IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS USED FOR MAKING BRICKS AND TILES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Maxwell, of Cliff House, Spring Mount,
Bacup, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS USED FOR MAKING
BRICKS AND TILES."
Sealed the 16th August 1872, and dated the 21st June 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Maxwell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st June 1872.
I, GEORGE MAXWELL, of Cliff House, Spring Mount, Bacup, in the
County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
USED FOR MAKING BRICKS AND TILES," to be as follows :-
°
This Invention relates to the construction of machinery or apparatus
used in the manufacture of bricks, tiles, quarries, and other similar
articles, and consists of an arrangement of apparatus for forcing clay
from a cylinder (by means of a piston) through a suitable die made of

page_text: or lined with glass, and cutting the same into lengths by means of wires
or knives.
I employ a cast-iron cylinder of suitable diameter (say, for example,
about eighteen inches) in which works a reciprocating piston, the piston
rod of which passes through one end of the cylinder, and is driven either
direct from a steam piston or by means of a crank and connecting rod,
or other suitable contrivance. This piston is perforated with air-holes for
the escape of the air from the clay during the pressure, and is also pro-
vided with a sheet-iron slide or door, which as the piston is pressed
forwards closes an aperture in the top of the cylinder communicating
with a hopper above it (through which the clay is introduced into the
cylinder), and thus prevents any clay from falling in behind the piston.
The aperture is also provided with a scraper to clean the slide cach time
the piston is drawn back.
The forward end of the cylinder in front of the piston is made conical
or pyramidal so as to compress the clay and guide it towards the centre
where it passes through the dic, which is to be lined with or made of
glass to facilitate the passage of the clay. The conical or pyramidal
part is also perforated with holes to admit of the escape of air from the
clay.
The piston being drawn back and the slide being consequently open
the forward part of the cylinder in front of the piston is filled with clay
through the hopper. The piston is then driven forward, closing the
aperture between the hopper and the cylinder, and compressing the
clay pushes it forward through the glass die, the air escaping at the
same time through the perforations. As the mass of clay of the desired
section issues from the dic it is cut off at suitable intervals to the
required length of the brick or other article by means of suitable wires
or knives as ordinarily practised.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Maxwell, Her special license
that I, the said George Maxwell, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Maxwell, my exccutors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, usc, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS USED FOR MAKING BRICKS AND TILES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Maxwell, my executors
› or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was'
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Maxwell, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to
say) :-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of bricks, tiles, quarries,
and other similar articles, and consists of an arrangement of apparatus
for forcing clay from a cylinder (by means of a piston) through a suit-
able die made of or lined with glass, and cutting the same into lengths
by means of wires or knives.
I employ a cast-iron cylinder of suitable diameter (say, for example,
about eighteen inches) in which works a reciprocating piston, the piston
rod of which passes through one end of the cylinder,, and is driven either
direct from a steam piston or by means of a crank and connecting rod
or other suitable contrivance. This piston may be perforated with air
holes for the escape of the air from the clay during the pressure, and is
also provided with an iron slide or shield, which, as the piston is pressed
forwards, closes an aperture in the top of the cylinder communicating.

page_text: with a hopper above it (through which the clay is introduced into the
cylinder), and thus prevents any clay from falling in behind the piston.
The aperture may also be provided with a scraper to clean the slide or
shield each time the piston is drawn brck. The forward end of the
cylinder in front of the piston is made conical or pyramidal so as to
compress the clay and guide it towards the centre where it passes through
the die, which is to be lined with or made of glass to facilitate the passage
of the clay. The conical or pyramidal part may also be perforated with
holes to admit of the escape of air from the clay.
The piston being drawn back, and the slide or shield being conse-
quently open, the forward part of the cylinder in front of the piston is
filled with clay through the hopper. The piston is then driven forward,
closing the aperture between the hopper and the cylinder, and com-
pressing the clay pushes it forward through the glass die, the air escaping
at the same time through the perforations or otherwise. As the mass of
clay of the desired section issues from the die it is cut off at suitable
intervals to the required length of the brick or other article by means of
suitable wires or knives as ordinarily practised.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Im-
provements in Machinery or Apparatus used for Making Bricks and
Tiles," I will now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in
which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood I have
annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding
with those in the following explanation thereof :-
--
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawing is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2
a transverse section of my improved apparatus.
a, a, is the cast-iron cylinder in which works a piston b, b, provided
with a slide or shield c, c, for closing the opening d, d, in the top of the
cylinder when the piston is thrust forward; e, e, is the hopper for
introducing the clay; f, f, is the forward end of the cylinder, which
is formed pyramidal or conical to conduct the clay to the die g, I,
which, as before described, is to be made of or lined with glass.
In the Drawing the piston b, b, is shown as jointed to a connecting
rod h, h, which is actuated by an excentric i, i, keyed on the shaft k, k,
driven by spur gearing 1, 1, from the main driving shaft m, m, but, as

page_text: before stated, any other efficient and known means may be employed for
giving motion to the piston b, b.
Fig. 1 shows in full lines the position of the apparatus when the
aperture d, d, is open to allow the clay to fall from the hopper e, e, into
the cylinder a, a, in front of the piston b, b. The dotted lines show the
piston at the end of its stroke.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus used for Making Bricks and
Tiles," together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that
I claim as my Invention, the improved apparatus as above described
and represented by annexed Drawing, and more especially I claim the
combination with a cylinder and hopper of a reciprocating piston pro-
vided with a shield or slide for opening and closing the same, together
with the die made of or lined with glass, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Maxwell, have hercunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Witnessed by
GEORGE DAVIES, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
GEORGE MAXWELL. (L.S.)