BRICK MANUFACTURE

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing bricks by extruding a column of raw clay having at least a cross-section corresponding to a desired brick cross-section. The extruded column is conveyed to a frog cutting station having a plurality of rotating, frog-cutting blades (34). The rotating blades are mounted on carriages (36) on either side of the column of clay. The carriages are moved towards the column of clay until the rotating blades simultaneously cut frogs of a desired depth from a plurality of bricks cut from, or be cut from, the column of raw clay.

Description: "BRICK MANUFACTURE" This invention relates to the manufacture of bricks, and more particularly to the formation of the frog in the larger face of bricks. Bricks are conventionally manufactured by (a) pressing the raw clay into the required shape in individual moulds, or (b) extruding a column or slug of raw clay, which is subsequently wirecut into individual bricks. Frogs can be formed in pressed bricks simultaneously with the initial pressing step, or at a subsequent repressing step. Extruded bicks cannot be provided with frogs during the extrusion process, however the slug can be extruded with holes extending throughout its length. When the slug is wirecut, bricks are produced with holes extending from bed-face to bed-face, such holes providing a similar keying action for the mortar as does a frog. Pressed brick manufacture requires a large number of individual moulds, thus requiring expensive handling machinery * to obtain a desirable rate of production. It is the object of this invention to provide an apparatus for manufacturing bricks by the extrusion process and subsequently forming a frog in one bed-face of each extruded brick. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing bricks comprising the steps of:- a) extruding a column of raw clay having at least a cross-section corresponding to the desired brick cross-section; b) conveying the column to a frog-forming station; and c) cutting a frog(s) out of at least one side of the column at a position corresponding to any face of each individual brick cut from, or to be cut from, the column. Preferably the column is longitudinally cut into a plurality of slugs, and transversely cut to form a column of individually cut raw bricks. According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided apparatus for manufacturing bricks comprising means to extrude a column of at least one slug of raw clay of a desired brick cross-section, means to convey the column to a frog-forming station, means at the frog-forming station to form a frog in at least one side of the column at a position corresponding to any face of each individual brick cut from, or to be cut from, the column. The frog-forming station comprises one or a plurality of frog cutters equal to a brick, or a number of bricks in the column. Preferably the frog cutters each comprise rotating blades, which are arranged to gouge out a depression in the face of the brick. The frog cutter may be mounted vertically or horizontally. When the slug, or brick, reaches the frog-forming station, the slug, or brick, is positioned between the frog cutters. The frog cutters are then caused to move toward the slug and gouge out a hollow in one bed-face of each brick. The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of part of the embodiment of Figure 1 , and Figure 3 is a perspective vier of a practical arrangement of the apparatus of this invention. Figure 1 shows a column 10 of extruded clay intended to be formed into bricks. Column 10 is cut longitudinally for example by a wire cutter (not shown) into four slugs 12 as the column 10 emerges from the extruder (not shown) . Slugs 12 are then cut transversely at equal intervals to form individual bricks 11. Slugs 12 are then moved by a conveyor (not shown) from the extruder to a frog-forming station 13 as shown in Figure 1. Station B comprises two banks of frog-cutters 14, -^GRE OMPI Sjfr. wipo arranged on each side of column 10 (the frog-cutters on the rear side of the column are not shown in Figure 1). Cutters 14- are arranged in two banks of two tiers, each cutter being fixed to a rotatable shaft 15. Shafts 15 are rotatably carried by a carriage 16. Carriage 16 is movable towards and away from column 10 along rails 24. Referring now to Figure 2, each cutter 14 comprises from blades 17 fixed to core 18 for example by bolts 19. Core 18 is in turn fixed to shaft 15. As shown in Figure 1, shafts 15 are rotatably interconnected by gear arrangement 20. Lower shaft 15 carries a pulley 15a driven by drive means 21 via a belt 22. Rotation of the lower shaft 15 in the direction shown will cause the upper shaft, by means of gears 20, to rotate in the same direction with the same speed. Alternatively, both shafts 15 can be provided at the same end with a pulley 15a, each driven by a drive belt from a double pulley mounted on the shaft of drive means 21. Column 10 of individually cut bricks 11 is transported to frog-cutting station 13 by a conveyor (not shown) . The conveyor is indexed to move column 10 in increments equal to the length of two bricks 11, corresponding to the number of banks of cutters 14. Four banks of cutters will require movement of column 10 in increments of four brick lengths, and so on. Selection of the number of banks of cutters will depend on a number of factors such as the capacity of the extruder, and the capacity of the brick handling equipment downstream of the frog-cutting station 13. When the column 10 is properly aligned with cutters 14, drive means 21 is activated to rotate the cutters, and carriage 16 is gradually moved towards the column 10. As blades 17 engage each raw brick 12, they gouge out a depression or frog 23 in brick 12. In the embodiment shown, frogs are formed simultaneously in eight bricks, four on the side of the column 10 shown in Figure 1, and four on the other side. Obviously, four banks of two tiers of OMPI < *£S -A - cutters will enable simultaneous cutting of frogs 23 in 16 bricks. Depth of the frog 23 is determined by the distance moved by carriage 16 towards column 10. On completion of the rog-cutting, carriage 16 is moved away from column 10, and column 10 is moved by the conveyor a further distance of 2 brick lengths. Figure 3 shows a practical arrangement of the apparatus of this invention. The apparatus comprises two carriages 36 having wheels 41 so they are movable on rails 40 (only one of which is shown, the other rail being at the far end of the carriages) . Each carriage has a gear rack 42 which engages with a pinion 43. Rotation of pinion 43 will simultaneously move both carriages 36 towards or away from each other, depending on the direction of rotation of pinion 43. Each carriage 36 carries a plurality of rotatable frog-cutters 34; a total of forty-eight cutters arranged in four rows of twelve cutters, two rows on each carriaage. Conveyor belt 44 carries the raw slug from the extruder to the frog-cutting station. Suitable control systems are provided to control starting and stopping of conveyor 44, movement of carriages 36 and operation of cutters 34. Bricks manufactured on the apparatus and according to the method of the present invention can be produced quicker than the usual press method of forming frogs. O PI

