US973411A - Off-bearing attachment for brick-presses. - Google Patents

Description

W. R. CUNNINGHAM. OFF-BEARING ATTACHMENT FOR BRICK PRESSES. APPLICATION FILED APN. 1a,l 190s. BENNWED AUG. so, 1910. 973541 1 Patented oct. 18, 1910;

4 8HBBTB-'SHEBT l.

Maw-hoz /arvv.

W. R'. CUNNINGHAM. OFF-BEARING ATTACHMENT FOR BRICK PRESSES.

APPLIOATION FILED APE.18, 190B. EENEWED AUG. 30, 1910.

973941 1 Patented 0013. 18, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NuRRIs PETERS can, wAsmNnfoN, D. r:

Y W; N. CUNNINGHAM. O FFTBEARING ATTAUHMENT FOR BRICK PRESSES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, 1908. BENEWED AUG. 30, 1910.

Patented Oct. 18,1910.

' 4 SHEETS-SEHEN ,ff-d

atbomzg rn: mmm: PE1-:Rs co., wAsHlNcroN. D. c.

W. R. CUNNINGHAM. OFF-BEARING ATTACHMENT FOBBRIK PRESSES. PILIOATION FILED APB. 1a, 190e'. BENBWBD Alm4 so, 1910.

Patented Oct. 1.8, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

www.

rm: Nokms Enns col, wAsNiNuroN, o. c.

WILLIAM R. CUNNINGHAM, OF BUCYRUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN CLAY MACHINERY CO., OF. BUCYRUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION.

OFF-BEARING ATTACHMENT FOR BRICK-PRESSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

Application led April 18, 1908, Serial No. 427,885. Renewed August 30, 1910. Serial No. 579,746,

To all whom it may comzra.'

Be it known that I, ViLLrAM R. CUNNiNe- HAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bucyrus, in the county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Off-Bearing Attachments for Brick-Presses, of which the following` is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to the clay-working industry and particularly to mechanism for removing brick automatically from a drypress or other brick machine and depositing the same onto a conveyer.

The mechanism herein shown and described is in the nature of an attachment to a brick machine or press and it is capable of being applied to or used with, any of the well known machines for pressing brick with little or no modification of the construction of said machine.

The essential object of the invention is to enable the brick to be handled automatically and to overcome the necessity of handling the brick by hand, thereby saving the eX- pense of men to do the work of removing the brick from the machine or press, and depositing the same onto the conveyer.

The present improvement relates to such an attachment as will remove the brick as they are directed sidewise from the mold of a dry-press brick machine, said improvement being adapted to deliver the brick lengthwise onto an off-bearing belt or carrier.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the parts and the constructions, arrangements, and combination of parts, which I will hereinafter describe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which similar reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views Figure 1, is a cross-sectional view of an off-bearing attachment for a brick-press, embodying t-he salient features of my invent-ion. Fig. 2, is a part sectional view and part plan view showing four molds as they are arranged in a dry-press brick machine, with a part of the conveying rollers broken away. Fig. 3, is a front elevation of the brick machine and side elevation of the carrier showing parts in section. Figs. l, 5 and G, are enlarged details to be hereinafter described.

In carrying out my invention I construct av suitable foundation or base, 1, upon which the various parts of the machine are mounted, and I bolt to this frame by the bolts, 3, or otherwise, an upright guide frame, 2., of box-like form, said frame being so designed that it provides vertical guides on its inner sides, as shown at 4, 5, 6 and 7, within which guides a. vertically movable cross-head, 8, is adapted to slide, said cross-head having guides, 9, 10, 11 and 1Q, coperating with the aforesaid guides in the frame to insure the accurate movement of the cross-head when it is traveling in avertical direction.

