A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CASTOR BOWLS, KNOBS, . OTHER ARTICLES OF A SIMILAR DESCRIPTION FROM PLASTIC CLAY
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Gaskell and John Gaskell, of Burslem, in
the County of Stafford, Potters, for the Invention of "A NEW OR
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CASTOR BOWLS, KNOBS,
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Gaskell and
John Gaskell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 18th April 1874.
WC, JAMES GASKELL and JOHN GASKELL, of Burslem, in the County
of Stafford, Potters, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CASTOR BOWLES,
KNOBS, AND OTHER ARTICLES OF A SIMILAR DESCRIPTION FROM PLASTIC CLAY," to
be as follows:-
-
In the centre of two upright sides is a plate or shelf which contains
a set of six or more holes or apertures to receive the metal moulds
which are employed to form part of the articles mentioned in the title.

page_text: Another plate or shelf held in position by guides contains the corre-
sponding set of six or more holes or apertures to receive the other set
of metal moulds, and by means of which the other part of the said
articles are formed. A roller and weight attached to the top mould
plate causes it to rise and fall. Between the top mould plate and the
roller is a cross bar which forms a fulcrum for three sets of oblique
lovers which are attached to the top mould plate, and which, as they
come together, press vertically on the top mould plate, and by means
of which the moulds are brought and held in close contact. This is
effected by means of another set of three oblique levers which are fixed 1
horizontally from the middle joints of the first-named lever to a cross
bar which forms the fulcrum. Two rods are attached to the middle joints
of these levers pass down to a treadle underneath the apparatus, which
when pressed upon by the foot straightens the vertical levers. An arm
extending from the middle joints of the horizontal levers, and resting
on the middle joints of the vertical levers for a fulcrum, by depressing
the said arm raises the middle joints of the horizontal levers and releases
the vertical levers. The top mould plate is then raised by means of the
roller and weight.
The metal moulds are so formed that they meet in two parts with
sharp edges. The top part is furnished with a moveable top which
slides in a tube, so that when the mould is empty the slider falls down
into the mould, but by pressing the clay into the moulds the slider is
moved up the tube even with and thus forming part of the mould, the
said slider being so arranged that as it moves up the tube the air is
allowed to escape until it reaches the top, when it becomes perfectly
air-tight. Attached to the said slider are arms connected with a
moveable bar.
The lower part of the mould is furnished with a moveable bottom
or rammer which is arranged to be even or at a level with the edges
of the mould; the clay is then laid on in flat pieces of suitable
thickness.
As the edges of the moulds are brought together they cut out just
a sufficient quantity to fill the moulds; the rammer and slider are
then forced by the clay into the tubes, the rammer allowing the air
to escape until the top part passes into the tube, which with the clay
6000
little way down the then manto hoine hold firmly together while

page_text: the rammers are forced up even or level with the bottom of the mould
of which they form part. Attached to the said rammer arc arms con-
nected with the aforesaid moveable bar.
Underneath the lower mould plate is a moveable bar or plate which
slides vertically in the grooved sides of the apparatus, to which arc
attached the rammers or bottoms of the moulds. Attached to the said
plate are two oblique levers, one at each end, which rest upon a cross
bar which serves as a fulcrum. By turning the cross bar with a handle
it straightens the levers, and raises the plate which contains the rammers,
thus forcing the said rammers up the tubes, by which means the said
articles are pressed and formed. There is also another set of oblique
levers of larger dimensions attached in a similar way to those above
mentioned, and which serve to raise the articles out of the moulds
when formed. A lever and weight attached balance the weight of
the cross bar and rammers which hold them in any required position.
If a hole or recess should be required in the articles to be formed
the rammers have apertures through which the required piercers slide,
and which are attached to a plate underneath. An eccentric cam
actuated by a handle forces these piercers into the article, and moves
tho bar to which the arms of the rammers and sliders are attached, thus
causing them to turn.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Gaskell and John Gaskell in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 17th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
GASKELL and JOHN GASKELL, of Burslem, in the County of Stafford,
Potters, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said James Gaskell and John Gaskell,
Her special licence that we, the said James Gaskell and John Gaskell,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as wc, the

