IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK AND COAL PRESSING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Rowcliffe, of No. 1, Windsor Gardens, Harrow
Road, Paddington, in the County of Middlesex, Operative Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK AND COAL PRESSING MACHINES,"
Sealed the 21st August, 1877, and dated the 26th April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Rowcliffe at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1877.
THOMAS ROWCLIFFE, of No. 1, Windsor Gardens, Harrow Road, Paddington, in
the County of Middlesex, Operative Engineer. " IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK AND
COAL PRESSING MACHINES."
My said Invention consists in a mode of arranging a horizontal machine mounted
on two side frames, on the top of which, at each end of the side frames, is a hopper
or receiver with two crushing rollers working horizontally and suitably geared,
which crushing rollers are fed and supplied with the material from the hopper or
receiver. The material after being crushed is forced by revolving knives into
openings in moulds or boxes. The said openings are alternately opened and closed
by the action of pistons working in the interior of the said moulds or boxes; the
said pistons are worked by cams fixed on a shaft in the centre of the two side
frames. The said cams working between friction rollers give the necessary motion
to the pistons in order to press the material, and afterwards deliver the same on an
endless band. The moulds or boxes are in a sloping position, for convenience of
working. The covers for the mouths of the moulds or boxes are fixed to a cross
bar, at each end of which is attached a connecting rod worked by cams fixed on the
central shaft, the said cams working between friction rollers by connecting rods.
The said covers fit the mouths of the moulds or boxes while they are being filled
with the material and pressed by the said pistons; the covers are then made to rise
Prins 71

page_text: by means of eccentrics, slots, or quadrants; the pistons then travel forward and
deliver the bricks or moulded materials to the endless band or bands.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Rowcliffe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st Sep-
tember 1877.
THOMAS ROWCLIFFE, of No. 1, Windsor Gardens, Harrow Road, Paddington, in
the County of Middlesex, Operative Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK AND
COAL PRESSING MACHINES."
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation;
Fig. 3, a plan; and Fig. 4, a section of the moulding box.
My Invention consists of a hopper or receiver arranged over a pair of crushing
rollers working horizontally and supported on two side frames. Underneath the
said rollers is placed a box, which box has two divisions or compartments. In the
upper division works a series of knives for forcing the material, after having been
crushed by the rollers, into the lower compartment, which lower compartment is the
mould. After the material has been pressed by pistons it is forced out of the mould
on to an endless band.
A, A, are the crushing rollers which are keyed on to the shafts a, a, supported in
the brass bearings b, b. These bearings are arranged in the main frames F, F, in
such a manner that they may be adjustable by the set screw C, C, to enable the rolls
to be opened or closed as required. The rolls receive their motion from the spur
wheel B, B, which motion is transmitted from the driving wheels G, G, by means of
the intermediate pinions D, D, and E, E. The driving wheel G is keyed on to the
shaft X, which revolves in brass bearings supported in seatings cast in the main
frames F, F, F. The material after being crushed between the rolls A, A, falls into
the upper division d, d, of the cast-iron box 0, 0, from whence it is driven by
the revolving knives e, e, through the opening 8, 8, into the lower chamber or
mould m, m, of the said box O, O. The cast-iron box O, O, is supported by
brackets ff, cast on the inner side of the main frames F, F, and fastened by bolts
and nuts. The revolving knives e, e, are keyed on to the shaft g, g, which is driven
by the pinion H keyed on to the end of the shaft g, g. The mouths of the lower
chamber or mould m, m, are closed by the covers K, K, and the material is pressed
by the pistons P, P. When the material is sufficiently pressed the covers K, K,
which are connected by the cross bar M, M, which moves in the quadrants S, S, rise
and allow the moulded material to be forced out of the mould m, m, on to an
endless band n, n. The pistons P, P, which work in the boxes O, O, and the covers
K, K, receive their necessary motion from the cams T, T, and R, R, respectively,
which are fixed on to the main shaft X. These cams work between the connecting
rods T¹, T, and R', R¹, which rods are joined to the pistons and covers by the
links V, V, and Y, Y, and to which they communicate motion by means of the
friction rollers r, r, and t, t. The connecting rods have slots in them a trifle wider
than the diameter of the main shaft and somewhat longer than the travel of the
pistons and covers respectively. Each end of the machine is a facsimile of the other.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is performed, I now distinctly state what I claim as my improvements, —
Firstly. The pattern and arrangements of the moulding box.
Secondly. The form of piston which cuts off the exact quantity of material
required to be moulded, compresses it, and prevents any material from falling into
the mould behind the piston in one movement.
Thirdly. The general combination of the machine.

page_text: Since this combination is subject to slight alterations, I do not confine myself to
the precise details.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Rowcliffe, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
THOMAS ROWOLIFFE (LS)