IMPROVE- MENTS IN BRICK MAKING MACHINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Firth, Joseph Firth, and Edwin Firth, all of
Dewsbury, in the County of York, Builders, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BRICK MAKING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Firth, Joseph
Firth, and Edwin Firth at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
27th May 1881.
FREDERICK FIRTH, JOSEPH FIRTH, and EDWIN FIRTH, all of Dewsbury, in the
County of York, Builders. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK MAKING MACHINES."
This Invention relates to the class of brick making machines for which Letters
Patent were granted to us on the 3rd day of May 1878, No. 1791, and is intended
to secure greater simplicity and economy in construction, with increased efficiency
and durability of the working parts.
We arrange the machines so that they can can either be used for moulding bricks
from semi-plastic material by means of a pug mill, a cylindrical mould table, and
a press working in combination, or so that by removing the pug mill and mould
table bricks may be moulded from dry material, the material being then fed in
granular form to the press from a hopper by means of a reciprocating measuring
box, which after receiving its charge of granular material is moved forwards and
deposits its charge into the moulding box of the press, where it is consolidated
under heavy pressure; or the machines might be made for working only with
semi-plastic material or only with dry material.
For making bricks from semi-plastic material we employ a horizontal pug mill
with a side discharge orifice, to deliver the material to moulds ranged at intervals
apart around the circumference of a cylindrical mould table, the axis of which
mould table is parallel with the axis of the pug mill. The bottom of each mould
is moveable and a stem projects backwards from it into the central hollow space of
the hollow axis of the table.
The table is caused to turn with a step by step revolving motion in the manner
described in the before mentioned Specification. The moulds are thereby brought

page_text: in turn in front of the orifice of the pug mill and are filled with material; the
revolution of the table carries the filled moulds away from in front of the orifice
of the pug mill, and after they have been carried round for one half of a revolution
by. the revolving table, the bricks are pushed out horizontally from the moulds on
the side of the table opposite to the pug mill. This pushing out of the bricks is
effected by means of a bar which is slid to and fro and brought against the rear
end of the stems which project backwards from the moveable bottoms of the
moulds. The bar is moved to and fro by a lever, to which a rocking motion is
imparted by a cam on the crank axis of the press hereinafter mentioned.
The mould boxes in the mould table are presented to the pug mill for filling,
with their openings representing the length and thickness of the brick, instead of
the length and breadth of the brick, as is customary, and the bricks when pushed
out from the moulds are delivered to a press, by which pressure is applied to the
surface representing the length and breadth of the brick.
The press consists of a nould box, open at the top, and with a moveable bottom,
which can be raised and lowered, and of a plunger which can be moved up and
down, and caused to descend into the mould box.
The plunger is moved up and down by a crank or eccentric, on an axis which
makes one revolution for every step by step movement made by the table.
The crank axis which works the plunger is parallel with the axis of the pug
mill and with the axis of the moulding table. A large toothed wheel fast upon it
is driven continuously by a pinion on a driving shaft. Each revolution of the
crank axis gives one complete set of movements to the pressing mechanism and
one step movement to the moulding table. The axis of the pug mill is driven
continuously by a toothed wheel upon it, gearing with the large toothed wheel on
the crank axis.
The action is as follows:-Each mould box of the revolving moulding table is in
turn brought in front of the pug mill and filled with material from it; the brick
so formed is subsequently pushed out horizontally and delivered either then or
subsequently on to the surface of the moveable bottom of the mould box. The
moveable bottom then descends and carries the brick downwards into the mould
box; the plunger at the same time descends and compresses the brick in the
mould box; the plunger and also the moveable bottom of the mould afterwards
rises, and the pressed brick is carried up out of the mould, and can be delivered on
to a travelling belt or be removed by hand or otherwise.
When bricks are to be moulded from dry clay, the pug mill, the step by step
revolving table, and their appurtenances are removed. The pug mill is replaced by
standards carrying a horizontal shaft to which a rocking motion is imparted by an
arm upon it being connected by a connecting rod with a lever, to which a rocking
motion is given by a cam on the crank axis of the press. The revolving table is
replaced by a hopper containing dry granulated clay, and by a measuring box
which is worked to and fro below the hopper by links passing from it to arms on
the rocking axis above mentioned.
The action is as follows:-The measuring box is filled with dry clay from the
hopper, and moves forward and deposits its charge into the mould box of the
press; the plunger of the press then descends and subjects it to heavy pressure,
after which the brick is lifted out and delivered as before; during these operations
the measuring box has been moved back and refilled, and on its return pushes off
the newly finished brick, and then deposits its charge of material into the
moulding box.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Firth, Joseph Firth, and Edwin Firth in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 26th November 1881.
FREDERICK FIRTH, JOSEPH FIRTH, and EDWIN FIRTH, all of Dewsbury, in the
County of York, Builders. IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK MAKING MACHINES.'
"
"
This Invention relates to the class of brick making machines for which Letters
Patent were granted to us on the 3rd day of May 1878, No. 1791, and is intended
to secure greater simplicity and economy in construction with increased efficiency
and durability of the working parts.
We arrange the machines so that they can either be used for moulding bricks
from semi-plastic material by means of a pug mill, a cylindrical mould table, and
a press working in combination, or so that by removing the pug mill and
mould table bricks may be moulded from dry material, the material being then
fed in granular form to the press from a hopper, by means of a reciprocating
measuring box, which after receiving its charge of granular material is moved
forwards and deposits its charge into the moulding box of the press where it is
consolidated under heavy pressure; or the machines might be made for working
only with semi-plastic material or only with dry material.
mill
For making bricks from semi-plastic material we employ a horizontal pug
with a side discharge orifice to deliver the material to moulds ranged at intervals
apart around the circumference of a cylindrical mould table, the axis of which
mould table is parallel with the axis of the pug mill. The bottom of each mould
is movable, and a stem projects backwards from it into the central hollow space of
the hollow axis of the table.
The table is caused to turn with a step by step revolving motion in the manner
described in the before mentioned Specification. The moulds are thereby brought
in turn in front of the orifice of the pug mill, and are filled with material; the
revolution of the table carries the filled moulds away from in front of the orifice
of the pug-mill, and after they have been carried round for one half of a revolution
by the revolving table the bricks are pushed out horizontally from the moulds on
the side of the table opposite to the pug-mill. This pushing out of the bricks is
effected by means of a bar which is slid to and fro and brought against the rear
end of the stems which project back wards from the moveable bottoms of the moulds.
The bar is moved to and fro by a lever to which a rocking motion is imparted by a
cam on the crank axis of the press hereinafter mentioned.
The mould boxes in the mould table are presented to the pug-mill for filling
with their openings representing the length and thickness of the brick instead of
the length and breadth of the brick, as is customary, and the bricks when pushed
out from the moulds are delivered to a press, by which pressure is applied to the
surface representing the length and breadth of the brick.
The press consists of a mould box open at the top, and with a movable bottom
which can be raised and lowered, and of a plunger which can be moved up and
down and caused to descend into the mould box.
The plunger is moved up and down by a crank or eccentric, on an axis which
makes one revolution for every step by step movement made by the table.
The crank axis which works the plunger is parallel with the axis of the pug
mill and with the axis of the moulding table. A large toothed wheel fast upon it
is driven continuously by a pinion on a driving shaft. Each revolution of the
crank axis gives one complete set of movements to the pressing mechanism, and
one step movement to the moulding table. The axis of the pug mill is driven
continuously by a toothed wheel upon it, gearing with the large toothed wheel on
the crank axis.

page_text: Figure 1 shews a plan view of the machine as arranged for making bricks from
plastic clay; Figure 2 shews a side elevation, and Figure 3 a front elevation of
the same; Figure 4 shews a view of the driving wheels and mechanism for giving
a step by step rotating movement to the cylindrical mould table; Figure 5 shews
a section of the machine taken through the line A, B, Figure 1.
In these Figures A is the framing of the machine; B, a horizontal pug mill
bolted thereto; C, the cylindrical mould table, the axes of which are mounted in
bearings on the frame; D is the main shaft, from which all parts of the machine
receive their movement. The pug mill shaft, the axis of the mould table, and the
main shaft are all parallel with one another.
On the main shaft is a toothed wheel D', which is driven by a pinion D' on a
driving shaft D³, as shewn. The toothed wheel D¹ gears with a toothed wheel B¹
on the pug mill shaft and so drives this shaft; fast on the toothed wheel D' is also
the cam D, which acting with the peg wheel C' on the axis of the mould table
gives to the mould table a step by step revolving movement, as fully described in
the before mentioned Specification. The bottom of each mould of the mould table
is movable and has a stem projecting from it into the central hollow space of the
axis of the table C. Each time that the table turns a distance one of the moulds
comes in front of the orifice of the pug mill and is filled during the time the table
remains at rest; during the same time a moulded but unpressed brick is ejected
from the opposite mould; this is effected by a lever E then striking against the
end of the stem of the movable bottom of the mould and forcing this bottom to
the mouth of the mould into the position shewn at Figure 5. The lever E is
rocked at the time required by a connecting rod E', which couples it to a lever F
acted on by a cam G on the main shaft D. At the next movement of the revolving
table, and when a moulded brick is ejected from the succeeding mould, the
previously ejected brick is pushed forward by it and is brought over the mould H,

page_text: in which it is to be compressed. I is a moveable bottom to the mould H; J is the
plunger of the press carried by a crosshead capable of being moved up and down
in guides forming part of the framing of the machine; this crosshead is moved
up and down by a connecting rod J¹ and crank on the main shaft D. The
moveable bottom I of the mould H has a stem K descending from it. When a
brick has been compressed and is ready to be discharged from the mould a rod L is
brought against the bottom of the stem K and lifts it; this lifting motion is given
to the rod L by its being connected by links L' to the crosshead, which carries the
plunger of the press, as shewn at Figure 3, but it might be given to it from a cam
on the main shaft.
The action of the machine is fully described above, so that it is unnecessary to
further describe its action.
Figure 6 shews a front elevation of the machine as arranged for making bricks
from dry granular clay.
Figure 7 is a plan view, and Figure 8 a side elevation of the same; Figure 0 is
a section on the C, D, Figure 7; and Figure 10 shews separately the arrangement
of levers and parts for moving the measuring box.
In this machine the pug mill B is replaced by standards M carrying a shaft N,
to which a rocking motion is imparted in the manner shewn at Figure 10 by a
cam O on the main shaft. The rocking shaft, as shewn at Figures 7, 8, and 9,
gives a to and fro movement to a measuring box P below a hopper Q carried by
the framing of the machine and containing a supply of dry powdered clay. The
box P and hopper Q take the place of the revolving table of the machine first
described. The press for compressing a charge of powdered clay into a brick is the
same as the press in the first described machine.
To lift the brick when compressed from the mould a cam R is fixed on the main
shaft D, and this acting on a bell crank S lifts the bar L by links L' in the manner
shewn at Figure 8.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, we would have it understood that we claim,-
First. The combination of machinery for making bricks, substantially as herein
before described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Second. The combination of machinery for making bricks, substantially as
herein before described with reference to Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Firth, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.