IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAVING SLABS OR BLOCKS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF ARTIFICIAL STONE OR CONCRETE, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to JAMES HODGES, of Bagshot, in the County of Surrey,
and JAMES WILLIAM BUTLER, of Willesden, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAVING SLABS OR
BLOCKS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF ARTIFICIAL STONE OR CONCRETE, AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 27th April 1877, and dated the 3rd November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hodges and James
William Butler at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd
November 1876.
JAMES HODGES, of Bagshot, in the County of Surrey, and JAMES WILLIAM
BUTLER, of Willesden, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF PAVING SLABS OR BLOCKS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF ARTIFICIAL
STONE OR CONCRETE, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Our Invention relates more particularly to the manufacture of slabs or blocks for
paving, copings, window sills, string courses, landings, quoins, and other articles, and
consists of an improved process for producing such articles, and of improved machinery
or apparatus for carrying the same into effect.
In carrying out our Invention, the material of which the stone is to be made,
having been first thoroughly commingled in a mixer of any suitable construction, is
placed on a table at the edge of which and opposite to the place where the operator
is standing is arranged a mould or edge. This mould consists of a frame composed
of two hinged flaps, between which is placed a removable tray which forms the
acting surface at one side of the mould, one flap of the frame forming the other
acting surface. The mould, which is capable of being turned on its hinges by the
aid of a lever and counterweight or any other suitable apparatus from the horizontal
to the vertical position, and vice versa, having been raised to its vertical or edge
position, the operator with a suitable implement introduces a sufficient quantity of
the material into the mould to be rammed down by the apparatus next herein-after
described. Over the mould is placed a hammer or tampor of a construction similar
to that described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to the said James
William Butler, dated the 20 August, 1874, No. 2872, such tampor having a
rising-and-falling motion, as described in the said former Specification, and also a

page_text: to-and-fro longitudinal traversing motion, in the manner and by the means herein-
after explained.
When the machine is set in motion the material which has been introduced into
the mould is under the action of the impacts of the tampor in its vertical and
longitudinal motions rammed solidly into the mould until the latter is filled, after
which the mould frame carrying the moulded article is lowered by means of
apparatus, as before mentioned, from the vertical to a horizontal position.
The flap of the mould frame which supports the removable tray is slotted, and
when the mould frame is lowered the tray is received upon cams, which are capable
of being operated by the aid of a lever situate near the place where the man in
charge of the machine is standing, so as to raise the tray carrying the moulded
article sufficiently high to clear the bed of the machine, and the cams being provided
with rollers on the edge have the effect of moving the moulded article slightly
forward, after which it is pushed away on a track provided with rollers clear of
the machine, in order to admit of another article being made, and the preceding
operations are then repeated, and so on in succession.
It should be observed that before the moulded article is removed the flap, which
is the upper, flap of the mould when in the horizontal position and which is planed
true and smooth, is moved to and fro along its hinge rod over the stone, whereby a
perfectly true and smooth surface is imparted to the latter. By means of our
Invention the block or slab is manufactured edgewise, and subsequently smoothed
or polished on its face by the apparatus, which has itself served for the moulding
operation.
The motion of the tampor is obtained in the following manner :-)
-The tampor is
'mounted on a carriage capable of traversing an overhead track provided for the
purpose, and it is caused to rise and fall by means of a lever and cam, as described
in the said former Specification. This cam, which is mounted on a transverse shaft
supported in bearings in the carriage, receives its motion through the intervention of
bevel wheels and a longitudinal shaft from another transverse shaft, on which the
driving pullies are carried.
The transverse shaft last mentioned and the longitudinal shaft are supported in
bearings in the main frame of the machine, the longitudinal shaft being provided
with a longitudinal groove or keyway, in order to admit of the longitudinal move-
ment of the bevel wheel, which transmits the motion from the longitudinal shaft to
a corresponding bevel wheel keyed on the cam shaft. On the cam shaft there is
also mounted an eccentric, the rod of which is connected to a slotted bar carrying
the two pawls, arranged in connection with a double ratchet wheel in such a manner
as to operate respectively in opposite directions, so that when it is desired to
traverse the carriage in one direction one pawl shall be in action, and that in
traversing in the opposite direction the other pawl shall be in action, the two pawls
being externally thrown into and out of gear automatically by means of stops, and
also by hand by the aid of a lever if required, whilst means are provided for
disengaging both pawls when necessary.
