Improvements in Brick-making Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 21st Nov., 1891-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brick-making Machines.
I ROBERT MOUNTAIN of 2 Fryergate, New Scarbro Wakefield in the County
of York Whitesmith do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention refers to that class of brick making machines in which the moulds
for the bricks are formed in a revolving barrel. In my invention the barrel is
preferably provided with several moulds for the bricks, and which are uniformly.
distributed over the circumference of the barrel. At one side of the barrel is
provided a mixer, or pug mill, or both, as may be found advisable, into which the
clay is fed, and from which it is pushed forward against the circumference of the
barrel, so as to enter and fill the moulds as they successively come opposite the pug
mill or mixer.
The bottom of the moulds are formed as moveable rectangular pistons, which
are provided on the inner side (i.e. towards the centre of the barrel, with rods or
stems. By means of mechanism to be afterwards described, these pistons are
moved radially to and fro in the moulds.
Without the barrel and in a position 90 to 120 degrees past that of the pug mill
or mixer, I provide a die or top piston, moveable within radially placed guides, for
the purpose of pressing the brick in the mould.
At a suitable position past the brick pressing die, I provide a receiving
or rather delivery table, on to which the formed bricks are delivered as they
are pushed out from the moulds by the motion of the before mentioned
pistons.
The pistons are moved slowly backwards and forwards, (in a radial direction) in
the moulds by means of the following mechanism. Cross-bars are attached to the
beforementioned rods or stems of the pistous, and the ends of these extend into a
cam groove formed on or in, or connected to the fixed sides or framework of the
machine. I attach rollers or sliding blocks to the ends of the cross-bars to reduce
the friction and to act as guides. The cam groove is so shaped, that as the barrel
revolves carrying with it the moulds, pistons and cross-bars, these are moved
radially inwards and outwards at the proper times. Thus, as it is desirable that the
piston should be at the bottom of the mould both whilst the mould is being filled
with clay and the brick pressed, I arrange the cam groove between these two
positions of the mould as part of a circle, having the axis of the revolving barrel
as its centre; whilst at the position at which the formed or pressed bricks are
delivered from the moulds the cam groove has its greatest radius.
In some cases the pressing die may be dispensed with, or the pressing may be
arranged to be effected by a separate pressing machine or machines. My improved
apparatus can then be used for making or forming the bricks without pressing
them. In this case the cover of the delivery end of the pug mill or mixer, abutting
against the revolving barrel, is fitted more carefully, so as to cut-off the clay (in the
mould) smoothly and neatly; or in the case of strong plastic clay this may be pushed
or fed in by rollers. The cam for actuating the mould pistons may then also be
arranged, so that the formed bricks are delivered from the underside of the
revolving barrel, aud I provide a travelling band to carry them away to a separate
press or presses, in which case the barrel may be arranged to revolve continuously
and not intermittently.
The mould barrel is revolved at suitable intervals by a ratchet wheel and pawl
arrangement, and is provided with a locking arrangement for firmly locking the

page_text: barrel truly in position. If found necessary I propose also to fit an automatic
brake to prevent the barrel over-running the positions at which it should stop.
Dated this 5th day of March 1891.
J. CLARK JEFFERSON,
2, East Parade, Leeds, Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brick-making Machines.
I ROBERT MOUNTAIN of 2 Fryergate New Scarbro Wakefield in the County
of York Whitesmith 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.:―
My invention refers to that class of brick making machines, in which the moulds
for the bricks are formed in a revolving barrel. In my invention the barrel is
preferably provided with several moulds for the bricks, and which are uniformly
distributed over the circumference of the barrel. At one side of the barrel is
provided a mixer or pug mill, or both, as may be found advisable; into which the
clay is fed, and from which it is pushed forward against the circumference of the
barrel, so as to euter and fill the moulds as they successively come opposite the pug
mill or mixer.
