AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MAKING TILES FOR DRAINING SOLES, HOUSE TILES, FLAT ROOFING TILES, AND BRICKS
Year: 1838

page_text: WEEDDALES SP
TION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
Marquis of TWEEDDALE, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the First day of August, in the second year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said George
Marquis of Tweeddale, her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said George Marquis of Tweeddale, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Marquis of Tweeddalc,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of fourteen years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MAKING TILES FOR DRAINING SOLES, HOUSE TILES, FLAT
ROOFING TILES, AND BRICKS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso obliging me, the said George Marquis of Tweeddale, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in
part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
George Marquis of Tweeddale, do hereby declare that the nature of my said

page_text: Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed are particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof,
reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures or
letters of reference marked thereon, that is to say, premising that before
applying my Invention the clay must be prepared (an improved method of
doing which will be described in the sequel), I shall first proceed to describe
that part of my Invention applicable to making draining tiles.
It consists of a frame A, of cast iron, or other suitable material, as seen in
Figs. 1, 2, 3, of the annexed Drawing, and runs on wheels," the purpose of
which will be afterwards described. B, C, Figs. 2, 3, are two cast iron cylin-
ders of eighteen inches diameter and of the same length, for compressing the
clay to the proper breadth and thickness by aid of the hopper, to be afterwards
described. These cylinders are driven in contrary directions by means of
toothed wheels a, a, Fig. 1, keyed to the outer ends of their axes, and are
The lowest of
driven at the same speed, having each forty-eight teeth.
these cylinders C, is driven by the pinion b. This pinion is provided with a
bush, which revolves loosely on its axis, and is engaged and disengaged by
means of an ungearing clutch wrought by a lever, by which the machine can
be stopped in an instant, and vice versa. The periphery of this pinion is set
off to eighteen teeth, but has only fifteen cast on it, the other three being left
blank so as to cause a temporary stop of the machine to afford time for the
tile being cut by a wire or cutter, afterwards described. It must perform only
one revolution during the time that the length of one drain tile is formed.
This size of pinion and number of teeth being intended to form a tile of fifteen
inches in length, it is quite clear that were greater length of tile required the
pinion must have an increase of teeth, and vice versâ if the tile is required to
be of a shorter length. The lower cylinder C turns in stationary bushes, and
the upper cylinder B turns in moveable bushes; that is, the bushes are cast
with slits in them for that purpose, in order to their being set nearer to or
further from each other to suit the various thicknesses of the tiles which are
to be made. I may here remark, that the degrees of thickness in the different
descriptions of tiles never vary so much as 'to remove the teeth of the wheels
of the cylinder so far out of their ordinary contact as to injure them in the
working. A hopper or feeding apparatus D, Fig. 1, 2, 3, which has four or
more rollers placed in an inclined position turning in bushes screwed to the
lower edges of the sides of the hopper, around which rollers travels an endless
web consisting of moleskin, leather, or any other flexible material of the like
nature, leads the clay forward to the cylinders B, C, the lowermost of which,
so soon as it has hold of the clay, continues to keep it advancing. It will be

page_text: observed, by referring to the Drawing, that the clay leaves the feeding web a
little way below the line of contact of the cylinders; the object of this is to
afford the lower cylinder a greater degree of surface contact with the clay than
it would have if the latter entered immediately at the line of contact, and it
is therefore better adapted to draw it along the feeding web. I may also here
remark, that clay, from its nature (with few exceptions) has a tendency to
adhere to the cylinders; to obviate this, I cover each of them with an endless
web of the like materials as used on the feeding apparatus, and these webs are
distended over rollers E, E, Fig. 1, 3, which are adjustable by screws for the
purpose of keeping the distensions perfect. This provision of webs is the more
necessary, as clay in different districts of the country may vary so much in its
projectiles as to render canvas, india rubber, or caoutchouc, and many other
natural and artificial substances and fabrics preferable to the materials I have
mentioned. These cylinders (as well as almost every other cylinder and corre-
sponding distending roller used in my machine) may have on their ends a
recess turned out to receive a belt or rope, which may be attached either to or
below the edges of their respective endless webs; the use of which belts or
ropes is to prevent the webs from travelling to either side of the machine,
as sometimes happens when such additions are not used. After the clay
has been thus formed to the requisite breadth by its passage between the
cylinders B, C, which is done by narrowing the hopper at that part next
the lower cylinder C, by the aid of pieces of wood covered with brass suitably
fixed but free of the web, as shewn' by red dotted lines, Fig. 2, the edges
of the clay on coming through between the cylinders have generally some thin
films remaining on them, these are cut off by two vertical cutting wires which
act on each edge. The clay is next conveyed by the endless web of the lower
cylinder, and is received upon another endless web applied round another
cylinder F, Fig. 2, 3. This cylinder admits of some modifications for effecting
some of the other objects of my Invention, and will be again referred to in
another part of this Specification. This cylinder (for the purpose of making
draining tiles) is turned out in the middle to the form of a draining tile, with
its round side uppermost, as seen in Fig. 2, and the clay immediately on
reaching it takes its form or shape from the web on the cylinder, and passes
along the endless web now to be described. This endless web C, which
readily accommodates itself to the convex form of the turned part of the
cylinder F, is distended over a pulley or cylinder G, Fig. 1, 2, 3, of a similar
figure or shape to that turned on the cylinder F. This endless web conveys
the tile to another part of the machine, where it is more correctly formed on
arriving at the rollers H, H. These rollers are of a form adapted to the shape

page_text: of the tile, and on the entrance of the tile between it receives its true shape.
They move round by their contact with the tile when it has arrived between
by its progress along the endless web last described. If thought necessary,
they may be also provided with endless webs and distending rollers to prevent
adhesion with the tile, and which may be fitted up in any convenient way; but
as they are found in practice not to require such aids, I deem it unnecessary
to describe how they may be applied. These rollers move around pivots, which
are adjustable as to height by screws and nuts, and move laterally at top and
bottom in slits in order to fix them at any required distance from each other,
or to raise or depress them as the thickness and size of the tile may require;
the pulley or cylinder G, already described, giving the form to the under side
of the tile, which is next received on two narrow endless leather belts which
move round the rollers I, I, K, Fig. 2, 3, and which belts advance the tile
forward to the cutting wire. The rollers must be adjustable as to height by
making suitable provision for their bushes sliding up and down in slits to
admit different sizes of tiles, and the bushes placed on the roller K. must be
adjustable in the direction of the length of the machine for the purpose of
tightening the belts by means of keys. The slits may be segments of circles
of which the axis of the cylinder F forms the centre, in order that the
pinions may be shifted up or down without varying their contact with each
other. The tile passing through the frame of the cutting wire is cut to its
length during the temporary stoppage of the machine by the cutting wire
to be next described. This cutting wire L, Fig. 1, 4, consists of a frame
formed on the lower end of the connecting rod attached to a lever
M, Fig. 1; the wire is stretched across this frame and is fixed at each end to
cards led through the lower end of the frame and fixed to springs, the
object of the cords and springs being to prevent the wire breaking in
consequence of vibration and any hard substance being in the clay; the lower
end of the connecting rod moves in a slit in order to work the cutting wire
perpendicularly, and is attached to the lever which moves on its fulcrum at d,
attached to the roof of the manufactory, or in any other way. This lever
receives motion from a wheel e, fixed on the main shaft, which gives motion to
the machine, this wheel being provided with a cog, the use of which is at each
revolution to depress the other end of the lever, and along with it the cutting
wire, which last then cuts the tile to its length. To raise the cutting wire
instantly after the tile is cut the end of the lever is loaded with the weight O.
On the main shaft is also fixed a chain wheel, adapted to receive an endless
chain, which is again connected with the wheel upon the opposite end of the
axle of the pinion 6, to give motion to the machine. Having thus described

