IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDING AND COMPRESSING MACHINES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, JOSEPH ALEXANDER MCFERRAN, of N° 1720, Green Street, in the City of
Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Doctor of
Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MOULDING AND COMPRESSING MACHINES," and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :--
My Invention relates to improvements in moulding and compressing machines,
and consists of certain mechanism fully described and claimed hereinafter, for
subjecting pulverized plastic material to pressure in dies, for the purpose of
moulding the material into blocks of any desired shape or size.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1, represents a general plan view of the improved machine.
Fig. 2, a side view looking in the direction of the arrow, 1, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, a sectional elevation on the line 1-2, Fig. 1.
Fig. 4, a side view looking in the direction of the arrow, 2; Fig. 1.
Fig. 5, part of Fig. 3, drawn to an enlarged scale.
Fig. 6, a plan view on the line 3-4, Fig. 5.
Fig. 7, a view drawn to a still larger scale of part of Fig. 5.
Fig. 8, a transverse vertical section on the line 5-6, Fig. 6.
Figs. 9, 10, and 11, detached perspective views of different parts of the machine.
It will be well in the first instance to describe the construction and operation of
the important parts of the machine without regard to the mechanism by which the
movements of such parts are effected.
Referring to Figs. 5, 6, 8, and 9, A, ropresents part of the frame of the machine,
and, a, the base of the said frame..
B, represents an intermittently reciprocated die-holder consisting of a metal disc
bearing on segmental ribs, b, b', of the base, a, and on a central projection, d, of
the same, the die-holder being pivotted to the base by a pin, C.
This form of bearing for the die-holder is important, for while an extended surface
is presented for the steady support of the said holder, there is a cavity, W, shown
most clearly in Fig. 9, between the said segments and central projection for the
free play both vertically and circunferentially of substantial ejectors, as will appear
Al...מ

page_text: hereinafter. In recesses in the holder are fitted a number of dies, six in the present
instance, two only of these dies, e, e', appearing in Fig. 5. A detachable plate, B¹,
is secured to the holder, B, and bearing on shoulders of the dies serves to maintain
the latter in place, the upper surface of the plate being flush with the tops of the
dies. For each of these dies there is an ejector, two only of which, D, D', appear
in Fig. 5, the former appertaining to the die, e, and the latter to the die, e¹. The
enlarged portion of each ejector fits snugly but slides freely in an opening, f, in the
holder, the upper reduced portion, h, of each ejector extending into the orifice of its
die and never leaving the said orifice during the operation of the machine.
To a plunger, E, adapted to reciprocate in a projection of the frame is fitted an
upper die, m, which, under the circumstances explained hereinafter, enters the
orifice, i, of each lower die, c, e', in succession, and co-operates therewith to convert
pulverized plastic material into the desired condensed shape.
A hopper, F, is carried by a bracket, n, secured to the frame, A of the machine,
the lower end, n, of this bracket being a socket for receiving the lower portion of
the hopper, and the underside of this socket being as near to the upper surface of
the plate, B, of the carrier and the upper surfaces of its dies, e, el, as the prevention
of undue friction of the said carrier and its dies against the socket will permit.
Within the hopper is an oscillating agitator, G, which will be more particularly
referred to hereinafter. The six lower dies, e, e, are at equal distances from the
axis of the pivot-pin, C, and at equal distances from each other, and on the
lange, f, of the die carrier are six pins, q, also at equal distances apart and from
the axis of the pivot pin, and on the edge of this flange, f1, are six wedge shaped
notches, q, arranged at equal distances. apart.
To a guided and reciprocated rod, H, most clearly shown in Fig. 6, is pivotted a
pawl, H, acted upon by a spring, h, and the hooked end, j, of this pawl is arranged
to catch each pin, q, in succession, and to turn the dic-carrier around to the extent
of one-sixth of a revolution during every complete reciprocation of the said bar.
The end, j, of the pawl, H¹, is rounded or bevilled, so that after having acted on
one pin, and imparted one movement to the dic-carrier, it will, ou returning in the
direction of the arrow, Fig. 6, strike the next pin, the pawl theu turuing on its
pivot prior to the seizure of the said pin by the hooked end, j.
