IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARING OF CLAY IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER ARTICLES MADE OF CLAY OR BRICK EARTH
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MORRIS, of Coldbath Square, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Second day of
November, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, in the thirteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Morris; my exors, admors, and assigns,
Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
William Morris, my exors, adññors, and assigns, and such others as I, the
said William Morris, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
my. Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARING OF CLAY IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER ARTICLES MADE OF CLAY OR BRICK
EARTH;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the
said William Morris, should cause a particular description of the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and

page_text: immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Morris, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:
Figure 1 shews an elevation of the machine, Figure 2 is a plan thereof, and
Figure 3 a transverse section. A, A, A, A, are uprights on either side of the
machine; B, B, are connecting cross bars; C, C, pieces connecting the sides
of the framing; D, a bridge or connecting piece of iron, joining the middle of
the two pieces C, C, in the centre of which bridge is a brass nut for the screw E
to work in; F, F, are pieces of wood or iron attached to the uprights A; A, A, A,
by the cross bolts G, G, G, G, which cross bolts connect the two sides of the
framing of the machine; H, H, are carriages, with rollers fixed on the piece
F, F; K, K, are moveable pieces of wood or iron, with grooves and racks at
bottom. The grooves work on the rollers H, H, and the racks are worked by
the pinions I. M, crank handles to work the axle T of the pinions, I,,by
which the frame K. is moved to and fro; N, P, are two iron boxes, each
consisting of a group of two or, more moulds at pleasure. In the present
arrangement there are eight moulds in each group, firmly connected with the
bottom frames q, 9. 0, 0, are necks or axes (working in plummer blocks), on
which the mould boxes turn; r, r, are flat lugs projecting from the bottom
frames. They act on the blocks s, s, which are fixed on the frame K, K.
R is a metal or wooden block or press, to the centre of which is attached the
screw E, and to the under surface of R is attached dies, equal in number to the
moulds in the boxes N and P; R', R', are guides to cause the press R to
rise and fall correctly; U, a lever, with balls; to work the screw E; d, d, are
stays; e, e, are small blocks; 2, 2, is a frame, with knives at both ends, which
works on a pivots 4; 3, 3, are stops and catches to keep the knives alternately
while the group of moulds N or P passes under to have the surplus clay
removed; V, V, framings, on which the carriages W run; a, a, are rails to
keep the carriages steady; x, x, are spiral springs, giving the boards Y or
platforms which receive the bricks the liberty to descend when the bricks are
discharged on the moveable boards or pallets Z, Z, Z, Z; bare guides which
descend with the boards or platforms Y. The dotted lines m shew the position
of the mould box P at the time the lumps of clay are being filled into the

page_text: .
moulds preparatory to being brought under the press R. The dotted lines m¹
on the other side shew the position of the mould box N when turned upside
down on the axes or necks o, o, preparatory to discharging the bricks on to
the boards or pallets Z, Z, Z, Z. These operations will be 'more clearly
explained hereafter. n, n, n, 'n, are small blocks attached to K, K, K, K, on
which the flat lugs 'r rest when the group of moulds is turned over to discharge
the bricks on to the pallets or boards Z, Z, Z, Z, which are correctly held in
position by being placed on studs or projections which enter into holes formed
to receive them; e, e, are end guards; I, I, are pinions on the axle T, and they
work in racks under the parts of K, K; 1, 1, is an iron frame carrying the
uprights 5, 5, 5. A piece of spring steel 6, 6, is attached to 5, 5, 5, on a
bevel slope, and fastened to the ends of 2, 2, and when 2, 2, are brought down
on the stops 9, 9, and fastened by the stops 3, 3, one of the steel cutters 6, 6;
will be in a position to shave or cut off the surplus clay from the top of the
group of moulds as the moulds move out under (6), (6), and which operation
takes place when the group of moulds is moved out from under the press R by
the handles M, M, and pinions I, I.
"
Figure 4 is a view of the under part of a group of moulds. q, q, is the
bottom frame; r, r, the flat lugs; 0, 0, are the necks or axes, on which the
group of moulds turn; 8, 8, 8, 8, lugs by which the bottom is attached to the
group N or P; x is a plate (lightened by holes), in the centre of which is a
brass nut, through which a screw works, moving the plate x¹ up or down at
pleasure. To this plate is attached collar bolts, which connects this plate with
'false' bottoms, to work up and down through the group of moulds according as
required, for being filled or discharged.
Figure 5 is a cross section of N or P, and the parts working. therewith.
Each mould has a piston or false bottom, with metal springs at each end to
assist the delivery of the brick. The inner surfaces of the springs are covered
with cotton velvet, and such is the case with regard to the pistons or false
bottoms of the moulds, to the end of which the springs are affixed.
Figure 6 is also a cross section of the moulds N or P; and parts working
therewith, but turned over for discharging the bricks on to a carriage W.
The bricks are discharged on to the moveable pallets or boards Z, Z, which,
äs before stated, have holes in them to receive points of fixed studs on the
platforms Y of the carriages. Below the platform Y there; are springs x, x, .
which support the platform when no bricks are placed thereon, but such
springs are pressed down by the weight of the bricks. While the group of
moulds is in this position the screw is turned, which causes the bricks to be
delivered, the two springs at the ends of each of the pistons false bottoms of

