IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR PRESSING AND MOULDING SUBSTANCES INTO BLOCKS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR PRESSING AND MOULDING SUBSTANCES INTO BLOCKS." A
communication from abroad by William Münzer, of the City, County, and
State of New York, and Christian Edward Moller, of Hoboken, County of
Hudson, and State of New Jersey, both in the United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION. filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th March 1878.
ALEXANDER MELville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR PRESSING AND MOULDING SUBSTANCES
INTO BLOCKS." A communication from abroad by William Münzer, of the City,
County, and State of New York, and Christian Edward Moller, of Hoboken,
County of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, both in the United States of
America.
This Invention relates to machinery for pressing pliable or plastic substances,
such as sugar, clay, and other matters into blocks or forms of any desired con-
sistency.
The principal object of the Invention is to make the pressure self-regulating with
reference to the amount of matter contained in the mould.
Heretofore presses, such as brick presses, sugar presses, &c., have been constructed
with plungers, moved by mechanical power between certain prescribed limits of
motion towards and away from the moulds which contain the matter to be pressed,
and if, as often occurred, the moulds were not completely filled, the pressure would
necessarily be incomplete; whereas, if on the other side, as also frequently happened,
the moulds were overcharged, the blocks would be compressed beyond the desired
degree, or the machine itself injured; in other words, there being no means of
ensuring the filling of the moulds to a certain and absolute degree of equality,

page_text: the pressure being always equal, resulted in producing blocks of unequal con-
sistency.
The present Invention seeks to avoid this difficulty by using hydraulic power for
moving the plungers, the power being such that when the plunger enters into an
imperfectly filled mould, it will advance further than if it enters a mould which has
been over filled or properly filled. In other words, the degree of power will always
be the same.. The compression will always be alike, no matter whether the mould
is partly, wholly, or over filled, and, consequently, the blocks produced, whether
they be blocks of sugar, bricks, or other matter, will be of absolutely equal con-
sistency, although they may vary slightly in size
To this end the Invention consists in placing a series of reciprocating plungers in
a rotary drum, the plungers being placed radially into the drum, so that they may
move in the direction of the radii of the drum.
The drum is arranged to communication at or near its centre with water passages,
which supply its central part with water (or other liquid, if desired) for forcing the
plunger into the moulds when required. The rotation of the drum is utilised to
open and shut the water supply, and to, consequently, establish and discontinue
the hydraulic pressure at proper intervals. The motion imparted by hydraulic
pressure to the plungers for compressing the substances is simply outwards. For
drawing them inwards again, after the pressure has taken place, the plungers are
provided with mechanical incans in the form of projecting pins that are brought in
proper contact with rods or rollers moving in cam grooves, so that after the moulds
have been emptied, the plungers will be withdrawn towards the centre of the drum
to enable the moulds to be refilled. By the like mechanical means the plungers are
also pushed out beyond the limits of the compression movement for the purpose of
discharging from the moulds the blocks therein contained. The abutting devices
against which the plungers press the matter contained in the moulds are movable
bars or plates, which, by a very peculiar system of feed mechanism, are properly
supplied, so that they are in line with the moulds during the time that the plungers
arc moved outwards for comprossing the contents of the moulds. But after the
pressure has taken place, said abutments are withdrawn from the moulds, leaving
the latter free to discharge their contents upon an endless apron or other
receptacle.
The mechanism for moving the abutments constitutes an essential feature of
the Invention. The blocks of sugar, or other matter compressed in the machine,
are deposited, preferably, upon trays that are placed upon an endless apron. Inter-
mittent motion is imparted to said apron by a peculiar gear action, which will be
more specifically described hereafter. The intermittent motion is such as to make
room for the deposit of the new block or row of blocks upon the trays in the saine
ratio in which said blocks or series of blocks are discharged from the drum, and the
motion of the chain moreover is so rogulated that it will prevent the deposition of
blocks between any two trays held on the endless apron. For this purpose the
apron is moved somewhat faster as soon as one tray has been entirely filled, so that
the next tray on the apron may properly arrive under the discharge mould to
receive the next deposit of compressed blocks.
