Improvements in Machinery for Making Bricks and Tiles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 7th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Making Bricks and Tiles.
I, ALFRED LIONEL MAYNARD, of Dawley, in the County of Middlesex, Brick
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to this invention I construct machinery for making bricks and tiles
in such manner that a stream of clay issuing from a pug mill is conveyed over a
series of parallel rollers to a cutting wire by which lengths are successively cut off
from its end just before it passes over the last of the series of rollers. Each length
as it is so cut off from the end of the stream of clay drops off from the last roller
on to a table below and is then drawn forward along the table by a strike or scraper
and brought on to the top of a plunger or movable bottom of a mould in which the
length of clay is to be compressed, this plunger then descends into the mould and
an upper plunger which has a longer length of travel than the lower one comes
down and when it has entered the top of the mould the clay is compressed between
the top and bottom plungers. Afterwards both plungers rise and when the
compressed brick has been raised out of the mould it is pushed off on to an endless
travelling band by another length of clay being then brought forward on to the
top of the bottom plunger and so the work goes on.
The travelling baud, the plungers, the scraper and the cutting wire are all
driven by gearing from the pug mill shaft. An endless driving chain passing over
a chain wheel on the pug mill shaft (or a shaft driven with it) gives motion to a
horizontal shaft which is vertically above the plungers. The upper plunger is
moved up and down by a connecting rod passing from it to a crank on the shaft.
The lower plunger is coupled to the short arm of a lever below it-this lever is
parallel with the shaft and its longer arm is coupled by a connecting rod to another
crank on the shaft.
An endless chain passing around a chain wheel on the shaft also drives a drum
over which the endless band (preferably a rubber band) which conveys away the
compressed bricks passes.
A second crank axis which is vertically above the cutting wire is also driven by -
an endless chain from the first crank axis.
The cutting wire passes across the lower end of a vertical lever frame-fulcrum
pins projecting from this frame are received in fixed vertical guides so that the
frame can be moved up and down as well as oscillated on its fulcrums. The upper
end of the lever frame is jointed to the pin of a crank on the second crank axis.
In this way the wire is caused to make a vertical cut through the travelling stream
of clay both on its descent and on its ascent.
A third crank axis on the opposite side of the first axis is also driven by an
endless chain from this axis. Cranks on the third crank axis are coupled by
connecting rods to the upper ends of vertical levers the lower end of which are
coupled to rods which at their opposite end are attached to the strike or scraper.
During its forward movement the strike or scraper rests on the table on to which
the cut lengths of clay are delivered. During its backward movement rollers
which are carried by it come against inclines and rise up these inclines until at the
end of the backward movement they pass beyond the end of the inclines and the
scraper then drops on to the table in rear of a cut length of clay which is then
resting upon it. The inclines are hinged so that they give way when the rollers
come against them at the back during the forward movement of the scrapers.
Dated this 4th day of July 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Making Bricks and Tiles.
I, ALFRED LIONEL MAYNARD, of Dawley, in the County of Middlesex, Brick
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
According to this invention I construct machinery for making bricks and tiles
in such manner that a stream of clay brick earth or other material issuing from a
pug mill is conveyed over a series of parallel rollers to a cutting wire by which
lengths are successively cut off from its end just before it passes over the last of
the series of rollers. Each length, as it is so cut off from the end of the stream of
clay brick earth or other material drops off from the last roller on to a table below,
and is then drawn forward along the table by a strike or scraper, and brought on
to the top of a plunger or movable bottom of a mould in which the length of clay
brick earth or other material is to be compressed, this plunger then descends into
the mould and an upper plunger which has a longer length of travel than the lower
one comes down, and when it has entered the top of the mould, the clay brick earth
or other material is compressed between the top and bottom plungers. Afterwards
both plungers rise and when the compressed brick or tile has been raised out of the
mould it is pushed off on to an endless travelling band by another length of clay
brick earth or other material being then brought forward on to the top of the
bottom plunger and so the work goes on.
The drawings annexed shew a machine constructed as above described.
Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section Figure 2 a vertical longitudinal section
Figure 3 a plan Figure 4 an end view and Figure 5 a side elevation of the
machine.
A is a crank shaft to which a continuous revolving motion is given from the pug
mill shaft by an endless chain A¹.
The shaft A (as seen in Figures 1 and 2) by a crank upon it gives an up and
down movement to an upper plunger B and by another crank gives a similar but
less movement to a lower plunger or movable bottom C of the mould D. E is a
stream of clay coming from the pug mill and passing over rollers F. G is a wire
by which the stream of clay brick earth or other material is cut into lengths-it is
carried by a frame G¹ to which an up and down movement is given by cranks on a
crank shaft H. The lower end of the frame has arms G² extending sidewise from
it which at their ends enter grooves or channels between the sides of a diamond
shaped recess in fixed blocks G³ and a smaller corresponding diamond shaped
block I within the recess and capable of being rocked on a pivot at its centre.
J is a spring by which the block I is normally held in the position shewn.
In this
way it will be seen that when the frame G¹ descends the wire G is carried down-
wards in a sloping course so that it may make a vertical cut through the moving
stream of clay brick earth or other material-(in Figure 2 it is shewn as just
commencing to make its cut) and that when the cut is completed the wire at once
commences to again rise and is caused to travel upwards through the cut it had
previously made in the stream of clay brick earth or other material. The above
is a convenient way of cutting the stream of clay brick earth or other material
into lengths but any other suitable arrangement of cutting mechanism may be used
for the purpose.
K is a table on to which the cut off lengths of clay brick earth
or other material drop as they pass beyond the last of the rollers F. The end of
the table on to which the cut off lengths drop is raised at the time when a length
of clay brick earth or other material is to drop on to it and afterwards lowered by
its being coupled to a lever K¹ (see Figure 4) to which a rocking motion is imparted
from a crank H' on the shaft H. L is a scraper worked to and fro above the
table K-it is connected by rods L' with the lower ends of levers L' to which an

page_text: oscillating motion is imparted from crank arms M' on a shaft M. The shafts M
and H are both driven by endless chains from the crank shaft A and at the same
speed with it. The scraper has a rod extending sidewise from it on either side
and on each end of the rod is a roller N. When the scraper is being drawn
forwards it rests on the table K the rollers N then passing below hinged inclines P
lifting the inclines so that they can pass below them. When they have passed
beyond the end of the inclines the inclines drop and on the return movement of the
scraper they ride along the top of the inclines keeping the scraper up above the
surface of the table. At the end of the backward movement the rollers pass
beyond the rear ends of the inclines and the scraper again drops on to the table in
rear of a cut off length of clay brick earth or other material which has been
dropped on to the table just previously.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The construction of brick and tile making machinery in such a manner that a
stream of clay brick earth or other material issuing from a pug mill is cut into
lengths and each length after it has been cut off is drawn forwards by a scraper
and by it placed onto a lower plunger or movable bottom of a nould and in such
manner that the movable bottom then descends into the mould and an upper plunger
descends also and forces the clay brick earth or other material into the mould and
compresses it between itself and the bottom plunger.
2. The construction of brick and tile making machinery substantially as herein
before described and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
3
1 1000
ALF. L. MAYNARD.