Automated bricklaying device

Claim 2

An automated bricklaying device for laying out the brick lining of a vessel, the device comprising: a delivery means for delivering a series of bricks in turn to the circumference of the vessel to be set as the lining thereof; a brick positioning means associated with said delivery means for positioning and firmly setting each brick in turn in the lining as it is delivered to the circumference of the vessel; a supporting means for supporting said delivery means and said brick positioning means inside the vessel and for permitting, of said delivery means and said brick positioning means, longitudinal movement along, reciprocal lateral movement relative to and revolutional movement about an axis thereof positioned within and substantially parallel to the axis of the vessel to be lined; an operating means for moving said delivery means and said brick positioning means longitudinally along, laterally relative to and revolutionally about said axis of said support means so as to position said delivery means and said brick positioning means relative to the circumference of the vessel; and a control means for controllably operating said operating means after a brick has been positioned in place in the lining for properly positioning said delivery means and said brick positioning means for the placement of the next succeeding brick in the lining.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support means includes an upright frame assembly mounted within the ladle, and a platform assembly carried by said upright frame assembly for longitudinal movement therealong, said delivery means being mounted to said platform assembly for reciprocal lateral movement relative thereto.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said support means further includes a turntable placed in the bottom of the vessel, said turntable comprising a lower platen and an upper platen supported by said lower platen for rotational movement relative thereto, the axis of rotation being said axis of said support means, and wherein said upright frame assembly is mounted to said upper platen whereby, when said upper platen rotates relative to said lower platen, said delivery means revolves about said axis of rotation.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said operating means includes a hoist means for selectively raising and lowering said platform assembly along said upright frame assembly and a reciprocating drive means for selectively extending and retracting said delivery means relative to said platform assembly.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said operating means further includes a rotary actuating means for imparting rotary movement to said upper platen of said turntable relative to said lower platen.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said control means includes a first limit switch means for causing operation of said rotary actuating means and a second limit switch means for stopping operation of said rotary actuating means, said second switch means being actuated to stop said rotary actuating means after said brick positioning means has moved a predetermined distance relative to the circumferencE of the vessel.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first limit switch means is actuated to cause operation of said rotary actuating means after said placement means has placed a brick in the lining.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said control means includes a vertical guidance means on said platform assembly, said vertical guidance means causing actuation of said hoist means so as to maintain a fixed vertical relation between said platform assembly and the built up lining.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said control means includes an extension guidance means on said delivery means, said extension guidance means actuating said reciprocating drive means so as to maintain a fixed relation between said delivery means and the built up lining.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said delivery means is a conveyor means having a conveyor indexing means for selectively advancing the bricks on said conveyor means to the circumference of the vessel.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said delivery means includes a placement means for taking a brick from said conveyor means and placing it in the circumference of the vessel.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said brick positioning means comprises a first means for pushing a brick delivered to the circumference of the vessel into engagement with the previously laid brick and a second means for pushing a brick delivered to the circumference of the vessel into engagement with the interior wall of the vessel.

Claim 14

An automated bricklaying machine for laying out the refractory brick lining of a metal pouring ladle, the machine comprising: an upright means extending into the ladle; a mounting means for supporting said upright means for traversing about the circumference of the ladle; a platform means carried by said upright means for vertical movement therealong; means for selectively raising and lowering said platform means relative to said upright means; a delivery means on said platform means reciprocally laterally movable relative thereto for delivering a series of refractory bricks in turn to the circumference of the ladle to be set as the lining thereof; a positioning and indexing means on said delivery means for properly positioning each brick in turn in the lining while indexing said platform means to a proper position for placement of the next succeeding brick in the lining; and vertical guidance means on said conveyor means for providing vertical elevational control of said platform means relative to the built up lining.

