IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Wilson, of Wandsworth Common, in the
County of Surrey, and Edward Alfred Cowper, of No. 35^, Great George
Street, Westminster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES,"
Sealed the 11th September 1863, and dated the 2nd June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Wilson and Edward
Alfred Cowper at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 2nd June 1863.
We, DAVID WILSON, of Wandsworth Common, in the County of Surrey, and
EDWARD ALFRED COWPER, of No. 354, Great George Street, Westminster, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES,"
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in presses.
In pressing
substances, such as cocoa-nut seeds and other materials to extract oil
therefrom, and for other purposes, it is usual to arrange or stack the materials
to be pressed in the press itself, and much time is thus necessarily lost, as the
press has to stand still during the process of stacking and unstacking. To
avoid this inconvenience we employ frames or carriages mounted on wheels,
and arranged to ruu upon rails into and out of the press. The stacking is
performed when the carriage is out of the press, and usually when the press
is in action on another charge. The press being at liberty, the carriage with
the charge stacked upon it is run in and pressed. Similarly, when the
pressing is complete, the carriage and charge is run out of the press for the
charge to be unstacked, the press being thus at once set at liberty to receive
another charge.
The carriage consists of a bottom frame with its wheels; this frame receives

page_text: in a suitable recess a moveable bed plate, in which the materials to be pressed
are stacked; springing from the bottom frame are three or other convenient
number of pillars or vertical bars, which serve to steady the stack or pile, and
prevent it tipping over as it is moved from place to place; these pillars or bars
are connected together by a top ring, and one of them is made moveable, and
is taken from its place for stacking and unstacking. When the carriage with
a charge upon it is run into the press, suitable bolts or locking pawls retain
it in its proper position; the bed plate of the carriage will then be immediately
over the ram or forcer of the hydraulic or other press, and when this rises it
will lift the bed plate and the charge upon it until the top of the stack comes
against the head of the press, and then the motion of the ram or forcer
continuing the charge is subjected to pressure. When the ram or forcer is
let down the bed plate and charge descend with it, until the former again
enters its recess in the bottom frame of the carriage, and the carriage can then
be run out of the press with its charge for unstacking. Very commonly it is
necessary or desirable that the materials should be hot when the pressure
is
applied. When this is the case we employ a hot closet, constructed of
hollow metal panels, to the interior of which steam is admitted. The railway,
which passes through the press and on which the carriages run, is also laid
into the hot closet, so that when a carriage has been stacked it can with the
charge upon it be run into the hot closet, one or more of the panels of which
this is constructed being made moveable, so that the closet may be opened for
the admission and withdrawal of the carriages and charges. It is convenient
to make the closet cylindrical, and with three side panels, two of which are
moveable, being mounted on hollow axes, which also serve for, the admission of
steam and the escape of water condensed in the panels. The top of the closet
is made so that it can be raised when the closet is to be opened; when closed
the joints of the closet are made tight by felt or other suitable packing. The
arrangement above described admits of the charge being thoroughly heated
in the hot closet, and then at once and without loss of time being run into
the press and there pressed. Usually it is convenient to have two or more
such hot closets, connected by a railway with each press.
In constructing hydraulic presses in which a long stroke is required, in
place of making the cylinder and ram of the press of sufficient length to give
the full stroke of the press, we make them much shorter. The ram at its
lower end is made to pass out of the bottom of the cylinder, the joint being
made tight by a cupped leather in the same manner as at its other end. The
ram also is made tubular, or with a passage from end to end of it, and through
this a column witha strong screw thread upon it passes freely. A short distance

page_text: over the upper end of the ram, but sufficiently high not to interfere with its
motion, is a strong bridge or cross piece of the frame, through which also the
screw column passes, and at its upper end the column carries the lower plate of
the press,on which the materials to be pressed are stacked. On the screw column
are two screw nuts, the one immediately over the ram and the other over the
bridge before mentioned. As the ram rises it bears on the nut above it, and
lifts the screw and lower plate of the press, and so compresses the charge,
When the ram is at the top of its stroke the screw nut over the bridge is run
down until it comes in contact with the bridge, the ram is then allowed to
descend, but the screw columu cannot follow it, as the nut bearing on the
bridge supports it. When the ram is in its lowest position the lower nut is
brought down upon it, and the ram is caused again to rise, and thus the work
continues. It will be observed that the nuts on the screw column act only as
stops, and are never turned whilst the pressure is upon them. In place of
forming a screw thread on the column, ratchet teeth may be formed upon it,
and pawls are then substituted for the nuts above mentioned; we, however,
prefer to employ a screw.
