AN IMPROVED PRESS FOR COMPRESSING COTTON, HAY, AND SIMILAR MERCHANDIZE
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PRESS FOR COMPRESSING COTTON,
HAY, AND SIMILAR MERCHANDIZE."-A. communication from abroad by
Augustine Baldwin, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America.
Sealed the 13th February 1872, and dated the 12th September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 12th September 1871.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare thie
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED PRESS FOR COMPRESSING
COTTON, HAY, AND SIMILAR MERCHANDIZE," a communication, to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to that class of presses designed especially for
compressing cotton, hay, and similar substances, and provided with a.

page_text: '
stationary and a moveable platen, the latter being connected by inter-
mediate arms to a moving head or nut, which receives a reciprocating
movement from suitable mechanism; and the said Invention consists in
the combination of these parts with other parts, whereby an improved
press is made which is exceedingly effective in operation.
I construct my press with a suitable base or bed, which preferably
forms also the lower platen. From this base rise standards at each corner
for supporting the remaining parts of the structure and also serving to
guide the upper platen in its movements. The moveable platen is
connected by intermediate arms to a head or nut, which latter receives a
reciprocating movement from proper mechanism. If a nut is employed
I use in connection therewith to give it the desired reciprocating
movement a suitable screw shaft adapted to revolve in proper bearings,
by the revolution of which the nut is caused to travel up or down the
screw shaft as may be desired, and is thus made to actuate the moveable
platen through the intermediate connecting arms.
Suitable gearing is employed to communicate motion from a main
driving shaft to the screw shaft, devices being also employed to throw
the gearing which operates the screw shaft in and out of gear when
desired, and to change the revolution of the screw from one direction to
the other at will. If a moving head is employed I connect the same
directly to the piston of an engine, the cylinder of the latter being
located preferably in the upper part of the framework of the press.
Suitable valve mechanism is employed to admit steam, to the cylinder.
This mechanism is adapted to control the valves regulating the "live
steam and the exhaust independently of each other, that is; the valve
may be operated to admit "live" steam to either end of the cylinder
without affecting the valve controlling the exhaust, and the exhaust
valves may be operated without affecting the valves controlling the
"live" steam.
"
The piston is operated by first admitting steam to one end of the
cylinder, the exhaust at the opposite end being closed, and afterwards
opening the exhaust more or less to regulate the movement of the piston

page_text: desired to move the piston, when the exhaust is opened, by which means
the "live" steam at the other end of the cylinder is allowed to expand
and move the piston.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th March 1872.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
i
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and:
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my.
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,.
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during:
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED PRESS FOR COMPRESSING COTTON, HAY, AND SIMILAR MERCHANDISE,"
a communication to me from abroad by Augustine Baldwin, of the City
and State of New York, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors'
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the. said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent. .
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
:

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to tlic accom-
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification.
This Invention relates to that class of presses designed especially for
compressing cotton, hay, and similar merchandise, which presses are
provided with a stationary and a moveable platen, the latter being
connected by intermediate arms to a moving head or nut, which receives
a reciprocating movement from suitable mechanism; and the said
Invention consists in the combination. of these parts with other parts,
whereby an improved press is made which is exceedingly effective in
operation.
I construct my press with a suitable base or foundation bed, which
base preferably forms also the lower platen. From this base rise
standards at each corner for supporting the remaining parts of the
structure; they also serve to guide the upper platen in its movements.
The moveable platen is connected by intermediate arms to a head
or nut, which receives a reciprocating movement from proper
mechanism. If a nut is employed I use in connection therewith to
give it the desired reciprocating movement a suitable screw shaft
adapted to revolve in proper bearings, by the revolution of which the
'nut is caused to travel up or down the screw shaft as may be desired,
and is thus made to actuate the moveable platen through the inter-
mediate connecting arms.
1
Suitable gearing is employed to communicate motion from a main
driving shaft to the screw shaft, devices being also employed to throw
the gearing operating the screw shaft in and out of gear when desired,
and to change the revolution of the screw from one direction to the
other at will. If a moving head is employed I connect the same directly
to the piston of an engine, the cylinder of the latter being located
preferably in the upper part of the framework of the press. Suitable
valve mechanism is employed to admit steam to the cylinder. This
mechanism is adapted to control the valves, regulating the "live" steam
and the exhaust independently of each other, that is, the valves may be
operated to admit "live" steam to either end of the cylinder without
affecting the valves controlling the exhaust, and the exhaust valves may
be opened without affecting the valves controlling the "live" steam.

