IMPROVED BRICK-DRYING SHED.
The improved brick-drying shed, shown in Figs. 32 to 44, can be used for drying either wet machine-made or hand-made brick.
Fig. 32 is an end elevation partly in section. Fig. 33 is a plan of a brick-board. Fig. 34 is a plan view of a part of a bench having attached thereto a mould-lander, or tilting-board, upon which is a brick-board. Fig. 35 is a vertical section taken through line x of Fig. 34. Fig. 36 is a plan view of the hinged boards. Fig. 37 is a vertical section of the lifting mechanism attached to the lever of Fig. 36. Fig. 38 is a side elevation of a part of the brick-drying structure partly in sec tion. Fig. 39 is a plan of a brick-board mounted on wheels. Fig. 4o is a side elevation of Fig. 39. Fig. 41 is a cross-section of the ways on which the brick-board car moves, and Fig. 42 is a cross-section of the rafter or beam 5' in Fig. 38. Fig. 43 is a plan of a modification of the movable roof. Fig. 44 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through a line directly under the rod u' in Fig. 43.
In Figs. 32 and 38 a a are uprights, which stand preferably apart at the same distance from one another, being about equal to the length of the brick-boards, as shown in Fig. 38. The uprights support the rafters b and receive the cleats c, arranged one over the other, and in such a position as that when the brick-boards are laid from one series of cleats to the opposite one the brick-boards will lie approximately level.
The roof may be formed so that it may be opened to allow the sun and air to enter, or be closed to exclude the rain or dew. This may be accomplished by pivoting the roof-boards e, Figs. 32 and 38, and connecting them by a strip, f, of wood or iron whereby all the pivoted boards may be opened or closed at once, directly by the hand or by a lever, as shown in Fig. 32.
The brick-boards in are formed with projecting cleats g, Fig. 33, on the under side, so that when the boards are placed side by side on the cleats in the brick-drying structure the extremi ties of the brick-board cleats g will abut, and thus form an open ing between the boards, through which the air may freely pass. The cleats g on the brick-boards are arranged to engage with the cleats c in the brick-drying structure, so that the boards may be readily and securely held in position without any danger of sliding off. The manner of placing the green brick upon the brick-board is as follows : The tilting-board n being in its loading position, as indicated by the dotted lines on Fig. 35, the brick-board is placed thereon, and is held in place by a stop-piece o, and the workman takes the mould from the machine, and, resting it upon the strip r upon the brick-board, turns it and deposits the mould, with its contents of green brick, upon the brick-board without injury. This is repeated
until the brick-board is full, and when the last mould of brick is laid on, the weight of the brick causes the tilting-board to revolve, which then comes to a horizontal position, as in Fig.
35. The moulds being taken off of the bricks, the brick board, with its load of brick, is then removed to the drying structure, which is near at hand, where they remain without further handling until dry and ready for burning.
The tilting-board n is so constructed or pivoted that when the brick-board is removed it returns to its loading position.
Several of these tilting-boards may be placed between the brick-machine and drying-racks—as many as may be necessary.
If desirable, the brick-boards may be mounted upon wheels, as shown in Figs. 39 and 40, either grooved or flat, and move on tracks laid upon the cleats, as in Fig. 38. The cars, after being loaded with the green brick, are placed upon the tracks and moved to the other end, one after the other, until each track is full, and in order to prevent the cars from striking each other too heavily, and thus displace the brick, their descent may be checked, either by a workman or by other suitable means. When the brick-boards are mounted upon wheels, the cleats g' on the under side of the brick-boards are placed so that they extend beyond the ends of the cars, as shown in Fig. 39, and thus admit the circulation of air.
The rails may be constructed as shown in Fig. 41. The rail j is secured to a strip k, and has a side-piece 1, as a further prevention of the cars slipping off the track.
In order that no moisture can possibly leak through upon the brick, the inventor provides, in addition to the other means, gutters, as Fig. 38, extending from the ridge-piece to the eaves, under the joints where the shutters meet the rafters b', to carry off the water.
The brick-drying structures may be one hundred feet long, more or less, and in building them the inventor prefers to place them so that the eaves of one may touch, or nearly so, those of the other, as shown in Fig. 32, and at or under the point of meeting to provide a gutter b', Figs. 32 and 38, suitably pitched and supported, into which the gutters Fig. 38, and el, Fig. 36, may lead. By this construction a covered way a, Fig. 32, is made for the passage of the workman, and all the operations can be carried on without regard to the weather, and complete protection is assured.