Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Saggers.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1889-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1889
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Saggers.
I, WILLIAM BOULTON, of Providence Foundry, Burslem, Staffordshire, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
-
This Invention has reference to certain improvements in and relating to the manu-
facture of saggers in which pottery ware is placed to be fired, an especial object of the
Invention being to mould such devices under suitable pressure in such a manner
substantially as hereinafter described as that they will be homogeneous throughout,
and will nest in superposed series also as hereinafter described.
On the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1. represents an elevation partly in section of
apparatus used in the said manufacture and forming part of the present Invention.
Fig. 2. represents a top plan view of an advantageous arrangement of driving gear for
such apparatus. Fig. 3. represents a sectional plan view of Fig. 1. partly through about
the line, a-, and partly through about the line, c-d, and Fig. 4. represents in
sectional elevation a couple of saggers made in accordance with the present
improvements.
The said apparatus is constructed with a bed plate, 5, from which there rises any
suitable number of pillars, 6, supporting a cross head, 7, in which there works a
screw, 8, projecting above and below the crosshead. The depending end of the
screw, 8, is enlarged, as at, 9, and engages with a recess, 43, in the centre boss, 10,
of a pressure plate, 11, which in the vertical movements it is caused to receive by the
operation of the screw is guided by the pillars, 6, each of which it partly embraces,
vide Figs. 1, and, 3. The said recess, 43, is preferably made somewhat deeper than
the said head, 9, so as to allow of the latter having a slight vertical play in the boss.
To the under surface of the plate, 11, there is bolted or otherwise secured as at, 12,
a depending die, 13, hereinafter more particularly referred to, and which is made of
the required shape and dimensions of the interior of the sagger and may be made of
cast iron or any other suitable material.
Around the upper part of the die there is placed a flanged ring, 16, which is

page_text: suspended from the plate, 11, by bolts, 17, the connection being such as to permit of
the ring, 16, moving from and towards the guide or presser plate, 11.
Such parts are arranged and adapted to work above a block, 18, which is bolted
as at, 19, to the bed plate, 5, and around which a bottomless mould, 20, made of
cast iron or other suitable material of the required shape and dimensions of the
outer side of the sagger, is adapted to be moved in a vertical direction, the mould
being connected to levers, 21, which are centred at, 22, in any conveniently
supported part as to the real pillars, 6, and when the mould occupies the position
represented in Fig. 1. are supported by a removable slotted cross bar, 44, supported
by projecting parts, 45, of the front pillars, 6, or in any other convenient manner.
On the upper projecting end of the screw, 8, there is keyed a friction wheel, 23,
above which projects a rod, 24, on which two adjustable tappets, 25, are secured
in any desired set positions by set screws, 26. From the said crosshead, 7, there
rise opposite arms, 27, which aro adapted to support a countershaft, 28, on which
there are a series of fast and loose pullies, 29, 30, the arms, 27, also supporting
a forked belt shipping bar, 31, which is capable of sliding in its supports and is
connected to a lever, 32, which is centred at, 33, in any conveniently supported
part, 46, and may be operated as desired by the attendant by means of the desending
limb, 34, or may be operated automatically by the said tappets, 25. On the
countershaft there is also keyed a friction wheel, 47, which by a similar wheel, 35,
on a suitably supported shaft, 36, imparts rotary movement to a friction pulley, 37,
which imparts like motion to the friction wheel, 23, operating the screw, 8, the
friction pulley, 37, being made of a length sufficient to accommodate the rise and
fall of the wheel, 23.
The die, 13, is made of a hollow formation into which air can enter through
openings, 15, in the plate, 11, and is adapted with valve openings and valves, 14,
so as to permit of the die being raised from the bottom of the sagger in the
formation thereof as hereinafter described, without drawing the latter with it, and its
bottom circumferential angle is grooved or recessed as at, 38. On the block, 18, and
within the mould, 20, there is placed a false bottom, 39, which is formed with a
peripheral rim, 40, corresponding in formation with that of the groove, 38, in the
bottom circumferential angle of the die; and by such means the sagger in the moulding
thereof is caused to be formed with a surrounding recess, 42, at its lower circum-
ferential angle, and in which the top edge of the next lower adjacent sagger in a series
thereof can freely fit, vide Fig. 4.
In the operation of the apparatus in manufacturing a sagger, a false bottom, 39, is
placed on the block, 18, with a piece of clay of the proper weight thereon. The mould 20
may at such time occupy the position shown in Fig. 1, or may be subsequently
moved thereto and is then secured by the cross bar, 44. The die, 13, is then by the
operation of the screw, 8, by the means aforesaid caused to descend onto the clay and
thus causes the latter to be forced up the space between the die and the mould. When
it has descended sufficiently far to form the required thickness of the bottom of the
sagger at which time the ring, 16, occupies a position immediately under the plate, 11,
vide the dotted lines, Fig. 1. the die is slightly raised, the ring, 16, maintaining its
position, and the space left between flanges of the ring and of the die is suitably
wedged or packed with blocks, 48, or other suitable means after which pressure is
again put on the die which causes the ring, 16, to consolidate the side walls of the
sagger rendering the latter homogeneous in density throughout.
The die is then withdrawn from the sagger and the mould is lowered around the
block and the sagger is thus left standing within and upon the false bottom, which can
then be removed together with the sagger for drying the latter.
In order that the die and mould may be freely moved away from the moulded sagger
without injury thereto I prefer to interpose between the die and the inner surface of
the sagger a collapsible metal band, 49, of the required height and diameter, and
between the mould and the outer surface of the sagger an expansible metal band, 50,
both of which bands will be self acting upon the withdrawal of the die and mould and
will leave the sagger intact.

page_text: The aforesaid improvements may be used in the manufacture of saggers of an
ordinary formation in which case the die will be formed without the annular recess, 38,
and the false bottom without the corresponding rim, 40.
The operating screw, S, may be actuated by any other suitable means than those
illustrated and herein before described.
I am aware that it has been hitherto proposed to use a loose inner shell and
loose bottom board to facilitate the removal of moulded saggers, and I make no
general claim therefore, for such appliances.
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 hereinbefore described improved arrangement of apparatus for manufacturing
saggers.
2. The method of manufacturing saggers by moulding them under suitable pressure
homogeneous throughout and so that they will nest in superposed series, in
apparatus operating substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The method of manufacturing saggers by moulding them under suitable pressure
homogeneous throughout, in apparatus operating substantially as hereinbefore
described.
4. In apparatus used for moulding saggers, the use in combination of the vertically
movable plate, 11, the die, 13, the ring, 16, the mould, 20, the block, 18, and the
rimmed false bottom, 39, or of equivalently operating parts.
5. The method of consolidating the walls of moulded saggers and rendering the
same homogeneous throughout, consisting essentially in independently pressing the
top edges thereof, substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. In apparatus used for moulding saggers the application of the herein before
described improved arrangement of driving mechanism.
7. The application and use in combination for the purpose specified, of the die, 13,
formed with valve openings and valve, 14.
8. The die, 13, adapted with a circumferential recess, 38, in combination with the false
bottom, 39, adapted with a corresponding circumferential rim, 40, and with a
surrounding mould, 20, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore specified.
9. The application and use between the die and the sagger, and between the mould
and the sagger, of collapsible and expansible metal bands respectively, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
10. As a new article of manufacture a homogeneous moulded sagger adapted
to nest with other like saggers in superposed series substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 10th day of February 1880
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.