US1008991A - Method of and apparatus for producing plaster-boards. - Google Patents

Description

D. E. ROBERTS.- METHOD OF'AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PLASTBR BOARDS.

APPLICATION FILED IEBB, 1909.

Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

D. B. ROBERTS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PLASTER BOARDS.

APPLICATION FILED FEILB, 1909.

Fatented Nov. 14, 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

D. E. ROBERTS. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PLASTBR BOARDS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.8, 1909. 1 ,008,991 Patented Nov. 14, 1911. s SHEETSSHEET s.

mirwsses Qkg 26 D. E. ROBERTS. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PLASTBR BOARDS.

APPLICATION FILED FEBJL 1909.

Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

6 SHEETS--SHBET 4.

D..E. ROBERTS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PLASTER BOARDS.

APPLICATION FILED FE]3.8.1909v g gg I Patented Nov. 1 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHBET 5.

D. E. ROBERTS. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PLASTER BOARDS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.8.1909.

1,08,991; Patented Nov 14,1911.

6 SHEETi-QHEET fi Law/eases a/Q. 2%,

rooster.

T (L whom it may concern:

ill ilflSED srairns parent canton.

DAVID E. ROBERTS; OF FORT DODGE, IOVI'A.

MIE'IiI-IOID OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING I?L.ASTER-BOAB\DS.

Be it known that I, DAVID E. ROBERTS, a citizen of th United States, residing at Fort Dodge, in the county of *Webster and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and 'useful Method and Apparatus for Producing Plaster-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

described method may be practiced and the plaster board produced'by means of continuously operating mechanism which is entirely automatic in its operation. I

My invention consists in the construction,

arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects con templated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth,- pointed out in-my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

Figure l shows'a side elevation of the receiving endof an apparatus embodying my invention? Fig. 2jshows'a side elevation of the deliveryend of the same machine. The

{dotted lines in Fig. 2 show the adjacent portions' of the mechanism, which are also shown in Fig. 1, toclearly illustrate the relation-andarrangement of the parts shown in said'two figures. Fig. 3 shows a vertical,

central, sectional view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1. Fig. t shows a' similar view of the part of the machine shownin Fig.2. The dotted lines in said figure show the adjacent portion of the mechanism that is, also shown in Fig. 3 to illustrate the rela- .tive arrangement of thepa'rts. Fig. 5 shows a top or plan view of the part of the apparatusshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 shows a top or plan view of the part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 shows a top or nlanview of a portion of one of the edgeforming devices. Fig. 8 shows a detail, transverse. sectionalview on the line 8-8 of High to illustrate the edge-forming devices." Fig. 9 shows an enlarged, detail, sec- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov. 14L, M3111. Application filed February 8, 1909. Serial No. 76,684.

tional view illustrating the means for holding the edges of theplaster conveying belts toward each other to prevent the plaster from moving laterally from the sides of the belts, and-Fig. 10 shows an enlarged. detail view illustrating the lower end ortions or the frames of the plaster conveying belts to illustrate the means whereby the upper frame may be tilted upwardlyrelativeto the lower frame to permit the cleaning of the adjacent surfaces of both of the conveyer belts.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the main supporting frame of the device. Mounted on this frame is a stationary flat-topped table 11 extended substantially throughout the entire length of the frame. This table is the one on which the plaster board is'formed. At the delivery end of the frame is a power shaft 12 provlded with a. pulley 13. Mounted on the shaft 12 is a roller 14 and arranged at the other end of the table 11 is a shaft 15 having a roller 16 thereon. An endless conveyer belt 17 is passed over these two rollers, the upper portion of which moves-longitudinally over the table top and the lower portion returns under it.

