Improvements in the Manufacture of Tiles, Moulded Blocks, and other Moulded Articles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1891-4ccepted, 24th Oct., 1891
•
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Tiles, Moulded Blocks, and
other Moulded Articles.
We, HENRY LEWIS DOULTON, Potter, and STEPHEN HENRY LEECH, Manager,
both of the Albert Embankment, Lambeth in the County of Surrey, do-hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :—
This invention has for its object improved ineans for the manufacture of tiles
and terra cotta blocks and ornaments and like articles with undercut grooves in
the back or sides or edges in order that the said tiles or articles may be firmly
fixed by means of cement to the surfaces to which it is desired to affix them.
We provide the mould with a drawer plate and on the face of the plate we rivet
We force
metal rods the counterparts of the grooves to be produced in the tile.
a bat of clay into the mould by means of a plunger and whilst the plunger is in
place and is supporting the clay the drawer plate with the rods upon it is removed
end wise.
In moulding tiles for covering walls, floors ceilings and other parts of buildings
we proceed as follows:-the mould we use consists of a rectangular frame open at
the top and bottom and a plate having metal rods riveted to it and extending from
end to end of the plate.
These rods may be circular in section but somewhat flattened on the side where
they are in contact with the plate. The rods are parallel the one to the other
and to the edges of the plate and they are applied on both sides of the plate. The
sides and ends of the frame are grooved and so formed that the drawer plate can
be slidden into the frame so as to close the rectangular opening in it as a box is
closed by means of a sliding lid except that the frame extends some distance above
the drawer plate as well as beneath it.
Two bats of clay cach of suitable dimensions to form a tile are then placed in
the frame or mould one on either side of the drawer plate and the mould so charged
is placed upon a rectangular block of such dimensions that the block enters into
the under side of the frame and accurately fits it. Another similar block actuated
by a screw hydraulic press or otherwise is then brought down from above into the
upper part of the frame, with the result that the two bats of clay are powerfully
compressed and the clay is compelled to fill the mould and to take the form of the
rods upon the drawer plate.
This drawer plate then is pulled out from the mould endwise by the aid of a
screw or otherwise whilst the clay is still held between the block and plunger.
The frame is then slidden downwards upon the block leaving the tiles held between
the faces of the block and plunger; the plunger is then raised and the tiles
reinoved.
When the tiles require to be grooved at the sides and ends as well as at the back,
the mould is provided with additional narrow drawer plates for this purpose. These
additional drawer plates will usually each carry a single rod in a position to produce
a longitudinal groove in the edge of the tile.
Although we prefer to mould two tiles simultaneously it is obvious that
moulds to produce single tiles may be made in manner similar to that above
described.
In moulding terra cotta blocks at the parts where the blocks require to be
attached to other adjacent blocks or parts we provide drawer plates in the moulds
carrying metal rods as above described and so we produce undercut grooves in the
surfaces which are intended to go together.
Then in erecting the work these grooves are entirely filled with cement in a

page_text: semi-fluid condition and the surfaces are covered with the same and in this state
they are brought together in their proper relative positions and the cement setting
the parts become firmly attached.
Dated this 01st dow of November 1800
Improvements in the Manufacture of Tiles, Moulded Blocks, and
other Moulded Articles.
We, HENRY LEWIS DOULTON, Potter, and STEPHEN HENRY LEECH, Manager,
both of the Albert Embankment, Lambeth in the County of Surrey, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of tiles,
terra cotta blocks and the like with undercut grooves in the back or in the back
and edges to afford means for fixing the tiles or like articles by the aid of cement
to walls and surfaces to which they have to be applied.
The mould we employ consists of a frame with a drawer plate having undercut
projections upon its face and in this mould the clay is pressed by a plunger.
Usually we make the mould double and mould two tiles or articles simultaneously
back to back and one on either side of the drawer plate.
When the clay has been pressed in the mould the drawer plate is removed
end wise whilst the clay is still retained by the sides of the mould frame.
