IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS AND OTHER ARTICLES MADE OF PLASTIC MATERIALS, AND IN CUTTING, SHAPING, AND DRESSING THE SAME, AS ALSO STONE, WOOD, AND METALS, AND THE MACHINERY AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1852

page_text: ARCHIBALD'S. SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
DICKSON ARCHIBALD, of Portland 'Place; in the County of Middlesex, Esquire,
send greeting.
f.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Eighth day of
January, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the fifteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Charles Dickson Archibald, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
Charles Dickson Archibald, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as
I; the said Charles Dickson Archibald, my exors, adñiors, 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, in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, 'Alderney, Sark, and Man,
and in all Her Majesty's Colonies' and Plantations abroad, the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS AND OTHER ARTICLES MADE OF
PLASTIC MATERIALS, AND IN CUTTING, SHAPING, AND DRESSING THE SAME, AS ALSO
STONE, WOOD, AND METALS, AND THE MACHINERY AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN,"
communicated to me by a certain Foreigner residing abroad; in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Charles Dickson Archibald,
shall cause a particular description of the nature of the said Invention, and in .

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing
under
my
hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chan-
cery 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Charles Dickson Archibald, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the present Specification thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
Firstly, the said Invention; in so far as it relates to the manufacture of
bricks and other articles made of plastic materials, consists of the improve-
ments embodied in the apparatus represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of
the Drawings hereunto annexed, Figure 1 being a side elevation of the same,
Figure 2 a longitudinal vertical section, Figure 3 a plan, Figure 4 a cross
vertical section, and Figure 5 a detached view on an enlarged scale of one
part of the apparatus (the pressing wheel or cylinder): A, A, represents the
frame; B is the main carriage in which the moulds are formed or arranged,
and which slides between the ways S, S, formed by the sides of the frame.
To the moulds are fitted followers q, each with two stems r, r, which pass
through holes in the bottoms of the moulds, which at the proper time are
acted upon to force up the followers for the discharge of the bricks from the
moulds. The carriage of moulds B runs on the periphery of two rollers a, a,
on the main driving shaft w, which rollers are placed immediately under the
place where the pressure is applied. Between these two rollers a, a, there is
a cog wheel c, the cogs of which engage the cogs of a rack placed on the
under part of the carriage, between the stems of the followers of the moulds, so
that by the reciprocating rotary motion of the shaft w the carriage of moulds
B receives a reciprocating motion. Care is to be taken to have the periphery
of the rollers a, a, on which the carriage B rests; of the diameter of the pitch
line of cog wheel c, so as to avoid slipping, and the tear and wear which would
be thereby produced. The required motion is given to the main shaft w for
the reciprocating motion of the carriage B by means of a mangle wheel F
operated in the usual manner of the mangle wheel motion by a pinion G and
guide roller I on the end of a rotating and vibrating shaft J. Above the
main shaft, and in the same vertical line with these, is another shaft a, which
carries a cylinder F', the periphery of which runs on the upper surface of the
carriage of moulds B for the purpose of pressing the clay into the moulds. A
portion of the periphery of this cylinder is cut away as at a¹.. The shaft & has a

