IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PANTILES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Grainger, of Birchwood, in the Parish of
Alfreton, in the County of Derby, Brickmaker, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PANTILES."
Sealed the 18th April 1855, and dated the 6th February 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Grainger at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
February 1855.
I, JOHN GRAINGER, of Birchwood, in the Parish of Alfreton, in the County
of Derby, Brickmaker, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PANTILES" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of forcing clay or brick earth through dies formed
with openings corresponding with the transverse sections of the sizes of pantiles
to be made, by which means a continuous sheet is obtained, the transverse
section and longitudinal contour or bend of which correspond with those of
the intended pantiles. A sheet of clay as it comes from a die is received on to
a saddle or surface corresponding with the contour of the tile, on which surface
it is cut into the lengths desired, and also at the angles, and the neb to each
tile is made by hand.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Grainger in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th August 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GRAINGER, of Birchwood, in the Parish of Alfreton, in the County of Derby,
Brickmaker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Grainger, Her special licence that I, the said John Grainger,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Grainger, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdoin of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PANTILES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John. Grainger, 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 within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Grainger, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 thereof (that is to say):-
This Invention consists of forcing clay or brick earth through dies formed
with openings corresponding with the transverse sections of the sizes of pantiles
to be made, by which means a continuous sheet is obtained, the transverse
section and longitudinal contour or bend of which correspond with those of the
intended pantiles. A sheet of clay as it comes from a die is received on to
a saddle or surface corresponding with the contour of the tile, on which surface
it is cut into the lengths desired, and also at the angles, and the neb to each
tile is made by hand.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
The Drawing, Figure 1, shews-an-external view of a die or moulding orifice,

page_text: such as is employed in carrying out the Invention. Through the die brick
earth is to be forced by any suitable expressing machinery, such as is well
known for making tiles of other forms, by expressing clay or brick earth
through suitable dies or moulding orifices. According to this Invention, a die
with an opening or passage corresponding with the transverse sectional form of
a pantile, having been made and applied to a suitable expressing machine, the
clay or brick earth is to be forced through the die on to a saddle or receiving
surface corresponding with the contour of the upper surface of the tile.
Figure 2 shows a plan, Figure 8 an end view, and Figure 4 an under side
view, of the saddle or surface used to receive the clay or brick earth as it is
expressed through the die or moulding orifice, shown at Figure 1. At one end
of this saddle or receiving surface there is a recess a, in which the neb or
projection at the under side of each pantile is to be made, and it will be seen
that the form of the saddle or receiving surface at the ends corresponds with
the form of the ends of a pantile.
On the under surface of the saddle or receiving surface are recesses b, b,
which fit on to a stand fixed in front of the die, which stand supports the saddle
or receiving surface in front of the moulding orifice. The saddle or receiving
surface having been placed on the stand in front of the die or moulding orifice,
the machine is to be put in motion till as much clay has been expressed
through the die as completely to cover the saddle or receiving surface; the
machine is then to be stopped, and a cutting wire is to be passed across the
sheet of clay to sever the clay from the machine, and in so doing the cutting
wire is to be pressed up to and guided by that end of the saddle or receiving
surface which is nearest the expressing machine, by which the proper form of
a pantile will be obtained at that end, and in like manner the other end of
the clay is to be cut off to the form of other end of the saddle or receiving
surface. In order to form the neb or projection, the workman dabs on a piece
of clay and presses it into the recess for that purpose, and to prevent defects at
the edges of the tile, the workman, with a wet hand, smooths down any
inequality, and renders all smooth. The workman then places the convex side
of the hand tool or horse, Figure 5, into the convex surface of the tile, and by
the handle c at the back of the saddle he turns over the saddle and the tile, so
that the tile is received on to the horse, and by it the tile is transferred from
the saddle to a rack to be dried.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not claim the
expressing of clay or brick earth through moulding orifices or dies generally,
as various forms of tiles have before been so manufactured; but what I

page_text: claim is, the mode herein described of manufacturing pantiles by dies and
expressing machinery, together with saddles or receiving surfaces of the forms
of pantiles, as above explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Grainger, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
THO LANGHAM,
of Birchwood,
Augst 4th, 1855.
JOHN GRAINGER. (L.S.)