Improvements in Brick-making Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd June, 1890-Accepted, 30th Aug., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brick-making Machines.
We,
BRUCE CLARK WHITE and JAMES ANGUS BOYD both of 820 Dearborn Street,
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States of America, Mechanical Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
to
This invention relates to that class of machines for making bricks in which the clay
to form the bricks is compressed within a mould by means of two opposing plungers
which are moved toward each other in compressing the brick and are moved to accom-
plish the discharge of the finished brick from the mould and are also moved within
the mould during the act of compressing the brick in such manner as to give the
brick smooth and polished edges.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention;
Figure 1 is a central, vertical section of a machine embodying my invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section thereof, taken upon line 2-2 of Figure. 1.
Figure 3 is a detail plan view, taken upon line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a detail section taken upon line 4-4 of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a detail elevation of a device for adjusting the depth of the mould at
the time of filling the same, hereinafter described.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are detail views illustrating the operation of the devices for
actuating the lower plunger.
Figure 9 is a detail view of one of the parts shown in Figure 2.
Figures 10 and 11 illustrate in side and end elevations, modified forms of con-
struction in the devices for adjusting the depth of the mould at the time of fitting the
same.
Figures 12 and 13 are detail views of modified forms of construction illustrating
the operation of the devices for actuating the lower plunger.
The man frame of the machine herein illustrated as embodying my invention
consists of two heavy vertical frame plates A A arranged parallel with each other at
opposite sides of the machine and attached to a massive base A' which connects the
said frame-plates at the bottom of the machine. The said frame-plates A A embrace
two vertical standards A2 A2, affording bearings for the vertically movable parts
of the machine, and said frame plates are connected with each other at the top of
the frame by a horizontal cross-girt A³.
B is a mould table which is located at a convenient distance above the base A¹
and is arranged horizontally between and bolted at its ends to the vertical
standards A2 A2 of the frame. Within the said mould table are located the
moulds CC, of which the machine shown is provided with three. Said mould
table is herein shown as comprising two separable castings B' B² (Figure 3)
located in front and rear of the moulds, which latter are formed by means of
inwardly projecting parts B3 B³ cast upon the front and rear portions B' B2 of
the table and meeting at the centre line of the table. The castings B¹ B² are
held together by means of horizontal bolts passing through said castings,
between the moulds and at the end of the castings, in the manner shown. The
castings B B are secured to the frame standards A2 A2 by means of horizontal
bolts inserted through wings 23 at the ends of the castings B' R2 and
through said standards. Said parts B1 B2 of the mould table, for the purpose of
giving a rigid and unyielding support to the said table and to prevent the same
from springing or yielding in its centre under the heavy strain incident to pressing
the brick, are provided with vertical webs B6 B7, which extend downwardly to and
rest or bear throughout their full length upon the frame base A. The said webs

page_text: are desirably provided with horizontal flanges at their lower edges, through which
flanges and the base are inserted bolts 66 affording a rigid connection between
the parts. The webs B B' bolted at the frame base in the manner shown, serve
to transmit to said base, a part of the strain coming upon the table, and at the
same time hold the adjacent parts rigidly and strongly from either lateral or
vertical displacement when the machine is in action. Said webs B B7 are provided
with openings at points beneath the moulds, in the manner shown, to afford access
to the lower plungers for supplying steam thereto, and for reaching the adjusting
devices connected therewith, which are hereinafter described. To afford a strong
.connection between the mould table and the frame standards A2, the latter are
provided with notches or mortises a (Figure 2) at their inner faces, within which
notches or mortises, the ends of the castings B3 B are inserted, and within which
they are held by means of the bolts
The castings B1 B2 in the particular
construction shown form the parts of the mould table immediately adjacent to the
moulds.
Horizontal extensions of said table at the front and rear of the moulds, for the
purpose of supporting the feeding devices for the clay and the finished bricks, are
formed by a horizontal plate B at the front of the moulds, which plate is bolted to
the casting B1, in the manner shown, and by a second horizontal plate B', which is
located at the rear of the casting B and is sustained by attachment to the horizontal
parts of the frame-plates, in the manner illustrated.
