A METHOD AND APPARATUS AND MACHINERY FOR MAKING BRICKS AND TILES USED IN. FOREIGN PARTS
Year: 1798

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS-
FARQUHARSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Factor, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by
5 His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Twentieth day of February, in the thirty-eighth year
of His Majesty's reign (after reciting therein that I, the said Francis
Farquharson, had, by my Petition, humbly represented to His Majesty that
I had found out and discovered, and was possessed of an Invention of "A
METHOD AND APPARATUS AND MACHINERY FOR MAKING BRICKS AND TILES USED
IN. FOREIGN PARTS," which Invention was and is new in this Kingdom, and
not publickly known to or used by any person or persons therein, and would
be of great publick utility, and therefore prayed His Majesty to grant to
me His Royal. Letters Patent for the sole use and benefit of the said
Invention and discovery, in manner therein mentioned), did, of His especial
grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, give and grant unto me, the
said Francis Farquharson, my exors, admors, and assigns, His special licence,
full power, sole priviledge and authority, that I, the said Francis Farquharson,
my exors, admors, and assigns, and every of them, by himself and them-
selves, or by his and their deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such others
as I, the said Francis Farquharson, my exors, adññors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times

page_text: thereafter during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend my said Invention within that part
of His Majesty's Kingdom of Great Britain called England, the Dominion of
Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to me, the said
Francis Farquharson, my exors, admors, and assigns, or any of them, should
in my or their discretion seem meet; in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso whereby it was and is declared that if I, the said Francis
Farquharson, should not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be
enrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within one calendar
month next and immediately after the date of the said recited Letters
Patent, that then the said Letters Patent should be void, as in and by the
said Letters Patent, relation being thereunto had, may more fully appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Francis Farquharson, do hereby declare that the following is a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and of the manner in which
the same is to be performed, that is to say:-
The whole machinery and apparatus are delineated and fully shewn in the
Drawings and Figures annexed, numbered from One to Nineteen, and the
following contains an explanation of all the said Figures and Drawings.
Figure First exhibits the whole machine and apparatus as applied and used
in the operation of moulding bricks and tiles, and consists of the following
pieces and members, as described and delineated in this and the several other
Drawings, on a scale of one inch to the foot. N.B. In this Figure one
fourth part of the mortar tub K is cut off to show the method of fixing
the clay knives I upon the axle or shaft E, E, E; and one fourth part
of the clay receiver T, in like manner, is cut off to show the communi-
cation betwixt the mortar table L, L, L, and the moulding table U, U.
A, A, A, A, A, A, the frame of wood in which the machine works. B, B, B,
the beam of wood or handle by which the machine is moved round from right
to left, and is fitted by a mortice to the tennent on the axle or shaft E, E, E.
C, the counterballancing weight fixed on the extremity of the beam B, B, B,
and thereto firmly secured. D, an iron-bolt fixed to the lower end of the beam
B, B, B, and to which the horse or horses is or are to be harnessed. E, E, E, the
axie or shaft moving in a circular hole in the cross beam of the frame A, in which
hole one of the friction wheels, Fig. 16, may be fixed. F, the gudgeon on
which the axle or shaft E, E, E, moves, and is fixed by two iron rings 0, 0,
on the axle. G, G, two cast-iron wheels fixed on the axle or shaft E, E, E,

