IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK MAKING MACHINERY
Year: 1880

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 25th day of July 1887, amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Constantine Fawcett, of Leeds, in the County of
York, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK MAKING
MACHINERY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Constantine Fawcett
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th January 1880.
THOMAS CONSTANTINE FAWCETT, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK MAKING MACHINERY."
This Invention relates,-
Firstly. To the clay mixer or apparatus employed in mixing clay in an open
vessel, its object being to more thoroughly mix the clay, and my improvements
consist in the employment of two screws or shafts having vanes or wings thereon,
and, by preference, these shafts are caused to revolve at different speeds, by which
means the clay is more thoroughly mixed than is now the case with one screw or
shaft. When these screws or shafts are required to travel the material quickly
forward through the vessel, the vanes or wings are made spirally like the thread of
a screw, but if the clay is required to travel slowly or remain in the vessel a longer
time, the vanes are arranged on the shaft so that, say, every alternate vano shall be
spiral and the other straight or at right angles to the shaft.
Secondly. The Invention relates to the construction of the pan of a mortar mill
in which clay or other material is ground or crushed, and the improvements consist
in making the skeleton part of the pan with wrought iron arms secured in a cast
iron boss. The rim or side of the pan may be bolted or otherwise fastened to the
wrought iron arms, by which means a considerable weight of metal is saved and the
pan is much lighter, requiring less power to drive, and the breakages caused by
expansion and contraction, which were of frequent occurence when composed entirely
of cast iron, is avoided.
Thirdly. The Invention relates to vertical brick making machines which have
hitherto been constructed with a die or mould without bottom, so that when the
clay or newly formed brick has been forced through the said die the pressure
thereon has made the brick round on its upper and lower sides, and consequently
when two or more bricks have been placed one upon the other they have not laid
firm and flat.

page_text: My Invention is intended to avoid this unevenness in the bricks and to form them
with perfectly flat sides, which I accomplish by applying a moveable bottom to the
die or mould working in slides. This moveable bottom has an "indent" thereon,
and when the brick is formed the said moveable bottom is caused to lift the brick
out of the die onto a plate or table made to receive it, and thus the two round sides
of a brick made in this class of machine is avoided.
Fourthly. The Invention relates to a new construction of plastic brick machine,
and consists in the use and employment of a mixing machine for mixing and
depositing the clay into a cylinder, which is then pushed forward by means of a
piston into a die or mould, when portions the form and size of a brick are cut off by
knives or wires. In order to discharge the air which gets into the cylinder between
the clay and piston at each return stroke thereof holes are made in the cylinder
for the air to escape, or instead of allowing air to get into the cylinder steam is
admitted and forced by the pressure of the piston into the clay, which soon condenses
by the coolness of the clay, and the moisture thereby obtained is utilized in
softening the clay.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Constantine Fawcett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th July 1880.
THOMAS CONSTANTINE FAWCETT, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK MAKING MACHINERY."
This Invention relates,—
"
Firstly. To the clay mixer or apparatus employed in mixing clay in an open
vessel, my object being to mix the clay more thoroughly. Figs. 1, 2, and 3, of the
accompanying Drawings represents side elevation, plan, and end view of a clay
mixer constructed according to my Invention. A is a hollow vessel through which
pass the two screws or shafts B, B', having wings or vanes C thereon. The wings
or vanes are fixed diagonally across the axis of the shaft on the ordinary "screw
principle, the "pitch" being regulated according to the speed with which it is
desired to propel the clay through the vessel, and if a very slow speed be required
a portion of the vanos, say, every alternate one, shall be spiral and the other at
right angles to the shaft. The two shafts revolve in different directions, and by
preference at different speeds, by which means the clay is more thoroughly mixed
than is now effected by the use of only one screw or shaft.
Secondly. The Invention relates to the construction of the plan of a mortar mill
or perforated clay grinding pan, and my improvements consists in making the
skeleton part of the pan with wrought iron arms secured in a cast or wrought iron
boss. The rim or side of the pan may be bolted or otherwise fastened to the
wrought iron arms, by which means a considerable weight of metal is saved, and
the pan is much lighter, requiring less power to drive, and the breakages caused by
expansion and contraction, which have heretofore been of frequent occurrence, are
avoided. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate plan view and vertical section of a pan constructed
with cast iron boss A, the arms B being formed of wrought iron and secured to the
boss by being "cast-in." The rim or flange C is bolted to the arms, and the
perforated bottom grates D are also secured to the arms by bolting. Should the
boss A be formed of wrought iron instead of cast the arms B may be bolted thereto.
Grinding pans so constructed can be taken to pieces and therefore are more convenient
for transport besides possessing the advantages above mentioned.
Thirdly. The Invention relates to vertical brick making machines which have
hitherto been constructed with a die or mould without bottoin, so that when the
clay or newly formed brick has been forced through the said die the pressure
thereon has made the brick round on its upper and lower sides, and consequently
when two or more bricks have been placed one upon the other they have not laid
firm and flat. My Invention is intended to avoid this uneveness and to form the
bricks with perfectly flat sides, and the manner in which I accomplish this will be
understood on reference to Fig. 6, which is vertical section of pug mill and mould.
A is the pug mill, underneath which is a double mould B worked backwards and
forwards in slides by connecting rods C. The moulds B have moveable bottoms D,
and after the clay has been pressed into the mould, and the latter then removed
from under the pug mill, the moveable bottom is caused to lift the brick out of the
die onto a plate or table made to receive it, and thus the two round sides of a brick
made in this class of machine is avoided.

