IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Briggs, of Leeds, in the County of York, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING BRICKS, TILES,
AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
Sealed the 5th September 1879, and dated the 24th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Briggs at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th June 1879.
JOHN BRIGGS, of Leeds, in the County of York.
FOR MAKING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
The chief object of my Invention is to simplify and accelerate the manufacture of
machine made bricks or tiles, and also to reduce the weight, size, & cost of brick-
making machines and render the parts more easy of access for repairs or cleaning,
for which purposes, according to my Invention, the pug mill, moulding table, press
and plungers, or pressing dies, with their actuating mechanism, are arranged in
combination upon one base plate, with the exception of the counter shaft with
pulleys and fly wheel and the main shaft, one end of each of these shafts being
supported in the frame of the machine, and the other end in a suitable pedestal.
The material to be worked is fed through a hopper from any suitable grinding or
crushing machinery, such as a perforated grinding pan or a disintegrator, into the
pug mill, wherein it is worked and tempered by rotating knives until it is worked
to the bottom; it is then pressed into moulds in the moulding table by a double
bladed knife at the bottom of the pug-mill, and formed into bricks or tiles as
desired. The moulding table is then moved by means of a ratchet, so as to bring
the succeeding moulds under the pug mill, and at the same time the first formed
bricks are lubricated on the top. The moulding table is then moved again, which
brings the first formed bricks under the press, & they are pressed, the second
formed bricks are lubricated on the top, and a third lot of bricks is formed in suc-
ceeding moulds. The moulding table being moved again, the first formed bricks
are lifted out of the moulds in which they have been made & completed by means
of a lever actuated by a suitable cam or stud on one of the spur wheels, which lever
has an adjustable wedge piece fitted into it, so that it can be regulated to lift the
bricks to the desired height. The bricks are then pushed, by means of the "pusher
off," from the moulding table on to the delivering belt, to be taken by the attendant
and packed on to barrows, and removed to the kiln.

page_text: The "pusher off" consists of either a solid block or a piece of flat iron or other
suitable material bent into an oblong form, and guided by rods passing one through
each side of it, and bolted to the frame. It is actuated by two levers, one of which
is worked by means of a stud or suitable cam on one of the spur wheels, and is
connected to the other by means of a chain or rope led over suitable pulleys. The
moulds and lower plungers are lubricated by means of a plunger covered with
canvas kept well saturated with oil, and actuated by a lever having its fulcrum
fixed to the crosshead of the press, and worked jointly by the movement of the
press and an india rubber spring or other suitable spring attached to the top of
the frame of the machine & to one end of the lever. Thus the machine is continually
forming bricks under the pug mill, lubricating the newly formed bricks, lifting out
the completed bricks, & pushing them on to the delivering belt, and lubricating the
emptied moulds, and all these operations are performed at evory revolution of the
machine, but it is so arranged that no two heavy stresses shall come upon the machine
at one & the same moment.
The pug mill is provided with a vent or escape pipe, in which I place an improved
adjustable valve, which allows of the waste or surplus in the pug mill either
being pushed out in the old way, or forced up the pipe and into the top of the pug
mill again, or the valve can be shut altogether. The-pug case is fixed to the frame
at the back of the machine by means of a bracket, which bracket I extend so that
it will support the moulding table just below the pug mill where it requires most
support.
The moulding table is caused to rotate intermittently by means of a ratchet and
pawl, so arranged that it can be put in or out of gear as desired. This ratchet
consists of a segment of a ring fitting closely against a disc below the moulding
table, and held in its place by guides fixed or bolted to the base plate, the pawl working
on a stud fixed to the segment. It receives motion from a lever connected to it by
means of an adjustable rod, & worked by a stud fixed in a slot in one of the spur
wheels, so that the amount of travel can be regulated. A second pawl is made to
gear into the ratchet disc, & works on a stud fixed to the base plate to prevent any
return motion of the moulding table.
