IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK-MAKING MACHINES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Constantine Fawcett, of Leeds, in the
County of York, Engineer and Machine Maker, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK-MAKING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Constantine
Fawcett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 8th February 1873.
I, THOMAS CONSTANTINE FAWCETT, of Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer and Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRICK-MAKING MACHINES," to he as
follows:-
This Invention relates to improved construction of dies for pressing
and forming the face of the brick, and improved means and apparatus
for ensuring and securely holding the cylinder in proper position for the
action of the presser die, for operating the plungers for removing the
brick from the moulds when formed, for lubricating the plungers and
moulds, and also in the use and employment of a cam for actuating the

page_text: feed bar in lieu of a crank so as to distribute more evenly the pressure or
strain on such bar.
The die operated by the feed bar for forming the face of the brick and
the indentation therein I construct of two or more parts; that portion of
the die which forms the indentation is attached to the feed bar, the
other portion of the die which forms the surface or outer portion of the
face of the brick is made separate in order to facilitate the withdrawal or
separation between the dic and clay, and so prevent damage to the brick
on the withdrawal of the die, that is to say, on the return stroke of the
travelling bar, the portion of the die which forms the indentation in the
brick being attached to this bar is withdrawn a short distance from
the brick, leaving the outer portion of the die in contact with the brick
until the travelling bar by further retreating with the interior portion of
the die will bring the same in contact with pins or projections pro-
truding from the outer portion of the die, whereon the latter will be
withdrawn, and so a gradual separation of the two surfaces of the die
and the clay is effected, and damage to the moulded brick is avoided.
The apparatus for securing the cylinder in true position for the action
of the presser die consists of an annular ring or strip (mounted on the
boss of the clay cylinder) and having thereon a stop piece and a swell or
projection, the latter operating one arm of a lever so as to bring the
opposite end of the said lever in contact with the stop picce, when the
mould is by the rotation of the cylinder brought into true position for
the action of the presser die. The "to-and-fro" motion of the feed bar
imparts (by means of a connecting rod) to the ring or strap a recipro-
cating motion, whereon the said projection will come in contact with
and raise the end of the lever above the stop piece on the said ring.
The plungers for removing the bricks from the moulds I mount on
rods as usual, but such rods are made a little longer, so that when the
presser die acts on the clay the face of the plunger on the opposite end
of the rod will slightly protrude beyond the mouth or entrance of its
mould. The part of the plunger so protruding will be lubricated by a
brush or by passing through oil contained in a vessel for the purpose.
On the cylinder resuming rotation the protruding part of the plunger
will come in contact with a friction pulley or pulleys (or an incline may
be employed) forcing inward the plunger, and so slightly moving by the
plunger on the opposite end of the rod the pressed brick in the opposite
mould, so easing or reducing the strain on the feed bar, and ensuring

page_text: the better formation of the new brick. The moulds I lubricate by means
of a brush mounted on one end of a bell-crank lever. Projections or
fingers on the rim of the cylinder act on one arm of the said lever,
causing the opposite arm, to which an oil brush is attached, to descend,
and the brush is thus caused to enter and lubricate the mould there-
under.
The feed bar I operate by means of a cam groove in lieu of a crank
motion as heretofore employed, the cam groove being so formed as to
cause the gradual compression of the clay as fed to the mould, and so
equalizing the strain on the said bar and the die thereon.
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 8th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
CONSTANTINE FAWCETT, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer and
Machine Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Constantine Fawcett, Her
special licence that I, the said Thomas Constantine Fawcett, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Constan-
tine Fawcett, 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 BRICK-MAKING MACHINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Constantine Fawcett, my
executors or administrators, 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

page_text: Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Constantine Fawcett, 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 and accompanying Sheets of Drawings,
that is to say:
1
This Invention relates to improved construction of dies for pressing
and forming the face of the brick, and improved means and apparatus
for ensuring and securely holding the cylinder in proper position for the
action of the presser die, for operating the plungers for removing the
bricks from the moulds when formed, for lubricating the plungers and
moulds, and also in the use and employment of a cam for actuating the
feed bar in lieu of a crank, so as to distribute more evenly the pressure
or strain on such bar.
The die operated by the feed bar for forming the face of the brick and
the indentation therein I construct of two or more parts. That portion
of the die which forms the indentation is attached to the feed bar; the
other portion of the die which forms the surface or outer portion of the
face of the brick is made separate in order to facilitate the withdrawal
or separation between the die and clay, and so prevent damage to the
brick on the withdrawal of the die, that is to say, on the return stroke
of the travelling bar the portion of the die which forms the indentation
in the brick being attached to this bar is withdrawn a short distance
from the brick leaving the outer portion of the die in contact with the
brick until the travelling bar by further retreating with the interior
portion of the die will bring the same in contact with pins or projections
protruding from the outer portion of the die, whereon the latter will be
withdrawn, and so a gradual separation of the two surfaces of the die
and the clay is effected, and damage to the moulded brick is avoided.
The apparatus for securing the cylinder in true position for the action
of the presser die consists of an annular ring or strap (mounted on the
boss of the clay cylinder) and having thereon a stop piece and a swell or
projection, the latter operating one arm of a lever so as to bring the
opposite end of the said lever in contact with the stop piece when the
mould is by the rotation of the cylinder brought into true position for
the action of the presser die.
The to-and-fro motion of the feed bar

page_text: imparts (by means of a connecting rod) to the ring or strap a recipro-
cating motion, whereon the said projection will come in contact with
and raise the end of the lever above the stop piece on the said ring.
The plungers for removing the bricks from the moulds I mount on
rods as usual, but such rods are made a little longer, so that when the
presser die acts on the clay the face of the plunger on the opposite end
of the rod will slightly protrude beyond the mouth or entrance of its
mould. The part of the plunger so protruding will be lubricated by a
brush or by passing through oil contained in a vessel for the purpose.
On the cylinder resuming rotation, the protruding part of the plunger
will come in contact with a friction pulley or pulleys (or an incline may
be employed) forcing inward the plunger, and so slightly moving, by
the plunger on the opposite end of the rod, the pressed brick in the
opposite mould, so easing or reducing the strain on the feed bar, and
ensuring the better formation of the new brick. The moulds I lubricate
by means of a brush mounted on one end of a bell-crank lever. Pro-
jections or fingers on the rim of the cylinder act on one arm of the said
lever, causing the opposite arm, to which an oil brush is attached, to
descend, and the brush is thus caused to enter and lubricate the mould
thereunder.
The feed bar I operate by means of a cam groove in lieu of a crank
motion, as heretofore employed, the cam groove being so formed as to
cause the gradual compression of the clay as fed to the mould, and so
equalizing the strain on the said bar and the die thereon.
In order to explain the Invention fully I have hereunto annexed
three Sheets of Drawings of which the following is a description and of
the Invention generally.
The die A, operated by the feed bar B for forming the face of the
brick and the indentation therein, I construct of two or more parts.
That portion of the said die which forms the indentation is attached to
the said feed bar by bolts and cotter D; the other portion of the die
which forms the surface or outer portion of the face of the brick is made
separate in order to facilitate the withdrawal or separation between the
die and clay (see detail, Figs. 7, 8, & 9), and so prevent damage to the
brick on the withdrawal of the die, that is to say, on the return stroke
of the travelling bar the portion of the die which forms the indentation
in the brick being attached to this bar is withdrawn a short distance

page_text: 1
from the brick, leaving the outer portion of the die in contact with the
brick until the travelling bar, by further retreating with the interior
portion E of the die, will bring the same in contact with pins or pro-
jections E' protruding from the outer portion of the dic, whereon the
latter will be withdrawn, and so a gradual separation of the two surfaces
of the dic and the clay is effected, and damage to the moulded brick is
avoided.
The apparatus for securing the cylinder in true position for the action.
of the presser die consists of an annular ring or rings or straps F, F,
mounted on the boss G of the clay cylinder K', and having on such boss
stop picces N and a swell or projection K on the said annular rings
which operates the double arm of a lever J, so as to bring the opposite or
double end J¹ of the said lever in contact with the stop pieces N when
the mould is by the rotation of the cylinder brought into truc position
for the action of the presser die. The to-and-fro motion of the feed- bar
imparts (by means of a connecting rod) to the rings or straps F, F, a
reciprocating motion, or by the use of the crank L' mounted on the cam
shaft M, whereon the said projection will come in contact with and raise
the end of the lever J' above the stop pieces N on the said rings.
N, N¹, are catches held in position for engaging with the notches on
the boss G of the clay cylinder by means of the elastic band G¹, or by
springs.
The plungers for removing the bricks from the moulds I mount on
rods as usual, but such rods are made a little longer, so that when the
presser die acts on the clay, the face of the plunger on the opposite end
of the rod will slightly protrude beyond the mouth or entrance of its
mould. The part P of the plunger so protruding will be lubricated by a
brush or by passing through oil contained in a vessel R for the purpose.
On the cylinder resuming rotation, the protruding part P of the plunger
will come in contact with a friction pulley or pulleys S (or an incline a
may be employed) forcing inwards the plunger, and so slightly moving,
by the plunger on the opposite end of the rod, the pressed brick in the
opposite mould, so casing or reducing the strain on the feed bar, and
ensuring the better formation of the new brick.
The feed bar B I operate by means of the part C of the cam, the a
groove C¹ in which returns the said feed bar in lieu of a crank motion as
heretofore employed, the said part C being so formed as to cause the

page_text: gradual compression of the clay as fed to the mould, and so equalizing
the strain on the said bar and the die thereon.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this my said
Invention, I would have it understood that I claim,―
Firstly. The construction of the dies as and for the purpose herein
fully described.
Secondly. The apparatus for securing the clay cylinder in position
for the action of the presser die as described and illustrated by the
Drawings.
Thirdly. The apparatus for lubricating and for returning the plunger
with the moulds, as described.
Lastly. The cam and cam groove for operating the feed bar, as shewn
and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Constantine Fawcett, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Second day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
Witness,
0
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Tasker & Brierley,
THOS. C. FAWCETT. (L.S.)
Halifax, Bradford, & Blackburn.