Another feature of the Invention has reference to the use of a gently acting
finger or pusher, which detaches the blocks that are being discharged from the
moulds from the ends of the plungers to which they are apt to adhere if not
mechanically separated.
It is evident that the details of the Invention may be materially varied, that some
of the features of the Invention may be used without some of the other features, and
it is expressly to be understood that the Invention is not necessarily confined to a
combined use of all the features of the machine, but does embrace each and every
feature herein-after specified and claimed as part of the Invention, whether used
alone or in conjunction with one or more of the other features.
In the accompanying Drawings,—
Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of the improved machine for pressing and

page_text: moulding substances into blocks; Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the
same taken on the plane of the line y-y, Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end elevation,
partly in section, of the same, the line xx, Figure 1, indicating the plane of
section.
Figure 4 is a detail side view, partly in section, of the mechanism for moving the
endless apron; and Figure 5 is a detail side view, showing the mechanism for
actuating the pawl, which arrests the motion of the said endless apron.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
The letter A in the Drawing represents the frame of the machine, said frame
being made of metal, wood, or of both combined, of such size and shape as to
enable it to properly support the mechanism constituting the machine, and of
sufficient strength to enable such mechanism to operate in the manner intended. In the
frame A are the bearings of a shaft B, upon which is mounted a drum C. The drum
C is hollow, as shown in Figure 2, having an outer rim a of sufficient thickness and
strength as to admit the moulds 6 for compressing the matter to be formed into
blocks within said rim. These moulds b, b, are preferably apertures cut through
the rim a, and are spaced circumferentially at equal distances apart.
Figure 2 shows the drum to be divided into five equal parts circumferentially for
five moulds or rows of inoulds b. Each mould is of prismatic or other suitable form,
according to the shape of the block which it is intended to produce. Longitudinally
the drum is also divided, so as to receive rows of moulds b, as indicated in Figure 3,
which Figure shows three moulds b in line with each other lengthwise on the drum,
but a greater or less number of moulds may be used, both circumferentially and
longitudinally. In line with every mould b is placed in the hollow drum Ca
plunger D, whose outer part is shaped to closely fit the mould, and whose inner
part enters through a suitable stuffing box or chamber d, which is formed in the
central portion of the drum. This central part of the drum is divided into as many
chambers das there are series of moulds circumferentially, which in the Drawing
appear to be five. The axle of the drum C is made hollow at the ends, as shown in
Figure 3, and embraces or connects otherwise with an inlet pipe E at one end, and
with an outlet pipe F at the other end, as indicated in Figure 3. The inlet pipe E
communicates with a suitable reservoir of water or other liquid, and has one or
more openings e for communication with the chambers d of the drum C. As the
drum revolves, branches f, which extend from the chambers d, d, arrive alternately
in line with the opening or openings e, and said branches being tubular establish
communication between the inlet pipe E and the chainbers d, so as to allow the
liquid to enter the chambers d, and to force out the plungers D, which enter such
chambers d. At the proper time other tubular branches g connect the chambers &
with the outlet pipe F, and allow water to be discharged from the chambers d, or
at least the pressure on the plungers to be relieved.
It is to be understood that the respective chambers & are brought in communi-
cation with the inlet pipe only at certain positions during the revolutions of the
drum, to wit, when certain of the plungers are in position to compress the contents
of a row of moulds against an abutment, and that at the proper time the pressure
is relieved by the closing of the branches f, and the opening of the branches g to
the outlet pipe. As to the outlet pipe, it is intended to permit it to cominunicate
with an elevated reservoir, so that it will not fully discharge the liquid from the
chambers d, d, but will rather serve to release the pressure on the plungers, which
pressure is exerted when the inlet pipe communicates with the chambers &, said
inlet pipe being also in communication with a still more elevated reservoir, or with
means for otherwise increasing the pressure of the water on the plungers, such as a
pump or accumulator.
G is the driving shaft hung in frame A parallel to the drum C. Rotary motion
in the direction of the arrow, which is shown around this shaft in Figure 2, is
3 imparted to it by suitable mechanism, and by suitable gearing, which is indicated by
dotted lines in Figure 2. The motion is transmitted from the shaft G to the drum

page_text: C, which is revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow shown on such drum
in Figure 2.
