THE 



NEW-E1\GLAND 



FARMERS^ AND MECHANICS' JOURNAL. 



Vol. I. flARDINER, OCTOBFR, 1828. N... 10. 



MECHANICS. 



PARKER'S BRICK PRESS. 



Plate X, — is a representation of Pauker's Brick Press, no- 

 ticed in our eighth number. As bricks are more and more used 

 as materials for building in this country, an increased attention to 

 the art of making them is excited. Much has already been done 

 in this art, but much still remains to be done. At first, bricks 

 were fared by a slow and tedious operation. The idea of pressing 

 them then occurred, and the ingenuity of matiy individuals, was, 

 and still continues to be at work, in improving the modes or ma- 

 chinery for doing this. The pressing of bricks, is, perhaps one of 

 the greatest improvements that has been made lately in the art. 

 They are much more strong, durable, compact, and handsome, 

 than those made in the old way ; and when the machinery for 

 moulding and pressing them, comes into more general use, they 

 will probably be as cheap and in greater demand than the common. 

 It is now thought that pressed bricks are not needed, except for the 

 fronts of buildings. The extra expense of them, is an objection to 

 using them in all situations ; but that does not prove that they are 

 not as useful in other parts of a building as well as in those which 

 are exposed to view. Wherever strength is wanted, (and in all 

 buildings of any magnitude it is of the first importance,) pressed 

 bricks are preferable, because they contain more clay in the same 

 space, and are consequently more dense, or solid and strong. 



The improvement represented in the Plate, consists in a Bench 

 A. A. of strong hard-wood plank ; a Mould for the brick B. made 

 of cast-iron and cast in one or two pieces ; a Piston, of iron, C. 

 which is attached to the Rack E. which is moved by the Pinion 

 Lever F. G. ; a Knncklc-joint. tr perpetual lever H. which is 

 2R Vor., I. 