The arrangement above described is applicable to other as well as to
hydraulic presses. When constructing lever presses, the screw column and
nuts are employed as before, and the lever is applied so as to act on the
under side of one of them. Rollers carried by the frame of the press form
the fulcrum of the lever, and at the points where the lever bears on the nut
there are also rollers, so as much as possible to lessen the friction. The lever is
retained in its proper position by means of a link connecting it with the
frame, which, however, allows it sufficient freedom of motion; the other end
of the lever can be worked up and down by manual labor. The fulcrum of
the press is made moveable, so that the leverage may be adjusted as may be
required. The nuts may be made self-acting, and in lever presses it is very
convenient so to make them; this we do by mounting drums upon them,
on which ropes are wound; the end of each rope passes away over a pulley,
and has a weight hung upon it, so that, as will be seen, when by the action of
the lever on the under side of one of the nuts the screw column is lifted, the
other nut is by the action of the weight unwinding the rope from the drum
immediately run down until it bears on the frame, and thus it prevents the
screw column descending during the return stroke of the lever. The nut on
which the lever acts is similarly caused to follow the lever during its return
stroke to its lowest position, so as to be ready for the lever again to act and
lift the screw column. To discharge the press the screw column is lowered
by turning both the nuts in the reverse direction; this is done by means of

page_text: other drums upon the nuts, round which other ropes are wound in the
reverse direction, and by drawing off these ropes the required motion is given
to the nuts, or handles only may be used to turn the nuts. One form of press
on the same principle we construct with a ratchet column in place of a screw
column, and then use a long lever with one or several pawls to lift one tooth
or part of a tooth at a time, whilst another or several other pawls retain the
ratchet column at each lift, or we use a pawl or pawls on the long lever on
each side of the ratchet column, and then on the depression or elevation of
the long end of the lever the ratchet column is lifted or moved according to
the position of the other press. In any case when we use a long lever we use
either manual labor to move it or a steam cylinder, or wind, or water, or
other moving power. One form of press, which we adopt more particularly
when acting on materials that are highly compressible, is that of a small
sized hydraulic press at the upper part, acting downwards, and a large sized
hydraulic press at the bottom, acting upwards, or they may both be placed
horizontally, though they must always be opposite to each other; then when
the small sized ram has acted to compress the material as much as possible it
is locked fast in its position in any convenient manner, though we consider the
best plan to be that of two bars fixed to the plate or "follower" of the
press, and provided with sliding bolts, which pass the ends of such bars, and
form complete stops against the solid framing of the press, in a manner very
similar to the bolting of the bars attached to the plate or "followers" in the
Specification of a Patent granted to David Wilson, dated 9th January 1862,
and numbered 65. When the upper press has so acted, the bottom press is
made to act upwards, and thus finish the compression of the material. The
doors for introducing the material to be pressed and the doors for taking out
the material or bale of material must be arranged at such heights as may
be most convenient, as well as a door or doors for introducing the packing
cloth on the bottom "follower."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Wilson and Edward Alfred Cowper in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 2nd December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, DAVID
WILSON, of Wandsworth Common, in the County of Surrey, and EDWARD
ALFRED COWPER, of No. 3, Great George Street, Westminster, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said David Wilson and Edward Alfred Cowper, Her special licence that
we,the said David Wilson and Edward Alfred Cowper, our executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said David Wilson and Edward
Alfred Cowper, our 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, 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
PRESSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,the said David Wilson
and Edward Alfred Cowper,our executors or administrators, byaninstrument
in writing under our or their, hands and seals, or under the hand and sealofone
of us or them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature ofthe 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 the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Alfred Cowper, on behalf of
myself and the said David Wilson, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described. and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is
to say-
'
This Invention has for its object improvements in presses and apparatus
connected therewith. In pressing substances, such as cocoa-nut seeds and.
other materials to extract oil therefrom, and for other purposes, it is usual to
arrauge or stack the materials to be pressed in the press itself, and much time
is thus necessarily lost, as the press has to stand still during the process of
stacking and unstacking. To avoid this inconvenience we employ frames or
carriages mounted on wheels, and arranged to run upon rails into and out of
the press.
The stacking is performed when the carriage is out of the press,
and usually when the press is in action on another charge. The press being at
liberty, the carriage with the charge stacked upon it is run in and pressed.
Similarly, when the pressing is complete, the carriage and charge is run out
of the press for the charge to be unstacked, the press being thus at once set
at liberty to receive another charge.
The carriage consists of a bottom frame with its wheels; this frame receives
in a suitable recess a moveable bed plate, on which the materials to be pressed

page_text: are stacked; springing from the bottom frame are three or other convenient
number of pillars or vertical bars, which serve to steady the stack or pile and
prevent it tipping over as it is moved from place to place; these pillars or
bars are connected together by a top ring, and one of them is made moveable
and is taken from its place for stacking and unstacking.
When the carriage with a charge upon it is run into the press, suitable
bolts or locking pawls retain it in its proper position, the bed plate of the
carriage will then be immediately over the ram or forcer of the hydraulic or
other press, and when this rises it will lift the bed plate and the charge upon
it until the top of the stack comes against the head of the press, and then the
motion of the ram or forcer continuing the charge is subjected to pressure.
When the ram or forcer is let down the bed plate and charge descend with it
until the former again enters its recess in the bottom frame of the carriage,
and the carriage can then be run out of the press with its charge for unstacking.
Very commonly it is necessary or desirable that the materials should be hot
when the pressure is applied. When this is the case we employ a hot closet,
constructed of hollow metal panels, to the interior of which steam is admitted.
The railway, which passes through the press and onwhich the carriages run,is
also laid into the hot closet, so that when a carriage has been stacked it can,
with the charge upon it, be run into the hot closet, one or more of the panels
of which this is constructed being made moveable, so that the closet may be
opened for the admission and withdrawal of the carriages and charges. It is
convenient to make the closet cylindrical and with three side panels, two of
which are moveable, being mounted on hollow axes, which also serve for the
admission of steam and the escape of water condensed in the panels. The top
of the closet is made so that it can be raised when the closet is to be opened;
when closed the joints of the closet are made tight by felt or other suitable
packing. The arrangement above described admits of the charge being
thoroughly heated in the hot closet, and then at once and without loss of time
being run into the press and there pressed. Usually it is convenient to have
two or more such hot closets, connected by a railway with each press.
Figure 1 is a side view of apparatus arranged in the manner above described.
Figure 2 is an end view of the press; Figure 3 is a plan, partly in section, of
the apparatus; and Figure 4 is a vertical section taken at the line A, A,
Figure 3. a, a, is an hydraulic press for the most part of ordinary construc-
tion; b, b, are rails passed one on each side of the ram of the press, and
continued on into the two hot closets c, c; and d is a carriage on which the
materials to be pressed are stacked; it is mounted and runs upon the rails b, b.
The carriage d consists of a bottom frame d¹,carried on flange wheels d²,and

page_text: having a circular hole in the centre, into which the bed plate d³ fits; on this
bed plate the materials to be pressed are stacked. d', d', are two uprights
fixed to the frame d', and carrying the top ring d. de is a third similar
upright, but moveable; it is fixed at the top and bottom to arms , d, and
these turn upon centres d³, d³, in the bottom frame d' and top ring d³ respec-
tively. During the operation of stacking the upright do is moved out of the
way for the free admission of the materials; these it is usually preferred to
bring to the press in the form of cakes of suitable size and thickness, as has
been heretofore commonly practised in pressing cocoa nut. Cocoa-nut, linseed,
and other seeds are readily made into suitable cakes for pressing by placing
them in a metal cylinder and separating them at intervals into layers by thin
metal plates; in this cylinder they are submitted to a preparatory pressure
sufficient to make the materials into cakes which will bear handling, the cakes
are then pushed out of the cylinder, or the cylinder is opened to discharge
them, and the cakes are ready to be stacked for pressing; they are piled up
one over the other, with mats of horsehair, fine wickerwork, or other material
between them, until the stack fills the carriage; the moveable bar do is then
replaced and the carriage with the stack upon it is run into one of the hot
closets c.
The construction of the hot closet is as follows:-c¹ is a standard
secured to a suitable foundation, and to it is fixed the hollow panel o², which is
made of sheet iron, rivetted to a suitable frame; c3 is the inlet steam pipe
communicating with the top of the panel, and c4 is the exit pipe for the cou-
densed water; it is attached at the bottom of the panel. c5, c³, are other panels
similar to c², but moveable; they are fixed on hollow arms c, c, on the ver-
tical and tubular axes or columns c, c', which at their lower ends step into.
sockets in the exit pipe c4, and at their upper ends they receive branches of the
steam pipe c³; the joints are made tight by packing or
in other convenient
manner; thus the panels c, although moveable, are kept supplied with steam.
If preferred, hot air may be substituted for steam. In Figure 3 the hot closet
on the right-hand side is shown in plan and open, that on the left is in section,
it is closed, and has a carriage d within it. It will be seen that the panels
fold in, fitting in closely to the uprights d and d of the carriage, and to make.
the joints as tight as may be flaps of felt are provided, as the Drawing shows.
The panels also fit closely to the bottom frame d' and to the top ring d³ of the:
.carriage. c is a cover jointed to the stationary panel c; it is furnished with a
tail cx, with which, when the moveable panels c³ are opened back, an arm (on
the axis of one of the panels) comes in contact so as to push back the tail
piece cx and lift the cover; then when a carriage is in the hot closet and the
panels are closed in, the cover e falls by its own weight and closes the closet,

page_text: fitting closely to the top ring d³ of the carriage; this cover is packed with felt,
as the Drawing shows. When the stack of material in the carriage has
become sufficiently heated, the closet is opened and the carriage is run out into
the press, where it is retained by the lever catches a', which drop over suitable
lugs on the carriage. The carriage, with the pile upon it which has just been
pressed, is run out of the press on the side opposite to that at which the new
carriage with the material to be pressed is run in, and the pressed material
is unstacked. The hot closet from which the carriage has been taken to go
into the press may either remain out of use during the pressing operation, and
afterwards until the carriage has been again emptied and re-stacked, or, as is
preferable, as soon as the carriage with the material upon it has been run into
the press, another carriage ready stacked may be lifted on to the guide rails by
suitable tackle or apparatus and at once run into the hot closet. The hot
closets, in place of being of this construction, may also conveniently be made
as complete cylinders, drop down over or rising up around the carriage with
the material upon it; or if the closet be made in sections, the steam or hot.
air may be admitted through flexible pipes, in place of through a hollow axis.
The construction of the press a and the details of the carriage d may also be
varied without departing from our Invention. But what we claim as respects
this part of our Invention is,-
First, the combining apparatus as herein described for pressing substances
such as cocoa-nut seeds and other materials to extract oil therefrom, and for
other purposes, the said combined apparatus consisting of a press and a hot
closet, with guide rails connecting the two, and a carriage mounted on the
guide rails, the whole being so constructed and arranged that the materials
may be stacked or accumulated for pressing on the carriage, then run into the
hot closet to be heated, thence into the press to be pressed, and lastly, out of
the press to be unstacked.
Second, the constructing the pressing carriage as above described with a
moveable bed plate, on which the materials to be pressed may be stacked or
accumulated, this bed plate being so arranged that the ram or forcer of the
hydraulic or other press in rising may lift it with the stack or pile thereon off
the carriage, and in descending may again deposit the bed plate and stack on
the carriage to be run out of the press.
Third, the constructing the hot closet as above described with a moveable
panel or panels mounted on a hollow axis or axes, serving for the admission
and escape of the steam or heating fiuid.
In constructing hydraulic presses in which a long stroke is required, in
place of making the cylinder and ram of the press of sufficient length to give

page_text: the full stroke of the press, we make them much shorter. The ram at its
lower end is made to pass out of the bottom of the cylinder, the joint being
made tight by a cupped leather in the same manner as at its other end. The
ram also is made tubular or with a passage from end to end of it, and
through this a column with a strong screw thread upon it passes freely.. A
short distance over the upper end of the ram, but sufficiently high not to
interfere with its motion, is a strong bridge or cross piece of the frame,
through which also the screw column passes, and at its upper end the column
carries the lower plate of the press, on which the materials to be pressed are
stacked. On the screw column are two screw nuts, the one immediately over
the ram and the other over the bridge before mentioned. As the ram rises it
bears on the nut above it and lifts the screw and lower plate of the press and
so compresses the charge. When the ram is at the top of its stroke the screw
nut over the bridge is run down until it comes in contact with the bridge;
the ram is then allowed to descend, but the screw column cannot follow it, as
the nut bearing on the bridge supports it. When the ram is in its lowest.
position the lower nut is brought down upon it and the ram is caused again to
rise, and thus the work continues. It will be observed that the nuts on tl.e
screw column act only as stops and are never turned whilst the pressure is
upon them.
Figure 5 is a side view, partly in section, of a portion of a press thus con-
structed. The press is here shown in its simplest form.
a is the cylinder of the press; it is of short length and fitted with a tubular
ram b; the lower end of this ram is made smaller in diameter at b* and
passes
out through the bottom of the cylinder. The joints, both at the top and
bottom of the cylinder, are made tight by cupped leathers at c, c. The force
pumps and other fittings in connection with the hydraulic cylinder are of
ordinary construction. d is a screw 'column passing up through the centre of
the ram; e is a screw nut on the column d, it is furnished with handles d' for
turning it;f is a bridge piece resting on the cylinder a, and bored for the
screw column d to pass through. The bridge piece f should be of such a
height that the ram may rise to its highest position without bringing the screw
nut e in contact with it. g is another similar screw nut on the column & over
the bridge piece; it is also furnished with haudles g. The head of the press
is connected with the hydraulic cylinder aby strong tie rods h, as is usual, and
the follower or platform of the press is fixed at the top of the screw column d.
In working the press, as soon as it is charged the pumps of the hydraulic,
cylinder are set to work and the ram rises, taking with it the screw column,
for the nut e bears on the top of the ram'; ou arriving at the end of the stroke

page_text: the nut g is run down until it bears on the bridge piece; the ram is then
allowed to descend by letting the water out of the cylinder; the nut e is then
screwed down till it again bears on the top of the ram,and then water or liquid
is again forced into the cylinder a and the rani and screw column lifted, and
so the work continues. If the materials are of such a nature as to be very
compressible at the commencement of the action of the press, the screw nuts
may be turned so as to force upwards the screw columu, the j press then acting
as an ordinary screw press; and when all the pressure has been obtained in
this way which can conveniently be so obtained, then the hydraulic cylinder is
set to work and the operation progresses as before. In some cases it may be
convenient to apply gear to the upper nut 9 to obtain more power to turn it,
as by running up the screw column as far as possible by the screw nuts
much time will be saved, as the action of the hydraulic ram is comparatively
slow.
the
Figure 6 is a side view and Figure 7 a front view, partly in section, of a
press similarly constructed and specially arranged for pressing cotton; Figures
8 and 9 are horizontal sections taken respectively at the lines A, A, and B,B,
in Figures 6 and 7. In this case the screw column is of such a pitch that
the nuts e aud g will run down it by their own weight; to facilitate this
cach nut may be furnished with a small roller to bear on the top of the thread
of the screw, so that the nut having a slight play on the screw the roller may
take the weight of the nut as soon as the latter is no longer supported from
below; these rollers are not shown in the Drawing, but their use will con-
siderably reduce the friction of the nut on the screw when running down free.
The nuts e and g are also provided with pawls to prevent them running up
thread of the screw column when the weight is upon them; these pawls take
into ratchet teeth on the head of the ram and on the bridge piece. To allow
of the descent of the screw column, however, when a charge has been pressed
and secured into a bale, the pawls are lifted, and then the screw column
descends, by its own weight turning the nuts; the nuts may be furnished with
friction rollers, in order that they may run up the screw the more readily when
the pawls are lifted. The upper nut g has a hand wheel g¹ upon it, and a
brake i is provided to govern it in running down the press. At the upper
part of the press is a rectangular case k with doors 1, 1; these doors are fixed
on arms, and turn on the tie rods or columns ; through these doors the
cotton to be pressed is introduced, and when the doors are closed they are
secured by the end pieces m, m,which are recessed to receive the edges of the
doors, and these end pieces are forced up to their places by the cams n, n,
which turn on the tie rods, and the cams have levers or arms n¹, n¹, fixed on

page_text: them which fold the one over the other, as the Drawing shows, and then the
The end
outer of the two arms on each side is secured by a turn button o.
pieces m, m, when set free, are drawn back by the springs p, p, to liberate the
edges of the doors. When the cotton is compressed to the desired extent the
bale is hooped and then removed from the press.
We would remark, that in place of using a tubular ram and passing the
screw column through it, a solid ram may be used with two or more screw
columns at the sides of the ram, or two rams of smaller size may be used with
the screw column passing down between them, and other similar modifications
may be made without departing from our Invention; or in place of forming a
screw thread on the column d, ratchet teeth may be formed upon it, and pawls
are then substituted for the nuts above mentioned; we, however, prefer to
employ a screw.
We claim as respects this part of our Invention, first, the constructing
presses as above described, by combining an hydraulic cylinder or cylinders,
with a screw column or columns, bridge piece, and stop nuts, so that a short
hydraulic cylinder or cylinders may be rendered available for obtaining a stroke
of any desired length.
Second, the constructing presses as above described by combining in a
similar manner an hydraulic cylinder or cylinders with a ratchet column or
columns, bridge piece, and pawls.
The arrangement abovedescribedof thescrew column,bridge piece, andstop
nuts is applicable to other as well as tohydraulic presses. When constructing
lever presses, the screw column and nuts are employed as before, and the lever
is applied so as to act on the under side of one of them. Rollers carried by the
frame of the press form the fulcrum of the lever, and at the points where the
lever bears onthe nut there are also rollers, so as,as much as possible,tolessen
the friction. The lever is retained in its proper position by means of a link
connecting it with the frame, which, however, allows it sufficient freedom of
motion; the other end of the lever can be worked up and down by manual
labour. The fulcrum of the press is made moveable, so that the leverage may
be adjusted as may be required. The nuts may be made self-acting, and in lever
presses it is very convenient so to make them; this we do by mounting drums
upon them,on which ropes are wound; the end of each rope passes away over
a pulley, and has a weight hung upon it, so that as will be seen when by the
action of the lever on the under side of one of the nuts the screw column is
lifted, the other nut is by theaction of the weightunwindingthe ropefrom the
drum immediately run down until it bears on the frame, and thus it prevents
the screw column descending during the return stroke of the lever. The nut

page_text: on which the lever acts is similarly caused to follow the lever during its return
stroke to its lowest position, so as to be ready for the lever again to act and
lift the screw column. To discharge the press the screw column is lowered
by turning both the nuts in the reverse direction; this is done by means of
other drums upon the nuts, round which other ropes are wound in the reverse
direction, and by drawing off these ropes the required motion is given to the
nuts, or handles only may be used to turn the nuts.