page_text: having eighteen teeth on one sixth part of the rim of each. H, a projecture of
the axle E, E, E, of an hexagon figure, on which the clay knives. I are fixed.
I, cast, or, if required, wrought-iron clay knives, placed spiralwise on the pro-
jection H of the axle E, E, E. K, the mortar tub standing on the mortar
table L, L, L, and fixed in the same by tennents fitting their mortices, or any
other convenient method, and securely bound by hoops. The general height
of this tub is three feet, excepting two staves, which on each side embrace the
charger R, R, and are of sufficient thickness to be grooved that the round edge
C, on the charger R, R, may move with ease up and down, and extending
in height from the mortar table L, L, L, to the cross beam of the frame A,
to which one on one side and the other on the other side is firmly secured.
Memorandum. In some cases it may be proper and found useful to omit
entirely this mortar tub marked K, and employ instead thereof a stage on
which a labourer or labourers may stand and fill the clay receiver T by hand
or other means, in order to have the clay pressed down by the loaded charger
R, R, into the several moulds b, in the moulding table U, U. L, L, L, the
mortar table on which the mortar tub K is erected, and through which the
axle or shaft E, E, E, passes, moving in another friction wheel Fig. 16, and
is supported and firmly secured to the frame A, and strengthened by plates of
iron d nailed across. M, a wooden roller. N, N, two cast-iron pinions on
gudgeons, so fixed one on each end of the roller M as that it turns with them,
one working in a sole fixed in the cross beam of the frame A, and the other in
the iron barr O, which supports the roller M. These pinions have each
eighteen teeth. 0, 0, iron barrs by which the roller M is supported, fixed to
the cross beam A, and well secured together. P, a pully acting as a director
to the rope Q, from the loaded charger R, R, to the roller M. Q, a rope,'
one end fixed to the weight S on the charger R, R., and passing over the
pully P; the other end is fixed to the body of the roller M. R, R, the
charger loaded with the weight S, the mortar K being cut off; the rounded
edge C of one side of the charger is shown as fitted to the grooves in the long
staves of the mortar tub K, and in which, when placed, completes the circle.
S, the weight fixed on the charger R, R. T, the clay receiver, representing a
square frame; and is securely fixed in and to the mortar table L, L, L.
U, U, the moulding table, showing the mould receiver b, some with and others
without the moulds; also the cogs e, e, e, on each of the cross barrs below
supporting the table, and acting on the cog of the handle W and on the shank
of the sieve X. V, V, barrs which support the cross bars of the moulding.
table U, U. W, the handle, which, turning on an iron pin Z, acts in drawing
out the moulds b, having a spring a affixed to nearly the middle of the handle,

page_text: thereby drawing back or replacing the handle in its proper position to act on
the next mould that passes it. X, the sand sieve hanging pendant from the
mortar table L, L, L, and immediately above the moulds 6 on the moulding
table U, U, hung in an iron spindle f, one end of which is placed in the frame
A, and the other, as represented, rests in a hook g.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL PIECES AND MEMBERS OF THE MACHINE AND
APPARATUS, AS DELINEATED IN THE ANNEXED DRAWINGS.
Figure First, representing the whole macliine, and already fully described.
It must be noted that the capital letters refer to the same parts in each of the
annexed Drawings.
Figure Second, the axle or shaft E, E, E, showing the tennent h for the
mortice of the angular beam B, B, B; the neck i which works in the circular
hole in the cross beam of the frame A; the position of the two large
cast-iron wheels G, G; the projecture H; the place of the mortar table
L, L, L the place of the moulding table U, U; the mortices for the cross
barrs of the moulding table U, U. Also the notches for the barrs V, V; the
iron rings o, o; and the gudgeon F. N.B.-The friction wheels, Fig. 16,
which may or may not be used, are placed embracing the necks of the axle
at i and L, L, L.
Figure Third, one of the two cast-iron wheels G, G, having a collar or
barrell p, by which it is properly secured on the axle E, E, E.
Figure Fourth, one of the clay knives I, placed spiralwise round the pro-
jecture H on the axle E, E, E.
Figure Fifth, the mortar tub K, shewing the two high staves m, m, which
embrace the charger R, R.
Figure Sixth, the mortar table L, L, L, showing the mouth of the clay
receiver T.
Figure Seventh, the roller M.
Figure Eight, one of the two cast-iron pinions N, N.
Figure Ninth, the charger R, R, loaded with the weight S, showing the
rope Q; also the round edge c on one side, and representing the proper shape
of the charger, which being placed in the mortar table L, L, L, between the
two high staves m, m, of the mortar tub K, compleats the circle.
Figure Tenth, the weight S fixed fast to the charger R, R, while the
machine is at work, and is made up of several plates of iron, viz³, one cast-iron
plate four inches thick, and twelve inches square, in which an iron bolt,
having an eye at the top, is screwed. Two other plates, also of cast iron, of
one inch thick, and twelve inches square, having in each a hole to receive the

