Improvements in Machinery for Pressing Soap and other Plastic Substances.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 13th June, 1895-Accepted, 27th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Pressing Soap and other Plastic
Substances.
We CHARLES WATSON, GEORGE WATSON, and JOSEPH WATSON trading as
Joseph Watson and Sons, all of Whitehall Road, Leeds, in the County of York,
Soap Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of our invention is to construct machinery whereby soap and other
plastic substances (hereinafter termed soap), may be pressed in a more efficient
manner than heretofore.
The
According to our invention we employ a drum having four recesses or moulds
therein, the said moulds being provided with movable bases, which are actuated by
suitable cams so as to cause them to rise and fall in the moulds as required.
drum is rotated by a connecting rod, which is reciprocated by a crank situated on
the main shaft of the machine, the said rod being connected with a pawl motion on
the drum, in such a manner that on each reciprocatory movement, it moves the
drum a quarter of a revolution. A plunger which is arranged to slide horizontally,
is pivotted on the extremity of a spring, which tends to keep it forward towards
the drum; and a weighted bell crank lever is pivotted below the plunger, and
connected therewith by a toothed segment in such a manner as to assist the spring
in its forward work; and the weight on the lever being adjustable allows the
pressure or force on the plunger to be regulated as required. A cam which is
mounted on the main shaft of the machine withdraws the plunger and holds same
in the back position, as long as is required, and then at the desired time the cam
releases the plunger, which strikes forward by reason of the spring and weight.
On the end of the plunger a pin is provided which enters a corresponding hole in
the drum when it strikes forwards to the mould, thereby ensuring the said drum
being in the proper position, and locking the drum during the contact of the
plunger. A pinion is mounted on the driving shaft and gears with a spur wheel,
which is mounted on the main shaft of the machine; and on this spur wheel, or
separate therefrom, we provide a cam way, which actuates a bell crank lever,
pivotted on the frame of the machine. The opposite end of the bell crank lever is
connected by means of a connecting rod to a rocking arm, which in its turn is
connected with a cylindrical brush, in such a manner that on the rotation of the
cam way, the bell crank lever is rocked and operates the arm through its connecting
rod, thus depressing the cylindrical brush. In this manner the brush is passed in
front of the plunger surface, at the same time bringing a small friction wheel in
contact with the drum surface, which latter rotates the brush, and thus cleans the
surface of the plunger. Another cylindrical brush is mounted on the opposite side
of the drum, being geared to the latter, so as to operate simultaneously therewith,
and at a greater speed, but in the opposite direction. This brush cleans the
surface of the bases of the moulds, when they are in the forward position.
A travelling band is situated below the drum, which is actuated through bevel
and chain gearing from the main shaft of the machine.
All the working parts are situated within the framework, which makes the
machine free from danger to the operator.

page_text: Although we have described the machine as a single press, a machine can also
equally be constructed to press two cakes at one and the same time, in which
case most of the parts before described would be provided in duplicate. The
action of the machine provided with duplicate pressing arrangements, is as
follows:-
The soap is placed in the moulds at the upper part of the drum, which latter is
then turned a quarter of a revolution by means of the pawl and ratchet motion.
When the drum is in the right position, the plungers are released by the cam, thus
allowing them to spring forward and press the cakes of soap independently of each
other, thereby giving each cake the required pressure and impressing a design or
other suitable mark or brand. The pressure of the plungers is equally given to
both thin and thick cakes of soap, as they are pressed by springs and weights, and
not by a hard mechanical crank motion; and this elastic pressure removes the
danger of breaking, which soap machines have hitherto been subject to.
The plungers are then withdrawn by the cam, and the brushes come down,
cleaning the plunger surfaces as the drum rotates, at the same time bringing a
second pair of cakes into position for pressing, and delivering the first pair onto
the travelling belt below the drum. The bases of the moulds which held the first
pair of cakes, are now in the out position, and the rotary brush comes in contact
with their surfaces on the next movement of the drum, thus cleaning them
effectually from particles of soap which may have adhered thereto.
The travelling band may be fed in either direction as desired, by altering the
bevel gearing.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1895.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Pressing Soap and other Plastic
Substances.
We, CHARLES WATSON, GEORGE WATSON, and JOSEPH WATSON, trading as
Joseph Watson and Sons, all of Whitehall Road, Leeds, in the County of York,
Soap Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of our invention is to construct machinery whereby soap and other
plastic substances (hereinafter termed soap) may be pressed in a more expeditions
and efficient manner than heretofore.
In order that our invention may he clearly understood we will proceed to describe
same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters refer to
like parts in all the figures.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a machine constructed
according to our invention.
Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views.