The vertical frame, 2, is provided on its opposite sides with hubs or bearings, 13 and 14, which support the journal-ends of the cam-shaft, 15, said shaft extending transversely across the frame, 2, and having fixed to its central portion a cam, 1G, by means of set-screws or keys whereby the cam revolves with the shaft. On one end of the aforesaid cam-shaft, 15, is fixed a sprocket-wheel, 17, which is driven by the sprocket-chain, 18, which in turn is driven by a sprocket-wheel, 19, on the shaft, 20, said shaft being supported in bracket journal-bearings, which may be, if convenient and desired, bolted to the frame of the brick-press.

As the present improvement is intended to be used in connection with a number of different styles and types of brick-presses, the bracket-bearing, 21, and the pedestalbearing, 22, will have to be designed to suit the particular machine to which the attachment is applied. Y As herein shown the pedestal, 22, is supported on a suitable foundation, 26, and bolted securely to the same by means of the bolts, 7 and the aforesaid shaft, 20, is provided with a beveled gear, 9.3, which meshes with and is driven by a pinion, 24, fixed to a. shaft, Q5, which in this case represents one of the intermediate shafts of a dry-press machine.

As shown in Fig. 1, the vertically moving cross-head, S, is provided on its inner sides with projecting hubs, 28 and 29, which are designed to support thc horizontal rollershaft, 30, said shaft being` held from turning by suitable screws, 3Q, and having the roller, 31, mounted loosely thereon between the inner ends of the hubs, 2S, and Q9, and adapted to be engaged by the cam, 16, on the shaft, 15, before mentioned, said Tam being adapted to raise the cross-head, 8, as the cam revolves and comes in Contact with the roller. After the cross-head is lifted to the proper height, it is designed to stand at rest until the cam, 16, makes a partial revolution, when the roller permits the crosshead to drop vertically until it strikes another and low portion, 16, of the cam and which prevents the cross-head from dropping lower than is desired or necessary, said low part, 16, of the cam being also designed to hold the cross-head at rest until the n proper time for elevating the same again.

It will be observed that the vertical sides of the cross-head are provided with slots or elongated openings, 33 and 34, through which the cam-shaft, 15, passes whereby the cross-head is permitted to move up and down in the stationary guide frame, 2, to provide for the vertical movements before described.

The sides of the vertical frame, 2, are provided with elongated openings, 35 and 36, as shown in Fig. 3, through which openings pass the male portions of appropriate projecting guides, 37 and 38, of the cross-head, 8; and through the vertical frame on the opposite side from said guides and on the same side with the openings, 35 and 36, are other elongated openings, 39 and 40, shown particularly in Figs. 5 and 6, said openings, 39 and 40, being adapted to receive the wrist-pins, 41 and 42, which are secured to the cross-head, 8, by the nuts, 43, said wrist-pins having mounted upon them the hubsv of the bell-cranks, 44 and 44', which latter are adapted to rock on the wrist-pins for a purpose I will hereinafter state, and said bell-crank, 44, being provided with a hub-portion, 45, which is bored to correspond with the diameter of its respective pin, 41.

Extending from one side of the hub, 45, is an arm, 46, which is the short arm of the bell-crank and has its outer end provided with an elongated opening, 47, through which passes a pin, 48, which is secured to the side of the stationary guide frame, 2, said pin passing through the elongated hole, 47, and being secured to said frame by a nut, not shown, on t-he inner side of the frame.

rlhe long arm of the bell-crank stands approximately at right-angles with the arm, 46, and it is provided at its upper end with a segmental rack, 50, the teeth of which are designed to mesh in the teeth of a rack, 52, which is constructed as a part of a horizontal slide, 53, said slide having its inner portion formed wit-h the female guides, 54, to correspond with and operatively receivethe male portion of the guides, 37.