page_text: the moulds materially facilitating the delivery by passing out of the moulds
with the bricks, the springs by their elasticity departing from the ends of the
bricks when they are protruded beyond the moulds, by which it will be evident
that there will be no friction in regard to the ends of the bricks when being
delivered by the pistons or false bottoms of the moulds; and I would state,
that springs might be used on all four sides of a mould, but I have found that
the simple use of them at the ends is sufficient.
Figure 7 is the cross section of a group of moulds, shewing lumps of clay in
the moulds before being pressed.
Figure 8 is the framework for supporting two knives 6, 6, to cut off the
surplus clay at both ends of the frame as the moulds pass out from under the
press R. 4, 4, are the necks or axes on which the frame 1, 1, 2, 2, moves,
so as alternately to bring the two cutters 6, 6, in position to act on their
respective frames of moulds, as those moulds alternately pass from under
the press.
Figure 9 is another view of the cutters.
Figure 10 is an elevation of another arrangement of the machinery partly
in section; Figure 11 is a transverse partial section thereof, and Figure 12
shows a plan. This machine, in respect to the construction and working of
the moulds, and also in respect to the receiving surfaces, and which are the
parts to which my Invention applies, is similar to that above described, but in
the present machine the moulds are set round a cylinder, and the receiving
carriage is circular. Each of the moulds is made with a piston, having springs
or plates fixed at its ends to facilitate the delivery of the brick, as before
explained. R is a lever, having a pressing surface to act on the clay in the
moulds as the moulds are successively brought into position in the following
manner A is the main or driving axis, which receives motion from any
suitable power; A' is a crank, which gives motion to the clawker B, and
which, at suitable intervals, moves the wheel of moulds a distance equal to
one mould, by taking hold of the projections a, a. The pressing lever R is
moved up and down by means of the crank R¹ on the axis A communicating
motion to the lever R by the connecting rod R. The pistons or false bottoms
of the moulds are caused to deliver the bricks from the moulds by means of
the cross head C, each of which, at the proper interval, is pressed down by
means of the instruments D on the bolts D¹, which are moved up and down
b means of the pressing lever R acting by means of the connecting rods. D²;
and the pistons or false bottoms in this arrangement are each provided with a
moveable "print" or impressing surface, which is covered with cotton velvet,
as well as the piston itself; by which arrangement there will be obtained a
S

page_text: greater certainty of delivery; and such impressing surface is carried by square
rods, weighted at top, as shewn, and the plungers are removed back into the
moulds by means of the curved surfaces E. The carriage W in this machine
is circular, and it is capable of revolving on a circular railway by means of
wheels, as shown, and the platforms Y are provided with springs, to keep the
pallets or moveable boards Z up when the bricks are not on them, and such
springs are overcome and depressed by the weight of the bricks. (6) 6), is
the cutter to remove the excess of clay. The carriage W may be moved
round and held correctly in position by any suitable means. In using these
machines the clay is prepared and formed into blocks of a size suitable to
over fill the moulds to a slight extent, and the workman will fill the moulds
just before they come under the press, the cutters (6), (6), removing the
excess of clay as the moulds pass the edges thereof. It will be evident that
by varying the form of the moulds tiles may be made by such machinery.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I make
no claim to any of the mechanical instruments separately, and the same may
be varied without departing from my Invention. But what I claim is,—
First, the mode herein described of arranging and working the parts in the
mould. And,
Secondly, I claim the mode herein described of arranging apparatus for
receiving bricks from moulds.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morris, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty.

page_text: In the Matter of a Patent granted to William Morris, of Coldbath
Square, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for his
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARING OF CLAY, AND IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER ARTICLES MADE OF
CLAY OR BRICK EARTH," bearing date at Westminster, the Second
day of November, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.
DISCLAIMER proposed to be entered by the said William Morris with
the Clerk of the Patents of England, pursuant to an Act passed in the
fifth and sixth years of the reign of His late Majesty King William
the Fourth, intituled "An Act to amend the Law touching Letters
Patents for Inventions."
I, the said William Morris, do declare, that since I obtained the said Letters
Patent I have discovered that that part of the Invention which was intended
to have been described under that part of the title which is contained in the
following words, "the preparation of clay," is not new, for which reason I am
desirous to and do hereby disclaim all that part of the title which is contained
in the following words, "the preparation of clay, and in."
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morris, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty.
To the Clerk of the Patents of England.
This is to certify, that William Morris, of Coldbath Square, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, has applied to me for leave to file with you the
above-written Disclaimer of part of the title of a certain Invention for which
Letters Patent were duly granted to him under the Great Seal, dated the 2nd
day of November, 1849. And, having considered the said application, and no
objection having been made to the same, I have accordingly granted leave to
the said William Morris to. file his said Disclaimer, pursuant to the Statute
passed in the 5th & 6th years of the reign of His late Majesty King William

page_text: the 4th, entitled An Act to amend the Law touching Letters Patent for
Inventions.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Second day of May, in the
year of our Lord 1850, the aforesaid William Morris came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all 'and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose
Enrolled the Second day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty.