Year: 1899

page_text: A communication from abroad by EDOUARD DE SAINT HUBERT, of Orp-le-Grand,
in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer.
I, LEWIS HERBERT RITTMAN, of Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London,
W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention (as communicated to me from abroad) to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for making bricks for
building purposes, by means of which certain advantages are attained, namely:
economy of space; and as the bricks are arranged directly in rows as they leave
the apparatus, a saving of manual labour; the use of water and sand is dis-
pensed with; evenness in the structure of the bricks, the latter being more
solid and harder than stone, and less porous and more adapted to resist moisture
and frost.
Brick-making-presses as ordinarily constructed are worked by a hand lever
which is depressed by the operator, to press the clay into a mould by the aid
of a plunger and rod.
In my improved apparatus the pressure is conveyed by plungers and rods
operated at the given moment, and the movements of which are regulated auto-
matically, so as to execute the different operations required in the manufacture
of bricks namely: filling the mould; compressing the brick; depression, per-
mitting of removing the lid of the mound; extraction of the brick from the
mould; removing the brick; and the returning of the plungers and rods to
their normal position.
In the accompanying drawings one practical constructional form of my appara-
tus is represented by way of example.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the machine on line A-B of Figure 2.
Figure
is a horizontal section on line C-D of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section on line F-H of Figure 1 of a detail.
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the cam in elevation.
In my improved apparatus the pressure is conveyed by means of vertical rods
mounted in a cylindrical drum 2 and capable of vertical movement relatively
to the drum, whilst revolving with the said drum around a vertical axis 3.
Movement is conveyed to the drum by a horizontal bevel-wheel-gearing 4
actuated by a bevel pinion 5. The shaft of the pinion 5 is on its part actuated
either by a hand wheel, by horse power or by any suitable motor.
The drum 2 consists of three horizontal circular plates 6, 7 and 8, cast in
one piece with a cylindrical casing. In these plates openings are provided for
the passage of the vertical rods 1. The number of rods may be varied according
to the power and output of the machine.
All the rods 1 are placed at equal distances from the centre of the shaft 3 of
the cylinder; the rods are terminated at their ends by rectangular plates 10

page_text: serving to support the plates or plungers 9 which slide in the moulds. The
rods are forked at their lower part 11 and friction rollers 12 are mounted in
the forks on shafts 13.
The rods I are guided in their vertical movement by rollers 14 arranged on
the two lower plates 6 and 7 of the cylinder. On the upper plate 8 of the drum
moulds 16 are placed serving to receive the clay and in which the plates 9
actuated by the rods are adapted to move. The moulds 16 are provided with
hinged lids 17 which when open permit of the introduction of the clay and
of the removal of the pressed bricks. When closed the lids retain the clay
in the moulds against the pressure of the rods 1 and plates 9.
The lids 17 are opened and closed automatically at proper intervals by means
of a device to be hereinafter described.
The apparatus is mounted on a solid cast iron bed plate 18 supporting in
its centre the shaft 3, the end of which turns in a bearing 19. The drum 2 is in
addition to being supported on the shaft 3 also supported and guided by grooved
friction rollers 20 and 21 respectively fixed to the bed plate 18 and columns 22,
and engaging with flanges above and below the toothed bevel rim 4 of the
drum 2.
The bed plate 18 which is fixed supports one, 23, of the bearings in which
the shaft 24 transmitting the driving motion of the machine is mounted. The
main transmission gearing also consists of the bearing and support 25, the fast
and loose pulleys.26 and 27, the flywheel 28 and the bevel pinion 5 which
actuate the drum 2. The toothed wheel 29 controls the transmission of move-
ment to the feed hopper as hereinafter described. In the bed plate 18 a circular
groove 30 is provided having the axis 3 of the drum for its centre. In this
groove an annular cam 31 is inserted which is horizontal upon three surfaces
whilst its fourth is undulated so as to produce the movements hereinafter
described.
On the face of this undulated ring or cam 31 the friction rollers 12 of the
bars 1 bear. In order to explain the action of the cam on the rods 1, I will
refer to Figure 4 which represents the face of the cam diagrammatically so as
to better show the undulations.
The end 11 of a rod 1 travels on the face 32 of the cam during the period
of filling the mould and of closing the lid. During the passage of a rod along
the incline 33 it is caused to move vertically and exert pressure on the clay
in a mould. The rod drops slightly in passing along the incline 34 during the
opening of a lid. A rod ascends vertically in passing along the incline 35
forcing a pressed brick from a mould. A rod remains in its upper position in
passing along the plane 36 during the removal of a brick by the operator. A rod
descends rapidly in passing along the incline 37 returning to its normal point.
The cam 31 thus arranged imparts to the rods 1 all their different move-
ments during the period of a complete revolution of the drum 2. In order
to double the output it would be necessary to provide these undulations only
upon one half of the circumference of the cam so as to have two symetrical parts
producing two complete strokes of the pistons for one revolution of the drum.
The devices effecting this automatic lifting and lowering of the lids 17 of
the moulds 16 are represented in Figure 1 in elevation and in Figures 2 and 3
in plan.
These devices consist of a piece 38 fixed to two of the columns 22 and pro-
vided with a groove 39 in form of a cam in which are guided the rollers 40
which actuate the mechanisms for opening and closing the moulds during the
rotation of the drum 2.
In cases where all the movements of the pressure rods are executed during
one revolution of the drum 2 there is only one cam 38, 39, as represented in
the drawing but if there were two complete piston strokes per each revolution
of the drum it would be necessary to arrange on the two other columns 22 a
second cam similar to that represented.