page_text: The piston is operated by first admitting steam to one end of the
cylinder, the exhaust at the opposite end being closed, and afterwards
opening the exhaust more or less to regulate the movement of the piston
as may be desired, that is, the "live" steam is admitted at one end of
the cylinder, and held there in a compressed state until it is desired to
move the piston, when the exhaust is opened, by which means the "live"
steam at the other end of the cylinder is allowed to expand and inove
the nistan
סי
when a screw shaft is employed to give a moving nut the necessary
reciprocating movement for operating the moveable platen; Figure 2 is
an end elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a plan view of the nut and its
guide ways. Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of my improved press as
constructed when a piston is employed to give a moving head the
necessary reciprocating movement for operating the moveable platen;
Figure 5 is an end elevation of the same; Figures 6 and 7 are transverse
sections of the press at different elevations; and Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11
shew a special arrangement of valves and their connections, particularly
adapted for use with this press. Like letters indicate the same parts
throughout the Drawing.
I will first describe the press as constructed when a screw shaft is
employed to give a moving nut the necessary reciprocating movement
for operating the moveable platen. The framework of the machine
consists of a strong basc A; Figures 1 and 2, which forms the lower
platen of the press, and supports the entire superstructure. From the
four corners of it rise the strong standards A¹, A¹³, A¹, A¹, which are
preferably firm metallic columns of rigidity sufficient to support the
structure and sustain the strain thrown upon them from the operating
machinery. These standards support on their upper sides a strong
framework D', constructed to rest on the four standards and provided
with raised bearings E at each end. I have attached this upper frame
to the standards by means of the ears formed on the corners and slipped
over the standards, the same being held in position by adjustable nuts
above and below. It is obvious however that other means of attachment
may be provided. Below this upper framework are other fixed parts

page_text: consisting of the side plates C, C, fixed adjustably to the standards in
the same manner as the upper framework. These plates extend from
side to side, and have a central projection reaching down sufficiently far
to support between the lower extremities of the two side plates the lower
bearing of the shaft D. This shaft passes vertically through the upper b
plate, being held in proper bearings above and below, to permit free
rotation without any vertical motion. The said shaft is rotated by means
of a bevel wheel strongly fixed to its upper extremity. With this wheel
and on opposite sides there are geared pinions F, F, similarly bevelled
and revolving loosely on a horizontal shaft, which has its bearings in the 3
projections E, E, on the upper plate. These pinions are provided on
their inner sides with teeth fitted to be operated by a clutch H, which
slides on the shaft between the pinions. This clutch slides on a feather
permitting longitudinal but not rotary motion on the shaft. Further-
more the teeth of the pinions and clutch are formed, as clearly shown, 1
to permit the clutch to operate in one direction only.
It will be obvious that if the clutch is thrown into gear with the
pinion on one side the shaft will be rotated in one direction, and if the
clutch engage with the other pinion it will be rotated in the opposite
direction. The clutch is thrown from side to side by arms projecting
down from a transverse rock shaft h suitably operated, the arms working
in a circular groove formed in the clutch and permitting free rotary
motion of the clutch with the shaft.
On the vertical screw shaft moves a strongly made nut J provided on
each side with ears, in each of which is pivotted a pitman J. To the
lower end of each of these are also pivotted the two arms J* and J³,
forming a toggle joint. The upper arm Ja is pivotted to a fixed support
on one end of the fixed side plates C, C. The lower arm is pivotted to
an ear on the moveable platen B. This platen B moves vertically,
guided by the posts A', A', which pass through holes in the corners.
The nut J is also steadied in its movement by the guide ways K, K,
Figure 3, which extend from the lower projections of the side
plates C, C, to the upper framework.

page_text: Through the connecting arms the toggle levers are drawn up until the
upper arm J³ is horizontal, or nearly so. Downward motion being
imparted to the moving nut, the first effect will be direct action on the
upper platen, since the arms J' and J³ are nearly in a straight line.
As the nut advances however the point of connection of the three
arms J¹, J, and J³ will swing in the arc of a circle, the centre of which
is the point of the fixed pivoting of the arm-J2. It will result that the
toggle joint arms´ J² and J³ will approach more and more nearly to
coincidence with the same straight line, and the arm J' will be thrown
more and more from a perpendicular position to a horizontal one. This
progressive action will give a constantly increasing power with con-
stantly diminishing velocity of descent of the platen until the arms J³
and Jare in the same straight line, when all forward motion must
ceasc. Then if the parts are properly proportioned the nut will have
reached its lower limit of motion, and the arm J¹ will be in a horizontal
position. It will be observed that this arrangement of operating arms
is in effect a compound toggle joint, in which the two side toggle joints
that have each one arm pivoted to the fixed support between the
extremities of the plates C, C, act simultaneously, while they are
operated by the two arms which I have called pitman arms. These
two arms being themselves pivotted to the ears of the moving nut and
below to the apex of the side toggles, act as a toggle joint. But in its
first movement the nut acting directly and nearly in a right line
through J and J³ receives nearly all the stress of the resistance of the
article pressed (which resistance is always less at first) and at the same
time communicates rapid motion to the platen. As however the nut
advances and the arms of the upper toggle spread, the motion is no
longer directly on the platen but more on the side toggles, and through
them on the platen. While the arms J, J', receive vertically the
pressure from the nut it is obvious as before stated that the threads of
the nut and screw receive the greater strain, but as those arms approach
a horizontal position the thrust of each counteracts the other, and the
nut and screw receive little or no strain. Thus two important desiderata
are gained at once, viz., first, rapid initial motion when the resistance is
less and the nut and shaft do not need relief; and, second, great
ultimate power with simultaneous relief of strain on the shaft and nut
at that moment when in presses hitherto made the shaft and nut are
subjected to stress and wear which soon destroy them: The initial
1

