IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MOULDING AND COMPRESSING CARBONACEOUS OR OTHER MATERIALS INTO BRICKS OR BLOCKS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR MOULDING AND COMPRESSING CARBONACEOUS OR OTHER
MATERIALS INTO BRICKS OR BLOCKS ""
communicated to him from Gustave
Jean Paul Couffinhal a person resident at St Etienne in the Republic of
France, Civil Engineer
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th June 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MOULDING AND COMPRESSING
CARBONACEOUS OR OTHER MATERIALS INTO BRICKS OR BLOCKS "-a communication
to me from Gustavo Jean Paul Couffinhal a person resident at St Etienne in the
Republic of France, Civil Engineer
This Invention relating to machines for moulding and compressing carbonaceous
or other materials into bricks or blocks consists in certain improvements in the
construction and arrangement of the parts of such machines as hereinafter
described whereby these machines are rendered more compact and at the same
time more efficient than heretofore all the parts being also rendered accessible for
inspection or repairs
The materials treated in this improved apparatus are compressed by two
plungers or pistons acting simultaneously upon opposite sides of the blocks thereby
enabling the recesses or depressions for facilitating the subsequent division of the
blocks to be formed upon both sides of the latter. The intensity of the pressure is
limited by the elasticity imparted to the compressing devices as hereinafter
described
The material is presented to the compressing and expelling pistons by a rotating
mould table whose intermittent movements are produced and controlled with
great precision by means of cylinders provided with cam grooves of such form as to
obviate sudden strain on starting and stopping the table.
Motion is imparted to the machine by a driving shaft which by means of a
pinion drives two wheels keyed upon two shafts provided with crauks actuating
connecting rods or links connected to a pin or bar at one extremity of an upper
lever composed of two oscillating beams operating the upper compressing and
IPrice 6d 1

page_text: moulding piston or plunger and the piston which expels the blocks from the
moulds. The other extremities of these beams or levers are linked to the
extremities of two other beams forming a corresponding lower lever and operating
the lower compressing piston or plunger being connected at one extremity to a
fixed point or fulcrum and at the other extremity to the upper levers as herein-
before described.
The expulsion is effected by the expelling piston making a complete stroke at
every oscillation of the levers. The strain resulting from the force applied in
compressing and moulding is taken entirely by the upper and lower levers in such
a manner that the pressures on the two sides of the block are practically equal, the
action of the levers being analogous to that of ordinary nut crackers.
As it is desirable that there should be a limit to the extent to which the blocks
are 'compressed the upper and lower levers are coupled by a yielding connection
such as a hydraulic cylinder provided with an adjustable outlet and arranged
between the rods connecting the said levers. This cylinder is connected to the
lower levers and contains a piston jointed to the extremity of the upper levers.
The upper end of the cylinder is provided with an outlet valve acted on by a
spring whose tension is adjusted according to the pressure to be exerted and with
an inlet valve for the re-admission of the water.
When the pressure exerted on the block corresponds to the tension of the spring
on the valve the latter opens, whereupon the piston rises in the cylinder and
enables the connecting rods operated by the cranks to complete their stroke
without further compression of the block. On the return stroke the piston
descends and draws in through the inlet valve the water that has been expelled and
immediately on its reaching its lowest position the upper compressing piston rises.
The same movements are repeated for each block.
In place of this hydraulic arrangement india rubber springs or metal springs may
be employed being applied to either extremities of the upper or lower levers.
The moulds are carried by a table which is placed in position by two cylinders
provided with cam grooves or surfaces of special form having the effect of com-
mencing the intermittent movement of the table with the slowest possible motion
and ending it in the same manner. Friction rollers on the table engage successively
with and are propelled by the grooves in the cylinders.
The table is at rest when the rollers engage with the normal portion of the
groove or portion lying in a plane at right angles with the axis and is maintained
stationary by several rollers combining to prevent any forward or backward
motion A corresponding number of rollers combine to produce the movement of
the table at the proper intervals.
Two cylinders are not absolutely necessary for operating the table but their
action in concert obviates the strain to which the frame carrying the table would
otherwise be exposed. The mould table turns freely upon its supports which are
not exposed to any strain other than that produced by the mere weight of the
table.
The skeleton of the apparatus may consist simply of two frames carrying
plummer blocks for the shafting, and suitable supports and guides for the mould
table.
The blocks are expelled from the moulds on to a tilting shoot or upon an endless
apron situated directly beneath the machine. The cells or moulds are filled by
means of feeders of ordinary construction supplied by a pug mill or other preparing
apparatus.
A spring is employed to return the lower levers to their normal position after
they have risen to compress the block-The extent to which this spring may be
compressed is limited by a suitable stem or rod in case for example the levers
have finished compressing and are simply engaged in pushing the remaining blocks
out of the moulds

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th December 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MOULDING AND COMPRESSING
CARBONACEOUS OR OTHER MATERIALS INTO BRICKS OR BLOCKS" a communication
to me from Gustave Jean Paul Couffinhal a person resident at St Etienne in the
Republic of France Civil Engineer
This Invention relating to machines for moulding and compressing carbonaceous
or other materials into bricks or blocks consists in certain improvements in the
construction and arrangement of the parts of such machines as hereinafter described
whereby these machines are rendered more compact and at the same time more
efficient than heretofore all the parts being also rendered accessible for inspection
or repairs.
The materials treated in this improved apparatus are compressed by two plungers
or pistons acting simultaneously upon opposite sides of the blocks thereby enabling
the recesses or depressions for facilitating the subsequent division of the blocks to
be more conveniently formed upon both sides of the said blocks. The intensity of
the pressure exerted by the compressing devices is controlled by the employment
of springs or other equivalent yielding connections for transmitting the pressure as
hereinafter explained.
The material is presented to the compressing and expelling pistons by a rotating
mould table whose intermittent movements are produced and controlled with
great precision by means of worms or cylinders provided with cam grooves of
such form as to obviate sudden strain on starting and stopping the table and
enabling the machine to run at a high speed without jerks or shocks. The
improved apparatus occupies a relatively small space but is capable of performing
a large amount of work, is easily inspected and requires but little attention all the
parts being always accessible and working under the most favourable conditions.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer
to the several figures ou the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of
reference indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings are respectively a front and
side elevation and a plan of a machine constructed according to this Invention and
figure 4 is a vertical section of the same taken along the line 1-2 Figure 2.
Motion is imparted to the acting parts of the machine by a shaft A which may
be worked by a steam engine or other suitable motor either directly as shewn or
by the intervention of a belt and pulley. This shaft A by means of a pinion B
drives two toothed wheels C C¹ keyed upon two shafts D D¹ provided with
cranks E E which by the intervention of connecting rods F F¹ impart an
oscillating motion to a lever composed of two beams I and I' connected together
by a bar or distance piece H jointed directly to the connecting rods F F¹. The
lever II' is connected by a pin n (figure 4) at its rear end to a frame M jointed
by a pin o to a lower lever composed of two beams L L' similar to those of the
lever II and having its fulerum at W (figure 2). The upper lever I I' is connected
ati (figure 2) to a compressing piston or plunger J working in guides J¹ and at k
to another piston K working in guides K₁ and serving to expel the blocks after

page_text: they have been moulded and compressed in a series of cells in a horizontal
revolving table Q operated as hereinafter described. The lower lever L L¹ is
jointed at m (figure 2) to a lower compressing plunger N acting on the lower side
of the block at the same time that the plunger J acts upon the upper side.
The arrangement of the levers I I¹ and L L¹ which are connected together by
the frame M is such that when power is applied (by the intervention of the
cranks E E¹ connecting rods F F and bar H) to the extremity of the lever L L'
the two levers L L' and I I¹ act in a similar manner to the levers of a pair of nut-
The strain
crackers and press the plungers J and N together with great force.
upon the frame work or supports is at the same time reduced to a minimum owing
to the action of the frame M which enables the upper lever I I¹ to float or adjust
itself automatically in the most favourable position for overcoming the resistance
offered by the block. The pressure exerted by the plungers on the opposite sides
of the block is also rendered practically equal.
As it is desirable that there should be a limit to the extent to which the blocks
are compressed the upper and lower levers are coupled by a yielding connection
which is as follows:-
The upper lever I I¹ is jointed to a piston P (figure 4) working in a cylinder T
(containing liquid) provided at the upper part of the frame M which is compared
of two bars M³ jointed directly to the lower lever L L' as herein before described.
The upper end of the cylinder T is provided with an outlet orifice and a valve o
acted upon by a spring o' whose tension is adjusted according to the pressure to be
exerted. There is also provided an inlet valve not shewn in the drawing for the
re-admission of the liquid to the cylinder T. When the pressure exerted on the
block corresponds to the tension of the spring o¹ the valve o opens whereupon the
piston P can rise in the cylinder and allow the lever to yield to the pressure
thereby enabling the connecting rods F F¹ to complete their stroke without further
compression of the block. On the return stroke the piston T descends and draws
in through the herein before mentioned inlet valve the liquid that has been
expelled. Directly the piston P reaches its lowest position (as shewn in figure 4)
the extremities of the pin n rest on the lower part of slots n¹ in the bars M¹ and
the lever I continuing its motion the compressing piston J is elevated. The same
movements are repeated for each block.
In place of the cylinder T and piston P india rubber or metal springs may be
employed they being applied to either extremities of the upper or lower levers, on
the connecting roda F, or on the frame M.
The moulds containing the blocks are carried by a table which is brought
into position by two worms or cylinders R R' provided with cam grooves or
surfaces p of special form having the effect of commencing the intermittent
movement of the table Q with the slowest possible motion and ending them in
the same manner. The curve corresponding to this action is preferably composed
of two parabolas but any other curve suited for the purpose may be employed.
Friction rollers S attached to the table Q engage successively with and are
propelled by the cam groove p in the cylinders R R. The action of the cylinders
in moving the table will be readily understood by means of the following
description with reference to the drawings.
The table Q is at rest when the rollers S engage with the normal portion of the
groove or portiou lying in a plane at right angles with the axis of the cylinder and
is maintained stationary by several rollers combining to prevent any forward or
backward motion. In the arrangement illustrated there are never less than four
rollers engaged in the cam grooves at a time and combining to produce the
movement of the table or to hold it stationary at the proper intervals.
Two cylinders R R¹ are not absolutely necessary for operating the table but
their action in concert obviates the strain to which the frame carrying the table
would be exposed if but one such cylinder were used moreover the employment of
two cylinders renders the machine more certain in its action and enables it to work

