In brickworks Pug Mills are used to mix clay and grog (old ground up
bricks), which is then extruded through nozzles to directly form bricks
or alternatively 'lumps' which can then be put onto a press to create
shaped bricks.
Old style pug mills are usually large 'tubs' with a rotating vertical
axle holding blades or paddles. Clay and grog is fed into the top of the
tub, 'mixed' by the rotating paddles and then extruded from the bottom
of the pan by means of an archimedes screw feeding the clay mix to the
nozzle. In works making bricks by hand the extruded clay is cut with a
wire into the required 'brick' sizes.
You will find similar devices in most works that created hand made clay
products e.g. bricks, tiles, glass pots and other 'ceramics'.
Kelvin Lake
Shropshire Caving & Mining Club ^o^
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