Abstract:
A method and apparatus of removing flash from a brick is disclosed. The method includes the steps: a) moving a rod through the hole; and b) directing a pressurized fluid from the rod into the hole as the rod moves into and out of the hole. The apparatus includes a clamp and a tube which are connected to the frame. The clamp secures the brick. The tube is configured to move through the brick hole and retract back to its starting position while a pressurized fluid is directed into the hole from a distal end of the tube.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates to flash removal, and in particular to a method and apparatus for removing core flash from bricks.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The process for mass producing bricks, which are typically made from clay, is well known. The bricks are extruded from clay, cut into the desired shape, and are then fired in a kiln. The extruded bricks (i.e. prior to being fired in a kiln) are referred to as “green bricks”.  
         [0003]     Typically, a brick includes a number of holes, which are also known as “cores”. These holes are formed in the brick during the extrusion process for any number of reasons, such as reducing the weight of the brick. One type of hole frequently seen in bricks is a cylindrical hole through the entire thickness of the brick. Due to the imperfections of the wire cut process of cutting the green brick, flash is formed in the holes.  
         [0004]     The formation of flash in brick holes is typically not a problem, since typical brick construction simply requires a brick to be laid on other bricks and fastened together by mortar to form structures.  
         [0005]     However, in certain applications, specialized brick structures are required, where the holes of adjacent bricks are aligned, and fasteners are inserted through the holes of adjacent bricks. In these building applications, it is important that no flash be present in the holes, as the flash can block the fastener from entering the hole.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for removing flash from brick holes.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     According to a first aspect of the invention, a method of removing flash from a brick which defines a hole therein is provided. The method comprises: a) moving a rod through the hole; and b) directing a pressurized fluid from the rod into the hole.  
         [0008]     Preferably, pressurized air is sprayed from the distal end of the rod while the rod moves into the hole and is retracted from the hole.  
         [0009]     According to a second aspect of the invention, an apparatus from removing flash from a brick defining a hole therein. The apparatus comprises: 
        a) a frame;     b) a clamp connected to the frame, wherein the clamp is adapted to releasably secure the brick; and     c) a rod movably connected to the frame, the rod defining an axial channel therein;     wherein the rod is adapted to move through the hole and deliver a pressurized fluid from the axial channel into the hole.        
 
         [0014]     Preferably, the rod is a tube configured to spray pressurized air from an open distal end thereof.  
         [0015]     The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a method and apparatus for automated removal of flash from bricks during their mass production. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     In the accompanying drawings:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a portion of the preferred embodiment showing the brick table and rail mounts;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portion of the preferred embodiment showing the main carriage;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a portion of the preferred embodiment showing the rear clamp carriage;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a portion of the preferred embodiment showing the side clamp assembly;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment in the open position;  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment showing the rear clamp carriage in the closed position;  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment showing the side clamp assembly in the closed position; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment showing the main carriage in the closed position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0026]      FIG. 1  shows an apparatus  20  for removing flash from brick holes.  
         [0027]     As best shown in  FIG. 2 , the apparatus  20  includes a generally planar frame  22 . Rail mounts  24  are preferably welded to the frame  22 . A brick table  23  is connected to the frame to support the bricks (not shown).  
         [0028]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the rail mounts  24  support two slide rails  26 . Three rail mounts  24  are provided for each slide rail  26 . A rodless cylinder  28  is mounted by any suitable means (such as by bolts) to the frame  22  between the slide rails  26 . The rodless cylinder  28  drives a main carriage  30 . The rodless cylinder  28  is preferably a conventional slotted cylinder, such as RexMover™ Series277 which is commercially available from Rexroth™. A clamp  31  for securing the bricks (not shown) within the apparatus  20  is mounted at the other end of the frame  22 .  
         [0029]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the main carriage  30  includes four rods  32  connected to a bracket  34 . Each rod  32  has an axial channel  33  defined therein. The axial channel  33  terminates at an open distal end  35 . In the preferred embodiment which is best suited for bricks having cylindrical holes, the rods  32  are tubes having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the brick holes. However, the rods  32  may have any suitable shape, depending on the shape of the brick hole. In addition, any suitable number of rods  32  may be provided, depending on the number of holes in each brick and the configuration and number of bricks to be processed (as described in more detail below).  
         [0030]     Continuing to refer to  FIG. 3 , an adjusting clamp  36  is provided for each rod  32  to precisely align each rod with the center of the brick core The rods  32  are connected to a supply of compressed air (not shown) in any conventional fashion. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that any other suitable pressurized gas which does not affect the integrity of the clay may be used.  
         [0031]     Continuing to refer to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the bracket  34  is connected to the rodless cylinder  28 . Linear bearings  36  are secured to the bracket  34  and engage the slide rails  26 .  