page_text: cog wheel y, which receives motion from another cog wheel Z on the main shaft
for the purpose of giving the required reciprocating rotary motion to the cylinders,
so that its periphery may move with the carriage of moulds. The relative pro-
portions of the two cog wheels and the cylinder should, of course, be such as
to insure an equal movement. The cylinder is surmounted by a hopper C,
which receives the clay to feed the mould, but to separate from the clay all
rubbish and foreign substances, and to prepare it properly for mixing and
pulverising, it is previously passed through a screen, such as represented in
Figures 6, 7, and 8. The screen should be about eight feet long by three in
diameter, and made to revolve upon a stationary wrought iron shaft to which
iron crushers or breakers are attached. The screen is inclined at a convenient
angle, and the clay is fed in at the higher end. In passing through it is
mixed and pulverized by the crushers, the finer particles passing through the
screen whilst the stones and impurities fall out at the lower end. Motion
may be given to the screen by any convenient means. From the hopper the
clay is delivered to the moulds, and as the carriage runs under the cylinder it
is forced and compressed into the moulds by the periphery of the cylinders,
then, as the moulds move on towards either end of the machine, the bricks
pass under the sharp edge b at the end of the hopper, which strikes off the
surplus clay (should there be any), and so soon as the moulds have passed from
under the hopper the end of the rack of the carriage strikes against a roller n
at one end of a secondary carriage or moveable platform m mounted on rollers
e, e, which run on inclined ways f, f, when the upper surface of the carriage
or platform comes in contact with the stems of the followers of the moulds,
and forces them up to discharge the bricks from the moulds. The roller n at
the end of the rack allows the platform to rise with but little friction. There
is a like arrangement at each end, and two sets of moulds in the carriage, so
that a set of bricks may be moulded as the carriage moves in either direction.
At the end of either movement of the carriage a pin strikes against a pin which
projects downwards from the under face of a wedge P, which pin slides in'a
slot in the frame of the machine; and this wedge acts against a bar o to push
the discharged bricks from the surface of the follower. As soon as this bar is
started, the attendant draws the bar by hand to remove the bricks. The bar
is carried back when liberated by the attendant by a weight attached to a cord
passing over a pulley, as shewn in the Drawing, and the weight should be
sufficient to force back the wedge as soon as it is relieved by the back motion
of the carriage. A like arrangement is employed at both ends. The pressing
cylinder F is made hollow, as also its shaft; and to one end of the shaft
is coupled by a turning coupling joint a steam pipe L, which leads from a.

page_text: steam boiler or generator, and to the other end is coupled in like manner an
exhaust pipe. By this means a current of steam is kept passing through the
cylinders to keep it in a heated state, which artificial heat of the surface
prevents the clay from adhering to the surface of the cylinder. There is a
partition (1) in the bore of the shaft which prevents the steam from going
directly through the shaft to the exhaust pipe, and therefore compels it to pass
through the hollow cylinder; and the shaft on that side of it towards the
exhaust part is provided with a pipe, which extends towards and near the
inner periphery of the cylinders, so that the steam can only escape through
this pipe.
The principal particulars in respect of which the machinery before de-
scribed differs from other machinery heretofore employed for moulding and
pressing of bricks and other articles made of plastic materials are these,-
first, the screening of the clay previous to delivery into the moulds; second,
the arranging of the moulds in a reciprocating carriage placed between two
pressure rollers, so that the clay in the moulds is subjected to the pressing
action of the rollers first in one direction and then in the opposite direction,
thus equalizing the density of the brick; third, the discharging of the bricks
from the moulds by means of carriages running on inclined planes; fourth, the
heating of the moulding and pressing surfaces whereby. the adhesion of the
clay to the same is prevented, and the drying and hardening of the bricks
accelerated; and, fifth, the placing of projections on the periphery of the
pressing wheel so as to give the top surfaces of the brick a concave or any
other required form. Of the fourth of these particulars, it may be observed
that the method of preventing adhesion of the clay by heating the moulding
surfaces is equally applicable to the platen of a reciprocating press, as also to
the bottom or followers and the sides of the moulds, for which purpose these
parts may be made hollow and provided with pipes for the admission of steam.
It will be further obvious that any other means of artificial heating may be
substituted for steam, such as passing hot water or heated air through the
hollow parts.
Secondly, the said Invention, in so far as it relates to machinery and
apparatus for cutting and shaping articles made of plastic materials, as also
stone, wood, and metals, consists of the improvements exhibited in the
Drawings, Figure 1ª, Figure 2, Figure 3*, Figure 4, and Figure 5*, Figure
1ª being an end view of a complete apparatus for the said purpose; Figure 2,
a side view with one of the side frames left out; Figure 3*, a plan of the
principal parts of Figure 2, on a line immediately below the pulley M;
Figure 4, a separate view of one of the cutter heads or holders detached; and