By means of the pawls motion is imparted to the ratchet wheels alternately in
opposite directions, which motion is transmitted through the shaft on which the
wheel is mounted to a toothed wheel engaging with a longitudinal rack, whereby
the to-and-fro traverse of the carriage and consequently of the tampor is obtained.
If desired, in lieu of traversing the tampor, the mould itself may be traversed,
whilst the tampor receives simply a vertical motion, and a similar effect be obtained.
The mould may also be so arranged as to be capable of turning upon a pivot if
found desirable.
When it is required to produce slabs or blocks having apertures, as, for example,
in the case of shoots over coal cellars, we form in the mould frame, and also in the
removable tray if necessary, an aperture of the requisite size, which we maintain
closed by means of a detachable plate during the operation of moulding the article
in the manner berein-before described. When however the operation of moulding
is completed we remove the plates and cut out of the article a sufficient portion of

page_text: the same so as to leave the requisite aperture, the sides of the aperture in the mould
frame or in the mould frame and tray constituting a template or guide for that
purpose.
We also form apertures in pipes for the reception of junction pieces in a similar
manner, the mould and also the core if necessary being provided with apertures
fitted with detachable covers, which are removed so as to enable the requisite
aperture to be cut in the pipe before the material has hardened or solidified.
When it is required to produce pipes, slabs, or other articles of an irregular shape,
say, for example, approximating to the form of an ellipse, the tampor may be caused
to receive the requisite curvilinear traversing motion during its rising-and-falling
action by the employment of devices arranged somewhat upon the principle of what
is known as a trammel, the mould itself having also a partial axial or other motion,
if found necessary.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Hodges and James William Butler in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd May 1877.
JAMES HODGES, of Bagshot, in the County of Surrey, and JAMES WILLIAM BUTLER,
of Willesden, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF PAVING SLABS OR BLOCKS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF ARTIFICIAL STONE OR CON-
CRETE, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Our said Invention relates more particularly to the manufacture of slabs or blocks
for paving, copings, window cills, string courses, landings, quoins, and other articles,
and consists of an improved process for producing such articles, and of improved
machinery or apparatus for carrying the same into effect.
According to one part of our said Invention the slabs or blocks are manufactured
edgewise, and we employ for this purpose a mould consisting of a frame composed of
two hinged flaps, one being open or slotted, between which flaps is situate a
removable tray forming a false side or bottom to the mould, the material being fed
into the mould when the latter is in a vertical position, and being rammed down
under the action of a hammer or tampor having a rising-and-falling motion and a
to-and-fro traversing motion, after which the mould containing the moulded article
is turned on its hinges into a horizontal position, the tray carrying the moulded
article being received upon suitable arms or levers. When in this position the face
of the moulded article is smoothed or polished without removing the article from the
mould, and by the aid of the apparatus which has itself served for the moulding
operation, after which the upper flap is raised again to a vertical position, by the act
of operating the cams or levers, the tray carrying the moulded article is elevated
clear of the mould and then moved slightly forwards to be subsequently removed
from the machine in readiness for repeating the operations in the production of
another article, and so on in succession.
The Invention also embraces modifications in the arrangements of the moulds and
tampors, such modifications having for their object partly the production of articles
of special forms as herein-after described.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood, we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed two Sheets of Drawings, the same letters of
reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figures 1 and 2 (Sheet 1) of our Drawings represent respectively an end and a
side elevation of a machine constructed according to our said Invention for the pro-
duction of slabs or blocks edgewise; Figure 3 (on Sheet 2) is a corresponding plan
of the machine; Figures 4 and 4, Sheet 1, are sectional details of the mould and
contiguous parts.

page_text: Figures 5 and 6 (Sheet 2) represent in detail side and end elevation respectively,
a portion of the apparatus for actuating and controlling the motions of the hammer.
or tampor. The remaining Figures illustrate other parts and modifications of our
said Invention and will be herein-after described.
In carrying out that part of our said Invention which is illustrated by Figures 1
to 6 of the Drawings, the material of which the stove is to be made having been
first thoroughly commingled in a mixer of any suitable construction is placed on a
table A at the edge of which, and opposite to the place where the operator is
standing, is arranged a mould B on edge (shewn in detail in Figure 4). This
mould consists of a frame composed of two flaps C, D, hinged at E, to the framing F
of the machine, so as to be capable of being turned from the horizontal to the
vertical position, and vice versa, between which flaps is place a removable tray E¹
which forms the acting surface at one side of the mould, one of the flaps, viz, that
D, forming the other acting surface. The mould B, which may be turned on its
hinges E by the hand of the operator, or otherwise assisted by a lever F¹ and
counterweight, having been raised to its vertical or edge position, as shewn by the
full lines in the Drawing, the operator with a suitable implement introduces a
sufficient quantity of the material into the mould B, that is to say, into the space
comprised between the flap D and the tray E¹ to be rammed down by the apparatus
next herein-after described. Over the mould is placed a hammer or tampor G of a
construction similar to that described in the Specification of Letters Patent, granted
to the said James William Butler, dated the Twentieth August, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-four, No. 2872, such tampor having a rising and falling motion
as described in the said former Specification and also a to-and-fro longitudinal
traversing motion in the manner and by the means herein-after explained.
When the machine is set in motion the material which has been introduced into
the mould B is under the action of the impacts of the tampor G in its vertical and
longitudinal motions, rammed solidly into the mould until the latter is filled, after
which the mould carrying the moulded article is lowered by turning the same upon
its hinges E by the hand of the operator, or otherwise assisted by the lever F¹ and
counterweight as before mentioned, from the vertical position shewn by the full
lines in the Drawing, to a horizontal position as indicated by the dotted lines in
Figure 1.
The flap C of the mould which supports the removable tray E' is made of open-
work, or provided with slots as shown at H, and when the mould is lowered the
tray E is received upon cams or levers I, which are mounted upon rocking shafts K
connected together by rods L so as to be capable of being operated by the aid of a
lever M situate near the place where the man in charge of the machine is standing,
in order (after the flap D has been turned into its vertical position) to raise the
tray E¹, carrying the moulded article, sufficiently high to clear the bed of the
machine, as shewn in Figure 4ª. The cams or levers I are provided on their
extremities with rollers N which have the effect of moving the moulded article
slightly forward, after which it may be conducted away on a track O provided with
rollers P clear of the machine in order to admit of another article being made, and
the preceding operations are then repeated, and so on in succession.
It should be observed that before the moulded article is removed and before
raising the flap D the latter, which is the upper flap of the mould when in the hori-
zontal position, shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 1, and which is planed true
and smooth, is moved to and fro along its hinge rod a over the stone, whereby a
perfectly true and smooth surface is imparted to the same. By means of our
Invention the block or slab is manufactured edgewise and subsequently smoothed
or polished on its face by the apparatus which has itself served for the moulding
operation.
The motion of the tampor G is obtained in the following manner:-The tampor
is mounted on a carriage Q provided with wheels R for traversing an overhead
track S, so that by imparting a reciprocating motion to the carriage by the means
herein-after explained the tampor is moved to and fro whilst it is caused to rise

page_text: and fall by means of a lever T working between guides b and operated by a cam U,
as described in the said former Specification. This cam which is mounted on a
transverse shaft U¹ supported in bearings V in the carriage Q receives its motion
through the intervention of bevel wheels W, W₁, the longitudinal shaft X, and bevel
wheels Y, Y¹, from another transverse shaft Z on which the driving pulleys care
carried.