The matter to be compressed into blocks is placed in a suitable hopper H, which
is above the drum C, as shown in Figure 2, and is provided with suitable stirring
devices for agitating the contents of the hopper, and for conveying them into moulds
as said moulds pass beneath the hopper, the lower part of the hopper being open to
the drum, as shown, so that there will be no obstruction to the proper filling of the
moulds.
The row of moulds which approaches the hopper during the rotation of the drum
is empty, the plungers being withdrawn from such moulds, as shown in Figure 2,
and as such mould or row of moulds passes under the hopper it is filled with the
inatter to be compressed, and being thus filled arrives under an abutting plate or
abutment I, as also shown in Figure 2, at the left-hand side of the hopper.
When the mould or row of moulds arrives in the last-mentioned position the
chamber d, which receives the lower ends of the plungers pertaining to such mould
or moulds, is brought into communication with the inlet pipe E, and the hydraulic
pressure begins to be exerted upon such plungers to compress the matter contained
in the mould or moulds against the abutment 1. The abutment I now follows the
drum during its continued rotation to permit the pressure to be continuous for a
certain length of time, said abutinent being taken along by a tooth or teeth pro-
jecting from the circumference of the drum, and taking the abutinent, which is a
loose plate, along with the drum as the same rotates. While the abutment is thus
carried by the drum, or rather by the teeth h on the drum, its outer face bears
against or moves along a concave guide block i, which is clearly indicated in
Figure 2, and which takes up part of the pressure that is exerted by the plungers
and the substance in the mould against the abutment. After the substance has
been properly compressed in the mould, and as the lower end of the curtain or
guide block is reached by the abutment, a disc or discs j, mounted upon the shaft G,
and provided with projecting teeth, engage the abutment with their teeth, and
withdraw it from the drum C, allowing the latter to move further on without said
abutment. The abutment is now carried around by the teeth of the disc j, being
supported by its ends entering suitable grooves or otherwise, and delivered into the
lower part of a channel 7, which extends from the discj to another toothed disc or
pair of discs m, mounted upon a shaft n above the upper portion of the guide block i,
as shown in Figure 2. The abutment I, which is raised by the toothed discj into
the channel 6, is caught under a spring or snap hook J, which holds it in place, and
prevents it from dropping after the disc j has ceased to affect such abutment, and as
the disc during its rotation takes one abutment after another from off the surfaco
of the drum C, it delivers them one after another into the channel Z, the lowermost
one always being caught and supported on the snap hook J, as indicated, and thus
one after another of the abutments is gradually raised and pushed up into the
channel until the upper one comes within reach of the teeth of the disc m, which
disc m, taking the upper abutinent, delivers it to the drum C in proper position for
receiving the pressure of the plungers, and for being taken along by the teeth h of
the drum in manner already stated; thus, by means of the toothed discs j and m, and
the snap hook J, a continuous feed motion of the abutments is produced, which will
permit one abutment to be always in proper position on the mould for taking the
pressure of the plungers while the others are moving gradually into position for
further use, as stated. Now, to return to the drum C, it will be found that after
the abutment has been taken away from it by the disc j, the mould or row of moulds
thus uncovered is free to discharge its contents, and this discharge is effected by a
further outward motion of the plungers D mechanically produced; in fact, the com-
munication between the chamber d and the inlet pipe is cut off shortly before the
abutment is taken away from the drum by the disc j, and the hydraulic pressure
therefore ceases to act from that moment. The discharge of the moulds is effected
by a rod o, which passes through the drum C lengthwise, that is to say, parallel to

page_text: the axis of the same, and the ends of which enter a stationary cam groove p formed
in the sides of the frame A, and indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2.