The bottom of the moulds are formed as moveable rectangular pistons, which
are provided on the inner side (i.e. towards the centre of the barrel, with rods or
stems. By means of mechanism to be afterwards described, these pistons are
moved radially to and fro in the moulds.
Without the barrel and in a position 90 to 120 degrees past that of the pug mill
or mixer, is provided a die or top piston moveable within radially placed guides for
the purpose of pressing the brick in the mould.
At a suitable position past the brick pressing die, I provide a receiving or rather
delivery table, on to which the formed bricks are delivered as they are pushed out
from the moulds by the motion of the before mentioned pistons.
The pistons are moved slowly backwards and forwards (in a radial direction) in
the moulds by means of the following mechanism. Cross bars are attached to the
before mentioned rods or stems of the pistons, and the ends of these extend into a
cam or eccentric shaped groove formed on or in, or connected to the fixed sides or
framework of the machine. I attach rollers or sliding blocks to the ends of the
cross bars to reduce the friction and to act as guide blocks. The groove is so
shaped that as the barrel revolves carrying with it the moulds, pistons, and cross
bars, these are moved radially inwards and outwards to their correct positions at
the proper times. Thus as it is necessary that each piston should be at or towards
the bottom of its mould, both when the latter is being fed with clay, and whilst the
brick is being pressed, the groove between these two positions is arranged as part
of a circle having the axis of the revolving barrel as its centre, and the groove is
over this portiou at its shortest distance from the centre; whilst at that part
where the moulded brick is delivered from the barrel the groove is at its farthest
distance from the axis of the barrel.
In some cases the pressing die may be dispensed with, and the pressing arranged
to be effected by a separate machine if desired. My improved apparatus can then
be used for making or forming the bricks without pressing them. In this case the
cover of the delivery end of the pug mill or mixer, abutting against the revolving
barrel, is fitted more carefully, and formed with a sharp knife edge, so as to cut off
the clay at the outer end of the mould smoothly and neatly; or in the case of
strong plastic clay, this may be pushed or fed in by rollers. The groove for
moving the mould pistons may then also be curved, so that the formed bricks are

page_text: Fig. 5 is a view of the cam or eccentric shapen
machine constructed in accordance with my invention. In all the figures the same
letter or number refers to the same or corresponding part.
a a is the revolving barrel, provided with rectangular openings uniformly placed
round the circumference, and which are lined with steel boxes or liners bb to
minimize the wear and tear. These boxes bb form the moulds.
c is the pug mill, in the drawings shewn provided with a rotating screw d, for
the purpose
of mixing and feeding forward the clay into the moulds bb, as they
successively come opposite the delivery opening of the pug mill.
ee are the rectangular pistons fitting moveable within the liners bb, and forming
the bottom of the moulds. The stems or inner ends of the same are provided with
cross rods ff, which latter fit in cylindrical bearings formed for them in the stems
of the pistons. The ends of the rods ffare provided with sliding blocks g 9,
which fit capable of moving in the grooves h h formed on or attached to the inner
sides of the fixed casing i of the machine. This cam groove may either be cast on
the sides of the casing i, or formed as shewn in Fig. 5 of two concentric cam rings;
bolted to the inner sides of the casing i. From to m is formed as a quadrant of
a circle described about the barrel axle n.
o is the pressing die, or top piston, guided between the slide bars p cast on or
attached to the uprights or standards qq. The pressing die o is raised and
lowered by means of the eccentric, fitted on the cam shaft s, the latter being
carried in bearings formed at the upper end of the standards The pressing die o
may be attached direct to the eccentric rod t, but I prefer to do this indirectly in
the following manner, in order to prevent any risk of fracture. The lower end of
the eccentric rod is attached to an intermediate sliding block a moveable within the
aforesaid guides p. The pressing die o and the intermediate sliding block u are
connected by means of bolts , and carry between them a set of strong spiral
springs w, which are under sufficient compression to transmit any suitable pressure
for moulding the brick properly; but which yield when such pressure is exceeded,
and allow the intermediate block u to descend whilst the pressing die o remains
stationary.
y
In order to lock the barrel truly in position with the mould exactly beneath the
pressing die, I provide the following mechanism. Recesses are formed in the
fits. This bar
barrel a, into which the lower end of the locking bar
is pressed
down at suitable times by means of the cam z, and the bell crank lever 1, a strong
spring 2 being placed on the upper end of the locking bar to receive and transmit
the pressure from the lower arm of the bell crank lever 1. Should any obstruction
arise, the spring 2 yields, and the pin 3 connected to the lower arm of the bell
crank lever 1, can move down in the curved slot formed in the upper end of the
locking bar y
4 is the table on which the pressed bricks are delivered.
The barrel a is intermittently rotated at suitable times by means of the crank 5,

page_text: connecting rod 6, lever 7, (hinged loose on the outer end of the axle n), pawl 8, and
ratchet wheel 9, (keyed or otherwise fixed to the axle n). The pawl 8 is pressed
against the ratchet wheel teetli by means of the spring 10, so as to engage with
them and rotate the barrel in the direction shewn by the arrow, but when the
motion is in the opposite direction, the spring yields, and the pawl slides over the
teeth without moving the ratchet wheel.
When the pressing is dispensed with, or is performed in a separate machine the
cam groove may be formed as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 5, so that
the bricks are delivered near the bottom, and are carried away by means of a
travelling band 11, passing over pulleys 12, both indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.
To prevent the bricks being damaged by falling prematurely out of the moulds, I
provide an incline or curved slope 13, (also indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1,) to
catch and to allow them to slide gently down on the travelling band.
14 is a brake block or blocks, bearing against the circumference of the barrel
near the outer sides, and carried from levers 15 on the cross shaft 16. 17 is a
weighted lever (or levers,) which tends to keep the brake blocks pressed against
the barrel with sufficient force to prevent it overrunning, when the pawl lever
reaches the end of its upward stroke; but without offering further resistance or
excessive resistance to the rotation of the barrel, when being moved by the pawl
and ratchet arrangement.
18 is the main driving pulley, revolving loose on the barrel axle n, which by
means of the intermediate bevil gearing 19 and 20, (or spur gearing may be
employed) rotates the cam shaft s and by means of the intermediate gearing 21
and 22, rotates the worm of the pug-mill.
I am aware that brick machines with barrels rotable on a horizontal axis, having
moulds in their peripheries and internal pistons, have been previously used; 1 do
not therefore claim such general combination, but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1° The combination of a barrel rotative on a horizontal axis and provided with
moulds on its periphery and internal pistons moveable within such moulds, with a
fixed groove formed in or attached to the fixed side frames of the brick machine,
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
20 The combination of the subject matter of Claim 1° with either or both a pug
mill (or mixer), and an outer pressing die.
30 In brick making machinery a barrel rotative on a horizontal axis and pro-
vided with moulds on the periphery, such moulds having internal pistons provided
with cross bars passing through bearings in the stems of the pistons and extending
at the sides into fixed grooves formed in or attached to the fixed side frames of the
machine and having fixed or loose sliding blocks on their ends fitting in the said
grooves, all substantially as herein set forth and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
4° In brick making machines having a mould barrel rotable on a horizontal
axis; an outer pressing die attached indirectly to the eccentric or cam rod
actuating it, by means of an intermediate sliding block and cushion springs, all
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
5° The mechanism for locking the barrel truly in position, consisting of a
locking bar pushed forward into corresponding recesses on the barrel by means of
a cam on the pressing die shaft and having an intermediate spring to transmit the
thrust, all substantially as herein set forth.
6° The combination of the subject matter of Claim 1° with a travelling band
arranged under the revolving barrel, substantially as and for the purpose herein
set forth.

page_text: 7° The general arrangement and combination of the various mechanism forming
my improved brick making machinery substantially as herein set forth and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of November 1891.
J. CLARK JEFFERSON,
2, East Parade, Leeds, Agent for Applicant.