Improvements in and relating to Brick and Tile Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in and relating to Brick and Tile Machines.
I, LEWIS BENSON KENNEDY, residing at the City of Saint Louis, in the County
of Saint Louis and State of Missouri, one of the United States of America, Brick-
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention consists of improvements in and relating to brick and tile machines in
which dry or semi-dry clay is fed into a mould and subjected therein to the action of an
upper and of a lower plunger operated with the aid of short connecting rods by bell crank
levers which are actuated by toggle levers articulated thereto. The last levers are
operated by a pitman or slotted connecting rod jointed thereto in such a manner that this
slotted.rod is guided by the main shaft of the machine and is furnished at its outer end
with a roller against which cam surfaces can act successively, these surfaces forming part
of a cam plate mounted on said shaft These cam surfaces have for their object to impart
a variable speed to the plungers during and after compression.
✓ Roferring to the accompanying Drawings:-
Figure 1, is a longitudinal sectional view of my machine, showing the position of
the working parts when the plungers are exerting their greatest pressure on the clay.
in the mould.
Figure 2, is a sin view, showing the levers in a depressed or lowered position,
and the plungers out of pressing contact with the clay.
A, indicates the side frame of the machine, which may be of any suitable or desirable
construction, and of any suitable material, braced or joined together in a substantial
manner, and in the front end of which is mounted the mould boxes and frame, B,
for supporting the same.
C, indicates the upper, and, D, the lower bell-crank levers. The bell-crank lever, C,
is pivoted in the upper part of the frame, A, at, a, while the lower lever D, is pivoted
in the lower part of the frame at, b.
These angle or bell-crank levers, C, and, D, are for operating the upper and lower
plungers, E, and, F, and are connected to the plungers or cross-heads, G, and, H,
which support the plungers by means of links, I
The cross-heads, G, and, H, are adapted to work in the guides formed on the
inside of the frame, A, so that they will move in a true vertical direction and always
register with the mould boxes.
The outer ends of the bell-crank levers, C, and, D, are connected to the toggle
levers, K, direct, one or more of said toggle levers being used as occasion may
require.
The knuckles or jointed portions of the toggle levers, K, are connected to the
shaft, L, by means of the slotted pitman, M, said pitman being provided with an
extended portion, n, on which is secured the friction wheel, o.
R, is a double cam plate mounted on the shaft, L, and adapted to operate on the
pitman, M, in the following manner.
One side of the plate, R, has a cam surface, S, which is flanged and diverges or

page_text: radiates from a point near the shaft on which said cam plate is mounted, to a point, f,
where it terminates.
The other side of the cam plate, R, is provided with a cam surface, T, which
commences at or near the point, f, where cam, S, terminates and converges toward
the shaft, L, terminating at the point, g, near said shaft.
As the shaft, L, revolves in the direction of the arrow, the cam, S, impinges against
the front edge of the friction-wheel, O; and draws the pitman, M, backward the
slot, V, allowing the shaft, L, to pass therethrough and permitting said pitman to be
drawn back.
This motion strengthens straightens the toggles, as shown in Figure 1, and raises
the outer ends of the bell-crank or angle levers, bringing the plungers, E, and, F,
toward each other, and exerting the proper pressure on the clay to form a perfect and
solid brick.
The requisite pressure having been exerted to form the brick, the continued rotary
motion of the shaft, L, brings the ends of the pitman, or rather the near face of the
friction-wheel against the Hanged portion, h, of the cam, T, which, owing to its
convergency toward the axis of the shaft, I, pushes the pitman, M, forward, bending.
the toggles as shown in Figure 2, thus moving the plunger, E, upward, and the
cross-head, H, of the lower plunger downward. The lower plunger in the mean-
time is forced up by the levers, A2, which is operated by the cam, B2, on the wheel, C³,
(not shewn in Fig. 1.), to eject the newly formed brick from the mould, as shown
in Figure 2.
The devices for feeding the clay to the mould, and for pushing the newly formed
brick from off the top of the lower plunger, are of the usual and well known kind and
need not be shown nor described.
This-machine-is applicable to dry and semi-dry clay.
I am aware that Patents have already been obtained for compressing clay into bricks
by means of machinery operated with the aid of a toggle joint, and I therefore lay no
claim to the use of such joint separately.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the
tion and in what manner the same is to be perform
claim is―
Eure of my said inven-
declare that what I
mpression plungers
First In a brick machine of the character described, a
of which are attached and operated by bell-crank levers said levers connected at
their outer ends by toggle levers operated from a continuously rotated shaft, as
set forth.
:
Second In a brick machine, the angle or bell-crank lovers, C, and, D, pivoted in
the sides of the machine. said levers being connected to the plungers by means of
links or knuckle-joints which yield in opposite directions, the outer ends of the angle
or bell-crank levers being connected by toggle levers operated from a continuously
revolving shaft, as set forth.
Dated this 29th day of October 1889
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.