page_text: of
the cutting wire, I have next to observe that the tile being complete is con-
veyed by another endless web placed over a cylinder N, Fig. 3, and distended
over a roller at the opposite end of the drying shed, for the purpose of conveying
the tile through the alleys where it is to be deposited for drying. When the
tile is conveyed to a great distance on the endless web, and has in consequence
got out of shape, I employ a travelling frame, Fig. 5, 6, for the purpose
restoring it to its shape. This frame stands across the endless web, and consists
of two horizontal sides, on the ends of which are affixed uprights inclining
inwards; between these uprights are four rollers moving in bushes and laid
lengthways, two at top and two at bottom, for leading endless webs over them.
The tile is lifted from the endless web and raised upwards upon a block of
wood of the shape of the tile and generally known by the name of horse, and
on its reaching the top of the frame it comes gently in contact with the web,
and is thus corrected in its shape; this frame is made to travel along and be
stopped at any part of the distance between the one end of the alley and
the other, where there may be occasion to use it when taking the tiles
from off the web. That the machine may be stationed immediately opposite
the alley in the drying shed in which the tiles are to be deposited, it
moves on a railroad, in length equal to the breadth of the shed, and for
this purpose the frame is provided with wheels. The main shaft which drives
the machine is also in length equal to the breadth of the drying shed, and
opposite to each alley a chain wheel and two cog wheels with levers are fixed
on the main shaft.
I shall now proceed to describe the making of flats or soles. The clay is
introduced into the machine by the feeding apparatus in the same manner as for the
draining tiles; it then passes between the cylinders B, C, next along the endless
web, until it arrives at the cylinder F, which, as bas been already stated, admits
of modification in its construction to suit both purposes. In the present
instance the cylinder G and its endless web C is removed, and another endless
web f, Fig. 7, of the full breadth, is applied on the cylinder F, and also over
the roller K, which must be raised to the same level as the top of the cylinder
F. The clay proceeds along this endless web towards the wire cutter in the
frame P, Fig. 8, and is supported by and moves on the two friction rollers, g, g.
The frame P with its cutting wires is fixed by a joint to the lever Q, which
again is fixed to the roof of the manufactory by a bolt or pivot on which it
moves. The lever is caused to move to the right or left, and along with it the
cutting frame, by the wheels e, e, which have on the innermost side of cach of
them a cog for the purpose, and which acts alternately on the lever as the
wheels revolve (as will be obvious on referring to the Drawing) being guided as

page_text: well as restricted from going too far either way by a suitable fixture on the
frame not shewn. There is also another fixed frame, Fig. 9, of about eighteen
inches in length, in which are fixed two or more vertical cutting wires for the
purpose of dividing the clay into the proper breadths for soles, and it must have
either slits or holes in it, or both, to permit of the shifting of the cutting wires to
suit different breadths of soles, and it may be fixed at each end to the two moveable
bushes already mentioned or to the frame. It is immaterial whether this
frame be fixed before or behind the sliding cutting frame in the machine.
The soles, being now completed, may be conveyed to the drying sheds as in the
case of the draining tiles.
I shall next proceed to describe the formation of flat roofing tiles. If
it is required to make flat roofing tiles of an equal thickness throughout,
the upper cylinder B will answer the purpose, but, if it is preferred to
make them thin at their upper or nail ends, the upper cylinder B is to be
converted into the form of Fig. 10, which is done by applying an iron
hoop to one end of it, which will give the tile the form or diminish wanted; as
the tile requires to have a hole formed in it for the reception of the roofing
nail, I effect this by means of a punch, which is applied thus,-at the time the
stoppage takes place in the machine and the tile is cut by the lever Q moving
to either side, the lever at the same instant depresses the small lever R, Fig. 8,
to which the punch is attached, and the punch in consequence forms the hole
required. This punch is made on the same principle as that used for piercing
leather, that is hollow inside, whereby it discharges the pieces of clay cut by it
at top, the diameter may be three eighths of an inch. In making flat roofing
tiles adapted to be laid upon lath instead of sarking, a flat knob or prominence
must be formed on its end similar to that on a common house tile; I effect this
by using a cylinder of the form shewn in Fig. 11, that is, having hollows
of the form adapted to the tile cut out around one end of it, into which
hollows the clay is pressed in its progress through the cylinders. I would here
remark that the endless webs used on a cylinder of this kind, or on such a
cylinder as shewn in Fig. 10, receive little injury in amount of tear and wear,
in consequence of the irregularity of the form of the cylinders. As flat
roofing tiles are shorter than those used for draining I employ another driving
pinion of larger diameter than that used for draining tiles, it is shewn in
Fig. 12 set off for eighteen teeth, six of which are left blank, three on each of
the two opposite sides. The reason of having two blanks and two toothed parts
on this wheel is, that were a pinion having only one blank in it used, it would
necessarily be so small that it would not work efficiently in the machine. The
bushes in which this axis revolves, being cast with slits in them, must be