The press consists of a crosshead or beam workod by two toggle levers or joints,
which are actuated by two spur wheels geared into each other, and connected to
the toggle levers by suitable cranks & connecting rods, the spur wheels receiving
motion by suitable gearing from the main shaft. The crosshead is provided with
one or more plungers or dies, as desired, and is made to clasp two pillars fixed to
the frame by means of cottara so as to be casy of removal; these pillars act as guide
rods for the crosshead, and also as tie rods or tension rods for the press, and one of
them passes through the centre of the moulding table for it to rotate upon, suitable
bushes being fitted in the boss of the moulding table. Above the moulding table
on the same pillar I fix a stud to act as a fulcrum for the "pushing off" lever.
one and of the crosshead is fixed a stud, forming the fulcrum for the lever of the
lubricating plunger. On the bottom of the crosshead I fix a guide having a suitably
tapered point, which enters into slots or other provisions made for it on the moulding
table, before the dies or plungers enter the moulds, so as to ensure them being
exactly true one with the other, and on the back of the crosshead I fix another
guide, if necessary, which works through a suitable hole or slot in the top of the
frame of the machine.
At
The press can be regulated so as to exert a very great pressure or a slight
pre-sure, as desired, hy means of an adjustable wedge piece fitted & bolted on to
a bed on the base plate beneath the bottom plungers. On each side of this wedge
piece I fix a plate having a hinge, so that when the wedge piece is raised the plates
are inclined so as to bring the plungers up on to the wedge piece as the moulding
table revolves; and I also use the same means for regulating the amount of feed
from the pug mill into the moulds.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Briggs in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd December
1879.
JOHN BRIGGS, of Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR MAKING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
My Invention consists in "Improvements in Machinery for Making Bricks, Tiles,
and other similar Articles."
The chief object of my Invention is to simplify and accelerate the manufacture
of machine made bricks or tiles, and also to reduce the weight, size, and cost of
brick making machines and render the parts more easy of access for repairs or
cleaning. For which purposes, according to my Invention, the pug mill, moulding
table, press and plungers or pressing dies, with their actuating mechanism, in fact
all the parts of the machine, are arranged in combination upon one base plate with
the exception of the counter shaft with pulleys and fly wheel and the main shaft,
one end of each of these shafts being supported in the frame of the machine and
the other in a suitable pedestal.
I will now proceed by the aid of the accompanying Drawings to describe
particularly the manner in which my said Invention may be carried into effect.
Figure 1 shows a plan of a machine constructed in accordance with my Inven-
tion; Figure 2 shows a front elevation, showing arrangement of press, "pusher off,"
lubricating plunger, lifting out lever and delivering belt; Figure 3 shows a side
elevation of the pug case, showing how it is fixed to the frame, and also showing
bracket for supporting the pug mill shaft; Figure 4 shows a separate view of the
short arm of the lifting out lever, showing the means for adjusting it to lift the
bricks to the desired height; Figure 5 is part elevation and part section, shewing
arrangement of pug mill, ratchet lever and hangers for toggle shafts, and section
through the moulding table shewing the bottom plungers and the adjustable wedge
pieces for regulating the amount of feed from the pug mill into the moulds and the
amount of pressure exerted by the press; Figure 5 also shows the frame of the
machine and the pedestal for supporting the counter shaft and main shaft.
1 is the driving pulley on the counter shaft a, and 2 is a pinion on the same
shaft, giving motion to the spur wheel 3 on the main shaft b; 4 is a pinion on the
main shaft b, transmitting motion to the spur wheels 5 and 6 on the toggle shafts
c and d; 7 is a mitre wheel on the main shaft b, giving motion to the mitre
wheel 8 on the pug mill shaft e; and 9 is a pulley on the toggle shaft d, trans-
mitting motion by means of a belt or chain to the pulley 10 and rollers 11, 12,
and 13 for driving the delivering belt U; f is a small shaft for the ratchet lever F
passing through a boss in the frame R; p, p, is a rope or chain passing over the
pulleys p', p', for connecting the levers K and K.
