IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR MOULDING OR PRESSING UNBURNT BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Kent and Benjamin Kent, both of Derby, in the
County of Derby, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING
TO APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR MOULDING OR PRESSING UNBURNT BRICKS,
TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
Sealed the 18th October 1878, and dated the 23rd April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Kent and Benjamin
Kent at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd April 1878.
JAMES KENT and BENJAMIN KENT, both of Derby, in the County of Derby.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR
MOULDING OR PRESSING UNBURNT BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
The object of our Invention is to construct a machine for pressing bricks and
tiles in such manner as to be simple, compact, and possessing the desideratum of
portability.
The machine consists of two standards on wheels, one pair of the wheels worked
on a pivot which are guided by a rod so constructed as to take the proper bearing
of the machine when at work. These standards support the brick boxes which are
hollow, and table, the latter being fitted with rollers for facilitating the movement
of the bricks to and from the boxes.
A groove is fixed on upper part of the standards above the table to guide the
upper plungers, which are fitted on a hollow casting. These hollow castings are to
contain hot air, steam, or water, so as to heat the parts coming in contact with the
brick, and so produce a good glaze or face on the same, and also save the oil usually
needed for lubrication."
Underneath the brick boxes, carried by pedestals and supported by the standards,
is a strong horizontal shaft carrying at each end a large cog wheel, in which is a
stud bearing a connecting rod, and imparting the up-and-down motion to the upper
plungers.
On the same shaft are fixed the cams operating on a bar carrying the bottom
plungers, the bar running in a groove in the standards. The cams and bar are so
connected as not to allow the plungers to stick in the box.

page_text: Two plates form the bottom plungers working in the box, between which is fixed
and screwed an india-rubber spring, taking pretty nearly all the bearing of the
upper plate.
On the upper plungers holes are cut of a conical shape, with or without a spring
stopper or plug for letting out the air contained in the box, and also to allow any
surplus clay to escape. This will be found useful in pressing bricks cut from a stream
of clay by wires, as it secures an equal thickness to each brick.
The driving shaft runs parallel with the shaft above described, and carries the
pinions driving the large cog wheel. This shaft is cranked and driven by a steam
cylinder fitted with reversing gear and bolted to one of the standards as low down
as possible.
The steam required for driving the machine is carried down to the various parts
of the works where the machine is required to work, by means of a small iron pipe
proceeding from the boiler (fixed in any desired place), and having junctions at various
distances, to which is screwed on a flexible rubber tube, of such length as may be
adapted to the situation and distance the machine may be required to be moved;
the other end of the tube being connected to the cylinder and furnished with a
stop valve.
: "
The exhaust steam from this cylinder is taken to heat the mould and plunger
boxes.
I obtain a motion from one of the shafts-to make the machine "steam portable,"
which will be readily thrown in or out of gear at the will of the man in charge,
This is much on the principle of a traction engine.
It will be readily seen that the machine will traverse any distance about the.
works to the various stacks of bricks to be pressed.
When the machine has traversed the full length of pipe, all that has to be
done is to move the pipe to the next suitable junction, and so on; the self-
feeding motion is obtained by the up-and-down motion of the upper plungers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Kent and Benjamin Kent in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd October 1878.
JAMES KENT and BENJAMIN KENT, both of Derby, in the County of Derby.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR MOULDING
OR PRESSING UNBURNT BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES."
The object of this Invention is to construct a machine for pressing bricks and
tiles in such manner as to be simple, compact, and possessing the desideratum of
portability:
The machine consists of two standards on wheels, one pair of the wheels worked
on a pivot, which are guided by a rod, so constructed as to take the proper bearing
of the machine when at work. The standards support the brick boxes (which are
hollow) and table.
A groove is fixed on upper part of the standards, above the table, to guide the
upper plungers which are fitted on a hollow casting. These hollow castings are to
contain hot air, steam, or water, so as to leat the parts coming in contact with the
brick, and so produce a good glaze or face on the same, and also save the oil usually
needed for lubrication.
Underneath the brick boxes, carried by pedestals and supported by the standards,
is a strong horizontal shaft carrying at cach end a large spur wheel, in which is a
stud bearing a connecting rod, and imparting the up-and-down motion to the
upper plungers.
On the same shaft are fixed the cams operating on a bar carrying the bottom
plungers, this bar running in a groove in the standards. The cams and bar are so
connected as not to allow the plungers to stick in the box.
Two plates form the bottom plungers working in the box, between which is fixed
and screwed an india-rubber spring, taking nearly all the bearing of the upper
plate.
On the upper plungers holes are cut of a conical shape, with or without a spring
stopper or plug for letting out the air contained in the box, and also to allow any
surplus clay to escape. These will be found useful in pressing bricks cut from a
stream of clay by wires, as it secures a more uniform thickness to each brick.
. The driving shaft runs parallel with the shaft above described, and carries the
pinions driving the large cog wheel. This shaft is cranked and driven by a steam
cylinder fitted with reversing gear and bolted to one of the standards as low down
as possible.
The steam required for driving the machine is carried down to the various
parts of the works where the machine is required to work, by means of a small
iron pipe proceeding from the boiler (fixed in any desired place), and having
junctions at various distances, to which is screwed on a flexible rubber tube of
such length as may be adapted to the situation and distance the machine may
be required to be moved, the other end of the tube being connected to the
cylinder and furnished with a stop valve.
The exhaust steam from this cylinder is taken to heat the mould and plunger
boxes.
We obtain a motion from one of the shafts to make the machine "steam portable,"
which will be readily thrown in or out of gear at the will of the man in charge. This
is much on the principle of a traction engine.
It will be readily seen that the machine will traverse any distance about the
works to the various stacks of bricks to be pressed.
When the machine has traversed the full length of pipe, all that has to be done
is to move the pipe to the next suitable junction, and so on; the self-feeding motion
is obtained by the up-and-motion of the upper plungers,
'

