Classifications

• • 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
  • B28B13/00—Feeding the unshaped material to moulds or apparatus for producing shaped articles; Discharging shaped articles from such moulds or apparatus
  • B28B13/02—Feeding the unshaped material to moulds or apparatus for producing shaped articles
  • B28B13/0215—Feeding the moulding material in measured quantities from a container or silo
  • B28B13/023—Feeding the moulding material in measured quantities from a container or silo by using a feed box transferring the moulding material from a hopper to the moulding cavities
• • 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
  • B28B13/00—Feeding the unshaped material to moulds or apparatus for producing shaped articles; Discharging shaped articles from such moulds or apparatus
  • B28B13/02—Feeding the unshaped material to moulds or apparatus for producing shaped articles
  • B28B13/0215—Feeding the moulding material in measured quantities from a container or silo
  • B28B13/027—Feeding the moulding material in measured quantities from a container or silo by using a removable belt or conveyor transferring the moulding material to the moulding cavities
• • 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
  • B28B13/00—Feeding the unshaped material to moulds or apparatus for producing shaped articles; Discharging shaped articles from such moulds or apparatus
  • B28B13/02—Feeding the unshaped material to moulds or apparatus for producing shaped articles
  • B28B13/0295—Treating the surface of the fed layer, e.g. removing material or equalization of the surface
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B30—PRESSES
  • B30B—PRESSES IN GENERAL
  • B30B15/00—Details of, or accessories for, presses; Auxiliary measures in connection with pressing
  • B30B15/30—Feeding material to presses
  • B30B15/302—Feeding material in particulate or plastic state to moulding presses

