A New or Improved Construction of Drying Floors for Bricks, and the like Goods.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 27th Sept, 1897-Accepted, 13th Nov., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Construction of Drying Floors for Bricks, and
the like Goods.
We, EDMUND ASHBY, and ROBERT ASHBY, both of County Wharf Northam
Southampton in the County of Hants, Cement and Brick Manufacturers, and SAMUEL
RICHARD SHORT BATLEY of Prestonpans Villa, Chandlers Ford, near Southampton, in
the County of Ilants, Brick Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:--
"Our invention relates to Drying Floors for Bricks, and the like goods.
The Main object of our said invention is to provide a new or improved construction
of floor for drying bricks, and the like goods.
According to our invention we construct our floors and arrange for heating same
in the following manner.
'First we provide in a building a series of longitudinal dwarf walls situated at a
distance apart convenient for placing or stacking on same the goods to be dried.
Between the walls we lay pipes which are supplied with hot air or steam.
On the top of the said dwarf walls we arrange a system of blocks preferably of wood,
but of other suitable material if desired.
These blocks are laid and connected to each other so as to form a chequered perforated
floor upon which the goods to be dried will be laid or stacked. Taking it that the
system of pipes is charged with hot air or steam, and the goods arranged suitably on
the blocks, the heat will very evenly circulate about the goods, which as before
explained, are placed or stacked above the pipes on the blocks.
Our system of floors is specially adapted for drying goods made of what are known
as tender clays, because they are not in direct contact with, that is, resting upon a
heated surface or floor in which case the under side of goods is dried much quicker
than the other parts of same, being necessarily subjected to a much greater degree
of heat at the base than elsewhere, causing the same to crack.
By reason of the arrangement of blocks with openings between same the hot air
from pipes is free to rise immediately and circulates evenly around the goods to be
dried the heat not being confined under the blocks, so that the temperature of the
blocks, which form the floor, is about the same as that of the surrounding air, in
other words we secure by our improvements a comparatively cool floor with a very
equable temperature above same, and around the goods to be dried.
The important feature of our invention is that instead of providing a heated
surface upon which to rest and dry clay goods we provide a perforated floor, or floor
with open spaces in same, which admits of the immediate release of the heated air
between the aforesaid blocks, and which then rises and circulates freely about the
goods to be dried thereby drying the same equally or nearly so on all sides.
Dated this 24th day of December 1896.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Construction of Drying Floors for Bricks, and
the like Goods.
We EDMUND ASHBY, and ROBERT ASHBY, both of the County Wharf Northam,
Southampton, in the County of Hants, Cement and Brick Manufacturers, and SAMUEL
RICHARD SHORT BATLEY,,of Prestonpans Villas, Chandlers Ford, near Southampton in
the County of Hants, Brick Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what mauner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to drying floors for Bricks and the like:goods..
The Main object of our said invention is to provide a new, or improved construction
of floor for drying bricks, and the like goods.
In the accompanying drawings we have shewn what we consider to be the best
means of carrying out our invention in which :-
Fig. 1 is an incomplete plan on top of a drying floor arranged according to our
invention, the length and breadth of said floor being. of any desired convenient'
dimensions, but all arranged as shewn in part.
Fig. 2 is a Sectional Elevation taken on the line A, A.
Fig. 3 a Sectional elevation taken on the line B, B.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
According to our invention we construct our floors and arrange for heating
same in the following manner.
First, we provide within the enclosing walls C, C; of a building, a series of dwarf'
walls D, D, situated at a convenient distance apart.
Between the dwarf walls D, we lay pipes E, E, which are suitably supported' on
bars d, d, and conveniently supplied with, hot air or steam.
On the top of the said dwarf walls D, we arrange a series of blocks F; F, made
preferably of wood, but of other suitable materials if desired.
These blocks are laid in contact one with the other so as to form a chequered
perforated floor upon which the goods to be dried will be laid or stacked.
Taking it that the pipes E, E, are charged with hot'air or steam and the goods arranged
suitably on the top of the blocks F; F, the heat given off from the pipes will circulate
very evenly about the goods placed or stacked on the blocks.
Our system of floors is specially adapted for drying goods made of what are known
as-tender clays, because they (the goods) are not in direct contact with, or resting
upon a heated surface or floor, in which case the under side of goods is dried much
quicker than the other parts of same being necessarily subjected to a much greater
degree of heat at base than elsewhere, causing the same to crack.
By means of our arrangement of the blocks F, F, with.openings between the same,
the hot air from the pipes is free to rise immediately, and circulates evenly around
the goods to be dried, the heat not being confined. under the blocks F,,so that the
temperature of the blocks which form the floor is about the same as that of the
surrounding air; in other words we secure by our improvements a comparatively
cool floor with a very equable temperature above same, and around the goods to be
dried.
The important feature of our invention is, that instead of providing a heated
surface or floor upon which to place and dry clay goods we provide a perforated floor,
or floor with open spaces in same, which adınits of the immediate release of the
heated air between the blocks F, aud' which then rises and circulates freely about
the goods to be dried thereby drying the same equally or nearly so on all sides.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1st. The new, or improved drying floor for bricks and the like goods, all constructed
and combined substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings
and operating as, and for the purposes specified.
2nd. In drying floors of the above mentioned type, the arrangement and
combination of heated pipes and perforated floor, substantially as described and
shewn.
3rd. The herein described method of placing the goods to be dried on a perforated
floor as, and for the purposes specified.
4th: A drying floor for bricks and the like goods, such floor being made of wood or
any suitable non-conducting material, arranged substantially as described for the
purposes specified.
5th. The construction of a drying floor for bricks and the like goods with openings
or spaces in same as, and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 25th day of September 1897
EDMUND ASHBY.
ROBERT ASHBY.
SAMUEL RICHARD SHORT BATLEY.
Herbert P. Blake,
70 High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicants.