IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF 'ORNAMENTAL TILES, SLABS, BRICKS, AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Walker, of Poole, in the County of
"Dorset, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
'ORNAMENTAL TILES, SLABS, BRICKS, AND OTHER ARTICLES."
Sealed the 28th July 1868, and dated the 17th February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Walker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th February 1868.
I, JAMES WALKER, of Poole, in the County of Dorset, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF ORNAMENTAL TILES, SLABS, BRICKS, AND OTHER ARTICLES," to be
as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture
of ornamental tiles, slabs, bricks, and other articles.
The usual manner in which encaustic tiles showing a pattern upon
them of one or more colours are manufactured is to prepare in plaster
of Paris, or it may be in other material capable of absorbing moisture,
a mould having the desired pattern recessed in it. In producing the

page_text: tiles these recesses are first carefully filled in with clay by hand, and
then a batt or slab of clay or clays is put into the mould and by pressure
is made to unite with. the clay already in the recesses. The mould is
then left for a time for the clay to free itself, which it does in con-
sequence of the shrinkage of the clay arising from the absorption of its
moisture by the material of the mould and the penetration of air between
the clay and the mould. This method of working requires a large
number of moulds.
Now according to my Invention-I-perforate the absorbant mould in
the parts where it is recessed in order to form the pattern with small
holes which serve to supply the air more freely between the die or
mould and the moulded tile and cause the two to separate more readily.
a
Also according to my Invention in place of filling the mould as above
described I force it upon à batt or slab of clay or clays by means of
a press or otherwise, and the requisite impression is thus formed on the
batt or slab of clay or clays, the holes giving free escape to the air and
allowing, the clay to penetrate into all the recesses of the mould after-
wards in.the usual way; the hollows in the moulded slab or batt of clay
or clays are filled in with clay of another color or colors and the tile is
finished as heretofore.
The same process of manufacture is applicable to slabs, bricks, and
other articles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James- Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office 2
on the 15th August 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WALKER, of Poole, in the County of Dorset, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of February, in the 3
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Walker, Her special licence,

page_text: that I, the said James Walker, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Walker, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF ORNAMENTAL TILES, SLABS, BRICKS, AND OTHER ARTICLES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Walker, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing, under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner. the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Walker, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by. the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture
of ornamental tiles, slabs, bricks, and other articles.
The usual manner in which encaustic tiles showing a pattern upon
them of one or more colors are manufactured is to prepare in plaster
of Paris, or it may be in other material capable of absorbing moisture,
a mould having the desired pattern recessed in it. In producing the
tiles these recesses are first carefully filled in with clay by hand, and
then a batt or slab of clay or clays is put into the mould and by pressure
is made to unite with the clay already in the recesses. The mould is
then left for a time for the clay to free itself, which it does in con-
sequence of the shrinkage of the clay arising from the absorption of its
moisture by the material of the mould and the penetration of air between
the clay and the mould. This method of working requires a large
number of moulds.
Now according to my Invention I perforate the absorbent mould in
the parts where it is recessed in order to form the pattern with small
holes which serve to supply the air more freely between the die or mould
and the moulded tile and cause the two to separate more readily.

page_text: Also according to my Invention in place of filling the mould as above
described I force it upon a batt or slab of clay or clays by means of
a press or otherwise, and the requisite impression is thus formed on the
batt or slab of clay or clays, the holes giving free escape to the air and
allowing the clay to penetrate into all the recesses of the mould after-
wards in the usual way; the hollows in the moulded slab or batt of clay
or clays are filled in with clay of another color or colors and the tile is
finished as heretofore.
The same process of manufacture is applicable to slabs, bricks, and
other articles.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood
and readily carried into effect I will proceed to describe in more detail
the manner in which it is preferred to conduct the manufacture.
I prepare the plaster or absorbent mould in the usual way, and then'
I perforate it through from front to back with holes, one in cach recess
of the pattern, or if the recess be of considerable extent additional holes
may be made. The holes may very readily be bored with an awl or wire;
they may be about 2nd part of an inch in diameter where they open into
the recess of the pattern, but at the back I make them larger by riming
out the holes so as to make them taper from end to end.
The mould thus prepared may advantageously be worked in the
ordinary way, but I prefer to use a screw or lever press to force the clay
into it. I lay the mould on the table of the press with the batt or slab
of clay upon it, and the clay is prevented from spreading laterally under
the pressure by a suitable frame. When the platten of the press descends 2
upon the clay it forces it into the mould. The air escapes from the
recesses of the pattern by the perforations already described, and then
when the impression is complete and the pressure withdrawn the
moulded clay immediately commences to contract and air enters by the
perforations between the clay and the mould, causing the clay to be
released; thus by the use with a press of an absorbent perforated mould
great rapidity of working is attained.
The slab or batt of clay need not be all of one color, it may be
differently colored in different parts of its surface.
:
The remaining parts of the process of finishing the tile or other article 3
may be conducted as havetofona that

page_text: impressed slab or batt of clay are filled with colored clay in the state
known as "slip," the surface of the article is cleaned off, and the article
dried and burnt, all of which operations may be conducted as is at
present usual.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Walker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.