IMPROVEMENTS IN INDIGO PRESSES AND IN CLOTHS TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Olpherts, of Ardee House, Ardee, in the
County of Louth, Ireland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
INDIGO PRESSES AND IN CLOTHS TO BE USED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 9th October 1869, and dated the 19th June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Olpherts at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on '
the 9th June 1869.
I, RICHARD OLPHERTS, of Ardee House, Ardee, in the County of
Louth, Ireland, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN INDIGO PRESSES AND IN CLOTHS TO BE USED THEREWITH," to
to be as follows:-
Heretofore in the manufacture of indigo in order to express moisture
therefrom to form the indigo into solid cakes it has been usual to place
the indigo, from which as much moisture as possible has been run off
or has been separated by filtration, into a press lined with a cloth. The
sides of the case or box of the press have been made up of two rect-
angular frames of wood, the lower one about 8 inches in depth and the
Price Sd1

page_text: upper one about 4 inches. The bottom, sides, and top of the press have
been perforated to allow moisture to run off. The perforated top, which
is the follower or ram of the press, has been forced downwards usually by
screws and nuts. In working with this press the box or case of the
press is first lined with the cloth which is pressed down into it, the moist
indigo in a semi-fluid state is then filled into the cloth, and the cloth is
folded over on the top of it, the follower or ram is then forced down, and
when it has been forced below the bottom of the upper rectangular
frame this frame is taken apart and removed, the ram is raised, and the
folds or creases in the cloth are taken out by raising its ends and again
folding them down on to the indigo, the follower is again forced down,
and so the process is continued, the folds or creases being from time to
time taken out, as above described, until the indigo has been pressed
into a cake about 3 inches in depth. Now when pressing indigo into
cakes in the manner above described the press cloth is from the very
commencement of the pressing process driven down in wrinkles for the
whole depth of the press into the indigo, and the force required to pull
up the sheet and to readjust it from time to time to remove these wrinkles
is considerable, and the cloths in some cases tear, and a quantity of
indigo is lost. In straightening the cloth also the cake of indigo is curled
up and the cake when nearly dry is frequently cracked and broken and
cannot again be brought into a solid cake, and for these reasons the loss
to the planter is considerable, as broken indigo is of much less value
than indigo in unbroken cakes.
The object of my Invention is to get rid of these inconveniences.
For this purpose, in order to prevent the cake of indigo from being thus
bent or curled up when straightening the cloth, and to prevent the
portions of the cloth which come against the sides of the case or box of
the press from being driven down in wrinkles for the whole depth of the
box into the indigo, I attach to the back of the cloth bands of fabric
which as the rectangular frames which are to form the box or case of
the press are being put one above the other are laid in between them,
and these bands of fabric where they project outwards beyond the outer
sides of these frames are formed into bags through which rollers are
passed, and the bands are thus held from being drawn inwards into the
press. The cloth need only be held in the manner above described at
the bottom of the box and also between the first and second tiers which
form the sides. The rectangular frames of which the sides of the box

page_text: or case of the press are composed I prefer to form of plates of iron
perforated with holes and morticed or fitted together at their ends and
secured by keys or pins. At the bottom of the press I place a rect-
angular frame of about or of an inch only in depth, within this frame
I place a grating of iron rods or wires set about of an inch apart, and
above this gratings of strong coarse wirework, and again above these a
plate of perforated zinc for the cloth which is to line the press to rest
on; this false bottom not only affords perfect drainage, but also allows
of the cloth being held as above described by bands and rollers to the
sides of the case or box at its bottom; by this means I am able to ensure
that a perfectly rectangular block or cake of indigo shall be produced.
In working with a press arranged as above described the process will
be conducted as heretofore, but as the cloth is held to the lower part of
the sides of the box the cloth at this part of the press cannot form into
folds or wrinkles, and when the follower or ram of the press has been
forced down to a level where the cloth is held to the sides of the box or
case the cloth will have to be released from the case at this level by
drawing out the rollers from the bags connected to the cloth, and the
cloth may then be neatly folded over the top of the indigo, and the
follower or ram be then again forced down until the cake is sufficiently
pressed. The indigo being now pressed into a block the lower rect-
angular frame is removed and the pressed cloth is opened, the block is
then taken off the sheet and placed on a plate of zinc, one of the
rectangular frames which has been lined all round with sheet zinc is
then placed around the block and tightened up by its keys, a plate of
metal with projections on its under side to mark the surface of the
indigo into squares of three inches is laid on the top and is pressed
down by the follower or ram of the press on to the block of indigo; by
this means all the sides of the block will be rendered smooth and even
and the block will be marked out in squares. Each square is then
before removing the block from the press stamped to mark upon it the
date and the maker's name; there will thus be no risk of breaking any
of the cakes in stamping them, now a very common occurrence. Or the
metal plate which is pressed on to the upper surface of the indigo might
be engraved or embossed in each square with the maker's name, and
also be formed to receive moveable dies to mark the date. The rect-
angular frame surrounding the block is afterwards removed, and the
block is cut up into squares in the ordinary manner.

