IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING AND DRESSING BRICKS AND TILES, AND IN CERTAIN SHEDS AND KILNS IN WHICH BRICKS AND TILES ARE DRIED AND BURNT
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CARTER STAFFORD PEROY, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Up-
holder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria did, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-ninth day of
April, in the tenth year of Her reign, give and grant unto me, my exors,
admors, and assigns, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Willam Carter Stafford Percy, my exors, admors,
and assigns, should and lawfully might, during the term of fourteen years.
therein mentioned, make, use, exercise, and vend, within that part of Her
Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her
Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and the Colonies,
my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING AND DRESSING
BRICKS AND TILES, AND IN CERTAIN SHEDS AND KILNS IN WHICH BRICKS AND TILES
ARE DRIED AND BURNT;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that if I, the said William Carter Stafford Percy, should not particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties
and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine,

page_text: and become void, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, will
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Carter Stafford Percy, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement and
description, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed.
The Drawings are made to the scales shewn on Sheet I., and where the
same letters and figures of reference occur in several figures or views of the
same machine, they denote the same parts in each. The nature of my said
Invention consists,--
First, in an improved implement for cutting clay, either in its natural or
in a prepared state, into clods for making bricks, tiles, or other articles of the
like nature.
.
Secondly, in machinery for making and dressing bricks, tiles, and other
articles of the like nature, whereby a great saving in time is effected, and the
work done in a superior manner.
Thirdly, in the construction of the flooring of sheds in which the bricks,.
tiles, and other similar articles are dried by the heat evolved from the kilns.
previously to their being burnt in such kilns.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
In Sheet 1, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a spade for cutting.
natural or prepared clay or other plastic material. Fig. 2 is a side elevation
of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a machine for making bricks
from clods of clay in its natural or in a prepared state. Fig. 4 is a plan
view of part of the same machine. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a machino
for making or for dressing bricks. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same,
with some parts removed for better seeing the other parts of the machine.
Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the same machine. Fig. 8 is a plan of the
piston with the lid removed, shewing one method of constructing it. And
Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of the piston seen at Fig. 8.
In Sheet 2, Fig. 10 represents a front elevation of a machine for dressing
bricks, and Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 12 is a plan view of
a tile for making the floors of drying sheds. Fig. 13 is an elevation of the
And Fig. 14 is a perspective view of two of the above-mentioned tiles
placed one above the other.
same.
In Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that a represents the blade of an instru-
ment somewhat similar to a common spade, and b, b, are the projecting

page_text: sides of the same blade; the lower edge of the blade is made thicker than
the blade itself, either by bending the edge of the blade over a wire, or by
leaving the edge of the blade of the required thickness. I make the edge
of the cutting instrument in the above-described manner, because, in cutting
clay or other plastic material by an instrument of this description, there will
be much less friction to overcome than with an ordinary spade. The spade
shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 is drawn of the requisite size for cutting clods for
making bricks; the dimensions of the spade may be varied at pleasure when
the clods are wanted for making tiles or other articles from plastic materials.
In Figs. 3 and 4, a represents a clod of clay or other plastic material which
may have been cut by the spade above described, 6 is a plate on which the
clod is placed, and c is a table forming part of the frame d; e is a weighted
lever fixed on the end of the screw f; this screw works into a nut let in the
frame d; and the lubricating piston 9, seen detached at Figs. 8 and 9, is
attached to the lower end of the screw f in such a manner that the screw can
turn round in the piston; h is a boss keyed on the screw f, and it is made
with two projecting forks, in which are placed antifriction rollers i acting on the
semicircular inclined planes kc, placed on the upper side of the box or mould l;
this box has an upward and downward motion, and it is held vertical by the
guide rods m; n, n, are spiral springs for raising the box / into the position.
shewn on the Drawing when the brick is made.
I have now described the parts of which the machine is composed, the
method of working the machine is as follows:-The clod is placed on the
table c directly under the piston g, and the person who attends to the machine
moves the levere through about half a revolution; by so doing the piston g is
brought down upon the clay by the action of the screw f in the screw nut,
thereby compressing the clay to the requisite thickness, and the box / which
is brought down by the combined action of the screw f and inclined planes k
into the position shewn in dotted lines, cuts away the superabundant clay
from the clod; the lever e must then be brought back into the position from
which it started, and in so doing the box and piston g will also be brought
into their original positions, and the brick will remain on the table ready to
bé removed by the attendant, or by mechanical agents of a similar nature to.
those described with reference to Figs. 5, 6, and 7, which represent a machine
for making and dressing bricks, in which a is the driving shaft, to which
motion is given by the person who attends. the machine acting on the fly
wheel b. c is a strong spur pinion keyed on the shaft a, and gearing into a
wheel & fixed upon a shaft revolving in bearings e, bolted to the bottom plate f,
The crank pin g is fixed in the wheel d, and communicates an upward and

page_text: downward motion to the slide h, piston rod j, and top piston i, to which it is
attached by a screw and nut by means of the connecting rod k and stud Z.
m represents the main frame of the machine, and to it is attached the mould
or box n in which the clay forming the brick is compressed. o is the bottom.
piston which is held up in the position shewn in Figs. 5 and 6, by the spring p
acting against the under side of the piston o, and resting upon a flange r pro-
jecting from the continuation of the slide h; the pistono is prevented from.
rising too high in the box n by a pin passing through the piston rod q coming.
in contact with the under side of the bottom plate f. To the flanger are
fixed two springs marked s and t, provided with catches at their lower extre-
mity. These catches act upon a shoulder u projecting from the piston rod q;
the catch on the spring & comes in contact with the shoulder u for taking the
piston o downwards, and the catch on the spring t takes hold of the under.
side of the same shoulder and raises up the piston o. The plates with inclined
faces 6 and 13 are for the purpose of disengaging the catches on the springs
sandt from the shoulder u, in the upward and downward motion of the
piston o. On the driving shaft a is fixed a small pinion taking into a spur
wheel w, and on the shaft of this wheel is a small roller a, which gives motion
to an endless belt y passing under the roller and over the guide rollers s, a.
To the wheel w is fixed a notch acting against a projection on the lever 1, and
this lever vibrates upon a fulcrum secured to the frame m. The upper end of
the lever 1 enters between pins projecting from the slide bar 2, which has a
projection 8 for the purpose of removing the brick from the top of the piston o..
The spring 4 is for the purpose of bringing the lever 1 into the position shewn
at Figure 5, as soon as the brick represented as resting on the plate 5 has
been removed from the piston o.
Having now described the various parts of which the machine is composed,
I will describe the manner in which it operates:-In Figs. 5 and 6 the
machine is shown in the position the various parts will assume when a brick
has been shaped or pressed and removed from the top of the piston o. The
person attending the machine must. now place another plate 5, with a clod of
clay or an unpressed brick upon it, on the piston o, and must then turn the
fly wheel 6 round in the direction of the arrow; the top piston i will begin
to descend immediately, but the bottom piston o will only begin to descend
as soon as the catch on the springs comes in contact with the shoulder u;
this catch depresses the pistono until the clod of clay or unfinished brick is.
enveloped in the mould n. The catch s is then liberated by the plate 6, and
the bottom piston with the clod or unpressed brick are forced down by the.
pressure of the top piston until they arrive in the position shewn at Fig. 7,
'

page_text: at which point the clod of clay or unfinished brick receives the necessary
pressure between the two pistons. There is an aperture in the mould n..
through which the superabundant clay is forced, when the pressure is given,
and I place a spring 7 on the bottom plate, against which a pin in the piston
rod 9 rests when the pressure is given to the brick under operation. The.
person attending the machine continues to move the wheel b.until the top of
the piston o is raised up to the level of the box n. The notch on the wheel w
by coming in contact with the inclined projection on the lever 1, causes it to
move the guide bar 2, and with it the brick and plate 5 on to the endless
belt y, from which it is carried off to be dried or burnt. The construction of
the lower portion o is clearly seen by the Figures 8 and 9, in which 10 and 11.
represent the metallic packings acted upon by springs resting against the..
interior partition 12 of the piston, which is made hollow for. containing a
supply of oil or other liquid used for lubricating the inside of the mould or.
box. There are small holes seen in Fig. 9, through which the oil or other.
liquid penetrates from the interior of the piston to the outside thereof.
b
In Sheet 2, Figs. 10 and 11, a represents the top piston, 6 the bottom.
piston, and c the box or mould in which the bottom piston works up and.
down. In this machine the pressure is given to the unfinished brick under..
operation by means of the lever d, the fulcrum of which is at e. f is a bent.
lever whose fulcrum 9 slides in a groove made in the, standard h. i is a
square piston rod of the piston a, the upper end of which is connected by a.
steel pin with a curved groove in the lever f. k is a connecting link reaching.
from the lever f to the lever d, and provided with a long slot at its lower.
extremity. The lever f is held up by a catch 1, and the brick after being.
pressed is removed from the top of the piston 6 by the lever m which is.
elevated by the fulcrum pin g. The Drawing is shewn in. the position the
levers will assume when the machine has pressed a brick and removed it from:
the top of the piston 6; the person attending. the machine after placing.
another unfinished brick on the piston 6 pulls the handle n towards him,
thereby liberating the lever f.which had been held up by the catch 7; the top
piston will now drop until it rests upon the unfinished brick, and the atten-
dant. by leaning upon the lever d causes the piston a, with the brick;
under operation, to enter into the mould c, and the bottom piston descends.
until the shoulder o of the piston rod p.bears. upon the rounded end of the
lever d;.at this time the heel q-of the lever d will have come in contact with
the bottom plate on which it acts; and the attendant, by bringing the levers.
into the position, shewn in dotted lines, will have given the finishing squeeze
to the brick by slightly elevating the bottom piston 6; the top piston a being.