Claim 15

An automated bricklaying machine for laying out the refractory brick lining of a metal pouring ladle, the machine comprising: an upright means extending into the ladle; a mounting means for supporting said upright means for traversing about the circumference of the ladle; a platform means carried by said upright means for vertical movement therealong; means for selectively raising and lowering said platform means relative to said upright means; a delivery means on said platform means reciprocally laterally movable relative thereto for delivering a series of refractory bricks in turn to the circumference of the ladle to be set as the lining thereof; a positioning and indexing means on said delivery means for properly positioning each brick in turn in the lining while indexing said platform means to a proper position for placement of the next succeeding brick in the lining; and vertical guidance means on said conveyor means for providing vertical elevational control of said platform means relative to the built up lining.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said mounting means is a turntable placed on the bottom of the ladle, said turntable comprising a lower platen and an upper platen supported by said, lower platen for rotational movement relative thereto.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said upper platen is supported by means of a plurality of rollers journaled on the side of said lower platen and wherein said lower platen has a plurality of leveling screws for leveling said lower platen.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said turntable includes a gear ring mounted to said lower platen; a pinion gear having a shaft journaled in said upper platen and having teeth engaging teeth of said gear ring; a sprocket means fixed to said shaft of said pinion gear; a rotary actuating motor mounted to said upper platen; and a chain means for said sprocket means and said rotary actuating motor whereby, when said rotary actuating motor is actuated, said upper platen is rotated relative to said lower platen.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said positioning and indexing means includes a second means for pushing a brick in the lining into engagement with the previously laid brick in the built up lining.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said second means is a brick pusher having a rotary actuating means; a wheel means; a linkage means connected at one end to said rotary actuating means and connected at the other end to said wheel means such thAt upon actuation of said rotary actuating means said wheel means follows a fixed path to push brick in the lining into engagement with the previously laid brick.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein there is a control system associated with said brick pusher and said rotary actuating motor on said turntable for actuating said rotary actuating motor on said turntable when said rotary actuator of said brick pusher is actuated.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said brick pusher includes a limit switch means which, when actuated, stops said brick pusher from pushing and indicates that said platform means is in a proper position for placement of the next succeeding brick in the lining.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said delivery means includes a conveyor means for advancing bricks thereon toward the circumference of the ladle and a placement means for taking bricks in said conveyor means one at a time and placing them in turn in the lining.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said delivery means further includes a conveyor indexing means having a one-way friction clutch and a reciprocating drive means whereby said conveyor means is advanced when said one-way friction clutch is driven in a first direction by said reciprocating drive means and said conveyor means remains stationary when said one-way friction clutch is driven in a second direction by said reciprocating drive means.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said placement means is a brick gripper for transferring a brick in a first position on said conveyor means to a second position in the lining.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said positioning and indexing means includes a first brick pushing means for laterally pushing a brick in the lining into engagement with the interior wall of the ladle.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said lateral brick pushing means is an exterior wheel positioned on said delivery means.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said means for selectively raising and lowering said platform means is a hoist motor positioned on said upright means.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said vertical guidance means is a wheel means carried by said delivery means which rides on the top of the built up lining, said wheel means actuating said hoist means on said upright means for maintaining a fixed vertical relation between said platform means and the built up lining.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said platform means includes a means for picking up bricks resting on said platform means and placing them on said delivery means.

