IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MOULDS FOR MOULDING DECORATIVE OR OTHER SLABS AND BLOCKS to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALEXANDER MOLEAN of Canterbury Wharf, Belvedere Road in the County
of Surrey, Cement Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MOULDS FOR MOULDING DECORATIVE OR OTHER SLABS
AND BLOCKS to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates more particularly to improvements in the manufacture
of decorative slabs or panels from Keene's, Parian or similar cement by the aid of
pressure, as described in the specification of a Patent granted to me and bearing
date the 10th February 1882, N° 658; but the invention also relates to the
expressing of water from the slip used in the manufacture of pottery and other
articles.
In the manufacture of decorative slabs or panels as described in the said
specification I prepare a certain amount of "slip" with cement and water which
I pour into the mould and I then fill the mould with dry cement and apply
pressure thereto. The effect of the pressure is to force the water in the "slip
into contact with the dry cement which absorbs it and is thereby caused to "set"
and form with the "slip" a slab or panel.
"
This mode of manufacture I have found to produce a rather porous but otherwise
good quality of slab or panel, but in order to obtain the best quality of slab. I find
it preferable to fill the mould with the "slip" and not to use the dry cement.
When however the "slip" is submitted to pressure in the mould not only the
water is pressed out of the mould but the cement as well.
The same result takes place when it is desired to express the water from the clay
used by potters.
Now the object of the present invention is so to form the moulds used in making
decorative or other slabs or blocks that the water will freely pass away without the
cement or clay.
In carrying out my invention I form a casing of any suitable metal which I may
perforate in any convenient manner.

page_text: This casing I line with felt, pads of hair, filter paper or other filtering material
of any suitable thickness.
The plunger for the manufacture of decorative slabs or panels will be engraved
with any suitable design or pattern in relief or intaglio as may be desired.
The lining of the case will act as a filter and retain the solid substances while
permitting the water to pass away and thus by its use slabs or panels may be
formed from slip with great facility.
I would here remark that I may find it unnecessary in every instance to entirely
line the casing with felt, as a sheet at the bottom only may be sufficient.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, ALEXANDER MOLEAN of Canterbury Wharf, Belvedere Road in the County
of Surrey, Cement Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MOULDS FOR MOULDING DECORATIVE OR OTHER SLABS
AND BLOCKS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This invention relates more particularly to improvements in the manufacture
of decorative slabs or panels from Keene's, Parian or similar cements by the aid of
pressure, as described in the specification of a patent granted to mo and bearing
date the 10th February 1882 N° 658; but the invention also relates to the
expressing of water from the slip prepared in the pottery manufacture.
pour
In the manufacture of decorative slabs or panels as described in the said
specification I prepare a certain amount of "slip" with cement and water which
1 in the mould and I then fill the mould with dry cement and apply pressure
thereto. The effect of the pressure is to force the water in the "slip" into contact
with the dry coment which absorbs it and is thereby caused to "set" and form
with the "slip," a slab or panel.
This modo of manufacture I have found to produce a rather porous but otherwise
good quality of slab or panel, but in order to obtain the best quality of slab I find
it preferable to use "slip" alone, and not the combination with dry cement.
When however the "lip" is submitted to pressure in the mould not only is the
water pressed out of the mould but the cement as well, a result which also takes
place when it is desired to express the water from the preparation of clay used by
potters.
Now the object of the present invention is so to form the moulds used in making
decorative or other slabs and blocks that the water will freely pass away unaccom-
panied by any of the disintegrated particles of the cement or clay.
In carrying out my invention I may employ a metal mould, the walls and bottom
of which I may perforate with fine holes, and this mould I line with felt, pads of
hair, or other suitable porous material, or I may use a solid metal frame which I fix
on the table of the press with a sheet of the felt or other porous material interposed
between.
For the manufacture of decorative slabs or panels a plate of metal engraved, cut
or cast with any suitable design or pattern in relief or intaglio as may be desired,
will be secured to the under-face of the plunger of the hydraulic or other press.
The felt or other lining or bottom of the case or frame will provide a number of
fine channels which will permit of the water passing away, but will retain the
cement or clay, and thus by its use in combination with moulding pressure, slabs or
panels may be formed from slip with great facility.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown in plan and section the various parts
of the mould which I prefer to use. A is the mould proper which is formed of four
bars, shaped in cross section as shown at B. These bars are placed on a table of
the press and are held together by a chase shown in plan view at C and in cross
section at D.

page_text: E represents the pattern plate which will be secured in any convenient manner
to the plunger of the press. The remaining views show the parts in position,
F being the table of the press. In this form of mould the table constitutes the
bottom, and interposed between it and the mould is the sheet of felt a or other
porous material. b is a sheet of coarse textile fabric which is placed over the felt
to prevent the projecting hairs thereof becoming fastened into the back of the slab
when the pressure is applied to the slip represented at c in the figure.
"
This textile fabric can be readily peeled off the compressed slab, and it has more-
over the advantage of producing a roughened back which will form a good "key'
for fixing the slabs to a wall or in any other position as desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The construction and use of porous moulds for moulding decorative or other slabs
and blocks substantially as above described.