CERTAIN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING BRICK EARTH, AND PARTS OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1837

page_text: SMART'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NEVIL
SMART, of Bridge Wharf, Hampstead Road, in the Parish of St. Pancras,
and County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-first day of September, in the first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Nevil Smart, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Nevil Smart, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Nevil Smart, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING
BRICK EARTH, AND PARTS OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Nevil Smart,
.shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Nevil Smart, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereunto annexed, and the following
description thereof (that is to say):-
Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2 a side clevation, and Figure 8 an end elevation
of a machine for preparing or washing over the lighter and finer parts of brick
earth, or the materials for making bricks, as well also for the Cornish clay or
feldspar used in the making of pottery or porcelain, likewise for washing over
chalk in whiting manufactories, also for separating the muddy, emery, or lighter
parts of ores and other substances, and leaving the coarser particles fitter for
their several uses; as well also in flint mills for separating, by levigation or
washing over, the finer particles of flint or silex for making porcelain or
delft and other wares in pottery, and generally in all those cases where it
is desirable to separate the finer and lighter parts of substances from their
grosser and heavier ones.
This machine principally consists of a horizontal shaft or axis A, Figures 1,
2, and 3, turning upon necks or pivots at each end, and supported in plummer
blocks, with brasses in them, in the usual manner, and one of which is shewn
at B in Figure 1, and both of them at B, B, in Figure 2. This shaft A is
connected by means of a coupling box C, Figures 1 and 2, with another shaft
or axis D, which communicates motion to it from the first mover of the
machinery; in this case it may be a steam engine, which however is not shown,
but only the shaft or axis E, Figure 1, leading from it, and having upon it a
mitre pinion F, which drives or actuates the mitro wheel, 9, mounted upon the
shaft D. The shaft A revolves above the surface of the muddy water contained
in a brick cistern or tank H, Figures 1, 2 and 3, into which the brick earth,
such as loam, clay, marl, &c., is put by means of wheelbarrows or other con-
veyances, and is mixed with water flowing in continually from the pipe I,
Figures 1 and 8, and which said water passes off mingled with the mud
or lighter parts of the brick earth at the grate J, Figures 1, 2, and 3, leaving
the gravel or heavier and coarser parts of the brick earth, &c., lying upon
the bottom of the said cistern or tank, and from whence it must be removed
from time to time as occasion requires. K, in Figure 2, is a cast-iron pipe,
closed by a wooden plug, for the purpose of draining off the whole of the
water, when requisite. In Figure 1, the wrought-iron shaft or axis A is
cylindrical, and upon it are fitted, at equal distances apart, and arranged in a
spiral order, seven pairs of double cast-iron arms L, L, similar to those shewn
separately at L, I, in Figure 4, and having circular bosses M, M, &c., in their

page_text: middles, with circular holes in each fitted to the size of the shaft A, and gaps
for wedges which are to be driven tight therein, and lodged upon flat parts made
around the shaft A at proper distances, to retain the wedges and the bosses and
arms firmly in their proper relative positions along the shaft. The arms L, L,
&c. have each two slits N, N, Figure 4, formed through them, to receive screws
0,0, Figure 5, with screwed nuts P, P, and by means of which the additional
wrought-iron pieces or tines Q, Q, &c., one of which is shewn separately in
Figure 6, can be affixed upon the arms L, L, &c., at any distance from the
centre of the shaft A which may be requisite. It will be seen in Figure 1, as
well as in Figure 2, that each arm L carries alternately a single piece Q, and
double ones QQ, they being so arranged as that the whole quantity of brick
earth or other materials to be operated upon, and lying upon the circular or
cylindrical bottom of the tank or cistern H, should be regularly stirred, agitated,
and lifted up at regular distances apart during the entire action of the machine,
and that thus the finer or lighter parts of them should become mixed with and
flow off with the water, as will be described hereafter.
Figure 2 shews the same arms L, L, &c., and the pieces Q, Q, &c., as being
affixed upon a square wrought-iron shaft or axis R, Figures 2 and 3, and
in this case the arms L, L, &c., are formed separately in the manner shewn
at L, L, in Figure 7, each having a right angular gap S, S, formed in the half
bosses T, T, as shewn in that Figure, and which, when bound together by screws
and nuts, make a square socket fitted to the square shaft, and, as shewn in
Figures 3 and 8, by thus giving seven different positions to the arms L, L, &c.
upon the shaft R, and the alternate single and double wrought-iron parts
screwed upon them, twenty-one distinct stirrings are given to the brick carth
or other materials at each revolution of the said axis or shaft. In some cases,
however, as in the instances of clay or marl being to be operated upon, and which
cohere together in lumps, it will be best to use single wrought-iron pieces or
tines affixed to all the fourteen arms, as otherwise the said lumps would be
lifted upon
the double tines or forks, and not be broken or subdivided as they
ought to be to undergo the levigating or washing over effects of the machine.
The muddy or lighter parts of the brick earth or other materials operated upon
flows off with the water in the direction of the arrows in Figure 1; through a
nearly vertical grating J, and thence through a horizontal one U, into a channel
which delivers it into another cistern V, Figures 1, 2, and 3, having a circular
bottom to it, also as shewn in Figure 3, and from whence it is raised or elevated
to a higher lever by means of the endless chain W, and buckets X, X, and which
deliver it in succession into the trough Y, Figures 2 and 3, from whence it runs
down through other troughs to the shallow ponds, backs, or reservoirs to drain

page_text: and become fit to be mixed with coal ashes in order to mould it into bricks; or
if it previously requires mixing with chalk or other ingredients, then it runs
down into another tank, back, or cistern belonging to another machine, similar
to that above described, where it is mixed with the chalk, &c., and is again
elevated by an endless chain and buckets, and then runs down to the shallow
ponds, backs, or reservoirs, where it is left to drain until it becomes fit for use;
or otherwise the chalk or other materials may be filled in at once into the
tank H; the endless chain W, and the buckets X, X, &c. affixed to it, is
actuated by the wheel Z, Figures 1, 2, and 3, and which is itself put into
motion by means of a mitre pinion a, Figure 1, affixed upon the shaft D,
Figures 1 and 2, which works into a mitre wheel b, mounted upon another
shaft c, Figure 1, turning upon necks or pivots in brasses mounted in the
plummer blocks d, e. The endless chain passes over another wheel f, the necks
or pivots of whose shaft or axis turn in brasses mounted in plummer blocks, one
of which is shown at g in Figure 9, and which are mounted upon an elevating
carriage h, which can be raised or lowered to tighten or slacken the endless chain,
when necessary, by means of the screws i, i, which are affixed in the beam j,
and have upon each of them three screwed nuts k, k, k, the lowest of which
secure the screws i, i, in the beam j, whilst the two uppermost on each screw
apply themselves above and below the carriage h, and thus raise or lower it,
and secure it at the requisite position. In order to prevent the endless chain
W from slipping underneath the wheel Z, tee-shaped pieces of iron, similar to
that shewn in Figure 10 at 1, are passed through holes made in the rim of
that wheel Z, and secured by screw nuts bound fast upon the screwed ends of
the said tee-shaped pieces, and as shewn in Figure 1. m, m, in Figure 11,
shew in section parts of the circular sides which are affixed by means of screws
to the rim of the wheel Z, part of which is also shewn in section at Figure 11,
and the whole are seen in Figure 1; and the intention of which said circular
sides is to prevent the endless chain from slipping off the said wheel sideways.
The upper wheel f, shewn in Figure 1, is likewise furnished with similar
circular sides, in a like manner and for the samo reason. This endless
chain W is made of cast-iron links united by wrought-iron cylindrical pins or
bolts, having heads to them, and which are rivetted into countersunk holes made
in the links forming one side of the endless chain to receive them; the forms
of these cast-iron links will, however, be better seen by reference to Figure 12,
which shews several of them united, and by Figure 13, which exhibits two of
the outside links, and also by Figure 14, which shews two of the middle ones
edgeways. The tee-pieces 1, 1, &c., in the lower wheel Z, Figure 1, hook or
lodge against the cylindrical shoulders n,'n, of the middle links, shewn in

