IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TILES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TILES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE
SAME." A communication from abroad by Pierre François Boulet, of
29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, Tile Manufacturer.
Sealed the 2nd October 1863, and dated the 23rd April 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd April 1863.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TILES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR
THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of improved tiles, and in appa-
ratus for effecting the same. The improved machinery consists, 1st, of
cylinders, having circular grooves fitting one within the other for cutting up
and crushing the material to be used; 2ndly, the apparatus is furnished with
a draw plate, which receives the material from the cylinders and draws it out,
so as to form a sheet, which is then hardened by pressure exerted by an
eccentric receiving motion from a piston on which it is jointed; 3rdly, the

page_text: apparatus is furnished with a cast-iron mould for receiving the sheet of clay
in order to form the tiles. This mould is placed in a press acting vertically,
in which the sheet of clay receives an energetic pressure, which reduces it
one-third of its thickness, and so as to cause it to take the exact form of the
cast-iron mould. Tiles manufactured in this way are then trimmed round and
exposed for a few days only to the air in order to partially dry them, after
which they are baked as in ordinary. The earths or clays most suitable for
employment are those obtained direct from the pits, and having such con-
sistency as when worked up by the hand they shall take the impression of the
fingers without adhering thereto.
The second part of the Invention relates to the tiles which I produce
mechanically. These tiles possess great advantages, both with regard to
lightness, their weight being from 60 to 70 pounds only per square yard, as
also from their form, the edges being rounded, so as to present no resistance to
the wind. They are also furnished with hooks for securing them to the laths
of the roof, and have lap edges to prevent water getting in.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS IIer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Clark, my executors, 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, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TILES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE SAME," a communi-

page_text: cation to me from abroad by Pierre François Boulet, of 29, Boulevart St.
Martin, Paris, Tile Manufacturer, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William Clark, 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 tho
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare tho
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of tiles, and in the apparatus for
effecting the same. The improved machinery consists, 1st, of cylinders
having circular grooves, and gearing one with the other for cutting up and
crushing the material to be used; 2ndly, the apparatus is furnished with a
pressing box and draw plate, which receives the material from the cylinders
and draws it out, so as to form a cake or sheet, which is then hardened by
pressure exerted by an eccentric receiving motion from a piston to which it is
jointed; 3rdly, the apparatus is furnished with a cast-iron mould for receiving
the sheet of clay in order to form the tiles. This mould is placed in a press
acting vertically, in which the sheet of clay receives an energetic pressure,
.which reduces it one-third of its thickness; and so causes it to take the exact
form of the cast-iron mould. Tiles manufactured in this way are then.
trimmed round and exposed for a few days only to the air in order to partially.
dry them, after which they are placed in ovens to be baked as in ordinary
The earths or clays most suitable for employment are those obtained direct
from the pits, and having such consistency that when worked up in the hand.
they shall take the impression of the fingers without adhering thereto.. If the
season is very dry the clay should be slightly damped at the time of passing
between the cylinders; if, on the other hand, it is very wet, the clay should be
stiffened by mixing therewith pieces of the tiles which have been dried, but
are still unbaked.
These improved tiles possess great advantages, both as regards form and
lightness, their weight being from sixty to seventy pounds only per square
yard; their edges are also rounded, so as to present less resistance to the wind.
The tiles are further furnished with hooks for securing them to the laths of
the roof, and lap at the edges to prevent water getting in.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, which repre-
sents an example of the improved pantile of this Invention, and the apparatus
for producing the same.
Fig. 1 shows an upper and Fig. 2 an under side view of the tile; Fig. 3
shows the same as applied to a roof; Figs. 4 and 5 show plan and elevation
of the grooved cylinders for working up the clay; Fig. 6 represents the
pressing box and draw plate into which the clay is introduced, and then forced
out in a sheet; lastly, Fig. 7 shows an arrangement of press, which acts ver-
tically in the same manner as the horizontal draw plate above mentioned.
The same letters of reference indicate like parts in the several Figures seen in
different positions.
a is the machine-made pantile, the edges of which are rounded, so that the
wind will have little or no hold thereon; b, ribs, which fit into the hollow
parts c, and are covered thereby; d, keys for fixing the tile to the laths of the
roofing; e, grooved cylinders gearing one with the other, and serving to work
up and pound the clay; teeth, f, are applied for removing any clay which
may adhere to the cylinders. These cylinders are placed at a regulated
distance apart, and are driven by friction or wheel gearing. 9, frame of the
pressing box for carrying the various parts not represented in the Drawing;
h, eccentric mounted on axis i, receiving motion from a pulley or wheel
gearing. To this eccentric is jointed one or more pistons, which force the clay
introduced into the machine at hopper j to pass out at opening k of the draw
plate, so as to form a sheet of clay. The red lines show the arrangement of
the pistons and their connection with the eccentrics. e, vertical press, which
works in the same manner as the draw plate above described.
It will be understood, that with this improved apparatus I readily form the
clay of the thickness of a tile. Bricks may also be made in this machine in a
similar manner, employing the same means and processes as for manufacturing
the tiles.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the manufacture of the improved tiles in the manner described.
Secondly, the improved machinery for the manufacture of tiles, consisting
of a combination of grooved cylinders, draw plates, and press, the principal
feature being the application of grooved cylinders for working up the clay, all

page_text: as herein-before described and represented in the Drawings annexed, which
apparatus is applicable for the manufacture of articles of plastic material of
other forms than that represented, which I also claim.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this. Sixteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
JAMES DAISH,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (L.B.)