Year: 1888

page_text: I WILLIAM LAMPAS GREGG of Philadelphia, in the County of Philadelphia, and
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in that class of brick machines which are
provided with an intermittently rotating mold table and mold boxes, having followers
for giving the clay successive pressures in the molds, and devices for removing the
bricks when pressed.
The object of my improvements is to vary the character of these successive
pressures, thereby producing a complete homogeneous and finished brick, and avoiding
the necessity of re-pressing. To this end it consists of the method and means, as
hereinafter described and claimed, for giving to the clay first, a developing upward
pressure in the molds, whereby the brick is developed and air and surplus clay
removed; then, a second simultaneous downward and upward pressure which gives
to the brick a solid, uniform, compact quality and shape; and finally, a third upward
pressure to further solidify the brick and give it a smooth, hard, finished form and
condition.
The disadvantages of a single pressure of a plunger on a mass of clay in a mold in
a brick machine is to leave the brick irregularly impacted and outlined. The dis-
advantage of successive pressures on one side of the clay in a mold is to leave that side
more firmly solidified than the other, there being sufficient molecular resistance in
the body of the clay against the impact to prevent the formation of a uniformly
homogeneous brick. The disadvantages of successive pressures first on one side and
then on another are, that successive uneven displacements of the particles take place,
preventing the formation of a thoroughly solidified brick with uniformly hard, sharp
edges. With these methods a re-pressing operation is necessary to produce a perfect
brick

page_text: position the part i be placed. When the part N is at its lowest position, this part i
will be horizontal. As the part N is raised tho parti assumes an inclined position.
N is provided with a slot o, into which passes a pin which serves as a guide.
P is a hopper pivoted to the machine.
Q, fig. 6 is a gear wheel driven by a pinion (not shown).
R is the main shaft driven by the wheel Q.
S is a mitre wheel on the shaft R.
T Fig. 1 is a vertical shaft, on the lower end of which is a mitre wheel U, engaging
with the mitre wheel S.
pis a face plate on the top of hub q, which hub is keyed to the shaft T.
d' is a mutilated pinion secured to the hub q. (See Figs. 1 and 9).
A' is a rod connected at one end to the pivoted hopper and at the other end to the
coiled spring el.
is a lever one end of which is pivoted to the bar A' and the other end engages
with the teeth of the mutilated pinion d¹.
B, Fig. 4, is a mutilated pinion engaging with the mold table, and being so
arranged that one revolution of the pinion B', gives to the mold table one-sixth of a
revolution.
O is a cam which is bolted to this mutilated gear. The plate which carries the
cain is provided with slots g', so that the cam can be adjusted on B¹.
D' is a bar forked at its outer end, and having upon its inner end, as shown, three
teeth, which engage with notches i, of which, as shown, there are five in the side of
the mold boxes.
E' is a bar which is bolted to the fork of D'.
jis a latch pivoted at k¹ to the frame and at to D", which latch has a hook m³, at
its free end.
n' is a roller supported on a pin which is bolted to E', the roller being arranged in
the groove of the cam C¹, Figs. 1 and 4.
F is a counter pressure plate against which the brick are pressed from below. This
plate extends from a point near the hopper around to the opposite side of the machine
as far as required. The parts of this plate which are between those parts which
receive the pressure are cut away somewhat, as shown in the drawings to save metal.
and also at its central portion in order to admit of the action of the intermediate unner
pressure followers.
There are three pressure levers, G¹ Fig. 2, H¹ Fig. 1, and I Fig. 2 to operate the
lower followers. G₁ and I are pivoted at their outer ends to the frame, as shown i
Fig. 2. His pivoted to a hanger r¹, Figs. 1 and 3. The lever G₁ is operated by a
cam J', on the shaft R, which cam has pivoted to it rollers s', which are arranged
under and come in contact with the inner end of the lever G¹, which is forked, (see
Fig. 1) raising the same as the shaft R rotates, and thereby raising the pressure block
or piston K', which is located in a casing or cylinder t, the casing and piston both
being slotted for the passage of the lever G. This casing is provided with flanges
on opposite sides at the bottom and also near the top. The bottom flanges are bolted
to the bed-plate and the upper flanges are bolted to the track. That part of the track
lettered a¹ is disconnected from the remaining portion, and is let into the pressure
block K', and raises and falls with it, recesses being provided in the top or upper edge
of the casing to receive u². The inner end of the pressure lever I passes into the
forked end of the lever G³, and is provided with a roller, of, and this lever is operated

page_text: by the main body of the cam J', which comes in contact with the roller r', the other
lever G being operated, as hefore stated, by the same cam J', through the rollers a'.
(See Figs. 1 & 6).
10 is a casing similar to t'.
L' is a pressure block or piston similar to K'.
a' is a movable piece of track similar to u. 6" is another casing similar to t¹.
M is a pressure block similar to K¹.
el is a movable piece of track similar to u'.
The pressure block M extends down below the shaft, and is provided with a largo
passage through which the main shaft R passes. This pressure block rests at its lower
end on a roller d', in arms e, pivoted to the hanger, which roller rests on an upward
projection from the lever H. This lever is operated by means of a crank, f*, secured
to the shaft R, and a pitmang. (See Figs. 1 and 6). The lovers G Hare each
supported on an eccentric ", on a pin i", and by changing the position of the pin the
lover enn bo slightly raised or lowered, and the pin can be held in any desired
position by a set screw j", or other device.
411
H is an upper follower for giving a downward pressure against the upward
pressure given by the lower mild follower H. It is shown in detail in Figure 14.
It is keyed on to an upper shaft R' by means of a strap R and curries an eccentric R.
The shaft R' has its bearings in standards SSS which are bolted to the main truss
and to the housing. Q is a wheel mounted on shaft R' gearing with driving wheel Q
on the lower innin shaft. The gears just mentioned having the samo number
of teeth, and the bottom foliowers being driven by shaft R, it follows by this arrange-
ment that a simultaneous top and bottom pressure is given by the top and bottom
followers H, H³.
W is a swab for cleaning and oiling the molds, and is shown in detail in figure 15.
It is provided on its upper end with a yoke W and at the lower end is divided into
followers extending into the molds and carrying at their ends and sides, cleaning
material such as sheep-skin or sponge. The swab is driven by a crank 5, and crank
pin 6, working in the yoke W. The yoke is provided with a stem 7, guided by an å
arched standard W, bolted firmly to the main truss. When operated the swab will
be pressed into the molds against the head of a follower, so that any particles of clay
or dust adhering to the sides of the mold or to the follower head will be removed
thereby, and the mold at the same time oiled.
Nis a housing which stiffens the frame and incloses the mutilated gear, and
furnishes protection against injury therefrom. This housing is secured to the bod
plate and extends upward therefrom. (See Figs. 1 & 6).
are tubes secured in the pressure plate and extending up through the truss D
for the passage of surplus clay under the first pressure. This truss is provided with
upwardly extending projections", which form a partial box to receive the discharged
surplus clay, (see Fig. 10). The pins which support the rollers at the lower end of
the follower-stems project a little beyond such stems, and the ends of those pins, passing
under the flanges m" on the bars a", bring the follower stems down upon the track
after they have been raised to give pressure to the brick. The ends of the bars n",
Fig. 3, are suitably secured in place.
In Fig. 7 I have shown weights o", hung upon pendants from the part N, which
weights may be used to aid in holding N in place.
The operation is as follows: The mold table remains at rost a portion of the time,
being driven by a mutilated pinion. When at rest, one of the mold boxes will bo
beneath the hopper, and then clay will be fed to such mold box. When the mold
table again starts, the filled mold box will pass under the counter pressure plate F', the
surplus clay being swept off. The machinery is so timed that when the mold box
reaches the point for the first pressure at o', Fig. 4. the mold table will stop while
pressure is being given. The mold table will then again move and will be again
brought to rest, and this operation will be continuously repeated. The brick receives
three pressures the first pressure at o', the double pressure at p², and the third pressure
at q'. When the machinery is fairly in operation, the pressure levers at these three

page_text: points will be operated simultaneously by the rotation of the shaft R. The first
pressure at the point o' is given through the lover G', the operation of which has been
before explained; but it may be further stated that by the raising of the lever G¹ and
the pressure block K' the follower steins which rest upon K' will be raised with their
followers, giving the brick the first pressure. The second bottom pressure at the
point p' is given through the operation of the lever H¹, one end of which is raised by
the rotation of the shaft through the crank f" and pitman 9", the raising of which
lever also raises the pressure block M', and with it carries up the follower stems which
are supported on M. At the same time a top pressure is given by the upper plunger H³
by the operation of the eccentric R³ on the upper shaft R¹.
The third pressure is given by the lever 1, which, as before stated, is operated by
the rotation of the shaft R, through the cam J', acting upon the roller v' at the inner
end of the lover I', the raising of which lever raises the pressure block L.
The bar D, with the teeth upon the end thereof, serves as a locking device to
hold the mold table at rest while the pressure is being given to the brick. This
locking device is operated by the rotation of the mutilated gear wheel B¹ and the
cam and roller n'. The latch fis operated in the same manner and at the same
time, being pivoted to B¹; but the free end of the latch travels a little faster than its
center, so that the hook m¹ will be brought into position to engage with one of the
mold boxes before the lock has fairly entered the notches, and this latch will arrest
the movement of the mold table at the proper point, even though its momentum should
have a tendency to drive it a little too far."
It has been found in some instances when the brick is pressed by the flat plate of a
follower against a flat surface that the edges of the same will be less compactly pressed
than the body of the brick and thus made liable to cramble. To obviate this objection,
I make the face of the plate of the follower H³ convex as shown, so that in the step
giving the top and bottom pressure a thin upward projecting fin of clay will be formed
on the edges of the brick. The result is that on giving the brick its final pressure
the edges of the brick instead of being weak or crumbling will be made sharp and as
hard and solid as the body.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare what I
claim is―
1. The process of manufacturing brick, consisting first, in supplying clay to the
mold, second, giving the clay a single pressure from one side of the mold, whereby
the brick is developed, third, giving the clay a simultaneous double pressure from
both sides of the mold, and fourth, giving the clay a final single pressure to complete,
solidify and finish the brick, substantially as described.
2. The mode of manufacturing brick consisting first in supplying the clay to the
mold, second, giving the clay an upward pressure whereby the brick is developed and
air and surplus clay expelled, third, giving the clay a final upward pressure to
complete, solidify and finish the brick, substantially as described.
3. In a brick machine the combination of the series of upward pressure followers
and the intermediate upward and downward pressure followers, whereby successive
upward pressures, and an intermediate upward and downward pressure are given to
the brick, substantially as described.
4. The combination, in a brick machine, of an intermittently revolving mold table
and mold boxes, the downward pressure followers, the bottom pressure followers, the
connected top and bottom shafting, and the cleaning device mounted on said top
shafting, whereby clay in different sets of mold boxes is pressed, and one set of mold
boxes is cleaned at a simultaneous operation, substantially as described.
5. The combination in a brick machine, of the revolving mold table, and mold
boxes, the shafting carrying one set of followers, and the cleaning device W, operated
by said shaft, and provided with a yoke W³, stem 7, and the crank, crank pin, and
arched standard W substantially as described.
6. The combination in a brick machine with an intermittently revolving mold table

page_text: and mold boxes, the lower and upper shafts RR. the connecting gear Q, Q', the
top plunger the eccentric and eccentric strap and the bottom pressure followers
carried by said mold table, substantially as and for the purposes described.
n
7. In a brick machine, in combination with the rotating table and molds, the top
follower, the upper and lower shafts and the connected gearing, the bottom follower H,
the pressure lever H₁, crank and piiman g" whereby the simultaneous top and
bottom pressure is effected, substantially as described.
8. In a brick machine in combination with the rointing table and molds the upper
shaft and lower shafts and the connecting gearing, the swab secured to said upper
shaft, the follower provided with a hond e, and the supporting track, whereby said
swab is pressed down against the head of said follower, substantially as described.
9. The combination in a brick machine of the downward pressure follower H
provided with a convex pressure plate as shown, and bottom pressure followers provided
with pressure plates having flat upper surfaces and a counter pressure plate, whereby
in giving the top and bottom pressure a thin upwardly projecting fin of clay will be
formed on the edges of the brick which upon the final, upward pressure will ho
compressed and forins the solid sharp edge of the brick, substantially as described.
10. The improved machine for manufacturing bricks shewn in and described with
reference to the annexed drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of July 1888.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Por F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London. W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.