Improvements in Machines for Manufacturing Tiles and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1897-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Manufacturing Tiles and the like.
We, RICHARD LESCH, Manufacturer, and BRUNO POLTE, Engineer, both of
Konstadt, Upper Silesia, in the German Empire, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a machine for manufacturing tiles and the like, and
its object is to construct the machine in such a manner that only the filling and
emptying of the mould have to be performed by hand, all the other operations
being automatically performed by the machine itself.
It will of course be understood that the invention is applicable to the formation
of all classes of tiles and similar articles, but it will only be described as applied
to a machine for manufacturing cement tiles which may advantageously be used
for roofing purposes.
The improved machine consists of four principal parts, viz.; a part for pressing
or forming the tile; a part for colouring and smoothing it; a part for putting on
the "head-rail"; and means for emptying the mould.
In order that our invention may be more readily understood we have hereto
appended four sheets of drawings to which we will hereinafter make reference.
Figure 1 illustrates the machine generally in side elevation.
The remaining figures shew in greater detail different parts of the improved
machine.
The machine is provided with a table or stand 1 upon which all the different
elements are arranged. The mould 3 is upon the left hand end of the table and
is filled with cement. It is then pushed by the operator a little to the right until
it reaches and engages with carrying chains, by means of which it is drawn
through the machine and subjected to the various processes. The mould is
released from the chains when it has reached the device for forming the " head-
rail" and may then be withdrawn for emptying by the operator.
The tile a illustrated by Figures 3, 4, and 5 is formed on its under side with
the projecting rib b, two angular projections c, and two semi-circular projections d,
and the mould 3 as shewn by Figures 6 and 7 corresponds. The upper side of
the tile is provided with a "head-rail" e. Rails 5 are secured to the top of the
table 1 to guide the mould, which is provided with lateral rollers 6, during its
passage through the machine. The carrying chains 2 pass along the top of the
table outside the rails 5, and the mould is connected to them by means of the
movable hooks 7, see Figures 9 and 11, attached or hinged to the mould and
adapted to be pressed down to engage with the chains. Chain wheels or rollers
guide the chains over the top of the table, and adjustable wheels or rollers 9 are
provided under the table.
The filled mould being attached to the chains is first of all drawn to the pressing
device A. The essential part of this device consists of a roller 4 the surface of
which is formed to correspond with the surface which has to be given to the tile
under process of manufacture, as represented in Figures 6, 7 and 8. This roller
is so rotated that its surface speed is greater than the speed at which the mould

page_text: travels, and it is preferably mounted in vertically moving bearings 10 to which a
system of levers 11 and counterweights 12 are connected. By this arrangement
a constant pressure is exerted and the roller is free to lift if it encounters any
obstacle, and thus obviate the risk of damage to itself or to the mould. The
pressure exerted by the roller may, of course, be regulated by adjusting the counter-
weights 12, and to enable this to be easily effected the levers 11 are extended so
as to be within easy reach of the operator who is filling the moulds. A stop limits
the downwards movement of the roller and the end of the mould may be sloped
or bevelled so that it engages with and leaves the roller without shock.
The mould is drawn under the roller by the chains 2, and the contained cement
or the like is subjected to vertical pressure under, and is formed by, the roller. At
the same time the cement is compressed in a horizontal direction owing to the
roller travelling at a greater speed than the mould and thus tending to push the
cement to the front of the mould. A smooth tile of great and equal density is
thus obtained. It is preferred to give the roller 4 a surface speed which is double
the speed at which the mould travels.
After leaving the roller 4 the mould and the formed tile are drawn by the chains
into and through the smoothing and colouring device B, which is illustrated by
Figures 12, 13, and 14. A box or receptacle 13 having a perforated bottom, is
arranged to be oscillated or vibrated upon the passage of the mould through the
device, and contains a powdered dry mixture of the desired colour and cement. The
side of the mould 3 is formed or provided with a rack 14, which, during the
passage of the mould, engages with a wheel 15, which in turn is in gear with a
wheel 16 mounted on the shaft 17. This shaft is connected with another shaft or
with other shafts which upon rotation, can, by means of excentrics or the like com-
municate oscillatory or vibratory motion to the box 13. The passage of the mould
thus causes the box to shed some of the contained colour upon the tile.. In order
to ensure that the colour falls only upon the tile and not over the table it is pre-
ferred to arrange a hopper or funnel 18 under the box. The moisture contained in
the tile makes the colour damp. The smoothing of the colour is effected by causing
the tile to pass under suitably shaped elastic or spring controlled knives or
wipers 19 and 20.
The tile is now drawn to the device indicated at C, see Figure 15, by means of
which the "head-rail" is formed and affixed at the point marked e in Figure 4.
To effect this the mould must come to rest. The disengagement of the mould
from the chains 2 is caused by the inclined planes or projections 21 formed on
the rails 5, and illustrated in Figures 10 and 11. The movable hooks upon the
mould come into contact with these projections and are lifted thereby out of
the links with which they had been previously engaged. Owing to stretching of the
chain or other causes the mould may not always stop in its exact position but it
always stops with its leading edge in front of the rail 22 which extends across the
mould. The rail 23 is then pressed down and its tapered or coned edge 24 engages
with the grooves or recesses 25 in the mould and draws this latter to its proper
and exact position. The two bars 22 and 23 form a space for the reception of
the "head-rail" and guide it to its proper place on the front edge of the tile.
The "head-rail" is formed by the grooved roller 26 which is placed at the
bottom of a hopper containing the plastic material or cement. The groove in the
roller is of a capacity sufficient to contain the required mass of material, and when
the roller is rotated or partially rotated this amount of material is removed from
the hopper and the contents of the groove drop into the space between the bars 22
and 23, which, as shown, are preferably flared outwards at their upper ends.
Pivotted to the side of the framing at 36 is a ram or punch 28 which is capable of
passing between the bars 22 and 23 and pressing the "head-rail" into place upon
the tile, at the same time giving any desired shape to the upper edge of the rail.
37 is a guide groove for the ram.
The operation of these devices is as follows. The rod 29 Figure 15 is reciprocated
vertically by the excentric 30, shown in Figures 1 and 15. The upper end of

