Improvements in the Construction of Apparatus used for Expelling Liquid from and Compressing Semi-fluid or Plastic Substances.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 24th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 19th Apr., 1890'
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Apparatus used for Expelling
Liquid from and Compressing Semi-fluid or Plastic Substances.
I, JOSEPH PRICE, of 58, Lombard Street, in the City of London, Accountant, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in the construction of moulds
employed in, or in combination with presses for expelling water, or other liquids, or
expressing moisture from solid or insoluble substances, when held in a fluid, semi-fluid,
or plastic condition, such as artificial stone, concrete, cement, china-clay, sewage
sludge, peat, or other substances, where it is required to separate the liquid from the
solid portions.
In moulds of this class as heretofore constructed difficulty is sometimes experienced
in removing the pressed material from the mould without affecting its shape, sharp-
ness of outline, and density, to a certain extent, a feature of importance in the manu-
facture of blocks or slabs of artificial stone, concrete, or other like material, where it
is desirable to retain the exact shape of the mould, more especially when a pattern or
ornament of any kind is impressed upon the block at the same time.
According to my invention, I provide the head, and the bed plate of the press, with
loose plates, which form the top and bottom of the mould, and which said plates may
have any pattern or design on, or attached thereto. The sides of the mould, which
may be formed in one piece, or in two or more pieces secured together, are capable of
a certain amount of vertical motion. The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
When the material within the mould has been compressed to the desired extent, the
plunger of the press is secured by means of any suitable mechanical device, and the
sides of the mould are then slid upwards or downwards, clear of the compressed
material, and the aforesaid loose plates. These plates are then securely locked in
position by any suitable means, and the plunger of the press being allowed to retire,
these plates, together with the pressed material between them, are removed as one
piece and placed on one side until the said material has dried, or acquired the desired
consistency, when the said plates can be removed.
In a mould constructed and worked in this manner, no distortion or other injury to
the cake of pressed material can possibly occur.
I prefer to combine with my improved mould, the arrangement of perforated plates
and filtering media, as described in my application for Letters Patent No. 8494 of
9th June 1888.
Dated this 24th day of Anril 1889
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, S. W., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Apparatus used for Expelling
Liquid from and Compressing Semi-fluid or Plastic Substances.
I, JOSEPH PRICE, of 58, Lombard Street, in the City of London, Accountant, 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 my invention is, to effect improvements in the construction of moulds
employed in, or in combination with presses for expelling water, or other liquids, or
expressing moisture from solid or insoluble substances, when held in a fluid, semi-fluid,
n

page_text: or plastic condition, such as artificial stone, concrete, cement, china-clay, sewage
sludge, peat, or other substances, where it is required to separate the liquid from the
solid portion. In moulds of this class, as heretofore constructed, difficulty is some-
times experienced in removing the pressed material from the mould, without affecting
its shape, sharpness of outline, and density to a certain extent, a feature of importance
in the manufacture of blocks or slabs of artificial stone, concrete, or other like material,
where it is desirable to retain the exact shape of the mould, more especially when a
pattern or ornament of any kind is impressed upon the block at the same time.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation, Fig. 2 a part
sectional elevation, and Fig. 3 a sectional plan through the line X X in Fig. 1 of a
hydraulic press having my improvements applied thereto.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the drawings.
A is the base plate and B the head, connected by the columns CCCC. D) is the
bed plate operated by the ram E of a hydraulic cylinder. F is a casting forming the
sides of the mould. It is capable of vertical movement on the columns C, which
serve as guides, and is operated by the hydraulic rams H. H. Loose plates J and K
are provided, which form the actual top and bottom of the mould.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
The bed plate D and sides F being lowered, the loose plate K is laid on D, and the
material to be compressed is placed in the mould and the loose plate J laid on the top
of the said material.
The sides and bed plate are then raised until the said sides are in contact with and
pressed firmly up against the head B. A sheet of felt, or other suitable material is
interposed between them to form a tight joint. Further upward motion is now given
to the bed-plate, until the material within the mould has been compressed to the
required extent. The ram E is then secured in this position, either by cutting off the
pressure and leaving the water in the cylinder, or by any suitable mechanical device.
The sides F are then slid downwards, clear of the compressed material L and the
loose plates J and K. These plates are then securely locked in position, by clamps, or
other suitable devices, recesses being provided in the head B and the bed plate D for
the insertion of the said clamps. The ram E now being allowed to descend, the said
plates together with the pressed material between them are removed as one piece and
placed on one side until the said material has dried or acquired the desired consistency,
when the said plates can be removed.
In a mould constructed and worked in this manner, no distortion or other injury to
the cake of pressed material can possibly occur, and therefore this press is specially
adapted for the production of artificial stone, concrete, cement, or other slabs, blocks,
or mouldings or any other plastic substance, where it is desirable to retain shape,
pattern or design with sharpness &c. &c.
Where it is not so important to preserve the shape intact, my press is eminently
adapted, on account of the expeditions and effective manner in which it can be
manipulated, for the pressing of sewage sludge, peat, whiting, china-clay, ochre,
umber, white lead and other colours, salt, sugar, wine, and all chemical precipitations.
I prefer to combine with my improved mould the arrangement of perforated plates
and filtering media as described in my Letters Patent No. 8491 of 9th June 1888.
The plate K is shewn in Fig. 2 as perforated, in accordance with such arrangement,
and grooves are formed in the bed plate D, as indicated by dotted lines, for the escape
of the liquid.
In the application of my invention, I do not confine myself to the specific details of
construction shewn and described, and the arrangement may be modified in various
ways. Thus instead of a fixed head B, I may employ a head which can be turned
back on a hinge or lifted off. In this case after the sides F have retired and the
plates J and K been connected, the head B would be turned or lifted out of the way,
enabling the plates with the compressed block to be removed without lowering the
bed plate. The sides F instead of being moved by hydraulic power, may be operated
by any suitable mechanical arrangement and if desired the whole arrangement may be
reversed, i.e. the ram E may be on the top, and descend to compress the material.

page_text: The sides F would then be raised to enable the plates to be connected and the
material to be removed. These sides may be made in one casting, or in two or more
pieces connected together.
If any pattern or design is intended to be impressed upon the material, such pattern
or design may be formed upon or attached to the plates J and K.
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:-
1. In a hydraulic press, a mould of which the sides F are capable of being moved
independently of the top and bottom of the mould, substantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth.
2. In a hydraulic press, a mould of which the sides F are capable of being moved,
as above described, in combination with means for securing the plunger of the press
during such movement, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
3. A hydraulic press, in which after the material has been compressed, the plunger
is secured, the sides of the mould are moved away, the material is held between an
upper and lower plate and then removed fixed between the said plates, substantially as
and for the purposes herein set forth.
4. A hydraulic press, constructed substantially as and for the purposes herein
described and shewn, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of February 1890.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.