CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH HYDRAULIC OR OTHER PACKING PRES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Chadwick Houghton, of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH HYDRAULIC OR OTHER
PACKING PRES"
Sealed the 19th May 1868, and dated the 29th November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Chadwick
Houghton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 29th November 1867.
I, WILLIAM CHADWICK HOUGHTON, of Manchester, in the County of
CERTAIN
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH HYDRAULIC OR
OTHER PACKING PRESSES," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to apparatus employed in connection with hydraulic
presses termed the "stillages" or surfaces between which the goods are
pressed, and which are composed of a set or series of adjustable bars or blocks
one set being placed on the table and the other set (supported on parallel
bars) under the cross head or entablature of the press, and the Invention
relates first to the bars or blocks forming that portion of the stillage which is
in contact with the winding hoops or bands.
The improvements consist, first, in constructing these bars or blocks in
three parts, the outer part being recessed and having at the bottom inner

page_text: surface a double series of inclined planes, are formed in reverse positions, that
is to say, one series occupying half the width of the recess throughout its
length, and are inclined from right to left, and the other series occupies the
other half. The two other parts are comprised in two bars, the lower surfaces
of which are formed in corresponding inclined surfaces, which when in their
place fit and fill up the recess so as to form a segmental bar, having outer
surfaces level. In the inner surfaces of each bar a parallel slot or groove is
made, into which a fixed pin on the opposite bar is inserted for the purpose of
keeping such bars when sliding in a parallel position. When arranging and
placing these bars in their position for forming the "stillages" the sliding
inclined surface bars are forced in opposite directions, which by the action of
the inclined planes has the effect of elevating or raising the upper surface of
the recessed block, in which they move on a line or level with the surfaces of
the other portion of the "stillage," the upper or exposed surfaces of the sliding
bars being then against the table and under side of the cross head or
entablature. When the goods are fully pressed, and it is desired to insert the
binding hoops or bands, the inclined sliding bars are forced in a reverse
direction to the previous one, and the surface of their respective blocks become
raised from the goods leaving a groove or channel between the compressed
goods and the surface of the removed block through which the binding hoop
or band is inserted, such band being firmly retained whilst being rivetted by
again reversing the action of the sliding bars, so as to bring the block upon
the band.
A second part of the Invention consists in constructing the remaining block
'between which the moveable bars are placed by bolting metallic plates or
wood together, their inner surfaces being hollowed or concave in order to
obtain bulk with a reduced weight, the bolt heads of the block next to the
inoveable block being allowed to project slightly so as to reduce the point of
contact between the fixed and moveable surface to a minimum, whereby the
friction is reduced.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Chadwick Houghton, Her special license that I, the said
William Chadwick Houghton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,. or
such others as I, the said William Chadwick Houghton, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN. APPARATUS
TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH HYDRAULIC OR OTHER PACKING PRESSES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Chadwick
Houghton, 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 Chadwick Houghton, do
bereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
The Invention relates to the apparatus employed in connection with
hydraulic presses termed the "stillages" or surfaces between which the goods
are pressed, and which are composed of a set or series of adjustable bars or
blocks, one set being placed on the table and the other set (supported on
parallel bars) under the cross head or entablature of the press, and the
Invention relates, first, to the bars or blocks forming that portion of the
stillage which is in contact with the binding hoops or bands.
The improvements consist, first, in constructing these bars or blocks in three
or more parts, the outer part or bar being recessed, and having at the bottom
inner surface a double series of inclined planes placed or formed in reverse
positions, that is to say, one series occupying half the width of the recess
throughout its length, and are inclined from right to left, and the other series
occupies the other half, are inclined in a reverse direction. The two ether
parts are comprised of two inner plates, the lower surfaces of which are formed
in corresponding inclined surfaces, which when in their place fit and fill up

