IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRESSING OIL, TOBACCO, COTTON, AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRESSING OIL, TOBACCO, COTTON,
AND OTHER MATERIALS."-A communication from abroad by Enoch
Thomas, of Craigsville, and Robert Culton Walker and Samuel
Robert Hendsen, both of Parnassus, all in the State of Virginia,
United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 25th March 1869, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
5
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 25th March 1869, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engincer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR PRESSING OIL, TOBACCO, COTTON, AND OTHER MATERIALS," and
have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have
made solemn Declaration that it has been communicated to me from
abroad by Enoch Thomas, of Craigsville, and Robert Culton Walker and
Samuel Robert Hendsen, both of Parnassus, all in the State of Virginia,
United States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed in and by the following
statement:-
The nature of my Invention mainly consists in the combination and
arrangement of double acting toggle levers, with a follower or piston, for
pressing oil, tobacco, cotton, hay, and other materials for which a screw
or hydraulic press is used, and with a reciprocating device in such a
manner as to give alternate action to the two sets of toggle levers,
whereby a continuous motion or nearly so is imparted to the follower.
The construction and operation of the press will be understood by the
following description :-
In the accompanying Drawings, which make a part of this Specification,
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of the improved press; Figure 2 is a
vertical section at at the line x, x, of Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 are a
top and edge views of the reciprocating frame H, connecting rods e, e,
and rods b, b; Figures 5 and 6 are a side and edge views of the follower
frame F; Figures 7 and 8 are views at right angles with each other of
one of the guides a and follower tightening device or brake; Figures 9
and 10 are similar views of one of the swivel pawls m¹; Figure 11,
Sheet Number 2, is a plan of a modification of the press; Figure 12 is a
side elevation of the same; Figures 13 and 14 are a top and edge views
of the shafts O. Like letters in all the Figures indicate the same parts.
I connect with the bed plate A and the head plate B uprights or
posts C, C, C, C. Between the latter the follower D is caused to slide
to compress the material between it and the head plate B. These parts
are like those of a hydraulic press. Between the pairs of posts C, I place
a standing frame E, which supports the several parts, whose combined
action operates the follower D. F is the follower frame which has

page_text: grooved guides a, a, at each side of the standing frame E. It is repre-
sented in detail in Figures 5 and 6. One of the guides a is shown
detached in Figures 7 and 8. At each side of the follower frame F there
is a pair of toggle levers G, G, and G¹, G¹, connected together by the
rods b, b, which have a joint connection therewith, as seen in Figures 1
and 2. To these rods, by means of the rod d, is jointed one end of the
connecting rods e, e, the other end of which have a free movement on
the rod f, which is supported in the cheeks g, g, of the reciprocating
frame H, which slides in the standing frame E. On the shaft I, whose
journals are supported in the standing frame E, there are eccentrics J, J,
which act alternately on the sectors K, K, on the shaft L at one end of
the frame H, and the sectors K', K', on the shaft L' at the other end of
said frame, so as to give a reciprocating motion to the frame, which by
means of its connection with each pair of toggle levers above described
gives an alternate action to the same, by which a continuous motion or
nearly so is imparted to the follower frame F, to condense the material
to be pressed between the same and the head plate B. On the driving
shaft I there is a fly wheel M, the momentum of which increases the
power of the press. It may also serve as a band wheel to connect with
the motive power. When a rapid movement is desired the power is
applied directly to the shaft I, and the shafts I' and I" are neither of them
connected therewith. But when a more powerful pressure is required the
pinion N on the shaft I' is shifted so as to gear into the spur wheel O on
the shaft I; and when a very powerful one is required the wheel P on
the far end of the shaft I is shifted so as to gear into the worm wheel Q
on the shaft I". The wheels M' and M" on the shafts I' and I" serve as
fly wheels, and may be used as band wheels when required. When the
motion of the reciprocating frame H is to be arrested either the rocking
shaft L or L' is turned partly around far enough to turn the sectors at
one end against the pin h, which projects inwards from one side of the
said frame. For holding the follower F in an elevated position the short
eccentric shaft i in one of the guide posts a is turned partly around by
means of the lever k. The said shaft i is provided with a friction
wheel. This device is represented in Figures 7 and 8. It may also be
used as a brake to ease the descent of the follower. For very powerful
presses instead of having the pawls m rigid to the upper end of the
levers G', we place swinging pawls m³, having several teeth, as repre-
sented in Figures 9 and 10, on the rod which connects the upper ends of
the levers.