page_text: The mechanism for opening and closing the moulds is the same for each and
consists of a horizontal connecting rod 44 suitably guided and forming towards
its centre a guide frame for the passage of the bar 1 (Figures 1 and 3). This
connecting rod carries at its outer extremity the roller 40 and is pivotally
secured in the interior of the drum 2 to a vertical lever 42 oscillating on the
shaft 43 and the upper end of which is provided with a roller 44 adapted to
roll in a guide groove or slot 45 provided in a projection of the lid 17 of the
mould (Figure 1).
It will be readily understood that during the rotation of the drum 2 the
rollers 40 will successively engage with the cam groove 39 and thus produce
in the first instance a pull and in the second instance a pressure upon the con-
necting rod 41 which through the intervention of the lever 42 acts upon the
guide 45 which it causes in the first case to descend and in the second case to
rise, thus actuating automatically the lids 17 and effecting the opening and
the closing of the mould.
The period of opening the mould lasts a sufficient time to admit of filling
it. This is effected by means of a feed hopper 46 in which either stamps or a
helical screw 47 (Figure 1) are arranged. If a screw be arranged as illustrated
it is placed vertically in the hopper and is actuated by bevel gear wheels 48,
one of which is fixed to the shaft 30 that carries the toothed wheel 49 and this
latter is actuated by the.chain 50.
At the moment of filling, that is to say when the lid 17 is lifted, the operator
who has just removed the brick, has only to pull the slide 52 in order to allow
the material contained in the hopper to be thrust by the conveyor screw 47
into the mould.
L. H. RITTMAN,
Communicatee.
Improvements in Brick Pressing Machines.
A communication from abroad by EDOUARD DE SAINT HUBERT, of Orp-le-Grand,
in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer.
I, LEWIS HERBERT RITTMAN, of Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London,
W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention (as communicated to me from abroad) and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement;-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for making bricks for
building purposes, by means of which certain advantages are attained, namely:
economy of space; and as the bricks are arranged directly in rows as they leave
the apparatus, a saving of manual labour; the use of water and sand is dis-
pensed with evenness in the structure of the bricks. the latter being more
solid and harder than stone, and less porous and more adapted to resist moisture
and frost.
Brick-making-presses as ordinarily constructed are worked by a hand lever
which is depressed by the operator, to press the clay into a mould by the aid
of a plunger and rod."
In my improved apparatus the pressure is conveyed by plungers and rods
operated at the given moment, and the movements of which are regulated auto-

page_text: matically, so as to execute the different operations required in the manufacture
of bricks, namely: filling the mould; compressing the brick; depression, per-
mitting of removing the lid of the mould; extraction of the brick from the
mould removing the brick; and the returning of the plungers and rods to
their normal position.
In the accompanying drawings one practical constructional form of my appara-
tus is represented by way of example,.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the machine on line A-B of Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line C-D) of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section on line F-H of Figure 1 of a detail.
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the cam in elevation.
In my improved apparatus the pressure is conveyed by means of vertical rods
mounted in a cylindrical drum 2 and capable of vertical movement relatively
to the drum, whilst revolving with the said drum around a vertical axis 3.
Movement is conveyed to the drum 2 by a horizontal bevel-wheel-gearing 4
actuated by a bevel pinion 5. The shaft of the pinion 5 is on its part actuated
either by a hand or wheel, by horse power or by any other suitable motor.
The drum 2 consists of three horizontal circular plates 6, 7 and 8, cast in
one piece with a cylindrical casing. In these plates openings are provided for
the passage of the vertical rods 1. The number of rods may be varied according
to the power and output of the machine.
All the rods 1 are placed at equal distances from the centre of the shaft 3 of
the cylinder; the rods are terminated at their ends by rectangular plates 10
serving to support the plates or plungers 9 which slide in the moulds. The
rods are forked at their lower part 11 and friction rollers 12 are mounted in
the forks on shafts 13.
The rods 1 are guided in their vertical movement by rollers 14 arranged on
the two lower plates 6 and 7 of the cylinder. On the upper plate 8 of the drum
moulds 16 are placed serving to receive the clay and in which the plates 9
actuated by the rods are adapted to move. The moulds 16 are provided with
hinged lids 17 which when open permit of the introduction of the clay and
of the removal of the pressed bricks. When closed the lids retain the clay
in the moulds against the pressure of the rods 1 and plates 9.
The lids 17 are opened and closed automatically at proper intervals by means
of a device to be hereinafter described.
The apparatus is mounted on a solid cast iron bed plate 18 supporting in
its centre the shaft 3, the end of which turns in a bearing 19. The drum 2 is in
addition to being supported on the shaft 3 also supported and guided by grooved
friction rollers 20 and 21 respectively fixed to the bed plate 18 and columns 22,
and engaging with flanges above and below the toothed bevel rim 4 of the
drum 2.
The bed plate 18 which is fixed supports one, 23, of the bearings in which
the shaft 24 transmitting the driving motion of the machine is mounted. The
main transmission gearing also consists of the bearing and support 25, the fast
and loose pulleys 26 and 27, the flywheel 28 and the bevel pinion 5 which
actuate the drum 2. The toothed wheel 29 controls the transmission of move-
ment to the feed hopper as hereinafter described. In the bed plate 18 a circular
groove 30 is provided having the axis 3 of the drum for its centre. In this
groove an annular cam 31 is inserted which is horizontal upon three surfaces
whilst its fourth is undulated so as to produce the movements hereinafter
described.
On the face of this undulated ring or cam 31 the friction rollers 12 of the
bars 1 bear. In order to explain the action of the cam on the rods 1, I will
refer to Figure 4 which represents the face of the cam diagrammatically so as
to better show the undulations.
The end 11 of a rod 1 travels on the face 32 of the cam during the period
of filling the mould and of closing the lid. During the passage of a rod along

