IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TILES, SLABS OR PLATES
Year: 1837

page_text: DAVIES AND WILSON SE
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, RICHARD
DAVIES, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and ROBERT CHRISSOP WILSON, of Gates-
head, in the County of Durham, Earthenware Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of that part of the United Kingdom called
England, bearing date at Westminster, the Fourteenth day of September, in
the first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto the said Richard Davies and Robert Chrissop Wilson, their
exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial licence, that we, the said Richard
Davies and Robert Chrissop Wilson, our exors, admors, and assigns, by them-
selves, or by their servants, or agents, or such others as they, the said Richard
Davies and Robert Chrissop Wilson, their exors, admors, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, and also in Her Colonies and Plantations abroad, our Invention
of an "IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TILES, SLABS, OR PLATES;" in
which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging us, the said
Richard Davies and Robert Chrissop Wilson, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature
of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and
to cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, referrence being hereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Richard Davies and Robert Chrissop Wilson, do hereby declare that the
nature of our said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be
performed, are described and ascertained by the Drawings hereto annexed,
and the words following, that is to say :-
It is well known to manufacturers of earthenware that considerable difficulty
is found in producing perfectly flat surfaces of that article, in consequence of
the tendency to warp in the firing, particularly in what is called the biscuit
kiln. Now, our Invention consists in rendering the faces of our tiles, slabs, or
plates perfectly flat and out of winding, and the edges perfectly square, so that
any number may be joined together with the greatest accuracy, by grinding
them after they are in the state called biscuit. The grinding is effected by
placing the tiles, slabs, or plates face downwards upon a circular stone (about
six feet diameter, and eight or nine inches thick), which is laid in a horizontal
position upon an upright iron shaft or axle, which axle has arins of cast metal
projecting from it to support the stone weights (not too heavy lest they break
the tiles, slabs, or plates) are then laid on the tiles, slabs, or plates to press them
down, and water being applied the machine is set in motion by a horizontal
shaft, which is turned by steam or other power, and communicates with the
upright iron axle, before mentioned, by a cog wheel. To prevent the tiles,
slabs, or plates revolving round with the horizontal stone on which they are
placed, as above described, there is a frame of wood fixed abovo it, divided into
three, four, or more parts, supported by posts over or upon the revolving hori-
zontal stone, leaving a small space above the stone and between it and the
frame, sufficient to allow the stone revolving without touching the frame. The
tiles, slabs, or plates are placed within the compartments of the frame, which
being fixed and stationary prevents the tiles, slabs, or plates circulating with
the stone on which they are ground. Upon the tiles, slabs, or plates within the
compartments of the frame are laid the weights, before described, to keep the
tiles, slabs, or plates firm on the surface of the revolving stone. This framework
may be divided into two, three, four, or more compartments, as may be thought
requisite; the titles, slabs, or plates are allowed to remain until the faces are
ground down to a level surface, they are then taken off and put on a metal
horizontal circular plate which moves in the same way and by the same means
as the circular stone already described, and a little fine sand and water is
applied to smooth the surface; this being done, the tiles, slabs, or plates are
next to be squared on their edges; this is performed by applying the edge of
the tile, slab, or plate to the face of the metal plate and held on by the hands
until it is ground straight. The tile, slab, or plate is next turned, and the edge

page_text: which has already been made straight is then placed close against a flat smooth
bar of iron, which is fixed in a perpendicular position above the circular metal
plate, so as to form a right angle with the same, but not to touch the circular
metal plate; the tile, slab, or plate being then passed down to the face of the
circular metal plate, the ground edge resting against the perpendicular iron
bar, is ground as before until the edge is straight, care being taken to keep the
first ground edge close to the upright bar, and, consequently, these two sides
being done in the same manner, the tile, slab, or plato is square, and the sides
at right angles with each other, finishes the operation of grinding. The tiles,
slubs, or plates are then glazed and fired in the usual way in which other
articles of earthenware are glazed and fired.
We claim as our Invention the application of the face and edges of the tiles,
slabs, or plates when in the biscuit state to the circular stone and metal plato
herein-before described, so as to render the face of the tiles, slabs, or plates
perfectly flat and out of winding, and the edges quite square.
We claim the machinery only which enables us to use and apply it for
grinding the tiles, slabs, or plates, as before described; but we do not claim
any particular manner of forming the tiles, slabs, or plates in the clay state,
or in the firing, or in the compound thereof; but we claim the combination of
process and machinery above described, as a whole, and not its particular parts.
In witness whereof, we, the said Richard Davies and Robert Chrissop
Wilson, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Twelfth day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
18
5
RICH DAVIES.
(L.B.)
ROBERT CHRISSOP WILSON. (L.B.)
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twelfth day of March, in the
year of our Lord 1888, the aforesaid Richard Davies and Robert Chrissop
Wilson came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknow-
ledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained
and specified, in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was
stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Fourteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight.

page_text: For the further Explanation of one Invention we have annexed the above Drawings
of which the following description will be sufficient to enable Mechanics to
make the Machinery.
AAA Four vertical Posts of Wood built firmly in with the Foundation.
BBB Horizontal Frame nutched and spiked to the vertical posts resting on the last
course of the Foudation.
C.C.C. Frame work, morticed into Frame BB and to which the carriages are bolted
EEE Gross Rails notched into the vertical Posts at C. to rest the Files against and
to prevent them revolving with the Stone.
D.
Cross Beam to support vertical axle.
EEE Stiffening pieces notched and spiked to the vertical post
II.
Shaft from the Steam Engine or other power with a bevel Wheel at A working
into the Teeth of bevel Wheel B. on vertical shaft to which the stone is fixed.
III. Battening to stop the Centrifugal force of the Water to prevent it flying about.
the Manufactory.
J.J.J. Curved Rail to which the Battening is fixed.
K
The upright Bar against which the files are placed when sawarina