Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 17th May, 1887.
I, CHARLES LOAMI EMENS residing at Holton in the County of Muskelion, and
State of Michigan, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 relates to an improvement in Granulating and feeding devices for
Brick Machines or other clay working machinery and also relates to improvements in
the construction of Brick Machines.
The invention consists essentially in certain novel features of construction and
combination of parts substantially as hereinafter fully described and set forth in the
claims.
In the annexed drawings
:
Figure, 1, is an end elevation of my improved granulating and feeding machine for
clay-working machinery.
Figure, 2, is a top plan view of the same.
Figure, 3, is a cross section on the line, -, of fig. 2.
Figure, 1, is a vertical section of my improved brick machine.
Figure, 2, is a top plan view of the same in partial section on the line, 1-1, of
figure, 1".
Figure, 3, is a view of one of the covers for the outer ends of the compartiment.
Hitherto it has been customary in preparing clay for stiff clay working machinery
for the manufacture of brick or tile, to granulate the clay, mix the same with sand,
and otherwise prepare it for the molding process of the brick, or other clay-working..
machinery by hand labor, and a considerable force of workmen has usually been
required for the purpose. By my improved machine, it is intended to supplant this
slow and laborious method by providing mechanical appliances which will dispense
with the necessity of a force of workmen to disintegrate the clay, and will enable the
clay, sand, and other substances which are commonly mixed therewith, to be more
thoroughly intermingled and consequently more serviceable in making bricks or
other molded clay goods.
A, represents an inclined trough of any suitable form, constructed with inclined
longitudinal sides and of a V-shape at the bottom of which is the granulating or feed-
This trough is located adjacent to a platform, B, upon which, when desired
screw.

page_text: the clay may be placed, in the same condition that it comes from the clay beds. One
end of the trough opens immediately over a hopper or spout, D, which communicates
with the brick machine, C. The trough is generally made open-topped, and is situated
in an upwardly inclined position toward the hopper, D, so that the clay which is
granulated and intermingled with sand etc. may likewise be gradually fed forward to
the brick machine by the rotative action of the granulating and disintegrating
mechanism. The upward inclination of the trough is one of the characteristics of my
machine, by virtue of which I am enabled to accomplish a more complete and thorough
disintegration of the clay, for, as the revolution of the feed screw pushes the clay
forward up the incline and granulates it to a certain extent, the clay will have a
tendency to fall or gravitate backward so as to be brought again under the action of
the same screw blade, thus causing the clay to be more completely granulated, and more
thoroughly mixed with the sand, so that when delivered to the clay-working machine,
it will be of a fine quality and evenly mixed thus giving a superior value to the
resulting clay goods.
Within the bottom of the trough, A, is located a peculiarly constructed screw, E,
whose shaft, a, is journaled at either end in suitable boxes. On the extremity of the
screw-shaft, a, outside of the trough is mounted a gear wheel, F, which engages a
pinion G, on the end of a shaft, b, that carries on its opposite end a bevel disc, H. A
shaft, e, arranged at right angles to the shaft, /, carries a paper friction conc, I, in
frictional contact with the disc, H; said shaft also carries a driving pulley, J, driven
by any suitable power. The shaft, c, is journaled at either end in boxes, the box
nearest the paper-friction cone being what is commonly denominated a sliding box,
whereby the wheels, I, and, H, may be moved into and out of contact.
To this end the manipulation of the sliding box is effected by means of a hand-
lever, K, pivoted to the frame, and connected with the sliding box by means of a
short link, d. I have thus described one mode of rotating the feed-screw, but I
desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the described mechanism for
rotating said screw, as any other suitable mechanism may be employed.
The screw, E, does not consist of a regular and continuous spiral, but the screws are
cast in sections, each one forming one-half of the pitch, and consisting of a semi-
circular plate secured to a hub. The hub of each piece projects slightly past the end
of the screw-section to which, it belongs, and these hubs being arranged in a
continuous line upon the screw-shaft a, and properly secured in place, there will be a
greater or less break between each screw section and its predecessor. This construction
of the screw renders more effective service as a granulator.
Across the trough, A, at intervals is placed a transverse rod, m, as shown in
figures, 1, and, 2. This series of rods in conjunction with the rotating screw serves to
accomplish a more thorough disintegration of the clay. The operation of the machine
is as follows:
The clay is first deposited upon the platform, whence it is thrown into the trough, A,
or when the platform is dispensed with for any reason, the clay and sand are delivered
directly to the open topped trough. The revolution of the screw acting on the clay
will granulate the same, and at the same time feed it forward in its improved condition
to the machine for molding the bricks, or other clay goods. Heretofore in the making
of clay goods by the stiff clay process manufacturers have been able, with the machines
at their command, to mix the ingredients such as clay and sand, only imperfectly; so
that it was expedient to use only a limited amount of sand, if any at all, and when
sand was used it was generally left in seams by itself, making the brick worse than if
no sand had been employed.
The object of my invention was therefore to supply this great want, and to enable
the manufacturer of stiff clay to thoroughly mix his sand and clay preparatory to the
molding process. With my improved machine any amount of sand required can be
used, and it will be mixed evenly and thoroughly through the clay, thus cutting and
destroying the laminations in the brick, which have been such a source of arrogance.
to brick makers, and loss to their patrons by the brick peeling off in flakes or
laminated structures.

page_text: The granulating mechanism is so arranged that each little granule of clay is rolled
in sand, and is introduced into the brick machine in the best possible condition for the
molding of a perfect brick.
My improved brick machine is constructed as follows:-
A, and, A3, represent oppositely located duplicate compartments of the horizontal
chamber which contains the feed screw; said compartments being separated by an
intermediate casing or box, G1, joined to the basal portions of the compartments and
containing journal boxes, HI, H, in which the horizontal shaft, D', is journaled.
Within the casing G₁, is also contained a gear, Fl, or other actuating wheel, secured,
upon the shaft, D, between the journal bearings. The opposite end portions of the
shaft, D, extend throughout the compartments; A', and, A3, to near the outmost
extremities thereof and are furnished respectively with a series E¹, of left hand augers
located in compartment, A', and a series, 2, of right hand augers located in
compartments, A2, said screw portions being usually made tapering and the
compartments surrounding them being likewise tapered to conform. to the screws.
The horizontal chamber is conveniently supported by any suitable framework such
as the base, N, and uprights, M, M. It will be evident that when my improved right
and left hand screw is used as a feeder in a brick machine the horizontal end thrust of
the shaft caused by the revolution of the right hand screw in the firmly bedded clay
will be opposed and counteracted by the horizontal thrust of the shaft in the opposite
direction caused by the revolution of the left hand screw in the clay, and vice versa.
The opposite tendencies to movement in the shaft will therefore balance each other
and the shaft will therefore not be subject or liable to an end wise displacement from
its-normal position.
In brick machines as ordinarily constructed the end thrust of the screw shaft is
guarded against by means of a heavy casting against which the shaft abuts or by
making the bearing which holds the end of the shaft of considerable thickness, and
great strength. Should the casting or bearing give way obviously the machine will be
useless until repaired. But with my improved machine no such accident is possible,
and there is no wasting of energy against a casting, but the thrust of one portion of the
shaft sustains the thrust of the other portion, and this mutual counteraction of the two
forces holds the shaft in equilibrium, as well as doubling the capacity of the brick
machine, with but a slight increase in the amount of driving power required.
Above or otherwise centrally adjacent to and communicating with the horizontal
chamber is placed a chamber, B, there being an intervening space between the wall of
the casing, G, and the points where the compartments unite with the bottom of the
vertical chamber. This chamber, B', contains a tempering or forcing screw, C₁,
constructed in any desired manner and adapted to carry the clay down through the
chamber after it has been fed into the upper end and supply it in proper quantities to
the compartments, A³, and, A2, to be fed forward by the screws to the brick molds.
The brick molds are located at the outer extremities of the compartments, A¹, and, A²,
and are arranged as follows:-
The outer ends of these compartments are covered and closed by means of plates or
covers, I, see, fig. 3, secured in place by any suitable means such as bolts. For a
certain distance around the centre of each cover it is made intact but the remaining
portion of the cover is provided with holes or apertures, a³, of proper shape and size
to correspond with the ends of the dies, J', in which the bricks are molded, said dies, J',
being of the ordinary parallelopiped form, and being secured within the holes or
apertures, a¹, or made integral with the covers. I preferably provide each of the
covers with two dies which lie parallel to each other and in the same horizontal plane.
The clay which is fed forward by the screws will strike against the covers, 1, 1, and
be forced into the dies, J, J', from the outer ends of which it will emerge in compact
bars which may be cut into the desired length for bricks by any convenient cut-off
mechanism.
As is well known by those versed in the art of making bricks the clay which is
directly in advance of the ends of the feed screws has a spiral structure which has
been imparted to it by the screws. Hence if the dies were in line with the axis of the
-

page_text: screws the clay out of which the bricks are formed would not be solid and compact
but would consist of spiral or convoluted laminations, and the resulting bricks would
be of an inferior quality. I therefore situate the dies at a certain distance from the
centres of the plates, I, 1', leaving the central portions of said plates intact so that
the spirally formed clay may strike against them and so that the clay which enters the
molds may be freed of the spiral structure and the bars of clay which emerge therefrom
may be firm and solid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is.
1. A granulator and feeder for brick and other stiff clay working machinery,
consisting of the combination of the upwardly inclined trough, the longitudinal
rotative screw situated therein, the hopper of the brick machine, and suitable
mechanism for imparting motion to the screw, substantially as shown and described.
2. In a granulator and feeder for stiff clay working machines, the combination with
an upwardly inclined trough, of a granulating screw consisting of a central shaft
carrying a series of screw sections, each one composed of a hub and a semi-circular
plate, substantially as and for the purposes shown and described.
3. The combination of an upwardly inclined open-topped trough, a hopper, a series of
transverse rods secured to the trough a granulating screw consisting of a shaft, and a
series of hubs placed thereon, each having a semi-circular plate, and means, as described
for imparting a rotary motion to said screw, as specified and shown.
4. The combination of an upwardly inclined trough having inclined sides, a feed
screw located therein, the hopper of the brick machine, located adjacent to the upper
end of the trough, and suitable mechanism for revolving the screw, substantially as
described.
5. The combination, with the horizontal chamber, and the right and left feed screw
therein, of a tempering chamber communicating with the horizontal chamber, and
containing a tempering shaft which feeds the clay to the right and left hand feed screws,
substantially as specified and shown.
6. The combination of the horizontal chamber, having duplicate compartments and
an intermediate casing, a right and left hand feed screw journaled in the intermediate
casing, a tempering chamber located centrally adjacent to the horizontal chamber, and
communicating with the compartiments of the latter, and a tempering or forcing device
in the tempering chamber substantially as described.
7. The combination of the horizontal chamber, having duplicate compartments and
a casing intermediate between said compartments, the feed screw provided with right
hand augers in one compartment and left hand augers in the other compartment
journaled in the intermediate casing, and actuated by devices applied to that portion
of the shaft within the said casing, and a tempering chamber, and its shaft arranged
opposite the middle casing, so as to deliver clay to the duplicate compartments,
substantially as described.