Improvements in the Kneading and Moulding of Soap and other like Plastic Substances, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 9th May, 1896
Improvements in the Kneading and Moulding of Soap and other
like Plastic Substances, and in Apparatus therefor.
A communication by ANATOLE DES CRESSONNIÈRES and ERNEST DES
CRESSONNIÈRES, both of 82 Chaussée de Gand, Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Manufacturers.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bauk Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, and 31 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to ba na
follows:-
This invention has for its object to remedy the drawback in the mixing and
kneading of soap and other like plastic materials, which consists in the irregular
density of the products obtained owing to the machines at present in use delivering
a defective plastic roll, that is to any, a roll containing longitudinally in alternativo
sections more and less material in a uniform profile, and the invention is designed
to produce rolls of absolutely homogeneous density and composition throughout
their whole length.
The want of regularity and uniformity in the material in this phase of the
operation is due to the defective feeding process by which the material, previously
mixed is brought to the screw conveyer which forces it through the matrix, said
process consisting in simply charging the material into a hopper on the upper
part of a screw the blades of which carry away more or less even quantities of
the substance as it passes through the hopper in a state sufficiently plastic or
divided to allow of its falling between the blades; but by feeding it in these small
quantities the return is deleteriously affected, and therefore with a view of raising
the latter to its maximum the charging is performed in excess. The incon-
veniences heroinbefore mentioned however result precisely from this charging in
excess, for the substance accumulating to a certain degree forms a bridge above.
the screw so that it is constantly necessary to push it down by means of a suitable
implement, and owing to the intermittent quantities taken by the blades there
results not only lumps in the rolls but the machine requires in addition uninter-
rupted watching by a workman, which forms consequently an important factor in
the cost of working. Further it will be noted that the same effect is produced no
matter at what point of the screw (whether at the side or below) the forced feed
is effected, so that the sole means for obtaining a uniform and maximum feed,
consists in delivering to the blades of the screw the substance in a suitable plastic
condition but only in sufficient quantity to correspond to the maximum return, and
in providing a rigorously constant feed in order to obtain the absolute homo-
geneousness of the roll and it is this particular method of feeding concurrently
with apparatus therefor enabling it to be carried out in a rational manner which
forms the object of this invention.
The apparatus for realizing this industrial problem is shown as an example in
the accompanying drawings, in which
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page_text: BIGBANG Ction and
Figure 3 a transverse section of the machine.
The apparatus is characterized in principle by the combination of an ordinary
kneading apparatus with a combined feeding and squeezing apparatus in such a
way that the feed cylinder delivers the substauce, disengaged by a knifo or cutting
scraper, directly to the propelling screw along its whole length, or in other words
said feed cylinder is arranged parallel to the axis of the screw convoyer and more
particularly in such a way that the released cuttings or scrapings fall between the
blades of the screw conveyer and are carried away by the latter from immediately
below the knife or scraper, which thus maintains directly and in an absolutely
uniform quantity the substance fed between the blades which convey it in their
turn in an always constant quantity to the mould.
The most advantageous construction of the machine consists in arranging on a
common frame B, the various parts of the kneading machine, in other words its
drum T with the mould or moulds M, and containing the propelling and com-
pressing screw V, and also the parts of the squeezing and feeding apparatus
consisting of various cylinders C C C and knives or sorapers R and their
accessory means of adjustment A, the whole being operated in the various
necessary directions of rotation by means of suitable belt pulleys and intermediate
gearing I from a single common driving gear K.
The squeezing feed apparatus is composed practically of three cylinders,
subjecting the material to a double squeezing, the first boing effected by the two
cylinders CC, the axes of which are situated in the same horizontal plane, and
the second by the cylinders C C. The cylinder C is the feed cylinder which is
placed as regards the screw V in such a way as to be at a tangent to the latter,
on a line with the toothed edge of the knife or scraper, R, which projects between
the two perimeters at an inclination of about 45°. For this purpose the knife is
fixed at its opposite end to the point of an inclined plane P, formed on the
circular wall of the drum T of the kneading apparatus, and extending the whole
length of the feed cylinder the said circular wall being continued up to a vertical
plane passing through the axis of the drum, where it rises as a vertical wall P', the
open space between the two walls P P being covered at its lower part by the
knife R, and being free in its upper part in order to allow the cuttings or scrapings
of material to fall between the blades S in proportion as they are released from the
cylinder.
