Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Artificial Stone.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 14th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 16th Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Artificial
Stone.
I, WILLIAM OWEN of 11 Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of artificial stone one method which is adopted is to place
the requisite quantities of sand and lime in boxes to which water being applied a
considerable pressure is generated in these boxes. To counteract this pressure the
boxes are run into steam vessels in which a pressure equivalent to that inside the
boxes is generated outside the boxes. I find however that in places where this
artificial stone is manufactured it is frequently expensive and inconvenient to
provide steam pressure and I get over the difficulty by using in the vessels instead
of steam, water or compressed air. The pressure in either of these cases may be
obtained by pumping devices or in the case of water, where a sufficient fall can be
obtained the pumping may be dispensed with. The heat generated by the slaking
of the lime is sufficient to heat up all the water in the boiler to the necessary
temperature, while in the case of air the mere compressing of it will generate the
requisite heat.
In manufacturing artificial stone of this description it is desirable that the boxes
containing the materials should be strong, cheap, and easily put together and taken
to pieces, and for these purposes I find the following construction particularly
suitable. I form each wall of the box of a plate which may have projections at
the ends or sides perforated to receive lugs formed upon the edges of the plates to
which they have to be fitted, and by employing bars to fit into holes in the lugs of
the second plates and allowing these bars to extend across the faces of the former
plates I form a box which is at once cheap, exceedingly strong on account of
the presence of the bars across the plates, and can be readily put together or taken
to pieces.
Instead of forming slots in the plates I may provide lugs thereon to receive the
bars as already explained.
Dated this 15th day of October 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Artificial
Stone.
1, WILLIAM OWEN of 11 Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement. :-
In the manufacture of artificial stone one method which is adopted is to place
the requisite quantities of sand and lime in boxes to which water being applied a

page_text: considerable pressure is generated in these boxes. To counteract this pressure the
boxes are run into steam vessels in which a pressure equivalent to that inside the
boxes is generated outside the boxes. I find however that in places where this
artificial stone is manufactured it is frequently expensive and inconvenient to
provide steam pressure and I get over the difficulty by using in the vessels instead
of steam, water or compressed air. The pressure in either of these cases may be
obtained by pumping devices or in the case of water, where a sufficient head can
be obtained the pumping may be dispensed with. The heat generated by the
slaking of the lime is sufficient to heat up all the water in the vessel to the
necessary temperature, while in the case of air the mere compressing of it
will generate the requisite hent. However if necessary heated water may be
employed.
In manufacturing artificial stone of this description it is desirable that the boxes
containing the materials should be strong, cheap, and easily put together and taken
to pieces, and for these purposes I find constructions such as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings particularly suitable.
In these drawings
Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive are views of detached portions of one form of the box
constructed according to this invention, Fig. 1 being an elevation of one of the
"side" plates or walls, Figs. 2 and 3 an elevation and edge view respectively of
one of the "end" plates or walls, Figs. 4 and 5 a plan and edge view respectively
of the "top" or "bottom," both of which are alike, and Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are
views of some of the locking bars.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the complete box made up of the various parts
shown in Figs. 1 to 7.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are views of some of the "side" and "end" plates or walls
and the "bottom" plate or wall of a second form of box constructed according to
my invention and
Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a box made up of parts such as represented in
Figs. 9, 10 and 11.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The box shown in Fig. 8 comprises two similar "side" walls A, two similar
"end" walls B, "top" and "bottom" walls C both alike, four locking bars D and
eight locking bars D¹.
"
Each "side wall A is provided at its edges with projections A' A' partly
beneath which extend recesses A³ for receiving the locking bars D D as hereinafter
described.
Each end "wall B is provided with apertures B' for receiving the projections A
of the walls A, with overhanging lugs B which serve to guide the bars D when
the latter are moved into or out of their locking position, and with plain or
top
and
rectangular projections 133 adapted to fit into apertures C³ of the "
"bottom" walls C.
The walls besides having the apertures C³ are also provided with apertures C
for receiving the projections A' of the "side" walls A and with overhanging
lugs C, (similar to the lugs B previously described) for guiding the locking
bars D¹.
In making up the box of parts such as shown in Figs. 1 to 7, the "side" walls A
and "end walls B may be put together first, the projections A² of the former
being inserted into the apertures B' of the latter and locked therein by the bars D
These four walls A B may then be secured to the "bottom" wall C, for which
purpose the projections A at the lower edge of the walls A and the projections B
at the lower edge of the walls B are inserted respectively into the aperture C
and C of said wall C and the locking bars D' are then moved along so as to
engage with the recesses A³ then presented at the outer or under side of the
"bottom" wall.
The box is then ready for receiving the ingredients of which the artificial stone
is to be composed and after receiving these, the "top" wall or cover C is placed in