In order to retain the die-holder in a determined position during the intervals
between its movements, I use a detent-lever, I, pivotted at, k, to the base of the
machine, one arm of this lever having a wedge shaped projection, 7, adapted to
the said notches, gl, in the flange, f, of the carrier, as shown most clearly in the
detached perspective view Fig. 10. When a pin, u, on the bar, H, strikes and
moves in contact with the inner edge of the curved arm, w, of the lever, I, the
projection, ', of the same will be withdrawn from a notch, ql, and will permit the
carrier to be moved one-sixth of a revolution, but when the bar, H, has retreated,
as shown in Fig. 10, a spring, v, acting on a pin on the lever, will cause the
projection,, to enter another notch, q', of the die-carrier, the latter having in the
ineanwhile turned to the extent of one-sixth of a revolution.
This
Referring now to Figs. 5, and, 9, it will be seen that an arm, w, of a lever, V,
projects into the above mentioned cavity, W, in the base of the machine.
arm w, 1 will term a "support" and "lifter," as it has to perform these duties; and
although this support and lifter is in the present instance part of a lever, V, it is
not essential that this should always be the case. It may, for instance, be part of
a vertically and intermittently reciprocated. rod. In the same cavity, W, is also a
segment, 2, forming part of an arm, X, which is adjustable on the pillar, X', secured
to the base of the machine, the adjustment being effected in the present instance
by a threaded rod, Y, having its bearing in the end of an arm, 2, on the pillar, X₁,
the threaded portion of the rod screwing into an arm, 3, projecting from the said
arm, X. In the said cavity, W, is a fixed segmental rib, 4, part of which is of the
same depth as the said cavity, but from about the middle of the rib to its end, y,
it presents an inclined plane, y¹,

page_text: As shown in Fig. 5, the die-carrier has just completed one of its movements in
the direction of the arrow, Fig. 6, one die, e, and its ejector, D, being immediately
below the plunger, E, and the upper die, m, the said ejector resting on the support
and lifter, w, the upper surface of which is flush with the bottom of the cavity, W,
the support and lifter bearing on the base of the machine, so that there is a solid
foundation to resist the action of the plunger, E, and its lie, m. The opposite
ejector, D', rests on the above-mentioned segment or adjustable support, a, of
the arm, X.
Before there is another partial revolution of the die-carrier, the following
operations will take place. The pulverized or plastic material will be lodged in
the die, e, above the portion, , of the ejector, D¹. Meanwhile, the die, m, will
descend into the orifice, i, of the dic, e, and will compress into the desired shape
the material already contained in that die. The support and lifter, w, now raises
the ejector, D, which forces the compressed block upward, but not entirely from the
orifice of the die, the ejector at the same time forcing the upper die, m, and its
plunger upward, for, if the said upper die moved away from the compressed block
more rapidly than the ejector, D, pushes it from the die, the block would be liable
to be disintegrated; but by causing the ejector, D, the block, and the die, m, to
ascend simultaneously, the block being confined between the said die and the
plunger, no disintegration can take place. As soon as the under end of the upper
die, m, reaches the upper surface of the die, e, the die-carrier, and plunger, E, and
its die will ascend rapidly from the block, as explained hereinafter.
. In further explanation of this feature of my Invention, it may be stated that
after the pulverized material has been compressed into the form of a block, and a
die-operating-lever, T3, has been released, a partial vacuum in the die prevents the
heavy arm of such lever from falling and the upper die from rising without the aid
of the ejector; but as soon as the lower end of the upper die reaches the top of the
die-holder and is exposed to the air, the influence of the partial vacuum ceases and
the lever falls, owing to the weight of its long arm, thereby completing the upward
movement of the upper die, leaving the block on the die-holder. The ejector, D, is
now in such a position that the top of the bluck above it is about on the level of
the plate, B', so that it is not yet fully ejected from the die. At this juncture, the
die-carrier, B, commences to make a movement in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 6,
and during the first part of this movement, the ejector, D, will be carried away
from the lifter and support, w, and will take its place on the lowest portion, y, of
the inclined plane, y, on the rib, 4, Fig. 9, and as the movement of the die-carrier
in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 6, is continued, the lower end of the ejector, D,
is caused to traverse the said inclined plane, y', and the block will thus be entirely
ejected. While this is going on, the ejector, D¹³, passes from its support, 2, into the
bottom of the cavity, W. The die-carrier having completed its one-sixth of a
revolution, there is another die charged with pulverized material to take the place
first occupied by the die, e, beneath the elevated upper die, m, and another die to
take the place of the die, e¹, and receive a charge of pulverized material from the
hopper, F. A repetition of the above described operations will then take place.
