Apparatus for loading ovens for the production of tiles

A loading apparatus for loading tiles to be fired into each tile treatment and/or firing chamber of an oven, wherein the tiles travel parallel to the longitudinal axis of a chamber at a linear processing speed, said apparatus comprising:

• spaced belt means for feeding tiles to be fired in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;
• stop means positioned adjacent said belt means for stopping the progress of said tiles in said direction and for forming said tiles into a file on said belt means;
• vertically movable support means, vertically displaceable between a lowermost position and an uppermost position, for, during movement from said lowermost to said uppermost positions thereof, engaging undersides of said tiles of said file of tiles and for lifting said file of tiles above the level of said belt means, said support means comprising a movable support member having extending upwardly from an upper portion thereof projections separated and defined by recesses forming free transverse passages extending across said movable support member and parallel to said longitudinal axis, said projections having upper surfaces adapted to engage said undersides of said tiles;
• conveyor means, positioned adjacent said belt means and said movable support means, for conveying said file of tiles in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis to the chamber, said conveyor means comprising a plurality of rollers having axes extending perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;
• and
• means for removing said file of tiles from said movable support member and for transferring the thus removed file of tiles to said conveyor means, said removing means comprising a thruster member mounted for horizontal displacement in directions parallel to said longitudinal axis, said thruster member including a plurality of fingers for engaging sides of said tiles of said file of tiles, said fingers being positioned and dimensioned such that when said movable support member is in said uppermost position thereof said fingers register with said free passages of said movable support member and contact said sides of said tiles over substantially the entire thickness of said tiles.