The drum T is surrounded with a casing E to contain a medium to regulate the
temperature at which it is desired to maintain the drum for the passage of the
material, and the other parts of the machine consist of the ordinary mechanical
appliances generally employed and which do not therefore require any special
description; these consist for instance of the belt pulleys and intermediate gearing I
determining the rotation of the cylinders and of the scrow in the desired
direction as shown by the arrows on the drawing; the mechanisms for adjusting
them at a suitable distance from the moulds; the frames of the belt pulleys, and
the like. The working of the apparatus can now easily be ascertained from the
description hereinbefore given. The material arriving between the two 4
cylindors C C is squeezed for the first time, and again for the second time
between the cylinders C C, and by the second movement it is carried on the
cylinder C in a thin sheet which is removed in the form of cuttinga or shavings.
by the scraper R, in order to fall between the blades of the screw conveyer V
which catch it immediately below the scrapor, and from here conveys it to the end 6
of the apparatus into the entirely closed part of the drum towards the mould.
It will be seen that in this manner the whole quantity of material fed on to the
screw must be necessarily carried away by the latter so that no irregularity can be
produced in the kneading. Moreover the quantity of material fed, onn always be
regulated with great exactitude so as to conform to the quantity kneaded and
passed through the mould in a given time, as the speed of rotation imparted to
the propelling screw, and to the cylinders of the squeezing and feeding apparatus

page_text: may be varied at will by the insertion of belt pulleys and suitable intermediate
gearing in proportion to the length of the feed cylinders.
The feed is therefore not only absolutely automatio, uniform and constant, but
the machine also allows of rolls of various density being produced according to the
differences of speed of the various parts, whilst always remaining absolutely
homogeneous whether the roll obtained be of a more or less ductile material.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1895.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Kneading and Moulding of Soap and other
like Plastic Substances, and in Apparatus therefor.
A communication by ANATOLE DES CRESSONNIERES and ERNEST DES
CRESSONNIERES, both of 82 Chaussée do Gand, Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Manufacturers.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in
the County of Warwick, and 322, High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to bo particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention has for its object to remedy the drawback in the mixing and
kneading of soap and other like plastic materials, which consists in the irregular
density of the products obtained owing to the machines at present in use delivering
a defective plastic roll, that is to say, a roll containing longitudinally in alternative
sections more and less material in a uniform profile, and the invention is designed
to produce rolls of absolutely homogeneous density and composition throughout
their whole length.
The want of regularity and uniformity in the material in this phase of the
operation aro due to the defective feeding process by which the material, previously
mixed is brought to the screw conveyor which forces it through the matrix, saið
process consisting in simply charging the material into a hopper on the upper part
of a screw, the blades of which carry away more or less oven quantites of the
Bubstance as it passes through the hopper in a stato sufficiently plastic or divided to
allow of its falling between the blades; but by feeding it in these small quantities
the return is deleteriously affected, and therefore with a view of raising the latter to:
its maximum the charging is performed in excess. The inconveniences heroin-
before inentioned however result precisely from this charging in excess, for the
Bubstance accumulating to a certain degree forms a bridge above the screw so that
it is constantly necessary to push it down by means of a suitable implement, and
owing to the intermittent quantities taken by the blades there results not only lumps
in the rolls, but the machine requires in addition uninterrupted watching by a
workman, which forms consequently an important factor in the cost of working.
Further it will be noted that the same effect is produced, no matter at what point
of the screw (whether at the side or below) the forced feed is effected, so that the
Bolu means for obtaining a uniform and maximum feed, consists in delivering to the
blades of the screw the substance in a suitable plastic condition but only in
sufficient quantity. to correspond to the maximum roturn, and in providing a
rigorously constant feed in order to obtain the absolute homogeneousness of the
roll, and it is this particular method of feeding conqurrently with apparatus
--

page_text: of this invention.
The apparatus for realising this industrial problem is shown as an example in
the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification, in which,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section,
Figure 2, a side elevation, and
Figure 3, a transverse section of the machine.
The apparatus is characterised in principle by the combination of an ordinary
kneading apparatus with a combined feeding and squeezing apparatus in such a
way that the feed cylinder delivers the substance, disengaged by a knife or cutting
scraper, directly to the propelling Forew along its whole length, or in other words
said feed cylinder is arranged parallel to the axis of the screw conveyor and more
particularly in such a way that the roleased cuttings or scrapings fall between the
blades of the screw conveyor and are carried away by the latter from immediately
below the knife or scraper, which thus maintains directly and in an absolutely
uniform quantity the substauco fed between the blades which convey it in their
turn in an always constant quantity to the mould.
