IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MECHANISM AND PRO- CESS OF PACKING AND PRESSING VARIOUS ARTICLES OF COMMERCE
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LUKE
HEBERT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster; the Second day of December, in the third year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Luke
Hebert, my exors, adñors; and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said Luke Hebert, my exors, admors, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said Luke Hebert, my exors, admors, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times hereafter during the term of years therein expressed, should and law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plan-
tations abroad, the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MECHANISM AND PRO-
CESS OF PACKING AND PRESSING VARIOUS ARTICLES OF COMMERCE," which improve-
ments were partly communicated to be by a foreigner residing abroad, and the
remainder were invented by myself; in which said Letters Patent there is
contained a proviso that I, the said Luke Hebert, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, by an instrument in writing, under my hand and seal, to be
inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar.
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters:
Patent, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear..

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Luke Hebert, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon:-
The presses usually employed for the compression and packing of cotton,
hemp, flax, hay, and other similarly compressible substances into bales of
great density are made single-acting and in a vertical direction, but mine, on
the contrary, are made, double-acting and in a horizontal direction. The
double action is obtained by uniting, through the agency of the pressing screw
or rack (or whatever may be the movement employed) to which the piston
or follower" is connected, another piston or follower to the opposite end of
the screw or rack (&c.), in such manner that when one piston or "follower" is
moving forward in one box or frame, the other is being thereby drawn back-
ward in the other box or frame of a double press; and producing by this
simple combination all the useful effect of two presses by the ordinary move-
ments of one. press, and effecting thereby a great economy, of labour, of time,
and of space in the working, besides a great saving in the cost of construction.
A diagram explanatory of this principle of construction is given in Figure 1
in the annexed Drawings, in order that it may be clearly understood, and save
the necessity of repeating. the details in the several kinds of presses herein-
after described, wherein the same mechanical combination is introduced.
At a and b are. two pistons, (as I denominate them, in preference to the
more common but less appropriate name of "followers."); these are firmly
joined together by an intermediate pressing screw. c, and they are made
perfectly parallel. to each other or at right angles to the screw by means of
very rigid stay-bars d; d; d, d; secured as nearly as may be at equidistant
points.in.the.firmest manner practicable, so that the two combined pistons
shall act as one solid plunger at either of its ends. At e-is the screw box, to
which is communicated. motion through the medium of spur, bevil; or any
other suitable geer. To impart the motion and force to the screw c. there is
a fixed and very solid abutment against each end of the screw box, as indi-
cated by the dotted lines and g. Thus, when the screw is propelled in the
direction of the arrow. h, the piston bis thereby drawn up to the line-g, and
the piston a¹ is pushed on to a²; by which action the cotton or other substance
with which the press was charged becomes pressed into the space between a²
and the fixed headstock or "bed" (as it would be called in an ordinary press),
indicated by the dotted line At j. is the headstock of the reverse end of
the press; the space between which and the piston 61, now at g, 'having been

page_text: filled with cotton, the motion of the screw is reversed, which propels the screw
and the piston 6' in the direction of the arrow K until it arrives at b², when
the compression of the substance is supposed to be completed.
I will now describe more in detail the application of the principle of con-
struction just explained. Figure 2 represents a front elevation of a double
horizontal press designed for packing raw cotton, hemp, flax, &c.; the scale
to which the parts are drawn not admitting of a correct proportional length;
portions at z, z, are shown as broken out. On one side of the middle line
an external view of the press is given, and on the other an external view.
Figure 3 exhibits a plan of the upper side of
half not represented being precisely the same. The same letters of reference,
wherever they occur in the Drawings, indicate the same parts. It will there-
fore be necessary only very briefly to advert to the parts already described in
Figure 1.
one half of the press, the other
At a and b (Figures 2 and 3) are the pistons; c, the screw; d; d, the
stay-bars; e, the screw box; f and g, its abutments; and i and j; the head-
stocks. (It may be proper to observe that the pistons and headstocks are not
of the solid thickness apparent by their side view, but are made hollow,
strengthened interiorly by ribs or feathers, so as to obtain the greatest
strength with the least weight of metal.) The framing of the press consists
chiefly of four wrought-iron brace-bars m, m, the extremities of which are
cut into screws passed through the corners of the headstocks i & j, and
thereto secured by screwed nuts. In the centre of the press the brace-bars are
bolted to the flanges of two front plates n, n, and they are further combined
by wrought-iron ties, not shown in the Drawing, and the abutments f and g
are secured in their positions by their edges just passing through the square
apertures in the front plates n, n, to the flanges of which they are bolted, as
shown at o, o. The receptacles for the cotton are in this case supposed to be
made of ash planks p, p, fastened to a series of rectangular frames 9, q, by
means of screws. On the upper side of the receptacles are a series of hori-
zontal doors framed between the brace-bars and the frames q, q. Into these
receptacles the raw cotton being put, the doors are fastened down by means
of buttons r, r, or levers and screws 8, s. To the driving wheel t or some
suitable substitute on the screw box the motive power is to be applied
through the medium of any ordinary gear, which will be varied according to
circumstances. But in the packing of cotton it is especially desirable (to
accommodate the varying resistance of the material during its progressive
compression) to be provided with gear of several speeds or to apply such
movements as will exert a progressively increasing leverage, I have designed
.