page_text: Figure 14, when the chain is sufficiently tightened in the manner above
mentioned, and then it is carried along by the action of the steam engine. It is
true that the same effect might be produced, and even with some advantages,
were the upper wheelf to be furnished with tee pieces instead of the lower one z,
but then that said upper wheelf must be actuated by the steam engine instead
of the lower one Z, and which in some instances might be preferred, but not in
the particular case where this machine was employed. The buckets X, X, &c,
are formed of plate or sheet iron, each out of one piece, and which, when
expanded or laid flat, resembles in form that shewn at X, in Figure 15, the
back, bottom, front, and both sides of it being made by bending the plate in the
directions shewn by the dotted lines in that Figure, and they are then firmly
secured by rivets along their sides and bottoms, as shewn in Figures 1, 2,
and 8. These buckets X, X, &c., are affixed to the endless chain W in the
following manner :-In Figure 15, o indicates two holes made through the
back of the intended bucket. Figure 16 exhibits, on the same scale as
Figures 12, 18, and 14, a staple p, having screws formed upon its ends. This
staple p is placed inside the endless chain, as shewn in Figure 2, and on a
larger scale in Figure 12, the ends of the staple p being passed through the
holes o, shewn in Figure 15, a block of wood with two holes through it, as
shewn at 9 in Figure 16, being however previously placed between the link n,
and the back of the bucket, and likewise a piece of plate iron r within the
bucket, the whole are then to be securely bound together by means of the two
screwed nuts 8, s. Figure 17 is a section of part of one of the gratings J, U,
the wider part of the bars being placed next to the levigating mill, in order to
afford a free escape to the muddy water in passing between the bars, owing to
the widening form of the apertures between them. Figures 1 and 2 represent
two levigating or washing over mills H, H, as discharging their muddy water
into the cisterns V, V, ready to be elevated by the endless chain and buckets,
although only one of them is fully represented. Figure 18 represents two
portable washing over or levigating mills for brick making, &c., as being
formed in wood for the sake of being more conveniently carried about to
different brick fields, or other situations where their use is required, and which
are intended to be actuated by means of horses or other animals. t, t, is the
wooden beam to which they are to be yoked in the usual manner; this beam
t, t, is affixed to an upright shaft or axis u, by means of iron straps, one of
which is shown at v, and which are secured to the beam by screws. Upon the
upright shaft or axis u, the mitre-toothed wheel u is mounted, which actuates
the four mitre pinions 'w, w, w, w, two of which are affixed upon and
actuate the horizontal cylindrical wrought-iron shafts.x, x, through holes

page_text: in which are to be passed the screwed stems of wrought iron, similar to those
about to be described in the references to Figures 19, 20, and 21, which
represent a single mill. The other two mitre pinions w, w, shewn in Figure 18,
actuate pumps by means of cranks affixed upon them at their outer ends, as
will be described hereafter in the references to Figure 21. y, y, are the 5
two vats or backs to receive the brick earth or other materials to be washed
over or levigated. Figure 19 is a plan of a single mill for this purpose, and
which is also to be actuated by horses, or other animals, by means of a wooden
beam, similar to that shown in Figure 21, and which is to be applied to the
upper end of the upright shaft or axis u, by means of iron straps, in the 1
manner shewn in Figures 18 and 21; upon this shaft is also mounted a mitre-
toothed wheel v, which drives a mitre pinion w, affixed upon the horizontal
shaft x, which carries the twelve wrought-iron tincs z, z, &c., their screwed
stems passing through holes arranged in a spiral manner along the shaft x,
and being securely affixed therein by screwed nuts. The necks or pivots of 1
this shaft turn in brasses mounted in plummer blocks 1, 1, Figures 19 and
20, affixed upon the wooden sides of the vat. The bottom of this vat may be
made of a cylindrical form, as shewn in Figure 22. Figures 19, 20, and 21
exhibit horizontal shafts, with mitre pinions mounted upon them, driven by the
mitre wheel v, and having cranks at their outer ends, by which pumps can be
actuated, one to raise water to supply tho vat, and the other to raise the
muddy water to the required height to convey it to the reservoirs, backs, or
tanks, where it is to remain to drain for use, as before mentioned; the latter
pump, with its air vessel, is shewn in Figure 21, and partly in Figure 19.
These wooden mills are strongly framed together, and secured by iron screw
bolts and screwed nuts, in the manner shewn in Figures 19, 20, 21, and 23.
Figure 24 exhibits the piston rod of the elevating pump, having a horizontal
frame with a groove or slit in it, in which the neck of the crank traverses
backwards and forwards in raising and depressing the piston; Figure 25 shews
the manner in which & wrought-iron endless chain, to have buckets affixed, to
it in the manner before described, may be actuated by this mill; v, being the
mitre wheel before described upon the upright shaft or axis u, and 2, another
mitre wheel affixed below upon it, which works into a mitre pinion (shewn by
dotted lines), which is mounted upon a horizontal shaft 3, the necks or pivots
of which turn in brasses in the thrce plummer blocks 4, 4, 4; and between the
two last of these a cast-iron angular wheel 5.is mounted upon the shaft 3,
under which the endless chain passes, as shewn in Fig. 26, and over a smaller
one above, similar to that shewn in Figure 27, and which is mounted upon an
axis exactly similar to that described in the reference to Figure 9, and like it

