IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PRESSES FOR FORMING BALES OF COTTON AND OTHER MATERIALS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FASTENINGS FOR AND MEANS FOR APPLYING BANDS TO SUCH BALES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Jennings McComb, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF PRESSES FOR FORMING BALES OF COTTON AND OTHER
MATERIALS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FASTENINGS FOR AND MEANS FOR
APPLYING BANDS TO SUCH BALES."-Partly a communication from abroad by
David McComb, of Tennessee, North America.
Sealed the 29th August 1863, and dated the 3rd June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Jennings McComb
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd June 1863.
I, JAMES JENNINGS MCCOMB, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PRESSES FOR FORMING BALES OF COTTON AND OTHER
MATERIALS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FASTENINGS FOR AND MEANS FOR APPLYING
BANDS TO SUCH BALES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to certain novel ineans for compressing in an
expeditious and efficient manner bales of cotton, hay, and other substances.
The press, in its simplest form, consists of a base or foundation plate, upon
which are erected standards for carrying the cross head of the press and also
the box for containing the cotton or other material to be pressed. The upper
part of this box immediately below the cross head is hinged to allow of its
falling down and exposing ample space for access to the interior of the com-

page_text: pressing box.
The cross head is so formed that it is open in the middle, and
fitted to its under surface is a slab, say, of wood, which admits of being slidden
out of position when the press is being filled, but when in place forms virtually
the top of the compressing box. The face of this slab is grooved to allow of
the insertion of the bands between it and the compressed bale. In the same
way also and for the same purpose is the bottom of the box grooved. This
bottom consists of a piston or follower which fits the box, and by moving
upwards it is intended to compress the bottom contained in the box. Attached
to the under side of the follower is a pair of rods which are coupled to short
levers that have their fulcrum at opposite ends of the base plate. Mounted
loosely on the pins which connect these rods with their respective arms are
chain pullies to receive a chain which is attached to a hook on one pin and
passes from thence to one of a pair of pullies on the opposite fulcrum pin.
Thence it passes back to a pulley on the pin which carries the hook and back to
the other of the pair of pullies. The chain then is carried over a guide pulley
on the base plate, and thence to a capstan or windlass. Let us now suppose
the box to be charged with cotton (the bagging to cover the bale having been
applied as usual) and trampled down, and the doors above mentioned shut,
and the filling continued until the cotton is level or nearly so with the cross
head, the slab before mentioned is then slidden into its place. Tension is
now to be put on the chain, the effect of which will be to raise the lever arms
(by drawing them towards each other) and with them to lift the follower or
piston. This action is to be continued until the piston has reached a given
point, when the bale will have been sufficiently compressed. The bands are
then to be applied in the usual way. It will be obvious that other mechanical
means may be applied for putting tension on the chain, as, for example, mounting
a capstan at the centre of the base plate and winding the chain on the capstan.
This form of press will be useful for small plantations, but where the bale is
required to be reduced to its permanent bulk I apply to the press the following
arrangement :-On standards rising from what has been termed the base plate,
which in this case I use as a cross head to a second press, I mount a pair of
rocking segments which are attached by chains to the joint that couples
together the rods that are jointed to the lever arms. Pendent from these
segments are rods which reach any suitable distance below the cross head, and
carry at their lower ends a follower grooved like the other, as is also the under
side of the cross head to allow of the application of the binders. The pressed
bale is laid on this follower, and then by traction of the chain as before
described the follower is raised slowly by the quick rocking motion of the
segments, and a severe pressure is easily put upon the bale, which may then be

