An Improved Machine for the Manufacture of Lozenges and the like.
Year: 1887

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by FRANÇOIS GUILLOT and LOUIS AUGUSTUS PAILLARD,
residing at Paris, in the Republic of France, Manufacturers.]
An Improved Machine for the Manufacture of Lozenges and the like.
1, HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH, practising as Phillips & Leigh, of No. 22,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Tane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer
Patent Agent, 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:-
The object of this invention is the production of a machine for manufacturing
lozenges mathematically correct in point of shape and in large quantities; without
their adhering to the punches of the machine.
In carrying the invention into practical effect, compressed air is made use of in
combination with the mechanism illustrated in the following figures, in which
Fig. 1 is a front clevation of a machine constructed according to this invention;
Fig. 2 is a rear elevation;
Fig. 3 is an end elevation;
Fig. 4 is a plan;
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation, drawn to a larger scale, illustrating the cycle of
motion on the part of the punches and dies; and
Fig. 6 is an elevation of the valve of the compressed air chamber.
The machine may be fitted with any number of punches as may be desired, and
these may be arranged in a regular series, for instance a machine with 100 punches
would have them arranged, preferably, in a square having in each side 10 punches
separated by a distance of from 4 to 5 millimetres.
Each punch has its face engraved with the required design, and is bored out for
its entire length to a diameter of 2 millimetres.
The series of corresponding movable dies is arranged at a lower level; their faces
are engraved but they are not bored.
This duplicate series of movable punches and dies is intended to press the lozenges

page_text: between their engraved faces in order that they may be compressed and stamped on
each side, and is operated by the means next described.
The frame of the machine consists of two standards B, B, held together by transverse
stays E. D. is a metal cross-head capable of sliding between the standards. It carries
the series of punches, Q. A second metal cross-head, D', capable of sliding between
the two standards parallel with the former, carries the series of dies, Q. It is of
importance that the punches should be fixed to their crosshead so as to be exactly
opposite their respective dies, in order that, as the two crossbeads are approached the
opposite faces of each respective pair,-punch and dic,-may coincide.
The cross-head, D, is actuated by two connecting rods, I, I, driven by cams c', c²,
on the shaft, A, the rotation of which will consequently impart the desired rectilinear
motion to the punches, Q. In like manner, the cross-head, D¹, is actuated by
two connecting rods, j, j, driven by cams, c¹, on the before mentioned shaft, A ;
the rotation of which, consequently, imparts the desired rectilinear motion to the
cross-head. The cams, c' and c", are set at the angle proper for approaching and
separating the punches and dies in the manner necessary for the manufacture of
lozenges. The two connecting rods, I, I, are each furnished with a spring, the func-
tion of which is to raise the cross-head, D, and the series of punches, Q, to the top
of the machine, while corresponding springs on the rods j,j, are forcing the cross-
head, D', downwards.
The shaft, A, is rotated by means of a winch handle fast on the end of the shaft, u,
upon which is mounted a pulley, R³, connected to the larger pulley, R, upon the
shaft, A, by means of a driving band, so that the movement of the handle, M, is
communicated direct from the shaft, A, through the cams to the duplex series of
punches and dies.
The opposite end of the shaft, u, carries an eccentric, K, to which is connected the
piston rod of an air pump, P. Each revolution of the shaft, u, therefore, causes the
piston of the air pump to make a complete stroke. A tube, T, leads from the pump, P,
to a reservoir, H which can thereby he kept charged with compressed air by the
action of the pump. A flexible tube, T', maintains a communication between the
reservoir and the series of punches, Q, on the crosshead, D. If there be a chamber of
compressed air communicating with the punches, it is evident that as cach punch is
tubular, a current of air would pass through it. A valve, N, fixed within the air
chamber (which is formed within the crosshead, D), closes the compressed air
tube T. The valve, N, is furnished with a bell-crank lever, n, which can be actuated
from the outside of the air chamber. When this lever is pulled in the right direction,
the valve is opened, and the air passes into the bore of each punch, but when the lever
is released, the pressure in the tube, T¹, closes the valve. By means of this device the
compressed air can be admitted to the punches in the crosshead D as may be desired.
Fig. 5 (which is drawn on a much larger scale than the others) illustrates the
different positions of a punch and its die at different points of their combined stroke:
the various parts of the machine through which they pass; and the different motions
which they make.
The plate V V, Fig. 5, varying in thickness from 5 to 20 millimetres, is pierced
with holes to correspond with the sectional area of, the punches, round, oval, square,
or any other section, according to the shape to be given to the lozenges. It is of
importance that the punches enter the perforations in the plate, VV smoothly. This
plate, V, is fixed upon a table,, supported by the two standards, B, B. Above the
plate, VV, is another plate, SS, also perforated, fixed at a distance therefrom equal to
the thickness of the layer of paste, yy, to be operated upon. The function of the
plate, SS, is to prevent the layer, y y, from being pulled up by the return stroke of
the punches.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
Fig. 5 represents, as already explained, all the alternating positions which the
punches and dies assume. Only one punch and one die are shewn, as it is evident
that all the punches and all the dies move together respectively.
When the machine is ready for being started, the punches Q and dies Q¹are in the