page_text: The jack part of the press may be detachable from the other part to
admit of being used successively with a number of presses, in which case
it should be provided with wheels to readily remove it. By this arrange-
ment in large establishments the expense of the presses may be greatly
reduced. Or the whole of the press, except the bed plate A, head
plate B, and posts C, may be removeable under the same arrangement,
by which a still greater reduction will be effected.
Various modifications may be made in communicating motion to the
toggle levers, one of which is represented in Figures 11 and 12. The
press in this form is particularly applicable to pressing hay. In the
Drawings the head plate is left off. A' is a strong box or case, which has
a loose follower D', which rests on the bars D", D". The latter are
jointed to the lower ends of the sliding ratchet bars F¹ by means of the
pins o. This admits of a rocking motion of the follower instead of the
whole being raised together. A slower motion is given in consequence,
but a double leverage is obtained. The toggle levers G and G¹ act upon
the said bars in the same manner, as shown in Figure 2. Motion is
given to the levers by means of the driving shaft I" acting through the
eccentrics J, J', thercon, rods p, p, and bars q, q, at each side of the
press, the said bars being jointed at each end, as represented to the
toggle levers, so as to give alternate action to the two sets of levers.
Each pair of ratchet bars is acted upon by a single eccentric shaft i, there
being a margin to receive the wheel . For throwing the levers g' out of
gear with the sliding bars F" there is a device at each corner of the press,
which is more clearly seen in Figure 12. This device consists of the
lever r, crank 8, and upright slide t. By moving the lever in the
direction of the arrow the crank pin in the groove v in the lower end
of the slide elevates the latter, and as the incline to on the upper end of
the slide bears against the friction wheel y on the side of the lever the
latter is thrown outwards and disengages the pawl m from the sliding
ratchet bar F. When required the connecting rods p are disengaged
from the bars q by means of the crank N and and connecting rods x, x.
In Figures 13 and 14 a pair of shafts O are shown, which are made of
sufficient length to be bolted to the perpendicular side of the press, to
which the driving shaft I is attached when the press has to be removed
from place to place, and then by bringing the press from a perpendicular
position to a horizontal one it is caused to rest on the fly wheels M¹¹,
which then serve as traction wheels, and a horse is geared into the

page_text: shafts O, and the press is readily removed. When desired the shafts may
be connected with a pair of independent wheels to act conjointly with
the wheels M, M.
What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination and arrangement of the double acting toggle
levers G, G, and G, G, at parallel sides of the press with the follower
frame F, or its equivalent, the levers G being provided with pawls m
or m¹, and connected together as described, and operated by means of the
reciprocating frame H, or other suitable mechanism, as and for the
purpose set forth.
Second. The combination and arrangement of the eccentrics J, J, on
the shaft I, sectors K, K, on the shaft L, and K', K', on the shaft L',
with the reciprocating frame H, or equivalent device, substantially in the
manner described and for the purpose specified.
Third. The follower brake, consisting of the eccentric shaft i, lever k,
and friction wheel l, arranged and operating as described.
Fourth. The combination of the driving shaft I", eccentrics J', J',
and rods p, p, with the double-acting toggle levers G, G, in Figures 11
and 12, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
Fifth. The combination of the vertical jointed sliding ratchet bars F',
and lifting bars D", D", with the follower D', substantially in the
manner and for the purpose set forth.
Sixth. The combination of the removeable shafts O with the press, as
and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)