page_text: for this latter purpose the application of spiral pulleys (termed in horological
instruments fusees), the action of which I will proceed to explain with
reference to Figure 4 A.
At a is an axis carrying a pinion at b, the revolution of which gives motion
to the screw or rack for compressing the goods; at c is a fusee fixed to the
axis a, on which is wound a cord or chain d connected with a barrel e for
winding-off the cord of the fusce; at f is another fusee on the same axis in
connection with a barrel g, on which is wound the cord or chain h; at i is
a friction weight; and at j another. It will now be evident that if the cord h
be wound on the barrel g, the motion given to the axis of the fuseef will be
at first quick, and that as the winding proceeds the motion will be retarded.
and the leverage increased. Whilst this action is taking place the revolution
of the axis a causes the cord or chain d to be wound on to the fusee c, ready.
to be wound off in making the reverse motion of the screw or rack, such
reversal, of course, causing the cord h to be again wound off the band g on to
the fusce f.
My process for lashing the bale after the compression of the cotton has been
completed is peculiar, and is as follows:-At u, u, at the sides of the pistons
and headstocks are a series of pins, around which I pass and stretch out the
lashing cords backwards and forwards in the manner shewn, reference being
made also to the front view of a piston (on a smaller scale) given in Figure 4 B.
Over these cords is placed a cloth of rather more extent than is requisite to
cover half the bale, the edges of the cloth being secured upon small hooks v.
The pressure of the cotton or other goods holds these cords very firmly in
their places, so that it becomes only necessary, after the compression of the
bale, to fold over the cloth, and to bring the loops near together and lace them
tightly by means of another cord, as explained by the red lines which are
intended to shew the bales lashed, or it may be by a half-link of metal, as
shewn in the sketch y.
Figure 5 represents the plan of another double-horizontal cotton press, de-
signed chiefly to shew the application of the rack and pinion movement (instead
of the screw in the last described), but modified in a peculiar manner to adapt
it to greater pressures than ordinary. The rack a, it will be observed, is made of
greater breadth than usual, and there is a range of cogs both on the upper and
the under side, into which work two strong pinions b, b, having on their axes two
spur pinions c, c, indicated by the red circles gearing into each other to make
them act in concert, and they are linked together by a gland d, which secures
them both to a single plummer block e. Figure 6 is designed to shew a
simple mode of working double presses, whether vertical or horizontal, by the

