IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PRESSING AND MOULDING, TINTING, ENAMELLING, GLAZING, AND PRINTING IN COLOURS, ESPECIALLY USEFUL FOR MAKING BRICKS AND BUILDING BLOCKS, ROOFING AND FLOORING TILLS, AND DRAIN PIPES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Duncan, of Madeley, in the County of Salop, Gas
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PRESSING AND
MOULDING, TINTING, ENAMELLING, GLAZING, AND PRINTING IN COLOURS,
ESPECIALLY USEFUL FOR MAKING BRICKS AND BUILDING BLOCKS, ROOFING
AND FLOORING TILLS, AND DRAIN PIPES"
Sealed the 20th July 1877, and dated the 24th January 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Duncan at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th January 1877
'IM-
ROBERT DUNCAN, of Madeley, in the County of Salop, Gas Engineer
PROVED APPARATUS FOR PRESSING AND MOULDING, TINTING, ENAMELLING, GLAZING,
AND PRINTING IN COLOURS, ESPECIALLY USEFUL FOR MAKING BRICKS AND BUILDING
BLOCKS, ROOFING AND FLOORING TILES, AND DRAIN PIPES'
"
This Invention consists of improvement on the Invention for which Letters
Patent was granted to me dated August 28th, AD 1875, for "Improved
Apparatus for Pressing and Moulding, especially useful for Making Bucks
Roofing and Flooring Tiles, and Clay Pipes"
The bricks are made in machines, which, for example, I contsruct as herein
described
This machine consists of a hollow cylinder, in which I form a number of moulds,
say, 24 moulds, corresponding in size and form with the ends and sides of the
bricks intended to be made The extreme ends of this cylinder are turned to form
bearings on which the cylinder rotates The cylinder is placed houzontally, the
clay being filled in near the top by a pug mill fitted with knives and a screw, and
1s prevented from falling through the moulds by a curved plate screwed to the
frame of the machine Near one end of this mould cylinder is made a toothed
The toothed wheel is for the
wheel, and near the opposite end a catcher wheel
purpose of working a rolleı, having formed on its circumference a number of
pressers which correspond in pitch with the moulds, and entering them presses upon
the clay The shaft on which this roller works is used to dive a tinting roller,,
which conveys colour dust on to the clay in the moulds, and thus tints the bricks,

page_text: of any required shade of colour This toothed wheel is also used to work a printing
block, to be hereafter described
The catcher wheel is used to work the mould cylinder round, bringing each
mould alternately into position for the clay to be operated upon by the pressers
and pressed to the shape required This catcher is 1otated at intervals by a
hooked 1od driven by an excentric on the crank shaft, the travel of this catcher
rod is double that of the mould cylinder, so that one quarter only of the time
required by the excentic to make a revolution will be spent in moving the mould
cylinder during the remaining three parts of the time the bricks are being made,
decorated, and delivered The clay is filled into the moulds in a stiff, plastic, or
seini-diy state by a pug mill fitted to work near the top of the machine Near
this pug mill is fitted the tinting roller and hopper this roller revolves only when
the mould cylinder is rotating It is fitted to work at the bottom of the hopper
containing the colouring dust, and when revolving the dust is spread over the clay
at the top of the mould cylinder, which has just be filled into the moulds by the
pug mill
The clay at the top of the mould is thus coated with the tinting dust,
and is then brought under the piesseis formed in the roller driven by the toothed
wheel before described
After the clay has been passed under the roller, and partially consolidated, it is
canned by the action of the machine into line with the main pressers, one of which
is fitted to work inside the ing of moulds and the other outside
These presseis
are formed of brass or zinc, and have the reverse design intended to be given to
the bucks formed on then faces These faces are kept constantly oiled by a suah
saturated with oil being brought into contact with each piesser face at each stroke
of the crank, or oiled by a jet when necessary After the suah has been drawn into
contact with the face it is swung out of the travel of the pressers by a balance
weight acting on a lever keyed on its shaft, the ctuin stroke of the presser
eleasing a catch from the iod which diew the suah against the face These
pressers are driven by a two-throw crank, the armis, which are so timed that the
outside presser enters the mould at the moment the inside piesser does, but the
outside pressei finishes its stroke earlier than the inside one, and the result is that
the clay is pressed with great force between these two piessels, and any ornamental
design may be pressed on the tinted face of the brick, the return stroke of the
outside presser commences while the inside one continues its stroke and forces the
newly made brick forwards, so that its tinted face is pushed beyond the cucum-
ference of the mould cylinder When the inside presser has completed its stroke
it then commences its return stroke, and having got clear out of the mould the
action of the catcher commences to rotate the mould cylinder and bring another
mould into line with the presser while the inside presser is continuing its retuin
stroke Before the inside presser has travelled across the diameter of the mould
cylinder the action of the catcher ceases and the pressers enter the moulds on the
opposite side and force out the brick entirely from the mould on to a table prepared
to receive it
The bucks being forced partially out of the moulds as soon as made are carried
by the action of the machine over a pan placed at the bottom of the mould
cylinder containing the enamelling, glazing, or colouring liquid, through which the
face of the buck is passed, and thus glazed, enamelled, or coloured according to the
quality of the liquid contained in the pan, after which the bucks are taken 1ound
to the opposite side of the machine to that in which they were pressed and pushed
out of the moulds, as before described
At the lowest part of the machine, immediately below the mould cylinder, is
fitted a toothed wheel of such diameter that its shaft is 10tated 1/4 1ound at every
movement of the mould cylinder by the teeth geaning into the toothed wheel fixed
on the cylinde On the opposite end of the shaft carrying this wheel is fitted
another toothed wheel, which geais into a pinion with a suitable number of teeth,
