Improvements in Apparatus for Consolidating Metallic Scrap.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1896-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Consolidating Metallic Scrap.
I THOMAS ANDREWS of Wortley Iron Works, near Sheffield, Engineer, 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:-
My said invention relates to improvements in the presses and apparatus used
in the consolidation of metallic scrap for subsequent treatment described in my
Patent Specification No. 11691 of A.D. 1888 hereinafter referred to as my former
patent.
The objects of my present invention are
Firstly, To provide means for relieving the screws which operate the sections
of the moulds from strain and consequent injury when the scrap is subjected to the
pressure of the ram of the press.
Secondly, A construction of mould with loose partitions held in position and
guided by the plunger or plungers so as to form a closed receptacle before lateral
pressure is applied and yet to permit of lateral consolidation and in the same mould
to permit either a number of small blocks to be produced or by the removal of one
or more of the partitions larger blocks.
Thirdly, An improved construction of multiple or nested moulds.
Fourthly, An improved method of attaching the detachable head or heads of
the plungers to permit of their ready removal and replacement.
Fifthly, Removable extensions for permitting the depth of the mould to be
readily varied to suit scrap of various degrees of density or bulk.
.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood I will describe the
sanie with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figures 1, 2, 3 34 and 3B relate to the first part of my said invention. Figure 1
is an elevation, Figure 2 is a plan, and Figures 3 and 34 are elevations partly in
section of details. Figure 3B is a plan of a modification.
In carrying into practice the invention described in my former patent it was found
that when screws were used for holding the sections of the mould together during
the action of pressing considerable lateral stresses due to the lateral expansion of
the material on the entrance of the plunger into the mould were caused and the
screws and their nuts were liable to injury.
To overcome this defect I now use in combination with the screws which
traverse the section or sections of the mould distance pieces or struts inserted
between the movable section of the mould and fixed resisting pieces on the
table of the press. The said distance pieces are inserted after the sections of the
mould have been brought into juxtaposition and just before the vertical pressure
is allowed to act. Such distance pieces or struts are shown at a. They are
inserted on the table of the press between the sliding section b and fixed
projections e formed on or secured to the table of the press. During the action
of the plunger on the material in the mould these distance pieces will take up
the lateral stress and relieve the screw from the backward thrust. The screw d
is free to rotate in the shackle e which connects it to the section b of the
mould by means of a pin 6. When screwing forward the section of the mould
the screw takes against a face b* formed on the section of the mould.
On the

page_text: screw spindle is secured a collar in the interior of the shackle which acting
on the face of the shackle will open the mould on the struts a being removed
and the screw d being rotated backwards. A slight play between the collar d'
and the face of the shackle enables the shackle to be removed from contact
with the shoulder d' when the distance pieces a are put in place. The struts a
may be hinged to the bed plate as shown in Figure 34 so that when the pressure
of the plunger is removed they may be simply swung back instead of being
lifted out, or they may be hinged so as to swing horizontally as in Fig. 3B in
which case one or both ends are preferably formed as cains so as to exert pressure
when being driven in between the projection or stop c and the section of
the mould.
Although this part of my said invention is described in its application to one
section of the mould only it is to be understood that it can be equally well applied
to a mould having two movable sections.
The second part of my said invention is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan and Figure 5 is a sectional elevation through -y
of Figure 4. This part of my said invention relates to moulds and plungers
adapted to produce either a single block corresponding to the shape of the
mould or two or more smaller blocks separated from each other by one or more
partitions.
Instead of a fixed partition between the sections of the mould I use a loose
movable partition or partitions f f which are simply held vertically between
the sections of a divided plunger as shown in Figure 5. Such an arrangement
is not only of advantage in permitting the ready removal of the partitions to
enable larger blocks to be produced but they possess the further advantage that
not being secured to the table and not projecting past the junction of the mould
they enable such a mould as that shown in Figure 4 to be used for producing
double blocks. The two sections 9 g¹ are operated by. screws and are secured
together by distance pieces as hereinbefore described and one of them g is
provided with hinged sides 2 g which can pass freely past the ends of the
partitions when the screws are operating. These hinged sides g in combination
with the corresponding sides 3 form a closed receptacle for the scrap while lateral
compression is being applied. To remove the pressed blocks the two sections gg
are drawn apart until the hinged sides g are clear of the fixed sides when they
can be thrown back and the blocks be removed. When it is desired to produce
say four blocks the longitudinal partition is divided and a transverse partition f
(indicated by dotted lines in Figure 4) similarly guided between the sections of
the plunger is used. In order to allow the lateral traverse of the sections g and g
of the mould the cross partition f may consist of two parts sliding past each other
as the sections g g¹ approach.
The plunger may be even more subdivided so as to produce six or more blocks
simultaneously it being understood in that case that partitions similar to those
just described are inserted between the heads of the plungers for the purpose of
keeping the blocks separate care being taken that the partitions are so arranged
as not to impede the operation of the section of the mould as will be clearly
understood from the foregoing description. In order to prevent the partitions
falling over when the plungers are lifted clear of the moulds for filling the
partitions are provided with tail pieces or extensions which on the descent of
the plunger take into corresponding recesses fs formed in the plunger.