page_text: said James Gaskell and John Gaskell, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter, during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF CASTOR BOWLS, KNOBS, AND OTHER ARTICLES OF A SIMILAR
DESCRIPTION FROM PLASTIC CLAY," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said James Gaskell and John Gaskell, our executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to bo
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Gaskell and John Gaskell,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement (that is to say) :-
In the centre of two upright sides is a plate or shelf which contains,
by preference, a set of six or more holes or apertures to receive the
metal moulds (although if necessary there may be of course fewer
apertures than six) which are employed to form part of the articles
mentioned in the title. Another plate or shelf held in position by
guides contains the corresponding set of holes or apertures to receive.
the other set of metal moulds, and by means of which the other part
of the said articles are formed. A roller and weight attached to the
top mould plate causes it to rise and fall. Between the top mould
plate and the roller is a cross bar which forms a fulcrum for thrco
sets of oblique levers which are attached to the top mould plate, and
which, as they come together, press vertically on the top mould plate,
by means of which the moulds are brought and held in close contact.
This is effected by means of another set of three oblique levers which
are fixed horizontally from the middle joints of the first-named levers
to a cross bar which forms the fulcrum. Two rods attached to the
middle joints of these levers pass down to a treadle underneath the
apparatus, which when pressed upon by the foot straightens the vertical
levers. An arm extending from the middle joints of the horizontal

page_text: levers, and resting on the middle joints of the vertical levers for a
fulcrum, by depressing the said arm raises the middle joints of the
horizontal levers, and releases the vertical levers. The top mould plato
is then raised by means of the roller and weight.
The metal moulds are so formed that they meet. in two parts with
sharp edges. The top part is furnished with a moveable top which
slides in a tube, so that when the mould is empty the slider falls down
into the mould, but by pressing the clay into the moulds the slider is
moved up the tube even with and thus forming part of the mould, the
said slider being so arranged that as it moves up the tube the air is
allowed to escape until it reaches the top, when it becomes perfectly
air-tight. Attached to the said sliders may be arms connected with the
moveable bar, although these sliders are not absolutely necessary for the
proper working of the machine.
The lower part of the mould is furnished with a moveable bottom
or rammer which is arranged to be even or at a level with the edges
of the mould; the clay is then laid on in flat pieces of suitable
thickness.
As the edges of the moulds are brought together they cut out just
a sufficient quantity to fill the moulds; the rammer and slider aro
then forced by the clay into the tubes, the rammer allowing the air
to escape until the top part passés into the tube, which with the clay
goes a little way down, the two being held firmly together while the
rammers are forced up even or level with the bottom of the mould of
which they form a part.
Underneath the lower mould plate is a moveable bar or plate which
slides vertically in the grooved sides of the apparatus to which are
attached the rammers or bottoms of the moulds. Attached to the said
plate are two oblique levers, one at each end, which rest upon a cross
bar which serves as a fulcrum. By turning the cross bar with a handle
it straightens the levers, and raises the plate which contains the rammers,
thus forcing the said rammers up the tubes; by which means the said
articles are pressed and formed. There is also another set of oblique
lovers of larger dimensions attached in a similar way to those above
mentioned, and which serve to raise the articles out of the moulds when
formed. A lever and weight attached balance the weight of the cross
bar and rammers which holds them in any required position.

page_text: If a hole or recess should be required in the articles to be formed
the rammers have apertures through which the required piercers slide,
and which are attached to a plate underneath. An eccentric cam
actuated by a handle forces these piercers into the articles, and moves
the bar to which the arms (if there are any) of the rammers and sliders
are attached, thus causing them to turn.
In order that our Invention may be more fully understood, we have
annexed Drawings which we now proceed to describe.
Figs. I., II., III., and IV. are full-sized sections through the dies
in which the articles are to be formed when made according to our
Invention.
In Fig. I. 1 is the upper die, and 2 is the lower die. The upper dio
is shewn brought down upon a piece of clay 3 which has been placed
upon the lower die 2 when the dies were separated as far as is shewn
in Fig. IV. The dies being forced together as in Fig. II. the clay
during its compression raises the loose plunger or slider 4 until the
shoulder 5 prevents further movement. During the rise of the slider 4
air is expelled along grooves 6 provided for the purpose, but when
completely raised the slider makes an air-tight joint with the die, and
forms part of its interior surface, as shewn. In a similar manner the
lower loose portion or rammer 7 is depressed by the clay, but as no
shoulder is provided the rammer descends to about the position shewn
in Fig. II.
The mechanism for effecting these movements, is shewn in Figs.
V., VI., VII.; 8, 8, are side frames carrying a fixed cross bar 9 and a
moveable cross bar 10 upon which are fixed the lower dies 2 and the
upper dies 1 respectively.
In order that the upper dies 1 may be accurately adjusted to bear
simultaneously upon the lower dies 2, set screws 10° (two or more for
each die, see Fig. 1) pass through a plate 10' which is secured to the
moveable bar 10. These set screws bear upon the upper edges of the
dies 1, which can thereby be adjusted with the necessary degree of
accuracy.
In Figs. V., VII., the dies are shewn brought together, as in Fig. II.,
by means of a treadle 11, rod 12, toggle joints 13, and vertical toggle
joints 14, which toggle joints assume the positions shewn by the dotted

page_text: Sometimes in order to produce a very smooth surface we prefer to
give a partial revolution to the sliders 4 and the rammers 7 while the
articles are under pressure. In order to produce this effect we add the
following parts - Each of the levers 19 is attached by a joint pin 33
to a horizontal bar 34, and each of the rammers 7 has a lever 35 similarly
attached by the joint pin 36 to another horizontal bar 37. Upon the
cam shaft 30 is mounted loosely a vertical lever 38. Two studs 39
fixed in a disc 40 which turns with the cam shaft 30ª come into contact
alternately with each side of the vertical lever 38 to which the requisite
movement is thus given. The said vertical lever 38 is loosely attached
to the horizontal bars 34 and 37 which are thus moved to and fro in
such a manner as to cause a partial revolution of the aforesaid sliders 4
and rammers 7. In order to prevent such a movement the short ends
of the levers 19 are not jointed to the moveable plate 10, but are
simply held down by a horizontal bar 41 which is attached to the
moveable plate 10. The levers 19 are thus free to move in a horizontal
arc, as aforesaid.
The great and essential advantage to be obtained by the use of our
Invention is that by preventing the escape of the plastic clay from the
dies during the time that the pressure is applied, an entire absence is
secured of the marks which invariably make their appearance (during the
firing) in articles in which a portion of the plastic clay has been allowed
to escape while they were under pressure.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is or may be performed, we desire it to be
understood that without limiting ourselves to the precise details herein-
before contained (as these may be varied or modified without departing
from the nature of our said Invention), we desire to claim as the
Invention to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent,―
First. Applying pressure to plastic clay (in order to form the various
articles specified or referred to in the title) by means of compound dies
in which the circumferential portions of the dies are tightly pressed
together (so as to prevent the escape of the clay) before the central
portions of such dies apply the requisite moulding pressure to the
confined plastic clay, substantially as hercin-before described and illus-
trated in the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: Second. The compound dies shewn in Figures I., II., III., and IV.,
and the combination of mechanical arrangements shewn in Figures
V., VI., and VII., for the purpose of working the said compound dies,
substantially as hercin-before described and illustrated in the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Gaskell and John Gaskell,
have hercunto set our hands and scals, this Fourteenth day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-four.
Witness,
G. R. HOLLAND,
Patent Office,
Birmingham.
JAMES GASKELL. (L.S.)
JOHN GASKELL. (L.S.)