After traversing the top of the rib, 4, a short distance, the ejector, D, falls from
the end, y2, of the rib into the support, x, of the arm, X. In order to ensure this
descent of the ejector, I use a pin, 5, Fig. 8, operated on by the end of an arm, 6,
this pin being depressed, as described hereinafter, when the ejector and die are
immediately beneath it, as shown in Fig. S. The ejector, D, now resting on the
support, c, finally reaches the position formerly occupied by the ejector, D³, Fig. 5,
while the ejector, D₁, is in the position formerly occupied by the ejector, D.
I prefer to incline the support, x, downward to that end which is nearest the
end, y, of the rib, 4, Fig. 9, so that when the ejector passes from the control of tho
rib, 4, and is forced down by the pin, 5, it will be lower than is absolutely necessary;
but before the ejector reaches a position directly underneath the hopper it will
ascend the inclination of the support, x, and finally reach its proper position.

page_text: I bave found in practice that precision in the position of the ejector is assured
by thus causing it to fall lower than is required and then to climb the iuclination
of the support.
The amount of pulverized material introduced into each die, e, e¹, will depend
upon the adjustment of the support, x, on which the ejector rests while the die is
being fed from the hopper, and any required adjustment can be readily effected by
turning the threaded rod, Y, above referred to.
As regards the agitator, G, it may be constructed in different ways. In the
present instance it consists of a bent wire, 7, and cross wires, S, but however the
agitator may be constructed in other respects, I prefer to so make one portion of
it, the part, 9, in the present instance, as that it will be as near as possible to
the edge of the orifice in the die which is receiving a supply of pulverized material,
Bo that the cavity in the die may be properly filled.
I find in practice that it is best to slightly lubricate the under side of the
upper die and the top of the ejector, so that there may be no adhesion of either
to the compressed block.
For lubricating the tops of the ejectors, I use a small roller, 10, Figs. 5, and, 8,
of absorbent material, the position of this roller being indicated by dotted lines
in Fig. 6, and more fully explained hereinafter. It will suffice to remark here,
therefore, that the tops of the ejectors, before the latter fall on to the adjustable
support, x, come in contact with the roller, and are lubricated by any available
material, with which the said roller is impregnated.
As regards the lubrication of the bottom of the upper die, m, I use a pivotted
arm, 11, carrying a small lubricating roller 12, as shown in the detached view
Fig. 11. The manner of operating this arin, so as to move the roller in contact
with the upper die, and clear the same, will be explained hereinafter.
As regards the disposal of the blocks after they have been discharged from the
dies, they are carried around with the die-carrier until they reach an arm, 13,
forming part of a spout, 14, Fig. 8, secured to the frame of the machine, the said
arm being near the upper surface of the carrier without being in absolute contact
therewith.
I will now proceed to describe the mechanism by which I prefer to operate the
above-described parts, reference being had to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4.
In bearings in the frame, A, is a shaft, S, which may be furnished with a
handled fly wheel, S', and, if desired, with a pulley for receiving a driving-belt.
A pinion, S, on this shaft gears into a cog-wheel, S³, on a shaft, T, which also has
its bearings in the frame of the machine, and this wheel has a crank-pin, T¹,
provided with an anti-friction roller for operating the lever, T2, which is pivotted
by a pin, t, to the frame of the machine.
Through the short arm, t, of the lever, T2, is screwed a threaded rod, t³, the
lower end of which is connected by a ball-and-socket joint to the above mentioned
plunger, E, which carries the upper die, m, the plunger being guided by a pro-
jection, m, of the frame.