page_text: Fourthly. The Invention relates to a new construction of plastic brick machine
and consists in the use and employment of a mixing machine for mixing and
depositing the clay into a cylinder, which is then pushed forward by means of a
piston into a die or mould, when portions the form and size of a brick are cut off
by knives or wires. Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively elevation and sectional plan of
my machine, in which A is the barrel or cylinder for holding the clay; B, the
plunger working in the barrel; C, a clay mixer fixed over an opening in the
cylinder; D, the die or mouth piece for forming pipes, bricks, or tiles; E is connecting
rod from plunger to radial arm F; G is crank for working radial arm; and H, the
main driving shaft. The clay being deposited into the cylinder by the mixing
machine is pushed forward by the plunger through the die or mouthpiece D, and
portions the form and size of a brick are cut off by knives or wires. In order to
discharge the air which gets into the cylinder between the clay and piston at each
return stroke thereof holes are made in the cylinder for the air to escape, or steam
may be admitted to the cylinder so as to excludo tho air, and the steam condensing
the moisture resulting therefrom is useful to soften the clay.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the precise details herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention, but I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly. The use and employment of two screws or shafts, B and B', for mixing
and propelling forward the material, substantially as described and illustrated in
Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
Secondly Firstly. The construction of a grinding pan having wrought iron arms
and cast or wrought iron boss, substantially as described and illustrated.
Thirdly Secondly. The construction of a grinding pan having the rim or side
bolted and attached to separate arms, substantially as described and illustrated in
Figs. 4 and 5.
Fourthly. The moveable bottom D for lifting the bricks out of a die in a vertical
brick machine, for the purpose onbstantially as described and shewn in Fig. 6.
Fifthly. The combination of the parts A, B, C, and D for forming plustic bricks,
substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Constantino Fawcett, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Constantine Fawcett, of Leeds, in the County of
York, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK MAKING
MACHINERY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Constantine Fawcett
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th January 1880.
THOMAS CONSTANTINE FAWCETT, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK MAKING MACHINERY."
This Invention relates,-
Firstly. To the clay mixer or apparatus employed in mixing clay in an open
vessel, its object being to more thoroughly mix the clay, and my improvements
consist in the employment of two screws or shafts having vanes or wings thereon,
and, by preference, these shafts are caused to revolve at different speeds, by which
means the clay is more thoroughly mixed than is now the case with one screw or
shaft. When these screws or shafts are required to travel the material quickly
forward through the vessel, the vanes or wings are made spirally like the thread of
a screw, but if the clay is required to travel slowly or remain in the vessel a longer
time, the vanes are arranged on the shaft so that, say, every alternate vane shall be
spiral and the other straight or at right angles to the shaft.
Secondly. The Invention relates to the construction of the pan of a mortar mill
in which clay or other material is ground or crushed, and the improvements consist
in making the skeleton part of the pan with wrought iron arms secured in a cast
iron boss. The rim or side of the pan may be bolted or otherwise fastened to the
wrought iron arms, by which means a considerable weight of metal is saved and the
pan is much lighter, requiring less power to drive, and the breakages caused by
expansion and contraction, which were of frequent occurence when composed entirely
of cast iron, is avoided.
Thirdly. The Invention relates to vertical brick making machines which have
hitherto been constructed with a die or mould without bottom, so that when the
clay or newly formed brick has been forced through the said die the pressure
thereon has made the brick round on its upper and lower sides, and consequently
when two or more bricks have been placed one upon the other they have not laid
firm and flat.

page_text: My Invention is intended to avoid this unevenness in the bricks and to form them
with perfectly flat sides, which I accomplish by applying a moveable bottom to the
die or mould working in slides. This moveable bottom has an "indent" thereon,
and when the brick is formed the said moveable bottom is caused to lift the brick
out of the die onto a plate or table made to receive it, and thus the two round sides
of a brick made in this class of machine is avoided.
Fourthly. The Invention relates to a new construction of plastic brick machine,
and consists in the use and employment of a mixing machine for mixing and
depositing the clay into a cylinder, which is then pushed forward by means of a
piston into a die or mould, when portions the form and size of a brick are cut off by
knives or wires. In order to discharge the air which gets into the cylinder between
the clay and piston at each return stroke thereof holes are made in the cylinder
for the air to escape, or instead of allowing air to get into the cylinder steam is
admitted and forced by the pressure of the piston into the clay, which soon condenses
by the coolness of the clay, and the moisture thereby obtained is utilized in
softening the clay.

page_text: cylinder; D, the die or mouth piece for forming pipes, bricks, or tiles; E is connecting
rod from plunger to radial arm F; G is crank for working radial arm; and H, the
main driving shaft. The clay being deposited into the cylinder by the mixing
machine is pushed forward by the plunger through the die or mouthpiece D, and
portions the form and size of a brick are cut off by knives or wires. In order to
discharge the air which gets into the cylinder between the clay and piston at each
return stroke thereof holes are made in the cylinder for the air to escape, or steam
may be admitted to the cylinder so as to exclude the air, and the steam condensing
the moisture resulting therefrom is useful to soften the clay.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the precise details herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention, but I claim as my Invention,―
Firstly. The use and employment of two screws or shafts, B and B¹, for mixing
and propelling forward the material, substantially as described and illustrated in
Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
Secondly. The construction of a grinding pan having wrought iron arms and cast
or wrought iron boss, substantially as described and illustrated.
Thirdly. The construction of a grinding pan having the rim or side bolted and
attached to separate arms, substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.
Fourthly. The moveable bottom D for lifting the bricks out of a die in a vertical
brick machine, for the purpose substantially as described and shewn in Fig. 6.
Fifthly. The combination of the parts A, B, C, and D for forming plastic bricks,
substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Constantine Fawcett, have_hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord Oue
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ATLAS A

page_text: the said Thomas Constantine Fawcett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th July 1880.
THOMAS CONSTANTINE FAWCETT, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK MAKING MACHINERY."
This Invention relates,-
" screw
Firstly. To the clay mixer or apparatus employed in mixing clay in an open
vessel, ny object being to mix the clay more thoroughly. Figs. 1, 2, and 3, of the
accompanying Drawings represents side elevation, plan, and end view of a clay
mixer constructed according to my Invention. A is a hollow vessel through which
pass the two screws or shafts B, B', having wings or vanes C thereon. The wings
or vanes are fixed diagonally across the axis of the shaft on the ordinary
principle, the "pitch" being regulated according to the speed with which it is
desired to propel the clay through the vessol, and if a very slow speed be required
a portion of the vanes, say, every alternate one, shall be spiral and the other at
right angles to the shaft. The two shafts revolve in different directions, and by
preference at different speeds, by which means the clay is more thoroughly mixed
than is now effected by the use of only one screw or shaft.
Secondly. The Invention relates to the construction of the pan of a mortar mill
or perforated clay grinding pan, and my improvements consist in making the
skeleton part of the pan with wrought iron arms secured in a cast or wrought iron
boss. The rim or side of the pan may be bolted or otherwise fastened to the
wrought iron arms, by which means a considerable weight of metal is saved, and
the pan is much lighter, requiring less power to drive, and the breakages caused by
expansion and contraction, which have heretofore been of frequent occurrence, are
avoided. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate plan view and vertical section of a pan constructed
with cast iron boss A, the arms B being formed of wrought iron and secured to the
boss by being "cast-in." The rim or flange C is bolted to the arms, and the
perforated bottom grates D are also secured to the arms by bolting. Should tho
boss A be formed of wrought iron instead of cast the arms B may be bolted thereto.
Grinding pans so constructed are more convenient for transport besides possessing
the advantages above mentioned.
Thirdly. The Invention relates to vertical brick making machines which havo
hitherto been constructed with a die or mould without bottom, so that when the
clay or newly formed brick has been forced through the said dio the pressure
thereon has made the brick round on its upper and lower sides, and consequently
when two or more bricks have been placed one upon the other they have not laid
firm and flat. My Invention is intended to avoid this uneveness and to form the
bricks with perfectly flat sides, and the manner in which I accomplish this will be
understood on reference to Fig. 6, which is vertical section of pug mill and mould.
A is the pug mill, underneath which is a double mould B worked backwards and
forwards in slides by connecting rod C. The moulds B have moveable bottoms D,
and after the clay has been pressed into the mould, and the latter then removed
from under the pug mill, the moveable bottom is caused to lift the brick out of the
die onto a plate or table made to receive it, and thus the two round sides of a brick
made in this class of machine is avoided.
Fourthly. The Invention relates to a new construction of plastic brick machine,
and consists in the use and employment of a mixing machine for mixing and
depositing the clay into a cylinder, which is then pushed forward by means of a
piston into a die or mould, when portions the form and size of a brick are cut off
by knives or wires. Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively elevation and sectional plan of
my machine, in which A is the barrel or cylinder for holding the clay; B, the
plunger working in the barrel; C, a clay mixer fixed over an opening in the