[1]Patented Dec. 4, 1951 29577,275 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,577,275 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOP. MAKING CONCRETE ROOF]ING TI[LES OR THE LIKE Blennard Samson and William Charles Samson, Dunedin, Otag6, New Zealand Application November 7, 1947, Serial No. 784,630 ]In New Zealand April 18,1946 10 Claims. (Cl. 25--43) This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for manufacturing roofing tiles and articles of tile or slab formation of concrete or of similar material. The object of the invention is to enable the 5 tiles to be produced bY a method and apparatus which will provide increased speed with a considerable lessening of the manual labour and the consequent physical fatigue on the part of the operator and which will also enable a tile to be 10 efflelently tamped and surfaced during the moulding operation. The method of producing the tiles in accordance with the inventibn consists in subjecting the material within a mould to a tamping and ] 5 smoothing or strickling action by means of a plurality of assembled bars herein termed "Stricklebars" against the material during a period of relative movement between the strickle bar assembly and the mould in which the mate- 2 rial is moulded. The apparatus to carry out the above method comprises a strickle bar assembly, including the essential fmmework to carry a number of the said bars which extend over the mould trans- 25 Versely to the path of the relative recidrocal mbvement between the motild containing the material and the bar assembly aild which have their viorking faces conforming to the coiitour of the tile face over which the bars extend, the said assembly being mounted in such a manner above the mould that the bars can be actuated downwardly under the control of an operator to provide a series of tamping and smoothing or strickling actions on the surface of the material 3a diiring the period of the relative reciprocal movement. A preferred method of obtaining the relative reciprocal movement between the mould and the assembly is to attach the latter to a reciprocating 40 darriage guided longitudinally in alignment with the mould and actuated by approved mechanism driven from a source of p6wer and clutch controlled. In order to provide for the downward movement of the bars for the tamping operation 45 the assembly is pivotally attached to the carribge at one end while its free end would be guided longitudinally and limited in its d6wnward movement to a plane corresponding to the finished face of the tile but free to be raised clear thereof. 50 Means such as a lever extends outwards from the frame in order that the downward movement of the bars,may be manually controlled and actuEited. After the final depth or thickness of the tile 2 has been obtained by the requisite tainpirig th6 assembly may be retained at its lowest position so that the strickle bars will glide over the surface in a sliding action to provide the finishing of smoothing of the tile face. To ensure the latter object the underside of the strickle bars are bevelled or sloped towards one side in order to ensure that they will glide over the tamped material dliring the final smoothiiig process without raising the material. The moulds would be secured on a table and are in the form of suitable boxes arranged in the path of the reciprocating frame so that the strickle bars at one end of their stroke will contact the material at a pre-determined point within an end wall of the box, and by ihe time the other end of t-heir e is reached wi ave completely passed over the tile and clear of the mould box. Ejector means under the control o f the operator would be arranged to raise the pallet with the tile thereoh clear of its mould box on the completion of the operatiofi. In order to speed the production of the tiles a turntable may be combined with the apparatus to carry a number of moulding boxes, and would be pivoted below the strickle bar assembly to rbtate horizontally and convey the boxes to and away from the moulding position. The mould boxes, preferably three iri number, would each be arranged over a respective opening in the tabl6 th@ough which ejector means will operate to remove the pallet from the mould. MeE@ns are provided to lock the table in a@ stationary posi-; tion with a box in working position, below th6 strickle bar assenibly. By such ar angement a box may be loaded by an operator, the table rotated to the tamping position, locked, and when the tile is completed released and iotated to positibn overejector mechani8m, thi@,movemerit of the t,able bringing the next loaded box into tamping position. The invention and the rnanner in which it Is to be performed wfll now be fully described with t-he aid of the acc6mpanying drawings: Figure I is a side elevation, dnd Figure 2 is a plan view showing the general arrangement of a machine embodying the ap .paratus for carrying out the invention, Figure 3 is a detail sectional elevotibn -of a plortion of a tur ntable showirig locking means the@efor, Figure 4 is a front elevation and drawn to a larger scale than Figures 1 and 2, and Figure 5 is a plan view proje@ied ir6r@-Figtiie 4