A is the pug case fixed or secured to the frame, as shown in Figure 3; A', A², &c.,
are the knives secured to the pug mill shaft e, and A is a double bladed knife at
the bottom of the shaft e; B is the moulding table and B' the ratchet disc, which
are formed in one casting and rotate upon the pillar or column O; C is the cross-
head of the press which is formed to clasp the pillars O, O', which act as guides for
it; C' is the pressing die or dies; D is the lifting out lever, and D' a block or seat
fitting over the lower arm of the lever D, and working on studs or guides fixed to
the base plate Q
E, E, are the toggle levers for actuating the press; E, E, the connecting rods
for the toggle levers; and E, E, are hangers for the toggle shafts c and d; E³ is
o stay between the hangers; G, G, are the cranks; and H, H, the crank pins for
working the toggle levers; F is a lever for actuating the ratchet J, and F¹ is a
stud fixed in a slot in the spur wheel 5 for working the lever F; I is an adjustable
rod connecting the lever F to the ratchet J; J' is a pawl for the ratchet; and J.

page_text: is a second pawl to prevent any return motion of the moulding table; K is the
pushing off lever connected by the rod K' to the block or "pusher off" K³; K³, K³,
are guides for the "pusher off;" K, a lever worked by the stud K on the spur
wheel 5 for actuating the pushing off lever K, to which it is connected by a rope
or chain p, p, and K³ is an india rubber or other suitable spring for giving a return 5
motion to the "pusher off;" L is a lever for the lubricating plunger L' worked
jointly by the movement of the press and an india rubber or other suitable
spring L; M is a guide rod for the press; and N is a guide bolted or fixed to the
bottom of the crosshead C fitting into the slots N', N', &c., in the moulding table;
0,01, are pillars or columns forming part of the frame of the machine, acting as
guides and also as tie rods or tension rods for the press and serving for other
purposes, as shown hereafter; P is the top of the frame of the machine; Q. the base
plate; R, the back part of the frame; and S, the pedestal for carrying the counter
shaft and main shaft.
T, T, are guides for the ratchet J; U is the delivering belt; V, V, are the bottom
plungers, the parts V₁, V₁, passing through holes in the ratchet disc B'; and W, W,
are wedge pieces for adjusting the height of the bottom plungers having a hinged
plate Wattached to them, as described hereafter; X is an escape pipe for the
waste or surplus from the pug mill, having an adjustable valve Y at its lower
end.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-The material to be worked is fed
through a hopper from any suitable grinding or crushing machinery, such as a
perforated grinding pan or a disintegrator, into the pug mill A, wherein it is worked
and tempered by the rotating knives A¹, A³, &c., until it is worked to the bottom;
it is then pressed into the moulds in the moulding table B by the double bladed
knife A and formed into bricks or tiles as desired; the moulding table is then
turned by means of the ratchet J so as to bring the succeeding moulds under the
pug mill, and at the same time the first formed bricks are lubricated on the top in
the usual way. The moulding table is then moved again, which brings the first
formed bricks under the pressing dies C' and they are pressed in the same moulds
in which they were formed; the second formed bricks are lubricated on the top, and
a third lot of bricks is formed in succeeding moulds. The moulding table being
moved again, the first formed bricks are lifted out of the moulds in which they
have been made and completed by means of the lever D, the upper arm of which is
fitted with a roller revolving on a stud or pin and fitting into a suitable cam on the
spur wheel G; the lower arm of this lever is fitted with an adjustable wedge, as
shown in Figure 4, so that it can be regulated to lift the bricks to the desired
height; it also has a block or seat D' over it for the lower plungers to rest upon,
which seat works upon studs or guides fixed to the base plate Q. As 'the spur
wheel 6 revolves, the lever D is lifted by the cam and raises the bricks clear of tho
moulding table; they are then pushed by means of the "pusher off" K' from the
moulding table on to the delivering belt U, to be taken by the attendant and
packed on to barrows and removed to the kiln.
