subject: Apparatus to Manufacture Green Bricks With Brick Machine [print this page] Apparatus to Manufacture Green Bricks With Brick Machine
An apparatus for making green bricks with brick machine having the appearance of tumbled brick achieves these results by deforming a slug from which green bricks are made. The slug is deformed by the use of a reciprocating member that alternately retracts and then hits (deforms) the slug. By varying the angle of attack (between the deformation member and the slug), the degree of travel of the deformation member, and the orientation of deformation blades on the deformation member, the green bricks have a deformation pattern that appears fairly random as if they had been tumbled.
An apparatus to receive a slug from which "green" bricks are formed, the slug being elongated and having a rectangular transverse cross section so as to provide two longitudinal side faces, an exposed top face, and a bottom face, said top and bottom faces and each side face forming an edge, said apparatus being adapted to deform the slug and having:an elongated base to receive the slug so that the slug extends longitudinally thereof; and at least two deformation members mounted adjacent the base and movable transversely of the base between a retracted position in which each of said deformation members is spaced from the slug, and a deformation position in which at least portions of each of said deformation members are engaged with the slug at spaced locations along at least one of the edges of the slug to cause irregular plastic deformations,
at least one first ram member for causing angular movement of at least one of said deformation members about the longitudinal direction of the base; and a second ram member for causing reciprocation of each of said deformation members between said deformation position and said retracted position.
In the field of brick making, there are generally two types of bricks; "Green" bricks and "Fired" bricks. To manufacture a common brick a soft mixture of clay is extruded through an extrusion device to form a flat horizontally extending column of clay from which clay slugs are produced. These slugs are later cut into a common "brick" shape by passing them through a cutting assembly unit such as a "push through" cutter. Various other assembly units can be included into the brick making production line before or after the cutting unit.
Generally, a "green" brick is defined as a brick which is an amorphous or soft state produced from the clay column coming from the extruder. A "fired" brick on the other hand, is a brick, which once leaving the extrusion device (as a "green" brick), proceeds to a drier and into a kiln wherein the brick is "fired".
It is well known to manufacture bricks having an irregular appearance. This irregular appearance is generally produced by taking either "green" or "fired" bricks and tumbling them. This tumbling action deforms the edges of "green" and chips the edges of "fired" bricks, giving each respective brick a unique appearance.
When green bricks are tumbled, they are placed into a tumbling machine which knocks, folds and generally distorts the shape of the brick. When fired bricks are tumbled, they are placed in a similar tumbling machine and "rumbled". These tumbling machines include a drum mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis. The internal surface of the drum is provided with a plurality of spaced bars which engage and lift the bricks. The drum is driven by an electric motor.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate some of the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative.
It is another object of this invention to mass produce bricks having the appearance of being tumbled without actually tumbling the bricks and incurring losses.
Preferably, the deformation members are adapted to deform all four longitudinally extending edges of a slug.
It is further preferred that the deformation members be secured to a bar which is pivotally mounted for angular movement about an axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base.
Unfortunately, this method for producing tumbled fired bricks is extremely noisy and produces significant quantities of dust. Both prior all processes are also very labor intensive.
Bricks produced in this traditional way invariably have to be handled manually because the distortions prevent automatic marshaling and setting equipment being used. Accordingly, tumbled bricks are more costly to manufacture with block machine.
