Improvements in the Method of Feeding Duplex Brick Making Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Feeding Duplex Brick Making
Machines.
I, THOMAS CONSTANTINE FAWCETT, of the Firm of T. C. Fawcett, Limited,
of Whitehouse Works, Hunslet Road, Leeds, in the County of York, Brick
Machine Makers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to duplex brick making machines, where an intermittently
revolving cylinder is employed having dies or recesses in which the clay is forced
to form the brick, my invention referring more particularly to the method of
feeding the material to the feed box. Hitherto it has been customary to supply
the granulated material by means of a bag with an open bottom. The granulated
material is supplied to the upper end of the bag by any wellknown means, and
when the material has been supplied quicker than it is taken up by the revolving
cylinder the material has clogged and slipped down in uneven quantities which
is undesirable. When the supply is overcharged the empty dies become partially
filled with the granulated substance, and when the dies partially filled are pre-
sented to the rammer the fresh clay forced into the dies, does not always amalgamate
with that portion already in the die, consequently the brick has had a seam or crack
in it. Moreover the granulated material to form bricks should be of a certain
plastic consistency, but when the granulated material was too moist it clogged all
the more, therefore the material has frequently been more dry than was expedient
in order to make a solid, sound brick.
The object of my invention is to dispense with the feed bag, and to employ
instead thereof, an angular feed hopper placed at a suitable inclination, the
granulated material slides down one portion of the hopper, and at a certain
juncture of the hopper the angle is changed into a more vertical position. The
material is thus more evenly dropped into the feed box, and the rammer pushes
or forces the requisite quantity of clay into each die of the revolving cylinder as
they are presented to the rammer. The lower part of the hopper has vertical.
sides connected to it, so that if the clay is coming into the hopper quicker than
the ram and die require it, the angle of the hopper prevents the clay from
dropping into the feed box, but it accumulates at the lower portion of the hopper,
and if the feed still continues, the accumulation in the lower part of the hopper
falls over the sides thereof.
By means of the double angled hopper, the clay is fed to the feed box in uniform
and regular quantities, whereby a solid, firm, compressed brick is made. By this
means there is no overflow of clay near the revolving cylinder as the clay is sup-
plied each time with a full charge, whereby a solid compact brick is made.
The lower part of the hopper which assumes nearly a vertical position can be
made to work upon hinges, so that the opening in the bottom of the hopper may
be made larger or smaller to accomodate the different degrees of fulness of clay.
The sides of the hopper may be square or semicircular or round so as to have no
corners which thereby prevent the material from sticking. The hopper may be

page_text: made of corrugated metal so as to permit the granulated clay to flow more easily.
Moreover by supplying granulated material with the double, angled hopper a
proper feed to the rammer is ensured permitting the clay to have more freedom
than formerly, because by means of my method of feeding, the material does not
clog previous to getting to the rammer as is now the case with the present method
of feeding.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Feeding Duplex Brick Making
Machines:
Dosta cat
་་ 3
:
I, THOMAS CONSTANTINE FAWCETT, of the Firm of T. C. Fawcett, Limited,
Leeds, in the County of York, Brick Machine Makers, 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:-
This invention relates to duplex brick making machines, where an intermittently
revolving cylinder is employed having dies or recesses in which the clay is forced
to form the brick, my invention referring more particularly to the method of
feeding the material to the feed box.
The accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, where A is the frame-
work of a duplex brick making machine, B the intermittently revolving cylinder,
provided with moulding boxes or dies C which in turn are presented to the
plunger D moving forward and backward through toggle jointed levers E for the
purpose of forcing the clay into the moulding boxes, the opening F in the plunger
allowing superfluous clay to escape.
G represents the floor of an upper room where the clay has been ground, and
it is dropped through the bag or pipe H which is made of india-rubber or other
suitable material. This bag is open at the bottom end permitting the clay to
enter the hopper I the said clay afterwards making its way into the inclined
trough J and in order to prevent the said clay slipping down the inclined trough
in equal quantities and so get clogged, I provide an oscillating flap K which can
be put into different positions as shewn in dotted lines, the object of which is
to regulate the quantity of clay slipping down the trough, according to the con-
sistency of the clay whether it be moist or dry, by which means the empty dies
cannot be overcharged.
By means of the double angled hopper I, J, the clay is fed to the feed box in
uniform and regular quantities, whereby a solid, firm, compressed brick is made
the said hopper and adjustable flap preventing an overflow of clay near the
revolving cylinder which has hitherto happened and is very objectionable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
Firstly. In brick making machines the combination therewith of the double
angled hopper I and J as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Secondly. In brick making machines a single or double angled hopper, in com-

page_text: bination with an adjustable flap or bar K substantially as herein shewn and
described.
Dated this 16th day of Nov 1899
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Patent Agents, Halifax, Agents for Applicant.