page_text: position so that the projections A and B³ on the upper edges of the walls A and B
respectively are received in the appropriate apertures C C thereof, after which
said cover C is securely locked in position by the bars D' thereon being made to
engage with the appropriate recesses A'. The box is then ready for placing in
either a steam-compressed-air, water or other pressure-chamber and can afterwards
be very readily taken to pieces to remove the finished block of artificial stone
formed within it.
The construction of the box shown in Fig. 12 is simpler than that previously
explained being arranged so that the various plates interlock with each other
thereby rendering special locking-bars such as before described unnecessary.
For this purpose the "side" walls A are provided with hook-shaped or under-
cut projections A' adapted to engage with the slots B' of the "end" walls B
and C of the "top" and "bottom" walls C and C³ respectively. The two
"side" walls A are alike as also are the two "end" walls B which have plain
rectangular projections B at their lower edges to engage with the slots C' in the
"bottom" wall. The "bottom" wall C in the example as here illustrated differs
from the "top" wall C only in that it is provided with the slots C³ which are not
necessary in the "top" wall C as there are no projections on the upper edges or
the "end" walls.
In building up the box shown in Fig. 12 the "side" walls A are first placed
upon the "bottom" wall C so that the then lower of the projections A' of the
former enter the slots C¹ of the latter, after which, the walls A are moved inde-
pendently of the wall C in the direction indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 9
which results in the plates or walls A A C being engaged together by the
projections A. The walls B are then placed against the ends of the walls A so
that the projections A of the latter pass through the slots B' of the former,
after which the walls are moved independently of the walls A and C³ in
the direction indicated by the arrow & in Figure 10 by which means the walls B
become hooked into the projections A', and the projections B3 enter the
slots C of the wall C this preventing any disengagement of the walls A from
the wall C³.
The box in this condition is then ready for receiving the ingredients of which
the artificial stone is to be composed, and after these have been introduced into it
the "top" wall or cover C is placed in position so that the projections A' at the
upper edges of the walls A pass through the slots C' of said cover, after which
the cover C is moved independently of the other walls A A B B and C in the
direction indicated by the arrow e in Figure 12 so that it becomes engaged with
the last-named hooked projections A'. The box is then complete and will remain
in that condition so long as the cover C does not become disengaged from the
projections A' to prevent any accidental or indiscriminate disengagement of these
parts. I may provide a locking bar or bolt movably mounted on the cover C and
capable of being engaged with one or more of the projections A' passing through
the cover.
The taking to pieces of the last described box is effected in the reverse way to
that previously described with reference to the building of it up.
The interior of each box may be undivided so as to provide for the making of
only one block at each operation or it may be divided by partitions so as to allow
of a number of smaller blocks being produced simultaneously.
The before described box may be modified without departing from the spirit of
the invention for example the number of the projections A' A B and A may be
varied according to the size of the box and the projections A'A' shown in
Figures 1 and 12 instead of being hook-shaped or formed with recesses to receive
the locking bars may be perforated to receive them. If desired the plates or
walls of the boxes may be strengthened by ribs battens or analogous devices; the
locking bars DD' would usually give sufficient support to the walls across which
they extend, but if desired other ribs may be provided to additionally strengthen
these walls.

page_text: Means may also be employed for locking the projections B3 in the apertures C³;
if desired also, the upper edges of the walls B of Figures 10 and 12 may be
provided with L or T-shaped projections to fit into slots in the cover C' so that
when the cover is moved to lock it to the "side" walls A it will simultaneously be
locked to the "end" walls. In such a construction it would be desirable to form
the projections of at least one of the walls B out of line with said wall, or provide
other means to ensure that the corresponding slots may not form an outlet for the
escape of the material contained in the box.
"2
By the before described constructions I provide boxes which are at once cheap,
exceedingly strong and can be readily put together or taken to pieces.
'"end'
"bottom
In this Specification I have employed the words "side"
and "top" in referring to the various plates or walls of which the before described
boxes are composed; this I have done merely as a matter of convenience and not
in any restrictive sense as it will readily be seen that when the boxes are in use
they may be employed in any position so that what has hereinbefore been referred
to as the top plate or wall may actually be at the hottom, side or end, these
terms being interchangeable throughout the series, though the wall or plate
used for closing, and last applied to the box, assuming that the latter be filled
from the upper side, would usually be regarded as the top wall, allowing this, the
terms "side or "end" may be interchangeably applied to either of the walls A
.and B. Small holes may be made in the top of the box to allow the entry of the
water into the box.
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is
1. In the manufacture of artificial stone the employment of water or air under
pressure as the agent for counteracting the pressure generated within a box
containing the ingredients of which the artificial stone is composed.
2. A box for containing during the manufacture of artificial stone the ingredients
of which such stone is composed whose walls may all be readily put together to
form the box for receiving the ingredients or readily taken apart to remove the
finished block.
3. In a box for containing during the manufacture of artificial stone the
ingredients of which such stone is composed the combination with one or more of
the walls of said box of a series of projections such as A' A or B or A B³ and
with one or more of the other walls of a series of apertures or slots such as B'C'
or C for receiving the projections substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
4. In a box for containing during the manufacture of artificial stone the
ingredients of which such stone is composed the combination with a series of
walls of which one or more have a series of projections such as A' A' or B
or A B and another or others have a series of apertures or slots such as B₁ C¹
or C³ to receive the projections of locking bars for engaging with the projections
substantially as described.
5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete box for
containing during the manufacture of artificial stone the ingredients of which it is
composed substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 8 of the accompanying
drawings.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete box for
containing during the manufacture of artificial stone the ingredients of which it
is composed substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 12 of the
accompanying drawings.
WILLIAM OWEN.
Boult & Wade.