IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MOULDING AND COMPRESSING ARTIFICIAL BLOCKS OB BRICKS FOR PAVING PURPOSES FROM GRANULAR MATERIAL, ASPHALTUM, AND THE LIKE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest de Pass, of the Office for Patents, 68, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR MOULDING AND COMPRESSING ARTIFICIAL BLOCKS OB
BRICKS FOR PAVING PURPOSES FROM GRANULAR MATERIAL, ASPHALTUM, AND
THE LIKE." A communication from abroad by Arvid Henry Elliott, of the
City of New York, in the United States of America, Gentleman, and Alfred
Walker, of Sing-Sing, County of Westchester, State of New York, in the
United States of America
Sealed the 19th December 1879, and dated the 30th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest de Pass at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th June 1879.
ERNEST DE PASS, of the Office for Patents, 68, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MOULDING AND
COMPRESSING ARTIFICIAL BLOCKS OR BRICKS FOR PAVING PURPOSES FROM GRANU-
LAR MATERIAL, ASPHALTUM, AND THE LIKE" A communication from abroad by
Arvid Henry Elliott, of the City of New York, in the United States of America,
Gentleinan, and Alfred Walker, of Sing-Sing, County of Westchester, State of New
York, in the United States of America.
This apparatus consists of a plate supported on pillars, the said plate being
provided with a chamber or opening, the length and width of which is of the exact
size of the brick or block to be manufactured and capable of admitting the passage
of a plunger which is directed in its travel by a guide. A block placed on top of
this plate slides horizontally between two projecting pieces on such plate, and it is
also provided with a chamber or opening of the same dimensions as the first
chamber or opening.
By an oscillating movement of levers the sliding block may be shifted in such a
nanner that in one instance the chamber or opening therein shall be a continuation
of the chamber or opening in the plate to allow for the admittance of the material,
such as concrete, a mixture of sand or broken stone, asphaltum, or the like, and in
the other instance the end of the sliding block shall cover the chamber or opening
1621

page_text: in the plate in order to interrupt communication between such chambers or
openings, so as to allow the encased material to be compressed within the opening
or chamber in the plate, and, in the third instance, the end of the sliding block
shall be entirely free from the chamber or opening so as to permit the compressed
brick or block to ascend to the upper level of the plate and to be removed by the
sliding block as soon as the latter acquires its first position, that is, when the two
chambers or openings form one cavity. In order to produce these three successive
movements the sliding block is fastened between two ends of the levers, whose
fulcrum is made stationary by means of a connecting rod fitted between brackets
secured to a pair of the pillars. The other ends of these levers are provided with
pins. Two other brackets, also secured to the pillars, support a rod having shives,
discs, or wheels on their extremities. Fastened to the inner side of these shives or
discs are three incline planes or arms, so arranged as to produce eccentric motions
whenever the shives or discs are rotated. The pins on the levers coming in contact
with the incline planes or arms and yielding to their different eccentric positions
will operate the sliding movements of the sliding block.
The incline planes or arms being of different lengths will produce a greater or
lesser movement of the block as may bo desired.
The time in traversing the distance between the different incline planes or arms,
and when the sliding block is not in motion, is utilized in such manner that the
distance from the first interval will allow for the filling of the opening or chamber
in the plate with concrete or other like materiul, the distance forming the second
interval with compressing this material, and the distance forming the last interval
with bringing the compressed brick or block to the level of the plate by the action
of the plunger.
The operation of compressing the material for the construction of bricks, paving
blocks, or the like, is performed by means of the plunger within the opening or
chamber in the plate, actuated by compound levers (provided with friction rollers)
which follow the movements of the cam.
Fastened to the centre of the rod which carries the two shives, discs, or wheels is
the cam, which is so constructed or arranged that it actuates the plunger by means
of levers, one of which serves to compress the material being made into the brick
or block and the other to remove such brick or block.
An elastic band or its equivalent is employed for reversing the position of the
compound levers after the plunger has been compressed.
In order to make the compressing action of the compound lever slightly yielding,
in caso more material should have been introduced into the opening or chamber in
the plate than is necessary to form one brick or block, and in order to overcome the
increased resistance of this material, the fulcrum of the lower armn of the compound
lever rests on a one-arın lever which, acting again on a second lever, permits by the
compression of a rubber block or other suitable contrivance, which is fastened to
the base plate of the apparatus by means of a bolt, a slightly downward yielding
motion of the compound lever.
In order to raise the brick or block laying on the top of the plunger the lever
which is connected to the plunger is actuated by means of another lever which
carries a pair of friction rollers; these rollers following the course of a second cam
will continue to elevate the plunger until the highest point in such cam is reached.
By further rotating the first mentioned cam the friction rollers meeting with a
declivity on the cams will instantly drop downward by their own gravity and leave
the opening or chamber in the plate free to be replenished with the desired mate-
rial, and the first cam now acting on the compound lever will again perform the
compression, as above described.
For the purpose of regulating the thickness of the brick or block which is to be
manufactured a stop lug may be used, which being fastened to the inner side of
the plunger-guide will arrest the drop of the plunger; or the stop lug may be
inserted in a separate slot and be vertically shifted in order to regulate the space

page_text: in the chamber or opening in the plate formed by the plunger and the underside of
the sliding block.
A cutting blade or knife operated by means of levers and guided by cam-shaped
pieces or arms on the discs, shives, or wheels is so arranged as to cut off at each
5 revolution of the said wheels the proper amount of material to be compressed by
the plunger into a paving brick or block.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ernest de Pass in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th December
1879.
ERNEST DE PASS, of the Office for Patents, 68, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MOULDING AND
COMPRESSING ARTIFICIAL BLOCKS OR BRICKS FOR PAVING PURPOSES FROM GRANU-
LAR MATERIAL, ASPHALTUM, AND THE LIKE" A communication from abroad by
Arvid Henry Elliott, of the City of New York, in the United States of America,
Gentleman, and Alfred Walker, of Sing Sing, County of Westchester, State of New
York, in the United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for moulding and com-
pressing artificial blocks or bricks for paving purposes from granular material,
asphaltum, and the like, and will be readily understood on reference to the
accompanying Drawings in which,-
Fig. 1 represents a side view of the apparatus partly in section; Fig. 2, a central
sectional view; Fig. 3, a front view of the same (the cut off device being however
removed in this Figure) and Figs. 4, 5, and 6, detail views of certain parts thereof.
A, A, are pillars supporting a plate B which is provided with an opening C, the
length and width of which is of the size of the block or brick to be manufactured,
and capable of admitting a plunger D. An articulated block E also provided with
an opening C of the same dimensions as the openings C first berein mentioned, is
placed on top of the plate B and is so arranged as to slide horizontally between two
projecting pieces b, b, of the plate B.
By an oscillating movement of the two arm levers F, F, the sliding block E
may be shifted in such a manner, that in one instance the opening C³ in block E
shall be a continuation of the opening C in plate B to allow for the admittance
of material, such as asphaltum, concrete, etc., and in the other instance the
end P of the block E shall cover the opening C in order to interrupt commu-
nication between C and C¹ to allow the encased material to be compressed
within the opening C, and in the third instance the end p of the sliding block E
shall be entirely free from the opening C so as to permit the compressed brick to
ascend to the upper level of the plate B, and to then be removed by means of the
sliding block E which is moving so as to acquire its first position, that is, when the
openings C and C¹ form one cavity. In order to produce these three successive
movements the sliding block E is fastened between two of the ends of the two arm
lever F by an intermediate link E. The fulcrum of F is made stationary by means
of the connecting rod a, and the brackets d, d³, are secured to the pair of pillars.

page_text: A, A. The other ends of these levers F (see Fig. 4) are provided with pins e, e¹.
Two other brackets f. f. also fastened to A, A, support the shaft g having wheels
G, G¹, on their extremities. In Fig. 1, the wheel Ĝis however not shown in order
that the working parts may be clearly seen. Fastened to the inner side of the
wheels G, G', are three curved or cam shaped pieces h, i, k, arranged in such a 5
manner as to produce eccentric motions whenever the wheels G, G³, are rotated.
The pins e, e', on the levers F coming into contact with the cam shaped pieces h, i,
and, and yielding to their different eccentric positions, will operate the sliding
movements of the block E in the following manner.
As shewn in Fig. 5, the pin e' encounters the outside of the cam piece h as soon 1
as wheel G¹ is rotated in the direction as indicated by the arrow. This pin e' will
follow in the course of the dotted line above the cam piece h, where the latter being
eccentric towards the left, the upper arm of lover F will be thrown in the opposite
direction and carry with it the block E by which motion, position No. 2, as above
described is attained. In further rotating the wheel G¹, the pin e¹ will meet the 1
cam piece i, which being still more eccentric will carry the block E further towards
the right and leave the opening C in the plate B free from p which is the end of
block E, and will attain position of No. 3. On meeting the third cam piece / the
pin e' will follow the under side of the same, and thereby nearing the centre will be
carried towards the right and consequently the block E will be shifted towards the 2
left and attain position No. 1, thus leaving opening C, C¹, communicating with each
other as indicated in Fig. 5.
The three cam shaped pieces h, i, and k, being of different lengths will produce a
greater or less movement of the block E as may be desired.
The time in traversing the distance between the different cam shaped pieces, and 2
when the sliding block E is not in motion is utilized in such manner, that the
distance between k and h will allow for the filling of opening C with concrete, eto.,
the distance between h and i with compressing this material, and the distance
between i and k with bringing the compressed block or brick to the level of plate
B by the action of the plunger D.
The operation for compressing the material for the construction of bricks, paving
blocks, etc., is performed by means of the plunger D within the opening C actuated
upon by the compound levers I and 1', which latter follow the movements of the
eam J.
3
To the centre of the shaft g, which carries the two wheels G and G' is fastened 3
the cam J.
The compound levers I, I, being moveable in its joint o, see Fig. 2, and having
its fulcrum at m carries near its joint o the friction roller n which following the
course of the cam J produces a vertical movement of the head r which is fastened
to one end of the lever I.
The lower end of plunger D being so formed as to correspond in shape with the
head will be slowly pushed upward whenever the friction roller n follows that
course of the cam J which is indicated by 8, 8², 8ª, Fig. 2. This upward movement
of the plunger D acting on the material is sufficient to give to the latter the
necessary density and shape required.
When the friction roller n has reached the highest point s on the cam J the
compound levers, I, I, have been straightened and also carried just beyond their
central line at this point, these compound levers being released from the cam J,
they are forced back beyond the central line by means of the spring u and then
they, from their own gravity, will move downward whilst the lever H also 5
connected to the plunger D will keep the same in its upward position, and further
ascend it until the block or brick lays level with the plate B.
In order to make the compressing action of the compound lever I, I', slightly
yielding in case more material should have been introduced into opening C than is
necessary to form one block or brick, and in order to overcome the increased &
resistance of this material, the fulcrum m of lever I' rests on a horizontal lever M,
having its fulcrum at N¹, which rests on a support N. The opposite end of this

page_text: horizontal lover M rests upon a spring or springs R', which are encased in the box
R, which spring or springs give sufficient resistance to the lever I' to permit of tho
desired compression of the material, but will yield downward whenever there should
be an overcharge of material in the opening C, or from other causes happening to
the material. The resistance to the supporting lever M can be adjusted by means
of set screws W, W³.
A modified form of relief is shown in Fig. 7. By this it will be seen that instead
of the lever M there may be placed a nest of springs under the lever I', and so that
the same may rest upon them. These springs being regulated to a resistance equal
to the amount of compression required upon the material in the mould, it is evident
that they will not yield until from some cause there is an undue strain exerted upon
the compound levers I, I'.
In order to ascend the block or brick laying on the top of the plunger D, the
lever H is actuated by the lever K, which lever has its fulcrum at 2, and carries a
pair of friction rollers L. These rollers L, following the course of a second cam J,
will continue to elevate the plunger D until the highest point of the cam Jais
reached, as shown in Fig. 2. By further rotating the cam J the friction roller L,
meeting with a declivity on this side of the cams J and J, will instantly drop down-
wards by its own gravity, and leaving the opening C free to be replenished with the
composite material, and the cam J now acting on the compound levers I, I', will
again perform the compression, as above described.
The stroke of the plunger D is regulated by an adjustable stop lug T, which is
fastened to a rod Z, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper end of this rod is threaded, and
enters the head block B, and the rod Z' carrying the stop lug T is raised and
lowered by means of the worm-wheel z and worm z.
For the purpose of dividing the material to be compressed, and which has filled
the opening C, C', and C, a knife K' is used. This knife is operated by the bell-
crank lever b, the same being pivoted at b*. This bell-crank lever is connected to
the rod and the latter to a swinging arm Q, which swinging arm is provided with
a roller V, and the arm is pivoted at q'. Bolted to the wheels G, G, are two curved
flanged pieces and v³, which are so shaped that when brought into contact with
the roller V, then the knife K will be caused to operate as follows, as shewn in
Fig. 5: When the wheel G¹ is revolved in the direction of the arrow, and the
roller V passes from the outer edge of the flanged piece v', then the roller passes
along the inner edge of the flanged pieca v, which causes the knife K' to enter
through and separate the material to be compressed, and which is contained in the
openings C, C. The portion p of the head block E having moved opposite the
openings C, and resting on the knife K', the material is then compressed, and there-
upon the knife K' is withdrawn by reason of the flanged piece having engaged
the roller V, as also thereby the head block E is moved with a decreased resistance
or friction, caused from the compression which had been done. Without the use of
this knife, and if the head-block were used to effect a separation of the material,
then there might be particles of the material which would have a tendency to pass
between piece E and the piece B.
Motion is given to the shaft g by means of the gear-wheels G, G³, and by the
pinion G, which is fastened to a shaft g, which is provided with two fly wheels
G³, G, at each end, and the necessary pulleys D, D³, for receiving the power
required.
It should be stated that the head block E carries a hopper C, which supplies the
openings C, C', with material to be compressed. This hopper is smaller at its
middle than at the bottom, so as to prevent clogging of the material as it passes
into the openings C and C².
Having thus described the Invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,
First. The operating of the sliding head block E and the plunger D by means of
the levers F, H, and I, I, such operation being produced by means of the con-

page_text: tinuous revolution of the cam J, as shewn and described, for the purposes herein
set forth.
Second. The employment and arrangement of the separate and disconnected levers
I, I', and H, substantially as shewn and described, for the purpose of operating the
plunger D.
Third. The revolving wheels G, G³, having a series of curved or cam shaped
pieces upon their faces, in combination with the actuating lever or arm F and the
sliding head block E, as herein set forth, for the purposes specified.
Fourth. The cam J arranged to actuate the plunger D by means of different
levers, one sorving to compress and the other to remove the artificial block or brick,
substantially as shown and described.
Fifth. The compound levers I, 11, operating to move the plunger by means of
the cam J, and arranged with a yielding support to provide against too great a
pressure which might otherwise arise, operating as and for the purpose shewn and
described.
Sixth. The arrangement of parts constituting the automatic cut off device (K',
b³, g, Q. q', V, v, v), substantially as shewn, and for the purpose described.
Seventh. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the
improved machine or apparatus for moulding and compressing granular material,
such as concrete, asphaltum, and the like, for the manufacture of artificial paving
blocks or bricks, substantially as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest de Pass, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty third day of December, in the year One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
ERNEST DE PASS. (LS)