IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TILES FROM CLAY AND OTHER PLASTIC MATERIALS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Morris, of Barton-on-Humber, in the County of
Lincoln, Brick and Tile Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TILES FROM CLAY AND OTHER PLASTIC
MATERIALS."
Sealed the 12th May 1876, and dated the 8th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Morris at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th March 1876.
JOHN MORRIS, of Barton-on-Humber, in the County of Lincoln, Brick and Tile
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TILES
FROM CLAY AND OTHER PLASTIC MATERIALS."
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery for the manufacture of pan
and ridge tiles from clay and other plastic materials.
Pan and ridge tiles when made from comparatively soft clay can only be made
with commercial advantage by hand labour in the ordinary manner, as is well
understood, and when made by machinery from sufficiently stiff clay by forcing it
through a die or orifice of the form or section of the tile the tiles must be made
thicker, and consequently much heavier than those made by hand, or they would
not retain their proper form during the process of manufacture.
Now the object of my improvements is so to arrange the apparatus which receives
the tile as it is forced through and delivered from the die that it may be supported
in such manner as to maintain its proper form until it is finished and transferred to
the drying shed, although made from comparatively soft clay and of the ordinary
thickness. For this purpose, above the ordinary receiving rollers, according to my
improvements, I mount another series of much narrower rollers, which may or may
not carry an endless band. This additional series of rollers serve to support the
crown of the tile, the inner surface of which rests thereon whilst the wings or sides
of the tile rest upon the ordinary series of receiving rollers below. The tile thus
supported has a rib and recess formed upon it, and is cut off and finished in the
ordinary manner, as is well understood.

page_text: the lever c and plate c² is again raised to form the nib on the end of the next
succeeding tile by allowing the clay to fill up and issue through the enlargement
of the orifice at the crown of the tile for a short distance, when the lever c is again
depressed.
Figures 3 and 4 show front views of a moulding die and mechanism for forming a
recess and nib in accordance with.my Invention on a tile as it issues from the
moulding orifice. In these views a corrugated tile is shown, but roofing tiles of
other shapes may have the recess and nib formed thereon in like manner, as shown
by Figures 5 and 6, which represent what is known as a French tile.
c and d are
levers connected together by the link c*, and moving on pin joints c¹, ¹, on the
face of the die D. The lever c carries a plate c² for covering part of the moulding
orifice for a short time, whilst the clay first issues therefrom to form a recess at one
end of the tile when the levers are in the position shown at Figures 3 and 5. The
lever d carries a plate d for covering part of the moulding orifice, as shown at
Figure 4 and 6, after the clay has issued a short distance therefrom, in order.to
form a nib or projection on the end of the tile (below the recess), so that the nib
will fit into the recess after the tiles are burnt, and thus enable them to be packed
closely and safely together for transit.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
or carrying the same into practice, I would remark that I do not intend to limit
myself to the exact details herein described, as the mechanism employed for
carrying out my improvements may be considerably varied without departing from
the inain features of iny Invention; but what I claim is,―
First. The improved arrangement and combination of machinery for the manu-
facture of roofing and other arched tiles, wherein a series of rollers a, a, are employed
for supporting the crown of the tile as it is expressed or forced through a die or
orifice, substantially in the manner herein-before described and represented in
Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Secondly. I claim the formation of a nib or projection and a nib and a recess on
the end of roofing and other tiles, substantially in the manner herein-before
described and represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Morris, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Second day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
nicht hundul and
J. MORRIS. (L.S.)