Claim 31

In a bricklaying machine for lining a ladle with bricks having a conveyor means, a placement means having a pickup position and a placement position, a brick positioning means having a return position and a pushing position, and an apparatus positioning means, a control system for controllably operating the machine to perform a series of sequential operations comprising, in combination: a first means for operating the conveyor means to deliver the bricks to the placement means; a second means for operating the placement means to place the bricks in the lining of the ladle; a third means for operating the brick positioning means to properly position the bricks in the lining; a fourth means for operating the apparatus positioning means to index the conveyor means, the placement means and the brick positioning means relative to the circumference of the ladle; a first switch means for controlling said first means such that when said first switch means is actuated, said first means is operable to cause said conveyor means to stop, said first switch means being actuable whenever a brick on said conveyor means is in position for removal therefrom by said placement means; a second switch means for controlling said second means such that when said second switch means is actuated, said second means is operable to cause said placement means to pick up a brick from said conveyor means and moVe said brick toward said ladle lining, said second switch means being actuable whenever said first switch means is actuated and said brick positioning means is in a return position; a third switch means for controlling said second means, said third means and said fourth means such that when said third switch means is actuated, the following operations take place: a. said second means is operable to cause said placement means to stop, to release the brick held thereby, and to return to its pickup position, b. said third means is operable to cause said brick positioning means to move towards said pushing position to properly position said brick released by said placement means in said ladle lining, and c. said fourth means is operable to cause said apparatus positioning means to move said conveyor means, said placement means and said brick positioning means relative to said circumference of said ladle, said third switch means actuable when said placement means is in the placement position to place said brick in said lining; and a fourth switch means for controlling said third means and said fourth means such that when said fourth switch means is actuated the following operations take place: a. said third means is operable to return said brick positioning means to its return position, and b. said fourth means is operable to cause said apparatus positioning means to stop, said fourth switch means being actuable when said apparatus positioning means has indexed said conveyor means, said placement means and said brick positioning means to a proper position for placement of the next succeeding brick in the lining.

Claim 32

In a bricklaying machine for lining a ladle with bricks having a conveyor means, a placement means having a pickup position and a placement position, a brick positioning means having a return position and a pushing position, and an apparatus positioning means, a control system for controllably operating the machine to perform a series of sequential operations comprising, in combination: a first means for operating the conveyor means to deliver the bricks to the placement means; a second means for operating the placement means to place the bricks in the lining of the ladle; a third means for operating the brick positioning means to properly position the bricks in the lining; a fourth means for operating the apparatus positioning means to index the conveyor means, the placement means and the brick positioning means relative to the circumference of the ladle; a first switch means for controlling said first means such that when said first switch means is actuated, said first means is operable to cause said conveyor means to stop, said first switch means being actuable whenever a brick on said conveyor means is in position for removal therefrom by said placement means; a second switch means for controlling said second means such that when said second switch means is actuated, said second means is operable to cause said placement means to pick up a brick from said conveyor means and moVe said brick toward said ladle lining, said second switch means being actuable whenever said first switch means is actuated and said brick positioning means is in a return position; a third switch means for controlling said second means, said third means and said fourth means such that when said third switch means is actuated, the following operations take place: a. said second means is operable to cause said placement means to stop, to release the brick held thereby, and to return to its pickup position, b. said third means is operable to cause said brick positioning means to move towards said pushing position to properly position said brick released by said placement means in said ladle lining, and c. said fourth means is operable to cause said apparatus positioning means to move said conveyor means, said placement means and said brick positioning means relative to said circumference of said ladle, said third switch means actuable when said placement means is in the placement position to place said brick in said lining; and a fourth switch means for controlling said third means and said fourth means such that when said fourth switch means is actuated the following operations take place: a. said third means is operable to return said brick positioning means to its return position, and b. said fourth means is operable to cause said apparatus positioning means to stop, said fourth switch means being actuable when said apparatus positioning means has indexed said conveyor means, said placement means and said brick positioning means to a proper position for placement of the next succeeding brick in the lining.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said first means is a conveyor indexing means including a one-way friction clutch for driving said conveyor means in one direction only.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said conveyor indexing means includes a reciprocal drive motor having an advancing motion and a retraction motion, said reciprocal drive motor being controlled by two limit switch means for causing advancing motion and for causing retraction motion.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein there is a fifth means for operating said placement means to place bricks in the lining in one of two different orientations and wherein there is a fifth limit switch means for controlling said fifth means.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said fourth means includes a vertical drive means, a lateral drive means and a rotational drive means whereby said third and fourth limit switch means controlling operation of said rotational drive means, said vertical drive means and said lateral drive means being controlled so as to maintain a fixed vertical and lateral relation between said conveyor means as said rotational drive means rotates the conveyor means, the placement means and the brick positioning means.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said control system is a pneumatic control system and wherein said first, second, third and fourth means are pneumatic operating means and said first, second, third and fourth limit switch means are pneumatic limit switches.