CARS USED IN HANDLING BRICK FOR SETTING.
In all works producing brick in large quantities by ma chinery, it is much cheaper in the end to place the brick directly upon cars and carry them to suitably constructed dry ers, from whence they are carried to the kiln to be set.
The cars should be constructed of iron, and designed so that the slats can be turned up and over on the next one, and the " off-bearers " from the machine, and the " tossers " in the kiln can stand within the body of the car, close up to their work, for loading and unloading the brick. This is an improvement of far more value than would at first appear, for by standing so conveniently to the work, both to the off-bearing frame of the machine and to the hacks on the car, one hacker or off-bearer is enabled to perform much more work than he would do if compelled to lean over the width of the car.
The boxes on these cars are made with friction-rollers in them, and run without lubrication.
They should travel so lightly that a boy will transport four hundred and forty brick on one of them with greater ease than a man will push a wheelbarrow load on the best-designed barrow.
At each end of each of the flues of the dryer is a transfer or switching car, which transfers the loaded cars from a single track, running from the machine on to any one of the six tracks running into the flues ; and in like manner from any one of the flues to the track running to the kilns.
The loaded cars are transferred into any one of the kilns of the works by means of transfer cars, and the empty ones re turned to the machine by a return-rack, outside of the flues.
The whole of this arrangement may be under an inclosed building, and quite comfortable to work in at all seasons.
Altogether, the first cost of brick-dryers, cars, and tracks is more than for common drying-sheds and barrows, but the saving in the cost of handling the brick much more than compensates for this. The expense for fuel and attendance while the brick are in the dryers should not be charged wholly against them, as time and fuel are largely saved in the burning.
The advantage of running an establishment in all weathers, and twelve months in the year instead of eight, and having brick in the spring, when they command the best price, is too evident to need argument, to say nothing of the advantage to be gained in giving employment to your workmen the whole year round, and the difference in the cost of labor between winter and summer ; but all of these advantages sink into insig nificance when the superior quality of the brick is considered.
The brick not being disturbed from the time they are put on the cars until they are run into the kilns, thus avoid two handlings in loading on the barrows for the two wheelings, whereby their shape and angles are preserved, rendering them much more perfect when burnt, and increasing their value in the market.
The dry car, shown in Fig. 54, is made by the Frey-Sheckler Co. This company manufactures its own cars, and guarantees the quality of material and work.
The frames are strong and substantially built, and provided with wrought-iron bumpers, which project two inches from each end to allow ample ventilating space between the cars.
The journals are of the roller-bearing type, as can be seen in the cut, and are far superior to the kind used by other manu facturers, obviating their defects and absolutely reducing fric tion to a minimum, thus producing an easy-running car, and prolonging the life of same beyond the usual limit. No oiling required.
The wheels are pressed on to the axles by hydraulic pres sure, and are evenly gauged and nicely balanced.
The cars are thoroughly braced, so as to withstand all trans verse strains, and will not go to pieces when subjected to hard and continued usage.
The Frey-Sheckler Co. make a car designed for carrying brick on foot pallets.
Length over all, 7 feet 3 inches.
Width of frame over all, 35 inches.
Distance from centre to centre of wheels, 3 feet 6 inches. Wheels 1 o X inches diameter, 2-inch tread.
Gauge, 25 inches between track rails ; weight, 320 pounds.
They also make a car designed for carrying all varieties of stiff-mud brick, being supplied with a double deck, equipped with angle iron upper deck frame, and as a binder for the wood slats.
Length over all, 7 feet 3 inches.
Width of frame over all, 35A,, inches.
Distance from centre to centre of wheels, 3 feet 6 inches. Wheels, ii: inches diameter, 2-inch tread.
Height from top of side frame to under side of top deck, 17 inches.
Size of angle iron for upper deck, I inches x i r4 inches x inches.
Gauge, 25 inches between track rails ; weight 425 pounds. Capacity 50o brick.
Fig. 54 shows a strong, serviceable and convenient iron rack pallet car, for carrying soft-mud brick ; it has two rack sections. 34 inches by 4o inches, and hacks the brick 9 tiers high.
Dimensions are 6 feet 6 inches long, 40 inches wide, and 4 feet 7 inches high from track rail.
Gauge, 25 inches between track rails. Capacity, 432 brick. It is manufactured by the Frey-Sheckler Co.