[2]3 showing that portion of the machine which includes a ttirntable for carrying the mould boxes. Figure 6 is a side elevation of the tile moulding box for use with the machine. Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through the strickle bar assembly and supporting frame, ther-.eof and also through the mould box showing the strickle bars operating against the face Gf tile forming material within the box, the section being taken on line a-a of Figure 9. Figure 8 is a front elevation of the moulding box and of the strickle bar assembly@incliiding-the frame for supporting the as sembled'bars. Figure 9 is a cross sectional -elevation@through the moulding box and its pauet, showing:- a strickle bar traversing the mould- in its,.operative position for forming the upper;face of a tile, @the section being taken on line b-b of Figur6 7. Figure 10 is an elevation of the rear -end Of a moulding box viewed 'm the direction of the arrow in. Fi ure 6. .9 @In -Figures 6 to 10 of the drawings there is included @ a mould box: 31 - which is suitable. for use with, the -apparatus and which would be -s-ecured on@ a istationaryor on a movable, table aceording to,the@type of machine with which the apparatus will be used. The box contains a pallet,35 which is @.-shaped on its upper face to mould the lower side;.of the tile and is adjustable in height by means of studs 36 screwing through inwardly directed,-bottom fianges -.14 of the box. The assembly for,,-forming the upper face of the tile@by tamping and smoothing:comprises a number of bars 37, which: as hereinbefore mentioned I are termed "strickle bars" - which are ar- 3 ranged transversely to a nould box 31 gnd which are ,attached@by:studs 39-to longitudinal members 38@-pivoted on, pins--0.8a:at their rear-ends to depending arms 4 0 from a reciprocating carriage @ I I gui 'ded longitudinally on guide rods 8 -as shown inF@gures.1,2.and5. Theotherorforwardends of the members-38 aTe rigidlysecured to the@lower side of an open frame like member 41 having laterally projecting -- extensions 42 whieb run .@'on guide members.9 of -square section and limit the 4,; downward movement of the strickle bars against the material.-35a within the mould box@ @-A lever handle 46 secured@to a transverse bar 46.a-,attached across the7members @38:near their point of pivoting enables the.strickle bar assem- z, @D bly ..to @ be depressed against the tension of a suspension spri-ng 44 (see Figures 1 and 8) which is,@-attached to the frame - members 41 and @ to a post 45 on -the carriage @and normally tends to raise zthe frame and the strickle bars clear -Of t-he @ mould and of thematerial therein. The contact.faces of, the.bars 37 are,feathered, i@..e. at a @ sloping direction from the face of the tile as:shownlat 58.-in Figure@7 and,in a direction to provide -for a @ levelling -and smoothing operation r,@) on the:,face@of the tile @as will be further explained. The amount of the slope may, be@varied according to the nature of the material used, gener-ally-the best slope being found by experiment. A suitable material for the bars would be cast C)5 iron treated to, provide the. requisite hardness to wi 'thstand;.as much - as possible the wear diie to their-.frictio-nal-.-Contact@ with the material during the operation. The workiri_w iunder face of each strickle bar _7(@) the cross contour of the face of the tile being moulded, a usual contour being shown in-Figure 9. The undersides ..,of the -,projecting..ends 42-: of 20577,276 25 4 strips 43 with depending tongues 43a to act as lateral guides against the guide members 9. When the strickle bars are resting lightly on or nearly touching the moulding box upper edges the wearing strips on the extensions 42 will be bearing on the guide men-lbers as shown in Figure 8 and will limit-the downward movement.of the bars to this @position. - The mould box is secured on its table and posi-10 itioned in relation to the assembly so that the full stroke of the reciprocating strickle bars 37 @@pass over -the -length of the tile from the position behind the rib 48 and clear of the mould -box;end which:as @shown in Figure 10 is shaped 1 5 to. conform to the contour of tl-ae bars to permit the bars to pass. clear of the mould. Approved mechanical means for recipr(icating the carriage 1 i are shgvin in Figures 1 and 2 from which it will be: seen that the carriage is connected by a -rod -10 21 to a crank 19 on a crank shaft 15 mounted in -pedestal bearing 14 a fixed to the base @.frame w-hich-.is formed,-of the horizontal-members I and 2,,joined@,byendmembers3. Theconnectiqg.-rod 21 is pivoted to the carriage I, at,22- ,and@at 20 to,,the-,erank-,19, the shaft 15 bei.-Lig driven by -an electric rnotor @56 which may be connected by direct belt drive . (not :shown) or by other , suitable means,@t.0 the pulley 16 forming one partof a-@clutch-device of known form, the other partof the ..clutch being -connected by a link 17,a .(Figures I and 4) to a lever 17 extending, to the fr..ont of the machine and having a- foot pedal. 