IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Geeves, of the Caledonian Mills, New
Wharf Road, Caledonian Road, in the County of Middlesex, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Geeves
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 6th October 1859.
I, WILLIAM GEEVES, of the Caledonian Mills, New Wharf Road,
Caledonian Road, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF BRICKS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of causing the clay after it has been pugged
alone to be again pugged with sawdust or other dry matter, which I
prefer to have been first heated to drive off all moisture, and whilst in
the heater state these matters are introduced into the pug mill with
the clay, and mixed therewith. And I prefer to make bricks with
several perforations by having a fixed mould with a piston moving
therein, through which a number of spikes or projections work so as to
penetrate the brick when in the mould, and thus form perforations

page_text: therein, the piston delivering the brick from the mould. By these
means the bricks will more quickly dry by reason of the sawdust or
other drying matters, and the drying will be facilitated by reason of the
perforations. The use of sawdust in bricks will also improve the pro-
cesses of drying and burning bricks. And I find it important when
drying perforated bricks to place them one on the other on a perforated
Hoor, so that the perforations may correspond, and then to cause air,
heated or cold, to pass up through the floor and through the bricks
thercon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Geeves in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th April 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1,
то
WILLIAM GEEVES, of the Caledonian Mills, New Wharf Road,
Caledonian Road, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Geeves, Her special licence
that, the said William Geeves, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as 1, the said William Geeves, 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 MA-
NUFACTURE OF BRICKS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Geeves, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Geeves, 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 thereof (that is to say):
: This Invention consists of causing the clay after it has been pugged
alone to be again pugged with sawdust or other dry matter, which I
prefer to have been first heated to drive off all moisture, and whilst in
the heated state these matters are introduced into the pug mill with
the clay, and mixed therewith. And I prefer to make bricks with
several perforations by having a fixed mould with a piston moving
therein, through which a number of spikes or projections work so as to
penetrate the bricks when in the mould, and thus form perforations
therein, the piston delivering the brick from the mould. By these
means the bricks will more quickly dry by reason of the sawdust or
other drying matters, and the drying will be facilitated by reason of the
perforations. The use of sawdust in bricks will also improve the
processes of drying and burning bricks. And I find it important when
drying perforated bricks to place them one on the other on a perforated
floor, so that the perforations may correspond, and then to cause
air, heated or cold, to pass up through the floor and through the bricks
thereon..
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, 1. will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same. In preparing clay or
brick earth for being moulded or formed into bricks I combine with it
a quantity of sawdust, or it may be of other dry matter, such as the
husks of seed or others in a state of division, and I mix as much
thereof with the clay or brick earth (immediately before making the
same up into bricks) as it will take, and yet retain such a state of
plasticity as will admit of its being readily imoulded, and I prefer to
use such matters in as dry state as may be, and even heated where
that can be conveniently done at moderate cost. I would remark,
that it is important that the mixing of the dryers or absorbents of
moisture with the clay should be as little time before the moulding as.
may be. Having thus combined dry matters with tlie clay or brick earth.
Lise bricks to be moulded in the ordinary manner, either by hand or

page_text: by machinery, but when the bricks are to be perforated I prefer to
use the machinery shewn in the Drawing. It should be stated that
my object is not only to use absorbents of moisture to mix with the
clay or brick earth when about to mould the same in order that the
compound may quickly dry after moulding, but also by using matters
which will burn to facilitate the burning of the bricks.
Figure 1, shows a plan, Figure 2, a longitudinal section, and
Figure 8, a transverse section of a machine for the making of per-
forated bricks, each having three or it may be more perforations
through it.
The Drawing shows the parts arranged suitably for
making bricks with three perforations through each of them. a, a, is
a fixed box or mould, in which the plastic materials are placed, having
a piston b, with perforations formed therein for the passage through of
the spikes c, c, c, by which the perforations are formed. The spikes
c, c, c, are connected to a cross bar d, having lugs d', d', on its under
side, by which the links e, e, connect it with the lever handle. The
piston b, has lugs b', ', on its under side, by which the links g, g, are
made to connect it with the lever handle h. The lever handles f, and h
both work on the centre i, as shewn. To form a brick the mould is
first filled with the plastic material, the handle f, is then raised, by
which the spikes c, c, will be caused to pass through the plastic mate-
rials in the mould a; the handle h, is next to be raised, by which the
piston b, will also be raised, and drive the brick thus formed from the
mould. The bricks are then to be removed by pallets to be dried.
Perforated bricks thus made, having sawdust or other dry matter
mixed up with the clay or brick earth immediately before using the
same, will require very little drying; and it will be found convenient
where the clay has much moisture, or where the sawdust or other
matter has not been used in a very dry state, to place such bricks on a
floor one on the other so as to bring the perforations through them to
correspond with one another, and with like perforations in the floor;
and by means of a fan or other blowing apparatus to force air (whether
hot or cold) below the floor, and up through the perforations in the
bricks. When the bricks are to be burnt in clamps I use between
each layer of bricks a little ground breeze or coke, by the aid of which

page_text: and the sawdust in the bricks I am able to burn the bricks in clamps.
When the sawdust or other matters used are very dry, and the clay or
brick earth is not largely charged with moisture, I have found that
the bricks may be at once placed to burn, the heat, however, being
allowed to take place at first but slowly.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I am
aware that bricks have before been moulded with perforations through
them, but the arrangement of the mould and parts working therewith
were constructed differently to those herein described.
What I claim is, the manufacture of bricks by combining clay or
brick earth immediately before moulding with sawdust or other
matters which act as dryers or absorbents of moisture, and also the
combination of apparatus herein described for moulding perforated
bricks.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Geeves, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four
Witness,
FRED HARRIS.
WILLIAM GEEVES. (L.B.)