IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPERTAINING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, CLAY BLOCKS THE LIKE, AND TO MACHINERY THEREFOR
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander MoKerlie and Richard Bradshaw, both of
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN OR APPERTAINING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, CLAY BLOCKS,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander MoKerlie and
Richard Bradshaw at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th
July 1880.
ALEXANDER MCKERLIE and RICHARD BRADSHAW, both of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPERTAINING TO THE MANU-
FACTURE OF BRICKS, CLAY BLOCKS, TILES, AND THE LIKE, AND TO MACHINERY
THEREFOR."
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of bricks in greater quantity
with one machine than heretofore. We gear our double engine direct to the hori-
zontal pug mill shaft, place a pug mill on each side the engine,.with hopper and
blades, but do without a terminal bearing, the two mills and the various blades
balancing each other. At the end of the pug mill we place an orifice or die, in
which rotary smooth disc cutters lubricated with creosote or other oil divide the
stream of clay into two or more streams. A single wire cutter cuts each of these
streams into required lengths of, say, ten bricks each; these lengths are then shoved
one at a time by a pusher alternately to one side and the other against wire cutters
(one set of cutters being on each side), which cutters cut them into separate blocks;
thus a ten brick length of, say, two streams would make twenty bricks; these
bricks are delivered onto barrows or bands on each side.
The advantage of this machine is, that two or more streams being ejected at a
time, the power required for a given quantity of bricks is very much reduced. The
oil used in lubricating the orifice and the cutters prevents the bricks made side by
side from adhering together when pushed against the cutters. By this arrange-
ment, too, all gearing is avoided, and breakdowns consequently become less
frequent. Two mills, one on each side of the engine on the same line, mutually
react against each other, and consequently no terminal bearing or end thrust
blocks are required. The clay therefore has a clear course through, not incom-
moded by terminal bearing, wiper, bridge, or other obstruction hitherto thought
necessary.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Alexander McKerlie and
Richard Bradshaw in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th February
1881.
ALEXANDER MCKERLIE and RICHARD BRADSHAW, both of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPERTAINING TO THE MANU-
FACTURE OF BRICKS, CLAY BLOCKS, TILES, AND THE LIKE, AND TO MACHINERY
THEREFOR."
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of bricks in greater quantity
with one machine than heretofore. We gear our double engine direct to the hori-
zontal pug mill shaft, place a pug mill on each side the engine, with hopper and
blades, but do without a terminal bearing, the two mills and the various blades
balancing each other.
Reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures
of reference marked thereon, Fig. 1 is a plan view of brickmaking machinery
arranged according to our Invention; Fig. 2 is part of same (continued from line
x, x) with cutter shaft G placed above the clay, with gearing to drive the dies or
rollers N; Fig. 3, end elevation partly in section, also showing the dies or rollers N.
A, pair of engines; B, pug mill; C, central shaft coupled to the engine at E; D,
streams of clay emerging from pug mill; F, F', circular saws or cutters for trimming
the edges and dividing the streams of clay as required; G, shaft for driving
cutters F, actuated by belt from pulley attached to gearing H; I, rollers on which
the clay is supported as it passes from the pug mill; K, clay cut off in lengths of a
number of bricks in position to be pushed onto table at either side of the machine;
L, finished bricks; M, table onto which the next supply of bricks will be passed;
N, dies for forming the edges of ornamental bricks; O, hopper.
The crank shafts of the engines A are connected at either end (at E) to the
central shafts G of a pair of pug mills B, one placed on either side of the engines in
such position that the thrust on the blades of shaft G at one side of the engine is
counterbalanced by that on the corresponding shaft on the opposite side. In the
end of the pug mill B we provide an orifice or die through which the clay passes,
and in which rotary smooth disc cutters F, lubricated with creosote or other oil,
divide the stream of clay into two or more streams. A single wire cutter P cuts
each of these streams into required lengths of, say, ten bricks each K. The cutter P
is drawn from right to left and from left to right across the clay by means of levers
in connection with roller I, and regulated to move at certain revolutions of I.
These lengths of clay K are then shoved one at a time by a pusher Q alternately
to one side and the other against wire cutters set perpendicularly in a frame, the
tightening nuts R of each only being seen (one set of cutters being on each side).
These cutters cut the clay into separate blocks; thus a ten brick length of, say, two
streams would make twenty bricks. These bricks are delivered onto barrows or
bands on each side. The pusher Q may be worked by hand in the usual manner,
but we prefer to work it automatically by means of a steam cylinder and piston, or
other mechanical contrivance. We have not however worked these out definitely,
so do not show them in the Drawings. The edges of the clay are trimmed as they
emerge in a stream from the pug mill by circular discs or cutters F" when plain
bricks are required, but when bricks or tiles with ornamental edges or edges of any
particular shape are required we use dies or revolving moulds, preferably of steel N,
similar to those shown in Fig. 3, thus giving any desired shape to the edge of clay.
The dies N are driven from shaft G by means of gearing H.
The advantage of this machine is, that two or more streams being ejected at a
time, the power required for a given quantity of bricks is very much reduced. The

page_text: oil used in lubricating the orifice and the cutters prevents the bricks made side by
side from adhering together when pushed against the cutters. By this arrangement,
too, all gearing is avoided, and breakdowns consequently become less frequent.
Two mills, one on each side of the engine on the same line, mutually react against
each other, and consequently no terminal bearing or end thrust blocks are required.
The clay therefore has a clear course through, not incommoded by terminal bearing,
wiper, bridge, or other obstruction hitherto thought necessary. Any engine with
two cranks can be used, such as an old locomotive.
Having now described our Invention and the best mode known to us of carrying
it into effect, we wish it to be understood that what we believe to be new and
desire to protect under the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The manufacture of machinery for making bricks, tiles, and the like with
two pug mills disposed one at either side of the ongine or motive power, so that
the strain or force exerted on the shaft of one pug mill in comminuting the clay
will be counterbalanced by that exerted against the other, substantially as described
and shown.
Second. The manufacture of machinery for making bricks, tiles, and the like
without terminal bearings or thrust blocks at the end of the cylinder where the
clay emerges, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Third. The use in machinery for making bricks, tiles, and the like of circular
discs for dividing the stream of clay, and similar discs or revolving dies or moulds
for shaping the edges, lubricated with creosote or other oil, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
Fourth. The general arrangement of machine for making bricks, tiles, and the
like, substantially as described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Bradshaw, on behalf of the said
Alexander McKerlie and myself, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
J. OWDEN O'BRIEN,
Clerk to Wm. P. Thompson & Co.,
Patent Agents,
Liverpool and London.
RICHARD BRADSHAW. (L.S.)