page_text: the rod 29 is connected to an arm or lever 31 carrying a counterweight 32 and con-
nected to the bar 23 which thus follows the upwards or downwards movement of
the rod 29. This rod is also formed or provided with a rack 33 to engage with the
wheel 34 which is geared with a wheel secured to the shaft of the roller 26. The
arrangement is such that during each upward or downward motion of the rod 29
the roller 26 is rotated through an angle of 180°. The lower part of the rod is
connected by a link with the arm carrying the ram 28, which thus also par-
ticipates in the motion of the rod.
This "head-rail" forming mechanism is so disposed and arranged that it is put
into operation when the mould comes to rest, and put out of operation when the
head-rail" is formed.
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Pivoted upon the table 1 and illustrated in Figures 11 and 15* is an arm 38
which is partially rotated by the passage of the mould. Attached to the arm 38
but beneath the table is a second arm 39 which also moves through a certain
angular distance, and the end of which is adapted to come against an inclined
projection upon the lever 41. The end of this lever is connected to half of a
coupling 40 in such a manner that the movement of the arm 39 causes the clutch
to be put in gear and thus to start the "head-rail mechanism. See Figure 15.
Secured to the shaft of the excentric 30 and driven from the clutch wheel by the
wheel 45 is a disc 42, part of which is recessed to fit upon the clutch body 40, as
represented in Figure 15". When the clutch is moved longitudinally to put the
mechanism into motion the groove 44 comes opposite to the disc 42 and permits
rotation. The disc then rotates within the groove and holds the clutch in its
place until a complete revolution has been effected, when the recessed part 43 again
comes against the clutch body and permits its longitudinal withdrawal by the
spring 46 and the consequent stoppage of the mechanism. During the time that
the clutch was in engagement the "head-rail has been formed and attached to
the tile.
59
The operator now seizes the mould by a suitably formed handle and withdraws
it from the device C to the device D. This latter, which is for removing the tile
from the mould, consists of an arrangement of levers preferably operated by a
treadle, by means of which pokers or the like are caused to pass through suitable
perforations in the bottom of the mould. The mould is furnished with a sheet
metal lining 47 which is lifted with the formed tile, and which contains the tile
during drying, burning, or other subsequent treatment.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is: -
1. In a machine for making tiles and the like, carrying or travelling chains
by means of which the moulds containing the plastic material are presented
successively to and operated upon by the forming device, the colouring and
smoothing device and the "head-rail" forming and affixing device, substantially
as herein before described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In a machine for making tiles or the like, a pressing or forming device consisting
essentially of a roller having a greater surface speed than the mould, constructed
arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth and as
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In a machine for making tiles or the like, a colouring and smoothing device
constructed arranged and operated substantially as herein before described and as
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
4. In a tile making machine, a device for forming and affixing the "head-
rail" to the tile, constructed arranged and operated substantially as herein before
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
5. In a machine for making tiles and the like, the combination with the rails
or with the table of inclined planes or their equivalents by means of which a mould
may be disengaged from the carrying chains and brought to rest under the "head-

page_text: rail" forming device, together with means for ensuring that the mould occupies
its correct position, constructed arranged and operating substantially as herein-
before described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
6. A machine for making tiles and the like, constructed arranged and operating
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 21st day of Danamhon AD 1907