METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING, ATTACHING AND PROCESSING DECORATIVE FACING TO AN ARTICLE

摘要

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for automatically applying, attaching, curing and processing a decorative facing to an article such as a conventional building or other blocks, brick, tile or other kinds of building materials. A plurality of blocks or building materials to receive the facing are transferred to a loading station on an intake block feeder designed to present the blocks in pairs to a transfer device or arm which loads the pair of blocks onto a plurality of movable pallets. These pallets are intermittently driven in a carrousel-type arrangement through a plurality of work stations. First the blocks are properly centered on the pallet to receive a mold plate which carries two molds that are filled at another station with an uncured plastic compound. Means are provided to transfer the filled molds to the block and each mold is designed to be self-locking on the pair of blocks. The block and mold combination is thereafter transferred through a unique oven arrangement which systematically cures the plastic material to form the decorative facing on the block. As the blocks continue their intermittent transfer through the system and come out of the oven, the molds are automatically removed and positioned at a filling station for subsequent re-use. The same transfer device which loads the blocks onto the pallets simultaneously, while performing the loading function on another pair of blocks, then unloads the finished blocks onto a take-away conveyor. Other features are disclosed which make the system totally automated, such as a means which makes the system universally adaptable to various sized blocks or other items to which a decorative plastic facing may be applied.