page_text: elastic force of steam. At a is the working cylinder with the usual steam
passages; b, its piston; c, its piston rod, passing through each end of the
cylinder, and thence extended to the pistons f, f, of the two cotton boxes;
9, 9, i, and j, are the headstocks.
Figure 7 is a diagram, explanatory of a fourth arrangement of mechanism
for a double-horizontal press, wherein the leverage is continually augmenting
from the commencement to the end of the operation of compressing any
substance; at a is a toothed arc of a worm wheel, turning on an axis b; at c
is an endless screw, mounted upon an axis d, and turned by winches f, f; at
g is a piston rod, jointed to the worm wheel, and likewise to the piston h of the
box i; at j is another piston rod, also jointed to the worm wheel, and to the
piston k of the box 7. Now, supposing the winches to be turned in that
direction, which will cause the worm wheel to move in the direction of the
arrow, the motion of the rod and piston g, h, will be at first quick, but as the
toothed arc moves round the rod g moves slower and slower until it assumes
the horizontal position, in attaining which the force is constantly augmenting
till it arrives at the maximum at the end of the stroke. During the forcing
action in one press or box the piston of the other is being drawn back ready
to receive the forcing action, which is effected by reversing the motion of the
winches, and so on alternately.
Figure 8 is designed for a vertical double-press (though it may be obviously
laid horizontally) for the use of printers and stationers; a and b are the
two pistons; c, the screw; d, d, the stay bars, which slide through holes made
in the close metallic box e, f, g, h, and at their extremities connect the two
pistons together; i is the screw box, the ends of which abut against f and 9,
and by its revolution causes the pistons either to approach to or recede from
the head i or the bed ; of the press. The gear in this case is shewn as con-
sisting of a worm wheel k, k, acted upon by an endless screw on the axis m,
which is turned by a winch at one end and carries a fly wheel at the other.
Although horizontal presses do (in my opinion) possess many important
advantages over the vertical, wherein the force is applied through a con-
siderable range, there are, however, peculiar circumstances, such, for instance,
as the employment of lofty buildings already erected for the purpose wherein
they may be required.
At Figure 9 is shewn the elevation of a double-press, wherein the two pistons
move in the same direction simultaneously; power is in this case supposed
to be applied to the axis a, which has a pinion at 6 that actuates two similar
pinions c, c, fixed on the screwed nuts or boxes of the pressing screws d, d, to
which are attached the follower e, from the under side of which the rods f; f;

page_text: descend to the pistons 9, 9, which compress the goods in h, h, underneath. Thus
where adequate power is attainable, two bales of cotton may be pressed by a
single actuating movement. It is obvious that three, four, or more screws
could be employed as well as any desired number of presses h, h, underneath
them.
Figure 10 shews an arrangement for a treble press h, h, h. In this the
power from steam or any adequate source is applied to rotate the axis a, on
which are placed three endless screws b, b, b, that drive the worm wheels c, c, c,
on the boxes d, d, of the screws e, e, e.
The
At Figure 11 is represented a reciprocating double-acting vertical press,
which I designed in particular for compressing or packing tea or any like
material into cases. At a is a winch-handle turning on an axis that carries an
endless screw b, which drives a worm wheel c on the axis d. This axis carries
at each extremity a crank, from which cranks depend connecting rods e, e, that
connect them by joints to the pistons f, g, of the boxes h, i. Each of these
boxes is composed of an upper or false box, and a lower or real box, the
separation being midway by a rebated point. Supposing the upper and lower
box n to be quite filled with the material, and the lid fitting the interior to be
laid over it, the piston then descends upon it, compressing the material and
pushing the lid down before it, which should be forced as much below the top
of the real box as will cause the reaction of the material to carry it back, when
the nailing or "coopering" may be performed in the usual manner.
greater part of the tea imported from the East is packed to a density of about
nineteen pounds per cubic foot; but I have proved experimentally that such
tea may be put into half the compass without detriment to the material, as
regards the breaking of the leaves, and it is quite obvious that the flavour
must be preserved by the closer packing. The last described machine, however,
possesses a slight defect in the oblique or indirect action of the rods, to
obviate which, the arrangement exhibited at Figures 12 and 13 has been
designed. In this it will be noticed that the worm wheel carries on its axis a
spur pinion k that gears into another. spur pinion on a separate axis, and that
to the two cranks m, m, are jointed two connecting rods, the lower end of
which are jointed to the pistons or plungers f and g, which cause the latter to
receive its pressure in a direct vertical line.
1
By the usual process of packing raw cotton and similar substances into
bales, the goods are squeezed down to their intended dimensions, and are then
lashed whilst under the compression in the press, but during this operation
the press remains unemployed. To avoid this loss of time I have devised
several means of removing the bale in its compressed state, in order that it

