Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C04—CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES
  • C04B—LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
  • C04B33/00—Clay-wares
  • C04B33/30—Drying methods
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B28—WORKING CEMENT, CLAY, OR STONE
  • B28B—SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER
  • B28B11/00—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles
  • B28B11/24—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles for curing, setting or hardening
  • B28B11/243—Setting, e.g. drying, dehydrating or firing ceramic articles
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F26—DRYING
  • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
  • F26B21/00—Arrangements or duct systems, e.g. in combination with pallet boxes, for supplying and controlling air or gases for drying solid materials or objects
  • F26B21/004—Nozzle assemblies; Air knives; Air distributors; Blow boxes
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F26—DRYING
  • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
  • F26B25/00—Details of general application not covered by group F26B21/00 or F26B23/00
  • F26B25/06—Chambers, containers, or receptacles
  • F26B25/066—Movable chambers, e.g. collapsible, demountable
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F26—DRYING
  • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
  • F26B9/00—Machines or apparatus for drying solid materials or objects at rest or with only local agitation; Domestic airing cupboards
  • F26B9/006—Removable covering devices, e.g. pliable or flexible
• • 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
  • F27D13/00—Apparatus for preheating charges; Arrangements for preheating charges

Definitions

• This invention relates to a plant for drying sanitary appliances and moulds thereof.
• a fluid ceramic mix slip
• suitable moulds generally of plaster, which reproduce in negative form the outer shape of the appliance to be obtained.
• the mould has absorbed a certain quantity of water from the mix, which has thus formed a surface crust while leaving fluid still in the interior, this fluid then being discharged.
• the hollow article, now solid is fed to the glazing and firing stage.
• a plant for drying sanitary appliances and moulds thereof comprising a workbench on which the various pieces to be dried are placed, characterised by comprising on said bench a retractable tunnel formed with a double wall of substantially flexible material, which communicates with a drying air generator and of which the inner wall comprises a plurality of apertures for the outflow of said air, means being provided for unfolding it over said bench after the moulding of the pieces, and for retracting it on termination of drying to enable the next cycle to be effected,
• Figure 1 is a schematic partial side view of a drying plant according to the invention in its rest state
• Figure 2 is a plan view thereof
• Figure 3 is a front view thereof on the line III-III of
• Figure 4 is a vertical section therethrough on the line IV-IV of Figure 1;
• Figure 5 shows it in the same view as Figure 1, but in the working state
• Figure 6 is a plan view thereof in the working state
• Figure 7 is a front view thereof on the line VII-VII of
• the drying plant according to the invention is applied to a traditional sanitary appliance casting line, comprising a bench 1o on which are positioned a plurality of moulds 2 provided with a plug 3 for forming the internal part of the article.
• the description of the bench which will follow also relates to a line for drying the obtained sanitary app1 iances.
• an overhead frame indicated overall by 4 and comprising a pair of longitudinal rails 5 along which a plurality of carriages 6 can slide, supporting and guiding a like number of vertical rib frames 7, each comprising two uprights 8 suspended from the respective carriages 6, and a cross-member 8' connecting the two uprights of each rib frame together at their middle point.
• the rib frames 7 are connected together by flexible cables 10 which enable them to be brought into mutual contact while limiting the maximum distance between them.
• the plant according to the invention also comprises a tunnel, indicated overall by 11 and comprising two sidepieces 12 and a roof 13. It is constructed of fireproof plastics material substantially impermeable to air, such as PVC.
• Both the sidepieces 12 and the roof 13 of the tunnel 11 comprise pockets 14, through which the cross-member 8' and the lower part of tha uprights 8 of each rib frame 7 can be inserted, to support the tunnel.
• Both the sidepieces 12 and the roof 13 of the tunnel 11 comprise two walls, which are sealed together longitudinally along the edges 15 and also along intermediate lines 17 to form longitudinal compartments 17 which can be inflated, by which their inner wall 18 assumes an inwardly convex shape.
• This inner wall comprises a plurality of apertures 19, the purpose of which, as will be apparent hereinafter, is to direct air into the tunnel in different directions towards the moulds 2 when the compartements 17 are inflated.
• the roof 13 of the tunnel 11 also comprises apertures 19' in the outer wall 20.
• a ventilation system comprising a fan unit 21, a heat exchanger bank controllred by a control valve, and equipment for connecting the fan to the interspace of the tunnel 11.
• the entire plant is controlled by a microprocessor which controls the drying cycle.
• the tunnel 11 remains gathered at the end of the bench 1 close to the ventilation system.
• the electric motor 9 is powered to cause the first rib frame 7 to slide along the rails 5 and the tunnel 11 to unfold over the bench 1 because of the flexible cables 10 which connect the adjacent rib frames together. Uhen this unfolding is complete the ventilation system is powered to feed a jet of conditioned air into the longitudinal compartments 17 of the tunnel 11, and from here through the apertures 19 and onto the moulds 2. Because of the convex shape of the compartments 17 the drying air strikes the moulds 2 from several directions, resulting in their rapid and complete drying. Again, because of the fact that apertures 19' are also provided in the outer wall 20 of the roof 13, the drying air jets also reach the plugs 3 which are suspended above the relative moulds 2, outside the tunnel 11.
• the ventilation system When drying is complete the ventilation system is halted and after deflating the compartments 17 the tunnel 11 is gathered to the end of the bench 1 to allow repetition of the working cycle.
• the drying cycle can also be effected without removing the sanitary appliances from the moulds, but simply opening the moulds, so that the appliances can also be subjected to an initial drying stage.
• the distance between the rails 5 can be adjusted to enable the width of the tunnel 11 to be increased, for which purpose the cross- members 8' are of telescopic construction, and in addition can also be moved along the respective uprights 8 to increase the height of the tunnel-
• the system for fitting the tunnel 11 to the rib frames 7 by means of pockets 14 enables the material forming the tunnel to adapt to its dimensions.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Drying Of Solid Materials (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=11324206

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (5)

Citations (1)

• 1990
  • 1990-03-13 IT IT84114A patent/IT1239240B/it active IP Right Grant
• 1991
  • 1991-03-08 EP EP91906180A patent/EP0519990A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1991-03-08 WO PCT/EP1991/000434 patent/WO1991013841A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1991-03-08 AU AU74750/91A patent/AU7475091A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (1)

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