IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES FOR PRESSING COTTON, JUTE, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Saint John Vincent Day, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Consulting Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES FOR PRESSING COTTON,
JUTE, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."-A communication from abroad
by James Masson and Samuel Hodgert, of Bombay, in the Dominion
of British India.
ՆԵ
County of Lanark, North Britain, Consulting Engineer, 1or
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES FOR PRESSING COTTON,
JUTE, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."-A communication from abroad
by James Masson and Samuel Hodgert, of Bombay, in the Dominion
of British India.
Sealed the 16th May 1871, and dated the 24th November 1870.
.1
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Saint John Vincent
Day at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Peti-
tion, on the 24th November 1870.
°
I, SAINT JOHN VINCENT DAY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES FOR PRESSING
COTTON, JUTE, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as follows, that is to
say:
This Invention, which relates to certain improvements in such
hydraulic presses as are used for pressing cotton, jute, and other fibrous
substances into bales, has for its objects,―

page_text: Firstly. The obtainment of a greater amount of pressure on the
cotton, jute, or other fibre being operated upon than in existing arrange-
ments of presses, and at the same time to reduce the stress in the
pressure cylinders.
Secondly. To increase the capacity of the well or trunk of the press
without increasing the area of the bale board or "follower," or lengthen-
ing the extent of its travel.
And, thirdly. This Invention includes an improved mode or manner
of fastening the doors of the press whilst the bale of cotton, jute, or
other fibrous material is being operated upon.
In existing hydraulic presses constructed for the purpose herein-
before set forth the amount of pressure required to be exerted on the
material under operation is distributed from the rams of two, or in some
cases three or four hydraulic cylinders, in either case the united areas of
the respective rams being equal.
Under this Invention five or more hydraulic cylinders are employed
to press a bale to the required dimensions. In the case of five cylinders
being used they are arranged in the following manner:-One long
cylinder is placed in the centre of the bed plate of the press, the ram
of which raises the bale board or "follower" to within any required
distance from the top of the press. At each corner of the bed plate
four short cylinders are so situated as to allow of strong pendant rods
attached to the under side of the "< follower," being passed between
them, and through the bed plate. On the top of the central or long
cylinder a loose cross head is placed, and on each pair of the short
cylinders a cross head is also fixed. When the long cylinder has raised
the follower to a sufficient height the loose cross head placed thereon
is turned round on a stud, so as to intervene between the fixed cross
heads of the short cylinders and the pendant rods herein-before men-
tioned, that is to say, the ends of the loose cross head rest on the fixed a
cross heads of the small cylinders, and as the rams in these small
cylinders are caused to ascend, the pressure of the bale is completed by
the united action of the five cylinders on the follower or bale board.
By this arrangement the stress in each hydraulic cylinder is reduced and
the risk of bursting them is also reduced.
Under this Invention the sides of the well or trunk of the press are
_made moveable by hinging them at or near their upper ends in order
that they may open or be moved outwards at their lower extremities,
3

page_text: and the ends of the press are formed broader at the lower part in order to
render the trough or well complete when the sides are so opened. By
this arrangement greater capacity of the trunk or well is obtained
whilst charging the press with cotton, jute, or other fibrous substance,
and when a sufficient quantity of the said material has been placed in
the well the sides are drawn up parallel to each other (by an arrange-
ment of levers), and at the requisite distance apart in order to allow the
follower to work freely. Before the follower is caused to ascend by the
united action of the rams as herein-before described the doors situated at
the upper part of the press, and through which the material to be operated
upon is introduced into the well or trough, are closed and fastened by
a strong clutch provided with bevilled jaws which extend across the
ends of the press, and grasp the outsides of the doors at both sides.
This clutch works in a box fastened to two of the columns of the press,
and is provided with a screw passing horizontally through the end of
the box. The screw is made of such a pitch that when the bale of
material has been pressed to within a few inches of its finished dimen-
sions the pressure on the door overcomes the resistance of the screw and
forces back the clutch, thereby allowing the door to open.
Amongst other advantages derived from the arrangement of mechanism
herein-before described, one is that the material being operated upon
may be pressed to a much greater degree of density than in existing
arrangements of presses, and a saving of time is also effected in putting
the loose material into the well or trough of the press.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Saint John Vincent Day in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd May 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAINT
JOHN VINCENT DAY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
"
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in
the 34th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-