page_text: The cloth or lining of the case of the press may either, as above
described, be a square sheet with roller cases attached to it, as above
described, or it may be a sheet made to fit the bottom of the press and
formed with four piecès extending out from its four sides to fit against
the four sides of the case of the press, such as has heretofore in some
cases been employed; but according to my Invention I attach roller
cases to the back of these sides, as above described, or in place of this
the side cloths might themselves be led around the rollers.
According to another arrangement I line the sides of the case or box
of the press with a strip of cloth led around them, such strip being
separate from the cloth with which the perforated bottom of the press
is covered; in this case also the cloth which forms the lining of the sides
of the press would have roller cases attached to it, as described. The
cloth for covering the bottom of the press is laid over the frame which
forms the perforated bottom, and the edges of this cloth and the roller
cases attached to the bottom edge of the side lining are held between
the bottom frame and the lower frame which forms the lower portion
of the sides of the box or case of the press, and are so closely pressed
together, and a tight joint is thus formed by the weight of the press,
which is considerable.
The stout perforated strips of iron of which the rectangular frames
which together form the box of the press are composed are galvanized,
and their edges where the roller cases are to pass between them may
be padded or buffed with leather, vulcanized india-rubber, or other soft
material. I also attach to the back of the cloths thick strips of matting,
which when the cloth is in the press come around the outer edges of the
bottom of the press, and also stand up for a short distance around its
sides, and so form a thickening to prevent the cloth from being driven
out at the junction between the bottom and sides of the press.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Olpherts in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th December 1869.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Richard Olpherts, Her special licence
that I, the said Richard Olpherts, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard Olpherts, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
INDIGO PRESSES AND IN CLOTHS TO BE USED THEREWITH." upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Richard Olpherts, 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 Richard Olpherts, do hereby 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 thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in indigo presses and
in cloths to be used therewith.
Heretofore in the manufacture of indigo in order to express moisture
therefrom to form the indigo into solid cakes it has been usual to place
the indigo, from which as much moisture as possible has been run off
or has been separated by filtration, into a press lined with a cloth. The
sides of the case or box of the press have been made up of two
rectangular frames of wood, the lower one about eight inches in depth
and the other one about four inches. The bottom, sides, and top of the
press have been perforated to allow moisture to run off. The perforated
top, which is the follower or ram of the press, has been forced down-
wards usually by screws and nuts. In working with this press the
box or case of the press is first lined with the cloth which is pressed
down into it, the moist indigo in a semi-fluid state is then filled into

page_text: the cloth, and the cloth is folded over on the top of it, the follower or
ram is then forced down, and when it has been forced below the bottom
of the upper rectangular frame this frame is taken apart and removed,
the ram is raised, and the folds or creases in the cloth are taken out
by raising its ends and again folding them down on to the indigo, the
follower is again forced down, and so the process is continued, the folds
or creases being from time to time taken out, as above described, until
the indigo has been pressed into a cake about three inches in depth.
Now when pressing indigo into cakes in the manner above described
the press cloth is from the very commencement of the pressing process
driven down in wrinkles for the whole depth of the press into the indigo,
and a considerable amount of force is required to pull up the sheet and
to readjust it from time to time to remove these wrinkles; the cloths also,
from the imperfect way in which they are fitted into the press, frequently
burst at the corners at the bottom of the press when the pressure is
applied, and a quantity of indigo is lost. In straightening the cloth
also the cake of indigo is curled up by the pulling up of the cloth, and
the cake when nearly dry is from this cause frequently cracked and
broken and cannot again be brought into so solid a cake as could other-
wise be obtained, and the cubes into which such cakes are cut frequently
break when they are being marked with a stamp. For these reasons
the loss to the planter is considerable, as broken indigo is of much less
value than indigo in unbroken cakes.
The object of my Invention is to get rid of these inconveniences. For
this purpose, in order to prevent the cake of indigo from being thus
bent or curled up when straightening the cloth with which the indigo
press is lined, I attach to the back of the cloth bands of fabric, which
as the rectangular frames which are to form the box or case of the press
are being put one above the other are laid in between them, and these
bands of fabric where they project outwards beyond the outer sides of
these frames are formed into bags through which rollers are passed, and
the bands are thus held from being drawn inwards into the press. The
cloth need only be held in the manner above described at the bottom of
the box. The rectangular frames of which the sides of the box or case
of the press are composed I form of plates of iron, by preference per-
forated with holes and morticed or fitted together at their ends, and
secured in the manner herein after described, or by other suitable means,
such as plates of angle or channel iron. At the bottom of the press I

