IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR THE MANU. FACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, PIPES, AND OTHER ARTICLES MADE OF CLAY OR PLASTIC MATERIALS.
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Gibson, of Draycott, in the County of Derby,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR THE MANU.
FACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, PIPES, AND OTHER ARTICLES MADE OF CLAY OR
PLASTIC MATERIALS.'
Sealed the 7th November 1856, and dated the 14th May 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Gibson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
May 1856.
I, CHARLES GIBSON, of Draycott, in the County of Derby, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, PIPES, AND OTHER ARTICLES MADE OF CLAY OR
PLASTIC MATERIALS, to be as follows:-
My Invention of improved machinery for the manufacture of bricks, tiles,
pipes, and other articles made of clay or plastic materials, relates, first, to the
arrangement of the parts whereby the clay or plastic material is conveyed
into the moulds or dies. The clay or plastic material is supplied to the
moulding part of the machine either by a pair of feeding rollers, or by a pug
mill, suitably arranged for the purpose. From the feeding rollers or pug mill
the clay is conveyed or forced into a chamber, in which is placed a recipro-
cating box, which is open at that part opposite to the feeding aperture, and
[Price 8d.1

page_text: also at each end. This box is provided with a central partition, and is thereby
divided into two compartments, which are alternately brought opposite to the
feeding aperture in order to receive therefrom a supply of clay. The moulds
or dies, which in the case of manufacturing bricks may be adapted to a
rotating cylinder or wheel, are brought under or opposite to one of the exit
apertures of the mould chamber, and upon communicating motion to the
reciprocating box mounted therein, clay will be drawn forward, and by means
of a piston will be forced into the mould or die, and a brick thereby formed.
I find it convenient to arrange the moulds in pairs, so that when clay is forced
into one mould to form a brick; the moveable bottom of the opposite mould
will be forced back and the brick pushed out. Instead, however, of employing
a piston to force the clay from the reciprocating mould box into the mould, I
sometimes propose to mount the mould wheel or frame opposite to the end of
the mould chamber, which, as well as the reciprocating mould box, is made
open at the ends; as, therefore, the reciprocating mould box is moved to and
fro, it will alternately receive clay in its two compartments, and will push or
force the same into the mould or die which is brought opposite to the ends
thereof. Instead of connecting two opposite moulds together, as above men-
tioned, so as to make the supply of one act as a discharge for the other, I
propose to discharge the bricks from the moulds by means of a cam connected
to a vibrating shaft or lever; as the mould wheel or cylinder is made to rotate
by means of an intermittent motion, the cam will act against friction rollers at
the back of the moveable bottoms of the moulds, and will by that means
start the brick from the sides of the mould. The complete discharge of the
brick is effected by imparting motion to the cam or shaft on its fulcrum by
any convenient mechanical contrivance, and when the brick is pushed out of
the mould it may be removed from the machine by hand, as heretofore.
For pipes, or other similar articles, the rotating mould wheel is dispensed
with, and the dies are to be fixed opposite to the exit apertures of the mould
of feed chamber; then, upon imparting motion to the reciprocating box
mounted therein, the clay will be alternately force:l through the dies mounted
at each end.
For making tiles, or other articles, the clay is forced out of the feed chamber
by means of the reciprocating box into moulds or dies of suitable form and
size, in which the articles may be subsequently subjected to pressure before
being removed therefrom..
A modification of the brick machine, above described, may be produced by
employing a double reciprocating frame, containing two or more moulds which

