LMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK MACHINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lampas Gregg, of Chicago, in the County of
Cook, State of Illinois, and United States of America, Brick Manufacturer, for
the Invention of "LMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK MACHINES."
Sealed the 28th October 1876, and dated the 6th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by tho said William Lampas Gregg at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th May 1876.
WILLIAM LAMPAS GREGO, of Chicago, in the County of Cook, State of Illinois,
and United States of America, Brick Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK
MACHINES."
My improvements relate to that class of brick machines in which a series of
pressures is imparted to clay contained in the mould boxes of au intermittently
rotating mould table; and the object of my Invention is to provide suitable means
for filling the mould boxes with clay and compacting the clay therein; for
imparting pressure to the clay in the mould boxes from two different sides thereof;
for compensating any irregularity or inequality of supply to the several mould
boxes; and finally, for expelling the finished bricks from the mould boxes and
removing them from the mould table.
The said improvements comprise, first, combining a mould table and mould
boxes, a movable pressure plate and pressure cams and toggle joint levers which
impart pressure to the clay in the mould boxes from the lower sides thereof;
secondly, combining a mould table and mould boxes, pressure cams and toggle
joint levers and yielding plungers for recessing or panelling the bricks while pressing
the clay from the upper sides of the mould boxes; thirdly, combining a mould table
and mould boxes, cams and levers, a vertically moving plunger, and a sliding plate
to expel the finished bricks from the boxes.
In the construction of face bricks by machinery as heretofore practiced much
difficulty has been experienced for the reason that it is practically impossible to
supply an equal amount of clay to each of the mould boxes, and therefore the
bricks are not of equal size and density. Moreover, when pressure is imparted
to the clay from one side only, the bricks are often defective in strength at their
corners and edges, and hence unsuitable for use as first quality or front bricks.
[Price 6d.]

page_text: My improvements are designed to provide a machine in the operation of which
these objections will be practically overcome, and the devices employed by me for
this purpose are as follows:-
The machine proper, that is to say all excepting the driving pulleys and the
countershaft and first pair of gear wheels which receive motion from them, is
supported upon a substantial bed plate secured to any suitable foundation. The
bed plate is connected by columns to an upper frame. A lighter frame is secured
to the columns below the upper frame and carries a central cylindrical bracket.
A circular mould table is secured upon a vertical shaft rotating in a step on the
bed plate, and in a bearing in the upper frame, and in order to give greater
steadiness to the mould table its bottom rests upon rollers turning upon studs
secured to the inner faces of the columns. The mould table is provided with a series
of mould boxes which are arranged in groups or sets around and near its rim, and
are open at top and bottom. The sets are placed at equal distances apart, and in
some instances eight sets of four boxes each are used. An intermittent rotary
motion is imparted to the mould table by a driving shaft mounted in bearings in a
frame adjacent to the mould table, and carrying fast and loose pulleys for the
reception of a belt. A bevil pinion upon the driving shaft gears with a corresponding
wheel of larger diameter upon a vertical shaft rotating in bearings upon the frame.
A connecting rod is journalled at one end to a crank upon the said vertical shaft,
and at the other to a rocker arm which is loose upon the shaft and carries a pawl.
Each revolution of the crank shaft oscillates the rocker arm forward and backward
one-eighth of a revolution. At each forward movement of the rocker arm its pawl
engages one of eight ratchet teeth on the upper portion of the mould table. The
mould table will therefore be moved forward for one-eighth of a revolution by each
forward movement of the rocker arm, and will remain stationary while the latter
is making its backward movement.
Each set of mould boxes is provided with a series of pistons or plungers, one for
cach box. The separate pistons of each set are secured to blocks carrying rollers
which run upon a circular track below the mould table.
A bevil gear wheel is formed upon or secured to the periphery of the mould
table, and gears with a corresponding pinion upon a horizontal shaft, which shaft
also carries a press wheel and a bevil wheel. The press wheel rotates within a feed
box, and its shaft rotates in vertically sliding boxes placed in guides in the sides
of the feed box being pressed downward by rubber springs and adjusting springs.
