Improvements in Moulding or Forming into Blocks or the like Guncɔtton or similar Materials.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1899-Accepted. 19th Sept. 1899
Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1899-Accepted. 19th Sept. 1899
Improvements in Moulding or Forming into Blocks or the like
Guncɔtton or similar Materials.
I, ERNEST HOLLINGS, of 57, High Lane, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates to moulding, pressing, or consolidating guncotton or
like material into blocks, discs, cylinders &c. Hitherto in pressing guncotton
into blocks it has been impossible to extract the air contained in the pores or
interstices of the cotton which air, on pressure being removed, expands and
renders the block spongy or laminated and consequently the detonation is often
incomplete. Now the object of my invention is to provide appliances whereby
the moulding of guncotton into blocks &c. may be accomplished in such manner
that the air is removed and the fibres of the guncotton laid together by gentle
pressure so that a homogeneous mass is formed free from lamination and air
spaces.
For these purposes I make use of a mould or like container preferably with
perforated sides. The guncotton is mixed with water into a thin pulp which is
fed into the mould from a tank as required. Within the mould provide a
revolving presser or layer consisting of a bar provided at the end with screw
blades or equivalent devices which as the bar revolves press or lay the gun-
cotton into the mould, the water escaping through the perforations in the sides.
The bar is weighted to give any desired pressure on the guncotton. In addition
to the revolving motion the bar may also receive a reciprocating motion which
is advantageous to free the screw blades from fibres. Agitators are provided
to keep the pulp above the screw blades agitated, and prevent settlement of the
fibres until laid by the said screw blades. When it is desired to make hollow
blocks, a perforated tube is used as a core, and water can escape through such
perforated tube as well as through the sides of the mould. Such core can also
be conveniently used as a guide for the presser bar. When the block of gun-
cotton has been thus formed of the desired size it may be consolidated by
hydraulic pressure as usual or in any other convenient way.
Datal thin Cavanteronth da of hen 1000

page_text: Improvements in Moulding or Forming into Blocks or the like
Guncotton or similar Materials.
I, ERNEST HOLLINGS, of 57, High Lane, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompany-
ing drawings::
:-
This invention relates to moulding, pressing or consolidating guncotton or
like material into blocks, discs, cylinders &c. Hitherto in pressing guncotton
into blocks it has been impossible to extract the air contained in the pores or
interstices of the cotton, which air, on pressure being removed expands and
renders the block spongy or laminated and consequently the detonation is often
incomplete. Now the object of my invention is to provide appliances whereby
the moulding of guncotton into blocks &c. may be accomplished in such manner.
that the air is removed and the fibres of the guncotton laid together by gentle
pressure so that a homogeneous mass is formed free from lamination and air
spaces.
For these purposes I make use of a mould or like container preferably with
perforated sides. The guncotton is mixed with water into a thin pulp which is
fed into the mould from a tank as required. Within the mould I provide a
revolving presser or layer consisting of a bar provided at the end with screw
blades or equivalent devices, which, as the bar revolves, press or lay the gun-
cotton into the mould, the water escaping through the perforations in the sides.
The bar is weighted to give any desired pressure on the guncotton. In addition
to the revolving motion the bar may also receive a reciprocating motion which
is advantageous to free the screw blades from fibres. Agitators are provided
to keep the pulp above the screw blades agitated, and prevent settlement of the
fibres until laid by the said screw blades. When it is desired to make hollow
blocks, a perforated tube is used as a core, and water can escape through such
perforated tube as well as through the sides of the mould. Such core can also
be conveniently used as a guide for the presser bar. When the block of gun-
cotton has been thus formed of the desired size it may be consolidated by
hydraulic pressure as usual or in any other convenient way.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus or appliances according to my invention,
part of the mould being in section. 2 is a mould having perforations 3 in the
sides thereof. 4 is a tank in which the guncotton is mixed with water into a thin
pulp which is fed into the mould by the pipe 5 as required. 6 is a revolving
presser or layer consisting of a bar provided at the end with screw blades 7 or
equivalent devices which as the bar revolves press or lay the fibres of the gun-
cotton into the lower part of the mould, the water escaping through the perfora-
tions 3. The perforations should be fine enough to prevent the fibres passing
through. If a solid mould is used the water escapes at the top. The bar 6 is
caused to revolve by means of a belt 8 passing round a pulley 9 attached to the
bar by a sliding connection and round a pulley 10 carried in a bearing on the
slide 11 and caused to rotate by the shaft 12. The bar 6 is also carried in bear-
ings on the slide 11 but is free to slide longitudinally therein. The slide 11 is
free to move up and down in guides on the pillar 13. In order to prevent the
fibres in the pulp from settling above the screw blades 7 I provide agitators to
agitate the pulp and prevent settlement. 14 are agitators attached to a sleeve 15

