THE MERRILL ROOFING-TILE MACHINE.
The practical operation of the Merrill roofiing-tile machine. shown in Figs. 237 to 248, is as follows : The wheels are made to revolve in direction of the arrows ; a certain portion of clay is placed in the dies which, by the corresponding curvature of their faces, when the dies begin to move, press the clay at one corner or end by a rolling motion, thereby packing the clay into all parts of the dies, and forcing the surplus clay out at the opposite corner. While the clay is thus being pressed the nail holes are punched, the punches being forced out by the head or bar coming in contact at the proper time with cam A, Fig, 237, indicated by the dotted lines, attached to the inside of the standards, one on each side of the wheel, over which the pro jecting ends of the head slide, thereby forcing out the punches into the dies, and perforating the clay. The moment that the holes are punched the punches are withdrawn into the wheel by the springs. At this time the tongue at the bottom of the lower die is forced out by the projecting ends of the head H coming in contact with the side cams B, Fig. 237, thereby forcing outward the rod d, which so far pushes out the tongue as to allow the end of the tile thereon to fall upon the endless apron N, Fig. 237, whereby it is moved away. The use of the steam in connection with the dies is to heat them so as to re lieve the clay after the tile receives the pressure.
f Fig. 237 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 238 is an end elevation. Fig. 239 is a plain view. Fig. 240 is a de tached transverse section. Fig. 241 is a detached vertical sec tion. Figs. 242, 243 and 244 are detached sections. Figs. 245, 246 and 247 are views of a tile made by the machine. Fig. 248 is a detached section.
The construction of the various parts of the machine is as follows : In the drawing, Fig. 238 A B represent a pair of standards, in which are journaled two wheels, CD, which engage each other by the gearing E. Under each of the dies or moulds is formed a steam-chamber 0, Fig. 241, into which steam is admitted through the pipe b. One end of this pipe terminates in one of the chambers, and the opposite end terminates in the hollow shaft of the wheel, into which steam is received from the boiler. The several steam-chambers are connected to each other, for the transmission of steam, by a pipe d, Figs. 238 and
239, extending around the wheel from one chamber to another. The purpose of this chamber will presently be shown. In the faces of the wheels referred to is arranged a series of dies or moulds, FG, which are so constructed as to give the desired shape to the article to be made, which, in this machine, is a roofing-tile. Detached views thereof are shown in Figs. 245 and 246, which give a view of both sides of the tile. The upper and lower dies are constructed substantially alike, differing only in that in the bottom of each of the lower dies is placed a metallic plate Or tongue of the same form as the inside of the die, and upon which the clay is placed and prepared, and whereby the pressed article is forced out from the die by rais ing the tongue, as will presently be shown. The tongue re ferred to is raised out of the lower die by a rod d, Fig. 241, one end of which is secured to the the opposite end is secured to a bar H, Fig. 241. The two ends of this bar project through slots c in the arms I of the wheel, in which the bars slide for operating the tongues of the dies. y, Fig. 241, is a spring surrounding the rod d referred to, the purpose of which is to retain the tongue within the die. Fig. 242 repre sents an enlarged detached view of one of the dies, the face of which, and also the face of the tongue, being etched or otherwise made with a roughened surface, so as to confine small portions of air between these surfaces and the clay, which air, when the pressure is removed, will expand and raise or loosen the clay from the roughened surfaces. Fig. 244 rep resents detached sections of the upper and lower dies, with their relation to each other while pressing the clay between them ; and Fig. 243 exhibits a longitudinal section of a die, all of which shows the form of the dies for making the tiles, as in Figs. 245 and 246. In the upper wheel C, there is an arrange ment similar to that in the lower wheel for ejecting the tile, the purpose of which is to punch the nail-holes e in the sides of the tile, and which arrangement consists of the two punches K, Fig. 248, attached to sliding head or bar D, the ends of which project through slots of the arms of the wheel.