IMPROVEMENT IN THE METHOD OF MAKING SOFT CLAY BATS' FOR THE USE OF CLAY WORKERS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SEVERAL KINDS OF EARTHENWARE GOODS
Year: 1885

page_text: I HENRY STANIER TILL of 93 Lord Street Etruria in the borough of Hanley in
the county of Stafford Earthenware Modeller do hereby declare the nature of said
invention for IMPROVEMENT IN THE METHOD OF MAKING SOFT CLAY BATS' FOR
THE USE OF CLAY WORKERS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SEVERAL KINDS OF
EARTHENWARE GOODS to be as follows:-
•
'
An improved method of making Soft Clay Bats' by cutting them off direct.
from a Lump' or 'Roll' of Clay which has been first beaten, in the ordinary way,
into such a shape that a section would make a 'bat' of the required shape, by
means of a tool or mechanical contrivance the use and construction of which may
be described as follows:-
A piece of wire, stretched by means of screws attached to handles, is used for
cutting off the bats' from the prepared mass of clay. The thickness of the bats'
cut off by the wire is regulated by means of a guide or smoothing rod. This is
adjusted, by movable screws or pins working in slits in the handles, according to
the thickness of the 'bats' required. The Guide or smoothing rod is placed above
the cutting wire, but not directly over it, and so that besides guiding the cutting.
wire, it will, when in use, rest upon, and move over, the upper surface of the mass
of clay, and by so doing smooth over the surface of that side of the bat which,.
after it has been cut off by the wire, is placed upon the mould. The screws
ali eady mentioned, for stretching the wire, and regulating the position of the
guide, are also used for attaching these to one or more handles for the convenience
of the workman. A small sliding ring is also placed on the guide or smoothing
rod, which, by being passed along it, removes the rough clay which may adhere to
it when in use.
The following further particulars may be given of the different parts of the
tool:-
-
1. The Cutting Wire is passed through the perforations at each end of the two
handles, and then fastened to screws working in the handles, one or both of which
should be thumb screws, and fixed so that they can be used for tightening or
stretching the wire.

page_text: The thickness or strength of the cutting wire may be varied according to the
consistency of the clay to be cut, and the size of the 'bats' required.
2. The Guide or Smoothing Rod should not be placed directly over the cutting
wire, but so that it can rest upon the outer surface of the mass of clay before the
cutting wire is brought into use, and thus regulate at what distance from the
surface the cutting wire is to be first applied.
It may be attached to the handles either by thumb screws or by bolts and nuts
working in a slit in the handle so that its distance above the cutting wire can be
altered according to the thickness of the 'bats' required.
It must be placed so that it will rest upon, and when in use, move over the
surface of the mass of clay, and act as a guide to the cutting wire underneath.
It is also intended to smooth the upper surface of the clay when moving over it,
and its shape must be adapted for this purpose.
The length of the guide or smoothing rod regulates the distance of the handles
from each other, and cutting wires, and guide or smoothing rods, of different
lengths can be fixed to the handles according to the size or width of the bats
required.
3. A Slide or Wire Ring is placed on the guide or smoothing rod which by being
passed along it removes any rough clay which may adhere to its surface.
4. The Handles may be either vertical or bent according to the way in which the
clay intended to be cut will be placed, and when 'bats' of one width only are
required, the cutting wire, and guide or smoothing rod, may, if required, for the
convenience of the workman be fixed to one handle.
The method of using the tool may be described as follows:-
The large rolls' or 'lumps' of clay are first beaten by the ordinary means into
such a shape and size that a section of the necessary thickness would make a bat
of the size and shape required.
The prepared lump of Clay is then placed on a bench or stand in a convenient
position for the workman and the surface of the end from which it is intended to
cut off the bats' is, if necessary, levelled by cutting off a thin piece with the
cutting wire. The tool for cutting the 'bats' can then be brought into use by first
resting the guide or smoothing rod on the surface of the clay so that the cutting
wire will touch the outer edge and then moving it by means of the handles either
vertically or horizontally according to the position in which the clay is placed with
the guide or smoothing rod always resting on and moving over the surface and the
wire cutting through the clay underneath. When the cutting wire has passed
through the clay the 'bat' which it cuts off can be removed by hand and placed
with the smoothed surface on the mould and the operation can then be repeated
until the lump of clay is used up when it can be replaced by another lump.
Before the tool is used the position of the guide and smoothing rod should be
adjusted to a proper distance from the wire according to the thickness of the bats
required and it may if necessary, when in use be occasionally moistened with water
and any rough clay which may adhere to it removed with the small slide or wire
ring. In using the tool care should also be taken not to alter the position in which
the handles are held and so alter the direction of the cutting wire underneath
causing the bats' to be of unequal thickness.
་
The construction of one form of the tool is more particularly delineated or
shewn in the accompanying sketch in which the different parts are numbered as
follows:-
No 1. The Cutting wire.
"
2. The Guide or Smoothing Rod.
の TLC tightaniam the Coathin

page_text: No 7. The Slits in the handles for regulating the distance of the Guide from
the Cutting Wire.
8. An End view of the handle.
32
"
9. The cutting wire hole.
"
10. The cutting wire screw hole.
"
"
"
11. The Screw or bolt for securing the Guide or Smoothing rod.
12. Sections of two forms of Guide or Smoothing Rods.
13. Shewing direction in which the handle (N° 8) would be moved when
in use.

page_text: Improved Method of Making “Clay Bats" and Apparatus
therefor.
?
I HENRY STANIER TILL of N° 93 Lord Street Etruria in the borough of Hanley
in the county of Stafford Earthenware Modeller do hereby declare the nature of
said invention for IMPROVEMENT IN THE METHOD OF MAKING SOFT CLAY 'BATS
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
.
The nature of my said invention consists in the construction and application of
a machine or tool by which bats (for the use of clay workers in the manufacture
of the several kinds of Earthenware goods) of any required shape, and of regulated
and even thickness, and having one surface smoothed or polished, may be made by
cutting them off direct from large lumps of prepared clay.
The form or construction of the machine or tool hereinafter referred to as "The
Bat Cutter" which I prefer is shewn in the accompanying drawings and may be
particularly described and ascertained by reference thereto as follows:-
The Bat Cutter as shewn in " Figure 1," consists of two metal handles,
marked "A," one end of each of these is passed through wooden holders or hand
pieces, marked "B." Both handles are attached, by means of screws, to each end
of a metal connecting rod, marked "C," for keeping the handles the required
distance apart. On the outer side of one handle there is a small projecting button,
marked "D," and on the outer side of the other handle there is a projecting
bracket, marked "E," with a square open groove at the end of the bracket.
to as
Both handles are curved or bevelled at one end where they have also one or
more grooves for holding thin wire. A wire, marked "F," and hereinafter referred
"The Cutter" is attached by a loop to the button, marked "D," and passed
in one of the grooves before referred to, over the end of each of the handles, and
then stretched or tightened by means of a hooked screw, marked "G," which is
placed in the square groove at the end of the bracket, and worked by means of a
winged nut, marked "H."
The groove at the end of the bracket is made square, and two sides of the hooked
screw are also flattened, to prevent it from turning round and so twisting the
Cutter when used for stretching the latter over the ends of the two handles.
A metal rod, marked "I," and hereinafter referred to as "the Guide and
Polisher," is placed above the Cutter but not directly over it, and is of such a shape
that the bottom or working side, marked "K," (which should be slightly bevelled)
will go between the handles and face the Cutter, and the ends of the other side
(which should be flat) will rest on the front sides of the handles to which it is
fastened by means of thumb screws, marked "L," working in the handles, and in
Slits in the ends of the Guide and Polisher, marked "M," so that its distance
above the Cutter can be varied as required.
"Figure 2" shews the other side of the Bat Cutter in which the particular parts
of the tool or machine are marked the same as in "Figure 1" and the screws by
which the handles are attached to the ends of the connecting rod which are not

