical faces (not shown) instead of the broken faces 50. The cylindrical faces would take the shape of the cylindrical configuration 51 shown in FIG. 3. Such smooth cylindrical face would produce rounded leading and trailing edges on the face of the brick, and, if sand is applied by means of the hopper H to the faces of the brick block before the same are moved beneath the treating rollers, a rounded edged, sandy adobe-like finish may be provided on the face of the bricks closely resembling handmade adobetype brick.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that an improved method of forming or treating green brick blocks as they are moved on a conveyor from the mold and cutter to the kiln to produce a desired finish on the face of the brick has been provided.

It will particularly be noted that the method and apparatus produces a worn, aged brick face appearance on the finished brick, if desired, and if further desired simulated handmade brick may be produced by use of the apparatus and the method. Thus, a new and ingenious apparatus has been provided for carrying out the method of manufacturing new brick having simulated handmade, or aged, worn faces with great speed and economy, and the apparatus is particularly adaptable to accommodate bricks of different thicknesses and sizes to treat the bricks automatically with great speed as they are moved along the conveyor from the mold and cutter to the kiln.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the constructions illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for making simulated handmade or aged worn brick including: a supporting frame; a horizontally movable conveyor belt carried on said supporting frame; a substantially horizontally disposed vertically adjustable supporting plate supported by the supporting frame spaced above the conveyor belt; a plurality of roller carrier members supported between said plate and the conveyor belt by said supporting plate; a plurality of forming rollers carried by each of said roller carrier members disposed to engage the upper exposed face of green brick blocks carried by said conveyor; support means pivotally connected at its lower end to each carrier member intermediate its ends for supporting said carrier members for pivotal movement about said connection with said support means; said support means being slidably connected with said supporting plate for vertical movement of said roller carrier members toward and away from said supporting plate; and resilient means between one end of each carrier member and the supporting plate for biasing said carrier members away from said plate and for pivotal movement about the connection of said support means with said roller carrier members.

2. Apparatus for the manufacture of simulated handmade or aged worn brick comprising: an elongate base; a conveyor belt longitudinally movably supported on said base; a treating apparatus supported on said base above said conveyor belt and including: a frame mounted on said base; a substantially horizontally disposed movable plate carried by the frame and adjustable vertically above the conveyor belt in substantially parallel relation to and toward and away from said conveyor belt; a plurality of longitudinally and laterally spaced elongate roller supporting carrier members; elongate support means pivotally connected at their lower ends with each of said elongate roller carrier members intermediate the ends of said carrier members and extending slidably upwardly through said movable plate; a plurality of longitudinally spaced forming rollers carried by each of said roller carrier members; and means engageable between one end of each roller carrier member and the movable plate biasing saidcarrier member for said forming rollers pivotally about its connection with said support means and downwardly toward said conveyor belt into engagement with green brick blocks passing along on said conveyor belt beneath said frame and forming rollers to form the upper face of said green brick blocks to produce a desired configuration on said faces.

3. Apparatus for treating green brick blocks to produce a simulated handmade or worn aged surface on one face and adjacent edges of the blocks prior to curing the same, including: an elongate base; an elongate conveyor member movably supported on said base; a frame supported on the base; a supporting plate supported by said frame in a position substantially parallel to said conveyor member and movable vertically with respect to said conveyor member toward and away from said conveyor member; a plurality of elongate roller carrier members supported by the supporting plate and also movable vertically with respect to said supporting plate and said conveyor member; a pair of longitudinally spaced forming rollers rotatably carried by each of said carrier members; elongate vertically disposed support means pivotally connected at its lower end to each of said carrier members intermediate its ends and slidably extending vertically through said supporting plate for supporting said carrier member for vertical movement thereof between said supporting plate and said conveyor member and for pivotal movement about said pivotal connection of said carrier members with the lower end of said elongate vertically disposed support means, with one of said forming rollers disposed to engage a face of a green brick block supported on the conveyor member and moved thereon to engage the forming rollers to shape the face of said green brick block as the block passes said one forming roller; means for supporting the other forming roller on said carrier member spaced rearwardly of said first roller and disposed to engage said face of said green brick block subsequently to said first forming roller to further shape the face of the block, supplementing said first roller, as the green brick block moves past the forming rollers carried by the plurality of the roller carrier members; and resilient biasing means disposed between the supporting plate and the end of said carrier member on which the first forming roller is mounted biasing said roller carrier member pivotally about its connection with the lower end of said elongate vertically disposed support means and also biasing said carrier member and said forming rollers carried thereby toward said conveyor member and the exposed face of the green brick block carried by said conveyor member to form the exposed face of the brick block in accordance with the shape of the rollers passing thereover.

4. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 3 including: irregular roughened faces on the forming rollers engagable with the exposed face of the green brick block passing beneath said rollers for indenting the face of the brick to provide a roughened worn aged appearing surface on the block.

5. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 3 including: means for adjusting one of said forming rollers longitudinally of each of said elongate roller carrier members toward and away from the other forming roller to position the forming rollers to simultaneously engage the opposite edges of the exposed faces of green brick blocks of various thickness.

6. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 3 wherein said elongate vertically movable support means pivotally supports said roller carrier member below the supporting plate for positioning said one forming roller to be engageable with the exposed face of the green brick block to be treated prior to engagement-of the other forming roller therewith; said verti-.

cally movable support means also supporting said roller carrier member for movement vertically with respect to the supporting plate and with respect to the face of the green brick block to be treated to permit said other forming roller to engage said exposed face of said green. brick block and said one forming roller to be tilted downwardly about the pivotal connection of said sup port means with said roller carrier member by said resilient biasing means as said one forming roller passes off the surface of the brick block to be treated to round the trailing edge of the face of the block being treated; and said resilient biasing means biasing said end of said roller carrier member having said one first forming roller thereon away from the supporting plate toward the brick block being treated to cause said one forming roller to round the leading edge of the face of the block being treated.

7. An apparatus of the character set forth in claim 6 including: means for supporting said supporting plate adjustably on said frame to move said supporting plate toward and from the conveyor member and the brick blocks moving beneath the forming rollers to position the forming rollers at a position suitable to engage the exposed face of the green brick blocks of differing width.

8. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 3 wherein the roller carrier comprises: an elongate inverted U-shaped frame having the rollers disposed between the side plates of the inverted U, with the form'- ing surfaces thereof exposed beyond said side plates of said supporting frame.

Claims

2. Apparatus for the manufacture of simulated handmade or aged worn brick comprising: an elongate base; a conveyor belt longitudinally movably supported on said base; a treating apparatus supported on said base above said conveyor belt and including: a frame mounted on said base; a substantially horizontally disposed movable plate carried by the frame and adjustable vertically above the conveyor belt in substantially parallel relation to and toward and away from said conveyor belt; a plurality of longitudinally and laterally spaced elongate roller supporting carrier members; elongate support means pivotally connected at their lower ends with each of said elongate roller carrier members intermediate the ends of said carrier members and extending slidably upwardly through said movable plate; a plurality of longitudinally spaced forming rollers carried by each of said roller carrier members; and means engageable between one end of each roller carrier member and the movable plate biasing said carrier member for said forming rollers pivotally about its connection with said support means and downwardly toward said conveyor belt into engagement with green brick blocks passing along on said conveyor belt beneath said frame and forming rollers to form the upper face of said green brick blocks to produce a desired configuration on said faces.

6. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 3 wherein said elongate vertically movable support means pivotally supports said roller carrier member below the supporting plate for positioning said one forming roller to be engageable with the exposed face of the green brick block to be treated prior to engagement of the other forming roller therewith; said vertically movable support means also supporting said roller carrier member for movement vertically with respect to the supporting plate and with respect to the face of the green brick block to be treated to permit said other forming roller to engage said exposed face of said green brick block and said one forming roller to be tilted downwardly about the pivotal connection of said support means with said roller carrier member by said resilient biasing means as said one forming roller passes off the surface of the brick block to be treated to round the trailing edge of the face of the block being treated; and said resilient biasing means biasing said end of said roller carrier member having said one first forming roller thereon away from the supporting plate toward the brick block being treated to cause said one forming roller to round the leading edge of the face of the block being treated.

8. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 3 wherein the roller carrier comprises: an elongate inverted U-shaped frame having the rollers disposed between the side plates of the inverted U, with the forming surfaces thereof exposed beyond said side plates of said supporting frame.