page_text: shifted to enable the pinion to take contact with the wheels on the end of the
cylinder C. It will be observed by this description, and from the figures on the
ends of the cylinders, Figs. 10, 11, that the tiles are passed through the
machine sideways, instead (as is the case with the draining tiles and soles) of
lengthways. The three varieties of flat roofing tiles having been submitted to the
different operations detailed in the foregoing description, are finished and ready to
be conveyed to the drying sheds. For removing flat tiles of any description to
the drying shelves I use (in place of the common peal) an improved instru-
ment, as seen in Fig. 13, 14. It consists of a light iron frame provided with
a number of rollers, over which is stretched an endless web. Upon the tile
being put into the shelf the frame is withdrawn, in course of
revolves in consequence of the adherence of the tile which is thus cleared of
the frame.
which the web
I shall next proceed to describe the formation of bricks. The principal
alteration in the machinery required for this operation is to raise the upper
cylinder B, by means of the slits in its bushes to the requisite distance 'apart
from the under one to admit clay suited to the thickness of the brick. By
this change it is evident that the toothed wheels used on the ends of the
cylinder B, which serve all the other purposes of my Invention, loose contact
entirely. I do not, however, remove these wheels but merely place other tooth
wheels on the opposite ends of their axes of such increased diameter as the
thickness of the brick to be made requires. The hopper or feeding 'apparatus
must be limited at the end nearest the cylinders (as in the case of the various
tiles and soles already described); to give the clay the exact breadth required,
whether for two or three bricks, as the case may be. The bricks next pass
forward to the dividing frame or cutting wires, the wires in the frame being
previously shifted to cut the brick to the proper breadth. In cutting them
to their length another driving pinion, Fig. 15, must, instead of that last
described (for draining tiles and soles), and set off for twenty-two teeth, of
which three are left blank on each of the opposite sides, that is, having
sixteen acting teeth and two blank spaces at equal intervals. The bricks,
being now complete, may be conveyed to the field in the same way as
described for drain tiles. In the formation of bricks having hollows or
cavities of any kind or form on one or both of their broad surfaces, I
place projecting pieces (fixed with countersunk screws) corresponding to the
form required, on the peripheries of both cylinders B, C, which pieces produce
the required hollows or forms on the bricks, care being taken to use cylinders
of a size calculated to be divided into the number of lengths of brick's wanted
to be made in any one revolution of the cylinders, and that both upper and

