IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MODE OF MAKING AND COMPRESSING BRICKS, LUMPS, TILES, QUARRIES, TERRA COTTA, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Cliff, of Wortley, in the Parish of
Leeds, Firebrick Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MODE OF MAKING AND COMPRESSING BRICKS, LUMPS,
TILES, QUARRIES, TERRA COTTA, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
Scaled the 17th May 1853, and dated the 4th December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Cliff at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th December 1852.
I, JOSEPH CLIFF, of Wortley, in the Parish of Leeds, Firebrick
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF MAKING AND COMPRESSING BRICKS,
LUMPS, TILES, QUARRIES, TERRA COTTA, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES," to
be as follows:-
The improvements consist in the use of steam pressure in lieu of

page_text: mechanical or hydraulic pressure in the making of the bricks or other
articles from disintegrated or pulverized clay, or from clay other-
wise prepared; and also in the compressing of bricks, pipes, or other
articles by the use of steam pressure, whether made by the above or
any other process.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Joseph Cliff in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 4th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOSEPH CLIFF, of Wortley, in the Parish of Leeds, Firebrick Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Cliff, Her special
license that I, the said Joseph Cliff, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Cliff,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF MAKING AND COMPRESSING
BRICKS, LUMPS, TILES, QUARRIES, TERRA COTTA, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Cliff,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particu-
larly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Cliff, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):
My Invention of improvements in the mode of making and com-
pressing bricks, lumps, tiles, quarries, terra cotta, and other
similar articles, relates to a novel or improved mode of applying
steam pressure direct to the material to be operated upon, instead of
compressing the clay or other materials by means of mechanical or
hydraulic pressure. The improvements may be applied to the mak-
ing of bricks or other similar solid articles from disintegrated or
pulverized clay, or clay otherwise prepared. This direct steam
pressure is also applicable to compressing or finishing bricks, pipes,
or other similar articles, which may have been previously made or
fashioned into the required shape by the above or any other suitable
process. In order to compress or finish bricks and other similar solid
articles, suitable dies or moulds must be provided; and for compressing
or finishing pipes and other similar articles, not only dies or moulds
are required, but suitable cores must be inserted therein, so as to
support the hollow articles while under pressure. By means of my
arrangements of machinery or apparatus, the direct steam pressure
is made to effect the above-named object in a more direct, economical,
and expeditious manner than has been attained by any of the
methods heretofore employed for making or compressing bricks and
other articles inade of clay. In order more fully to illustrate the
practical application of my Invention, I have shewn in the accom-
panying Drawings various views of a machine constructed accord-
ing to my improved method of employing steam pressure in the
making of bricks; I have also shewn my improved method of
employing steain pressure in the compressing or finishing of
pipes and hollow articles after they have been fashioned to
the required form. The Drawings are inade to a scale of about

page_text: one inch and a half to a foot, and similar letters of reference
are marked upon corresponding parts of the mechanism in all
the figures. Figure 1, is a side elevation of the machine com-
plete; Fig. 2, is a plan view; Fig. 3, is another elevation, shewing
the manner of working the pressing and discharging apparatus; and
Fig. 4, is an elevation shewing the feeding apparatus. In the ma-
chine for making bricks and other articles represented in the above-
mentioned figures, A, is the foundation on which the machine
rests, and is constructed of masonry; B, is the iron foundation plate,
to which the columns or pillars C, C, are firmly secured. The steam
cylinder D, is mounted on the top of these columns, and the whole is
firmly secured to the foundation plate by the long bolts and nuts
E, E, E, E. F, is the piston, and G, the piston rod, of the steam
cylinder D. The piston rod is connected at its lower end with
the boss H, to which are secured the two pressure plates I, I.
The moulding boxes L, L, are placed on a circular table J, which
is capable of revolving horizontally upon the upright shaft K,
as is best seen in Fig. 4. The moulds L, L, merely consist of rec-
tangular or other suitably shaped openings made in the circular
table J; and M, M, are two of eight plates made to the moulds L, L,
and capable of sliding up and down within them. N, is a block or
vertical standard fixed to the foundation plate B, immediately under
the pressure plates I, I, and mould plates M, M, which mould
plates, together with the circular table J, revolve above it. This
constitutes the moulding apparatus, and is best seen in Fig. 1. The
discharging apparatus (best seen in Fig. 3) is worked by means of
a projecting arm 0, which extends horizontally from the boss H,
and, by means of the rod P, actuates the lever Q, which vibrates
upon a centre
and is connected at its other end with the dis-
charger S. The circular table J, which carries the moulds, is actu-
ated by the piston U, of the small steam cylinder T; the piston rod
V, being jointed to the connecting rod W, the further end of which
has a hook X, projecting downwards, and is capable of sliding for-
wards in the sunk ratchetted groove or race Y, on the upper surface