page_text: furnished with an adjusting carriage to raise or lower it as required in use.
The construction of this wrought-iron endless chain is as follows:-Figure 28
represents a portion of this chain viewed in front, the side links 6, 6, &c., are
all alike, both the inner and outer ones, the holes in them being exactly at
equal distances apart, they are combined by means of screwed cylindrical iron
bolts, with heads at one end of each, and a screw at the other end, upon which
a screwed nut can be bound; one of these is shewn at 7, in Figure 29; 8,
Figure 30, represents a piece of iron tube or gas pipe, and 9, Figure 31,
another shorter and of a greater diameter than that shewn in Figure 30;
Figure 33 represents the parts 7, 8, and 9, as combined, and the intentions of
this combination are as follows:-I find that in consequence of the gritty
parts contained in the muddy water a considerable wearing away of the necks
and holes in the joints of the endless chains takes place, and in order to lessen
this evil I combine these several parts 7, 8, and 9, in the manner shewn in
Figure 32. The pin or screwed bolt 7 being inclosed within the smaller piece
of tube 8, is thereby, in a considerable degree at least, defended from the
abrading action of the gritty particles; and it likewise affords a resistance for
the screwed nut and the head of the bolt to act against; they thus become
nearly a solid body. The larger and shorter piece of tube 9, besides covering
the smaller one, keeps the sides of the endless chain parallel, as shewn in
Figure 28, and yet allows a sufficient degree of freedom of motion for the
joints to act properly. In those parts of the endless chain to which the
buckets are to be affixed, two cross bars, similar to those shewn at 10, 10, in
Figure 28, are to be affixed, by rivetting them into countersunk holes made in
the side links of the endless chain, and as shewn in the separate view of one
of them, Figure 33, at 10, 10; countersunk holes 11, 11, are made in the
middle of the cross bars 10, 10, to affix the iron buckets to the endless chain
by rivetting. 6, Figure 34, shews an iron link for an endless chain, having
three pairs of holes in it, in order to afford a facility of changing them for
others when worn out of shape from time to time. Figure 35 exhibits an
Archimedean screw 12, 12, as applied to raise or elevate the muddy water to
a higher level. It is to be actuated by means of a bevil pinion 19, which is
mounted upon a horizontal shaft or axis, with necks or pivots turning in
brasses fitted into plunimer blocks, one of which is shewn at 14, and which
said bevel pinion drives a bevel-toothed wheel 15, affixed upon the outside of
the Archimedean screw. Figure 36 is a side view or elevation, and Figure 37
a plan or top view of a lifting wheel 16, furnished with boxes 17, 17, &c.,
around its periphery, and having apertures or openings 18, 18, &c., in each,
for the muddy water to enter from the cistern V, and to suffer it to escape

page_text: into the trough Y above. Figure 38 represents, in part of an end view, the
manner in which the wheel is constructed and fitted upon its shaft or axis, and
likewise the method of connecting the boxes 17 therewith. I prefer these two
latter methods of raising the muddy water on account of the little wear of their
several parts in use. By thus raising the muddy water by machinery, I
entirely avoid the serious ovil of the labourers having to raise the brick earth or
other materials in wheelbarrows up planks to the elevated mills in common
I do not mean or intend hereby to claim as my Invention any of the
various parts of which these machines are composed which may already be
known or in use. But I do hereby claim the several combinations of them,
whereby I am enabled to effect the object of "preparing the materials for
making bricks" by stirring, lifting, and agitating the loose and lighter par-
ticles contained in the various descriptions of brick earth or other materials
used in brick making, such as clay, marl, loam, sand, chalk, gravel, &c., in
water, in the manner shewn, as likewise those of feldspar, flint, ores, and
others matters requiring to be subjected to a similar operation, by means of
tines or forks mounted upon horizontal shafts, and turning in brick, stone,
wooden or iron tanks, vats, or cisterns, and either with flat or cylindrical
bottoms to them; neither do I mean or intend hereby to limit or confine myself
to the use of any particular material or materials in the construction of the
said machines, but to use any which are fit and proper for the purpose.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nevil Smart, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of March. One thousand eight hundred