page_text: place a rectangular frame of half or three-quarters of an inch only in
depth, within this frame 1 place a transverse grating of iron rods or
wires set about 3rd of an inch apart, resting on bars fixed to the bed of
the press, as herein-after described, and above this a grating of strong
coarse ironwork for the cloth which is to line the press to rest on; this
false bottom not only affords perfect drainage, but also allows of the
cloth being held, as above described, by bands and rollers to the sides
of the case or box at its bottom, and by thus holding the cloth around
the bottom of the case or box I am able to ensure that a perfectly rect-
angular block or cake of indigo shall be produced.
In working with a press arranged as above described the process will
be conducted as heretofore, but as the cloth is held to the lower part of
the sides of the box the cloth can from time to time be pulled up and
straightened without curling up the cake of indigo, and when the cloth
has been again neatly folded over the top of the indigo the follower or
ram may be again forced down until the cake is sufficiently pressed.
When the indigo has thus been pressed into a block the press cloth is
opened, and a plate of metal with projections on its under side to mark
the surface of the indigo into squares of 3 inches is laid on the top of
the cake of indigo, and is pressed down by the follower or ram of the
press, by this means the block will be marked out in squares. After-
wards each square is, before removing the block from the press, stamped
to mark upon it the date and the maker's name, and by thus stamping
the cake before cutting it up into cubes there will be no risk of breaking
any of the cakes in stamping them, now of very common occurrence.
If thought desirable the metal plate which is pressed on to the upper
surface of the indigo might be engraved or embossed in each
square with
the maker's name, and also be formed to receive movable dies to mark
the date, but I prefer to impress each square separately by a stamp
struck by hand with a mallet. The rectangular frame surrounding the
block is afterwards removed, and the block is cut up into squares in the
ordinary manner.
I prefer that the cloth or lining of the case of the press should be
composed of a sheet made to fit the bottom of the press and formed
with four picces extending out from its four sides to fit against the
four sides of the case of the press, such as has heretofore in some
cases been employed, but according to my Invention I attach, as above
describe, roller cases to the bottom of each of the four side pieces, as

page_text: above described, or in place of this the side cloths might themselves be
led around the rollers.
Other arrangements for adapting rollers to secure the cloth at the
bottom of the press may also be adopted, but I prefer to employ the
arrangement above described.
At Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings hereunto annexed is shewn an
indigo press made up, as above described, of three rectangular frames of
wrought iron placed one above the other. The sides of each frame are
made of strong wrought-iron plates and have, by preference, a number
of perforations bored through them, as shewn, each perforation being
made to taper outwards to allow the water expressed from the indigo to
pass away freely.
I prefer that the sides a, a, of each frame should be held together in
the following manner, but other arrangements may be adopted :-The
projections a' at the end of one side are received in slots a² at the end
of the other side, and to retain the sides together 1 employ flat bars
of iron b, b, bent round at their ends, as shewn by the Drawings. One
of such flat bars is placed against the back of each side piece of the
frame, and the bent ends of the bars which are thus placed at the back
of the four sides of the frame are made to lap over or interlock with one
another, so that the sides of the frame cannot be forced asunder. The
flat bars being also placed edgeways against the sides prevent them from
bending or bulging when pressure comes upon them. I prefer that each
frame should be thus supported by two sets of bars, one set near the
top and the other near the bottom of the frame, as shown by the
Drawing, but one set only of locking bars may be applied to each frame
if desired. In that case where the locking bars cannot rest on and be
supported by the projections a' they may be supported by small blocks
of wood or otherwise. By the arrangement above described the frames
can be readily put together and taken apart. c is the false bottom made
up, as above described. of a frame of wrought-iron bars about three-
quarters of an inch in depth, across this frame are placed the bars e¹,
and these bars are rivetted at their ends to the side bars of the frame; d
is a plate of strong wire gauze placed over the bars c'.
In order to pre-
vent the bars e' from being bent downwards when pressure comes upon
them other bars e, e, are fixed to the bed f upon which the false
bottom is to rest, and the under sides of the rods c' rest on and are
supported by these rods. Two of the outer bars of the frame c are pro-

