CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PACKING AND COMPRESSING COTTON, WOOL, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Nasmyth, of Patricroft, near Man-
chester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Inven-
tion of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
PACKING AND COMPRESSING COTTON, WOOL, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 11th May 1853, and dated the 20th November 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Nasmyth at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th November 1852.
I, JAMES NASMYTH, of Patricroft, near Manchester, in the Coumy
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
PACKING AND COMPRESSING COTTON, WOOL, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES" to be as
follows:-
The elastic force of steam, compressed air, or water under.
pressure, is caused to produce an accumulative pressure for the
purpose of causing cotton, wool, and other substances to occupy
less than their natural bulk; for the more compact packing of the
same, or for any other purpose when compression is desirable.

page_text: The manner in which I attain the object in question, is by the
certain arrangement of apparatus indicated in the subjoined
Fig. 1, and Fig. 2, in which it will be seen that I employ a
cylinder A, having a piston B, and piston rod C, C, which is
made to pass out at each end of the cylinder, the ends of the
piston rod being attached joint ways to oblique connecting rods
D, D, D', D', the opposite extremity of which connecting rods
are also attached joint ways to two sliding boxes on press boards;
E, E, E, E, which press boards slide within the troughs G, G, G4, G.
The action of the apparatus may be described as follows:
Steam, compressed air, or water under pressure is by a suitable
valve allowed to enter the cylinder A, and made to press upon
the surface of the piston B, Fig. 1, in doing which the extremity
of the piston rod C, forces down the two oblique connecting rods
into the position D, D, Fig. 2; in doing which the press boards
E, E, in like manner are made to assume the position E, E, Fig. 2,
and so confer a vast accumulated pressure upon any substance
which may be placed in the trough G, G.
The valve is then reversed so as to cause the steam, air, or
water to act upon the contrary side of the piston, when the
same action as before described takes place upon the objects
placed in the troughs G¹, G', by which arrangement and alternate
action great economy of time and labor in the process of packing
or compressing objects is realised.
Although I have shewn a piston for actuating the two pairs
of connecting rods, various other modes may be employed for
the same purpose; for instance, a rack and pinion, the pinion
being put in motion by a small steam engine, the direction of the
action of which is capable of being reversed at pleasure so as
to give the requisite alternate motion to the connecting rods D, and
D', will produce the desired motion.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said James Nasmyth in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 20th May 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES NASMYTH, of Patricroft, near Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in
the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Nasmyth, Her
special licence that I, the said James Nasmyth, my executors, adini-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Nasmyth,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PACKING AND
COMPRESSING COTTON, WOOL, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," upon the condition
(among others) that I, the said James Nasmyth, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the saine 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 the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Nasymth, 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):
My Invention consists in certain improved combinations of
machinery or apparatus whereby an accumulative pressure is ob-
tained for the purpose of causing cotton, wool, and other substances

page_text: to occupy less than their natural bulk, for the more compact pack-
ing of the same, or for any other purpose where compressure is
requisite. And in order that my Invention may be fully understood
and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the
annexed two Sheets of Drawings, in which similar letters and figures-
of reference are put upon corresponding parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, represents an arrangement of four presses particularly ap-
plicable for compressing and baling cotton. On referring to these
views, it will be apparent that while the cotton is being filled into
one pair of press troughs or chambers, the attendants have time to
cord and liberate the bales that may have been previously com-
pressed in the other pair of press troughs or chambers. In Figure 1,
A, is a cylinder, having a piston B, fixed on the piston rod C,
which is made to pass out at each end of the cylinder. The ends of
the piston rod are attached joint ways to two oblique connecting
rods D, D, D¹, D', the opposite extremities of which are also attached
joint ways to the sliding boxes or press boards E, E, E¹, E', slid-
ing within the troughs G, G, GI, G¹. The cotton or other sub-
stance to be compressed having been transferred by the attendants
from the weighing platform N, N, into the troughs G, G, the
machinery or apparatus is put into operation in the following
manner. Steam, compressed air, or water under pressure is by
a suitable valve allowed to enter the cylinder A, and made to press
upon the surface of the piston B, as shewn in Figure 1; in doing
which the extremity of the piston rod C, forces down the two
oblique connecting rods into the position D¹, D¹; in doing which
the press boards E, E, in like manner are made to assume the
position E, E, and so confer a vast accumulated pressure upon any
substance which may be placed in the trough G, G. The valve
is then reversed, so as to cause the steam, air, or water to act upon
the contrary side of the piston, when the same action as before
described takes place upon the objects placed in the troughs G', G¹.
By which arrangement and alternate action, great economy of

