Improvements in Pill Making Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Mar., 1892-Accepted, 2nd Apr.,
1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pill Making Machines.
I, JOSEPH RUDOLPH WITZEL corner of Vincent Avenue and Oxford Street,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, Physician 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 invention relates to pill making machines and consists of a machine provided
with a stationary feeding device constructed as hereinafter set forth.
My invention also consists of mechanism for adjusting the opening in the mould
between the dies so as to regulate the size of the pill and of mechanism for
operating the said dies.
My said invention further consists of the combination and arrangement of parts
as hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 represents a plan of a pill making machine embodying my invention.
Figure 2 represents a side view, partly broken away, of the same device.
Figure 3 represents a vertical section on line r, x, Figure 2.
Figure 4 represents a vertical section on line y, y Figure 2.
Figure 5 represents a vertical longitudinal section on line 2,
Figure 6 represents perspective views of the mould and dies.
Figure 7 represents a perspective view of a detail portion of the device.
Figure 8 represents a side view in elevation of the modifications for operating
cans for the dies on a reduced scale.
Figure 1.
Figure 9 represents a vertical section of a modification of the agitating.portion
of the mechanism.
Figure 10 represents a vertical sectional view of a portion of the device, the
parts being in different positions from that shown in Figure 5.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
A designates the frame of the machine having suitably mounted therein the
driving shaft B, which receives motion from a wheel or pulley C thereon. Secured
to the bed D of the said frame is a sectional holder E for a mould F in which the
pill or tablet is formed. The said mould consists of a body portion with heads
formed of suitable material, and is held firmly between the sections of said holder,
and provided with a recess G adapted to receive the material or composition
forming the pill, through a throat B× in said holder, from a hopper H. The said
recess is open at its ends to receive the dies J, and J which move therein, and the
walls of the opening of the recess which receives the composition or pill material
are converging at one end for a purpose hereinafter explained.
For operating the dies so as to compress the pill material between the same,
and also to remove the pill from the mould, the following mechanism is employed.
The die J, which may be of any suitable form, is connected with a sliding
block K movable in the ways L on the bed D of the machine, and provided with a
pin or stud N projecting downward into the cam groove P of a drum Q. The said
drum Qis mounted on a shaft R mounted in the frame A and receiving motion
from the shaft B by means of the meshing pinion S and the gear wheel T mounted
on said shafts B and R respectively.
To adjust the position of the die J longitudinally in the said block K, a
screw is employed, said screw passing through an opening in the stud N, which
latter is inserted in the said block and has a pin Nx adapted to rest in a recess in
the top of the boss V on the said block, so as to keep the said stud N from turning
in the block and bearing against the screw U. A screw W passing through the

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boss V and bearing against the stud N holds the same firmly in place, preventing
it from rising in the block K during the operation of the device, and a screw X
passing through an opening in the block K bears against the die J, holding it in
place on the block.
The die J' is connected with a sliding block K³ movable in ways L'and provided
with a stud N which projects into a cam groove P¹ on a drum Q¹ mounted on the
shaft R and rotatable therewith. A screw U serves to adjust the position of the
die J in said block, and a screw X³ serves to hold the said die in place therein.
The parts KN₁ and U₁ are similar in construction and operation to the
parts K, L, N, and U heretofore described.
A screw W in the boss Vi holds the stud N₁ securely in place. Freely
movable in a horizontal opening in the stud N1 is a rod Y having a threaded
end inserted in a threaded opening in the stud N. A coil spring Z encircles said
rod having its ends bearing against the inner walls of the studs and a sleeve or
tube A supported in a portion of an attachment to one end of the frame A, serves
as a guide for said rod the said sleeve at its inner end abutting against the stud N¹
and the rod has at its outer end a cross pin or stop B' adapted to abut against
the outer end of the sleeve.
On the shaft R is secured a gear wheel C¹ meshing with a loose gear wheel D¹
on the shaft B. The said wheel D' has in its side a cam groove E' in which
projects a pin F¹ on one end of the lever G. The said lever is pivoted to a
projecting arm H' of the frame A, and has its other end pivotally attached to
an arm A pivotally connected with the crank arm A* of the vertical rotary
shaft B of the stirrer or mixer C in the hopper H.
In order to move the blocks K K from the mould so as to change the dies
therein, without rotating the drums QQ one head of each of the latter is
forined with a removable section Q said sections forming a portion of one of
the walls of the grooves P P on the drums, and in which the pins N N
move. By removing the said sections when adjacent to said pins, the blocks K K'
can be moved longitudinally from the mould without rotating the drums. In
operating the machine the sections are secured by pins or other suitable means
to the bodies of the drums.
On the shaft R is secured a cam D³, against which bears a wiper E2, adapted
to be passed between the die J¹ and one end of the mould. The said wiper is
pivoted to the frame A, and has a projection F2 thereon adapted to enter a
recess G² on said cam, and a spring H2 secured to the frame and wiper keeps the
latter in contact with said cam.
The cams are so timed and the cam grooves on the drums are so formed that
the movement of the machine is as follows. The dies being in the mould in the
position shown in Figure 5, the pill material enters from the hopper through the
throat in the holder into the recess in the mould between the ends of the dies,
and is carried in the mould by the said dies, which are moved owing to the move-
ment of their connected blocks by the rotating drums, to one end of the mould so
as to close the entrance from above into the opening between the dies. The
die J is then stopped and the die J advances towards the die J₁ thereby com-
pressing the material and forming the pill. The die J is then withdrawn from the
mould and the die J is first slightly retracted or drawn back from the pill so as to
free it from the same. It is then advanced forcing the pill from the mould. The
wiper E then passes between the end of the mould and the die J', removing the
pill in case of its sticking to the end of the die. The coil spring Z on the rod Y
bearing on the studs N N¹, serves to keep the same in contact with the proper
walls of their respective grooved cams for operating them, and thereby preserves
the proper distance apart of the inner ends of the dies during their movements.
The size of the recess or opening between the dies JJ, may also be adjusted
by turning the pin B₁ so that the screw-threaded end of the rod Y in the stud N
will force the studs N Nand consequently the blocks K and K', with their dies,
closer together; thus controlling the supply of pill material.

page_text: In Figure 8 are shown drums QQ with cams P2 P3 which are adapted to
be employed when it is desired to measure the pill material in the mould without
compressing it.
By forming the opening at the entrance to the recess in the mould of converging
or narrowed form, a forcing out of the material is prevented, as the dies carry the
same under the block or holder.
It will be noticed that the feeding portion of the mechanism that is the hopper,
mould and holder are stationary during the feeding of the pill material into the
mould.
In Figure 9, is shown a modified form of mechanism for operating the mixer.
On the side of a disc T secured on the shaft A is formed a groove K², in which
projects the pin M2 of the lever G* which operates the mixer shaft.
The underside of the die J is formed with a projection or shoulder having a
bevelled or inclined edge J for scraping any material which may become attached
to the walls of the mould.
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 :-
First. A pill making machine having a frame with a stationary hopper therein,
a stationary holder, a mould in said holder having a longitudinal passage and an
opening leading from the top of said mould into said longitudinal passage said
opening being a feed throat for the material from the hopper, dies working in
opposite ends of said longitudinal passage, and mechanism substantially as
described for reciprocating said dies, substantially as described, said parts being
combined as stated.
Second. A pill making machine having a frame, a holder, a mould in said holder,
a stationary hopper and dies movable longitudinally in said mould, said mould
having a throat communicating with said hopper the latter being above said throat,
said parts being combined substantially as described.
Third. A pill making machine having a holder, a stationary mould in said holder
provided with a longitudinal passage-way; and an opening leading from the top of
the mould into said longitudinal passage, dies adapted to work in and out of
said passage-way, blocks in which said dies are adjustably held, depending studs
connected with said blocks, and rotary drums having cam grooves on their
peripheries in which said studs project, said parts being combined substantially as
described.
Fourth. A frame a mould sliding blocks movable in ways on said frame and
provided with depending studs, dies connected with said block and movable in said
inould, and a rotary shaft with grooved cams in which the studs of the said blocks
depend, said parts being combined substantially as described.
Fifth. A frame, a holder having a throat, a mould in a said holder having a
recess with an opening communicating with said throat said opening being of
converged or narrowed width at one end thereof, and dies movable in said recess,
said parts being combined substantially as described.
Sixth. A pill making machine having a frame, a holder a stationary mould,
dies movable longitudinally in opposite ends of said mould, a feed throat in
said mould at an angle to the line of movement of the dies, blocks to which
said dies are adjustably connected and mechanism for imparting reciprocating
motion as described to said blocks said parts being combined substantially as
described.
Seventh. A frame a holder secured thereon a mould secured to said holder,
sliding blocks movable in ways on said frame and having depending studs, dies
secured to said blocks and movable in said moulds, a rotary shaft with grooved
cams in which the said studs project, and means for preserving the proper distance
apart of said dies during their movements, said parts being combined, substantially
as described.

page_text: Eighth. A frame, sliding blocks therein having depending studs, a rod passing
loosely through one stud and having a threaded end inserted in a threaded opening
in the other stud, a spring on said rod between said studs, a sleeve encircling said
rod on the opposite side of one of the studs from the said spring, a pin in the rod
bearing against the end of the sleeve, and a rotary shaft with drums having cam
grooves therein in which said studs project said parts being combined substantially
as described.
Ninth. In a pill making machine a stationary holder a mould therein having an
opening in its upper side for the reception of the material dies working longitudinally
in opposite ends of said mould and at an angle to the line of feed from the hopper,
and a wiper adapted to move across the discharge end of the mould, said parts
being combined substantially as described.
Tenth. In a pill making machine a frame, a mould therein, movable blocks
having depending pins, dies adjustable in said blocks and adapted to work in said
mould, a driving shaft, a second shaft meshing with said driving shaft, and having
grooved cams in which said pins are inserted, a stationary hopper, a mixer therein,
and mechanism for operating said mixer independent of said dies, said parts being
combined substantially as described.
Eleventh. In a pill making machine, a die having on its underside a projec-
tion or shoulder with a bevelled edge, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
Twelfth. A pill making machine having a stationary mould with a longitudinal
passage and a feeding opening in its top wall leading into said passage, dies
movable in said passage and mechanism consisting of blocks, studs and cams
substantially as described for operating said dies, so as to remove the material in
the mould from below the said feed opening compressing the same, removing one
of the dies from the mould and disengaging the other from the pill thus formed,
and then discharging the pill from the mould, said parts being combined substantially
as described.
Thirteenth. In a pill making machine, a stationary hopper having a mixer with
a vertical shaft therein, a rotatable shaft carrying a pinion a shaft with pinion and
a disc mounted thereon, said disc having a groove in one of its sides, a frame with
projecting arm, a lever pivoted to said arm and having at one end a pivotal
arm connected with a crank arm on the vertical shaft of the mixer, and a pin on
said lever working in said groove on the disc, said parts being combined substan-
tially as described.
1
1003
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.