Improvements in Machinery for Making Pottery.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 14th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 14th Mar., 1995-Accepted, 4th May. 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Making Pottery.
I, WILLIAM BOULTON, of Providence Foundry, Burslem, Staffordshire,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machinery for making pottery, the
improvements being more especially applicable to machinery for making dished or
hollowed articles of pottery, such as saucers, jam pots, flower pots, tea-pots and
the like.
The improvements relate to the provision of means for automatically turning
the spindles or rods used in such machinery for carrying the profiles used for
shaping the articles of pottery from clay carried around by rotating moulds,
with the objects of mechanically gradually pressing the profiles up to the clay
until the maximum action thereof is attained, thereby effecting a better consolida-
tion of the clay and obtaining a sounder article, and also of mechanically turning
the profiles away from contact with the formed article before raising the same
therefrom or out thereof, thereby effecting a clean separation of the clay adhering
to the profile from that adhering to the mould and avoiding the present liability
of the article being marked by the abrupt severance of the manually turned profile
spindles or rods, and facilitating the formation of bellied or undercut articles,
such as those which are wider at the centre or at the bottom than at the top,
and providing for the withdrawal of the profile out of a narrow necked article.
The improvements also relate to the automatic operation of the profile spindle by
a jolly arin and cam in lien of manually as at present.
The improvements also relate to means for automatically shifting the moulds
together with their jigger-spindles, from position under the shaping profiles to a
position where the moulds containing the made articles can be removed by hand
and replaced by others containing clay requiring to be shaped, while simultaneously
shifting other moulds charged with clay requiring to be shaped together with their
jigger spindles to position under the shaping profiles, and then reversely shifting
such moulds, so that the operation of the apparatus is rendered practically continuous,
whereby its output may be very considerably augmented.
In the machine hereinafter described, said improvements are combined in
operative connection; the machine will be described as adapted to manufacture
two articles simultaneously, but it will be understood that it may be constructed to
make a less or a greater number of articles at a time by the provision of an
appropriate number of co-acting parts.
By means of a central column I support a horizontally shiftable frame which
carries the jigger-spindles, each of which is provided with a head and with usual
removable moulding accessories according to the character of the article to be
made, and with a frictionally driven wheel. The frame is shiftable about the
column as its centre, and may be shifted at the times required by cams on a shaft
driven indirectly or directly from the first-motion shaft of the machine, cylindrical
portions of the cams at other times maintaining the frame in the required position
in relation to the spindles which drive the jigger spindles. These driving spindles
Occupy a fixed position in relation to the column, and are supported by arms
projecting therefrom, and are each provided with a frictional driving wheel and
are directly driven by a belt and pulleys or otherwise from said first-motion shaft
which may be driven from any convenient shaft.

page_text: By such means, the shifting of one pair of jigger-spindles away from their driving
spindles, brings the other pair of jigger-spindles into operative connection with said
driving spindles, and vice-versa, and so the operation of such parts of the apparatus is
rendered practically continuous.
The pair of shaping profiles are situated in proper relation to the jigger
spindles while being rotated by the driving spindles, and may be raised and
lowered, and turned in relation to the axis or periphery of the article being formed,
as follows:-
The profiles are supported by vertical spindles or rods which are carried by arms
projecting from the column or from a bracket supported thereby, and are raised and
lowered at the proper times by a connection or connections from a jolly arm which
is centred in said column or bracket, and has a counterweight end resting on a cam
keyed on a horizontal shaft supported by brackets projecting from the column, and
to which shaft motion is imparted from the first-motion shaft by a worm and worm
wheel, and from which shaft the aforesaid shaft carrying the cams actuating the
jigger carrying frame may be actuated by spur gearing of a suitable ratio.
The profiles are caused to be applied to the articles by the operation of said cam,
and to be removed from the articles by the counterweight of the jolly arm on the
cams ceasing to support the same.
The turning motion of the profile spindles may be effected at the proper times
by means of a vertically arranged lever centered to the column, and connected to
an arm projecting laterally from the profile spindle, and actuated by a cam on the
shaft carrying the cam operating the counter-weighted lever.
By such means, the raising and lowering of the profiles, and the turning thereof
towards or from the moulds, would be automatically effected at the proper times in
relation to the operation of the jiggers.
Deted this 13th dox of June 1894.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Machinery for Making Pottery.
1, WILLIAM BOULTON, of Providence Foundry, Burslem, Staffordshire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention, 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 improvements in machinery for making pottery, the
improvements being especially applicable to machinery for making jam-pots, flower-
pots, ten-pots and like deep and narrow or bellied or undercut articles of pottery,
though the same are also applicable to machinery for making dished articles of
pottery, such as saucers and the like.
The improvements relate to the provision of means for automatically shifting
the moulds in which the articles are formed together with their jigger-spindles from
position under the shaping profiles to a position where the moulds containing the
made articles can be removed by hand and replaced by others containing clay
requiring to be shaped, while simultaneously shifting other moulds charged with
clay requiring to be shaped together with their jigger-spindles to position under the
shaping profiles, and then reversely shifting such moulds, so that the operation of
the apparatus is rendered practically continuous, whereby its output may be very
considerably augmented.
The improvements also relate to the provision of means for automatically turning
the spindles or rods used in such machinery for carrying the shaping profiles with
the objects of mechanically pressing the profiles gradually up to the clay carried

