NL1002858C2 - Moulding equipment, particularly for tiles - Google Patents

Abstract

The mould (7) comprises one or more recesses, each with a bottom (9) and adjacent upright walls (8), into which concrete (14,15) is poured and then compacted (16). The insert (11) is of relatively flexible material, covering the bottom and at least the adjacent portions of the walls, the concrete being poured into it. It can itself contain a matrix with bottom plate and upright edges, and the bottom plate can be profiled at its side towards the mould interior. One or more of the edges can also be profiled towards the inside, and under the bottom plate there can be a stiff supporting plate working with an ejector mechanism for the matrix and concrete.

Description

Device and method for the production of green bricks.

like tiles

The invention relates to a device for manufacturing green bricks, such as tiles, comprising a mold having at least one recess with a bottom and adjoining upright walls in which concrete mortar can be received, as well as compacting means for compacting the concrete mortar in the recess.

Such devices are known. They have a production table with a number of recesses which pass through different stations during operation, where each subsequent operation in the manufacturing process is carried out. In this manufacturing process, an earth-moist concrete mortar with a low water-cement ratio is introduced into the recesses. This concrete mortar is then compacted such that the required bending and tensile stiffness can be obtained. It is also possible to give the green bricks a layered structure, for example a wear layer on the top and a load-bearing layer underneath. The green bricks obtained, in particular tiles, have a normal, smooth surface as determined by the bottom and the upright walls of the recess.

The drawback of this known device is that it is not quite possible to manufacture decorative tiles with it which have a certain relief, for instance the appearance of natural stone. Natural stone 25 has an irregularly shaped surface, which cannot be imitated well with the known device.

For the manufacture of such decorative tiles with the appearance of natural stone, a switch has therefore been made to a casting process. The decorative tiles are manufactured in molds which have a specific relief. For that process with a concrete mortar with a high water-cement ratio are used, since the starting material must be liquid so that it can be poured into the molds. The decorative tile with the desired profile is only ready after sufficient curing.

The drawback of these known profiled tiles is that their strength leaves something to be desired. Since the starting material is not subjected to a compaction step, the desired flexural tensile strength cannot be achieved. Moreover, it is not possible to obtain a layered structure, so that a separate wear layer cannot be applied either. This method also has the drawback that the production time is relatively long.

The object of the invention is to provide a device with which a layered green brick, such as a tile, can be manufactured which has the required bending tensile strength. This object is achieved in that an insert of a relatively flexible material is incorporated in the recess, which insert covers the bottom and at least the adjacent part of the upright walls of the recess and defines a mold cavity for the concrete mortar.

In the relatively flexible insert, which can for instance consist of a hard type of rubber or hard plastic, a profiling can easily be applied which provides the appearance of natural stone. Moreover, due to its relative flexibility, the insert can be well unloaded from the product.

An advantage is that the starting material for the tread of the decorative tile can be matched to the requirements that apply specifically thereto, such as wear resistance, color and the like. The most suitable concrete mortar can also be selected for the supporting layer. In addition, the earth-moist mortar can be hardened quickly, which benefits the production speed.

The insert has a bottom plate with raised edges, the bottom plate being profiled on the side facing the mold cavity.

At least one upright edge can also be profiled on the side facing the mold cavity 25, for instance for the formation of bump edges with which the tiles lie against each other while leaving an even groove.

The products are removed from the recess together with the insert. In that connection, preferably under the bottom plate, is a relatively rigid support plate which cooperates with an ejection mechanism for removing insert with concrete mortar from the recess. Via the support plate, the ejection mechanism, usually with a push pin, can engage the bottom of the insert without generating excessive deformations which could damage the as yet uncured product.

The products can be compacted in various ways. According to a first possibility, the compaction means may comprise a striking mechanism for compacting the concrete mortar by stamping. The striking mechanism can herein have a striking block which can be placed in the insert member.

According to a second possibility, the compacting means can act by means of a vibrating mechanism.

In both cases, the device may consist of a multi-recess production table defining stations for filling the insert with concrete mortar, compacting the concrete mortar, ejecting from the recess of the concrete mortar insert, and placing the insert in a recess.

