IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MOULDING ARTICLES IN CERAMIC OR PLASTIC MATERIALS
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Garrett Tongue at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th September 1869.-A communication from abroad by Pierre
Paulin Faure, of Paris, in the Empire of France.
I, JOHN GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue and Birkbeck, Patent
Agents and Engineers, of No. 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MOULDING
ARTICLES IN CERAMIC OR PLASTIC MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for
moulding articles in ceramic or plastic materials in the manufacture of
articles of pottery ware, such as plates, dishes, or other articles of
round or oval form, and in order that these improvements may be
readily understood I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed.

page_text: The whole of the lower part of the machine is similar in arrangement
to that of a lathe, A being the pivoted axis; B and B are fixed and loose
driving pullies; C is an arrangement of revolving table intended to
receive the moulds M.
The upper part of the machine is arranged as a carriage provided with
two rollers, and g', so as to move upon a level surface. The connecting
rad D, the crank handle D', the axis d, and the lever arm d¹ form the
means for working this carriage. E is a vertical hollow sliding bar
moving in the guides of the carriage; V is a hand wheel which by its
nipping action allows of the bar E being fixed; F is a handle for
moving the vertical bar E up or down; R is a regulating valve; X is a
brass tool fixed at the extremity of the bar E; this metal tool is hollow
and is perforated with a number of holes, and is covered with felt of
suitable form; is another hand wheel, by means of which a sliding
cramp can be secured upon the bar, such cramp carrying a roller o.
When the tool X is ready for work, that is to say, at the lower point of
its movement, the roller o rests upon the pattern surface x. This pattern
surface x is shaped so as to follow the exterior outline to be given to the
article that it is desired to produce. I is a cord fixed at one end to
the bar E, and at the other end to the counterweight Q and to the
treadle P; this cord passes over two pullies. It is obvious that by the
action of the treadle P the tool X is moved, when the hand wheel V is
unfastened. The object of the counterweight Q is to partially balance
the bar E. Z is a tube in communication with a reservoir of water, and
by this means a pressure of water is maintained in the hollow bar E.
By the valve R the quantity of water can be regulated to moisten the
tool X. H is the central part of the mechanism for the movement of
the template; h is the template firmly secured to the lever L; O¹ is a
counterweight for balancing the lever L; S is a moveable stop; 8, a
lever by which the whole of the mechanism H can be moved vertically:
The other parts not described are those common to machines, and
merely serve for the regulation of the movements and to their perfect

page_text: Operation of the tool. To mould an article a layer of plastic material
is deposited upon the mould M; the fly V being unfastened the tool X is
allowed to descend vertically by means of the treadle P; by the roller o
resting upon the pattern surface X this vertical descent determines the
thickness of the article to be moulded. The valve R being regulated
the parts are operated by the handle d; the carriage then has its hori-
zontal traverse movement. The bar E sliding in the guides of the
carriage it results that the roller o in contact with the pattern surface x
transmits its movement to the tool X. The tool X then moulds the
article according to the curve of the pattern surface, a curve arranged as
already explained to produce the exterior form it is desired to give to the
articles. The operation of moulding being ended the tool must be raised
again to its first position, which is effected by the treadle P and by the
handle d.
Operation, of the template.-To smooth the article and finish the
mouldings which it is desired to obtain the lever L is brought down by
the handle p, and secured by the moveable stop S. The template / is
placed by this means at about the of an inch from the moulded article.
By means of the handle & the mechanism H is then caused to descend
to the end of its movement, which is determined by the stop b. By
pressing upon the button r the edge of the plate or other article is cut
to the exact size, the excess of plastic material always following one
direction conducted by the wing of the cutter. The operation being
finished the stop 8 is reversed and all the parts return to their first
position; the mould M is then removed to allow the article to dry, being
replaced by another, and so on in succession.
The articles thus produced have the advantage of mathematical
uniformity, the molecules of the clay or plastic material are powerfully
compressed consequent upon a constant pressure. These articles when
subjected to the process of drying and baking do not sink out of shape,
the bottom of the article remains perfectly level, and the edges preserve
the inclination of the mould.
That which is essential in this machine (which may be considerably

page_text: of the tool X constantly moistened and operating as described, which
moulds the plastic material by gauging the article that it is desired to
produce.
It has before been said that the template has for its object only to
smooth the article and gauge and finish the mouldings. It should how- 5
ever be observed that for plastic materials sufficiently tempered with
water the tool X unmoistened, that is to say, simply in metal, may be
employed.