A mixer wheel having a cylindrical hub and a series of knives and beaters arranged
spirally thereon is journalled in the feed box and is rotated rapidly by means of
Devil wheel connections with the shaft of the mixer wheel. The mixer whicel
is arranged in advance of the press wheel.
A
The clay is subjected to two successive pressures in the following manner:-
bevil gear wheel turns loosely upon a shaft immediately below the upper frame,
and is provided with four ratchet teeth set at equal distances apart upon its lower
side, and actuated by a spring pawl upon the free end of a rocker arm placed loosely
upon the said shaft. The rocker arm is coupled to a pin upon the bevil gear wheel
by a connecting rod, and is oscillated thereby so that one revolution of the latter
gear wheel will rotate the other bevil gear wheel one-fourth of a revolution. The
bevil gear wheel with the ratchet teeth is connected by suitable gearing with the
mould table, and the ratchet upon the said mould table and bevil gear wheel are so
disposed relatively to each other that when the mould table is in motion the bevil
gear wheel is stationary, and vice versa.
For applying the second pressure. A horizontal pressure plate is pivoted at one
end to the central bracket, and is raised and lowered by means of toggle joint
levers which connect its free end with the rod of a cam on one of the said shafts.
When lowered by the cam and levers the pressure plate is applied and held firmly
to the top of the set of mould boxes beneath it, and when raised it is entirely clear
At the
of the mould table so as to oppose no resistance to the movement thereof.
same time pressure is applied to their pistons from below by a plunger which

page_text: compresses the clay in the mould boxes, and is drawn clear of the piston blocks
before the mould table commences its movement.
For applying the third and final pressure to the clay, and for recessing or
panelling the bricks, a lower pressure plate is hinged at one end to a standard upon
the bed plate, and has a pin upon its opposite end connected with a triple crank,
from which a connecting rod extends to a cam. A plunger passing through an
opening in the track rests upon the lower pressure plate, and is applied and held
firmly to the bottom of the piston block of the mould boxes by the said cam.
When the said pressure plate is lowered it rests upon a short column. A pressuro
box is pivoted at one end to the said bracket, and connected at the other end with
one arm of the triple crank so as to be applied to and held against the top of the
mould table at the instant the plunger is applied to the piston block. Guides
are formed in the pressure box. Each guide serves to direct a small plunger, tho
bottom of which is of the form desired for the panel or recess to be made in the
brick. A rubber spring is placed upon the top of each plunger, and a plate rests
upon the said springs. The plate and tho plungers are pressed down by toggle
joint levers actuated by a cam.
The final operations of expelling the finished bricks from the mould boxes and
removing them from the mould tablo are performed by the following mechanism :-
The pistons of the mould boxes are clevated high enough to bring the lower edges
of the bricks to the level of the top of the mould tablo by a plunger connected with
a crank on a horizontal oscillating shaft. The plunger passes through an opening
in the aforesaid track, and when raised bears against the bottom of the piston
block, and thereby elevates the pistons of the mould boxes. As soon as the bricks
are raised to the upper level of the mould table they are pushed off the same by a
sliding plate moving on horizontal guides and operated by a cam, the said plate
being connected to a horizontal rock shaft. The rock shaft and cam aro connected
by a rocker arm and connecting rod. The bricks may be received either upon
boards or upon an endless conveyor belt as they are pushed off the table by the
plate. The action of the machine is continuous by reason of the progressive
movements of the mould table.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Lampas Gregg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the oth
November 1870.
"
WILLIAM LAMPAS GREGO, of Chicago, in the County of Cook, State of Illinois,
and United States of America, Brick Manufacturer. IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK
MACHINES."
My improvements relate to that class of brick machines in which a series of
pressures is imparted to clay contained in the mould boxes of an intermittently
rotating mould table; and the object of my Invention is to provide suitable meaus.
for filling the mould boxes with clay and compacting the clay therein; for imparting
pressure to the clay in the mould boxes from two different sides thereof; for com-
pensating any irregularity or inequality of supply to the several mould boxes; and
finally, for expelling the finished bricks from the mould boxes, and removing them
from the mould table. To which ends my improvements consist, first, in combining
a mould table and mould boxes, a movable pressure plate, and pressure cams and
toggle joint levers, which impart pressure to the clay in the mould boxes from the
lower sides thereof; second, in combining a mould table and mould boxes, pressure
cams and toggle joint lovers and yielding plungers for recessing or panelling the
bricks while pressing the clay froin the upper sides of the mould boxes; third, in
combining a mould table and mould boxes, cams and levers, a vertically moving
plunger and a sliding plate to expel the finished bricks from the boxes.

page_text: In the construction of face bricks by machinery as heretofore practised, much
difficulty has been experienced by reason of the fact that it is practically impossible
to supply an equal amount of clay to cach of the mould boxes from which it results
that the bricks are not of equal size and density. Moreover, when pressure is
imparted to the clay from one side only the bricks are often defective in strength
at their corners and edges and hence unsuitable for use as first quality or front
bricks.
My improvements are designed to provide a machine in the operation of which
these objections will be practically overcome, and the devices employed by me for
the purpose are herein-after fully set forth.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a brick
machine embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the said
machine at a point above the mould table; Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of
the said machine taken at right angles to Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional
view of the pressure device for panelling the bricks; Fig. 5 is an end elevation
of the said machine; and Fig. 6 is a detached view of the crank and connections
by which the final pressure is imparted to the clay.
The machine proper, that is to say all excepting the driving pulleys and the
countershaft and first pair of gears which receive motion from them, is supported
upon a substantial bed plate U, which may be secured to any suitable foundation.
The bed plate is connected by columns V to an upper frame W. A lighter frame
X is secured to the columns V below the upper frame, and carries a central cylin-
drical bracket Y. A circular mould table A is secured upon a vertical shaft A¹
rotating in a step u on the bed plate and in a bearing in the upper frame W, and
in order to give greater steadiness to the mould table its bottom rests upon rollers
turning upon studs secured to the inner faces of the columns V. The mould table
is provided with a series of mould boxes a, which are arranged in groups or sets
around and near its rim and are open at top and bottom. The sets are placed at
equal distances apart, and in this instance eight sets of four boxes each are shown.
An intermittent rotary motion is imparted to the mould table in the following
manner: A driving shaft g is mounted in bearings in a frame H, adjacent to the
mould table, and carrying fast and loose pulleys g', g, for the reception of a belt
to transmit power from any suitable prime mover. A bevel pinion upon the
driving shaft gears with a corresponding wheel G of larger diameter upon a
vertical shaft G, rotating in bearings upon the frame H. A connecting rod h¹
is journaled at one end to a crank upon the shaft G, and at the other to a rocker
arm D, which is loose upon the shaft A', and carries a pawl & upon its outer end.
The shafts G and A' are so located relatively to each other, and the lengths of the
crank on the shaft G and the rocker arm I) are so proportioned, that each revolution
of the crank shaft oscillates the rocker arm forward and backward one-eighth of a
revolution. At each forward movement of the rocker arm its pawl engages one of
eight ratchet teeth a' on the upper portion of the mould table, said ratchet teeth being
placed thereon at equal distances apart in a circle, the radius of which is equal to
the length of the rocker arm D. The mould table will therefore be moved forward
for one-eighth of a revolution by each forward movement of the rocker arm, and
will remain stationary while the latter is making its backward movement.
Each set of mould boxes is provided with a series of pistons or plungers I, one for
each box, working from the lower side upward therein. The separate pistons of
each set are secured to blocks i carrying rollers 2, which traverse upon a circular
track K supported upon columns K' below the mould table A.
A bevel gear a is formed upon or secured to the periphery of the mould table A,
and gears with a corresponding pinion B2 upon a horizontal shaft B', which shaft
also carries a press wheel B and a bevel wheel B³. The press wheel B rotates
within a feed box c, and its shaft B' rotates in vertically sliding boxes c³ placed in
guides in the sides of the feed box, being pressed downward by rubber springs c
and adjusting springs c'. The object of this elastic adjustment of the press wheel
shaft is to ensure sufficient but not excessive pressure being applied by the press

page_text: wheel to compact the clay in the mould boxes as they successively pass beneath it.