DD are a series of plungers constructed to enter and slide in the upper surface of
the moulds (C. said plungers being attached to a horizontal cross-head D' located
above the mould table B. EE are lower plungers constructed to slide in moulds CC
and attached to a single rigid cross-hear E located beneath said mould table. F Fare
two heavy vertical bars which are mounted in guide surfaces A¹ A' formed in the
inner faces of the frame standards A² A² and engaging corresponding guide surfaces
upon the bars.
Said bars extend from a point near the bottom of the machine,
through the ends of the mould table B, to points near the upper ends of the frame
standards A² A². The bars are held, or guided at two points only, one at the top of
the frame standards, and the other just above the mould table, the guide surface a¹ a
being relatively short and located at these places only.
GG are toggle arms which are pivoted respectively to the upper ends of the slide
bars F F and the upper cross-head 1). The upper end of the upper toggle-arm G is
desirably made the full width of the space between the slide-hars FF, as clearly
shown in Figures 1 and 2, and said toggle-arm is pivotally connected with the said
slide bars by means of a heavy pivot pin G² fixed at its ends in the slide bars and
extending through a long bearing aperture in the toggle-arm. The lower toggle-
arm G is constructed to enter a recess in the upper surface of the cross-head D and
is pivotally connected with the latter by means of a pivot pin G³ inserted through
bearing apertures in opposite ends of said cross-head and in the lower end of said
toggle arm. The toggle-arms G G' are pivotally connected with each other by means
of a heavy pin G inserted through the over-lapping, forked ends of said toggle arms,
said pin being also adapted to engage a heavy beam H by which power is applied to
the toggle-arms: Said beam engages the centre of the pin G, and the toggle-arms
are centrally recessed to afford space for the entrance of the end of said beam
between their parts in bearing with the pin, in the manner illustrated in the
drawing.
Iis a heavy crank-shaft mounted in bearings in the frame-plates A A, said-crank-
shaft being located approximately in the same horizontal plane with the pivot pin G,
and some distance to the rear of the toggle-arms. Said crank-shaft is provided with
a heavy crank-pin 1 with which the beam H is engaged. The said crank-shaft is
so disposed with relation to the toggle-arms G G that in the rotation of said shaft,
said toggle-arms will be alternately straightened out and flexed by the action of the
crank and heau Said parts are so disposed, furthermore, that the toggle-arms will
be straightened out or brought into alignment with each other at the time the crank-
-pin-is at the extreme limit of its throw away froin the toggle-armis.

page_text: J is a pin or shaft mounted horizontally upon the frame-plates A A beneath the
beam H, and having its ends secured in two hubs at a* upon the frame plates. Upon
said shaft are mounted two vertically arranged oscillating arms J₁ J' which are
recessed at their upper ends and are adapted to engage the ends of heavy pins H¹
and H2, which are secured in the beam H between its ends and preferably nearer that
end of the beam engaged with the toggles G G¹.
The rocking arms JJ' engage the beam H as the latter is moved in the turning of
the crank-shaft, and serve as fulcrums or points of support for the beam,
so that the latter operates as it is moved by the crank-shaft, to raise and lower
the toggle-arms, the slide-bars, the upper and lower cross-head and the plungers.
A vertical movement is thus given to the upper and lower plungers for discharging
the brick from the mould and for moving the brick within the mould to smooth and
polish the edges of the brick during the compression of the same, and to enable the
clay to be fed to the moulds, as will hereinafter more fully appear.
K is a heavy drive wheel affixed to the shaft I outside of the frame-plate A.
Said drive wheel is provided with peripheral cogs which engage a pinion K'
mounte upon a stud K² located at the rear part of the frame, said stud having upon
it a helt pulley K³, over which may be placed a driving belt for transmitting power
to the machine.
L is a sliding feed-box which rests and slides upon the top of the mould-table B° at
the rear side of the moulds. Said feed-box consists of a horizontal plate or casting
provided at its end adjacent to the moulds with rectangular openings L' I³¹
corresponding in horizontal dimensions and in number with the moulds C°C. The
openings LL are closed at their bottoms by the mould table upon which the
feed-box rests, except when said feed-box is moved forward to bring said openings
over the molds.
