Process and Apparatus for the Formation of Setting Layers Made Up of Brick Blanks

The invention relates to a process for forming setting layers from brick blanks, the cross rows of which have predetermined mutual spacings. The process establishes such desired spacings by isolating the blanks which start out in longitudinal starting rows where the blanks are disposed closely to one another. The layer comprised of these closed rows is directed against a stop strip, and the closed longitudinal rows of blanks are lifted off the conveying apparatus after which the front portion of the lifting mechanism, comprised of a plurality of lifting elements, redeposits cross rows, individually or in groups, so that the cross rows are separated at certain mutual spacings. The invention also relates to apparatus for carrying out the process.

Brick blanks are placed on a platform or transport wagon, for further processing, for example, in a kiln in such a way, that a desirable stack can be developed by the cross-wise stacking of setting layers. This is favorable from a point of view of both firing as well as transportation techniques. The mutual spacings of the cross rows in the layers must, therefore, be freely adjustable.

German Pat. No. 1 281 637 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,375) discloses a process in which the stacking goods are deposited in several adjacent, longitudinal rows at a stacked width on a feed belt or are pushed onto it, which begins to move and conveys in longitudinal rows against a stop strip, so that they are aligned. After stopping the feed belt the stop strip is lifted off and a "placing in readiness" belt following it, is started at the same speed, so that the aligned cross rows of the stacked goods are successively transferred to the "placing in readiness" belt. However, the feed belt is stopped at such intervals and again switched on in a programmed manner, that a stacked layer is formed on the "placing in readiness" belt, in which the individual cross rows come to lie at possibly variable spacings, required for the setting of the stacks.

From German Pat. No. 2 312 946 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,060) it is known to line longitudinal rows in such a way, that the blanks pushed together in longitudinal and cross rows into a starting setting layer are easily lifted off from a support, developed as a roller table, by a carrier element, developed as a rake, and reaching through the roller table, and are moved in the direction of the longitudinal rows, until the foremost cross row in the direction of movement encounters a resistance, by which at least the hindmost lifted cross row of blanks is again pushed onto the support, whereupon the remaining lifted cross rows are moved on in case of a counterbalanced resistance until they achieve a desired cross row spacing. By the renewed action of the correspondingly adjusted resistance at least one more cross row is again pushed off onto the support, whereby, after such an intermittent, renewed pushing off of all cross rows the setting layer of blanks with the predetermined spacings between the individual cross rows, results.

From German Pat. No. 2 831 485 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,440) it is known, to lift of closed rows of blanks, put in readiness on a roller table, by means of at least one lifting table with strips. The strips move between the rollers of the roller table, to move the lifting table, which is disposed in a shifting frame, in a longitudinal direction of the rows of blanks, whereby the lifting table is lifted up and lowered in a controlled manner. Those blanks remaining on the lifting table are transferred intermittently by this action and at certain mutual spacings to the roller table for the formation of separated layers of blanks.

In the process of German Pat. No. 1 281 637 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,375), it is disadvantageous that the transfer from the feed belt to the "placing in readiness" belt takes place by way of a strip, which bridges the distance between terminal rollers of the belts, and which forms a resistance which must be overcome by the friction of the rows of blanks with the feed belt. Uneven friction as a result of a differing length of the rows of blanks, broken bits beneath the blanks as well as uneven wear of the strip and thus temporarily uneven contact of the blank to be transferred with the "placing in readiness" belt, cause a sloppy setting up of the layer of blanks, particularly in case of small sizes. Moreover, the periodic stopping and starting of the feed belt leads to a wobbling of the bricks to be transferred, which then for this reason too may no longer be lined precisely.

In case of the process according to German Pat. No. 2 312 946 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,060) it is disadvantageous that upon pushing off of the blanks from a rake onto the support, the difference in height between the rake and the support must be very great. Burrs or irregularities on the bricks would otherwise lead to driving by the support and thus to sloppy lining. The difference in height however causes particularly thinner formats to tip or wander over the end of the rake during stripping.

In the process disclosed in German Pat. No. 2 831 485 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,440) it is a disadvantage that the lifting and lowering of the aligning table is conditional on a decrease in output during the aligning process.

