IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRESSING BRICKS, TILES, CORBELS, OR OTHER PLASTIC WORK
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Julius Frederick Moore Pollock, of Withington,
near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRESSING BRICKS, TILES,
CORBELS, OR OTHER PLASTIC WORK."
Sealed the 22nd February 1867, and dated the 25th August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Julius Frederick Moore
Pollock at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 25th August 1866.
I, JULIUS FREDERICK MOORE POLLOCK, of Withington, near Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRESSING BRICKS,
TILES, CORBELS, OR OTHER PLASTIC WORK," to be as follows:-
The bricks or other articles are fed on to one side of a table, in the centre
of which is a die, the pressing piston being lifted by means of steam or other
motive power accumulates a force sufficient to keep the lubricating and feed
motions in operation until the rough brick is delivered into the die and is
ready to receive the pressure; this force is accumulated by means of bending
a spring, compressing air, raising a weight, opening a steam or water valve,
or other available medium. The last operation of this force after delivering
the brick on to the die plate to be pressed is to admit the steam or other

page_text: propulsive medium to the pressing piston, which descends, giving the requisite
pressure, rises again to lift the brick from the die, thereby re-accumulating
the force above referred to which sets the gearing in motion to remove the
pressed brick, lubricate and deliver another brick, and so on continuously.
Any thickness of clay or plastic material can be pressed and there is no limit
to speed except the maximum rate at which the pressed clay can be moved
without injury to its surface. The feeding and lubrications continue in opera-
tion during the periods the power by which they are actuated is stationary, and
the working parts of the machine are completely encircled, and consequently
not liable to injury or wear from the action of dust, and by the same means
any accident which might arise from catching hands or clothing in the machine
is rendered impossible.
The lubricating of the bricks is effected by self-acting means through the
medium of a tank or tanks in the frame containing the oil which is distributed
from them to the brick and surfaces of the die plates and box by rollers, tapes,
bands, or other convenient method; such rollers, tapes, or bands being kept in
motion while the steam piston is at rest by the action of the spring or other
accumulated force already described.
>...
The feed is effected by levers actuated by an eccentric, cam, or crank, or
other suitable reciprocating motion. This lever passes under or over the brick
in going one way, and in returning brings the brick with it until it has
arrived at the point where it is to receive the pressure of the steam piston.
This lever is also actuated in the first instance by the spring or other accu-
mulated force already described.
The delivery motion is partly effected by the feeding lever and partly by an
endless belt or series of rollers on to which the brick when pressed is delivered,
the said rollers or belt receiving motion in the same way as the lubricating
rollers, tapes, or bands. The motion of the spring or other accumulated force
is regulated by a small fly wheel, to which a break is applied, so that the
machine may be instantaneously stopped between the strokes of the piston.
In cases where shafting is conveniently at hand the lubricating, feed, delivery
and valve motions may be actuated by a strap in the place of the spring or
other accumulated force herein-before referred to, in which case the fly wheel
would be dispensed with and the number of parts reduced. This arrange-
ment might also be desirable in cases where the nature of the clay is very
variable, or of such a description as to be liable to clog the machine or in
other way hinder the action of the spring, or other accumulated force.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Julius Frederick Moore Pollock in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JULIUS
FREDERICK MOORE POLLOCK, of Withington, near Manchester, in the County
of. Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of Augnst, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Julius Frederick Moore Pollock, Her special license that I, the
said Julius Frederick Moore Pollock, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Julius Frederick Moore Pollock, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR PRESSING BRICKS, TILES, CORBELS, OR OTHER PLASTIC WORK,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Julius Frederick
Moore Pollock, 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 Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Julius Frederick Moore Pollock, 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):-
There are three modifications of this machine. The first is described at
length in the Provisional Specification, and the other two (which differ only
in the means used for driving) are referred to in the last clause of the said
Specification.
These modifications may be classified as,
Tinst the calf contained and wolf divin..

page_text: And, third, the simplest form of the machine to be driven externally by
belt, band, or hand power.
In the first modification the bricks or other articles are fed on to one side
of a table, in the centre of which is a die, the pressing piston being lifted by
means of steam or other motive power accumulates a force sufficient to keep
the lubricating and feed motions in operation until the rough brick is delivered
into the die and is ready to receive the pressure. This force is accumulated
by means of bending a spring, compressing air, raising a weight, opening a
steam or water valve, or other available medium. The last operation of this
force after delivering the brick on to the die plate to be pressed is to admit
the steam or other propulsive medium to the pressing piston which descends
giving the requisite pressure, rises again to lift the brick from the die thereby
reaccumulating the force above referred to which sets the gearing in motion
to remove the pressed brick, lubricate and deliver another brick, and so on
continuously, any thickness of clay or plastic material can be pressed, and
there is no limit to speed except the maximum rate at which the pressed clay
:can be moved without injury to its surface. The self-acting motions continue
in, operation during the periods the power by which they are actuated is
stationary, and the working parts of the machine are completely enclosed and
consequently not liable to injury or wear from the action of dust and by the
same means any accident which might otherwise arise from catching hands or
clothing in the machine is rendered impossible. The lubricating of the
bricks may be effected by self-acting means through the medium of a tank or
tanks in the frame containing oil or other lubricating matter which is
transferred to the brick and surfaces of the die plates and box by any convenient
method, or it may be dispensed with. I do not confine myself to any
particular mode of preventing the adhesion of the brick to the mould or plates.
The feed is effected by levers actuated by an eccentric, cam, or crank, or other
suitable reciprocating motion, this lever presses forward the brick until it has
arrived at the point where it is to receive the pressure of the steam piston.
This lever is also actuated in the first instance by the spring or other
accumulated force already described. The delivery motion is partly effected
by the feeding lever and partly by an endless belt or chain or series of rollers
on to which the brick when pressed is delivered, the said rollers or belt or
cbain receiving motion from the accumulated force before referred to. The
motion of the spring or other accumulated force is regulated by a small fly
wheel to which a break is applied so that the machine may be instantaneously
stopped between the strokes of the piston.
In the second modification the brick goes through the same motions for

page_text: feeding, pressing, delivering, or other operation, but those motions are driven
(as is also the steam valve of the pressing cylinder by a small steam engine
placed inside the machine instead of the spring or other accumulated force.
In the third modification the brick goes through the same motions for
feeding, pressing, delivering, or other operation, but those motions are driven
externally, (as is also the steam valve of the pressing cylinder) by a strap or
band from any convenient line of shafting. In this case also a handle may
be applied so that the machine may be driven by hand.
These two last modifications will be found desirable in cases where the
nature of the clay is very variable, or of such a description as to be liable to
clog the machine, or in any way hinder the action of the spring or other
accumulated force.
In the last modification the number of parts is considerably reduced and a
very simple machine obtained for places where shafting is conveniently at
hand or it is contemplated to use hand power.
The three arrangements of my improved machinery or apparatus are
illustrated in the accompanying three Sheets of Drawings numbered 1, 2,
and 3, and representing respectively the first, second, and third modifications.
In each of the Sheets of Drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 an
end elevation, the thick lines representing the framework and external part
of the machine, and the fine lines the internal and sectional parts, and the
same letters in all the Figures refer to the same parts in the different.
elevations.
I now describe the general arrangement of the several machines, and then
the three modifications in the mode of driving them.
In each of the Figures A represents the pressing cylinder; B, the piston
rod; C, C, the cross heads connected by side rods c, c; D, the mould or
die; d, d, the top and bottom plates; E, the steam slide valve moved by the
cams e, e; F shews the feeding slide; f,f, the lever and cam for giving it
motion; G, G, the delivery chain or belt (the place of which may also be
supplied by a series of rollers); and 9, 9, 9, 9, the gearing from which it
receives motion (the place of which gearing may also be supplied by a strap,
cord, or pitch chain if preferred); X represents the shaft carrying the cams
and other apparatus by which motion is imparted to the feeding slide, the
delivering chain, or band, the slide valve of the steam cylinder, or other
operations.
The three modifications consist in the means by which rotary motion is
imparted to the shaft X.
The first modification is shewn on Sheet 1, where the shaft X is driven

page_text: by the elasticity of a coiled spring by preference (though, as herein-before
observed, any other accumulated force may be adopted). This coiled spring H
is attached to a shaft Y, and kept in. tension by a detent I, the tension being
taken up at each stroke of the machine by the upward motion of the piston B
by means of a second detent J attached to an arm rotating on the shaft Y
and acting in a similar ratchet wheel k to that in which the detent I acts.
The motion is transmitted from the shaft Y to the shaft X by means of a spur
wheel and pinion y and x, the number of teeth in the wheel y being as many
times those of the pinion as there are teeth in the ratchet wheels K, k (six to
one being the proportion found most convenient); it is therefore evident that
to every tooth of the ratchet wheel K the shaft X will make one complete
revolution. The wheel y runs loose on the shaft Y, and is actuated by the
tension imparted to the coiled spring, the inner end of which is attached to a
socket keyed to the shaft Y, the outer end being connected with the wheel y
by means of a connecting link h.
The operation of this arrangement is as follows:-The requisite tension for
starting being obtained in the coiled spring, which is done by turning round
the shaft Y (which is extended through the frame and provided with a
hexagonal end for that purpose). The shaft X will then be put in motion by
means of the spur gearing x, y, and will rotate until the cams e, e, arrive in
such a position as to open the bottom steam port by means of the slide
valve E. The piston then rising by the pressure of the steam gives motion to
the arm carrying the detent J, thereby turning the ratchet wheels K, k,
through a portion of a revolution equal to one tooth. The ratchet wheel K
is prevented from returning by the detent I acting in the second ratchet
wheel k, and fresh tension is thus imparted to the spring at each stroke by
means of which the shaft X is caused to make another revolution, imparting
the various motions to the feeding slide, the delivery band or chain, and,
lastly, to the slide valve, which admitting the steam suddenly at the top
of the cylinder, the piston and cross heads descend giving the requisite pressure
to the brick in the die; the top steam port is then closed by the continued
revolution of the cams e, e, and the bottom one opened, when the piston again
rises and so again returns the spent tension to the spring, and so on con-
tinuously.
It will be seen from the foregoing that the action of the piston is inter-
mittent, while the action of the rest of the machine is continuous.
The movements of the brick (which are the same in each modification) are
as follows:-The rough brick is placed in front of the feeding slide F, when
it is at its furthest point from the mould or die D, the piston being then up.

page_text: The slide F is then moved forward by the rotation of the shaft X by means of
the cam and lever f. f, until the brick is between the pressing plates d, d, the
lower plate being held at the top of the mould by the cross head underneath it,
and its connection with the piston rod being maintained by two elastic bands
b, b. The cams having now arrived at the position to open the top steam
port the cross heads and piston descend carrying the brick with them into the
mould D, where it receives the requisite pressure; it is then raised again by
the upward motion of the piston and pushed from between the plates on to the
delivering chain or band by the next brick coming on, and is finally taken away
by the attendant or by other means.
The second modification is shewn on Sheet 2, in which the shaft X receives
motion from a small engine L, which operates through spur gearing in order to
reduce the speed.
The third modification is shewn in Sheet 3, in which the shaft X is driven
by an ordinary pulley M attached to its outer end, there being also a
loose pulley N for convenience of throwing the strap out of gear. In this
case, as before stated, a handle may be attached so as to work the machine
by hand.
It will be observed in the above description that the word "brick "has
been applied to the article to be pressed, but it is evident that any class of
brick, tile, or other object of plastic material may be pressed in the same way,
the only alteration necessary being in the form of mould and die plates which
are made so as to be moveable and capable of being changed. The machinery
described and illustrated is intended to press only one brick at a time, but it
is evident that by adding extra dies two or more bricks or other articles may
be pressed simultaneously.
Having thus described my said Invention, I do hereby state that I do not
confine myself strictly to the use of the details described and shewn, but the
principal points which I claim as new are as follows:-
First, the external arrangement and self-contained nature of the machine,
the compact rectangular form of frame in which all the working parts are
enclosed and protected from the action of dust or other injury, even the ends
of the holes in which the shafts run being capped.
Secondly, the employment of a spring or other maintaining power or
accumulated force, and the connection by that means of the continuous and
intermittent motions. *
Thirdly, the arrangement of the cylinder and valve gearing beneath the die,
and the means of applying direct pressure to the brick by the use of two cross
heads and side rods.

page_text: Fourthly, the means employed for obtaining all the self-acting motions from
one shaft.
And, fifthly, the independent action of the cylinder and other parts of
the machine, being such that very small driving power is required, the
pressure given not being derived from the power which drives the gearing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Julius Frederick Moore Pollock, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
seven.
Signed, sealed, and delivered
by the within-named Julius
Frederick Moore Pollock,
in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
JULIUS F. M. POLLOCK. (L.S.)
Patent Agent,
Manchester.