IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN MAKING BRICKS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTIC SUBSTANCES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Henry Murray, of Loman Street, Southwark, in
the County of Surrey, Machinist, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN MAKING BRICKS AND SIMILAR
ARTICLES FROM PLASTIC SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Henry Murray at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th September 1880.
CHARLES HENRY MURRAY, of Loman Street, Southwark, in the County of
Surrey, Machinist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
IN MAKING BRICKS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTIC SUBSTANCES."
The first part of this Invention has referenco to what are well known as Murray's
patent brick cutting tables, and similar apparatus (No. 1581, A.D. 1866), in which
a column of clay or plastic substance, after issuing from the mouth or "die" of a
moulding machine, is divided into lengths, each sufficient to make from eight to
twelve or other convenient number of bricks. Each such length is then successively
moved forward over a series of rollers on to a table, to be then cut into blocks for
bricks or other articles.
It has been usual heretofore for the brackets or standards carrying the rollers on
which the clay is received from the mouth or "die" of the moulding machine, and
which carries it to the table, to be rigid throughout their whole length, and to be
rigidly connected to the table. This arrangement has the disadvantage of preventing
easy access to the die, which is necessary for various purposes. Now, according to
the present Invention, this disadvantage is obviated in the following manner :-
Instead of mounting the rollers in stationary bearings, I hinge or otherwise suitably
joint the brackets or frames containing their bearings, so that these brackets or
frames may when desired be turned upwards or swung round out of the way.
My Invention further relates to the cutting wires of apparatus of the kind referred
to, whereby such wires may when required be so arranged as to cut the clay or
plastic substance into blocks of a bevel shape, suitable for bricks for arches, culverts,
or other uses. To this end, I employ hooks so arranged as, when blocks of the
shape referred to are required to be produced, to be attached to the cutting wires,
and by screwing or other means to cause parts of the said wires to incline toward
71

page_text: one another. When bricks of the ordinary shape are required, the hooks are
removed, and the wires resume their normal vertical position.
My Invention relates in the next place to a modification of the apparatus described
in the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, dated 9 February 1871,
No. 336, for making that class of bricks in which one end or part of the brick is
formed with an ornamental moulding, so that such bricks may be used to form
ornamental string courses, cornices, or bands in buildings constructed of bricks, and
also for making bricks of various forms and shapes. According to my present
Invention, the clay or plastic material is shaped or formed as before, by means of
templates and a cutting wire. The templates, which correspond to the section of
the intended brick, are arranged on a suitable bed plate; one of the templates is
fixed to the bed plate, the other sliding in guides on the bed plate, so that it can be
pushed towards or drawn away from the fixed template as required. The lump of
clay-being-first-formed or cut into a size and shape approximating to that of the
intended brick, is placed on the bed plate between the two templates. The moveable
template is then pushed towards the other, so that the lump of clay is firmly
held between the two. By drawing a wire over the edges of the templates, the clay
which projects beyond such edges is removed, leaving the clay between them of the
shape required for the intended brick. The moveable template being then with-
drawn, the clay may be removed, and a fresh lump of clay put into its place..
When bricks of a different shape are required to be made, fresh templates of the
-necessary shape are arranged on the bed plate. The cutting wire to be used for
removing the clay projecting beyond the edges of the templates may be arranged
in a frame, as described in my former Patent referred to. I may however use an
improved frame, whereon the wire is fixed and effectually tightened up. This
improved frame is composed mainly of two bent levers, each end of the wire being
hold by one part of the frame. By causing the two lever ends that form handles
to be brought closely together, the wire is stretched between the two other ends,
and can be so retained by a link or ring. The workman can use this apparatus
with one hand.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Henry Murray in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th March 1881.
CHARLES HENRY MURRAY, of Loman Street, Southwark, in the County of
Surrey, Machinist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
IN MAKING BRICKS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTIC SUBSTANCES."
The first part of this Invention has reference to what are well known as
Murray's patent brick cutting tables and similar apparatus, in which a column
of clay or plastic substance, after issuing from the mouth or "die" of a moulding
machine, is divided into lengths, each sufficient to make from eight to twelve
or other convenient number of bricks. Each such length is then successively moved
forward over a series of rollers on to a table, to be then cut into blocks for bricks
or other articles.
It has been usual heretofore for the brackets or standards carrying the rollers on
which the clay is received from the mouth or "dio" of the moulding machine, and
which carries it to the table, to be rigid throughout their whole length, and to be
rigidly connected to the table. This arrangement has the disadvantage of preventing
easy access to the die, which is necessary for various purposes. Now according to
the present Invention this disadvantage is obviated in the following manner :-
Instead of mounting the rollers in stationary bearings I hinge or otherwise suitably
joint the brackets or frames containing their bearings, so that these brackets or
frames may, when desired, be turned upwards or swung round out of the way.
Referring to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation
shewing one of the brackets or standards, also the rollers on which the clay is
received from the mouth or die of the moulding machine. A is the cutting table;
B, one of the standards or brackets which carry the rollers; C, C, C, on which the
clay is received from the mouth or die of the moulding machine, and which carry
it to the table A; D is a joint around which the brackets B (only one of which is
seen in the Drawing) can be rotated so as to bring them into the position shewn
in dotted lines, so that easy access can be obtained to the die; E is a fixed rod or
bar terminating in a screw and nut, and whereby the brackets can be maintained
in their raised position as indicated by dotted lines.
My Invention relates in the next place to a modification of the apparatus
described in the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, dated 9 February
1871, No. 336, for making that class of bricks in which one end or part of the
brick is formed with an ornamental moulding, so that such bricks may be used to
form ornamental string courses, cornices, or bands in buildings constructed of
bricks, and also for making bricks and the like of various forms and shapes as, for
for examples, what are known as bull nosc, splay, culvert arches, coping bricks,
garden, and ridge tiles. According to my present Invention, the clay or plastic
material is shaped or formed as before, by means of templates and a cutting wire.
The templates, which correspond to the section of the intended brick, are arranged
on a suitable bed plate. One of the templates is fixed to the bed plate, the other
sliding in guides on the bed plate, so that it can be pushed towards or drawn away
from the fixed template as required, or both of the templates may be moveable and
capable of sliding in the guide. The lump of clay being first formed or cut into a
size and shape approximating to that of the intended brick is placed on the bed
plate between the two templates. The moveable template is then pushed towards
the other, or if both templates are moveable they are both advanced towards one
another, so that the lump of clay is firmly held between the two. By drawing a
wire over the edges of the templates the clay which projects beyond such edges is
removed, leaving the clay between them of the shape required for the intended
brick.
The moveable template, or both templates being then withdrawn, the clay may
be removed and a fresh lump of clay put into its place.

page_text: When bricks of a different shape are required to be made, fresh templates of the
necessary shape are arranged on the bed plate. The cutting wire to be used for
removing the clay projecting beyond the edges of the templates may be arranged
in a frame, as described in my former Patent referred to.
Referring now to Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the Drawings, Fig. 2 shews a sido
elevation of the apparatus for forming bricks with an ornamental moulding; Fig. 3
is an end elevation; Fig. 4, a plan, and Fig. 5 an inverted plan of the same without
the standard; A (Figs. 2 and 3) is a standard carrying the table B of the apparatus
for forming bricks with an ornamental moulding; C, C, aro templates shaped to
the required contour of the bricks, and capable of being moved nearer together or
farther apart; E, E, are slide blocks moving in the slide D under the action of
the links F, F, and hand lever G; H is an adjustable gauge, which determines the
position of the block of clay or plastic material lengthwise.
In operation the clay or plastic material having been first formed or cut into a
size and shape approximating to that of the intended brick is placed on the bed
plate or table B between the two templates C, C, which are then pressed towards
one another by moving the handle G. The clay which projects beyond the
templates is then separated by a wire, leaving the remainder of such a size as is
required for the intended brick, which, after the templates have been moved back
again, can be removed and a fresh lump of clay put in its place. I may use an
improved frame whereon the wire is fixed and effectually tightened up, as shown
in Figs. 6 and 7. This improved frame is composed mainly of two bent levers A B,
each end of the wire C being held by one part of the frame. By causing the two
lever ends that form handles A*, B*, to be brought closely together, the wire is
stretched between the two other ends, and can be so retained by a link or ring D.
The workman can use this apparatus with one hand. In my Provisional Specification
I proposed that the cutting wires of apparatus of the kind hereinbefore referred to
should, when required, be so arranged as to cut the clay or plastic substance into
blocks of a bevil shape suitable for bricks for arches, culverts, or other uses.
To this end I contemplated employing hooks so arranged as, when blocks of the
shape referred to wero required to be produced, to be attached to the cutting wires,
and by screwing or other means to cause parts of the said wires to incline toward
one another. When bricks of the ordinary shape were required, the hooks were to
be removed, and the wires would resume their normal vertical position. However,
I do not now attach importance to or claim this arrangement.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
carrying it into practical effect, what I claim is,-
1. In apparatus in which a column of clay or plastic substance, after issuing
from the mouth or die of a moulding machine, is divided into lengths, each sufficient
to make several bricks, hinging or jointing the brackets or standards that carry
the rollers on which the clay is received from the mouth or die of the moulding
machine in such manner that these brackets or standards may, when desired, be
turned upwards or swung round so as to allow of easy access to the die, substantially
as described.
2. The arrangement of apparatus, operated by hand, for shaping green bricks
and similar articles, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5
of tho Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Henry Murray, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one