IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLAZED BRICKS AND TILES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Rayner Swallow, of Farnley, near Leeds, in the
County of York, Manager of Fire-clay Works, for the Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLAZED BRICKS AND TILES."
Sealed the 6th October 1877, and dated the 12th April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Rayner Swallow at
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th April 1877.
SAMUEL RAYNER SWALLOW, of Farnley, near Leeds, in the County of York,
Manager of Fire-clay Works. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLAZED
BRICKS AND TILES."
The object of this Invention is to make glazed bricks and tiles of fire-clay in a
more economical manner than heretofore, and of a better quality as respects their
shape.
According to the present mode of manufacture, the clay is ground dry and sieved;.
water is then added, and the clay again ground or pugged until it is fit for
moulding by hand.
The bricks or tiles when moulded are placed on a heated floor until slightly
stiffened, but yet in a plastic state. Next, they are pressed in an ordinary press and
dipped in suitable liquid material or slip, which forms an opaque covering. They
are then placed on shelves and left there until the slip has stiffened, after which
they are covered with glazing material and placed again on drying shelves to
prepare them for burning. The result of this mode of manufacture is a brick or
tile more or less warped, the flat form of the article being to a greater or less
extent lost during the drying process.
The time also occupied in preparing the bricks or tiles for burning is greatly in
excess of what is found necessary when my improved process is employed.
In working according to my Invention,
slightly damp the clay, of which the
bricks and tiles are to be made, and grind and sieve it. I then make the bricks
and tiles by any suitable moulding machine.
The bricks and tiles, as delivered from the machine, I place upon a heated floor
in piles of eight or more, which I weight, and then leave them until they are
thoroughly dried.

page_text: The bricks and tiles when dried I coat with suitable "slip," and glazed in the
ordinary manner, and then submit the goods to firing; but in order to prevent the
cracking of the coated surfaces of the bricks and tiles, which is liable to take place
when the "slip" is applied to the dried brick, I prepare the "slip" by mixing
therewith some glutinous matter, such for instance as size, which entirely removes
the tendency of the "slip" to crack.
When bricks and tiles are made according to my improved process, they will be
perfectly flat when placed in the kilns; and when burned with care they will
preserve their flat and even form during the process of burning.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Rayner Swallow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th October 1877.
SAMUEL RAYNER SWALLOW, of Farnley, near Leeds, in the County of York,
Manager of Fire-clay Works. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLAZED
BRICKS AND TILES."
The object of my Invention is to make glazed bricks and tiles of fire-clay in a
more economical manner than heretofore, and of a better quality as respects their
shape.
According to the present mode of manufacture, the clay is ground dry and sieved;
water is then added, and the clay again ground or pugged until it is fit for
moulding by hand.
The bricks or tiles when moulded are placed on a heated floor until slightly
stiffened, but yet in a plastic state. Next, they are pressed in an ordinary press,
and dipped in suitable liquid material or "slip," which forms an opaque covering.
They are then placed on shelves, and left there until the slip has stiffened; after
which they are covered with glazing material and placed again on drying shelves
to prepare them for burning. The result of this mode of manufacture is a brick or
tile more or less warped, the flat form of the article being to a greater or less
extent lost during the drying process.
The time also occupied in preparing the bricks or tiles for burning is greatly in
excess of what is found necessary when my improved process is employed.
In working according to my Invention, I slightly damp the clay of which the
bricks and tiles are to be made, and grind and sieve it. I then make the bricks
and tiles by any suitable moulding machine.
In some cases I prefer to make the face of the plate that presses the surface of
the brick which has to receive the glaze with slight grooves, such as would be left
by the rough cut of a planing, slotting, or shaping machine by which the surfaces
of the said press plates are prepared in order to leave on the face of the brick a moro
suitable surface to receive the facing material than that left by the smooth or
polished plates hitherto in use.
The bricks and tiles, as delivered from the machine, I place upon a heated floor in
piles of eight or more; and on the top of each pile I apply a weight, preferably a
tile of some two inches in thickness. In this state I leave the moulded articles until
they are thoroughly dried, when they will be found to have retained the flat form
they received in the mould.
The face of the brick or tile intended to be enamelled I coat with suitable slip,
and I afterwards glaze the same, after which the goods are submitted to firing. In
order however to prevent the cracking of the coated surfaces of the bricks and tiles,
which is liable to take place when the slip is applied to the dried brick, I prepare
the "slip" by mixing therewith some glutinous matter, such, for instance, as size,
which entirely removes the tendency of the slip to crack.
To prevent the formation of air bubbles, which would arise by dipping the bricks,

page_text: or tiles in the slip in the usual way, I prefer to lay it on by means of a brush. The
first coat I apply with a hard brush, rubbing the surface well. The next coat, or as
many as may be required, I lay on with a camel's hair, or similar soft brush.
In glazing the bricks and tiles, I dip them in the solution as usual, or I lay on
the glaze by means of a brush. When adopting the latter plan, which I prefer, as
less inoisture is thereby imparted to the moulded article, and its tendency to warp in
burning is consequently lessened, I mix size with the glaze, which will prevent the
glaze from being too rapidly absorbed by the clay, and will thus enable me to
produce a smooth surface free of stricks or other inequalities.
When bricks and tiles are made according to my improved process, they will be
perfectly flat when placed in the kilns; and when burned with care they will
preserve their flat and even form during the process of burning.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Manufacture of Glazed Bricks and Tiles," and explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent I claim in the manufacture of glazed bricks and tiles from fire-clay,
the drying of the same under pressure, and the enamelling or facing and glazing of
the same by means of "slip" and glaze prepared with size or its equivalent, and
applied in the manner and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof the said Samuel Rayner Swallow has hereunto set his
hand and seal, this Ninth day of October, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-seven.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the Samuel Rayner Swallow
in the presence of
EDWARD WHITELEY,
Clerk to Mr. Thos. Turner,
Solicitor,
Leeds.
S. R. SWALLOW. (L.S.)