18 ._to enable the operator easily to start and to,stop the c,,trriage while attending to the tamping lever handle-@46. The @recipr@ocating -@carriage II in the-forin,,of a flat-plate-is guided:,on the bars 8 which@are-@;lttached to vertical columns-.@6 and 7 secu-red@- ,,on t@he-,J)ase -frame of the -riachine, the,@ column- @6 being attached' to @the .,endi-members 3 theri@of and the column 7 attached to the uppor:hqrizoilt member-,-2. -'@Three@.rollers 13 ca rried.in..bearing lugs -- ,I@2 on the-,-under -side of the @carriage plate I I -land indicatjed @ in @dotted lines - in Figtlre 4 -.,are arrange-d -to contact -the guide b,ars 8 and :to: roll thereon,-and @provide a suitable form -.of :rouer beating betweernthe:carriage and the rods. The gijide memoers :0 @ or:the@@strickle bar assembly are giso @atta-ched -to @the upright eplumns -6 ahd 7: by brackqts , l@O@ @(sQe Fjgule 4) - -Wliere@a rib as at;@48 -,,,l-F@gure 7 is-requ;i@ed-to f orm 1 the -usual heodlock, the: n-@ould is located,,in relation -to, the -strickle bar - assembly so that. on the - extrejiie I end -of the forward stroke thereof the first bar will -be clear of the end of the moul.d box I ei@d -wall -by @ the @ thickness of the rib. - By loweri-ng the strickle bar assembly quickly wbile at:t-- rie extreme:end -of its -forward. stroke, the first bar Nvill cut-into@the material piled in the.mould to,@neatly--and-quickly:form the,rib 48:. Sur us Pi material above the rib and @the --wall @may be cleaned off with a trowel. To provide a toe :at the-end of,.the;tile on its under side the pallet is thaped@ as at: 47 in Figure 7 ' With the requisite amount of @ material loaded into - the,nould @box 3 I and or@ to the pallet 35 tlierein, . the,,Qarriage I I is caused to rqciprocate by.tlie,;operator throu h the medium of the foot I 9 lever - I 8 on the lever I 7 in order to bring - '.hat pal-t@,of the clutch@contro-lled@by th-- said@leve .17-,.and its link,into-engagement @,@7itb 'Lh,- pulley - and ,tbereby to rot'll-te the craric shaf-t 15. H--then., by means,of @t e tp,.mping, lp-ver hp- clle h n will lo@,ier the strickle bar asser@,Libly against-the the.strickle,,bar-frame,are-pro.vided with,.w-earing .7..5,.te@asion, of tlie,,spring.44 to - LYiilg the NiorX I n g
[3]2,577@275 faces,6f the bars 38 against the material withini the mould box in a succession of tamping actions during the reciprocal movement. If desired, or necessary, the operator by releasing the clutch can stop the reciprocating movement of the strickle bar assembly and use it for tampli.- at particular position and thus he can perform. smoothing action with the strickle bars and intermittently, as desired, stop the movement thereof to tamp down any material piished ahead of the bars in the smoothing movement. After the material has been sufficiently tamped so that the box is thoroughly packed and the surface of the material levelled to the@ contour required the surface of the title is smoothed and finished by the operotor lowering the assembly and thus the strickle bars sharply on to the material at a time when the said bars are at their extreme position of a forward stroke and by retaining them in that position during the full backward stroke, that is, the stioke in the direction of the arrow in Figure 7. On the return forward stroke the bars are raised clear of the,tile face, this smoothing action on a backward stroke being repeated until such time that the required smoothness is imparted to;the tile face. Upon the completion of the smoothing action the movement of the carriage I I is stopped, by the operation of lever 17a and the pallet with the tile thereon removed by suitable ejector means comprlising a member 51 pivoted in the framing, of the machine at 55 and adapted to contact an ejector plate 52 lying beneath the pallet on the mould box. The ejector means will be again@ referred to below. The invention above described may be operated by the use of one mould box on a stationary I table but it is proposed to use in combination with the apparatus described a turntable to carry a plu@. rality of the moul(f boxes each of which wil.1, be brought in succession into position beneath th6, strlckl6 bars for t-he tampin@ and smoothing. operations. Ejector means may be provided ori the machine in relation to one or each of the stationary positions of the mould boxes in.order that the tile may be ejected either at the position of the tamping or at anv one of the other stati6nary positions of the mould boxes. The structure of a machine including s.uch ..a turntable, for carrying out the movlding operations therewith will now be described. The turntable on which a number of the mould boxes are supported comprises a circular plate 23, this reference numeral also serving to des@. ignate the tiirntable which h6,s @i vertical rim rising from and also depending from its,peripheral edge as shown in Flgure 3. The tabie is plv-oted axially to rotate horizontally in a bearing 25 - provided in the frame base with suitable friction washers for supporting it. In the emb6dirnent