An Improved Mechanism for Feeding Material to a Brick-making or other Press.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Mechanism for Feeding Material to a Brick-making
or other Press.
I, HERBERT ALEXANDER, of Queen's Works, Water Lane, Leeds, in the County
of York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to he particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement: —
This invention relates to mechanism for adjusting the size of the feeding slot
in machines for making and pressing bricks, tiles, paving blocks, and the like, or
in seed or other presses in which the material falls from a pan, hopper, or similar
device, into a mould, box, or cylinder, placed beneath it, and which is then drawn
away with its upper surface in contact with the feeding apparatus.
In certain machines for pressing bricks, briquettes, oil cakes, and such like
substances, it is necessary for the mould in which the actual pressing is done to
be filled by swinging it under an orifice in the bottom of a receptacle containing
the material to be pressed, and in order that the material shall not escape except
into the mould it is necessary that the bottom of the receptacle and the surface
of the part containing the mould should move in contact with each other. This
movement then has a strickling or wiping action which just fills the mould to
its full capacity, and which is usually effected while the mould is turning away
to the pressing part of the apparatus. This wiping action however has a ten-
dency to push the material to one end of the mould and the consequence is that
the material there is denser than in the remainder of the mould. The pressure
of the die or plunger is not capable of spreading or adjusting the material in the
mould with the result that the bricks or other goods are more or less wedge shaped
and are denser at one end than the other.
Now the object of my invention is to construct a feeding device which shall
cause the material to be evenly spread when the mould reaches the pressing
apparatus and thus ensure that the resulting brick is of even density and true
form.
My invention consists in attaching to the feeding apparatus a movable plate or
slide which can be adjusted so as to partially cover the orifice through which the
material falls into the mould. It is found in practise that when the mould is
filled and then travels away with its surface in contact with the stationary feeding
apparatus the wiping action pushes the material to the hinder end of the mould
having regard to the direction in which the mould is travelling; this however
is already full and the tendency is to make it if possible more full; as this is
not possible the result is that the material at this end becomes denser than that
at the other end which is detrimental to the manufacture of a good brick. By
covering the hinder end of the mould with the plate or slide above mentioned
when the mould is stationary and being filled I arrange that this end is only
partially filled with material when the mould commences to move away; the
viping action of the surface then pushes more material towards the partially
illed end but instead of causing it to become denser there it is only filled to the
ame extent as the rest of the mould and thus I attain an even density throughout.

page_text: As different materials and different mixtures of materials differ considerably
in consistency I provide the plate with a slotted hole through which it is attached
to the frame work of the feeding apparatus by means of a bolt and nut. I can
then adjust the plate to cover the orifice more or less, according as I find it
necessary in order to suit the wiping action to a given material.
The nature of my improvement is clearly shown in the accompanying drawings
in which the same letters refer to like parts in all the views.
Figs. 1 and 2 are the elevation and plan respectively of the feeding device as
applied to a brick making press in which a table A (shown dotted) containing
several moulds such as B revolves intermittently just beneath and in contact
with a stationary mixing pan C fixed to the framework of the machine by the
flanges L, L. In the mixing pan are revolving arms (not shown) which con-
tinually bring the material over the orifice D, E, F, G through which it falls
into the mould B which is drawn away by the revolution of the table A. In
order however to secure that the end D G of the mould is only partially filled I
construct on the outside of the pan an overhanging flange H, to which I attach
a plate I, provided with a slotted hole J through which it is attached to the
flange H by a nut and bolt K. I can thus adjust the end D G of the plate I,
until it sufficiently covers the opening I), E, F, G, to suit my purpose of only
partially filling the hinder end of the mould. As the mould B is then drawn
away the material is evenly spread throughout and the plate may be fixed in its
position by tightening the nut K.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In brick, tile, briquette making and other machines or presses in which
the mould or box is filled from an overhanging receptacle in contact with the
mould carrier, the use of an adjustable plate partially covering the opening to
the mould or box as and for the purpose set forth.
1
2. The combination of parts herein before described with reference to Fi
and 2 of the accompanying drawings forming an improved apparatus for con-
trolling the supply of material from the mixing pan to the mould table of a brick
pressing machine.
Dated this 16th 1
1
1000
SYDNEY E. PAGE,
28, New Bridge Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.