IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, PIPES, AND OTHER ARTICLES OF A SIMILAR NATURE.
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Wimball, of Aldermaston, in the County of
Berks, Brick Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, PIPES,
AND OTHER ARTICLES OF A SIMILAR NATURE.
Sealed the 16th April 1858, and dated the 19th October 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Wimball at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
October 1857.
I, HENRY WIMBALL, of Aldermaston, in the County of Berks, Brick
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES,
PIPES, AND OTHER ARTICLES OF A SIMILAR NATURE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of pug mills"
suitable either for pugging or working clay, or for making bricks, tiles, drain:
pipes, and other similar articles, and consists in the application and use of pug
mills, with two or more shafts and sets of knives, in place of using only one
shaft and set of knives as is at present the case; these shafts are geared together,
and consequently rotate in opposite directions, and as the die or orifice for the
passage of the exuding clay is placed between the shafts, the clay is more.

page_text: readily and freely forced out than when the orifice or die is situate imme-
diately opposite the shaft of the mill.
The lower portion of the shafts are also furnished with discs or wheels,
having cutting projections and corresponding outlets upon them, through which
outlets the clay is pressed by means of a stationary knife placed above them
on the shaft. The die may, if found desirable, be of the ordinary well-known
construction, but I prefer using dies with rolling sides in place of stationary
ones, such sides being composed of rollers covered with some porous material,
such as felt, placed individually at the top, bottom, and sides of the die; or there
may be only three rollers used, namely, at the top and two sides; these rollers
serving to force or feed the clay into the die. When the rollers are used
without felt or other porous covering, an ordinary die may be employed, the
stationary discharge mouth of the die serving to clear the rollers of the clay
as it passes between them, the discharge mouth of the fixed die being thus
placed outside the rollers.
If found desirable, the clay may run on to carriages in place of on to a
fixed platform, and may be then cut or subdivided into bricks or pipes in any
convenient manner. When carriages are used for the purpose of carrying
away the clay as it exudes from the pug mill, as described in the Specification
of Letters Patent, granted to me on the Twelfth day of December, One thou-
sand eight hundred and fifty-six, molds may be placed on such carriages to
form articles of any shape, in which case the carriages must be driven in
succession under machinery for the purpose of pressing the clay or other
material to the form required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Wimball in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th April 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY.
WIMBALL, of Aldermaston, in the County of Berks, Brick Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her. heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Wimball, Her special license that I, the said Henry Wimball,

page_text: my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Wimball, my executors, administrators, or 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 Ire-
land, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES,
PIPES, AND OTHER ARTICLES OF A SIMILAR NATURE," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Wimball, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and. ascer-
tain 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 Henry Wimball, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of
pug mill, suitable either for pugging or working clay, or for making bricks,
tiles, and drain pipes, and other similar articles, and consists in the employment
of pug mills with two or more shafts and sets of knives in place of using only
one shaft and set of knives, as is at present the case; these shafts are geared
together, and consequently rotate in opposite directions, and as the die or
orifice for the passage of the exuding clay is placed between the shafts, the
clay is more readily and freely forced out than when the orifice or die is situate
immediately opposite the shaft of the mill. According to another modification,
the lower portion of the shafts are furnished with discs or wheels having
cutting projections and corresponding apertures in them, through which
apertures the clay is pressed by means of a stationary knife placed in an
inclined position above them. If found desirable, the clay may run on to
carriages in place of on to a fixed platform, and may be then cut or subdivided
into bricks or pipes in any convenient manner; when carriages are used for
the purpose of carrying away the clay, as it exudes from the pug mill, as
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the Twelfth
day of December One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, molds may be
placed on such carriages to form articles of any shape, in which case the

