US3737265A

US3737265A - Apparatus for continuous forming of gypsum bodies, in particular plates

Info

Publication number: US3737265A
Application number: US00221606A
Authority: US
Inventors: K Schafer; A Hohne
Original assignee: FERMA ENTWICKLUNGSWERK
Current assignee: FERMA ENTWICKLUNGSWERK
Priority date: 1971-01-28
Filing date: 1972-01-28
Publication date: 1973-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 1990-06-05
Also published as: ES399256A1; BG18590A3; DD97848A5

Abstract

An arrangement for the continuous production of form bodies, in particular of plates of gypsum and additional material, as well as voluminous feltering fibers by applying of the dry material onto an endless moving form face and moistening of the material with a quantity of water only slightly above the quantity necessary for setting which comprises at least two storage silos storing and discharging dry material. A conveying device having discharge openings as well as mixing-, moisture-, pressing- and drying stations. The conveying device includes at least one preliminary form band consisting of a dense member and passing on a horizontal and straight extending plane said material discharge station. The preliminary form band is connected with at least one device continuously measuring the weight of a material strand and terminating in the conveying direction in a mixing device of a combined mixing and moistening station, in which station being connectable a form band comprises an air passing sieve-like formed textile. The form band extends through all the stations forming the material strand to form bodies up to at least a separating station disposed in front of a drying station on a straight-line plane. The form band is connectable with a conveyor defice having passing individual frames running upright through the drying station.

Description

United States Patent [19 Schafer et a1. 1451 June 5, 1973 541 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS 3,599,288 8/1971 Eakman ..425/141 O I G 0 GYPSUM BODIES, IN 3,703,347 11/1972 Hester et al. ..425/202 X PARTICULAR PLATES Primary Examiner-Robert L. Spicer, Jr. [75] Inventors: Karl Schafer, Karlsruhe-Durlach; Attorney-Ernest (3 Montague Artur Hohne, Karlsruhe/Baden, both of Germany [57] ABSTRACT [73] Assignee: Ferma Entwicklungswerk fur ra- An arrangement for the continuous production of tionelle Fertigbaumethoden und form bodies, in particular of plates of gypsum and ad- Maschinenanlagen GmbH & Co. ditional material, as well as voluminous feltering fibers K.G., Ettlingen/Baden, Germany by applying of the dry material onto an endless moving form face and moistening of the material with a [22] Filed 1972 quantity of water only slightly above the quantity [21] Appl. No.: 221,606 necessary for setting which comprises at least two storage silos storing and discharging dry material. A conveying device havin dischar e o enin s as well as [30] Foreign Apphcauim Priority Data mixing-, moisture-, pres singand drying sfations. The Jan.28, 1971 Germany ..P 21 03 931.6 conveying device includes at least one preliminary form band consisting of a dense member and passing [52] U.S. Cl. ..425/140, 425/83, 425/141, on a horizontal and straight extending plane said 425/162, 425/200, 425/202, 425/223, material discharge station. The preliminary form band 425/225,425/371 is connected with at least one device continuously [51] Int. Cl.....- ..B29c 3/06, 82% 7/14 measuring the weight of a material strand and ter- [58] Field of Search ..425/81, 83, 140, minating in the conveying direction in a mixing device 425/141, 162, 200, 202, 223, 225, 371 of a combined mixing and moistening station, in which station being connectable a form band comprises an [56] References Cit d air passing sieve-like formed textile. The form band extends through all the stations forming the material UNITED STATES PATENTS strand to form bodies up to at least a separating sta- 3,o5o,427 8/1962 Slogter et a] ..425/81 x 9" dislmsed in from a drying Station a straight 3,171,151 3/1965 Sickle etal...... ....425/s3 x 1m P The form band is connectable with 8 3,271,4s5 9/1966 Canfield ....425/s3 x veyor defice having Passing individual frames Inning 3,286,302 11/1966 Doering ..425/141 upright through the drying station. 3,332,819 7/1967 Siempelkamp ..425/83 3,356,780 12/1967 Cole ..425/83 x 20 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS FORMING OF GYPSUM BODIES, IN PARTICULAR PLATES The present invention relates to a method of continuous production of form bodies, in particular of plates of gypsum and of additional material as well as voluminous fibers, in which by applying of the mentioned materials in the dry state onto an endlessly moving form face and moistening of the materials with such quantity of water, which is only slightly above the quantity necessary for the setting, gypsum fiber plates are produced.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a method of continuous production of form bodies, which comprises method steps, according to which the discharge, the dosing and distribution of the materials in the dry state take place from its storage silos onto a preliminary form band preceding the form band such, that a loose cord constituting the final plate form and having at least two layers, is formed and comprising a fiber bed and a gypsum bed disposed thereabove or therebelow, and that both layers of the cord are admixed together thereafter while maintaining the end form, whereupon during, or after, respectively, the transfer of the admixed cord from the preliminary form band onto the form band, the setting water is fed and thereafter the moistened cord is densened in the direction of the run of the form base.

With this described method a new way has been started for the production of plate-shaped form bodies, as building material selectively worked, which new way, due to the particular characteristics of the raw material, requires also the creation of a new arrangement for the performance of this method. lntimately connected with this requirement is the necessity to design the production arrangement in a construction so economically and variably, that the production of the form bodies, as well as the use of the parts of the arrangement is economical. The known production arrangements for the production of gypsum-cardboardplates or structural bodies of gypsum and filling material having a relatively high specific weight had to fulfill other requirements. This results from the fact, that to the homogenization of gypsum and the voluminous, specifically very light fiber material appreciable difficulties are encountered, which can be overcome only after knowledge of the reasons by a particularly structural adjustment of the production arrangement. The known arrangements are thus not suitable for a continuous and economical production of formed bodies.

The object on which the present invention is based is thus to be found in the creation of an arrangement for a continuous and economical production of qualitatively high, easily workable form bodies, in particular plates of a gypsum fiber mixture, whereby the arrangement is to be formed, due to the appreciable extent, extremely compact, economical and variable.

This task is solved in an arrangement with at least two storage silos, storing the dry material, and one of their discharge stations, as well as mixture-moistening-and drying-stations passed by a conveying device such, that the conveying device contains at least one preliminary form band, consisting of a dense textile and passing on an essentially horizontally and straight running plane the material discharge stations, which band is connected with at least one device measuring continuously the material strand weight and runs out in the conveying device in a mixing apparatus ofa combined mixingand moisterizing-station, in which a form band, consisting of air permeable, preferably sieve-like formed textile, is connectable which extends through all stations forming the material strand to form bodies up to at least the drying station and, respectively, a preset separating station on a likewise straight plane and is connectable with a conveying device, preferably having individual frames passing through the drying station in upright position.

By this arrangement, a non-objectionable forming and setting of the material cord and of the form bodies formed therefrom is obtained. This results from the fact, that the still dry material strand discharged in dosing form on the preliminary form band in its superposed layers is introduced without material loss and layer displacement into the mixing-and-moisterizingstation, which is by all means necessary for the formation and maintenance of a selected mixing ratio and, thereby, for the avoidance of later errors of the structure, for example, by gypsum nests or fiber balls. Furthermore, the formation of the conveying device, in accordance with the present invention, causes a nonobjectionable setting, whereby the air permeability of the form band assures an air access from all sides and the straight line of the conveyor path the formation of a throughout rigid structure, the maintenance of which is supported up to the release of the dried form bodies from the conveyor device passing through the drier.

In order to obtain the continuous and disturbancefree production of reliably produced form bodies assuring the formation of the material strand, in accordance with a further development of the present invention, the preliminary form band has coordinated thereto devices disposed in series in the band moving direction for the separate discharge of the fiber material in the gypsum in strand form upon each other, as well as devices for measuring and dosing of the prevailing material layers, and, furthermore, a device for admixing of these material layers together by maintenance of the material strand, as well as a material strand emerging from the mixing device within its discharge parable with a rinsing-and-jetting-device moistening with a setting water. By this device arrangement, in accordance with the present invention, are the layers of the individual material exactly selected and brought into a predetermined ratio, in order, thereafter, only after the solution and avoidance of clump formations to admix still dry and only upon discharge of the material strand onto the form band moisturizing with only a moisturequantity necessary for the setting.

Preferably, the preliminary form band and the devices coordinated thereto of the stations discharging, dosing and admixing the materials are formed to a compact, relatively densely surrounded structural unit, at the housing of which, above the material strand discharge point, the rinsing and jetting device is arranged adjustably as to the material strand-discharge-parable. This arrangement has the advantages, that the apparatus parts and, thereby, their correct function courses, are screened from the outside relative to any influences and that, furthermore, this arrangement part is usable as a compact arrangement with extensively premounted and correctly set devices are capable of use.

The previously described arrangement part can be set in with corresponding adjustment of the form devices for the production of selectively formed bodies.

It has been found, however, that the following form process for the production of particular plate shaped form bodies from a material strand bound with gypsum, has inherent difficulties, which, by the adjustment of the arrangement to, including the drying device, based on the previously set tasks, can be overcome by the following described further formations of the subject matter of the present invention. 1

One of these further developments is, that theform band, connectable behind the preliminary form band in the material feeding device with its material receiving section, is disposed relatively dense under the material strand discharge lip of the preliminary form band and the mixing device, respectively, and below its upper band trum-has a non-penetrable lower bottom, for example, a rigidly disposed band receiving table and/or a relatively short, endless underbelt running under circumstances about the band supporting table with the form band speed from a non-penetrable working material, as gummed textile material, which extends from the material receiving section into the press station. By this arrangement, a comparatively short dischargeparable of the admixed gypsum fiber cord is obtained with the effect, that the only weakly moisturized materials, which are very different as to their specific weight, do not step out of the mixture, rather, they form a well moisturized loose fleece, whereby with the support of the non-passable base extensive materialand-moisture losses and, thereby, unfavorable effects on the setting process are avoided.

A further development of the subject matter of the present invention resides in the fact, that the form band in the material feeding device is guided behind its material receiving section with the upper band trum by a press slip narrowing progressively by means of a band press driven as the form band with the same speed, the lower press belt of which turns about at least two turning rollers and intermediately supported carrying elements carries the form band, while the upper press belt, likewise running over at least two upper turning rollers, disposed vertically above the lower turning rollers and carrying elements and intermediately disposed pressure elements, is additionally surrounded by a second nondriven descaling belt joining the movement without drive, the running face of which, pointing towards the material strand, has a face structure forming definitely the surface of the material strand, for example, by means of a decor pressing. Preferably, the turning rollers and pressure-and carrying-elements, respectively, are adjustably mounted by at least a press belt vertically to the form band passage plane and connected with a driving device which is operable by the impulses of a thickness measuring device, which is known per se, and sensing the thickness of the material strand emerging from the press. The thereby obtained advantages lie in the uniformly increasing self-setting densening of the material strand, whereby the latter, in view of the short setting time, already from the start of the densing up to its end phase obtains on its surface simultaneously the desired face structure, for example, a decor impregnation, which leads to a material compression and air compression uniformly distributed over the total strand I width, as well as in the same manner a setting.

In order to be able to transport the densed material strand during its hardening up to the formation of a homogenized structure, in accordance with a further development of the present invention, a feeding table with an endless carrying belt, capable of being driven, with form band speed and carrying the form band and the supported material strand thereon, the upper drum of the carrying belt being supported on a table plate divided individually and/or in groups into adjustable sections. By this arrangement, an absolute plane table face can be provided.

' A further development of the present invention resides in the fact, that a passage drier with an individual frame is connectable in the material feeding device behind the form apparatus and under circumstances of the separating device, preferably grid-like, and moved in passage direction in upright position continuously through the drying chamber on superposed guide rails, the upper guide rails of the individual frame, being disposed on the entrance side of the drier, a lifting device with, for example, feeding chains, running in an oblique plane for erecting of the individual frames from a horizontal position and on the exit side of the drier as lowering device with, for example, feeding chains, running in a parable for lowering of the individual frames back into the horizontal position, and that below the mentioned guide rails disposed in the form body-feeding plane a path of return rails with receiving and feeding elements of the lifting and lowering devices for returning of the empty individual frames from the drier discharge side to the entrance side are disposed in horizontal position. By this design, a break-safe and winding-free feeding of the plate-shaped form bodies separated fromthe material strand is made possible by the passage drier, which is particularly compact and space saving. The form bodies which are, prior to the drying, still soft and thus, in particular at their edges, abutment-and break-sensitive, are moved with feeding rollers plane and without edge stress unto one of the individual frames and from the latter supported at large faces and uniformly in continuous rows slowly carried through the drier, whereupon the empty frames are transported back in horizontal position through a narrow return shaft with higher speed to the form bodies receiving station.

The arrangement can, depending upon the final form of the form bodies and also according to the parts, be held variable. Thus, for example, for the production of comparatively thick and high form bodies, respectively, a plurality of superposed preliminary form bands feed the gypsum and the fiber materials simply or multiple, as well as additional material, in predetermined dosages to the mixing device. Furthermore, the form band can be turned in front of the press through suspension baths, in which the material fleece highly arranged in layers on the band is prepared by progressive predensening for the following pressing process. Also, for the production of, for example, parallelepiped-shaped form bodies behind the preliminary form band or the press, in accordance with the pres'entinvention, a correspondingly formed form press can be connected. It is proposed, therefore, that the devices of the individual stations, as well as the drying device connected with the form band, disposed within the range of the form band of the individual station and forming the material strand and the form bodies, respectively, are joined to a compact, exchangeable structural unit.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention, which is shown by example only,

will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a section of the forward section of an arrangement from the production of the gypsum fiber fleece up to the press exit;

FIG. 2 is a setion of the rear portion of the arrangement from the exit of the press in FIG. 1 up to the drier discharge side;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the water distributor of a rinsing device at a larger scale than that of FIG. 1 and partly broken open for better demonstration;

FIG. 4 is a section of the material receiving portion of the form band with a non-penetrable bottom at a larger scale than that in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a section of a feeding table with a table plate divided into adjustable sections at a larger scale than that of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a section of setting water suspension bath.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, an entire arrangement for the production of gypsum fiber plates is shown, which have a thickness of about 10 mm., which is conventional in the building trade for covering plates and which are produced from a strand consisting exclusively of gypsum fiber material and passing a plurality of producing stations.

The arrangement is divided into sections, which contain the structurally and also operatively working stations and their devices which are dependent upon each other and are formed as exchangeable, structural units. The first section 10 is disclosed in FIG. 1, in which a preliminary form band 11 of a dense, for example, a rubberized textile, runs on a horizontal and straight extending plane about

turning rollers

12 and 13 and a plane polishing table 14. This polishing table 14 carries the entire upper band trum and is divided into comparatively closely to each other disposed

sections

14a, 14b, 14c and 14d. Above the table section 14a, at the start of the running path of a preliminary form band, is disposed a discharge device 15 for the fiber material 16, which is dissolved in a known device (not shown) and is fed by means of a partly shown band 17 to a funnelshaped storage box 18 extending over the total width of the fiber fleece to be formed. At the starting plate above the preliminary form band are mounted next to each other three brush rollers 19 which are surrounded on the lower, i. e. on the preliminary form band side of sieve-shaped walls 20. This arrangement causes that the fiber material is again loosened and is finely divided, discharged onto the preliminary form band.

In the band running direction behind the previously described discharge device 15 for the fiber material 16 is a known equalizer 21 disposed and formed as return feeding element. It contains a spiked feed roller 22, which extends with a predetermined distance crosswise over the preliminary form band. A suction channel 23 surrounding this roller 22 in its upper range leads, in a known manner, the fiber material disposed in known manner, resting above the predetermined fleece height, renewed to the fiber storage bunker. The spiked feed roller 22 is at a height, that means, in its distance from the preliminary form band, adjustable from a known (not shown) electric setting motor, which is connected likewise with a likewise connected radioactive operating measuring device 24 which measures the ray passage.

This measuring device 24 is disposed below the upper trum of the preliminary form band in a slit between the section 14a and the second section 14b of the polishing table 14 following in the band running direction and reacts to each deviation of the previously set fiber fleece height by impulse ejection to the setting motor correcting the position of the roller 22. By this arrangement and exact dosing of the fiber material and, thereby, the

start of the formation of the material strand, is ob-,

tained.

Above the connected second section 14b connected with the strand running connection of the polishing table is disposed a discharge device 25 extending over the entire width of the preliminary form band for the gypsum. From a silo (not shown) the gypsum is fed to the distribution container of this discharge device, on the exit side of which a dosing roller 26 provided with a groove designed at its peripheral face, and a brush roller 27 rotate, which likewise extends crosswise over the preliminary form band. The brush roller is parallel to the dosing roller and runs simultaneously with the dosing roller. By this arrangement, the bristles strike the gypsum emitting from the distribution container by the grooves of the dosing roller downwardly on the uniformly transported fiber fleece, whereby a likewise uniform gypsum layer starting is obtained. In order to always obtain the correct ratio of the gypsum fiber layers, the preliminary form band polishing table is formed in the band running direction behind the gypsum discharge place to a face rate measuring plate 140. This measuring plate is swingable about a pivot 28 downwardly, however, is with its free end section in the polishing plane of the preliminary form band of the switching element of an electrically controlled power measuring dose 29, which is connected with a driving element of gypsum discharge rollers, thus, of the dosing roller 26 and the brush roller 27. The power measuring dose reacts to each deviation from the predetermined face weight of the gypsum fiber strand and regulates with its switching impulses the rotary speed of th gypsum discharge rollers and, thereby, the discharge speed of the gypsum.

The gypsum fiber strand dosed in previously known manner and in a quantity ratio and coinsiding as to quantity ration is fed in the entering of the preliminary form band to a mixing device 30, in which the gypsum and fiber layers are mixed in a dry state. This mixing device contains above the returning roller 13 of the preliminary form band a continuously moving brush roller 31, with which its brushes strike off the gypsum fiber material of the preliminary form band and is transformed in the inner space of the mixture housing 32. This mixture housing is formed like a shaft and has the longitudinal direction three rollers 33 mounted in series and oppositely drivable to each other as mixing rollers which is continuous solution of the gypsum fiber material admix between each other and eject over an outwardly extending, discharge lip 34. This discharge lip 34 is jointly with the mixing housing 32 and the roller 33 swingable about the axle point of the brush roller 31, whereby the discharge parable of the gypsum fiber material is settable. Above the previously described material ejection place the water distributor 36 of a watering device is suspended on a gallows like device 35. By a tubular conduit 37 adjusted at its cross section, a sufficient quantity of water is fed for the setting of the gypsum to a perforated distribution tube 38 extending over the total material and from which the water is finally divided without pressure in the ejecting parable of the material strand by finest filters 39 and a distribution-plate 41 equipped with a plurality of rows of finest bores 40. In FIG. 3 the arrangement in the water distributor is shown in a perspective view and more clarified at a larger scale. For support of the effeet, the water distributor is equipped with an ultra sound swinging head 42, the swinging of which supports the water distribution.

Below the ejection lip 34 of the mixer housing 32 extends a band supporting table'43 of a band press 44 serving as non-passing under bottom on the material strand ejection plate, which band press 44 substantially forms the second section of the total arrangement. On this band supporting table slides a form band 45 of sieve-like metal textile, which in operation after the cycle mounted below the mixing housing 32 is guided over the band supporting table and receives there the material strand which was ejected after the mixing procedure and in the meantime is moistened. In the em-' bodiment of FIG. 4 at first a relatively short endless belt 47 is guided about the band supporting table 43, which carries with its upper endless belt the form band. This lower belt is driven by the turning roller 46 with the same speed as that of the form band 45.

Since the conveying speed as well as the continuity of both bands, thus, of the preliminary form band 11 and the form band 45 coincide exactly and are maintained with known means, a corresponding close application of layers of the material is assured also after the mixing process and a moistening with an exactly dosed for preliminary forming of the material strand on the preliminary form band.

The form band 45 runs through with its upper drum from the material and receiving point to a progressively narrowing pressing split 48 of the already mentioned band press 44 which is driven with the same speed as the form band 45. This press split is formed between an endless press belt 51 as well as an endless press belt 52 which in adjustment to the lower press belt 51 exactly above the latter runs about turning rollers 53 and inbetween in series disposed pressure rollers 54 between which press belt 51 is disposed below the form band upper trum, about turning rollers 49 and with its upper trum in the same level as the band mounting table 43 on an endless press belt 51 as well as a press belt 52 likewise endlessly disposed above the form upper trum, which in adjustment to the lower press belt 51, runs exactly above the latter about turning rollers and pressure rollers disposed in series inbetween.

The last mentioned upper turning rollers 53 and pressure rollers 54 are perpendicularly mounted above the lower turning rollers 49 and carrying rollers 50 and at their bearing position at the height and the distance from the

lwoer rollers

49 and 50. The setting movement of these

upper rollers

53 and 54 is controlled by a measuring device 55 by means ofa drive (not shown) in the exit range of the press, andelectrically sensing the thickness of the material strand emerging from the press. The measuring device reacts to each variation of the material strand thickness relative to a given thickness and controls the drive such, that the press pressure is increased in case of a thickness increase and is reduced in case of a thickness reduction.

The upper press 52 and its roller system are additionally surrounded by a non driven joining descaling belt 56 which likewise runs endless about turning rollers 57 and is guided above the press belt 52 by a cleaning bath 58, where it is freed from a continuously turning brush roller 59 from possibly adhering parts of the material strand. This is particularly necessary if the running face pointing towards the material has finally a surface structure of the material strand by example for impregnation of a decor as is conventional in wall and cover plates.

On the band press 44 is connected in the material feeding direction a feeding table 60, which is shown in FIG. 2, the conveying plane of which runs horizontally and straight with the press split 48 of the band press. The conveying table has in the conveying plane along the conveying direction carrying stays 61 extending in the conveying direction, which are mounted individually in cross stands 62 and are settable as to the height by known adjusting means. As shown in the top plan view of FIG. 5, the table plate consists of differently wide sections 63 which are supported on the adjustable carrying stays 61 and thus can be adjusted into an exact plane. About the table plate runs a carrying belt 64 which is driven by one of the turning rollers 65 with form band speed. On the upper trum of the carrying belt the form band 45 and the material strand disposed thereon are uniformly conveyed without any pull-, pressureor bending-stress for the material setting time. With the carrying belt 64 runs also the form band about the turning roller 65 disposed in the end section of the conveying table and below the table plate and of the lower press belt of the press back in the material receiving position.

On this feeding table 60 is connected a known cross separation device 66 with a cross wise longitudinally movable suspending circular saw 67, which is operated by an end switch not shown and separates from the material strand plates of predetermined length. It is to be understood that instead of the shown saw another crosswise separation device an intermittently or adjusted slowly or continuously running frame with edges, which separate the plates, as long as this device is suitable, the set and widely homogenized, however, still not sufficiently hardened structure of the material strand to work without pullingand bending-stress.

Behind this cross separation device 66 is a run through drier 68 with a number in a continuous row relatively slowly through the drying chamber grid shaped individual frame 69 and at its four corners equipped with running rollers, which receive on the entrance side in horizontal position a gypsum fiber plate, carried then in upright position through the dry chamber and thereafter release the same in horizontal position for storing or further working. The drying chamber contains on both sides known hot air blowers, of which the hot air through guide sheets are fed to the passing gypsum fiber plate. This run through drier 68 and its conveying and lifting and lowering devices form the third section of the arrangement.

On the entrance side as well as on the exit side of the run through drier 68 its frame 70 is equipped in front of and behind the drying chamber at the height of the form band-upper trum and the plate conveying plane with conveying rollers 71 driven in knwon manner and conveying automatically from plates separated from the material strand. 0n the frame sides are pivotally connected at about the length of the individual frames corresponding with the distance from the drying

chamber sections

72 and 73 of guide rails for the individual frames at 72a and 73a which likewise have upwardly protecting mounted feeding rollers 74. These

rail sections

72 and 73 are swingable from a known hydraulically operable advance setting device pivotally connected over a carrying arm 75 on the one hand on the rail section and on the other hand on the drive rail in vertical direction in the manner of switches.

Both carrying arms 75 move the free end of the rail sections in a controlled cycle between the end sections of two rail paths disposed on top of each other in the drying chamber, and in particular an upper path guided rails 76 for the guidance of the loaded individual frames and a return rail of a lower path for the return of the empty individual frames. The upper rail path 76 lies about in the plate feeding plane and receives during entrance of the individual frames 69 loaded with the gypsum fiber plates merely the rear running rollers. During the drying process the frames run with a gypsum fiber plate in the drying chamber in nearly vertical upright position, whereupon the front frame edge is lifted by an obliquely turning feeding chain 78 during entrance of the frame of the front frame edge of the frames and by running rollers is inserted into further guide rails 79 over the guide rail 76 over a path extending parallel to the latter. Within the range of this last mentioned guide rail 79 extends likewise through the entire drying chamber on both sides the continuously driven feeding chain 80 with joinders 81, which grip behind the upper edge of the individual frames and transport the latter simultaneously through the drying chamber. In connection with the feeding chain 80 and on the frame exit side of the drier further feeding chains running in a parable are disposed, which grip during the exit of the frame grip its upper edge from the end lowered to the feeding plane, in order to return the frames in the gypsum fiber plates in the horizontal position. The operation takes place as follows:

During the feed of the gypsum fiber plates continuously fed towards the run through drier on the switch like guide rail section 72, which is turned into the upper position, an empty individual frame 69 is provided by the grids of which the feeding rollers 74 extend upwardly and permit the rolling of the plate to be dried. Then the forward edge of the frame is gripped by the joinders of the feeding chain 78 turning obliquely upwardly and are lifted until the height of the upper guide rail 79, where they are moved by the upper feeding chains 80 by means of insertion of the running rollers of the frame in the guide rail into the inside of the drying chamber. Simultaneously the now lower running rollers of the frame run into the lower guide rail 76 disposed in the conveyer plane. The frame and the gypsum fiber plate to be dried pass by the joinder from the slowly running conveyer chains 80 likewise slowly the drying chamber, on the exit side of which the upper edge of the frame is lowered by the conveyer chains 82 running backwardly upwardly into the conveyer plane. The rail section 73 which swung likewise into the upper position picks up the frame horizontally lying, whereby its conveyer rolls 74 grip through the grid of the frame, in order to lift the dried gypsum fiber plate from the frame and to permit rolling off over the connected conveyer rollers 71. Now the rail section 73 with the empty frame is swung downwardly with the free end up to the return rails 77, whereby there the frame is gripped by return chains 83 and is conveyed backwards in horizontal position below the drying chamber up to the entrance side. Here in the meantime the rail section 72 has been brought into the lower swinging position for the renewed reception of the empty frame in order to swing the latter at the given time upwardly into the conveyer plane. It is to be understood, that the total arrangement, as has been mentioned before, is expandable by addition of further working devices or completions of the describedparts of the arrangements, whereby the working devices are joined suitably to compact the changeable structural unit. Such widening or expansion is the addition of a setting water suspension bath, which is shown by example in FIG. 6. For the production of plates with the thickness of 20 and more mllimete r often a stronger moistening of the material strand can be necessary. It is proposed therefore, to arrange the form band 45 behind the material receiving plate between two rows of

rollers

84 and 85 which are disposed on top of each other to deviate by a setting water suspension bath 86. In the setting water is suitably an addition, by example, chlor-calcium dissolved, which accelerates the setting of the gypsum. The lower rollers 84 are disposed below the passing upper trum of the form band 45 and carry the band with the layers of gypsum fiber strand through the water bath. Over these carrying rollers 84 are the rollers 85 of the upper row disposed from the side of the material receiving place with increasingly narrowing distance, so that a densing press split is formed increasingly for the passing material strand. These upper rollers 85 serve thereby the press rollers and the coordinated lower rollers 84 which carry the form band as counter pressure rollers. In order to obtain a uniform preliminary densening of the material strand, below the upper roller row 85 a sieve like covering band 87 which is endless and runs below the upper row of the rollers 85, which passes with the same speed as the form band the press split. A few of the upper press rollers 85 disposed however, below the water level are moveably mounted in the direction toward the counter press roller 84 coordinated thereto. They have at their bearing places driving elements (not shown) which are connected with a vibrator 88. By its impulses the press rollers 85 are moved in the direction towards the counter press rollers 84 with vibration, what enhances the exit of air from the material strand and thereby the uniform penetration of the setting water.

The arrangement in accordance with the present invention makes possible with the comparatively low machine and spacial expenditure a high production capacity with continuous production of gypsum fiber plates. Also it makes possible the continuous production of other form bodies from the mentioned material, as already has been mentioned to the first section of the described total arrangement and correspondingly adjusted form device is connected. Also in the first section the preliminary form band can run over more than two in series arranged discharging devices in order to admix to the gypsum fiber material additional material by example such which release during compression of the material strand setting humidity and/or additionally solidify the structure. The dosing of this additional material takes place suitably in the manner provided for the gypsum.

While we have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that these embodiments are given by example only and not in a limiting sense.- 7

We claim:

1. An apparatus for the continuous production of forming bodies, in particular of plates of gypsum and additional material, as well as voluminous feltering fibers by applying of the dry material onto an endless moving form face and moistening of the material with a quantity of water only slightly above the quantity necessary for setting, comprising at least two storage silos and discharging stations associated therewith to discharge dry material therefrom,

a conveying device passing said silos discharge openings for receiving said materials as well as mixing-, moisturing-, pressingand drying stations,

said conveying device including at least one preliminary form band consisting of a dense member and passing on a horizontal and straight extending plane said material received from said discharge stations,

said preliminary form band being connected with at least one device continuously measuring the weight of a material strand and terminating in the conveying direction in a mixing device of a combined mixing and moistening station, in which said station being connectable with a form band comprising an air passing sieve-like structure formed of textile,

said form band passing through all said stations forming a material strand of combined materials to a separating station disposed in front of a drying station on said straight-line plane, and

said form band being connectable with an additional conveyor device having passing individual frames running upright through said drying station.

2. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, which includes at least two devices disposed in series in the band moving direction for the separate discharge of said fibers and of said gypsum in strand form on top of each other,

devices for measuring and dosing of said materials in layers,

an apparatus for admixing together of said layers with the saving of the material strand, and

a rinsing device moistening with setting water emerging from said mixing device the material strand within its ejection parable.

3. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said preliminary form band and said devices coordinated thereto of said stations discharging, dosing and admixing together said material are formed to a compact relatively sealingly surrounded structural unit, and

said rinsing device is adjustably disposed on the material-strand-discharge parable on the housing of said unit above said material strand-discharge place.

4. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 3, which includes a return feeding element extending over the entire discharge width of said fibers, and disposed in the running direction of said preliminary form band behind said discharge station for the voluminous fiber material and above a predetermined material layer height,

said return feeding element comprising a feed roller connected with a suction device and suspended on a machine stand,

said return feeding element is connected with selectively electrically or electronically controlling weight measuring'device immovably secured to a frame of said preliminary form band, and

said weight-measuring device comprises radioactive and rays measuring device and is settable as to height by their impulses.

5. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 4, which includes a face weight measuring plate extending over the entire width of said strand is pivotally connected on a machine stand in the running direction of said preliminary form band behind said discharging device for said gypsum and below said upper trum of said preliminary form band,

said measuring plate is maintained at its freely swingable section by a measuring device comprising an electrically controlling power measuring box in sliding engagement with said preliminary form band, and

impulses of said measuring device control the discharge speed of said gypsum.

6. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said mixing device for admixing said fiber-gypsumlayers and of additional material is arranged in the end section of said preliminary form band, and

an outwardly extending discharge lip, for the discharge of said admixed material strand, swingable about a horizontal axis.

7. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 6, which includes a rinsing device with at least one adjustably mounted water distribution and extending beyond said material strand discharge location,

said water distributor has on its side pointing toward said material strand-discharge location at least one row, extending crosswise over said material strand, of finest bores, in front of which finest filters are provided.

8. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said water distributor has at least one device producing vibrations, said device comprising an ultra sound swinging head.

9. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said form band connectable in the material conveying direction behind said preliminary form band is disposed relatively tight below said material strand discharge lip of said preliminary form band and has below its upper band run a non-penetrable bottom base and a relatively short, endless underbelt moving with form band speed and consisting of anonpenetrable working material which extends from the material receiving section to a press station.

10. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 9, wherein said form band is guided in the material conveying direction behind its material receiving section with the upper band run through a progressively narrowing press slit of a band press driven with the same speed as the form band,

the lower press belt of said band press carries said form band and running about at least two turning rollers and intermediate carrying elements, while the upper press belt is surrounded additionally by a second non-driven descalingbelt,

said upper press belt likewise running over at least two upper turning rollers mounted vertically above the lower turning rollers and carrying elements, and the running face of said descaling belt pointing toward said material strand has a face structure finally forming the surface of said material strand. 11. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said turning rollers and pressure elements are adjustably mounted perpendicularly to the form band passing plane and connected with a driving device, and said driving device is operable by a thickness measuring device sensing the thickness of said material strand by impulses. 12. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said pressure and carrying elements are worm-like chained together in an endless line and capable of being driven in loop-shaped adjustable guides with belt speed. 13. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 12, which includes a conveyor table with an endless carrier belt, carrying said form band and the supported pressed material strand is connectable with a carrier belt, the upper run of which engages individually or in groups to the conveyor plane a table plate divided into adjustable sections. 14. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said conveyor table has in its conveyor plane along the conveying direction carrying stays which are adjustable in cross stands individually and serve as support of the table plate sections. 15. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 14, wherein said conveyor table is equipped in its end section with a device crosswise thereof for separating said material strand. 16. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 15, which includes a passage drier with an individual grid-like frame, moved in the passage direction in upright position continuously through the drying chamber on superposed guide rails, said passage drier being connectable in the conveying direction of said material behind said form band, the upper guide rails of said individual frame on the entrance side of said drier comprising a lifting device with conveyor chains turning in an oblique plane for erection of said individual plane from a horizontal position and on the exit side of said drier a lowering device consisting of a conveyor chain running in a parabola for lowering of said individual frames into the horizontal position, and that below the said guide rails disposed in the form body-conveyor plane, a path of return rails with receivingand conveyor-elements, co-ordinated thereto, of the liftingand lowering device, are arranged for the return feed of said empty individual frames from the drier exit side to the entrance side in horizontal position. 17. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 16, wherein said liftingand lowering devices have below the form body conveying plane at least one carrying arm which is pivoted to the drier frame and to two individual frame guide rails at the same level arranged connected sections of said individual frame guide rails, which guide rails with their end remote from the drier in the form body conveying plane is secured by pivots and with its other end pointing toward said drier are swingable between said form body opening and the plane of the return rail, and the liftable and lowerable guide rail-sections have at their upper side a plurality of face like distributed conveyor rollers, divided as to their face and projecting through cutouts of said individual frames. 18. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 17, wherein said form band is deviated in the range between said material strand receiving location and said pressstation by a setting water-suspension bath, an endless sieve-like covering band turning in the range of the latter with the same movement as said form band, the latter running from the side of said material strand receiving position with a narrowing press slit to said form band through said setting water-suspension bath and pretensioning said material strand. 19. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 18, wherein within said setting water-suspension bath said covering band runs about at least one press roller, to which is coordinated below said form band a press roller, and at least one of said rollers is movable released by an impulse. 20. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 19, wherein said devices of said individual stations disposed within the range of said form band forming said material strand, as well as said drying device, connected with said form band are joined to a compact, exchangeable structure unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the continuous production of forming bodies, in particular of plates of gypsum and additional material, as well as voluminous feltering fibers by applying of the dry material onto an endless moving form face and moistening of the material with a quantity of water only slightly above the quantity necessary for setting, comprising at least two storage silos and discharging stations associated therewith to discharge dry material therefrom, a conveying device passing said silos discharge openings for receiving said materials as well as mixing-, moisturing-, pressing- and drying stations, said conveying device including at least one preliminary form band consisting of a dense member and passing on a horizontal and straight extending plane said material received from said discharge stations, said preliminary form band being connected with at least one device continuously measuring the weight of a material strand and terminating in the conveying direction in a mixing device of a combined mixing and moistening station, in which said station being connectable with a form band comprising an air passing sieve-like structure formed of textile, said form band passing through all said stations forming a material strand of combined materials to a separating station disposed in front of a drying station on said straight-line plane, and said form band being connectable with an additional conveyor device having passing individual frames running upright through said drying station.

2. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 1, which includes at least two devices disposed in series in the band moving direction for the separate discharge of said fibers and of said gypsum in strand form on top of each other, devices for measuring and dosing of said materials in layers, an apparatus for admixing together of said layers with the saving of the material strand, and a rinsing device moistening with setting water emerging from said mixing device the material strand within its ejection parable.

3. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said preliminary form band and said devices coordinated thereto of said stations discharging, dosing and admixing together said material are formed to a compact relatively sealingly surrounded structural unit, and said rinsing device is adjustably disposed on the material-strand-discharge parable on the housing of said unit above said material strand-discharge place.

4. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 3, which includes a returN feeding element extending over the entire discharge width of said fibers, and disposed in the running direction of said preliminary form band behind said discharge station for the voluminous fiber material and above a predetermined material layer height, said return feeding element comprising a feed roller connected with a suction device and suspended on a machine stand, said return feeding element is connected with selectively electrically or electronically controlling weight - measuring device immovably secured to a frame of said preliminary form band, and said weight-measuring device comprises radioactive and rays measuring device and is settable as to height by their impulses.

5. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 4, which includes a face weight measuring plate extending over the entire width of said strand is pivotally connected on a machine stand in the running direction of said preliminary form band behind said discharging device for said gypsum and below said upper trum of said preliminary form band, said measuring plate is maintained at its freely swingable section by a measuring device comprising an electrically controlling power measuring box in sliding engagement with said preliminary form band, and impulses of said measuring device control the discharge speed of said gypsum.

6. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said mixing device for admixing said fiber-gypsum-layers and of additional material is arranged in the end section of said preliminary form band, and an outwardly extending discharge lip, for the discharge of said admixed material strand, swingable about a horizontal axis.

7. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 6, which includes a rinsing device with at least one adjustably mounted water distribution and extending beyond said material strand discharge location, said water distributor has on its side pointing toward said material strand-discharge location at least one row, extending crosswise over said material strand, of finest bores, in front of which finest filters are provided.

9. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said form band connectable in the material conveying direction behind said preliminary form band is disposed relatively tight below said material strand discharge lip of said preliminary form band and has below its upper band run a non-penetrable bottom base and a relatively short, endless underbelt moving with form band speed and consisting of a non-penetrable working material which extends from the material receiving section to a press station.

10. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 9, wherein said form band is guided in the material conveying direction behind its material receiving section with the upper band run through a progressively narrowing press slit of a band press driven with the same speed as the form band, the lower press belt of said band press carries said form band and running about at least two turning rollers and intermediate carrying elements, while the upper press belt is surrounded additionally by a second non-driven descaling belt, said upper press belt likewise running over at least two upper turning rollers mounted vertically above the lower turning rollers and carrying elements, and the running face of said descaling belt pointing toward said material strand has a face structure finally forming the surface of said material strand.

11. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said turning rollers and pressure elements are adjustably mounted perpendicularly to the form band passing plane and connected with a driving device, and said driving device is operable by a thickness measuring device sensing the thickness of said material strand by impulses.

12. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said pressure and carrying elements are worm-like chained together in an endless line and capable of being driven in loop-shaped adjustable guides with belt speed.

13. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 12, which includes a conveyor table with an endless carrier belt, carrying said form band and the supported pressed material strand is connectable with a carrier belt, the upper run of which engages individually or in groups to the conveyor plane a table plate divided into adjustable sections.

14. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said conveyor table has in its conveyor plane along the conveying direction carrying stays which are adjustable in cross stands individually and serve as support of the table plate sections.

15. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 14, wherein said conveyor table is equipped in its end section with a device crosswise thereof for separating said material strand.

16. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 15, which includes a passage drier with an individual grid-like frame, moved in the passage direction in upright position continuously through the drying chamber on superposed guide rails, said passage drier being connectable in the conveying direction of said material behind said form band, the upper guide rails of said individual frame on the entrance side of said drier comprising a lifting device with conveyor chains turning in an oblique plane for erection of said individual plane from a horizontal position and on the exit side of said drier a lowering device consisting of a conveyor chain running in a parabola for lowering of said individual frames into the horizontal position, and that below the said guide rails disposed in the form body-conveyor plane, a path of return rails with receiving- and conveyor-elements, co-ordinated thereto, of the lifting- and lowering device, are arranged for the return feed of said empty individual frames from the drier exit side to the entrance side in horizontal position.

17. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 16, wherein said lifting- and lowering devices have below the form body conveying plane at least one carrying arm which is pivoted to the drier frame and to two individual frame guide rails at the same level arranged connected sections of said individual frame guide rails, which guide rails with their end remote from the drier in the form body conveying plane is secured by pivots and with its other end pointing toward said drier are swingable between said form body opening and the plane of the return rail, and the liftable and lowerable guide rail-sections have at their upper side a plurality of face like distributed conveyor rollers, divided as to their face and projecting through cutouts of said individual frames.

18. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 17, wherein said form band is deviated in the range between said material strand receiving location and said press-station by a setting water-suspension bath, an endless sieve-like covering band turning in the range of the latter with the same movement as said form band, the latter running from the side of said material strand receiving position with a narrowing press slit to said form band through said setting water-suspension bath and pretensioning said material strand.

19. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 18, wherein within said setting water-suspension bath said covering band runs about at least one press roller, to which is coordinated below said form band a press roller, and at least one of said rollers is movable released by an impulse.

20. The arrangement, as set forth in claim 19, wherein said devices of said individual stations disposed within the range of said form band forming said material strand, as well as said drying device, connected with said form band are joined to a compact, exchangeable structure unit.