CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MA- CHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES, AND ALSO IN THE MACHINERY FOR PREPARING CLAY. FOR THE SAME MANUFACTURE
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Lewis, of Salford, in the County of Lan-
caster, Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR
ARTICLES, AND ALSO IN THE MACHINERY FOR PREPARING CLAY. FOR THE SAME
MANUFACTURE."
Sealed the 23rd March 1858, and dated the 26th September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Lewis at the
Office of the Commisioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
September 1857.
I, JOSEPH LEWIS, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY' OR 'APPARATUS FOR MAKING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER
SIMILAR ARTICLES, AND ALSO IN THE MACHINERY FOR PREPARING CLAY FOR THE SAME
MANUFACTURE," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements upon and is particularly applicable
to "An Invention for Improvements in the Manufacture of Bricks," for which
certain Letters Patent were granted to Weston Grimshaw, of Mossley,
Antrim, Ireland, and Ellis Rowland, of the same place, and bearing date
Seventh September, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, the principal
object of such Invention being to make bricks of dry clay by compression
in a mould by the direct action of steam power..

page_text: My Invention consists, first, in the novel application and addition of two
extra steam cylinders so arranged as to act in combination with the main
pressure cylinder, one of these cylinders being employed to give a certain
amount of pressure to the clay previous to the action of the main piston in
the cylinder, thus reducing the stroke of such piston, thereby economizing
steam and also gradually expelling the air from the disintegrated clay; the
second extra cylinder is employed to force the bricks, when formed, out of the
moulds.
Secondly, the Invention relates to a peculiar arrangement of apparatus for
working the steam valve of the cylinders by means of a peculiarly formed
cam, so contrived that the same valve will supply steam to the three
cylinders at certain regulated intervals.
Thirdly, my improvements apply to an arrangement of mechanism for
imparting an intermittent motion to the table containing the moulds, which is
effected by means of a "star wheel" and a cam or cams, or wheel geering
therewith.
Fourthly, this Invention consists in the adaptation and application of a
blade or knife actuated by suitable mechanism in such a manner that after
the moulds have received a sufficient quantity of clay the blade is caused to
pass under the feed hopper (to divide the clay in the mould from that in the
hopper), that is, as soon as the table stops to fill the moulds, at proper intervals
the blade is removed to allow the mould to be filled and replaced before the
table moves round, bringing, the empty moulds under the hopper, the same
operation being repeated. The bricks, when formed and removed from the
moulds, are conveyed from the machine by means of an endless chain of
rollers supporting boards on which the bricks are placed.
And, lastly, my Invention relates to a certain description of machinery for
preparing or separating the particles or disintegrating the pulverized clay,
which consists in a revolving plate or disc studded with projecting steel pins
or studs, this plate being enclosed in a casing the interior surface of which
is similarly formed or studded, the whole being surmounted by a hopper,
through which the already dried and pulverized clay is fed on to the revolving
plate, and which is continually kept in motion and forced on to the said plate
by means of a screw or vane upon the central driving shaft, the action of one
series of pins between the others causing the separation of the particles or
flakes of clay,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed:
by the said Joseph Lewis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH.
LEWIS, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of September, 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 Joseph Lewis, Her especial license, that I, the said Joseph Lewis, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph
Lewis, my 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 Channel Islands,.
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR:
APPARATUS FOR MAKING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES, AND ALSO IN
THE MACHINERY FOR PREPARING CLAY FOR THE SAME MANUFACTURE,"
upon the
condition, amongst others, that I, the said Joseph Lewis, 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
prepared, 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 Joseph Lewis, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,.
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
and accompanying Drawings (that is to say): :-
My Invention relates to improvements upon and is particularly applicable.
to an Invention for "Improvements in the Manufacture of Bricks," for which
certain Letters Patent were granted to Weston Grimshaw, of Mossley,
Antrim, Ireland, and Ellis Rowland, of the said place, and bearing date.
Seventh September, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, the principal:
object of such Invention being to make bricks of dry clay by compressure in.
a mould the direct action of steam power.
My Invention consists, first, in the novel application and addition of two
excellent steam cylinders so arranged as to act in combination with the main

