Improvements in or appertaining to Apparatus for Forming into Cakes Pulverulent, Granular, or Pasty Coherent Material, such; for instance, as Oil Seed Meal.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 6th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 3rd Oct.. 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Apparatus for Forming into
Cakes Pulverulent, Granular, or Pasty Coherent Material, such;
for instance, as Oil Seed Meal.
I, WILLIAM HENRY STEAD of 23 Boundary Street, Liverpool in the County
of Lancaster, Seed Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The object of this invention is well set forth in the title. I will describe the
invention as I purpose using it in oil mills.
The kettle for heating or cooking the oil seed meal or the hopper or reservoir
of other material has one or two orifices at bottom closed by a sliding plate. This
sliding plate has a hole at each end cut out of it the width and length of the cake to
be formed. These.holes are so arranged that while one is under the open orifice
of the kettle being charged, the other is under the opposite piston being emptied.
The plate is of a thickness sufficient to contain the required amount of the loose
material to be pressed into a cake. This plate is caused to slide in a channel
between the flat bottom of the kettle or hopper and a guide plate below.
hole in the sliding plate 18 covered at the bottom by a spring shutter, which opens
to let out the meal, when such hole reaches a point in its travel just under the
piston. On opposite sides of the kettle or hoppers I place a hydraulic press
cylinder. The piston rods of the two cylinders preferably extend through the top
covers and are joined by a chain over pulleys so that as one is pressed down by the
hydraulic fluid it raises the other up.
Each
Other modes of connecting the two pistons could be adopted, or they could be
made to work independently by double action. These two cylinders are each
provided with a piston rod and piston and external plate attached to the piston
rod, said plate being approximately the shape and size of the opening in the sliding
plate and they are so placed that at the termination of the travel of this plate the
piston shall approximately fit the hiatus in the plate. The valve of each of the
cylinders can be worked from a treadle. In the line of the descent of the piston
or of a bracket attached to the piston is a tappet sliding in guides. This tappet is
normally at such a depth below the highest point of travel of the piston that the
opposite piston has risen above the plate before the tappet (and thus the plate) has
begun to be moved. The tappet is so arranged that when it has drawn the sliding
plate into the proper position, it (the tappet) passes out of the line of descent of
the piston and the latter descends further without affecting the tappet. The tappet
of each cylinder is suspended on a chain passing round pulleys and attached one
to each end of the sliding plate.
Two oscillating levers are also linked to this plate and in turn are linked to the
feeding lever hereafter described.
..
Beneath the pistons are two tables supported on springs and guides and level
with the lowest point to which the springs will allow these tables to go is a fixed
table. The feeding handle, hereafter described, is so arranged that it will feed a
tray placed on the fixed table into position on the spring table. A spring catch
actuated by tappets fixed to the sliding plate holds the spring table in the lowest
position until the tappets are forcibly pushed aside by the plate.

page_text: The mode of action of this apparatus is as follows
The attendant No. 1 at one side of the machine places a tray with a wrapper of
woollen cloth over it on the fixed table at his side. He now presses down his
treadle and as the piston rises and the sliding plate slides to the other side he
removes the cake already acted on and takes it away. The result of depressing
the treadle, besides causing the piston on the one side to rise, also causes the piston
on the opposite side to slowly descend, pressing the tappet down, the chain draws
the sliding plate forward, and the hole in the plate, which previously passed under
the hole in the kettle or hopper and was filled with material, passes on until it
comes immediately below the piston. In the meantime the levers and links con-
nected with the sliding plate have pressed the feed lever forward, and the latter
pushes forward an empty tray covered with a wrapper, both of which had been
previously placed on the stationary table by attendant No. 2, until they come to a
stand on the spring table immediately below the hole in the plate. The spring
shutter, which in its normal position forms the bottom and closes the hole in the
sliding plate, is automatically released to let out the meal. The piston on
descending presses the material out of the hole in the sliding plate into the tray on
the spring table, and it is obvious that the tray and cloth having been pressed.at
the proper moment by the spring table close under the sliding plate there is no
meal wasted or lost when the spring shutter opens. The pistou continues its motion
until it has compressed the material and driven the plate and spring table down to
its lowest point where it is caught by a catch, and by the time this is accomplished,
attendant No. 2 has come back with an empty tray which he places upon the fixed
table, and pressing down his, treadle so that the piston rises, removes the cake
already acted on and takes it away. Now a similar action takes place on the
other side of the kettle with the other cylinder, the pressing down of No. 2
attendant's treadle causing not only his piston to ascend but at the same time
causing No. 1 attendant's piston to descend, the chain from one piston lifting the
other piston up and the chain from one tappet lifting the other tappet back into
its place. The pressing down of the treadle therefore by, attendant No. 2 causes
the sliding plate to slide in the opposite direction, bringing a supply of material
immediately under, piston, No. 1, the .catch is moreover, released and the spring
table rises, the feed lever pushes forward the empty tray (which attendant, No. I
had placed op the fixed table) until it comes to a stand on the spring table
immediately below, the hole in the plate. The spring shutter opens, lets out the
meal and the piston compresses the material, so that by the time No. 1 attendant.