page_text: surrounding the bar 6 and free to rotate independently thereof, and carried in
bearings on the slide 11. Motion is given to the sleeve 15 by a belt 16 passing
round a pulley 17 on the sleeve and round a pulley 18 carried in a bearing on
the slide 11 and caused to rotate by the shaft 19. The pulleys 10 and 18 are
provided with keys fitting into keyways 20 on the shafts 12 and 19 so that such
pulleys are caused to rotate with the shafts but are free to slide up and down
thereon. The shafts 12 and 19 receive motion from discs 21 by means of friction
discs 22, 23 free to be moved up and down on keyways in the shafts 12 and 19
in any usual manner so as to vary the speeds of such shafts. The discs 21 are
carried on a shaft 24 which rotates in bearings in the framework 25. 26 is the
main driving pulley. 27 is a balance weight attached to a rope or chain 28
which passes over a pulley 29 and is attached to the slide 11 to balance or nearly
balance the weight of such slide and the pulleys and other mechanism carried
thereby. The rope or chain 28 also passes round a chain pulley 31 and the other
end is attached to the slide 11 as shown. 32 is a toothed worm wheel attached to
the pulley 31 and receiving motion from the worm 33 driven by wheels 34 and
bevel gearing 35 from the shaft 12. The rope 28 by this means raises the slide
and connections as the block of guncotton is formed at the bottom of the mould
but keeps a certain pressure on such guncotton so as to lay the fibres closely
together. Instead of keeping the pressure on the block by means of the rope 28
and connected gearing the slide 11 or the bar 6 may be weighted or the balance
weight 27 may be dispensed with. The wheels 34 are change wheels so that
the speed of raising the slide can be varied as desired. In addition to the
revolving motion the bar 6 may also receive a reciprocating motion which is
advantageous to free the screw blades from fibres.. This reciprocating_motion
is imparted by means of a lever 36 pivotted to the slide 11 at 37 one end of the
lever engaging in a collar 38 on the bar 6 the other end engaging in a cam 39
on a shaft 40. The cam is carried in a bearing on the slide 11 and is provided
with a key fitting into a keyway 41 on the shaft 40 so that such cam rotates with
the shaft but is free to slide up and down thereon. As the cam rotates the bar 6
is moved up and down. Motion is given to the shaft 40 by a friction disc 42
bearing on one of the discs 21 and free to be moved up and down on keyways
in any usual manner so as to vary the speed of the shaft 40. Any other con-
venient means instead of those shown for revolving and reciprocating the bar 6
may be used as found convenient. The agitators 14 serve to agitate the pulp and
prevent settlement of the fibres before they are laid by the screw blades. The
agitators may if desired be attached directly to the bar 6 and be driven therewith.
The pulp fed into the mould is of such consistency and the perforations in the
mould are of such size that the water does not escape through the perforations
until pressed out of the guncotton fibres by the screw blades 7.
Fig. is a side elevation illustrative of a modification of apparatus under my
invention. Here instead of the bar 6 agitators 14 and slide 11 and connections
being vertically movable they are carried in a fixed position on the pillar 13
and the mould 2 is provided with a movable bottom 43 which is carried by a
rod 44 passing up through the bar 6 and suspended by a rope or chain 45 which
passes over pulleys 46 and is attached to the drum 47. The drum 47 is caused
to rotate and pay out the chain 45 and thereby allow the movable bottom 43
to descend as the guncotton block is gradually formed by the presser-blades 7.
Instead of the chain 45 being paid out by the drum 47 a balance weight may be
attached to such rope to balance the movable bottom and put a pressure on the
block being formed. The presser and agitators are operated in the same manner
as described under Fig. 1 and the drum 47 is operated by the wheels and
worm 32, 33, 35, as before described under Fig. 1 for the pulley 31.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a modification of apparatus for making hollow
blocks of guncotton. In this case I provide a perforated tube 48 which projects
upwards from the bottom of the mould 2. The screw blades 7 are attached to a
hollow bar 6 which can be revolved and moved up and down on the tube 48 so

page_text: that the fibres of guncotton are laid around such tube thus forming a hollow
block. The water escapes through the perforations in the tube 48 as well as
through the perforations in the mould 2. The hollow bar 6 is operated in a
similar manner to the bar 6 as described under Fig. 1.
When it is desired to make the blocks of guncotton of square hexagonal, or
other shape than circular in cross section I prefer to form the moulds of the shape
which it is desired the blocks should have. Fig. 4 is a vertical section and Fig. 5
is a plan of part of apparatus for making blocks of square section. 7 are the
screw blades carried by the revolving bar 6 as before described. The said screw
blades lay the fibres sufficiently well into the corners of the mould to ensure that
when the block is pressed in the hydraulic press the corners of such block will
be properly formed. In some cases although not so advantageously blocks may
be formed in a circular mould and then transferred to a mould of other shape
in cross section and on being pressed the blocks will take the shape of the latter
mould. The bar 6 is operated in a similar manner to the bar 6 as described under
Fig. 1.
When the blocks of guncotton have been formed of the desired size by any of
the apparatus described they are preferably consolidated by hydraulic pressure
as usual or in other convenient way.
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―
First. The method of making blocks of guncotton consisting in laying or press-
ing the fibres of guncotton from a pulp into a mould by means of a movable pres-
ser or layer substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The method of making blocks of guncotton consisting in laying or
pressing the fibres of guncotton from a pulp into a mould by means of a mov-
able presser or layer, said mould being adapted to allow water to escape through
perforations therein substantially as set forth.
Third. In apparatus for making blocks of guncotton the combination with a
perforated mould of a revolving presser or layer substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
Fourth. In apparatus for making blocks of guncotton the combination with
a perforated mould of a revolving and reciprocating presser or layer substan-
tially as and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. In apparatus for making blocks of guncotton the combination with a
perforated mould of a revolving and reciprocating presser or layer, and agitators
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Sixth. In apparatus for making blocks of guncotton the combination with a
perforated mould of a central perforated tube and a hollow revolving and recip-
rocating presser or layer substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this Sixteenth day of June 1900
W. B. JOHNSON,
4, Clayton Square, Liverpool, Agent.