AU650019B2

AU650019B2 - Block press

Info

Publication number: AU650019B2
Application number: AU78148/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bernard Toohey
Original assignee: James J Firbank & Associates P
Current assignee: James J Firbank & Associates Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1990-06-06
Filing date: 1990-06-06
Publication date: 1994-06-09
Anticipated expiration: 2011-06-03
Also published as: AU7814891A

Description

650019 S F Ref: 182562

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

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ORIGINAL

Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: James J. Firbank Associates Pty Limited 42 Stone Parade Davidson New South Wales 2085

AUSTRALIA

Bernard Toohey Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Block Press Invention Title: ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION DETAILS S [31] Application No(s) [33] Country [321 Application Date PK0503 AU 6 June 1900 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815/2 1

BQCTRESS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The following invention relates to block presses and more particularly, though not exclusively to a device to press and form earth blocks or adobes.

Earth block presses are known. One such known device is described in Australian Patent 581844.

Problems associated with known devices such as that described in the above referenced patent are the result of various design deficiencies. For example, known presses in which the dies or moulds are often mounted on a turntable, are 'down stroke'. As a result, when a compacting cylinder retracts after a compacting operation on an earth block is performed, the top of the compacted block is often unintentionally removed due to suction. This problem is exacerbated by 15 moist earth used to form such blocks.

A problem of unwanted soil build up also exists in known block pressing devices.

Osso A further deficiency of known block pressing devices is that when pressed blocks are ejected from a die, they often fall some distance onto 20 a conveyor, thus effecting damage to the blocks.

Further, it is difficult to vary the thickness of pressed bloc's while known presses are in operation so Fc to compensate for changes in properties of the material from which the blocks are formed.

l OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 25 It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION There is disclosed herein an apparatus to consolidate material, comprising: 30 a die adapted to receive material through an upper opening therein, means to supply the material to the die, a pressing plate adapted to move between a rest position at or near the bottom of the die and an eject position substantially flush with the opening, a pressing block adapted to slide over the opening so as to provide a resistive force on material in the die while the material is pressed by the pressing plate and to slide away from the opening after the material has been pressed thereagainst.

TMS/27821 -2- Typically, the appratus Is provided with a main hopper to supply material to the die.

Generally, a die charge hopper adapted to receive material from the main hopper is provided below the main hopper, the die charge hopper being adapted to slide in unison with the pressing block such that when the pressing block is in a first position away from the opening, material is allowed to drop from the die charge hopper through the opening, Into the die.

Advantageously, the die charge hopper is adapted to slide by means of a hydraulic cylinder.

Beneficially,.a door attached to the die charge hopper closes an outlet of the main hopper when the die charge hopper is over the die.

Typically, the pressing plate is driven by means of a hydraulic pressing cylinder.

Beneficially, the die charge hopper is connected to the pressing block such that after a pressing operation is completed, a vertical edge of thp pressing block abuts the pressed material and forces it away from the die as the die charge hopper Is moved by the hydraulic cylinder.

.J There is further disclosed herein a method for pressing material 20 into consolidated form, comprising: 0*• supplying unconsolidated material to a die, causing to move in an upward direction a pressing plate in the die so as to compress the material against a pressing block located thereabove, sliding the pressing block away from the consolidated material 25 raising the consolidated material from the die, and sliding the consolidated material away from the die.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred form of the present Invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 30 Figures 1 to 5 are schematic cross sectional elevational views of a block pressing device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted an apparatus 1 to press building blocks or adobes. Selected types of earth, stabilised with cement are often used as a base material for such blocks.

The cement/soil mixture is thoroughly mixed in an auger modified for mixing. If required, water is added to the mixture.

TMS/27821 -3- A operator can control, In response to digital read-out means, the ratio of cement to soil to be mixed. A layer of cement Is placed on the soil prior to a mixing operation wherein the cement and soil are mixed and then lumps of soil are broken up In the mixture.

The mixture is then stored in main hopper 2 which is located over a die charge hopper 3 which is slidable by means of hydraulic cylinder 4 over support plane Main hopper 2 is provided with level switches which act to selectively stop a motor driving a conveyor means supplying material to the main hopper 2.

Apparatus 1, further comprises a die 6 located below the level of support plane 5. Within die 6 is pressing plate 7 driven by hydraulic pressing cylinder 8.

Located adjacent to the die charge hopper 3, and adapted to move in 15 unison therewith is pressing block 9. Above pressing block 9, in the configuration depicted in Figures 1 an 3 is a resistance body In use, mixed soil-cement is conveyed to the main hopper 2, the 6 0"0 0 amount of material in the main hopper 2 is maintained and held at a consistent level so as to assist in maintaining a constant finished block 20 size. Digital readout means may be provided to indicate the level of material in hopper 2.

