Improvements in the Manufacture of Grooved Shields Used in Supporting Pottery Ware while being Fired.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Grooved Shields Used in
Supporting Pottery Ware while being Fired.
We, ELIAS LEAK and HARRY AYNSLEY, Manufacturers, both of Stoke on Trent,
Staffordshire, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 relates to the manufacture of grooved shields used in supporting
pottery ware in saggers or the like while being baked or fired, the improvements
having for their object the manufacture of such shields with vertically disposed grooves
stopped at the bottom and adapted to receive and retain the pins by which the ware
is supported and integral with supporting foot rims in the manner hereinafter
described.
We are aware that it has formerly been proposed to manufacture dovetailed grooved
shields but no means of which we are aware have ever been devised for carrying such
proposal into effect and no such shields have hitherto been made integral with a
bottom supporting rim or feet and with stopped grooves in the manner herein
described.
The Invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1. represents an under plan of the die in which the improved shields are con-
structed.
Fig. 2. represents a cross section of the die through the planes a. b.-c. d.
Fig. 3. represents a plan view of the shields as constructed in the said die, of a
duplex formation.
Fig. 4. represents a perspective view of a single shield into two of which the afore-
said duplex shield is severed after being baked or fired.
Fig. 5. represents a plan view of the improved shield, and Fig. 6. represents a front
elevation thereof illustrating a series of cups separately supported by reversible pins
adapted to the grooves of the shields.
In accordance with the present improvements, the shields, 7, are manufactured from
suitable plastic material by being forced through appropriately shaped dies, 8,
oppositely arranged in such a manner, ride Fig. 1. as that two shields will be simul-
taneously formed, being connected together at opposite parts, 9, vide Fig. 3. For
this purpose the die is made of a double continuous formation and is preferably formed
with an inner projecting knife edge, 10, or equivalent means of partly dividing the
plastic material at the parts, 9, as it is compressed through the die opening. The
special advantage and utility of so forming the dies in connected series is that the
material is thereby caused to be forced through the die equally at all parts thereof
which avoids the liability of the material dragging at some parts more than at others
to which it would be subject if the dies were made of an or other open ended
formation and the plastic material were pressed therethrough so as to make the dies
singly. The duplex die is fitted with moulding pieces, 11, of the formation required
for the production of the grooves, 12, in the shields and is shaped to give a greater
thickness to the shield at such part. To the underside of the die there is pivotted
at one side as at, 13, a laterally movable face place, 14, vide Fig. 2. which is
adapted to fit close against the underside of the die. At the commencement of the
operation of the screw or other press (not illustrated) by which the plastic material
is pressed downwardly through the die, the sole plate, 14, is secured against the
underside of the die by an opposite bolt, 15. so as to prevent the said material from
being forced through the die and to cause it to be forced into a lateral space or
spaces, 16, so as to cause the formation of a supporting rim, 19, or of supporting
feet, after which the sole plate is laterally removed and the pressure of the material
through the die is continued until the required length of shield is formed, after

page_text: which the operation of the press is stopped and the duplex shield is evenly cut from
the die and is represented in plan view in Fig. 3. The duplex shield is then fired
while still in duplex form, which further causes it to retain its shape and prevents it
from becoming distorted, and is subsequently divided apart at 9, 9, by any suitable
instrument so as to make two separate open shields, cide Figs. 4, to, 6.
The grooves, 12, in the shields are preferably made of the formation illustrated as
such formation permits of the use of reversible pins, 17, and distance pieces, 18, upon
the former of which the cups, bowls and other like ware can be supported singly by
the rim or by the foot in lieu of being supported by stilts in series as hitherto.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is,―
1. The manufacture of grooved shields for supporting pottery ware while being fired
integral with supporting feet and stopped grooves in the improved manner herein-
before described.
2. The manufacture of grooved shields for supporting pottery ware while being
fired by forcing them through a die in duplex or serial form, and subsequently
separating them into separate shields, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 12th day of June 1889.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.