to cause its shaft to be diven half a revolution at every movement of the mould
cylinder On the opposite end of the shaft is fitted a cross head, with a groove

page_text: running longitudinally through it, the groove is fitted with a slide fixed on the
end of a shaft carrying a printing block This block has two faces placed opposite
each other and both alike in design The shaft carrying the printing block is
fitted to work in bearings formed in the ends of two levers canned by a shaft near
the crank end of the machine, and arranged to lift and lower the printing block at
intervals, timed by a cam, this can is fitted on the crank and works a lever
giving motion to the last named shaft at the night moment By this arrangement
the printing block is lowered into a pan containing colouring liquid set at a lower
level than the pan used for enamelling, that pan having been removed and its
place occupied by the punting block The block is lifted up by the cam until its
uppor face comes into contact with the newly made brick at the bottom of the
mould cylinder, and afterwards lowered again into the pan The cam is so foi med
that at the middle of the stroke of the printing block there is a pause, and at that
moment the catcher commences to rotate the mould cylinder, this action gives
motion to the wheels at the bottom of the machine, which turns the printing block
half round, so that the lowest end, which has been dipped into the colouring liquid,
is brought to the top, and the top end is placed at the bottom ready to be lowered
into the printing liquid, while the top is ready to be lifted into contact with the
face of the brick, to punt on it the design formed on its face, and charged with the
punting colour by its having been dipped into the pan One, two, or more
different colours may be printed on the clay with this printing block at the same
time by keeping the colours separate by thin divisions in the colouring pan, the
block being so formed to receive the partitions of the pan into it, and so to dip the
design into the respective colouis, the liquids being kept at the night height by
pipes from the supply
By these arrangements bricks can be made plain or ornamental, can be faced with
fine clay, giving the face a tint or color, can be glazed or enamelled, or printed in
colours, and afterwards delivered out of the machine as described
The tile making machine consists of a fiame fitted with a three-throw crank or
cam near its end This crank is driven by a wheel and pinion, and gives motion to
three connecting rods, two of which are placed outside and one near the centre of
the width of the fiame The centie connecting rod is used to work a die or presser
guided by slide fixed to the fiame, and the two outer connecting rods are used to
work another presser guided in a similar way and working in the opposite direction
One of these pressers has the foun intended to be given to the nibs of the tile sunk
in its face, the other one is generally plain, and one or both may be fitted with a
thin plate of brass or steel connected to its top or end edge only and forming & flap
This thin plate is drawn slightly from the face of the presser when it recedes from
the clay, which has the effect of breaking the contact of the clay with it gradually,
and reducing the tendency of the clay to adhere to the plate
d
The two pressers do not recede from the clay at the same time owing to slack oi
liberty being left in the centre connecting rod eye, but the one is allowed to depart
before the other, and to the last the tile adheres, and is then drawn out of the -
mould, or it may be forced out by a smaller presser entering the mould after the
others have left it These two pressers approach each other and finish their strokes
when within the thickness of a tile from meeting, or they may be so tumed by the
cianks for the one to finish its stroke earlier than the other.
At the place
where these pressers approach nearest to each other is fixed a stationary mould the
size of the tiles intended to be made, into which the pressers enter from opposite
sides
The tile mould is filled in the following manner -A pug-mill is fixed in a
vertical or standing position on the frame of the machine This pug-mill (driven by
hand) is fitted with gearing, and a shaft and set of knives, and also with a screw
about the same diameter as the interior of the pug-mill This screw is fitted on the
end of the shaft The bottom of this pug-mill has a conical neck, with a round hole
through which the clay is forced by the continued pressure of the rotating knives

page_text: and screw
After the clay has passed through this round hole or square (for which
an oval or oblong hole may be used) it enters a tapering neck or throat constructed
for the double purpose of guiding the clay and also of allowing the end of the
sti eam to be thickened and increased in bulk and so filling up the larger diameter
of the throat after passing through the smaller hole above it This increase of
thickness or diameter at the end of the clay is due to its coming into contact with
the top side of the presser when the previous tile is being made, and the presser at
that time preventing the downward progress of the clay at the end of the streain, so
that as the pug-mill continues to force the clay through the hole at the top of the
tapering neck, the bottom end being unable to continue its downward motion the
clay is allowed to accumulate in the conical neck and is pushed out of the same as
soon as the presser is removed from under its end by the stream of clay coming
through the hole above This arrangement thus admits of an intermittent supply
of clay being brought between the pressers, while the pug-mill from which the
supply comes is kept in continuous motion, the exact quantity of clay required to fill
the moulds is adjusted by the size of the hole through which the clay is pressed, and
also by the relative speed of the screw and knives of the pug-mill, the screw and
knives turning round and sending down the same quantity exact for each move-
ment of the pressers, so that when the advancing pressers come into contact with
the piece of clay forced down before its face this piece is always the same in
quantity and is the right quantity to properly fill the mould, the presser, or a knife
in advance of the presser, shears this clay off from the stream coming down, and the
presse immediately forces it into the mould, where it is met by the other presser
coming in the opposite duection and is pressed into the shape required
The pug-mill is driven by a strap which drives a pulley giving motion to the
