IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL, BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1845

page_text: MIDDLETON, of Loman Street, Southwark, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Thirty-first day of January, in the eighth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Middleton, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and autho-
rity, that I, the said Thomas Middleton, my executors, adñiors, and assigns,
and such others as I, the said Thomas Middleton, my executors, adñiors, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations
abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, my
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL
FUEL, BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Thomas Middleton, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, and to cause the same to be enrolled in Iler Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: KNOW ID, that in compriance with the sand provi
Thomas Middleton, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):-
a
My Improvements in Machinery for the Manufacture of Artificial Fuel,
Bricks, Tiles, and other Similar Articles, relate to that description of machinery
employed for such purposes, in which a series of moulds are mounted radially
on a rotating circular frame, and which moulds are brought under a stationary
hopper to receive the composition to be pressed, and are then conducted under
plunger, where the requisite pressure is given to form the composition into
cakes or bricks. The moulds are then carried forward in succession until they
arrive over an opening in a fixed circular plate (which forms the bottom of
the moulds), and, by means of a piston or plunger rising up through this
opening, the cakes or bricks of compressed fuel are discharged from the
moulds, and are then removed by hand. Machines constructed on this prin-
ciple have been heretofore used for similar purposes, namely, making bricks,
and otlier similar articles, or forming artificial fuel into blocks. This part of
the machine therefore forms no part of my present improvements, which have
for their object the prevention of certain inconveniences to which machinery of
this kind is liable. One great inconvenience resulting from the use of this
description of machine is the great liability of the clay or composition to
adhere to the plunger by which the said clay or composition is pressed; and
when such is the case, it is very likely to strain or otherwise derange some
part of the machine. To obviate this inconvenience, I have constructed and
adapted a scraping apparatus, which is made to scrape and clean the plunger
every time it rises, and before it descends on to a fresh brick. I have also
constructed and adapted an hydraulic apparatus, whereby the pressure may be
regulated as required. In order, however, that my improvements, and the
modo of applying the same, may be more readily understood, I have thought
it advisable to shew and explain, in a general manner, certain parts of the
machine which are not new, and which have been patented by me in August.
One thousand eight hundred and forty-four; I do not therefore intend to claim
them as constituting any part of the present Invention.
In the accompanying. Drawings, Fig. 1 represents a machine in side eleva-
tion, with my new improvements adapted thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the
same, with some of the upper parts removed to shew the arrangement of the
scraping tackle more clearly. Fig. 3 is an end elevation, partly in section;

page_text: and Fig. 4 is a section, taken in the line 1....2, of Fig. 2. Motion is commu-
nicated to the machine by the fast pulley A on the shaft B, on which is keyed
the pinion C, gearing with a large spur wheel D, mounted on the crank
shaft E. At the other end of this crank shaft a mitre wheel is keyed,
which conveys motion to other parts of the machine, to be hereafter described.
G, G, is the circular framing, composed of two cast-iron rings, which enclose
a series of wrought-iron moulds a, a, a, set radially to the centre H, as shown
at Fig. 2. This framing slides on the circular fixed plate W, Fig. 5, and is
guided in its course by the pieces Z, Z, which are bolted to the fixed plate, as
represented in the detached view, Fig. 5. Around the outer circumference of
the framing G, G, are a series of ratchet teeth or lugs b, b, b, into which a
click or pawle takes, in order to drive the moulds and framing round, as will
be presently explained. I is a mitre wheel, gearing with the wheels F. It is
mounted on the upright shaft J, which carries at its lower end a cam K.
L is a bowl or roller, having its bearings in the forked end of a horizontal
arm M, connected to the lever N, which has its fulcrum at II. The outer
end of this lever N carries a pawle or click c, shewn by dots in Fig. 2, which
takes into the teeth b, as before mentioned. It will now be seen that when
motion is communicated to the mitre wheel I through the wheels C, D, and F.
the cam K, upon the shaft J, will be made to revolve in the direction of the
arrow, and acting upon the bowl or roller L, will bring the arm M forward,
which being connected to the lever N, that carries the pawle c, will cause
that pawle to come forward and force the circular framing through part of its
revolution. By this means the moulds to be filled will come in succession
under two corresponding holes in a stationary hopper O, containing the com-
position to form the cakes of artificial fuel.
Fig. 5 represents a longitudinal vertical section, taken through the centre
of one of the moulds, shewing the manner of attaching the moulds together.
a, a, are the moulds made of wrought iron, their under edges being accu-
rately planed smooth and square to fit and lie close upon the bed plate W,
which is a circular ring. The moulds are also made smooth inside, in order
that the composition may be forced out with greater facility; they are also
firmly bolted to a cast-iron ring G, after being properly adjusted to receive the
plunger in a proper manner, when they are filled with the composition. G² is
another ring surrounding the moulds, which are further secured by driving
down wedges between the moulds and the ring G, as seen at Fig. 5. It will
be seen that the rings G and G2 are furnished at their lower parts with pro-
jecting pieces or heels which work against two circular guide rails Z, Z, which
are firmly bolted to the bed plate W. It will now be understood that the