By manipulating the screw, t³, the depth of penetration of the upper die into
the lower die, and consequently the thickness of the block, may be varied at
pleasure. The long arm of the lever, T2, is so much heavier than the short arm
that when it is free from the control of the crank pin, T, it will fall, and the
plunger will be elevated, not at once, however, as the first part of the raising
of the plunger, E, must be through the medium of the ejector, for the reason
given above. When the upper die, m, however, reaches the surface of the die-
carrier, the plunger, E, will be controlled by the heavy long arm of the lever, T2,
and the upper die will complete its upward movement by the falling of the long
arın of the lever.
The above-mentioned guided bar, H, which carries the pawl, H¹, is reciprocated
by a crank, V, on the shaft, T, the pin of the crank being connected to a pin on
the bar by a rod, V³, as represented in Fig. 2.

page_text: The above-mentioned agitator, G, is attached to a spindle, P', which has its
bearing in the above mentioned bracket, n, secured to the frame of the machine.
A pinion, a¹, on the spindle, P¹, gears into a segment, x2, which is pivotted to the
bracket, n, at, 3, and which has an arm x, connected by a rod, d, to the pin of a
crank, d, on the driving-shaft, S.
°
The lever, V, above referred to, is pivotted to the frame at, k³, a spring, k²,
secured to the base of the machine, tending to depress the short arm of the lever
when it is not raised by the action of the anti-friction roller of the pin, T¹, on the
wheel, S. The shape of the long arm of this lever is such that it will remain
depressed long enough to permit cach ejector in succession to pass from the short
arm, w, of the lever, or, as I have termed it the "support and lifter," onto the
inclined portion, 31, of the rib, 4.
The pin, 5, for depressing the ejectors, and referred to in connection with Fig. 8,
as being acted on by the lever, 6, is also represented together with the lever, in
Figs. 1, and, 4, the pin passing through a projection on the bracket, n, between
which and the head of the pin intervenes a spiral spring, g. The lever, 6, is
pivotted to the frame of the machine at, c, and the spring, g, acting on one arm
of the lever causes the other arm to bear on a cam, gl, on the shaft, T, as repre-
sented by dotted lines in Fig. 4, so that as the shaft, T, revolves, there is caused,
at the proper intervals, a downward movement of the pin, 5, to depress the
ejector.
The above-mentioned lever, 11, carrying the lubricating roller, 12, (represented
in Fig. 11,) is pivotted at, w¹, to a bracket, w³, on the frame of the machine,
Figs. 1, and, 4, and the short arm, w³, of the lever, 11, is connected by a rod, w,
to a pin on a crank, z, on the shaft, T, so that at the proper time the lubricating-
roller will be carried beneath and in contact with the upper die.
Referring to Fig. 7, it will be observed that each ejector, D, D¹, has an enlarged
cylindrical lower portion, 15, which fits snugly but so as to slide freely in the
die-holder, the upper portion, ½, of the ejector being reduced in diameter, but its
uppermost portion, i, is slightly enlarged to fit snugly and slide freely in the die.
By making the lower portion, 15, of the ejector large in diameter, it is better able
to resist the strains to which it is subjected, than if made throughout of the same
diameter as the orifice, i, of the die, and by making the uppermost end of the
ejector with the slight enlargement, , it presents a shoulder, 2, which scrapes
away any particles which may adhere to the sides of the orifice in the die, and
below the latter is a chamber; 16, larger in diameter than the lower part of the
ejector, for receiving any matter that may be scraped away.
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. The combination, in a machine for moulding pulverized or plastic material,
of the die, e, the intermittently-elevated ejector, D, and the intermittently depressed
plunger, E, part of the upward movement of which is dependent upon the simul-
taneous ascent with the upward movement of the ejector, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination of the lower die, e, of a machine for moulding pulverized or
plastic material, and the ejector, D, with the plunger, E, carrying the upper-die,
and the lever, 1%, adjustably connected to the said plunger, all being combined and
operating substantially as specified.
3. The combination of the lever, T2, the threaded rod, t³, passing through and
adjustable in the short arm of the lever, and the plunger, E, connected to the lower
end of the adjustable rod, substantially as specified.
4. The combination of the plunger, E, carrying the upper die of the machine for
moulding pulverized or plastic material, with the lever, T, having a short arm
connected to the said plunger, and with a crank pin, T¹, carried around with the
shaft, T, and acting on the underside only of the said lever, which is free from
,

page_text: control of the said crank-pin during the greater portion of the revolution of the
latter, substantially as specified.
