IMPROVE- MENTS IN BALING PRESSES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Watson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st June 1883.
JAMES WATSON of Westbourne Park in the County of Middlesex, "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BALING PRESSES
"
In presses such as those described in a Provisional Specification lodged by me on
the 28th April 1883 N° 2155 in which there are several long baling boxes for
receiving the loose jute or other material all but one of which boxes are always in
course of being filled while that one is over the preparatory ram (or rams), the
ram after pressing the bale into the upper box immediately falls quickly to the
bottom of the long box and the lashing plate or follower in the absence of any
devico to retain it falls with the ram. Therefore when this box is turned into
position for being filled the fact that the lashing plate is at the bottom makes the
packing of fibres which require to be carefully and systematically laid in the box,
such for example as jute, hemp and tobacco, almost impossible, although for other
fibres such as cotton, it is of no importance. Now the object of the first part of
my invention is to place under control the descent of the lashing plate or follower
while the boxes are being filled in baling presses such as those described in my
said Provisional Specification or in other presses in which the descent of the
followers cannot be regulated by the fall of the rams which raised them. For this
purpose I construct the baling box with a vertical or inclined slot and I attach to
the follower or lashing plate an arm or other contrivance which passes through the
slot and is connected with a controlling device outside the box. The controlling
device can be arranged in various waye. According to that which I prefer, the
arm above described carries a nut which embraces a long vertical screw.
At the
top (or it might be at the bottom) of the screw a ratchet wheel is fixed. In
connection with this wheel is a lover with a double end one part of which forms a
catch or paul to the ratchet teeth while the other part can be brought into contact
with a plain part of the wheel so as to act as a brake.
"

page_text: The action is as follows:-As the ram rises in the box and pushes up the
follower the nut causes the long screw and wheel to revolve, the catch riding over
the ratchet teeth, the process of pressing being in fact not altered or interfered
with by my controlling arrangement. On the other hand when the ram descends
the follower is retained by the catch taking into the ratchet teeth until an
attendant by temporarily lifting the lever and freeing the catch allows the follower
to descend (the screw in the meantime being revolved by the weight of the
follower) as far as is required say about 2 or 3 feet. The packing of the box on
the top of the follower is then proceeded with until the follower has to be further
lowered which is effected by the lever being, again temporarily lifted and so on
until the follower is at the bottom of its'course. If the follower is descending too
fast the lever is further raised so as to apply the brake. A weight or spring
always returns the lever when free to its normal position, that is with its catch in
the ratchet teeth.
According to another form of my controlling arrangement the arm which
projects through the slot in the box bears at its outer end against a long vertical
plate which can be moved on a vertical axis by means of a lever. Within the box
the arm is connected to a plate between which and the follower is a spring which
presses the arm outwards; this spring can be set to the required pressure by
screws. In this arrangement the follower is retained by forcing the long vertical
plate against the arm by means of the lever; when the lever is freed the follower
descends, the spring preventing it falling too quickly. In another controlling
arrangement I employ a plate within the box with a spring between that plate
and the follower capable of regulation as in the last arrangement and I dispense
with the slot in the box and the outside parts, so that the spring presses the plate
against the inside of the box, but as there is nothing to hold the follower except
the pressure due to the spring and as this pressure would have to be very carefully
adjusted the arrangement is not to be recommended. In the last described
arrangement there should be two sets of the controlling devices viz:-one at each
end of the box. According to another arrangement I employ a nut in halves
closed upon a short pitch screw when the follower is at the top of the box and by
means of this nut which is also part of an arm on the follower the follower is
lowered by hand as required-Before the ram ascends this nut must be opened
free and clear of the screw to allow the follower to rise clear altogether of the
screw.