page_text: of J. The race Y, is divided into four equal distances, each space or
distance inclining upwards in its length from the bottom of one
ratchet to the top of the next, as seen in Fig. 1. The connecting
rod W, has a joint at a, to allow of its ascent up the race Y, and
its falling down when past the next ratchet. Thus the working
and reciprocating action of the piston U, causes an intermittent
motion of the circular table J, in the manner and at ne tine re-
quired. The operation of feeding the machine is accomplished by
filling the hopper 6 (seen in Fig. 4), with clay, and as the moulds
in the circular table J, are brought under the hopper b, the clay
falls in by its own gravity.
The operation of the machine is as follows:- Suppose the several
parts of the machine to be in the position represented in Fig. 1,
steam will be admitted from the boiler into the steam chests of the
cylinders D, and T. As the steam will enter the cylinder D, on
the under side of the piston F, it will keep the latter in the position
shewn in the Figures, and the steam, on entering the front end of
the cylinder T, will force back the piston U, and when drawn for-
ward again it will, by means of the piston rod V, and connecting
rod W, move the circular table J, round its centre, and thereby
bring two of the moulds L, L (which at the commencement were
under the hopper receiving their charge of clay), immediately
under the pressing plates I, I. When the piston U, is forced back
within a short distance of the end of the cylinder T, the pin c, on
the head of the piston rod V, will come against the arm or pro-
jecting piece d, of the lever rod e, which being connected with the
elbow lever f, will actuate the slide valves of the cylinder D, and
cause the steam to enter and act on the upper side of the piston F,
which by its descent will force down the pressing plates I, I, upon
the clay in the moulds L, L, and thereby form a brick therein.
Before the piston F, has got to the bottoin of the cylinder D, the
upper end of the opening g, in the arm h, of the boss H (seen in
Fig. 3), presses upon the elbow lever i, and draws back the valve
rod j, thereby causing the steam to act on the opposite side of the

page_text: piston U, and force the connecting rod W, to slide forward in the
race Y, to the next ratchet on the cylinder table J. Immediately
previous to the falling down of the hooked end X, of the connecting
rod W, the pin c, on the head of the piston rod V, presses against
the arm or projecting piece k, of the lever rod e, and by pushing
forward the elbow lever f, the valves of the valve chest of the
cylinder D, are again changed, and the piston rod G, and the piston
F, are caused to ascend to their first position. The lower end of
the opening g, of the arm 7, in its ascent presses against the lever i,
and forces forward the rod j, and changes the position of the steam
ports as at the commencement; thereby causing the movement of
the piston of the cylinder T, and through it that of the circular
table J; it will therefore be seen that the piston of the one cylinder
works the valves of the other cylinder, thus keeping up a succession
of alternate motions. The next movement of the circular table J,
places the moulds containing the bricks just pressed or formed im-
mediately over the discharging apparatus S, which forces the bricks
out at the next descent of the piston F. The next movement of
the circular table places the mould from which the bricks just dis-
charged have been removed immediately under the downward
projection 7, of the arm h (Fig. 3), which in its descent forces down
the plates M, M, to the bottom of the moulds. Thus, at every
motion of the circular table J, two moulds are placed under the
feed hopper, and filled with clay, and at every descent of the piston
F, two bricks are made, and the two bricks previously made arc
discharged from the moulds, and the plates M, M, placed in their
proper positions to receive the clay upon the next motion of the
circular table. A plate m, is fixed to the block or standard N, im-
mediately under those openings in the circular table J, which are
receiving their charge of clay. To prevent the possibility of the
circular table J, being moved too far, a bar n, is fixed to the head
of the piston rod V, and a pin or roller o, projecting from it slides
with every motion of the piston U, in a groove or race of the lever
p, which vibrates upon a centre q. This lever is placed obliquely

