IMPROVE- MENTS IN HYDRAULIC AND OTHER PRESSES, AND APPARATUS USED THEREWITH ADAPTED TO PACKING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Riddle, of Gerrard Street, in the Parish of
Islington, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HYDRAULIC AND OTHER PRESSES, AND APPARATUS USED THEREWITH
ADAPTED TO PACKING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES"
Sealed the 24th October 1862, and dated the 8th May 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Riddle at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th May 1862:
I, WILLIAM RIDDLE, of Gerrard Street, in the Parish of Islington, in tho
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC AND OTHER PRESSES, AND APPARATUS. USED THERE-
WITH, ADAPTED TO PACKING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to boas
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in hydraulic and other
presses, and apparatus used therewith, adapted to packing cotton and other
fibrous substances. For these purposes the doors and apparatus of that part
of an hydraulic or other form of press used for packing cotton or other fibrous
substances, where the packed bale is delivered from the press, are constructed
and arranged with a view more advantageously to introduce and bend or fold
the metal bands by which the bale is to be bound or hooped. For this purpose
on one side of the press a single door is used, whilst on the opposite side two

page_text: press.
half doors are applied. On the side where a single door is used, an apparatus
is applied for receiving as many metal bands as are to be used. The parts of
this apparatus wherein the bands are received, correspond with the grooves in
the follower or piston of the press, provision is made for moving all the metal
bands simultaneously from the holding apparatus into the grooves of the
When one end of the set of bands has been thus passed between the
bale and the follower or piston, then, in order that the other end of the set of
bands may be passed into the grooves in the upper part or plate of the press,
and between it and the bale, guides are applied in such manner that when
the single door is progressively shut it will bend the. bands, and at the same
time it will cause the other ends thereof to be guided into the grooves, and will
force them all at the same time through between the plate or upper part of
the press and the bale. To assist the bending action of the single door, a
subsidiary movable shield may be used, worked by a lever or levers to bend
the ends of the bands into a curved position, before the single door is made to
move to follow up the bending or folding process. The two ends of each of
the metal bands will then project beyond the bale on the side of the press,
where the two half-doors are situated, and these ends of the bands will be bent
up by the closing the two half-doors. Each band is bent at its two ends into
hook-like bends or forms, so that when all the ends of the bands range in one
line across the bale, a metal lath or bar may be readily passed across through
the several hooked ends of the bands; and this passage of the bar or lath is
readily accomplished by reason of a passage being formed between the doors
and the sides of the press, opposite where the hooked ends of all the metal
bands come, and when the pressure on the bale is relaxed and the bale
expands, the tightening of the bands around the bale will cause the hooked
ends of the bands to hold the lath or bar very securely. Any suitable
apparatus may be used for closing the doors, but it is preferred to do so by
toothed quadrants gearing in other racks, which may be moved by any
suitable power.
In order to facilitate the recharging of the well or trunk of a press with
dispatch, apparatus is used capable of holding a considerable quantity of
cotton or other fibrous substance, by preference this apparatus is of a section
corresponding with the section of the well or trunk of the press. This
apparatus is mounted on wheels or otherwise arranged so as to be readily
moved to and from the press, by the aid of guides, tracks, or rails. This
apparatus has within it or is capable of receiving a plunger or movable end,
in such manner that when the holding apparatus has been brought in position
at or over the well or trunk of the press, the plunger or movable cud may, by

page_text: being passed through the holding apparatus, drive or empty the contents
thereof into the trunk or well of the press. The holding apparatus may be
filled at a distance from the press, and be brought up and got into position
immediately the previous bale has been discharged from the press; or the
holding apparatus may be otherwise arranged so that it may be caused to
deliver, its contents into the well or trunk of the press by the plunger or
moveable end. By these means the comparatively slow and inconvenient
mode ordinarily resorted to of supplying cotton by a number of persons
throwing quantities of cotton into the well or trunk of a press will be avoided.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Riddle in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th November 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
RIDDLE, of Gerrard Street, in the Parish of Islington, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Riddle, Her special licence that I, the said William
Riddle, executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Riddle, 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 "I-
PROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC AND OTHER PRESSES, AND APPARATUS USED THERE WITH,
ADAPTED TO PACKING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon the condition,
(amongst others,) that J, the said William Riddle, executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Riddle, do hereby declaro
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo

page_text: perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in hydraulic and other
presses and apparatus used therewith, adapted to packing cotton and other
fibrous substances. For these purposes the doors and apparatus of that part
of a hydraulic or other form of press used for packing cotton or other
fibrous substances, where the packed bale is delivered from. the press, are
constructed and arranged with a view more advantageously to introduce and
bend or fold the metal bands by which the bale is to be bound or hooped.
For this purpose on one side of the press a single door is used, whilst on the
opposite side two half-doors are applied. On the side where a single door is
used an apparatus is applied for receiving as many metal bands as are to be
used.
The parts of this apparatus wherein the bands are received correspond
with the grooves in the follower or piston of the press. Provision is made
for moving all the metal bands simultaneously from the holding apparatus
into the grooves of the press. When one end of the set of bands has been
thus passed between the bale and the follower or piston, then, in order that
the other end of the set of bands may be passed into the grooves in the upper.
part or plate of the press, and between it and the bale guides are applied in
such manner that when the single door is progressively shut it will bend the
bands, and at the same time it will cause the other ends thereof to be guided
into the grooves, and will force them all at the same time through between
the plate or upper part of the press and the bale. To assist the bending
action of the single door a subsidiary moveable shield may be used worked by
a lever, or levers to bend the ends of the bands into a curved position before
the single door is made to move to follow up the bending or folding process.
The two ends of each of the metal bands will then project beyond the bale
on the side of the press where the two half-doors are situated, and these ends
of the bands will be bent up by the closing the two half-doors. Each band
is bent at its two ends into hook-like bends or formis, so that when all the
ends of the bands range in one line across the bale, a metal lath or bar may be
readily passed across through the several hooked ends of the bands, and this
passage of the bar or lath is readily accomplished by reason of a passage
being formed between the doors and the sides of the press, opposite where the
hooked ends of all the metal bands come, and when the pressure on the bale
is relaxed and the bale expands the tightening of the bands. around the bale
will cause the hooked ends of the bands to hold the lath or bar very securely.
Any suitable apparatus may be used for closing the doors. but it is preferred
to do so by toothed quadrants gearing in other racks which may be moved

page_text: by any suitable power. In order to facilitate the recharging of the well or
trunk of a press with dispatch, apparatus is used capable of holding a con-
siderable quantity of cotton or other fibrous substance; by preference this
apparatus is of a section corresponding with the section of the well or trunk
of the press; this apparatus is mounted on wheels or otherwise arranged so
as to be readily moved to and from the press by the aid of guides, tracks, or
rails. This apparatus has within it, or is capable of receiving a plunger or
moveable end in such manner that when the holding apparatus has been
brought in position at or over the well or trunk of the press, the plunger or
moveable end may, by being passed through the holding apparatus, drive or
empty the contents thereof into the trunk or well of the press. The holding
apparatus may be filled at a distance from the press and be brought up and
got into position immediately the previous bale has been discharged from the-
press; or the holding apparatus may be otherwise arranged so that it may be
caused to deliver its contents into the well or trunk of the press by the plunger
or moveable end. By these means the comparatively slow and inconvenient
mode ordinarily resorted to of supplying cotton by a number of persons
throwing quantities of cotton into the well or trunk of a press will be
avoided.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention,, I will. now proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same..
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS..
Figure 1 shews a vertical section of the upper part of a cotton or other
press, the doors being shewn open. Figure 2 shews another similar section
wherein the doors are represented as being shut. a, a, is the ordinary vertical
trunk or well of the press into which the cotton is first introduced, b is ono
of the doors and c, c, are two half-doors.. These doors may be opened and>
closed in any suitable manner. In the Drawing toothed sectors d, d, are
used which are fixed on the axis on which the doors move, and such toothed.
sectors d receive motion from toothed wheels c, the axes of which are put in.
motion (when it is desired to open or close the doors). by the aid of cranked.
handles or otherwise. In order to introduce the metal bands with greater
dispatch and accuracy than heretofore, an apparatus is employed.consisting.
of a platform ranged alongside the press next beyond the whole door of
the press when that is open, in which there are as many grooves or recesses
as there are metal bands to be used to strap or bind a bale, and the grooves
or recesses in the platform, correspond with and are in line with those in
the upper surface of the piston or follower of the press, so that the bands.