Another part of my invention is intended to overcome the inconvenience of
having to stop the working of a baling press owing to the failure of the hydraulic
leather in the press neck through which the ram works. When the leather fails
the press has to be stopped for about 20 or 30 minutes while a new leather is
being substituted. Now I employ a second leather a few inches above the first
so that when the first leather wears through, the water which passes it goes to the
second leather; but the leak in the first leather would be slight to commence with
and not enough to expand the second leather so that in the absence of some
provision to cause this leather to expand the water would leak past it. I therefore
employ a valve which has a small hole bored through its centre communicating
with the second leather-Thus when the water leaks past the first leather and
reaches the second it finds its way up the centre of the valve (the main passage of
which is closed) and escaping at the top gives warning that the first leather is
worn through; this passage also ensures the second leather against friction from
any very slight leak in the first leather which might tend partially to press it
against the ram. The attendant will then close the passage through the centre of
the valve by a plug or otherwise and open the main passage of the valve so as to
admit water from the bydraulic cylinder to the second leather and expand the
same. The press can therefore be kept at work without stopping to renew the first
leather which can be done at leisure at the end of the day.
Another part of my invention rolates to the use of steam to press directly upon
the follower both of the proparatory and the finiabing portions, of baling, presses.

page_text: I work the finishing part of the press (which may be composed of one or more
cylinders) by high pressure steam and I exhaust from the high pressure cylinder or
cylinders into a low pressure cylinder which works the preparatory press follower.
Thus the preparatory press follower is forced up one of the long baling boxes by
the exhaust steam so as to compress the jute or other material in the upper box;
this box is then swung round as described in my Provisional Specification heroin-
before referred to so as to bring the bale over the finishing follower and the final
pressure is then given by means of the high pressure steam. When beginning to
work, the high pressure steam must be admitted direct into the low pressure
cylinder for the first bale; for which purpose a cock or valve communicating
Letween the high pressure supply and the low pressure cylinder is opened, and it is
again closed as soon as the first bale has received the preliminary pressure.
I also construct a combined baling press and steain engine in such manner that
the engine when not required as an engine can be utilized for working the press.
For this purpose I carry the engine piston rods through the cylinder head and
connect them at their outer ends to a cross head or beani which forms the top
lashing plate of the press while the cylinder head between the piston rods forms
the bottom lashing plate. The material to be pressed having been placed between
the piston rods the pistons which act as rains make their instroke thus drawing
down the crosshead or beam and therefore compressing the material into a bale
upon the cylinder head. Or if the width between the piston rods is insufficient
for a bale I attach a follower or lashing plate to the outer ends of the rods and
form the bale in the outstroke of the pistons the crosshead or beam being in this
case a fixture. This part of my invention will be found of great use on board
those ships which carry cargoes of hay or other like bulky material because the
engines not being needed for working the propellors while the ship is being loaded
the whole steam power is available for the press, and the material can thus be
compressed after it is taken on board before being stowed in the hold. It is only
requisite to disconnect the engine from the connecting rod and to bring the press
head into position over the cylinder.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Watson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th December
1883.
JAMES WATSON of Westbourne Park in the County of Middlesex
MENTS IN BALING PRESSES
23-
"IMPROVE-
In Presses such as some of those described in the Specification of my Letters
Patent dated 28th April 1883 N° 2155 in which there are several long baling boxes
for receiving the loose jute or other material all but one of which boxes are always
in course of being filled while that one is over the preparatory ram (or rams) the
ram after pressing the bale into the upper box immediately falls quickly to the
bottom of the long box and the lashing plate or follower in the absence of any
device to retain it falls-with the. ram. Therefore when this box is turned into
position for being filled the fact that the lashing plate is at the bottom makes the
packing of fibres which require to be carefully and systematically laid in the box
such for example as jute, hemp and tobacco; almost impossible, although for other
fibres such as cotton it is of no importance. Now the object of the first part of
my invention is to place under control the descent, of the lashing plate or follower
while the boxes are being-filled in baling presses such as those described in my
said former Specification or in other presses in which the descent of the followers
cannot be regulated by the fall of the rams (or other power) which raised them.
For this purpose I construct the baling box with a vertical slot and I attach to
the follower or lashing plate an arm or other contrivance which passes through
the slot and is connected with a controlling device outside the box. The controlling
device can be arranged in various ways. That which I prefer is represented in
vertical section in Figure 1 and in horizontal section in Figure 2 of the drawings.
