WO2012160583A1

WO2012160583A1 - Apparatus for manufacturing of tiles

Info

Publication number: WO2012160583A1
Application number: PCT/IT2012/000149
Authority: WO
Inventors: Umberto Cipriani
Original assignee: Longinotti Group S.R.L.
Priority date: 2011-05-24
Filing date: 2012-05-22
Publication date: 2012-11-29
Also published as: BR112013030061B1; ITFI20110107A1; BR112013030061A2; EP2714353A1; ES2600102T3; EP2714353B1

Abstract

An apparatus (2) for presses (1) for the production of single-layer tiles starting from a water-based compound (3), comprising a top lid (5) in communication with an apparatus for suction from above (16), a top collector (6) removably applied to the bottom face of the lid (5), a perforated plate (67), removably connected to the collector (6) and to the lid (5) and comprised between the top collector (5) and a bottom collector (8), and a filter (11) sealingly connected to the bottom collector (8) by means of a system of removable peripheral frames (12).

Description

"APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING OF TILES"

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Technical sector^'

The invention relates to an assembly for carrying out the steps of pressing and suction of water in the processes of production of tiles, in particular of single-layer tiles. Prior art

For the above purpose, known to the art are assemblies of the type described, for example, in the Italian patent applications Nos. FI2001A000103 and FI2001A000104.

A further example of equipment for pressing and suction in processes of production of tiles is described in the patent application No. FI2005U000043 regarding a plate for presses for the production of tiles and to a pressing assembly provided with said plate.

The known solutions have generally proven satisfactory and have represented a substantial innovation in the production of single-layer tiles, thanks to the efficiency of the combined action of pressing and of the suction step.

An aspect that can be improved of the known systems is linked to the relative difficulty in keeping the filtering and suction system clean, and to the relative frequency of replacement of the filters used in removing the liquid phase in excess from the mix.

Purpose of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the solutions already known and propose equipment that is simple to produce, convenient to use, and that will, at the same time, enable a high efficiency during operation and ease of cleaning between one working cycle and the next.

Summary of the invention The above purposes have been achieved by providing a pressing and suction assembly for the production of single- layer tiles according to one or more of the annexed claims. A first advantage of the invention consists in the capacity of the assembly to guarantee a uniform distribution of the action of suction, and hence effective removal of the water in the entire mass of the mix.

A second advantage consists in the ease of disassembly and cleaning of the assembly and in the elimination of the need to provide a subfilter to be replaced continuously together with the filter.

A third advantage consists in the reduction of the frequency of .replacement of the filters as compared to known systems.

List of drawings

The above and further advantages will be better understood by any person skilled in the branch from the ensuing description and from the annexed drawings, which are provided by way of non-limiting example and in which:

- Figure 1 shows a front view of a generic press for the production of tiles;

- Figure 2 shows a detail of the lateral pressing region;

- Figure 3 shows an exploded view of a pressing and suction assembly according to the invention;

- Figure 4 shows the assembly of Figure 3 in the assembled configuration;

- Figure 5 shows a detail of the corner area of the plate of Figure 4;

- Figure 6 shows a detail (b) of the suction and pressing area of the plate of Figure 5;

- Figure 7 shows a top plan view of the top lid of the assembly; - Figure 8 shows a top plan view of the intake collector of the assembly in the configuration of installation on the pressing plate;

- Figure 9 shows a top plan view of the intake collector without the pressing plate;

- Figure 10 shows a plan view from beneath of the pressing plate ;

- Figure 11 shows a top plan view of the pressing plate;

- Figure 12 shows a pressing filter;

- Figure 13 and 14 show, respectively, a view in elevation and an enlarged detail of a bottom collector in the form of a metal mesh for a suction and pressing assembly according to the invention;

- Figure 15 shows a pre-existing pressing plate;

- Figure 16 shows the profile of a tile obtained with a plate of a pre-existing type;

Figure 17 shows a second preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 18 shows a cross section of the assembly of Figure 17;

- Figure 19 shows a detail of the bottom part of the plate of Figure 17; and

- Figure 20 shows a top plan view of the plate of Figure 17 in the mounted configuration.

Detailed description

With reference to the drawings, described hereinafter is a suction and pressing assembly 2 according to the invention for presses 1 for the production of single-layer tiles starting from a water-based compound 3 contained in · a bottom tank 4, of a type in itself known.