The rod o bears against a projecting pin q of each plunger in a row of plungers,
and as the drum continues to revolve, the rod is gradually moved outwards by the
cam groove p towards the periphery of the drum, and being so moved outwards it
also pushes the plungers outwards, because it bears against the projecting pins q, q,
thereof. When therefore the plungers in question have reached a position vertically
below the axis of the drum, they are pushed out to their fullest extent, as shown in
Figure 2, so as to discharge the contents of the moulds. After this it is necessary
to draw the plungers in again, so as to leave the mould open for a new charge, and
also bring the plungers back into position for receiving the hydraulic pressure. To
this end, an outer rod v moving in a stationary cam groove s, which is also formed in
the sides of the frame A, is arranged across the drum, similar and parallel to the
rod o, and bears against the outer side of the pin q of the plunger, and this rod v at
the proper time is gradually moved inwards towards the centre of the drum, as
shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2, to draw the plunger back and out of the
mould proper and expose the plunger to the hydraulic action, as already stated. It
need not be specially mentioned that there is necessarily a rod o and v for each row
of plungers, this being clearly indicated in Figure 2.
From the foregoing description the actual compressing process must be clearly
apparent. It depends entirely on the hydraulic action which finds opposed to it
the rigid abutment, the movable plunger, and between the abutment and the
plunger, the plastic or pliable substance to be compressed. The hydraulic pressure
being equal, it follows that the compression will always be equal, and that the
blocks produced by the press will all be of equal consistency even though the
moulds be unequally filled, because if a mould is filled less than to its full capacity,
the plunger will be further advanced by the hydraulic pressure, and if the mould is
filled to its full capacity or overflowing, the degree of notion of the plunger will be
less, but the degree of pressure will always be the same. Therefore the machine is
calculated to produce blocks of equal consistency, and is for this purpose
invaluable. The hydraulic pressure may of course be adjusted to any desired
degree.
In Figure 2 is also shown a detaching slide or pusher L, which connects by a rod
t and lever u with a suitable rotary cam v, and which, as the row of blocks of
sugar or other matter pressed in the moulds is being pushed out of the moulds, is
caused gently to tap or strike said blocks, and to detach them from the surfaces of
the plungers to which they might otherwise be apt to adhere. The stroke of this
pusher L is very slight so far as regards its contact with the blocks, being just
sufficient to detach said blocks from the plungers, and insufficient to otherwise
interfere with the downward motion of the blocks as they drop from the drum.
The blocks detached from the drum are deposited upon trays M that are placed
upon an endless chain or apron N. This chain is represented in the Drawing to be
as long as the frame A, but in a full-sized machine it is intended to make it much
longer, so as to obtain a longer feed and more time for replacing empty trays.
The several trays M, M, are to bo moved by and with the endless chain by
intermittent motion, so as to make room for a new row of blocks, as said rows are
being discharged from the drum.
Figure 2 clearly shows how the rows of blocks are to be deposited on the trays,
but it also shows that a larger space must be left by the motion of the chain for
preventing blocks of sugar or other matter compressed from dropping between
two trays. To effect this the mechanism for moving the endless chain, illustrated
in Figures 3, 4, and 5 is used. This mechanism is as follows:-
The driving shaft O of the chain N has hung upon it a toothed wheel w, which is
loose on the shaft O, but which, by means of an elastic cushion y, shown in Figure
3, is pressed against a ratchet wheels that is rigidly mounted upon the shaft O.
A pinion a which imparts rotary motion to the wheel w, meshes into said wheel, as
shown in Figure 4, and by revolving, it also revolves the shaft O, and moves the

page_text: chain N, because, although the wheel w is loose on the shaft O, yet it is by the
cushion y so firmly pressed against the fast wheel z, as to impart its motion by
friction to the shaft; but from time to time the motion of the shaft O is interrupted
by a pawl b which engages in the teeth of the ratchet wheels, and which is
thrust against the ratchet wheel by a spring d³. The pawl connects by a rod es
with a lever f which is actunted from time to time by a rotary cam g². Whenever
this cam bears against the lever f, it withdraws the pawl be from the ratchet
wheel and allows the shaft O to be turned and the chain N to be moved.
