Improvements in Brick-making Machinery.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brick-making Machinery.
We MAHLON BASIL ATKINSON, Machinist, and DAVID WINTERS STOCKSTILL, Manu-
facturer, both of Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, 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:
Our invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in brick-machines ;
and it consists in the peculiar construction, combination, and arrangement of parts
hereinafter described and claimed.
The invention has special reference to the following features: First, mounting
certain portions of the machine outside of the framework, whereby convenient and
ready access may be had in the adjustment of the parts; second, compressing the clay
in the mould-box entirely from the bottom against a platen whose face is bevelled at
the edges, whereby the air, as it is driven upward, will be forced outward and oscape
under the edges of the platen, and whereby, also, a slight depression will be formed
in the upper face of the brick, affording a hold for the mortar; third, means for
adjusting the platen with relation to the upper end of the mould-box, in order to com-
pensate for the wear of parts; fourth, means for adjustably limiting the downward
movement of the plunger within the mould-box, so as to regulate the capacity of the
box in accordance with the quantity of clay necessary to form the brick; and fifth, a
reversible lining for the mould-box, whereby the lining, when one portion of it is worn,
can be reversed to present an unworn surface.
Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation of the machine, partly in section on
the line xx, Fig. 3.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine, one of the platens being broken away to show
the mould-box.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of so much of the machine as is necessary to show the
working of the plungers and the platens.
Fig. 4 is a detail view of the device for regulating the descent of the plungers.
Fig. 5 is a detail view of a portion of the mechanism for raising the toggles and
the plunger to eject the brick from the mould-box.
Fig. 6 is a detail view of the reversible lining for the mould-box.
While we have shown a double machine--a mere duplication of many of the parts
-we shall, for brevity, confine the description as nearly as possible to a single
machine.
A represents the framework of the machine; and B, the table, bolted thereon.
C is the power-shaft, mounted on the rear end of the frame. This shaft carries two
balance-wheels, D, a band-wheel, E, and a driving-pinion, F, the latter engaging with
a large gear-wheel, G, on the main shaft H, journalled in boxes h on the frame.
I represents the mould-box, the upper end of which passes through an opening in
table B and is flush with the top thereof, the box being secured to the table by means
of screws, as shown.
The mould-box is provided with a reversible lining, J, made in the form shown in
Fig. 6, wherein it will be seen that the side plates are formed with a recess, 1, in
each end, equidistant from top and bottom, and with countersunk screw-holes 2, also
equidistant from top and bottom, as well as from the ends, so that, no matter which
edge of the lining is up, the holes 2 will occupy the same position relative to the
screw-boles in the box. The end plates j' have no screw-holes, they being held in
place by a tongue, 3, formed on each end, midway between the top and bottom, which
tongues fit neatly in the recesses in the side pieces. Thus it will be seen that when
one portion of the lining becomes worn, on removing the screws from the side pieces

page_text: the entire lining can be lifted out, turned upper edge down, and secured in the mould-
box in that position; or the different pieces of the lining may be turned inner side
out, and then secured in the box, with a suitable backing behind the worn portion to
true up the face, in which case the screw-holes 2 will, of course, be countersunk on
both faces of the side plates j.
K represent round metal standards, whose lower ends are rigidly secured in the
forward ends of frame A., and whose upper ends pass through the table B, and are
secured in position by nuts 10; and K are sleeves on these standards, for limiting
the descent of the upper cross-head, they being adjustably held in place thereon by
means of set-screws k.
L represents the platen, which is hollow, and is provided with an inlet, 4, and an
ontlet, 5, for the steam employed in heating it. As it is intended that the clay in the
mould-box to form the brick is to be pressed entirely from below by the plunger,
the face only of the platen enters the mould-box; and instead of forming holes in the
platen to provide for the escape of air as the clay is being pressed, which holes are
objectionable on account of their liability to become stopped up by the clay, we bevel
the face edges of the platen, as at 1, whereby the air is afforded free exit all around
these bevelled edges, it being understood that the platen does not enter the mould-box
to the full depth of the bevelled portion.
It is highly important that the platen should be made adjustable with relation to
the table of the machine, in order to prevent it from entering the mould-box so far as
to shut off the exit of the air from the clay, which might result from wear of the parts.
For this purpose we provide the platen with set-screws L', which pass vertically
through it, as seen in Fig. 3.
The platen is secured on the upper ends of two rods, M, said rods being passed
through the table, the ends of the mould-box, an upper cross-head, N, and a lower
cross-head, N', in which latter the lower ends of the rods are rigidly secured.
O represent toggles, hinged to the upper and lower cross-heads, the ends of the
cross-heads being fitted over and adapted to slide freely on the standards K.
P is the plunger, secured to the upper cross-head, and, like the platen, having an
inlet, 6, and an outlet, 7, for the steam with which it is to be heated. In this instance
the plunger is shown as bifurcated, (seen at left hand of Fig. 3,) which form is used
when the mould-box is divided so as to produce two bricks at once, as seen in Fig. 2.