M is a stationary feed-hopper located over the sliding feed-box 1 at a point
adjacent to the upper plungers D. Said feed-box L has a horizontal reciprocatory
motion through a distance sufficient to carry the openings L' L' over the moulds CC
and under the feed-hopper. When beneath the hopper, the feed-box receives material
from the same and such material is discharged into the moulds when the feed-box is
move forward. At the rear of the recoptacle LL', the feed-box is provided with a
smooth horizontal top surface L', which extends the full width of the feed-box and is
somewhat longer than the distance through which the latter travels in operation.
Said surface is for the purpose of supporting material within the hopper during
the time the feed-box is being moved forwardly to carry the clay to the mould.
N is a rock-shaft mounted at its ends in the frame-plates A. A and provided with an
upwardly extending arm N which engages a cam K upon the drive wheel K, and
with two depending arms N2 N2, which are connected by pitmans N3 N³ with the
opposite sides of the feed-box, in the manner clearly shown in the drawing,
Figures 1 and 2. The cam K' is a grooved cam adapted to engage a roller n upon
the arm N¹ and is so shaped as to advance the feed-box over the moulds at the time
the upper plunger is lifted above the same.
In the operation of the main parts of the machine above described, the compression
of the brick is produced solely by the action of the toggle-arms. operating through
the medium of the slide bars F, in the upper and lower cross-heads D' E', while the
vertical position of the plungers within the moulds is determined by the action of the
beam H and rocking arms J J', except when the cross-heads carrying the plungers
bear against their stops. In a machine heretofore made by us, described in
Specification No. 2071289, a roller is placed beneath the beam and is adapted to
engage the latter in its forward movement, by which the plungers are lifted in
ejecting the brick from the mould, said roller engaging the beain at a point nearer the
crank shaft 11 than the pin I, so that after the fulcrum of the lever has been shift.d
from the rocking arms and pin to the roller, a relatively rapid and extended upward
movement of the plungers is accomplished. As herein shown, however, any such
roller is absent and the beam H is provided between the pin H₁ and the crank
pin with the second pin H2 arranged parallel with the pin H', while the

page_text: rocking arm is made in the form of the segment of a cog-wheel and is provided
with two notches j, adapted to respectively engage the pins HH2. By this con-
struction, the same result is produced as obtained by the roller, in a more simple
manner, it being entirely obvious that as the beam is carried forward to flex the
toggle-arms and lift the plungers, the fulcrum of the beam will be shifted from the
pin H to the pin H2 so that the beam will act in lifting the plungers at first with
greater power and slower motion and afterwards with less power and greater speed.
In the particular construction of the parts last referred to as herein illustrated, the
pins H H are connected by a bridge-piece H³ which rides upon the tooth
projection between the notches jand, so that the downward pressure of the
beam will be transmitted smoothly and without jar from the pin H₁ to the pin H2.
The rocking arm is also desirably provided with an arm or prong 3 at the rear of
the notch to insure the proper engagement of the pin H2 with the said notch when
the fulcrum of the lever is shifted from one notch to the other. In view of the
• advantages obtained by the use of the segmental rocking lever in connection with a
plurality of pins in the beam as a means of shifting the fulcrum of the same, this
construction is herein claimed as part of our invention.
As a further improvement, the machine shown in the drawings embraces certain
novel features of construction in the means connecting the lower plungers with
the lower cross-head, by which the same are operated. Such devices are made as
follows:
The said lower plungers EE, instead of being positively or rigidly attached to the
lower cross-lead E¹, are vertically movable with relation to the said lower cross-head
and said plungers are sustained from the cross-head by means of weighted levers or
equivalent springs engaging the cross-head and pressing upwardly against the
plungers. By this construction, the said lower plungers in certain positions of the
lower cross-head may be moved vertically within the mould, independently of the
position of the cross-head. The said plungers are, however, provided with surfaces or
shoulders adapted to engage the cross-head in the upward movement of the latter, so
that the plungers will be positively lifted in compressing the brick. In the particular
construction of these parts illustrated in the drawing, the plungers E are provided
with vertical, depending stems E2; which pass through centrally arranged apertures
in the upper part of the cross-head E', which is desirably made hollow and of
inverted U-shape in cross-sectional form. At its lower end, the stem E2 is held and
guided in a vertical, tubular guide 0 attached to and supported upon the
frame base A¹. At a short distance below the plunger proper, the stem E² is provided
with a shoulder e adapted to engage the top of the cross-head. In a machine
embracing several plungers, such as is herein shown, the plungers are rigidly
connected with each other by means of a tranverse bar G3 which is located within the
hollow interior of the cross-head and is provided with vertical apertures through
which the stems are inserted and in which they are immovably clamped. O' is a lever
pivoted at upon the lower cross-head and provided with a short arm 02 which
engages a bearing recess e² in the stem of one of the plungers. As herein
shown (Figure 2), the two outer plunger stems only are engaged with the
guides OO, while the lever O' is engaged with the intermediate plunger stem only.
The lever is provided with a weight 3, said weight tending to depress the outer
end of the lever and lift the plungers, and being made of sufficient size to counter-
balance the weight of the several lower plungers and connected parts. The said
weight O³ is adjustable upon the lever, in order that the lifting effect of the lever
may be varied when necessary or desirable for the perfect working of the machine.
P (Figure 1 and 4) is an adjustable stop located beneath the lever O and adapted to
limit the downward movement of the same at the time the lower cross-head is at the
lower limit of its movement and to thereby determine the position of the lower
plunger within the mould at this time. Said vertically adjustable stop P is herein
shown as formed by or upon the end of a lever P which is pivoted in a bracket p
upon the frame and the free end or handle of which extends outwardly beyond the
frame and has adjustable connection with a segmental plate P² to which the lever

page_text: may be clamped for holding the stop in a desired position. Said segment P' is herein
shown as provided with a slot p which is engaged by a clamp plate p2 upon the
lever, but any other clamping or holding device may be employed. The said plate P2
is, furthermore, desirably provided with a scale, or graduations by which the position
of the lever and the stop carried thereby may be determined by inspection and said
stop placed in a desired position.
The several parts above described are so arranged that the lower plunger may be
sustained either by the engagement of the shoulder e with the top of the cross-head,
as illustrated in Figures 1,7 and 8, or by means of the weighted lever at the time the
cross-head is free from said shoulder, as illustrated in Figure 6. The weight 03 is of
such size that it will sustain the plungers at times when there is no downward
pressure upon the same due to the action of the upper plunger. The parts are so
disposed, furthermore, that when the cross-head is at the lower limit of its movement,
said cross-head will be free from the shoulder a' and the lower plungers will be held
up by the action of the weighted lever, the downward motion of said lever at this
time being limited by the stop P so that the position of the plunger within the mould
at the time of filling the same is determined by the position of said stop. It follows
that when the lower cross-head is at the lowermost limit of its movement, the lower
plunger will stand above the bottom of the mould and will be supported in this
position by the weighted lever, and the purpose of the adjustable stop P which
engages said lever is to enable the position of the lower plunger within the mould at
the time of filling the same to be changed as desired. Such position of the lower
plunger obviously determines the quantity of clay which is fed to the mould by the
fee-box. It follows that by changing the position of the stop P at a time when the
lower cross-head is at its extreme limit of travel downwardly, the lower plunger may
be adjusted within the mould so that the latter will receive the quantity of clay found
desirable or necessary for making bricks of desired thickness or according to the
quality and condition of the clay and other circunistances.
When the upper plunger descends into the mould after the latter has been filled
with clay, the approach of the upper plunger toward the lower plunger will cause the
said lower plunger to recede, the same being sustained at this time solely by the
weighted lever. The position of the parts at the time the upper plunger is about to
enter the mould is clearly shown in Figure 6. In the downward movement of the
upper plunger the clay will of course be compacted to greater or less extent, owing
to the action of the weight. When the pressure on the clay exceeds the sustaining
power of the weight, the downward movement of the lower plunger, as the upper
plunger descends in the mould, will commence and continue until the shoulder a'
strikes the lower cross-head, when said piunger will come to a bearing on the cross-
head and its further downward movement will be arrested. The parts are desirably
so arranged that the lower plunger will stop at a point near the bottom of the mould,
as clearly shown in Figure 7, which illustrates the position of the parts when the
lower plunger has reached the downward limit of its movement.
