IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING BRICKS
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Peter Bawden at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
November 1863.
I, PETER BAWDEN, of Queen Street, Cheapside, in the City of London,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR MAKING BRICKS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in brick-making machines
whereby they are rendered to a great extent self-acting and capable of pro-
ducing a greater number of bricks than any other machine in use.
I propose to erect a wooden or iron framework to support the machinery and
the clay tub or receptacle which is at the upper part of the frame. At the top
of the frame is a horizontal driving wheel worked by a band or strap from an
engine, this wheel fixed to a vertical shaft passing to the lower part of the
machinery actuates all its movements. The shaft operates the clay knives,
and the horizontal cam wheel moving two cams which revolve under two
friction pulleys. A treble crank is cast in one piece, one of which cranks has
a long hole to receive a connecting rod, another supports a weight for
balancing or raising the press, and the other supports a friction pulley running
on the cam wheel. A double crank is formed, one of which supports a friction
pulley working on the cam wheel, and the other is attached to a pulley with a
bolt for drawing out the brick mould, this crank is also bolted to a chain which
passes around the pulley and then back around another pulley on the sanie
crank. A bracket is cast on each of the press sides to hold a key against the
ends of the grate to keep the joint of the press and the grate tight. A weight

page_text: is suspended by a cord or chain passing over a pulley and connected to the
crank which works in a slotted bar bolted to a slide which pushes out the
moulds. This bar has two brackets cast on it with a bolt passing through
them to regulate the distance of working the brick moulds. The vertical con-
necting rod unites the lower treble crank with an upper crank having a long
slot cut therein, and two handles with teeth on their edges hold the bolts and
keep them from sliding to and fro, the bolts pass through the connecting rod
and through the long holes or slots of the upper and lower cranks. Two small
cranks are arranged on the upper part of the side of the press through which a
rod passes from side to side through each crank. The rod also passes through
the vertical connecting rod. Two other cranks are bolted to the lower ends
of the two small cranks and also to the ends of the press. Now, as the vertical
driving shaft revolves it turns the cam wheel which rotates under the two
friction wheels, whereby the friction wheels and cranks are raised and lowered,
alternately actuating the vertical connecting rod and the other parts of the
machine, and pressing the clay from the tub into the moulds. As the cam
moves on, the counterweight attached to the treble crank descends and raises
the press, and ultimately presses out the brick moulds, the slide becomes drawn
back, and the operation is repeated. Should any foreign hard substance have
entered the mould, but not passed through it, the pressure causes the weight to
rise higher so that breakage is prevented. Upright posts with a top cross
piece are placed to support planks upon which the clay may be wheeled to the
mill, and iron plates are used to allow of the removal of one of the planks from
the back of the tub frame to clean the mill.