IM- PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Swinney, Thomas Swinney, and James Swinney,
all of Morpeth, in the County of Northumberland, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF BRICKS."
Scaled the 23rd September 1876, and dated the 28th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Swinney, Thomas
Swinney, and James Swinney at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 28th March 1876.
JOHN SWINNEY, THOMAS SWINNEY, and JAMES SWINNEY, all of Morpeth, in the
County of Northumberland. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS."
The Invention has for its object improvements in machinery or apparatus
employed in the manufacture of bricks, and relates to the mechanical appliances
for cutting the clay into bricks after it has been cut off at the die of the machine
in quantity sufficient to make, say, eight bricks.
The clay is brought forward on to the cutting table; where it is pushed forward
against the cutting wires, and whilst it is thus being passed through the cutting
wires the latter have at the same time an upward and forward motion given to
them, so as to produce a draw cut, thereby greatly facilitating the cutting of the
clay into bricks and making the cut more clean, whilst the strain upon the wires
is much less and the action of pushing the clay is much more easy than heretofore.
The cutting wires are carried in a suspended frame, which is operated by two
levers attached to a weigh bar, one of such levers being long enough to form a
handle by which the desired upward and forward motion is given to the cutting
wires. The weigh bar is connected by links and levers to means for bringing
forward the clay against the cutting wires, so that the motion forward of the clay
towards the cutting wires and the motion of the latter towards and through the
clay are simultaneously effected.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said John Swinney, Thomas Swinney, and James Swinney in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 26th September 1876.
JOHN SWINNEY, THOMAS SWINNEY, and JAMES SWINNEY, all of Morpeth, in the
County of Northumberland. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS."
The Invention has for its object improvements in machinery or apparatus
employed in the manufacture of bricks, and relates to the mechanical appliances
for cutting the clay into bricks after it has been cut off at the die of the machine in
quantity sufficient to make, say, eight bricks.
The clay is brought forward on to the cutting table, where it is pushed forward
against the cutting wires, and whilst it is thus being passed through the cutting
wires the latter have at the same time an upward and forward motion given to
them, so as to produce a draw cut, thereby greatly facilitating the cutting of the
clay into bricks and making the cut more clean, whilst the strain upon the wires is
much less and the action of pushing the clay is much more casy than heretofore.
The cutting wires are carried in a suspended frame, which is operated by two
levers attached to a weigh bar, one of such levers, or a separate lever, being long
enough to form a handle by which the desired upward and forward motion is given
to the cutting wires. The weigh bar is connected by links and levers to means for
bringing forward the clay against the cutting wires, so that the motion forward of
the clay towards the cutting wires and the motion of the latter towards and
through the clay are simultaneously effected.
And in order that our said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more
Figure 1 is an elevation, Figure 2 a plan, and Figures 3 and 4 are two plans
of machinery or apparatus employed in the manufacture of bricks constructed
according to our Invention.
This Invention relates to the mechanical appliances for cutting the clay into
bricks after it has left the brick-making or pugging machine. Suppose a quantity
of clay sufficient to make, say, eight bricks has been delivered from the brick-
making or pugging machine along the rollers b, it is then cut through at the die by
a single wire c attached to a bow frame a, which is mounted with capability of
partially rotating on a pin or stud d, near the lower part of the end frame of the
cutting table, thus enabling it to make a cut in the arc of a circle. The lump or
stream of clay is then pushed forward on to the cutting table e against a stop or
end plate f; it is then pushed forward against the cutting wires g, g, and whilst it
is thus being passed through the cutting wires the latter have at the same time an
upward and forward motion given to them so as to produce a draw cut, thereby
greatly facilitating the cutting of the clay into bricks and making the cut more
clean, whilst the strain upon the wires g, g, is much less and the action of pushing
the clay is much more easy than heretofore. The cutting wires g, g, are mounted
or fixed in a moveable frame h, which frame moves forward and upward whilst the
clay is being pushed against and past the cutting wires g,g, on to iron hand plates k
for removal.
.
This moving forward and upward of the frame his effected by means of a lever
handle, which is connected rigidly to one of two levers l, fixed to a weigh bar m,
said levers being connected at one end to the frame h, and at the other end to
connecting rods n, n, which are pin jointed to and give motion to levers o, o, keyed
on to a shaft or weigh bar p. On the shaft p are also fixed levers 7, 7, which, by
means of connecting rods t, t, are connected to and operate the pushing blocks 8, 8,
for pushing the clay past the wires g, g, on to the iron plate k, k

page_text: It will be seen by reference to Figure 4 that the side bars of the frame h, h, are
formed with slots at their lower ends which work upon studs fixed near the bottom
of the end frames of the cutting table.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the mode in which
we carry the same into effect, we would have it understood that what we claim
is-
The peculiar arrangement, construction, and mode of operation of parts, substan-
tially as herein shown and described, for cutting the clay into bricks after it has
left the brick-making or pugging machine.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Swinney, Thomas Swinney, and James
Swinney, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-fourth day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-six
JOHN SWINNEY.
(L.S.)
THOMAS SWINNEY. (L.S.)
JAMES SWINNEY.
(L.S.)
JOHN SWINNEY.
(L.S.)
THOMAS SWINNEY. (L.S.)
JAMES SWINNEY.
(L.S.)