page_text: are open at their inner ends. This frame is mounted opposite the exit aperture
of the feed chamber in such a manner that it may be moved to and fro, so as
to receive a supply of clay in each of the moulds alternately. The clay is
forced into the moulds by means of the reciprocating mould box, above
described, or by feed rollers, or a pug mill, or other convenient contrivance,
and while one mould is receiving its supply of clay a brick is being discharged
from the other. The surface of the pistons or bottom plates of the moulds I
propose to cover with vulcanized india-rubber or gutta percha, which will
greatly facilitate the delivery of the brick, tile, or other articles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Gibson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th November 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
GIBSON, of Draycott, in the County of Derby, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Gibson, Her special license that I, the said Charles Gibson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Gibson, 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 "IMPROVED MACHINERY POR THE
MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, PIPES, AND OTHER ARTICLES MADE OF CLAY OR
PLASTIC MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Charles Gibson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Gibson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention of "Improved Machinery for the Manufacture of Bricks, Tiles,
Pipes, and other Articles made of Clay or Plastic Materials," relates, first, to
the arrangement of the parts whereby the clay or plastic material is conveyed
into the moulds or dies. The clay or plastic material is supplied to the
moulding part of the machine either by a pair of feeding rollers, or by a pug
mill, suitably arranged for the purpose. From the feeding rollers or pug mill
the clay is conveyed or forced into a chamber, in which is placed a recipro-
cating box, which is open at that part opposite to the feeding aperture, and
also at each end. This box is provided with a central partition, and is thereby
divided into two compartments, which are alternately brought opposite to the
feeding aperture in order to receive therefrom a supply of clay. The moulds
or dies, which in the case of manufacturing bricks may be adapted to a
rotating cylinder or wheel, are brought under or opposite to one of the exit
apertures of the mould chamber, and upon communicating motion to the
reciprocating box. mounted therein, clay will be drawn forward direct into the
mould placed at the end of the chamber, or by means of a piston will be
forced into moulds or dies, placed beneath suitable openings in the mould
chamber, and a brick will be thereby formed. It may sometimes be found
convenient to arrange the moulds in parts; so that when clay is forced into
one mould to form a brick the moveable bottom of the opposite mould will be
forced back and the brick pushed out, but I do not mean to confine myself
thereto. Instead, however, of employing a piston to force the clay from the
reciprocating mould box into the mould, as above mentioned, I sometimes
propose to mount the mould wheel or frame opposite to the end of the mould
chamber, which, as well as the reciprocating mould box, is made open at the
ends; and as the reciprocating mould box is moved to and fro, it will alter-
nately receive clay in its two compartments, and will push or force the same
into the moulds or dies as they are brought opposite to the ends thereof.
Instead of connecting two opposite moulds together, as abovementioned, so
as to make the supply of one act as a discharge for the other, the discharge of
the bricks from the moulds may be effected by means of a cam connected to a
vibrating shaft or lever. As the mould wheel or cylinder is made to rotate
by means of an intermittent motion, the cam will act againgst friction rollers
at the back of the moveable bottoms of the moulds, and will by that means
start the brick from the sides of the mould, the complete discharge of the

page_text: brick being effected by imparting inction to the cam or shaft on its fulcrum by
any convenient mechanical contrivance, and when the brick is pushed out of
the mould it may be removed from the machine by hand, as heretofore.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a machine
for manufacturing bricks constructed according to my improvements; Fig. 2
is a side elevation of the same, shewing the gearing whereby the motions of
the several parts are produced; Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the
mould wheel, and shewing its appendages and the manner of working some of
the parts; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the machine; and Fig. 5 is a sectional
plan view of the same. a is the hopper for receiving the clay or plastic
materials, which are conveyed by means of the rollers b, b, down a vertical
channel cinto a reciprocating box d, placed and working beneath the channel c,
through which the clay passes from the grinding rollers b. b.
This box d I sometimes construct in the form of the letter H, as shewn in
the plan view, Fig. 5; and the two compartments thus formed, as the box reci-
procates under the channel c, are alternately filled with clay. At each side of
the central partition of the box d is a channel d*, through which the clay is
pressed forward into the mouldse, e, alternately. The channels dare secured
to a plate on which the box d works or moves, and which plate is fastened to
the standards supporting the machine. Each part of the channel do is pro-
vided at the top or bottom with a door or valve, as shewn at d¹, which is kept
down by a spring d², by which any improper quantity of clay would escape,
and prevent the machine from being strained, and will also make the bricks of
equal density or consistency. At each end of the channels d* are placed the
moulds e, e, which I sometimes mount on a cylinder, as seen at g at the left
end of Fig. 1, and sometimes on a quadrant-shaped frame, as seen at n at the
right-hand end of Fig. 1. Of course it will be understood that in making a
machine I should adopt either of these plans at both ends of the machine, but
I have shewn the two as adapted to the same machine in order to avoid
unnecessary Drawings. When I mount the moulds on the periphery of a
cylinder as at g, I bring each mould in succession to be filled by giving to the
mould cylinder gan intermittent rotating motion by means of the pawl and
ratchet g', g², Fig. 2, and I discharge each brick in succession at the lowest
point in the revolution by an arm 7, passing through the hollow trunnion of
the cylinder, carrying on its extremity a friction roller, agaiust which the
moulds' plunger rods g³; Fig. 3, press as the cylinder revolves. The brick is
started from the mould and the discharge is completed by giving to this arm
a vibrating motion, by means of a cam or excentric on shaft 12, or by any

page_text: other suitable contrivance; the plungers or loose bottoms g of the moulds
are provided with rods g³, which work in guides, as shewn in Fig. 3; these
guides being in two parts, each screwed on, the moulds can be closed as they
wear loose. Instead of making the moulds complete boxes, I form them by
two parallel sides, screwed to the cylinder or frame g, the ends of which
parallel sides pass between two fixed plates m, and complete the mould while
filling, so that when the clay is tough or sticky the corners of the brick will
not hang when the brick is discharged. When I mount the mould on a
quadrant-shaped frame, as shewn at the right-hand end of Fig. 1, and also at
Fig. 4, the mould when filled is pressed downwards by the toothed segment o
gearing with the segment p on the shaft q, that carries the mould e. The
toothed segment o is mounted on a stud o*, and is actuated by the rod q*,
which connects the tail of the segment o with a crank on the shaft, as seen
best in Fig. 2. The discharge of the brick is effected by bringing the friction
roller n, Fig. 1, at the end of the rods or guides, fastened to the loose
plunger g against the spring plate k, Figures 1 and 2, by which means the
brick receives a gentle start and is pushed out as the friction roller travels
towards the end of the plate k, and when the brick is discharged the mould
frame n is raised by means of the weight and lever r: I cut off or divide the
clay in the moulds from that in the channel d*, by the force by which the
mould frames are moved away and cut off the surface level by a cutter on an
axle *, parallel to the top or bottom in the channel d*, and the mould,
vibrating by cam or excentric, brings the cutter forward towards the brick as
the brick passes over it and cuts off the surface level, or can be made to scoop
a piece out of the centre if required; or I sometimes use a knife fastened to a
guide frame, and placed over or under the brick between the channel and the
mould, which, moving vertically either simultaneously or a little in advance of
the mould frame, cuts off the brick level,
The reciprocating box d is actuated by sectors s, s, gearing into the racks
t, t, fastened on the sides of the box, as shewn by dots, Fig. 2. These sectors
are made to vibrate on a shaft s* by means of motion imparted through the
connecting rod wol to the arm u. The rod w is actuated by a tappet i on
shaft striking against the studs w, w, of the frame at the end of the rod w¹.
Fig. 6 is a plan view, and Fig. 7 a sectional view, of a different method of
placing and working the moulds so as to make hollow bricks if required. In
order to effect this object, I place the mould or moulds e, e, at the end of
channels d*, as shewn in Figures 6 and 7; I place cores on a reciprocating
frame w, carrying also the bottom of the mould e, e; the cores n are pushed

page_text: forward by this frame into the mould while the brick is being formed, as
shewn at the right-hand end of Fig. 7, and wlien the brick is formed in the
mould the cores are drawn back to allow the plunger f* to descend and
discharge the brick from the mould, as seen at the left-hand end of Fig. 7,
where the plunger has again risen to allow the cores n to enter the mould for
the next charge of clay. I give the reciprocating motion to the frame w,
carrying the core plates n*, and the bottom of the moulds e, by means of a
tappet or cam on the shaft i², working in a frame at the end of the arm of
a lever, or by any other contrivance.
Fig. 7 shews the mould e, at the right-hand end of the machine, as
just filled, and the cutter a¹ in a depressed position, having just divided the
brick from the clay in the channel *, and simultaneous with this cutting-off
motion the plunger will descend and discharge the brick from the opposite
mould; the plunger of this opposite mould rises beyond the core holes in the
back of the mould by means of a tappet on the arm q*, or by any other con-
venient contrivance. The next movement is that of the frame w, whereby
the cores and the bottom of the mould e are brought forward to the mould,
and simultaneously with this movement the mould e is again filled by the
motion of the box d, and the like movements take place in cutting off the
brick in both moulds alternately from the clay in the channel d*, and dis-
charging the brick from the mould e. The discharge of the brick with the
simultaneous raising of the cutter a¹, to divide the brick at the opposite end
of the box from the clay in the channel, is effected by a crank on the shaft
giving a vertical reciprocating motion to the rod q* attached to the arm or
lever p, one of which works the plungers through the guides of the moulds e,
and the otlier end gives a reciprocating motion to the cutter a¹..
For pipes or other similar articles, the rotating mould wheel is dispensed
with, and the dies are to be fixed opposite to the exit apertures of the mould,
or feed chamber, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 5; then upon imparting
motion to the reciprocating box d, in the manner already shewn and described
in reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, the clay will be alternately forced
through the dies mounted at each end. For making tiles or other articles, the
clay is forced out of the feed chamber by means of the reciprocating box into
moulds or dies of suitable form and size, in which the articles may be sub-
sequently subjected to pressure before being removed therefrom.
A modification of the brick machine above described may be produced by
employing a double reciprocating frame, containing two or more compartments
or chambers, which are open at their upper ends. This frame is mounted

page_text: opposite the exit aperture of the feed chamber or channel in such a manner
that it may be moved to and fro, so as to receive a supply of clay in each of
the compartments alternately. The clay is forced from these compartments
into the moulds by means of the reciprocating mould box above described, or
by pistons or other convenient contrivance, and while one mould is receiving
its supply of clay a brick is being discharged from the other. The surface of
the pistons or bottom plates of the moulds I propose to cover with vulcanized
india-ruber or gutta percha, which will greatly facilitate the delivery of the
brick, tile, or other article.
Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view, and Fig. 9 an end view, of this
method of placing and working the moulds. The hopper rollers and
channel are marked with the same letters of reference as in the Figures
1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. is the reciprocating box, placed below the vertical
channel c, and is actuated in the same manner as shewn in Fig. 1. There is no
mould box, as in Fig. 1, but tlie box d is moved to and fro under the channel
c and moulds e, e. Loose bottoms or plungerse*e*, are adapted to each of the
compartments of box d. Fig. Sshews the left-hand compartment immediately
below the vertical channel c, and filled with clay from the said channel. The
right-hand compartment is immediately below its mould, and the clay is raised
by the loose bottom e* of the box d into the mould e above, while the other
mould on the left hand shews the brick as discharged on the bracket or shelf z,
attached to box d, and from which it must be removed by hand. The
moulds e, e, are constructed like those of Figures 1 and 2, the sides being
screwed ou to the frame, shewn detached in plan in Fig. 10, the fixed ends
being screwed on to channel c; the guide frames for the rods of the loose
bottoms of the moulds are also screwed on to frame, and this frame moves
an inch or more, if required, to loosen the brick in the mould, by sliding that
distance over the fixed end plates. I make the frame shewn in Fig. 10 to
accompany the box d for a small portion of its traverse, by causing a tappet d'
to strike against a stud de placed at each end of frame. In order to make the
moveable bottoms or pistons e of the moulds c, e, to act simultaneously, I
connect their rods together by means of a vibrating lever, so that when one
mould is being filled with clay the other mould will be discharging the brick
just formed. The reciprocating box d is traversed to and fro by means of a
sector and rack, as shewn in Fig. 2. The loose bottom e,e", of the compartments
of the box are mounted at the upper ends of the vertical rods e³, e³, which
pass through guides or holes in the bottom of the box. The lower ends of
these rods,e carry pins or studs, which enter slots at the ends of the vibrating

page_text: lever et, so that when one of the bottoms is pushed down by forcing the clay.
into the compartment from the pressing rollers, as shewn in Fig. 8, the other
bottom e* will be pushed up, and so force the clay from its compartment into
the corresponding mould e. This alternating motion of the moveable bottoms
e*, e*, is effected by means of the double vibrating sector racky,y, which gears
into and actuates the vertical racks w*, *. It will now be understood, that
as the reciprocating box d moves to and fro under the moulds one or other of
the rods 3 of the movable bottoms will be brought over the end of the
vertical racks w*, and when these latter are moved up they will force up the
rode and its moveable bottom e*, as shewn in the Figure.
Fig. 11 is a detached sectional view of a modification of the box d. In place
of making the box reciprocate, as in the former Figures, I cause the partition
to move or vibrate on a centre, the lateral channels or compartments com-
municating with the moulds e, e, being placed at an angle to the horizontal
line, so that the channels may be arranged to conduct the clay or plastic
material at an angle of inclination upwards or downwards to the moulds.
Fig. 12 is another modification, in which the box d is made to consist
simply of a bottom plate and vertical central partition, which will act as a
kind of piston to force the clay along the lateral channels alternately; the box
is moved, as in the former instance, by means of racks adapted to the bottom
thereof.
Having now described my Invention of "Improved Machinery for the
Manufacture of Bricks, Tiles, Pipes and other Articles made of Clay or Plastic
Materials," and explained the means of carrying the same into effect, I would
observe that I do not mean to claim mounting the moulds on a rotating drum
or cylinder, nor do I intend to confine myself to any particular position in
which to place the moulds in. reference to the feeding or supply of the clay;
but that which I consider to be new in the above-described improvements,
and therefore wish to claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters l'atent,
as aforesaid, is,-
First, the general arrangement of the parts of the several machines, herein
shewn and described, particularly the use of the reciprocating box d, in what-
ever form it may be constructed, or whether it be made to reciprocate in right
lines or to oscillate in any curve.
Second, I claim the mode of constructing the moulds with open ends, and
passing them when filling with clay between two fixed plates, so as to form a
complete box, and thereby prevent the clay from hanging or dragging when
the brick is dicharged.

page_text: Third, I claim the placing of the mould or moulds on a segmental or
quadrant-shaped frame; and the mode of discharging.the bricks from t
the
moulds, as above shewn and described.
Fourth, I claim the mode, shewn and described in reference to Figures 6
and 7, of making hollow bricks, particularly the use of the moveable cores
passed through holes in the side or back plate of the mould.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Gibson, have hereunto set my.
hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
J. W MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
CHAS. GIBSON. (L.S.)