IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Allan Magowan of Trenton in the State of
New Jersey and Royal Moulton Bassett of Birmingham in the State of
Connecticut both in the United States of America, Manufacturers for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Allan Magowan
and Royal Moulton Bassett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 18th December 1883.
FRANCIS ALLAN. MAGOWAN of Trenton in the State of New Jersey, and ROYAL
MOULTON BASSETT of Birmingham in the State of Connecticut, both in the United
States of America, Manufacturers " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING POTTERY AND EARTHENWARE”.
In the manufacture of pottery it is usual to employ plaster moulds in order that
the same may absorb the moisture from the clay and allow the clay to shrink
away from the mould and easily separate.
With articles turned or spun upon a jigger or lathe great inequalities exist both
in weight and thickness, causing unequal shrinkage, lack of uniformity and
considerable loss in the manufacture. It is generally necessary to sponge off the
goods to render the surface smooth and the marks or stamps have to be applied
by hand.
Efforts have been made to press clay goods in moulds but it is necessary to
separate such clay goods from the moulds while in the press or to have a large
number of moulds so that the article can remain in the mould and partially dry
and shrink after removal; under any circumstances the surfaces of the goods are

page_text: liable to be rough and uneven in consequence of the moulds being of cast iron and
more or less porous.
Our improvements are made for lessening the labor in the manufacture of china,
earthenware and other clay goods, especially such plain articles as saucers, plates
and cups for rendering the clay and other materials so used more dense and free
from blisters or air cells and the article stronger, for making the surface perfectly
true and smooth and for drying and hardening the ware so that it may be placed
in the saggers for burning or firing.
In the manufacture of articles such as plates or saucers or flaring bowls or cups,
we make use of a hollow die of cast iron with a movable lining of sheet metal and
a plunger or follower also of cast iron, hollow, and a movable surface of thin sheet
material such as india rubber. The clay is introduced between these and pressed
until the dies come to the proper proximity to each other, the surplus clay being
allowed to escape all around the edges of the movable lining, or through small
openings at the edge especially provided, the surplus being removed by the finger
or a suitable instrument.
In some instances the clay may be weighed out before being introduced into the
mould and the mould made so as to close tightly thereby subjecting the clay to the
entire pressure of the hydraulic or other power
The dies being hollow can be heated by steam or other artificial heat if desired.
The objects which we have in view and which are accomplished are as follows:-
The lining of sheet metal or other thin material being spun up or otherwise
formed to shape, is to have a perfectly smooth surface, free from flaws, holes or
imperfections that are likely to exist in the cast iron or plaster moulds, hence the
pottery ware will be perfectly smooth and will not require to be sponged or
handled.
The manufacturers names or trade marks being placed on these sheet metal
linings, the pottery or ware is marked at the first operation and one step in the
ordinary process is saved.
The lining being removable from the mould allows for lifting out the article
and prevents any risk of the article sticking in the mould itself and allows for the
cast iron mould being adapted to immediate use by rough finish.
The linings are more durable than the dies or moulds that have before been
used and they are not so liable to be broken and chipped as the moulds of plaster
before employed.
The linings of sheet material after giving shape to the ware become supports for
the clay goods while being handled and risk of warping or injury is prevented.
When the moulds are heated they impart their heat to the linings and to the
clay and the clay is dried much quicker than heretofore and the lining imparting
its heat to the clay causes such clay to shrink away and become detached from the
lining so that the two are easily separated.
The india rubber or other elastic material being in the form of a very thin
sheet, accommodates itself to the surface of the die or mould under the pressure
upon the clay hence all the delicate patterns or designs that may be in the plunger
or die appear upon the clay and the elastic material simply requires to be held by the
workman so that it does not become creased or folded.
When the dies separate the sheet of elastic material contracting draws out the
portions of clay that may have become indented into the cavities in the die, thus
keeping the die itself perfectly clean and at the same time causing the clay article
to separate easily from the surface of the clay and the elastic sheet to separate
from the clay.
The clay or materials used being subjected to a very great pressure, but little
water is required to render the same adhesive and the goods dry quicker and
shrink less than heretofore.
It is preferable to use both the lining of sheet metal and the movable surface of

page_text: elastic material, but in some instances they may be separately used and other
material than sheet metal having equivalent properties may be used for the
lining and the movable surface may be of equivalent material to the thin sheet
caoutchouc.
These improvements may be used in the manufacture of cups, saucers plates,
bowls, saggers and pipes in clay or in a mixture of clay and other material such as
used in terra-cotta and other wares.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis Allan Magowan and Royal Moulton Bassett in the Patent
Office on the 18th June 1884.
FRANCIS ALLAN MAGOWAN of Trenton in the State of New Jersey and ROYAL
MOULTON BASSETT, of Birmingham in the State of Connecticut, both in the United
States of America, Manufacturers, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING POTTERY AND EARTHENWARE,"
In the manufacture of pottery it is usual to employ plaster moulds, in order that
the same inay absorb the moisture from the clay and allow the clay to shrink away
from the mould and easily separate. With articles turned or spun upon a jigger
or lathe great inequalities exist both in weight and thickness, causing unequal
shrinkage, lack of uniformity and considerable loss in the manufacture. It is
generally necessary to sponge off the goods to render the surface smooth and the
marks or stamps have to be applied by hand. Efforts have been made to press
clay goods in moulds, but it is necessary to separate such clay goods from the
moulds while in the press or to have a large number of moulds so that the article
can remain in the mould and partially dry and shrink after removal; under any
circumstances the surfaces of the goods are liable to be rough and uneven in
consequence of the moulds being of cast iron and more or less porous.
Our improvements are made for lessening the labor in the manufacture of china,
earthenware and other clay goods, especially such plain articles as saucers, plates,
cups &c, for rendering the clay and other materials so used more dense and free
from blisters or air cells and the article stronger, for making the surfaces perfectly
true and smooth and for drying and hardening the ware so that it may be placed
in the saggers for burning or firing. We accomplish these objects by making use
of a powerful press such as a hydraulic press and metal moulds such as hollow cast
iron moulds heated by steam or other artificial heat and the moulds have movable
surfaces of thin material such as sheet metal, rubber or paper or both and the clay
is in a moist and heated condition preferably rendered so by the direct action of
heat and moisture.
In the drawing
Fig. 1. is a vertical section illustrating our improvement and
2. is a separate view of the lining for the mould.
In the manufacture of articles such as plates or saucers or flaring bowls or cups,
we make use of a hollow die a. of cast iron with a movable lining b. of sheet metal

page_text: and a plunger or follower c. also of cast iron, hollow, and a movable surface of thin
sheet material such as india rubber at d. The clay is introduced between these
and pressed until the dies come to the proper proximity to each other, the surplus
clay being allowed to escape all around the edges of the movable lining, or through
small openings at the edge especially provided, the surplus being removed by the
finger or a suitable instrument. In some instances the clay may be weighed out
before being introduced into the mould, and the mould made so as to close tightly,
thereby subjecting the clay to the entire pressure of the hydraulic or other power.
The dies a. c. being hollow can be heated by steam or other artificial heat. if
desired.
The objects which we have in view and which are accomplished are as follows:-
The lining of sheet metal or other thin material being spun up or otherwise
formed to shape, is to have a perfectly smooth surface free from flaws, holes or
imperfections that are likely to exist in the cast iron or plaster moulds, hence the
pottery ware will be perfectly smooth and will not require to be sponged or
handled. The manufacturers' names or trademarks being placed on these sheet
metal linings the pottery or ware is marked at the first operation and one step in
the ordinary process is saved. The lining being removable from the mould allows
for lifting out the article and prevents any risk of the article sticking in the mould
itself and allows for the cast iron mould being adapted to immediate use by rough
finish. The linings are more durable than the dies or moulds that have before
been used and they are not as liable to be broken and chipped as the moulds of
plaster before employed. The linings of sheet material after giving shape to the
ware, become supports for the clay goods while being handled and risk of warping
or injury is prevented.-When the moulds are heated they impart their heat to the
linings and to the clay and the clay is dried much quicker than heretofore, and the
lining imparting its heat to the clay, causes such clay to shrink away and become
detached from the lining so that the two are easily separated.
The india rubber or other elastic material being in the form of a very thin sheet,
accomodates itself to the surface of the die or mould under the pressure upon the
clay, hence all the delicate patterns or designs that may be in the plunger or die
appear upon the clay and the elastic material simply requires to be held by the
workman so that it does not become creased or folded. When the dies separate,
the sheet of elastic material contracting draws out the portions of clay that may
have become indented into the cavities in the die, thus keeping the die itself
perfectly clean, and at the same time causing the clay article to separate easily
from the surface of the clay and the elastic sheet to separate from the clay. The
clay or materials used being subjected to a very great pressure, but little water is
required to render the same adhesive and the goods dry quicker and shrink less
than heretofore.
It is preferable to use both the lining of sheet metal and the movable surface of
elastic material, but in some instances they may be separately used and other
material than sheet metal having equivalent properties may be used for the lining
and the movable surface may be of equivalent material to the thin sheet
caoutchouc.
.
This improvement may be used in the manufacture of eups, saucers, plates, bowls,
saggers and pipes in clay or in a mixture of clay and other material such as used
in terra cotta, and other wares.
We do not claim an elastic lining to the mould nor a mould that is movable
from the press By the use of a thin sheet metal lining we are able to lift the
goods out of the mould and to handle them without injury and they retain their
shape while drying.
We claim as our Invention
First. In combination with heated dies and mechanism for applying a pressure

page_text: acts to warm and dry the clay article pressed to such movable lining, substantially
as set forth. Second. In combination with heated dies and mechanism for applying
pressure to such dies, the movable metallic lining b. and a movable surface of sheet
material d. substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Third. The method herein specified of pressing clay goods and discharging the
same from the moulds, consisting in placing a sheet metal form upon the lower die
and a thin sheet of elastic material between the clay and the upper die, to prevent
the adhesion of the clay to the die and itself to become easily separated from the
clay article after pressure by the dies, the sheet metal form supporting the article
until it is set, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof we the said Francis Allan Magowan and Royal Moulton
Bassett, have hereunto set our hands and seals this Thirtieth day of May A.D.
1884.
Witnesses
L. H. EASTBURN
as to F. A. Magowan
WILLIAM G. MOTT
as to R. M. Bassett
FRANCIS ALLAN MAGOWAN (L.S.)
ROYAL M BASSETT
(L.S.)