Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Making Bricks.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1849
Complete Specification Left, 10th Sept., 1900-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Making Bricks.
We, ALFRED LIONEL MAYNARD and JOHN WATTS, both of Dawley, Uxbridge,
n the County of Middlesex, Brick Makers, do hereby declare the nature of this
nvention to be as follows:-
1
Our invention relates to machinery or apparatus for making bricks, in which
the clay to be used is mixed in a suitable pug mill having a central vertical
revolving shaft with horizontal mixing arms, the clay being forced down through
an opening below into moulds in which the bricks are formed.
Our invention has for its object a new or improved method of construction
and operation, by which the machine is made very effective, the clay being per-
fectly mixed, and being regularly and properly forced through an opening into
are arranged below, the moulds being arranged
separate moulds which
to travel forward in a line upon antifriction rollers after each one has been
filled, so as to bring a fresh one into position to be filled, this being done auto-
matically and the filled moulds being removed at one end of the line of moulds,
and an empty one being added to the other end of the line, after the entire line
has been moved forward. The bricks are removed from the moulds and are
afterwards dried and burned in the usual way.
We take a strong, firmly fixed, vertical hopper, of suitable size and shape,
through the upper part of which a central vertical shaft revolves in suitable bear-
ings, and is driven by steam or other convenient power.
This shaft has fixed upon it mixing blades by which the clay, introduced
through the upper end of the hopper, is thoroughly mixed or pugged. The
lower part of the hopper is provided with a strong transverse horizontal shaft
revolving in bearings in the sides of the hopper, or in separate bearings outside
the latter, and having fixed upon it opposite to each other two strong curved, or
more or less spirally shaped, flat elastic steel blades or plates, by which, when
the shaft is made to revolve, the clay is forced down to the bottom of the hopper.
Another curved elastic blade arranged upon the shaft between the two described
above forces the clay through the opening at the bottom of the hopper into the
O moulds below. Pugging knives or blades may be arranged upon the shaft at
each side of the elastic blades described.
35
The shaft is driven at the proper speed, by steam or other power, preferably
with the intervention of a counter shaft having upon it a toothed pinion gearing
with a toothed wheel upon the transverse shaft described.
Below the opening at the bottom of the hopper, through which the clay is
forced, is arranged horizontally a double line of friction rollers over which
travel freely a line of separate moulds, the inner dimensions of which correspond
with those of the bricks which are to be made. The moulds (which may be of
wood or metal) are open above and below, but are closed at the bottom by
40 loose plate or board which is preferably provided with a separate thin plate
which enters for a short distance into the mould, the latter being made o

page_text: sufficient additional depth for the purpose, and the upper surface of the thin plate
may be so shaped as to form a recess or other desired marks in the bottom of
the bricks.
The plates or boards at the bottom of the moulds are so arranged as to run
freely over the friction rollers which are fitted in the path over which they pass,
the moulds passing along from end to end so that when a line of them is moved
forward, after the one under the hopper has been filled with clay, a fresh empty
one takes the place of the latter, which together with any other filled ones in
front of it is pushed forward for a sufficient distance.
In order to effect this pushing forward of the entire line of moulds at regular
intervals, we arrange a horizontally moving plunger moving backward and
forward in guides behind the extreme empty mould for a distance
equal to the length of a single mould. This plunger is actuated
by one end of a lever turning upon a centre, the outer end of which is con-
nected by a connecting rod to a crank upon the transverse shaft which passes
through the lower part of the hopper as already described.
Or, instead of a crank, a suitably shaped cam may be used.
The moulds, as they move forward under the hopper, pass between plates or
boards which serve as guides.
When the machinery is at work, when the mould under the discharge opening
from the hopper has been filled with clay by the revolution of the plate or plates
on the transverse shaft, the plunger is moved forward and pushes the entire line
of moulds through a space equal to the length of one mould, bringing an empty
one under the hopper. The plunger is then moved back, and a fresh empty
mould is placed in front of it at the end of the line to be acted on when the
plunger next moves forward.
At the same time the filled moulds are moved forward at the other end of the
line, the front one being removed at intervals by hand.
We do not confine ourselves to the precise details of construction and arrange-
ment, which may be varied more or less as may be found advisable to suit vary.
ing circumstances and conditions.
Dated this 9th day of December 1900
EDWARDS & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Making Bricks.
We, ALFRED LIONEL MAYNARD and JOHN WATTS, both of Dawley, Uxbridge,
in the County of Middlesex, Brick Makers, do hereby declare the nature of our
said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement and accom-
panying drawing that is to say :-
Our invention relates to machinery or apparatus for making bricks, in which
the clay from which the bricks are to be made is mixed in a suitable pug-mill
having a central, vertical, revolving shaft with horizontal mixing arms, (or of
other suitable kind) the clay being forced down through an opening below
into properly shaped moulds in which the bricks are formed.
Our invention has for its object a new or improved method of construction
and operation, by which the machine is made very effective, the clay not only

page_text: wong perfectly mixed, but being regularly, and in the manner required, forced
through an opening into separate moulds of the required shape and size which
are arranged below, arrangements being provided by which the moulds are
caused to travel forward in a line upon anti-friction rollers or upon guides, after
each one has been filled, so as to bring a fresh one into the proper position to be
filled, this being done automatically, and the filled moulds being removed (by
hand or otherwise) at one end of the line of moulds, and an empty one being
added to the other end of the line, after the entire line has been pushed forward.
Or, instead of the line of moulds being pushed forward as described upon a
flat surface or upon rollers, their supports may constitute an endless band, passing
round corresponding drums at the ends of the machine and made to travel for-
ward at intervals. The bricks, as the filled moulds are delivered, are removed
from the latter, and are afterwards dried and burned, in the usual way, in kilns.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of our invention, Figure 1 being
a vertical, longitudinal side view, partly in section, of a machine.
In order to put our invention in operation we take a strong, vertical hopper a,
of suitable size and shape firmly supported upon frames g, through the upper
part of which a central, vertical shaft revolves in suitable bearings, and is
driven by steam or other convenient power.
This shaft has fixed upon it mixing blades of the usual kind, as shown, by
which the clay introduced through the upper end of the hopper is thoroughly
mixed or pugged. The lower part of the hopper is provided with a strong
transverse horizontal shaft b, revolving in bearings (not shown in the drawing)
in the sides of the hopper a, or in separate bearings outside the latter, and having
fixed upon it strong, curved, or more or less spirally shaped, steel blades or
plates d, by which, when the shaft b is made to revolve by means of gear, such
as is indicated at dotted lines at c, the clay is forced down to the bottom of the
hopper a. Another curved, elastic blade e is also arranged and fixed upon the
shaft b and forces the clay through an opening f at the bottom of the hopper a
into the moulds k below. Pugging knives or blades, or other cleaning or mixing
devices, may be arranged upon the shaft 6 at each side of the elastic blades
described.
The shaft is driven at the proper speed, by steam or other power, preferably
with the intervention of a counter shaft having upon it a toothed pinion gearing
with a toothed wheel upon the transverse shaft described, as indicated at c.
Below the opening f at the bottom of the hopper a, through which the clay is
forced, is arranged horizontally a line of friction rollers over which travel freely
a line of separate moulds k. Or, as shown in the drawing, instead of friction
rollers a supporting plate or board may be used, over and along which, the
moulds travel. The inner dimensions of the moulds correspond with those of
the bricks which are to be made. The moulds (which may be of wood or metal)
consist of a rectangular frame k, open above and below but closed at the bottom
by a plate or board, loose, or attached to the bottom supports j which are shown
jointed together at their ends, so as to form an endless band of supports which
passes over the corresponding rollers or drums h, h', which turn freely in bearings
or supports i, i. The supports may be jointed together, or connected by endless
chains to the links of which they are attached, or by endless straps or bands
assing through or below them and to which they are fixed. These supports or
bottoms are preferably provided with a separate plate which enters for a short
listance into the mould, the latter being made of sufficient additional depth for
he purpose, and the upper surface of this plate may be so shaped as to form a
ecess or other desired marks in the bottom of the bricks.
The plates or boards ; at the bottom of the moulds are so arranged as to run
reely over a fixed board or plate 7, carried by brackets m, and n, or over friction
ollers which are fitted in the path over which they pass, the moulds & passing
long from end to end so that when a line of them is moved forward, either on
he endless band formed by the bottoms ; as shown, or upon the supporting