Brick press

Abstract: The present invention relates to a brick press wherein a mold 108 as well as a material can be exchanged easily and in a short time. Also, the present invention relates to a brick press which is capable of exchanging a raw material easily and in a short time in the same way as a mold exchange in a die floating type press in which a press molding is performed only by an upper plunger 102 of the press body with the mold holder 103 being moved vertically. The present invention is characterised in that said brick press comprises, a plurality of transfer trucks 112 provided with said device 105 for removably mounting and said device 118,119,120,121,122 for supplying raw material, and a pin 123 for positioning said transfer truck to said brick press. Also, the present invention is characterised in that said brick press comprises a plurality of transfer trucks 112, each of which is provided with said device 118,119,120,121,122 for supplying raw material, means 114 for moving said device for supplying raw material, means 117 for lifting and lowering said device for supplying raw material and a pin 123 for positioning said transfer truck to said mold holder 103.

Description: The present invention relates to a brick press comprising means for removably mounting a brick forming die tooling set to a mold holder and removably mounting said die tooling set to a mold exchange transfer truck for mold exchange, said brick forming die tooling set including an upper and a lower plunger, and means for supplying raw material. One known such apparatus is a mold floating type press as shown in Fig. 3 and 4. In such a press, when a die tooling set or mold is exchanged, a mold exchange transfer truck 31 for mold exchange is stopped at the front of a press 32, an upper and a lower plunger 39 and 40 are brought into contact with each other at the center of the mold by actuation of a lower plunger lifting cylinder 33 and a pressure piston 34, clamps 36 and 37 are loosened, and then, a mold is transferred to the mold exchange transfer truck 31 by extending a mold pull-out cylinder 38. After the mold exchange transfer truck 31 is moved, another mold exchange transfer truck 31a carrying a new mold is stopped at the front of the press 32, and the new mold is mounted to the press in the reverse routine to the mold removal. The above-mentioned apparatus is sufficiently effective, for example, for a mold exchange due to a wear of a liner portion of die tooling. However, a requirement for exchange of a supplied material has recently been proposed because materials for bricks have become used in lots which are small and of many different types. It was a disadvantage in this type of press that when a material mixture is exchanged a residual material must be completely removed from a table of charger 41, a mixture charging box 42 and a hopper 43. Also, it was a disadvantageous point that a new raw material must be poured into the hopper 43 after the cleaning of respective portion, and an additional cleaning of an upper portion of a mold holder 35 must be carried out. A method for moving two hoppers 43, 43a over the charger 41 is also possible as shown in Fig. 4. However, since the charger 41 must be operated vertically, a complicated construction will result. Also, a material hopper 43 must be moved vertically, and an operation to adjust the hopper will be rather difficult. For these reasons, the method shown in Fig. 4 will increase costs. Viewed from one aspect, the present invention provides a new brick press which comprises means for removably mounting a brick forming die tooling set to a mold holder and removably mounting said die tooling set to a mold exchange transfer truck for mold exchange, said brick forming die tooling set including an upper and a lower plunger, and means for supplying raw material, characterised in that said brick press comprises, a plurality of transfer trucks, at least one of which is a mold exchange transfer truck provided with said means for removably mounting as aforesaid and at least one of which is a raw materials supply means transfer truck provided with said means for supplying raw material, and a pin for positioning said raw materials supply means transfer truck relative to said brick press. Viewed from another aspect, the present invention provides a new brick press, which comprises means for removably mounting a brick forming die tooling set to a mold holder and removably mounting said die tooling set to a mold exchange transfer truck for mold exchange, said brick forming die tooling set including an upper and a lower plunger, and means for supplying raw material, characterised in that said brick press comprises a plurality of raw materials supply means transfer trucks, each of which is provided with said means for supplying raw material, means for moving said means for supplying raw material towards and away from said mold holder, means for lifting and lowering said means for supplying raw material and a pin for positioning said raw materials supply means transfer truck relative to said mold holder. Preferably, said means for lifting and lowering is of a hydraulically operated pantograph type. Furthermore, preferably, said means for moving is of a hydraulic type. In a brick press provided with a mold exchange means constructed as above-mentioned, in case a material should be exchanged, a raw materials supply means transfer truck with a residual material mixture is separated from the press by a positioning release which positioning was carried out by a positioning pin. Then, another succeeding raw materials supply means transfer truck charged with a new material mixture is moved and positioned relative to the press by a positioning pin. Also, in a die floating type press constructed as above-mentioned, in case a material should be exchanged, a clamp on a raw materials supply means transfer truck is released, a positioning pin is released by retracting the means for supplying material, the raw materials supply means transfer truck is moved laterally, another prepared raw materials supply means transfer truck previously charged with a material to be exchanged is moved to the rear of the press, a height of said another raw materials supply means truck is adjusted so as to be aligned to the mold holder by means of the means for lifting and lowering, and the means for supplying material is moved in forward direction, is positioned by a positioning pin, and is clamped after the means for supplying material have been moved forward. In such a condition, operations can be carried out at once. Furthermore, since the means for supplying material is moved vertically together with the mold holder by the means for lifting and lowering, operations of the press will not be affected by said means. Also, since the means for removably mounting is fixed to the mold holder, operations of the press will not be interfered with by said means. Embodiments of the present invention are described below in reference to the drawings as follows: Fig. 1 is a side view showing a first embodiment of the brick press according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the brick press of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view showing a known brick press; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the known brick press of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a side view of a second embodiment of a brick press according to the present invention; and Fig. 6 is a side view showing a transfer truck moved from the position of Fig. 5. A first embodiment of the present invention is explained hereinbelow in reference to the drawings of Figs. 1-4. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a mold holder 5 is fixed, by a groove 4 provided internally, to a press body 1 with an upper piston 2 in the upper part and a lower piston 3 in the lower part and a mold exchange transfer truck 9 for a mold exchange carrying a mold 8 with an upper plunger 6 and a lower plunger 7 is movably provided on the rail 10, 10 laid at the front side of the press body 1. A raw materials supply means transfer truck 20, having a raw material hopper 21 as a raw materials supplying device, a raw materials charging box 22, a charger cylinder 23 and a mold pull-out cylinder 24, is movably provided by means of wheels on the rail 30, 30 laid at the rear side of the press body 1. Furthermore, the raw materials supply means transfer truck 20 is positioned relative to the press body 1 by a positioning pin 25 provided on the raw materials supply means transfer truck 20. The operation of the brick press illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 will be described below. In the same manner as the known arrangement shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a mold exchange is performed by actuating an upper piston 2, a lower piston 3 and a mold pull-out cylinder 24. When a material is exchanged, on the other hand, a rod of the mold pull-out cylinder 24 is retracted, a positioning of a positioning pin 25 is released, a raw materials supply means transfer truck 20 is moved to the position B of Fig. 2, a previously prepared raw materials supply means transfer truck (not shown) with the same shape is moved on the rail 30, 30 to the rear side of said press body 1 and the raw materials supply means transfer truck 20 is positioned by the positioning pin for finally performing material exchange. The second embodiment of the present invention is explained hereinbelow with reference to the drawings of Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig. 5 and 6, a press body 101 is provided with an upper piston 102, a plurality of cylinders 104 and a mold holder 103 supported such that it can be vertically lifted and lowered by cylinders 104. Furthermore, a mold pull-out cylinder 105 is fixed to the mold holder 103. In addition, a mold exchange transfer truck 109 for mold exchange carrying a mold 108 which is a die tooling set with an upper plunger 106 and a lower plunger 107 is movably provided on a rail 110, 110 laid at the front side of the press body 101. On the other hand, on a rail 111, 111 laid at the rear side of the press body 101 there is provided a movable raw materials supply means transfer truck 112. Furthermore, on a rail 115 laid on the floor 116 of the raw materials supply means transfer truck and in perpendicular relation to the rail 111 there is provided a movable positioning truck 113 which is moved by a cylinder 114. Moreover, a charger frame 118 is mounted on the positioning truck 113 via a lifting and lowering device 117 interposed therebetween (pantograph type in the illustrated embodiment), with the charger frame 118 being provided with a charger 119 and a charger cylinder 120. And, a hopper 121 with a feeder 122 is fixed to the raw materials supply means transfer truck 112. Additionally, the charger frame 118 is provided with a positioning pin 123 and a clamp device 124. Therefore, when a material is exchanged, the clamp 124 is released, the positioning truck 113 is moved backwardly from the press body 101 by actuating the cylinder 114 (see Fig. 6), the raw materials supply means transfer truck 112 is moved along the rail 111, another raw materials supply means transfer truck 112a (not shown) is moved to the rear of the press body 101, the charger 119 is aligned to the height of the mold holder 103 by the lifting and lowering device 117, the positioning truck 113 is moved forward by actuating the cylinder 114, positioned by a positioning pin 123 and finally clamped by a clamp device 124, and then a press operation using an exchanged material can be started. On the other hand, when a die tooling set or a mold 108 is exchanged, it is sufficient that the mold holder 103 is aligned to the height of the mold exchange transfer truck 109 for mold exchange by actuating the cylinder 104, 104 for lifting and lowering the mold holder 103 and the mold pull-out cylinder 105 is actuated. It was required to perform an adjustment of vertical movement of the transfer device 20 in the prior press apparatus being constructed such that the charger moves vertically with the mold holder 35. In the present invention, since the mold holder 5 is fixed without moving vertically, operations thereof are simplified. In addition, since material is exchanged by exchanging the raw materials supply means transfer truck by using a positioning pin, the materials exchange can be performed easily and in a short time in the same way as the mold exchange. Furthermore, an automatic operation is possible by preferably controlling the mold exhange, raw materials supply means and positioning transfer trucks, taking out the product, etc. Also, at least preferred embodiments of the present invention, are capable of exchanging the raw material easily and in a short time, in the same way as an exchange of mold by simply exchanging the raw materials supply means transfer truck charged with a raw material, even in a die floating type press in which a pressure molding is carried out only by an upper plunger. Thus, according to at least preferred embodiments, there is provided a brick press wherein a mold as well as a material can be exchanged easily and in a short time; and there is provided a brick forming press capable of exchanging a raw material easily and in a short time in the same way as a mold exchange in a die floating type press in which a press molding is performed only by an upper plunger of the press body with the mold holder being moved vertically.

Claims: A brick press (1) comprising: means for removably mounting a brick forming die tooling set to a mold holder (5) and removably mounting said die tooling set to a mold exchange transfer truck (9) for mold exchange, said brick forming die tooling set including an upper (6) and a lower plunger (7); and means for supplying raw material; characterised in that said brick press comprises: a plurality of transfer trucks, at least one of which is a mold exchange transfer truck (9) provided with said means for removably mounting as aforesaid, and at least one of which is a raw materials supply means transfer truck (20) provided with said means for supplying raw material; and a pin (25) for positioning said raw materials supply means transfer truck (20) relative to said brick press (1). A brick press (101) comprising: means for removably mounting a brick forming die tooling set to a mold holder (105) and removably mounting said die tooling set to a mold exchange transfer truck (109) for mold exchange, said brick forming die tooling set including an upper (106) and a lower plunger (107); and means for supplying raw material; characterised in that said brick press comprises a plurality of raw materials supply means transfer trucks (120), each of which is provided with said means for supplying raw material, means for moving said means for supplying raw material towards and away from said mold holder, means for lifting and lowering said means for supplying raw material and a pin (124) for positioning said raw materials supply means transfer truck (120) relative to said mold holder.

Inventors: HAGUCHI HIROSHI, HAGUCHI, HIROSHI
Applicants: MITSUISHI FUKAI IRON WORKS, KABUSHIKI KAISHA MITSUISHI FUKAI TEKKOSHO
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B28B13
IPC codes: B28B17, B30B15, B28B13