page_text: iron bolt, and the remaining six inches is added of wood, to represent the
weight, twelve inches square. This weight, so made up, can be either encreased
or diminished, according to the power applyed to the machine or the forco
necessary to press down the clay.
Figure Eleventh, the clay receiver T, represented compleat, having on one
side a slip of iron n, with its lower edge rounded, for the purpose of smoothing
the moulded bricks as they pass from under it.
Figure Twelfth, the under side of the moulding table U, U, in diameter
six feet, in thickness three inches, being a distinct and separate table of
itself, though required to be joined with and screwed fast to the upper
table or moulding side, Figure 13, and represents twelve cross barrs q,
four of which are fitted to the mortices k in the axle E, E, E, and the other
eight are firmly secured to the axle E, E, E, by heels or notches, and when
fixed on the axle E, E, E, are firmly secured by the screwed bolts with nutts,
represented by the dots r. The end of each cross barr extends beyond the
circle of the table, forming twelve cogs e, which, in the revolution of the
machine, act upon the cog T of the handle W to draw out the moulds,
and upon the shank w of the seive X to sprinkle the sand in the empty
mould receivers. Each bar is notched s to receive the supporters V, V, and
these V, V, are logded in the notches
shaft E, E, E.
on the lower end of the axle or
Figure Thirteenth, the upper side of the moulding table U, U, in diameter
six feet, thereby fitting the under side, represented by Figure 12, but in thick--
ness variable, according to the shape and size of the bricks to be moulded,
and again variable from the quality of the clay to be used; and it must be
observed that, for every particular size and shape of bricks to be moulded by
this machine, and to prevent any interference with several Acts of Parlia-
ment regulating the sizes of bricks, each kind of bricks intended to be made
This Figure 13 repre-
requires a distinct upper table for moulding the same.
sents a table for moulding statute bricks, and is 3 inches in thickness. The.
dots r represent the screws with nutts, by which the two tables 12 and 13 are
securely fixed to each other and to the cross barrs q on the under side. This
Figure 13 is divided into twelve equal parts, two of which remain solid, and
in each of the other ten square holes or mould receivers are cut out to receive
the moulds, which moulds move out and in like drawers, and are so placed
in the table that between every two cogs e, e, there is a mould b, excepting
where the solid parts are placed, and remains solid for the express purpose
affording time for elevating the charger. The adjoining Figure 6 represents one
mould, having a division in the middle, and so by dividing each mould into two
of

page_text: parts, one revolution of the machine moulds and makes twenty bricks ready
for the field. In the front of each mould b is an iron pin, on which the curve
of the handle W acts to draw the moulds with the bricks in them out of the
mould receivers in the moulding table U, U. Instead of double moulds, as
represented in the annexed Drawings, single moulds may be used, containing
one brick in each mould.
Figure Fourteenth represents the two sides of the handle W, on one side of
which a cog T is placed. To this bandle the spring a, as represented in Figure
First, is affixed, to replace the handle in its proper position ready to draw out
the next mould.
Figure Fifteenth, the said sieve X, with its spindle f, and shank u, and
hook g.
Figure Sixteenth, one of the two collars, with friction rollers in it, that may
be placed one in the circular hole in the cross beam of the frame A, and the
other may be placed in the mortar table L, L, L.
The foregoing explanations compleat the machinery for the making of
bricks; and when the same machine is required to mould tiles the following
alterations must take place, a description of which here follows:-
Figure Seventeenth represents the slip of iron to be affixed on the clay
receiver T, Figure Eleven, the slip of iron n used for the smoothing of the
bricks being taken off; and this Figure Seventeen, fixed on in its stead,
smoothes off the concavity of the tile to which it is fitted, having its under edge
rounded as n; and for every other shaped tile a proper form of plate or slip of
iron must be used.
Figure Eighteenth, the under side of the moulding table, as required
for moulding tiles, having only ten cross barrs q. This table is six feet
in diameter, and in thickness three inches; is a distinct and separate table of
itself; and is fixed on cross barrs, as represented in the Figure, having
only ten cogs e, and acts upon the handle W and on the sieve X, in the
same manner as represented under the description of the table for bricks,
Figure 12.
Figure Nineteenth, the upper side of the moulding table for tiles, in
diameter the same as the under side, Fig. 18, but is required to be 4 inches
in thickness for pantiles, and is also variable in thickness for the same reasons
as given for the brick-moulding table, Fig. 13. And be it remembered, that
on the face of this table a segment of a circle is hollowed out fitting the
concavity of the tiles, and is continued round a proportionate breadth of the
moulds, and to this hollow the slip of iron, Figure 17, is fitted. This tile
table is divided into ten parts, only eight of which are for the mould receivers b;