The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing green bricks, such as tiles, comprising the steps of: arranging an insert from a relatively flexible material in a mold, filling the insert with a first, wear-resistant concrete mortar and subsequently a second concrete mortar, compacting the concrete mortar, as well as removing the insert with compacted concrete mortar from the recess.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures.

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of the device with the six method steps.

Figure 2 shows a detail of the device as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a top and side view of a tile manufactured with the device according to the invention.

The schematic device shown in figure 1 comprises six stations 1 to 6, which determine as many steps in the manufacture of a tile. Each station 1 to 6 comprises a mold 7 with walls 8 and a loose bottom 9. This mold 7 is located in a production table 10, which can be linear or carousel.

In station 2, in the mold 7, an insert member, indicated in its entirety by 11, is placed from a relatively flexible material. This insert member 11 forms a mold with bottom 12 and walls 13. Deployment of the mold 11 can be effected by a suitable robot arm, which is not further shown.

In station 3 a first wear-resistant layer of concrete mortar 14 1 o C 'L 8 5 8 4 is applied, after which in second station a second layer of concrete mortar 15 is applied.

In station 5, these layers of concrete mortar 14, 15 are compacted by means of a vibrator 16 known per se.

Finally, in station 6, the mold 11 with the compacted layers of concrete mortar 14, 15, as well as with the loose bottom 9, is removed by means of lifting device 17.

In the view of Figure 2, the impact mechanism 16 and the lifting device 17 are shown in more detail. The percussion mechanism 10, known per se, comprises a hammer 18, which can be moved up and down at a certain frequency by means of crankshaft 19, connecting rod 20 and leaf spring package 21. This movement is guided by means of the cross-block 22 attached to the leaf spring package, which is movable up and down over the guide rods 23-15. The hammer 18 thereby cooperates with impact plug 24 of the impact block indicated in its entirety by 25, which at the bottom has a pickguard 26.

The striking block 25 with striking plate 26 fits within mold 11, and can compact the layers 12, 13 with mortar 20 when driving the striking mechanism 16.

The ejection mechanism 17 comprises a piston / cylinder device 27, where the ram 28 can be moved upwards to remove the mold 11 together with the bottom plate 9 from the mold 7.

By choosing a suitable structure for the internal surface of the mold 11, the tile 28 shown in Figures 3a and 3b can be manufactured. This tile has an irregular surface structure 29. Cams 30 are formed at its edges, so that the tiles obtain the desired mutual distance.

30 1 o 0? ? 5 8

Claims (10)

Apparatus for manufacturing green bricks, such as tiles, comprising a mold (7) having at least one recess with a bottom (9) and adjacent upright walls (8) in which concrete mortar (1 * 4, 15) can be received, as well as compacting means (16) for compacting the concrete mortar in the recess, characterized in that an insert (11) of a relatively flexible material is included in the recess, which insert (11) the bottom (9) and at least the adjacent part of the upright walls (8) of the recess and defines a mold cavity for the concrete mortar (1 * 4, 15). Device according to claim 1, wherein the insert (11) has a mold with bottom plate (12) and raised edges (13). 15 Device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bottom plate (12) is profiled on the side facing the mold cavity. * 4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein at least one upright edge (13) is profiled on the side facing the mold cavity. Device as claimed in claim 2, 3 or * 4, wherein under the bottom plate (12) there is a relatively rigid support plate (9) which interacts with an ejection mechanism (17) for removing the mold (7) from the mold mold (11) with concrete mortar (1 * 4, 15). 6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the compacting means (16) comprise a striking mechanism for compacting the concrete mortar (1 * 4, 15) by stamping. The device of claim 6, wherein the impact mechanism comprises an impact block (25) that can be placed in the mold. 8. Device as claimed in any of the claims 1-5. the compaction means comprising a vibrating mechanism. 9. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, comprising 1 0 '! X r * 9 a multi-recess production table defining stations for filling the mold with concrete mortar, compacting the concrete mortar, ejecting its recess from the concrete mortar insert, and placing the mold in a recess. 5 10. Method for manufacturing green bricks, such as tiles, comprising the steps of: placing an insert of a relatively flexible material in a recess in a mold, filling the insert with a first, wear-resistant concrete mortar (1 * 0 and then a second concrete mortar (15) »compacting the concrete mortar, as well as removing the insert with compacted concrete mortar from the recess.