According to our invention we provide a mould drum A which is mounted on a
fixed shaft B, carried in bearings situated on the side frames C C. D is the main
shaft of the machine, which is driven from the belt shaft E by spur wheels E' D',
and D2 is a crank situated on the main shaft D. F is a pawl and ratchet
arrangement, situated on the mould drum A, which is connected to the crank D'
by means of a connecting rod F¹, in such a manner that with each revolution of
the main shaft D, the mould drum A is moved a quarter of a revolution. G are
plungers which are arranged to slide horizontally, being supported at the back by
rollers G³, and the front ends of the plungers G are pivotted to the springs G³,

page_text: which tend to keep them in a forward direction. H are bell crank levers which
are pivotted below the plungers G, being connected therewith by the toothed
segments H, and the said segments H¹ also serve as supports for the plungers G.
H are weights which are connected to the opposite arms of the bell crank
levers H, in such a manner as to tend to press the plungers G forward in
conjunction with the springs G2, and the weights on the levers being adjustable,
the pressure or force of the plungers G may be regulated as required. J is a cam
which is mounted on the shaft D, and works against blocks mounted on the
plungers G, in such a manner as to withdraw the said plungers and retain them in
the back position during the required time. On the ends of the plungers G,
pins G³ are provided, which enter holes in the mould drum A when the plungers G
strike forward.
On the face of the spur wheel D', a camway K is provided, which actuates a bell
crank lever K¹, the opposite end of which is connected by means of a rod K³ to an
arm K2 mounted on a rocking shaft K', which also carries arms K, which latter
are provided with links K having a rotary brush K³, with friction pulley Ke
mounted at their lower ends. Another rotary brush L is mounted at the opposite
side of the mould drum A, being geared to the latter by chain gearing L', so as to
rotate at a high speed simultaneously therewith, but in the opposite direction.
M is a travelling band, which is actuated through bevel gearing M and chain
gearing M² from the shaft D. V is a tube arrangement for supplying a draught of
air to the brushes K and L, whereby they are kept clean and moist.
The drum A is provided with two sets of moulds, composed of four
moulds N N N N in one set, and P P P P in the second set. Rare the moving
bases of the moulds, which are free to rise from, or rest against, the fixed shaft B.
Camways S are keyed to the fixed shaft B, and rods T, which pass through the
bases R, have their extremities in the camways S, which latter actuate the rods T
so as to cause the bases R to rise and fall in their respective moulds.
When the machine is required for use, the belt shaft E is set in action, thereby
transmitting motion to the main shaft D of the machine through the spur wheels E¹
and D'. The soap is then placed in the moulds N and P, now at the upper part of
the drum A, and the latter is turned a quarter of a revolution by means of the pawl
and ratchet motion F. When the drum A has arrived at the right position, the
end of the cam J passing the edges of the blocks J', releases the plungers G,
thereby allowing them to spring forward and press the cakes of soap within the
moulds, and the fixed shaft B, being in contact with the bases R, takes the pressure
exerted by the plungers G. The plungers G are then withdrawn by the cam J,
and the pin on the bell crank lever K₁ coming to the change in the cam K, lowers
the brush K between the drum A and the plungers G, thereby causing the
brush K to rotate owing to the frictional contact of the pulley K with the
drum A, and sweep the surface of the said plungers G and completely clean same.
As the drum A rotates, the pair of cakes which have been pressed in the moulds N
and P, are gradually forced out of the moulds by the bases R; and when the
drum A has turned a second quarter of a revolution, the cakes of soap are fed out
onto the travelling band M, which carries them away from the machine. The
bases R are thus at the surface of the drum A, where they remain for a portion of
a revolution, and whilst they are in this position they pass in contact with the
rotating brush L, which cleans them effectually from particles of soap which may
have adhered to same.
These feeding, pressing and delivering processes continue, the soap being fed
into the moulds at the upper surface of the drum at each quarter of a revolution,
and being delivered onto the travelling band at the base after they have been
pressed.
The pressure of the plungers is equally given to both thin and thick cakes of
soap, as they work quite independently of each other; and the pressure being of an
elastic nature, removes the danger of breaking, which soap machines have hitherto
been subject to.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A rotary drum having two sets of moulds therein, in combination with two
plungers worked independently of each other, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
2. A rotary drum having moulds therein, in combination with a plunger or
plungers actuated by weights or springs, which give an elastic pressure to the
material contained in the moulds, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
3. The mould drum having moulds with movable bases, which latter are
actuated by rods whose ends work in fixed camways, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
4. The mould drum A and parts connected therewith, in combination with the
plungers G, brushes K and L, and the travelling band mechanism, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
5. The general arrangement, construction and combination of the various parts
forming the machine for pressing soap, substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 13th day of June 1895.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicants.