IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING AND PRESSING BRICKS, DRAIN PIPES, AND TILES, AND IN PREPARING MATERIAL TO BE USED FOR SUCH LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Rowcliffe, of No. 26, Upper Park Place,
Dorset Square, Marylebone, in the County of Middlesex, Operative
Engineer; for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING
AND PRESSING BRICKS, DRAIN PIPES, AND TILES, AND IN PREPARING MATERIAL
TO BE USED FOR SUCH LIKE PURPOSES."
Sealed the 20th April 1858, and dated the 10th November 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Rowcliffe
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th November 1857.
I, THOMAS ROWCLIFFE, of No. 26, Upper Park Place, Dorset Square,
Marylebone, in the County of Middlesex, Operative Engineer,, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
MAKING AND PRESSING BRICKS, DRAIN PIPES, AND TILES, AND IN PREPARING
MATERIAL TO BE USED FOR SUCH LIKE PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My said Invention refers to a mode of arranging an horizontal or vertical
pug mill, mounted on a box or frame, on the top of which is a hopper or
receiver with two crushing rollers working horizontally, and geared in and over
same, which said crushing rollers are fed and supplied with plastic material¨
from the hopper or receiver. The material after being crushed is deposited in

page_text: a screen or sieve, and from there into the pug mill by means of a slot; it is
then pugged up by the revolving knives therein, and forced into the moulds.
The mouthpiece of the machine is so contrived that it shifts and moves at will,
enabling at all times every description and form of mould, moulding, orifice,
or die to be placed therein; the die is solid at the outlet, and in the interior of
which is placed horizontal colander rollers, worked from a vertical shaft carry-
ing two small pinion wheels, and which rollers are used for lubricating the
interior of the die, and also enabling the pent air in the die to escape,
admitting the plastic material used to fill up the interior angles of the die
nearly to the outlet, and preventing the plastic clay material being too much
compressed, and thus obviating, in a great measure, the cracking of the bricks,
tiles, pipes, or such other like articles as is usual when forced through an ordi-
nary solid die. When the bricks or tiles have passed the moulding orifice, it
is received on a web, frame, or base, and carried by a ratchet wheel over or
under the boxes, which boxes.are lined with steel or such like metallic sub-
stance, and receives a regulated pressure by means of two indent rollers and a
disc crank, acting upon a rack lever or quick screw motion; by such means
and appliances I obtain an alternate and rotary motion,, and, form, press, and
prepare at one time my material for manufacturing the several articles herein-
before named.
I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details herein described, or to
the materials or dimensions of the same, as they may be considerably modified.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Rowcliffe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th May 1858:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ROWCLIFFE, of Number 26, Upper Park Place, Dorset Square, Marylebone,
in the County of Middlesex, Operative Engineer, send greeting...
2
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters:
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of November, in the year of our. Lord 3
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her..
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto : the
said Thomas Rowcliffe, Her special licence that I, the said. Thomas-Rowcliffe,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas.
Rowcliffe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree. 3
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the...

page_text: term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
MAKING AND PRESSING BRICKS, DRAIN PIPES, AND TILES, AND IN PREPARING
MATERIAL TO BE USED FOR SUCH LIKE PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Rowcliffe, my executors or administrators, by
'an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Rowcliffe, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The first part of my Invention consists of a pug mill, mounted upon a box
or hollow chamber; in the interior of this chamber a ram or piston moves in
a horizontal direction, and forces the clay, which is pugged into the chamber,
out at each end, to which is fixed a die or moulding orifice. Motion can- be
'communicated to this machine by steam, water, or any other power. The
mechanical arrangements of this machine and part of my Invention, will be
understood by a reference to the Drawings, Sheet 1, Fig. 1. A is the pug mill
cylinder, having a shaft a, upon which blades a' are fixed for the purpose of
pugging the clay into the chamber or box a*; on the top of the pug shaft is
placed a crown wheel B; the arms 6 of this wheel are flat, as shewn in Fig. 4,
and are set to a proper angle, acting as an archimedian screw, thereby facilita-
ting the feed of clay or other plastic material into the pug mill; C is the
motive shaft of the machine, keyed upon it a pair of driving pullies c', c', and
a pinion gearing. A spur wheel d, keyed on the shaft D, this shaft runs
through the base of the mill; at the other end of shaft D is keyed a bevel
wheel d', gearing another bevel wheel e, mounted on the vertical shaft E; on
the top of this shaft is placed a pinion geared into the crown wheel B for
actuating the pug shaft; above the bevel wheel d' is keyed a pinion geared
into an intermediate or carrier wheel g, also geared into the crank wheel
E*, E*, see elevation, Fig. 1; section, Fig. 2; plan, Fig. 3. A slot h in one
arm of the crank wheel enables it giving a shorter or longer stroke to the
a stud pin F being fixed in the slot of the wheel for the above purpose,
giving a motion to the ram or piston G; G, in its guide H. The piston G, G,
drives the plastic materials contained in the clay chamber through moulds I, I,
ram;

