Method and apparatus for fast firing glazed ceramic tile trim

Claim 2

In a roller hearth kiln for fast firing ceramic tile trim pieces having an open ended, heated firing chamber defined by opposed refractory walls and a series of side-by-side ceramic rollers spanning said chamber between sidewalls thereof and adapted to support and convey ceramic tile trim pieces through said firing chamber between the open ends thereof, the improvement comprising a plurality of spaced, circumferentially extending, trim piece orienting stops formed on each said roller and trim piece supporting surface means formed on said roller between said spaced orienting stops for engaging a trim piece passing over said roller, the diameter of said roller to the outermost surface thereof varying substantially uniformly between said orienting stops to incline said trim piece supporting surface means relative to the central longitudinal axis of said roller to cause gravitational forces to maintain trim pieces passing over said supporting surface means in contact with an adjacent orienting stop, the orienting stops of the rollers in said firing chamber being aligned to define at least one straight line channel for said trim pieces extending between the open ends of said firing chamber.

Claim 3

The roller hearth of claim 1 wherein each said trim piece orienting stop is formed by a circumferential groove extending around said ceramic roller.

Claim 4

The roller hearth of claim 2 wherein said trim piece supporting surface means is inclined at an angle of no more than 10* relative to the central longitudinal axis of said ceramic roller.

Claim 5

In a roller hearth kiln for fast firing ceramic tile trim pieces having an open ended, heated firing chamber defined by opposed refractory walls and a series of side-by-side ceramic rollers spanning said chamber between sidewalls thereof and adapted to support and convey ceramic tile trim pieces through said firing chamber between the open ends thereof, the improvement comprising at least one trim piece orienting stop formed on each said ceramic roller to border an adjacent trim piece supporting surface of said roller for engaging a trim piece passing over said roller, the trim piece supporting surface of each said roller being inclined at an angle of no more than 10* relative the horizontal to cause gravitational forces to maintain trim pieces passing over said supporting surface in contact with said orienting stop, each said roller being mounted between the sidewalls of said firing chamber at an incline relative to the horizontal with one end of said roller being higher than the opposite end thereof.

Claim 6

In a roller hearth kiln for fast firing ceramic tile trim pieces having an open ended, heated firing chamber defined by opposed refractory walls and a series of side-by-side ceramic rollers spanning said chamber between sidewalls thereof and adapted to support and convey ceramic tile trim pieces through said firing chamber between the open ends thereof, the improvement comprising at least one trim piece orienting stop formed on each said ceramic roller to border an adjacent trim piece supporting surface of said roller for engaging a trim piece passing over said roller, the trim piece supporting surface of each said roller being inclined at an angle of no more than 10* relative the horizontal to cause gravitational forces to maintain trim pieces passing over said supporting surface in contact with said orienting stop, each said roller being mounted between the sidewalls of said firing chamber at an incline relative to the horizontal with one end of said roller being higher than the opposite end thereof.

Claim 7

The roller hearth kiln of claim 4 wherein all rollers in said series of side-by-side ceramic rollers are aligned and equally inclined relative to the horizontal to provide the inclined trim supporting surface on each said roller, each ceramic roller including a plurality of trim piece orienting stops arranged in spaced relationship across said roller and a trim piece supporting surface extending between adjacent spaced orienting stops, the orienting stops of the rollers in said firing chamber being aligned to define a plurality of substantially straight line channels for said trim pieces extending between the open ends of said firing chamber.

Claim 8

In a roller hearth kiln for fast firing ceramic tile trim pieces having an open ended, heated firing chamber defined by opposed refractory walls and a series of side-by-side ceramic rollers spanning said chamber between sidewalls thereof and adapted to support and convey ceramic tile trim pieces through said firing chamber between the open ends thereof, the improvement comprising at least one trim piece orienting stop formed on each said ceramic roller to border an adjacent trim piece supporting surface of said roller for engaging a trim piece passing over said roller, the trim piece supporting surface of each said roller being inclined relative the horizontal to cause gravitational forces to maintain trim pieces passing over said supporting surface in contact with said orienting stop, each said roller including at least one circumferentially extending cutaway section formed therein, said cutaway section having first and second ends defining said trim piece supporting surface, the diameter of said roller being less at said first end than at said second end to form said orienting stop at said first end, said roller diameter increasing between said first and second ends to form said inclined supporting surface.

Claim 9

In a roller hearth kiln for fast firing ceramic tile trim pieces having an open ended, heated firing chamber defined by opposed refractory walls and a series of side-by-side ceramic rollers spanning said chamber between sidewalls thereof and adapted to support and convey ceramic tile trim pieces through said firing chamber between the open ends thereof, the improvement comprising at least one trim piece orienting stop formed on each said ceramic roller to border an adjacent trim piece supporting surface of said roller for engaging a trim piece passing over said roller, the trim piece supporting surface of each said roller being inclined relative the horizontal to cause gravitational forces to maintain trim pieces passing over said supporting surface in contact with said orienting stop, each said roller including at least one circumferentially extending cutaway section formed therein, said cutaway section having first and second ends defining said trim piece supporting surface, the diameter of said roller being less at said first end than at said second end to form said orienting stop at said first end, said roller diameter increasing between said first and second ends to form said inclined supporting surface.

Claim 10

The roller hearth kiln of claim 6 wherein said inclined supporting surface includes a plurality of spaced lands formed between the first and second ends of said cutaway section, said lands extending circumferentially around said roller.

Claim 11

In a roller hearth kiln for fast firing ceramic tile trim pieces having an open ended, heating firing chamber defined by opposed refractory walls and a series of side-by-side ceramic rollers spanning said chamber between sidewalls thereof and adapted to support and convey ceramic tile trim pieces through said firing chamber between the open ends thereof, the improvement comprising at least one trim piece orienting stop formed on each said ceramic roller to border an adjacent trim piece supporting surface of said roller for engaging a trim piece passing over said roller, the trim piece supporting surface of each said roller being inclined relative the horizontal to cause gravitational forces to maintain trim pieces passing over said supporting surface in contact with said orienting stop each said roller increasing substantially uniformly in diameter from the outer ends thereof to a central point of maximum diameter, said trim piece supporting surface being formed on either side of said central point between said central point and the end of the roller.

Claim 12

In a roller hearth kiln for fast firing ceramic tile trim pieces having an open ended, heating firing chamber defined by opposed refractory walls and a series of side-by-side ceramic rollers spanning said chamber between sidewalls thereof and adapted to support and convey ceramic tile trim pieces through said firing chamber between the open ends thereof, the improvement comprising at least one trim piece orienting stop formed on each said ceramic roller to border an adjacent trim piece supporting surface of said roller for engaging a trim piece passing over said roller, the trim piece supporting surface of each said roller being inclined relative the horizontal to cause gravitational forces to maintain trim pieces passing over said supporting surface in contact with said orienting stop each said roller increasing substantially uniformly in diameter from the outer ends thereof to a central point of maximum diameter, said trim piece supporting surface being formed on either side of said central point between said central point and the end of the roller.

Claim 13

In a roller hearth kiln for fast firing ceramic tile trim pieces of varying irregular shapes, a roller for use in conveying said trim pieces in a substantially straight line through said kiln comprising a plurality of spaced, circumferentially extending, trim piece orienting stops formed on said roller, and trim piece supporting surfaces formed between said trim piece orienting stops, said trim piece supporting surfaces extending at an incline relative to the longitudinal axis of said roller, the diameter of said roller between said stops varying substantially uniformly to form said inclined trim piece supporting surfaces.

Claim 14

In a roller hearth kiln for fast firing ceramic tile trim pieces of varying irregular shapes, a roller for use in conveying said trim pieces in a substantially straight line through said kiln comprising a plurality of spaced, circumferentially extending, trim piece orienting stops formed on said roller, and trim piece supporting surfaces formed between said trim piece orienting stops, said trim piece supporting surfaces extending at an incline relative to the longitudinal axis of said roller, the diameter of said roller between said stops varying substantially uniformly to form said inclined trim piece supporting surfaces.

Claim 15

The roller of claim 9 wherein said roller increases substantially uniformly in diameter from the outer ends thereof to a central point of maximum diameter.

Claim 16

The roller of claim 9 wherein said trim piece orienting stops are formed by spaced circumferential grooves extending around said roller.

Claim 17

In a roller hearth kiln for fast firing ceramic tile trim pieces of varying irregular shapes, a roller for use in conveying said trim pieces in a substantially straight line through said kiln comprising a plurality of spaced, circumferentially extending, trim piece orienting stops formed on said roller, and trim piece supporting surfaces formed between said trim piece orienting stops, said trim piece supporting surfaces extending at an incline relative to the longitudinal axis of said roller, the roller including a plurality of cutaway sections extending circumferentially thereof, each said cutaway section having first and second ends defining an intermediate trim piece supporting surface, the diameter of said roller being less at said first end than at said second end to form a trim piece orienting stop at said first end, said roller diameter increasing between said first and second ends to form said inclined supporting surface.

Claim 18

In a roller hearth kiln for fast firing ceramic tile trim pieces of varying irregular shapes, a roller for use in conveying said trim pieces in a substantially straight line through said kiln comprising a plurality of spaced, circumferentially extending, trim piece orienting stops formed on said roller, and trim piece supporting surfaces formed between said trim piece orienting stops, said trim piece supporting surfaces extending at an incline relative to the longitudinal axis of said roller, the roller including a plurality of cutaway sections extending circumferentially thereof, each said cutaway section having first and second ends defining an intermediate trim piece supporting surface, the diameter of said roller being less at said first end than at said second end to form a trim piece orienting stop at said first end, said roller diameter increasing between said first and second ends to form said inclined supporting surface.

Claim 19

The roller of claim 12 wherein said inclined supporting surface includes a plurality of spaced lands formed between the first and second ends of said cutawaY section, said lands extending circumferentially around said roller.

Claim 20

The roller of claim 13 wherein said trim piece supporting surface is inclined at an angle of no more than 10* relative to the longitudinal axis of the roller, said roller being formed of ceramic material.