The guide, 57, at the opposite side of the cross-head is similar' to the guide, 53, and has female guides, 58, which slide upon the male guide portion, 38, of the vertical crosshead, 8. rlhe bell-crank, 44, on this lastmentioned side of the cross-head, has a hub, 59, mounted on the stud, 42, said hub being formed rigid with a short arm, 60, which extends to one side and is adapted to contact with a pin, 61, (Fig. 5), said pin passing through an elongated hole, 62, in the guide frame, 2, and being held rigid by a nut, not shown, on the inner side of said frame. This elongated hole is for the purpose of affording means for adjusting the pin, 61, to give the bell-crank, 41, the proper throw. The long arm of the bellcrank, 44', is also provided with a segmental gear, 63, having teeth adapted to mesh in the teeth of a rack, 65,` which is made as a part of the slide, 57. In order to protect the various parts and to prevent dust or dirt dropping into the inner part of the frame and cross-head, I provide a removable cap, 66, as shown.

As shown in Fig. 2, the outer end of the slide, 53 is formed or provided with a flange, 6r, to which is bolted or otherwise rmly fixed a lifting-bar, 68, which is secured to the flange by bolts, 69; the outer end of t-he other slide, 57, has a like flanged portion, 70, to which is securely bolted as by bolts, 72, the lifting bar, 71. The liftingbars are arranged parallel with each other and extend a suitable distance transversely from the slides and parallel with the direction of movement of the conveyer, hereinafter described, and on the outer ends of the lifting rods are the lifting-heads which are shown as being four in number to correspond with the four-mold type of brickpress herein shown for illustrative purposes. These lifting heads, 73, 74, 75, and 7 6 are rigid with and form a part of the liftingbar, 68; similar lifting-heads, 77, 78, 79, and 8O are located adjacent to the first-named lifting-heads and are rigid with and form a part of the other lifting-bar, 71, as shown in Fig. 2, each of these heads being adapted to operate vertically through the space between adjacent rollers of the conveyer, hereinafter described, for the purpose of lifting the brick, as I will presently indicate.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a suitable standard, 82, is bolted to the base or foundation, 1, by the bolts, 81, the upper end of said standard being formed or provided with a flange, 83, to which is bolted the outer end of a roller-bar, 84, by means of the bolts, 85, the opposite or inner end of said rollerbar being supported by a stand, 86, which is shown broken away in Fig. 1 to expose the internal construction of the cross-head, and the operating cam, said stand, 86, being bolted to the base or foundation, 1, by suitable bolts, 3. The roller-bar, 84, has mounted upon it any desired number of roller-supports, 87, the number of these supports depending upon conditions. In some cases more of these supports are necessary than in others, therefore the number of supports may be varied at pleasure, and according to the character of machine with which they are used. Each of the roller supports, 87, carries a plurality of rollers and is provided with a base flange, 88, by which it is secured, by bolts, 89, to the roller-bar, 84. Each roller-support is constructed to form a vertical portion or post, 90, having a hub or bearing, 91, on its inside, the portion of the support above this bearing being curved to form an overhead arm, 92, which turns inwardly and downwardly and has its end provided with a bearing, 93, which is arranged axially in line with the other bearing, 91, these two bearings being designed for the purpose of supporting the rollershaft, 94. As shown, each support carries three sets of bearings and three rollers, as plainly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. On the outer end of the shafts, 94, are rollers, 95, which are preferably const-ructed of wood covered with cloth, said roller-shafts being unsupported at their outer end, 96. The shafts, 94, are also provided with sprocketwheels, 97, which are driven by the sprocketchain, 98, which is driven from a sprocketwheel, 99, mounted on a shaft, 100, driven by a conveyer-belt, 101. It will also be observed that the roller-supports have their vertical post portions vprovided with the horizontal pins, 102, which project inwardly under the spli'ocket-wheels on the shafts, 94, said pins being screwed or otherwise fastened in or to the vertical portion or post, 90, and being provided with rollers, 103, adapted to support the under or slack portion of the chain, 98.