shown the turntabl6 i@s operable in its turning movement manually but may be rotated by any suitably contkolled mechaniciil m6ans under power. The mould boxes 3 1, three in ntir riber, but a lesser or greater number may be used, are se,,cured to the plate 21 in a kadially disp6sed position as indicated In FIgiLire 5. The mould boxes' a re secured by thei@ internal flarkges 34 by screws or welding or other suitable kn6wn mb'ahs. The adj'ii@tihg sttids 33 for the pallet8 are threiaded tlirough the' flange and the table platb 23. When a mould box is tb be brought into tiimping.position below the strickle' bats th6 turritable 18'roto,ted @and reiained in that po6ition duriiig the tamping operation by a turret pin 2 6 (seeFlgure.3)- slideable-in holes in the vertical lugs 27 of a bracket 28 bolted to the base frame 2 and adapted to enter holes 30 in the depending part r, of the table rim 24. Each hole 30 is disposed on the radial line passing through the mould boxes so that when the pin 2 6 enters a hole 3 0 the turntable is locked iii a position with a mould box beneath the strickle bars. The locking and reIo lease of the turntable is manuallycontrolled b3y a;handle 29- pivoted in the bracket-28 and passing upwardly through a slot 27a in the pin 27. I The means for ejecting the pallets from the mould boxes after tamping and finishing of the 15 tile face is completed consists of a vertical, ejector member 51 right angled at its lower end to form a foot lever 54 and is pivotally mounted in a@ bracket 55 on the base frame. The upper end of the ajector member 51 would normally lie be20 neath the. turnt,able pl,ate,23 below an opening 53 therein which is normally covered by an eiector plate 52 lying within the internal flange 34 of the mould box. By the downward mov6merit of 'Lhe f oot leve r 54, the ejector member 51 is raised, contacts the ejector plate 52, and carries this plate upwards against the under side of t-he pallet 35, which is thereby raised above the sidbs of the mould box so that it may be remove,d or conveyed from the machine. In the machine shown 30 and described the pallet ejector means are provided at each of the three stationary pos tions of the tiirntable. This enables an operator with two aqsistants to increase the speed of production whereby the mould box may be loaded by one assistant At one stationary position for ex35 ample that shown bn the right hand side of the machine in Figure 5, from which.position it will be carried by the table on the manual totation tbereof to the - position over -which the strickl6 bars reciprocate. 40 After the operati6n of forming tho tile is completed and.the tiirntable again rotated,.the bok with its completed tile passe@ to the next position, i..e. that shown on the left hand side of the machine, where the second assistant removes the 45 pallet and the tile thereon by means of the ejector member, 5 1, located at that position. In the case of one operator using the machine a mould box wotild be loaded at any one of the positions indicated in.Figure 5. If the box in line with the strickle bar assembly. is selected, the operator will, while standing at the front of the machilie be able to pr@,ss the clutch lever to start the movement of the stri-ekle bars and after the completion of the ta . mping operation, may while still in the same pos , ition by the use of the foot lever 54 at tha@t position eject the pallet and tile from the box without having to move the turntable. Three ej6ctor devices are provided so that the pallet 35 can be Iiited oilt at any station. By t@iis provision it is possible to rotate the turntab@le 23 and have the unloading station at either side of the central station where the strickle bar assembly is located. 05 There are numerous advantages in this arrangement, one of which would be in stacking up the tiles as they are taken from the machine whereiii it might be easier to alternate the loading aiid unloading stations@ Also at any station it might 70 be-desired to rais,e the pallet 35 becau e au pliicing in the mould or for some other reason a-nd consequently it is desirable to have an eject.or device 6t each station. It is of course obvicius thiat an ejector device is provided at the ceritrdl 75 forming @statioti @.so that if the machine @:is bein,'g,
[4]z; 7 opera;t6d.@-@by one@'man -oniy-.he -,,.can@ carlT-.,ol-it all t,he-.operations-at.thatstation. @.It-lislalsoli@clear why an-ejectox device is necessary at @tlie unloading@station when @ there are . three@,mei@ workiiigat the machine. 5 -A:pin@50onalengthofchainis.securedtoeach moulding box and is passed tl-irough a holein the pallet to form the usual tyi-ng wire hole@ &Da @in a projection on @the under, side of the tile as @ l@n Figure 7. The whole machine may be mounlued on small ground wheels 5 7 @ so that @ the machine can @ be moved along the floor as required to @stack @the tiles:coming off the:machine. . Coloiiring material such as a liquid raddl,,ff may jr, be splashed on to the tile@face d-oring t.,ie operation:.and the movement of the str4@ckl-- bars sprea;d the colour evenly. We
