Improved Manufacture of Gas Retorts, also applicable to other Tubular Objects of Fire Clay or Earthenware, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 15th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Manufacture of Gas Retorts, also applicable to other
Tubular Objects of Fire Clay or Earthenware, and Apparatus
therefor.
.
1. HAROLD EVERS-SWINDELL, of Cradley, Staffordshire, Fire Brick Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has more particularly reference to gas retorts of fire clay or
earthenware. Such retorts as at present manufactured, whether built up by hand
cr formed by dies and pressure, have a so called "head" of increased external size
formed on their open end for the reception of the bolts that secure the cover. My
invention relates to the manufacture of such retorts by means of dies and pressure
in such manner that the enlarged head is formed upon the top of the retort after
this has been pressed through the die, by a simple continuation of the process.of
pressing in the same machine. For this purpose according to one arrangement
I provide at the bottom of the cylinder of the press a double die having the
configuration of the exterior of the retort to be produced. The die next the
cylinder is fixed and formed in one piece, and is of a configuration corresponding
to that required for the head of the retort, while the lower die is formed in two or
more parts arranged by any suitable means to slide apart; it is of a configuration
corresponding to that of the body of the retort to be produced, that is to say,
smaller than the upper die, but with the edge next the upper die bevilled off to the
size of the latter. Thus for making retorts with such dies, the lower die being
closed up, the material is forced through both dies to form the body of the retort,
and when this has been forced through to the required length, the parts of the
lower die are moved apart, so that a further length, sufficient for forming the head
is then forced through the upper die only, and is consequently of the required
increased size. When a sufficient length has thus been forced through, it is cut off
in any suitable manner close to the die, and the parts of the lower die are then
closed up again for forming the next retort. In order to enable the cutting off of
the retort close to the upper die to be effected by means of a wire in the usual
manner of cutting through formed retorts, the internal die, which has to project down
to the lower face of the lower die in order to produce the necessary annular orifice
for the clay to pass through, is so arranged that, after the retort with its head has
been pressed through, it can be raised up flush with the under face of the upper
die. For this purpose the said inner die is held by a rod passing up through a
suitable guide to keep it in-position in the cylinder containing the clay or at any
other convenient point and also through the piston and hydraulic or steam cylinder
above by which the pressure is exerted on the clay, and the upper end of the rod
is fixed to the piston of a small auxiliary hydraulic or steam cylinder fixed above
the main hydraulic or steam cylinder so that while the retort is being formed the
piston of such auxiliary cylinder holds the inner die in the before mentioned
fowered position, but when the retort is completed, water pressure or steam being
admitted below such piston it raises the die up into the higher position; after
cutting through the clay, the die is lowered again.
According to another modification of the die, instead of using two dies as
described, I employ a single divided die, the upper part of which is enlarged to
the size required for the head of the retort and is also made of a depth corre-
sponding to that of the head; the lower part of the die on the other hand is made
Thus on
of a decreased diameter, corresponding to that of the body of the retort.
forcing the clay through the die it will be forced through the lower opening of the

page_text: die of the size corresponding to the body of the retort, while the upper part of
the die remains filled with the clay, so that when the body of the retort has been
forced through to the required length, the two halves of the die are moved apart
while at the same time the inner die is raised up as before described, thus leaving
the complete retort with its head exposed so that it can then be cut off close to
the under side of the clay receptacle.
Dated this 20th day of February 1894.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Manufacture of Gas Retorts, also applicable to other
Tubular Objects of Fire Clay or Earthenware, and Apparatus
therefor.
I, HAROLD EVERS-SWINDELL, of Cradley Staffordshire, Fire Brick Manu-
facturer 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 has more particularly reference to gas retorts of fire clay or
earthenware. Such retorts as at present manufactured, whether built up by hand
or formed by dies and pressure have a so called "head" of increased external size
formed on their open end for the reception of the bolts that secure the cover.
My invention relates to the manufacture of such retorts by means of dies and
pressure in such manner that the enlarged head is formed upon the top of the
retort after this has been pressed through the die, by a simple continuation of
the process of pressing in the same machine. For this purpose according to one
arrangement I provide at the bottom of the cylinder of the press a double die
having the configuration of the exterior of the retort to be produced.
The die next the cylinder is fixed and formed in one piece, and is of a con-
figuration corresponding to that required for the head of the retort, while the
lower die is formed in two or more parts arranged by any suitable means to slide
apart; it is of a configuration corresponding to that of the body of the retort to
be produced, that is to say, smaller than the upper die, but with the edge next
the upper die bevilled off to the size of the latter. Thus for making retorts
with such dies, the lower die being closed up, the material is forced through both
dies to form the body of the retort, and when this has been forced through to
the required length, the parts of the lower die are moved apart, so that a
further length, sufficient for forming the head is then forced through the upper
die only, and is consequently of the required increased size. When a sufficient
length has thus been forced through, it is cut off in any suitable manner close
to the die, and the parts of the lower die are then closed up again for forming
the next retort.
The apparatus for carrying out my said invention is shewn in the accompanying
drawing in which
Fig. 1 shews the complete press, partly in section, and
Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged views of the dies taken at right angles to each other.
The press consists of a steam or hydraulic cylinder A fixed on top of the
receptacle B for the clay or other material to be moulded in which works the
piston P and to the lower end of which is fixed the upper die C.
On the underside of this die is carried the second die D formed in two halves
which are arranged to slide to and from each other, for which purpose they fit
with grooved sides D' over the edges of the upper die. These two half dies when
brought together and secured by a suitable fastening, present an opening of a
smaller size than that of the upper die C, the opening of D being made to

page_text: correspond with the outer diameter of the body of the retort or other object to
be moulded, while the opening of C corresponds with the outer diameter of the
enlarged head. The upper edge of the die D is formed with a bevil D² connecting
the two different sized openings.
Thus when the lower die D is closed the clay forced through it in tubular form
will constitute the body of the retort, and when, after this has been produced of
the requisite length the halves of the die D are withdrawn as shewn on the right
hand side of Figs. 1 and 2 the clay forced through the die C will constitute the
enlarged head. E is the central die for producing the tubular form, it being held
in a central position by a rod F.
In order to enable the cutting off of the retort close to the under face of the
upper die C to be effected when the enlarged head has been produced of the
requisite length, the rod F carrying the die E is passed up through the receptacle B
and press cylinder A and is attached to the piston of a small cylinder G so that
by admitting fluid pressure below this piston, the die E will be raised up flush
with the under surface of C, so as to allow of the passing of a cutting wire against
such surface through the head of the retort. The raising and lowering of the
die E night also be effected by other known means such as by a rack and pinion
or screw.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In the manufacture of gas retorts and of other tubular objects of clay or
earthenware the method of producing the tubular object with an enlarged end or
head by forcing the clay through two superposed dies of which the one through
which the clay first passes is of a size corresponding to that of the enlarged head,
while the second one is of a size corresponding to that of the body of the object,
and is made in two or more parts so that on separating such parts after the body
of the object has been formed the clay will issue through the first die alone
forming the enlarged head, substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for moulding gas retorts and other tubular objects of clay or
earthenware, the combination, with the receptacle containing the clay, of two dies
such as C and D, of which the one C next the receptacle is of a size corresponding
to the enlarged head to be formed on the tubular object, while the other D is of a
size corresponding to that of the body of the tubular object, and is made in two
or more parts sliding in or on suitable guides on the first die substantially as
described.
3. In apparatus for moulding gas retorts and the like such as is referred to in
the second claim the combination with the dies C and D of a central die such as E
so arranged as to be held in a lowered position while the retort is being moulded
and to be then raised by suitable means flush with the upper die when the formed
retort has to be cut off, substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of November 1894.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.