Improvements in the Construction of Drying Sheds for Plastic Bricks, and in the Means employed for Stacking the Bricks within such Sheds.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 13th Feh.. 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Drying Sheds for Plastic
Bricks, and in the Means employed for Stacking the Bricks
within such Sheds.
I, ELIAS HIRST, of Gore Hill, in the County of Cumberland in the Colony of
New South Wales, Australia, Brickmaker, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to provide a quick and expeditious means for
carrying out the process of drying plastic bricks, and of avoiding the necessity of
handling the bricks as frequently as under existing methods.
To carry out my invention, I construct shelter sheds of suitable dimensions,
provided with hollow floors capable of receiving the exhaust steam from the engines
employed for driving the brick making machinery, or direct from a boiler or vessel
used for generating steam.
The floor is constructed preferably of corrugated iron resting upon plates or
bearers bedded upon piers suitably spaced. The upper surface of the iron is
covered with a layer of clay, to produce a level surface. Upon this surface parallel
rows of tram rails are laid, to receive a system of stacking trucks of special form.
Timber sleepers may be laid upon the clay to receive the rails if necessary.
The trucks are constructed so as to provide for five (5) tiers of bricks. These
tiers consist of, first, the floor of the truck, upon which is laid three (3) rows, or
thirty (30) bricks. This part is stationary. At a suitable distance above, and
attached to the end framing, I place three (3) boards which are movable, capable
of holding a similar number of bricks as the floor. This is repeated until four (4).
rows are made, each row being movable and independant of each other. The
truck, when standing at the brick machine ready for filling, is denuded of the
shelving, and as the filling operation proceeds, the boards are placed in their
respective positions. When filled, each truck will hold one hundred and fifty (150)
bricks.
This is the most suitable size for handling conveniently.
The trucks are then conveyed upon a main tram line to the drying shed, which
is provided, either within or without, with a transverse line carrying a traversing
truck, upon which the special trucks are conveyed to any of the sets of rails which
it is desired to place them on.
The bricks are allowed to remain upon the trucks within the drying shed until
the process of drying has been completed, when they are removed upon a branch
tram line to the kilr to be burned.
It will thus be observed that the bricks are only handled in their soft condition
at the machine, and again after they have been dried when they are being placed
n the kiln.
By using the steam under the floor of the drying shed the period for drying is
hortened considerably, and the temperature evenly distributed, which renders the
bricks less liable to crack.
My invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which similar
etters are used throughout the different views to indicate similar parts, and in
which
Figure 1 is a plan of a drying shed, shewing partly the piers and bearers upon
hich the corrugated iron floor rests, and also partially the system of tram lines for
arrying the stacking trucks, and, the transverse rails with the traversing truck;
Iso the main tram line connecting with the brick machine, and, the branch tram
ne connecting with the kiln.

page_text: Figure 2 is a section of a drying shed, shewing the steam space under the floor,
the piers, plates or bearers, corrugated iron, clay layer, sleepers, tram rails, trucks,
and steam pipe.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the special truck upon which the bricks are
stacked and dried.
Figure 4 is a plan of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the traversing truck.
Figure 6 is a plan of Figure 5.
In the various figures: A A are the side walls of the drying shed-B. B. roof-
C ventilating hood-D surface of ground-E piers-F inlet steam pipe-G plates
or bearers-H corrugated iron-I layer of clay-J parallel tram rails-K trans-
verse rails-L brick trucks-M traversing truck-N main tram lines-0 brauch
tram lines.
In Figures 3 and 4: P is the floor of the truck-Q ends of truck-R movable
shelves or trays-S brackets attached to Q for supporting R.
In Figures 5 and 6: T is the body of the truck-U parallel rails for receiving
truck L.
The manner of carrying out the process of drying is as follows:-
Each brick truck is loaded at the brick machine in the manner before described,
and conveyed along the main line, N, and made to pass over the rails, U, of
traversing truck, on to the first row of parallel rails J. This is repeated until that
line is filled with trucks. The traversing truck, M, then receives each brick truck
in turn, and is pushed along the transverse rails until U (which is always on a level
with J) comes opposite the next set of rails, J, when the brick truck is conveyed
on to the rails, J, and the traversing truck pushed back until it is again opposite
the main line, N, ready to receive another brick truck. This operation is repeated
until the whole of the rails, J, are filled with the brick trucks L.
For the purpose of removing the dried bricks, the brick trucks, L, are again
pushed on to the traversing truck, M, and conveyed along the transverse line, K,
until U come opposite O, when the brick truck, L, is pushed along branch tram
lines O, to the kiln.
The steam is admitted under the floor by the inlet pipe F.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is: :-
1. A shed for drying plastic bricks, having a hollow floor or steam space for
receiving and utilizing either exhaust or prime steam, the said floor consisting of
corrugated iron or similar heating medium, resting upon bearers, the upper surface
covered with a layer of clay, and provided with a system of parallel lines carrying
trucks provided with movable trays upon which the bricks are dried, such trucks
being conveyed to their respective locations by means of a traversing truck running
upon transverse tram lines, all as described and shewn, and for the purposes set
forth.
2. A brick truck provided with movable shelves or trays, used in combination
with a traversing truck and a system of parallel rails and transverse tram rails, all
used in combination with a steam heated drying shed, as described and shewn, and
for the purposes set forth.
ELIAS HIRST.
Witness,
ARTHUR J. STONE.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.