IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES SUITABLE TO BE USED AS WINDOW HEADS AND SILLS, LINTELS, AND OTHER SIMILAR PARTS OF BUILDINGS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Bird, Manager of Chance's Fire-brick Works,
near Dudley, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF ARTICLES SUITABLE TO BE USED AS WINDOW HEADS AND SILLS, LINTELS, AND
OTHER SIMILAR PARTS OF BUILDINGS."
Sealed the 3rd July 1857, and dated the 19th January 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Bird at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
January 1857.
I, JOHN BIRD, Manager of Chance's Fire-brick Works, near Dudley, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES SUITABLE TO BE USED AS WINDOW HEADS AND SILLS,
LINTELS, AND OTHER SIMILAR PARTS OF BUILDINGS," to be as follows:―
This Invention consists in manufacturing articles suitable to be used as
window heads, sills, lintels, and other similar parts of buildings from fire or
other clay in a dry or nearly dry state, by forcing it into a suitably formed
mould by a pressure sufficiently strong to cause the clay to retain the form
given to it by the mould after it is removed therefrom. The articles thus
moulded are burnt in a kiln, in which are three or more walls or supports,
across which the articles to be burnt rest, they being kept apart by separating
bricks. At the front of the kiln is a screw, which as the articles shrink

page_text: during the burning is used to force forward a block long enough to rest on all
the supports, so as to keep the articles constantly in contact with the separating
bricks, and never to leave them room enough to twist or get out of shape.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Bird in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th July 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BIRD, Manager of Chance's Fire-brick Works, near Dudley, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Bird, Her special licence that I, the said John Bird,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Bird, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with,, and no others, from time to time and at 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES SUITABLE TO BE USED AS WINDOW HEADS AND
SILLS, LINTELS, AND OTHER SIMILAR PARTS OF BUILDINGS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Bird, my executors or administra-
tors, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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 John Bird, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention consists in manufacturing articles suitable to be used as
window heads, sills, lintels, and other similar parts of buildings from fire or
other clay in a dry or nearly dry state, by forcing it into a suitably formed
mould by a pressure sufficiently strong to cause the clay to retain the form
given to it by the mould after it is removed therefrom. The articles thus

page_text: moulded are burned in a kiln, in which are three or more walls or supports,
across which the articles to be burnt rest, being kept apart by separating
bricks. At the front of the kiln is a screw, which as the articles shrink
during the burning is used to force forward a block long enough to rest on all
the supports, so as to keep the articles constantly in contact with the
separating bricks, and never leave them room enough to twist or get out of
shape.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe more fully the way in
which I prefer to conduct the manufacture. I prepare a mould, by preference
of cast iron, of the form of the article to be moulded, but allowing about
an inch to a foot for shrinkage. The mould is made in three parts, two of
these parts consist each of a side and an end, and they are so arranged that
they can be firmly keyed together, so as to form a four-sided trough, the third
piece forms the bottom of the mould, and has a moulded or ornamental face
suitable in character to the article to be produced. The mould thus formed
is placed on the table of a hydraulic press, and is filled with fire or other clay
(but I use fire clay by preference), reduced to a fine powder, and the sides of
the mould are made sufficiently high to contain the clay necessary to form the
article. Fixed to the top framing of the press is a plunger which just fits
into the mould, and when the press is set to work this plunger enters the
mould, and compresses the clay and makes it take the form of the mould.
When a pressure sufficient for this purpose has been applied, the ram of the
press is allowed to descend, and the mould is turned over to permit of the
removal of the article from the mould, the bottom is first lifted away, and
then the sides are removed. I would remark that articles suitable to be used
as window heads, sills, lintels, and other suitable parts of buildings may also be
moulded from tempered clay in the usual way, in place of from dry or nearly
dry clay, as above described.
In order to burn articles of this description so that they may not twist in
the burning, I place them in a kiln of the description shewn in the Drawing
annexed to this Specification. a, a, a, a, are the side walls of the kiln, and
b, b, b, are the fire holes arranged in the usual way; c, c, c, are three longitu-
dinal walls built on the floor of the kiln, and having numerous passages
through them to allow the heat to circulate. On the walls c, c, c, are placed
bearers of burnt fire clay d, d, and on these the articles e, e, are placed, the
ornamental face being uppermost; f, f, are blocks of burnt fire clay, which
are used to separate the articles, and these blocks are of such a depth as to
rise above the articles which they separate, so that another tier of articles may

page_text: be placed over the first tier without injuring them. Through the side walls
of the kiln at intervals holes are left, in which the blocks g, g, slide, and in
front of each of the blocks gan iron arch his built into the wall of the
kiln, and through the arch ha screw i works, so as to press the block
against the first of the separating blocks within the kiln. By turning the
screws i, i, from time to time as the burning progresses, and as the articles
shrink they are kept tightly held between the separating block and all twist-
ing is prevented.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bird, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seren.
INO DIDD
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
JNO BIRD. (S.)