page_text: may be lashed out of the press whilst the latter is employed in compressing
another bale.
At Fig. 14, a is supposed to represent a longitudinal section of a bale
brought down by the above-mentioned process, and confined between two
additional followers b, c, each of which has a deep rebate or recess d, d, at
its edges. I then take a series of clamps (as I call them, which are iron
bars,) of the shape represented at e, e, and place their crooked ends into the
said rebates, which, of course, prevents the bale from expanding, and admits
of it being taken out of the press, and of being lashed in the usual way,
by passing cords through the holes represented. At f is a clamp nearly
similar to the former, but having at one end a pin g, instead of the angular
bend.
Fig. 15 is designed to exhibit two different contrivances for causing the
motion of the press to clamp the bale. Suppose the cotton box to be filled,
and that the piston or follower has pushed down the additional follower b
to the position represented, it must in that case have pushed back the hanging
pall h, and as soon as it passed by the spring at i, by its reaction forced back
the pall to the position shewn. The contrivance on the opposite side of the
Figure is merely a spring bolt j, which the additional follower pushes back in
its descent, but having passed by, the. reaction of a helical spring k throws the
bolt back into its previous position.
Fig. 16 and 17 show another simple kind of clamp. Plain bars or rods of
iron 1, 1, are laid at the back of the upper and lower additional follower b, c,
and these are connected by passing over their extremities two other bars m, m,
having holes at their ends for that purpose.
Fig. 18 represents a clamp. of the form of a square staple n, n', n', the two
prongs of which n', n', pass along grooves made in b, c; a bar m (like m in
Figure 16) is then put over the screwed extremities of the prongs n', n', and
then the screwed nuts o, o, which clamps the whole firmly on all sides with
iron bars. In the packing of goods in cases wherein there is exerted con
siderable elastic. reaction, the application of clamps of the kind last described
will be found of great utility, especially if it be required to hoop or bind the
packages while under pressure, in which latter case shallow grooves or cavities
are to be made in the edges of the clamps, as sketched at p, p, p, and the
hoops or bands passed through these cavities, and fastened, on to the packages,
which may very easily be done before removing the clamps.
In the ordinary mode of constructing metallic presses, it is the practice to
make the standards of wrought-iron bars of greater thickness than is necessary
to sustain the requisite tension, in order that the frames may have the desired

page_text: stiffness; and the said standards are usually made fast to the head and bed
of the press by means of nuts screwed upon their ends. To obtain the requisite
properties in a more economical manner, my plan is to make the standards
of wrought-iron tubes of greater diameter than the usual solid bars, but
containing no more solid metal than is necessary to bear the intended tension
(but, of course, making the usual allowances for risk of fracture, according to
established practice). These tubes I roughen, and make bell-mouthed at
their extremities, and then cast around them the melted metal which is to
form the head and the bed of the press, according to the methods adopted by
founders in other cases, but not heretofore applied to the standards of presses.
Having now explained the construction and operation of my several
improvements for packing and pressing various articles of commerce, I
desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise mechanical
arrangements and modes of operating described, as they are susceptible of
various modifications from which similar results may be obtained, but what I
distinctly claim under this Patent right are as follow:-
First, I claim the construction and employment of double horizontal presses,
not only as set forth in the several examples delineated (in Figures 5, 6, 7,
1, 2, 3); but as double horizontal presses have never been used before, I claim
such under every modification or arrangement of parts.
Second, I claim the apparatus and process described, of clamping bales of
cotton, as described with reference to Figures 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.
Third, I claim the mode described of connecting two pistons together by
means of the stay or guide rods d, d, and thereby making a double press, in
whatever position the said double press may be worked.
Fourth, I claim the employment of hollow standards to common presses,
in lieu of in lieu of the solid bars in general use for that purpose.
Fifth, I claim the enclosing of the driving gear or mechanism of the press
in a metallic or other box (as explained by Figure 8), in order to keep the
said geer clean and well lubricated.
Sixth, I claim the application of the fusee movement for the working of
presses.
Seventh, I claim the construction and employment of double presses worked
by steam, in which the pressure is transmitted direct from the steam piston to
the packing pistons.
Eighth, I claim the expeditious process of lashing bales of cotton, &c.,
described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
Ninth, I claim the apparatus and processes described, of packing chests
of tea, and other articles of commerce susceptible of similar treatment.

page_text: Tenth, I claim the process of giving simultaneous pressure to a series
of cotton presses placed parallel to each other, as exemplified in Figs. 9
and 10.
Eleventh, I claim the mechanical arrangement of the vertical alternating
double presses delineated in Figures 11, 12, 13.
In witness that this is a true Specification of my aforesaid Invention,
I, the said Luke Hebert, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Thirtieth day of May, in the year One thousand eight hundred and
forty