The third part of my said invention is shown in plan in Figure 6 and relates to
an improved construction of multiple or nested moulds. A central section o on
the table of the press is shaped internally so as to form a mould for one half of
each block. On either side thereof are sliding sections o' operated and secured.in
the manner above set forth. The sliding sections are formed so as to mould the
other halves of the blocks which may be cylindrical rectangular or polygonal in
cross section. Forming part of the sliding sections of the mould are hinged
sides o³ which when thrown back as shown. in dotted lines at,o,
open the moulds

page_text: and enable the blocks to be withdrawn. The ends of the hinged sides slide into
and thus engage with corresponding recesses o in the central section when the
sections are brought together and are thus prevented from opening when the
vertical pressure is applied. The hinged sides are shaped internally as shown in
Figure 6 so as to open the moulds froin the points of and thus enable the blocks,
to be withdrawn with a minimum backward movement of the movable sections o¹.
The fourth part of my said invention relates to improvements in the mode of
attachment of the detachable heads of the plunger which is secured in the press.
When secured by a dovetail joint and wedges such as are used for example in a
steam hammer it is necessary that the loose head should be driven out sideways an
operation which presents certain difficulties especially in the case of a plunger
carrying more than one head. To overcome this difficulty I secure the detachable
head to the plunger by the means described in Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 is a
side elevation and Figure 8 is an elevation partly in section through y-y of
Figure 7. In these figures 4' is the body of the plunger secured to the top of the
press. In the part ha transverse recess is formed and the detachable head h
of the plunger is provided with a corresponding projection fitting the said
recess. The head A is secured to the part A by bolts passing through the head.A
and through the part as far as the holes . Nuts are inserted in the holes ³
and on being screwed down on to the ends of the bolts h by a screw key or by a
short lever the head is secured to the part h. To remove the head it is only
necessary to remove the nuts h and to lower the table when the heads h come
away from the parts h by their own weight.
The recess may be rectangular but I preferably make it wider at the lower
than at the upper part. The essential feature is that there is no re-entering angle
to prevent the release of the head when the nuts h are removed.
Although shown in its application to a plunger with two heads it is to be
understood that this part of my said invention is also applicable to plungers
having a single head.
The fifth part of my said invention is illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 of the
accompanying drawings of which Figure 9 is an elevation ant Figure 10 a plan.
In the case of serap metal of a bulky nature prior to compression the mould
sometimes does not contain sufficient to produce a block of the required size after
compression. This could be overcome by using deeper moulds but as this would
necessitate having a number of moulds of the same dimensions in plan but of
various depths I provide loose extensions of different depths which may be placed"
on the walls of the mould. The said loose extensions k are made of various deptbs
according to the bulkiness of the material to be treated and are secured to the
sections 9 g of the mould by pins or studs & taking into corresponding recesses in
the sections g g of the divided mould. During the first part of the compression
the lateral stress of the material on the mould under the action of the plunger is
not very great and by the time such lateral compression becomes considerable the
head of the plunger has entered the mould itself when the lateral thrust is taken
up by the struts a and screws as described under the first part of my said invention.
Where the material is such that lateral compression by the screws is not required
the sections kk may simply abut against each other as shown in Figures 9 and 10
and they may be secured together by dowels or binders I at the ends.
Where lateral pressure is to be applied in closing the moulds I use abutments m
reaching upwards from the lower part of the mould and in such case the sides of
the sections k k are caused to overlap as shown in dotted lines at in Figure 10,
so that they may form a closed' receptacle while such lateral compression is taking
place.
It is to be understood that the sections of the mould the screws and the parts for
operating the same may be mounted on the table of a press which may be caused
o ascend by hydraulic or other pressure against the plunger. Or the table and
he mould may be stationary and the plunger may be caused to descend into the
nould.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.-
1. In presses or apparatus for consolidating metallic scrap the combination
with a mould having one or more laterally movable sections of struts such as a
for receiving the lateral thrust arising on the compression of the material being
operated on substantially as set forth and shown with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3,
34 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus such as described the combination of a movable section of a
mould a shackle e a screw d for advancing and retiring the said movable section
connected with the shackle in the manner as shown and struts a for relieving the
screw from stress while the compression of the material is being effected
substantially as and for the purpose set forth and shown with reference to
Figures 12, 3, 34, and 3B of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a press for consolidating metallic scrap the combination with a mould
having one or more laterally movable sections of a divided plunger and one or
more loose internal partitions held in position by the sections of the said plunger
substantially as and for the purpose set forth and as described with reference to
Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In a press for consolidating metallic scrap a multiple or nested mould having a
central section and movable sections constructed with hinged sides engaging with
the central partition substantially as set forth and shown with reference to Figure 6
of the accompanying drawings.
5. In a press for consolidating metallic scrap the combination with the main
body of the plunger of one or more detachable heads h having projections
engaging with recesses and secured therein by bolts substantially as hereinbefore
described and for the purpose described and set forth with reference to Figures 7
and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
6. In a press for consolidating metallic scrap the combination with a mould
having movable sections of detachable extensions k k for enabling the total depth
of the mould to be varied to suit material of varying density substantially as set
forth and described with reference to Figures 9 and 10 of the accompanying
drawings.
7. The combination in a press for consolidating metallic scrap of a sectional
mould one or more sections of which is or are laterally movable and capable of
being retained together during the compression of the material by the means set
forth loose internal partitions therein and a sectional plunger having detachable
heads substantially as and for the purpose set forth and shown.
Dated this 30th day of July 1896.
E. T. WHITELOW, A.M. Inst. C.E.,
70 Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.