The foundation upon which the plaster board is formed is preferably of paper and for this purpose I provide a rotatable shaft 18 adjacent to the receiving end of the conveyer l7 and on this shaft is a roll of paper 19 which is placed on top of the conveyer 17 and which travels with the conveyer. The first material that is placed upon the paper consists of a thin layer of plaster in a comparatively wet condition so that it will easily spread out over the entire layer of paper. To feed this layer of laster evenly and smoothly over the layer of paper, I have provided the following mechanism: The reference numeral 20 indicates a water tank extended transversely of the main frame above the receivingend of the conveyer. Adjacent to the tank 20 is a conveyer chute 22 having a screW-conveyer 23 therein. This conveyer communicates with a source of supply for plaster'which, however, is not shown in the accompanying drawings. The means for operating the conveyer 23 comprise a sprocket wheel 24: on the end of the conveyer chute connected by a sprocket chain 25 with a sprocket wheel 26 on a shaft 27 mounted in the frame. The shaft 27 is driven in a manner hereinafter described.

Arranged below the water tank 20 and the conveyor chute 22 an endless conveyor belt 28 extended around rollers 29 and 30, the said rollers 30 having on one end the SPIOClUbWhGBl 26 and a large pinion 31. The bottom of the water tank is perforated so tliat'water may flow slowly through it to the receiving end of the conveyor belt 28, and. the bottom of the chute 22 is provided with a slotthrough which the plaster may be discharged to the top of the conveyor belt. Arranged above the upper portion of the conveyer belt 28 is a second conveyor belt 32 which is passed around. the rollers 33 and 3d, the latter being adjacent to the conveyer trough 22. The upper conveyor belt 33 is driven at a considerably higher speed than the lower couvcyer belt 28 by means of the small pinion connected therewith and iumesh with the large pinion 31 on the shaft of the lower conveyor. In order to prevent material from passing out laterally between the edges of the said conveyer belts 28 .and 32, I have provided the following means, which are fully illustrated in Figs. 9 and 3. Beneath the upper portion of the belt 28 and immediately below thepoint where the water is discharged from the tank 20, I place a shaft 36 having on each end a cone-shaped idler roller 37 largest atits outer end. edges of the upper portion of the belt 28 to be elevated above the central portion of the belt so that the water will not run off the sides of the belt. A number of similar shafts with idlers thereon are placed under the upper portion of the belt below the belt 32 a11d,-above the lower portion of the belt 32, I have arranged one or more snafts 38 with cone-shaped idlers 39 at their ends designed to press the side edges of the lower portion of the belt downwardly and. to ward the belt 28 so that the edges of the belts are thereby held toward each other to thereby prevent the plaster from passing outwardly between the edges of the belts. It is to be understood in this connection that the upper belt 32 is arranged to run somewhat faster than the lower belt 28 and to compress the material passing between the belts. Therefore, vthe plaster will be smoothly and evenly distributed througliout the entire surfaces of the belts but will not be, permitted to pass out beyond the sides of the belts. In order to prevent the plaster from adhering to the belts, I provide a stationary scraper 43 for the lower belt 28 and asimilar scraper 41 for the upper belt 32, hence the material after passing etween the belts will be'delivered on top of the paper 19 that is traveling along the table top 11 on the belt '17.

The next step in the operation of the machine is the delivering on top of the layer of plaster of layer of mete-rial such,

This will cause the side for instance, as hemp. To continuously deliver an even layer of fibrous material on top of the first layer of plaster, I have provided the following mechanism; Mounted on suitable rollers connected to the machine frame are two endless conveyer belts L2 and 48, the lower portion of the belt 42 being arranged to run close to the upper portion of the belt 43. These belts are arranged to run at the same speed and the rollers at the lower ends thereof are connected with each other by the pinions Q4 and 45, the latter pinion being driven by means of-a sprocket wheel i6 and chain d7, which chain is driven in a manner to be hereinafter described.

