Continuous briquet sheet separator

Claim 1

Apparatus for separating individual metallized iron briquets from a sheet consisting of briquets in generally uniform rows and columns connected by longitudinal and transverse webs comprising: (a) shear roll means for severing the longitudinal webs of said sheet comprising a pair of shear rolls journaled on parallel axes transverse of the longitudinal webs, the first of said shear rolls having shear lands adapted to align with alternate rows of briquets and reduced diameter portions adapted to align with the remaining rows of briquets, the second of said shear rolls having like shear lands and reduced diameter portions in reverse order from said first roll to mate therewith, the roll spacing and configuration defining a gap in which the briquets of adjacent rows are displaced in opposite directions from said sheet; and (b) lobed roll means for fracturing the transverse webs, comprising a pair of lobed rolls journaled on parallel axes parallel to the transverse webs, each lobed roll having a plurality of equispaced, transversely extending lobes, adjacent lobes being separated by a distance between the length of one and two briquets, and means interconnecting said lobed rolls to rotate in synchronization with the lobes of one said lobed roll meshing with the midpoint between adjacent lobes of the other said lobed roll, the radial lengths of said lobes and the separation of the parallel axes being selected such that the exit path from said lobed roll means diverges from the entry path thereof by a small acute angle.