page_text: pressure cylinder, one of these cylinders being employed to give a certain
amount of pressure to the clay previous to the action of the main piston in
the cylinder, thus reducing the stroke of such piston, thereby economising
steam and also gradually expelling the air from the disintegrated clay; the
second extra cylinder is employed to force the bricks, when formed, out of the
moulds..
Secondly, the Invention relates to a peculiar arrangement of apparatus for
working the steam valve of the cylinders by means of a peculiarly formed
cam, so contrived that the same valve will supply steam to the three cylinders.
at certain regulated intervals.
Thirdly, my improvements. apply to an arrangement of mechanism for
imparting an intermittent motion to the table containing the moulds, which is
effected by means of a "star. wheel" and a cam or cams, or wheel gearing
therewith.
Fourthly, this Invention consists in the adaptation and application of a
blade or knife actuated by suitable gearing or mechanism. in such a manner.
that after the moulds have received a sufficient quantity of clay the blade is.
caused to pass under the feed hopper (to divide the clay in the mould from
that in the hopper) at proper intervals, that is, as soon as the table stops to.
fill the moulds, the blade is then removed to allow the succeeding moulds to
be filled, and replaced before the table moves, where it remains while the table
moves round bringing the empty moulds under the hopper, the same operation.
being again repeated. The bricks, when formed and removed from the moulds,.
are conveyed from the machine by means of an endless chain supporting
boards upon which the bricks are placed.
And, lastly, my Invention relates to a certain description of machinery for
preparing or separating the particles or disintegrating the pulverized clay,
which consists in a revolving plate or disc studded with projecting steel
pins or studs, this plate being enclosed in.a casing, the interior surface of which
is similarly formed or studded, the whole being surmounted by a hopper through
which the already dried and partially pulverized clay is fed into the revolving.
plate, and which is kept continually. in motion and forced into the said plate.
by means of a screw or vane upon the central driving shaft, the action of one
series of pins between the others causing the separation of the particles or
flakes of clay.
.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached three Sheets of Drawings, made upon a scale
of about one inch and a half to the foot, and having similar letters of reference
marked upon corresponding parts of the apparatus in all the Sheets.

page_text: In Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine, shewing the endless.
chain of buckets for supplying the moulds, and a general view of the entire
apparatus.
In Sheet 2, Figure 1 is a plan view of the same, shewing more clearly
the situation and relative positions of the three cylinders and the table con-
taining the moulds, and also the "star wheel" and other driving apparatus
for actuating the various parts of the apparatus.
In Sheet 3, Fig. 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 a sectional elevation, of the
apparatus for granulating or disentegrating the clay. This view shews the
vane or screw for forcing the clay on to the studded disc and through the
machine. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the studded disc; Fig. 4 is a plan view,
and Fig. 5 a sectional view; of the moulds (with the bricks shewn therein).*
This view illustrates more clearly the construction of the moulds and internal:
and external pistons or plungers working in the box or casing forming the
exterior of such moulds..
The operation of the machine will be more clearly seen by reference to:
Sheet 2, Fig. 1, in which a, a, a, a, is the train of gearing for driving' the
apparatus, motion being imparted thereby to the disc b, which is provided
with three or more bowls taking into the recesses in the "star wheel" c,
situated beneath and secured to the table d, containing the moulds e, which
are arranged in groups of three or more, dividing the table into six equal
parts. The clay being compressed into such moulds by the direct action of
steam upon plungers formed in two parts, the internal plunger 1 working
within the external plunger 2, and both acting together within the mould
upon the clay. f. f, is the endless chain of buckets (seen more clearly in
Sheet 1) for feeding or supplying the moulds; and g is the knife or "slicer"
for separating the clay in the moulds from that in the hopper h when the
moulds beneath are full;. the knife is actuated by bevil gearing in connection'
with the grooved lever i, which moves the knife about a centre a quarter
of a circle, causing it to open. or close up the mouth of the hopper when
required. The smaller cylinder and piston k are first brought into action to
compress the clay to a certain extent and drive out the air contained therein,
and the large cylinder and piston A are employed to finish or finally compressi
the clay into the mould, forming thereby either bricks, or hollowed or flat'
tiles or tubes, according to the form of mould employed, the pressure of such'
cylinders and pistons being exerted in an upward direction against the beam
or cross head l, the piston and cylinder m being used to lift the' bricks or tiles
out of the moulds, from when they are swept or removed by the endless*