The upward movement of the lower cross-head for the purpose of more perfectly
compressing the brick will preferably begin immediately after the said lower plunger
has come to a bearing upon the lower cross-head; at which time the upper plunger
will be prevented from descending further by contact of the cross-head to which said
plunger is attached, with the stops 66 and the compression will be completed by
the lower plunger which is then caused to rise by the further straightening of the
toggle. The lower plunger will obviously be lifted to bring its upper surface flush
with the top of the mould table by the action of the lower cross-head and the upward
movement of the lower cross-head is arranged to terminate when the lower plunger
reaches the top of the mould. When the plunger reaches the top of the mould, how-
ever, the downward strain upon this plunger will be relieved and, inasmuch as the
weighted lever is still tending to lift the said plunger, it might throw the same
above the mould unless prevented. To prevent such result, a stop e³ is placed on the
stem E below the mould table in position to engage the lower surface of the table or

page_text: other stationary stop or projection upon the frame, when the lower plunger reaches a
point at which its top surface is flush with the top of the table.
When the weighted lever is arranged to support the lower plunger level with the
top of the table, a stop is employed to hold the plunger in this position, as above
described, it obviously not essential that the lower cross-head should remain.
immovable at the upward limit of its movement for any considerable length of time,
inasmuch as the weighted lever will sustain the lower plunger at such upward limit
of its movement, while the. brick is being removed therefrom even though the lower
cross-head begins immediately to descend. It follows that by the use of the weighted
lever arranged and operating as described, any special construction in the actuating
devices of the machines for holding the lower plungers immovable, such for instance
as the cam surface upon the lower edge of the beam H, shown in said prior machine
hereinbefore referred to, may be omitted. In the use of a weighted lever thus
arranged, therefore, the rocking arm J made in the form of a gear segment and
engaging a plurality of pins or projections upon the beam, may be employed as the
sole means of sustaining the toggle actuating beam H. The employment of the
weighted lever connecting the lower cross-head and the lower plunger or its equivalent
in connection with a stop arranged to limit the upward movement of the lower
plunger is therefore of great importance in a machine of the character herein shown
for the reason that it renders unnecessary, a careful construction and adjustment of
the actuating devices to give the exact movement and dwell at the upward limit of
its throw which would otherwise be required, while at the same time the life of the
machine is increased inasmuch as the wearing parts of the bearing surfaces through
the medium of which the lower plungers are actuated will not prevent the successful
operation of the machine. Any such wearing of the said parts or bearing surface, in
cases where the position of the lower plungers with relation to the table, depends
solely upon the accuracy of adjustment and form of cam surfaces or other working
parts will obviously cause the machine to work imperfectly. Another obvious
advantage of this arrangement is that the toggles, upper cross-head and bars do
not have to be lifted to so great a height, as the motion due to the flexing of the
toggles after the lower plungers have been lifted to the top of the table, may all
be imparted to the descending lower cross-head, the bars, and the upper toggle-arm.
It may sometimes occur that the lower cross-head is not lifted sufficiently to bring
the top of the lower plunger exactly flush, with the table, while at the same time
there is so much frictional resistance to the movement of the parts that the weight
will not lift the said lower plunger sufficiently to bring the stop e³ into contact with
the under surface of the table. To provide for such contingency, I place upon the
lever or weight, a set-screw o¹, so located that it will strike the under surface of the
mould table and thereby positively actuate the weighted lever to slightly lift the lower
plunger. This set-screw will commonly be so adjusted that it will not strike the
table above it; but, when by reason of wear upon the parts or other cause the lower
plunger fails to come exactly flush with the table, the set-screw may be turned up
sufficiently to strike the table and thereby actuate the lever to an extent sufficient to
bring the stop e against the bottom of the mould table.
One important advantage gained by the employment of a weighted lever con-
necting the lower cross-head and plungers arises from the fact that said plungers
are thereby rendered adjustable for giving a large or small capacity to the moulds,
without requiring any adjustment of the cross-heads by which said plungers are
immediately actuated. In some machines as heretofore made, the descent of the
lower plungers has been limited by adjustable stops placed upon the frame in position
to engage the lower cross-head. In such prior construction, it has been found
difficult to accurately adjust the stops as the latter become rapidly worn by the action
of the lower cross-head and heavy pressing mechanism thereon. In a machine
constructed as herein illustrated, any accurate adjustment of the vertical position of
the lower cross-head is unnecessary and elastic stops or cushions may be arranged
to receive the impact.of.the.said lower-cross-head-and-parts-connected-there with if

page_text: desired. In the machine herein illustrated, the vertical position of the lower
plungers at the time of filling the mould is determined by the position of the adjust-
able stop P, and said stop, being under the control of the operator, may be shifted
to give any desired depth of mould readily at any time, and during any part of the
revolution of the machine without regard to the adjustment of the other parts of the
machine.