The "pusher off" K consists either of a solid block or a piece of flat iron or
other suitable material bent into an oblong form and guided by the rods K³, K³,
passing one through each side of it and secured to the frame. It is actuated in the
following manner:-The lever K works on a fulcrum fixed or bolted to the pillar O,
as shown in Figure 2. The lever K* works on a fulcrum fixed to the bracket K
on the frame R, shown in Figure 5, and is moved by the stud K as the spur
wheel 5 revolves. It communicates motion to the lever K by means of a rope or
chain P, P, led over the pulleys p', p', and fixed to the top ends of the levers K
and K. The "pusher off" comes against the bricks when they are lifted by the
lever D and pushes them off the moulding table on to the delivering belt U, and
the return motion of the "pusher off" is effected by means of the spring K, which
is attached to the top end of the lever K and to the bracket P¹ bolted to the top of
the frame P. In place of the aforesaid arrangement the lever K* may be fitted with
a stud and worked by a suitable cam on the spur wheel 5 and the rope or chain

page_text: led round both ways to the lever K. so that both the advance and return of the
pusher off" may be effected without the use of a spring.
#
The moulds in the moulding table B and the lower plungers V, V, are lubricated
by means of the plunger L', which is covered with canvas kept well saturated with
oil. This plunger is secured to the lever L which works on a fulcrum fixed to the
crosshead of the press, as shown in Figure 2. As the press descends it carries the
lever and plunger down with it, and in order that the plunger may have a sufficient
amount of travel a spring L is fixed to the opposite end of the lever L and to the
top of the frame P, which spring can be so adjusted that the plunger L' will come
in contact with the lower plungers V, V, at every descent of the press.
It will be seen from the foregoing that the machine is continually forming bricks
under the pug mill, lubricating and pressing the newly formed bricks, lifting them
out of the moulds, and pushing them on to the delivering belt, and lubricating the
emptied moulds, and all these operations are performed at every revolution of the
machine, but it is so arranged that no two heavy stresses shall come upon the
machine at one and the same moment.
The pug mill is provided with a vent or escape pipe ✗, at the lower end of which
is placed an adjustable valve Y having a lever and pawl, as shown in Figure 3; by
lifting the pawl and opening the valve to the point y, where the pawl will again
retain it, the waste or surplus from the pug mill is forced up the pipe and into the
top of the pug mill again; by opening the valve to the point y¹ the waste is forced
out in the ordinary way, which is useful on starting the machino after it has been
standing for some time. When the pug mill knives are worn down a little the
valve may be shut entirely, as shown in Figure 3.
The pug case is fixed to the frame R at the back of the machine by a bracket
cast upon it, as shown in Figure 3, which may be extended so that it will support the
moulding table just below the pug mill.
The moulding table is caused to rotate intermittently by means of the ratchet J,
which is made in the form of a segment of a ring fitting closely against the ratchet
diac B', and held in its place by two guides T, T, which are fixed or bolted to the
base plate Q. The pawl J¹ works on a pin passing through the ratchet J, and can
be retained out of gear by merely pressing it against the spring, until the hole in
the pawl coincides with that in the ratchet, and then dropping a pin through them;
a handle is fitted to the pawl for this purpose. The ratchet receives motion from
the lever F, the upper arm of which is formed with a slot, in which is fitted a bruss
bush which takes on to the stud F in the spur wheel 5. This stud is fixed in a
slot in the spur wheel, so that the amount of travel can be easily regulated. The
small shaft passes through a boss in the frame R, and forms the fulcrum for the
lever F, the upper arm of the lever being outside, and the lower arm inside the
frame. The lower arm is connected to the ratchet J by means of the link or rod I
which is jointed at both ends to enable it to swivel to suit the motion of the
moulding table and lever F, and it is also fitted with a socket and screw with
which to regulate its length. A second pawl J* is made to gear into the ratchet
disc B¹, and works on a stud fixed to the base plate, in order to prevent any return
motion of the moulding table.
