IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING FUEL, CLAY, AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Lodge, of the Whitecroft Works, Lydney,
in the County of Gloucester, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING FUEL, CLAY,
AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Lodge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th June 1872.
I, JOSEPH LODGE, of the Whitecroft Works, Lydney, in the County
of Gloucester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING
FUEL, CLAY, AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar combination of machinery intended
chiefly for compressing blocks of artificial fuel, but applicable also to the
making of compressed bricks or tiles, or to the compressing of other
substances into blocks.

page_text: .
According to this Invention it is proposed to combine together in one
machine a rotary horizontal table, provided with a number of openings
or moulds for the reception of the fuel or other substance to be com-
pressed, and within which openings or moulds the compressed block is
formed. As the table revolves by a step-by-step ratchet motion, the
openings or moulds are successively brought accurately over a vertically
moving block, which forms the bottom for the time being of the opening
or mould. This block is connected to a weighted lever, which affords the
resistance to the pressure which is applied by a plunger or sliding block
worked from an eccentric on an overhead shaft. The degree of pressure
may be varied by adjusting the weight along the weighted lever above
mentioned.
The revolving table is made hollow, and connected with steam pipes
for the purpose of heating the moulds or openings by surrounding them
with steam, whereby breakage from frost or other cause is prevented, and
a cleaner and nicer block is obtained. After each block of fuel is com-
pressed it is carried round in its mould as the table revolves underneath
another plunger or vertical sliding block, also worked from an eccentric,
which plunger descends and forces the compressed block downwards on to
an endless travelling band below. This band is driven by a ratchet
motion, which pauses and allows the band to remain stationary during
the time a block is being deposited thereon.
In order to prevent injury to the compressed blocks the receiving
surface of the said endless band may be covered with wool, sheep skin, or
other soft material.
A sliding locking bolt with bevelled or tapered end is moved forward
by a special cam into one of a series of holes or notches made round the
rim of the table for the purpose of insuring the table being brought
accurately into a proper position to receive the pressing plunger, and to
hold the table firmly whilst the said plunger is at work, whereby
accidents to the machine are prevented. The cams and eccentrics are
mounted on a separate cam shaft, driven by gearing from the crank shaft
of the engine, this cam shaft having a fly wheel of its own in addition
to the ordinary fly wlicel on the crank shaft, whereby extra pressure is
obtained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Lodge in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th December 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPHI
LODGE, of the Whitecroft Works, Lydney, in the County of Gloucester,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the 35th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Joseph Lodge, Her special license that
I, the said Joseph Lodge, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Joseph Lodge, my executors, adminis-
trators, or 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, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING FUEL, CLAY, AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Lodge, my
executors or administrators, 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 same was to be per-
formed, 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 Joseph Lodge, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
My said Invention relates to a peculiar combination of machinery,
intended chiefly for compressing blocks of artificial fuel, but applicable
also to the making of compressed bricks or tiles, and to the compressing
of other substances into blocks.

page_text: And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a front elevation of my said im-
proved machine; Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same;
Figure 3 is a plan corresponding to Figure 1; and Figures 4 and 5 are
details which I shall herein-after more fully described and refer to.
My improved compressing machine comprises a rotatory horizontal
table A, provided with a number of openings or moulds a, a, for the
reception of the fuel or other substance to be compressed, and within
which openings or moulds the compressed block is formed. The table
revolves by a step-by-step ratchet motion imparted thereto in the manner
shewn in Figure 4, or by any other convenient arrangement of
mechanism. The openings or moulds a having received their com-
plement of material from the supply cylinder A, shown in Figures 1
and 3, are sucoessively brought accurately over a vertically moving
block B, which forms the bottom for the time being of the opening or
mould. This block is connected to a weighted lever C (shewn dotted in
Figure 1), which affords the resistance to the pressure applied by a plunger
or sliding block D working in a guide D' bolted to the inner side of the
main framing, such block being actuated from an eccentric E on an
overlicad shaft F. The degree of pressure may be varied by adjusting
the weight along the weighted lever C, above mentioned.
The revolving table is made hollow, and fitted with a covering plate
a, and is connected with inlet and outlet steam pipes 1, 1, in the manner
shown at Figure 2, and in the detail sectional plan, Figure 5, of the table
or otherwise, for the purpose of heating the moulds or openings by
surrounding them with steam, whereby breakage from frost or other
cause is prevented, and a cleaner and nicer block is obtained. After cach
block of fuel is compressed, it is carried round in its mould a as the table
revolves; underneath, another plunger or vertical sliding block G, work-
ing in. a fixed guide G³, and actuated by an eccentric H in the shaft F,
which plunger descends and forces the compressed block downwards on
to an endless travelling band I, below. This band is driven by a ratchet
motion (herein-after described) which pauses and allows the band to
remain stationary during the time a block is being deposited thereon.

page_text: The step-by-step motion imparted to the revolving table A, and the
corresponding motion imparted to the endless band or receiving apron I
are both derived from the cam L (shewn in detail in Figure 4), fast on
the cam shaft F. This shaft is driven by spur gearing M. from the crank
shaft N of the engine N', and carries a large fly wheel O of its own, the
ordinary fly wheel P of the engine being mounted on the crank shaft N,
by which means I obtain an extra power from the plungers or sliding
blocks D and G. The cam L actuates a lever Q (see Figure 4), which is
suspended at its upper end from a fulcrum pin in one of the main
standards R. The lower end of the lever Q is slotted, and is jointed to
a connecting rod S, which is jointed to a horizontal lever arm T keyed
on to the vertical rocking shaft U (see Figure 4), which shaft works in
a footstep bearing V, and is maintained in its vertical position by a
bearing in the bracket W bolted to the main standards. A second lever
arm X mounted on the vertical shaft U is connected to one end of a pair
of links Y, the opposite end of which carries a pin or stud b, which
engages with the teeth or notches c (Figure 5) in the periphery of the
table A, the said pin or stud being held in contact with the periphery of
the table by the springs d. Z is a short lever arm, also carried by the
vertical rocking shaft U for actuating the palle, which drives the
ratchet wheel of the receiving and delivery apron I, but this motion
may be obtained by a lever taking its motion from the sliding bar i,
P

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the peculiar
combination and arrangement of machinery or apparatus for compressing
fuel, clay, and other like substances, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Lodge, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of December,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.