page_text: as shewn in section, Fig. 2, Sheet 1. The connecting rod is attached at one
end to the stud pin F, and at the other, to the other end of the ram or piston;
the revolution of the wheel Ex, E*, thus giving a reciprocal motion to ram,
which is carried steadily in its travel by means of the guide bar H, Fig. 2.
The die or mould for making bricks is solid at the mouth or outlet, and at its
interior callender rollers are placed, to which motion is imparted by toothed
wheels K, K, K, K, and a pulley keyed on their shafts driven from the
vertical shaft E. The callender rollers are hollow and perforated with small
holes, through which a stream of water is constantly flowing, thereby damping
the clay, which thus lubricates the interior of the die in its passage; the
interior angles of the die are filled in and so formed that they rise higher at
the interior than they do at the outlet. By reason of this arrangement the clay
is not compressed so much at its extreme angles as it is at the other part, and
will not crack when burnt, as they generally do when forced through an
ordinary solid die; as the plastic material is pressed through the moulding
orifice by the operation of the machine, it is received on an endless web or
cloth (not shewn in the Drawings), and subdivided to the required lengths of
the cutting wires. The bricks being now in a rough and unfinished state, are
removed from the machine and stacked until partially dried and ready for
pressing. The operation of pressing and giving a more finished form to the
bricks and tiles, is shewn in Fig. 5, 6, 7, Sheet 1, and in Fig. 15, Sheet 2.
I also propose to modify the machine described above by working the pug
cylinder in a horizontal position, and placing a pair of crushing rollers on it in
order to crush the clay previous to its entering the pug cylinder, as shewn in
Drawings Sheet 2, Fig. 8 being a section, and Fig. 11 a plan; by this modifi-
cation I dispense with a crank and piston or ram for pressing the clay through
the moulding orifice, the pressure from the crushing rollers and pug blades
being sufficient for that purpose. The modification will be understood by a
reference to the Drawings in Sheet 2, and from the following description
thereof Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the crushing rollers placed on the mill;
A is the first motion shaft having a pinion keyed on it and geared into a
large spur wheel D on the intermediate shaft B*, on which a pinion is also
mounted gearing spur wheels L², Fig. 10, for driving the crushing rollers and
also the pug shaft C, with its blades in order to pug or knead the clay. C* is
a wheel on the pug shaft C; in one of its sides or arms a slot is made +
shewn in Fig. 10. In this slot a stud pin C is fixed by levers d with the
rocking shaft D, which imparts a reciprocal motion to a series of travelling
moulds with part of a mouthpiece to be attached to the machine when
common bricks or tiles are to be made, Fig. 12, 13, which will be hereafter

