New or Improved Machinery for the Manufacture of Seggars or Saggers, Crucibles, Melting Pots, Pipes, and other Hollow and Tubular Articles from Clay or other Plastic Material.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Machinery for the Manufacture of Seggars or
Saggers, Crucibles, Melting Pots, Pipes, and other Hollow and
Tubular Articles from Clay or other Plastic Material.
I JOSEPH HAMBLET of Piercy Brick Works West Bromwich in the County of
Stafford Brick and Tile Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention
to be as follows:-
My invention consists of machinery the parts of which are constructed arranged
and worked substantially in the manner hereinafter described for the manufacture of
the clay cases called seggars or saggers used in the burning of Minton's tiles and
other clay goods or articles but the said machinery may also be used in the manufacture
of crucibles melting pots pipes and other hollow and tubular articles from clay or other
plastic material.
The halves of seggars or saggers are ordinarily moulded by hand each half being
made in two pieces the sides and bottom being made separately and joined together
and burned. By the use of the machinery constituting my invention cach of the
halves of the seggar is moulded in one piece and made at one operation the half
seggar being moulded in an inverted position that is bottom upwards.
I will describe my invention as applied to the manufacture of seggars or saggars.
The machinery consists essentially of a rectangular mould box between the inner
and outer parts of which the sides of the seggar are moulded and a perforated
hollow pyramidal shaped head fixed axially in and opening into the top of the
mould box. Into this head the clay to form the bottom of the seggar is forced'
the base of the said head nearly closing the top of the mould box. The outer
part of the mould hox is made in halves which are capable of opening from and
closing upon one another and the inner part of the mould box consists of a plunger
like die capable of being raised into and withdrawn from the outer part of the
mould box. The said plunger like die constituting the inner part of the mould box
is carried by a counterbalanced rising and falling platform. Supported on the said
platform by means of coiled springs around guide rods is a rectangular frame for
closing the bottom of the mould box that is the bottom of the space between the
sides of the inner and outer parts of the mould box. When the plunger like inner
part of the mould box is raised in the outer part the frame or bottom of the
mould box is raised with it and its springs compressed the compressed springs holding
the said frame or bottom firmly in its place during the moulding operation.
The top of the plunger like inner part of the mould box is closed (with the
exception of perforations for the purpose hereinafter explained) and between the
closed top of the said plunger like part and the open bottom of the fixed pyramidal
perforated hollow head the clay to form the bottom of the seggar is supplied the
clay to form the sides of the seggar passing into the mould box around the base
of the said hollow head. At the level of the underside of the said hollow head a
knife is situated. This knife consists of a stretched wire carried by a frame having
a horizontal motion across the mould box. The clay to form the seggar is forced
from a cylindrical hopper above the mould box by means of a disc plunger working
closely in the said hopper. The said disc plunger is connected by rods to the
underside of a piston working in a steam cylinder above the hopper and the dise
plunger is guided in its motion by the fixed rod which carries on its lower end
the perforated hollow head herein before described.
The greater part of the perforated hollow head is situated in the clay hopper. The
disc plunger may be worked by other power than steam.
The action of the parts is as follows
...The two halves of the outer part of the mould box being closed upon one another

page_text: い
the plunger like inner part of the mould box is raised nearly to the top of the
outer part and the bottom of the inould box closed by the spring supported frame or
bottom. The disc plunger actuated by the steam piston being made to descend in
its hopper forces, the clay therefrom into the space between the two parts of the
mould box and moulds therein the side walls of the seggar. The disc plunger at
the same time forces the clay from the hopper into the hollow head at the top of
the mould box through the perforations in the sides of the said hollow head. The
said hollow head is thereby filled with clay as well as the space between the bottom
of the said head and the top of the plunger like inner part of the mould box the
stratum of clay between the said bottom of the head and the top of the inner part of
the mould box bridging the clay forced into the space between the two parts of the
mould box and thereby forming the bottom to the partly made seggar. By the
operation of the knife herein before described the clay is cut at the line or level of
the open bottom of the hollow head and the seggar thus separated from the clay above
it situated in the hopper and hollow head. The seggar now rests upon the spring
supported bottom of the mould box. The halves of the outer part of the mould box
being separated the counterbalanced rising and falling platform is permitted to
descend thereby withdrawing the plunger like inner part of the mould box
from the interior of the seggar which can now be removed from the spring supported
bottom in any convenient way.