page_text: oper
Dection,
articles simultaneously, but it will be understood that it may be modified and so
constructed as to make a less or a greater number of articles at a time by the
provision of an appropriate number of co-acting parts.
On the accompanying drawings
:-
Fig. 1, represents an elevation, and―
Fig. 2, a sectional plan thereof.
a, represents a column which serves to support a horizontally shiftable frame b,
carrying two, four or other even number of jigger-spindles c, each of which is
provided with a jigger-head d, and with usual removable moulding accessories
according to the character of the articles to be made, and with a frictionally
driven wheel e, the frame b, being shiftable about the column 'a, as a centre, vide
Fig. 2.
The column also supports, in a relatively fixed position, brackets f, carrying a
number of driving spindles g, equal to one-half that of the jigger-spindles c, each
spindle g, carrying a frictionally driving wheel h, and a belt-pulley i, which is
continuously driven directly from a pulley j, on the first-motion shaft k, by a belt or
band. The shaft k, is supported by a base-plate m, and by a top-platen,
supported by the column a, and by end standards o, and is driven by a belt, band
or rope from any convenient motive-agent, passing around a pulley to, and is fitted
with a worm-wheel p, which imparts motion to the means hereinafter described for
shifting the table; for raising and lowering the profile-spindles q, and for turning
each of the same about its axis, the actuating gearing being supported by shafts r,
and s, supported by the standards o.
The worm p, gears with a worm-wheel t, on the shaft r, on which is also
excentrically mounted a toothed wheel u, which imparts motion to an elliptical
toothed wheel, on the shaft s; two revolutions of the shaft r, imparting one
revolution to the shaft s, and at the desired variable speed for effecting the shifting
of the frame b, at the required times.
The shaft 8, is also provided with two cams x, y, arranged on opposite sides of the
column a, (Fig. 2.) and which engage with projections z, depending from the top
collar 3, arm, or any other convenient part of the frame b, and alternately shift
the latter first in one direction and then in the other, so as to shift the jigger-
spindles as aforesaid, and, when shifted, maintain the frame with the jigger-
spindles carrying the moulds to be operated on in the required position in relation
to the driving spindles g, and to the shaping profiles.
By such means, the shifting of one pair or set of jigger-spindles away from the
driving spindles g, brings the other pair or set thereof into operative connection
with said driving spindles, and vice versa, and so the operation of such part of the
apparatus is rendered practically continuous.
The pair or set of shaping profiles is situated in proper relation to the jigger-
spindles while being rotated, and may be raised and lowered and turned in relation
to the axis or periphery of the article being formed, as follows:
-
The profiles are each supported by a vertical spindle or rod g, which is carried
by a frame a', bolted to the top-plate n, and is raised and lowered at the proper
times by a connection b', from a jolly-arm c¹, which is centred in the frame at d¹,

page_text: and has a counter-weight end e', resting on a cam f¹, on the shaft r.
The profiles
are caused to be applied to the articles by the operation of the cam f', and to be
removed therefrom by the counterweight of the jolly-arm, on the cam ceasing to
support the same.
The turning motion of each profile spindle is effected by means of a cam g', on
the shaft r, which, at the times required, bears against a lever h', which is centred
to the frame a', at , and bears against a guided rod j¹, connected to an arm k³,
projecting laterally from the profile spindle, and surrounded by a spring .
By such means, the raising and lowering of the profiles and the turning thereof
towards or from the moulds are automatically effected at the proper times in relation
to the operation of the jiggers.
When applying the improvements to machinery used for manufacturing very
shallow articles of pottery or articles with wide mouths and taper sides such as
saucers, in which the turning movements of the profiles may not be required, the
frame a¹, and its attachments may be replaced by a frame supporting a jolly-arm
or arms operated by a cam or cams f¹, and operating a profile or profiles in an
ordinary manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what ]
claim is :-
In machinery for making pottery :-
1. The application of means for automatically shifting the jigger-spindles and
moulds from under the shaping profiles to where the moulds containing the made
articles can be removed by hand and replaced by others containing clay requiring
to be shaped, and simultaneously shifting other jigger-spindles and moulds charged
with clay requiring to be shaped to under the shaping profiles, and for reversely
shifting such moulds, as set forth.
2. The means bereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings for effecting such object.
3. The application of means for automatically turning the spindles of the shaping
profiles so as to mechanically press the profiles gradually up to the clay carried
around by the rotating moulds until the maximum action of the profiles is attained
and to mechanically turn the profiles away from contact with the formed articles
before raising the same therefrom or out thereof, as and for the purposes set
forth.
4. The means herein before described with reference to the accompanying
drawings for attaining such object.
5. The improved nachino hereiubefore described with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of March 1895.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
.321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,. Agents for the Applicant.