Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1848-02-05
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EGStEd HVS5 Improvements
making bricks. 70 convert clay into mud,
form ii into shape, expose II in the sun, AND
then bake the bricks in the kiln, seems to
have been the mode Ill the world over since
the days Of The patriarchs. True, We have
seen several labor saving brick machines,
but they operate upon the clay in its wei
state, either ternpering il to proper eofisls.
tepey, or moulding 1t into bricks. Not
much, however, Is gained by this, IS oil the
more laborious parts Of the process remain
the same. Still the manipulations to and
from the drying yards, packing under sheds
and thence 10 the kiln, still the SANS e1.
posture and rick o fthe weather and depend
ence upon the same.
IT. IL to Mr.. Nathan Sawyer, of this CITY,
that we are indebted, ~ the originator IT
the pan Of mai ing bricks by pressure from
dry clay, to the pelfa citing Of which he has
devoted many years Of his life and 9 large
expenditure Of money. His first attef1pt
was In 1888, his first patent Ii 1886,
and the fret machine was built In Wash.
ingtoh, moved BY horse power. Rude and
imperfect as II was II yet demonstrated the
urinciple and established the fact That
bricks might be made from dry clay BY
nressure. This led 10 the construction 81
The present maeifine in Washington dfty-
On by steam, which has been In successful
operation for eight years. and supplied ma
nv millions ofbfioks To the different public
buildings, the nayy.yard, and elsewhere.
The steam bfiek-pfess Id this city, be.
longing to Mr. II. r. Smith, Is the fourth q
Mr.. sawyer's inventions, each being an i'm
provement upon its predecessor. His first
attempt began with d pressure Of four tons
this last gives . hundred and twenty tons
TO each brick, turning out about 1000 bricks
per hour.
MI. Sawyer's fertile genius has been y
cain ut work, and the result has fAr eclips.
ed all former efforts. For simplicity. cheap.
ness, and efiei ency, ii il al that can By
desired. The pressure Is given upon ~
J entire new principle. dispensing with cams
levers, toggle joints, and the ordinary ap
p~lianees for such purposes. Il employs
, only the upper piston, and Jet presents !
brick perfect in slnpe and pressed %lffinitel!
! harder than by any former machine. Int
motion ID rotary; occupies a space Of oni.
! six feet in diameter, ii comprised Of bu
d few pieces, notihe tenth In number olthos'
contained In Mr.. Smiths; has no cornpll
Gated. small contriyances liable to disorder
and. when worked at the slowest motion
made 5000 bricks in an houll 10 crow
Y nil. the cost Of the machine " about one
! fourth Of that just mentioned and require
but half the powerl
The prejudice that has existed here
eainss the steam pressed bricks, u no.
nearly If not quite removed. The late Y
port of Messrs. Long and LatFope, me e
i cent experiments BY the Government of
GERS In Washington, and subsequently, OH
at the navy-yard, Norfolk, established u
fact that they are strong and durable. 4
new inventions and innovations upon Q
II habits and long established principles q
., counter strong opposition, and have = 10
y of preiudices to oyercome-wItness 9
il, nails, chain cables, dressed flooring, n
% busdreds Of others that may be mel
! toned. But steam power will ever trump
and the day il not iar distant when, n !
our large cities, bricks will be made on
= by machinary.-BdltiHtove Patriot.