Improvements in and connected with Soap Frames used in the Manufacture and Slabbing of Soap.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 20th May, 1899-Accepted, 24th June, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Soap Frames used in the
Manufacture and Slabbing of Soap.
I, HARRY HADFIELD, of Ringstone's Chemical & Soap Manufactory, of Whaley
Bridge, near Stockport, in the County of Chester, Chemical & Soap Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My said invention relates to soap frames used in the manufacture of soap and
has reference to improvements upon a former invention for which I have obtained
Her Majesty's Letters Patent No. 19903 of 1896.
In the Specification of my said former Patent No. 19903 of 1896 I described
an improvement in soap frames designed to facilitate the removal of the soap
from the frame when the same had set. This consisted in providing the frame
with a false bottom which was raised by means of chains or bands operated by
gearing so that the soap could be raised out of the frame, and the necessity for
removing the ends and sides of the frame was obviated. Means were also
described by which the cutting or slabbing of the soap was effected.
The object of my present invention relates to improved means for raising the
false bottom and also to a simplified method of slabbing the soap.
As before, my improved soap frame consists of a frame built up in sections
bolted permanently together, the joints being rendered fluid tight by suitable
packing.
If desired however the frame may be formed in one complete casting. On
the outside of the frame I mount in suitable bearings a chain wheel, to the axis
of which is secured a suitable handle. In bearings secured below the frame
I mount a shaft, one end of which, projecting outside the frame, carries another
chain wheel, connected to the upper chain wheel by a suitable driving chain.
The other end of the shaft is provided with a bevel wheel gearing with another
bevel wheel revolving in suitable bearings secured to the frame. This bevel
wheel is formed centrally as a nut and carries a vertical screw shaft. The upper
portion of the shaft is or may be provided with a head or small platform and
projects through an aperture cut in the fixed bottom of the frame and bears
centrally against the false bottom.
By revolving the handle motion is transmitted by the chain or other gearing
to the shaft by means of which the bevel wheels are revolved and the screw
raised, carrying with it the false bottom and raising the soap out of the
frame.
To obtain the requisite power the chain wheels are geared sufficiently low.
By means of my improvements the method of operating the false bottom is
greatly simplified and the necessity for lifting chains or bands, within the frame
obviated.
To slab the soap as it is raised from the frame I form the sides of the frame
with rails and I provide a metallic or other frame capable of sliding upon the

page_text: rails. The corners of the frame are provided with chain wheels carrying endless
chains to which the sliding frame is secured.
A handle is provided to revolve the chain wheels. The sliding frame carries
cutting wires, say two in number, and the method of operating the same is
as follows:
The soap is raised out of the frame as already described until it comes into
contact with stops secured at a predetermined height above the frame. When
two cutting wires are used the soap is raised to correspond with the thickness of
two slabs. The chain wheels are operated by means of the handle and the cutting
frame is thus slid along the rails the wires cutting the soap raised out of the
frame into two slabs. The slabs are then removed to the cutting up tables
where they are cut into bars in the usual manner. When the soap has been
again raised out of the frame to the requisite height the rotation of the handle
is reversed and the cutting frame is slid back, again cutting the soap raised out
of the frame into two slabs, and so on until the whole of the soap has been
raised and slabbed.
Improvements in and connected with Soap Frames used in the
Manufacture and Slabbing of Soap.
I, HARRY HADFIELD, of Ringstone's Chemical & Soap Manufactory, of Whaley
Bridge, near Stockport, in the County of Chester, Chemical & Soap Manufacturer,
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 and accompanying drawings:-
My said invention relates to soap frames used in the manufacture of soap and
has reference to improvements upon a former invention for which I have obtained
Her Majesty's Letters Patent No. 19903 of 1896.
In the Specification of my said former Patent No. 19903 of 1896 I described
an improvement in soap frames designed to facilitate the removal of the soap
from the frames when the same had set. This consisted in providing the frame
with a false bottom which was raised by means of chains or bands operated by
gearing so that the soap could be raised out of the frame, and the necessity for
removing the ends and sides of the frame was obviated.
Means were also described by which the cutting or slabbing of the soap was
effected.
The object of my present invention relates to improved means for raising the
false bottom and also to a simplified method of slabbing the soap.
The accompanying sheet of drawings, to which I will now refer, clearly illus-
trates my invention.
In the said drawings.
Fig. is a side elevation of a soap frame, partly in section, showing my in-
vention applied.
Fig. 2 is an end view thereof also partly in section.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent in plan and elevation my improved frame for use in
slabbing the soap.

