for Potters' Use.
Year: 1885

page_text: for Potters' Use.
I, JOHN WILSON of 9 Rutland Place Govan Road, Glasgow, Renfrewshire,
Commission Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to utilise fire clay as a substitute for ball or pipe
clay in the manufacture of articles of pottery such as Rockingham ware and stone-
ware generally.clay tobacco pipes and similar articles.
To that end after grinding I mix fire clay with water to form a thin paste or
cream and into the vessel containing such paste.or cream I run a stream of water
which serves to agitate the mixture and maintain in suspension the finer and
lighter particles of the fire clay which are carried off by the water to a settling
tank or tanks. The fine fire-clay obtained by deposition in the settling tank is
partially dried and balled ready for use by the potter. The ware formed from fire
clay treated as described is very hard and strong and is equal in appearance to
ware manufactured from ball or pipe clay while being less expensive.

page_text: A New or Improved Process of Preparing or Treating Fire Clay
for Potters' Use.
I, JOHN WILSON, of 81 Pollok Street, Glasgow, in the County of Renfrew,
Commission Agent, 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:→
The object of my invention is to utilize fire clay as a substitute for ball or pipe
clay in the manufacture of articles of pottery such as Rockingham ware and stone.
ware generally, clay tobacco pipes and similar articles.
To that end after grinding the fire clay I mix it by hand or by any suitable
apparatus with water to form a thin paste or cream and into the vessel or tank
containing such paste or cream I run a stream of water which while the paste is.
being agitated separates the mixture and maintains in suspension the finer and
lighter particles of the fire clay these being carried off by the water to a settling
"tank or tanks. The grinding of the fire clay may be effected in pan mills such as
are used at fire clay works or by any other apparatus suitable for the purpose and
preparatory to grinding I prefer to submit the clay in heaps to the withering and
washing action of the atmosphere and of rain until it is almost pulverised as
besides rendering the clay more plastic during subsequent operations such exposure
has the advantage of washing out or partially washing out the sand and of
separating the iron from the clay.
The finer and lighter particles of the fire clay carried off by the water from the
mixing tank or vessel into the settling tank or tanks are allowed to deposit after
which the water is decanted or drawn off and the fine fire clay so obtained is.
partially dried and balled ready for use by the potter.
The ware formed from fire clay treated as described is very hard and strong and
is equal in appearance to ware manufactured from ball or pipe clay whilst being
less expensive.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
•
The process of preparing fire clay for potters' use by grinding and thereafter
forming it into a thin paste with water, the finer or lighter particles being carried
off in suspension from the paste and settled or deposited in a tank or vessel and
thereafter partially dried and balled for use, substantially as set forth.
Dated this Twentythird day of July 1886.