page_text: carriages must be driven in succession under the pug mill for the purpose of
receiving the clay or other material to be pressed into the form required.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall refer to the
several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the same letters of
-reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the corresponding
.Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a side elevation and partial longitudinal
section of one form of my improved pug mill and brick-making machine;
Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same, one half of the pug mill being
shewn in horizontal section; and Figure 3 is a transverse section of the
machine taken along the line 1-2, in Figure 1, shewing the position of one
of the travelling carriages when passing through the machine. A is the main
framing of the machine; and B is the pug mill, which is situated in the centre
of the machine; this pug mill is furnished with two shafts and sets of knives
.C, C, in place of having only one pugging shaft, as in ordinary pug mills, and
the die or mouthpiece D, through which the clay is pressed, is placed in a
central position between the two pugging shafts; these shafts are geared
together so that they will rotate in opposite directions, and by their motions
will greatly facilitate the expulsion of the clay through the die. Motion is
imparted in any convenient manner to one of the shafts by bevel or other
gearing, such motion being transmitted to the second shaft by the spur wheels
E, E. At the bottom of each shaft is secured a wheel or drum F, fitted with
a number of radiating inclined knives G, G, the immediate object of which is
to force the clay downwards into the moulds. The peripheries of the wheels
or drums serve to smooth off the ends of the moulded bricks or other
articles and also to force the clay outwards or in the direction of the die or
mouthpiece, K, K, are travelling moulding carriages fitted with wheels
running along rails or trams at L, L; these carriages contain moulds or
matrices of any suitable form according to the articles to be produced.
The Drawing shews the carriages fitted with moulds suitable for making
ordinary bricks. These moulds consist of a number of vertical division
plates k, k, fixed transversely across the two longitudinal beams of the
carriages, the distances or intervals between the plates or divisions k correspond-
ing to the width of the brick. The bottoms of the moulds consist each of a
separate moveable plate l, and the height from the bottom plate to the top
edge of the division plates ke corresponds to the thickness of the brick. The
top and two ends of the moulds are open, and the clay is smoothed at these

page_text: parts, so as to be flush therewith, by the top and sides of the die or discharging
mouth, and also laterally by the action of the peripheries of the wheels or
drums F, F, in the pug mill. The thickness of the peripheries or rams of
such wheels or drums should be great enough to extend completely from the
bottom of the mould to a little above the tops of the division plates, as shewn
in the Drawing. The requisite travelling motion is imparted to the mould
carriages from the pug mill shafts by the two endless link chains M, M, which
are passed round horizontal grooved pullyes N, N, on the pugging shafts, and
round carrier pullers O, O, the spindles of which are supported in suitable
bearings in the main framing. It is thus obvious, that on motion being
imparted to the pugging shafts the chains will simultaneously commence to
travel, and will propel the carriages forward by means of projections m, m,
on the chains, which bear against the ends of the axes carrying the running
wheels of the carriages. These projections must be so disposed that as fast
as they leave one carriage, other projections will commence to act upon the
succeeding carriage, which will then push out the preceding one, the motion
in this way being continuous. In order to support the chains, and keep them
perfectly horizontal, I propose to guide them along fixed guide rails P, P, as
shewn in the transverse section, Figure 3. This Figure shews also the mode
I adopt for keeping the bottoms of the moulds down in their places whilst
passing through the machine. For this purpose the bottom plates are made
to overhang or project slightly beyond the ends of the moulds, and these
projecting parts run under a ledge or rib a, formed on the inner sides of the
framing. If found desirable, endless chains or bands, having moulds or
matrices made on them, may be substituted for the travelling carriages,-in
which case the time and labour required for wheeling back and readjusting
the empty carriages will be obviated, the motion of the endless chain or band
of moulds being continuous. A smoothing roller Q, covered with felt or
flannel, is placed at the extreme delivery end of the machine, for the purpose
of compressing and smoothing the top sides or faces of the bricks before they
finally leave the machine. The width between the standards or framing at
this part is slightly contracted, and is lined with smooth metal plates, for the
purpose of compressing and smoothing the ends of the bricks as they leave
the machine. If found desirable, compressing and smoothing rollers may be
substituted for these plates, such rollers having their axes, of course, in a
vertical direction. As the carriages leave the machine; the finished bricks
are removed from their moulds by attendants,, who simply take hold of the
ends of the bottom plates and lift out the bricks with them, the empty plates

