IMPROVE- SONG BY THE MANURACTURE OF BRICKS AND TILES." BORN TO MED MANTRACTURE OF BRICKS ANDES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Francis Porter, of Bessborough Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
SONG BY THE MANURACTURE OF BRICKS AND TILES."
BORN TO MED MANTRACTURE OF BRICKS AND TILES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Francis Porter at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd December 1854.
I, JOHN FRANCIS PORTER, of Besborough Street, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS AND TILES" to be as follows:-
Premising first that Letters Patent, bearing date October the Eleventh,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, for similar purpose, in which I
have described a form of machine suitable for moulding bricks, &c. by the
compressive power of a pair of rollers immediately over a mould or moulds,
into which clay or brick earth is forced thereby, and the brick or other
article so moulded finished before the withdrawal of the mould from under
the rollers with the exception only of one surface, which is formed by a
scraper or scrapers, whilst the mould is being removed, and in which Letters
Patent I claim the means of forcing and compressing clay into moulds, as

page_text: therein shewn and described: I shall now proceed to declare the nature of
my present Invention, which is a more convenient arrangement for moulding
bricks, &c. from clay or brick earth by the aforesaid means of rollers, one or
more pairs, (the clay or brick earth being natural, or prepared, if necessary,
by mixture, evaporation of superabundant moisture at any stage of prepa-
ration, and the like, for it is well known that clay admits of more or less
compression, according to its state of dryness,) as described in former Letters
Patent, and the more convenient or improved arrangement, especially for the
treatment of clay containing so little moisture as to be of a friable nature,
and incapable of being moulded into shape by pressure of the hand, is as
follows:-
First, in an improved form of mould table, which shall have a direct
circular or ultimating motion, in combination with a pair of rollers, for filling
and compressing the earth in the moulds; and in an improved arrangement of
serapers to the reciprocating table, the movements of which, of whatever form,
being parallel, or nearly so, with the axii of the compressing rollers.
Second, in the addition of a scraper acting parallel with the bearings of
cylindrical mould frames.
Third, in the use of apparatus for moving mould tables or mould cylinders,
by means of which apparatus direct or reciprocating motion shall be commu-
nicated to the mould frame by the gravitation of a weight, or by a spring or
springs, which shall be made ready for action by a cam or other contrivance,
or by a steam cylinder with piston, or similar contrivance, operated upon by
steam, water, or air, compressed or otherwise, the object being to give a rapid
movement to the mould frame when it is required to be put into motion, in
order to bring an empty or unfilled mould under the rollers, and at the same
time to diminish the risk of accidents, by a more impulsive mode of giving
motion.
Fourth, in an improved construction and arrangement of reciprocating
tubular brick machines, by the introduction of a standard or standards under
chamber for supporting the same, where two or more chambers are used; also
an improved means of reciprocating such table.
Fifth, in an improvement whereby a more rapid formation of the article
moulded, when such is found to be advantageous, by giving the pallet piston,
which forms the surface farthest from the rollers, a movement towards them
whilst in the act of their compression; and it is also desirable to give the part
of the pallet which forms the indentation or hollow in the brick, when such
are made thereon, an independent movement towards the rollers whilst the

page_text: brick or other article is being formed, and to withdraw the same from the brick
or the brick from the same before or whilst the brick is being discharged, for
the purpose of facilitating the removal of the brick from pallet.
Sixth, in forming the chamber conducting to moulds, or its lining, of brass
or other slightly incorrodable material, and in lubricating the chamber of
whatever material, so as to allow the clay to slip through the chamber more
casily.
Seventh, and my Invention also consists in an improvement in cutting appa-
ratus, whereby bricks may be severed from the issuing supply of clay expressed
by rollers through dies without stopping the machine, by a wire, the movements
of which shall be dependent upon the rate at which the supply of clay travels,
and regulated by a frame which shall be carried forward by the clay.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Francis Porter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd June 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FRANCIS PORTER, of Bessborough Street, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Francis Porter, Her special licence that I, the said John
Francis Porter, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
1, the said John Francis Porter, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS AND TILES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Francis Porter, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Francis Porter, 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 (that is to say):-
Premising first that Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of
October, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, were granted to me by
Her Majesty, for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, for an Invention for "Improvements in
the Moulding of Bricks, and other Articles of like Materials," in which Letters
Patent I have described a form of machine suitable for moulding bricks,
et cetera, by the compressive power of a pair of rollers immediately over a
mould or moulds, into which the clay or brick earth is forced thereby, and the
article so moulded finished before the withdrawal of the mould from under the
rollers, with the exception only of one surface, which is formed by a scraper,
whilst the mould is removed. The nature of my present Invention is a more
convenient arrangement of machinery for moulding bricks, et cetera, from
earth, natural or prepared, if necessary, by mixture or evaporation of super-
abundant moisture at any stage of preparation, (for it is well known that clay
admits of more or less compression, according to its state of dryness,) especially
for the treatment of clay containing so little moisture as to be of a friable
nature, and incapable of being moulded into shape by pressure of the hand,
and which I shall now proceed to describe. In each of the Figures the same
letters are used to denote similar parts of the machine.
Figure 1 is a plan of brick-making machine; Figures 2 and 3 are eleva-
tions of the same; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the line A, B, of
plan. d is a foundation plate upon which the machine is fixed; d' are frames
bolted thereto and to each other by the distance bars d²; m is a circular table,
containing any convenient number of moulds e, to give form to the article to
be moulded; m² is a pillar, upon which the table m is fixed; e' is the upper
half, and the lower half, of a ratchet coupling box. The upper half embraces
the pillar m2, and is so connected with it as to cause the table m to revolve
when the teeth are engaged with each other. In the Drawing I have shewn
the teeth disengaged. The apparatus by which I effect alternate motion and rest
to the mould table m is by the gravitation of weight a, suspended to the rack
rod a', or by some elastic medium. The cam a³, revolved by any convenient
means, causes the weight a to rise and fall, and with it the rack rod a', which

