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AssigneeRedland Roof Tiles Limited
InventorsRobin M. Baker, Paul R. Sargeant, Ernest G. Papper, Bhusan K. Oberoi, Frank A. Smith, Malcolm C. Rae
Estimating the term…
In the manufacture of roof tiles comprising extruding a continuous shaped ribbon of tile forming material onto a succession of pallets, and cutting the ribbon where pallets adjoin to form individual green state tiles on pallets, there is performed the step of causing a cutting tool to engage with the upper surface of the ribbon only for part of the length of each pallet whereby a recess is formed in the upper surface of each tile. In a particular embodiment the recess is a channel cut in the tile at a location immediately downstream of the extruding step. The recess is also subsequently smoothed by applying a smoothing roll thereto.
A method of manufacturing roof tiles comprising the steps of first extruding continuous shaped ribbon of tile forming material onto a succession of moving pallets and subsequently cutting and forming the material into individual green state tiles on pallets with a recess formed in the upper surface of each tile over only part of its length, wherein the method of forming said recess includes the steps of causing a recess cutting tool to engage with the upper surface of the ribbon to penetrate the ribbon downwardly against the direction of movement of the ribbon to cut an inclined portion of the recess, causing said cutting tool to remain at a predetermined depth while moving relative to the ribbon to cut a floor portion of the recess, and moving the cutting tool to a retracted position, and removing the material cut from the recess to a position remote from the tile.
Apparatus for maufacturing roof tiles comprising means for extruding a continuous shaped ribbon of tile forming material onto a succession of moving pallets, means for subsequently cutting and forming the material into individual green state tiles on pallets, recess forming means for forming a recess in the upper surface of each tile over only part of its length, said means for forming said recess including tool moving means for moving a recess cutting tool into engagement with the upper surface of the ribbon to penetrate the ribbon downwardly against the direction of movement of the ribbon to cut an inclined portion of the recess, said tool moving means causing said cutting tool to remain at a predetermined depth while moving relative to the ribbon to cut a floor portion of the recess, and said tool moving means moving the cutting tool to a retracted position, and means for removing the material cut from the recess to a position remote from the tile.
Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the blade is mounted on the support such that the material cut by the blade passes upwardly between the blade and the support onto the means for removing said cut material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.