Arranged adjacent to the front of the machine is a table 48 and arranged adjacent to one end of this table is a series of toothed feeder bars 49 arranged parallel with each other and inclined upwardly and towardthe belt 43. two eccentrics 50 mounted on shafts 51 which shafts are Eonnccted by means of the sprocket chain 52 and sprocket wheels 53 to run in unison. The arrangement of the eccentrics on the shafts is such that the alternate feeder bars move in opposite directions. The lower ends of said feeder bars are adjacent to the end of the table 48 and the upper ends are arranged to discharge on top of the conveyor belt 48. I provide for driving the lower shaft 51 by means of a sprocket wheel 54 placed on one end thereof and connected by a sprocket chain 55 with a sprocketwheel 56 which sprocket wheel is mounted upon the shaft .15 of the main conveyer belt 17. In operation with this fiber-feeding device, a large quantity of the fiber is placed upon the tabletop 48 and the o erator feeds it toward the'feeder bars d9. 'Vhen they engage it, it is'carried by them upwardly and is evenly distributed throughout the entire surface of the feeder bars so that, when deliveredbetween the belts 42 and43, there will be an even and uniform layer of the fiber and this layeris then discharged by the belts 42 and 43 on top of the layer of plaster on the paper 19.

The next step'in the operation of the machine is the depositing of a second layer of plaster preferably thicker than the first on top of the layer of fiber. For this purpose,

-I have provided the following mechanism:

Mounted in the frame 10 above the conveyor belt 42 are two conveyer belts 57 and 58 similar to the belts'32 and 28- before described. These conveyer beltsare also provided with idlcrs similar to the idlers 37 and 39 before described in connection with the belts 32 and 28. They are also provided with scrapers 59 and 60 similar to the scrapers 41 and ll). Above the conveyer belt 48 is a water supply tank 61 communicating with a supply aipe 62 and having openings therein to discharge. on top of the conveyer belt 58 1 distributed. For this reason, I have and adjacent to it is a conveyer chute 63 having a conveyer 6d therein arranged to discharge plaster downwardly on top of the belt 58. It is intended that the layer of plaster delivered by the belts 57 and 58 be somewhat thicker and in a less moist condition than the layer delivered by the belts 32 and 28 and it is-therefore necessary that the material be thoroughly worked and evenly pro.- vided gearing devices at the ends of the rollers over which the belts 57 and 58 pass,

frame, as clearly shown in Fig. of the.

drawings, is supported at its lower end by means of links 71' pivoted to,the shafts of ,the adjacent rollers. The up or end of the frame 70 is provided with a b ock 72 having its lower face inclined downwardly and away from the delivery end of the conveyers. This block 72 rests upon a mating inclined block 73 on the main frame. By this warrangement, the upper conveyor will be.

held by gravity downwardly and toward the lower conveyer and whenever desired the upper conveyer may be' elevated away from the lower one with the links 71 serving as pivots, so that access may be had to the adjacent surfaces of the conveyer belts. The said belts 57 and 58 will deliver the material in a comparatively smooth and uniform manner from the delivery ends thereof.

Below the delivery ends of the belts 57 and. 58 are two additional belts for smoothing and flattening out the layer of plaster. The lower belt is supported upon the lower roller 74c and an upper roller or pulley 75 and the belt 76 passes around them. Said lower roller 7 4 is provided with a large inion 77 and a sprocket wheel 7 8 to which the chain 47 before described is connected. A scraper blade 79 is provided for the belt 76 and an auxiliary roller 80 is placed under the upper portion of the belt 76 at the point e the material is discharged to said belt from the belts 57 and 58. Above the roller 74 is a roller 81' vertically adjustable relative to the roller 74 by means of the setscrews 82 so that said rollers may be adjusted to any roper distance relative to each other. Ad acent to the said roller is a roller or pulley 83 and a belt 84 is passed 60 around the rollers 83 and 81. The shaft of the roller 81 is provided with a small pinion 85 meshed with the pinion 71 'so that the upper belt 84 is driven at a greater speed than the lower belt 76. A scraper 86 is pro- 65 vided for the belt 84:. By this arrangement.

it is obvious that the material, after being; first flattened out and'evenly. distributedi'by the belts 57 and 58,,will then be discharged '1 .terial such as burlap on the top of the up? 3Q per layer of plaster; For; th s purpose, I provide a shaft 87 on the machine frame and on this shaft is a roll 88 of material v such as burlap. The end of the roll'ofj burlap is then extended downwardly on top offthe layer of plaster. In the drawings, 1" have shown a second roll ofb' irlap'in'po si tion to be used when the first roll ei, hausted.

