IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL MILLS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Ross Walker, of Perseverance Ironworks, Leeds,
in the County of York, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OIL MILLS"
Sealed the 27th August 1878, and date the 1st March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Ross Walker at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st March 1878.
EDWARD ROSS WALKER, of Perseverance Ironworks, Leeds, in the County of
Yorkshire, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL MILLS."
The said Invention has for its object the more rapid and effective action of the
machinery in mills for pressing oil seeds, or fruit, or similar substances, and for
reducing the first cost and wear and tear of the same.
At present the practice in oil mills is to employ two pumps for actuating each
hydraulic press or each cluster of hydraulic presses. The first and larger pump
works at a comparatively low pressure and raises the ram or rams until the material
operated upon is fairly under pressure, this pump then ceases to act, and the
second and smaller pump continues to apply an increasing and heavier pressure
gradually until the oil or other juice is all expressed, as is well understood in the
trade.
By this Invention one pump will operate upon several presses or clusters of presses,
or any number of presses, and the rapidity of each press ram in rising can be
indefinitely increased up to the point where a more gradual advance of the press ram
is desirable.
The single pump is made of any ordinary form and forces into a large chamber
" accumulator." The
containing a ram heavily weighted and known as an
"accumulator" is connected with the presses and with the smaller pumps by a
system of flow and return pipes, so that the oil generally employed in such work
may be used over and over again.
Another part of this Invention consists in actuating the machine for moulding the
oily meal or pulped fruit or other material preparatory to its being put into the press

page_text: by the pressure from an "accumulator" instead of as at present by cams, eccentrics,
levers, shafts, and wheels, or such like contrivances which are expensive in first cost,
are liable to get out of order, and also often require the machine to be fixed in an
inconvenient position. The pressure pipe from the accumulator is coupled to a
short cylinder having a ram moving in it, and acting upon the mould or other 5
receptacle in which the meal or material is placed. A return pipe conveys the oil
from the cylinder back to the pump, so that it may be used over again.
The accumulator may be usefully employed to actuate cranes or hoists, or any
other machinery, but this forms no part of this Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by 1
the said Edward Ross Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
August 1878.
EDWARD ROSS WALKER, of Perseverance Ironworks, Leeds, in the County of
York, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL MILLS."
My Invention is for use in mills for extracting oil from seeds, or juices from
fruit, or in pressing substances, or in similar manufactures, and has for its objects
the more rapid and effective action of the machinery, the reducing the number of
pumps, and dispensing with wheels, shafts, and cams, and thereby saving in the
first cost, and avoiding wear and tear.
The first part of my Invention is for reducing the number of pumps and increasing a
the velocity of the action of presses.
At present the general practice is to use two sizes of pumps for forcing the liquid
into the cylinders of the hydraulic presses. The larger size works at a comparativelý
small pressure, and raises the ram until the material to be operated upon offers
sufficient resistance to balance this pressure. The larger pump is then thrown off
by self-acting means, and the smaller sized pump gradually increases the pressure
up to what is necessary to extract all the oil or juice, or to give any forco desired.
The period in which the larger pumps act forms a small fraction of the whole time
each press is in operation.
By this Invention a single pump may be made to operate on any desired number
of presses.
The single pump is of any ordinary form; besides being connected to the presses
in the usual way, it is arranged to force into a chamber containing a ram heavily
weighted, and known as an accumulator. This stores up the force so that it can be
given out instantaneously and rapidly. The accumulator, pumps, and presses, are
connected by suitable flow and return pipes, so that the liquid medium may be used
over and over again.
The second part of my Invention consists in actuating machines for moulding oily
meal or other similar materials by the pressure from an accumulator, preparatory to
its being put into the press. Hitherto these machines have been actuated by