page_text: carried by the grooves in the platform may be moved simultaneously from
the platform into the grooves which are in the follower or piston below the
bale in the press. In order that the several metal bands which are con-
tained in the grooves, or recesses of the platform may be simultaneously
moved into position, a rake or bar having as many teeth or projections as
"there are grooves or recesses in the platform, is caused to be moved from the
outer end of the platform towards the press, by which all the bands will be
moved simultaneously forward under the bale in the press, and to a like
extent, which is important, as the ends of all the bands will thus be caused to
range in the same line so as to facilitate the fastening of all the bands by the
simple passage of a bar or lath into the hooked or bent up ends of the several
bands when surrounding the bale. The several bands having been intro-
duced under the bale in the press, the doorb may be closed. The grooves to
receive the bands in the upper part of the press are made to incline slightly,
so that the bands as they pass through them may be caused to be deflected to
such an extent, that one end of each band when bent downwards, and the
othen end when bent upwards a series of hooked ends may range side by side,
and not one on the other as they would do, but for the grooves in-the upper
part of the press being somewhat inclined or at an angle to the grooves or
recesses in the follower or piston of the press, or in place of the upper grooves
only being inclined or out of a straight line, the grooves both in the follower
or piston, and those in the upper part of the press may each be slightly
inclined from a straight line so as to obtain a like result. The closing of the
door will cause all the metal bands to be turned or bent upwards towards
the side of the bale; and in order that one end of each band may be inclined
over towards, and enter one of the grooves in the upper part of the press
above the bale, a shield or frame f, f, is used, which shield is attached to the
sides of the grooved platform, and turns on necks or axes f' on the sides of
the grooved platform, and lies under the bands when they are lying in the
grooves of the platform. Such shield or frame is raised by means of the
lever handle f³, a bar f³ (sliding in side standards) being across the bands
so as to prevent them rising at that part where it is desired that they should
be bent. The raising of the shield f causes all the metal bands a to be bent
upwards, and as the shield is more and more raised, the outer end of each
band a will be raised, and when the shield is turned over as far as it will go,
the ends of the bands will all be directed into their grooves in the upper
part of the press, so that when the bar f3 has been removed, and the door b
progressively closed, the bands will all be pressed up against the side of the
bale, whilst their ends will be moved through their grooves, and come out on

page_text: the other side of the bale, and the 'two ends of each of the bands will be bent
towards cach other by the closing of the two half-doors c, c. The lath or bar
which is to secure the several bands is then to be passed through a suitable
opening which is to be formed to allow the bar or lath to pass between the
door and the bale in the position to which the hooked ends are brought when
bent towards each other, as above described. The doors may be fastened by
steel bolts contained in the doors moved by levers or racks, so as in the casé
of the large door to take into the head of the press and in the smaller half-
doors to take into each other, or the doors may be fastened by bars hinged to
the pillars, and made to clutch the ends of the doors. Figure 2 (plan)
shews the latter arrangement. a, b, are the ordinary pillars of a press in
plan; c, d, are bars hinged so as to turn on the pillars; e, f, indicate the
doors on each side clutched by the angular ends of the hinged bars, which are
held against the ends of the doors more securely by pieces of metal, turning
also on the pillars by handles x, y. On turning the handles a, y, the bars
are pressed against or free to be liberated from the ends of the doors. The
foregoing also serves to keep an end door of the press closed, which is opened
at one end of the bale to help liberate the bale; or the doors may be fastened
by cross bars binged or swinging on the pressed pillars, shutting longitudinally
over the exterior of the press doors, and retained in any convenient way at
their extremities. The bale having been bound, as above explained, it is to be
removed from the press in the ordinary manner. In some cases, in place of
using two half-doors on one side of the press, as above explained, two com-
plete doors may be employed, and yet be the means of bending the metal.
bands around the bale by the act of closing the doors.
Figure 3 shews a section of the upper part of a press, to which doors b, b,
are applied, both of which turn on horizontal axes or binges; the doors in this
case are shewn as they would be raised by means of cams or projecting bars.
or plates attached to the axes a and a¹. When the axis a is turned by
exterior handle, or wheel, or lever, the cam raises the door, and when the
door is up it may serve as a buttress, which is important to keep the door
from coming open during the process of pressing. The said doors may be
hollowed on the inner face to allow them to shut close up to a bale when it
has expanded a little after pressing. The hollow may be filled by a plate 1
placed in the hollow, to be there during the pressing, and removed after.
this case the metal bands a, when they have been introduced below the bale,
as above explained, are to have their ends bent upwards by any suitable means
to such an extent, that when passed into suitably formed grooves at the upper
part of the press, the hooks at the two ends of each metal band a will pass
In