The transverse shaft Z and the longitudinal shaft X are supported in bearings
d, d, in the main frame F of the machine, the longitudinal shaft X being provided
with a longitudinal groove or keyway e in order to admit of the longitudinal move-
ment of the bevel wheel W which transmits the motion from the longitudinal
shaft X to the corresponding bevel wheel W₁ keyed on the cam shaft U. On the
cam shaft U there is also mounted an eccentric f, the rod g of which is connected
ath to a bar i (see the detail, Figures 5 and 6), slotted so as to admit of the point
of connection being adjusted or varied as required, which bar is loosely carried on
a shaft k supported in bearings in the carriage Q, and is provided with a pivot Z on
which are mounted two pawls m, ml. On the shaft k are keyed two ratchet
wheels n, n¹, in relation to which the pawls m, m³, are arranged in such a manner as
to operate respectively in opposite directions, so that when it is desired to traverse
the carriage Qin one direction, say, for example, that indicated by the arrow, one
pawl, viz., that m, shall be in action and engage with the ratchet wheel n, and that
in traversing in the opposite direction the other pawl m¹ shall be in action and
engage with the ratchet wheel n¹, the two pawls being alternately thrown into and
out of gear either automatically by any obvious arrangement of stops and tappets
or by hand, as desired.
In our Drawings we have represented the apparatus as arranged for the reversion
of the pawls by hand, for which purpose we employ a lever o mounted on the
shaft k, and by the act of turning which by hand alternately in opposite directions
the inner portions of the lever at the extremities of the slot p will be caused to act
upon a pin q carried by the pawls, and turn the latter so as to bring both alternately
into gear with their respective ratchet wheels.
The two reverse positions of the pin q are indicated in our Drawings by full
lines and dotted lines respectively, in addition to which positions the pawls may be
placed in a neutral position (indicated by the central dotted lines) with both pawls
disengaged, in which position it is retained by a catch on the bar i engaging in a
notch or indentation in a projection of the pawls m, m³, assisted by the apparatus
next herein-after described, which also serves to ensure the retention of the pawls in
their extreme positions when in action. This apparatus consists of a weight s
depending from a slotted bar which is fitted so as to be free to slide over the
bar i, and is suspended from a lever s¹ having its fulcrum at 82 in a bracket s³ of
the bar i, a rod s extending from the pawls m, m³, being also loosely connected to
the said levers. By means of the pawls m, m³, motion is imparted to the ratchet
wheels n, n', alternately in opposite directions, which motion is transmitted through
the shaft k on which the said wheels are mounted to a toothed wheel 8 engaging
with a longitudinal rack s carried by the main frame F of the machine, whereby
the to-and-fro traverse of the carriage Q, and consequently of the tampor G, is
obtained.
In some cases the eccentrics may be employed, the respective rods of which
actuate independently the two pawls m, m³, the two eccentrics being alternately
thrown into and out of gear, whereby a similar result to that produced with the aid
of the reversing apparatus, herein-before described, may be obtained.
If desired, in lieu of traversing the tampor the mould itself may be traversed,
whilst the tampor receives simply a vertical motion and a similar effect be obtained.
The mould may also, be so arranged as to be capable of turning upon a pivot if
found desirable, especially in the manufacture of pipes and other hollow articles.
When it is required to produce slabs or blocks having apertures, as, for example,
in the case of shoots over coal cellars, we form in the mould frame, and also in the
removable tray, if necessary, an opening of the requisite size, which we maintain

page_text: closed by means of a detachable plate during the operation of moulding the article,
in the manner herein-before described. When however the operation of moulding
is completed we remove the plates and cut out of the article a sufficient portion of
the same so as to leave the requisite aperture, the sides of the opening in the mould
frame or in the mould frame and tray constituting a template or guide for that
purpose.
A mode of carrying out this part of our Invention is illustrated in Figures 7
and 8, Sheet 2, of our Drawings. The flap D of the mould B has formed in it an
opening (Figure 7), which is maintained closed during the operation of moulding
by a detachable plate u secured by latches v, as shewn in Figure 8. When how-
ever the operation of moulding is completed we remove the plate u and cut out of
the moulded article whilst it is contained in the mould a sufficient portion of the
same to leave the requisite aperture, the sides of the opening t, Figure 7, constituting
a template or guide in performing that operation.