The plunger like inner part of the mould box is hollow and perforated at its top and
sides with holes and its top outer face is covered with moleskin or other porous
material. By means of the said holes in the inner part of the mould box air is
permitted to escape from the mould box during the moulding operation.
In moulding crucibles or other hollow articles by the machinery de cribed the
mould box and the hollow head have such shapes given to them as will produce the
particular articles required and in moulding pipes or tubular articles open at both ends
the hollow perforated head is omitted.
Dated this 11th lave of Ontahan 1000
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Machinery for the Manufacture of Seggars or
Saggers, Crucibles, Melting Pots, Pipes, and other Hollow and
Tubular Articles from Clay or other Plastic Material.
I JOSEPH HAMBLET of Piercy Brick Works West Bromwich in the County of
Stafford Brick and Tile Mannfacturer do hereby declare the nature of my 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 consists of machinery the parts of which are constructed arranged
and worked substantially in the manner hereinafter described for the manufacture
of the clay cases called seggars or saggers used in the burning of Minton's tiles
and other clay goods or articles; but the said machinery may also be used in the
manufacture of crucibles melting pots pipes and other hollow and tubular articles
from clay or other plastic material.
The halves of seggars or saggers are ordinarily moulded by hand each half being
made in two pieces the sides and bottom being made separately and joined together
and burned. By the use of the machinery constituting my invention each of the
halves of the seggar is moulded in one piece and made at one operation the half
seggar being moulded in an inverted position, that is, bottom upwards.
will describe my invention as applied to the manufacture of seggars or saggers.
The machinery consists essentially of a rectangular mould box between the inner
and outer parts of which the sides of the seggar are moulded and a perforated hollow
pyramidal shaped head fixed axially in and opening into the top of the mould box.
The said head may however be omitted. Into this head the clay to form the bottom

page_text: of the. seggar is forced the base of the said bead nearly closing the top of the mould
box. The outer part of the mould box is made in halves which are capable of opening
from and closing upon one another and the inner part of the mould box consists of a
plunger like die capable of being raised into and withdrawn from the outer part of
the mould box. The said plunger like die constituting the inner part of the mould
box is carried by a counterbalanced rising and falling platform. Supported on the '
said platform by means of coiled springs around guide rods, is a rectangular frame
for closing the bottom of the mould box that is, the bottom of the space between
the sides of the inner and outer parts of the mould box. When the plunger like inner
part of the mould box is raised in the outer part the frame or bottom of the
mould box is raised with it and its springs compressed, the compressed springs,
holding the said frame or bottom firmly in its place during the moulding operation:
The spring supported frame or bottom may be omitted and the bottom of the
mould closed by a collar on the plunger or inner part of the mould box.
The top. of the plunger like inner-part of the mould box is closed (with the.
exception of perforations for the purpose hereinafter explained) and between the
closed top of the said plunger like part and the open bottom of the fixed pyramidal.
perforated hollow head the clay to form the bottom of the seggar is supplied the
clay to form the sides of the seggar passing into the mould box around the base
of the said hollow head.. At the level of the underside of the said hollow head a
knife is situated. This knife consists of a stretched wire carried by a frame having
a horizontal motion across the mould box. The clay to form the seggar is forced
from, a cylindrical hopper above the mould box by means of a disc plunger working'
closely in the said. hopper: The said disc plunger is connected by rods to the
underside of a piston working in a steam cylinder above the hopper and the disc
plunger is guided in its..motion by the fixed rod which carries on its lower end
the perforated hollow head herein before described. The greater part of the perforated
hollow head is situated in the clay hopper. The disc plunger may be worked 'by
other power than steam.
The action of the parts is as follows :-
:-
The two halves of the outer part of the mould box being closed upon one
another the plunger. like inner part of the mould box is raised nearly to the top
of the outer part and the bottom of the mould box closed by the spring supported
frame or bottom. The disc plunger actuated by the steam piston being made to
descend in its hopper forces the clay therefrom into the space between the two
parts. of the mould box and moulds therein the side walls of the seggar. The disc
plunger at the same time. forces the clay from the hopper into the hollow head at,
the top of the mould box through the perforations in the sides' of the said hollow.
head. The said hollow head is. thereby filled with clay as well as the space between
the bottom of the said..head and the top of the plunger like inner part of the
mould box the stratum of clay between the said bottom of the head and the top
of the inner part of the mould box bridging the clay forced into the space between
the two parts of the mould box and thereby forming the bottom of the partly
made seggar.
+
By the operation of. the knife herein before described the clay is cut at the line
or level of the open bottom: of the. hollow head and the seggar thus separated from
the clay above it situated in the hopper and hollow head. The seggar now rests
upon the spring supported bottom of the mould box. The halves of the outer part
of the mould box being separated the counterbalanced rising and falling platform
is permitted to descend, thereby withdrawing the plunger like inner part of the
mould box from the interior of the seggar which can now be removed from the.
spring supported bottom in any convenient way.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation and Figure 2 in side elevation a machine for
the moulding in an inverted position of the halves of seggars (and other articles)
the parts of the said niachine being constructed arranged and worked according to

page_text: my invention. In the. said Figures 1 and 2 thé halves of the outer part of the
mould box, are opened or separated and the inner part or plunger like die is in its
depressed position and the disc plunger for operating upon the clay is raised out of
the clay, hopper; Figure 3 represents a front elevation of the machine with the halves
of the outer part of the mould box closed and the plunger like die within the closed.
outer part and the disc plunger depressed in the clay hopper and Figure 4 represents
a portion of the said Figure 3 drawn to a larger scale; Figure 5. represents a portion
of the machine drawn to the same scale as Figure:4 with. the addition of a removing
block on which the seggar is supported, while being separated from the column of clay
and the moulded half seggar removed from the machine'; Figure 6 represents the
removing block detached carrying the half-seggar; Figure 7. represents in plan and
Figures 8 and 9 represent elevations taken at right angles to one another of the outer
halves of the mould box and the opening, closing and fastening mechanism of the
same, together with the knife and knife frame.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawings.
a andare. the halves of the outer part of the mould box the said. halves being
simultaneously separated for opening the mould and simultaneously advanced towards
each other for closing the mould by the mechanism bereinafter described and best seen
in Figures. 7, 8 and 9: c is the inner plunger like part or die of the mould box capable
of being raised into and withdrawn from the halves ab of the mould box. The
plunger like, inner part or die c of the mould box is hollow and perforated at its top
(or top and sides) with holes as best seen in Figure 4 and its top outer face is covered
with moleskin or other porous material fixed by the metal band c³. By means of the
said holes in the inner part of the mould box, air is permitted to escape from the
mould box during the moulding, operation. The said inner part or die c of the mould
box is supported on the rising and falling platform d counterbalanced by the weighted
cords or ropes e e passing over the pulleys ff on the cross beams g g of the machine
carrying the steam cylinder and the clay pressing appliances of the machine. The
rising and falling platform dis guided by the guide rod d working in the tubular
socket d³. Between the plunger like die c and the outer halves a, b of the mould box
the sides of the seggar are moulded, the bottom of the seggar, in an inverted position;
being made from the column of clay adjacent to the top of the plunger like die cas
hereinafter described. It will be seen by an examination of Figure 4 that when the
two parts a, b of the mould box are in position for the moulding of the seggar the
bottom of the mould box, that is, the space between the sides of the parts a b and c is
closed by the flange c² on the inner die c the lips or flanges a², of the outer halves a, b
of the closed mould box engaging with the said flange.c of the inner die c.
.
I will now describe the mechanism represented in Figures 7, 8 and 9 by which the
halves of the mould box are simultaneously opened and closed. The halves ab of the
mould box slide in the dovetails at i, on the lower part of the clay hopper k k²
the said lower part being supported by the upper part of the clay hopper in the
manner seen in Figure 4; is a long lever jointed at to the half of the mould
box and turning on the centre 3 carried by the bottom part 2 of the clay hopper
and m is a second lever jointed at m to the other half a of the mould box and turning on
the centre at m³ on the bottom part of the hopper. The two levers 7, m are connected
together by the link n. When, the lever is pushed in the direction of the arrow near
the said link the other lever m is moved in the same direction and the halves.a, b of
the mould box are simultaneously opened or separated the said halves moving in
opposite directions in the dovetails at ii as indicated by the arrows near the joints 12, m².
When the lever is pulled in a direction contrary to that indicated by the arrow near
the link n, the halves ab of the mould box are made simultaneously to approach one
another and form a closed mould box. The halves of the mould box are fastened
together when closed by the lever fastening at p. Between the top of the closed
halves ab of the mould bex and the bottom of the part of the clay hopper
is a narrow space through which the knife q passes to separate the partly made
seggar from the column of clay in the hopper. The said knife q consists of a fine

page_text: wire carried by the hand worked reciprocating frame q² (see the enlarged views
Figures 7 and 9) the said knife frame 2 being supported and travelling upon the
guide rollers 93, 93 carried at the bottom of the part of the hopper. On the
said part are inclines at 3, 3 down which the knife q is guided to the space.
between the top of the mould box and the bottom of the hopper (see Figure 4),
the said knife being tightened by travelling down the incline ; is the disc
plunger by which the clay is compressed in the hopper k, k². The said disc plunger
is guided in its motion by the fixed axial rod on which it slides, the said disc
plunger being carried by the two piston rods 3, 73 connected with a steam piston
in the steam cylinder h. The slide valve in the valve chests is reversed so as to.
depress or raise the disc plunger in the hopper by the hand worked mechanism.
best seen in Figures 1 and 2; is the slide valve rod having at its bottom a
block with which a short arm on the horizontal axis t engages. The axis t
is worked by the hand lever u. By operating upon the hand lever u the slide valve
rod may be raised or depressed and the slide valve reversed for causing the disc
plunger to be depressed in or raised out of the hopper k.
The block which is introduced into the partly made seggar before it is cut from the
column of clay and on which block the cut off seggar is removed from the machine is
marked in Figures 5 and 6.
I will now describe the action of the machine :-
:-
After a seggar has been made and removed from the machine, the disc plunger is
raised out of the hopper as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and a fresh supply of clay
is placed in the hopper through its open top. The plunger like inner die c of the
inould box is next raised by acting upon the counterbalanced platform d and the outer
halves ab of the mould box are closed upon the inner die c and fastened. By now
operating on the hand lover u the disc plunger acted upon by the steam piston in
the cylinder is made to descend in the hopper & and force the clay in the lower
part thereof into the space between the top of the disc c and bottom of the hopper k²
and between the sides of the two parts a b and c of the mould box the clay forced
between the die e and the bottom of the hopper forming the bottom of the seggar and
the clay forced between the sides of the two parts a b and c forming the sides of the
soggar as best seen in the enlarged view in Figure 4, the strong dotted line in the
said Figure 4 indicating the line of cut for separating the seggar from the column
of clay. The half mould boxes a bare now opened or separated and the plunger
like die c depressed as illustrated in Figure 1. The removing block is next
placed and fixed on the die c and the latter carrying the said block is again raised
and the said block made to enter the partly made seggar as illustrated in
Figure 5. A sliding motion across the machine is now given to the knife frame q²
and the knife q carried by it is made to cut the clay at the line of the open
bottom of the hopper as indicated by the dotted line in Figure 5, and the
seggar y, y moulded in an inverted position is thus separated from the clay above
it in the hopper. The seggar y, y thus separated from the column of clay is
supported on the removing block and the platform d is made to descend so as
to withdraw the die e carrying the block and seggar into the position represented
in Figures 1 and 2. The block is next lifted from the die c carrying with it
the half seggar y, y as represented in Figure 6. The half seggar is removed from
the block and finished in the ordinary way.
In combining with the bottom portion of the clay hopper of the seggar moulding
machine, a fixed hollow pyramidal shaped head the parts are arranged in the manner
represented in section in Figure 10 and plan in Figure 11, where the said hollow head,
which is perforated, is marked 2 and is fixed to the bottom of the axial guide rod r³
and is supported by the radial stay rods.3, 3. In this arrangement the mould box α, h
is closed at bottom by the rectangular frame 4 supported on the inner part or die c by
the coiled springs 5, 5. When the plunger like die c is raised in the outer parts a b
of the mould box the frame or bottom 4 is raised with it and the springs 5, 5 are
compressed the compressed springs holding the said frame or bottom in its place
during the moulding operation.

page_text: When the disc plunger ris made to descond in the hopper the clay to form the
bottom of the seggar is forced from the hopper into the hollow head 2 at the top of
the mould box a; b through the perforations in the said hollow head. The said hollow
head 2 is thereby filled with clay as well as the space between the bottom of the head
and the top of the plunger like die c the stratum of clay between the bottom of the
head 2 and the die e bridging as it were the clay forced into the space between the
sides of the two parts of the mould box and thereby forming the bottom of the partly
made seggar. The seggar is separated from the column of clay in the hopper and the
cut off seggar removed from the machine in the manner herein before described.
Or the seggar may be cut off while supported in the mould box and removed by
opening the halves a, b of the mould box and causing the die c to descend carrying
with it the seggar.
In moulding crucibles melting pots or other hollow articles having closed bottoms
by the machinery described and illustrated, the mould box and hollow head (when a
hollow head is used) have such shapes given to them as will produce the particular
articles required; and in moulding pipes or tubular articles open at both ends the top
of the inner die of the mould box is situated on a level with the top of the outer
parts a, b of the mould box so that only a tubular column of clay is moulded
between the sides of the two parts of the mould box instead of moulding the clay
between the top of the inner die and bottom of the hopper and between the sides of the
two parts of the mould box as described when making seggars crucibles or other like
articles. In moulding open ended pipes and other like articles the mould box is made
of the required length.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as
my invention of "Improvements in machinery for the manufacture of seggars or
saggers crucibles melting pots pipes and other hollow and tubular articles from clay
or other plastic material"
First The construction and combination of the parts of the mould box a, b, c for
moulding in an inverted position or bottom upwards half seggars or saggers, crucibles
and other articles having closed bottoms and the combination with the said mould box
of the clay hopper and clay pressing appliances substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly The arrangements or combinations of the parts hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for opening and closing the outer
halves of the mould box and for supporting the inner part or plunger like die of the
mould box and for removing the moulded and cut off seggar or other article from the
machine.
Thirdly The combination with the machine of the sliding knife for cutting off
the seggar or other moulded article from the column of clay in the hopper substantially
as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourthly The combination with the hopper of the machinery of the axially fixed
perforated hollow head for the purpose and substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Lastly The modification of the parts for adapting the machinery to the manufacture
of pipes or tubular articles open at both ends as hereinbefore described.
Dated the First day of „Luna 1880°
JOSEPH HAMBLET.