IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK MACHINES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
Office," No. 12, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County.
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BRICK MACHINES." -A communication from abroad by Isaac Gregg,, of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America..
Sealed the 18th November 1863, and dated the 8th July 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Haseltine at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th July 1863.
I, GEORGE HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 12,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BRICK MACHINES," a communication from abroad by Isaac Gregg, of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a description of brick machines in which the clay,
is pressed into moulds in a reciprocating frame by means of a pressure roller.
acting in combination with cutters in a hopper, and the bricks expelled from.
the said moulds by means of what are called lifters, which, being operated by
the reciprocating. movements of the mould frame, force the pistons of the.

page_text: moulds upward, so as to raise the bricks formed therein to the surface of the
mould frame, from whence they are then removed by what is called a sweep or
mould clearer.
The nature of my Invention consists in the employment of A grooves along
in the under side of the reciprocating mould frame, and correspondingly
bevelled carrying wheels and counter-pressure wheels working in the said
A grooves of the reciprocating mould frame for the purpose of preventing the
access or retention of any falling sand or grit of the clay to or upon the faces
of the said grooves and wheels, and thus avoiding the rapid grinding away of
the connecting surfaces of the supports and guides of the mould frame to
which they have heretofore been subject from the presence of the said sand
or grit. Also in providing the lower ends of the piston stems of the moulds in
the said reciprocating frame with flanges or heads, the lifters with retaining
plates, and the reciprocating frame with additional hooks or catches, so that
in operating together the lifters will be caused to compel the descent also as
well as the ascent of the said pistons in the moulds for the purpose of effecting
greater uniformity in the size and density of the bricks by causing a full and
more certain return of the pistons after the bricks, previously formed in the
moulds, have been expelled thereby. Also in arranging the positions of the
said moulds and their pistons in such relation to each other, and to the usual
pressure roller and cutters in the hopper of the said machine, that the dynamic
pressure shall be directed only upon the side edges of the bricks in-forming
and condensing them in and pushing them out of the moulds, for the purpose of
economizing the motive power used in working the machine, and also for the
purpose of producing better finished bricks. Also in combining with the
mould clearer or sweep an oil box, with a lubricating roller or cylindrical brush
therein, in such a manner that, as the sweep or clearer pushes the bricks
across the mould frame, the said lubricating roller or brush will also roll
over the moulds, and being always in contact with the oil of the oil box,
will also at the same time lubricate the faces of the pistons and the upper
edges of the moulds, for the purpose of dispensing with the use of the dust
heretofore employed to prevent the bricks from adhering to the faces of the
pistons, and for the purpose of effecting a more easy and advantageous removal
of the condensed bricks from within the moulds. And in the arrangement
of a cam wheel and a vibrating lever or rock-shaft in combination with the
mould clearer, for the purpose of giving a more easy and regular motion to
niy Invention
the latter across the mould frame... And, finally, the nature of
consists in the employment of a sliding wrist-pin box in combination with the
pitivan of the mould france and the wrist pin of the crank of the cam-wheel
:

page_text: shaft för the purpose of, effecting in a more accurate; and perfect manner the
régular periodic movements and rests required in the said mould frame during
the operation of the whole machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Haseltine in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th November 1868.
"
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 12, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord-One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for IIerself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Haseltine, Her special license that I, the said George
Haseltine, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said George Haseltine, my 'executors, administrators; or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN BRICK MACHINES," (a communication) upon, the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Haseltine, my executors or admi-.
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under
the hand and seal of one of them, 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 the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Haseltine, do hereby declare
the. nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings making a part
of this Specification.
This Invention relates to a description of brick machines in which the clay
is pressed into molds in a reciprocating frame by means of a pressure roller

page_text: 'acting in combination with cutters in a hopper, and the bricks expelled from
the said molds by means of what are called lifters, which, being operated by
the reciprocating movement of the mold frame, force the pistons of the molds
upward, so as to raise the bricks formed therein to the surface of the mold
frame, from whence they are then removed by what is called a sweep or mold
clearer.
The nature of my Invention consists in the employment of A grooves along
in the under side of the reciprocating mold frame, and correspondingly beveled
carrying wheels and counter-pressure wheels working in the said A grooves of
the reciprocating mold frame for the purpose of preventing the access or
retention of any falling sand or grit of the clay to or upon the faces of the
said grooves and wheels, and thus avoiding the rapid grinding away of the
connecting surfaces of the supports and guides of the mold frame to which
they have heretofore been subject from the presence of the said sand or grit.
Also in providing the lower ends of the piston stems of the molds in the said
reciprocating frame with flanges or heads, the lifters with retaining plates,
and the reciprocating frame with additional hooks or catches, so that in
'operating together the lifters will be caused to compel the descent as well as
the ascent of the said pistons in the molds for the purpose of effecting greater
uniformity in the size and density of the bricks by causing a full and more
certain return of the pistons after the bricks previously formed in the molds
have been expelled thereby. Also in arranging the positions of the said molds
and their pistons in such relation to each other and to the usual pressure
roller and cutters in the hopper of the said machine, that the dynamic pressure
shall be directed only upon the side edges of the bricks in forming and
condensing them in and pushing them out of the molds, for the purpose of
economizing the motive power used in working the machine, and also for the
purpose of producing better finished bricks. Also in combining with the mold
'clearer or sweep an oil box with a lubricating roller or cylindrical brush
therein in such a manner that, as the sweep or clearer pushes the bricks across
the mold frame, the said lubricating roller or brush will also roll over the
molds, and being always in contact with the oil of the oil box will also at the
same time lubricate the faces of the pistons and the upper edges of the molds,
for the purpose of dispensing with the use of the dust heretofore employed
to prevent the bricks from adhering to the faces of the pistons, and for the
purpose of effecting a more easy and advantageous removal of the condensed
bricks from within the molds. And in the arrangement of a cam wheel and a
vibrating lever or rock shaft in combination with the mold clearer, for the
purpose of giving a more easy and regular motion to the latter across the

page_text: mold frame. And, finally, the nature of my Invention consists in the employ-
ment of a sliding wrist-pin box in combination with the pitman of the mold
frame and the wrist pin of the crank of the cam-wheel shaft for the purpose
of effecting in a more accurate and perfect manner the regular periodic move-
ments and rests required in the said mold frame during the operation of the
ment of a sliding wrist-pin box in combination with the pitman of the mold
frame and the wrist pin of the crank of the cam-wheel shaft for the purpose
of effecting in a more accurate and perfect manner the regular periodic move-
ments and rests required in the said mold frame during the operation of the
whole machine.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of a brick machine having my present
Invention applied thereto; the usual hopper, pressure roller, and cutters being
well known and in use in this class of brick machines need not be herein
described nor set forth in the Drawings. Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal
.section cut in the line x, x, of Figure 1; Figure 3, a vertical transverse
section (without the vibrating lever of the sweep or mold clearer) cut in the
line y, y, of Figure 2; and Figure 4, an enlarged vertical transverse section of
the lubricating sweep or mold clearer.
"
A is the main or supporting frame of the machine; B, the reciprocating
mold frame; C, C, the carrying wheels; D, D, the counter-pressure wheels ;
E, E, the pistons of the molds; e, e, the flanges or heads of the piston stems e²;
F, the lifter of the pistons; f¹,f¹, the retaining plates on the said lifter;
G, one of the additional hooks or catches on the mold frame; H, H, the
brick molds; I, the mold clearer or lubricating sweep; ¹, the cylindrical
:brush in the said sweep; K, the cam wheel; L, the vibrating lever which
connects it to the sweep; M, the sliding wrist-pin box; N, N¹, the connecting
rods or pitman of the mold frame; and O, the crank of the cam-wheel shaft.
The mold frame. B is arranged to move backward and forward horizontally
in the direction of its length, the usual "hopper," with its "pressure roller'
and "cutters," being; when the machine is in operation, fixed directly above,
and the hopper in contact with it, upon the posts a¹, a', of the frame A, as
heretofore. Along in the under side of the mold frame B the A grooves b', b¹,
are made, and so placed as to be parallel with each other and with the sides
of the frame, and so as to receive the beveled peripheries of the wheels C, C,
and D, D, which together therewith serve to guide and support the mold
frame B during its reciprocating motions, and also whilst the clay is being
forced into the molds thereof by. the action of the usual pressure roller and
cutters; and the said grooves and. wheels being thus covered by the mold
frame, the access of any falling dirt or grit to the same is effectually pre-
vented. The lower ends of the stems e¹ of the pistons E have each the
flange or head formed substantially as represented in Figures 2 and 3,

page_text: .
whilst the two bent or shouldered plates f¹, f, of the lifter F are formed and
fixed one on each side of the latter, so that the shoulders of the said plates
'will catch over the flanges or heads of the piston stems e', and thus retain
them in such a manner as to cause the pistons E to be drawn downward
in: their. molds H when the latter are being carried by the frame B toward
the usual hopper. The additional hook G is connected with. or fixed outside
of the usual piston elevating hook on the mold, frame B substantially as
represented in Figure 2, and its function is to force the lifter F obliquely
downward when the mold frainc B.is being moved toward the hopper of the
machine, and thus by a positive motion effectually to cause a full and perfect
descent of all the pistons E to the bottoms of the molds H, substantially as
is indicated by the lines 1, 1," in Figure 2.', Heretofore the pistons in this
class of brick machines were intended to descend.in their'molds by gravitation,
or, failing in this; by the force of the usual pressure roller and cutters in
'feeding the molds with the clay while under the hopper, but experience has
demonstrated that, in a very short time; the pistons in such case become so
much clogged by clay and grit that they fail to descend, even from the com-
bined action of gravitation and the pressure of the roller and cutters, and
hence irregularity" both as to size and the density of the 'bricks thus
produced is the consequence, objections which; it will readily be seen; are
entirely obviated by giving to the pistons the positive motion downward by
the action of the additional hook G on the lifter F in the manner described.
The lubricating sweep or mold clearer I is a bottomless box, which extends
across the set of molds H, and is supported almost in contact with the mold
frame B on wheels ", ", which roll upon the upper surface of the said frame,
being guided by a stem attached thereto, which slides longitudinally in
suitable bearings p, p, which are fixed to the main frame A of the machine
substantially in the relative positions seen in Figures 1 and's. Within the
box of the sweep I the lubricating roller or cylindrical brush ¹ is fixed on
the axis of the wheels, so that it will be rotated thereby when the sweep
is moved across the mold frame B. Immediately above and in contact with
this brush or elastic roller there is a perforated trough fixed, which, when
supplied with oil, feeds the roller or brush i¹ therewith, as the whole is moved
backward and forward' across the mold frame; and thus tlie faces of all the
pistons E and the upper edge of the molds H being in contact with the brush
or elastic roller become lubricated, and consequently a more easy and advan-
tageous discharge of the condensed bricks from the molds and their subsequent
removal from the pistons results than can be produced or effected by the
objectionable dust heretofore applied for the purpose; and, besides, the oil

page_text: tends to preserve the molds and pistons from rusting, and keeps them in a
better and more durable working condition. Motion is given to the lubri-.
cating. sweep I by means of the cam wheel K. through the lever L; or, if it
should be preferred, a rock shaft, provided with suitable arms to connect it.
with the cam wheel K and sweep I, may be substituted for the said lever.
The wrist-pin box M receives the wrist pin of the crank O in its centre; and
is made to slide smoothly backward and forward within an opening or slot n³,
which is made for the purpose, along in the crank end of the pitman, N...
The crank O is arranged on the shaft of the cam wheel K. so as to permit,.
during its revolution, the mold frame B to remain stationary only whilst the
said cam wheel K operates the lubricating sweep I, the sliding of the box* M
in the slot causing this suspension of; the motion of the mold frame... The
two connecting rods, N, N³, serve together as a pitman' between the crank O.
and the mold frame B, the vertical lever N³ being employed between them, as
represented in Figures 1 and 2, for the purpose of enabling the person in
charge, to vary the extent of motion of the mold frame, Bas, occasion may,.
require. These variations are effected by changing the points of attachment?
between the rods N, N₁, and the vertical lever. No, the latter turning upon a
pivot;n', which is fixed to the lower part of the main frame. A,, substantially
in the upright position indicated in Figure 2.
:...
The Drawings represent only a single set of the molds H-and their operating
devices, but it is desired and intended to be understood that two like sets are:
to be applied and used in each brick machine, so that whilst one set of molds.
of the frame B is being cleared of its bricks by its sweep I, the other set
shall be under the hopper, receiving its due supply of clay, both sets of the
molds being in the same frame B, and each set having its respective piston
lifter F and mold clearer I operating substantially in the manner described
and set forth.
Having thus fully described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood also that
I do not intend to confine myself to the precise details of construction herein
set forth, provided the principles of the mechanical arrangement be retained;
but what I do claim is,-
First, the employment of the parallel A grooves 6', 6', along in the under
5 side of the mold frame B, in combination with the correspondingly beveled
supporting wheels C, C, and counter-pressure wheels D, D, the same being
arranged to operate together, substantially in the manner described and set
forth, for the purposes specified.
Second, I claim giving to the pistons E of the molds a positive downward
+

page_text: motion by means of the flanges e, or their equivalents, on their stems e³, in
combination with the retaining plates f, f, on the lifter F and the hook G,
on the frame B, or their equivalents, substantially as described, for the
purpose specified.
Third, I claim, in combination with the mold frame B and pistons E,
operating as described, arranging the molds H so that their narrower sides
shall form their mouths for receiving the clay, and the action of the pistons E
be directly against the lower side edges only of the bricks in pushing
the latter out of their moulds, as described and set forth, for the purposes
specified.
Fourth, I claim, in combination with the sweep or mold clearer I, the
oil box and lubricating roller or brush, the same being arranged to operate
together, substantially in the manner described and set forth, for the purposes
specified.
Fifth, I claim operating the mold clearer or lubricating sweep I in
the manner described, by means of the cam wheel K, for the purpose.
specified, using either the vibrating lever L or an adequate rock shaft.
provided with arms in connecting the said sweep and cam wheel together.
Sixth, I also claim the employment of the sliding box M, in combination
with the pitman of the mold frame B and the crank of the cam wheel K,
the same being arranged to operate together, substantially in the manner
described, for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
CHORCE HASELTINE
GEORGE HASELTINE (s.)