MOULDS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAVING AND OTHER BRICKS, SLABS, AND BLOCKS FROM SLAG OR SCORIA."
Year: 1880

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to William Batten, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the .
IMPROVEMENTS IN
County of Warwick, Civil Engineer, for an Invention of
MOULDS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAVING AND OTHER BRICKS, SLABS, AND
BLOCKS FROM SLAG OR SCORIA."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Batten at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th August 1880.
WILLIAM BATTEN, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAVING AND
OTHER BRICKS, SLABS, AND BLOCKS FROM SLAG OR SCORIA."
The moulds to which my Invention relates are ordinarily made of cast iron, and
consist of boxes open at top and having one side or one side and bottom hinged to
the other part, the said hinged side or side and bottom being temporarily fixed to
the other part during the pouring of the molten slag or scoria into the mould; the
said hinged side or side and bottom turning upon their joint away from the other
part after the slag or scoria has solidified by cooling, and permitting the brick, slab,
or block to fall or be removed from the mould.
The inconvenience attending the use of the said moulds, as heretofore constructed,
consists in the irregular depth or thickness of the bricks, slabs, or blocks produced,
their depth or thickness being greater or less as more or less molten slag or scoria
is poured into the mould; and the object of my improvements is to remedy this
inconvenience, that is, to produce bricks, slabs, and blocks of uniform depth or
thickness.
In constructing according to my Invention moulds for the manufacture of paving
and other bricks, slabs, and blocks from slag or scoria, I make the mould of a cast
iron box, having one side or one side and the bottom hinged to the other part as
usual. But instead of having the mould open at top I make or fix on the top of
the mould a cover. In the middle of the said top or cover of the mould I make an
opening, preferably of a rectangular figure. To one end of the top of the mould I
joint an arm or lever, which extends over the middle of the mould, the free end of
the lever terminating in a handle by which it can be raised and lowered.
On the underside of the said lever, and on that part of it immediately over the

page_text: opening in the top or cover of the mould, a frog or plunger is fixed, which plunger
when the lever is in its lowest position occupies and fills up the opening in the top
of the mould and projects into the interior of the mould. In one or more sides
of the mould, and immediately below the top, a series of small holes is made.
When the molten slag or scoria is about to be poured into the mould the hinged
side or side and bottom are temporarily fixed to the other part of the mould, so as
to form a closed box, the lever and with it the plunger being raised. Sufficient
molten slag having been poured into the mould to fill it the lever is depressed, the
plunger carried by the levers enters the opening in the top of the mould and forces
the molten slag or scoria into all parts of the mould, the excess passing out at the
small holes in the side or sides of the mould.
After the solidification of the slag or scoria the lever is raised and the brick,
slab, or block falls, or may be removed from the mould by the opening of the hinged
side or side and bottom.
The bricks, slabs, or blocks made in moulds, constructed according to my
Invention, besides being uniform in depth or thickness are lighter than those made
in ordinary moulds in consequence of the hollow or cavity made by the descent
into the mould of the frog or plunger.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Batten in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
January 1881.
WILLIAM BATTEN, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAVING AND
OTHER BRICKS, SLABS, AND BLOCKS FROM SLAG OR SCORIA."
The moulds to which my Invention relates are ordinarily made of cast iron, and
consist of boxes open at top, and having one side or one side and bottom hinged to
the other part, the said hinged side or side and bottom being temporarily fixed to
the other part during the pouring of the molten slag or scoria into the mould; the
said hinged side or side and bottom turning upon their joint away from the other
part after the slag or scoria has solidified by cooling, and permitting the brick,
slab, or block to fall, or be removed from the mould.
The inconvenience attending the use of the said moulds as heretofore constructed,
consists in the irregular depth or thickness of the bricks, slabs, or blocks produced,
their depth or thickness being greater or less, as more or less molten slag or scoria
is poured into the mould; and the object of my improvements is to remedy this
inconvenience, that is, to produce bricks, slabs, and blocks of uniform depth or
thickness.
In constructing according to my Invention moulds for the manufacture of
paving and other bricks, slabs, and blocks from slag or scoria, I make the mould of
a cast iron box, having one side or one side and the bottom hinged to the other
part as usual.
But instead of having the mould open at top, I make or fix on the
top of the mould a cover. In the middle of the said top or cover of the mould I
make an opening, preferably of a rectangular figure. To one end of the top of the
mould I joint au arm or lover which extends over the middle of the mould, the free
end of the lever terminating in a handle by which it can be raised and lowered.
On the underside of the said lever, and on that part of it immediately over the
opening in the top or cover of the mould a frog or plunger is fixed, which plunger,
when the lever is in its lowest position, occupies and fills up the opening in the top
of the mould, and projects into the interior of the mould. In one or more sides of
the mould, and immediately below the top, a series of small holes is made.
When the molten slag or scoria is about to be poured into the mould, the hinged
side or side and bottom are temporarily fixed to the other part of the mould, so as
to form a closed box, the lever and with it the plunger being raised.
Sufficient molten slag having been poured into the mould to fill it, the lever is
depressed, the plunger carried by the lever enters the opening in the top of the
mould, and consolidates and forces the molten slag or scoria into all parts of the
mould, the excess passing out at the small holes in the side or sides of the mould.
After the solidification of the slag or scoria the lever is raised, and the brick,
lab, or block falls, or may be removed from the mould by the opening of the hinged
side or side and bottom.
The bricks, slabs, or blocks made in moulds constructed according to my
Invention, besides being uniform in depth or thickness, are lighter than those made
in ordinary moulds, in consequence of the hollow or cavity made by the descent
into the mould of the frog or plunger.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my Invention is to be perforined.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation; Figure 2 in plan of upper side, and
Figure 3 in end elevation, a mould constructed according to my Invention for the
manufacture of paving and other bricks, slabs, and blocks from slag or scoria, the.