page_text: rapidity and the ultimate power are both greater from the compound
nature of the toggle joint. The clutch and bevel wheels afford easy and
rapid means for changing the direction, or if desirable, the clutch being
left in the centre, the press may be stopped while the engine is permitted
to run.
It will be obvious that many of the details above described may be
changed without departing from the spirit of my Invention.
I will now proceed to describe the press as constructed when a piston
is employed to give a moving head the necessary reciprocating move-
ment for operating the moveable platen. The framework is constructed
substantially in the same manner as that herein-before described. In
the upper part of the framework is the engine I, Figures 4 and 5, with
its piston i working vertically, and connected directly by proper ears
to the upper connecting arms of the toggle lever system. The engine
may be of ordinary construction, with suitable inductive and exhaust
pipes, packing, and valve. It may also be provided with a special
arrangement of valve and induction and exhaust pipes, so that when the
steam is admitted above the piston to cause its downward stroke on the
cotton or other material to be pressed, some portion of the steam
admitted will pass below the piston, be detained there, and serve as a
cushion to break the force of the blow and relieve the machine from the
vibration resulting from the concussion of its parts. The valve j is
connected by the bar k to the lever 1, and is further connected by the
rod m to the hand lever n, which may be so arranged as to be within
reach of the operator standing on the platform where the cotton or other
material is fed to the press.
The operation will be readily understood from the Drawing. The
machine having been fed with the material to be pressed, the operator
by moving the hand lever admits steam above the piston, forcing down
the moveable platen, and a reverse motion returns the piston. The
engine is used with special economy and efficiency in connection with
this system of toggle joints, since the toggles acting with immense
advantages of leverage at the end of the stroke the steam may be cut off
early in the stroke, and a great saving be thus effected. Some of the
special advantages obtained by this peculiar construction arc com-,
pactness and simplicity. The engine piston being directly connected to
the moveable platen by means of the toggle- joints or arms there is no

page_text: waste room, and the parts required are few and simple. No gearing or
complicated system of levers is employed, and consequently the friction
is much reduced..
The arrangement of valves just described may be advantageously. used,
but a preferable arrangement is represented in Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11,
which will now be described. Four valves are employed, arranged in
pairs at cach end of the cylinders; these valves are operated by means of
a central rock shaft provided with valve toes like those commonly used
in a beam engine. x, x, Figure 8, represent the valve rods adapted to
move the valves which control the entrance of the "live" steam to the
cylinder, and x¹, x³, represent the valve rods adapted to move the valves
which regulate the exhaust. y represents the rock shaft provided with
valve toes y², y², y³, y³, as clearly shown in Figure 11. This shaft is
operated by means of a balanced arm 'y', connected by any proper means
to a suitable hand lever properly located. The valve toes are arranged
in pairs upon each side of thic shaft, the toes y² serving to operate the
valve rods controlling the "live" steam, and the tocs y³ the rods con-
trolling the exhaust. It will be observed that the tocs y³, y³, are located
in different places, so that when the shaft y is turned in its bearings they
do not move their respective valve rods simultaneously but one follows
the other in its operation.
The operation is as follows:-The piston being at one end of the
cylinder, and it being desired to cause it to move to the other, the rock
shaft y is partially revolved in its bearings in the proper direction, by
which means one of its valve toes y³ is caused to act upon its valve rod,
and steam is admitted to the cylinder. No movement of the piston
takes place however until a further movement of the rock shaft in the
same direction causes a corresponding valve toe y³ to act upon its valve
rod, by which means the exhaust is opened and the piston thus made
free to move under the impulse of the steam already received. When
the desired movement is obtained the lever is returned to its original
position and both valves are closed. The movement in the opposite
direction is obtained by moving the lever in the opposite direction, by
which means the other set of valves is operated.
It will thus be observed that the movement of the piston is in effect
regulated by the exhaust, which is opened more or less according to
circumstances. By means of this construction and arrangement of

page_text: parts, great delicacy of movement is obtained in connection with very
great pressure, and this improved press is believed to be far more.
effective in practical operation than any other in existence."
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
Cunto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
EDWARD C. JACKSON.
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)