:
Figure 10 is a side view and Figure 11 an end view of a press so con-
structed and suitably arranged for pressing cotton; Figures 12 and 13 are
horizontal sections taken at the lines A, A, and B, B, respectively. In this
press the lower stop nut e, on the screw column d, rests on the bottom or bed
of the frame of the press, and above the nute; at a distance somewhat exceeding
the longest stroke of the lever is the bridge piece f; over this, but not im-
mediately in contact with it, is the upper stop nut g, and between the bridge
piece and the stop nut is the end of the lever p; this lever, as the Drawing
shows, is made with two branches, and passes on either side of the screw
column. The lever fulcrums on two rollers q,q, which rest on the bridge piece,
and are retained in their place by a sliding frame, which can be slid along in
guides so as to bring the fulcrum rollers nearer to or further from the screw
column, so as to vary the length of stroke of the inner end of the lever; and
the lever carries two other rollers p1, p1, they are mounted in suitable recesses
in the lever, and bear on the under side of the nut g; they are free to play in
these recesses, but slight springs p² return then to the centre line as soon ag
they are free; is a link connecting the lever with the fixed centre s, so as to
keep it in position endways; the link r is continued beyond the centres, and
receives a weight t, which tends constantly to force down the outer end of the
lever, and so to equalize its upward and downward strokes; u, u, are drums
on the screw nuts, around which ropes pass to the weights u', which by un-
winding the ropes cause the nuts to run down the screws whenever they are
left free to do so; ", v, are other drums on the screw nuts, also with ropes
around them, which are drawn off by means of the windingbarrels w, when it
is desired to lower the screw column and lift the weights u'; x, x, are weights
to counterpoise the screw column and parts connected therewith. In working
the
press the roller fulcrums q,q,of the levers with their frame are at starting
moved some distance out from the centre of the screw column, so as to get a
long stroke, and the lever is worked up and down by manual power or other
wise, and then as soon as the work becomes severe it is eased by moving in
the roller fulcrums towards the centre of the screw column. When the pressing
is nearly complete, the last nip may be obtained by lengthening the lever

page_text: handlep, which for this purpose may be made telescopic, or the last nip may be
obtained bya very short and inverted hydraulic cylinder at the top of the frame.
We would remark that a screw column with bridge piece and stop nuts,
in place of being combined with a simple lever as shown in the Drawing, may
be combined with an arrangement of levers acting by means of a toggle joint
or cams or excentrics, or similar mechanical instruments may be employed.
What we claim in respect to this part of our Invention is, first, the con-
structing lever and other presses as above described with screw column,bridge
piece, and stop nuts, so that the short stroke of the lever or other instrument
may be rendered available to obtain a stroke of any desired length:
Second, the arranging the stop nuts in presses constructed with a screw
column and bridge piece as above described so that the said nuts may be
self.acting, that is to say, that by weight or equivalent means they may be
caused to traverse along the screw when free to do so, and thus prevent its
return.
One form of press we construct with a ratchet column in place of a screw
column, and then use a long lever with several pawls to lift one tooth or part:
of a tooth at a time, while several other pawls retain the ratchet column at
each lift, or we use pawls on the long lever on cach side of the ratchet
column, and then on the depression or elevation of the long end of the lever
the ratchet column is lifted or moved.
Figure 14 is a vertical section showing the principal parts of a cotton press
arranged according to the latter of these methods. a, a, is the ratchet column
with the platform or follower of the press fixed on its upper end; 6 is a strong
framed lever turning on trunnions b', which are received into bearings on each
side of the bed frame of the press; c, c, are pawls, two on each side of the
ratchet column,their lower ends drop into sockets or recesses 6, made for them
in the lever b; each socket receives two pawls, which are arranged so that when
one of them is bearing in a tooth of the ratchet the other is half way between
two teeth, this arrangement admits of the use of a ratchet column with coarse
teeth, (as indeed is necessary to obtain sufficient strength,) and yet prevent
the loss of any considerable part of the stroke of the lever, which is a matter
of primary importance in presses of this description; d, d, are another set of
pawls nearer to the trunnions of the lever b, they are employed when more
power is required than can be obtained with the first pawls; the two sets of
pawls are not, however, in any case in action at the same time, and the pawls
of the set out of action are supported clear of the teeth of the ratchet column
by slides e, e, which appear in cross section in the Drawing. More than two
pawls may be used to form each set, and it is advantageous to increase their

page_text: number, but in this case the width of the ratchet column should be consider-
able, so that the pawls may be made sufficiently strong. As before mentioned,
in place of mounting pawls on the lever on both sides of the screw, they may
be mounted on one side only, and the other set of pawls may be stationary,
their axes or pivots being on the frame of the press. Figure 15 is a vertical
section of a portion of a press similar to that shown at Figure 14, but in this
case the sockets which receive the ends of the pawls d, d, are made moveable
on the lever, and the ratchet teeth on the column are made to vary in length,
the pawl sockets are made to work on right and left handed screws', which by
gearing partly shewn in the Drawing are caused to rotate slowly as the lever b
is worked up and down; by this means as the charge in the press becomes
more and more compressed the action becomes progressively slower and more
powerful. In any case when we use a long lever we use either manual labour
to move it or a steam cylinder, or wind, or water, or other moving power.
