IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK CUTTING TABLES "
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jonas Davis, of Laurence Hill, near Bristol, in the County
of Gloucester, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK CUTTING
TABLES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jonas Davis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th June 1879.
JONAS DAVIS, of Laurence Hill, near Bristol, in the County of Gloucester.
PROVEMENTS IN BRICK CUTTING TABLES."
"IM-
This Invention has for its object improvements in brick cutting tables. In order
to cut into separate bricks the moulded body or bar of clay delivered in a con-
tinuous flow by a brick making machine it is now usual to proceed in the following
manner A convenient length is detached from the moulded body or bar of clay
continually issuing from the moulding orifice, and this length is rapidly passed
forward on to a stationary cutting table. On this machine the bricks are cut, and
they are removed out of the way in time for the next length to be brought forward,
thus the cutting operation keeps pace with the delivery of the moulded body or bar
of clay from the moulding orifice.
Now in order to avoid the necessity for the labour heretofore expended in passing
forward the detached lengths of the moulded body or bar of clay on to the cutting
table I mount the cutting table on wheels, and arrange it to traverse along
rails.
The cutting table is also provided with a port-cullis door or blade on the entrance
side of the table. The moulded body or bar of clay as it comes from the inoulding
orifice passes on to the cutting table; when a sufficient length is upon the table the
port cullis is shut down, and the stream of clay then carries the cutting table
forward with it along the guide rails. Whilst the cutting table is travelling along
the rails the cutting is effected; the detached length of the moulded body or bar of
clay is forced sideways against wires strained at distances apart equal to the thick-
ness of a brick. The clay is thus cut up, and it passes in the forin of bricks on to

page_text: a board at the side. As soon as the cut has been made the operator raises the port
cullis by means of a hand lever provided for the purpose, and he then pushes the
cutting table back along the rails towards the moulding orifice, thus passing on to
the cutting table a length of the moulded body or bar of clay equal to that which
has issued from the moulding orifice during the time which has elapsed since the
lowering of the port-cullis. The rails are set at an inclination, so that the cutting
table may run back easily. A catch is provided, which when the cutting table is
back at its starting point drops into a notch and locks the machine fast until the
catch is withdrawn, which takes place at the same time that the port cullis is
lowered.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Jonas Davis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th December
1879.
JONAS DAVIS, of Laurence Hill, near Bristol, in the County of Gloucester.
PROVEMENTS IN BRICK CUTTING TABLES."
"
'IM-
This Invention has for its object improvements in brick cutting tables. In order
to cut into separate bricks the moulded body or bar of clay delivered in a con-
tinuous flow by a brick making machine it is now usual to proceed in the following
manner: A convenient length is detached from the moulded body or bar of clay
continually issuing from the moulding orifice, and this length is rapidly passed
forward on to a stationary cutting table. On this machine the bricks are cut, and
they are removed out of the way in time for the next length to be brought forward,
thus the cutting operation keeps pace with the delivery of the moulded body or bar
of clay from the moulding orifice.
Now in order to avoid the necessity for the labour heretofore expended in
passing forward the detached lengths of the moulded body or bar of clay on to the
cutting tablo I mount the cutting table on wheels, and arrange it to traverse along
rails.
The cutting table is also provided with a port cullis door or blade on the entrance
side of the table. The moulded body or bar of clay as it comes from the moulding
orifice passes on to the cutting table; when a sufficient length is upon the table the
port cullis is shut down, and the stream of clay then carries the cutting table
forward with it along the guide rails. Whilst the cutting table is travelling along
the rails the cutting is effected; the detached length of the moulded body or bar of
clay is forced sideways against wires strained at distances apart equal to the thick-
ness of a brick. The clay is thus cut up, and it passes in the form of bricks on to a
board at the side. As soon as the cut has been made the operator raises the port-
cullis by means of a hand lever provided for the purpose, and he then pushes the
cutting table back along the rails towards the moulding orifice, thus passing on to
the cutting table a length of the moulded body or bar of clay equal to that which
has issued from the moulding orifice during the time which has elapsed since the
lowering of the port-cullis. The rails are set at an inclination so that the cutting
table may run back easily. A catch is provided, which when the cutting table is
back at its starting point drops into a notch and locks the machine fast until the
catch is withdrawn, which takes place at the same time that the port-cullis is
lowered.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, Figure 2 is an end elevation, and Figuro 3 is a plan
of a brick cutting table constructed according to my Invention. a, a, is the frame
of the table; it is capable of travelling longitudinally upon the wheels b, b, which
are carried by the fixed frame c; d is the table, on to which the body or bar of
clay to be cut is received; the clay passes on to the table over the rollers e, e, sliding
over the surface of the table, which is covered with zinc or other metal, so that the
clay may slip freely; f is the cutting blade, which I have termed a port-cullis, and
when a sufficient length of clay has passed upon the table this blade is lowered by
the workman by means of the handle g. This handle is upon an axis h, which has
also an arm h¹ connected by a link h" with the blade f. This blade f and some of
the parts in connection with it are shown in plan to a larger scale at Figure 4.
At the same time that the blado f is lowered the bolt i is drawn up by the rod j
which is connected with the arm h, and this arm also carries a counterbalance.

page_text: The bolt being thus released from its notch in the stationary frame c, and the
slipping of the body of clay along the cutting table being stopped by the blade f
shutting down as a door, the cutting table commences to travel along the wheels b, b,
being pushed along by the clay continuously issuing from the brick machine. The
frame a of the cutting table carries at k, k, l, strained wires for the purpose of
dividing the detached body of clay upon the table into bricks, and this is effected
by means of a pusher attached by its arms 1, 1, with the two racks m, m, which
are mounted to run upon rollers carried on the frame a n, n, are a pair of toothed
arcs upon the axis n', and upon which there is also the handle o. When the work-
man pulls over this handle from back to front he forces the body of clay upon the
table against the strained wires k, and so causes it to be divided into bricks, and at
the same time these bricks are deposited upon the moveable board p. The board p
is then lifted off and the bricks carried away upon it. As soon as the cutting is
complete the workman lifts the port-cullis blade fand pushes the cutting table back
until the bolt i again falls into its notch, locking the table fast, and the bolt
remains in the notch until there is again upon the table a sufficient body of clay
to be cut, when the workman again lowers the blade or door i, and the operations
are repeated.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. The combination in a brick cutting machine of the port-cullis door or
blade with the strained cutting wires and pusher 7, the said cutting table being
mounted so that it can travel with the clay, substantially as described.
Second. The travelling brick cutting machine, substantially as herein described
and represented in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jonas Davis, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-third day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
JONAS DAVIS