Tempering Clay.
Year: 1885

page_text: "
Tempering Clay.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, and
323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY APPLICABLE
FOR FINELY DIVIDING AND TEMPERING CLAY (a communication from abroad by
Clayton Potts and Albert Potts of Indianapolis County of Marion, State of
Indiana, United States of America Machinists), and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to an improved machine for finely dividing and tempering
clay. The object of the improvement is to disintegrate the clay by means of a
revolving cylinder, which shall remove successive portions from a mass of clay,
which is automatically pressed against the cylinder as hereinafter fully described.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation.
Figure 2 is an elevation showing the opposite side.
Figure 3 is a plan.
Figure 4 is a vertical section at a Figure 3.
A is a cylinder mounted on a shaft b having suitable bearings on the frame B.
Said cylinder is of such length as to nearly fill the space between the sides of the
frame. A series of steel bars cc are fitted into longitudinal grooves in the periphery
of the cylinder, where they are secured by flush screws at each end or other suitable
means whereby they are adjusted so as to present a sharp corner & Figure 1
projecting above the surface of the cylinder.
Opposite cylinder A a strong plate D is mounted on a shaft e so as to swing in
bearings on the frame B. The central part f of said plate is cylindrical in outline
the upper portion g presents a straight surface and the lower portion h presents to
the cylinder a curved surface corresponding to the periphery of the cylinder,
39
.

page_text: Plate D is caused to oscillate in its bearings by means of an eccentric wheel i on a
shaft j mounted in suitable bearings on the frame and connected by a yoke k with
an arm secured to shaft e.
Motion is given to shaft b by a belt running over driving pulley m and shaft j is
revolved by means of friction gearing consisting of a wheel n secured to shaft bab
wheel o secured to shaft j and an intermediate wheel p mounted on a short shaft
having bearings in a swinging adjustable frame 7.
The opposed sides of cylinder A and the upper and central portions of plate D
form together with sheet metal end plates 8 8 which are secured to the frame a
trough one side of which approaches and receeds from the other at intervals and
which has at the bottom a narrow opening t of constant width.
The operation of the machine is as follows: plate D being swung back to the
position shown in dotted lines Figure 4 the moist untempered clay is thrown into
the trough above mentioned. Cylinder A revolving rapidly successive portions are
removed from the mass of clay and carried through the opening t by the scraping
bars cat the same time the upper portion of plate D moves slowly toward the
cylinder thus keeping the mass of clay in close contact with the cylinder as
'successive portions are removed.
The force with which plate D is moved towards the cylinder is regulated by
drawing the intermediate friction wheel p more or less closely in contact with the
wheels n and o by means of the screw nut u thus lengthening or shortening the
frame; the purpose being to cause enough friction between the wheels to move
plate D sufficiently to keep the clay in contact with the cylinder and also to slip
when necessary to prevent undue pressure against the cylinder.
The finely divided clay after passing through opening t falls upon the lower
curved portion of plate D and from thence to the incline w. If the clay is quite
moist some of it will adhere to the curved portion of the plate and will again be
brought in contact with the cylinder as the upper portion of the plate receeds to
receive a new supply of clay and thus be removed.
It is desirable at times in disintegrating dry or nearly dry clay or other like
substance to feed the mass to the cylinder without great pressure.
For this purpose the yoke k and arm 7 are disconnected and wheel p thrown out
of engagement with wheel o. By turning wheel o by hand plate D may now be
set at a suitable angle as that shown in dotted lines Figure 4 or any intermediate
angle between that and the position shown in full lines so that the mass is fed to
the cylinder by the force of gravitation alone.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
1. In a clay disintegrator a supporting frame a cylinder arranged to revolve and
a swinging plate both mounted on said frame and forming opposite sides of a
trough for the reception of clay and means for swinging said plate alternately
toward and from said cylinder all combined substantially as specified..
2. In a clay disintegrator a supporting frame a cylinder arranged to revolve and
having scraping bars attached to its periphery, and a swinging plate both mounted
in said frame and forming opposite sides of a trough for the reception of clay, and
means for swinging said plate alternately toward and from said cylinder all
combined substantially as specified.
3. In a clay disintegrator a supporting frame a cylinder arranged to revolve and
having scraping bars attached to its periphery and an inclined plate both mounted
in said frame and forming opposite sides of a trough for the reception of clay all
combined substantially as specified.
4. In a clay disintegrator the combination with the revolving cylinder of the
swinging plate consisting of a central cylindrical portion an upper straight portion
and a lower curved portion all substantially as specified.

page_text: 5. The combination with the supporting frame the revolving cylinder and the
swinging plate of the shaft ; eccentric i yoke k arm and wheels no and p
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6. In a clay disintegrator the combination with cylinder A having a series of
longitudinal grooves of the scraping bars o adjustably, secured in said grooves for
the purpose specified.