page_text: position shewn at 1 and 6. (Fig. 5) respectively; and the paste, y y, unpierced,
As soon as the machine is started the punches pierce the layer of paste, carrying the
lozenges down to the dies, as shewn by 2 and 7, the dies remaining stationary the
while.
The lozenges, are now shaped, and it only remains to remove them from between
the punches and dies. The dies next descend, the punches remaining stationary the
while, as indicated by S and 3. The under faces of the lozenges, /, are now free.
The projection, X, on the lever I is, at this moment, pulled by any convenient
constant agent, such as a spring or a counterpoise, into the recess of the cam, cc, fixed
upon the shaft, A. The upper extremity of the lever, L engages with the table, GG,
which slides between the two standards of the machine and pushes it under the
punches. While this motion is being made the punches have descended into the
position 4, Fig. 5, pushing the lozenges, clear of the plate V V. The table G now
reaches the end of its travel and contacts with the valve-lever a, and raises it, thereby
admitting the air to the punches, see Fig. 5, position No. 5, which frees the lozenges
from the latter, and they drop on to the table G G. As the table is moved backwards
it releases the lever, n, whereupon the valve N closes, the projection, X, rides on
to the projection of the cam, cc, and if the rotation of the handle M is continued
the punches and dies will return to the relative positions illustrated at 1 and 6
of Fig. 5.
The compressed air prevents the lozenges from continuing to stick to the punches
after their formation has been completed. This prevention is practically of con-
siderable importance to a manufacture, inasmuch as it allows the process of
manufacture being a continuous one. It is found that a machine of 100 pairs
of punches and dies can make from 30,000 to 35,000 lozenges in 10 hours.
I wish it to be distinctly understood that Fig. 5 illustrates the relative positions
which punch and die assume in regular series of motions, and that these relative
positions and their succession is the immediate consequence of the relative positions
and shapes of the cams el, cl, while the action of the table G G is controlled by
the relative shape and position of the cam c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I claim is.
1. In a machine for manufacturing lozenges and the like, a framing composed
of two standards, B, between which slide two crossheads D and D' furnished with a
series of punches and dies respectively, and operated by means of connecting rods,
I, I, and j, j, substantially as described.
2. In a machine for manufacturing lozenges and the like, the cams c¹, ell, of
a special shape mounted upon the shaft A, for the purpose of controlling the action of
the connecting rods I, I, and j,j, substantially as described.
3. In a machine for manufacturing lozenges and the like, a table, GG, fixed on the
end of a lever, L, which contacts with a cam, c, by means of a projection, X,
substantially as described.
4. In a machine for manufacturing lozenges and the like, a compressed air
pump, P, forcing air into a reservoir, H, which communicates with the punches Q,
of the machine, substantially as described.
5. In a machine for manufacturing lozenges and the like, the use of a plate
V V, perforated to correspond with the series of punches, Q, substantially as
described.
6. In a machine for manufacturing lozenges and the like the use of compressed air
for detaching the lozenges from the punches.
7. In a machine for manufacturing lozenges and the like, the use of a series
of movable punches and a series of movable dies to compress the lozenge-paste
between their engraved or smooth ends, substantially as described.
8. In a machine for manufacturing lozenges and the like, the application of an
ascending and a descending motion obtained by means of cams c, c, fixed upon the
shaft, A, and connecting rods, I and j, substantially as described.

page_text: 9. In a machine for manufacturing lozenges and the like, the use of a plate (upon
which the layer of lozenge paste lies) in which are formed a number of holes
corresponding, in cross section and number, with both the punches and the lozenges,
substantially as described.
10. In a machine for manufacturing lozenges and the like, the use of a table, GG,
engaging with the extremity of a lever, I, which table, during each revolution of the
first motion shaft, advances, opens the valve of the compressed air reservoir, receives
upon itself the manufactured lozenges, and then returns to its first position,
substantially as described.
11. In a machine for manufacturing lozenges and the like, the use of a cam, c, fixed
upon the shaft, A, and having a recess in its periphery into which a projection, X,
upon a lever, 1, engaging with the table, GG, falls for the purpose of effecting the
to-and-fro motion of the said table, substantially as described.
HENRY H. LEIGH.