page_text: the recess, so as to form a segmental bar having its outer surfaces level. In
the inner surface of each bar a parallel slot or groove is made, into which a
fixed pin on the opposite bar is inserted for the purpose of keeping such bars
when sliding in a parallel position. When arranging and placing these bars
in their position for forming the "stillages," the sliding surface plates are
forced in opposite directions, which by the action of the inclined planes has
the effect of elevating or raising the upper surface of the recessed block, in
which they move on a line or level with the surface of the other portion of the
"stillage," the upper or exposed surfaces of the sliding bars being then against
the table and under side of the cross head or entablature. When the goods
are fully pressed, and it is desired to insert the binding hoops or bands, the
inclined sliding bars are forced in a reverse direction to the previous one, and
the surface of their respective blocks become raised from the goods, leaving
a groove or channel between the compressed goods and the surface of the
removed block through which the binding hoop or band is inserted, such band
being firmly retained whilst being rivetted by again reversing the action of the
sliding bars, so as to bring the block upon the band.
A second part of the Invention consists in constructing the remaining block
between which the moveable bars are placed by bolting the metallic plates or
wood together, their inner surfaces being hollowed or concaved in order to
obtain bulk with a reduced weight, the bolt heads of the blocks next to the
moveable block being allowed to project slightly so as to reduce the point
of contact between the fixed moveable surface to a minimum, whereby the
friction is reduced, or by a modification of such apparatus as herein-before
described.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made upon a scale of
about six inches to the foot.
Fig. 1 represents a transverse section of the stillage head or entablature of
an hydraulic press, shewing the arrangement, position, and construction of one
of the improved compound sliding bars or blocks which rise for the admission of
the hoops, and are lowered thereon to retain the hoops or metal bands binding
the bale of goods during the time of packing, the bar or block being shewn in
its elevated position as it would apper when not in contact with the hoop or
band passing between its lower surface and the bale.
Fig. 2 represents the bar or block in its lowest position, when employed
for pressing upon and retaining the hoop or band whilst the ends are being
secured together.
Ria represents a ulan view of the bar.

page_text: Fig. 4 represents an end elevation of the bars as they would appear in their
highest and lowest position as at A, B, relative to the bars occupying the
spaces intervening between one moveable bar and another, and shewing the
hoop between the bar and bale at C.
:
And, Figs. 5 and 6 represent a longitudinal and cross sectional view of the
ordinary or permanent intermediate blocks or bars.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, a, a, is the head or entablature of the press to
which the sliding brackets bare secured supporting the framing c, c, and
Jongitudinal sliding rails d, d, which forms the supports or surfaces for the
moveable or nipping bars herein-before described, actuated by means of right
and left hand screws, hydraulic pressure, or other equivalent, so as to cause
them to advance towards or recede from each other simultaneously according
as it is desired to hold or release the hoop or metal band binding the bale.
The bar e is constructed in three parts, the outer one e being recessed and the
inner bottom surface being formed as a double series of inclined planes e¹, e,
placed in reverse position, so that one series will occupy half the width of the
recess, and the other series the remaining half, and the two other parts of the
bar or block are composed of the two plates f and g, the lower surfaces of
which are formed in corresponding inclined surfaces, which when in their
places fit and fill up the recess in the outer bar e, so that the outer surfaces
thereof may be level. In the side of each bar a parallel slot or groove h is
made in which a fixed pin on the opposite bar is inserted, whereby the bars
are kept parallel when sliding in opposite directions. The projecting ends of
these plates are provided with the studs k and I, which when connected to the
longitudinal bars or supporting rails d, d, force the inclined surface of such
plates in opposite directions, by which means the recessed block in which the
bars move, as seen in Fig. 2, are forced downward or lowered to the level of
the surfaces of the other portion of the "stillage," the upper surfaces of the
sliding plates f, g, being then against the table a¹ under side the cross head or
entablature. When the goods are fully pressed, and it is desired to insert the
binding hoops or bands, the inclined sliding bars through the medium of the
supporting rails d, d, and screws are forced in a reverse direction to the
previous one, and the lower surfaces of the blocks where openings are required
become raised from the goods, leaving a groove or channel between the com-
pressed goods and the surfaces of the removed block (as seen in Fig. 4)
through which the binding hoop or band is inserted, such band being firmly
retained whilst being rivetted by again reversing the action of the sliding bars,
so as to bring the block c upon the band. The movement of the supporting
rails may be effected by means of a piston rod applied thereto, the piston of

page_text: which is acted upon by the bydraulic pressure of the press exerted in one or
two small cylinders arranged for the purpose.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I claim,-
The novel use and application to "stillages" of hydraulic presses of bollow
bars having inclined surfaces at the bottom, upon which other inclined surfaces
of plates fitting in such hollow bars act so as to rise and fall to or from the
goods in the stillages of hydraulic presses.
Secondly, in making the other bars of the stillages, as shewn in Figs. 5
and 6, so as to reduce the bearing and friction of the moveable bars acting
against their sides, as herein-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated
in the Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Chadwick Houghton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
WILLIAM CHADWICK HOUGHTON. (L.s.)
Witnessed by
JOHN HUGHES,
Clerk to John Davies & Son,
Office for Patents,
Manchester.