IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES FOR COMPRESSING AND PACKING COTTON, WOOL, HAY, HIDES, AND OTHER FIBROUS AND PLASTIC SUBSTANCES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Joseph Morison, of No. 75, Mark Lane, in
the City of London, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PRESSES FOR COMPRESSING AND PACKING COTTON, WOOL, HAY, HIDES,
AND OTHER FIBROUS AND PLASTIC SUBSTANCES."-A communication from
abroad by Messrs. Joseph H. Adams and Coombs, of New York,
United States of America.
Sealed the 2nd July 1869, and dated the 9th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Joseph Morison,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th April 1869.
I, ROBERT JOSEPH MORISON, of No. 75, Mark Lane, in the City
of London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES FOR COMPRESSING AND PACKING COTTON,
WOOL, HAY, HIDES, AND OTHER FIBROUS AND PLASTIC SUBSTANCES," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
The base of the machine forms the bottom plate of the press, and it
has its upper surface slotted in the usual manner to receive the binding
ropes; upon the base plate are fixed, 'one at each side, vertical guide bars,

page_text: which are properly framed by means of horizontal braces or tic bars.
Within these is the framework constituting the case of the press. The
sides of this framework are closed, access being had by means of doors;
the ends are also closed, the lower portions having removable side pieces,
and the upper portions being cut out to allow the free upward and
downward motion of the platten or follower. This latter part (the platten)
is formed in the usual manner, having its under face slotted similarly to
the upper face of the bed plate; it moves within the case, but has arms
forming guides which move freely up and down on the vertical bars
outside the case. The outsides of the guides are formed with lngs or
looks upon them, and from each of these outside the vertical bar hangs
freely suspended a link. On each of the said vertical bars and below.
the platten is mounted a friction plate or clutch, or collar, upon which
is fitted a loose link in such a way as to encircle the vertical bars. Above-
these collars and links, but still under the platten are a similar pair of
collars and links mounted in like manner.
The action of the press is as follows:-The cotton or other substances
to be pressed having been put into the case, the platten is brought down
upon them, two long levers having each of their ends shod with an iron
toe is inserted, one on each side of the machine, within the free ends of
the vertical links suspended from the hooks on the outside of the
platten guides. The iron toc of each is at the same time inserted in
the free upper end of the link attached to the friction clutch or collar,
so as to form a fulcrum; force being then applied to the ends of the
lever the suspended links are depressed and carry with them the platten
to which they are attached.
In order to hold the platten down in its place the upper friction clutch
and link are brought into action, the links being booked into the lugs
of the platten guides.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Joseph Morison, Her special licence
that I, the said Robert Joseph Morison, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Joseph Morison, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, usc, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PRESSES FOR COMPRESSING AND PACKING COTTON, WOOL, HAY, HIDES, AND OTHER
FIBROUS AND PLASTIC SUBSTANCES," a communication to me from abroad by
Messers. Joseph H. Adams and' Combs, of New York, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert
Joseph Morison, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of tho said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Joseph Morison, do hereby.
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, that is to say :-
The base of the machine forms the bottom plate of the press, and may
be placed, or fixed, or erected either upon the ground or upon a suitable
frame. This plate has its upper surface slotted in the usual manner to
receive the binding ropes when the material compressed is to be covered
or enclosed. Upon the base plate or upon the ground frame are fixed,.
one on each side, two vertical guide bars properly bound by means of
tie bars.
When the press is large two pairs of guide bars may in some
cases be found advantageous. Within the guide bars is the framework
constituting the body of the press. The sides of the framework are
closed, access being had by means of doors; the ends are also closed,
having movable side pieces, and a portion being cut out to allow the free
up-and-down motion of the platten or follower. This latter, the platten,