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an apparatus useful, in the production process for forming ceramic tiles or like products, for die filling supply and for the discharge of the formed products.
• the invention also relates to a method of supply and discharge of the pressing die, in the production process for forming ceramic tiles or like products.
• the forming step takes place using special presses, with one or more dies, which are associated to devices and means for charging the die forming pits with the powder material intended for the composition of the various products.
• Said means and devices comprise boxes or grills, essentially comprised of rectangular frames horizontally shifting in a plane arranged between the top die and the bottom die of the press, from a first "fully back" position, outside the press, where the box is filled with the powder material to be pressed, to a second "fully forward” position, right above the die pit, wherein the material contained into the box or grille is poured by gravity in said pit.
• said material is called “Body” as it constitutes most of the tile, in the case of dual or triple charging, or even the entirety of the tile in the case of single charging.
• the above means and devices further comprise so-called “dual charging” devices, which operate in conjunction with the boxes described above, to discharge into the die pit a second layer of material having thickness and composition differing from the previous layer, for example intended for decorating the tiles.
• These devices are essentially comprised of further boxes, screens or belt conveyors sufficiently long to ensure the laying, on their top surface, of subsequent layers arranged at predetermined distances and in a suitable number for withstanding the pressing rates that can be actuated with the forming press, said belt devices being further provided with an end portion horizontally shifting up to reach an "fully forward" position on the die pit and retractable according to such speeds and times as to allow as whole as possible a transfer of the layers from the belt to the pit itself.
• the object of the present invention is to propose an apparatus which should allow supplying the press dies, in the forming process of ceramic tiles or like products, with a simplification of the means and of the devices described above, and which should further ensure, without structural changes or variations, both the charging of a single layer "body” of large thickness (10-30 mm), or if the single tile is multilayer, of multiple additional layers in dual or triple charging of the same die pit.
• a further object of the invention is to propose a method for supplying press dies, for forming and discharging the formed products, which should be carried out in a flexible and reliable manner by simplified means and devices and digitally inputted operating parameters.
• an apparatus for die filling supply and for discharging the products formed in the forming process of ceramic tiles or like products said apparatus being characterised in that it comprises a belt conveyor having sufficient length for laying, on the top surface of said belt, layers of powder material, at such distances and number as to sustain the rates and the way of loading the material into the pit, or pits of the press die, an end portion of said belt conveyor being advanceable and retractable, from an "fully back" position, outside the press, to an "fully forward” position, inside the press, of charging of said pit, or pits, and vice versa, means for ejecting the formed products, 5, for levelling, 2, and shaving, 4a and 4b, the powder material laid, being provided according to the following claims.
• Suitable devices intended for laying the various layers of powder material on the top surface of the belt conveyor are associated to the conveyor itself and positioned above the belt according to distances from each other useful for causing the deformation, on said surface, of layers of powder material in such number and arrangement as to supply the pressing dies in a manner consistent with the type of products to be formed.
• such products may be made up of a single layer of powder materials or multiple layers intended for forming, for example, the main body of the tile, that is, the body, and the decoration surfaces of the same, said surfaces being arranged at the bottom or at the top in the tile being formed.
• a method of supply of the pressing dies, in the process for forming ceramic tiles or like products envisages: - laying layers of powder materials in distinct positions on the top surface of a single belt conveyor,
• the method advantageously envisages that, during one or all the advancement steps of the end portion of said belt conveyor in the zone comprised between top die and bottom die, the products formed with the previous forming cycle are also ejected, and that during the retraction step(s) of said end portion, the material released from the belt into the pit is preferably levelled and shaved.
• the top (Ss) and bottom (Si) surfaces of the die forming bods can further take place.
• FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of a die supply apparatus according to the invention with the indication of the possible motions for the different main elements constituting the system;
• FIG. 2 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of a die supply apparatus and of the dies themselves according to the invention with the indication of the possible motions for the different main elements constituting the system and the first step of a possible tile forming cycle always according to the invention;
• FIG. 3 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of a die supply apparatus and of the dies themselves according to the invention in a second and third step of a possible tile forming cycle always according to the invention;
• FIG. 4 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of a die supply apparatus and of the dies themselves according to the invention in a fourth and fifth step of a possible tile forming cycle always according to the invention;
• - Figure 5 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of a die supply apparatus and of the dies themselves according to the invention in a sixth and seventh step of a possible tile forming cycle always according to the invention
• - Figure 6 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of a die supply apparatus and of the dies themselves according to the invention in an eighth and ninth step for completing the supply of the die pits in a possible forming cycle of the single layer tile always according to the invention
• FIG. 7 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of a die supply apparatus and of the dies themselves according to the invention in a tenth and eleventh step for completing the supply of the die pits in a possible forming cycle of the multilayer tile always according to the invention;
