IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MOULDING AND COMPRESSING PATENT FUEL, IRON ORE, AND BRICKS
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Brierley Denham Healey at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th April 1874.
I, BRIERLEY DENHAM HEALEY, of Swansea, in the County of
Glamorgan, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MOULDING AND COMPRESSING PATENT FUEL,
IRON ORE, AND BRICKS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to an improved form of machinery for
moulding and compressing that combustible material which when mado
into blocks is known by the name of Patent fuel, also for moulding and
compressing blocks of small iron ore or pulverised iron ore mixed with
carbonaceous matter which is used sometimes in making steel or iron
direct from iron ore, and also for moulding bricks of common clay, shale,
fire-clay, or any other suitable material. For cach of the purposes.
above named the dimensions of the machine may vary, as also the size
of the moulding boxes, but the general construction of the machine
remains the same.

page_text: According to this Invention a mould cylinder is mounted horizontally
in bearings formed in the main framing. In this cylinder the moulds are
arranged so that 2 bricks or blocks can be made at one operation, the
length of the moulds being parallel to the axis of the cylinder. In the
centre of the cylinder 4 slots are cut equidistant on the circumference,
these slots agree in position with the longitudinal centres of the moulds,
and are used for inserting a stop bar as each pair of moulds comes
opposite the presser. On each side of the stop bar slot holes is a flange,
in which are fixed 4 steel pins equidistant from each other, but at about
half distances between the slot holes; these pins are dragged by an
intermittent motion bar after each pair of bricks or blocks are made,
so as to bring another pair of moulds into position.
The moulds are fed in pairs by a horizontal duplex plunger which
works beneath a suitable hopper containing the material, and which is
actuated by a connecting rod from the crank on main shaft. There is
a slot in the centre of said plunger through which a rocking lever passes
from a rocking spindle below to the end of the intermittent motion bar
above, to which it is connected.. The motion of the plunger actuates the
rocking lever and consequently the intermittent motion bar, which
latter bar drags the mould cylinder 90 degrees for every revolution of
the main shaft. The presser has a duplex face, and midway between the
two faces is the stop bar which enters the centre slots of mould cylinder
before the pressers enter the moulds so as to ensure the pressers entering
the moulds fairly. The pressers and stop bar are fixed to the same cross
head which works in suitable slides at the ends, and is provided with 2
slots for the presser levers to work in. On the main shaft there is only
one crank to which the plunger lever and presser levers are connected
by suitable rods, and at each side of the crank is a pinion wheel, all of
which are within the main framing. The pinions are driven by suitable
spur. wheels on a second shaft which extends beyond the main framing
at each side and is provided with suitable fly wheels and pullies for
driving same, but the driving pullies may be dispensed with and an
independent engine attached to the second shaft.
When using breakers over the hopper for disintegrating the material
I prefer to fix 2 breakers, although only using one at a time; the other 3
being kept in readiness for break down.
Suitable liners are arranged for the bearings of presser lever oscillating
shaft, intermittent motion lever, rocking shaft, and crank end of plunger

page_text: connecting rod, so as to allow of adjustment for varying the thicknesses
of the bricks or blocks.
The main framing may be made in one casting, but for the larger
sized machines I prefer to have the side frames separate, and these I
connect by strong distance pieces; all the joints being truly faced and
provided with keys or joggles to prevent twisting of the machine.
The construction of the breakers, moulds, and relief to pressers and
plungers are well known and form no part of this Invention.