The press consists of a crosshead or beam C provided with one or more plungers
or pressing dies C', and worked by the toggle levers E, E, which are actuated by
the spur wheels 5 and 6, and the cranks G, G, Figure 2. The crosshead is fitted
with caps at its extremities so as to clasp the two pillars O, O', and slide up and
down upon them, the pillars acting as guides, and also as tie rods or tension rods
for the press. The pillar O passes through the centre of the moulding table, and
serves for it to rotate upon, suitable bushes being fitted in the boss of the moulding
table. The two pillars 0, 0¹, are secured to the base plate by incans of cottars,
and pass through the top of the frame where they are secured by nuts. The top of
the frame P is also bolted to the back R, which is in its turn bolted to the base
plate Q, forming a compact and rigid structure.
ML

page_text: descends, the guide enters into the slots N', &c., in the moulding table before
the pressing dies C' have entered the moulds, in order to ensure them being
exactly true one with the other. A guide M may be fixed on the crosshead.
For regulating the amount of pressure exerted by the press, and also for regu-
lating the amount of feed from the pug mill into the moulds, adjustable wedge
picces W, W, are placed beneath the bottom plungers V, V, Figure 5. These wedge
pieces consist of an inclined bed or seat bolted to or cast upon the base plate in
which the wedge slides freely, and is secured in the desired position by a bolt
running in a groove W¹. To each side of the wedge pieces is fixed a plate W³, by
means of a hinge, so that when they are raised, the plates are inclined so as to
bring the bottom plungers up on to them as the moulding table revolves.
Having now particularly described the nature and object of my Invention, and
in what manner the same may be carried into effect, I wish it to be understood
that the details as shown in the accompanying Drawings may be modified without
departing from the principal features of my Invention. I am aware that some of
the parts illustrated and described are not new, but they have been inserted in
order to render the Drawings and description more intelligible, and what I claim as
my Invention is,—
Firstly. The combination of parts forming the machine for pugging, moulding,
pressing, lubricating, lifting out of the moulds, and pushing off from the moulding
table on to the delivering belt, the bricks, tiles, or other similar articles, constructed,
arranged, and operating substantially as hereinbefore described.;
Secondly. The use of the two pillars in combination with the machine top, base
plate and back to form the frame of the machine, and also the use of one of the said
pillars for the moulding table to rotate upon, arranged substantially as herein before
described and illustrated.
Thirdly. The use in combination with the two shafts, cranks, connecting rods,
and toggle levers actuated by the two spur wheels, of the crosshead, pressing dies,
and guides, and the two pillars and machine top to form the press, constructed,
arranged, and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Fourthly. The application and use of the lever, adjustable link or rod, ratchot
and pawl, and extra pawl for giving intermittent rotatory motion to the moulding
table, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Fifthly. The application and use of the lever D actuated by a cam on the spur
wheel 6, in combination with the block or sent D', and adjustable wedge, Figure 4,
in the manner & for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Sixthly. The application and use of the two levers actuated by a stud or suitable
cam on spur wheel 5, and connected by a chain or rope passing over pulleys, and
also of the "pusher off," connecting rod or link, guides, and spring, arranged and
operating substantially as herein before described.
Seventhly. The application and use of the lever, plunger, and spring for lubri-
cating the emptied moulds, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Eighthly. The application and use of the adjustable valvo with lever and pawl,
in combination with the escape pipe, in the manner and for the purposes herein-
before described.
Ninthly. The application and use of the wedge pieces and hinged plates in the
manner and for the purposes herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, tho said John Briggs, have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Twelfth day of December AD 1879