page_text: re-bound to secure it in its compressed state. This secondary press may be
made separate from the first-described press when thought desirable, and will
constitute an efficient press for short lifts and great pressure. It may be
manufactured at very small cost and is well adapted for being worked by horse
power.
My improvement in fastenings is intended to secure the ends of metal
bands. It consists of a plate with two narrow parallel slots cut in it. Into
one is hooked the bent end of a band and into the other slot is drawn the
other end of the band which is straight. When the band is drawn to its
proper tension and let go it will fly back slightly, and in doing so will tip the
plate and cause it to nip the straight end of the band securely. For facilitating
the attachment of these bands I use a grapple which acts on the same prin-
ciple as the fastening just described. It consists of a plate having a slot
which extends to one edge of the plate. This plate is attached by coupling.
links to a forked lever, the fork being used for securing a purchase for the
grapple lever. The band to be drawn to tension is slidden laterally into
the groove of the grapple, and strain being put on the grapple it will bite the
band tightly and draw it to tension. The band must then be secured by the
fastening as above described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Jennings McComb in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
JENNINGS MCCOMB, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third 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 me, the said
James Jennings McComb, Her special license that I, the said James Jennings
McComb, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Jennings McComb, my 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

page_text: for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PRESSES FOR FORMING BALES OF
COTTON AND OTHER MATERIALS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FASTENINGS FOR AND
MEANS FOR APPLYING BANDS TO SUCH BALES," being partly a communication from
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Jennings McComb, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 James Jennings McComb, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The object of this Invention is to effect in an efficient and expeditious
manner the compression of bales of cotton, hay, and other substances. To this
end I provide a novel construction of press, which in its simplest form consists
of the parts shewn in colour in Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawing, but
which in its more perfect form, that is, as shewn in outline and colour at
Fig. 1, constitutes a compound press, which may be operated by means of a
windlass, and which will not only give (like the simpler form of press)
the requisite compression for banding the material that is to be converted
into bales, but when required will further reduce the bales to the proper
bulk for stowing on board ship. I also provide a metal fastening for the
iron bands, and a novel construction of grapple for drawing the bands to
tension.
Fig. 1 shews in side elevation the improved compound press adapted for
pressing cotton bales; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is
a vertical section taken at the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a partial
plan view of the machine. I will first describe the parts constituting the
simple press.
A, A, is the bed of the press set on brick work. In this example the brick-
work forms the walls of a well or sunk chamber in which works the follower
of a supplementary press, hereafter to be more particularly referred to, the
fixed cross head of which is formed by the bed plate A. Rising up from the
bed plate are four iron columns B, B, which are connected at their upper
ends by a hollow cross head or rectangular frame C. The opening in
this frame is capable of being closed so as to form as it were for the time
being a solid cross head by means of a grooved plate D, which is to be drawn

page_text: on one side as shewn at Fig. 3 to allow of the press being charged with cotton
from above. Immediately below the frame or cross head C is fixed the
pressing box E, which is carried by brackets from the standards B. It is
made of stout sheet iron, the upper part being hinged as at E¹ to allow of the
compressed bale being exposed, so that the bands may be applied to the bale.
The pressing box is fitted with a plunger or follower F, which forms a
moveable bottom for the box. The upper face of this plunger is grooved to
correspond with the grooves in the plate D, such grooves being made to
permit of the iron bands being passed round the bale while under com-
pression. The plunger is carried by two inclined rods G, which are jointed
thereto, and have for their fulcra coupling piñs H, which connect them to
radius rods I, I. These rods work on fulcrums supported by lugs on the
bed A of the press. The coupling pins H each carry a pair of grooved
pulleys K, K', which are intended to receive a chain or rope L from a
capstan or windlass as indicated by the blue lines.
This chain or rope
having been passed round the pulleys as shewn is led down to a staple
of the bed plate and fixed thereto. When therefore tension is put on the
chain or rope, the pulleys K, K', will be drawn gradually nearer together,
and the rods G and I being thereby caused to approach a vertical position the
press follower will be raised in the compressing box to the,extent desired for
imparting the requisite amount of compression to the material supplied to the
box.
In order to prepare a bale of cotton, a piece of bagging of suitable
size is placed on the plunger F, while in an elevated position; the hinged
parts of the box E are then thrown up and secured by latches as shewn
at Fig. 2, and the grooved plate D being drawn aside as shewn at Fig. 3
cotton is thrown into the box through the opening in the frame or cross head
C, and trampled in the usual manner. As the cotton accumulates, the plunger
is gradually lowered until it reaches its lowest position. The workman in the
meanwhile continues the trampling, having his head always above the box,
and in free air. When the box has been charged with the proper amount
of cotton, the plate D is returned to its normal position, the chain Lis
drawn taut by the capstan, and the drag is continued until the rising of
the plunger F has reduced the cotton to the desired bulk. The hinged
parts of the box are then let down, the bands are threaded under and over
the bale, and bagging being applied to the sides and ends of the bale, the
bands are lapped round the bale, and secured by the means to be presently
described.
In cases where a second compression or the compression of the banded bale