A mixer wheel C, having a cylindrical hub and a series of knives and beaters arranged
spirally thereon, is jourualled in the feed box c, and is rotated rapidly by means of
the bevel wheels 6, 6, upon the shaft b, one of which wheels meshes with the
bevel wheel B³ and the other 6 with a corresponding wheel upon the shaft of the
mixer wheel. The mixer wheel is arranged in advance of the press wheel, that is
to say, in such position relative thereto that in the traverse of the mould table
the mould boxes will pass beneath it before reaching the press wheel, and in the
opposite end of the feed box a knife c¹ is provided to remove the surplus clay from
the mould boxes after they have passed the press wheel.
genr
The clay having been fed into the mould boxes from the feed box, compacted
therein by a light pressure from the press wheel, and the surplus removed by the
knife (theso operations being performed during the rotation of the mould table), is
next subjected to two successive pressures in the following manner:-A bevel gear
E turns loosely upon the shaft A¹ immediately below the upper frame and is pro-
vided with four ratchet teeth e' set at equal distances apart upon its lower side and
actuated by a spring pawl c upon the free end of a rocker arm E placed loosely
upon the shaft A'. The rocker arm is coupled to a pin upon the bevel
gear G¹ by
a connecting rod h and is oscillated thereby, so that one revolution of the G¹
will rotate the bevel gear E one-fourth of a revolution. The bevel gear E' in turn
meshes with the bevel pinions E2, E3, each one-fourth the diameter of its pitch
circle, so that one-fourth of a revolution of the gear E' will impart one revolution
to said bevel pinions. The bevel pinion E³ is secured upon a horizontal shaft e³
set at right angles to the shaft of the mixer wheel, and the pinion E upon another
horizontal shaft of at right angles to the shaft and directly opposite the shaft
of the mixer wheel. The shaft e rotates in bearings upon the upper frame W
and upon an outer column V, and the shaft also has it bearings upon the upper
frame, and in addition has an outer bearing supported by columns Vs. The ratchets
upon the mould table and bevel gear E' are so disposed relatively to each other
that when the mould table is in motion the bevel gear is stationary, and vice versa.
The details of the mechanism for applying the second pressure are shown in Fig. 1.
A horizontal pressure plate L is pivoted at one end to the central bracket Y, and
is raised and lowered by means of toggle joint levers m³, m, which connect its
free end with the rod f of a cam F on the shaft c. When lowered by the cam and
levers the pressure plate is applied and held firmly to the top of the set of mould
boxes beneath it, and when raised it is entirely clear of the mould table so as to
oppose no resistance to the movement thereof. Simultaneously with the application
of the pressure plate to the tops of the mould boxes pressure is applied to their
pistons from below by a plunger & working in guides through an opening in the track
K, and operated by toggle joint levers, l, pivoted to the plunger, the bed plate, and
the rod of a cam F on the shaft e. The plunger in its upward movement
compresses the clay in the mould boxes, and in its downward movement is drawn
clear of the piston blocks thereof before the mould table commences its movement.
The details of the mechanism for applying the third and final pressure to the
clay, and for recessing or panelling the bricks, are shown in Figs. 3, 4, and G.
In this instance a lower pressure plate P is hinged at one end to a standard
Z upon the bed plate, and has a pin upon its opposite end connected by a link p¹ to
a triple crank 0, from which a connecting rod extends to a cam F3 on the shaft c³.
A plunger k¹, passing through an opening in the track K, rests upon the pressure
plate P and is applied and held firmly to the bottom of the piston block of the mould
boxes by the cam F.
k
When the pressure plate P is lowered it rests upon a short column P¹ on the bed
plate. A pressure box M is pivoted at one end to the bracket Y, and connected at
the other end by a link p, to one arm of the triple crank O, so as to be applied to
and held against the top of the mould table at the same instant as the plunger is
applied to the piston block, a series of guides are formed in the pressure box M at
such a point therein as that each guide shall be immediately above one of the mould

page_text: boxes of a set when the mould table is stationary. Each guide serves to contain
and direct a small plunger n, the bottom of which plunger is of such forin and
dimensions as may be desired for the panel or recess to be made in the brick. A
rubber spring ¹ is placed upon the top of each plunger, and a plate n³ rests upon
the springs n. The plate and the plungers n are pressed down by toggle joint
levers o, o, pivoted to the upper frame W and to the rod f of a cam on the
shaft c*.