We have herein shown the stop P as formed by or upon an oscillating hand
lever P. but it is entirely obvious that said stops may be sustained upon the frame
in any one of many different ways which will readily suggest themselves to a
mechanic. As it relates to and includes said adjustable stop, therefore, our invention
is not restricted to any particular means for supporting or shifting the same.
The
scale which is provided in connection with a moving part which actuates or moves
with the adjustable stop, enables the stop to be easily set to give a desired depth of
mould without actual ineasurement of the mould itself, the marks upon the scale
corresponding with the depth of mould cavity, and in view of the advantages gained
by the use of such scale, the latter when employed in connection with an adjustable
stop, is also herein claimed as part of our invention.
In Figures 2 and 9, we have shown a novel construction in a stop for limiting
the downward movement of the lower cross-head and elastic stops or cushions con-
nected therewith to receive the impact of the said lower cross-head and parts
connected therewith. Said stop is placed at the upper end of the machine adjacent
to the pivot G³ for reasons that will hereinafter appear.
As shown in said figures, the ends of said pivot G² are extended beyond the
vertical bars FF, at the outer faces of the same, and upon the ends of said pivots
are placed two blocks QQ having flat lower faces adapted to engage transverse.
horizontal stops Q'Q' located upon the frame standards A2 A2 below the said
blocks QQ. Said stops Q'Q' are herein shown as formed by integral, horizontal
ribs cast upon the inner surfaces of the frame standards. To the lower surfaces of
the blocks QQ are secured cushions 9 of rubber, or other suitable material, said
cushions, as herein shown, consisting of blocks fitted in recesses in the lower surfaces
of the blocks Q Q. The said blocks QQ are adapted for easy removal from the
ends of the pivot pin G2, being for this purpose held thereon by a set-screw g¹
(Figure 9) or other similar means. When both blocks QQ are removed, the vertical
parts FF and the lower cross-head may be dropped slightly below their normal
position and a sufficient distance to carry the top surface of the lower plunger clear
of the moulds, thereby enabling the lower plunger or plunger plates to be removed
from the machine for renewal or repairs without taking the machine apart. This is
an important advantage in machines of this character, for the reason that the taking
apart of the machine frame is a very expensive and troublesome operation. Q² Q2
are removable plates secured in the frame standards A2 A2 opposite the blocks QQ
and adapted to be readily taken off to expose the blocks Q Q when it is desired to
inspect or remove the saine.
The moulds CC of the machine herein shown are provided with side lining plates e c
and end lining plates c¹ c', the end lining plates extending past the ends of the side
lining plates, so that all of the lining plates are beld in position by the clamping action
of the horizontal bolts band of the screw-threaded stems c² ² which are formed upon
the partitions C'C', in the same manner as in the said prior machine. When this
construction is used, the lining plates may be easily removed from the mould by
loosening up the said holts bb and the nuts upon the stems c³ c³.
As hereinbefore stated, the adjustable stop for limiting the downward movement of
the weighted lever, and thereby controlling the position of the lower plunger within
the mould at the time of filling the same, may be mounted upon the frame and adjust-
ably supported in any manner found convenient or desirable. In Figures 10 and 11,
I have shown a construction in the said stop and means for actuating the same having
some advantages over that herein before described. As illustrated in the said Figures 10
and 11, R is a horizontal rock-shaft mounted upon the frame base at the rear of the
lower plungers and provided with a crank-shaft R', which is located in the path of

page_text: the weighted lever and serves as a stop for the same. At the end of said shaft R,
outside of the frame, a worm-wheel R2 is attached to said shaft. R³ is a worm shaft
mounted in suitable bearings at the side of the frame and provided with a worm 7
which engages the worm-wheel R2. At the upper end of said shaft R³, in position
convenient for the operator, is located a hand-crank. The face of the worin-wheel R
is desirably provided with an index or scale, and a pointer 2 is attached to the frame
in position opposite the said index or scale, said scale and pointer serving to indicate
to the attendant, the exact vertical position of the lever arm R¹. A construction of
this kind has the advantage that the stop is always locked securely from movement
without any attention on the part of the operator, the worm-wheel being incapable of
movement excepting when the worm-shaft is turned.