page_text: | Figure 5ª, a separate view of the feed-gearing portion of the apparatus.
A, A, A, A, are sills or stationary framing upon which the slide carriage or
moveable bed G, G, works, which carries the stone or other materials to be
operated upon forward to the cutters; B, B, are side frames, which are firmly
fixed to the outside sills of the framing A, A. E, E, is a cross head or frame
supported at each end by the side frames B, B, which cross head carries an
upright shaft e, in which the cutter heads or holders and cutters Lare
fixed or mounted. The cross head E, E, is moved up and down in open slots
p, p, in the side frames B, B, by means of the screws H, II, and bevilled wheels
a, a, a, a, and shaft c, and thereby the cutters are raised or lowered, as may
be required to suit the different thicknesses of stone or work to be done.
When the cutters are of their proper height, the cross head E, E, and side
frames B, B, are firmly held together by tightening up the screw bolts b, b,
which screw into the ends of the cross head E, E, through the open slots p. p.
in side frames B, B. When it is required to change the angle or pitch of the
cutters, or to replace them by others, such as the quoit cutters L, L, shewn in
Figure 2, the holding screws i, i, which screw into each side or end of the
cutter holder K, through the side slots i, , in the open jaws of the head-stock
C, C, are slacked, which leaves the cutter holder K free to be turned, so that
the cutters can be set at any required. pitch or angle best calculated for
attacking or cutting stone or other material in its different stages of finishing,
and then, by giving a turn to the screw or holding bolts i, i, they hold the
cutter holder firmly in that position. The shaft or spindle L' to which the
cutters L are firmly attached, passes through the centre of the holder K, and is
left free to rotate or turn on its bearing, so that the cutters have a rotary motion
upon their axis when passing over or cutting the stone. It is not necessary to
remove the cutter holder K from the open jaws when the cutter L requires
changing or replacing, as the cutters can be removed at once from the ends of
the shaft L, on which they are held by lock nuts, or by any other convenient
means. To prevent accident from the cutter heads being thrown out of their
place by centrifugal force in case of the holding screws working loose, drop
bolts a, a, are passed down through the jaws of the rotary head-stock in front
of the holding screws i, i. The rotary head-stock or open jaws C, C, vertical
shaft e, and rocking shaft D, are connected to the moving cross head E, E, in
bearings at each end of the rocking shaft D, in such a manner as to allow the
vertical shaft e, rotary head-stock C, C, and rocking shaft D, to have a rocking
or tumbling motion, and at the same time the stock-head C, C, which carries
the cutter holders K and cutters L, a free rotary motion; for example, the
shaft e and head-stock C, C, may move round, say, one third of a revolution,

page_text: when the shafte is a perfectly upright or vertical position, and when the
cutters L are passing over and cutting the stone or other material F parallel
to its surface; but when the cutters have passed off or over the substances F,
then it becomes necessary that the cutters L should rise sufficiently high to
clear and pass over the uncut part or back part without touching the same. Now
that object is accomplished as follows:-The rocking shaft D carries the vertical
shafte in a centre bearing in the rocking shaft D, and up through a bearing with
one half moveable in the cross head E, E; then upon the shaft e there is placed
a cam l, and when the long or throw side of the cam l comes in contact with the
roller attached to the top of the cross heads E, E, the shaft e is thrown out of
a vertical or upright position during the time of that part of the revolution of
the rotary head-stock or open jaws C, C, which carry the cutters L, L, on, passing
over the uncut or back part of the stone F (see Figures 2 and 3*); as soon as
the cutters have passed over or by the uncut part of the stone, the throw or long
side of the cam 7 passes by the roller , and then the vertical shafte is free
to be brought into a vertical or upright position, which it retains during that
part of the revolution whilst the cutters are passing over; and cutting the
stone F parallel to its surface. Thus it will be seen that the quoit-shaped
cutters L, L, can attack the edges or corners of the stone at nearly the same
angle as the hand workmen do with their chisels. The tumbling or rocking
motion can be effected in several ways, but the plan herein-before described is
considered on the whole the most effective and economical. It is found to be
important in practice that the shafte should always be very firm and steady,
whether rotating in a rocking or vertical position, and to make sure of this
there is attached to the under side of the rocking or tumble shaft D an apron
or table Q, which rocks along with the shaft D; when the shaft e is in a vertical
or cutting position, the apron comes in contact with stationary arms y, y,
attached to the frame E, E, and regulated by screws Z, Z. Friction roller
w, w, are fixed on the upper side and ends of the jaws of the head-stock C, C,
so that they touch the under side of the apron, and when the cutters come in
contact with the stone the upward strain is resisted by the apron and arms,
whereby the shaft e is greatly relieved and a firm steady rotatory motion
secured either with the tumbling movement or otherwise.
Figure 3 represents the manner in which the quoit cutters L, L,
pass over
and cut the stone when working as above described, namely, with the rocking
or tumbling motion, and throwing the chips within the circle or towards the
centre of motion. When stones are to be cut without regard to the corners
or arris, it is proposed to work the machine without the rocking or tumbling
motion, and pitching the cutters at the opposite angle, and use one or more.