A is the baling box. B the follower or lashing plate and C the ram. In the
baling box A Ĭ form a vertical slot D and to the follower B I attach an arm E
which passes through the slot. This arm carries a nut F which embraces a long
vertical screw G. At the top (or it might be at the bottom) of the screw Ga
ratchet wheel H. is fixed shown separately in plan and side view in Figure 3. In
connection with this wheel H is a lever I with a doublo end one part of which
forms a catch or paul to the ratchet teeth while the other part 2 can be brought
into contact with a plain part of the wheel so as to act as a brake.
The action is as follows:-As the ram C rises in the box A and pushes up the
follower B the nut F causes the long screw G and wheel H to revolve, the catch i
riding over the ratchet teeth, the process of pressing being in fact not altered or
interfered with by my controlling arrangement.
On the other hand when the
ram C descends the follower B is retained by the catch taking into the ratchet
teeth of H until an attendant by temporarily lifting the lever 1 and freeing the
catch allows the follower E to desceud (the screw G in the meantime being
revolved by the weight of the follower) as far as is required say about 2 or 3 feet.
The packing of the box A on the top of the follower is then proceeded with until
the follower has to be further lowered which is effected by the lever I being again
temporarily lifted and so on until the follower is at the bottom of its course." If
the follower is descending too fast the lever I is further raised so as to apply the
brake 2. A weight K or spring always returns the lever 1 when free to its normal
position that is with its catch in the ratchet teeth.
According to another form of my controlling arrangement which is represented
in Figures 1 and 2 the arm E has a boss a from which a chain bis led over

page_text: pulleys c d a weight e being attached to its other end. Keyed or cast..with the
pulley c is a ratchet wheel H into which the paul on the shaft or pivot i of a
weighted lever I normally takes. When the lover I is lowered the paul ' is moved
clear of the wheel H and the follower is free to descend its descent being controlled
or retarded by the weight e. If the descent is too rapid the lever I is further
lowered and this brings a brake is against the pulley c and chain b.
Figures 4 and 5 show another arrangement. Here the arm E which projects
through the slot D in the baling box bears at its outer ond against a long vertical
plate L which can be moved on a vertical axis by means of a lever M. Within
the box the arm is connected to a plate N between which and the follower B is a
spring which presses the arm E outwards; this spring can be set to the required
pressure by screws. In this arrangement the follower is retained, by forcing the
long vertical plate L against the arm E by means of the lever M ; when the lover
is freed the follower descends, the spring O preventing it falling too quickly. In
another controlling arrangement represented in Figure 6 I employ a plate N within
the box with a spring O between that plate and the follower capable of
regulation as in the last arrangement and I dispense with the slot in the box and
the outside parts so that the spring O presses the plate N against the inside of the
box, but as there is nothing to hold the follower except the pressure due to the
spring and as this pressure would have to be very carefully adjusted tho
arrangement is not to be recommended. In the last described arrangement thero
should be 2 sets of the controlling devices viz: one at each end of the box.
According to another arrangement represented in Figures 7 and 8 I employ a
nut F in halves closed upon a short pitch screw G when the follower is at the top
of the box and by means of this nut which is also part of an arm E on the
follower, the follower is lowered by hand as required. Before the ram C ascends
the nut F must be opened free and clear of the screw G to allow the follower to
rise clear altogether of the screw.
Another part of my invention is intended to overcome the inconvenience of
having to stop the working of a baling press owing to the failure of the hydraulic
leather in the press neck through which the ram works. When this leather fails
the press has to be stopped for about 20 or 30 minutes while a new leather is being
substituted. Now I employ a second leather a few inches above the first as repre-
sented in vertical section in Figure 9, a being the first leather and b the second or
additional leather so that when the first leather wears through the water which
passes it goes to the second leather; but the leak in the first leather would be
slight to commence with and not enough to expand the second leather so that in
the absence of some provision to cause this leather to expand the water would leak
past it. I therefore employ a valve c which has a small hole & bored through its
centre communicating with the second leather b. Thus when the water leaks past
the first leather a and reaches the second it finds its way up the centre of the valve
(the main passage of which is closed) and escaping at the top gives warning that
the first leather is worn through. This passage also ensures the second leather
against friction from any very slight leak in the first leather which might tend
partially to press it against the ram. The attendant will then close the passage d
through the centre of the valve by a plug e or otherwise and open the main
passage of the valve so as to admit water from the bydraulic cylinder to the second
leather and expand the same. The press can therefore, be kept at work without
stopping to renew the first leather which can be done at leisure at the end of the
day. A third leather with valve may be employed if thought desirable.
