Improvements in Machinery for Manufacturing and Pressing Bricks.
Year: 1893

page_text: ate of Application, 14th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 17th June, 1893
COMPLETE SI DUIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Manufacturing and Pressing
Bricks.
I WILLIAM JOHNSON Engineer, Castleton Foundry, Armley, Leeds in the
County of York, 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 :-
My invention consists in combining in one machine, the various processes
necessary for the manufacture of bricks. Namely the mixing, pugging or
kneading of the material, the forming or moulding the bricks, and the ultimate
process of pressing and finishing them to the required shape and size, ready for
conveyance to the kiln.
The object of my invention is to unite in one machine, the full & complete
manufacture of bricks, to greatly reduce the labour required for their production,
& render skilled labour unnecessary. Also to construct a machine the working
parts of which are plain & simple in construction, having a minimum of wear &
tear, & perfectly free of access throughout.
To more fully describe the improvements in my invention reference is made to
the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the machine.
Fig. 3 a side elevation of the crank wheel and the cylinder pulling over plates.
Fig. 4 a side elevation of the cylinder and automatic lubricators.
Fig. 5 a front elevation of the cylinder and automatic lubricators.
Fig. 6 a side elevation of the brick pressing and feeding arrangement.
Fig. 7 a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 8 an end view of the mixer (¹) in connection with the barrel (C).
Fig. 9 a plan of the same.
In order to effect the object of my invention. I construct a foundation (A)
Fig. 1 sufficiently large, to contain and support all the parts forming the complete
machine. On the same foundation, and longitudinally with it, I fix the frames (B)
parallel one to the other. At the end and between the said frames I fix a suitable
barrel (C) containing a shaft (D), carrying an arrangement of mixing or pugging
knives and also the worm (F). The knives being arranged on the shaft to form
the outline of a screw.
I may here state that in cases where the nature of the
material to be dealt with, requires other treatment I propose, as hereinafter
described, using other means of agitating or otherwise preparing the material
before it is moulded into bricks on the top part of the barrel (C) I construct the
hopper (V) from which the material is fed into the machine.
At the front end of the frames (B) & in close contact with the front end of the
barrel, I place the moulding cylinder (G), hereinafter called the cylinder. The
said cylinder contains four moulds numbered 1, 2, 3 & 4 (Fig. 4), fitted with
the sliding blocks (H), which form the bottom of the mould. The cylinder is
mounted in suitable bearings (1) forming part of the frames (B) & one of the
journals appertaining to the cylinder, is carried to a convenient distance outside the
frame, for the purpose of fixing to it the catch wheel (L) on which is mounted
the pulling over plates (M). A connecting rod (N) is connected from the crank
wheel, to the pulling over plates (M) from which motion is imparted to the cylinder.
Each stroke of the connecting rod, causing the cylinder to revolve one quarter of a
revolution.
At right angles to the main frames (B), I erect on the foundation (A) a second
pair of frames (P) (Figs. 1, 6 & 7) parallel to each other, and between these

page_text: frames I fix the table (Q) carrying the pressing or finishing mould (R). This
mould occupies
a position either to the right or left of the cylinder, and is in a line
with the brick (1) delivered therefrom. On the top of the frames (P), the pressure
crank (S) is mounted in suitable bearings (T), and by means of the connecting
rod (U) gives motion to the press head (V), which moves up & down between the
adjustable slides (W) suitably fixed to the frames (P). On the underside of the
press head (V) is fixed the top plunger (X) carrying the mould plate (Y), fitted to
the exact size of the mould. The plunger X is also supplied with a steam
chamber for heating purposes, and escape holes for relieving the mould from air or
surplus material.
The mould (R) is fitted with a bottom plunger (Z), suspended from the press-
head (V), by means of the rods (a) which are made adjustable by means of the
nuts (). The bottom plunger (Z) when receiving the pressure due to the down-
ward stroke of the top plunger is at rest on the foundation (W), and does not put
any strain on the rods (a). The said rods are only used for the purpose of lifting
the bottom plunger, and brick to the surface of the table. The depth of the mould
or thickness of brick can be regulated by raising or lowering the foundation (W')
likewise the rods (a) can be lengthened or shortened by the nuts (b).
The feeding of the brick from the position as delivered from the cylinder to the
press mould, is effected by the automatic feeding arrangement shewn in (Figs. 6
and 7), consisting of the eccentric (d) keyed to the crank shaft. An eccentric
strap made in two parts is fitted in the ordinary way to the eccentric, one half of
the said strap forms also a rod (e) which is fixed to the top of the lever (f) by
means of the pin (g). The lever (f) is supported at a convenient distance from
the top, on the pin (4) in the bracket (1), and at the bottom it is connected by
means of the connecting rod (s) to the travelling table (J). The travelling
table (J) is mounted on the slides (t), the said slides being suitably supported by
the brackets (m) from the table (Q). The travelling table (J) when in action has
a reciprocating motion imparted to it, by means of the lever (f) actuated by the
1od or eccentric strap (e) in the usual way. The said table (J) being suitably
arranged and timed to catch the brick as it is delivered from the cylinder, carries
the same to the press mould where as hereinafter described the brick is pressed.
The lubrication of the cylinder mould plates, and also the lubrication of the
top surface of the brick whilst in the mould, before being delivered, is effected
by means of the automatic lubricators (I') and (K), (Figs. 4 and 5), one directly
over the top of the cylinder, and one directly under the cylinder. The top
lubricator (1) consists of a rectangular oil tank, with a perforated bottom (w),
to which a felt or other suitable pad (e) is fixed, the size of the pad being
somewhat smaller than the size of the mould. The lubricating tank is actuated
through the cams (y) (formed on each side of the cylinder) by means of the
vertical rods (2), bolted on each side of the tank and guided in their move-
ments by the brackets (a¹), fixed on the top of the frames (B). It will be
seen as the cylinder revolves in the direction of the arrow, and places the full
mould in the top position, that the depression in the cam at (61) will allow the
tank or lubricator (1) to drop, and the surface of the pad (c) to come in contact
with the surface of the brick in the mould, and also that at the next movement of
the cylinder the tank will be lifted clear of the cylinder, and remain there until the
next mould is reached.
The lubricator under the cylinder consists of a tank (K) in which a roller (c¹)
made of any suitable material is partly immersed in oil. The roller is carried by
the spindle (d) supported at each end by the vertical rods (e¹) the said rods work
in the guides (¹) and rest by means of the collars (g¹) on the springs (h¹). The
roller is by these means pressed upwards and when the empty mould in the cylinder
reaches its bottom position, and the block (H) forming the bottom of the mould
drops flush with the periphery or surface of the cylinder, the roller (c) by virtue
of the depression in the cam shewn at (1) comes in contact with the block (H) and
thereby lubricates the same, before it reaches the barrel, or position in which it

page_text: is refilled. By the next movement of the cylinder the cam (y) acting on the
rods (e) presses them down on the springs (¹) and places the roller clear of the
cylinder, where it is held until the next mould comes into position.
By the above arrangement of automatic lubricators a great saving in oil or
other lubricant is effected, as each of the lubricators receiving their motion from
the cams (y) on the sides of the cylinder are only brought into contact with the
top surface of the brick in the one case, and the block (H) forming the bottom of
the mould in the other, without coming in contact with any other portion of the
periphery or surface of the cylinder.
It is found in practice that the brick as formed in the cylinder is not of uniform
density throughout, this is due to the worm (F) (Fig. 2) on the knife shaft,
exerting a pressure at the mouth of the mould & the pressure not being distributed
equally through the whole of the material in the mould, as it would be in the case
of a fluid. The result is that the brick is firmer towards the top, or mouth of the
mould than it is towards the bottom of the mould.
In order to overcome this & produce a brick of uniform density throughout, I
propose turning the brick (J1) upside down as it is delivered from the mouth of
the mould, to the pressing table before reaching the position (J¹) (Fig. 6). To
effect this I fix the roller (K') in a convenient position under the mould, and as
the brick is delivered it tilts over on the roller and falls face downward on to the
pressing table, in which position it is fed into the pressing mould (R) and pressed
to a uniform density throughout, or otherwise the side of the brick which
occupied the bottom of the mould in the cylinder, occupies the top of the mould
in the press.
As a modification of the above method of equalizing the pressure on both sides
of the brick, I propose strengthening and extending the rods (a) (Figs. 6 & 7) &
connecting the said rods to cams fixed on each side of the crank (S). The said
cams to be suitably constructed for actuating the bottom plunger simultaneously
with the top plunger in giving pressure to the brick in the mould, and for lifting
the bottom plunger to the surface of the table in place of the press head (V), which
in this case would be altogether clear of the rods (a).
The action or working of the machine is as follows. The material is delivered
into the hopper by elevators or other convenient way and by the action of the
knives and the worm on the revolving shaft (D) is thoroughly well kneaded and at
the same time carried forward and pressed into the moulds in the cylinder. As
each mould is filled it is carried by the action of the revolving cylinder from the
horizontal position it occupied to a vertical position, being replaced at the same
time by an empty mould. Whilst the mould remains in a vertical position it is
lubricated by the pad appertaining to the top lubricator. The cylinder now
performs another quarter of a revolution & places the mould containing the brick
in a horizontal position directly opposite to the position it occupied when filling.
The brick is now pushed out of the mould by the action of the opposite filling
mould & falls by the action of the roller (K) face downward on to the travelling
table (J) on that side which has just been lubricated. The travelling table (J)
is timed to catch the brick during its backward stroke from the press mould, and
before completing its backward stroke it passes under the brick and allows it to
fall on the table (Q). When the travelling table is on its return stroke to the
press mould, it comes in contact with the brick lying on the table (Q) and pushes
or carries the same forward to the edge of the mould. The travelling table can
be arranged to have any convenient travel, and can be made to feed the brick
directly into the mould, with the first stroke, but in this case it is only allowed to
push the brick to the edge of the mould, leaving it there until the next brick, is
fed or pushed to the edge of the mould, and also at the same time pushing the
former one into the mould, and thus at every stroke of the travelling table,
excepting the first, a brick will be fed from the position it is delivered from the
cylinder into the mould, appertaining to the press. A suitable bracket (r) is fixed
in a convenient place to prevent the brick being carried back with the travelling

page_text: table (J) during its backward stroke. may here state that the travelling table
is arranged to work just over the top of the press table (Q), also that the top surface
of both tables, is perforated or made like a grid, in order to keep both clear of
any dirt. The brick reaches the mould at the same time as the bottom plunger
reaches its topmost position or surface of the table. The said plunger having
reached the surface of the table, begins at once to descend again, and by the time
the brick gets directly over the mould, the plunger has fallen sufficiently to allow
the leading end of the brick to butt against the far side of the mould, thereby
preventing the brick being pushed past the mould, and damaged by the descending
top plunger. The brick on reaching the bottom of the mould receives the pressure
on the top due to the downward stroke of the top plunger, and also a pressure on
the bottom side (when the machine is so constructed) due to the upward stroke
of the bottom plunger. The brick is now lifted by the bottom plunger to the
surface of the table and is at once pushed forward by the incoming brick to the
front of the table ready for removal to the kiln.
After each brick is delivered on to the press table the cylinder performs another
quarter of a revolution, and carries the now empty mould to a bottom vertical
position & the block (H) forming the bottom of the mould drops by its own
weight flush in a line with the periphery or surface of the cylinder, and whilst in
this position is lubricated by the roller (c) appertaining to the bottom lubricator.
The next movement completes the revolution of the mould and again places it in
position for filling & in this manner the process continues, each movement of the
cylinder placing one mould in position for filling, one mould in position for delivering
and two moulds in position for lubricating.
In order to relieve the barrel (C) or pug shaft (D) from any extra strain, due
to a surplus of material, a suitable escape is provided in the front end of the barrel,
whereby any accumulation escapes and passes again into the hopper.
The action of the machine in the treatment above described applies to ordinary
materials used in the manufacture of bricks. But for materials which require
either more mixing or more agitating, I propose either adding a series of spikes,
teeth or other suitable agitators to the existing knife shaft, or otherwise fixing to
the barrel of the machine a small mixer (4) (Figs. 8 and 9) provided with a suitable
shaft (n) to which a number of mixing knives or blades (o') are fixed.
The material is fed into the mixer () and carried by the knives to the
opening (P) and delivered partly mixed to the back end of the hopper (VI) of the
machine. By this process the material can be either well mixed or tempered before
reaching the hopper (V). This is an advantage where the material is either too
dry or otherwise unfit to be fed directly into the machine hopper. The knife
shaft () is driven by toothed gearing from the shaft (D) (Figs. 8 and 9).
In order to insure the material which is fed into the hopper (V') of the machine
in the ordinary way, being sufficiently mixed, I propose fixing across the
hopper (V) a series of bars or rods (U¹) (Figs. 1 and 2) to prevent the material
falling towards the front end of the barrel and thereby being fed into the moulds of
the cylinder before having undergone the necessary amount of mixing or pugging
from the revolving knife shaft (D).
The driving of the whole machine is effected by the fast pulley (A¹) (Figs 1
& 2), fixed to the shaft (B') suitably mounted in the bearings (C), carried by the
brackets (D). On the end of the pulley shaft, and nearest to the main frame a
pinion (E¹) is keyed which gears at the right hand side with the spur wheel (F¹)
keyed to the shaft (G) parallel to the pulley shaft. On this shaft two pinions are
also keyed one the bevil pinion (H), which is geared to the bevil wheel (L')
keyed to the end of the knife shaft (D), and the other pinion (J) geared to the
spur wheel, which also forms the crank wheel (01), actuating, by means of the
connecting rod (N), the pulling over plates (M) appertaining to the cylinder.
This forms the driving arrangement for the brick making part of the machine.
The pressing part of the machine is driven from the left hand side of the
pinion (E), on the pulley shaft, which gears to the spur wheel (M') and mitre

page_text: wheel (N¹) cast together, and running loose on the shaft (O¹). The mitre
wheel (N') actuates the shaft (P1) by means of the mitre wheel (Q'), the said
shaft being carried to the bearing (R) on the frames (P), from this shaft the
crank shaft of the press is driven by the pinion (S') gearing into the large spur
wheel (T) keyed to the crank shaft (S).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
(First.) The general arrangement and construction of a combined brick making
and pressing machine substantially as and for purposes herein described and
illustrated.
(Second.) The arrangement and construction of the parts forming a brick
pressing machine whereby a brick or other block can be pressed both top and
bottom simultaneously substantially as herein described and illustrated.
(Third.) The travelling table (J) substantially as herein described and
illustrated.
(Fourth.) The combination of parts forming the feeding motion complete,
substantially as herein described and illustrated.
(Fifth.) The roller (K¹) for the purpose of tilting the brick over when
issuing from the moulds in the cylinder, substantially as herein described and
illustrated.
(Sixth.) The construction and arrangement of parts forming the top lubri-
herein described and
cator (I) and bottom lubricator (K), substantially as
illustrated.
(Seventh.) The means of actuating the top and bottom lubricators by the
cams (y) on each side of the cylinder, substantially as herein described and
illustrated.
a
(Eighth.) The mixer (1) in connection with combined brick making
and pressing machine substantially as and for purposes herein described and
illustrated.
(Ninth.) The arrangement of a series of bars or rods conveniently fixed to
the hopper (V) of the machine substantially and for purposes herein described
and illustrated.
DL: the 10th day of A muil 1002
WILLIAM JOHNSON,
Applicant.