IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Craven, of Wakefield, in the County of
York, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR
ARTICLES."
Sealed the 28th September 1875, and dated the 10th May 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Craven at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th May 1875.
I, JOHN CRAVEN, of Wakefield, in the County of York, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER
SIMILAR ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates chiefly to that description of machinery for
moulding bricks, tiles, and other similar articles for which Letters
Patent were granted to Richard Bradley and William Craven, January.
18th 1859, No 155, and has for its object more particularly the
expulsion of the air from the bricks or other articles in the course

page_text: of being moulded in order to prevent cracks to which bricks manu-
factured in the ordinary manner are liable; but a further object of my
Invention is the provision of more efficient means for acting upon the
under pistons, and ejecting or delivering the moulded bricks or other
articles from the mould.
My Invention also relates to presses or apparatus for compressing
bricks and other like articles moulded by any ordinary or suitable
machinery.
In carrying out my Invention as applied to the moulding of bricks,
I employ in connection with the revolving moulding table described in
the Specification of the said former Letters Patent, two additional upper
pistons or rams working at diametrically opposite sides of such table,
which pistons or rams are lifted by means of suitable cams mounted
on the upper horizontal shaft carrying the eccentrics for operating the
other pistons, as described in the said former Specification, and are
allowed to fall by their own gravity, assisted; if required, by weights
one or more times (by preference, twice) during the revolution of the
shaft, so as to impart, say, two additional blows to the brick or other
article for the purpose of expelling the air therefrom.
In operating with the apparatus (taking the action of one of the
additional pistons and rams and one side of the table as an example
with which the operation of the other piston or ram and the other side
of the table is simultaneous and identical), the mould for the time being
situate beneath the hopper is supplied with clay, and by the revolution
of the table such mould is brought beneath one of the additional pistons
or rams applied in accordance with the present Invention, which piston
or ram is lifted and allowed to fall, say twice, and compress the clay
in the mould against an under piston which forms a moveable bottom.
for the mould, after which the motion of the table being continued
the partially condensed brick is further compressed between the said
under piston and the top plate or cover of the table until the mould
arrives at one of the upper pistons described in the said former Specifi-
cation, when it receives a final pressure to be subsequently ejected or
delivered from the mould.
According to the present Invention I employ for ejecting or delivering
the brick from the mould, a rocking lever mounted on a centre or
fulcrum in the frame of the machine, such lever being caused to bear

page_text: or act at one end against the under piston by being operated at the
required periods by means of an incline which is formed on the tappet
apparatus for actuating the table, and acts upon, a corresponding incline
provided on the opposite end of such lever.
I also propose to employ for compressing or consolidating bricks or
like articles moulded by any ordinary or suitable apparatus, a press
constructed in the following manner :- I provide a frame having
standards and a horizontal cross head in bearings, in the centre of
which latter is fitted, so as to be capable of turning freely, the upper
end of a vertical shaft or rod, the lower end of which turns in a footstep
bearing in the main frame. This shaft carries a table which is formed
with apertures for the reception of the moulded bricks (for example),
and is rotated by a tappet operated by means of a vertical shaft and
bevel gearing from a horizontal shaft actuated by spur gearing from the
driving shaft of the machine. The apertures are closed at their under
side by pistons which are operated or forced up in succession by means
of a rocking lever, also actuated by the tappet apparatus in the manner
herein-before described as applied to the moulding machine when each
of the series of apertures is brought beneath two upper pistons or rams,
between which and the lower pistons the compression is effected. The
upper pistons are fitted in the standards before referred to so as to work
at diametrically opposite points of the table, and they are lifted by cams
fast on the horizontal shaft before mentioned, and allowed to fall so as to
compress the brick against the under piston of the mould for the time
being situate beneath it, after which the consolidated brick is ejected
or delivered either by the rocking lever before mentioned, or otherwise,
as desired.
0
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Craven in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CRAVEN, of Wakefield, in the County. of York, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of
5 our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-