In order to firmly press all of the layersf o together and make a smooth' and uniform plaster board, I provide, in the table 150 5511; a roller 89 connected by a sprocket gearing with the power shaft .12. This gearing comprises a sprocket wheel 90 onthe roller shaft, a sprocket chain 91 connected withjhand a sprocket wheel 92 on the power shaft 12 also connected with the sprocket chain 9f1.'

Ibis extends p yumugh the. 7' table top to engage the under surface of th plaster board. Above the roller 89 is a roller 93 mounted in an adjustable bearing provided with an adjusting screw 94. Adacent to the roller 93 is a sir'nilarroller 9 5 also provided with an adjustable bearing. Adjacent to the roller 95is athird roller 96 which roller is normally supported in a plane slightly higher than that of the roller 93 and passed around the rollers93 and 96 is an endless belt 97. I providefor' driving 11' the rollers'by means of ainidn 98 on the shaft of the roller 96 which pinio' 'ri isfi'n mesh with apinion 99 on the shaft 89. The layer of burlap extends under'the' .belt 97j and as the plaster board passes'betwden; thiebl] rollers 89 and 93 it obviously ant, "be smoothed and made of regular andunifo'rm thickness throughout its entirewidth and] .j the various layers will be firInlyfcornpreshse d. This operation will force s'omeof tli e plaster .1 20 up through the layer of burlap and, in (ha to prevent the belt 97 fromndliering to'fith'ei plaster that extends up through the layerbf" burlap, I elevate the rear end portion of. the

belt 97 in the manner clearly shown in'F 4 so that said belt gradually detaches itse from the layer of 'burlap'aiid' 'the plaster, board is thereby prevented"froni'adhering t the belt 97. In order to hold the plaster boardaccurately centered over the main conveyor belt 17 and in order to prevent any of the material of the plaster board from moving out beyond the sides of the conveyor belt 17 and for the purpose of making a plaster board of exactly uniform width throughout, I have provided edge forming devices as follows: A similar edgeforming device is arranged on each side of the conveyor belt 17. and hence only one will be hereinafter fully described. Adjacent to the delivery end of the table 11 is a vertical shaft having a sprocket wheel 101 fixed to its upper end. on its lower end is a beveled gear wheel 102 in mesh with a beveled gear wheel 103 on a shaft 104, which shaft is provided with a sprocket wheel 105 connected by a sprocket chain 106 with a sprocket wheel 107 on the power shaft 12. By this arrangement, the sprocket wheel. 101 is made to rotate, during the operation of the machine, at the same rate of speed that of the main conveyor belt 17. At the opposite end vof the machine frame is an upright shaft 108 which is provided with a sprocket Wheel similar .to the sprocket wheel 101. A sprocket chain 109 is passed around the sprocket wheels 101 and 108 andeach link-thereof is provided with a flat plate 110 which plate 18 connected with the adjacent link of the chain by means of pivotpins 111 so arranged that each plate may .have a slight tilting movement relative to the link to which it is attached. The adjacent edges of the plates 110 are beveled or inclined at 112 and said parts are so arranged that the said plates will all stand in line with each other at a point above the;

side edges of the belt-17. as lower edges of the plates preferably rest upon or close to the top surface of the belt 17 and the top edges of the plates areabove the layer of plaster board. In this way, the plaster board is-accnrately centered on top of the belt 17 and none of the material on it can work out beyond the sides of the belt 17 and the plaster board is made of exactly uniform width throughout. The object in having the.

plates 110 pivotally connected with the links and beveled at their ends is that said plates may move in a straight line until they ,pass around the sprocket wheel 101 so far that the plates may tilt without projecting one of their ends into the adjacent edge of the plaster board and so that they may withdraw from the plaster board withoutcaus ing the plaster board'to adhere to theml, 'Obviously, if a continuous belt were em.-

ployed for this purpose, it would adhere to the edges of the plaster board and leave the edges in a rough and unfinished condition, whereas, by means'of the pivoted and beveled plates, the edges of the plaster board are left smooth and even.

