IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TREATING CLAY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF, BRICKS, BLOCKS, TILES AND TERRA COTTA
Year: 1884

page_text: I, THOMAS HENRY SHARPE, of Aberderfyn Brick Works, Ruabon, in the county
of Denbigh, Brick and Tile Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TREATING CLAY TO BE USED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF, BRICKS, BLOCKS, TILES AND TERRA COTTA to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide apparatus for so treating clay whether
such clay is taken as dug from its bed or after preliminary treatment of any known.
or usual kind, that it is reduced to a pulverulent and fairly finely divided condition
fit for being at once. placed or fed into dies of any desired form and by pressure
shaped into the desired article and ready for passing either to the drying shed or
direct into the kiln.
For that purpose I construct apparatus with a series of beater knives so set that
they revolve past each other in opposite directions or in the same direction at
different speeds and serve to beat, cut, pulverize, and reduce the clay.
One modification of apparatus under my invention has inner and outer rotating
frames with beater knives projecting from the outer circumference of the former.
and from the inner circumference of the latter the knives being fitted to overlap
and intersect each other. These frames and knives. are rotated and the clay is
treated by and between the beater knives and discharged from between the same
in a downwards direction near the bottom The inner frame is by preference
conical and the exterior one cylindrical but the form may vary. Toothed or other
gearing is employed to transmit motion to the frames and knives. The essential
feature however is the treatment by and between series of beater knives revolved
with their respective inner and outer frames.
The outer frame will in most cases be partly covered at the top and in some cases
partly closed at the bottom according to the nature of the material to be treated.
Deted the fund da f Mauch 1004

page_text: I THOMAS HENRY SHARPE of Aberderfyn Brick Works Ruabon in the County
of Denbigh Brick and Tile Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TREATING CLAY TO BE USED IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS BLOCKS TILES AND TERRA COTTA" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
The object of my invention is to provide apparatus for so treating clay whether
such clay is taken as dug from its bed or after preliminary treatment of any known
or usual kind that it is reduced to a pulverulent and fairly finely divided condition
fit for being at once placed or fed into dies of any desired form and by pressure
shaped into the desired article and ready for passing either to the drying shed or
direct into the kiln.
For that purpose I construct apparatus with a series of beater knives so set that
they revolve past each other in opposite directions or in the same direction at
different speeds and serve to beat cut pulverize and reduce the clay.
One modification of apparatus under my invention has inner and outer rotating
frames with beater knives projecting from the outer circumference of the former
and from the inner circumference of the latter the knives being fitted to overlap
and intersect each other. These frames and knives are rotated and the clay is
treated by and between the beater knives and discharged from between the same
in a downwards direction near the bottom. The inner frame is by preference
conical and the exterior one cylindrical but the form may vary. Toothed or other
-gearing is employed to transmit motion to the frames and knives. The essential
feature however is the treatment by and between series of beater knives revolved.
with their respective inner and outer frames.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig 1 is an clevation, fig 2 a plan and fig 3 a vertical section of apparatus under
my invention.
a inner rotating frame of cast iron conical in form and carried by
the spindle b in bearings c. d fixed to any suitable stationary structure; e outer
rotating frame of cast iron preferably made in two halves bolted together and
fitted with yokes fg having bearings i fitting around the spindle b. To the
bearing his secured the bevilled toothed wheel j and the bearing i rests on a
footstep carried by the bracket pedestal l. The spindle b has keyed to it a
bevilled toothed wheel m. A pinion carried on a shaft n in suitable bearings
gears with the wheels j and m and is actuated by any suitable motor. The inner
and outer frames have beaters attached thereto by any suitable means such as by
screwing thereto nuts or like devices. A feed regulator may be secured to the
inner frame a or to the spindle b. The lower end of the frames may be fitted with
a feed shutter to allow of the area of the discharge orifice being varied according as
it is desired that the clay should remain a greater or less time subjected to the
action of the beater knives or blades.
The action of the apparatus is as follows;-
The frames being set in motion lumps of clay of such a consistency that when
broken up it will ball in the hand is thrown into the apparatus at the top; as the
lumps descend they are subjected to the action of the beater knives or blades and
are broken and pulverized until they leave the apparatus in a fine pulverulent
and plastic condition suitable for pressing or shaping into bricks blocks tiles and

page_text: ornamental forms by dies in moulds or otherwise. Apparatus such as shown with
a diameter of about four feet and an annular space of about 10 inches cross
section at the top and 6 inches at the bottom is suitable for reducing fire clay to
the required condition. Stiffer clays would require a proportionately larger, and
lighter clays a proportionately smaller discharge orifice to allow of treating a given
quantity in the same time. This may be effected by a sliding shutter at the
bottom or by varying the angle of the inner conical frame or by making the outer
frane conical.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
The combination in apparatus for treating clay of inner and outer frames driven
in opposite directions or in the same direction at different speeds, and provided with
beater knives or blades substantially as herein setforth.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1884.
THOMAS H. SHARPE.
J. T. King,
Agent for the Applicant.