Improvements in Machines for Making Compressed Bricks and other similar articles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21st Feb., 1893-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Compressed Bricks and
other similar articles.
I, JOHN JAMES WHITTAKER, of Avenue Parade, Accrington, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
This invention relates to that class of machine in which the moulds or mould
boxes wherein the bricks are compressed are carried round the periphery of a
rotating drum or cylinder, the compression being effected by a presser or piston
which enters the moulds at intervals as the cylinder rotates: It is designed with
the object of providing a machine in which the wear & tear will be reduced to a
minimum by simplifying the arrangement & construction of the several parts, the
movements being either rotatory or reciprocal and the parts easy of access and not
liable to derangement. I also provide for automatic lubrication of the moving
parts and for the heating of the moulds by steam to prevent clogging.
The
In carrying out the invention I mount the cylinder & other parts of the machine
upon a bed plate or foundation plate, and at each side erect two frames which
support the cylinder. These side frames are constructed with projecting rings or
trunnions which serve as supports for the cylinder & upon which it rotates.
inner side of the cylinder rests upon these rings or trunnions or it is provided with
corresponding grooves which fit over the projecting rings so as to rotate thereon.
The projecting rings are preferably hollow or formed with a cavity into which
steam can be forced to heat the cylinder & the moulds. The cavity may be
formed with a pipe inserted therein with steam inlet & outlet conveniently
arranged.
The cylinder is constructed with suitable openings around its circumference,
placed preferably at equal distances apart and upon the circumference of the
cylinder are fixed mould boxes corresponding with the openings.
In the mould boxes; are fitted bottom dies or pistons which pass through to the
interior of the cylinder. To these dies or pistons are fitted stud-bolts projecting
inwards through a metal ring inserted inside the cylinder and provided with holes
at the proper distances apart for the bolts to pass through. Upon each stud bolt is
placed a spiral spring which acts between the metal ring & the nut or head on the
end of the stud bolt for the purpose of drawing the die or piston back into position
after a brick has been discharged.
Levers with bars, sliding head or equivalent are fitted inside the cylinder, which
each time the cylinder rotates into position are brought to bear against the inner
side of the die or piston, and the bricks are discharged thereby, the springs
drawing the die or pistons back as required to receive the next charge of clay.
The presser for compressing the bricks is mounted upon slides fitted above each
of the side frames, & consists of a crosshead provided with a suitable die or plunger
for the purpose.
Each side of the cylinder is provided with a number of notches, or ratchet teeth
by which it is rotated at intervals as required by means of a reciprocating rod or
pawl, each notch or recess corresponding with the mould boxes so that the cylinder
is moved forward the proper distance to receive the feed and compression.
The clay is fed into the moulds in the cylinder by means of a reciprocating
plunger or by means of a screw, or from any pugmill of suitable construction.
At the side of each frame I place a beam lever mounted at one end upon a fixed
fulcrum forming part of the side frame, or raised from the bed plate. These beams

page_text: receive a reciprocating motion from a shaft with double cranks which is connected
& driven by suitable gearing and pulleys from any motive power.
To these beams at their respective positions are connected by connecting rods &
levers with the feed regulator and links to plunger feed presser, pawl bars for
rotating cylinder and mould boxes, rods, levers, and bars with regulating nuts for
discharging bricks, pump ram with pump, rods with regulating nuts and cushion
washers, or springs to crosshead and top presser piston, the whole of the parts
being mounted with the usual fixing guides & bearings.
Upon each side of the bed plate and below the mould boxes, are fixed journal
bearings upon which revolve two rollers, the rollers being set so as to be in touch
with the periphery of the mould boxes, to take the strain when the top pressure
part is in action.
At each end of the rollers are placed brake blocks so as to prevent the cylinder
moving after being put in position by pawl bars and ratchets until the compression
of the bricks has taken place.
Dated this 9th 1 of I... 1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Compressed Bricks and other
similar articles.
1, JOHN JAMES WHITTAKER of Avenue Parade, Accrington, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to that class of machine in which the moulds or mould
boxes wherein the bricks are compressed are carried round the periphery of a
rotating drum or cylinder and each provided with a reciprocating piston the com-
pression being effected by a presser or piston, which enters the moulds successively
as the cylinder rotates.
It is designed with the object of providing a machine in which the wear and
tear will be reduced to a minimum by simplifying the arrangement and construction
of the several parts; the movements being either rotatory or reciprocal and the
parts easy of access and not liable to derangement. I also provide for automatic
lubrication of the moving parts and for the heating of the moulds by steam to
prevent clogging.
The invention
drawings.
will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
Fig. 1, is a side elevation.
Fig. 2, is a front elevation.
Fig. 3, is a back elevation.
Fig. 4, is a longitudinal sectional elevation.
Fig. 5, is a sectional plan.
Fig. 6, is a longitudinal sectional elevation of modified form of apparatus for
feeding the clay into the moulds.
The cylinder or barrel A is constructed as is usual in this class of machine with
a number of moulds or mould boxes B formed in it at intervals preferably equal
distances apart around the periphery, and it and the other parts of the apparatus
are mounted upon a bed plate or foundation plate C.
The cylinder A is supported and maintained in position by two frames Doue on
either side. The side frames D are constructed with two projecting rings or
hollow trunnions d over which the cylinder is fitted and upon which it rotates.
The weight of the cylinder is further supported on rollers or pulleys D¹. The
projecting rings d are preferably formed with a chamber or cavity d¹ through

page_text: which steam can be passed to heat the cylinder and moulds. The chamber 18
preferably formed as shown with a pipe inserted therein with steam inlet and outlet
conveniently arranged.
The mould boxes B around the periphery of the cylinder are each fitted with a
reciprocating piston or plunger E and die plate e upon which the bricks are com-
pressed. The pistons or plungers E are fitted in a second chamber B₁ in the
cylinder in which they are moved to and fro the chamber B¹ being preferably some-
what smaller than the mould box B so that the plate e bears upon the ledges or
shoulders e which sustain the pressure whilst the clay is being forced in and being
compressed.
Behind each of these pistons or plungers E is fitted a short piston rod or stud F
projecting radially towards the centre of the cylinder. The piston rods or studs F
pass through holes or slots in a metal plate or ring f and are provided on the outer
end with a nut and washer. Upon each piston rod or stud F is placed a spiral
spring f which bears between the metal ring and the nut or head on the end of
the piston rod or stud for the purpose of drawing the dic and piston back into
position after a brick has been discharged.
In the interior of the cylinder A are mounted two reciprocating rods or bars G
(or a sliding cross head or its equivalent) opposite to which at each movement or
partial rotation of the cylinder one of the pistons or plungers E is brought.
The ends of the rods G as they are moved to and fro engage with the inner side
of one of the pistons or plungers E moving it forward and thereby discharging
the finished brick from the mould B onto the table E¹. The piston or plunger E
is drawn back again, after the brick is expelled, by the spring f" and the mould
is then ready to receive the next charge of clay.
The presser H for compressing the bricks is mounted upon slides H¹ fitted
above each of the side frames D and consists of a cross head provided with a
suitable die or plunger for the purpose.
Each side of the cylinder A is provided with a number of notches or ratchet
teeth a by which it is rotated at intervals as required by means of a reciprocating
rod or pawl a'. The notches or recesses a corresponding with the mould boxes so
that the cylinder is moved forward the proper distance to bring one of the mould
boxes in a position to receive the charge of clay another under the presser H and
a third opposite the reciprocating bars G by which the brick is discharged. A
small pump I is placed near the bottom of the cylinder A by which a jet of oil
or other liquid is forced into each mould box successively in order to lubricate the
sides of it to prevent the clay sticking thereto.
The clay is fed into the moulds B in the cylinder A by means of a recipro-
cating plunger J or by means of a screw K (Fig. 6.) or from any pugmill of
suitable construction.
At the outside of each side frame D is pivoted a beam lever L mounted at one
end upon a fixed fulcrum forming part of the side frame, or raised from the bed
plate. The beams L receive a reciprocating motion from double cranks M in a
shaft m which is connected and driven by suitable gearing and pulleys such as m¹
from any motive power.
The motion of the beams L is conveyed by means of connecting rods or levers to
the several operative parts of the machine. The plunger J by which the clay is
fed into the moulds B in the cylinder is connected to the ends of the beams L by
the levers affixed to the shaft j" in the form of a bell crank whereby the raising
and lowering of the beams L move the plunger J to and fro. The travel of the
plunger is regulated and adjusted by means of the screw by which the end of
the connecting link is raised and lowered. The .cylinder or barrel A, which
carries the moulds B and their pistons or plungers E, is connected to the beams L
by the bars a¹ which at their upper ends each carry a pawl or its equivalent which
engages with the notches a forming a ratchet in the sides of the cylinder so that
at each upward stroke of the beams L the cylinder is moved forward a space
equivalent to the distance between the centre of one mould and the next. The

page_text: -
bars G which actuate the pistons or plungers E for discharging the bricks are
connected to the beams L by the connecting rods g through the bell crank levers gl
the downward stroke of the beams causing the bars G to engage with the plungers E
and move them forward to force out or discharge the finished brick. The cross
head of the presser H which compresses the clay in the mould B is connected to
the beams L by the connecting rods h¹ whereby the presser H is drawn down into
the mould B at each downward stroke of the beams. The pump I is connected
Where
to the beams L by the rod i which moves to and fro with the beams.
a screw K is employed for feeding the clay into the moulds it is actuated by a
worm and worm wheel as shown in Fig. 6.
The rollers D' are set so that the periphery of the mould boxes bear upon
them and thus serve to bear the additional weight or strain that is applied by
the pressure of the top presser H upon the clay. At each end of these rollers
there may be applied brake blocks to prevent the cylinder moving after being
moved forward into position until the compression of the bricks has taken place. i
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 I
claim is :-
1. In a brickmaking machine of the type described the combination with the
rotating cylinder carrying the moulds, of the side frames D provided with projecting
rings upon which the cylinder rotates the notches a in the sides of the cylinder
and the rods or pawls a connected to reciprocating beams whereby the cylinder is
moved substantially as described.
2. In a brickmaking machine of the type described the rotating cylinder formed
with a second chamber B¹ behind the mould B in which the piston or plunger E
slides in combination with the reciprocating rods G which actuate the plungers
successively to eject the bricks, the levers g¹ whereby the rods G are connected
with the reciprocating beams L and the springs f" for withdrawing the plungers
substantially as described.
3. In a brickmaking machine of the type referred to the combination with the
presser H mounted in the slide H' for compressing the bricks in the moulds, of the
connecting rods and the reciprocating beams L actuated by cranks or other
suitable means substantially as described.
4. In a brickmaking machine of the type described the combination with the
cylinder of a small oil pump whereby a jet or jets of oil is injected into each mould
as the cylinder rotates for the purpose of lubricating the clay or brick to be made
therein substantially as described and shown.
5. A brickmaking machine of the type described having the several actuating
parts constructed and arranged substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 20th day of February 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.