page_text: is required to render it fit for shipment, I employ the supplementary press,
which I will now describe. The cross head of this press is formed as before
stated by the solid bed plate A, the under side of which is grooved (see Fig. 1)
like the plate D, and for the like purpose M is the follower or plunger of the
press working on guides in the wall formed by the brick work that carries the
bed plate A, and grooved on its face to provide means for shifting the bands of
the pressed bale. The plunger M is supported by rods N, N, pendent from
the angle of bell crank levers O, O, which levers are mounted on the bed
plate. To the inner ends of these levers are jointed rods P, P, which couple
the crank levers with the plunger F. Supposing now the banded bale to be
placed on the follower or plunger M, the bands corresponding in position to
the grooves in the follower, and the cross head and the capstan to be set in
action to wind up the chain L, the pulleys K, K', being thus drawn together
will cause the plunger F to rise gradually to its highest position as shewn at
Fig. 1.
In attaining this elevation the plunger F will by means of the
pendent rods P, P, rock the crank levers O, O, and cause them through
the rods N to impart a slow rising motion to the follower M, whereby the
bale will be forced against the under side of the bed plate A and powerfully
compressed.
By reason of this second or supplementary compression the bands will
become slack, and while in this state they may be drawn to tension by any
well known means, or by the grapple which I will presently explain, and
again secured by the metal fastenings first used for securing the bale.
The construction of fastening which I prefer to employ is shown detached
in plan and cross section at Figs. 5. It consists of a rectangular piece of plate
iron furnished with two parallel slots, somewhat longer than the width of the
metal bands, to which it is to be applied. Into one of the slots (see Figures 6,
which represent in plan and section the application of the fastening to a metal
band) is booked the bent end of the band, and into the other slot is drawn
the other end of the band which is straight. When the band is drawn to its
proper tension and let go, it will fly back slightly, and in doing so will tip the
plate and cause it to nip the straight end of the band securely as shewn in the
sectional view.
For facilitating the operation of drawing these bands to tension, I use
the grapple shewn in plan view at Fig. 7, and in edge view at Fig. 8.
This grapple acts on the same principle as the fastening just described.
It may be described as consisting of a forked hand lever Q, from which
near the forked end depends a link and hook R, carrying a slotted
plate S. The slot of this plate extends to one edge of the plate as shewn at

page_text: Fig. 9, and is intended to receive laterally the band that. is required to be
drawn to tension and to grip that band firmly between its parallel lips.
The fork of the lever is used for securing a purchase for the grapple in
the compressed bale. The band to be drawn to tension being slidden
laterally into the slot of the grapple a strain is put on the grapple by
pressing up or down (as the case may be) the handle of the lever Q.
The grapple will thus be caused to bite the band tightly, and draw it to
tension. While thus held the band must be secured by the fastening as above
described.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction of Presses for Forming Bales of Cotton and other Materials and
in the Construction of Fastenings for and Means for Applying Bands to such
Bales," I wish it be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent, I claim,―
First, the combination of parts for forming a single and a compound press
as above described.
Secondly, the construction of metal fastenings as described.
And, thirdly, the construction of grapple above described for banding com-
pressed bales.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Jennings McComb, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
J. J. M.COMB. (L.S.)