The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-06-07
GOVERNMENT ISSUES BRICK
ROAD FILM,

With its latest motion picture re-
lease-a brick road film-the depart
ment of agriculture, through the bu-
reau of public roads, has made avail
able to the public, motion pictures on
three types Of modern paving: asphalt,
brick and concrete. Due to this activ-
ity of the government the general pub
lie, through farmers oranges. city civic
graphically, information on modern
highway construction.
The brick picture starts with the
mining Of the shale or clay, and gives
a clear idea of the heavy labor and
fuel expense in connection with the
manufacture of this paving material.
The shale first is finely ground I'M
der rollers Weighing several tons, and
is then mixed with water in pug
mill that looks like a bread dough
mixer. When 1T reaches the desired
mud-like consistency, 1t is forced
through a die under tremendous pres
sure and escapes from the opening
much like a tooth paste escapes from
its container, except it is perfectly
nodded ard compacted into a solid
mass.
After being automatically cut to the
desired width, the brick, travelling
along on a moving belt, are lifted by
hand and stacked on cars for storage
in the dryer, where the water used in
mixing is evaporatee.
When almost dry they are stacked
in kilns where. with a heavy consump-
ton of coal, they are heated to the
melting point, a process which takes
more than a week. This brings about
vitrification, or the fusing of the shale
particles. The brick are then allowed
to cool very slowly, which results in
annealing or toughening. When they
are ready to be taken from the kiln
they are perhaps IS per cent as hard as
diamonds, and so tough and dense as
to Withstand the heaviest traffic with
out cracking, or wearing away.
Extreme care is used to see that only
perfect brick finally get into a pave
ment They are first sorted as they
leave the kiln, all broken, cracked or
Clipped brick are thrown aside.
They are sorted a second time when
piled in the cars for shipment. Then a
third time after they have been laid in
the pavement and before the filler is
applied an inspector goes over them
thoroughly and any that will not pass
visual inspection are thrown out.
TIE picture shows the RATHER" a
machine in which brick are tested Off
cially. The RATHER is like an iron bar
rel in which the brick are placed with
large and small iron shot, the large
shot being bigger than a baseball. The
barrel Is then revolved at a set speed a
certain number of times and If the
brick, when removed, have lost more
than a certain set percentage Of their
weight. they are refused.
After portraying the details of man
ufacture and inspection, the film shows
the unusual diversity in the use of
brick for surfacing city streets and
county highways. (Brick streets in
use today range from the more simple
designs. where the brick are laid on the
natural soil without any artificial base,
up through the more elaborate designs
to point where thick bases are spec
flied because of exceedingly heavy
traffic)
The picture shows in detail modern
methods of laying brick surfaces on
various types OF bases and with differ
ent kinds Of filters between the joints,
and closes with the subtitle: 'Vitri-
fled Brick makes a high-class durable
suitable for the heaviest
traffic. expensive in first cost but
cheap1y maintained"