page_text: eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Craven, Her special license that
I, the said John Craven, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Craven, my executors, admini-
strators, or 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 MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Craven, my
executors or administrators, 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 Scal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Craven, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
My said Invention relates chiefly to that description of machinery
for moulding bricks, tiles, and other similar articles for which Letters
Patent were granted to Richard Bradley and William Craven, January
Eighteenth, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, No. 155, and
has for its object more particularly the expulsion of the air from the
bricks or other articles in the course of being moulded in order to
prevent cracks to which bricks manufactured in the ordinary manner
are liable; but a further object of my Invention is the provision of
more efficient means for acting upon the under pistons for the purpose
of ejecting or delivering the moulded bricks or other articles from the
mould.
My Invention also relates to presses or apparatus for compressing

page_text: In carrying out my Invention as applied to the moulding of bricks,
I employ, in connection with the revolving moulding table described
in the Specification of the said former Letters Patent, two additional
upper pistons or rams working at diametrically opposite sides of such.
table, which pistons or rams are lifted by means of a suitable cam or
cams mounted on the upper horizontal shaft carrying the eccentrics
for operating the other pistons, as described in the said former Specifi-'
cation, and are allowed to fall by their own gravity, assisted, if required,
by weights one or more times (by preference twice) during each revo-
lution of the shaft, so as to impart, say, two additional blows to the
brick or other article for the purpose of expelling the air therefrom.
The partially condensed brick is then further compressed between the
under piston, which forms the bottom of the mould, and a top plate or
cover fitted to or formed on one of the standards of the machine, after
which it receives a final pressure from one of the upper pistons described
in the said former Specification to be subsequently ejected or delivered
from the mould.
According to the present Invention I employ for ejecting or delivering
the brick from the mould, a rocking lever mounted on a centre or
fulcrum in the frame of the machine, such lever being caused to bear
or act against the under piston by being operated at the required.
periods by means of an incline which is formed on the tappet apparatus
for actuating the tables, or by an equivalent mechanical arrangement.
.
I also employ for compressing or consolidating bricks or like articles
moulded by any ordinary or suitable apparatus, a press constructed
in the following manner :-To a vertical shaft mounted in bearings
in a suitable frame I attach a table having apertures formed therein
for the reception of the moulded bricks, for example, to be compressed
or consolidated. This table is rotated by a tappet operated by means
of a vertical shaft and bevel gearing from a horizontal shaft actuated by
spur gearing from the driving shaft of the machine. The apertures are
closed at their under side by pistons which are operated or forced up
in succession by means of a rocking lever, also actuated by the tappet
apparatus in the manner herein-before described as applied to the
moulding machine. Each of the series of apertures is brought beneath
two upper pistons or rams, between which and the lower pistons the
compression is effected. The upper pistons are fitted in standards at
diametrically opposite points of the table, and they are actuated by cams

page_text: or eccentrics fast on the horizontal shaft before mentioned, so as to
compress the brick against the under piston of the mould for the time
being situate beneath it, after which the consolidated brick is ejected
or delivered by means of the rocking lever before mentioned.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I 5
shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheets of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) of the accompanying Drawings represents a front 1
elevation of my improved machine for moulding bricks; Figure 2 is a
corresponding end elevation of the same.
Figure 3 (Sheet 2) is a horizontal section on the line 1-2 in
Figure 1.
Figures 4 and 5 are detached views of the cams which actuate the 1
upper pistons.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of my improved apparatus for com-
pressing or consolidating bricks; and Figure 7 is a detail view which
will be herein-after referred to.
A is a base plate supporting the whole of the apparatus; B, B', are 2
the main standards of the machine which are securely bolted to the
base plate A; C is a vertical shaft or spindle carrying the moulding
table G, and supported at its lower end in a foot step bearing D on the
base plate A, whilst its upper end works in a bearing E carried on a
projecting bracket F. fitted to or cast in one with the standard B¹.
2
The table G, which is provided with any desired number of apertures
or moulds H (twelve of which are shewn in my Drawings) receives an
intermittent rotatory motion in order to bring each mould in succession
beneath the open mouth of a tube or spout I for the reception of its
supply of clay or other material of which the brick is to be formed. 3
The intermittent rotatory motion is obtained from another vertical
shaft.or spindle L working in bearings M, N, and carrying a disc O.
provided with projections or tappets P which engage with corresponding
projections Q formed round the periphery of the table G. The shaft
or spindle L carries at its upper extremity a bevel wheel R in gear 3
with a bevel pinion S keyed on the main driving shaft T; this shaft

