CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OR METHODS OF PREPARING PLASTIC MATERIALS FOR MANUFACTURING PURPOSES
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
GOODFELLOW of Tunstall, in the County of Stafford, Earthenware Manu-
facturer, and George Goodfellow, of Shelton, in the same County, Potter,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-fourth day
of May, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, in the twelfth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Thomas Goodfellow and George Goodfellow, our exors, adñiors,
and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that we, the said Thomas Goodfellow and George Goodfellow, our exors,
adiñors, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Goodfellow and
George Goodfellow, our exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Inven-
tion of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OR METHODS OF PREPARING
PLASTIC MATERIALS FOR MANUFACTURING PURPOSES;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that we, the said Thomas Goodfellow and
George Goodfellow, or one of us, should cause a particular description of
the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one of us, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's

page_text: High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto bad, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Thomas Goodfellow and George Goodfellow, hereby declare the nature of
the said improvements, and in what manner the same are to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to
say:
Our Invention has for its nature or object,―
Firstly, to prepare certain materials for various purposes, by pressing out,
separating, or discharging from them, either wholly or partially, the aqueous
matters with which they are charged more expeditiously and economically than
is done by the processes heretofore in use.
Secondly, to prepare certain materials by an artificial and temporary com-
bination therewith of certain combustible substances for the manufacture of
wares possessing various degrees of porosity.
The separation or discharge of the aqueous matters from materials we effect
in the methods herein-after described.
2
First Method. The principle on which this method is founded is the pro-
duction by hydrostatic agency of a partial vacuum under the material to be
operated on, and the consequent action of the superincumbent atmosphere
upon it. An exemplification of this method, as applied to materials employed
ip the manufacture of pottery, is given in Figures 1, 1, and 1 of the Drawings
annexed; Figure 1 being a longitudinal elevation, partly in section, of the
arrangements necessary for the purpose, Figure 1ª a ground plan thereof, and
Figure 1 being plan on the line y, z. A is a slip, kiln, pan, or trough,
which is mounted on a firm basement of brickwork. It is open (as usual)
at top, and lined at bottom with sheet lead, sheet gutta percha, or other
suitable air and water tight material. A2 is a false bottom to the kiln, pan,
or trough, of porous tiles laid transversely on the top of a series of concave
tiles a, a, which rest on the real bottom, but do not reach quite up to the
wall on either side, so that the hollows of these tiles, together with the open
air space around them, form one continuous chamber, by the exhaustion
of which, in the manner afterwards shown, the required vacuum under the
slip is produced. B is an air vessel which is set in a stone cistern II, and
surrounded with water, in order the better to keep it air-tight; which air
vessel B communicates, firstly, with the vacuum chamber a, a, under the

page_text: false bottom A2 by means of a pipe b, which passes through a small ante-
chamber P, open at top; secondly, with a water cistern R placed above the
level of the vacuum chamber a, a, by means of a pipe 7, which passes through
an open antechamber K (similar to P); thirdly, by a pipe i with the ante-
chamber K; fourthly, by a pipe l with a barometric gauge L; anil, fifthly,
with the well D by a discharge pipe F, which dips at its lower end into a
bucket E kept filled with water, and is opened and shut by a tap c. W is a
common pump affixed to the top of the well D; and G, g, a weighted rod
by which the tape is worked; m is a pipe with tap n, by which the water in
the stone cistern II can be let off when required; 7 is a tap on the pipe b,
by which the communication is opened or shut off between the vacuum
chamber a, a, and air vessel B; t is a tap. on the pipe r, by the opening of
which water is allowed to flow into the air vessel B, and thence into the
vacuum chamber a, a; u is a tap on the pipe i, by the opening of which the
air as it is expelled from B makes its escape; and s a tap affixed to the
exhaust end of the vacuum chamber, by the opening of which the air is
allowed to escape from the air chamber a, a. The taps q and s are inclosed
within the antechamber P, and the taps t and u within the antechamber K;
and these antechambers are kept constantly filled with water to a little height
above the taps in each, whereby the possibility of any air getting in through
these taps to impair the vacuum in the vessel B is prevented, while at the
same time the water presents no material obstacle to the forcible extrusion of
air through the taps s and u (both of the chambers P and K being, as before
stated, left open at top). The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-The
kiln, pan, or trough A being filled with clay slip, and the cistern R filled with
water by the pump W, the tape at the bottom of the pipe F is closed by
raising the weighted rod G, g. The four taps s, q, t, and u, are next opened,
whereupon the water flows from the cistern R down into the air vessel B,
As soon as the vessel
driving the air out of it through the pipe i and tap u.
B is filled the water proceeds up the pipe 6 and fills the vacuum chamber a, a,
When the water has thus entirely
expelling the air from it through the tap s.
displaced the air in the vessel B and vacuum chamber a, a, which will be at
once evidenced by a perceptible rise of the water in the antechambers K
and P (the water having then no other outlet), the four taps s, q, t, and u are
shut. The tape is then opened by letting fall the rod G, g, on which the
water in in the air vessel B descends by its own weight down the pipe F into the
bucket E, from which it flows over into the well D, followed instantly after by
the water in the exhaust chamber a, a, beneath the false bottom of the kiln
pan, or trough. A vacuum more or less perfect is thus produced in the
,