pressers through another stiap and pulley which dives the wheel and pinion before
named
When the tile has been thus made and carried out of the mould it is pushed off
the presser in the following manner -Each piessei is fitted with a brush aanged
to work across its face and to push off the tile before it, while it cleans and oils
the face ready for the next tile That presser used to form the front of the tile has
its brush worked over it from its longest side, the opposite presser has its brush
worked over it from its end or shortest side
It is
Motion is given to the brushes in the following manner -A shaft is fitted to work
in bearings called by the pressers This shaft is made to turn partially round by
a lever the end of which is detained by a rod connected to the frame of the machine
while the presseis travel to and fio This action causes the brushes to be moved
across the face of the pressers by levers keyed on the shaft The brushes are
kept parallel with the face of the pressers by guides connected to them and to the
pressers, and are supplied with oil from a tank carried by cach presser The tiles
are received on to a carrying band, which delivers them from the machine
The action of the tile machine is as follows -Clay is fed into the pug-mill fixed
on the machine and is worked by the revolving knives into a plastic state
then forced by the revolving screw on the end of the revolving shaft through the
hole in the bottom of the pug-mill, and sent out in a round cylinder of clay before
the mould when the presser forces the clay against the side of the mould casting
which is made with a sharp bevel edge A portion of the round cylinder of clay is
then sheared off the piessei and the edge of the mould, and is forced into the mould
and pressed into the required shape The newly pressed tile is then drawn out of
the mould by adhering to the presser, and is pushed off by the front edge of the
brush as it sweeps over its face and carried off by the carrying band This arrange-
ment of pug-mill is used to make clay pipes, at which time the round neck is fitted
with a centic core and the pipes are cut off at the requied length by a wheel-like
fiame, cariying a cutting wire working in an inclined position to the stream of clay
to cut off the pipes square while the stream is in continuous motion, in which case
the pug-mill may be used horizontally.

page_text: These machines may be diven by steam or any other power By these means
very stiff clay that has been worked into a plastic stato, but more stiff and dry
than can be pugged by other means, is brought between oiled pressers in suitable
quantity, and is by one of the pressers sheared off from the other clay and forced
into the mould, which mould may be arranged to form one in a ring of movable
moulds, or the single stationary mould herein-before described, or a single movable
mould yet to be described may be used to work with this mangement of prossers
operating upon similarly prepared clay, when the clay will be forced into the mould,
pressed to the required shape, and then delivered and carried away
When the 1ng of movable moulds is used the tiles may be tinted any colour by
placing a pan containing the liquid tint at the bottom of the mould cylinder, and
allowing it to come into contact with the face of the tile
For some kinds of clay I prefer to make the mouth of the pug-mill of the same
form as the tile and to slice off the clay by a wire or otherwise, working it at the
bottom of the neck of pug-mill and 'to allow the sliced piece of clay to drop on to a
table, fitted with a pan of revolving brushes which oil the piece of clay before it is
moved into the mould, which is, in this case, placed horizontally on the table, and
the pressers are worked vertically A mould inay also be used to work with these
pressers, pivoted on the bottom edge and arranged to turn down and deliver the
tile out of it on to the carrying band, and then return into the vertical position
ready for being refilled with clay for another tile, or the mould may bo pivoted
at the centre or the top edge and used in a similar way
When the moulds are thus made movable I use the pug-mill to manufacture
the cylinder of clay, as before described, and the pressers to cut off the required
quantity and to push this quantity into the mould which I move in the following
manner This mould is aranged to pivot or hinge on a shaft fitted, say, at the
bottom of the mould, and working in bearings formed in the frame of the machine
through which the shaft is passed, extending to the outside of the frame and on
the one side, the shaft projects beyond the surface of the frame and is fitted with
a lever keyed fast on to it This level is fixed on the opposite side the centre of
the shaft to that on which the mould is fixed and the end of the lever is connected
with a 1od, this 1od is carried along the side of the frame of the machine and con-
nected to a lever fitted on a shaft working in bearings at the crank end of the
frame, this lever is fitted with a roller at its top end and the shaft with which it
tuins is fitted with a balance level and weight, this level is in a horizontal position
The crank arm working at
01 at 1ight angles to the lever fitted with the roller
the outside of the frame is made in the form of a cam against the edge of which the
roller is forced by the balance weight, this cam gives motion to the roller and to
its lever and thence to the rod working by the side of the frame, which 1od works
the lever keyed on the shaft on which the mould is fixed, and such is the form
given to the cam that through it the mould is placed in a vertical position when
the pressers are approaching to enter it, and when the one presser has cut off the
clay and forced it into the mould to meet the opposite presse, and the tile has been
formed and left in the mould and the pressers have withdiawn to a suitable distance
from the mould, the cam moves the iod and causes the shaft on which the mould
is fixed to turn 1/4 round and to suddenly stop when the momentum given to the
When the mould ceases to move
tile causes it to be delivered out of the mould
it is thus placed flat on an elastic carrying band on which coloring dust has been
As soon as the tile has
spread, this band then delivers the tile from the machine
left the mould the cam returns it from the horizontal to the vertical position ready
to be refilled and used again, as before described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Duncan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th July
1877.