page_text: the incline 33 it is caused to move vertically and exert pressure on the clay
in a mould. The rod drops slightly in passing along the incline 34 during the
opening of a lid. A rod ascends vertically in passing along the incline. 35
forcing a pressed brick from a mould. A rod remains in its upper position in
passing along the plane 36 during the removal of a brick by the operator. A rod
descends rapidly in passing along the incline 37 returning to its normal point.
The cam 31 thus arranged imparts to the rods 1 all their different move-
ments during the period of a complete revolution of the drum 2. In order
to double the output it would be necessary to provide these undulations only
upon one half of the circumference of the cam so as to have two symmetrical parts
producing two complete strokes of the pistons for one revolution of the drum.
The devices effecting this automatic lifting and lowering of the lids 17 of
the moulds 16 are represented in Figure 1 in elevation and in Figures 2 and 3
in plan.
These devices consist of a piece 38 fixed to two of the columns 22 and pro-
vided with a groove 39 in form of a cam in which are guided the rollers 40
which actuate the mechanisms for opening and closing the moulds during the
rotation of the drum 2.
In cases where all the movements of the pressure rods are executed during
one revolution of the drum 2 there is only one cam 38, 39 as represented in
the drawing but if there were two complete piston strokes per each revolution
of the drum it would be necessary to arrange on the two other columns 22 a
second cam similar to that represented.
The mechanism for opening and closing the moulds is the same for each and
consists of a horizontal connecting rod 41 suitably guiding and forming towards
its centre a guide frame for the passage of the bar 1 (Figures 1 and 3). This
connecting rod carries at its outer extremity the roller 40 and is pivotally
secured in the interior of the drum 2 to a vertical lever 42 oscillating on the
shaft 43 and the upper end of which is provided with a roller 41 adapted to
roll in a guide groove or slot 45 provided in a projection of the lid 17 of the
mould (Figure 1).
It will be readily understood that during the rotation of the drum 2 the
rollers 40 will successively engage with the cam groove 39 and thus produce
in the first instance a pull and in the second instance a pressure upon the con-
necting rod 41 which through the intervention of the lever 42 acts upon the
guide 45 which it causes in the first case to descend and in the second case to
rise, thus actuating automatically the lids 17 and effecting the opening and
the closing of the mould.
The period of opening the mould lasts a sufficient time to admit of filling
it. This is effected by means of a feed hopper 46 in which either stamps or a
helical screw 47 (Figure 1) are arranged. If a screw be arranged as illustrated
it is placed vertically in the hopper and is actuated by bevel gear wheels 48,
one of which is fixed to the shaft 50 that carries the toothed wheel 49 and this
latter is actuated by the chain 50³.
At the moment of filling, that is to say when the lid 17 is lifted, the operator
who has just removed the brick, has only to pull the slide 52 in order to allow
the material contained in the hopper being thrust by the conveyor screw 47
into the mould.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A brick making press in which the pressure is transmitted by means of
vertical bars mounted in a rotary drum and capable of vertical movement rela-
tively to the said drum whilst they are rotating with the said drum the said
bars being operated by a cam to execute the various operations required for
producing bricks.

page_text: 2. In a brick making press as set forth in Claim 1, the device for automatically
opening and closing the moulds consisting of a hinged lid with a projecting
guide a friction roller mounted on the extremity of a vertical lever, a connecting
rod with a friction roller and a stationary cam piece operating to oscillate the
vertical lever substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a brick making press as set forth in Claim 1, an automatic mould filling
device also acting as a mixing device consisting of stamps or a helical blade or
screw actuated by transmission gear substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
L. H. RITTMAN,
Communicatoe.