page_text: The remaining figs. are details views.
As before my improved soap frame A consists of a frame built up in sections
bolted permanently together, the joints being rendered fluid tight by suitable
packing.
If desired however the frame may be formed in one complete casting. On
the outside of the frame I mount in suitable bearings formed in a bracket a
bolted to the frame a chain wheel b to the axis of which is secured a suitable
handle c. In bearings d d secured below the frame A I mount a shaft e, one
end of which, projecting outside the frame, carries another chain wheel f,
connected to the upper chain wheel b by a suitable driving chain f¹.
The other end of the shaft is provided with a bevel pinion g gearing with
bevel wheel g revolving in suitable bearings formed in the bracket g² secured to
the frame.
In Fig. 2 the shaft e and bevel pinion g are removed so as to clearly show
the bevel wheel g¹ and its bracket g². The bevel wheel g¹ is formed centrally as
a nut and engages with a vertical screw shaft h. The upper portion of the
shaft projects through an aperture h¹ cut in the fixed bottom h2 of the frame A
and is connected centrally to the false bottom i.
By revolving the handle c motion is transmitted by the chain gearing to the
shaft e, by means of which the bevel wheels g g¹ are revolved and the screw h
raised, carrying with it the false bottom i and raising the soap out of the
frame.
The screw shaft is formed long enough to raise the false bottom i to the
top of the frame and is housed within a protective tube or case j.
This case is screwed to the bracket g2 and sunk within the pedestal j¹ or it
might be into the floor.
The tube or case is filled with oil to lubricate the screw.
To obtain the requisite power the chain wheels are geared sufficiently low.
Instead of operating the chains wheels manually they may be driven by power.
By means of my improvements the method of operating the false bottom is
greatly simplified and the necessity for lifting chains or hands to raise the false
bottom is obviated.
To slab the soap as it is raised out of the frame I provide a rectangular
metallic frame which is more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 being respectively
plan and elevation of the same.
The frame consists of two side tubes kk and cross tubes 11 the cross tubes
being secured to clip brackets m which are slipped upon the tubes k and the lower
split portions clamped thereon by means of studs or bolts as shown in Fig. 2.
Mounted in suitable bearings in the brackets m are chain wheels n carried on
shafts and provided with endless chains n² which are secured to two
brackets capable of sliding on the side tubes k. To the sliding brackets n³
is connected a cutting bow or frame which is shown on an enlarged scale in
Fig. 5. The cutting bow is formed of two uprights o o which are socketed in
Tension can
the sliding brackets ³ ³ and connected together by cross stays o
be put upon the uprights o by the top cross stay by means of the nuts o³, or
the top cross stay may be dispensed with and the uprights be shortened in
length.
Secured to the lower end of the frame are brackets p to which carry two cutting
wires p¹.
Means are provided to tighten these wires as follows. The upper wire
is secured to a sleeve 2 mounted to revolve upon a reduced extension of a
fixed stud p³. To the sleeve is secured a ratchet wheel p and engaging with the
ratchet wheel is a spring detent p³ carried by the bracket as shown more clearly
in Fig. 6. The other bracket carries a reverse arrangement to the one described
as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 5. Each cutting wire is thus
secured at one end to a revolvable sleeve and at the other to a fixed spindle.
The sleeve is formed with holes so that by means of a tommy or pin the
sleeve can be revolved tightening the wire, the detent holding the sleeve as it

page_text: is revolved. Each cutting wire 2 can thus be tightened independently. The
sleeve might be formed with flats so that it could be revolved by means of
a screw key.
The ends of the shafts upon which the chain wheels are mounted are
squared to receive a handle 7 by revolving which the cutting frame may be
traversed to and fro along the side rails k. The cross tubes carry adjustable
stops which may be secured at any predetermined height above the frame and
secured in position by nuts as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The cutting frame may
be permanently bolted to the soap frame A but I prefer to make it separate and
provided means whereby it can be readily attached to or detached therefrom. By
these means one cutting frame will do duty for several soap frames. To effect
this I provide the cutting frame A with clamping means which are shown to
an enlarged scale in Figs. 7 and 8. To each end of the frame I bolt two brackets q²
carrying sliding clamps The clamps are provided with bolts with taper
heads moving in V shaped recesses formed in the brackets q, and the bolts r
and clamps are clamped in position by means of the handle rl. When it is
desired to fix the cutting frame in position the clamps are slid back and the
cross rails are placed upon the brackets q. By sliding forward the clamps
and operating the handles as shown in Fig. 7 the cutting frame is fixed in
position and can be readily removed when desired.
The method of operating is as follows.
A
The soap is raised out of the frame A as already described until it comes into
contact with the stops ¹ which are secured at a predetermined height above the
frame.
When two cutting wires are used as described the soap is raised to correspond
with the thickness of two slabs.
The chain wheels are operated by means of the handle and the cutting frame
is thus slid along the rails the wires cutting the soap raised out of the frame
into two slabs. The slabs are then removed to the cutting up tables where they
are cut into bars in the usual manner. When the soap has been again raised out
of the frame to the requisite height the rotation of the handle is reversed and
the cutting frame is slid back, again cutting the soap raised out of the frame into
two slabs and so on until the whole of the soap has been raised and slabbed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is-
1) Connecting the false bottom of a soap frame to a screw shaft and operating
the shaft by means of gearing so as to raise the false bottom within the frame in
the manner and substantially as described and shown.
2) The improved means for slabbing soap consisting of a frame provided with
cutting wires slid upon rails in the manner and substantially as described and
illustrated.
3) The general construction and arrangement of mechanism and parts com-
prising the improved soap frame substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 19th day of May 1899.
Dated this 19th day of May 1899.
For the Applicant,
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester.