Patent GB-304311-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in automatic manufacture of pottery ware
IPC: B28B15/00
Filed: 1928-12-21
Abstract: 304,311. Miller, W. J. Jan. 19, 1928, [Convention date]. Pottery, throwing and turning.-Apparatus for manufacturing pottery ware comprises portable mould-carrying trays D provided with bosses 64, Fig. 1, for positioning moulds E thereon in definite spaced relation, means for positioning the trays D adjacent apparatus for feeding clay to the moulds and shaping the ware, mould-transfer members 42, and mechanism in the form of camoperated levers 27, 28 for actuating the members 42 in synchronism with the fabricating mechanism to effect periodic removal and replacement of said moulds in a substantially horizontal plane. The mould trays D are mounted in series on a conveyer chain B passing over sprockets C and driven from a shaft 21 through a drying chamber A. The shaft 21 is driven from a pinion 43 on the motor shaft through clutch members 45, 47, shaft 8a and worm gearing 13, 17. The clutch member 45 is also adapted to drive through member 46 a shaft 8, which through worm gearing 10, 11, 12; 14, 15, 16 drives the chucks 74 (as described in Specification 284,692) and the mould-transfer apparatus. In the position shown in Fig. 1 a mould carrying a shaped article is about to be deposited on the boss 64 of a tray D by the member 42 carried on the arm 37 pivoted to the linkwork 25, 27, 28 which is being deformed by the cams 22, 23 acting on the levers 25, 27 respectively. When the mould has been deposited in the tray, the clutch 45, is moved to the left by a fork 50 operated by a cam 55 through a lever 52 slotted to engage a lever 58 while a positioning latch 59 on the lever 58 is simultaneously disengaged from the edge of the tray, the movement taking place against the action of springs 63, 58a. Thus the shaft 8a and conveyer B are driven, the members 42 being retracted. As soon as the empty tray contacts with the latch 59 the drive on the shaft 8 is resumed, the members 42 carry the mould adjacent the feeder 85, then adjacent a tool 100, and finally redeposits the mould on the tray D as described above. The tool 100 is carried in a frame 90 adapted to be reciprocated by cam 93 and lever 95. The feeder 85, which may be that of Specification 284,696, may be driven from the shaft 18 by a chain and sprockets 79, 80. The cams and levers used may be adjustable in phase and/or throw while the apparatus is in action. In particular the lever 25 is mounted on a pivot carried in a sliding block so that the limit of travel of the transfer members 42 in one direction may be varied without varying the travel in the opposite direction. In a modification, Fig. 14, the shaft 8a is dispensed with and the drive is applied direct to the shaft 8. The conveyer is driven by ratchet mechanism 17a, 102, operated by a cam 103, and the latch 59 is pivoted on the ratchet bar 102. Instead of the several moulds on a tray being operated on simultaneously, the shaping and feeding mechanism may be mounted as a unit which may be movable on rails 109, Fig. 14, the mechanism being shifted along a tray so as to operate successively upon the moulds carried thereby. Specifications 280,882, and 283,150 also are referred to.