Improvements in Machinery used in the Making of Bricks and Tiles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 25th Apr., 1891-Accepted. 30th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery used in the Making of Bricks and Tiles.
We, GEORGE WOOLLISCROFT, Brick and Tile Maker, and HENRY TODD,
Foreman, both of the Etruria Hydraulic Tile Works, Stoke-upon-Trent in the
County of Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to Henry Ward, John Ward
and William Ward dated the 2nd day of December 1876, No. 4674 is described a
machine for forming a stream or bar of stiff plastic clay by feeding clay from
a hopper between a pair of rollers of comparatively large diameter and for cutting
up such stream or bar of clay into lengths each suitable for being subsequently
compressed to form it into a brick or tile.
With the cutting apparatus described in the above Specification it was necessary
to give an intermittent revolving motion to the rollers in order that the bar or
stream of clay might be at rest during the time that a length was being cut
off from it.
According to our invention we give to the rollers a continuous revolving motion
and in order to cut up the bar of clay which issues in a continuous stream from
between them we employ a series of cutting plates or blades which are bolted to
radial arms that extend outwards from the circumference of a wheel that is carried
in bearings at such a distance above the bar or stream of clay that when the wheel
is revolved the cutting edges of the blades come down in succession against the
surface of the table over which the clay is travelling. The blades are at such
a distance apart around the circumference of the wheel that one or more of
the blades is always more or less immersed in the clay and so a continuous
revolving motion is given by the clay to the wheel. The wheel is able to rise
or fall somewhat in its bearings so that each blade as it comes vertically below the
axis of the wheel may bear down slightly upon the surface of the table."
The length of the pieces into which the bar is cut can be regulated by setting the
blades nearer to or further from the axis of the wheel. Each cutting blade is bent
so that the portion which descends into the clay may be approximately at right
angles to the clay as it is descending into it or the arms which carry the blades
might be bent to effect the same object. Cutting wheels constructed as above
described may also be used for cutting into lengths travelling bars or streams
of clay produced in other ways to that above described.
In order to feed clay continuously to the rollers we direct a stream of clay
issuing from a pug mill into the opening which is between them. The pug mill we
use is a horizontal one with the stream issuing through an orifice at the end which
is nearest to the rollers whilst the shaft of the mill is driven from the opposite end
by cone or other driving gear which permits of the shaft being driven at a regulated
speed to deliver the required quantity to the rollers.
Dated this 26th day of July 1890.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the. Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Machinery, used in the Making of Bricks and Tiles.
We, GEORGE WOOLLISCROFT, Brick and Tile Maker, and HENRY TODD,
Foreman, both of the Etruria Hydraulic Tile Works, Stoke-upon-Trent, in
the County of Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to Henry Ward, John Ward
and William Ward dated the 2nd day of December 1876 No. 4674 is described
a machine for forming a stream or bar of stiff plastic clay by feeding clay from
a hopper between a pair of rollers of comparatively large diameter and for cutting
up such stream or bar of clay into lengths each suitable for being subsequently
compressed to form it into a brick or tile.
With the cutting apparatus described in the above Specification it was necessary
to give an intermittent revolving motion to the rollers in order that the bar or
stream of clay might be at rest during the time that a length was being cut
off from it.
According to our invention we give to the rollers a continuous revolving motion
and in order to cut up the bar of clay which issues in a continuous stream from
between them we employ a series of cutting plates or blades which extend
outwards from the circumference of a wheel that is carried in bearings at such a
distance above the bar or stream of clay that when the wheel is revolved the cutting
edges of the blades come down in succession against the surface of the table over
which the clay is travelling. The blades are at such a distance apart around the
circumference of the wheel that one or more of the blades is always more or
less immersed in the clay and so a continuous revolving motion is given by the clay
to the wheel.
Cutting wheels constructed as above described may be used for cutting into
lengths travelling bars or streams of clay produced in other ways to that above
described.
The drawings hereunto annexed shew three examples of cutting blades extending
out from the circumference of a wheel for cutting a continuous stream of clay into
lengths as above described.
We have not shewn in the drawings any expressing mechanism for causing
a stream of clay to travel continuously beneath the cutting wheel as any
suitable arrangement of mechanism used for producing continuous streams of clay
may be employed.
In these figures A is a stream of clay made to travel continuously over the
surface of a table B, and C are cutting blades preferably of steel carried by a
wheel which is above the table its axes being received in bearings in standards
which are at the two sides of the table.
In the arrangement shewn in Figures 1 and 2 each cutting blade C is at its ends
passed into radial slots cut in arms D which are secured to the two sides of the
wheel the blades are retained within the slots by bolts passed through them.
In Figure 3 the blades C are shewn to be fixed in a position inclined to radial
lines instead of being radial as shewn in Figure 1.
In Figure 4 the blades are shewn as being fixed to axes E which are carried in
bearings at the two sides of the wheel parallel with its shaft. The axes E have
crank arms upon them which are coupled by links to a ring which is free to turn
around an eccentric F fixed on the shaft around which the wheel turns.
blades C are in this way always kept at right angles to the stream of clay.
The
We would state that we are aware that it has before been proposed to use wires
for cutting a stream of clay into lengths and to cause such cutting wires to travel
along with and at the same speed as the stream of clay at the same time that they

page_text: are made to descend or ascend through it and that in such cases the speed of travel
of the wires has been controlled by the speed of travel of the stream of clay--the
stream of clay being for this purpose made to pass over and drive an endless band
and the movement of the band being caused to drive a wheel or band carrying the
cutting wires. For example such an arrangement is described in a former Patent
No. 2318, of 1863. By our invention by using cutting blades in place of wires we
are able to dispense with all driving mechanism the action of the clay against the
blades being sufficient to revolve the cutting wheel at speeds varying with the speed
of the stream of clay that is being cut.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The combination with mechanism for propelling a stream of clay continuously
along a table or support of a wheel having cutting plates or blades extending from
its circumference and mounted in bearings at such a level above the table that as
the wheel revolves the cutting edges of the plates or blades come down in
succession against the surface of the table over which the clay is travelling.
2. The combination of mechanism for dividing streams of clay into lengths
substantially as described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3.
3. The combination of mechanism for dividing streams of clay into lengths
substantially as described with reference to Figure 4.
Did this 24th dow of til 1801
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.