page_text: carries round to the extent of its range the pinion at and the toothed quadrant
a³, with its shaft a turning on its bearings a². This quadrant communicates
movement to the lower half of coupling e', through the toothed segment a³ on
the lever aº. In the Drawing, the weight a is shewn ascending, and consequently
the mould table m is at rest, and the mould or moulds, if there is another
series, in the act of being filled with brick earth. Thus, rapidity of movement will
be obtained when it is required to bring an empty mould under the rollers, and
to remove that already filled; at the same time the chance of accidents, arising
from a more impulsive or rigid mode of giving motion, will be greatly dimi-
nished. gare rings of iron fitted against ends of rollers, and which rub
against them to prevent the earth escaping at ends of rollers. The chamber
g', with its boxes c, c', is made to touch the rings g. h are scrapers, of iron or
steel, placed vertically or perpendicular to the plane of rollers; they are kept in
contact by means of a wedge h². are scrapers, which pare off* any surface
clay remaining on top surface of brick after the compression has been effected;
i are pistons, which form one surface of the article moulded; they may be flat,
or may be shaped so as to indent the brick, or such indentation may be effected
by a seperate piston. By any suitable apparatus, these pistons may have move-
ment given to them (one or both) towards the rollers in order to expedite the
formation of the brick, and the piston may be withdrawn from the brick, or
the brick from the same, before or whilst the brick is being discharged, for the
purpose of facilitating the removal of the brick from the pallet. are rollers,
turning on their axles ³, and connected with the pistons i, for the purpose of
discharging the brick from the mould when they come in contact with the
inclined plane on plate . Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse section of
mouth-piece, with lubricating apparatus and lining, shewing part of the rollers
f and mould table m. g¹ is a chamber, in which two gun-metal rectangular
or other shaped boxes c, c¹, are inserted, one resting upon the other. The box
cbeing lowest in position, rests on the projection c. is a chamber in lower
box c', to receive the lubricating fluid, which may be supplied in any convenient
I prefer oil for the purpose. The channel is carried quite round the
box; it should be filled with cotton to equalize the distribution of the fluid.
Figure 6 is a section of oil chamber, still more enlarged.
manner.
Figure 7 is a section of a brick machine with a reciprocating mould table.
When there are two moulds placed as shewn in Figure 7, I introduce a
standard n, to support the chamber or mouth-piece n², leading to moulds
n', and to relieve it from the strain caused by the compressive power of
the rollers.