page_text: being again deposited in their places ready for use. By this means the
necessity for any cutting apparatus is entirely avoided, as the bricks are
individually moulded to their proper size and form before leaving the
machine.
:
Figure 4 of the Drawings represents a vertical transverse section of a
portion of a machine, shewing a modified form of my apparatus for making
bricks or other, articles, and Figure 5 is a corresponding sectional plan of
the same. By this modification the clay exudes from the pug mill in one
continuous stream, and requires to be afterwards cut into suitable lengths,
which may be effected by any suitable cutting apparatus. The pug mill A,
as in the arrangement herein-before described, is also furnished with two
pugging shafts B, B, the die or delivery mouth being similarly placed between
the two shafts, as before described. The bottom of the mill in this case is
closed in place of being open, as in the former arrangement, and the clay is
expelled laterally through the die on to a travelling table or carriage having
hinged flaps similar to the table illustrated and described in the Specification
of a Patent granted to me on or about the Twelfth day of December, One thou-
sand eight hundred and fifty-six. The travelling table or carriage passes
beneath the bottom of the pug mill, as described in the Specification of my
former Patent above referred to, the motion of the exuding clay serving to
propel the carriage, without the necessity for driving the same by other means.
The principal improvement in this modification is the employment of two
wheels 'c, c, having projecting rims or flanges c, c, fitted or formed on their
upper and lower sides, which wheels are respectively secured to the lower
portions of the two pugging shafts, so as to be in contact, or nearly so, with
the bottom of the pug mill. The edges of the projecting rims or flanges are
cut through at suitable intervals, and the metal is bent or turned up angularly
at such cut portions, so as to form an inclined knife or cutting blade d, as
shewn in the Drawings, the object of which is to cause the clay, during the
revolution of the wheels in the direction of the arrows, to enter therein
between the rims or flanges through the apertures left formed in such rims
or flanges. The two shafts are further supported with the ordinary pugging
knives, which continually force the clay downwards; and the rotation of the
clay in the mill is prevented by using a fixed inclined blade or plate attached
either to the front side of the mill or to the shafts, but in the latter case it
must be so connected as to allow the shafts to rotate freely without imparting
motion to the knife or plate. Two fixed stops, consisting of plates D, D,
project at one end into the spaces contained between the rims or flanges of

page_text: the wheels, whilst their outer ends form the vertical sides of the moulding
die or delivery mouth. These stops serve to prevent the clay from being
carried round between the wheels, and direct the stream in the proper direction
to pass through the die. The rims or flanges of the two wheels work in
contact, or nearly so, with each other, and the inner space between the
peripheries of the wheels and the inner sides or faces of the rims or flanges
correspond in size and shape, or nearly so, with the transverse section of the
stream of clay as it exudes from the machine. The die. may, however, be
made rather smaller, if required, for the purpose of compressing the clay
slightly as it passes through it. I prefer to use dies having one or more of
their inner sides furnished with rollers, such rollers being placed within the
actual mouth of the die, so as to form rolling sides thereto, whereby the clay
comes out smoother and more compact and perfect at the angles than when
ordinary dies are used. Drain pipes and perforated bricks may obviously
be made in this machine by using dies and cores of the required shape for
that purpose, as is well known to practical brickmakers. By the adoption of
the wheels herein-before described, at the bottom of the pug mill, the clay is
more directly propelled towards the die or delivery mouth, and a considerable
economy of power is consequently obtained.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as variations may be made therefrom without deviating
from the principles or main features of my said Invention; but what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
1st, the general constructions, arrangements, and combinations of mechanism
for the manufacture of bricks, tiles, pipes, and other articles of a similar
nature, as herein-before described.
2nd, the constructing of pug mills with two or more pugging shafts and
sets of knives, as herein-before described.
3rd, the application and use to and in pug mills furnished with two pugging
shafts, of flanged wheels having apertures in their flanges, and having inclined
cutting knives or blades formed thereon, for the purpose of more readily
directing the clay towards the die or delivery mouth, as herein-before
described.
4th, the application and use to and in the manufacture of bricks and other

page_text: similar articles, of travelling carriages, or endless chains or bands, having the
requisite moulds or matrices formed thereon, as herein-before described.
5th, the application and use to and in the manufacture of bricks and other
articles of a similar nature, of pug mills having an opening in the bottom for
the free passage of travelling carriages or endless chains or bands, containing
moulds or matrices, the clay being forced directly downwards into such moulds,
as herein-béfore described. .
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Wimball,. have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-eight.
HENRY WIMBALL. (L.S.)