ROBERT DUNCAN, of Madeley, in the County of Salop, Gas Engineer
"IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR PRESSING AND MOULDING, TINTING, ENAMELLING, GLAZING, AND
PRINTING IN COLOURS, ESPECIALLY USEFUL FOR MAKING BRICKS AND BUILDING
BLOCKS, ROOFING AND FLOORING TILES, AND DRAIN PIPES
"
This Invention consists of unprovements on the Invention for which Letters
Patent were granted to me dated August 28, AD 1875, for improved apparatus for
pressing and moulding, especially useful for inaking bricks, 100fing and flooring tiles,
and clay pipes
The bricks are made in machines which I construct substantially as herein-after
described, and as shown by the Drawings accompanying this Specification
In said Drawings Fig 1 is side elevation, partly in section, Fig 2, plan, paitly in
section, Fig 3, end elevation, partly in section.
The letters of reference placed on these Figs are the same for all the Figures,
and are herein-after specifically referred to in describing the action of the machine
The machine consists of a hollow cylinder in which I place a number of moulds,
say, twenty-four moulds, corresponding in size and form with the ends and sides of
the bricks intended to be made The extreme ends of the cylinder are turned to form
bearings on which the cylinder rotates The cylinder is set horizontally, the clay is in a
semi-dry or in a plastic state, being filled in near the top by a pug-mill fitted with
knives and a sciew, which clay is prevented falling through the moulds by a curved
plate fitting against the bottoin side, and this plate is kept in its proper position by
being screwed to the frame of the machine Near one end of this mould cylinder
is a toothed wheel, and near the opposite end a catcher wheel The toothed wheel
is for the purpose of working a roller having formed on its cucumference a number
of pressers which correspond in pitch with the moulds, and entering them piess
upon the clay The shaft which drives this roller is also used to drive a tinting
roller by a strap This tinting roller spreads over the surface of the clay, the
tinting dust contained in a hopper in which the roller works, as the moulds con-
taining the clay are brought under the roller, and thus the bricks are tinted of any
requnod shade of colour, this toothed wheel is also used to work a printing block
to bo hereafter described
The catcher wheel is used to work the mould cylinder 1ound on its bearings, to
bring each mould successively into position for the clay to be operated upon by the
pressers, and pressed to the required shape This catcher wheel is rotated at the
propel moments by a hooked 1od driven by an eccentric on the crank shaft, the
travel of this rod is double that of the mould cylinder, so that only one quarter of
the time required by the eccentric to make a revolution will be spent in moving the
mould cylinder during the remaining thice parts of the time the bricks are being
made, decorated, and delivered The clay is filled into the moulds either in a stiff,
plastic, or in a semi-dry state by a pug-mill fitted to work near the top or at the
side of the mould cylinder, and this pug inill may be fixed in a vertical, inclined,
01 horizontal position, the clay being filled in at one end, and delivered to the
moulds at the opposite end of the pug-mill Near the delivering end of the pug-
mill is fixed the tinting roller and the hopper containing the tinting dust, the roller
revolving only when the mould cylinder is rotating, and being fitted in the bottom
of the hopper causes the dust to be spread over the surface of the clay in the moulds
at the top of the mould cylinder The clay is thus covered with the tinting dust,
and is then brought under the presser formed on the roller diven by the toothed
wheel before described
After the clay has been passed under the presser and partially consolidated, it is
parried by the action of the machine into line with the main pressers, one of which

page_text: is fitted to work inside the mould cylinder, and the other outside
These pressers
are formed of or faced with brass or zinc, and have the reverse design intended to
be given to the bucks formed on then faces The faces are kept clean and aro
constantly oiled by brushes made to sweep over them, these brushes are supplied
with oil from a tank, the oil preventing the clay from sticking to the faces of the
pressers The pressers are driven by a two throw crank (01 cams), and the position
of the centics of the crank bearings are so placed that the outside piesser enters the
mould and presses the clay at the same moment that the inside presse does, but
the outside pressei which is worked in the opposite direction to the other finishes
its travel before the inside one does, and commences the return stroke, while the
inside presser is travelling in the same dnection as when the clay was pressed, and
the result is that the clay is pressed with great force between these two pressels,
and any design may be thus piessed on the tinted face of the clay, aftor which the
outside presser receding admits of the newly made buck being forced forward by
the other presse, so that the tinted face 19 pushed beyond the cucumference of the
mould cylinder When the inside piesser has finished its stroke, it then commences
its return stroke, and having got clean out of the mould the action of the catcher
1otates the mould cylinder, and brings another mould into line with the pressers,
while the inside presser is continuing its icturn stroke Before the inside piesser
has travelled across the diameter of the mould cylinder, the action of the catcher
ceases, and the opposite end of the inside presser enters the mould on the opposite
side of the cylinder, and forces out the brick entuely from the mould on to a table
o a canying band prepared to receive it
The bricks being toiced partially out of the moulds as soon as pressed into the
requied form are carried by the action of the machine into a pan placed at the
bottom of the cylinder This pan contains the enamelling, colouring, or glazing
liquid through which the projecting face is passed, and thus the bricks are glazed,
cnamelled, or coloured according to the quality of the liquid contained in the pan,
after which they are carried by the machine to the opposite side to that in whuch
they were pressed and forced out as described When bucks are to be punted in
colours by this machine I use the following arrangement, which is added to the
machine, and can be removed when not required for punting
At the lowest part of the machine and immediately below the mould cylinder 18
fitted a small toothed wheel of such diameter that its shaft is rotated one quarter