page_text: sets of cutters in one or more sets of jaws. All that is required in order to
do without the rocking or tumbling motion is to remove the cam 6 or the
friction roller . The Drawings represent the shaft e as being turned by the
belt n from the driving pulley M" on vertical shaft N, and as sliding on
the pulley M on vertical shaft e, but many other well-known means may be
adopted to effect the same object. The Inventor suggests that a steam cylinder
might be fixed on the top of the frame E, E, and the piston rod attached
directly to a crank on the upper end of the shaft, in which case the steam pipe
would work up and down through a stuffing box, rising and falling as circum-
stances might require. An arrangement of this sort is represented at
Figure 8. According to this plan the feed motion would be communicated
by means of the bevil wheels d, d, and shaft b and pulley b². The sliding
carriage or bed G, G, for moving or feeding the stone or other materials up to
the cutters to be operated upon, may be worked by any convénient mechanical
means, and either by an intermittent or constant movement. The Inventor
employs for this purpose a screw shaft h turned or worked by a novel appli-
cation of friction wheels or gearing. He mounts this screw shaft h, Figures
2 and 3, on the stationary framing A, A, A, A, and connected to the 'under
side of the moving bed G, G. To one end of the shaft h he attaches a
friction wheel h, and to the lower end of the upright shaft N another friction
wheel or disc g with moveable segments, as best seen in detail in Figure 5*,
which represents the under side disc wheel g (also shewn in Figures 2* and 3*).
The colored sections 1 and 2, Figure 5*, being supposed to be removed when
the wheel h¹ is in contact with the wheel or disc g, the friction will give.
motion to the feed shaft h, and the rotary motion to feed shaft h will be
regulated just in proportion as the wheel h¹ is moved towards or from the
centre of the disc wheel g; when it is required to make one hitch forward of
the sliding carriage G, G, that is, when the cutters are not in contact with
the stone, then one or more of the segments (as the case may require) are
removed in order to regulate the amount of the hitch or forward motion, or, in
other words, the number of turns or parts of turns necessary to be given to
the feed shaft h. When cutters are used in opposite jaws it is requisite
to make two hitch moves for every revolution of the head-stock G, G. For
example, the two opposite segments 1 and 2 are removed, as shewn at Figure 5ª,
and the other two (3 and 4) remain, which are held in their places by the screws
g' and g¹, Figure 2. When the machine is employed for hewing or planing
wood, a constant feed motion may be required to be given to the slid-
ing carriage G, G; and in that case all the segments would be replaced.
When a constant motion is required to be given to the bed G, G, for running.

page_text: back or otherwise, the wheel ¹ is slid out to the outside rim of the disc
wheel g by means of a spring clutch movement, or any other.convenient
means.
:
Another application of the rotary head-stock or open jaws, which may be
adopted in some cases to advantage, is shewn in Figure 6. The quoit cutters
in the open jaws C, C, are here so arranged as to pass over and cut past the
centre of stone F alternately, so as to leave a true cr plain surface and arris.
In this case the cutter comes on or attacks the stone F at the side or edge,
and cuts towards the centre, and passes off over the finished part of the stone,
as indicated by the circular lines on stone F, the rotary jaws C, C, carrying the
'cutters in the directions of the arrows. A circular motion could be given
to the old fashioned cutter head, which would in a great measure protect the
corners of the stone, as shewn in detail in Figure 7. P, P, represent the
circular side guide rails for the guide rollers 0, 0, 0, 0, to run top and
bottom, which carry the cutter head K and cutters L.
By reference to Figure 2 it will be seen that two or more sets of cutters
can be mounted and set at any required angle for first roughing off the stone,
and then a set of cutters can be set at a different angle or pitch in the same
jaws for finishing the surface of the stone, and all done at the same time,
which will have the same effect as passing the stone through the machine
several times or through several machines with different sets of cutters. The
cutter wheel proposed to be adopted in this machine is a ring or disc of steel
resembling a quoit, which is firmly held between two flanches of iron, one of
which has a boss or projection to fit the opening of the disc and the other
a corresponding recess. These flanches are firmly held together by screws as
well as by the mandrils on which the cutter is mounted. This cutter is
severally represented in Figure 9, 10, and 11*. 1 is the cutting ring.
or disc; 2, the flanches; 3, the projection or boss, and 4 the mandril. The
machinery which has just been described might probably be usefully applied
(with some slight modifications) to the cutting of tunnels and adits. For such
purposes the cutters might be attached to the periphery of a wheel or to the
extremities of radial spokes, and brought to bear on the mass to be penetrated
at the proper pitch or inclination.
"
Thirdly, the said Invention, in so far as it relates to the dressing of stone
and other materials, consists of the improved machinery for the purpose repre-
sented in Figure 1º, Figure 2°, and Figure 3 of the Drawings annexed;
Figure 1 exhibiting a side elevation thereof, and Figure 2° an end elevation,
and Figure 3° a plan. A, A, is an upright framework which has attached. to
its upper
and lower ends, bearings or journals, upon which it may be freely

page_text: turned round in the same way as a crane. B; B, is a horizontal frame which
is firmly bolted to the principal frame A, A, and further secured by means
of struts C, C, and stays D, D. Ę is an upright spindle with a belt pulley F
keyed to its upper end, and two similar pulleys G, G, to the lower end..
H, H, are two frames each jointed by one end to the ends of the horizontal
frames B, B, the other or free ends being capable of being. turned about at
pleasure. I, I, are upright spindles which occupy positions concentric with
the axis of the joints of the frames H, H, they each carry two band or belt
pullies K and L by which motion is communicated to other pulleys M, M,
and the upright spindles M³, M', which have their bearings in the free ends
of the frames H, H. N, N, are the polishing tools; they are affixed to the
lower ends of the spindles M³, M. O, O, are handles by which an attendant.
can lift the polishers up a short distance or move the free ends of the frames.
H, H, nearer to or further from the centre of the machine, or even move the
whole machine round upon the axis of the general framework A, A. The
stones to be polished are arranged in a circle (capable of being traversed by the
machine), with the surface to be polished placed upward and as near as may be
to the plane of the dressers or polishers. P, P, represent part of the supposed
circle of stones. Water and fine sand are put either into a cavity in the interior
of the polishers, or into hoppers fixed in the frames H, H, from which are.
allowed slowly to emerge upon the surface of the stone while the dressers or
polishers are being made to rotate rapidly. The power employed to turn the
dressers or polishers is first applied to the pulley F, and then successively by.
belts through the pulleys G, G, K, K, L, L, and M, M, while the attendants
direct the particular point of application of the dressers or polishers by
means of the handles O, O.
.
And having now described the said Invention in the several parts thereof,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that the improve-
ments claimed are as follows:-
First, I claim in respect to the brick-making machinery first herein-before
described, the screening of the clay or other material before delivering into the
moulds, the heating of the moulding surfaces by steam, hot air, hot water, or
other medium, the arranging of the moulds in a reciprocating carriage between
pressure rollers, the discharging the bricks by means of carriages running on
inclined planes, and the giving concave and other shapes to the tops of the
bricks by means of projections on the periphery of the pressing wheel, and
each of these improvements as before exemplified and described.
Second, I claim, in respect of the cutting and shaping machinery, secondly
herein-before described, the arrangements whereby the rocking or tumbling.

page_text: motion is produced, together with the apron or table attached to the rocking
shaft, the direct mode of applying steam power to the production of the said
rocking or tumbling motion, the peculiar combination of head-stock, and mode
of adjusting and securing the cutting holders and cutters, the method of
making the cutting discs or rings, and mounting the same between flanges,
the method of using several sets of cutters in the same jaws set at different
angles and working in different planes, and the arrangements whereby the
feed motion (continuous or intermittent) is obtained, and each of these improve-
ments as herein-before exemplified and described.
And, third, I claim the dressing or polishing machinery, thirdly herein-
before described, and the combination of arrangements whereby the dressers
or polishers are lowered or raised at pleasure, and caused to act equally and
uniformly on the surfaces to which they are applied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Dickson Archibald, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of May, in the year
· of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.
CHARLES DICKSON (L.S.) ARCHIBALD.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Nineteenth day of May,
in the year of our Lord 1852, the aforesaid Charles Dickson Archibald
came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged
the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and
specified, in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was
stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-two.