Patent GB-1519067-A (GB)
Title: Brick tie setting machine
IPC: B65G57/26
Filed: 1976-02-10
Abstract: 1519067 Stacking bricks AMI INDUSTRIES Inc 10 Feb 1976 [14 May 1975] 05204/76 Heading B8C A stack of bricks comprises a plurality of open layers 1-12 stacked upon each other, at least some of the layers having a pattern of bricks therein different from the pattern of bricks in other layers, at least one of the layers, for example layer 3, comprising intermixed first rows 23a-(23b) of lengthwise aligned bricks and second rows 26a-26w of lengthwise aligned bricks extending perpendicular to the first rows, the first rows being spaced to provide longitudinal lanes therebetween and the second rows including spaces 27a-27c between at least some of the bricks in each row to provide lateral lanes between their ends and extending along the longitudinallanes. The first layer comprises double rows 17a-17i of bricks set on end, spaces 18 being provided between the rows for receipt of gripping prongs of a fork-lift truck. The layers 2, 4, 8 and 12 comprise only spaced first rows of bricks while the remaining layers comprise various patterns of intermixed first and second rows. The stacking apparatus includes a conveyer 57 which feeds bricks via a transfer plate 62 to a longitudinally reciprocable plate 59. A pusher 63 moves a row of bricks from the plate 59 to a conveyer 63, a conveyer 64, or to a spreader mechanism 67. The latter comprises nine plates joined by chains and movable from a closed position to an opened position in which adjacent plantes and the bricks thereon are spaced apart. A gripper assembly pivotable between positions 69a and 69b and having inflatable grippers 70 successively transfers rows of spaced bricks from the mechanism 67 on to a board 73 on a roller conveyor 72 to form a layer 1. The board with layer 1 thereon is then movedby the conveyer 72 on to an elevator 75 for receipt of the other layers. The first and second rows of the other layers are formed respectively on conveyers 87 and 96. The conveyers 63, 64 feed bricks respectively to spreader mechanisms 81, 91, similar to mechanism 67. Pushers 83, 94 push selected bricks only off the mechanism 81, 91 on to the conveyers 87, 96 as required, the pushers being composed of pivoted flaps which can be raised so that bricks in undesired positions in the row being formed can be left on the mechanisms 81, 91. The rows of bricks are transferred from the conveyers 87, 96 to the stack by gripper frames 103, 104 on a carriage 101. The frames have inflatable grippers arranged to fit in the longitudinal and lateral lanes respectively. The frame 103 is arranged to rotate through 90 degrees after it has gripped the first rows. When a mixed layer is being formed, the first rows are deposited on the stack before the second rows, the longitudinal lanes between the first rows being wider than the corresponding lateral lanes between the second rows so that the gripper of the second rows do not interfere with the first rows. The frame 104 can be shifted laterally of the carriage 101 when supplying the second rows for the layers 6 and 10, the bricks in these rows being laterally offset from the second row bricks in the other layers. The bricks on the conveyer 87 and/or conveyer 96 may be inverted by a rectangular gripper frame (127, Fig. 2, not shown) pivotally mounted on rotatable arms (124).