IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING BRICKS, TILES, AND MOULDINGS
Year: 1880

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henry Large at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th February 1880.
HENRY LARGE, of Southall, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer. “IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING BRICKS, TILES, AND MOULDINGS."
The object of this Invention is to provide a simple apparatus for making bricks,
tiles, and mouldings, whereby a certain number can be made at one time.
To this end I employ large moulds, which are divided by partitions into any
required number of compartments, say twelve, the dimensions of each compartment
being equal to that of a brick or tile. This mould is placed upon a mould board
or table, and receives the clay either direct from a pug mill or from a barrow or
other appliance; it is then carried under a pressing roller, which spreads out the
clay in the mould to a press, where pressure is given to the clay, or consolidate it
in the moulds sufficient for handling, and not to form what are known as pressed
bricks.
While the formed bricks are held down by the plungers of the press the mould
is drawn upwards, and as soon as it is clear of the bricks the plungers are raised,
and the mould board or table with the bricks thereon is taken from the press, and
the bricks are stacked for drying in the ordinary way.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a general view partly in section of my
improved apparatus, showing the complete process for making bricks; Fig. 2 is a
transverse section of the apparatus taken on the line x, x, Fig. 1; Figures 3 and 4
are plan views of a mould for bricks and the mould board or table respectively;
and Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a plan view and a sectional elevation of a
portion of a tile mould.
In the general view, Fig. 1, A is the long framework or platform in which the
rollers A¹ are mounted; B are the moulds, which are placed upon the rollers A¹,
and brought up to receive the clay from a pug mill C. The mouth of the pug mill
.

page_text: is made of about the same width as the mould, whatever that may be ; D is the
pressing board hinged to the side of the frame A, and intended to press down the
lump of clay and cause it to spread out in the mould; E is a roller mounted in
adjustable bearings in standards fixed to the frame A, and under which the filled
mould is next passed. The office of this roller is to further spread out the clay, and
cause it to completely fill in the mould, and it is so adjusted as to press down the
clay level with the top of the mould. The filled mould is next run under a press F,
which is provided with a number of plungers; these plungers are caused to descend
into the mould, and to compress the clay to the exact size required. While in the
press F the mould is withdrawn (as will be presently explained) from the bricks,
and the plungers being then raised the mould board or table, with the formed
bricks thereon, is run out of the press.
The bricks are now placed on barrows to be taken to the stack yard or drying
kiln the mould board or table is then transferred to another frame, similar to and
running parallel with the frame A, and the mould which has been lowered onto
the rollers A' is run out and placed again on the mould board, which is run back
to the pug mill end of the apparatus for reuse.
Having thus described the general arrangement and working of the apparatus I
will proceed to described the parts in detail.
The mould consists of three parts, vis, the mould proper B (see Fig. 3); a mould
board or table G, and patterns or pallet boards G' (see Fig. 4).
The mould proper B consists of a rectangular frame, which is divided up by
longitudinal and transverse partitions into, say, twelve compartments a, in which
the bricks are to be formed. The length and breadth of these compartments a will
correspond to the length and breadth of the article to bo formed, but the depth
will be somewhat greater. The longer sides of this frame are provided with
fillets b, b, by which the frame can be raised for the purpose to be presently
explained.
The mould board or table G is divided up by narrow fillets c, c, into spaces
corresponding to the compartments a of the mould B, and into these spaces plattens
or pallet boards G₁ are inserted. The table G is also provided at its end with
guide pieces d, d, by which the mould when placed on the table G will be
maintained in its proper position. The plattens inay be provided with lumps or
projections e, e, to form the frog in the bricks. When all or the required number
of plattens are inserted in the spaces in the table the mould B is placed on the
table G, and the whole mould is well wetted and sanded previous to being run
up to the pug mill to prevent the adherence of the clay to the sides of the
mould.
The press consists of the side frames F, F', placed one on either side of the
roller A, and resting on a suitable table or bed. These side frames are connected
together at top by a cross head F, and at bottom by tie rods F. The crosshead F
is provided at its centre with a threaded socket to receive the screw H, on the head
of which is secured the handle H'.
This screw H carries at its lower end a crosshead or beam I, which is placed
longitudinally of the press, and is so connected with the screw H as to allow the
latter to turn in a socket formed in the centre of the beain I. To the underside of
this beam I are attached in any convenient manner a number of plungers J; these
plungers J are of such a size, and are so arranged that they shall fit easily into the
compartments & of the mould B, when this latter is brought under them, and stops
are provided on either side of the press to regulate the position of the mould in the
press with respect to the plungers.
The plungers are caused to descend by turning the screw H, the pitch of which
it is preferred shall be such that about half a turn will be sufficient to bring the
plunger down into the moulds and compress the clay therein to the dimensions
required. A pair of iron yokes K having turned-in ends are so placed before the
mould is introduced into the press that the ends shall be in position to take under
the fillets b, b, on the sides of the mould B. These yokes work in vertical guides

page_text: formed in the side frames F, F¹, and are carried preferably by wire ropes f,f,
which are connected to a winch g; on turning the winch g the ropes are wound
up, and the yokes K will be raised, and with them the mould B, the bricks
being held down on the table G by the plungers J. As soon as the mould is
raised clear of the top of the bricks the plungers J are raised by turning the screw H
in the reverse direction, and the table Ġ with the bricks thereon is run out of the
press, as shown at L, Fig. 1.
The formed bricks are then removed on the pallet boards G¹ and placed on
barrows preparatory to being taken to the stack yard or drying kiln, and the
pallet boards are replaced into the spaces of the table G. When this is accomplished
the table G is shifted onto another roller frame, and tho yokes K carrying the
mould B are lowered until the mould rests on the rollers A'; the mould is then
run out of the press and placed on the table G, which is then run back to the pug
nill for refilling the moulds, the yokes remaining down ready for the next mould.
The above operation is repeated every time a filled mould is run into the press.
It will be evident that flat tiles or mouldings may be made in the same manner,
the dimensions of the moulds B and the plungers J being altered to suit the special
requirements, the whole apparatus otherwise remaining the same.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in
Apparatus for Making Bricks, Tiles, or Mouldings," I wish it to be understood
that I claim,-
First. The arrangement of apparatus as herein shewn and described, or any
mere modification thereof, for making bricks, tiles, or mouldings, as set forth.
Second. The combination of the plungers J for compressing and holding down
the bricks with the yokes K for raising the moulds, as and for the purpose herein
set forth.
Third. The moulds B constructed and arranged as shewn in reference to
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, of the Drawing..
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Large, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
HENRY LARGE
HENRY LARGE
(E.S.)