AN IMPROVEMENT FOR WORKING THE GEOMETRICAL COTTON PRESS WITH STEAM POWER
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel West, of Egremont Place, No. 2, Euston
Road, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, Esquire, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT FOR WORKING THE GEOMETRICAL COTTON
PRESS WITH STEAM POWER."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Daniel West at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 5th May 1860, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DANIEL
WEST, of Egremont Place, No. 2, Euston Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT
FOR WORKING THE GEOMETRICAL COTTON PRESS WITH STEAM POWER," and have
petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn
declaration that I verily believe myself to be the first and true Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Daniel West, do hereby declare that
the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully describes
and ascertains the nature of my said Invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, that is to say :—

page_text: My Invention consists of an improvement for working the geometrical
cotton press with steam power.
The annexed Drawings exhibit the upright position of the arbor of a geome-
trical cotton press, marked A, heretofore worked by manual labour, with a
capstan, which is to be disused, and is therefore unnecessary to be delineated.
Instead of the capstan an arrangement of wheelwork and several movements
for the application of steam power to the arbor A may be understood upon
reference to the Drawings, as follows:-
Beneath the upright arbor A is placed a toothed wheel B, which may be
connected with the arbor A and revolve with it, or it may give motion by
means of a projecting part on the wheel to a catch C, inserted in a socket in
the arbor A, which will thus be turned round as the wheel B revolves. A
smaller toothed wheel marked D works the larger wheel B, and upon the
same spindle marked E a ratchet wheel F, and a fast and loose rigger or
band wheel, marked respectively G and II, are placed in position as drawn.
The rigger or band wheel EI is fastened to the spindle E, and being driven by
a suitable leather band from any shafting as usually employed in connexion
with a steam engine, will communicate motion by this or a similar arrange-
ment of machinery, and convey steam power to work the geometrical cotton
press by causing the arbor A to revolve, as described. A suitable leather
band
I upon the fast rigger or band wheel H, is kept in position for working by
the fork I upon the rocking frame K connected with the working handle L,
by a rod M, the hooked end of the working handle L engages with the hooked
bracket N. A bent rod O, connected with a hanging frame P, receives motion
from a part of the press when the operation of pressing the bale is just com-
pleted, and, being thrust towards the arbor A, the hook end of the working
handle L is disengaged, and allows the weight and shackle P, I, to act upon
the rod M and force the working handle L away, at the same time causing
the leather band to pass off from the rigger or band wheel II, and take its
place upon the loose rigger or band wheel G, thereby suspending the action
of the steam power which is to be put in action again by hooking the working
handle L upon the hook bracket N, as before described. The use of the
ratchet wheel F is to prevent the recoil of the machinery, by its teeth engaging
with the pawls Q, on its motion being reversed. These pawls Q are provided
with springs acting as levers, pressing against the rim of the ratchet wheel F,
and these springs, by their friction, rise with the motion of the ratchet wheel;
and the pawls are lifted clear of the teeth of the ratchet wheel F, but, upon
the motion being reversed, the spring levers and the pawls Q are lowered, and

page_text: then engage with the teeth, thereby preventing the ratchet wheel F from
recoiling.
This apparatus is claimed as an improvement applicable for use in many
other modifications of machinery, A suitable cast-iron framing supports and
holds the several portions of this machinery as delineated, or in a similar
manner.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of my said improvement,
I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact
details which are herein substantially explained and described, as such may be
varied or modified without departing from the principle, and the purpose, and
use thereof, but I claim,-
First, the use of the toothed wheel B placed beneath the upright arbor A,
and connected with it either with or without the catch C.
Second, the smaller toothed wheel D, ratchet wheel F, band wheels G and
Hupon the spindle E, for use as described.
Third, the rocking frame K, working handle L, shackle and weight P, I,
with appliances of rods O and M.
Fourth, the pawls Q provided with springs acting as levers pressing against
the rim of the ratchet wheel F, as substantially explained.
Fifth, the general use of these several portions of the improvement acting
together or separately to give motion to the upright arbor A of the geometrical
cotton press, which may be thereby worked with steam power instead of
manual labor as at present is employed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel West, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and
DANIEL WEST. (L.S.)