page_text: eccentrics, wheels, cams, or such like contrivances; these often get out of order, and
require the machine to be placed in an inconvenient position.
By this Invention the pressure pipe from an accumulator is coupled to a small
cylinder having a ram moving in it and acting through suitable parts upon the
material in the mould.
In order that my Invention may be more clearly understood and explained a
Sheet of Drawings is hereunto attached.
Corresponding parts have similar letters of reference.
Figures 1, 1, 2, 2, are a plan and elevation of one method of carrying into effect
the first part of the Invention.
A, A, are two clusters of hydraulic presses; B and C are two sets of pumps; D is
the accumulator; E is the single pump for raising the presses quickly; F, F, are
the usual small pumps for giving the final pressure; G, G, are the usual valve
boxes or junctions for connecting each press with the pumps; H, H, are the pipes
for conveying the liquid to and from the presses; I is the pipe from the large pump
to and from the accumulator; J, J, are valves allowing the liquid to run from the
accumulator to the valve boxes G, G, but preventing any flow in the opposite
direction; K is a pipe connecting the pump cisterns to insure a constant level
in both; L is the moulding machine to be explained hereafter, L is connected
to the accumulator by the pipe M, and to the pump cisterns by the return
pipes N and K; 0, 0, are the return pipes from the presses to the pump cistern;
P is a heavy weight box.
The pumps E and F, F, are in constant motion, and are fitted with safety valves,
as usual. These valves are not shown for the sake of simplifying the Drawing. The
pump E forces into the cylinder of the accumulator D until the heavy weight box P
is lifted to its full height. A chain is operated by the rise of the box P, so as to
lift the safety valve of the pump E when P is at its full height. The liquid then
returns into the cistern from the pump, until the weight box P descends from any
cause.
When a press is set to work, a valve in the box G is opened, the liquid rushes
from the accumulator through the pipes I and the valve J into G, and thence into
the press through the pipe й until the material to be pressed offers a resistance
equal to the pressure in the accumulator. At this point the valves in J fall by their
own weight. The small pumps F continuing in motion raise the presses gradually
and as is usual to the end of the operation.
Two blocks of presses are shown in the Drawing, but it is evident that by ex-
tending the pipe I and enlarging the pump E in proportion, any number of presses
may be served by it, and by one accumulator. The rise of the press rams may be
made very rapid by the constant force of the accumulator.
Figs. 3 and 4 are two views of a moulding machine; Q is the cylinder for
giving the pressure to the meal; M and N, the pressure and return pipes; R is the
table on which the usual tray S and moulding frame T are supported; U is the
presser; V, a table on to which the tray S is passed after the meal is pressed into it;
W is the valve lever, depressed by the foot to admit the pressure through a valve
into the cylinder Q; X is a spring catch engaging the presser U when at work;
Y is a strong spring; Z is part of the steam kettle from which the material is drawn
by the box (a).
The operation is as follows:-The catch X is withdrawn when the spring Y
turns the presser U upon its hinges, and it opens like the case of a watch. The
frame T is then uncovered. The box (a) full of meal and without any bottom is
passed over the frame T, and fills the hollow space in it. The presser U is restored
to its former position by the workman, and it engages with the catch X. The
lever W is pressed down; the liquid under pressure passes from the accumulator
through the pipe M, forces up the ram (b), and with it the table R, the tray S, and
the frame T against the presser U, which is held firmly by X and its hinges. The
meal in the moulding frame T is thus compressed. The valve lever W is reversed,
the table R with S and T fall, the spring catch X is withdrawn, the presser U flies

page_text: up, the frame T is turned up on its hinges, leaving the tray S bare. This with the
meal pressed into it is passed on to the table V ready for the press. The operation
is then repeated as before. The stroke of the ram (b) is regulated by the bolts &
nuts shown.
The woollen cloth generally used is not shown in the plan, as it forms no
part of the Invention. It is used in the accustomed manner.
The presser may be modified and the pressure be applied from above; the presser
may slide on guides or otherwise, as is readily understood.
Having thus particularly described the way of carrying out my Invention, I
desire it to be understood that I do not restrict myself to any precise method, but
what I claim as new is,-
First. The application of an accumulator to a number of hydraulic presses to and
for the purpose of dispensing with many of the larger pumps hitherto in use, and
of raising the press rams rapidly up to the point where a gradual pressure is ne-
cessary.
Secondly. The use of the pressure from an accumulator to actuate moulding
machines for compressing oily meal or similar substances preparatory to the
material being placed in the bydraulic press, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Ross Walker, have hereto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.