In order to impart motion to the shaft 27,

'of plaster on top of the liber, t

the last layer of plaster,

I have connected. it by a sprocket'gearing device with the shaft of the lower roller which supports the belt :3, which lower roller is driven by means of the chain 4-? as before described. The sprocket gearing device comprises a chain 113 'lCl sprocket wheels 1M: and 115 on said shafts, as clearl shown in Fig. 1, and -in order to drive the conveyor bolts 57 and 58, I employ a sprocket gearing device 11 1 connecti the lower roller of the conveyor belt 42 'th the shaft of the conveyor belt 57, asshown. in Fig. 1.

' in practical operation, it obvious that all of the machinery may be driven by power applied to the main power shaft, or, if (lo-- sired, any one or more of the operations of the machine maybe carried on-by hand; As of each of the various parts of the machine have been described in detail, it is be lieved that the operation of the machine as a whole will be readily unde stood.

My improved method consi. in first providing a continuous layer of per or the like, then cont nuously app'l thereto a thin, n1oi -lv lax of plaster "w (l1 will ad here to the lay r of paper, T n applying, on top ofthe plaster, a continuous layer of fiber which will adhere to the i y er of pisster, then applying a second co a. layer of material such as bin ien firmly compressing the layers to to them of uniform thickness and to cause the plaster to thoroughly commi 'le with the layer of fiber and the layer o; burlap and also to continuously smooth out the edges of the plaster board as it continuously. moves over the tableon which it is supported. It. is obvious that th various operations may be performed .wllOlly or partially by hand, and, hence, tent on the machine or apparatus itself an ht be 1115111 licient to protect the method or process,

I claim as my invention.

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of ,a movable support, means for feeding a sheet of flexible material to the movable support','n1-2aus for feeding alayer of plaster on top of the flexible material,

means for feeding a second flexible sheet on top of the plaster and a pressing device to operate upon the second flexible sheetafter it has been placed on the plaster, said press.- ing device comprising.a surface ca .able of moven'ient in the same direction as t 1e mate Jlfil on which it is operated and being arranged in position to firmly engage the mate rial; atone end and being inclined away'from the end of the machine toward which the. material is moving.

the material at .2. Ina machine of the class described, the combination of a. movable support, means. for, feeding a sheet of flexiblematerial to the movable support, means for feeding a.

act

plaster, comprising two endless conveyor weaselward end and elevated above the material at its rear end.

3. In a'machine of the class de'scribod, means for supplying a continuous layer of bolts having their adjacent portions slightly spaced apart and arranged for movement in the same direction, and means for depositing a layer of. plaster on the upper surface of the lower conveyor belt, and means for supplying water on the upper surface of the lower conveyor belt in advance of the plaster.

4. In a machine of the class described, means for supplying a continuous layer of plaster, comprising two endless conveyor belts having their adjacent portions slightly spaced apart and arranged for movement in the same direction, and means for depositing a layer ofplaster on the upper" surface of tholower conveyor belt, and means for turning up the side edges of the upper portion of the lower conveyor belt.

5. In a machine of the class described, means for supplying a continubus layer of plaster, comprising two endless conveyor belts having .their adjacent port-ions slightly spaced apart and arranged for movement in 1 the same direction, and means for deposit inga layer of plaster on the upper surfacc of the lower conveyor belt, and means for turning up the sideedges of the upper portion of the lower conveyor belt, and means for turning down thesidc edges of the lower portion of the upper conveyor belt.

