IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF POTTERY AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William McAdam, of Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF POTTERY AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR."
Sealed the 12th November 1869, and dated the 19th May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William M*Adam at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th May 1869.
I, WILLIAM MCADAM, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF POTTERY AND IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention, which more especially relates to improvements in the
manufacture of earthenware bottles, jars, and other articles in pottery,
consists, in the first place, of certain arrangements of mechanism in
which the materials of which the articles are composed are formed
into shape.

page_text: The mechanism consists of a horizontally revolving table having an
intermittent action, so that it stops at certain intervals and allows time
for the several operations herein-after described. The table is arranged
to receive five or any other required number of moulds in order to admit
of the required number of motions to go on simultaneously. Near to
the turntable two pugmills or presses are situated; from one of them
pieces of clay are supplied of the exact size required for forming the
article being manufactured, the quantity being determined by the capacity
of a mould placed at the outlet of the mill or press which is filled with
clay by the action of the mill or press, and the clay passes from this
into the mould in which the vessel is formed. The second pugmill or
press is for the purpose of forming a thick bar or stalk of clay, which is
cut off into slices or discs by a wire at the proper time for forming the
bottoms of the articles to which the slices or discs are affixed, as herein-
after set forth.
The general operations are as follows:-After the piece of clay has
passed into the mould in which it is to be formed into the shape of the
article required the table moves round a short distance, and the mould
with the clay in it passes into the clutch or step of a vertical revolving
spindle, at the same time a template is lowered, and this acting on the
clay shapes the interior of the article, whilst the exterior is shaped by
the mould. On the top of the mould a portable or hinged ring in one
or more parts is placed, which when lifted off the mould leaves a small
portion of the bottom of the article projecting up above the mould, the
object of which is to leave some clay free for being pressed against
when the disc of clay which constitutes the bottom is put on. The
putting on of the bottom constitutes the next operation, and in order
to effect it the table with the mould moves round a short distance, when
it remains still underneath the second pugmill or press, from the stalk
of clay proceeding from which a disc is cut off; this disc passes on to the
clay in the mould, and at the same time a lever is lowered which presses
the disc on, thus forming the bottom of the vessel. The spare or surplus
clay which is squeezed out by the pressing action passes into a recess
for that purpose formed in the top part of the mould. The mould
containing the vessel is now turned upside down and revolves on a
spindle, at the same time an arm carrying one or more fingers is lowered
through its mouth, and a spring on the arm being touched causes the
fingers to be thrown out horizontally, which on being revolved bear

page_text: against the bottom angle of the article, and securely make the interior
edge of the joint between the bottom and body of the article. The
mould is now passed furtlier on, the article taken out of the mould, and
the mould itself prepared for another series of operations similar to what
are herein-before described.
In place of using a circular table, as hercin-before set forth, a
longitudinally travelling table or an endless traversing platform may be
employed.
The moulds herein referred to may be made of metal, wood, or any
plastic material.
Previous to this Invention the "white ware" potsherds or refuse have
been a waste material, and, as the machinery herein-before described
enables such material when ground to be utilised, the second part of
the Invention relates to the working of such ground refuse in com-
bination with new clay by machinery into articles of pottery.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William MFAdamn in the Great Seal Patent Office
ou the 18th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MCADAM, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the 32nd
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and graut unto me, the said William McAdam, Her special license
that I, the said Wiliam McAdam, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Me Adam, 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 Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF POTTERY AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED

page_text: THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
MAdam, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William McAdam, do herchy
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
sume is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked theroon, that is
to say:-
.
My said Invention, which more especially relates to improvements
in the manufacture of earthenware bottles, jars, and other articles
in pottery, consists, in the first place, of certain arrangements of
mechanism in which the materials of which the articles are composed
are formed into shape.
The mechanism consists of a horizontally revolving table having an
intermittent action, so that it stops at certain intervals and allows timo
for the several operations herein-after described. The table is arranged
to receive five or any other required number of moulds in order to
admit of the required number of motions to go on simultaneously.
Near to the turntable two pugmills or presses are situated; from one
of them pieces of clay are supplied of the exact size required for forming
the article being manufactured, the quantity being determined by the
capacity of a mould placed at the outlet of the mill or press which is
filled with clay by the action of the mill or press, and the clay passes
from this into the mould in which the vessel is formed, or it may be
taken direct from the pugmill without the use of such mould. The
second pugmill or press is for the purpose of forming a thick bar
or stalk of clay, which is cut off into slices or discs by a wire at the
proper time for forming the bottoms of the articles to which the slices
or discs are aflixed, as herein-after set forth.
The general operations are as follows:-After the piece of clay has
passed into the mould in which it is to be formed into the shape of the
article required the table moves round a short distance, and the mould
with the clay in it passes into the clutch or stop of a vertical revolving
spindle, or into a revolving toothed wheel, at the same time a "tem-

page_text: plate" is lowered, and this acting on the clay shapes the interior of the
article, whilst the exterior is shaped by the mould. On the top of the
mould a portable or hinged ring in one or more parts is placed, which
when lifted off the mould leaves a small portion of the bottom of the
article projecting up above the mould, the object of which is to leave
some clay free for being pressed against when the disc of clay which con-
stitutes the bottom is put on. The putting on of the bottom constitutes
the next operation, and in order to effect it the table with the mould
moves round a short distance, when it remains underneath the second
pugmill or press, from the stalk of clay proceeding from which a disc is
cut off; this disc passes on to the clay in the mould, the table again
moves a short distance until the mould comes under a pressing lever,
which is lowered and presses the disc on, thus forming the bottom of
the vessel. The sparc or surplus clay which is squeezed out by the
pressing action passes into a recess for that purpose formed in the top
part of the mould. The mould containing the vessel is now turned
upside down and revolves on a spindle, at the same time an arm
carrying one or more fingers is lowered through its mouth, and a spring
on the arm being touched causes the fingers to be thrown out horizon-
tally, which on being revolved bear against the bottom angle of the
article, and securely make the interior edge of the joint between the
bottom and body of the article. The mould is now passed further on,
the article taken out of the mould, and the mould itself prepared
for another series of operations similar to what are herein-before
described.
In place of using a circular table, as herein-before set forth, a lou-
gitudinally travelling table or an endless traversing platform may be
employed.
The moulds herein referred to may be made of metal, wood, or any
plastic material.
Previous to this Invention the "white ware" potsherds or refuse
have been a waste material, and, as the machinery herein-before described
enables such material when ground to be utilized, the second part of
the Invention relates to the working of such ground refuse in com-
bination with new clay by machinery into small articles of pottery,
such as bottles.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood
I now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or

page_text: manner in or under which the same is or may be used or practically
carried into effect, that is to say :-
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figure 1 is a plan of some
machinery by which my present Invention is or may be put into
practice; Figure 2, a vertical section of the same on the line a, a,
Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a vertical section of one of the moulds. Ou
the different Figures corresponding parts are indicated by the same
letters of reference.
The machine consists of a circular revolving disc or table A, A,
provided with a number of holes or openings, into which the moulds B
for forming the articles to be manufactured are introduced. Over the
revolving table A, A, two puginills C and D respectively are placed,
as shown. These pugmills supply the clay to the moulds B, and are
actuated by the bevil gearing E and supported by the standards F', as
shown in the Drawings, or they may be supported in any other suitable
manner. Underneath the revolving table A, A, circular guides or
bearings & carried on the pillars H are placed. These guides support
the shoulders of the moulds B, and they are terminated at the points
shown by the dotted lines on the plan, Figure 1, as hercin-after more
fully set forth. The moulds B are formed with bevil edges at their
upper ends, herein-after more particularly referred to, and they are also
supplied with moveable rings y which fit round the bevil edges of
the moulds. The ring y, shown in enlarged view in the plan, Figure 4,
is made in two parts and provided with a hinge and eyes, through
which a pin or cotter is passed, so that on taking out the pin or cotter
the ring y may be opened up and removed. This ring may also be made
in more than two parts. At the lower end of each mould Ba bevil
pinion I is attached. The moulds B are put into the openings of the
revolving table A, A, at the position marked K on the plan, Figure 1,
the table A, A, is then moved round, so as to bring the mould Bunder
the pugmill C, where it is stationary, and the mould is supplied with a
sufficient quantity of clay to form the body of the article in process of
manufacture. The table A, A, is again caused to revolve, so as to bring
the pinion I at the lower end of the mould into contact with the bevil
gearing N, which causes the mould to revolve in its own axis, at the
same time the template O actuated by the lever P is lowered into the
mould B, and this template acting on the clay shapes the interior of
the vessel, whilst the exterior is formed by the inner surface of the

page_text: mould. The moveable ring is now opened by the attendant, and is
removed or falls down on tlic table A, A, thus leaving a portion of the
clay at the upper part of the mould exposed. The table is again moved
round, so as to bring the mould B under the second pugmill D, where
a disc of clay of sufficient size to form the bottom of the vessel being
manufactured is cut off by a wire and dropped on to the exposed end
of the vessel in the mould. The table A, A, is again rotated, and thus
brings the mould B under the press Q, seen more particularly at
Figure 3. The press is brought down by the attendant on the bottom
of the vessel by means of the lever R, thus compressing the bottom into
and uniting it with the upper part of the vessel. Any spare clay
that may be squeezed out in pressing on the bottom is cut off by
the bevil edge of the mould, and is put back into the pugmills C
and D to be used over again. After the bottom has been put on the
table is revolved to the position marked S on the plan, Figure 1, where,
on account of the absence of the guides G at that part, there being no
support for the shoulders of the mould B, it falls down and is opened
up by the workinen, the article taken out, and the mould being again
placed into the opening in the table marked K is ready for another
series of operations similar to what are herein-before described. The
moulds B may be made in two or more pieces in order to give greater
facility in removing the articles from them when they are formed.
After the article is removed from the mould B an arm provided with
one or more fingers (not shown in the Drawings) may or may not be
introduced through its mouth, and a spring on the arm being touched
causes the fingers to be thown out horizontally, which on being revolved
bear against the bottom angle of the article and securely make the
interior joint between the bottom and body of the article.
Instead of using a circular table, as herein-before set forth, an endless
travelling platform may be employed, and it is further to be understood
that the body part of the bottle may be made by the "jolly" or jigger
at present in use in some potteries, the bottom being pressed on while
the other part is in the mould, as herein-before set forth with regard to
the incchanism which forms part of my present Invention.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used
or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that

page_text: what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting
the mechanism for the manufacture of articles in pottery, as herein-
before described, or any modification thereof.
Second. The employment of ground or pulverized white ware potsherds
or refuse in admixture with new clay for the manufacture of bottles, as
hergin-before described.
Third. The carrying out of the manufacture of bottles in the "jolly"
or jigger at present employed in some potteries, and the pressing on of
the bottom when the other part of the bottle is in the mould on this
"jolly" or jigger spindle, as herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William McAdam, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of November Eighteen
hundred and sixty-nine.