Patent GB-281323-A (GB)
Title: Improved machine for the manufacture of pottery and like articles from plastic material
IPC: B28B1/02
Filed: 1927-11-25
Abstract: 281,323. Miller, W. J. Nov. 26, 1926, [Convention date]. Pottery, throwing and turning.-Potterymaking comprises means for conveying moulds to a position adjacent the shaping mechanism, means for transferring the moulds to such mechanism and also for transferring the moulds. after operating on the material, to further mechanism whereby they are conveyed away, as for example to a drier, all the operations being performed automatically. A vertically-movable frame 17 is mounted on a stationarv frame 11 and carries a power shaft 19 and shafts 20, 23 geared thereto. The shaft 23 carries a cam 18 acting on a roller 29 mounted on a lever 30 which is pivotally connected between the frame 17 and oscillating brackets 31. The lever connections are adjustable whereby the stroke of the frame 17 may be varied. The shape of the cam 18 is such that the frame 17 is raised to two successively higher levels and lowered by gravity. The shaft 23 is operatively connected. as shown in Fig. 2, by means of bevel gears 35. 36, spindle 37, and gears 43, 44 with a shaft 45 carrying an intermittent bevel gear 49 to mesh with a gear 50 on a vertical spindle 51. The spindle 51 is connected through bevel gears 53, 54. shaft 55, and bevel gears 56, 57, 58, Fig. 3, to one of a pair of spindles 59 carrying sprocket wheels 60 carrying conveyer belts or chains 62. The shaft 20 carries cams 64 contacting with rollers 65 which are pivotally connected to levers 66 for actuating the jigger spindles 67 by means of rods 68 and forks 69 as described in Specifications 279,503 and 280,882. The moulds 71 are carried by racks 72 arranged in three tiers on shelves 123 in trucks 63 running on tracks 74, 75. The racks 72 holding the ware to be shaped are pushed by a rod 107 from the shelves of the trucks 63 on the track 74 over the support 114 on the frame 17, which is positioned at the correct heights by the faces 26, 27, 28 of the cam 18. The spindles 67 are timed to lift the moulds into co-operation with the profiles 70 as each rack 72 comes on to the support 114. Each rack of shaped ware is pushed into an empty truck on the track 75 by the next rack of unshaped ware. When each truck has been unloaded it is stepped along the track 74 by pawls 84, Fig. 1. which are operated by a bell crank 76, 77 pivoted to the fixed frame 11 and connected by links 79, 80 the movable frame 17, which at this time is falling from its highest position to its lowest. As the empty trucks reach the end of the track 74 they are taken by guides 89 on the intermittently-operated conveyer 62 to the track 75, the couplings 88 being adapted for transverse disengagement and engagement. The push-rod 107 is operated from the grooved cam 90 on the shaft 20 through a push-rod 92 and levers 96, 97, 102. In a modification the cam 18 may be on the frame 11 and the roller 29 on the frame 17. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 (3) (a) comprises also the following modifications: (1) The jigger frame 17 may be stationary and the trucks 63 and rack 72 movable vertically; (2) The jiggers 67 may be used without the frame 17, and the cams 64 may be designed to give the necessary variable lift to the spindle 67; (3) The frame 17 or the jiggers 67 may be moved horizontally to act on stationary racks; (4) The trucks 63 and frame 17 may be raised by cams 18 to feed the racks to jiggers mounted on the frame 11. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.