page_text: "
"
"
shewn in Figure 1 are also marked "N." "Figure 3" shews the top view of
the tool; the particular parts being marked the same as in Figures "1" and " 2.”
The form or shape of the two handles is better seen in the end views thereof
shewn in "Figures 4" and "5" of the accompanying drawings. In "Figure 4
the wooden holder or hand piece is marked "B," the button for attaching the
Cutter "D" the connecting rod screw "N," and the end of the Guide and
Polisher "I" In "Figure 5" the wooden holder or hand piece is also marked "B,"
the bracket shewing the square groove "E," the connecting rod screw
"N,"
the end of the Guide and Polisher "I," and the thumb screw for fastening and
regulating the Guide and Polisher L." The form of the Guide and Polisher is
also more particularly shewn in " Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings in:
which the side which is placed next to the Cutter, and which as before stated
should be slightly bevelled is marked "K." The side having its ends resting on
the handles is marked "I," and the slits at the ends through which the thumb
screws work are marked "M."
15
35'
The shape or form of a section of the Guide and Polisher is also shewn in
Figure 7" of the accompanying drawings.
31
:
As to the material to be used in making the before described " Bat Cutter I:
prefer the handles, and the Guide and Polisher, to be cast in Brass, and the con-
necting rod to be also made of ordinary brass rod of proper width and thickness.
These parts could, if required, be made of Iron instead of Brass, but I prefer the
latter metal in consequence of its not being liable to rust with the damp Clay. I
believe thin Steel wire to be the most suitable material for the Cutter owing to its
strength and durability..
The holders or hand pieces may be of any kind of wood used for making handles.
The Bat Cutter is intended to be made in several sizes for general use according
to the width of the bats required to be made.
The whole of the accompanying drawings are on a scale equal to about half the
size of a tool or machine for making bats eleven inches in width.
""
As to the manner in which my said invention is to be performed the following
is one of the methods in which the Bat Cutter before described may be applied so.
as to avoid the great expenditure of labour required in the method of making Clay
bats now in most general use, and also in order to make the bats quicker and with
greater regularity both in size and thickness:-The position of the Guide and.
Polisher should first be adjusted to a proper distance above the Cutter according to
the thickness of the bats required; one of the large lumps of soft prepared clay,
generally used by clay workers is then taken and "wedged or beaten into such a
shape that a section of the necessary thickness will make a bat of the shape and
size required. The upper surface of the lump of Clay is next levelled by cutting
off a thin piece or slice with the Cutter without bringing the Guide and Polisher
into use.
After having so prepared the lump of clay the bats can be readily made
by the Bat Cutter as follows:-The Guide and Polisher of the tool or machine
should be placed so as to ledge on the upper surface of the lump of Clay with the
Cutter falling the required distance below it, and resting on the side of the lump
of Clay. The Bat Cutter is then moved by hand, with its Guide and Polisher
resting upon and moving with slight pressure over the upper surface of the lump
of Clay by which means it smoothes or polishes the surface, and at the same time
guides the direction of the Cutter underneath, and so regulates the thickness of
the bat which it cuts off. When the Cutter has passed through the Clay the bat
which it cuts off should be removed from the lump of clay and the operation
repeated until the lump of Clay is used up, when it can be replaced by another
lump to be treated in the same manner.
The lumps of prepared Clay, to be used for making into bats by the Bat Cutter,
should not be either too dry or too soft, but the proper working consistency
would be at once known to an ordinary workman. The clay should also be made
homogeneous either by passing it through the Pug Mill or by having it "wedged."

page_text: It is not claimed that clays containing a very large per centage of non plastic
material, such as the clays used in the manufacture of the best qualities of China
or Porcelain can be properly worked by means of the before described Bat Cutter.
If the Bat Cutter be used for the working of clay containing a large per centage
of non plastic material the ordinary polishing knife should still be used for
smoothing or polishing the under surface of the bat cut off by the Bat Cutter.
I believe the form or construction of the Bat Cutter before described and also
the method of applying it, to be substancially the best adapted to the purposes of
my said invention, but as it is obvious that the particular parts, as well as the
arrangement of some of them in the construction of the machine or tool, can be
modified such as by altering the shape of the Guide and Polisher, using strings
instead of wire for the Cutter, altering the arrangement of the handles, and
where the polishing of each bat is not of importance, by using a second cutter so as
to make two bats at the same time, and in many other ways I do not limit
myself to the particular formn of Bat Cutter before described and as machinery
might also be used in applying the tool or machine instead of working it by hand
as before described I do not limit myself to the particular method of applying the
tool or machine before described for the purposes of my said invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what
I claim is
1st The combination of the Guide and Smoothing rod with the Cutter in the
construction of the Bat Cutter substantially as herein before described.
2nd The application of the Bat Cutter to the making of Clay Bats substantially
as herein before described.
3rd The combination of a Cutter with a Guide or Smoothing rod for guiding
the Cutter and regulating the thickness of the bats cut off by the Cutter, and also
for smoothing or polishing one surface of the bat so cut off, (or for some or one of
these purposes) in the construction of tools or machines for making clay bats.
4th The application of tools or machines so constructed to the making of clay
bats of any required shape, and of regulated and even thickness, and having
a smoothed or polished surface, by cutting them off direct from the lumps of
prepared clay.
Dated this Twentyfourth day of October One thousand eight hundred and