page_text: Figure 8 is a plan of an improved cutting apparatus for severing bricks
from an issuing supply of clay o, expressed by rollers through dies, or a
die r, without stopping the machine; Figure 9 is an elevation of the same;
Figure 10 is a section taken on line C, D, of plan. o¹ is a cutting wire, for
severing the clay to form bricks as it travels horizontally, fixed in the frame o³,
working in the guides o³, having an upward and downward motion commu-
nicated by the crank of on its shaft o", which performs one-half revolution for
each article severed. It is set in motion by the shaft 0 and pulleys fe, which
are always revolving when the machine is at work, and motion is communi-
cated to the shaft o³ by means of the friction plates q' and spring o'. The
crank o' is prevented from going further than required for the cut by the spring
bolt os, p, which falls into the recesses on the disc plate o. p is a pallet
jointed to curved levers p²; p² is a disc with recess fixed on shaft p³, to receive
a spring bolt p', to secure the pallet board p in its proper position whilst the
clay is pressing against it. By such pressure the pallet board p and the frame
03 is moved away from the die, that is, in a direction away from it, and are
carried by means of the rollers p" on the guides p. p is a standard, to which
part of the apparatus p8 is connected. The manner of operation is as follows:-
The clay, as it is forced from the dier, carries the cutting frame o² and its
guides o³ forward with it. When the clay has travelled sufficiently far, the
frame o³ as it moves is made to strike out the bolt p' by means of the lever p³.
A jointed arm q is fixed on frame o³ at the point where it comes in contact
with the lever p³, and is retained in its horizontal position by the friction of a
spring pressing against it. This arm q is struck up or down, as the case
may be,
the cutting frame o³, in order to allow the spring bolt p' to enter
the recesses in disc o; whilst the frame o³ returns towards the die r, the arm
26, by passing over a stop (not shewn in Drawing), resumes its horizontal posi-
tion. I have not shewn the tappet on frame o², which strikes the arm qº, nor
that by which the lever p³ is made to release the pallet board p. The crank o³,
being connected to the strap pulley f, will revolve so soon as the bolt p³ is
withdrawn, and the cutting wire frame o³ will move up or down, as the case
may be, and strike out the bolt p* by any suitable apparatus. The weights q
with the cords q' attached to lever q² on shaft p³ will raise the pallet board p, to
allow of the removal of the brick; a spring may be substituted for the cords
and weights wholly or partially. The lever q³ in its ascent will strike against
the fixed stop q³, and being arrested thereby, the frames o and o³ will continue
to travel towards the dier, dragged by the weights q, or from the impetus
received thereby. The pallet board p with its arm q will fall when or before

page_text: the weights rest on the blocks q', and will be again fixed by the spring bolt p*.
a are guides for the rack rod a¹; f¹ are axles of rollers f, and f* their bear-
ings; f is a cogged wheel, and f* a pinion, with its shaft f³, for giving motion
to the machine; fi are cogged wheels, by which the rollers are geared to each
other; g is a hopper, into which the brick earth is put for the purpose of
supplying the rollers f; are plates which connect the pistons with their frames
are guides, fixed to table, in which the frames slide vertically; k¹ are
screws, by which the scrapers are set forward; s is a friction roller; q is a
roller over which the cord q¹ works; t is a spring, connected with lever bolt p.
I have not thought it necessary to describe more fully the Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
as their principal features have been fully described in the Letters Patent
before referred to. Clay or earth is passed between the rollers, which force
the same into the moulds and compress it therein, as described. The brick is
then discharged from the moulds as the circular table revolves or reciprocates,
in the manner described. I find it convenient to allow the moulds to rest
whilst they are being filled, and sometimes the feeding rollers also, whilst the
moulds are being removed from under them; in such case seperate machinery
must be provided to traverse the mould table.
Figure 11 is a plan of a cylindrical polygonal mould frame, turning on its
axis j', and having moulds j in its surface; the moulds are fed by any suitable
means. is a scraper, which is traversed by any suitable apparatus in a
direction parallel to the axis j', and in the direction of arrow, to clean off the
surface clay after the moulds have passed under feeding apparatus, and have
received their charge of clay, the object being to obtain thereby a flat surface
to the brick.
I do not claim the seperate parts of the machines; but I claim,-
First, the combination of the machine for the purposes herein shewn and
described.
Secondly, the means by which the mould table is traversed.
Thirdly, the arrangement of lubricating apparatus, as shewn and described.
Fourthly, the mode of inserting the scrapers in the mouth-piece or
chamber.
Fifthly, the mode of forming the indentation in the brick by one piston
within another, that is to say, by withdrawing part of the pallet only at one
operation, whereby the removal of the brick is facilitated, by allowing the air
to enter more easily between the pallet and the surface of brick lying thereon;
or by a successive withdrawal of the pallet in parts, whereby the surface of
the newly-formed brick adhering to the pallet is divided into parts, and the

page_text: resistance, commonly called suction, caused by the adhesion of the clay to the
pallet, is overcome in seriatim. I also claim the same manner of liberating
the article moulded from the pallet when such article is formed with a flat
surface.
Sixthly, the combination of a mould frame, as shewn in Figure 11, with
rollers for filling the mould and compressing the clay within the same, and
such compression being completed before the mould is removed from under the
chamber or border of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Francis Porter, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
JOHN FRANCIS PORTER. (L.S.)
Witness,
B. GOBEY,
4, Old Square, Lincoln's Inn.