Improvement in the Machinery Used in the Manufacture of Ceramic Tiles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 27th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 30th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in the Machinery Used in the Manufacture of
Ceramic Tiles.
I, JAMES ELIJAh Brindley of 89 and 91 Bryan Street Hanley in the County
of Stafford, Engraver do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
"
This invention appertains to an improvement in the machinery used in the making
of wall, ceiling, and other tiles. By its application tiles are produced which have
on their back or under face, recesses or cavities the edges of which are "undercut
and consequently have a greater hold or adherence, inasmuch as the cement filling
a cavity the bottom of which is of greater area than the top, sets in a "dovetail
shape, and prevents removal (after the cement has set) except by using undue
My invention applies principally to what is termed the "bottom die" and its
force.
construction is as follows.
"
The bottom die consists of a planed block of metal of the correct shape and size
for making the required tile. On the face of this I place a thin plate of metal of a
triangular or similar shape with the edges bevelled to the requisite degree to obtain
the "undercut" and placed with the apex pointing towards the center. To the
broad end or base of the triangular piece is attached a piece of metal of a taper
form, and this taper piece works in a slot or chamber cut into the side of the die.
To the taper piece is connected a circular rod made to slide accurately in a hole
bored in the die in a direction co-incident with the track which the triangular piece
makes in moving backwards and forwards and this rod acts both as a guide, and
also as receiver of the outward thrust of a coiled spring which forces out the rod
and with it the triangular plate to the position required in order that the tile may
be released from the die after the clay dust has been consolidated by the action of
an ordinary tile press.
Fig. 1 represents the section of an ordinary tile.
Fig. 2. represents improved tile with the undercut recess.
Fig. 3. represents in section the bottom die enclosed in the usual "box" with the
slide in position ready for making the tile.
Fig. 4. represents in section the position the triangular slide, taper piece, and
rod take when the die being lifted above the top edge of the box has allowed the
spring to force outward the undercutting appliance.
Fig. 5. is a plan of bottom die showing the slots or chambers for the reception
of the taper pieces.
Fig. 6. is a plan of bottom die showing the triangular slides in position.
Figs. 7. and 7 represent plan and elevation of triangular slide constructed to
make a cavity containing two undercuts.
Figs. 8. and 8A represent plan and elevation of slide making one undercut
cavity.
Figs. 9. and 9 represent a different shaped slide making a double undercut same
as Fig. 7.
Fig. 10. represents the arrangement of bottom die when the undercut does not
extend to the edge of tile.
The process of working is as follows. After the bottom die D. (Fig. 3) has

page_text: been lowered into its position on the bed of press A. the space within the box B. is
filled with the clay dust, and the usual pressure is applied to consolidate the same,
the die is then pressed upward by the lifting rod C. (common to all tile presses)
until it has attained the position shown in Fig. 4.
During its upward movement the coiled spring H. pressing on the circular rod F.
causes the taper piece E. and slide G. to move outward, and thus allow the tile to
be removed.
In the action of lowering the die again the edge of the "box" acting on the
taper piece E. causes the whole to slide back into its original position when it is
again ready for the clay dust.
If it is desired that the undercutting shall not extend to the edge of the tile but
leave a margin intact, the bottom die will be constructed as follows.
The triangular piece G. (Fig. 10) will have its exterior side chamfered down to
a feather edge forming a small inclined plane and will be connected by a piece of
metal K. to the sliding rod F. the connexion will pass through a slot cut into the
face of the die, which slot will be made of such length and width as to cause the
sliding rod to move truly inward and outward, and to the exact distance each way
that is required.
"
The process of making the tiles is exactly the same as previously described
except that when the sliding apparatus moves outward as it rises above the "box
the inclined plane J. moving outward will lift the tile away from the face of the
die, at the same time releasing the undercut.
Dated this 10th day of August 1895.
Improvement in the Machinery Used in the Manufacture of
Ceramic Tiles.
I, JAMES ELIJAH BRINDLEY, of 89 and 91 Bryan Street, Hanley, in the
County of Stafford, Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention appertains to an improvement in the machinery used in the making
of that class of wall, ceiling and other tiles which have on their back or under-face,
recesses or cavities the edges of which are undercut and consequently have a greater
hold or adherence than tiles otherwise formed, inasmuch as the cement, by filling a
cavity the bottom of which is of greater area than the top, sets in a dovetail shape
and prevents removal (after the cement has set) except by using undue force.
My invention applies principally to what is termed the bottom die employed in
connection with machinery used in the manufacture of ceramic tiles, and its
construction is as follows.
The bottom die consists of a planed block of metal of the correct shape and
size for making the required tile. On the face of this I place one or more, preferably
four, thin plates of metal of a triangular or other similarly tapered shape with the
edges bevelled to the requisite degree to obtain the undercut and placed with the
apices pointing towards the centre or away from the edge of the box. To the broad
end or base of each triangular piece is attached a piece of metal of a taper form,,
and this taper piece works in a slot or chamber cut into the side of the bottom die.
To the taper piece is connected a circular rod made to slide accurately in a hole
bored in the die in a direction coincident with the track which the triangular piece
makes in moving backwards and forwards, and this rod acts both as a guide and
also as a receiver of the outward thrust of a coiled spring which forces out the rod
and with it the triangular plate to the position required in order that the tile, may

page_text: be released from the die after the clay dust, clay or other material has been
consolidated by the action of the press.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which :—
Fig. 1 represents an edge view of a tile having undercut recesses produced by
the aid of my improved die.
Fig. 2 represents, in section, the bottom die enclosed in the usual box and:
showing one of the slides in position ready for making the tile.
Fig. 3 represents, in section, the position assumed by each of the triangular slides,
taper pieces and rods when the die has been lifted partly above the top edge of the
box and the springs have thereby been permitted to force outward the appliances for
producing the undercut recesses.
Fig. 4 is a plan of bottom die showing the slots or chambers for the reception of
the taper pieces.
Fig. 5 is a plan of bottom die showing the triangular slides in their retracted
position.
Figs. 6 and 6 represent plan and elevation of a triangular slide constructed to
make a tapered cavity containing two undercuts or dovetails.
Figs. 7 and 7 represent plan and elevation of a slide making a tapered cavity-
with one undercut or dovetail.
Figs. 8 and 8 represent a different shaped slide making a cavity with a double.
undercut similar to that shown at Figs. 6 and 6.
Fig. 9 represents the arrangement of bottom die to be used when the undercut
cavity does not extend to the edge of the tile.
The process of working is as follows. After the bottom die D has been lowered
into its position on the bed A of the press, as shown at Fig. 2, the space within the
box B is filled with clay dust, clay, or other material used to form the tile, and the
usual pressure is applied to consolidate the same; the die is then pressed upward
by the lifting rod C (common to all tile presses) until it has attained the position
shown in Fig. 3. During its upward movement the coiled spring H of each.
slide G, by pressing on the circular rod F, causes the taper piece E and slide G to.
move outward to release the tile and thus allow the latter to be removed.
In the action of lowering the die again the edge of the box B, by acting on the
taper pieces E, causes them, with the parts Fand G, to slide back into their
original or retracted position, when the box is again ready to be filled with clay
dust, clay or other material.
The drawings represent a die with four slides, but one or other number of slides
may be applied to each die as may be considered necessary.
If it is desired that the undercutting shall not extend to the edge of the tile but
leave a margin intact, the bottom die will be constructed in the following manner,
as represented at Fig. 9. Each triangular plate G will have its exterior side or
base chamfered down to a feather edge, thereby forming a small inclined plane J,
and will be connected loosely to the sliding rod F by a piece of metal K fixed to
said plate G and having a pin on its lower end fitting into a hole in said rod; the
connection will pass through a slot cut into the face of the die, which slot will be
made of such length and width as to permit the sliding rod to move truly inward
and outward and to the exact distance each way that is required.
The process of making the tiles is exactly the same as previously described,
except that when the sliding apparatus moves outward, as the die rises above the
box, the inclined plane J, moving outward, will, while releasing the undercut, also
lift the tile away from the face of the die.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The employment in the manufacture of ceramic tiles of the character herein
referred to, of machinery constructed substantially as herein' shown and described.
2. In machinery employed in the manufacture of ceramic tiles of the character-

page_text: herein referred to, the combination with the die box, of a bottom die provided on
its upper surface with slides having undercut or bevelled edges and capable of
moving automatically to and fro on the raising and lowering of the bottom die,
substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
3. In machinery employed in the manufacture of ceramic tiles of the character
herein referred to, the combination with the die box, of a bottom die provided on
its upper surface with slides having undercut or bevelled edges and moved outwardly
by springs and inwardly by the upper edge of die box, substantially as herein
shown and described and for the purpose stated.
4. In machinery employed in the manufacture of ceramic tiles of the character
herein referred to, the combination with the die box, of a bottom die provided on
its upper surface with slides having undercut or bevelled edges, a taper piece fixed
to each slide, a guiding rod attached to such taper piece, and a slot and hole in the
bottom die to receive such taper piece and guiding rod, substantially as herein shown
and described.
5. In machinery employed in the manufacture of ceramic tiles of the character
herein referred to, the combination with the die box, of a bottom die provided on
its upper surface with movable slides having undercut or bevelled edges and an
incline for lifting the finished tile off the die, substantially as herein shown and
described.
Dated this 27th day of April 1896
HARRIS & MILLS,
23 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.