page_text: vessel B and chamber a, a, when the pressure of the external atmosphere
being thereby brought to act upon the slip with a force proportionate to the
degree of the exhaustion beneath the water or moisture in the materials is
forced through the porous. tiles of the false bottom A into the chamber a,
whence it flows off through B into the well D. The state of the vacuum in B
and a, a, may always be ascertained by inspection of the guage L.
Second Method.-According to this method the water or moisture is
discharged from materials employed in the manufacture of pottery by atmo-
spheric pressure, in the same way as in the preceding case; bnt the requisite
exhaustion beneath the materials is obtained by the agency of steam.
In Figure 2 we have shewn the modifications which would be requisite in
the arrangement represented in Figures 1, 1°, and 1b, and before described, in
order to the substitution of this method of exhaustion. A, B, D, F, H, P, R,
9,1,i, are all parts precisely similar to those indicated by the same letters in
Figure 1. C is a steam boiler; c, a pipe which leads from the boiler through
a small water cistern w placed by the side of the large cistern R, and
terminates in the air vessel B; m is a tap by which the small cistern wis
filled from the large cistern R; y, a tap affixed to a short branch pipe which
leads from the pipe c into the large cistern R (as is more clearly shewn in the
ground plan of R, given separately in Figure 2), by the opening of which
tap y water is supplied to the boiler C; and are two other taps on the
pipe c, by which the communication between the boiler C and air vessel B
is opened or shut; h is a tap by which the cistern we may be emptied when
required; is a pipe with tap d, by which the antechamber P at the exhaust
end of the kiln, pan, or trough is supplied with water; H is a water cistern,
which is supplied by a branch pipe b (having a tap v) from the pipe, and
contains a condenser O, which communicates on one side by a pipe 9 with the
nir vessel B, and on the other by the pipe 6 with the exhaust chamber a, a,
of the kiln, pan, or trough; g" is a tap to the pipe g; and q a tap to the
pipe is a pipe by which the water in the vessel O may be discharged
into the pipe F, and thence into the well D; G is a bucket which is moved
up and down the framework N by a rod G. The mode of working with this
apparatus is as follows:-The tap d on the pipe 2 is first opened, which fills
the antechamber P, and through that the exhaust chamber a, a, under the
false bottom of the kiln, pan, or trough, with water (the tap 9 which com-
mands the communication between a, a, and the condenser O being at this
time closed.) The taps x, z, and 9, are next opened, which allows the steam
to flow from the boiler C along the pipe into the air vessel B and condenser O,
driving the air before it down the pipes n and F into the well D, while the

page_text: steam is still rushing through the bucket G is drawn up by the rod G*, so that
the bottom end of the discharge pipe F may dip into the water in the bucket,
and as soon as the air is all expelled from the vessels B and O the taps
and z are shut. The cistern w is now filled with water (by the tap m) and
the portion of the pipe c between and z also filled with water by turning
the tap y, in order that any subsequent access of air through the pipe c to
the vessel B by the pipe c may be prevented. The cistern H* containing
the condenser O is now filled with cold water by turning the tap of the
branch pipe z and the tap 7 opened, whereupon the steam in B and O
becomes in a few minutes condensed (the water of condensation passing off
through the pipes n and F into the well D), and the water in the exhaust
chamber a, a, of the kiln, pan, or trough, rushing into the void thereby
occasioned, a vacuum is also produced in that chamber which brings the
atmospheric pressure into play on the surface of the materials, as in the plan
first described.
Third Method. By this method the vacuum under materials employed in
the manufacture of pottery is obtained by means of an air pump, in the
manner represented in Figure 3. A, B, D, E, F, H, b, and s, are parts
similar to those indicated by the same letters in Figures 1, 1, and 1. P is a
pipe which connects the air vessel B with an air pump, which may be of any
suitable form or size, and may be either worked by hand or by machinery.
The air in the exhaust chamber a, a, of the kiln, pan, or trough, in the
vessel B and pipe F is pumped out by the direct action of the air pump,
whereupon the atmospheric pressure acts on the slip and materials to be
operated on as before.
Fourth Method. The displacement of the air under materials employed
in the manufacture of pottery is effected according to this method, by means
of a lifting pump which does away with the necessity for the deep well
required by the three preceding methods. The details peculiar to this method
are exhibited in Figure 4. B is an air vessel enclosed in a water cistern H,
and communicating by a pipe b with the exhaust chamber of a slip, trough
(or other vessel containing materials in a moist state), all as in Figures 1, 1ª,
and 1b. R is a water cistern which is placed above the level of B; r is a
pipe which connects B and R, and is furnished with a tap u; F is a pipe
which leads from the bottom of B to the bottom of the lift pump W; and v
a tap to that pipe; C is a water cistern in which the lifting pump is placed
to prevent any access of air through the valve v to the vessel B; L is a glass
tube which is mounted in a framework on the top of the vessel B, and
communicates therewith; P is a float to indicate the height of the water in

page_text: the vessel B (when admitted thereto), the stalk of which float moves up and
down within the glass tube L; n is a small cistern of water which closes in
the glass tube at top, but is itself open at top and contains a tap t, which
communicates through the bottom m with the interior of the tube L. The
mode of operating with this apparatus is as follows:-The tap a is first
opened, in order to fill the air vessel B from the cistern R, and then the
tap t, which allows the air expelled from B to escape up the glass tube L,
and thence into the atmosphere. When the vessel B is filled, which will be
seen by the rise of the stalk of the float in the glass, the taps a and t are
closed. The tap v which commands the communication between B and the
bottom of the lift pump W is now opened, and the pump set to work to pump
out the water from B and the connecting tube F, which being effected pro-
duces of course a vacuum in the vessel B, and in the exhaust chamber a of
the kiln, pan, or trough, with which it communicates. The tap v is then
closed.
Fifth Method. As the most perfect vacuum which can be obtained by any
of the preceding methods, or, in other words, the greatest atmospheric pressure
which can be produced on the materials operated on, cannot exceed fifteen
pounds per square inch; and as we find that that pressure when exerted upon
the materials in one large and undivided mass of any considerable depth is
insufficient to express the water or moisture from some close clays, to the
extent and with the dispatch desirable, we make up for that deficiency in the
expressing power by encreasing the quantity and activity of the absorbent
surfaces, in the manner exemplified in Figure 5. A is a kiln, pan, or trough ;
b, a false bottom of porous tiles; a, a, a series of concave tiles, the hollows
in which form, with the open spaces around them, an exhaust chainber; and c
an air and water tight bottom, all as in Figure 1; D, D, are a series of
upright porous tiles, which are loose or hinged to the false bottom b, in order
that they may be thrown back into the position represented at m, when the
exhausting process has been completed and it is requisite to remove the
materials (reduced then to a proper consistency) from off the sides of these
upright tiles. The amount of absorbent surface may be also encreased by
making the false bottom 6 of a corrugated form, but not to the same extent
as by the hinged or loose upright tiles, which we therefore prefer. The
addition of these tiles (D, D,) may be made to any of the four several
arrangements or methods before described.
Sixth Method. Some materials, as sugar, boracic acid, &c., are of so
porous a nature that on the pressure of the atmosphere being applied to free
them from moisture, much of the air is forced between and past the aqueous

page_text: particles without contributing to the desiccating result desired. In such cases
we construct the containing vessel in the manner represented in Figure 6. A
is the containing vessel, which is mounted on a basement of brickwork, and
provided with an exhaust chamber at bottom, in the same way as in Figure 1.
C is a close cover which is placed on the top of the materials, and provided
with handles d, d, by which it may be lifted off when required. The atmo-
spheric pressure being intercepted by the cover C acts through that cover by
its total columnar weight on the materials instead of by permeation through
them, as in the preceding arrangements, and whether the materials are more
or less porous, becomes, therefore, a matter of indifference. When sugar or
any other material of a like granulous nature is operated upon, the exhaus-
tion is effected by means of the first, or second, or fourth of the methods
before described; and when boraccic acid is the material to be operated
upon, the exhaustion is effected by means of the first, second, third, or fourth
methods.
To prepare certain materials for being manufactured into porous articles,
such as porous tiles, potters' moulds, potters' saggers, chemical filters, flower-
pot soakers, &c., which forms the second branch of our Invention, we proceed
as follows:-
We first reduce clay or marl by mixture with water and trituration to a
soft state, and then mix intimately therewith pounded coke, or charcoal, or
coal dust, or sawdust, or soot, or some other combustible substance, in pro-
portions more or less, according as more or less porosity is desired to be
produced. The water is then expelled from this compound by any of the
processes before described; after which it is moulded in the usual way into
the tiles, moulds, saggers, or other porous articles aforesaid. The articles are
finally subjected to a strong heat in an oven, when so much of the ingredients
of the compound as are of a combustible nature, or at least the greater
portion thereof, burn away and leave only a hard porous substance or body
behind. The greater the portion of combustible matter thus burnt out the
more porous of course the article will be, but the finer also the combustible
ingredients are, the smaller and more numerous will the porosities be. Where,
therefore, it is desirable to combine a high degree of porosity with great
minuteness in the interstices, as in water filters, potters' moulds, and flower-
pot soakers, the finest sorts of combustible materials only should be used, as
charcoal or soot, and these as well pounded as may be.
And having now described the nature of our Invention in the two branches
thereof, and in what mauner the same should be performed, we declare that
the improvements which we claim as constituting our said Invention are as
follows:-

page_text: First, we claim the preparation of materials by employment of superin-
cumbent atmospheric pressure to press out, separate, or discharge water and
moisture therefrom, according to the methods above described.
Second, we claim the mixture of clay or marl with combustible sub-
stances, in order to the manufacturing thereof into porous articles, as above
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Goodfellow and George
Goodfellow, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-
third day of November, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.
THOMAS (L.S.) GOODFELLOW.
GEORGE (L.S.) GOODFELLOW.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of November,
in the year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid Thomas Goodfellow and George
Goodfellow came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and
acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Specification
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that
purpose.
1
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