5. The combination, in a machine for moulding pulverized or plastic material,
of the plunger, E, carrying the upper die, m, and a lever, T², having its short arm
connected to the said plunger, with the lower die, e, ejector, D, and lever, V, and
with the shaft, T, and crank-pin, T', carried around with the said shaft, whereby
the said levers are operated, the lever, T, to depress the plunger, and the lever, V,
to raise both the ejector and the plunger, substantially as specified.
6. The combination, in a machine for moulding pulverized or plastic material,
carrying a number of dies and an ejector, of the intermittently-operated support
and lifter, w, and a bearing on which it rests during the intermission of its
movement and during the downward movement of the upper die, substantially as
specified.
7. The combination, in a machine for moulding pulverized or plastic material,
having an upper die, m, of the intermittently-rotated die-holder having a number
of dies, and each die having an ejector, with a support and lifter, w, substantially
as set forth.
8. The combination, in a machine for moulding pulverized or plastic material,
of the intermittently rotated die-holder, and its ejectors, and an intermittently-
operated lever for supporting each ejector in succession and for imparting part of
the upward movement to each ejector, with a fixed incline plane, y', for completing
the upward movement of each ejector in succession during each successive move-
ment of the die-holder, substantially as set forth.
9. The combination, in a machine for moulding pulverized or plastic material,
of an intermittently rotated die-holder, carrying a number of dies, and an ejector
for each die, with a vertically-adjustable support, x, onto which the ejectors fall in
succession, with a hopper situated above the said adjustable support for feeding
into the die the material to be compressed, substantially as specified.
10. The combination, in a machine for moulding pulverized or plastic material,
of a lower die, e, and an ejector therefor, with a hopper, F, and an agitator, G,
a portion, 9, of which extends to or nearly to the edge of the orifice in said die,
substantially as set forth.
11. The combination, in a machine for moulding pulverized or plastic material,
of an intermittently rotated die-holder, having a series of dies, and an ejector for
each die, with a fixed rib, 4, in contact with which each ejector is caused to
traverse, and an adjustable support, 2, onto which each ejector in succession is
caused to fall as the machine operates, substantially as specified.
12. The combination, in a machine for moulding pulverized or plastic material,
of the intermittently rotated die-holder, B, and its series of dies, each having an
ejector, with the fixed rib, 4, and an adjustable support, c, having or set at an
inclination substantially as specified.
13. The combination of the intermittently-rotated die-holder of a machine for
moulding pulverized or plastic material, its dies and ejectors, and the support, x,
with a reciprocated rod, 5, for depressing each ejector in succession, substantially
as set forth.
14. The combination, in a machine for moulding pulverized or plastic material,
of the following elements, namely: an upper reciprocating die ;-an intermittently-
rotated die-holder, having a series of lower dies and an ejector for each die ;-
a support and lifter, w, forming a foundation for each ejector in succession during
the descent of the upper die and for lifting each ejector in succession ;-a fixed
rib, 4, having an inclined plane, y), for receiving each lifted ejector in succession ;—
and a support, x, onto which each ejector in succession falls from the rib, 4, all
substantially as set forth.
15. The combination of the intermittently-rotated die-holder of a machine for
moulding pulverized or plastic material, and its series of dies and ejectors, with
a lubricating-roller, 10, substantially as specified.

page_text: 16. The combination of the plunger, E, and the upper die, m, with a lubricating-
roller, 12, carried by a vibrated arm, 11, substantially as described.
17. The combination of the intermittently-rotated die-holder, B, of a machine
for moulding pulverized or plastic material, and its series of dies and ejectors,
with the spout, 14, and arm, 13, projecting from the spout over and above the
face of the die-holder, substantially as set forth.
18. The combination of a die-holder and its dies, e, and ejectors, D, each ejector
having a cylindrical enlargement, 15, arranged to slide in and to be guided by the
opening of the die-holder, substantially as specified.
19. The combination of the die-carrier, its dies and ejectors, each of which
has at the top a slight enlargement, i', presenting a shoulder, ³, substantially as
Bet forth.
20. The combination of the die holder, its dies and ejectors, with a chamber, 16,
for each die, substantially as specified.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.