page_text: In existing hydraulic presses, constructed for the purpose herein-
before set forth, the amount of pressure required to be exerted on the
material under operation is distributed from the rams of two or in some
cases three or four hydraulic cylinders, in either case the united areas of
the respective rams being equal.
Under this Invention five or more hydraulic cylinders are employed
to press a bale to the required dimensions. In the case of five cylinders
being used they are arranged in the following manner:-One long
cylinder is placed in the centre of the bed plate of the press, the ram of
which raises the bale board or "follower" to within any required
distance from the top of the press. At each corner of the bed plate
four short cylinders are so situated as to allow of strong pendent rods
attached to the under side of the "follower" being passed between them
and through the bed plate. On the top of the central or long cylinder a
loose cross head is placed, and on each pair of the short cylinders a cross
head is also fixed. When the long cylinder has raised the follower to.
a sufficient height the loose cross head placed thereon is turned round
on a stud so as to intervene between the fixed cross heads of the short
cylinders and the pendent rods herein-before mentioned, that is to say,
the ends of the loose cross head rest on the fixed cross heads of the small
cylinders, and as the rams in these small cylinders are caused to ascend
the pressure of the bale is completed by the united action of the five
cylinders on the "follower" or bale board. By this arrangement the
stress in each hydraulic cylinder is reduced, and the risk of bursting
them is reduced.
Under this Invention the sides of the well or trunk of the press are
made moveable by hinging them at or near their upper ends in order
that they may open or be moved outwards at their lower extremities,.
and the ends of the press are formed broader at the lower part in order
to render the trough or well complete when the sides are so opened.
By this arrangement greater capacity of the trunk or well is obtained
whilst charging the press with cotton, jute, or other fibrous substance,
and when a sufficient quantity of the said material has been placed in
the well the sides are drawn up parallel to each other (by an arrange-
ment of levers) and at the requisite distance apart in order to allow the
"follower" to work freely. Before the "follower" is caused to ascend
by the united action of the rams as herein-before described the doors
situated at the upper part of the press and through which the material

page_text: to be operated upon is introduced into the well or trough, are closed and
fastened by a strong clutch provided with bevilled jaws which extend
across the ends of the press and grasp the outside of the doors at both
sides. This clutch works in a box fastened to two of the columns of the
press, and is provided with a screw passing horizontally through the
end of the box. The screw is made of such a pitch that when the bale
of material has been pressed to within a few inches of its finished
dimensions the pressure on the doors overcomes the resistance of the
screw and forces back the clutch, thereby allowing the doors to open.
Amongst other advantages derived from the arrangement of mechanism -
herein-before described, one is that the material being operated upon
may be pressed to a much greater degree of density than in existing
arrangements of presses, and a saving of time is also effected in putting
the loose material into the well or trough of the press.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :—
On Sheet 1 of the Drawings hereunto appended, Figure 1 represents
a part side elevation and part vertical section of the improved hydraulic
press constructed in accordance with this Invention; Figure 2 is a view
transverse to Figure 1 of the press, partly in elevation and partly in
section, whilst Figure 3 is a horizontal section thereof on the line a, a,
Figure 1. On these several Figures corresponding parts are indicated by
the same letters of reference.
'
This press consists of a trunk or well A composed of iron plates bolted
or rivetted together, and supported on a sole or bed plate B. Underneath
the trunk or well A the hydraulic cylinders C and D are situated and
provided with rams E and F, by which the pressure is exerted on the
cotton, jute, or other material contained in the trunk or well A. The
central cylinder C is the long cylinder herein-before referred to, and
those marked D are the four smaller and shorter cylinders, all of which
are arranged in the sole or bed B as more particularly seen at Figure 3,
Sheet 1. At the upper end of the ram E contained in the central cylinder
Ca bale board or follower G of the ordinary construction is attached
as shewn at Figures 1 and 2. Underneath the bale board or follower G,
and on the ram E a cross head H is placed loose, so as to be capable

page_text: b
of being turned round into such a position that the extremities thereof
rest on other cross heads I placed parallel with each other and fixed to
the upper ends of the rams F contained in the cylinders D as more par-
ticularly seen in horizontal section at Figure 3, Sheet 1 of the Drawings.
Through the centres of the cross heads I, and at equal distances from
the rams F to which their extremities are attached, holes are formed
in order to allow the lower ends of pendant rods J fixed to the under
side of the bale board or follower" G, to pass through them and
through the sole or bed B as shewn. Of the five hydraulic cylinders
herein-before mentioned, the central and longer cylinder C is that
by which the pressure on the cotton, jute, or other material is com-
menced and carried on until the "follower" G is within a comparatively
short distance from the top of the trunk or well A, that is to say,
until the pressure on the bale of material contained in the trunk or
well A has been to some extent completed, the said pressure being
completed by the joint action of the whole five rams, as herein-after
more particularly described. The sides of the trunk or well A at or
near their upper ends are hinged on two shafts or bars K extending from
one end of the trunk or well to the other, and passing through eyes
formed for that purpose on the sides, as more particularly seen at Figure 2.
By this means the sides of the trunk or well A are rendered moveable
and capable of being opened outwards at their lower extremities, and the
ends W of the press are made broader at the bottom so as to render the
trunk or well A complete when the sides are so opened outwards. By
this arrangement greater capacity of the trunk or well A is obtained,
allowing it with facility to be charged with a sufficient quantity of
cotton, jute, or other material to form a bale, and obviating the necessity.
of attendants treading down the material in order that the requisite
amount may be placed therein. The opening and closing of the sides of
the trunk or well A is effected by means of the arrangement of levers,
shewn at Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, and more particularly at Figure 2,
and which consists of a lever c, centred on a fulcrum d, supported in a
bracket e, attached to the lower part of one end of the trunk or well A,
as shewn. One end of the lever c is attached to a vertical link f, the
5 upper end of which is fixed to another link g, having its upper extremity
forked or duplex, as's
'seen at Figure 1, and between the two cheeks of
which other levers are placed, one end of each of which is attached to a
side of the trunk or well, as shewn at Figure 2, their other extremities:
being fixed to the outer ends of two levers i, the other ends of which

page_text: are placed on a pin passed through the upper portions of the link g, as
shown. The links ƒ and g are also attached to one end of a lever k, as
shewn at Figure 2, Sheet 1, the opposite end of which is fixed to a shaft
extending from one end of the press to the other, as shewn at Figure 1,
and on the end of the shaft 7, opposite to that whereon the lever / is
situated one of another set of levers similar to that herein-before described
is fixed, as shewn at Figure 1. When it is desired to move the sides of
the press outwards the outer end of the lever c is depressed, thereby
raising the links ƒ and g, which action draws nearer together the outer
extremities of the levers i, so as to throw outwards the lovers to which
they are attached, and when it is desired to close the sides of the press
and bring them into the position shewn at Figure 2, Sheet 1, the outer
end of the lever c is raised, thereby causing a motion of the various links
and levers the reverse of that hercin-before described. The upper part
of the trunk or well A is provided with two side doors L, and through
the openings which are thereby closed the material to be compressed is
introduced into the press, and when it has been placed therein the doors
are closed and fastened by a strong clutch, which is more particularly
shewn in part plan and part horizontal section at Figure 1, Sheet 2 of
the accompanying Drawings, and in end elevation at Figure 2 of the
same Sheet. The clutch M extends across one end of the press and is
provided with bevilled jaws o which grasp the outsides of the doors L, at
both sides of the press, as shewn at Figure 1, Sheet 2, and the back part
of the clutch is also provided with a screw N passing horizontally
through the end of a box P fastened to two of the columns Q of the
press, as shewn at Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 2. The screw N is made of
such a pitch that when the bale of material has been pressed to within a
few inches of its finished dimensions the pressure on the doors overcomes
the resistance of the screw and forces back the clutch M, thereby
allowing the doors to open. On the outer end of the screw N a lever R
is fixed and provided with a moveable counterweight r which is
adjusted on the lever according to the different kinds of material to be
pressed.
Having thus described in detail the various parts of mechanism which
conjointly form the said improved hydraulic press constituting this
Invention, I now proceed to more particularly set forth its mode of
operation as follows:-After a sufficient quantity of cotton, jute, or other
fibrous material to form a balc has been introduced into the trunk or

page_text: "
well A of the press through the openings at the doors L these doors are
closed and fastened by the clutch M, as herein-before described and the
sides of the press which had previously been opened outwards at their
lower extremities for the purpose herein-before set forth are drawn in
parallel with each other and at the proper distance apart by means of
the arrangement of levers herein-before described and shewn at Figures
1 and 2, Sheet 1 of the Drawings. The full force of the pumps is then
made available to raise the ram E of the central bydraulic cylinder C
and together with it the bale board or follower" G. Whilst the lighter
portion of the pressure is being exerted the ram E and bale board or
"follower" G ascend until the pendant rods J attached to the under side of
the follower G are clear of the upper surfaces of the cross licads I fixed to
the rams F, the loose cross head H is then turned round until the ends
thereof rest on the cross heads I and intervene between them and the
pendant rods J, as shewn at Figures 3 and 4, Sheet 2 of the annexéd
Drawings. The rams F of the short cylinders D are then brought into
action and the pressure of the bale of material is completed, between the
upper surface of the bale board or "follower" G and the under surface of
the "
gridiron " $ at. the top of the press by the joint action of the five
cylinders. The doors L having by this time been thrown open by the
pressure against them of the material contained in the trunk or well A,
as herein-before set forth, the bale is bound in the ordinary manner and
removed from the press, after which the rams E and F again descend,
and another similar series of operations is carried out. By the employ-
ment of the hydraulic press now described greater pressure is obtained
and the bale of material may therefore be compressed to a much greater
density than in existing arrangements of presses, a saving of time
required to charge the trunk or well with material is also effected and
the risk of damage to the cylinders reduced thereby, obviating the loss of
time caused by stoppages to effect repairs, which often occurs in presses
as hitherto constructed.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the system,
mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used or
practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
'
First. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting
the press herein-before described and shewn on the two explanatory

page_text: Sheets of Drawings hereunto appended or any mere modification
thereof.
Second. The adaptation of five or more hydraulic cylinders to press
the material contained in the trunk or well of the press, as herein-before
set forth and shewn on the annexed Drawings.
Third. The arrangement of the trunk or well A with moveable sides
operating as herein-before described and shewn at Figures 1 and 2,
Sheet 1 of the Drawings.
Fourth. The arrangement of clutch for fastening the doors of the press
as herein before described and shewn at Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 2, or any 1
mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Saint John Vincent Day, have here-
unto set my hand. and seal, this Twenty-second day of May, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
8“. JOHN- VINCENT DAY. (L.S.)