page_text: also carries a spur wheel U driven by a pinion V keyed on the first
motion shaft W, which latter receives its motion from any suitable
prime mover by means of a strap passing over the fast and loose driving
pulleys X.
In operating this machine, taking as an example the action of one
side of the table with which the operation of the other side is simul-
taneous and identical, the mould for the time being situate beneath the
spout or tube I, having received a supply of clay delivered from the
hopper K is, by the rotation of the table, brought beneath the additional
piston Y, which descends and compresses the clay within the mould.
This piston is connected to a rod Z secured at its upper end to a cross
head a, which also carries the corresponding additional piston Y¹ on
the opposite side of the machine. The cross head a carrying the
pistons Y, Y', is caused to rise and fall twice during each revolution
of the shaft T by means of a cam b, (shown detached at Figure 4,
Sheet 2,) provided with two projections c, d, which as the cam rotates
act in succession upon the friction roller e carried in the cross head...
The piston Y having been elevated to the full extent of the throw of
the cam falls again by its own gravity, assissted if necessary by a
weight f, thereby consolidating the clay within the mould, and forcing
out or expelling any air which may be confined therein.
.
The true vertical action of the piston Y, Y', is ensured by means of
guides, g, through which the rod Z pass. After the piston Y has
completed its two strokes the table G, which has remained stationary,
is caused to rotate so as to bring the mould next in succession under
the action of the piston, and the mould previously acted upon is, by
the rotation of the table, simultaneously brought beneath a flat plate h,.
carried by a bracket i cast on the standard B', between which plate
and the under piston k, forming the bottom of the mould, the clay is
further compressed. This compression is effected in the following
manner is a lever hinged at m to a bracket n bolted to the base
plate A. This lever extends across the machine, and is connected at its
opposite end by a rod o with one end of a lever p working on a fulcrum q
on the upper part of the standard B², and the opposite end of which
is connected to a slide » working in guides in the standard B. This
slide is provided with a slot or opening within which works a cam or
eccentric t, shewn detached at Figure 5, Sheet 2,) carried on the driving
shaft T so as to cause the slide to rise and fall once during each.

page_text: revolution of the shaft T, and transmit motion through the lever p
and rod o to the lever 1; u is a projecting pin carried on the lever 1,
and passing through an opening in the base plate A, which pin, as
the lever rises, comes in contact with the lower side of the piston v
and forces it in an upward direction, thereby compressing the clay
contained in the mould between such piston and the plate h. The
table which remained stationary during the operation last mentioned
then rotates so as to bring the mould containing the compressed clay
beneath the piston v in order to receive its final pressure.
The piston v is constructed and operated in a manner similar to that
described in the Specification herein-before mentioned, it being caused
to rise and fall by means of the cam or eccentric t which actuates the
slides r, on or to the lower part of which it is formed or attached.
The clay having. received its final pressure the table again rotates so as
to bring the said compressed clay into a position to be ejected or
delivered from its mould. The ejection of the moulded brick is effected
by the action of the under piston operated by the rocking lever 1, to
which motion is imparted either in the manner herein-after described
with reference to the arrangement of press shewn in Figure 6 (Sheet 2)
of my Drawings, or as I prefer in the manner next herein-after
described.
During the time that the pin u (Figures 1, 2, and 3) carried upon the
lever is compressing the clay contained in a mould situate for the
time being beneath the plate h, another pin w also carried on the lever
is acting upon the piston k of the mould containing the finished brick
so as to raise the top surface of such piston to within a short distance
of the face of the table, in which position it is maintained by two spring
plates x, x. These spring plates, which are opened out or expanded by
the
between them of the lower portion of the piston r,
passage
close or
contract again so soon as the lower edge of the piston is raised by the
pin w above the upper edge of the plates. The lever 7 with the pin w
then descends, leaving the piston supported by the plates x, x, after
which the table again performs a partial rotation, and the piston is
caused to ascend an inclined surface y which raises it to the full
extent, and forces the finished brick entirely from its mould above.
the surface of the table, whence it may be readily removed by an
attendant.

