Pressing device

A pressing device for pressing ceramic particles into a ceramic item, the pressing device comprising:

• a lower presser (10), provided with a pressing surface (10a) facing upwards;
• an upper presser (11), provided with a pressing surface (11a) facing downwards;
• at least one of the two pressers is movable towards and away relative to the other in order to perform pressing of a layer (L) of ceramic particles;
• a pressing space (V), which is delimited inferiorly and superiorly by the lower presser (10) and the upper presser (11);
• a lower belt (2), movable along a forward direction (Y) and comprising an active portion (3) which is disposed at least partially between the upper presser (11) and the lower presser (10);
• an upper belt (4), movable along the forward direction (Y) and comprising an active portion (5), which is disposed at least partially between the lower belt (2) and the upper presser (11);
• wherein the pressing device is configured to regularly cycle between a closed position and an open position;
• in the closed position one or both of the two pressers are moved towards the other so that a portion of the layer (L) of ceramic particles is pressed between (a) the active portion (5) of the upper belt (4) and (b) the active portion (3) of the lower belt (2);
• in the open position one or both of the two pressers are moved away from the other so that the layer (L) of ceramic particles can be borne by the active portion (3) of the lower belt (2) and carried in the forward direction;
• wherein the pressing device comprises side barriers (13,14,15) which are arranged so that the layer (L) is laterally sealed between the active portion (3) of the lower belt (2) and the active portion (5) of the upper belt (4) within the pressing space (V) in the closed position but not in the open position.