In Fig. 1, I show by dotted lines the outlines of a dry press and which press may represent any one of a number of different makes and designs of dry presses, said press being provided with an apron, 104, (Fig. 2), which is attached to the press table, 105, and which table is herein shown as having` four mold-boxes although the number of such boxes is immaterial. I do not show in the drawings the ordinary charger of the brick press since this forms no essential part of the present invention, but the arrow in Fig. 2 indicates the direction in which the brick travels from the mold. It will be understood that the charger employed in this press is of the usual type and that its function is to carry the ground clay over the molds, filling the same and also delivering the brick onto the table, 105, and apron, 104, the brick being indicated by dotted lines A A in Fig. 1. lith presses that have a short travel of the charger, it is necessary to permit the brick A A to push other brick CB B, Fig. 1, onto the elevating heads before mentioned.

The operation of my off-bearing attachment before described is substantially as follows: The shaft, 25, being driven, say by some part of the brick press proper, revolves the pinion, 24, which in turn revolves the gear, 23, and shaft, 20, and imparting motion to the sprocket-wheel, 19, the driving chain, 18, and the sprocket-wheel, 17, which latter is mounted on the cam-shaft, .15. As the cam 16, is thus rotated, its track comes in contact with the roller, 31, and when in the position shown in Fig. 1, the lifting-bars, 68 and 71, and the liftingheads, 73 to- 80, inclusive, are held level with the top of the table, 105, and apron, 104. Vhile in this position the lifting-heads also act as a movable table or support for the brick and after the brick are passed out on the same, as shown in Fig. 1 the cam, 16, revolving lowers the cross-head, 8, and lifting-heads and their bars, 71 and 68, thereby lowering the brick until they come in contact with the live-rollers, 95, which rollers are revolved by the sprocket-wheels, 97, `which in turn are driven by the sprocketchain, 98, by means of the sprocket-wheel, 99, and the conveyer-belt 101.

The brick are carried by the rollers from in front of the press or from the position shown in Fig. 3, and delivered to the conveyer-belt, 101, and are conveyed to the desired point about the plant. The beforementioned lifting-heads, which I have indicated from 73 to 80 inclusive, have their shanks formed of such thickness that when they are lowered they pass below the top of the rollers, 95, suiiicient to clear the brick while they are being carried away. When the vertical cross-head moves downward to lower the brick onto the live rollers, 95, the bell-crank, 44, being mounted on the pin, 45, which is secured to the cross-head, 8, and the stationary pin, 48, working in the elongated hole, 47, of the arm, 46, causes the slide, 53, and bar, 68, to move in a horizontal direction thereby increasing the distance between the lifting-bars and separating the brick. At the same time the pin, 61, coming in contact with the arm, 60, rocks the other bell-crank, 41, on the pin, 42, and thereby causes the slide, 57, and its bar, 71, and the lifting-heads, 77, 78 and 80, to move slightly in a horizontal direction thereby separating the brick B B from brick A A, Fig. 1. As the cam-shaft and its cam, 16, continues to revolve, the cross-head, 8, is raised which also raises the guides, 37 and 38, the slides,

53 and 57, and the bars, 71 and 68, and lifting-heads, 73 and 80 inclusive. As the cross-head is elevated the pin, 48, works in 57, and bell-crank, 41, are returned to the original position ready for the next operation.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An attachment for a press, said attachment comprising a conveyer having a movement in a direction crosswise of the press, said conveyer comprising parallel spaced rollers, a support upon which the pressed brick is delivered from the press, said support being introduced between the ends of the conveyer and arranged in the vertical plane of the conveyer and normally above the same, and means for lowering the support through the interspace between adjacent rollers to cause its supported brick to be deposited onto the conveyer, with its major axis substantially parallel with the line of travel of the conveyer.

2. An attachment for a press said attachment comprising a conveyer adapted for movement crosswise of the press, said conveyer comprising' parallel spaced rollers, a support located at an intermediate portion of the conveyer and normally superposed above the conveyer and adapted to receive the output ofthe press, and means for moving the support through the interspace between adjacent rollers from a higher to a lower level to deposit the supported brick onto the rollers, with its major axis substantially parallel with the line of travel of the conveyer.