page_text: each other and come side by side, so that on a lath or bar being passed
through a passage at the upper part of the press where the hooks come, all
the hooks will be prevented getting away when the bale expands on its being
relieved from pressure. Figure 4 shows a hoop end in plan over a fastening
lath, and Figure 5 a side view.
In order that parts of my Invention may be applied to presses which have
been already constructed, and where the doors turn on upright axes or hinges;
I employ separate bending plates on horizontal hinges or axes for bending
the metal bands x. Figure 6 shews a plan of the upper parts of an ordinary
press in section, h, h, being the two doors which are thrown open, leaving the
bale between the piston or follower and the upper part of the press. The
metal bands are placed in grooves in a platform, as above explained, which
is moved up to the follower or piston of the press. In addition to the simple
grooved platform and apparatus, above described, for introducing the metal
bands under, the bale apparatus is used on both sides of the press to bend the
metal bands, first, into short bends to go over the top of the bale, and,
secondly, by bending doors b, b, as before explained; one of these bending
apparatus is applied to, and forms part of the platform, before described, and
is moved therewith.
Figure 7 shows a longitudinal section of one of the bending apparatus which
is used in connection with the grooved platform. is part of the grooved
platform; b is the bending door over which the metal bands extend, so that.
when the end 6 of the door b comes up against the follower or piston of the
press, the bands may be pushed through the grooves under the bale to such
an extent that an equal quantity of each band extends beyond the bale on
each side. Figure 7* indicates one position of bands under a bale, and shows
a bale packed with lath through the hooked ends of the bands or hoops
surrounding such bale. The grooved platform and the bending apparatus is
to be arranged to be moved on wheels, or to be slid readily into and out of
position, and provision is to be made that when in position it is to be held
from going back by dogs or suitable holders when the bending is taking place.
A similar bending apparatus is be used on the other side of the bale which
will not require to be connected with the grooved or recessed platform to
carry metal bands, but in other respects its construction and action will be
like the one shown in section in Figures 7 and 8, which respectively show the
door bin the position previous to its being raised to bend the bands a, and
after the bands have been bent by the raising of the door b. When the
bands have been introduced under the bale, the first act of the bending
apparatus is to produce the short bend at each end of each band a; this is

page_text: accomplished by means of the instrument j, which turns on an axis at ; in
bearings on both sides of the platform; a rod is placed across the several
bands through consecutive bearings between each band, thus the rod is
securely held in position, the instrument j is then raised to a position at right
angles to that shown in Figure 7 (as shown in Figure 8), and this is most
conveniently done by a lever handle ja on the axis of the bending instrumentj;
the bands are then farther bent by means of the door b (the rod j? being first
withdrawn), which may be raised in any suitable manner; in the Drawings
it is shown to be done by a screw k, which takes into a screw wheel / on the
axis of the lever arm m, which at its end comes against the outside of the
door and raises it. In order that the point of the door may remain
stationary as it is lifted there is an axis n used, on which there are links o
which are pin-jointed to arms on the axis, and at their upper ends they are
pin-jointed to the lower part of the door by pins p fixed to the door in position
shewn, and the end of such pins projecting at each end of the bending door
or plate move in curved metal grooves 7 placed on each side of the platform.
The axis n and the axis of the arm m are geared together, hence when the
door b is raised the point of the door will constantly remain in the same
position.
or cover.
I will now describe the apparatus for recharging the press. a, rectangular
box or trunk of corresponding dimensions with those of the well or trunk
of the press, is mounted on wheels, the upper side is arranged to open as a lid
One end of this box or trunk is also arranged to open by being at-
tached or hinged to the bottom of the box or trough; this opening end is formed
with fixed sides, which when the end is shut come outside of the end of the box
or trunk, and when open the end inclines from the hollow of the box or trunk,
and the sides attached to the end open down with it, so as to form a hollow
shoot or incline which guides the cotton as it is moved out of the trunk or box
into the press well, one of the doors of the press being open when the charging
of the press takes place. A plunger or piston is used in the trough or box
arranged with wing pieces attached to it to guide it, so that it may be slid
from end to end thereof by preference by means of two wire cords which are
attached thereto. The trunk or box is filled evenly (which is important) with
cotton at a distance from the press, so as to be ready when a bale is discharged
from the press to be moved into position to have the contents discharged into
the truuk or well of the press, and this is accomplished by the ends of the wire
cords being attached to the extreme ends of the follower by clamping the wire
rope in holes in the follower or other suitable way, so as by preference to let
the wire rope have flush ends on the piston of the press, so that as that piston

page_text: or follower descends it moves the piston in the box or trunk towards the press,
by which the cotton contained therein is progressively moved out of the trunk
or box into the trunk or well of the press; when the whole of the cotton has
passed into the well of the press the ends of the wire cords are to be detached
from the follower of the press, and drawn up into the box or trunk by the
moving back of the piston therein. The carriage with its trunk may then be
moved away from the press to be recharged. It is preferred that the charging
trunk or box should be in an inclined position inclining towards the well of
the press, when the cotton is being moved out of the trunk or box into the
well, this may either be its permanent condition on its carriage, or it may be
arranged to be horizontal when being filled and inclined when it is brought
to the press.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Riddle, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
WILLIAM RIDDLE. (L.S.)