page_text: lower cylinders present their pieces in unison with each other, so as to receive
the flat surface left on the edges of the bricks alike perfect on both sides of it.
The best form of cavities on the flat surface of bricks I consider to be longi-
tudinal lines the whole length of the bricks; and to form any particular number
of these and of any particular size, I attach to the surface of the endless webs
next the cylinders cords in number and thickness regulated to the number and
size of the intended lines; on the clay entering the cylinders, the endless webs
yield to the pressure, while the cords form the lines required.
Though I have described the machine as applied to the making of bricks, toge-
ther with tiles of various sorts, yet when it is wanted for making bricks only,
I vary its construction considerably; I place the copper cylinder directly above
the lower, and the feeding apparatus in a horizontal direction a little below the
top of the under cylinder, and give motion to the endless web of the feeding appa-
ratus by passing a belt over a sheeve on the axis of the under cylinder, and over
a sheeve on the axis of the outer roller of the endless web. To compress the
sides of the clay before it enters the cylinders, I apply two small upright cylinders
placed close to and immediately before the other cylinders, the lower ends of
which upright cylinders run close to the endless web, and are put in motion by
the advancing of the clay. These upright cylinders run in moveable bushes,
adjustable to the breadth of clay required. To keep the clay at the breadth
given it by the upright cylinders, as well as to keep them clean, two plates of
iron or other metal are suitably fixed between the upper and under cylinder,
but free of the webs, and their ends are so formed as to act on the faces of the
upright cylinders as cleaners. With the machine thus constructed, the clay is
cut into bricks of the required length and breadth immediately on its leaving
the endless web of the lower cylinder.
I now proceed to describe my machine for making house tiles, with reference
to the Drawings. It consists of a frame marked A, A, Figs. 16, 17, 18. The
lower part of the machine B, seen in Fig. 19, consists of a movable mould in
the form of the under surface of a house tile, which moves out from and into
the frame on a circular iron rod C, through bushes formed on the under
sides of the mould. The higher part of the machine consists also of a
moveable mould D, in the form of the upper surface of a house tile.
This mould moves perpendicularly, by means of slides on its four corners,
which work in grooves in the frame. To one side of the lower mould
B a piece of cloth is fixed, so as to admit of its being spread over its
surface to prevent the clay adhering to the mould. A cloth a, a, is also
interposed between the under surface of the higher mould and the clay,
which cloth is wound up and kept tight, when the higher mould rises by

page_text: 5
When a tile is to be
made, the under mould is drawn out by its handle, and a sufficient quantity"
of clay for one tile is put on its surface, and it is then pushed into its place in
the frame. The higher mould which is wrought by a lever or crank, as may
be most convenient, is then alternately brought down with sufficient force to
form the tile, and raised again. The lower mould is then drawn out by its
handle, and by a half revolution on the iron rod throws off the tile, which is
received on an inverted mould and conveyed by it to the drying shelves. The
operation is repeated in making every tile. The machines above described
may be driven by steam, water, or any other moving power. I have found
the following the best method of preparing the clay:-To crush small
stones and other hard substances mixed with the clay, I pass it through
two large cylinders placed horizontally and distant from each other half an
inch. The clay is then milled in the usual manner. It is conveyed from
the cylinders to the pug mill, and from it to the brick and tile machine by
the rollers on each side E, E, and the weight F.
elevators.
In conclusion I have to state, that I have described the means I employ for
an Improved Method of making the various Descriptions of Tiles and Bricks
above mentioned, for which I have obtained Her Majesty's said Letters Patent,
as consisting of cylinders, rollers, endless webs, belts, &c., for conveying the clay
through the different stages of the formation of the tiles and bricks. Although
the individual parts of the machinery which I employ to attain my object are
perfectly known and in use, I nevertheless claim, by a combination of those
parts as a whole, as described in my Specifications, to be the Inventor of the
above described improved method of making the various descriptions of tiles
and bricks above mentioned, for which I have obtained Her Majesty's said
Letters Patent; and such my Invention being, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, new and never before used within any of Her said Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, I hereby declare this to be my Specification
of the same, and that the same doth comply in all respects fully and without
reserve or disguise with the proviso in the said herein-before in part recited
Patent contained; wherefore I claim to maintain exclusive right and privilege
to my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Marquis of Tweeddale, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of January, in the year of
(L.S.) TWEEDDALE.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Thirtieth day of January,
in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid George Marquis of Tweeddale
came before our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute in that case made and provided.