Claims
- 1. Apparatus for producing a preformed finished wall section comprising:
- a. means for disposing a preformed wall panel of bricks, blocks, or the like in a generally horizontal plane, said panel being adapted to be disposed vertically when a finished wall section of which the panel is a part is in use,
- b. means for arranging in a generally horizontal plane a plurality of individual tile members or the like in substantially abutting engagement with each other to form an unconnected lining panel,
- c. means for applying a plurality of columns of mortar or the like on the upper surface of said wall panel,
- d. means for automatically introducing spaces of predetermined uniform dimension between said tile members by moving said tile members out of substantially abutting engagement with each other, for proper disposition thereof in relationship with said wall panel,
- e. means for transferring said unconnected lining panel members in groups into operative position above said wall panel, and
- f. means for pressing said lining panel tile members in groups onto said wall panel, said individual members being connected to each other and said wall panel by said columns of mortar or the like thereby forming a preformed finished wall section.
- 2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for transferring said unconnected lining panel members into operative position above said wall panel include vacuum gripping means, at least one vacuum gripper being provided for each tile member to be transported.
- 3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said means for pressing said lining panel tile members en masse onto said wall panel include plate and abutment means associated with said vacuum gripping means.
- 4. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said tile members or the like has a plurality of webs formed thereon on a surface thereof adapted to be brought into engagement with said wall panel, and
- wherein said means for uniformly spacing said tile members comprises a plurality of levers of equal length, each lever pivotally connected to two other levers adjacent the ends thereof and pivotally connected to a third other lever at the middle thereof to form a plurality of scissors arrangements, an abutment member associated with a pin connecting each of said levers at the middle thereof for engagement with a web of a tile to be spaced, a surface means for supporting said tile members to be spaced in a generally horizontal plane, and a slot in said surface means corresponding to each of said abutment means for guiding the movement thereof and receiving said abutment means.
- 5. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said wall panel is at least two bricks, blocks, or the like wide, and at least two bricks, blocks or the like in length, and wherein said means for disposing said wall panel in a generally horizontal plane includes a flatbed car movable on tracks.
- 6. Apparatus as recited in claim 5 further comprising means for facilitating alignment of said transported unconnected lining panel tile members above said wall panel upper surface, said means including ledge members formed on said car and extending upwardly therefrom to engage edge portions of respective tile members.
- 7. Apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said means for applying columns of mortar or the like onto said wall panel includes automatic means mounted above tracks on which said car is movable, whereby said car may be moved underneath and in operative relationship with said automatic means.
- 8. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for arranging said tile members in said horizontal plane to form said lining panel includes a grouping table having abutment means formed thereon, and conveyor means leading to said grouping table.
- 9. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for introducing spacing between said tile members and said means for transferring said tile members comprises a vacuum gripper means having spacing means associated therewith for introducing predetermined spacings between said tiles during transport thereof into operative position above said wall panel.
- 10. Apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein said spacing means associated with said vacuum gripper means includes a grid of guide rails, each vacuum gripper of said vacuum gripper means being slidable on said guide rails, and means for moving respective guide rails and the vacuum grippers associated therewith with respect to each other.
- 11. Apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein said means for moving said guide rails and grippers with respect to each other comprise a push rod having pairs of collars thereon, each of said pairs of collars cooperating with a plate attached to a respective guide rail, means for powering the movement of said push rods, and a pair of stops mounted on respective guide rails cooperating with a plate of a respective vacuum gripper.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2408484 |
Feb 1974 |
DT |
|
2503685 |
Jan 1975 |
DT |
|
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This is a division, of application Ser. No. 552,261 filed Feb. 24, 1975, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3291676 |
Watson |
Dec 1966 |
|
3660214 |
Nichols, Jr. et al. |
May 1972 |
|
3834973 |
Kummerow |
Sep 1974 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2,052,435 |
Apr 1972 |
DT |
295,765 |
Apr 1932 |
IT |
531,768 |
Jan 1941 |
UK |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
552261 |
Feb 1975 |
|