page_text: prevented from giving way by means of the upper end of the piston rod i
coming against the notch r in the bent lever f. As soon as the requisite
pressure has been given to the brick the attendant raises the lever d, and by
so doing the link k brings the bent lever f up again, the fulcrum g elevating
one end of the lever m, and depressing the other end which acts on the elbow
lever s, and removes the brick from the top of the piston 6 in the manner
before described with reference to Figs. 5, 6, and 7.
In the machines above described I have shewn the various parts constructed
for the purpose of making and dressing bricks. It is not necessary to explain
the alterations that would be required for making tiles or other articles of the
like nature made from plastic materials, as such alterations will readily sug-
gest themselves to persons conversant with this class of machinery. The
machines drawn and described with reference to Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, and
11, are placed upon wheels so that they may easily be removed from one
part of a brick yard to another. In addition to the machines shewn in the
Drawings, I make use of the direct action of steam thus:-I place the
machine upon a suitable foundation, and connect the piston rod of the steam
engine with the top piston of the machine for making and dressing bricks.
This part of my Invention is particularly applicable to the machine shewn
at Figs. 5, 6, and 7, in which the piston rod ; is connected with the piston
of the steam engine placed above it, and the various parts of the machine are
put in motion by the steam engine above mentioned. The force of the pres-
sure is regulated by admitting more or less steam into the cylinder of the
steam engine, according to the consistency of the clay or plastic material under.
operation. The machines described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4, and 10
and 11, can be so modified that the direct action of steam will be applicable to
them. I make the machines to which steam is applied with one or more
moulds or boxes and pistons, so as to form or dress any convenient number
of bricks at the same time, instead of acting only upon one, as shewn in the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
My improvements in the flooring of drying sheds consist in making the
floors of such sheds with tiles shaped like those marked A and A*, seen in
Figs. 12, 18, and 14, on referring to which Figures it will be seen, that when
the tiles A and A* are placed one over the other, they form a square box
open at all four sides. And when the floor of a shed is made, by placing
these tiles near to each other, the openings form flues extending through the
whole floor and in both directions; consequently, when the hot air which is
brought from the kilns or from fires made expressly for that purpose is intro-
duced in the flues formed by the above-described tiles, it will circulate under

page_text: the whole floor before it escapes to the chimney, thereby distributing the heat
equally through the shed. The recess shewn at the top of the tile A must
be filled up with suitable bricks or tiles, so as to make good the joints of the
flues and to make the floor of the shed even. In order to prevent the flues
in the tiles A from becoming choked with soot I cause a current of steam or
water to pass through the smoke in its transit from the kiln to the shed, by
which a great part of the soot contained in the smoke is made to fall to the
bottom of the flue leading from the kiln to the shed, instead of being carried
by the smoke into the flues of the tiles A, which form the floor of the sheds
in which the bricks are made and dried before they are taken to the kiln in-
which they are burnt.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as of my
Invention,―
First, the peculiar shape and construction of the implement for cutting clay
or other plastic materials, as shewn and described with reference to Figs.
1 and 2.
Secondly, the combination and arrangement of mechanism for making
bricks, tiles, and other articles of the like nature from clods of clay or other
plastic material, such as I have shewn and described with reference to Figs.
3 and 4, and which combination and arrangement are capable of various
modifications without departing from the principle of this part of my
Invention.
Thirdly, the general arrangement of parts forming the machines for making
and dressing bricks, in which a lubricating piston works in a box or mould
into which the brick or other article is pressed, such as I have shewn and
described with reference to Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, or any modification
of either or both of them.
Fourthly, the direct action of steam to a piston connected with a machine
for making bricks, tiles, or other articles made from plastic materials, whether
the same machines be constructed as shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed,
or to any machine of the like nature.
And, lastly, the particular shape of a tile for making the floors of the sheds
in which bricks are dried, such as I have shewn and described with reference
to Figs. 12, 13, and 14, or any modification of the shape whereby the same
object is obtained.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Carter Stafford Percy, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of October,
in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.
WILLIAM CARTER STAFFORD (L.s.) PERCY.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-eighth day of October,
in the year of our Lord 1847, the aforesaid William Carter Stafford Percy
came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged
the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and
specified, in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was
stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.