We have herein before referred to the employment of a spring in place of a weight
as a means of movably sustaining the lower plunger from the lower cross-head. A
construction of this kind is illustrated in Figure 12, wherein a lever S is employed,
which lever is arranged and operates in the same manner as the lever P shown in the
other figures of the drawing. In this instance, however, a coiled spring S¹ is con-
nected with said lever S and with a lng s upon the lower cross-head, said spring acting
to pull the outer arm of the lever downwardly and thereby hold the lower plunger
elevated except when the same is depressed by the action of the upper plunger upon
the clay within the mould, in the same manner as herein before described in connection
with the weighted lever. A nut s¹ placed upon the screw threaded end of the spring S¹
which passes through the lugs, affords a means of adjusting the tension of the spring.
It will of course be seen that the stop P operates in this instance to raise the outer
end of the lever against the action of the spring when the lower cross-head is near the
lower limit of its movement, thereby determining the position of the lower plunger
within the mould at the time of filling the saune, in the same manner as hereinbefore
set forth.
In Figure 13 is illustrated still another construction in devices for yieldingly sup-
porting the lower plunger upon the lower cross-head. In this instance T is a spring
placed around the plunger stem E2, between a collar T' affixed on the upper part of
the stem and a cross-piece T2 upon the cross-head. U is a set-screw passing vertically
through the top of the cross-tree and engaging an arm t upon the collar T¹. Said
spring serves to lift the lower plunger in the same manner as the weighted lever above
described, and the set-screw operates as a stop to determine the position of the plunger
within the mould at the time of filling the same, in the same manner as hereinbefore
stated in connection with the stop P, illustrated in other figures of the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
1. The combination with a mould and plungers working therein, of means for actuat-
ing the plungers, embracing toggle arms connected with the opposite plungers, a
crank-shaft, a beam connected with the said crank-shaft and with the middle joint of
the toggle-arms, and a shifting fulcrum for the beam, comprising a pivotally supported
arm upon the frame, provided with a plurality of bearing recesses or notches, and a
plurality of pins or projections upon the beain, severally engaging the recesses or
notches of said arm, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a mould, of upper and lower plungers sliding therein and
means for actuating the lower plunger, having elastic or yielding connection therewith,
permitting downward movement of said lower plunger relatively to the actuating
devices, and stops or shoulders limiting such downward movement or yielding of said
plunger with relation to said actuating device, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a mould, of upper and lower plungers sliding therein, means
for actuating the lower plunger having yielding connection therewith, stops or
shoulders limiting the downward movement or yielding of the plunger, and an adjust-
able stop limiting the upward movement of the plunger, relatively to the parts which
actuate.the
ctuate the same, substantially as described....

page_text: 4. The combination with a mold, of upper and lower plungers sliding therein, means
for actuating the lower plunger, having yielding connection therewith, an adjustable
stop limiting the upward movement of the lower plunger relatively to the actuating
devices, and a scale or index marked to indicate the depth of mold as determined by
the position of said adjustable stop, substantially as described.
5. The combination with a, mold and lower cross-head, of a lower plunger which is
movable vertically with relation to the cross-head, and a weighted lever pivoted upon
the cross-head and acting upon the plunger, said lever being provided with a vertically
adjustable stop limiting the upward movement of the lever by contact with an adjacent
part of the machine-frame, whereby the lower plunger may be brought flush with the
top of the mold, substantially as described.
6. The combination with a mold, upper and lower plungers, toggle-arms connected
with both plungers and movable vertically at both ends with the plungers, a toggle-
operating beam fulcrumed between its ends and connected with the central joint of
the toggle, and a stationary stop or stops located in position to engage the upper
plunger and limit the descent of the same, and thereby operating to determine the
vertical position of the plungers within the mold at the time of greatest compression,
substantially as described.
Signed at Chicago Illinois this the 24th day of March 1890.
BRUCE CLARK WHITE.
JAMES ANGUS BOYD.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.