Birmingham age-herald., 1895-08-25
A NEW COTTON COMPRESS.
An English Company Having Presses Made in
 Baltimore.

Manufacturers Record.
 The Standard Circular Cotton company of Liverpool, England, has decided to
 place several of it's congresses in oper- ation in Arkansas, in the vicinity of Lit tie Rock, and four are now being built by the Derrick x Harvey Machine com pany at Baltimore. Through the cour- tesy of MT. w. E. Anderson, the compa- ny's engineer, a representative of the
 Manufacturers Record has had an op-
 portunity to make an examination of the
 invention, which, it is claimed, has points
 of superiority over other presses now in
 use.
 The Stanard company's press weighs
 six tons, and occupies floor space AZ
 rect square, with an arm supporting the
 screw shaft extending laterally about 6
 feet from the press proper. In general it
 IS operated by the balng-rnll and end
 less-beN process. It is intended to be
 placed in a gin house and about 12 feet
 distant from the gin or gins.
 The cotton as it comes from the gins
 enters the top of the machine. passing
 between two belts operated on wooden rolls The rolls and belts form figure similar to the upper half of the letter Y, the lower ends of the trough formed by them gradually contracting until but a few inches of space are left for the cot ton to pass through. By a movement somewhat similar to the carding ma chine in spinning mill it is carried up into the bale-former, as it might be termed, which revolves around an ad- unstable steel core. The endless belt of heavy metallic links, which is 25 feet long and "A inches wide, operates two steel baling rolls, which travel on carriages inches long. These rolls, revolved by the belt, act in connection with the bale former, holding the cotton in place, grad-s fs,nx 1 l1,.. riages as the bale increases. As the bat ting winds around the core the operator eXertS more pressure on the rolls by means of the chain. When the mass of cotton is 10 inches in diameter the prcs-l sure is thirteen pounds to the square inch of it's surface, the total pressure exerted being 7500 pounds to the bale at the fin ish.
 When the roll has reached the required dimensions the covering. which is SuS-i peneded in a wooden frame work above the press, is released, and descending, is formed mechanically around fhe bale. The metal ties which have been adjusted to the cover before it enters the machine are fastened by what might be termed { metallic fingers. The operator then lets down the front of the press, and the | bale, ready for shipment is rolled out. l Just before the covering is adjusted the core is pulled to one side by a special at tachment. This leaves the bale free to be I removed. The operator then screws the core back into place by hand wheel at the side of the press and releases a counter weight, which raises the section of the press which has be let down to remove the bale. These operations re- quire but few seconds and do not stop the press, the work of forming a second bale beginning as soon as the core is re- placed in the bale former or cylinder.
 Such is an outline of the process, which occupies about ten minutes. The finished bale is 34 inches in diameter and "A inches long, and contains 475 to 300 pounds of cotton, the average being about 4S0 pounds. The density varies from fifteen pounds on the outside per cubic foot to fifty pounds in the center.
 One of the presses now being construct ed in Baltimore can be operated by six horse power when connected with line shaft, and will take the product of six gins in ordinary service, or of eight gins when worked to it's utmost capacity. It takes power on 44-inch driving wheel run by an 8-inch belt. The bed of the machine is cast in one piece and all the bearings are made specially heavy. The endless belt which works on the baling rolls alone weighs 1500 pounds. It is calculated, however, to ship the main | part of the press in one section, although it can be taken apart and set up again if | deemed necessary.
 The size and density of the bales, the
  of the fibre as maintained by the Stand | ard process are some of the advantages l claimed for it. At least 100 bales can be | packed into 34-foot freight car giving | a load of between 4S. 900 and 50,000 pounds. | The size and shape also recommend it for | loading vessels. The density of the bale, 1t is also claimed, affords great protection | against fire, thus lessening the insurance | risk and the rate of premium required in | storage or transportation. The quality | of the cotton, however is very impor- | tant factor If the density is too great it Is argued that it is injured and depre-s ciates in value when taken by the spin ner. The Standard company claims thats by it's process the quality of the bale,l;l article will be as good when put into the I mill machine as when taken from the gin.
 Mir. William Johnston of Liverpool, England the well known ship owner, is president, and MT. w. F. Anderson, en- yineero Among those associated with Mr. Johnston in the ownership of this press are MT. C. K. Lord, vice-president )f the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, Sena- tor Camden of West Virginia and other capitalists interested in transportation interests This press will thus have in it's 'avor the benefit of very strong railroad | md steamship influences |