Therefore, the present invention is based on the task of making the separating of the blanks for the formation of setting layers independent of friction of the blanks with transportation means, of preventing the wobbling and tilting of the blanks by repeated starts during the aligning and of depositing the blanks in such a way on the "placing in readiness" machinery, that even their formats may be set up perfectly aligned.

Another task consists in creating a process which will do justice to the ever higher performance requirements.

The problems and difficulties of these known techniques are solved by the present invention, in that the conveying machinery moves continuously and conveys the blanks from a depositing point to a tapping point for the separated setting layer. After removal of the stop strip with all the cross-rows compacted and with a predetermined number now isolated and ready to be separated as desired, the cross rows, beginning with the first cross row, are redeposited successively onto the conveying machinery in a sequence controlled in dependence on the transportation path of the conveying device.

The task of the invention is solved through use of apparatus for carrying out the process together with conveying machinery which includes mechanism that can penetrate vertically through the belts of the conveying machinery onto which nonseparated rows of blanks may be deposited. The lifting mechanism extends up to a stop strip with the end of the lifting mechanism facing the stop strip being comprised of a number of individual lifting elements, the number of which corresponds at least to the largest possible number of cross rows of blanks in a setting layer.

The advantages achieved with the present invention are found especially in the fact that the cross rows of blanks for aligning are deposited on the conveying mechanism or the lifting apparatus, so that the transfer is always accomplished precisely, the formats may be transferred neatly and in case of aligning no dragging on the supports takes place. Moreover, high output may be achieved, since entire layers of closed rows of blanks may be put at the same time onto the feed, and the conveyance of the lined setting layer into the readiness position for tapping takes place simultaneously with the conveyance of the layer to be aligned against the stop strip. Accordingly, the conveying machinery remains continuously in operation and the blanks, with the exception of the lifted off state, keep moving steadily.

Other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention as well as the methods and operation and functions of the related elements of the structure, and to the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures.

FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a cross section through the apparatus with rows of blanks lifted off the conveying apparatus;

FIG. 2 shows diagrammatically a longitudinal section through the apparatus during separating and setting up of a new closed layer of blanks;

FIG. 3 shows a similar view as in FIG. 2 with the separated layer of blanks in tapping position downstream of the stop strip and with rows of blanks lined up closed against the stop strip, prior to lifting off;

FIG. 4 shows diagramatically at an enlarged scale a side view of the separating device with separated lifting elements for larger formats;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the device as in FIG. 4.

Turning now to the Figures, a layer of blanks, comprised of closed rows of blanks 1 as shown in FIG. 2, is deposited onto a lifting device 2, which reaches through a continuously running conveying apparatus 3, comprised of a plurality of spaced apart belts 10 for suitably supporting the blanks. After lowering of lifting device 2 the brick blanks are conveyed against a stop strip 4, so that the cross rows 5 of blanks are aligned as shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the end of lifting device 2 facing stop strip 4 is comprised of a number of individual lifting elements 6, the number of which corresponds to the greatest possible number of cross rows of blanks 5 in one setting layer 7. After the closed cross rows of blanks 5 have been conveyed against stop strip 4 and have been aligned, the lifting device 2, inclusive of the lifting elements 6, is raised. After removal of stop strip 4, the lifting elements 6, beginning with those next to the stop strip 4, are lowered individually in a sequential fashion or by groups counter to the direction of conveyance of the conveying apparatus 3, whereby the lowering is program-controlled; in a conventional manner, in dependence on the transportation path of the conveying apparatus 3, so that cross rows of blanks 5 are separated at certain mutual spacings into a setting layer 7.

After completion of one setting layer 7, stop strip 4 is again lowered or otherwise placed in its stop position and lifting device 2 as well as lifting elements 6, which are still in a raised state, are lowered. While the separated setting layer 7 is conveyed in tapping position, the newly set-up closed rows 1 of blanks are conveyed against the blanks, that have remained on the lifting device 2, and against the stop strip 4 for alignment of the cross rows.

The lifting elements 6 are interconnected by scissors or lazy tong assemblies 8 as shown in FIG. 5, so that the spacing of lifting elements 6 in a longitudinal direction (direction of transportation) is adjustable and blanks of variable thickness may be supported centrally or in multiple fashion.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures.