Uniform joint width formation in block construction

Abstract

A method and related system for positioning a sequence of bricks in a refractory wall. A measuring station is operable to receive a plurality of bricks in the sequence of bricks, at least two bricks in the sequence of bricks having a predetermined position in the refractory wall. A measurement module is operable to individually measure each of the bricks to obtain actual measurements. A processor module is operable to compute an average inter-brick gap value for the sequence of bricks based on the actual measurements and determine an adjusted position for at least one brick in the sequence of bricks based on at least on the computed inter-brick gap value.

1 . A method of positioning a sequence of bricks in a refractory wall comprising:
 receiving a plurality of bricks in the sequence of bricks, at least two bricks in the sequence of bricks having a predetermined position in the refractory wall;   individually measuring each of the bricks to obtain actual measurements;   computing an average inter-brick gap value for the sequence of bricks based on the actual measurements; and   determining an adjusted position for at least one brick in the sequence of bricks based on at least on the computed inter-brick gap value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the bricks is performed by sequentially receiving and uniquely identifying each of the bricks in the sequence of bricks. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein individually measuring each one of the plurality of bricks to obtain the actual measurements is performed by sequentially measuring and associating a corresponding one of the actual measurements to each of the uniquely identified bricks. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein computing the average inter-brick gap value for the sequence of bricks based on the actual measurements is performed by resolving, after measuring a last brick in the sequence of bricks and before the at least one brick in the sequence of bricks having an adjusted position is ready to be positioned: 
       
         
           
             
               AG 
               = 
               
                 
                   G 
                   t 
                 
                 + 
                 
                   
                     
                       
                         ∑ 
                           
                       
                       
                         i 
                         = 
                         1 
                       
                       n 
                     
                     ⁢ 
                     
                       ( 
                       
                         
                           la 
                           n 
                         
                         - 
                         
                           lt 
                           n 
                         
                       
                       ) 
                     
                   
                   
                     n 
                     - 
                     1 
                   
                 
               
             
           
         
         where AG is the average inter-brick gap value for the sequence of bricks, Gt is a theoretical inter-brick gap value for the sequence of bricks, n is the number of bricks in the sequence of bricks and la n  and lt n  are respectively the actual length and the theoretical length of the nth brick. 
       
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein sequentially receiving and uniquely identifying each of the plurality of bricks in the sequence of bricks further comprises sequentially transporting each of the bricks in the sequence of bricks to a measuring station, the method further comprising transporting the last brick in the sequence of bricks to a positioning station, the last brick being thereby ready to be positioned. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising, after transporting the last brick in the sequence of bricks to a positioning station:
 positioning, from the positioning station using a controllable mechanical device, each of the bricks in the sequence of bricks:
 at the corresponding adjusted position in the refractory wall when it exists; and 
 at the corresponding predetermined position in the refractory wall otherwise; 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the controllable mechanical device induces, for each of the bricks in the sequence of bricks, a potential positioning error within an error range, the error range being taken into account when computing the average inter-brick gap value to ensure that actual inter-brick gap values are within a tolerance range. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sequence of bricks is a complete sequence of bricks comprising all bricks on a layer of the refractory wall. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sequence of bricks is a partial sequence of bricks comprising all bricks between two fixed bricks in a layer of the refractory wall, the fixed bricks being positioned at a theoretical position in the layer of the refractory wall. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the layer of the refractory wall comprises a plurality of partial sequences of bricks comprising the sequence of bricks. 
     
     
         11 . A system for positioning a sequence of bricks in a refractory wall comprising:
 a measuring station operable to receive a plurality of bricks in the sequence of bricks, at least two bricks in the sequence of bricks having a predetermined position in the refractory wall;   a measurement module operable to individually measure each of the bricks to obtain actual measurements;   a processor module operable to compute an average inter-brick gap value for the sequence of bricks based on the actual measurements and determine an adjusted position for at least one brick in the sequence of bricks based on at least on the computed inter-brick gap value.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the measuring station receives the bricks by sequentially receiving and uniquely identifying each of the bricks in the sequence of bricks. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the measuring module individually measures each one of the plurality of bricks to obtain the actual measurements by sequentially measuring and associating a corresponding one of the actual measurements to each of the uniquely identified bricks. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor module computes the average inter-brick gap value for the sequence of bricks based on the actual measurements by resolving, after measuring a last brick in the sequence of bricks and before the at least one brick in the sequence of bricks having an adjusted position is ready to be positioned: 
       
         
           
             
               AG 
               = 
               
                 
                   G 
                   t 
                 
                 + 
                 
                   
                     
                       
                         ∑ 
                           
                       
                       
                         i 
                         = 
                         1 
                       
                       n 
                     
                     ⁢ 
                     
                       ( 
                       
                         
                           la 
                           n 
                         
                         - 
                         
                           lt 
                           n 
                         
                       
                       ) 
                     
                   
                   
                     n 
                     - 
                     1 
                   
                 
               
             
           
         
         where AG is the average inter-brick gap value for the sequence of bricks, Gt is a theoretical inter-brick gap value for the sequence of bricks, n is the number of bricks in the sequence of bricks and la n  and lt n  are respectively the actual length and the theoretical length of the nth brick. 
       
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising one or more conveyors operable, when the measuring station sequentially receive and uniquely identify each of the plurality of bricks in the sequence of bricks, to sequentially transport each of the bricks in the sequence of bricks to the measuring station and to transport the last brick in the sequence of bricks to a positioning station, the last brick being thereby ready to be positioned. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a controllable mechanical device operable to, after transporting the last brick in the sequence of bricks to a positioning station:
 position, from the positioning station, each of the bricks in the sequence of bricks:   at the corresponding adjusted position in the refractory wall when it exists; and   at the corresponding predetermined position in the refractory wall otherwise;   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the controllable mechanical device induces, for each of the bricks in the sequence of bricks, a potential positioning error within an error range, the error range being taken into account when the processor module computes the average inter-brick gap value to ensure that actual inter-brick gap values are within a tolerance range. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the sequence of bricks is a complete sequence of bricks comprising all bricks on a layer of the refractory wall. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the sequence of bricks is a partial sequence of bricks comprising all bricks between two fixed bricks in a layer of the refractory wall, the fixed bricks being positioned at a theoretical position in the layer of the refractory wall. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the layer of the refractory wall comprises a plurality of partial sequences of bricks comprising the sequence of bricks.