6. In a machine of the class described, means for supplying 'a continuous layer of plaster, comprising two endless conveyer bolts having their adjacent portions slightly spaced apart and arranged for movement in the same direction, and means for depositing a layer of plaster on the upper surface of the lower conveyor belt, and means for turning up the side edges of the-upper portion of the lower conveyerbelt, and means for turning down the side edges of the lower port-ion ofthe upper conveyor belt, and a stationary scraper at the discharge end of each conveyor belt. 7

7 In a device of the class described, the combination of a conveyor belt inclined downwardly and toward the delivery end of the device, means for supplying water to the top surface-of the conveyor belt for preventing plaster from adhering to it,

means for holding up the side. edges of said conveyor belt to prevent the water from running 05 of the sides of the belt, and

with their adjacent portions arranged-close -to each other, means for moving them so that the adjacent portions of the belts travel in the same direction. and means for. holding the side edges of the adjacent portions of both belts toward each other. f

9. In a device of the classdescribednthe combination of two endless conveyor belts with their adjacent portions arrangedclose to each other, means for moving-themso that the adjacent portions of the belts travel in the same direction, and means for holding the side edges of the adjacent portions of both belts toward-- each other, said means comprislng a number of' shafts extended transversely of each belt,,and cone-shaped rollers-on said shafts to engage thoedgo portions of thebelts. I

10. In a device of the one arranged abovethe other and designed to receive plaster between .them, means for moving the lower conveyor belt, and means for moving the upper conveyor bolt. sothat ,the part thereof adjacent to the lower belt will move in the same direction and .at an increased speed. j

11. In a "device of the class described, the combination of an endless conveyor belt, means for supplying plaster to the upper surface thereof, a second endless conveyor belt above the first, a frame for supporting the upper conveyor belt, links for pivotally supporting the discharge end of said upper frame, and an inclined support for the other end of said frame, for the purposes stated.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of two rollers, an endless conveyor belt passed around them, a second endless conveyor belt above the first, two rollers for said second conveyor belt, links connecting the rollers of the upper and lowerconveyer belts at one end, and an inclined support for the other end oftho upper conveyor belt.

13. In a device of the class described, a means for delivering a continuous layer of fiber, comprising a series of toothed bars, means for oscillating them, and two endless conveyor belts arranged one above the other in position to receive the fiber from the dis charge end of said oscillating bars, and means for operating said conveyor belts with their adjacent portions moving in the same direction.

14. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a table top and a series of class described; the combination of two endless conveyor belts,

from the table, means for oscillating said toothed bars, the alternate ones thereof being arranged to move in opposite directions.

15. In a device of the class described, the combination of anendless conveyer belt, arranged for movement ina substantially horizontal direction, means for applying plaster to said belt, and a second endless conveyer belt above the first and so arranged that its forward portion will engage the material on the first belt and its rear portion will be elevated slightly above said material, and means for operating the latter belt, said parts being so arranged that theupper belt will gradually move away .from the material on the lower belt so that ihe material will not adhere to the upper ell:-

16. 111 a device of the class described, the combination of a belt arranged for horizontal movement, meansfor applying plaster to the belt, two rollers arranged transversely above the layer of material on the belt, means for independently adjusting them toward and from the belt, a third roller in the rear of the first two and elevated above the rear of the first two and elevated above them, an endless'belt passed around said three rollers, said parts being so arranged that the said upper belt will have its lower portion inclined rearwardly and away from the material on the lower belt, and a roller arranged below the lower belt in line with the first one of the rollers above the lower belt, for the purposes stated.

18. The method of producing plaster board which consists in providing a continuous sheet of flexible material. and continuously advancing same, then applying a continuous layer of plaster in moist condition on top of the sheet, then applying a continuous layer of fabric such as burlap on top of the layer of plaster and then applying a pressing movement to the layer of fabric, said pressingmovement being applied by a device having its pressing surface moving in the same direction the material and held firmly in contact with the material atits forward portion and held slightly away from the material at its rear portion.

Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 7 1909.

DAVID E. ROBERTS.

W itnesses T. B. Kunsnaw, T. l BUSBY.

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