The assembly 2, illustrated in Figure 1, comprises in particular a top lid 5 provided with openings 28 with perimetral seals 29, in communication with a system for suction from above, which is provided with holes 16 and forms part of a ^'buffer suction assembly 9 to which the lid 5, made of ferromagnetic material, is fixed via magnetic actuators 23 and centring pins 24, and screws envisaged in the case of malfunctioning of the actuators 23.

Preferably, the suction system comprises at least four holes 16 arranged on the diagonals of the buffer 9 for transferring suction to the holes 28, 28A, 28B of the lid 5. Accordingly, the lid 5 can be preferably divided into four suction areas each supplied by a hole 16.

Arranged in succession underneath the lid 5 are a top collector 6 and a perforated plate 7, which are removably applied to the bottom face of the lid 5, preferably via pins 13 passing through corresponding reference holes 14 for centring with respect to a common orthogonal axis 15 and via fixing screws 13a that render the elements 5, 6, 7 just described fixed with respect to one another.

The plate 7 is comprised between the top collector 6 and a bottom collector 8, positioned underneath which is a filter 11 connected by means of a system of removable peripheral frames 12, which are sealingly inserted in a corresponding seat 26 of the plate 7.

Advantageously, the plate 7 has a substantially plane top surface 17 and a substantially plane bottom surface 18 traversed by a uniform distribution of holes 21 in communication with said top collector 6 and bottom collector 8.

In greater detail, the top collector 6 has in its thickness a distribution of openings 29A, which are connected to the openings 28 of the lid 5 and from which there branch off branched channels 30 to which there correspond the holes 21 of the underlying plate 7 (more clearly visible in Figure 8) Preferably, the plate 7 has a distribution of inclined holes 27 that communicate with separate channels 30A of the top collector 6 and with the sides 22 of the plate 7 in the proximity of the corners 39 (more clearly visible in Figure 5) .

At the bottom, the plate 7 rests on the bottom collector 8 as may be seen more clearly in the detail of Figure 5, which is preferably formed by a metal-mesh structure with superposition of criss-crossed wires 19, 20.

Advantageously, the metal-meshlike conformation of the collector 8 renders the task of cleaning thereof between successive working cycles convenient and in any case not overly frequent with respect to the replacement of the filter 11.

In addition, the collector 8 is preferably fixed to the plate 7 by means of screws 90 so as to simplify the operations of replacement of the filter 11.

Also the top collector 6 is fixed to the plate 7 by means of screws 91.

Disassembly is carried out only when it is intended to perform a more accurate cleaning of the channels 29A and 30A.

In operation, the assembly 2 is fixed to the machine 10 as represented schematically in Figure 2 and is in contact with the mix 3 following upon the descending stroke of the buffer 9, which brings the filter 11 into contact with the liquid phase emerging from the mix 3.

In the pressing cycle, which is not described in detail herein, the machine 10 executes one or more suction steps in order to take in the liquid phase in excess through the assembly 2 and remove it through the suction ducts 16. In this step, the negative pressure generated in the ducts 16 is transmitted in succession through the openings 28 and 29A of the lid 5, the collector 6, the holes 21 and 27 of the plate (the holes 27 collect the water not filtered laterally by the frames 12) , and the collector 8 and reaches the filter 11 in contact with the mix.

According to the invention, the meshlike conformation of the bottom collector 8 enables the liquid phase sucked in (generically designated by H₂0 in Figure 5) to migrate easily and uniformly through the gaps formed by the superposition of the crossed metal wires 19, 20 of the collector, and be effectively removed through the holes 21 of the plate 7, and then traverse the top collector 6 and be removed. through the ducts 16.

Advantageously, the assembly 2 is simple to assemble, and the various components can be easily cleaned thanks in particular to the plane geometry of the plate and the meshlike conformation of the bottom collector 8.

Moreover, the meshlike conformation of the collector 8 facilitates vertical passage of the aqueous phase taken in and at the same time facilitates horizontal migration given that it enables an even very dense distribution of holes 21 of the plate, and hence enables a uniform negative pressure on the entire surface of the area of pressing to be obtained.

Preferably, the density of holes 21 is greater in the proximity of the diagonals of the plate and of the corners, which are frequently the areas that involve a greater removal of liquid in excess.

In order to be able to. regulate the capacity of suction and the distribution of the active holes 21 on the pressing surface, it has moreover been envisaged to enable insertion of closing grub screws 31 into given holes 21 and thus modify the suction profile of the plate.

With particular reference to Figure s 4 and 5, described in greater detail are preferred embodiments of a plate 7 according to the invention, assembled with the top collector 6 and bottom collector 8 of the type already described, a filter 11, and the frames 12.