page_text: sweeping chain n, which draws the bricks, &c. on to the endless traversing
cloth or roller chain o, from which they are taken to the kiln direct.
I will now proceed more fully to describe the operation of the machine.
The clay to be used is first thoroughly ground between rollers in a rough
state as received from the earth, it is then submitted to the action of the
granulating or disintegrating apparatus (hereafter to be described), from
which it issues in a slightly powdered and nearly dry state, it is then taken
up by the buckets and delivered to the hopper, and thence to the moulds,
which are beneath it (supposing the machine to be in motion and to have
performed one entire revolution), the "star wheel" will allow the table to
remain stationary until the moulds are full, then the knife is brought into
operation by the arrangement of gearing which cuts or divides the clay
at the top of the mould and closes the mouth of the hopper; the table
now moves round, bringing the full moulds under the action of the plungers
of the piston and cylinder k, and the valve p being now opened admits steam
through the large cylinder A to the small ones k, m; this will cause the
three pistons to rise and force up all the plungers together (supposing all the
moulds to be full except the one emptied in the preceding revolution of
the table), the action of the cylinder k will slightly compress the clay in the
mould just filled, the cylinder and piston A will finish or further compress the
clay in the moulds last but one filled, and the third cylinder and piston m will
simultaneously raise the plungers to the same level as the top of the moulds,
and lift the clay (so formed into bricks or tiles) out of the moulds. The table
now moves round to present the bricks, &c., to the clearing or sweeping chain,
and during such movement the internal portion of the plungers (which are
conically shaped at the top, in order to force up the clay and withdraw more
easily), allowed to fall from the mould by means of the inclined plane (seen in
dotted lines in Sheet 1), the bricks being supported by the exterior portion of
the plungers, until they are removed on to the endless cloth, &c., by the
'sweeping chain," at which time the exterior portions of the plungers fall to
the bottom of the mould for a succeeding operation..
6
In Sheet 3, a, a, is the hopper or receiver of the disintegrating apparatus,
into which the clay is placed to be granulated or powdered; b is the driving.
shaft, the upper end being furnished with a driving pulley; and about the centre
of the shaft, or near the narrow end of the hopper, a vane or screw c is secured,
and upon the lower end of such shaft the studded disc d is fixed, having its
studded surface uppermost, the lower or interior surfaces of the plates e; forming
the cover of the box or chamber f, are also studded in such a manner that

page_text: the pins or studs upon the rotating disc may pass between them; it will now
be readily seen that if the clay is placed in the hopper, the angle of the vanes
will work the clay on 'to the studded disc, which will break it up or granulate
it between the series of pins, and thus render it into a fit state to be fed to
the moulds, to be formed into bricks, tiles, or other similar articles. The
construction of the moulds before described will be more clearly seen in Figs.
4 and 5 in this Sheet, 9, 9, 9, being the internal plunges conically shaped at
the upper end, in order to force the clay into the corners of the mould, and
also to withdraw with greater ease; these plungers leave the bricks first, and
are connected together by the plate h, so as to move simultaneously, and the
external plungers i, .i, i, i, support the bricks until they are removed by the
travelling chain, as before described.
-
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I claim,-
First, the novel application, employment, and use of two small steam
cylinders and pistons, in addition to the large or main pressure cylinder,
as hitherto employed, and described in the Specification of the above-recited
Letters Patent, one of such extra cylinders being for the purpose of imparting
to the clay in the moulds a sufficient and gradual pressure to allow of the
escape of the air contained therein, and thereby effecting a great saving in
steam; the other small cylinder being for the purpose of forcing the bricks out
of the mould to the surface of the table for delivery, instead of inclined planes,
as previously employed. It will also be evident that the required steam
pressure may be obtained by so arranging the cylinders and pistons that the
cylinder may give the pressure and the pistons remain stationary, instead of
as herein-before described.
Secondly, the arrangement and construction of the moulds for making
hollow or indented bricks, tiles, tubes, and other similar articles, at two or
more at each action of the pistons, thus enabling a large amount of articles
to be produced by the slow movements of the machinery.
Thirdly, the novel application and adaptation of the "star wheel" and
appertaining apparatus for imparting to the mould table an intermittent
motion, so as to bring the moulds in succession above the pistons and under
the pressure beam at the required intervals; and also the apparatus before
described for removing bricks, &c., from the table, and delivering on to an
endless cloth, &c., by which they may be conveyed to any distance required.
I claim the application and arrangement of the knife or slicer as employed

page_text: between the bottom of the feed hopper and the top of the mould table, and
also the self-acting apparatus for effecting the necessary motion of the said
knife at the proper intervals.
And, lastly, I claim the apparatus for granulating clay as described and
shewn, which may also be employed for breaking or granulating peat, coals,
and other materials, together with the general construction, arrangement, and
combination of the several machines, which may either be employed for
compressing clay in the manufacture of bricks, tiles, and other similar articles,
or for other purposes, such as compressing peat or other combination of
materials to be used for fuel or other purposes, the whole of which improve-
ments are herein-before described, set forth, and fully exhibited in the
Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Lewis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
JOSEPH LEWIS. (L.S.)