Claims: THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. A method of manufacturing bricks comprising the steps of:- a) extruding a column of raw clay having at least a cross-section corresponding to the desired brick cross-section; (b) conveying the column to a frog-forming station; and c) cutting a frog(s) out of at least one side of the column at a position corresponding to any face of each individual brick cut from, or to be cut from, the column. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the column is longitudinally cut into a plurality of slugs each having a cross-section equivalent to the desired brick cross-section. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the column or slugs are transversely cut into lengths equivalent to the desired brick length. 4. The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein the column or slugs are cut after step a) but before step b). 5. Apparatus for manufacturing bricks comprising means to extrude a column of at least one slug of raw clay of a desired brick cross-section, means to convey the column to a frog-forming station, means at the frog-forming station to form a frog in at least one side of the column at a position corresponding to any face of each individual brick cut from, or to be cut from, the column. 6. • The apparatus of claim 5, including means to longitudinally cut the column into a plurality of said slugs. 7. The apparatus of claim 5 or 6, including means to transversely cut the column of slugs into lengths equivalent to the desired brick length. 8. The apparatus of claim 6 or 7, wherein the cutting means are positioned after the extruder means but before the frog-forming station. 9. The apparatus of claim 5, 6, 7 or 8 wherein the frog-forming station comprises at least one rotating blade cutter adapted to cut said frog. 10. The apparatus of any one of claims 5 to 9 wherein the frog forming station comprises a plurality of cutters enabling a plurality of frogs to be formed simultaneously. 11. Brick manu cturing apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. fREΛD OMPI τ

Inventors: PETERSON JACK, SMALE JACK CLIVE, PETERSON, JACK, SMALE, JACK, CLIVE
Applicants: CLIFTON BRICK HOLDINGS LTD, J C SMALE CONSOLIDATE IND PTY, CLIFTON BRICK HOLDINGS LTD., J.C. SMALE CONSOLIDATE INDUSTRIES PTY. LTD.
Application year: 1983
Main classification: B28B11
IPC codes: B28B11, B28D1