IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS. TILES, AND BLOCKS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Barsham, of Kingston-upon-Thames,
in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS. TILES, AND BLOCKS."
Sealed the 18th November 1853, and dated the 15th September 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Barsham
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th September 1853.
I, JOHN BARSHAM, of Kingston-upon-Thames, in the County of
Surry, do hereby declare.the nature of my said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, AND BLOCKS" to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object the moulding several bricks,
tiles, or blocks at one time, the conveying of the bricks, tiles, or
blocks, whilst in the moulds, into drying rooms, and the drying such
bricks, blocks, or tiles whilst in metal moulds. For this purpose
several or a series of metal moulds are constructed together, and
several series are arranged together and carried by a suitable carriage
on a railway. In order to press the brick earth or clay into these
moulds there is employed one or more pressing rollers mounted in a

page_text: carriage capable of moving on a railway outside of the one on which
the carriage with the moulds moves. The moulds are filled with brick
earth or clay, and the pressing roller carriage is moved over the
moulds, thus pressing the brick earth or clay into the moulds, or in
place of the pressing roller or rollers being on a carriage they may be
stationary, and the moulds move under the roller or rollers. The brick
earth having been pressed into the metal moulds, the moulds are
moved into the drying room, and piled in the moulds to dry, and when
dry they will readily leave the moulds. In making these articles on a
smaller scale of works it will not be necessary that the metal moulds
should be on a carriage moving on a railway.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Barsham in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th March 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN BARSHAM, of Kingston-upon-Thames in the County of Surrey,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sörs, give and grant unto me, the said John Barsham, Her special
licence that I, the said John Barsham, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Barsham, my execu-
tors, 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, AND BLOCKS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Barsham, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: sanie 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Barsham, 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 thereof (that is to say):
This Invention has for its object the moulding of several bricks,
tiles, or blocks at one time, the conveying of the bricks, tiles, or
blocks, whilst in the moulds, into drying rooms, and the drying such
bricks, blocks, or tiles whilst in metal moulds. For this purpose
several or a series of metal moulds are constructed together, and
several series are arranged together and carried by a suitable carriage
on a railway. In order to press the brick earth or clay into these
moulds there is employed one or more pressing rollers mounted in a
carriage capable of moving on a railway outside of the one on which
the carriage with the moulds moves. The moulds are filled with brick
earth or clay, and the pressing roller carriage is moved over the
moulds, thus pressing the brick carth or clay into the moulds, or, in
place of the pressing roller or rollers being on a carriage, they may be
stationary, and the moulds move under the roller or rollers. The brick
earth having been pressed into the metal moulds, the moulds are
moved into the drying room, and piled in the moulds to dry, and when
dry they will readily leave the moulds. In making these articles on a
smaller scale of works it will not be necessary that the metal moulds
should be on a carriage moving on a railway.
Having thus stated the nature of my. Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, shows a side elevation; Figure 2, a longitudinal_section;
Figure 3, a plan; and Figure 4, a transverse section of apparatus
suitably arranged for carrying out my Invention; and Figure 5, shows
a plan and side view of one of a series of metal mculds a, a, separately
suitable for moulding a series of ten bricks, but this number may be

page_text: varied, and moulds may in like manner be made suitable for moulding
tiles or blocks of any desired form or size; and I prepare the metal
moulds, whilst in a warm state, by dipping them into a mixture of
chalk and water, and allow them to dry before being filled; several
series. of the moulds a, a, are arranged together, side by side, and
-supported on the carriage b, b, which rests upon a railway c, c; the
sides and ends b', 6', of the carriage which surround the moulds a,
turn on hinge joints, so as to be capable of being turned down
when the moulds are filled and require to be removed. The sides
b, b', of the carriage b, b, serve to form a continuation of the railway
for the carriage d, d, to move upon, or the railway may be indepen-
dent, and outside of the carriage the pressing roller c, is mounted
on the carriage d, d, and whilst the series of moulds a, a, are being
filled with clay or brick earth the carriage d, is to be moved to and fro
along the railway d', b', over the surface of the moulds a, a, so as to
press the clay or brick earth down into them, and when sufficiently
pressed down the inclined blade or scraper f, is turned down (when
standing beyond the end of the carriage b, so that in the last return
movement of the carriage d.). the edge of the scraper may pass over the
surface of the moulds, and smooth down and remove any excess or
inequalities from the surface of the moulds. The scraper f, moves on
axes supported by the brackets f¹, affixed to the carriage d, and when
in action the arms f2, bear against stops formed by the ends of the
brackets f. The pressing roller c, is covered with cloth or fibrous
material, which is constantly kept moist by water, which is allowed to
drip upon it from the perforated pipe g', connected with the vessel g,
forming part of the carriage d; the compartments de, d, being filled
with heavy materials to give weight to the carriage and pressure to the
roller e. The pressing roller and carriage d, being moved back on to the
stationary supporting rails d, the carriage b, b, with the moulds a, a,
filled with clay.or brick earth may be moved away upon the railway c, c,
to the drying room, and piled in the moulds to dry, and when dry the
moulded articles will readily leave the moulds, and be fit for firing.
I would here remark, that although I have shewn a carriage capable
of holding a limited number of moulds, I do not intend to confine

page_text: myself to this particular arrangement, as a larger or smaller carriage
may be employed, or a series of continuous carriages resting on the
same line of railway may be employed, and several pressing rollers
may be mounted on the same carriage, instead of one, as shown
by the Drawings, and the pressing rollers and carriage may be moved
to and fro over the moulds by horse or other power, or by any
suitable mechanical contrivance, or, in place of the pressing roller or
rollers being supported by a carriage moving on a railway, they may
be stationary, and the moulds filled with clay or brick earth, moved
under the pressing roller or rollers as may be found most convenient
in any particular case; and in making such articles on a smaller
scale of works it is not essential that the metal moulds should be
mounted on a carriage moving on a railway.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details herein shewn and described, so
long as the peculiar character of my Invention be retained; but what
I claim is, the combination or arrangement of parts herein described
for the manufacture of bricks, tiles, and blocks.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Barsham, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM TONGUE.
JOHN BARSHAM. (L.S.)