page_text: description given of the.
Every revolution of the
and this table, in every her respect, answers the
upper side of the brick moulding table, Fig. 13.
machine moulds and makes eight tiles, and each mould is, in like manner as
the brick moulds, furnished with an iron pin on which the handle W acts to
draw out the moulds as they pass. The tyle mould 6 is represented to show
that the tile is formed lying on its convex side, having the concavity upper-
most. Those, with the necessary bolts to secure the frame and tables, and a
clout of iron surrounding the axle and guarding the friction wheel that may be
placed in the mortar table, thereby preventing the clay from interfering with
the machine or impeding its motion, contains a full account of the whole
apparatus.
The Operation. The mortar tub K, Fig. 1st, being about half filled
with prepared clay, and the horse harnessed to the iron bow D, fixed on the
end of the angular beam or handle B, B, B, moves the machine gently round
from right to left; and turning the axle or shaft E, E, E, on its gudgeon F,
the clay knives I cut, prepare, and propell the clay into the clay receiver T;
and the iron wheels G, G, acting on the pinions N, N, the rope Q is wound
round the roller M, by which the charger R, R, loaded with the weight S,
is elevated or drawn up about three feet, and the revolution of the pinions N, N,
being finished, and the one-sixth toothed part of the rims of the iron
wheels G, G, quitting hold of the pinions, the loaded charger R, R, falls with
force on the clay, and continues to press the clay through the clay receiver T
into the moulds b, in the moulding table U, U, during the remaining part of
the revolution of the machine, thereby filling each mould as it is brought
forward. And the mould b, in passing the clay receiver T, are smoothed by
the rounded edge of the slip of iron n, fastned on the side thereof, and the iron
pins fixed in the front of each mould passing through the nich in the handle W,
Fig. 14, are caught by the curve or point of the said handle; and the cogs e
on the moulding table U, U, acting on the cog of the handle W, Fig. 14,
force the handle forward, and with it the moulds b, mould by mould, as they
pass the spring a, then replacing the handle W in its proper position, prepares
it to act as the moulds come forward. And to prevent damage to the new
moulded bricks ready to be drawn out, a temporary sloping table, shown by
the dotted lines u, u, is placed before the machine, that the moulds as they are
drawn out may descend gently and without damage to the ground, from
whence they are carried off to the field, the empty mould receivers going
round the cogs e, on the moulding tables U, U, acting on the shank of the sand
sieve X, thereby moving the sieve. The empty mould receivers are sprinkled
with sand and prepared to receive the moulds b, which are replaced as they pass

page_text: the sieve X, and the revolution of the machine from right to left is compleated
on the tenth mould being drawn from its place. And it is to be observed
that, during the time the loaded charger R, R, is rising up, the solid part of
the moulding table U, U, is passing under the clay receiver T, and the clay
knives I supplying or again filling the clay receiver T with clay, the first
mould beginning to pass under the clay receiver, the loaded charger R, R, is
instantly discharged on the clay and renews the operation of moulding.
Although a precise number, twenty bricks or eight tiles, are proposed to be
made by each revolution of the machine now specified, yet, by enlarging the
several members and pieces of the machine proportionally to the power to be
applied, this machine may be extended to mould a very great quantity of
bricks per day. And be it remembered, that this machine is intended to work
by horse or horses, cattle, &c., or by wind, water, or steam, as may be required,
or otherwise practicable. And be it further remembered, that this machine is
so constructed that, by unscrewing the brick-moulding table from the axle and
replacing it by fixing on the tile table and unscrewing the brick side plate
from and fixing in its place the tile side plate on the clay receiver, with this
alteration, one machine is enabled thereby to mould either bricks or tiles;
and if employed in an extensive brick and tile work, separate machines for
every sort of bricks and tiles made this Kingdom may be erected.
may be erected. And be
it particularly remembered, that the clay knives I, mortar tub K, horizontal
moulding table U, U, moulds b, as placed in the moulding table U, U, together
with the acting handle W, and its spring a, are, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, entirely a new Invention in this Kingdom; and that the whole
machinery and apparatus applyed to the making of bricks and tiles are also
new as to such application and use in this Kingdom.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nine-
teenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand seven
hundred and ninety-eight, and in the thirty-eighth year of His said
Maiesty's reign.
FRA (L.s.) FARQUHARSON.
Signed, sealed, and delivered, by the
within-named Francis Farquharson,
being first duly stamped, in the
in the presence of us,
JA WESTON,
Fenchurch Street.
RICH MATTHEWS

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Nineteenth day of March,
in the year of our Lord 1798, the aforesaid Francis Farquharson came
before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Spe-
cification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stampt
according to the tenor of the Statutes made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight.