IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF POTTERY, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR.”
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of Kensington, Middlesex, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF POTTERY, AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR.” A communication from abroad by George Ligowsky,
of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Herbert John Haddan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th August 1881.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF POTTERY, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communi-
cation from abroad by George Ligowsky, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States.
The first part of this Invention comprises a novel process of removing the
superfluous material from those molds which are charged with a semi-fluid
commonly known as "slip." This process consists in allowing the "slip" to
remain in the molds or flasks only as long as may be necessary to secure a proper
deposit of material therein, and as soon as this result has been accomplished the
remaining "slip" is exhausted by means of a vacuum produced, preferably within
a suitable receiver or vessel, by a pump or any other convenient appliance. From
this vacuum vessel a hose or flexible tube having a valve or cock or other cut-off
device extends to the bench or table upon which a row of filled molds are set, and
as soon as this tube is placed in one of said molds and the cock opened, the super-
fluous "slip" is instantly drawn out, as hereinafter more fully described. The
second part of this Invention comprises certain novel devices for carrying this
process into operation, the principal appliance being a peculiarly constructed
suction-tube that enters the molds and draws off the "slip," said tube being so
arranged as to leave any desired thickness of material at the crown of the article
produced. Furthermore, this suction-tube is so arranged as to occupy an exactly
central position when inserted in the molds, and is provided with a valve capable
of being readily opened at will, as hereinafter more fully described. In the
annexed Drawings, Fig. 1 is a representation of the general arrangement of my
preferred construction of apparatus, the upper portion of the slip-reservoir and
Price GI

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vacuum vessel being sectioned; Fig. 2 is an axial section of a mold filled with
slip" or any equivalent semifluid material capable of being used for the manu-
facture of pottery &c., &c.; Fig. 3 is another axial section of said mold, but showing
the suction-tube inserted therein, and the superfluous "slip" partially withdrawn ;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectionized elevation of the suctiou-tube detached from its
hose connection; Fig. 5 is a transverse section of said tube. A represents a tank
or reservoir, into which the "slip "B may be elevated with a pump or otherwise.
Proceeding from the reservoir is a hose or other flexible tubing C, of such length
as to reach all the molds that are to be charged. The free end of this hose has a
faucet or valve or other convenient device D wherewith to control the flow of
slip" into the various molds or flasks E, which latter are preferably arranged in
two or more parallel rows on a long table, bench, or other suitable support F.
G represents a vacuum vessel from which the air is drawn by a pump H or other
exhauster, said pump being operated either by hand or power, as may be most
convenient. This pump has a suction-pipe h entering near the top of said vacuum-
"vessel, as shown. I is a drain cock for drawing off the "slip" as soon as it reaches
a certain height in the vessel G, which level may be determined with a common
glass-gauge or otherwise. Attached at or near the top this vessel is a hose or
flexible tubing J having a suction nozzle K, constructed as shown in Fig. 4.
This nozzle or tube K has at its receiving end a perforated strainer or rose L which
allows the slip to flow in as soon as the valve N is opened, said valve being
seated in a head of said tube, and being provided with a stem O carrying a button
or knob o at its exposed ends. Valve N is maintained in its normal or closed
position by a spring P which may be a simple leaf or plate, as shown in Fig. 4, or
said spring may be coiled around the outer portion of stem O, as represented in
Figs. 1 and 3, or it may be otherwise arranged. Suction-tube K can be screwed
into or out of an elbow R, which device is furnished with radial arms S having
downward prolongations or lugs 8. Of these arms three are preferably used, as
indicated in Fig. 5. My process is carried into operation in the following manner :-
The tank A being filled with "slip " B, the molds E arranged on the table F, and
a suitable vacuum produced in the exhauster G, the potter then proceeds to fill
each of said molds, which act is accomplished by simply opening the faucet D and
allowing the proper quantity of "slip" to flow through the hose C. Owing to the
flexible nature of this hose all of the molds can be reached and readily filled in a
few minutes, and as soon as the material has set and formed a suitable deposit on
the interior of the mold the potter then inserts the suction-tube K in the mold,
opens the valve N by depressing its stem O, o, and the superfluous slip is at
once drawn through the hose J and discharged into the exhauster G. This stago
of the process is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, a reference to which illustration will
show the slip adhering to the upper part of the mold at X, while the slip in
the lower portion thereof is being drawn off. This illustration also shows the
arms S resting on the top of the mold, and serving as a stop that prevents the
tube K reaching too near the bottom of mold E; consequently the thickness of the
crown of the article being made can be regulated with the utmost nicety. Further-
more this illustration shows that the lugs a fit snugly over the sides of the mold,
and thus centralize the tube K in the most perfect and expeditious manner.
thickness of deposit in the mold will of course depend on the consistency of the
slip, the materials of which it is composed, and the porosity of the mold E, which
latter may be made of plaster of Paris, so as to absorb the water in the slip quite
rapidly. The slip having been thus exhausted from one mold the potter then
removes the pressure from the button o, and allows the valve N to reseat itself
while the suction-tube K is being removed and inserted in the adjacent mold, and
these operations are repeated until all the molds are emptied of their superfluous
slip, as above described; the molds with their adhering contents are then
removed to a drying room, and subsequently handled in the manner well known to
potters, the contraction incidental to drying causing the articles to be readily
liberated from the flask. After the exhauster G has become nearly filled the cock
The

page_text: I is opened, the slip drawn off and then returned to tank A, thereby preventing
any waste of material. It will thus be seen that the slip does not enter the
pump H, and therefore there is no danger of its valves and packing being destroyed
by the gritty materials in the fluid; but in some cases the exhauster may be
dispensed with, and the slip be drawn directly out with a special pump adapted
for such service. Or the withdrawal of the superfluous slip may be effected
with a vacuum produced in any manner whatever, as this Invention is not to be
limited to any special appliance or device for effecting the vacuum. Neither is it
to be limited to any special kind of slip or shape, or size of material produced
in the molds. Finally, a series of suction tubes can be attached to one hose in
order that the opening of a single valve will exhaust a number of molds of their
superfluous slip at one operation.
1. The within described process of exhausting superfluous slip from a. mold
by means of a vacuum after a suitable deposit of material has formed within said
mold, for the purpose stated.
2. An improved pottery apparatus consisting of an elevated receptacle for con-
taining slip, a hose for conducting said fluid to the molds, a suction tube and
hose for exhausting the superfluous slip therefrom, and a suitable device for
producing a vacuum, substantially as described.
3. An improved pottery-apparatus consisting of the elevated receptacle A, valved
hose-connection C, D, suction-pipe K, L, N, flexible tubing J, exhauster G, and
pump H, h, or its equivalent, for the purpose herein described.
4. The combination of suction-tube K, L, valve N, stem O, and external
retractile-spring P, as herein described.
5. The suction-tube K, L, adjustable with reference to the elbow R, for the
purpose described.
6. The combination of adjustable suction-tube K, L, and elbow R, which latter
is provided with radial arms S having lugs s, for the purpose explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of August, A.D. 1881.
H. J HADDAN
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