Apparatus and method for adding a coloring agent to a material for brick making

An apparatus for adding a coloring agent to material for brick making comprising:

• an extrusion container having an opening defined in a sidewall thereof;
• a coloring agent supply communicating with said opening for delivery of the coloring agent to the interior of the container as brick making material passes through the container;
• a sensor which senses a condition of at least a portion of said coloring agent supply and outputs a result;
• a controller which receives an output of said sensor and determines an operational condition of said coloring agent supply based on said output of said sensor, and controls a supply of a coloring agent into said extrusion container in accordance with a selected brick type.

A system for adding a coloring agent to material for brick making comprising:

• an extrusion container having a hole defined in a sidewall thereof;
• a coloring agent supply having an outlet port adapted to open into said extrusion container through said hole in said sidewall of said extrusion container;
• a sensor which senses a condition of at least a portion of said coloring agent supply and outputs a result;
• a storage device which stores a coloring agent supply amount data corresponding to a supply amount for each of a plurality of brick types, each of said plurality of brick types having a different appearance;
• and
• a controller which receives an output of said sensor and determines an operational condition of said coloring agent supply based on said output of said sensor, and controls a supply of a coloring agent into said extrusion container in accordance with a selected brick type.