page_text: even if a few of the rollers S became accidentally detached. The mould table Q
turns freely upon supports which are not exposed to any strain other than that
produced by the mere weight of the table.
The supports or framing of the apparatus may consist simply of two standards or
frames carrying plummer blocks for the shafting and suitable supports and guides
for the mould table and other parts requiring support.
The blocks after being compressed are expelled from the moulds on to a tilting
shoot U (figure 1) or upon an endless apron situated directly beneath the machine.
The cells or moulds are filled by means of feeders V (figure 3) of ordinary con-
struction supplied by a pug-mill X or from an oven or furnace or other preparing
apparatus. A spring Y (figure 4) is employed to ensure the return of the lower
lever L L to its lowest or normal position after it has risen to compress the block.
The extent to which this spring may be compressed is adjusted by means of nuts Z
on a stem or rod Z. When the levers have finished compressing and are simply
engaged in pushing the remaining blocks out of the moulds the spring Y tends to
hold down the pin o on the extremity of the lever L L' against a support or
shoulder so that the upper lever I alone oscillates, turning on the pin n as a
fixed fulcrum.
The herein before named intermittent motion of the mould table Q is positive
and owing to the form of the cam grooves p the said table commences to move
with a slow and almost imperceptible motion which gradually becomes more rapid
and then as gradually diminishes until the table is brought to a standstill. The
forces tending to displace the table are so balanced that the said table turns
upon its centre without exerting any other strain upon its support than that
resulting from its weight.
The improved machine hereinbefore described presents the following advantages.
It is powerful and efficient although occupying a small space and works without
jerks or shocks. The blocks are compressed on two sides at once. Depressions
or grooves for facilitating the fracture or division of the block may be effectually
made on two sides of the latter by providing the pressing portions with suitable
projections. All the parts of the machine are exposed to view and a practical
powerful machine capable of performing a large amount of work and requiring
but little attention to keep it in good working order is obtained at a relatively
low cost. With the arrangement of the parts shewn in the drawing the machine
works under very advantageous mechanical conditions.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is :-
First The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the machinery
for moulding and compressing carbonaceous or other materials into bricks or blocks
substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Second-In machinery for moulding and compressing carbonaceous or other
materials into bricks or blocks the employment of two levers linked together and
acting simultaneously upon opposite sides of the block substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Third-In machinery for moulding and compressing carbonaceous or other
materials the combination of a mould table and revolving worms or grooved
cylinders or equivalent cam surfaces with which engage friction-rollers or pro-
jections from the said table so that a graduated and intermittent motion of the said
table is obtained substantially as and for the purpose herein before described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fourth In machinery for moulding and compressing carbonaceous and other
materials the employment of a hydraulic cylinder or equivalent yielding connection

page_text: for the purpose of enabling the compressing levers or agents to yield when a given
limit of pressure has been attained substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Johnson have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal this first day of September One thousand eight hundred and
eighty three.
J. HENRY JOHNSON (L.S.)