page_text: to the direction of the piston rod V, and is connected at its other
end with the upright bar r, which is moved up and down in the
standard S; and previous to the circular table J, being carried to
its extent the upper end of the bar r, is elevated higher than the
lower edge of the under projections t, of the circular table J, and
thereby intercepts or prevents its further progress.
A slotted bar guide v, is fixed to the under side of the cylinder
D, with a groove or race in it, to allow the lever h, to slide up and
down, in order to prevent the piston F, from moving round horizon-
tally in the cylinder.
The arrangement of machinery which I prefer for compressing or
finishing pipes is shewn at Figures 5, and 6. Fig. 5, is a side cle-
vation, and Fig. 6, an end elevation, of the machine. The founda-
tion plate is firmly secured to masonry, as in the former instance.
The pipe to be compressed is shewn at I, and is fixed on a mandril
or core J, and placed in the lower die or mould B, which is secured
to the foundation plate. The upper die or mould C, is attached to
the piston boss D, at the lower end of the piston rod E. The
piston F, works in the ordinary manner in the steam cylinder G,
which is supported by the beams H, H. The mandril or core J, on
which the pipe to be compressed is placed, is mounted on a central
shaft K, which is supported by the standards L, L, in which it is
allowed to revolve.
In order to ensure accuracy in the motions of the moulds or dies
C, guides M, M, are fixed to the supports of the lower die, and lugs
or cars N, N, are attached to the inoveable die C, for the
purpose of
receiving the rods or guides M, M. 0, 0, 0, 0, are semicircular
cutters fixed to each end of the dies B, and C, for the purpose of
cutting off the pipe to its proper length. P, is a handle or winch,
to turn round the core J, and the pipe that is placed thereon. Q, is
a lever to work the steam valve, and R, R, are hanging brackets for
supporting the lever shaft.
The operation of the machine is as follows:- Suppose the ma-
chine to be in the position shewn at Figures 5, and 6, and the core

page_text: J, inserted into the pipe I, and placed in the lower mould B, the
lever Q, is then drawn forward, and by admitting steam to the cy-
linder, the piston F, is caused to descend and force down the upper
mould or die C, upon the pipe which is placed on the core.
The
cutters 0, 0, 0, 0, will then cut the pipe to its proper length, and
the pipe being rather larger than the internal diameter of the dies
B, and C, will be compressed smoothly into the proper shape and
density. The handle or winch P, is then placed on the end of the
centre shaft K, and turned round to give a polish to the internal
surface of the pipe, and to loosen the core; the lever Q, is then re-
versed, and the piston F, made to ascend, taking along with it the
upper inould C, leaving the pipe I, to be removed from the lower
die, and another to be put in its place. The compressing or finish-
ing of bricks, lumps, tiles, quarries, terra cotta, and other similar
solid articles, will be performed by a machine similar in construction
to the brick-making machine already described, but without the feed
hopper. The bricks are to be previously made rather thicker than
will be ultimately required, and are to be placed in the moulds of
the circular table J, when they will be compressed by the plates
I, I.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be under-
stood, in conclusion, that I claim,―
First, the general arrangement, construction, and combination of
parts above shewn and described, or any mere modification thereof,
when employed for similar purposes.
Second, I claim the employment or use of direct steam pressure
for the purpose of making, consolidating, or compressing disin-
tegrated or pulverized clay, or clay otherwise prepared, into the
form of bricks, lumps, tiles, quarries, terra cotta, and other similar
solid articles, whatever mechanism may be employed for the purpose.
Third, I claim the employment or use of direct steam pressure for
the purpose of compressing or finishing bricks, lumps, tiles, quar-

page_text: ries, terra cotta, pipes, or other similar articles, previously made by
the above or any other method.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Cliff, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Cliff, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Signed, sealed, and delivered
by the within named Joseph
Cliff, in the presence of
J. W. WILKINSON,
JOSH. CLIFF. (L.S.)
Clerk to MESSRS. J. & H. RICHARDSON & GAUNT,
Solicitors, Leeds.