page_text: explained. I also use the machine shewn on Sheet 1, Fig. 5, 6, 7, for com-
pressing bricks or tiles made by hand-moulding or otherwise; it consists of a
base or table marked A, carrying a pillar B, with two projecting arms a, a'; the
motive shaft C is carried by a bracket from the pillar B, and from the base
table. A driving pullies c' and pinion c are keyed on the shaft; this pinion is
geared into a wheel D on the shaft E; the wheel D carries three picking balls.
The shaft E is prolonged through the pillar B, and has a disc crank e keyed
upon its end; the crank pin is placed nearer to or further from the centre of
the crank by means of a screw, the object of this crank is to enable me to give
a longer or shorter stroke and to regulate the pressure upon the clay; the
crank C' being connected with the piston rod G by connecting rod F. The
piston rod G has a slot formed in its upper end; in this slot is placed another
screw for the purpose of raising or lowering the stud connecting pin to suit
the thickness of the clay about to be pressed. The piston rod G works
through the box rod H; both the rods G and the rod box H are held in the
vertical position by the caps into the arms a; on the lower end of the rod box
H is fixed a box or mould h', for receiving the clay; the interior of this mould
is made of steel plates or other suitable metal of a smooth surface and capable
of being removed when worn by the labour, and new plates are substituted; the
piston G attached to the lower end of its rod G works in this box, and forms
the cover or lid of the mould H*. The bottom of the mould is formed by a
rotary table marked I; this table is carried by a vertical shaft P, on which a
bevelled wheel O is keyed, gearing another bevelled wheel N, upon the
horizontal shaft P*, running under the base or table A. On the other end of
this wheel is marked
lever fixed on
this horizontal shaft P* is a ratchet wheel marked K;
by a pall ex on the lever K*; on the periphery of the rotary tables notches are
formed, into which a locking lever U falls, for the purpose of holding the table
in its perfect position whilst the clay is under pressure; the action of this com-
pensating apparatus is as follows:-The clay being placed upon the plates on
the rotary table motion is communicated to the shaft C by steam, water, or
other power; its pinions gears into the wheel D, and thus causes shaft E to
revolve and bring picking balls in contact with the short
the horizontal shaft N; the motion of this shaft by means of the connecting
links K lifts the box to its proper height. The picking ball No. 2 then
comes in contact with the locking lever U, and causes it to rise out of the
notch in the periphery of the rotary table, thus leaving the table free to rotate!;
the picking ball No. 3 now comes in contact with the lever K**, and gives a
motion by means of the ratchet wheel M to the rotary table which conducts
the clay under the box. The picking balls thus well be understood, the con-

page_text: tinued motions of the shaft E by means of the action of the picking balls and
levers constantly raises the box, and moves the table which conducts another
brick or tile under the box ready for pressing. On Sheet 2, Fig. 12 & 13 are
'views of a mouthpiece capable of being attached to the vertical or horizontal
mill which contains a series of moulds A', A', A', A', to which a rack 6', is
fixed; a backward or forward motion is communicated to the moulds by means
of a wheel geared into a rack D*, as shewn in Fig. 12. The wheel being
keyed on the rocking shaft S, Fig. 8 & 10, between the moulds on the
back of the mouthpiece indented rollers are placed; the use of which rollers T
is to indent the bricks or tiles as they are formed. The rollers rotate when the
moulds are in motion having reference to the manufacture of bricks and tiles,
let it be understood that drain pipes can be made by attaching suitable dies or
moulding orifices to the vertical or horizontal mill in making pipes and tiles
by the vertical mill; the advantage of the slot in the crank wheel will be
facilitated as the length of the mass of clay compressed through the dies can
be regulated at pleasure by moving the stud pin f nearer to or further from
the centre of wheel E, Fig. 1, 2, 3.
:
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I now distinctly state what I claim as my improvements,―
Firstly, the application of flat arms set to an angle as shewn in the crown
wheel for the purpose of facilitating the feed of clay into a pug mill.
Secondly, the application of a disc crank or the modification of it, shewn in
Fig. 1, 2, 3, Sheet 1, the said crank or wheel working in either a vertical or
horizontal position for the purpose before described.
Thirdly, the combination of the guide rod and piston or ram for the purpose
of steadying the ram on its motion along the chamber....
Fourthly, the die or moulding orifice having the callender rollers (working
thereon for its lubrication) of small holes in the interior, and likewise the
formation of the interior angles.
-:
Fifthly, the application of crushing rollers placed horizontally on the pug
mill for the purpose described above.
;
Sixthly, application of the rocking shaft D* for moving the rack shewn in
Fig. 12.
Seventhly, the general arrangement of the mouthpiece with the rack,
travelling moulds, and the indented rollers in connection with same.
Eightly, the mode of operating with the pillar, wheel, gear, and rotary
feed table, as shewn in Sheet 1, Fig. 5, 6; 7.
Ninthly, the rotatory table and the mode of actuating the same.
Tenthly, the piston rod working within the box rod and through the same

page_text: caps, also the slot or opening in the top of the piston rod for raising or lower-
ing the connecting pin, see Fig. 5, 6, 7.
Eleventhly, the application of the disk crank.
Twelvethly, the moveable linings of boxes or moulds, the said lining being
steel plates, and generally the combination of parts whereby I press bricks all
for the purposes as herein-before described.
As witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Rowcliffe, have hereto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
THOMAS ROWCLIFFE. (L.S.)