CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND DRYING CLAY, AND ALSO IN MACHINERY TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF. BRICKS AND TILES."
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Lewis, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND DRYING CLAY, AND ALSO IN
MACHINERY TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF. BRICKS AND TILES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATON left by the said Joseph Lewis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd September
1868.
I, JOSEPH LEWIS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND DRYING CLAY, AND ALSO IN
MACHINERY TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS AND TILES," to be
as follows:-
The Invention relates, first, to an arrangement of apparatus for preparing
the clay in a granulated and partly dried state for supplying the moulds to
make bricks or tiles therefrom. This apparatus consists in a series of dishes
having open bottoms, one being placed above the other, and the-sides of which
are made to contain steam like a steam jacket, and communicate with each
other by steam pipes; within each of these dishes a radially divided disc rotates,
which is furnished with projecting pieces. or cutters which act in conjunction
with others projecting from the dish in such a manner as to cut up and

page_text: disintegrate the clay. The said discs are mounted on a central shaft which
revolves rapidly, throwing the clay (which falls from the dish above on to the
centre of the disc) to the edge of the disc, and brings it under the action of
the cutters, thus the clay is placed in the top dish in its natural state, and as
it falls from dish to dish it becomes disintegrated by the cutters and sufficiently
dry to supply the moulds.
The Invention relates, secondly, to machinery or apparatus for compressing
the clay into moulds to form bricks or tiles, and consists in the use of a steam
cylinder and piston in combination with a lever to which is attached two
flanges, one acting upon and compressing the clay in the mould, and the other
simultaneously withdrawing the sliding part of the mould to release the brick.
The moulds are formed in a revolving table, which is caused to move at
intervals by bevil gearing in connection with an arrangement of intermittent
spur gearing, and a compound arrangement of break apparatus is also employed
to govern the movement of the machine. The rise and fall of the piston in
the cylinder is limited by means of a block inside the piston connected with a
short shaft passing through the bottom of the piston and cylinder, and termi-
nating in a screw and nut, so that the movement and pressure of the piston
may be limited by the said nut; the upward pressure of the piston rod plunger
is resisted by a strong cross head supported by pillars from blocks on the
cylinder casting, which together with the part carrying the lever are to be cast
in one piece.
My Invention relates further to improvements upon apparatus for which
Letters Patent were granted to me, No 2484, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-seven, which improvements upon such well-known mechanism may be
described as follows:-
First, as to the drying of clay, I employ a revolving scoop or feeder
divided into certain compartments, and as the feeder rotates a certain deter-
mined quantity only of clay is delivered to the crushing rollers, which prevents
them being choked, by an over supply. After passing through these rollers the
clay is taken by a series of buckets (commonly known as an "elevator") and
delivered at the top of and on the outer surface of an inclined steam jacket or
heated chamber, down which it falls by its own gravity and becomes turned
over several times in its descent by a series of the aforesaid rotatory
scoops, and the moisture arising is carried away by means of a fan. The clay
thus partially dried falls into the "scribbler," as hitherto employed, from whence
it is conveyed by "elevators" to the trough, feeding the brick moulds in the
revolving table of the brick machine.
A second arrangement of apparatus for drying clay inay be used, in which

page_text: the steam or hot air chamber is used in a horizontal or slightly inclined
position, so that the elevator may be dispensed with, the clay being conveyed
from one end to the other by self-acting reciprocating scoops worked by chains
and reciprocating bars from a crank, or if preferred the surface of the hot
chamber may be made undulating with scoops or spades to convey the clay
from one hollow to another, or it may be performed in semicircles or pans
having steam cylinders placed within them to obtain more heating surface, and
the revolving scoops may be employed instead of reciprocating ones; or a
similar object may be obtained by placing the clay on a series of "creepers"
or endless cloths moving above a steam chest.
As furthur improvements upon the apparatus described in the Letters
Patent before mentioned I propose to cast the three cylinders in one piece
(instead of in three), whereby a stronger and more economical result is
produced, and also to cast or otherwise secure the cam wheel moving the
mould table in one piece with the table, and to work the table on a fixed
central shaft. I also cause the pistons fitting the moulds to be drawn down
into position to receive the clay by means of a cam whilst the table is stationary,
whereby the inclined planes hitherto employed are dispensed with, and line the
said moulds with a metallic alloy or antifriction metal which prevents friction
and may be readily removed for repairs.
And, lastly, the improvements consist in an arrangement of apparatus for
removing the lateral pressure of the friction driving apparatus as now applied
to the vertical shaft driving the "scribbler," which consists of a lever jointed
to the clay hopper, and so formed as to carry two friction bowls bearing against
the upright shaft, and which is so connected to the friction driving apparatus
that when the driving pressure is exerted against the shaft the said bowls and
lever are pressed against the shaft to equalize the strain.
Another part of the Invention consists in the arrangement of the moulding
and pressing machine, whereby the various operations of first pressure, main
pressure, and pressing the bricks out of the moulds are performed by one
steam piston and cylinder instead of three as hitherto. The first pressure I
propose to effect by an arrangement in the valve and the action of the cam on
the valve block, a few small holes being made to form an independent small
steam port and the cam is so formed that the block shall rest a short time
after this small steam port is open to allow time to expel the air from the
mould, and then suddenly to open the main port to finish the brick.

page_text: •
:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Lewis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
March 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
LEWIS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
'Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give-and grant unto
me, the said Joseph Lewis, Her special license that I, the said Joseph
Lewis, my executors, adininistrators, and "assigns, or such other's as I, the
'said Joseph Lewis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND DRYING
CLAY AND ALSO IN MACHINERY TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
BRICK AND TILES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Joseph Lewis, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
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 Joseph Lewis, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
'formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
The Invention relates, first, to an arrangement of apparatus for preparing
the clay in a granulated and partly dried state for supplying the moulds to
'inake bricks and tiles therefrom. This apparatus consists in a series of dishes
having open bottoms, one being placed 'above.another, land the sides of which
are made to contain steam like a." steam jacket," and 'communicate with each
other by steam pipes; within each of these dishes a radially divided disc rotates,
which is furnished with projecting pieces or cutters which act in conjunction
with others projecting from the dish in such a manner as to cut up and dis-

page_text: integrate the clay. The said discs are mounted in a central shaft which
revolves rapidly, throwing the clay (which falls from the dish above on to the
centre of the disc) to the edge of the disc, and brings it under the action of the
cutters, thus the clay is placed in the top dish in its natural state, and as it
falls from dish to dish it becomes disintegrated by the cutters and sufficiently
dried to supply the moulds.
The Invention relates, secondly, to mechanism or apparatus for compressing
the clay into moulds to form bricks or tiles, and consists in the use of a steam
cylinder and piston in combination with a lever acting on two plungers, one
acting upon and compressing the clay in the mould, and the other simultaneously
raising the brick from the mould. The moulds are formed in a revolving
table, which is caused to move at intervals by bevil gearing in connection with
an arrangement of intermittent spur gearing. The rise and fall of the piston
in the cylinder. is limited by means of a block inside the piston connected with
a short shaft passing through the bottom of the piston and cylinder, and
terminating in a screw and nut, so that the movement and pressure of the piston
may be limited by the said nut; the upward pressure of the piston rod plunger
is resisted by a strong cross head supported by pillars from blocks on the
cylinder casting, which together with the part carrying the lever are to be cast
in one piece.
My Invention relates further to improvements upon apparatus for which
Letters Patent were granted to me, No. 2484, ", which improvements upon
such well-known mechanism may be described as follows:-I propose to cast
the three cylinders in one piece (instead of in three), whereby a stronger and
more economical result is obtained, and also to cast or otherwise secure the
cam wheel moving the mould table in one piece with the table, and to work
the table on a fixed central shaft. I also cause the pistons fitting the moulds
to be drawn down into position to receive the clay by means of a cam whilst
the table is stationary, whereby the inclined planes hitherto employed are
dispensed with, and line the said moulds with a metallic alloy, which may be
readily removed for repairs.
A further arrangement of apparatus for drying clay may be used, ip
which the steam or hot air chamber is used in a horizontal or slightly
inclined position, so that the elevator may be dispensed with, the clay, being
conveyed from one end to the other self-acting reciprocating scoops worked by
chains and reciprocating bars from a crank, or if preferred the surface of the
hot chamber may be made undulating with scoops or spades to convey the clay
from one hollow to another, or it may be formed in semicircles or pans having
steam cylinders placed within them to obtain more, heating surface, and the