We also form apertures in pipes for the reception of junction pieces in a similar
manner, the mould and also the core if necessary being provided with openings
fitted with detachable covers, which are removed so as to enable the requisite
aperture to be cut in the pipe before the material has hardened or solidified. This
part of our Invention is illustrated in Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, Sheet 2, of our
Drawings.
Figures 9 and 10 represent elevations of pipes with junction pieces fitted thereto
at different angles, a being the pipe and a¹ the junction piece; Figure 11 represents
an elevation of a pipe mould B₁ adapted for the manufacture of the pipes x,
Figure 9, such mould having an opening in its side closed by a detachable cover u
secured by latches v; Figure 12 represents an elevation of a pipe mould B¹ adapted
for the manufacture of the pipes x, Figure 10, the mould having an opening t of
shape corresponding to the angular section of the junction piece x, Figure 10, to be
united to the pipe, which opening is to be closed by a detachable cover of similar
shape during the operation of moulding, as herein-before described.
In manufacturing pipes with junction pieces the pipe is first made by the aid of
a mould B¹, such, for example, as those shewn in Figures 11 and 12, the cover u
being attached in conjuction with a core y, Figure 13, of any suitable construction.
The cover is then removed and a sufficient portion is cut out of the pipe to leave
the requisite aperture z, the sides of the opening t of the mould forming a template
or guide for that purpose. The pipe is then removed from the mould, the core
being left within the former, and a core y¹, Figure 13, for the junction piece x¹ is
fitted to the opening z, and a mould B2 is fitted around the same and secured to
the pipe by hoops or bands 1, 1, after which the material is introduced into the
space between the mould B2 and core y¹, and rammed down under the action of a
tampor, as described in the said former Specification, the mould and core being
removed when the material has sufficiently set or hardened, leaving the junction
piece and pipe x solidly united together."
If desired the core y may be removed prior to the operation of uniting the
junction piece to the pipe, and a plate sufficiently large to cover the opening be
fitted to the interior of the pipe, to which plate the core y' may be attached.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, we
would observe in conclusion that what we consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
-
First. The system or mode of manufacturing slabs or blocks of artificial stone or
concrete edgewise, substantially in the manner and by the means herein-before
described.
Secondly. A mould consisting of a frame composed of two hinged flaps, between
which is situate a removable tray or false bottom or side, the whole being capable
of being turned through an arc of a circle from one to the other of two different
positions, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described.

page_text: Thirdly. The combination with a mould having a removable tray or false bottom
or side, and a slotted or openwork flap bottom or side of cams or levers for
elevating, and then imparting a longitudinal notion to the tray or false bottom or
side carrying the moulded article, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before
described.
Fourth. The system or mode of smoothing or polishing a moulded article
without removing the same from the mould, and by the aid of the apparatus
which has itself served for the moulding operation, substantially as herein-before
described.
Fifth. The application and use to and in the moulding of paving slabs or blocks
and other articles of a hammer or tampor having a rising-and-falling motion and a
to-and-fro traversing motion, such apparatus being operated and its motions con-
trolled and reversed substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by the
accompanying Drawings.
Sixth. The combination of a hammer or tampor, having a rising-and-falling
motion, and a mould having a to-and-fro traversing motion or a rotary motion
upon a pivot or axis, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
Seventh. The production of slabs or. blocks having apertures therein, and pipes
or other hollow articles having apertures in their sides by forming either in the
mould frame or mould, alone, or in both the mould frame or mould, and the
removable tray or core an opening or openings maintained closed during the
operation of moulding by a detachable plate, plates, or covers, and cutting out of
the moulded article after the removal of the plate, plates, or covers, sufficient
portions to leave the requisite aperture or apertures, the sides of the opening or
openings in the mould frame or mould, or in the mould frame or mould, and the
tray or core constituting templates or guides for that purpose, substantially as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James William Butler, on behalf of James
Hodges and myself, have to this our Specification set my hand and seal, this
Second day of May, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.