page_text: time and labor in the process of packing or compressing objects is
realized.
Although I have shewn a piston for actuating the two pairs of
connecting rods, various other modes may be employed for the
same purpose. For instance, a rack and pinion may be made to
produce the desired action; the pinion being put in motion by a
small steam engine or other convenient source of power, the direc-
tion of the action of which is capable of being reversed to give the
requisite alternate motion to the connecting rods D, and D¹. The
manner in which I accomplish this, may be seen by reference to
Figure 2, on Sheet 2; namely, by substituting a mangle motion rack
in place of the cylinder piston, piston rod, and reversing valve, as
indicated in Figure 1, Sheet 1, which mangle rack receives its alter-
nate reciprocating motion from a continually revolving pinion (ac-
tuated by any suitable source of power) which, in conjunction with.
the said mangle rack and the reversing plates at each extremity of
the row of teeth, converts the revolving motion of the pinion into
a definite reciprocating motion of the mangle rack, and which rack.
being prolonged and connected at each extremity with jointed ends
of the oblique connecting rods, D, D, D¹, D¹, causes them alter-
nately to assume the position given in Figure 1, as before described;
and as the other extremities of these oblique connecting rods are
attached (joint ways) to the press boards or sliding boxes, E, E,
E', E', they are made to approach and recede alternately from the
extremity of the four press troughs G, G, G, G', thereby compress-
ing with accumulative force whatever substance is therein placed to:
receive the compressive action resulting from the before described
arrangement.
Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, on Sheet 2, represent various views of the
end of the press troughs, with such arrangements as I propose for
obtaining access to the bale when compressed to the full extent for
the purpose of cording it, as also certain contrivances by which the
ends of the bales are relieved from any undue tightness which
might otherwise interfere with its easy removal after being corded..
Figures 4, and 5, représent in section, as seen side ways, the end.of.:

page_text: the trough in which the bale is lodged when compressed to the full
extent, as also the mode in which I cause the weight of the upper
and lower doors to counterbalance each other, and so facilitate the
opening of them. This is accomplished by the levers H, and I, made
fast to the hinges of the upper and lower door; these levers being
connected by a rod K, so that each door in opening, will pass through
the same angles from the horizontal position shewn in Figure 5,
to the vertical or full open position shewn in Figure 4. Figure 6,
shews the manner or means for releasing the ends of the bale from
contact with the sides of the press trough. This is accomplished by
having two check plates L, L, suspended on sliding pins S, S; so
that by having wedged shaped flanges M, M, on each side of the
folding doors, these flanges on closing the doors insinuate them-
selves between the trough sides and moveable plates L, L, and so
bring them to the proper guage distance; and in like manner, on
opening the doors, the wedge flanges M, M, are withdrawn from
behind L, L, and so liberate the ends of the bale. I desire it be
understood that I do not claim as my Invention the use of oblique
connecting rods drawn or forced from a highly inclined position to
that of a straight, or nearly straight position with respect or with
reference to the direction to the resistance to be overcome; such
means of producing accumulative pressure being already well known,
and in use for a great many years, as in the case of "the Stanhope'
and other printing presses, as also in the common "bundling press
cinployed for packing cotton, yarn, and twist. But what I do claim
as my Invention is the arrangement of two or four presses combined
in one mechanical structure or arrangeinent, and those (whether
two or four) deriving their action from a rectilineal reciprocating
force, such force being obtained from fluid pressure, acting on a
piston, or mangle, or other rack as before described, and conveyed
by a direct or straight rod to the ends of two equal length, oblique
connecting rods; these connecting rods forming at all times equal
angles with the piston rod, or mangle rack before described, which
I.employ to give motion to them, so that the resistance encountered
and overcome by these two oblique connecting rods D, D, D', D',
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page_text: may thus be equal and in opposite directions, and in like manner
received by the two bundles of substance which we desire to com-
press, and which for that purpose are placed at each extremity of
the press trough G, G, G¹ G'. I also claim as my Invention the
quadruple arrangement as indicated in Figure 1, & Figure 2, by
means of which, at every alternate respective position of the oblique
connecting rods, two bales may be pressed in the opposite ends of
the one press trough, while two are being released after compression
in the other, as G, G, G, G, Figure 1, and Figure 2, alternately.
I also claim as my Invention the direct application of the force of
steam, water, or compressed air, acting on two equal length oblique
connecting rods; and these at all times forming equal angles with
the said piston rod. For the purpose of working two or four
presses contained in one structure for packing or compressing cotton,
wool, or other substances, as seen in Figure 1. I also claim as my
Invention the application of the mangle rack, or mangle motion for
compressing purposes, whereby, in combination with the before
described oblique alternate and opposite acting.connecting rods, an
accumulative pressure is exerted equally upon two bundles of
substance placed in the press troughs; such application of the
mangle rack furnishing the means of giving a definite reciprocating
accumulative pressure for the purpose of compressing and packing
cotton, wool, and other substances. I also claim the general arrange-
ments of the various parts, more particularly those described and
represented in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, in so far as applied to machinery
for packing and compressing cotton, wool, and other substances.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Nasmyth, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JAMES NASMYTH. (L.S.).