As will be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the mechanisms, hereinafter described, for opera-
ting the toggles and for raising the cross-heads, toggles, and plunger to eject the
bricks from the mould-box are all located outside the framework, which results in a
great saving of time and labour in setting up and taking down the machine, and also
admits of the framework being made considerably narrower, and consequently much
lighter, than would be necessary were these parts mounted within the framework.
Qis a crank-arm, the forward end of which is pivoted to the toggles, its rear end
being journalled on a crank-pin, ", on a disk, R, keyed on the end of the main shaft.
S is a cam, mounted on the main shaft next to the disk R. It is adjustable with
relation to said disk by means of slots s, (seen in dotted lines,) through which pass
bolts, secured in the disk, the inner ends of said bolts being provided with screw-
threaded nuts, (not seen).
The cross-heads, toggles, plunger, and platen are raised to eject the brick from the
mould-box by means of a lever, T, pivoted at t to the frame, its rear end bearing a
friction-roll, t, which engages with the cam S, the front end of said lever being
provided with a book, T', the latter being connected with the former by means of a
rod, T, which passes through an orifice, t, in the lever, and is pivoted to the hook at t",
the rod being held in place in the lever by a screw-threaded nut, t; and in order
that the rod may have the necessary play in the lever, the orifice t³ is enlarged toward
the bottom, as seen in Fig. 5. The hook enters a recess, n, in the under side of the
lower cross-head, N₁, and is prevented from leaving said recess by means of a bolt, n',
passed through the cross-head and through a slot, to, in the hook, this slot per-
mitting the necessary play of the hook.
U is the hopper, mounted on top of the table V at such height as to permit

page_text: the mould-filler to reciprocate under it. It is of the ordinary box-like form, except
that on the inside it is wider at bottom than at top, in order that the clay may pass
through it freely.
Vis the mould-filler, which is also of common construction, being open at top and
bottom at one end to form a chamber v, for the reception of the clay from the hopper,
and closed at top at the other end, this closed portion serving as a cut-off, v¹, to the
hopper when the mould-filler is in its forward position.
The forward end of a branch arm, V₁, is pivoted to the sides of the rear end of the
mould-filler, and its rear end is pivoted to the upper end of a lever, V2, the lever being
pivoted at 11 to the inner side of an arched portion, A', of the framework of the
imachine. The lower end of this lever-that portion below the pivotal point-is bent
at an obtuse angle to the upper portion, and is curved slightly to the rear, as seen
in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This lever is worked on its pivot to move the mould-
filler forward by means of a pin, 12, projecting inward from a bar, 13, bolted to two
of the spokes of gear-wheel &, coming into contact with a lug, 14, projecting out-
ward from the lever. Another pin, 15, on one of the spokes of wheel G, near the
hub, contacts with the lower end of the lever to rock it in the opposite direction,
thereby drawing the mould-filler back to its original position.
While the sleeves K' on the standards K ordinarily serve to limit the descent of
the upper cross-head, and consequently the descent of the plunger within the mould-
box, whereby the capacity of said box is regulated, it sometimes happens that
frequent adjustments are required, owing to varying conditions of the clay to be
worked. When this is the case considerable time would be lost in adjusting the
sleeves themselves; and to avoid the necessity of moving the sleeves for every
adjustment is the purpose of the mechanism now to be described.
Referring to Fig. 4, W represents a metallic wedge, straight upon its upper side,
but sloping to an edge upon its under side. This is designed to fit within a sloping
recess, &, cut in the upper end of sleeve K, the wedge being bifurcated, as shown, to
pass the standard upon which the sleeve is mounted. There are two of these wedges,
one for each sleeve. To each wedge is attached the lower end of a rod, 16, whose
upper end is attached to a horizontal rock-shaft, 17, mounted in bearings 18, secured
to the under side of the forward end of the table B', the rock-shaft being operated
by means of a handle, 19, which is held in any desired position by a bolt, 20 passing
through a slotted segment, 21, secured to the table, and through the handle, said bolt
being provided with a thumb-nut, 22.
The operation of the machine is as follows: We will assume that the cross-heads,
toggles, plunger, and platen are in the positions seen at the left side of Fig. 3, and
that the mould-box is filled with clay. At this time the cam leaves the lever, allowing
the lower cross-head to fall, drawing the platen down, with its face barely inside of
the mould-box. Then in the continued revolution of the main shaft in the direction
indicated by the arrow on gear-wheel G in Fig. 1, the toggles are gradually
straightened, pressing upward the upper cross-head and the plunger. As the clay is
being pressed against the platen by the plunger, the air in the clay is driven
upward to the platen, making its exit at the bevelled edges of the latter, it boing
understood that, as before stated, the platen does not enter the mould-box to the full
depth of the bevel; but the portion of the platen which does enter is sufficient to
cause a slight depression in the upper side of the brick.