This removal of the drawer plate is brought about by a screw or equivalent
instrument forming part of the apparatus so that it may be done with a powerful
true and steady movement and the clay not disarranged.
To produce grooves in the edges of the tile or article we provide hinged drawer
pieces with projections at the sides of the mould frame.
In order that our said invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect we will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan of the mould and apparatus used in connection therewith.
Figure 2 is an elevation partly in section.
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3. 3 in Figure 1 and in this figure the plunger
of the press is also seen.
Figure 4 is a section on the line 4. 4 in Figure 1.
Figures 5 and 6 are sections of the mould and tiles after the drawer plate has
been removed.
a is a rectangular frame; b bare side and end draw pieces hinged to the
frame a both on its upper and under side, they carry projections to produce
grooves in the edges of the tile; c is a drawer plate with dovetail projections e' c²
on both its faces, it can be slidden into the frame a and its edges then are
supported between the drawer pieces bb. The projections c¹ c' may be rods riveted
to the plate or they may be formed of a piece with it.
The parts a b and c when assembled form a double mould in which two tiles
are to be simultaneously formed.
d is a rectangular block which serves to form the bottom or plunger of the
lower moulding cavity; this block forms part of a slide d' e is a table supporting
the slide which is movable along the dovetails el on the face of the table. The
slide on its under side carries nuts & beneath the surface of the table and a
screw works with the nut. The screw is carried in stationary bearings at the

page_text: ends of the table and when the screw is turned the slide d¹ moves along the
table in one direction or the other. g is another rectangular block, it is the plunger
of a press and serves also to form the top of the upper moulding cavity.
In the use of the apparatus, the parts a b and c forming the mould having been
put together, two bats of clay of suitable size are put into it. The whole is then
placed upon the block das is seen in Figures 3 and 4. The hinged drawer pieces b
at the ends of the mould are then supported by the backing flanges ³ ³ so that
they cannot yield when the pressure is applied to the clay. To provide support
for the drawer pieces at the sides of the mould the slide together with the
mould is traversed by turning the screw until the mould is brought between the
backing flanges fixed upon the table. The plunger y is then brought down on
to the clay and the moulding of the two tiles is effected simultaneously. By the
pressure of the plunger upon the clay the plate is caused to descend until
a hole in this plate receives into it the pin or projection / fixed to the table e.
When the plunger 9 has risen the screw is set to work and the slide d' with
the mould travels away but leaving the drawer plate e behind. This withdrawal
takes place whilst the drawer pieces which form the sides of the mould frame are
firmly held so as to be immoveable and whilst the projections b¹ 6¹ upon them are
keeping the clay in place and form.
When the plate c'has been removed a thin square of wood is placed in the mould
on the top of the upper tile, and the mould and tiles are lifted and turned over.
Then the upper drawer pieces are opened out to the position shewn in Figure 5.
A somewhat larger square of wood is now placed on the top of the upper tile and
it is pressed down until the tiles are brought in contact. The mould and tiles are
finally again turned over and the remaining drawer pieces are released. Then
the parts a and b being in the position indicated in Figure 6 are lifted off and
carried away and the tiles between the boards are taken away to the drying rack.
It is obvious that single moulds forming one tile or article only at each
operation may be similarly constructed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is :-
1. The method substantially as described for producing tiles and like articles
with undercut grooves consisting in pressing the clay into a mould upon a drawer
plate provided with undercut projections and then whilst the clay is still in the
mould supported by the sides thereof, pulling out the drawer plate from the mould
so that the dovetail projections leave the clay end wise.
2. The mould with its drawer plate and undercut projections substantially as
described.
3. In combination with the mould and drawer plate and undercut projections ;
the drawer pieces at the sides of the mould producing grooves in the edges of the
tile substantially as described.
4. Apparatus substantially as represented by the annexed drawings for moulding
tiles and like articles.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1891.