1ound at every movement of the mould cylinder, by the teeth geaning into the
wheel formed on the said mould cylinder On the opposite end of the shaft
carrying this wheel is fitted another wheel which gears into a pinion with a suitable
number of teeth for causing the shaft to be diven half a revolution at every move-
ment of the mould cylinder On the opposite end of this shaft is fitted a ciOSS
head with a groove running longitudinally though it In this groove is worked a
slide fixed on the end of another shaft carrying a printing block This block has
two faces placed opposite to each other and both alike in design, the shaft carrying
this printing block is fitted to work in bearings formed in the ends of two levels
called on a shaft placed near the crank end of the machine, and arranged to lift
and lower the printing block at intervals tied by a cam This cam is fitted on
the crank shaft, and works a lever giving the required motion to the last named
shaft and at the night moments. By this arrangement the printing block is lowered
to a pan containing the colouring liquid set at a lower level than the pan used for
enamelling, that pan having been removed and its place occupied by the printing
block The block after having its ends dipped into the printing liquid is lifted up
by its carrying levers being moved by the cam until the upper face comes into
contact with the face of the newly made brick at the bottom of the mould cylinder,
and the liquid colour on the upper face received by a former dipping is printed on
the brick The cam then lowers the printing block half of its travel downwards
towards the pan, and then the lowering action of the block levels pauses, by the
cam lever pressing at that moment against a concentric portion of the cam
catcher then commences to rotate the mould cylinder, this action gives motion to
The

page_text: the wheel at the bottom of the machine, which turns the printing block half round,
so that the lowest end which has been dipped into the colouring or printing liquid
is turned to the top, and the top end from which the colour has been taken by the
The action
clay is placed at the bottom ready to be again lowered into the pan
of the mould cylinder then ceases, and the cam completes the lowering travel
dipping the block into the liquid, and then raising it until its upper end is brought
into contact with the next brick contained in the next mould, and the design on
the printing face of the block is given to the clay, it is then lowered half way,
again turned, dipped, and lifted as before One, two, or more different colours may
be thus printed on the face of the bricks with this printing block at the same time,
by keeping the colours separate by thin divisions in the colouring pan, the block
being so formed as to receive the divisions of the pan into it, and so to dip the
design into the respective colours, the liquids being maintained at the right level by
pipes from the supply
By these arrangements bricks may be made plain or ornamental, can be faced
with fine clay by the tinting roller at the top of the machine, thus giving the bucks
a superior face with tint or colour, they can also be glazed, enamelled, or printed
in colours, and afterwards delivered out of the machine as described
The action of the brick machine is as follows -Clay, in a semi-dry or in a plastic
state is put into the pug mill P and forced by the knives and screw into the
When the
moulds M and M2 in proper position at the bottom of the machine
mould M¹ is partially filled with clay the action of the machine causes the catcher K
to rotate the ring of moulds (in the Figures shown) one twenty-fourth of a
revolution equal to the pitch of the catcher wheel W, or more or a less number of
moulds may be used if requned The mould M¹ is then moved into the position
of M, and any part remaining unfilled with clay is filled up by the action of the
knives and sciow over M³ When the machine next rotates the ring of mould, M²
1s brought under the hopper H and 1olle R The hopper H contains the diy
colouring or tinting dust, which dust is spread over the surface of the clay in the
mould by the 1otating action of the roller which is driven by the strap U from the
pulley X keyed on the shaft Y, which is driven by the wheel Z gearing into the
toothed wheel A on the mould cylinder This roller bings a sheet of dust from
When
the hopper, and distributes it over the clay as the 1ng of moulds revolves
the clay has been thus coated with the colouring dust it is brought under the action
of the roller R¹, which has formed on its cucumference a number of pressers as
before described, which enter the moulds and press the dust on to the clay This
1oller is supplied with oil from the tank T placed at the top, the oil prevents the
dust adhering to the face of the pressers The action of the catches then brings
each mould in succession into line with the main pressers S and S¹ which are driven
by the crank N These presseis enter the moulds at the opposite ends and press
the clay with great force, and give to it any design which has been formed on their
faces The throw bearings of the crank N are not in line with the centre of the
clank shaft, but are at an angle with the shaft This causes the presser S¹ to finish
its stroke before the presser S finishes its stroke, and thus gives to the piesser S tho
power to force out the buck beyond the outer circumference of the 1ing of moulds,
so that when the stroke of presser S is finished S¹ has advanced one inch on its
return stroke, and the newly made brick has been pushed beyond the face of the
mould The action of the niachine then carries the ring of moulds round, binging
the bricks to the bottom and passing then faces through the liquid contained in
the pan P¹, shown by dotted lines, by which they are glazed, enamelled, or coloured
on the face, according to the quality of the liquid through which they are passed,
and as the machine continues to rotate the bricks are raised out of the liquid and
brought into line with the main presser S, the back end of which forces them out on
to the table T¹ or on to a carrying band
•
This arrangement is suitable for making plain, tinted, enamelled, or glazed bricks,
but this machine will also print the bricks in colours in the following manner
At the bottom of the machine is fitted a small toothed wheel W gearing into tho

page_text: toothed wheel A on the mould cylinder This wheel dives the shaft B and the
The sizes of these wheels are
wheel C which geais into wheel D driving shaft E
such that the shaft E is turned half round at every movement of the mould cylinder.
The shaft E dives the cross head F which has formed in it a groove Along this
groove the guide G of the printing block H is an anged to slide by being lifted and
lowered by the levers L which are worked by the cam M on the crank shaft N, the
cam being so formed that the block H. will be lowered into the pan I, dipping its
moulded face into the printing liquid, then raised, so that the opposite end is brought
into contact with the bricks, and the colour received by a former dipping of the
upper end into the liquid is stamped or printed on the clay, then the block will be
lowered half of its travel downwards and held in this position, while the cross head
is driven half round by the wheels D, C, and A, then the remaining half of the
downward travel will be completed, dipping the face into the liquid, and then lifting
the block I again into contact with the clay in the next mould, and returning it half
way to be again turned half round and dipped as before After the bricks have been
thus printed in colours they are delivered out of the machine, as beforedescubed
My tile-making machine is constructed substantially as herein-after described and
shown by the accompanying Diawings
In the said Diawings Fig 7 16 side sectional elevation, Fig 8, plan, Fig 9, end
elevation, Figs 10 to 17, detail views
The letters of reference which are referred to in describing the action of the
machine are the same for the same parts in all these Figures
The tile-making machine consists of a frame fitted with a three-throw crank,
which has (as I now prefer to arrange the various parts thereof) two throws of the
ciank placed on one side of the centre of the shaft and the other on the opposite
side, and all in line with the shaft This crank is driven by a spur wheel and
pinion The wheel is fitted with a crank pin in one of its aims, this pin is placed
in line with the single throw on the one side of the centre of the crank shaft, thus
making the crank to act with four throws fitted with four connecting rods, the con-
necting rods working in pairs, and the motion given to each pan being in opposite
directions The two centie connecting rods are used to give motion to a die or
presser, and the two outer connecting rods give motion to another die or pressei
working in an opposite direction, and both are guided by bais fixed to the sides of
the frame One of these pressers has the form intended to be given to the nibs of
the tile sunk in its face also any name or trade mark desned to be pressed on the
tiles The other presser is generally made plain, at the place where these pressers
approach nearest to each other is fitted a mould corresponding in size and form
with the edges of the tiles intended to be made, and into this mould both of the
pressers work and accurately fit the sides, the mould being set in a vertical position
and open at the front and back to take in the clay and the pressers, the latter
work to and fio in a horizontal direction, enter the mould fiom opposite sides, and
finish then travel together, when within the thickness of a tile from meeting, at
which time the faces of each presser are in the mould
_A
The clay to make the tiles is brought to the mould by the following means -
pug mill is fixed in a horizontal or slanting position fitted with a shaft and set of
knives, and arranged to be driven by spui and bevel gearing placed at the outer end
of the machine Clay is filled into this pug mill at the driving end, and forced out
at the opposite end through a round, squue, or oblong hole or neck, into a vertical
box fitted with knives, and a screw oi screws fixed on the end of its shaft This
shaft is duiven by bevel gearing, and has an intermittent motion given to it by a
stop on the sliding presser, diawing a clutch out of gear, which is afterwards
returned by a weight This clutch is withdrawn at the right moment to allow of
the screw forcing the night quantity of clay down through the vertical box, at the
bottom of which are set a pair of rollers airanged to form a mouth, through which
the clay is forced out in a vertical sheet a little thicker than the thickness of the
tile, and the same width as the tile is long. These rollers are driven by spur gearing
at a slower speed than that of the issuing clay forced out by the screw, which

page_text: difference in speed prevents the clay from adhering to the rolls, they are also
supplied with oil from small tanks set above them, so that they oil cach side of the
sheet of clay as it is forced out between them This sheet of oiled clay hangs down
immediately in front of the vertical mould, being guided there by a trough lined
with fustian, and one or two small rolleis pressed slightly against the clay by a
weighted lever keeping the stream properly in the trough (and it is also passed
through a guard fixed at the bottom end of the trough), when the stop on the
presser has withdrawn the clutch out of gear the screw and rollers cease turning,
and at that time the stream or sheet of clay is immediately before the pressers, and
18 sufficient to cover its surface, and the right quantity to make a tile, the presser
then shears off this piece of clay hanging immediately before it This piece of clay
18 immediately forced into the mould by the presser, where it is met by the other
presser coming in the opposite direction, and is pressed into the shape required, the
pressers then commence their return stroke, and leave the newly made tile in the
mould The mould is arranged to turn down from the vertical to the horizontal
position, being connected to a shaft at its bottom side This shaft is to be turned
quickly one quarter of a revolution by a lever worked by a cam on the crank shaft,
this action gives a momentum to the tale, and the mould suddenly stops when in a
horizontal position, the tile leaves the mould and is received on a carrying band
diven by the machine and carried to the drying 100m, the cam then returns the
mould to the vertical position ready for refilling When the presser has returned a
short distance from the tile the stop which the presser carries has allowed the clutch
to again come into gear, the screw then continues to force down the stream of clay
until the clutch is again withdrawn, when sufficient clay has been forced down
ready for being again cut off and forced into the mould as before
A strap
from the driving shaft of the pug mill dives the crank pinion shaft, and the pinion
18 driven through a friction clip, and from this shaft the motion is given by a strap