For properly understanding the mechanism now being described, the Figures 4
and 5 of the Drawings should be regarded together as they virtually show the two
ends of the rod e and both connections of said rod. When the cam g³ coases to act
upon the lever f, the spring d² at once throws the pawl against the ratchet wheel
and locks the latter so as to prevent it from turning, and thereupon the pinion w
inust slip on the shaft O, without imparting motion thereto. Thus there is inter-
mittent rotary motion imparted to the shaft O, and also to the chain; but although
the pawl may be thrown against the ratchet wheel, it does not stop the motion
thereof until the end of a tooth of the ratchet wheel reaches such pawl, and therefore
the longer the tooth, the longer will also be the degree of motion of the shaft. O
and chain N. This principle is utilised for increasing the motion whenever the
ends of two adjoining trays pass beneath the axis of the drum C, as at this point
there is a longer tooth h³ on the ratchet wheel, which tooth when moving along
the pawl increases by its length the length of motion of the chain in manner
desired. The wheel z may have one or more longer teeth h³ for the purpose
stated.
Having thus described the Invention, and the manner of performing the same, I
declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
1st. The machine for pressing substances into blocks, the plungers whereof are
moved by hydraulic pressure, substantially as herein shown and described.
2nd. In a machine for pressing substances into blocks, the combination of the
plunger or plungers D with a rotary drum C and with an hydraulic chamber or
chambers d, into which said plungers extend, substantially as herein shown and
described.
3rd. In a machine for pressing substances into blocks, the combination of the
hydraulic plunger or plungers D with a rotary drum C and travelling abutment I,
substantially as herein shown and described.
4th. In a machine for pressing substances into blocks, the drum C, containing the
hydraulic chamber or chambers d in its central part, and the mould or moulds b in
its outer part, substantially as herein shown and described.
5th. The combination of the drum C, containing the mould or moulds 6 and the
hydraulic chamber or chambers d, with the plunger or plungers D, each plunger
extending into a chamber d and into a mould b, substantially as herein shown and
described.
6th. In a machine for pressing substances into blocks, the combination of tho
hydraulic chamber or chambers d, which receive the plunger or plungers, with the
inlet pipe E and outlet pipe F for alternately applying and releasing hydraulic
pressure, substantially as herein shown and described.
7th. The method of pressing substances into blocks by means of a plunger or
plungers alternately exposed to hydraulic and to mechanical action for imparting
reciprocating motion to the same, substantially as herein shown and described.
8th. The combination of the drum C, which has the hydraulic chamber or
chambers & and the plunger or plungers D, with the branch pipes f, g, and inlet and
outlet pipes E and F, substantially as herein shown and described.
9th. The drum C, carrying the rotary plunger or plungers D, in combination with
the travelling abutment I and with the teeth h, which are formed on the drum for
moving the abutment, substantially as herein shown and described.
10th. In a machine for pressing substances into blocks, the combination of the
travelling abutments I, I, with the moulding drum C and with the feed discs j and m,

page_text: said drum and said discs having teeth for moving the abutments, substantially as
herein shown and described.
11th. The combination of the rotary drum C, having the actuating plunger or
plungers D, with the travelling abutment I and guide and pressure block i, substan-
tially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.
12th. The combination of the travelling abutments I with the feed discs j and m,
guide channel, and snap hook J, substantially as and for the purpose herein
specified.
13th. The combination with the drum C, which has the hydraulic plungers D, D,
the rod o moving in the stationary guide groove p for the purpose of discharging
the contents of the moulds, substantially as specified.
14th. The combination of the rod v moving in the guide grooves with the rod o
moving in the guide groove p, and with the rotary drum C and its plungers D, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.
15th. The plunger D placed radially into the rotary drum C, and extended into
the hydraulic chamber d, said plunger being provided with a projecting pin q for
mechanical contact, with devices for moving it in and outwards distinct from the
hydraulic action by which it is partly noved outward, substantially as specified.
16th. The pusher or slide L combined with a rotary drum C having plungers D
and moulds b, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.
17th. The combination of the endless chain or apron N with its shaft O, ratchet
wheel z, pawl 62, and loose toothed wheel w, substantially as and for the purpose
herein shown and described.
18th. The ratchet wheel z made with one or more teeth h² longer than the
remaining teeth, and combined with the pawl b³, shaft O, chain or apron N, and
trays M, M, substantially as herein shown and described.
19th. The machine for pressing substances into blocks having rows of plungers,
all the plungers or one row being moved simultaneously but independently by
hydraulic pressure, substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
A M CLA DIZ
1-11