The plate 7, together with the frames 12 and the filter 11, defines a plate assembly 70 delimited at the bottom by a pressing surface made up of a perimetral surface 32 of the plate, a surface 33 defined by the frames 12, and a surface 34 defined by the filter 11, where the surfaces 32, 33, 34 are all at the same level thanks to the creation in the plate 7 of a seat 35 that houses precisely the collector 8 on which the filter 11 is set, at the same time obtaining a proper centring of the collector 8 with minimum perimetral play.

Advantageously, in the perimetral' area of application of the filter 11, the plate 7 and the frames 12 have respective inclined surfaces 36, 37 substantially parallel and set apart by an amount equal to the thickness of the filter 11 as equal to the same thickness is also the distance between the plane defined by the surface 33 of the frames 12 and the plane defined by the bottom surface 38 of the plate 7 in the ' internal perimetral area in which the filter 11 is applied and which encloses the seat 35 of the collector 8.

With this solution, during pressing, the filter 11 does not have the possibility of bending or deforming, except for the minimal perimetral play existing between the collector 8 and the seat 35, thus obtaining a top face 43 of the tile that is perfectly plane. This result constitutes an advantage over the known art, in so far as it could not be obtained in systems already known on account of ^' the deformation of the filter during moulding, which generated differences in height 41 and roughness 42 on the top surface of the . tile 43, as illustrated schematically in Figures 15 and 16.

With reference to Figures 17-20, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, in which the top collector 6 and the plate 7 are combined in just one plate made of a single piece 67, maintaining the same functionalities already described above and the corresponding technical advantages .

Advantageously, this embodiment, which is adopted when certain dimensions are exceeded or for particular embodiments of the product being manufactured, achieves an even better draining effect and enables reduction of the production costs.

The present invention has been described according to preferred embodiments, but equivalent variants may be devised, without thereby departing from the sphere of protection of the invention.

Claims

An apparatus (2) for presses (1) for the production of single-layer tiles starting from a water-based compound ( 3 ) , comprising :

a top lid (5) in communication with a system for suction from above (16) ;

a top collector (6) in contact with the bottom face of the lid (5) ;

a perforated plate (7, 67), removably connected to the lid (5) and comprised between the top collector (6) and a bottom collector (8); and

a filter (11) sealingly connected to the bottom collector (8) by means of a system of removable peripheral frames (12).

The apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said collector element is provided in the top part and is made of a single piece with said plate (67) .

The apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the plate (7) is connected to the collector (6) and to the lid (5) via fixing screws (13A) and pins (13) passing through corresponding reference holes (14) for centring with respect to a common orthogonal axis (15).

The apparatus according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein said plate (7, 67) is traversed by a uniform distribution of holes (21) in communication with said top collector (6) and bottom collector (8).

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said plate (7, 67) has inclined holes (27) that communicate with separate ducts (30A) of said top collector (6) and with the perxmetral sides (22) of the plate.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the density of the holes (21) of the plate (7, 67) is greater in the proximity of the diagonals and/or of the corners of the plate.

7. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said plate (7, 67) comprises a number of grub screws (31) for closing the holes (21) in order to regulate the distribution of the active holes (21) .

8. The apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein said inclined holes (27) are made also in the proximity of the corners (39) of the plate (7, 67) .

9. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said bottom collector (8) comprises a meshlike structure with superposition of criss-crossed wires (19, 20) .

10. The apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein said mesh is a stainless-steel mesh.

11. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said lid (5) is made of ferromagnetic material and fixed to said buffer (9) by means of magnetic actuators (23).

12. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plate (7, 67), a bottom collector (8), perimetral frames (12), and a filter (11) comprised between said frames (12) and said plate (67), which define a plate assembly (70) delimited at the bottom by a pressing surface (44) made up of a perimetral surface (32) of the plate, a surface (33) of the frames (12), and a surface (34) of the filter (11), said surfaces (32, 33, 34) being set all at the same level.

13. The apparatus according to Claim 12, wherein said plate (7, 67) comprises a seat. (35) for housing and centring the collector (8) .

14. The apparatus according to Claim 12 or Claim 13, wherein in the perimetral area of application of the filter (11), ^'the plate (67) and the frames (12) have respective surfaces (37, 38) substantially parallel and

5 set apart by an amount equal to the thickness of the filter (11) .

15. A collector for draining the liquid phase in presses for the production of tiles starting from a water-based compound (3), characterized in that it comprises a

10 meshlike structure with superposition of criss-crossed wires (19, 20) .

:>^" _. 16. The collector according to Claim 15, wherein said mesh is a metal mesh.