We claim as respects this part of our Invention, first, the constructing
presses as above described with a ratchet column and a lever with two or
more pawls on each side of the ratchet column, so that the said column may be
moved forward a tooth or part of a tooth both by the upward and downward
stroke of the lever.
Second, the constructing presses as above described with a ratchet column,
and a lever with two or more lifting pawls upon it entering the teeth of the
ratchet column, together with a bridge piece with two or more stationaryor stop
pawls, so that by the downward stroke of the outer end of the lever the
ratchet column may be moved forward a tooth or part of a tooth and there
retained during the return stroke of the lever.
One form of press which we adopt, more particularly when acting on
materials that are highly compressible,isthat of a small sized hydraulic press,
at the upper part acting downwards, and a large sized hydraulic press at the
bottom acting upwards, or they may both be placed horizontally, though they
must always be opposite to each other; then when the small sized ram has
acted to compress the material as much as possible, it is locked fast in its
position by two bars fixed to the plate or "follower" of the press, and pro-
vided with sliding bolts, which pass the ends of such bars and form complete
stops against the solid framing of the press, in a mauner very similar to the
bolting of the bars attached to the plate or "followers" in the Specification of
a Patent granted to David Wilson, dated 9th January 1862, and numbered 65.
When the upper press has so acted, the bottom press is made to act upwards,
and thus finish the compression of the material. The doors for introducing
the material to be pressed and the doors for taking out the material or bale

page_text: of material must be arranged at such heights as may be most convenient,
as well as a door or doors for introducing the packing cloth on the bottom
"follower"
Figure 16 is a front view, Figure 17 an end view, Figure 18 a plan, and
the remaining Figures are transverse sections of a press for pressing cotton
thus constructed.
a is the lower hydraulic cylinder, and bis the upper one, which is smaller
in diameter and longer in stroke than the lower; a and b are the two fol-
lowers fixed on the rams, and between which the cotton is compressed, and
between the two is a casing c, the detailed construction of which is very fully
shown in the Drawings. At the top of the casing are doors c¹, which are
opened to introduce the cotton, and when the press is full are firmly secured.
by turn buttons c¹x. At c², c², are the doors, which are opened to hoop and
remove the compressed bale,and at the bottom of the casing at c³, c³, are flaps,
which are opened for the introduction of the cloth or wrapper for the bale,and
to allow of its being spread on the lower follower. These flaps are counter-
balanced as is shown, and are opened and closed by means of levers on their
axes; they are locked fast by turn buttons c*. The upper ram and parts
connected therewith are counterbalanced by weights d,d, which are sufficient
to raise the ram rapidly when allowed to do so; e, e, are two strong struts or
bars securely fixed to the follower of the upper hydraulic cylinder; these pass
freely through holes in the head of the press frame, and when the follower
descends these struts e descend with them until they get beneath the strong
slides f,f, which are capable of traversing in guides on the under side of the
head of the frame; these slides are then moved, so as to cover over and close
the holes in the head of the frame through which the struts e came down, and
their return is thus prevented. The two slides are connected together by a
lever f¹, so that they may move simultaneously, and a lever handle, not
shown in the Drawing, is provided for working the slides. When the trunk
of the press is full of cotton to be compressed, the upper hydraulic cylinder is
first set to work and operates alone until the end of its stroke. It is then
blocked by means of the struts and slides to prevent the pressure produced by
the larger hydraulic cylinder coming upon it, as the pressure would probably
burst it. The lower cylinder is now set to work and completes the compres-
sion of the bale; the doors c² are then opened, and the bale hooped as usual.
The upper hydraulic cylinder is left in connection with the pumps after it is
blocked, so that the pressure may be maintained in it to assist the struts. As
every detail of this press is most clearly shewn in the Drawings, or else are of
ordinary construction, a further description of the press is unnecessary.

page_text: .In respect to this part of our Invention we claim the constructing a com-
pound press, with a large hydraulic cylinder and ram at one end and a
small cylinder and ram at the opposite end, with locking apparatus, arranged
as above described, for locking the small press at the end of its stroke and
during the time that the large press is in action.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Alfred Cowper, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Second day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
EDWARD ALFRED COWPER. (L.S.)