page_text: hinged part of the mould being represented raised and secured to the fixed part,
and the arm or lever and its frog or plunger being represented in their depressed
positions.
'
Figure 4 represents a side elevation of the mould opened for the removal of the
brick, slab, or block, and the arm or lever carrying the frog or plunger lifted from
the top or cover of the mould; Figure 5 represents the arm or lever with its frog
or plunger detached from the mould.
Figure 6 represents partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, apparatus
in conjunction with which my improved moulds may be conveniently used.
The saine letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawings.
.
The mould constructed according to my Invention is made essentially in two
parts, which when brought together constitute a closed box, the said parts being
made of cast iron. One of the parts, which I will hereinafter call the fixed part of
the mould, is composed of a side a, an end a², and a top or cover a³, and the other
part of the mould, which I will herein after call the hinged part, is composed of a
side b, an end 62, and a bottom b³, the said hinged part b, b, b³, being provided
with knuckles b*, b, at its closed end, through which knuckles and the fixed part
the joint pin c is passed (see the plan, Figure 2). The open end of the fixed part of
the mould is furnished with a bracket a, by which it is secured to the apparatus
herein after described. On the end a² of the fixed part a, a, a³, of the mould is a
jointed hooked catch d, and at the free open end of the hinged part b, 62, 63, is a rib
or projection 65 for the catch d to engage under. On the bottom b³ are lugs b
which embrace or bear against the side a when the hinged part is raised to the
fixed part of the mould.
When the jointed part b, 62, 63, of the mould is lifted to the fixed part a, a², a³,
and secured thereto by the catch d, as represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3, a closed
box is formed; and when the catch dis liberated from the projection 65 on the
hinged part b, 62, 63, the latter falls by its own weight into the position represented
in Figure 4, and the mould is opened.
Across the top of the side b of the hinged part of the mould, semi-circular
depressions or holes f, f, are made, which, when the hinged part is closed upon the
fixed part of the mould, constitute passages for the escape of the excess of molten
slag or scoria from the mould, as herein after described. In the top or cover a³ of
the fixed part of the mould is an oblong hole with semi-circular ends, or the said
hole g may have square ends. To the joint pin c an arm or lever is jointed, the
underside of the said lever being furnished with a frog or plunger i, having nearly
the same shape and size as the hole g in the top or cover a³ of the fixed part of the
mould. When the lever is depressed onto the top or cover a³, its frog or plunger i
enters and fills up the hole g in the said cover, and projects into the interior of the
mould, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.
In using the mould the hinged part b, 62, 63, is lifted to the fixed part a, a², a³,
and secured by the catch d, as represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3, and the mould is
ready to receive the molten slag or scoria which is poured into the mould at the
hole g.
Sufficient molten slag or scoria having been poured into the mould to fill it, the
lever is depressed and its plunger i made to enter the hole g in the top or
cover of the mould, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3. As the plunger i enters
the hole g and passes into the interior of the mould, it consolidates and forces the
molten slag or scoria into all parts of the mould, the excess passing out at the
small holes or passages f, f, (see Figure 2) between the cover a³ of the fixed part
and the top edge of the side b of the hinged part of the mould. The slag or scoria
having solidified, the lever is raised into the position represented in Figure 4,
and the hinged part b, 62, 63, of the mould is opened from the fixed part a, a², a³,
as represented in the said Figure 4, when the brick, slab, or, block falls from the a
hinged part or may be removed from it. The bricks, slabs, or blocks are finished
by being annealed in an annealing kiln or in other convenient annealing apparatus.

page_text: Bricks, slabs, and blocks made in moulds, constructed as described and illustrated,
have the advantages herein before pointed out.
I will now describe the apparatus, Figure 6, which I prefer to use in conjunction
with my improved moulds.
The said apparatus consists of a carriage working upon a tramway. The said
carriage supports a vertical shaft or upright about which the horizontal wheel m
rotates. The said wheel m is constructed of angle bars, which are bound together
into a ring like form and supported by the radial stay bars n, n. The central ring
of the stay bars is furnished with anti-friction rollers for bearing against the
upright or shaft 1. Upon the summit of the upright or shaft 7 is a cap p capable
of rotating upon the said shaft, to which cap the wheel m is connected by the tie
rods 7, 9, 9, 7
The brackets a, at, of the fixed parts of the moulds are secured at intervals to
the outer face of the wheel m by bolts and nuts as represented.
At the left hand side of the apparatus, Figure 6, a mould is represented closed
ready for the casting of a brick, slab, or block, and at the right hand side of the
said apparatus a mould is represented open, the brick, slab, or block having fallen
or been removed from it.
By turning the wheel m of the apparatus the empty moulds may in succession
be brought under the vessel containing the molten slag or scoria, and the filled
moulds removed from under the said vessels for removing the cast bricks, slabs, or
blocks therefrom.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,-
The improvements in moulds for the manufacture of paving and other bricks,
slabs, and blocks from slag or scoria, herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say, making the said moulds with closed tops
or covers, the top or cover having at or about its middle an opening, preferably
of an oblong figure, and jointing to the top of the mould an arm or lever carrying
on its underside a frog or plunger, which frog or plunger when the lever carrying
it is brought down on the top of the mould enters the opening in the said top of
the mould and projects a short distance into the interior of the mould, so as to
consolidate and force the molten slag or scoria into every part of the mould, and
expel the excess of slag or scoria from the mould through openings or passages in
the side or sides of the mould, whereby the bricks, slabs, or blocks are made of
uniform depth or thickness, substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Batten, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
37, Temple Street,
Birmingham.
WILLIAM BATTEN. (LS.)