The most advantageous construction of the machine consists in arranging on a
common frame B, the various parts of the knending machine, in other words its
drum T with the mould or moulds M, and containing the propelling and com-
pressing sorow V, and also the parts of the squeezing and feeding apparatus
consisting of various cylinders C C C and knives or scrapers R and their
accessory meaus of adjustment A. the whole being operated in the various
necessary directions of rotation by nieans of suitable belt pulleys and intermediate
gearing from a single common driving gear K.
The squeezing feed apparatus is composed practically of three cylinders,
subjecting the material to a double squeezing, the first being effected by the two
oylinders CC, the axes of which are situated in the same horizontal plane, and
the second by the cylinders C2 C. The cylinder C is the feed cylinder which is
placed as regards the screw V in such a way as to be at a tangent to the latter,
on a line with the toothed edge of the knife or scraper, R, which projects between
the two porimeters at an inclination of about 45°. For this purpose the knife is
fixed at its opposite end to the point b of an inclined plano P, formed on the
circular wall of the drum T of the kneading apparatus, and extending the whole
length of the feed cylinder, the said circular wall being continued up to a vertical
plane passing through the axis of the drum, where it rises as a vertical wall P', the
open space between the two walls P P being covered at its lower part by the
kaife R, and being free in its upper part in order to allow the cuttings or scrapings
of material to fall between the blades S in proportion as they are released from
the cylinder.
The drum T is surrounded with a casing E to contain a medium to regulate
the temperature at which it is desired to maintain the drum for the passage of the
material, and the other parts of the machine consist of the ordinary mechanical
appliances generally employed and which do not therefore require any special
description; these consist for instance of the belt pulleys and intermediate gearing I
determining the rotation of the cylinders and of the screw in the desired direction
as shown by the arrows on the drawing; the mechanisms for adjusting them at a
suitable distance from the moulds; the frames of the belt pulleys, and the like.
The working of the apparatus can now easily be ascertained from the description
hereinbefore given. The material arriving between the two cylinders C C is
squeezed for the first time, and again for the second time between the cylinders C³ C³,
and by the second movement it is carried on the cylinder C in a thin sheet which
is removed in the form of cuttings or shavings by the scraper R, in order to fall
between the blades of the screw conveyor V which catch it immediately below the
scraper, and from hore conveys it to the end of the apparatus into the entirely
closed part of the drum towards the mould.
It will be seen that in this manner the whole quantity of material fed on to

page_text: the scrow must be necessarily carried away by the latter, so that no irregularity
can be produced in the kneading. Moreover the quantity of material fed, can
always be regulated with great exactitude so as to conform to the quantity kneaded
and passed through the mould in a given time, as the speed of rotation imparted
to the propelling screw, and to the cylinders of the squeezing and feeding apparatus
may be varied at will by the insertion of belt pulleys and suitable intermediate
gearing in proportion to the length of the feed oylinders.
The feed is therefore not only absolutely automatic, uniform and constant, but
the machine also allows of rolls of various density being produced according to the
differences of speed of the various parts, whilst always remaining absolutely
homogeneous whether the roll obtained be of a more or less ductile material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the snid infon-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The method of mixing and kneading soap and other like plastic substances
consisting in delivering said substances to the screw conveyor whilst in a plastic
condition in the form of non-adherent shavings continuously and regularly, and
always to an extent corresponding to the maximum return for a roll of given density
and absolute homogeneousness throughout its entire length substantially as berein-
before set forth.
2. An apparatus for carrying out the herein desoribed method of mixing and
kneading plastic substances, characterised by the combination with a kneading
device of a squeezing and feeding apparatus having the cylinders of the latter
arranged in a lateral opening of the drum, parallel to the screw conveyor which
are with the blades of the latter at a tangent to the perimeter of the foed
cylinder on a line with the toothed edge of a knife or scraper which projects
between the two parts, whereby the material scraped off falls between the blades
of the screw conveyor and is carried away by the latter from immediately below
the knife or scraper and thereby entirely conveyed to the end of the drum and to
the mould, substantially as heroin before described and shown as an example in the
drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.
Dated this 8th day of April 1896.
"
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.