IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR BREAKING UP OR PULVERIZING CLAY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS OR OTHER SUCH ARTICLES, OR FOR BREAKING UP OR PULVERIZING OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Platt, of Oldham, in the County of Lan-
caster, Mechanical Engineer, and William Richardson, of the same
Place, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR BREAKING UP OR PULVERIZING CLAY FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS OR OTHER SUCH ARTICLES, OR FOR BREAKING UP
OR PULVERIZING OTHER MATERIALS."
Sealed the 8th September 1864, and dated the 12th March 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Platt and William
Richardson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 12th March 1864.
We, JOHN PLATT, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanical
Engineer, and WILLIAM RICHARDSON, of the same Place, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR BREAKING UP OR PULVERIZING
CLAY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS OR OTHER SUCH ARTICLES, OR FOR BREAKING
UP OR PULVERIZING OTHER MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in breaking up or pulverizing clay and other
materials by causing a series of cylinders to throw the said materials by
centrifugal force from the one to the other. An arrangement on this prin-
ciple, which we have at present found to answer the purpose, consists of a
series of three cylinders, to the first of which the material is fed through a

page_text: hopper; to this cylinder is adapted a curved plate, by which the material is
guided upward, and upon issuing therefrom is thrown by centrifugal force
on to the periphery of the next cylinder, which in like manner projects
it towards the third. These cylinders do not therefore act as ordinary
crushing surfaces, but revolve apart from cach other. The surfaces of the
cylinders may be plain, but we also use them with projecting parts thereon.
The guide plate above mentioned may be heated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Platt and William Richardson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,' we, Jonn
PLATT, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, and
WILLIAM RICHARDSON, of the same Place, Mechanical Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, tho said John Platt and William Richardson, 1er special license
that we, the said John Platt and William Richardson, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Platt and
William Richardson, our executors, 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 Chaunel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR BREAKING UP OR PULVERIZING CLAY FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS OR OTHER SUCH ARTICLES, OR FOR BREAKING UP OR
PULVERIZING OTHER MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said John Platt and William Richardson, by an instrument in
writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Richardson, do hereby declare
the nature of our 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):-
Our Invention consists in breaking up or pulverizing clay and other
materials by causing a series of cylinders to throw the said materials by
centrifugal force from the one to the other. These cylinders do not there-
fore act as ordinary crushing surfaces, but revolve apart from each other.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 shews in section a method by which
our Invention may be carried into effect, and Fig. 2, is a plan view thereof.
Upon the framework a is fixed a hopper b, at the lower part of which is a
delivering roller c. At d, e, f, are cylinders the peripheries of which are
fluted so as to afford projecting parts. These cylinders and the roller c revolve
in the direction of the arrows shewn upon the Drawing. Partly round the
circumference of the cylinder d is a guide plate g, the upper end of which
carries a scraper h, acting against the surface of the roller c. The clay or other
material to be broken up or pulverized is placed in the hopper b, from whence
it is conveyed downward by the roller c on to the cylinder d, which by its
revolution conveys it along the guide g, and then projects it by centrifugal force
against the cylinder c, which in its turn throws it off and dashes it against the
third cylinder f, and this in like manner exerts its centrifugal force, and throws
the said material now broken up or pulverized through the space into any
required receptacle. In effecting this operation the cylinders d, e, f, revolve
at a considerable velocity to afford the desired centrifugal force, and the
roller c is simply used to guide the material downward, at a much slower
rate. In operating upon clay for the manufacture of bricks or other such
articles we in the first place dry it to a certain extent so as to bring it into
a condition which may be described as neither wet or dry, and which will
readily be recognized as adapted for being broken up or pulverized into
particles suitable for being pressed into moulds. In reference particularly to
clay we apply heat to the guide g, and this we effect as shewn in the Drawing
by forming it with a chamber i, and admitting steam thereto. The driving of
the several parts of the above described machine may be effected in any
ordinary manner, as shewn in the Drawing; the cylinders d, e, f, are caused to
revolve by one band passing around pullies d, e, f*, on their axes as shewn
by the dotted line, and the roller c is driven by a pulley on the axis of the
cylinder f, which communicates motion to a pulley and pinion m which
drives a wheel n on the axis of the roller c.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew another method of constructing the centrifugal cylinders,

page_text: d, e, f. In this instance a series of projecting parts o are formed upon
rings o*, and are provided with sluts, in front of these slots are placed steel
plates p, through which bolts pass, and through the aforesaid parts o,
whereby the steel plates become attached to the pieces o, but in such manner
as to be capable of being moved outward as their ends become worn away.
We have above described a series of three centrifugal cylinders, but we
do not confine ourselves to that arrangement, for two or a greater number
than three may in like manner be employed.
We would also remark that the centrifugal cylinders may be made with
plain surfaces instead of being provided with projecting parts as above
described.
We claim as secured to us under the above in part recited Letters Patent,
and for the purposes above set forth.
Firstly, the use of two or more cylinders armed with projecting parts or
with plain surfaces operating by centrifugal force so as to throw the material
from one to another.
Secondly, the application when desirable of a heated surface as illustrated
at i.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Richardson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
WILLIAM RICHARDSON. (L.8.)