page_text: Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 an end elevation, Fig. 3, vertical section, Fig. 4,
back view of machine with engine removed.
In these, like Figures relate to like parts.
A is the fly wheel on driving shaft B; this wheel also acts as a belt pulley, should
the machine be run by belting instead of carrying its own engine.
C is a pinion on same shaft working into a spur or cog wheel D on main shaft E.
F, G, H, a train of wheels connecting main shaft E with the axle of travelling
wheels I. G is made to be thrown in and out of gear by a clutch. It is shown out
of gear.
Jis a cam on shaft E bearing against roller K which runs on an axle attached
to the cross bar L, carrying the lower plungers; M is a connecting rod connecting a
cog wheel D with the hollow box N, carrying the upper plungers O and working in
guides in frame P.
Qis a radius link keyed on shaft, to which shaft are connected two levers Q¹, Q²,
and attached to feed motion, in the casting are two recesses, in front of which are
two swing doors marked s, s; the feed motion runs on grooved rollers on half-round
plates, fastened to table; this is brought to and fro at each revolution by the up-
and-down motion of the hollow box № bearing on the radius link.
Into the recesses the brick is placed, and is brought forward on to the lower
plungers, which are then level with the table; as the feed motion returns it leaves
the bricks in position, and the before-mentioned swing doors glide over the bricks
which are about to be pressed; the recesses are again supplied with bricks, they,
move on to be placed in position, when the swing doors push forward the bricks just
pressed and return as before described.
U is the engine driving the machine; it is supplied with steam by a flexible tube
exhausted into the hollow box in which the brick is pressed, thence by a flexible
tube to hollow box N, afterwards allowed to escape into the air.
The mode of action is as follows:-Bricks are brought forward on to lower
plungers, the box N descends, while the cross head L rises and compresses the block
between them in the guides; in the meantime, the links Q, Q', Q, have been pushed
out, and draw forward new bricks, and just as the brick already pressed has been
liberated, and is level with the table while on the descending plunger, the swing
doors abutting against front of feed motion pushes it forward, and the brick in the
recess takes its place; the lower plunger then descends, and when the brick has fully a
entered the box or groove in which the plungers slide, it encounters the other
plungers, and gets squeezed.
Any spare clay too much in the block is forced out through conical holes drilled
in the upper plungers. To make a thinner or thicker brick all we have to do is to
put suitable packing between the upper plunger and the hollow box N to which
they are screwed.
Having now described our Invention, and the best mode known to us of carrying
it into effect, we wish it to be understood that what we believe to be new, and
desire to claim under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,--
1st. The arrangement of portable brick and tile press, driven by an engine 4
(taking its steam from a distance) and capable of being moved from place to
place by said engine.
2nd. The arrangement described by a cam J pressing against a roller K, or
its mechanical substitute on an axis in the structure, carrying the plunger or
forming part thereof, and the connecting rod M, or its mechanical equivalent 5
connecting the upper plunger system with the same mechanism that drives the
lower, so that both plungers shall work synchronously.

page_text: 3rd. The general arrangement of brick or tile pressing machinery actuated by
steam power or by belting, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Kent and Benjamin Kent, have here-
unto set our hands and seals, this Nineteenth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JAMES KENT.
(L.S.)
BENJAMIN KENT. (L.S.)