has come back, with an empty tray he finds a cake ready compressed.. He
therefore puts his empty tray on the fixed table, depresses the treadle as before
and takes the, cakes, already acted on away and thus it will be seen that the action
at each side goes on alternately and automatically, effecting a considerable saving.
in the number of men required.
It will be obvious that with the object of reducing the number of pulleys and
chains, crossheads, or their equivalent can be fitted to the rams and these crossheads
adapted to operate the sliding plate and the other. mechanism connected therewith
by means of rods and suitably arranged levers. Exactly the same result can be
secured by, this mechanism, as is obtained, by, the pulleys and chains. It will be
evident moreover that instead of using a spring for actuating the shutter, a weight
can be and is by preference used.
Dated this 5th dox of Namambam 1005

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Apparatus for Forming into
Cakes Pulverulent, Granular, or Pasty Coherent Material, such,
for instance, as Oil Seed Meal.
I, WILLIAM HENRY STEAD, of 23, Boundary Street, Liverpool in the County
of Lancaster, Seed Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is well set forth in the title. I will describe the
invention as I purpose using it in oil mills, reference being had to the accompanying
drawing.
The kettle A for heating or cooking the oil seed meal, or the hopper or reservoir
of other material has one or two orifices a at bottom closed by a sliding plate B.
This sliding plate has a hole bat each end cut out of it the width and length of
the cake to be formed. These holes are so arranged that while one is under the
open orifice of the kettle being charged, as shown at the left of the drawing, the
other is under the opposite piston C being emptied. The plate B is of a thickness
sufficient to contain the required amount of the loose material to be pressed into a
cake, and is caused to slide in a channel or on wheels between the flat bottom of
the kettle or hopper and a guide plate below. Each hole in the sliding plate is
covered at the bottom by a shutter D operated by a spring or weight which opens
to let out the meal, when such hole reaches a point in its travel just under the
piston C. D is a catch which keeps the shutter normally closed, but on coming
in contact with a suitable projection is turned on its pivot and releases the shutter.
On opposite sides of the kettle or hoppers I place a hydraulic press cylinder E.
The piston rods of the two cylinders may extend through the top covers and be
joined by a chain F over pulleys so that as one is pressed down by the hydraulic
fluid it raises the other up.
Other modes of connecting the two pistons could be adopted, or they could be
made to work independently by double action. These two cylinders are each
provided with a piston rod and piston and external plate attached to the
piston rod, said plate being approximately the shape and size of the opening in
the sliding plate and they are so placed that at the termination of the travel of
this plate the piston shall approximately fit the hiatus in the plate. The valve of
each of the cylinders can be worked from a treadle. In the line of the descent
of the piston or of a bracket attached to the piston is a tappet G sliding in
guides H. This tappet is normally at such a depth below the highest point of
travel of the piston that the opposite piston has risen above the plate B before the
tappet (and thus the plate) has begun to be moved. The tappet is so arranged
that when it has drawn the sliding plate into the proper position, it (the tappet)
passes out of the line of descent of the piston and the latter descends further
without affecting the tappet. The tappet of each cylinder is suspended on a
chain G' passing round pulleys I and attached one to each end of the sliding
plate B.
Two oscillating levers J are also linked to this plate and in turn are linked to
the feeding levers K hereafter described.
Beneath the pistons are two tables L supported on springs and guides, and level
with the highest point to which the springs will allow these tables to go is a fixed
table M. The feeding handle K, hereafter described, is so arranged that it will
feed a tray N placed on the fixed table into position on the spring table, as showu
in dotted lines. A spring catch Ọ actuated by tappets fixed to the sliding plate
holds the spring table in the lowest position until the tappets are forcibly pushed
aside by the plate.