The parts of the machine now being in the position shown on the near side of
Fig. 1, the cam S comes into contact with the rear end of lever T, thereby gradually
depressing it, and consequently raising the cross-heads, toggles, plunger, and platen.
By the time the point 30 on the cam reaches the lever the platen will have been
raised sufficiently high to permit of the passage thereunder of the mould-filler V and
the plunger will have come flush with the upper surface of the table and pushed the
brick out of the mould-box; but meanwhile the crank-pin on disk R has made a
partial revolution and the toggles have been half bowed, which, of course, would have
lowered the plunger to that extent were it not for the fact that the pitch of the can
up to the point 30 is sufficient to overcome that tendency by continuing to raise the

page_text: cross-heads, toggles, and plunger. Now as it is desired to simply hold the plunger
up momentarily, without raising it any farther, the eccentricity of the cam from the
point 30 to the point 31 is just sufficient for that purpose. During the time that
that portion of the cam between these points is in contact with the lever the platen is
raised to its full height, and the pin 12 comes into engagement with the lug 14 on
lever and rocks said lever forward on its pivot, thereby pushing the mould-filler V, filled
with clay from the hopper, forward against the brick. The pin keeps in engagement
with the lug until the lever V2 has assumed such a radial position as to permit the pin.
to pass over the top of the lug, by which time the mould-filler has pushed the brick
out onto the table. While this movement is taking place the concentric portion 32
of the cam reaches the lever T, when, owing to the continued forward bowing of the
toggles, the upper cross-head descends, drawing down the plunger, so that by the
time the brick is entirely out onto the table the plunger has dropped to its lowest
position. Now the pin 15 comes into contact with the lower end of lever V2, and
rocks it in the opposite direction, thereby drawing back the inould-filler, when the
clay will fall into the mould-box. By the time the mould-filler has been drawn back
under the hopper the concentric portion 32 of the cam has passed clear of
lever T, allowing the lower cross-head and the platen to drop, ready for the next
operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
Lion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a brick-machine of the class described, the combination, with the frame-
work, the cross-heads, the toggles, the plunger, and the platen, of the main shaft, a
crank-arm pivoted at one end to the toggles and at the other end to a disk on said
shaft, a cam on the shaft, and a lever pivoted to the frame, one end of which lever
is in engagement with the lower cross-head, the other end lying in the path of the
cam, said crank-arm, disk, lever and cam being mounted on the outer side of the
framework, substantially as described.
2. In a brick-machine, the combination with the mould-box, of a platen of greater
area than the top of said box and having its lower edges bevelled so that its face is
of less area than the interior of the box, mechanism for oporating the platen in such
manner that only its face will enter the mould-box, and a vertically-movable plunger,
whereby as the clay is pressed from below the air will be expelled through the opening
around the face of the platen, substantially as described.
3. In a brick-machine of the class described, the combination, with the mould-box,
the toggles and connected cross-heads, mechanism for operating the toggles, and
the plunger secured to the upper cross-head, of a platen of greater area than the top
of said box and so that its face is of less area than the interior of the box, having
its lower edges bevelled, the platen being so connected with the lower cross-head that
only its face will enter the mould-box as said cross-head reaches its extreme lower
position, substantially as described.
4. In a brick-machine, the combination, with the machine-table, a mould-box secured
therein, the toggles and connected cross-heads, mechanism for operating the toggles,
and the plunger secured to the upper cross-head, of a platen having its face-edges
bevelled, provided with adjusting-screws which bear upon the table, and being so
connected with the lower cross-head that normally only its face will enter the mould-
box as said cross-head reaches its extreme lower position, substantially as described,
and for the purposes set forth.
5. In a brick-machine, the combination, with the standards K, provided with the
sleeves K¹, of the wedges W, the rock-shaft 17, the rods 16, connected to the wedges
and to the rock-shaft, the handle 19, on said shaft, provided with bolt 20, and the
. slotted segment 21, arranged as and for the purpose set forth.
6. In a brick-machine, the combination, with the standards mounted in the frame
and table, the cross-heads arranged to slide thereon, toggles connecting the cross-heads
and mechanism for operating them, the mould-box, and the plunger connected to the

page_text: upper cross-head and arranged to reciprocate within the mould-box, of a sleeve or collar
upon each standard below the upper cross-head, a wedge upon the upper end of each
sleeve, and mechanism for simultaneously moving both wedges to regulate the descent
of the upper cross-head, substantially as described.
7. In a brick-machine, the combination, with the mould-box, of a reversible lining
for said box, said lining comprising the side plates having screw-holes equidistant
from top and bottom edges and from end to end, and a recess in each end
equidistant from the top and bottom edges, and the end plates having a tongue at
each end adapted to fit said recesses in the side plates, substantially as described, and
for the purposes set forth.
M. B. ATKINSON,
By L. W. per F. B.
D. W. STOCKSTILL,
By L. W. per F. B.