Another part of my invention relates to the use of steam to press directly upon
the follower both of the preparatory and the finishing portions of baling presses.
I work the finishing part of the pross (which may be composed of one or more
cylinders) by high pressure steam and I exhaust from the high pressure cylinder or
cylinders into a low pressure cylinder which works the preparatory press follower.
Thus the preparatory press followers are forced up one of the long baling boxes by.

page_text: the exhaust steam so as to compress the jute or other material in the upper box,
this box is then swung round as described in my formner Specification hereinbefore
referred to so as to bring the bale over the finishing follower and the final pressure
is then given by means of the high pressure steam. When beginning to work, the
high pressure steam must be admitted direct into the low pressure cylinder for the
first bale for which purpose a cock or valve communicating between the high
pressure supply and the low pressure cylinder is opened, and it is again closed as
Boon as the first bale has received the preliminary pressure.
This part of my invention is illustrated in Figures 10 and 11. A is the high
pressure cylinder for the finishing portion of the press and B is the low pressure
cylinder for the preparatory portion, C is the high pressure steam supply pipe.
D is the valve for admitting this steam to the cylinder A. E is the pipe by which
the steam exhausts from the cylinder A. to the cylinder B. F is a valve in the
pipe E. G is the exhaust pipe for the cylinder B and H a valve on this pipe. I is
a valve for opening direct communication between the pipo C and cylinder B for
pressing the first bale. After the first bale has recoived the preparatory pressure
the valve I is shut and remains so and the bale having been swung round over the
cylinder A the valve D is opened to admit steam to the cylinder A. KKK are
the long baling boxes. M M the upper boxes and LL the sliding stops. When
the bale has been compressed and the knot tied the valve F is opened and the
steam exhausts into B and when the preparatory follower is high enough the stops
are slipped in and the exhaust valve H is opened so that both followers fall to the
bottom of their boxes. If more finishing power be required one or more cylinders
may be placed below the cylinder A as shown by the dotted lines A¹.
In the steam baling press just described the compression of the material during
the rise of the preparatory rams does not commence until the material has reached
the top of the upper box M. that is to say, until the rams have risen a dištanče
equal to the height of the upper box. Part of the stroke of the rams is thus not
utilized for compression. In Figures 12 and 13 I show a modified arrangement in
which the stroke of the preparatory rams is reduced. I fit the main doors N N of
the upper boxes in such manner that they can be swung round so as to be in line
with the long boxes K while the latter are being filled, the numbers of pairs of
doors being equal to the number of the long boxes. The doors N N thus form
continuations of the long boxes and are charged with a portion of the material
which is to be compressed, the depth of the boxes K K being proportionately
reduced. In order to hold the bale while being swung from the preparatory portion
to the finishing portion of the press I employ an arrangement of hooks OO similar
to that described with reference to Figures 12 and 13 of my former Specification
already herein before mentioned.
Having now described the nature of my said invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my Improvements in baling
presses:-
First-Constructing baling boxes with a vertical slot and attaching to the
followers or lashing plates which work in such boxes an arm or contrivance which
passes through the slot and is connected with a controlling device outside the box
for the purpose of controlling the descent of the follower while the box is being
filled, substantially as herein-before described.
Second-The several arrangements for controlling the descent of the followers
or lashing plates substantially as represented respectively in Figures 1 to 3,
Figures 1 and 2ª, Figures 4 and 5, Figure 6 and Figures 7 and 8 and hereinbefore
described.
Third Fitting hydraulic baling pressos with two or more leathers in the press
neck having a valve or valves working in connection therewith, substantially as
and for the purpose herein beforo described and represented in Figure 9.
:-
Fourth Constructing baling presses so that steam presses directly upon the
followers both of the preparatory and finishing portions of the press the steam after

page_text: having been used for effecting the finishing pressure, exhausting into a cylinder
which works the preparatory press follower, substantially as herein before described
and represented in Figures 10 to 13.
In witness whereof I the said James Watson have hereunto set my hand and seal
this first day of December One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
JAMES WATSON
(ra)