page_text: In order to ensure the table G remaining stationary during the action
of the pistons, two levers z, z¹, are employed which at the required
periods are caused to engage with and to become disengaged from the
projections Q, the lever preventing the table from moving in one
direction, whilst the lever ¹ prevents its motion in the opposite direction.
In order to effect this object the lever z, which is centred at 2² to lugs 1,
is acted upon at one end thereof first by one of the inclined projections
2, arranged upon the disc o in such a manner as to cause the lever
to turn on its centre and bring the opposite end, 3, thereof within the
range of the projections Q, and then by one of another series of pro-
jections 4 carried upon a disc 5 so as to raise the end 3 out of contact
with the projections Q, and admit of the rotation of the table. By
these means the table is arrested in its motion in one direction and
liberated alternately, whilst it is prevented from moving in the opposite
direction by the action of the lever z¹, as next herein-after explained.
This lever, which is centred to lugs 6 at the opposite end of the
machine, acts upon the opposite sides of the projections Q to those
acted upon by the lever, for which purpose it is weighted at its outer
end 7, whereby its opposite end 8 is caused to rise within the range
of the projections Q to be subsequently depressed as the table rotates
by succeeding projections bearing upon the upper surface thereof.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of my improved apparatus for com-
pressing or consolidating bricks moulded by any ordinary or other
machinery. A is a base plate to which are bolted two standards B, B,
connected together by a cross head 9, the whole forming the main
framing of the machine on which the various parts of the apparatus
are supported; C is a vertical shaft or spindle to which is secured the
moulding table G containing any suitable number of apertures or
moulds H in which the bricks to be compressed or consolidated are
placed. This table is rotated by a tappet arrangement similar to that
herein before described with reference to the moulding machine (Figures
1, 2, and 3).
The bricks are compressed between upper vertical pistons v, v, and
under pistons ¹, which latter form the bottom of the moulds, as shewn
in the detail, Figure 7; these pistons are provided with lips or pro-
jections 13 fitting the interior of the mould, and resting upon internal
flanges 14 so as to retain the pistons in their place, whilst admitting
of their being forced up for the ejection of the compressed bricks in

page_text: the manner herein-after explained. Taking as before one side of the
machine as an example of its operation, the moulds H, as the table G
revolves, are brought in succession under the action of one of two
vertical pistons v, v, which piston is caused to descend by means of a
cam or eccentric carried by the shaft T so as to compress the brick
contained in the mould situate, for the time being, beneath it, and rise
again to admit of the next mould being brought under its action. The
compressed bricks are then expelled from their moulds by means of one
of two levers centred at m to the standards B', and under the action
of which the pistons / are brought in succession by the rotation of the
table G. The tappet wheel or disc O carries inclined pieces 10 which
as they rotate come in contact with the outer end 11 of the lever 1, and
depress the same, thereby clevating its opposite end 12, which by bearing
upon the under side of the pistons / in succession elevates the same,
and forces the compressed bricks above the surface of the table to be
removed by the attendant.
The mode of driving and transmitting the motions to the other
parts of the apparatus is similar to that herein-before described with
reference to the moulding machine illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
of my Drawings.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination with a moulding table of the description before
mentioned of two additional pistons or rams arranged and operated
substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth, in
conjunction or not with vibrating or rocking levers for ejecting or
delivering the compressed moulded articles from the moulds, all sub-
stantially as herein-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Secondly. The general arrangement and combination of apparatus
whereby moulded bricks or other like moulded articles introduced into
apertures or moulds formed in a rotary table, are there subjected to
the action of pistons for the purpose of being compressed or consoli-
dated; and such compressed or consolidated bricks or other like
articles are then elevated under the action of rocking levers for the
.

page_text: the whole substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by my
Drawings.
⚫ In witness whereof, I, the said John Craven, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of November,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
ALFRED W. STANFIELD, J.P.,
Wakefield.
JOHN CRAVEN. (L.S.)