page_text: moulds a, a, together with the circular framing G, G2, is moved round in the
manner above explained, the bed plate W and guide rails Z, Z, remaining
stationary. The descent of the composition into the moulds is facilitated by
arms or stirrers d, d, see Fig. 3, which are caused to revolve by means of the
gearing shewn in the plan view, Fig. 2, in which e is a bevelled wheel
mounted on the top of the vertical shaft which carries the arms d. f is a
bevel wheel in gear with e, and mounted on the horizontal shaft g, to the
other end of which is keyed a pinion h, in gear with the large spur wheel D.
The return of the lever N, and its pawle or click c, to their original position,
is effected as follows:-Upon the lower end of the shaft J there is a cam P;
which acts upon a bowl or stud Q upon the forked end of the arm M. This
cam P is so set with relation to the cam K that its largest radius shall act
upon the bowl Q at the time when the smallest radius of the cam K is in
contact with the bowl L; or, in other words, when this latter cam is not in the
position for acting. The cam P will, therefore, when it comes in contact with
the stud Q, force back the arm M, and consequently the lever N, and cause
the pawle c to slide back over the ratchet tooth immediately behind it, ready
to push it forward upon the next movement of the cam K. The moulds being
now filled in succession with the composition for forming the cakes or bricks,
are, by the movements just explained, brought under the standards R, R, where
the compressing apparatus is situated. This apparatus consists of two
arms S, S, see Figs. 3 and 4, forming a toggle joint, to the upper end of which
is attached a solid piston working in a cylindrical recess above formed in the
head of the standards R, R, for the purpose to be afterwards explained. The
lower end of this joint, at the hinge i, is attached to a sliding piece U, fur-
nished with guides which work in corresponding ribs upon the standards. The
piece V rises and falls with the toggle joint, and is intended to steady it in its
upward and downward movements. Attached to the lower end of this sliding
piece is the plunger T, which is forced down into the moulds as they come in
succession under it, and compresses the composition contained in the moulds to
the degree of solidity required. This movement of the plunger T is effected
in the following manner:-Upon the crank E* is connecting rod V, which
communicates motion to the toggle joint S. By reference to the side view,
Fig. 1, it will be seen that the forward throw of the crank E* will force the
toggle joint into its bent position and draw up the plunger from the mould, as
seen at Fig. 4. The crank, as it continues its circuit, will gradually draw the
toggle joint into an upright position, which will consequently force down the
plunger and compress the fuel in the mould. Having found that the plunger
will sometimes draw up portions of the fuel upon its surface, I have adapted

