Method of and apparatus for the production of briquette-like shaped articles

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BRIQUETTE-LIKE SHAPED ARTICLES FROM MOISTURE-CONTAINING PLASTIC MATERIALS OF PULPY AND LIKE CONSISTENCY, COMPRISING AN ENDLESS BAND CONVEYER HAVING A FIRST SIDE, A SECOND SIDE, AND A PLURALITY OF ARTICULATELY CONNECTED ELEMENTS, SAID ELEMENTS DEFINING MATERIAL-RECEIVING MOLD CAVITIES AND SAID CAVITIES OPEN AT BOTH SIDES OF SAID CONVEYER, SAID CONVEYER HAVING AT LEAST ONE SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL RUN; MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID CONVEYER SO THAT SAID ELEMENTS ADVANCE IN UPWARD DIRECTION WHILE MOVING ALONG SAID SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL RUN; A SOURCE OF PLASTIC MATERIAL; MEANS PROVIDED AT THE LOWER END OF SAID RUN FOR CONSECUTIVELY TRANSFERRING BATCHES OF PLASTIC MATERIAL FROM SAID SOURCE AND INTO SAID MOLD CAVITIES; HOUSING MEANS DEFINING A PAIR OF CHAMBERS, ONE AT EACH SIDE OF SAID CONVEYER, SAID CHAMBERS LOCATED AT THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL RUN AND EACH THEREOF HAVING APERTURED WALL MEANS ADJACENT TO THE RESPECTIVE SIDE OF SAID CONVEYER, SAID HOUSING MEANS COMPLETELY ENCLOSING SAID CONVEYER; A SOURCE OF HOT GASES CONNECTED WITHSAID CHAMBERS FOR DELIVERING HOT GASES THERETO SO THAT THE GASES ARE DISCHARGED THROUGH SAID APERTURED WALL MEANS TO WITHDRAW MOISTURE FROM THE BATCHES OF PLASTIC MATERIAL CONTAINED IN THE MOLD CAVITIES MOVING ALONG SAID RUN AND TO TRANSFORM THE BATCHES INTO SHAPED ARTICLES; AND MEANS LOCATED AT THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF SAID CHAMBERS FOR EJECTING THE SHAPED ARTICLES FROM SAID MOLD CAVITIES.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BRIQUETTE-LIKE SHAPED ARTICLES FROM MOISTURE-CONTAINING PLASTIC MATERIALS OF PULPY AND LIKE CONSISTENCY, COMPRISING AN ENDLESS BAND CONVEYER HAVING A FIRST SIDE, A SECOND SIDE, AND A PLURALITY OF ARTICULATELY CONNECTED ELEMENTS, SAID ELEMENTS DEFINING MATERIAL-RECEIVING MOLD CAVITIES AND SAID CAVITIES OPEN AT BOTH SIDES OF SAID CONVEYER, SAID CONVEYER HAVING AT LEAST ONE SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL RUN; MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID CONVEYER SO THAT SAID ELEMENTS ADVANCE IN UPWARD DIRECTION WHILE MOVING ALONG SAID SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL RUN; A SOURCE OF PLASTIC MATERIAL; MEANS PROVIDED AT THE LOWER END OF SAID RUN FOR CONSECUTIVELY TRANSFERRING BATCHES OF PLASTIC MATERIAL FROM SAID SOURCE AND INTO SAID MOLD CAVITIES; HOUSING MEANS DEFINING A PAIR OF CHAMBERS, ONE AT EACH SIDE OF SAID CONVEYER, SAID CHAMBERS LOCATED AT THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL RUN AND EACH THEREOF HAVING APERTURED WALL MEANS ADJACENT TO THE RESPECTIVE SIDE OF SAID CONVEYER, SAID HOUSING MEANS COMPLETELY ENCLOSING SAID CONVEYER; A SOURCE OF HOT GASES CONNECTED WITHSAID CHAMBERS FOR DELIVERING HOT GASES THERETO SO THAT THE GASES ARE DISCHARGED THROUGH SAID APERTURED WALL MEANS TO WITHDRAW MOISTURE FROM THE BATCHES OF PLASTIC MATERIAL CONTAINED IN THE MOLD CAVITIES MOVING ALONG SAID RUN AND TO TRANSFORM THE BATCHES INTO SHAPED ARTICLES; AND MEANS LOCATED AT THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF SAID CHAMBERS FOR EJECTING THE SHAPED ARTICLES FROM SAID MOLD CAVITIES.