page_text: is formed in the usual manner, having its under face slotted in a similar
way to the upper face of the bottom plate; it moves within this case,
but has arms forming guides, which move freely and carry it up and
down in the vertical bars outside the case. The outside of the guides is
formed with lugs or hooks, and from each of these hangs, freely sus-
pended, a link. Upon the vertical bars, and either above or below the
arm of the platten, is mounted a friction plate, or clutch, or collar, which
serves to hold the platten down upon the material pressed. The press
may also be made without the closed portion above described. A link
may also in some cases be attached to this clutch so as to make the grip
more sure by attaching it to some hook or pall. Upon the said upright
bars, but beneath the platten, is another pair of collars, one encircling
each, upright, and to each is attached a link. A loose link is also hung
freely to a hook on the outer extremity of each arm of the platten; this
link hangs freely, and its lower end comes nearly in a line with the
upper end of the link upon the last-mentioned collars.
In order more clearly to explain the foregoing description 1 append
the following Drawings, which are intended chiefly to illustrate the
principle of my Invention. Modifications of the various parts would
necessarily be made for presses used for different materials and different
positions, and some portions of the parts may be substituted by other
well known equivalents, the main principles of construction being
retained.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the press; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of
the same; Fig. 8 is an end view of the same; Fig. 4 is a view of the
lever used for actuating the press. In all the Figures like parts are
indicated by similar letters.
A is the framework composed of upright pieces bound well together
by a series of braces. Within the framework A is a secondary frame-
work B, the sides of which are closed as at C, and to which access is had
by moving the doors D, which are inserted and held within the bottom
portion of the frame. The ends of the framework are also closed upon
the lower portions by the removable side piece E, and the upper portion
of these pieces is slotted out to allow the free movement of the platten G,
which is made in the usual manner, having slots upon its under face,
and is provided with the strips or arms H, which project through the
openings of the framework B, and terminate in sockets or plates I, pre-
ferably metallic, having upon them the lugs b and the hooks c, to which

page_text: the links d, when such are used, may be attached. The lugs 6 are made
so as to hold the long suspensory link J. The sockets or plates I are
formed so as to pass freely up and down the upright K, secured at
each end of the framework A, about midway between the pieces of the
same. L are friction clutches moving in the standards K, and provided
with links d, which when in action are hooked on to c. M are metal
collars or plates provided with links &, and both move freely upon the
standards K. N are levers for depressing the platten G. These levers
have one end cut obliquely, and have this end shod with a toe e of
metal, which is placed directly parallel to the bottom of the lever. The
under portion of the plate of the toe is serrated to receive and hold the
lower portions of the link J. The object of constructing these levers is
to give a greater amount of leverage from a short point of fulcrum,
which will be found particularly advantageous in the form of press
constructed as thus described.
The following is the action of the press :-The door D being removed
that access may be had to the lower portion of the framework B, within
which is placed the material to be acted upon, and when required the
covering, the ropes for binding are inserted in the slotts in the under
plate. The doors are now placed in position in the framework B, and
the press is ready for action. The platten is brought down on to the top
of the material, the levers N are inserted in the links J, while the toe e
is inserted in the upper portion of the link d, which is held firm by the
ring M. By depressing the levers N the platten G will be drawn down
upon the material within the framework, compressing the same. The
plates M gradually falling lower in the standards K, in advance of the
platten G, as the levers N are operated upon, while the friction
clutches L hold the platten in position by grasping tightly the
standards K. The links d³ upon the plates or collars M form the fulcra
for the levers N, and the links d and J draw the platten G down. After
the material has been pressed sufficiently for baling the ropes used may
be passed over the bale through the slotted portions of the platten G,
and tightened by a windlass or other such arrangement. The doors and
loose sides may now be removed and the bale taken out of the press,
the platten G having meantime been raised. The press is now ready for
another operation similar to that described.
The preceding description refers to a closed press, but the action is
equally applicable to an open press for material such as hay, which

page_text: requires no box. The action of the levers can also be reversed, so as to
raise instead of depressing that part of my combination which I have
called the platten, which can be made to lift as well as to press down.
Having now described my Invention I wish it understood that I do
not claim as new any of the parts, devices, or mechanical appliances
alone or apart from the combination and application to the purposes
here within described, but I do claim the combination of the within
described different points and mechanical devices, or their well known
substitutes and equivalents, for forming a press to be used and applied
for the purposes here within mentioned, and more particularly do I
claim the method of clamping to the upright bar by means of the dogs,
collars, or links, for the purpose as here-within described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Joseph Morison, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Ninth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.