By means of the mechanism just described the clay is compressed between the
pistons I and pressure box M. and there held while the panels or recesses are sunk
in the upper faces of the bricks, the additional pressure of the plungers n, as modified
and regulated by the interposition of the springs n', serving to ensure equal density
and equal outside dimensions to the bricks in the several mould boxes, irrespective
of the amount of clay in each, as a deeper panel will be sunk if there is not sufficient
clay in a mould box or a shallower one if too much.
The final operation of expelling the finished bricks from the mould boxes, and
removing them from the mould table, are performed by mechanism shown in Figs.
1 and 2. The pistons of the mould boxes are elevated high enough to bring the
lower edges of the bricks to the level of the top of the mould table by a plunger 4,
which is connected by a link q with a crank on a horizontal shaft, which shaft
is oscillated in its bearings by a cam F', the frame of which is connected by a rod f¹
with a crank on the shaft . The plunger passes through an opening in the track
K, and when raised bears against the bottom of the piston block and thereby
elevates the pistons of the mould boxes to the desired height. As soon as the bricks
are raised to the upper level of the mould table they are pushed off the same by n
sliding plate R, moving on horizontal guides S, and operated by a cam F upon the
shaft e, the plate being connected to a horizontal rock shaft T by links R, R. The
rock shaft and cam are connected by a rocker arm R³ and connecting rod R. The
bricks may be received either upon boards or upon an endless conveyor belt as they
are pushed off the table by the plate R.
In the operation of the machine as before stated the clay is fed to the mould
boxes compacted therein and the superfluous clay removed by the knife while the
mould table is in motion. The subsequent pressing and panelling of the bricks, and
their removal from the mould boxes and table, are all effected during the intervals
of rest of the mould table, these operations being respectively performed simul-
taneously on the clay in different sets of mould boxes. The action of the machine
is continuous by reason of the progressive movements of the mould table.
I am aware that an intermittently revolving mould wheel or table containing
mould boxes in which clay is compacted by impact or pressure has been heretoforo
known, and do not, therefore, broadly claim sucli device.
I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent-
1. The combination in a brick machine of an intermittently revolving mould table
and its mould boxes, a pressure wheel rotating in a feed box, a cam and toggle joint
levers which compress the clay in the mould boxes between a pressure plate on the
upper surface thereof and a plunger beneath said mould boxes, and cams and toggle
joint levers which compress the clay between a pressure plate below the boxes, and
a pressure box above them, said pressure box being provided with downwardly
moving plungers having springs interposed between them and their operating levers,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The combination in a brick machine of an intermittently revolving mould
table and its mould boxes with a vertically moving plunger to expel the finished
bricks from the mould boxes, a horizontally moving plato to remove the bricks
from the mould table, and cams and rocker shafts which operate the plunger
and plate during the intervals of rest of the mould table, substantially as set
forth.
3. The combination in a brick machine of an intermittently revolving mould table
and its mould boxes, and a movable pressure plate which closes the tops of the mould

page_text: boxes during the intervals of rest of the mould table, and is released therefrom
during its motion substautially as set forth.
4. The combination in a brick machine of an intermittently revolving mould
table and its mould boxes, and a movable pressure box having separate plungers
actuated by cams, cach plunger being provided with an independent spring to regulato
the pressure applied to the clay, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination in a brick machine of a revolving mould table and a pressure
wheel rotating in journal boxes pressed down by springs, substantially as set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lampas Gregg, have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Nineteenth day of February. A.D. 1876.
In presence of
WILLIAM LAMPAS GREGG. (LS.)
GEORGE CRAMP,
619, Walnut Street,
Philadelphia, U. S.
Her Majesty's Vice-Consul.
ERNEST W. WARDEN, 705, Vine Street, Philadelphia, Clerk.