3. An attachment for a press, said attachment comprising a conveyer formed of a series of parallel spaced rollers, and a transfer-mechanism between the same and the press, said mechanism having a supporting member located between opposite ends of the conveyer', and normally positioned in the vertical plane of and above the conveyer and adapted to receive the brick delivered from the press, and means for lowering the support through the space between adjacent rollers until its upper surface is below the plane of the upper surface of the rollers, whereby said brick is transferred from the support to the rollers, with its major axis substantially parallel with the line of travel of the conveyer.

il. An attachment for a press said attachment comprising a horizontally operable conveyer, formed of parallel spaced rollers, and a transfer-mechanism between the same and the press, said mechanism having a supporting member located between opposite ends of the conveyer and normally maintained vertically in line above the rollers and in a position to directly receive the output of the press, and means for lowering said supporting member through the space between adjacent rollers to transfer the supported brick to said rollers, with its major axis substantially parallel with the line of travel of the conveyer.

5. An attachment for a press, said attachment comprising a conveyer formed of parallel spaced rollers and a transfer-mechanism between the same and the press, said mechanism and the conveyer being operable in planes one 4substantially at right-angles with the other and said transfer mechanism having a supporting member located between opposite ends of the conveyer and normally superimposed directly above the rollers, and means permitting the operation of the support in the vertical plane of theV rollers and through the space between adjacent rollers, whereby the supported brick may be lowered onto the rollers, with its major axis substantially parallel with the line of travel of the conveyer.

6. The combination with a brick press having a receiving table, of a carrier operable crosswise of the front of the table, and including parallel spaced rollers, and a transfer-mechanism operable at right angles with the direction of travel of the carrier, said mechanism having a supporting member located between opposite ends of the carrier and normally superimposed above the carrier and in the vertical plane of the latter and substantially in line with said table, and means permitting the lowering of said supporting member through the space between adjacent rollers and into the range of action of the upper surface of the rollers whereby the supported brick is transferred thereto, with its major axis substantially parallel with the line of travel on the carrier.

7. The combination with a brick press, of a carrier operable in a direction which is crosswise of the press, and comprising parallel spaced rollers, a supporting member, said member being located between opposite ends of the carrier and vertically disposed and having its upper portion in the vertical plane of, and normally above, the rollers and operating through the space between adjacent rollers, and means for vertically lowering the support from its normally elevated position to a point below the upper surface of the carrier whereby the supported brick is transferred to said rollers, with its major axis substantially parallel with the line of travel of the carrier.

S. rlhe combination of a press having a receiving table, a carrier extending crosswise of said table, and comprising a series of parallel positively driven spaced rollers, and a transfer-mechanism between the press and the carrier, said mechanism having a support located between the opposite ends of the carrier and which is normally horizontally in line with the table and vertically in line above the space between adjacent rollers, means permitting the lowering of isa the support through said space to transfer the supported brick onto the rollers, and means for returning the support to normal position above the carrier.

9. The combination with the receiving table of a brick press upon which the brick are delivered, of a carrier operable parallel with the long sides of the brick and crosswise of the table, said carrier including parallel positively driven spaced rollers, and transfer-mechanism between the carrier and the press, said mechanism including a supporting member arranged in the length of the carrier and having a receiving surface arranged substantially in the horizontal plane of the table, said member being normally disposed in the vertical plane of the carrier, and means for lowering` the support from its normal position through the space between adjacent rollers and to a position substantially below the plane of the top of the rollers whereby the brick are transferred to the latter.

10. The combination with the receiving table of a brick press upon which the brick are delivered, of a carrier operable parallel with the long sides of the brick and crosswise of the table, said carrier comprising independent, positively driven spaced rollers, a transfer-mechanism between the carrier and the press, said mechanism including a supporting member located between the opposite ends of the carrier and arranged substantially in the vertical plane of the space between adjacent rollers, and onto which support the brick are delivered from the table, means for lowering the receiving surface of the support from its normal position substantially into the plane of the top of the carrier whereby the brick are transferred to the latter, and means for causing the support to recede from the carrier and return to normal position above the same with its receiving surface substantially in the horizontal plane of the table.

