CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF, BRICKS, TILES, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Dobson, of Crewe, in the County of Chester,
Joiner and Builder, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF, BRICKS, TILES, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Dobson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
October 1864.
I, THOMAS DOBSON, of Crewe, in the County of Chester, Joiner and
Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES,"
to be as follows:-
The Invention is designed for the purpose of forming bricks, tiles, drain
pipes, or other similar articles from clay or argillaceous substances. The
improvements consist in the use of a propeller consisting of blades of a peculiar
angle and form, enclosed within a vertical cylinder or case, and secured to a
vertical shaft, by which it is caused to rotate. This shaft is also furnished
with knives or "breakers," which cut or disintegrate the clay (which is con-
tained in the cylinder) to prepare it for and deliver it on to the screw-like
propeller, which forces the clay down with considerable pressure to the bottom
of the cylinder, whence it is further propelled through four or more tapering.

page_text: outlets or channels, and issues in a length of condensed clay, which is to be
subdivided into bricks or tiles by any ordinary mechanism now well known
for the purpose.
'SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Dobson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
f 4th April 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
DOBSON, of Crewe, in the County of Chester, Joiner and Builder, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent; bearing date the Fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One, thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Dobson, Her special license that I, the said Thomas Dobson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Dobson, 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 THE
MANUFACTURE OF BRICKS, TILES, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Dobson, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, 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 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 Thomas Dobson, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
The Invention is designed for the purpose of forming bricks, tiles, drain
pipes, or other similar articles from clay or argillaceous substances.
The
improvements consist in the use of a propellor consisting of blades of a peculiar
angle and form, enclosed within a vertical cylinder or case, and secured to a
vertical shaft, by. which it is caused to rotate. This shaft is also furnished.

page_text: with knives or "breakers," which cut or disintegrate the clay (which is
contained in the cylinder) to prepare it for and deliver it on to the screw-like
propellor, which forces the clay down with considerable pressure to the bottom
of the cylinder, whence it is further propelled through four or more tapering
outlets or channels, and issues in a length of condensed clay, which is to be
subdivided into bricks or tiles by any ordinary mechanism now well known
for the purpose.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings, made upon a scale of
about three inches to the foot, similar letters of reference being marked upon
corresponding parts on all the Figures.
Fig. 1 represents a vertical sectional view of the improved machinery
employed in the manufacture of bricks, tiles, and similar articles; Fig. 2 is a
plan view of the same; and Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of the lower
portion of the apparatus detached from the upper, shewing the moulds for
bricks and tiles as an example.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 a, a, is the cylinder or case, within which the shaft b
revolves, carrying the cutters or breakers c, c, which cut, disintegrate, &
prepare the clay or plastic material, and force it downwards to the blads of
the propeller or compresser d, d, which are constructed as shewn, & placed at
such an angle as to force the clay through the apertures or moulds e, e, e, at
the sides of the cylinder, whence it issues in a length of condensed clay, which
is to be subdivided into bricks, tiles, or tubes by cutters of ordinary and well
known description. The central shaft may be driven by steam, water, or
manual power, and the clay is supplied at the top of the cylinder by means of
the hopper f
I would remark that I claim the novel and peculiar arrangement, con-
struction, and combination of the mechanism to effect the aforesaid object, as
herein-before described, .set forth, and fully illustrated in the Drawings
attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Dobson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
THOMAS DOBSON. (L.S.)