         [0032]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the clamp  31  includes a front clamp plate  40  secured to the frame  22 , a rear clamp carriage  42 , and a side clamp assembly  44 . The front clamp plate  40  includes four waste holes  41 .  
         [0033]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the rear clamp carriage  42  includes a rear clamp plate  46  connected to a rear clamp bracket  48 . The rear clamp plate includes four openings  49 . The rear clamp bracket  48  is mounted on the sliding rails  26  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) by linear bearings  50 . An air cylinder  52  is connected to the rear clamp bracket  48  to activate the rear clamp plate  46 .  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the side clamp assembly  44  includes two side clamp plates  50 . The slide clamp plates  50  are supported on transverse rails  52  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) by linear bearings  54  connected to the slide clamp plates  50 . The transverse rails  52  are connected to the frame  22 . Each side clamp plate  50  is driven by a corresponding air-activated cylinder  56 .  
         [0035]     The operation of the present invention will now be described.  FIG. 1  shows the apparatus  20  in the open position. The two side clamp plates  50  and the rear clamp plate  46  are retracted. The main carriage  30  is also retracted away from the brick table  23 .  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a conventional programmable logic control or PLC (not shown) communicates with a robotic delivery system (also not shown) to instruct it to place a brick stack  60  the brick table  23  (best shown in  FIG. 2 ). It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the PLC for a commercially available automated system for mass producing bricks from clay may be modified to operate the apparatus of the present invention. Alternatively, and independent PLC may be constructed in accordance with known techniques. Finally, manual operation of the apparatus, without a PLC, may be used for small batch requirements.  
         [0037]     In the preferred embodiment, the brick stack  60  is configured such that it is two bricks in height and width, and ten bricks in length, with the brick holes being aligned to form a cylindrical channel. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the brick stack  60  may include any suitable number of bricks in any suitable configuration depending on the configuration of the rods  32  in the apparatus  20 . In addition, the brick stack  60  is composed of green bricks (i.e. extruded bricks which have not been fired in a kiln).  
         [0038]     The robotic delivery system is part of the commercially available automated system for mass producing bricks from clay, and will not be further described. After delivering the brick stack  60 , the delivery system retracts and signals to the PLC that it is clear of the apparatus  20 .  
         [0039]     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , the PLC activates a first solenoid (not shown) which controls the rear clamp carriage  42 , causing the rear clamp carriage  42  to move along the slide rails  26  toward the brick stack  60  until the brick stack  60  is clamped between the front clamp plate  40  and the rear clamp plate  46 .  
         [0040]     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a second solenoid (not shown) is activated to control the side clamp assembly  44 , causing the side clamp plates  50  to slide toward the brick stack  60  along the transverse rails  52  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). The side clamp plates  50  clamp the brick stack  60  in position for flash removal, such that the holes in the brick stack  60  are aligned with the openings  49  in the rear clamp plate  46 .  
         [0041]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , the rodless cylinder  28  is activated by the PLC, driving the main carriage  30  along the slide rails  26  toward the brick stack  60 . As the rods  32  move through the openings  49  in the rear clamp plate  46  and enter the holes in the brick stack  60 , pressurized air is directed into the holes from the distal end  35  of the axial channels  33  (best shown in  FIG. 3 ) in the rods  32 . The rods  32  move through the holes in the brick stack  60  and then retract to their original position. During the entry and the retraction stroke, pressurized air is sprayed into the holes from the rods  32  to break off any flash which may have formed in the brick holes during the extrusion process. Any flash which is not removed by the force of the pressurized air, is punched out of the hole by physical contact with the rods  32 .  
         [0042]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the flash removed from the brick stack  60  is blown by the rods  32  through the brick stack  60  and out of the apparatus  20  through the waste holes  41  in the front clamp plate  40 . The flash is blown into a duct (not shown) which channels the flash into a conveyor (not shown) running below the apparatus  20 .  
         [0043]     The pressurized air flow from the rods  32  is turned off when the rodless cylinder  28  driving the main carriage  30  has returned to its starting or “at rest” position, as shown in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0044]     The side and rear clamp carriages  44 ,  42  are then retracted to the positions shown in  FIGS. 7 and 6 , respectively.  
         [0045]     A reed switch (not shown) on the air cylinder  52  communicates to the PLC that the rear clamp carriage  42  has been retracted to the open position. The PLC then signals to the robotic delivery system that the brick stack  60  is to be removed. The robotic delivery removes the brick stack  60  and delivers a new brick stack for flash removal. The above process is then repeated.  
         [0046]     While the present invention as herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the above-described objects of the invention, it is to be understood that it is the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention and thus, is representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention, that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it is to be encompassed by the present claims.