Abstract: A press is provided for forming articles from compressed refractory material such as bricks, the press including a press bed, a crown spaced from the press bed, and a plurality of prestressed support columns rigidly supporting the press bed and the crown in spaced apart relation. The support columns each include a central tie rod including one end extending through a portion of the press bed and including another end extending through a portion of the crown and rigidly engaging the crown. The support columns also include an outer hollow cylindrical member surrounding the tie rods, one end of each of the hollow cylindrical members being positioned against the upper surface of the bed and the opposite end of each of the hollow cylindrical members engaging a lower portion of the crown. The tie rods are subjected to a tensile force while the outer cylindrical members are simultaneously subjected to a compressive force thereby providing a rigid frame structure and one resistive to twisting.

Abstract: A press is provided of the type used in compressing refractory material at high pressures in the manufacture of bricks and the like. The press includes a bed, columns supported by the bed, and a mold table slidably supported on the columns, the mold table including a central aperture housing a removable mold. The press further includes at least one plunger extending upwardly into the mold cavity of the mold. The press also includes a pallet for supporting the plunger, the pallet being releasably attached by alignment pins to the press bed and being supported for slidable movement on the upper surface of the press bed by a plurality of inflatable air bags located between the upper surface of the press bed and the pallet, the air bags each including at least one aperture in the bottom wall of the air bag. Air can be forced into the air bags to cause inflation of the air bags and can escape through the aperture in the bottom wall to form a fluid cushion between the pallet and the upper surface of the press bed.

Abstract: The invention includes apparatus for use in molding refractory material and is useful, for example, in molding bricks and other similar products. The apparatus includes a mold table supported by a plurality of vertical columns, the mold table being supported for translational movement on the columns. The apparatus further includes a mold box supported by the mold table, the mold box including at least one vertical mold cavity having opposite open ends. The apparatus also includes a plunger assembly supported below the mold and including at least one plunger having an end received in the mold cavity. A plunger assembly is also supported above the mold and includes at least one plunger receivable in the mold cavity, the plungers of the opposed plunger assemblies being functional to compress refractory material placed in the mold.