IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING BRICKS, TILES, AND PIPES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Gilmour, of Kilcattan, in the Island and County
of Bute, N. B., Brick and Tile Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING BRICKS, TILES, AND PIPES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Gilmour at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th September 1877.
THOMAS GILMOUR, of Kilcattan, in the Island and County of Bute, N. B., Brick
and Tile Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING BRICKS;
TILES, AND PIPES."
This Invention relates to that class of machines for making bricks, tiles, and
pipes, in which a direct longitudinal thrust is employed to force or express the clay
through an orifice or die, and has reference to an arrangement for producing such
longitudinal thrust in such manner as that the speed of the machine, and conse-
quently its production, may be increased, a saving in driving power may be effected,
and the liability to breakage be lessened.
Usually in such machines the longitudinal thrust is obtained either by means of a
crank and connecting rod actuated by ordinary circular geared wheels, or by a rack
and pinion, provided with reversing gear, which latter comes into action at each end
of the stroke.
Where a crank and connecting rod with ordinary geared wheels are employed,
the same interval of time will be occupied during the return as during the forward
motion of the piston, and as the latter only pushes or expresses the clay during its
forward stroke, most of the time occupied during its return stroke is practically lost.
The employment of a rack and pinion arrangement, and reversing gear, although
permitting of a quicker return than forward stroke, is necessarily attended with
great vibration, and liability to breakage. Moreover during the reversal of the
motion at each end of the stroke the machine is at a standstill, whereby much time
is uselessly spent.

page_text: Now according to my Invention for actuating the crank and connecting rod, I
employ two elliptical wheels, which I so arrange that at each revolution the return
stroke may be considerably accelerated. Thus the speed of the machine may be
safely increased, for as the piston travels at the usual speed during its forward
movement, that is to say, whilst the purchase on the crank wheel is greatest the
speed of the piston is materially increased during its return movement, thereby
permitting the crank shaft to perform a greater number of revolutions, and enabling
the producing power of the machine to be proportionately increased.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Thomas Gilmour in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd March 1
1878.
THOMAS GILMOUR, of Kilcattan, in the Island and County of Bute, N. B., Brick
and Tile Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING BRICKS,
TILES, AND PIPES."
This Invention relates to that class of machines for making bricks, tiles, and 1
pipes, in which a direct longitudinal thrust, obtained by a crank and connecting rod
actuated by gear wheels, is employed to force or express the clay through an orifice
or die.
In my improved machine the crank and connecting rod are actuated by elliptical
wheels, as herein-after described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings,
whereof Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the machine, and Fig. 2 a plan thereof.
a is the box or receptacle for the clay or material to be moulded by a die plate
placed at b; c, c', are two elliptical wheels; c is fixed on the shaft p, and c' on the
crank shaft g; d is the crank; e, the connecting rod jointed to the piston rod f,
and g the piston, which approaches and recedes from the point b at each revolution
of the crank d; h, h, are the driving pulleys; motion is communicated therefrom to
the elliptical wheel c, through toothed wheels i,j, k, and l; m is the side framing;
n, n, are stands provided with wheels, whereby the machine is rendered portable.
The clay or material is fed or supplied to the box a at o.
The elliptical wheels c, c¹, are shewn in the Drawings in the position that obtains:
when the rotary velocity of the crank d is at its maximum. It will be evident
that when the position of the crank is reversed it will be moving at its minimum
velocity, and that the elliptical wheels c, c¹, will then exert the greatest amount of
power upon the crank. The position of the crank may be so arranged relatively to
the elliptical wheels as that the minimum velocity of the piston may be at any
point in the forward stroke, the maximum velocity being therefore at the opposite
point in the return stroke. In practice I place the crank and wheels in the positions
shewn at Fig. 1, so that the minimum velocity of the piston may obtain at a point
about three-fourths of the forward movement.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of
performing it, I desire it to be understood that I do not intend to claim any of the
mechanical parts of the apparatus herein-before described and shewn when taken
separately and apart from the combination or application thereof in manner and for
the purposes herein described, but what I claim as secured to me by the herein-

page_text: before in part recited Letters Patent is, the herein-described arrangement of the
elliptical wheels c, c¹, in combination with the crank d, connecting rod e, piston
rod f, and piston g, whereby that piston is caused to travel during its return move-
ment at a greater speed than during its forward movement, substantially as
described and illustrated for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Gilmour, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
THOMAS GILMOUR. (LS.)