AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS AND OTHER MATERIALS WITHOUT THE AID OF ARTIFICIAL HEAT FOR HYDRAULIC AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Kirrage, of No. 1, Bridge Road, Victoria
Park, in the County of Middlesex; Surveyor, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS AND OTHER MATERIALS
WITHOUT THE AID OF ARTIFICIAL HEAT FOR HYDRAULIC AND OTHER
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 18th October 1867, and dated the 20th April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Kirrage at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th
April 1867.
I, WILLIAM KIRRAGE, of No. 1, Bridge Road, Victoria Park, in the County
of Middlesex, Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS AND OTHER MATERIALS
WITHOUT THE AID OF ARTIFICIAL HEAT FOR HYDRAULIC AND OTHER PURPOSES,"
to be as follows:-
I use silica, gravel, or any other fit and hard unchangeable matters, as
stated in my former Patent for artificial stone, No. 441, A.D. 1865, but in
addition to that method (more particularly where clay or other similar soils
are met with which require burning into ballast to resist the action of the
atmosphere) I mix a certain portion of cement stone, limestone, chalk, or
substances of the like nature with the soil previous to the burning process;

page_text: this burning process may be done in the same way as that common clay is
burned for road ballast, thus rendering any sort of soil fit for use under this
improved system. The soil thus prepared is then mixed with the bind and
with the sulphate of iron, acids, or silica of soda in such proportion as to
corrode the said prepared earths without limes or cement; but if the earths,
silicas, or gravels be used without this preparation then mix with about one-
eighth part by measure of either ground, blue, or grey lias or other stone limes.
If Portland or other cements of like nature are used one-tenth part by measure
will be sufficient. If, on the contrary, chalk or other weaker limes are used it
will require one-sixth part of such limes to give the same results. The above
silicas and other substances being ground to a proper size, I next proceed to pre-
pare the liquid bind for the earths which have not received the burning process,
which I do by adding a portion of sulphate of iron or any other sulphate or
acid or chemical agent capable of corroding and binding the materials in a
solid mass:
I make this so as to produce a strong corrosive liquid mixed with
a certain quantity of water, with which I make the materials semi-dry ready
for compressing. This is done by a steady pressure, either by hand or steam
power, which produces a perfect sound and solid brick fit for any hydraulic or
other heavy works; whereas, under the present system of working by hand
or the ordinary brick presses the jar occasion by the concussion frequently
produces an inferior brick, or what may be described as shakey, which is utterly
avoided under this improved method, aided by an elastic palate, which makes it
impossible to produce any imperfect bricks from the machine. The materials
being kept in a constant state of agitation are supplied by means of a hopper
and measured into the compressing machine, which gives a steady pressure
without affecting the solidity of the bricks, and as they require no burning
they retain their uniform size as delivered from the dies quite square and with
their arrises all perfect. This is what has never before been accomplished in
brickmaking, and it applies equally to the making of blocks, window sills
steps, copings, projecting cornices, mouldings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Kirrage in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
KIRRAGE, of No. 1, Bridge Road, Victoria Park, in the County of Middlesex,
Survovor, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Kirrage, Her special licence that I, the said William
Kirrage, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Kirrage, 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 "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS AND OTHER MATERIALS WITHOUT
THE AID OF ARTIFICIAL HEAT FOR HYDRAULIC AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Kirrage, 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 per-
formed, 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 William Kirrage, 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, that is to say:-
In this novel and improved method of preparing the materials for making
bricks from aluminas (either blue, light, or other clays and marls,) I mix with
either of the above materials stone, limestone, chalk, or other like substances
in such proportions as the nature of the soil requires before burning, to render
it fit for making into bricks. The burning may be effected in the same
manner as for common road ballast, thus producing such mixed aluminas or
clays ready for crushing and forming into bricks or blocks without the aid of
either cements or limes of any kind being afterwards mixed therewith, and so
making the cost, including the expense of burning, at about on an equality
with the native London silicas, which require an additional bind to be mixed
therewith, whereas by this Invention the chemical solution only is required to
be added to it to prepare it for pressure into the form of bricks or blocks.
The method of preparing the materials, such as sea or other sand silicas, or
the ordinary gravels crushed to be used in the manufacture of bricks or mixed
with ironstone or any other rocky substance, is as follows:-I take this sub-

page_text: stance, or any other hard impenetrable matter or sand, or other portions of the
tops of metal mines, and mix these with about one-eighth part per measure of
Lluc lias lime, or if grey lime be used then I mix about two measures more
of lime. If cements are used then I mix ten parts of cement to one part of
the mixture; if, on the contrary, weaker limes be used, then I mix six parts
to one of these limes instead of eight or ten parts, as before mentioned. The
chemical bind, which is composed of silicate of soda, is mixed with sulphate
of iron in solution or silicate of soda, or sulphates of other metals, such as
zine, will produce the desired effect. I sometimes use the silicate of soda
much stronger to lessen the effect of the silicas when in a state of moisture;-
or if, on the contrary, they are in a dry state I use it much weaker. Bricks thus
made can be supplied either of a black or of a red description; in the case of
the former I supply the black required by using mineral black in about equal
proportions of one of black to one of silica, and one to eight measures of the
above silica and black to one of blue lias lime, or one to ten of Portland
cement, or one to six of the remaining limes. The red bricks I make in a
similar manner by using Venetian red or Spanish brown instead of mineral
black, using the same precaution as in making black bricks; and although I
use the red and black mixtures I do not strictly confine myself to this method,
but reserve to myself the right of varying the color of the bricks for ornamental
purposes.
In making bricks fit for arches or semi-arches of the foregoing materials I
take the opening or span of such arch and trace the courses round it, then take
the proportion of the brick required according to the mould and slope off the
brick accordingly; this done I get the number of bricks required to complete
the arch. The palates are to be sloped off to make the shape required, the
same method is followed to produce an O G or other moulding; the inside of
the mould is formed according to the nature of the projection required, and
the pattern is fastened on the side of the mould, so as to form a brick or
longer projection if required, the ends of the palates being formed to fit the
moulds, and taken out when suflicient coping is formed..
The above method applies to the manufacture of window sills.
If any
extra size is required above the ordinary size of a brick, then I use suitable
moulds to produce the same.
In manufacturing columns, steps, large landings, copings, chimney pieces,
paving of any description, and roofing, these will be all done by band, firmly
rammed into their respective moulds. In using silicas or gravels which do
not possess any binding properties they require to be impregnated with
sulphurets, such as the sulphate of zinc, fluoric acid, or the like substances

page_text: before mixing them in a pug mill. In using water to mix the ingredients
together I use the water cold, and in the proportion of about two ounces of
the materials to one gallon of water. The bricks may be moulded and
pressed in any of the machines in known and common use for making bricks.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention for "An Improve-
ment in the Manufacture of Bricks and other Materials without the Aid of
Artificial Heat for Hydraulic and other Purposes," together with the best
meaus I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect,
I would remark in conclusion, that I do not claim the mixture of cements and
sand, or lime and sand, in and for the manufacture of bricks and other
materials; but what I do claim is, the manufacture of a hard indestructible
brick or other material by the use of sulphates or sulphurets of iron, or other
metallic sulphates, together with the admixture of a compound of silica, as
herein-before described, and in the manner above stated; also the use of
aluminas or clays, as set forth in the first part of my Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Kirrage, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Nineteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM KIRRAGE. (L.S.)