to the screw through the clutch shaft, which latter drives also the wheels driving the
rollers forming the sheet of clay, and from this latter shaft the carrying band is driven
by a crossed strap, or by light spur wheels, thus giving the whole urangement its
proper duection The pressers are each fitted with a brush which sweeps then face,
and cleans and oils them for each tile These brushes are worked by levers which
are worked by the movement of the pressers, the pressers carrying the lever
bearings, and giving to them a to-and-fio motion, while the end of the lever 18
detained by being connected to the frame of, the machine by a 1od, cach brush is
worked horizontally in opposite duections, and kept parallel to the face of the
presser by guides connected to the latter, and the brushes are supplied with oil fiom
a small tank carried by each piesser By this means a compound notion is obtained
for the brushes, causing thein to brush the face of the pressers, while the latter aro
in constant motion
The action of the tile machine is as follows -Clay from a clay-rolling mill is
filled into the hopper A on the pug mill B, which is driven by the spur wheels C
and D and the bevel wheels E and F, the latter diving the shaft G and the
knives H. The action of the knives works the clay (which is to be properly
supplied with water) into a plastic state, and same is carried along the mill and
forced through the neck I at the opposite end into the vertical box J containing a
few knives and the screw K driven by the shaft L and bevel wheels M. and N, the
latter being driven by the clutch O and pulley P The clutch is moved in and out of
gear by the presser Q bringing the stop R into contact with the lever S which moves
the shaft T, lever U, and the vertical iod V which moves the lever W and shaft X,
causing the lever Y to draw the clutch in or out of gear with the pulley P, which
18 fitted to work loose on shaft Z, and drives the bevel wheels M and N by a key
sunk into the shaft at that part where the clutch is arranged to slide on it
When the action of the presser has withdrawn the clutch it is afterwards returned
into gear by the balance weight A, when the stop has allowed the weight to bring
the lever into its proper position for making contact with the clutch and the pulley
The rollers B' and B are supplied with oil from the tanks C¹ and C² and foun a

page_text: mouth piece for the clay as it is forced down by the screw K and brought before
the mould D¹ in the shape of a thin sheet E When this stream of oiled clay
reaches to the bottom of the pressers Q¹ the stop R on the presser Q comes into
contact with the level, and withdrawing the clutch, the sciew and rolls stop
working, while that portion of the sheet of clay hanging before the advancing
presser is being cut off from the other part of the sheet by the presser forcing it
against the steel blade formed on the top of the mould D₁ The screw and rolls
continue to stand also while the clay is being pushed into the mould D¹, when it is
met by the other presser, as before described
When the presser has returned and released the stop from the lever the clutch is
again engaged and the strean continues as before until the presser returns and
brings the stop into contact with the lever The pressure given to the clay by the
screw J is greatest at the centre of the stream, but this excess is neutralized by
four or more iron bais (U¹) being placed across the bottom of the box containing the
screw These bars are placed nearer to each other at the middle of the width so
that the clay is partially resisted at the centre and allowed to pass freely out at the
sides of the stream The inould D¹ is fitted on the shaft D and held in its vertical
position when required by the lever Ts and the rod T' This rod T 18 connected
to the lever T at the ond where a friction roller T is pressed against the cam T'
by the balance weight T The form of this cam T' is such that the mould is held
in the vertical position while the clay is being filled into it and being pressed,
and
when the pressers have withdiawn, the function roller T is brought by the lover and
weight T into the hollow portion of the cam, this works the lever T' and turns
the mould D¹ quickly into the horizontal position, then suddenly stops the mould
and the momentum given by this action to the tile causes it to leave the mould and
gently fall on to the carrying band B, this band is worked by the strap B' and
the tiles are thus carried away from the machine The compound action of the
two brushes for cleaning the pressers is produced by the shaft S¹ working in the
bearings S which are made fast to the travelling presse. The lever S is keyed on
the upper end of this shaft, and the lever S' is keyed on the bottom end and works
the brush carrying SS along the dovetail slide S, S, which is made parallel with tho
presser face The lever Se is connected to the rod S which is pivoted to the frame
of the machine at the point S10 By these means the brush is made to sweep the
face of the presser at every stroke of the latter and to move off the presser faco in
time for the presser to enter the mould, at which moment each brush has advanced
beyond the opposite ends of the mould where spaco is left for them to continue
then motion The mould D¹ is made adjustable for wear by the inner steel frame F³
connecting it by bolts and lock nuts to the outer casting The bottom and two
side pieces of steel are made bell-mouthed for the pressers to freely enter, also the
top steel is bell-mouthed at the opposite side to that at which the clay enters, but
at the sheating side of the mould the top steel is made with sharp edges, and with
the pressers cleanly shears off the clay without roughness or fringe
Fig 14, in elevation, and Fig 15, in cross section, show the mould as consisting
of an outer fiame of cast on or steel aanged to turn down from the vertical to
the horizontal position (as shown by Fig 13), but the mould illustrated by Figs. 14
and 15 has an inner frame fitted to slide inside the outer frame and to be kept in
position by springs fitted in between the flanges of the two flames. The presser
for the face of the tile is made larger than the other presser so as to overlap the
inner frame, and such is to be the distance of the mould from the crank that the
overlapping presser shall come into contact with the inner frame when the presser
is nearing the end of its stroke This causes the inner frame to slide slightly
through the outer frame by the thrust received against it from the overlapping
presser, at which moment a close contact is formed between the face of the presser
and the end of the inner frame, and at the same moment the clay is pressed into
the mould and the face side is thus made with tiue edges free from fringe or rag
The inside presser is made slightly smaller than the mould which it enters, and any
small excess of clay (if any exists) is pressed out at this side only, which forms the

page_text: under side of the tile when on the roof. The outer face is always fiec from escape
of clay from the overlapping of the pressers on the frame When the pressers ale
withdrawn and the mould turned quickly down the tile falls out with tiue edges
on the carrying band The inner frame has a thin lining of steel which is readily
renewed when worn out, so that the fit of the mould to the pressers is thereby
properly maintained
My pipe making machine is constructed substantially as herein-after described,
and is shown by the accompanying Drawings
In the said Diawings Figs 4 and 5 aie fiont and side_sectional elevations, Fig 6,
plan
The letters of reference are referred to in describing the action of this machine
The pipe making machine consists of a square box set in a vertical or horizontal
position, the vertical position being preferred This box is fitted with a set of
knives and also with a screw similar to that used with the tile machine The
bottom end of the pug mill has a die, with a core plate fitted to it, the same as in
general use for making clay pipes, or two, thice, or four such dies may be fitted in
the bottom of the box A strap from the top shaft of the tile machine dives the
pipe machine, and gives to it the same intermittent motion which the screw of the
tile machine has (which has been before described) The knives pug the clay, and
deliver it to the screw, or clay may be taken ready pugged to this machine, in
which case only a few knives are required The screw is used to force the clay
though the des When sufficient clay has been forced through the dies to make
the pipes of the requied length the action of the screw ceases through the inter-
mittent notion of the tile making machine, and a lever worked by a slotted 1od
from the crank of the tale machine diaws a wne stretched on a fiame through the
pipe, and cuts it off while the screw is at rest On the return of the crank the wne
is returned to its resting position, and the pipe is taken away on a mandril prepared
for this purpose.
The action of the pipe making machine is as follows -Clay from an ordinary
pug mill is put into the box B, and forced out through the bottom dies by knives,
and the screw S, which is worked by the strap S₁ driving the bevel wheels W and
Wi This screw has the intermittent motion of the tile inachine, being driven from
the latter When the strap stops the night quantity of clay has been forced out
through the die, and this is cut off by the wire W³, which is worked by the 1od
from the crank of the said tile machine Pulleys of different sizes are required for
different sized pipes to work the sciew at a proper speed for delivering the night
quantity of clay for each size of pipe
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I clann in regard to the said Invention for "Improved Apparatus for
Pressing and Moulding, Tinting, Enamelling, Glazing, and Printing in Colours,
especially useful for Making Bricks and Building Blocks, Roofing and Flooring Tiles
and Diain Pipes," as follows
Fust The means or apparatus for facing the common clay with clay of a finer
sort and of any tint or colour, which means or apparatus consist of the hopper, the
tinting roller, and the oiled pressing roller working in combination with the mould
cylinder, substantially as herein-before descubed and shown by the accompanying
Diawings
Second The action of the pressers, pushing out the bricks beyond the cucum-
ference of the moulds, whereby their faces can be readily glazed, coloured, or
enamelled by passing them through the pan at the bottom of the mould cylinder
Third The means or apparatus for printing of bricks in colours, as particularly
described in this Specification and shown by the accompanying Diawings
Fourth. The means or apparatus for making tiles by preparing the oiled stream
of clay by the union of the pug mill, the screw, the rolls, and the tanks of oil, all
working together, as herein-before described and shown by the accompanying
Drawings.

page_text: Fifth The means or apparatus for stopping and starting the stream of clay at the
right moment by the adjustable self-acting geni, whereby the right quantity of clay
can be properly measured, and the supply when the quantity requned to make a
tile can be cut off from the stream and be pressed
Sixth The means or apparatus for delivering this clay to the mould, namely, by
the fustian lined trough, and the supporting and guiding of the clay by the weighted
levers and rollers, and the preventing of the stream by shearing off the tile, as by
causing the clay to pass through a guard, also the arrangement of the steel blade
in the fitted mould, forming with the moving presser the shening uction
Seventh The means or apparatus for pressing the tiles and delivering them out
of the mould by causing the mould to tuin from the vertical to the horizontal
position to suddenly stop and to deliver the tile on to the carrying band, enabling
this machine to work with green clay without an intermediate diying process
between the pugging of the clay and the inaking of the tile
Eighth The compound motion of the brushes, continually cleaning the face of the
pressers while the latter are in motion
Ninth The arrangement of tile mould shown by Figs 14 and 15
Tenth The apparatus or means for forcing the clay through the dies of the pipe
making machine by the action of the screw, whereby no stopping of the machine is
required for refilling
Eleventh The apparatus on means for intermittent motion being given to the
pipe inaking machine by driving the sciew from the intermitting part of the tile
machine, and the cutting of the pipes by the self-acting wire driven by the crank
of the said tile machine
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Duncan, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
T MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventors' Patent Right Ass, Ld,
21, Cockspur Street,
SW,
Patentee's Agents.
ROBERT DUNCAN. (LS)