page_text: the cake of indigo resting upon it can be carried away to place the cake
of indigo into the frame, where it is to be cut into cubes by wires in the
ordinary manner, whereas heretofore the cumbrous bottom or platform
had to be moved to the cutting room and turned over; but by placing
upon this bottom or platform a like framing forming a false bottom to
the press, as above described, two men are enabled readily to remove
the cake of indigo from the press, whereas heretofore four men were
required to do this, and in addition there is much less chance of crack-
ing the cake when it is being turned over into the cutting frame. g
is
the press cloth by which the bottom of the press is covered over, this
cloth is shewn extended at Figure 3, it is shaped as before stated in
such manner as not only to cover over the bottom of the press, but also
with strips g' extending out from it which are to be laid against the
sides of the press; g³ are bands of fabric attached to the back of the
cloth g around that portion of it which is to lie over the bottom of the
press. These bands are laid between the frame of the false bottom c
and the side plate a which is placed over it, and where the bands pro-
ject out beyond these frames they are formed into bags to receive rollers
h; these rollers not only keep the cloth g distended over the false bottom,
but also, as before stated, allow of the side pieces of the cloth g' being
pulled on without lifting up the part of the cloth which covers over the
false bottom.
:
To prepare the press to receive a charge of fluid indigo the sides of
the press are built up one above another, as shewn at Figure 1, the
bands g of the lining cloth being placed betwen the frame of the false
bottom and the lowest of the side frames, as above mentioned. I prefer
also to introduce other strips of cloth between the lowest of the side
frames and the side frame next above it, so as to give a double lining of
cloth to the sides of the press; one such additional strip is employed for
lining each of the sides of the press, and each of the additional strips
has a roller attached to it, as shewn, so as to hold it securely at its
lower end. A continuation of such additional lining strips may be
carried down below the roller k, so as to form an additional lining to
the bottom tier of the press. These additional strips are pulled up
straight and turned over at the top of the press, and the cloths being in
a moist state adhere closely to the sides. At each of the corners of the
press a strip of cloth of about one foot width is attached in such
in

page_text: manner that one-half of it comes against one side of the press, and the
other half against the other side. The strips g', which are formed in
one piece with or are attached to the bottom g, are then drawn up
against the sides, and the press is then ready for fluid indigo to be poured
into it. When the indigo has been poured in the several cloths are
folded over it, and the cast-iron follower or ram is then forced down
into the press. This may be effected by screws and nuts worked by long
lever handles in the ordinary manner, or other suitable means may be
employed. As the water is driven out from the indigo and the indigo
becomes more and more condensed the ram is raised once or twice to
allow of the several cloths being straightened and folded neatly over the
top. When the cake of indigo has been so compressed as only to fill the
lowest frame the frame above it is removed and the rollers with the
strips of cloth attached to them are taken away, and by this means the
inconvenience of having to fold a large quantity of now useless cloth
over the cake is got rid of, which made the cake concave in the centre;
the strips are then again folded over the top of the cake, and the cake
is then compressed to about 3 inches in depth; the ram is then raised,
the cloths are folded back, and a metal plate with wires soldered across
it, as shewn at Figure 4, is then placed on to the top of the cake, and
is pressed on to it by the follower or ram; the ram is then again raised,
the metal plate is taken off the cake, and in each of the squares with
which the surface of the cake is marked a stamp is impressed by a work-
man with a stamp and mallet. Each of the squares has thus marked
upon it the date and the maker's name, or other information with which
it is required that each cake shall be marked. The sides of the bottom
frame a are then taken apart, and the cake of indigo is carried off upon
the false bottom c, and is turned over into the frame, in which it is to
be cut up into cakes by means of wires in the ordinary manner.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim
is,―
First. I claim the application of rollers, substantially as herein
described, for holding the cloth around the edges of the bottom of the
press to prevent bending and cracking the cake of indigo when adjusting
the cloth.
Secondly. The attaching to the back of cloths for lining indigo
presses bags or bands to receive rollers, substantially as herein described.

page_text: in the manner herein described.
Fourthly. The constructing the sides of the case or box of indigo
presses of frames each composed of perforated plates of metal held
securely together, substantially as herein described.
Fifthly. I claim constructing indigo presses, substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Olpherts, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
RICHARD OLPHERTS. (L.S.)