IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS AND OTHER AGGLOMERATED ARTICLES OF A SIMILAR NATURE
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edwin Francis at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 9th January 1877.
EDWIN FRANCIS, of Moor End, Melbourn, in the County of Cambridge. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS AND OTHER
AGGLOMERATED ARTICLES OF A SIMILAR NATURE."
According to my Invention I construct machinery for the manufacture of bricks
and such like articles in the following manner:-From a hopper containing a pair
of crushing rollers or ordinary pugging apparatus the clay, coal dust, or other
material to be agglomerated descends into a chamber, at the bottom of which is a
revolving roller, while at one side is an opening through which passes a rectangular
or other shaped box or frame open at bottom, and containing a piston. This box
works in guides, and has a reciprocating motion imparted to it by connecting rods
from a crank, whereby it is forced down into the before-mentioned chamber, and
thus becomes filled with the material, which at the same time forces the piston out-
wards against a stop at the upper end of the box. The box being forced down by
the connecting rods till its lower end meets the roller in the chamber the material
in the box is compressed to a certain extent. The charged box together with its
piston is then drawn back by the crank and connecting rods until a projecting rod
on the piston comes in contact with a stop, and its further motion being thus
prevented while the box continues to recede, the piston will force the compressed
block of material from the lower end thereof, delivering it on to a tray or receiver
carried by arms, which are actuated by cams so as to convey the partially formed
and compressed brick to the finishing press, which is constructed as follows:-In
bearings on strong uprights on the framing are mounted the shafts or trunnions of
two opposite vertical discs having toothed rims, by which rotary motion is imparted
to them by pinions on the driving shaft. The two discs are connected together by
a strong excentric pin or crank, which carries the upper ends of two connecting
rods, the lower ends of which are connected to a cross head working in guides, and
impart an up-and-down motion to the top pressing plate of the brick mould. On
the outer ends of the disc trunnions are smaller discs having crank pins entering
the upper looped ends of two connecting rods, which at their lower ends are con-
nected by a strong transverse bar. This bar rests in slotted supports in the framing,
Duinn Q21

page_text: and carries the lower plate of the brick mould, this plate being bedded on india-
rubber or other elastic material so as to yield somewhat to excessive pressure from
the upper mould plate, and thus prevent any injury to the press. The lower plate
is perforated in the centre in order to allow of the escape of any surplus material
from the mould when the pressure is put on.
The four sides of the mould are stationary, and fixed securely to the framing.
The material in the mould having been compressed to the requisite degree by the
forcing down of the upper plate the lower plate is then raised by its connecting
rods so as to lift the brick out of the mould and level with a table at the front of the
machine, upon which table the brick is then delivered by the action of the same
receiver that delivered the brick into the mould, and whence it is removed by
hand.
The crank which imparts motion to the upper pressing plate of the mould also
serves to impart motion to the before-mentioned box in which the brick is first
formed into shape. Above this latter box is a hopper containing brick dust and a
revolving brush, by means of which the formed brick is dusted over with the brick
dust so as to prevent it from adhering to the pressing mould.
Although I have described the moulds for the bricks or other articles as being of
rectangular shape yet it will be evident that they may be of any other desired
shape, and they are by preference so arranged as to be removeable in order to be
replaced by moulds of a different form when required.