1l. The combination with a press having a. receiving table, of a support adjacent to said table having a receiving surface disposed substantially in the horizontal plane thereof, a carrier underlying the support and ope 1ating` crosswise of the table, said carrier including independent, positively driven spaced rollers, means for operating the support in the vertical plane of the space between adjacent rollers and to a poi nt substantially below the carrying surface of the rollers whereby the supported brick is transferred to the latter, said support being located at a point between opposite ends of the carrier and operating through the space between adjacent rollers at this point, and means for returning the support to normal position.

12. The combination with a brick press having a receiving table, of an off-bearing conveyer in front of and operable crosswise of said table, and comprising a series of independent, positively driven spaced rollers, a transfer-niechanism between the conveyer and the table having a supporting member located at an intermediate point of the conveyer and normally in the vertical pla-ne of, and above, the space between adjacent rollers, and adapted to receive the brick directly from said table, and a vertically reciprocating cross-head for operating said' member through said space to enable the brick to be delivered onto the rollers.

13. The combination with the receiving table of a brick press said table adapted. to receive a plurality of brick, of a conveyer operable crosswise of the table and below the plane of the receiving surface thereof, a transfer-mechanism between the conveyer and the table, said mechanism including a plurality of supporting members arranged side by side and having their upper surfaces normally disposed above and in the vertical plane of the conveyer, and being adapt.- ed to receive abrick from the table, means for lowering the supporting members to cause them to deposit the,t brick onto the conveyer, and means for laterally separating the members and correspondingly separating adjacent brick.

14. An off-bearing attachment for a brick press having a plurality of rows of molds and a receiving table upon which rows of pressed brick are delivered from said molds, said attachment comprising a conveyer operating parallel with the long sides of the brick, and having a series of parallel independent positively driven spaced rollers, and a transfer-mechanism. having a plurality of brick-supports, designed to receive said brick, said supports being disposed between the opposite ends of the conveyer and being arranged in parallel rows and having their' receiving surfaces substantially in the horizontal plane of the table and vertically above spaces between adjacent of said rollers, and means for lowering the supports through said spaces to cause them to deposit the supported brick onto the conveyer. l

l5. An off-bearing attachment for a brick press having a plurality of rows of molds and receiving table upon which rows of pressed brick are delivered from said molds, said attachment comprising a conveyer operating parallel with the long sides of the brick, and a transfer-mechanism having a plurality of brick supports, designed to receive said brick, said supports being arranged in parallel rows and having their receiving surfaces substantially in the horizontal plane of the table and vertically above the conveyer, and means for lowering the supports to cause them to deposit the supported brick onto the conveyer, and means for increasing the distance between the supports of dierent rows and thereby separating the rows of brick from each other.

16. The combination with a brick press having a plurality of rows of molds and a receiving table upon which the brick are deposited lengthwise in rows, of a conveyer operating in a direction parallel with the length of the brick on said table, brick supports arranged side by side and normally vertically-disposed above the conveyer, and having their receiving surfaces substantially in the horizontal plane of the table, means for lowering the supports to bring their receiving surfaces into the horizontal plane of the conveyer, and means for moving the supports of one set laterally relative to those of the adjacent set to increase the distance between the supports and the distance between the corresponding sides of adjacent brick whereby the brick are spaced apart on the conveyer.

17. An off-bearing attachment for a brick press, said attachment having in combination a conveying means operable crosswise of the press, and including parallel independent, positively driven spaced rollers, brick-supporting elements located near the central portion of the conveying means and normally disposed vertically over and out of contact with the rollers and upon which elements a plurality of brick are disposed from the press, and means for imparting a vertically reciprocating movement of said elements toward and from the press and rollers.

18. An oft-bearing attachment for a brick press, said attachment having in combination a conveying means, which includes parallel independent, positively driven spaced rollers, and a plurality of separated bricksupporting elements located near the central portion of the conveying means and normally vertically disposed over the spaces between adjacent of said rollers and with their upper surfaces positioned to directly receive brick from the press, and means for operating said elements cordinately in the vertical plane of said spaces and at rightangles with the direction of travel of the rollers to cause the supporting surfaces to lower the brick into the range of action of the rollers.

19. An olf-bearing attachment for a brickpress said attachment having in combination a series of spaced driven rollers forming a conveyer, and means for transferring brick thereto, said means including a plurality of rows of separated brick-supporting elements vertically. disposed and each normally extending through the space between a pair of said rollers and above the rollers and with one element of each row entering' the same space, means for lowering the elements to enable them to deposit their brick onto the rollers, and means for transversely separating the elements in the same space to separate sidewise the brick of different rows.

20. An attachment for a press, said attachment comprising a conveyer operating substantially in a horizontal direction, parallel bars below the conveyer and extending in the direction of the travel thereof, bricksupporting elements fixed to one end of the bars and adapted to operate through the conveyer, a vertically guided cross-head, horizontally-disposed slides `on t-he crosshead and to which the other end of said bars is secured, means for elevating the crosshead to raise the brick-supporting elements above the plane of the conveyer, said elevating-means allowing the cross-head to lower whereby the brick-supporting elements are withdrawn into the range of action of the conveyer and deliver the brick onto the latter, and means actuated by the descent of the cross-head for moving one of said slides and thereby moving one of the parallel bars relative to the companion bar and separating the brick for deposit onto the conveyer.

21. An off-bearing attachment for abrickpress, said attachment comprising a carrier operable crosswise of the press and horizontally-disposed, brick-supporting elements operable through the carrier and having their upper or receiving ends normally disposed above said carrier, and means for operating said elements to cause them to lower the brick onto the carrier, said means comprising a vertically-guided cross-head, a frame in which said cross-head is guided, and bars extending transversely of the crosshead and connected to said supporting-elements, and means for elevating said crosshead and its connected parts.

Q9. An olf-bearing attachment for a brick press said attachment comprising a conveyer operating in substantially a horizontal direction, spaced supports upon which brick are received, said supports operating vertically through the carrier and normally projecting to a point above the same, horizontally-disposed lifting-bars connected with the support, and means for raising and lowering said bars, said means comprising a vertically-guided cross-head to which the bars are connected, and means for ,raising the cross-head, said last-named means including a cam which permits the cross-head to be lowered after being raised whereby the supports are lowered to deposit the brick onto the conveyer.

23. An attachment for a press, said attachment comprising a horizontally traveling conveyer, and a transfer-mechanisin between the same and the press, said mechanism having a series of lifting-heads arranged at intervals in the line of travel of the conveyer, said heads operating vertically through the conveyer and extending to a point above the same, bars connected to the lifting-heads and extending substantially parallel with the travel of the conveyer, a cross-head and intermediate connections to which one end of said bars is connected, a stationary frame having vertical guides for said cross-head, and means for raising the cross-head and its liftingbars and heads, said last-named means permitting the cross-head and its attachment to lower whereby the brick are deposited onto the conveyer.

24. An attachment for a press, said attachment comprising a conveyer horizontally-disposed and including driven-rollers spaced apart, vertically-disposed liftingheads at intervals in the length of said conveyer andv operating vertically through the spaces between the rollers, bars rigid with the lower ends of the lifting-heads and extending substantially parallel with the conveyer, a vertically-reciprocating cross-head to which the bars are secured, an upright frame in which said cross-head reciprocates, a revoluble cam mounted in said frame, and a contact on the cross-head with which the cam engages to raise the cross-head and its associated parts, said cam adapted to permit the cross-head to lower at the completion of its upward movement whereby the liftingheads are retracted toward the conveyer to deposit the brick thereon. l

25. An attachment for a press, said attachment comprising a conveyer including a series of rollers spaced apart and operating in a horizontal direction, a stationary frame, a cross-head vertically guided therein, horizontally-disposed and parallel bars carried by the cross-head and extending to one side thereof beneath said rollers, liftingheads secured at intervals to the opposite end portion of said bars and extending vertically through the spaces between adjacent rollers, and means for elevating the crosshead and its associated parts to raise said heads above the rollers to receive brick directly from the press, said cross-head elevating-means operating the cross-head and its associated parts to lower and thereby transfer' the brick to the rollers.

26. The combination with the receiving table of a brick-press, of an off-bearing mechanism, said mechanism comprising a frame provided with vertical guides, a crosshead adapted to reciprocate therein, parallel bars movable with the cross-head said bars extending horizontally from the cross-head and having their outer portions provided wit-h vertically arranged lifting-heads, a conveyer operating substantially in a horizontal direction and including driven-rollers, said lifting-heads extending through the spaces between adjacent rollers, means for raising the cross-head and its associated parts to elevate the lifting-heads to a point above the rollers so that they will directly receive brick from the press, said elevating means operating to allow the cross-head to recede and thereby lower the lifting-heads to the plane of the rollers to deposit the brick thereon.

27. An attachment for a press, said attachment comprising a conveyer operating substantially in a horizontal direction, parallel bars below the conveyer and extending in the direction of the travel thereof, bricksupporting elements fixed to one end of the bars and adapted to operate through the conveyer, a vertically-guided cross-head, a stationary frame in which said cross-head operates, horizontally-disposed slides on the cross-head exterior to the frame, said slides having a rack-surface and to which slides the other end of said bars is secured, means for elevating the cross-head to raise the brick-supporting elements above the plane of the conveyer, said elevating-means allowing the cross-head to lower whereby said elements are retracted into the range of action of the conveyer and deliver the brick onto the latter, and means actuated by the descent of the cross-head for moving one of said slides and thereby moving one of the parallel bars relative to the companion bar and separating the brick from each other, said last-nained means including a bellcrank carried by the cross-head having one arm provided with a segmental-rack to engage the rack-surface of said slide, and having the other arm adapted to contact with a fixed stud on said frame.

28. The combination with a press having a receiving table, of an off-bearing attachment, said attachment comprising a conveyer operating substantially in a horizontal direction crosswise on said table, parallel bars below the conveyer and extending in the direction of the travel thereof, bricksupporting elements fixed to one end of the bars and adapted to operate through the conveyer, a vvertically-guided cross-head, a frame in which said cross-head operates, said frame having openings in its sides, horizontal slides mounted on the cross-head exterior to the frame, and having teeth on their under surfaces, studs fixed to the crosshead and extending through said frame, bell-cranks mounted on said studs at each side of the frame and having one arm provided with a segmental-gear to engage. the teeth on said slides, each of said parallel bars having their other ends secured to one of said slides, means for elevating the crosshead to raise the brick-supporting elements above the plane of the conveyer whereby they receive brick directly from the table of the press, said elevating-means allowing the cross-head to lower whereby the bricksupporting elements are retracted into the range of action of the conveyer and deliver the brick onto the latter, and studs on the stationary frame adapted to Contact with the hell-erankel and operate the Slides, thereby moving them in lateral planes to separate the supported brick :troni each other and from the brick remaining on the table.

29. An attachment for a press, Said attachment comprising a conveyer operating` substantially in a horizontal direction, a horizontally-disposed roller-bar, roller-supports fixed to said bar and each having a vertical post-portion and a hub or bearing, the portion of the support above said bearing being curved inwardly and downwardly,

and provided with a bearing arranged in line with the rst-named bearing, a phirality of roller-shafts carried by the snpports, sprocket-wheels on said shafts, a chain passing over said wheels, and an idler-pulley on Said supports for supporting the lower run ot said chain.

En testimony whereof l athx my signature in preSence ot two witnesses.

VLLAM R. CUNNINGHAM.

lVitnesses G. MCMICHAEL, SAMUEL E. AUCH.

Images