IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, AND SLABS OR BLOCKS FOR BUILDING PURPOSES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Woodward, of Darlington, in the County
of Durham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF BRICKS, TILES, AND SLABS OR BLOCKS FOR BUILDING PURPOSES."
Sealed the 15th March 1870, and dated the 23rd December 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Woodward at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd December 1869.
I, JOSEPH WOODWARD, of Darlington, in the County of Durham, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, AND SLABS OR BLOCKS FOR BUILDING PURPOSES,'
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of bricks, tiles, and slabs or
blocks of various forms and sizes, and either perforated or indented or
otherwise, for building purposes, and consists principally in the utilization
for that purpose of the refuse slag or scoria exuding from blast furnaces
employed in the smelting of iron ores.

page_text: The slag in its molten state as it comes from the furnace is run into
suitably shaped moulds formed in metal or sand in fixed or movable
frames, beds, or boxes. The slag or scoria may be used alone for this
purpose, or mixed with sand, loam, crushed coke, or other suitable
material. The bricks, tiles, slabs, or blocks thus moulded must be
annealed or cooled gradually in a suitable temperature by chambered
rooms or ovens, or in beds of sand, earth, loam, or other similar
material, or in any other convenient manner that will allow them to
cool gradually and prevent any sudden contraction which would cause
them to crack in the cooling.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Woodward in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd June 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
WOODWARD, of Darlington, in the County of Durham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Woodward, Her special license,
that I, the said Joseph Woodward, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as, the said Joseph Woodward, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, SLABS OF BLOCKS FOR BUILDING PURPOSES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Woodward,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Woodward, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say):
:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of bricks, tiles, and slabs or
blocks of various forms and sizes, and either perforated or indented, or
otherwise for building purposes, and consists principally in the utilization
for that purpose of the refuse slag or scoria exuding from blast furnaces
employed in the smelting of iron ores.
The slag in its molten state as it comes from the furnace is run into
suitably shaped moulds formed in metal, fire-clay, sand, or other suitable
material in fixed or movable frames, beds, or boxes. The slag or scoria
may be used alone for this purpose or mixed with sand, loam, crushed
coke, or other suitable mineral or chemical material. The bricks, tiles,
slabs, or blocks thus moulded must be tempered and annealed in a
suitable temperature by furnaces, kilns, or ovens, or on beds of sand,
earth, loam, or other similar material, or in any other convenient manner
that will give them the required temper, and prevent any sudden
contraction which would cause them to crack in the cooling.
It will be evident to any practical person that my Invention may be
carried out in a variety of ways, but for the sake of illustration I will
here describe what I have found in practise to be a suitable arrange-
ment, merely premising that the various mechanical appliances may be
varied in any desirable manner to suit the arrangement of the works and
the nature of the ground where the Invention is to be applied.
In front of the "slag" or "scoria spout" of the furnace is a tramway
or turntable, upon which are placed a number of trucks or "trolleys" of.
metal or other suitable material, each provided with a mould (or with
several moulds) of the form and size of the brick, tile, slab, or block
required. This mould is made in metal with a bottom of fire-clay or
tempered slag, and so arranged that the top and sides can be removed,
leaving the moulded brick or other article on the metal or other
bottom. These moulds are brought in succession beneath the slag hole
and the molten slag or scoria run into them, either direct or after
having been mixed with the desired material, and as soon as they
are solidified the top and sides of the moulds having been removed the
trucks or trolleys with the moulded bricks or other articles on them are
moved along the tramway (which is slightly inclined) and pass through

page_text: folding or sliding doors into a heating or annealing furnace. As the
trucks or trolleys with the bricks or other articles on them slowly pass
through this furnace the bricks, &c. become gradually annealed, and the
trucks pass in succession out through similar folding or sliding doors at
the other end of the furnace. The annealed or tempered bricks or other
articles may then be removed from the trucks and allowed to cool, and
the moulds being replaced the trucks are taken round on the tramway
to the furnace to be refilled, and so on in succession. Where the nature
of the ground and the arrangement of the works are such as to require
it the trucks may be raised and lowered from one level to the other by
means of any ordinary hoist or lift.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I
claim as my Invention, the utilization of the refuse slag or scoria
(exuding from blast furnaces employed in the smelting of iron ores), in
the manner and for the purposes herein-before more particularly set
forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Woodward, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witnessed by
GEORGE DAVIES, C.E.,
Patent Office,
Manchester.
JOSEPH WOODWARD. (L.s.)