• FIG. 8 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of a die supply apparatus and of the dies themselves according to the invention in a twelfth and thirteenth step of another possible forming cycle of the multilayer tile always according to the invention;
• FIG. 9 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of a die supply apparatus and of the dies themselves according to the invention in a fourteenth and fifteenth step of another possible forming cycle of the multilayer tile always according to the invention.
• reference numeral 10 indicates an apparatus for supplying pressing dies, in this case used in the forming process of multilayer ceramic tiles, 3, which during the forming have the exposed decorated portion at the top.
• apparatus 10 is comprised of a belt conveyor associated to devices, 13, arranged above the belt 12, at predetermined distances, for laying onto the same the layers 14 of powder material intended for making the tiles.
• the end portion 15 of said belt conveyor is horizontally shifting with the aid of special means 16 of the prior art, described and illustrated, for example, in European patent 1 175 985 issued to the same Applicant, towards the zone arranged between the top die 18 and the bottom die 19, comprising pit 20, wherein the powder material carried by said belt 12 is discharged.
• said end portion 15 of the belt conveyor is connected to one or more cross bars 2, 4, 5 arranged at the front of the mobile front edge 22 of belt 12, by the aid of connection and support arm 23, constrained to the two sides of the belt itself.
• Said cross bars 2, 4, 5 comprise a first known ejection portion 5, arranged in a more advanced position and suitable for pushing tiles 3, once formed, from the die towards a roller conveyor arranged in front of the die itself, in a position opposite the belt conveyor, and a second portion 2 and 4, in innermost position, and respectively suitable for the optional levelling and shaving of the powder layer laid on the end portion of the belt conveyor 15 into pit 20.
• the powder levelling element(s) 2 is/are generally fixed and they allow suitably and constantly profiling the powders along a powder levelling surface Pl, above the die surface Ps, so as to allow optimum subsequent shaving of powders, at the die surface Ps, by the shaving element 4, since the same is provided at the bottom with a special doctor, 4b, sliding in abutment on the die surface Ps.
• the powder levelling elements 2 may be in various amounts and shapes with, as highlighted in the example, suitable bottom profiling with plane inclined upwards by an angle i. The powder levelling elements 2 allow reducing the initial collection of shaving Ar, optimising the shaving itself.
• the method of supplying the pressing dies and discharging the formed products, carried out with the apparatus described above, can be illustrated in particular in the examples illustrated in Figures 2 to 9, for obtaining multilayer tiles that in this case are the result of two cycles of advancement and retraction of the end portion of the belt conveyor 15, and in Figures 2 to 6 for obtaining single layer tiles that are the result of a single cycle of advancement and retraction of the end portion of the belt conveyor 15. It is clear that repeating the insertion and retraction steps before carrying out the forming of the tiles it is possible to obtain multilayer tiles comprised of further additional layers.
• FIG 2B and Figure 3 A show the step wherein a body layer 14 of powder material previously laid on belt 12 by a special body charging device 13 is led to the zone comprised between top die 18 and bottom die 19, thanks to the advancement of the end portion of the belt conveyor 15 and of belt 12 itself.
• the die of the tile(s) formed with the previous pressing cycle is ejected.
• the top forming surface Ss of the top die 18 is also cleaned by the revolving brush 6s and the bottom forming surface Si of the bottom die 19 by the mobile shaving element(s) 4.
• Figure 3B and Figure 4A illustrate the step wherein, having an advancement speed of belt 12 greater than the advancement speed of the end portion of the belt conveyor 15, the large thickness body layer advances relative to the end portion of the belt conveyor 15, and starting from half die onwards, it ends into the front portion of the die pit.
• the front portion of the die pit itself is precharged.
• This precharge is required to have an optimal filling of the contact zone of pits C with the bottom die 19, with a reduced collection of initial powder Ai 5 on the die surface Ps, and consequent reduced size of the levelling Al, and above all shaving Ar accumulations, as highlighted in the detail of Figure 4B and Figure 5A.
• the cycle then ends with the pressing and the extraction of the formed tile 3 from the tile pit, as highlighted in Figure 9A and Figure 9B.
• Figure 9B it is seen that the tile(s) thus formed are led to a position useful for the ejection from the die by the end portion of the belt conveyor 15, and by the suitable ejection means 5 integral thereto, by a suitable lifting stroke of the bottom forming surface Si.
• the length and shape of the belt conveyor may change according to the type of products to be made and as a consequence, the number and arrangement of devices 13 suitable for laying the various layers of material on the belt may vary.
• the shape of the front unit Ga may change, as the function of shaving of the powder material laid may be integrated or modified or the means for cleaning the forming surfaces 6 may be lacking.
• the material shaving step may be not provided, as for example in the case of forming of tiles having a decoration layer(s) at the top, the overall height whereof is less than the depth of the pit as highlighted in Figure 9A.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
• Devices For Post-Treatments, Processing, Supply, Discharge, And Other Processes (AREA)
• Press-Shaping Or Shaping Using Conveyers (AREA)
• Moulds, Cores, Or Mandrels (AREA)
• Finishing Walls (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=39736907

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (5)

• 2007
  • 2007-04-04 IT IT000120A patent/ITMO20070120A1/it unknown
• 2008
  • 2008-03-31 DE DE602008006717T patent/DE602008006717D1/de active Active
  • 2008-03-31 EP EP08751532A patent/EP2152484B1/en not_active Not-in-force
  • 2008-03-31 PT PT08751532T patent/PT2152484E/pt unknown
  • 2008-03-31 WO PCT/IT2008/000212 patent/WO2008123005A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2008-03-31 AT AT08751532T patent/ATE507951T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2008-03-31 ES ES08751532T patent/ES2366003T3/es active Active
  • 2008-03-31 PL PL08751532T patent/PL2152484T3/pl unknown

Patent Citations (5)

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