IMPROVED BRICK- MAKING MACHINERY
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Marshall Pratt, of Prescot, in the County of
Lancaster, Tailor and Draper, for the Invention of "IMPROVED BRICK-
MAKING MACHINERY."
Sealed the 20th October 1861, and dated the 23rd April 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Marshall Pratt
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd April 1864:
1, JOHN MARSHALL PRATT, of Prescot, in the County of Lancaster,
Tailor and Draper,, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED BRICK-MAKING MACHINERY," to be as follows:--
I employ a flexible travelling band to carry brick moulds similar to or the
same as those now in hand use. As the said moulds are carried along,
tempered clay is filled into them successively the one after the other, and
when they have been carried a short distance further on, a wheel on one of
the open sides of the moulds and a flat plate on the other, or wheels on both
sides, give pressure direct or through intermediate plates or parts to compress
the clay into the moulds and form brick after brick. The moulds are, after
pressure is given, removed from the flexible travelling band, and the plastic
bricks deposited and dried in any convenient way.
The travelling band may be made of any suitable material, and have to-and-
fro, intermittent, or continuous in one direction, motion communicated thereto,
[Price Sd.]

page_text: but I prefer to make it of flat metal links with joints at short distances apart,
and to give it an intermittent motion in one direction. It can conveniently
be supported to present a horizontal surface for bearing the moulds on two or
more rollers or drums left free to rotate on their axes, and be driven or made
to travel by the wheel which gives the finishing pressure to form the bricks.
The upper side of the said flexible travelling chain is fitted with plates on
which the moulds are placed close together or at distances apart equivalent to
the travel of the said chain. Clay is fed to the moulds near one end of the
said travelling chain by hand, by a plunger working in a cylinder, by a hopper
and pressure rollers, or by any other suitable means, in about the necessary
quantity to form a brick, and as each successive mould. receives its supply it
is carried forward to the pressure-giving parts of the machinery, which in the
arrangement above named, where an endless chain or band is employed, and
the wheel which drives or moves such band also gives pressure, consists essen-
tially of a wheel with projections from its periphery and a flat stationary
plate. This driving and pressure wheel is made to rotate by hand or other
power, and is placed under the horizontal and mould-bearing part of the tra-
velling chain. As each successive projection is moved round it comes in
contact with or catches the chain, causing it to travel, and at the same time
raising or moving it upwards, so that the clay and the upper open side of the
mould is brought into contact with the flat stationary plate under which the
moulds pass, and the necessary pressure given to form a brick in each mould
as it is brought forward on the travelling chain by the projections on the
driving wheel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Marshall Pratt in the Great Seal Patent Oflice on the
22nd October 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, JOHN
MARSHALL PRATT, of Prescot. in the County of Lancaster, Tailor and
Draper, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me. the said John Marshall Pratt, Her special licence that 1, the said
John Marshall Pratt, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such

page_text: others as I, the said John Marshall Pratt, my 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 "IMPROVED BRICK-MAKING MACHINERY," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Marshall Pratt, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Oflice within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Marshall Pratt, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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):-
I employ a flexible travelling band to carry brick moulds similar to or the
same as those now in hand use. As the said moulds are carried along,
tempered clay is filled into them successively the one after the other, and when
they have been carried a short distance farther on, a wheel on one of the open
sides of the moulds and a flat plate on the other, or wheels on both sides, give
pressure direct or through intermediate plates or parts, to compress the clay
into the moulds, and form brick after brick. The moulds are, after pressure
is given, removed from the flexible travelling band, and the plastic bricks
deposited and dried in any convenient way.
The travelling band may be made of any suitable material, and have to-and-
fro, intermittent, or continuous in one direction, motion communicated thereto,
but I prefer to make it of flat metal links with joints a small distance apart,
and to give it an intermittent motion in one direction. It can conveniently be
supported, to present a horizontal surface for bearing the moulds, on two or
more rollers or drums left free to rotate on their axes, and be driven, or made
to travel by the wheel which gives the finishing pressure to form the bricks.
The upper side of the said flexible travelling chain is fitted with plates on
which the moulds are placed close together or at distances apart equivalent
to the travel of the said chain. Clay is fed to the moulds near one end of the
said travelling chain by hand, by a plunger working in a cylinder, by a hopper
and pressure rollers, or by any other suitable means, in about the necessary
quantity to form a brick, and as each successive mould receives its supply, it

page_text: is carried forward to the pressure-giving parts of the machinery, which in the
arrangement above named, where an endless chain or band is employed, and
the wheel which drives or moves such band also gives pressure, consists
essentially of a wheel with projections from its periphery and a flat stationary
plate. This driving and pressure, wheel is made to rotate by hand or other
power, and is placed under the horizontal and mould-bearing part of the
travelling chain. As each successive projection is moved round it comes in
contact with or catches the chain, causing it to travel, and at the same time
raising or moving it upwards, so that the clay and the upper open side of the
mould are brought into contact with the flat stationary plate under which the
moulds pass, and the necessary pressure given to form a brick in each mould
as it is brought forward on the travelling chain by the projections on the
driving wheel.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawings contains views illustrative of two
modifications of my improved brick-making machinery.
Fig. represents a longitudinal and vertical section; Fig. 2 a plan view,
and Fig. 3 an end elevation, all of an arrangement of parts in which ordinary
brick moulds are carried on, and by a travelling endless band or chain, the
clay being fed by a hopper and screw, and pressure given to form the bricks
in the moulds between a driving wheel and flat plate. Fig. 4 represents a
longitudinal and vertical section, and Fig. 5 an end elevation of machinery
in which the moulds are fixed to, or they form, the endless travelling band,
pressure being given to form the bricks in the moulds between wheels or
rotating pieces with projections on their peripheries. The same letters of
reference are used to denote the same parts in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Thus a is
the frame; b, octagonal blocks or drums free to rotate on their axes ci
d, recesses in the said blocks or drums to take or receive the pieces e which
project from the flat metal links ; these links form the endless band or
chain, the joints being made on the pins g. hare the moulds, here shewil
placed in sunk spaces in the links of the endless band; i is a hopper with
worm and shaft therein. The said shaft k, which is driven by bevelled
wheels 1. rests on a step m. and as it rotates the worm forces the clay
through the bottom of the hopper in a continuous band. The width and
thickness of the band of clay are about the same sizes as the length and width
of the brick to be made. The clay can be cut off by hand or other means in
quantity somewhat thicker than the finished size of the brick, so that as the
moulds are brought forward between the wheel n and plate o, the clay may
be firmly compressed in the moulds by the projections p on the wheel or
piece slightly lifting up the travelling band or chain and the moulds; is

page_text: the driving pulley. The octagonal blocks or drums b and the pressure wheel
might be geared together, in which case the first motion might be given to
any of them. The links of the endless chain or band might have open spaces
therein fitted with loose plates to receive the pressure of the wheel n, and
convey it to the clay in the moulds.
In Figs. 4 and 5 like letters indicate the same parts. a' is the frame;
b', the moulds fastened to or making part of the endless chain which is jointed
on or by the pins c'; d' is a piece, nearly hexagonal in transverse section, free
to rotate on its axis c': ' is a roller, free to rotate, for carrying the endless
chain at the other end; g' is the driving pulley; h', the under pressure wheel
or piece geared with the upper pressure wheel or piece by toothed wheels j'.
These pressure wheels or pieces have projections from their peripheries at
distances apart suited to meet and catch each mould and carry it forward.
is a pedestal to which is attached the pressure-piece m' by the india-rubber
springs n¹; as each projection of the upper pressure wheel or piece comes
round it falls into a notch on the back of the plate piece m', and carries it
forward over, and presses it into the moulds the desired distance; as soon,
however, as the projecting piece begins to rise the india-rubber springs n'
return the plate piece into position to be caught by the next projection.
As the pieces on the under pressure wheel come round they press against
the loose plates o', and lift them up the distance necessary to compress the
clay. In this arrangement the clay, which is supposed to be filled into the
moulds by hand, receives pressure between the plates m' and o', and it will be
seen that by increasing or decreasing their thickness, bricks can be made more
or less firm or compact; any desired impression may be made on the bricks.
To prevent the plates o' from falling out when the moulds are travelling mouth
downwards, small springs attached to their under sides and to the travelling
chain or band might be used. p is a drum with projections q¹ thereon
deeper than those marked to force the pressed bricks out of the moulds on
to a travelling web or other apparatus or means capable of removing them to
the drying ground or burning kiln. Of course in this arrangement, as in the
one first herein described, a plunger working in a cylinder, rollers, or other
means already well known could be used to supply clay to the moulds, and in
those arrangements where a continuous stream is forced out various devices
could be employed to cut off pieces of suitable length to fit loosely into the
moulds. The carrying roller could be conveniently used to give motion to
the endless band of moulds, or, which would be more convenient and compact,
the several rotating parts could be brought close together and geared by
toothed wheels or other gearing.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and parti-
cularized the same with the assistance of the Drawings hereto attached,
I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the details
described and shewn by the Drawings, as many modifications may be made
without departing from the leading features of my said Invention; but what
I claim is, the construction and use of machinery in which an endless band or
chain bears or carries brick moulds and a rotating wheel or drum and plate,
or two rotating wheels or drums give pressure to form bricks in the said
moulds, practical details having been described herein and shewn on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whercof, I, the said John Marshall Pratt, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
In the presence of
JOHN THOMSON KING.
4, Clayton Square,
Liverpool.
JOHN MARSHALL PRATT. (L.S.)