IS40.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



185 



WHITE'S PATENT BRICK AND TILE MACHINE. 



Specijication of the Pukiit granlcd to Jamin While, Lanihcth, in the 

 Coiinty of S II ire I/, Eiigineti;for certain Inipromuentu in jMachinery, 

 for moulding Ciaij lo the form of Bricks and Tilts, and for mixing, 

 compressing, and moulding other substances. 



The first part of the invention relates to a mode ol' forcing clay 

 through moulding orifices hy tlie pressure of inclined surfaces. Se- 

 condly, to the application of liydrostatic lubrication to facilitate the 

 movement of the chiy dnriog the process of compressing and moulding 

 it. Thirdly, to a mode of mixing, compressing and moulding peat ; 

 and fourthly, to a mode of compressing and expelling the water from 

 peat-moss, by the superincumbent weight of the atmosphere. 



Fig. 1 is a plan of a macliine constructed according to my invention 

 for moulding clay to the form of bricks and tiles with a portion of it 

 removed, and Fig. "2 is an elevation of the machine with several ]iarts 

 of it in section, for the purpose of showing the internal construction 

 more clearly. Fig. 3 is an end view of the cutting apparatus which 

 divides the moulded clay into the Icngtli required, removed from its 

 place, which is in front of the machine. There are two, one on each 

 side, as represented by the plan, fig. 1. 



In preparing the clay for moulding, when necessary to crush it, I 

 prefer to do so between rollers grooved and ribbed. The ribs of the 

 one working into tlie grooves of the other, which will break up the 

 clay more eH'ectually than by crushing it between two rollers, having 

 plain cylindrical surfaces. 



When the clay has been prepared for moulding, it is conveyed into 

 the machine by the apertures u, fig. 2, on an endless band or by a 

 shovel, or the aperture may be lower down opposite the screw b, on 

 the hollow lubricating shaft c, and the clay impelled into it direct by 

 the force of the crushing rollers ; in this case the screw may be placed 

 in a horizontal position, and the aperture a be above it. The -power 

 which gives motion to the machine is applied to the vertical shaft d, 

 and by means of the pinion c working into the wheel_/i the screw and 

 shaft c are put in motion. This shaft is supported and retained by 

 one bearing at top, and the screw 6 is turned and fitted to the cylinder 

 in which it revolves at bottom. There is a stuffing box g fitted to the 

 top of the lubricating shaft c, which receives the end of the pipe // 

 that supplies the chamber in the shaft witli water. When the nia- 

 cdiine is used for making bricks and tiles a brass plate i is screwed on 

 the lower end of the shaft c, and prevents the water which it contains 

 escaping in that direction; but when it is used for making circular 

 tubes, the plate is removed, and a plug\/ inserted, which forms the in- 

 side diameter of the tube as shown in fig. 4, and the \vater is then 

 permitted to percolate that way. The clay is lubricated from the 

 spiral plane of the screw b, by having a radiating channel from the 

 chamber in the shaft c, into which very small holes are drilled, for the 

 water to escape by. There are also lubricating joints, or channels, in 

 the flanges at the top and bottom of the cylinder in which the screw h 

 revolve, marked k k, in the diftercnt figures, and similar joints or chan- 

 nels are formed round the orifices or moulding openings, from whence 

 the clay exudes from the machine by the propelling power of tlie 

 screw ; and I would state that these lubricating joints or channels, may 

 be difterently constructed without departing from my invention, so long 

 as the application of hydrostatic pressure in supplying a fluid to them 

 is retained. 



Fig. 2, Hs a section of a vessel containing water from which several 

 pipes with brass cocks on them convey water to the lubricating joints 

 in the top and bottom of the cylinder, in which the screw revolves, 

 and also to the shaft c, and the lubricating orifice, in the chamber m 

 from whence the clay exudes. The clay with which the machine is 

 charged by the aperture a, fig. 2, is drawn into the spiral ])lane of the 

 screw 6 as it revolves, and impelled into the bottom chamber in, from 

 whence it escapes in two streams in opposite directions as shown in 

 fig. 1, by«H. When different figures are required to be moulded, it 

 is only necessary to change the chamber m, and apply one having an 

 orifice of the form wanted. Fig. 5, is face view of a lubricating orifice 

 for forming bricks, and fig. 6 a similar view of one for making common 

 draining tiles. In both tliese figures the lubricating channels round 

 the orifices from w hicli the clay exudes, are represented by strong dark 

 lines. 



In dividing the moulded clay into the lengths required, the screw 6 

 makes a brief stop at that moment, and consequently the clay to be 

 cut. The phiion e is loose on its shaft, and resting on a collar as 

 shown in fig. 7, which is a section of the pinion and toothed clutch- 

 box 0, which turns it. When the toothed clutch-box is withdrawn 

 from the pinion, as will be presently described, the shaft d may turn, 

 and the pinion e with the apendage it drives remain stationary, until 



the clutch-box is forced up again to its present position by the spring 

 p. It is withdrawn twice every revolution of the shaft d, by two in- 

 clined planes </ ij, depressing the roller )', as they alternately pass over it, 

 as may veadilv be understood by reference to the drawing. These 

 planes <] q, can be regulated to cut the moulded clay to any length pro- 

 duced from one revolution of the shaft d, simply by increasing their 

 number or adding to the length of their planes. In addition to this 

 mode of cutting various lengths by my machine, tlie horizontal shaft 

 s s, of the cutting apparatus shown in fig. 1, can be extended and several • 

 cutting instruments / /, fixed at given distances from each other, and 

 all of them made to 0|)erate at the same instant. The levers ii u, give 

 motion to the slide r which ciirries the cutting instruments /, as shown 

 in iig. 3, at the time tbe clulch-liox o a is withdrawn from the pinion 

 e, by two quadrants or inclined planes .r.r, iixed on two circular plates 

 shown on the shaft d. The dotted lines represent the vibration of the 

 levers, and it will be seen that the clay is cut, and recut by their mo- 

 tion. Fig. s is a plan of the slide which is used for cutting circular 

 tubes, it is moved by the horizontal shaft s s, vibrating two levers 

 through openings in the top plate of the machine shown in fig. 1. In 

 forming principal drains with these tubes, I recommend short circular 

 soles to support them at the joints, the soles may be moulded after the 

 manner described for making common draining tiles, and cut into short 

 lengths by a circular saw after the clay is sutficiently dry for burning. 

 The advantage of forming principal drains with circular tubes is very 

 obvious. Tliey are stronger with less material than any other figure 

 having the same internal capacity, and they also olVer to the water 

 greater facility to escape, than would be the case if it were running 

 over flat surfaces, in addition to which, the expense of procuring them 

 is greatly diminished by my invention. 



In the event of the machine fig. 1 and fig. 2 being employed for mix- 

 ing, compressing and moulding peat, I apply knives on the screw shaft, 

 and also round tlie circunii'erence of the cylinder in which it revolves, 

 making in fact an ordinary pug mill by which the materials will ba 

 mixed and blended together before they arrive at the screw, wdiere 

 such materials wih be pressed and mouided into rectangular bricks, 

 and may be cut by the apparatus described. 



Another part of mv improvements relates to the compressing of 

 peat by the superincumbent weight of the atmosphere. To ellect 

 wdiich 1 form a large vessel of any known material that will keep it 

 surticiently air tight, such as iron, slate, or stone, a few inches from the 

 permanent bottom of this vessel, I place another full of small holes 

 and support it on the former, aiove the one full of holes a layer of 

 coarse cloth is spread, upon which the peat to be compressed is laid 

 to about 12 inches deep. The length of the vessel is immaterial, pro- 

 vided it being sufiiciently air tight. One, however, 200 feet long by 

 (> feet wide, would be a proper size for compressing about 40 tons of 

 peat at one time. When the vessel has been charged, the peat is to 

 be well blended together, which may be done after the manner clay is 

 made to combine in forming the bottom of a canal when making it 

 water tight, and it is also to be well pressed to the edges of the vessel, 

 to prevent as much as possible the air descending by it, or through it, 

 in a downward direction. When the top surface of the peat has been 

 well secured against the admission of air. a communication is to be 

 opened with an air pump, and the air exhausted from the space be- 

 tween the two bottoms which will cause a partial vacuum below the 

 peat, and thereby offer to the water which it contains great facility to 

 escape. At the same time the pressure of the atmosphere on the top 

 surface of the peat will be in proportion to the exhausted state of the 

 air below, and the whole mass will be compressed, and the water vvhich 

 it contains will be carried away by the air pump, after the manner the 

 air pump of a condensing steam engine performs its office. 



When the peat has remained in the vessel or pit sufficiently long to 

 be reduced to about one-third of its original depth, it is to be removed 

 and properly dried by any of the modes in use. In removing it, it may 

 be readily cut into regular sizes by having a carriage to pass oyer it 

 with knives projecting downwards, and so placed as to divide it into 

 a number of slips about 4 inches wide, and these may be cross-cut into 

 lengths of 8 inchc^s, which is found to be a good size for drying. 



Having described my improvements for moulding clay to the above 

 mentioned purposes, and also for compressing peat, I wish it to be 

 understood that I do not claim any of the parts, which are well known 

 and in use for moulding clay and compressing peat; but what I do 

 claim as the first part of my invention, is the application of the inclined 

 surfaces of a screw to press clay through moulding orifices as above 

 described. Secondly, I claim tlie mode of stopiiing the moulded clay 

 while it is being cut as above described. Thirdly, I claim the mode 

 of lubricating the clay with water when being moulded by pressure 

 through moulding orifices as above described. Fourthly, 1 claim the 

 mode of mixing, compressing and moulding peat by means of a pug 

 mill when combined with a screw to compress and mould the peat 



2 C 