page_text: the following contrivance to clear it of such matters:-Upon the side framing
which supports the crank shafts and gearing of the machine are brackets j. j.
which support a shaft k. This shaft is for the purpose of carrying a vibrating
frame, having upon its sides projecting V-shaped ribs, by means of which ribs
the scraper m is supported, while at the same time it is capable of sliding
backwards and forwards when required. A slot or opening is made in the
scraper m, as shown at Fig. 4, for the admission of the longer arm of a bell-
crank lever n. The other end of this lever is jointed to a slotted lever o,
attached by a pin to the vibrating frame 1. n* is the fixed centre of the bell-
crank lever. In the slot of the lever o pin p works, which pin stands out
from a bracket bolted to the sliding piece U; and as this sliding piece descends
simultaneously with the plunger T, the lever o will fall by its own weight,
and pressing down the shorter end of the bell-crank lever n, will force the
longer arm outwards, and cause the scraper to be drawn back from under the
face of the plunger. When the plunger again rises by the throw of the
crank E, forcing out the toggle joint S, and gets clear of the mould a, the
pin p, which is now at the bottom of the slot in the lever o, will then rise up
that slot, and when arrived at the top draw up that lever, and with it the
shorter arm of the bell-crank lever n, when by a simultaneous movement of
the longer arm, the scraper m will be forced forward, and scrape off what-
ever may be sticking on the face of the plunger. Another movement, which
is effected by the rising and falling of the sliding piece U, is the discharge
of the blocks or cakes of compressed fuel from the moulds. This will
be seen best at Fig. 3, in which is a vertical rod connected at its
upper end with the sliding piece U, and at its lower end with a vibrating
lever r, r, working on a standard s. The longer end of the lever r is connected
by a vertical rod t to a piston ", which fits the moulds a, a; the piston is
guided in its descent by the guide box w. The fixed plate W, W, over which
the circular framing with its moulds moves, has an opening as before mentioned,
corresponding with the shape of the mould, and consequently capable of allow-
ing the piston u to pass through it. The moulds are so arranged that at the
time one comes under the plunger T for its contents to be pressed, another
mould containing the compressed fuel is brought immediately over the opening
in the plate W. The descent of the sliding piece U will also bring down the
lever q, and force up the longer end of the lever r with the rod t and piston u,
which carries up with it the cake of fuel ready to be taken away by the work-
man. In order to regulate the pressure of the plunger T so that there shall
be no extraordinary strain on the machinery, when an extra quantity of the
nel composition is deposited in the moulds, I have adopted the hydraulic appa-

page_text: ratus shown in section at Fig. 3, which apparatus acts upon the solid piston X,
jointed to the upper part of the joggle joint, so as to resist any required pres-
sure, but relieves the compressing apparatus when more than that amount is
upon it. To the upper part of the standards R, R, a strong cylinder Y is
fixed, the lower end of which is open to receive the solid piston X. In the
upper part of the cylinder a small hole is bored for the admission of water
to the upper surface of the piston. Z, Z, is a cistern bolted upon the top of
the cylinder Y for holding water. This cistern also encloses a relief valve, by
which the water is supplied to and allowed to flow back from the piston, thus
forming a resistance that will yield at any given pressure. y* is a passage in
the relief valve in connection with the hole a, and at its top it is furnished
with a weighted valve y. The passage y* branches out into a passage y',
furnished with a valve for supplying water to the cylinder Y. Supposing the
plunger T to have met with an unusual quantity of the fuel composition in tho
mould, the piston X will be forced upward in the chamber Y, Y, when the
water above the piston X will necessarily be expelled from the chamber Y
through the vertical passage x, and be made to raise the weighted valve y,
when the expelled water will escape through a lateral aperture into the
cistern Z, Z. On the collapsing of the toggle joint levers S, S, before
described, the piston X will again descend in its chamber Y, and the vacuity
thereby produced above that piston will cause the water to return from the
cistern Z, Z, through the passage a by the raising of a conical valve, which
water will continue to flow until it fills the whole space vacated by the descent
of the piston X to its usual position. By these means the pressure will be con-
tinually adjusted according to the supply of the fuel composition in the moulds.
Having now described my improved machinery for pressing and forming
artificial fuel, I wish it to be understood that I claim,-
Firstly, forming the moulds for the bricks separately of wrought iron, and
attaching them together radially, as shewn in the Drawing, by rings of cast
iron and keys to adjust them to their exact position.
Secondly, the construction and use of the hydraulic apparatus in conjunction
with the toggle joint and plunger, by which means the pressure may be
regulated as required; and,
Thirdly, the scraping apparatus for cleaning the under surface of the plunger
'as it comes from the moulds.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Middleton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-five.
THOS (L.S.) MIDDLETON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Thirty-first day of July, in
the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Thomas Middleton came before our
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form. above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of
the Statute in that case made and provided.