Referring now to Figure 1, material from main hopper 2 drops into die charge hopper 3 while hydraulic cylinder 4 is in the position shown.

Pressing cylinder 8 is retracted to a level which is variable so as 25 to control the volume of material entering die 6.

In Figure 2, hydraulic cylinder 4 pushes die charge hopper 3 over die 6 so as to fill die 6 with material. The amount of material in die 6 depends upon the vertical position of pressing plate 7.

An operator of the apparatus 1 is advised by 1 ionitor means to vary 30 the volume of die 6 so as to produce a required block thickness.

In Figure 3, hydraulic cylinder 4 retracts after filling the die.

Solid presFing block 9 is now over die 6.

Pressing cylinder 8 extends so as to compress the material in the die while transmitting an upward force through pressing block 9 to resistance body 10 until a pressure switch in the hydraulic system indicates a correct compaction of the material. Pressing cylinder 8 is then decompressed so as to retract pressing plate 7.

TMS/27821 4 In Figure 4, hydraulic cylinder 4 retracts fully, uncovering the pressed block 11, at the same time filling the die charge hopper 3 with material. When the hydraulic cylinder 4 Is fully retracted, the pressing cylinder 8 extends, ejecting the pressed block 11 from die 6.

The fully extended and level with support plane 5, pressing plate 7 supports the pressed block 11 ready for transfer to a conveyor (not shown).

In Figure 5, hydraulic cylinder 4 extends, pushing the ejected block 11 out of the apparatus and onto the conveyor for stacking, again filling die 6 with material.

The sliding action of the block 11 overcomes the problem of suction associated with prior art devices. This sliding action aids in preventing build up of soil on inter alia the pressing plate 7.

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Claims

1. An apparatus to consolidate material, comprising: a die adapted to receive material through an upper opening therein, means to supply the material to the die, a pressing plate adapted to move between a rest position at or near the bottom of the die and an eject position substantially flush with the opening, a pressing block adapted to slide over the opening so as to provide a resistive force on material in the die while the material is pressed by the pressing plate and to slide away from the opening after the material has been pressed thereagainst.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 being provided with a main hopper to supply material to the die.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a die charge S. 15 hopper adapted to receive material from the main hopper, the die charge hopper being provided below the main hopper, and being adapted to slide in unison with the pressing block such that when the pressing block is in B S a first position away from the opening, material is allowed to drop from **the die charge hopper through the opening, into the die. 20

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the die charge hopper is adapted to slide by means of a hydraulic cylinder.

Apparatus of claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the die charge hopper further comprises a door attached thereto so as to close an outlet of the main hopper when the die charge hopper is over the die. 25

6. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein the pressing plate is driven by means of a hydraulic pressing cylinder.

7. Apparatus of any one of claims 3 to 5 wherein the die charge hopper is connected to the pressing block such that after a pressing 00 operation is completed, a vertical edge of the pressing block abuts the S 30 pressed material and forces it away from the die as the die charge hopper is moved by the hydraulic cylinder.

8. A method for pressing material into consolidated form, comprising: supplying unconsolidated material to a die, causing to move in an upward direction a pressing plate in the die so as to compress the material against a pressing block located thereabove, sliding the pressing block away from the consolidated material TMS/27821 6 raising the consolidated material from the die, and sliding the consolidated material away from the die.

9. An apparatus to consolidate material, the apparatus being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. A method for pressing material into consolidated form, the method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this SEVENTEENTH day of MAY 1991 James J. Firbank Associates Pty Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON *4 e 0 U.. a a 0* TMS/27821 BLOCK PRESS ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In the field of earth block pressing, the invention provides a block press 1 comprising a hopper 2 through a bottom opening of which material may be transferred to die charge hopper 3. Die charge hopper 3 is moved laterally along support plane 5 to a position over die 6. Material from die charge hopper 3 falls into die 6 at which location pressing plate 7 by action of pressing cylinder 8 moves upwardly so as to compress the material against a pressing block 9 which is restrained from vertical movement by resistance body

10. Pressing block 9 and die charge hopper 3 move laterally in unison by the action of hydraulic cylinder 4 so that upon retraction of cylinder 4 pressing block 9 moves to a position below hopper 2 whereupon beginning of the next cycle, pressing block 9 serves to transfer a pressed block 11 away from piessing cylinder 4. 4 y At a,&O 4 O9* 4 a Fig. TMS/27821