Improvements in or relating to Presses for Separating Liquids from Solids.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1899
.
Improvements in or relating to Presses for Separating Liquids
from Solids.
A communication from LUCIEN HEUCLIN, 17, Rue de la Verrerie, Dunkerque
(Nord), France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered 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 ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
The present invention relates to a press which differs from the presses used at
present in the way in which the pressure is applied.
The pressure instead of being effected by the large or front face of a plate is
produced according to the present invention by the smallest surface i.e., by the
edge of the pressure plate. The pressure therefore per square inch is very great'
and the liquid escapes very easily; since it has to pass through only half the
thickness of the material pressed, while the surface on which the liquid issues is
very great, since the discharge of the liquid takes place over a large surface.
By this means great economy in the time required for separating the liquid
from the solid matter is effected. Besides, the operation can be carried out with-
out the necessity of employing bags, pads, and other textile materials, serving as
vehicles for the liquid to be pressed out. Owing to the absence of any textile
material, and the substitution of such material by metallic devices, all the opera-
tions in connection with the press such as charging the press chambers with the
material to be pressed, removing the substance after pressing, the pressing itself
can be carried out mechanically and automatically.
Description of the press. The press is worked by hydraulic or other mechanical
power, such as screws or levers or by any other suitable means. By way of
example a press worked by hydraulic power will be considered.
Such a press is represented in the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is an elevation on the line M-Ñ of Fig. 2.
Figure 2 is a plan view,
Figure 3 a section on the line C-D of Figure 2.
Figures 4 and 5 represent diagrammatically several press chambers worked by
means of two pistons.
Figure 6 is an elevation on the line M-N of Fig. 7.
Figure 7 is a plan view, and
Figure
8 is a cross section on the line C-D of Figure 7.
Figures 9 and 10 represent diagrammatically a press with several press
worked by one piston only: and
chambers
Figure 11 is a sectional view of the apparatus for charging and discharging
the press chambers.
hath anda

page_text: substance X to be pressed is introduced either mechanically and automatically
or by hand.
In the case under consideration the pressure of the piston or pistons P (Figs. 1,
2, 3, 4 and 5) of the cylinders B is communicated to the substance to be pressed
by the intermediate plate or plates 0, the thickness of which exactly corresponds
with the distance between the two metallic lining plates K, i.e., is equal to the
thickness of the substance to be pressed.
The press chamber G is movable i.e., it can slide in the direction of the pressure.
This arrangement conduces to a uniform pressure being obtained, and prevents
the effects of lateral pressure, the substance to be pressed being evenly pressed
along its whole length.
It will be understood from the foregoing explanation that several separate press
chambers may be worked by the plates U, in the manner indicated in Figs. 4
and 5 (these figures representing the arrangement, diagrammatically, of presses
consisting of several press chambers G, with plates O, and cylinders B) the number
of these press chambers not being limited and they may be arranged side by side
or in a line as in Fig. 4, or both ways, as in Fig. 5.
In the press represented by Figs. 1 to 5 the pressure is effected from both sides
by means of two press pistons.
But, such pressure may also be applied from one side only, and in the manner
represented in the second example (Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10) where only one piston
is employed. (Figs. 9 and 10 represent presses with a series of press chambers G,
and plates O, acted upon by a single-cylinder B.)
The chambers G as represented in Figs. 3 and 8, and in detail in Fig. 11 com-
prise two very strong solid plates or sides G, held in exact position as regards
each other during the operation, either by means of screws or levers or by
hydraulic pressure; but they can be slightly separated from each other when the
pressure is relieved in order to facilitate the discharge of the substance pressed.
The inner walls K consist of perforated metallic plates, the perforations being
either conical or cylindrical, or of small rods, pressing against ridges forming
grooves for the purpose of facilitating the escape of the liquid.
In case a series of press chambers are arranged in parallel lines and side by
side, as represented in Figs. 5 and 10, only one screw lever or pressing device, is
required to keep the walls G G of the whole system of parallel chambers in exact
position. In this case it should be observed that the intermediate walls Gare
always common to two neighbouring pressure chambers, and only the terminal
walls serve to close one chamber only.
Operation of the press. The pressure chambers G and the plate O being in
place (as represented in Figs. 1 to 3 and 6 to 8) and the press chamber, charged
with the material to be pressed, being closed on all sides, pressure is produced on
the plate or plates O, by means of hydraulic power or by any other means, in
such a manner that the substance is pressed edgewise and the liquid pressed out
passes down or through the walls K.
When the operation is terminated the pressure is relieved mechanically and
automatically the parts G G of the chamber are moved apart a little, the top and
bottom plates R and S (Fig. 11) are withdrawn and a plunger device Z descends
on the substance pressed out, forces it out at the bottom of the chamber.
An inverse movement returns the part Z to its original position, closes the
bottom of the chamber by replacing the plate S, the walls G G of the chamber
are then fixed at the required distance from each other, a charge U of material
to be pressed is introduced, through the hopper T, into the chamber, the substance
filling the space between the walls K the top plate R is moved forward and closes the
top, all this being preferably done automatically and mechanically and pressure
is again applied on the plates O; the operation being thus repeated any number
of times.
A special movement returns the press chambers G to the same place after each
operation.

page_text: The discharge of the matter thus pressed can be effected not only at the bottom
but, also at the top or at the sides: at the top by employing a bottom plate
capable of being moved upwards or at the side by arranging the sides G G of the
chamber to be movable with the plates to such an extent as to allow the sub-
stance to be pressed out of the chamber. The press may be worked vertically
and the charging of the chambers and the discharge of the pressed substances may
also be carried out automatically and mechanically.
Advantages of the press. Amongst the advantages of the press are the
following::
:—
1. A very efficient yield owing to the great pressure and the large surface
available for discharge of liquid.
2. Saving of much manual labour.
3. Saving the use of textile material, bags, pads and the like.
4. Economy of material.
5. Superior quality of the products obtained.
The press will find ready employment in all industries in which the separation
of the liquid from the solid contained in the same substance is desired such as
for instance in oil manufactories.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A press comprising a relatively narrow press chamber a piston or equivalent
provided with a pressure plate the edge of which acts upon the material to be
pressed substantially as described.
2. A pressure chamber of the kind described which is mounted so as to be
movable in the direction in which pressure is exerted substantially as described.
3. A pressure chamber comprising side plates as G and movable top and bottom
plates and a plunger plate as Z for the purpose of discharging the material pressed
substantially as described.
4. Means for charging and discharging the press chamber comprising a
hopper T press chambers consisting of side wall G and inner walls K and movable
top and bottom plates R, S and a plunger Z substantially as described.
5. Several press chambers either in line or side by side or in line and side by
side and a piston or pistons for applying pressure from one or both sides sub-
stantially as described.
6. The complete press apparatus substantially as described or illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, and 3 or in Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
7. The arrangement of a series of presses substantially as described or illus-
trated in Figure 4 or in Figure 5 or in Figure 9 or in Figure 10 of the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of September 1899.
BOULT, WADE, & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.