page_text: revolving scoops may be employed instead of reciprocating ones; or a similar
object may be obtained by placing the clay on a series of "creepers" or endless
cloths moving above a steam chest.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached three Sheets of Drawings, Sheet 1 being made
upon a scale of about two inches to a foot, Sheets 2 and 3 being made upon a
scale of about one inch and a half to a foot, similar letters of reference being
marked upon corresponding parts in the various Figures.
Sheet 1 illustrates the several methods of drying, pulverizing, and preparing
the clay from which the bricks or tiles are to be made, in which Fig. 1
represents a front view shewn, partly in section, of an apparatus consisting of a
series of dishes a, a, being open at the bottom, and made hollow like a "steam
jacket," and supplied with steam from the pipes b, b, the lower edges or surfaces
of these dishes being supplied with projections or teeth c, c; d is a central
shaft furnished with discs e, containing projections or cutters c¹, c¹; this shaft
is caused to rotate by ordinary gearing, and as the clay is supplied to the
uppermost dish it falls on to a disc, and is thence thrown centrifugally against
and between the series of cutters, whereby it becomes reduced to a granulated
or pulverized condition, and is distributed over the heated surface of the dishes,
and thence delivered from the aperture at the bottom of the lowest dish, the
number of which may be increased or diminished according to requirement.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a horizontal section of
a second drying apparatus, consisting of a steam or hot air chamber f.f, which
may be placed in a horizontal or inclined position, and along the surface of
which the clay is carried by the spades or scoops g, g, to which a scooping or
vibratory motion is imparted by means of the combination of parallel bars h, h,
and chains and pulleys i, i, which are actuated by the lever k. Fig. 4 is a
horizontal section of another apparatus to be employed for the same purpose,
and consists of a steam chamber f, f, the upper surface of which is formed in
semicircles or undulations, the clay being carried from one hollow to another
by rotating scoops or buckets 1, 1, (one of which is shewn in section). Fig. 5
represents a secțional view of another form of apparatus, which is to be placed
on an incline, the upper surface of the steam chamber f,f, being formed in
waves or hollows, the clay being passed from one to another by the spades
actuated by the cranks and parallel bars m, m. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively
a vertical section and a plan view of another apparatus, in which the clay falls by
its gravity down a succession of inclined steam chambers, being lifted and
retarded in its course by the rotating buckets 1, 1, the clay passing from one
incline to another through an aperture formed at the lower end of each.

page_text: In Sheet 2, Fig. 1 represents a side view of the machine for compressing
the clay into moulds to form bricks or tiles; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;
and Fig. 3 is an enlarged Diagram (shewn in section) of the brick mould,.
shewing the internal arrangement for lifting the brick, when formed, from the
mould.
In Fig. 1, a, a, is the pressure beam supported on pillars, and 6 is the table
containing the moulds; c is a "railway plate" to support the moulds in their
various positions when being supplied, when pressed, and when delivered after
pressure; this plate also supports the central shaft d, on which the mould table
rotates. The piston rod e passing out of the steam cylinder is connected to
the lever f, and as the piston rises to lift a formed brick out of the mould No. 1,
it lifts the lever and raises the plunger or piston g, which acts upon the plunger
in the mould No. 3, so as to compress the clay delivered thereto, and so forms
the brick. The moulds are brought successively under the action of the
pistons by means of the bevil wheel h, which has an intermittent motion
imparted thereto by means of the bevil gearing, 1 being the driving pulleys
actuating the pinion 2 gearing with the wheel 3, which drives the segment or
irregularly toothed wheel 4, which has the same number of teeth as the
pinion 5, which is driven thereby, so that each time the segment wheel rotates
it causes the pinion to make one revolution, and by means of the " tumbler
segment" and the flange on the wheels 4 and 5, they are caused to occupy
their true position, and to gear correctly together, the pinion 5 driving the table
at intervals by the bevil pinion i, which has only one-quarter the number of
teeth formed on the wheel h (when four moulds are used), the pressure is
applied to compress and remove the bricks at the stationary intervals of the
table, so that it is free to rotate between such action.
In Fig. 3 the construction of the mould and piston is shewn, the mould
table 6 being recessed for the reception of each mould and piston; k, k, is the
mould within which the brick is formed, its interior surface being lined with
an antifriction metal or alloy cast or otherwise fitted therein, or zinc or copper
deposited by galvanic action; and 7, 1, is the piston or plunger to which the
pressure is applied (shewn in the position as when the brick has been lifted
from the mould), m being a block fitted loosely on to that part of the piston
forming the recess; o are plates connected with the link n and the crank
lever P and friction roller, which, in coming into contact with the side of the
mould and acting on the link n, n, raises the plates and so lifts the brick
of the mould piston and leaves the brick (as shewn) clear and ready for
removal.
Sheet 3 exhibits in Fig. 1 the method of limiting the rise of the piston by

page_text: which the thickness of the brick is regulated. In Fig. 2 the method is shewn
of arranging the three cylinders so as to form one casting, and this view also
..exhibits the "star wheel" attached to and forming part of the table, which
have hitherto been employed separately, such connection or attachment ren-
dering the apparatus more durable and better in action.
'
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of an apparatus for compressing bricks and tiles
-by hydraulic instead of steam pressure, being a modification of the steam
pressing machine; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same.
In Fig. 1, a, a, are tlie two steam cylinders for giving first and second
pressure to the brick, and a is the cylinder for forcing the brick out of the
,mould (as described in the Specification of Letters Patent aforesaid), in which
the pistons b, b, are recessed to receive the stop nuts c, c, on the stnds d, d,
which pass through the bottom of the cylinder, and may be adjusted to, any
height of the nuts and screws to limit the height of the rise of the piston and
to determine the thickness of the brick. The lever e is acted upon by the
cam so as to press the piston down again, steam only being admitted beneath
-the piston to raise it and effect the pressure; and upon the same shaft and
driven by the bevil gearing the cam g is secured to lower the plunger h again
into the moulds which are formed on the table i; caused to move round at
intervals on the centre shaft k by means of the "star wheel", which is
- attached or cast into the said table, such being turned by the pin or stud m,
which is well known. ⚫
In Figs. 3 and 4, a, a, a, are the hydraulic rams or cylinders into which
the water is admitted to act on the plungers to compress the bricks in the
moulds formed on the table n, the general construction of the machine and
method of actuating the table being the same as described in Sheet 2, Fig. 1.
The water is supplied from the pipe o, by means of pumps or other power, to
the accumulator or reservoir, which consists of a cylinder p and an internal
piston and rod having the heavy weight g attached, which is beld in suspension
by the water after a certain and sufficient pressure is obtained beneath the
piston, and the water bearing the weight proceeds from this reservoir direct to
the first cylinder by the pipe r to give the first pressure, and to the second.to
give the finishing pressure, and to the third to deliver the brick from the
mould, the regularity of pressure and great amount thereof being obtained by
the use of the reservoir or accumulator; and the admission of water to the
_ cylinders is regulated and timed by a cam acting on an ordinary valve. The
mould piston, after rising, requires again depressing, which is to be effected
by the pipes s allowing a small pressure of water from the accumulator to act
upon the-upper surface of the pistons. Instead of the aforesaid heavy weight

page_text: used with the accumulator, compressed air or a strong spring may be applied
to exert pressure.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I claim,-
First, the combination and use of the centrifugal granulating and drying
machine for preparing materials from which to form bricks or solid bodies
therefrom, and also the several arrangements of apparatus shewn for drying
materials as aforesaid.
Secondly, the arrangement and construction of apparatus for compressing
and moulding wherein the brick or solid body is formed and another delivered
by the action of one cylinder, as shewn.
Thirdly, I claim the general construction of the moulds and pistons and the
lining of the moulds, as described.
Fourthly, the method or means of limiting the rise and fall of the piston in
the main cylinders, as described.
Fifthly, I claim the improved arrangement of the various parts of the
machinery for which Letters Patent were granted to me, No. 2484, 1857.
And, lastly, I claim any modification or adaptation of the aforesaid ma-
chinery, whether the pressure be obtained by the use of steam, water, or air,
as herein-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the Drawings
attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Lewis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.