page_text: The mode of action of this apparatus is as follows:-
The attendant No. 1 at one side of the machine places a tray with a wrapper of
woollen cloth over it on the fixed table at his side. He now presses down his
treadle and as the piston rises and the sliding plate B slides to the other side he
removes the cake already acted on, as shown to the right of the drawing, and takes
it away.
The result of depressing the trendle besides causing the piston on the
one side to rise, also causes the piston on the opposite side to slowly descend,
pressing the tappet G down, the chain G' draws the sliding plate B forward, and
the hole in the plate, which previously passed under the hole a in the kettle or
hopper A and was filled with material, passes on until it comes immediately below
the piston C. In the meantime the levers or links J connected with the sliding
plate have pressed the feed lever K forward, and the latter pushes forward an
empty tray covered with a wrapper both of which had been previously placed on
the stationary table by attendant No. 2, until they come to a stand on the spring
table Limmediately below the hole in the plate B. The spring or weighted
shutter D, which in its normal position forms the bottom and closes the hole in the
sliding plate, is automatically released to let out the meal. The piston on
descending presses the material out of the hole in the sliding plate into the
tray on the spring table, and it is obvious that the tray and cloth having been
pressed at the proper moment on to the spring table close under the sliding plate,
there is no meal wasted or lost when the weighted shutter D opens. The piston
continues its motion until it has compressed the material and driven the plate C¹
and spring table L down to its lowest point where it is caught by the catch O, and
by the time this is accomplished, attendant No. 2 has come back with an empty
tray which he places upon the fixed table, and pressing down his treadle so that
the piston rises, removes the cake already acted on and takes it away.
Now a
similar action takes place on the other side of the kettle with the other cylinder,
the pressing down of No. 2 attendant's treadle causing not only his piston to
ascend but at the same time causing No. 1 attendant's piston to descend, the chain
from one piston lifting the other piston up if they are single acting cylinders and
the chain from one tappet lifting the other tappet back into its place.
pressing down of the treadle therefore by attendant No. 2 causes the sliding
plate to slide in the opposite direction, bringing a supply of material
immediately under piston No. 1, the catch O is moreover released and the
spring table L rises, the feed lever K pushes forward the empty tray (which
attendant No. 1 had placed on the fixed table) until it comes to a stand on the
spring table immediately below the hole 6 in the plate B. The spring shutter D
opens, lets out the meal and the piston compresses the material, so that by the
time No. 1 attendant has come back with an empty tray he finds a cake ready
compressed. He therefore puts his empty tray on the fixed table, depresses the
treadle as before and takes the cakes already acted on away, and thus it will be
seen that the action at each side goes on alternately and automatically, effecting a
considerable saving in the number of men required.
The
It will be obvious that with the object of reducing the number of pulleys and
chains, crossheads or their equivalent can be fitted to the rams and these cross-
heads adapted to operate the sliding plate and the other mechanism connected
therewith by means of rods and suitably arranged levers. Exactly the same
result can be secured by this mechanism, as is obtained by the pulley and chains.
It will be evident moreover that either a spring or weight may be used for
actuating the shutter, but a weight is by preference used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what 'manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improvements in apparatus for forming into cakes, pulverulent, granular
or pasty coherent material, such as oil seed meal, which consists of one or more
presses having dies on their luncore
enring table below each of the said

page_text: plungers, a tank or other reservoir for holding the meal and a movable measuring
device with removable bottom capable of drawing. out from the reservoir a
measured quantity of meal, and mechanism, whereby this measured quantity of
meal is brought onto the table and is pressed by the plunger substantially as.
described.
2. The double acting arrangement of mechanism whereby a reciprocating
measuring and feeding device between two presses is filled at one end while,
delivering a charge at the other end to one of the presses, and on the return
stroke delivers the material which it has collected to the other press while the
receptacle which has supplied the first press is again being filled.
3. The general arrangement and combination of mechanism for forming into.
cakes pulverulent, granular, pasty or coherent material, such as oil seed meal
substantially as herein described, no claim being made for any individual piece of
mechanism such as a press, a tank or a table when not in combination with other
parts as herein described so as to form a complete apparatus for the aforesaid.
purpose.
Dated thin ich I of A vonat 1806
+4
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.