An Improved Machine for Manufacturing Compressed Blocks.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1889-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Manufacturing Compressed Blocks.
I Joseph Laidler, of 18 Mabel Terrace, Hendon, Sunderland, in the county of
Durham, Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to a certain improved machine for compressing materials
into blocks of any desired dimensions and forms, and is designed more especially for
manufacturing artificial fuel.
The object of the invention is to render the manufacture continuous, to increase
the speed of out put, and to diminish labour and cost of production.
The improved machine comprises essentially two intermittently revolved horizontal
mould tables to each of which the raw material is continuously fed, then compressed
in the moulds and finally ejected therefrom by the action of two alternately operated
sets of vertical rams; the finished blocks may then be mechanically conveyed away
without any manual labour whatever or otherwise removed: The invention comprises
also a special device for imparting intermittent rotation to the said mould tables and
ensuring that the same be constant both as to distance and period.
The various moving parts of the machine are all driven from one main driving
shaft, and are so timed that during each revolution thereof compression and ejection
take place at one end of the machine while the mould table is stationary, and at the
same moment of time at the other end of the machine the rams are withdrawn clear
of this mould table and the said table receives its degree of rotation, and efficient
regulating adjusting and safety appliances are applied to all parts where required.
The improved machine is illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings in
which Figure 1 is a plan, Figures 2, 3 and 4 are respectively front, back and end
elevations thereof certain parts being shown in section. Figure 5 is a cross section
of side frames, and Figure 6 is a detail hereinafter referred to: Throughout all the
figures similar letters refer to similar parts.
A A are the main side frames of cast iron of suitablo form and strength having
brackets cast thereon in proper positions for the support of the various bearings as
shown in Figure 5, and the frames are suitably stayed together. B is the main
driving shaft carrying the usual fly wheel, fast and loose driving pulleys, and the
driving pinion ; with the latter gears a toothed wheel driving an intermediate
wheel D which drives a wheel C¹ all axle bearings being carried by the main frames A
as indicated.
The wheels C C by cranks c c upon their axles impart oscillation to the two press
ram beams E El; the cranks on their up stroke raise the beams which then either
fall by their own weight or may have a strap connection round the crank pins to
ensure accuracy of return. The beam trunnions work in plummer blocks e e¹ and to
the shorter arms the heads of the compressing rams F F are attached. These ran
beams E E' may conveniently be arranged in a vertical plane as illustrated, whereby
the compressing rams both work in the same horizontal plane (being the centro line
of the machine). R is the ejecting rain beam centred on one of the side frames A
at to both ends of which are connected ejecting rams S S¹. To ensure true vertical
motion for the rams F F S S¹ they are connected to their respective driving beams
by intermediate links ff or equivalent devices, and work in guides ff.
The ejecting ram beam R is driven by pin and sliding block on face of disc con
end of crank axle c' working in slot in said beam.
TT are the two horizontal circular mould tables accurately mounted and capable of
rotation upon the fixed bed plates K to which they are attached by the central bolts k.
t are the moulds which are bottomless apertures in the table T of the

page_text: dimensions required for the finished blocks, the bed plate K forming the base thereof
To one of these moulds t¹ in each table the raw material is fed by an ordinary shoot
from the mixer mill or other source to which the usual regulating slide is applied to
control the delivery according to the quantity of the supply, a roller in adjustable
bearings may be mounted over and applied to the mould next to mould ¹ in
the direction of the travel of the table T, and an intermediate scraper may also be
provided but neither of these are essential and may be dispensed with if desired.
The compressing rams F F are arranged vertically above the moulds marked (3
and the ejecting rams may be vertically above any convenient moulds say as illustrated
at 11.
In suitable position in the fixed bed plates K an ejection opening or openings is
or are formed through which blocks are discharged; they may thence be conveniently
carried off by an endless band working over pulleys driven by any convenient moving
part of the machine, or they may be removed by hand.
It is important that the distance through which the tables T T are intermittently
moved should be exact since if the moulds t² 4 did not come exactly beneath the
rams FF, S S¹, at the periods of their descent damage would ensue ; to provide
against this suitable springs e² e figure 2 are applied to all ram beam bearings so
that if by chance any ram should strike the table instead of entering its intended
mould the bearings of the ram beams can rise up bodily and so ease the pressure and
prevent damage.
To alternately rotate the mould tables T T through a constant distance and then
keep them stationary for a constant time I employ the special device shown in
Figures 2, 4 and 6. The upper edges of the tables T T are provided with ratchet
teeth oo of pitch exactly equal to the spacing of the moulds t t and these are engaged
and operated by pawl levers P P centered on the bolts kk. On the axle of inter-
mediate wheel Ď outside the frame is keyed a cam or tumbler d over which is placed
a stirrup whose shaft 9 is extended downwards and centred at g' on the frame; to
the rod at any distance from centre q' adapted to give the required leverage the
side rods p p are connected either directly or by a suitable link, and their other ends
are connected to the pawl levers P P aforesaid. The side rods pp are furnished
with adjusting unions to regulate their length in case of wear. By this device each
revolution of wheel D rotates first one table T and then the other for a defined
distance. The operation of the machine is as follows:-
Power applied to the driving pulley is transmitted through pinion and wheel C
to wheel D each revolution of which with its tumbler d oscillates the stirrup Q and
gives one pull on each side rod thus alternately operating pawls P P and rotating
each table T T for the distance of one tooth o; at the first motion of each table the
material is rolled if a roller is applied, on second motion by the alternate action of
wheels CC on beams E E' and R the rams F and S at one end of the machine
descend and material is simultaneously compressed in and ejected from moulds t
and respectively, and completion of revolution of wheel D raises rams F and S
clear of the table before it moves. During the same time the reverse motion has
taken place at the other end of the machine the rams F¹ and S₁ having been raised
out of their respective moulds and pressed back into them.
The proportion of the gear wheels driving beams E E¹ the disc driving beam R
and the stroke of the tumblers d and parts driven thereby are all so arranged that
the required motions all take place in proper and accurate sequence and thus the
manufacture is continuous, one block being made at each end of the machine at each
revolution of the cranked axles c c' thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved machine for manufacturing compressed blocks substantially as
· hereinbefore described and illustrated wherein by one main driving shaft through
interposed gearing and connections oscillating motion is imparted to three horizontal

page_text: beams two of which reciprocate two vertical compressing rams and one of which
reciprocates two vertical ejecting rams and wherein by the shaft of an intermediate
wheel through the medium of the special device specified two horizontal mould tables
arranged at opposite ends of the frame are alternately intermittently rotated, all
parts being arranged to operate in accurate sequence at the times and in the manner
setforth.
2. In a machine for manufacturing compressed blocks the combination with a
rotary driving shaft and two mould tables constructed as specified of the device
hereinbefore described and illustrated for converting the continuous rotary motion
of the said shaft into the alternate intermittent rotary motion of the said mould tables
as and for the purposes setforth.
3. The general arrangement and combination of parts forming the improved
machine as a whole substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and
illustrated in the drawings.
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011
1000
J. C. CHAPMAN, Fel. Inst. Patent Agents,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.