Patent GB-850904-A (GB)
Title: A compacting press and a method for the manufacture of bricks or briquettes
Inventor: MCELROY ROY HARDIN
IPC: B28B3/02
Filed: 1959-04-03
Abstract: 850,904. Brick presses. INTERNATIONAL CLAY MACHINERY OF DELAWARE Inc. April 3, 1959, No. 11386/59. Class 87(2). A brick press comprises a mould 36, a crosshead 60 above the mould loaded with weights 70, a crosshead 80 suspended from the crosshead 60 by bolts 88 with springs 94, 96 arranged to give a resilient connection and carrying a pressure member 81 (the face of which may be sloping or horizontal) adapted to enter the mould cavity and vibrators 100, the crossheads being independently guided by guides 30 and compacting pressure being transmitted from the weights 70 through the springs 96 as the lower crosshead vibrates without the upper crosshead vibrating with it. The crosshead 60 is raised and lowered by a hydraulically operated piston 66, a charging box 108 is advanced and retracted by a piston in a cylinder 110, an ejector platen 38 is raised and lowered by a piston 42 and the vibrators are actuated from a hydraulic drive motor 102. Two eccentric masses 100 are rotated to cause the vibrations, in opposite directions so that the vibration forces are vertical but not lateral. The hydraulic circuit, Fig. 10, is controlled by an electrical relay system. A push button switch is closed and a solenoid S 3  is energised and operates a four way receiving valve 170 to supply fluid pressure to a conduit 174 which leads to the lower end of the ejector cylinder 44 through a check valve 178. The ejector 38 rises to the top of its stroke and stop screws 116 carried thereby abut the bottom of the mould support frame 35, so bringing a member 46, carried by the ejector platen 38, flush with the top of the mould, this member forming in its lower position the bottom of the mould. At the top of its stroke the ejector closes a limit switch LS 3  which, through a relay, energises a solenoid S 5  which operates a valve 184 to connect a conduit 168 with a conduit 190, whereby a pump 140 forces pressure fluid into the cylinder 110 to move the charging box 108 above the mould cavity, this movement pushing the previously formed brick off the member 46 onto a receiving platform 112. - When the charger is fully advanced it actuates a switch and relays operate in consequence to deenergise the solenoid S 3  and to energise the solenoid S 4 , reversing the valve 170 to supply pressure fluid through the conduit 176 and thereby to operate the piston 42 and lower the ejector. Material falls into the mould from the charging box as the ejector is lowered until a cam element 118 carried thereby actuates a limit switch LS 4  which causes relays to deenergise the solenoid S 4 , stopping lowering movement of the ejector, and to energise a timer which operates another relay just before the charger reaches the end of its retraction stroke which follows the de-energising of the solenoid S 5  and the supply of pressure fluid to the conduit 188. The relay energises a solenoid S 1  which operates a valve 144 to direct pressure fluid to the inlet of a valve 150 and to remove pressure from under the piston of the piston rod 66 which was holding up the crosshead 60, which therefore drops. The same relay also energises another timer. The ejector moves down against its lower stops while the crosshead is dropping. As the compacting plunger is entering the mould the contacts of the lastmentioned timer close and a solenoid S 2  is energised and operates the valve 150 to supply pressure fluid through a conduit 158 to the hydraulic motor 102 which drives the vibrators. The speed of the motor can be adjusted by a valve 216. The position of the limit switch LS 4  decides the extent of the downward-movement of the ejector and thus the amount of material supplied to the mould, and it is adjusted by apparatus shown in Fig. 8. The limit switch LS 4  is mounted on a block 120 through which a screwed vertical rod 124 is threaded and which slides on a calibrated rod 122. Rotation of the rod 124 by an electric motor 134 then raises or lowers the limit switch ; or, for manual adjustment, a jaw clutch 132 is disengaged and the rod 124 is rotated by a hand wheel 130. If the charge in the mould is not too great a limit switch LS 1  will be tripped open in about 5 seconds and the resulting relay operation will cause the crossheads to return to their upper position. If the limit switch fails to open in a given time, indicating too great a charge, further timing relays operate to cause the motor 134 to raise the limit switch LS 4  and reduce the charge. The crosshead guide rails 30 may be adjusted in position by placing shims 34 between the rails and supports 28. The fully retracted position of the ejector is determined by stop bars 48 clamped by members 52.