Hinged kiln brick protective collar

A hinged protective collar for a kiln with a kiln sidewall that has a peripheral edge surface of a given shape, size, and thickness, the hinged protective collar comprising:

• a rigid first body portion with a proximal end, a distal end, an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner edge, an outer edge, and a shape and size substantially corresponding to the shape and size of a portion of the peripheral edge surface of the kiln sidewall;
• a rigid second body portion with a proximal end, a distal end, an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner edge, an outer edge, and a shape and size substantially corresponding to the shape and size of a portion of the peripheral edge surface of the kiln sidewall;
• and
• a hinge structure wherein the hinge structure pivotally couples the first and second body portions at the proximal ends of the first and second body portions whereby the first and second body portions of the hinged protective collar can be pivoted from a collapsed configuration to an expanded, use configuration;
• wherein the first and second body portions have upturned proximal end portions that are angled upwardly by being arcuate or sloped at a non-zero angle away from the bottom surfaces of the body portions whereby the upturned proximal end portions enable the body portions to be slid in relation to the kiln sidewall without damage.

A hinged protective collar for a kiln with a kiln sidewall that has a peripheral edge surface of a given shape, size, and thickness, the hinged protective collar comprising:

• a rigid first body portion with a proximal end, a distal end, an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner edge, an outer edge, and a shape and size substantially corresponding to the shape and size of a portion of the peripheral edge surface of the kiln sidewall;
• a rigid second body portion with a proximal end, a distal end, an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner edge, an outer edge, and a shape and size substantially corresponding to the shape and size of a portion of the peripheral edge surface of the kiln sidewall;
• and
• a hinge structure wherein the hinge structure pivotally couples the first and second body portions at the proximal ends of the first and second body portions whereby the first and second body portions of the hinged protective collar can be pivoted from a collapsed configuration to an expanded, use configuration;
• wherein the first and second body portions of the protective collar form an incomplete ring when in the expanded, use configuration with an open portion between the distal ends of the first and second body portions, wherein the first and second body portions are pivotably joined at the proximal ends thereof by the hinge structure, and wherein the first and second body portions have upturned distal end portions that are upturned in an arcuate or angled manner away from the bottom surfaces of the body portions thereby to facilitate the body portions to be slid in relation to the kiln sidewall without damage.