IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING AND MOULDING GUNPOWDER AND OTHER PULVERULENT SUBSTANCES INTO PRISMS OR PELLETS WITH OR WITHOUT PERFORATIONS
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Jabez James at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 17th December 1880.
JABEZ JAMES, of Prince's Street, Commercial Road, Lambeth, in the County of
Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING AND MOULDING
GUNPOWDER AND OTHER PULVERULENT SUBSTANCES INTO PRISMS OR PELLETS
WITH OR WITHOUT PERFORATIONS."
My Invention relates to apparatus for compressing and moulding gunpowder and
other pulverulent substances into prisms or pellets, which may have longitudinal
perforations or not as may be required. In the apparatus which I employ for this
purpose there is a stationary mould plate having a number of holes of circular,
hexagonal, or other desired form passing through it; below the mould plate there is a
hydraulic cylinder with its ram, and a hydraulic cylinder with its ram is also
arranged above the mould plate; each ram has a head fitted with punches
corresponding in form, number, and position to the holes in the mould plate.
.
A feeding hopper is arranged at the side of the mould plate, and under it a
feeding and discharging slide. When perforations are required in the pellets a
number of stationary bars fixed to the framing of the machine pass freely through
slots in the head of the lower ram; each bar has suitable punches or quills
projecting upwards from it through holes in the lower punches and up into the
holes in the mould plate. Each of the hydraulic cylinders has at its end a smaller
cylinder, fitted with a piston which is connected to the ram of the main cylinder,
and this piston is always subjected to the hydraulic pressure, so that when the
main ram in each case is relieved from pressure, the force on the piston draws the
ram back. The apparatus operates in the following manner :--The hopper being
charged with the gunpowder or other substance that is to be treated, the rams and
their punches being drawn back so that the upper punches are some distance
above the mould plate, and the lower punches are inserted some distance into the
holes of the mould plate forming bottoms for these holes, the feed slide having its
cavity immediately under the hopper is charged therefrom. The feed slide is made
to advance along the upper surface of the mould plate, and the pulverulent
substance falls from its cavity into the holes in the mould plate charging them.
The feed slide is then retracted to its place under the hopper so as to leave the
mould plate exposed, and thereupon water or other liquid under pressure is

page_text: admitted to act in the hydraulic cylinders, causing their rams to advance towards
each other. The punches carried by the heads of the rams are thus forced into
and along the holes in the mould plate, compressing the material therein to such
degree as may be desired, the amount of compression being determined by
adjustable stops against which the heads of the rams come to bear. When the
compression has been effected, the upper ram is relieved from pressure and there-
upon is drawn back.
The lower ram is also sufficiently relieved to permit
withdrawal of the stops which limited its ascent, and these having been withdrawn
it is again subjected to pressure, and the lower head with its punches rising forces
the compressed prisms or pellets out of the holes in the mould plate, the perforating
quills remaining stationary. At the next forward stroke of the feed slide the
prisms or pellets are pushed off the plate. Instead of employing removeable stops
for limiting the stroke of the rams, these stops may be affixed to the upper head
moving with it. It is also of advantage to connect the feeding slide with the
valve gear of the hydraulic cylinders in such a manner that the rams of the latter
can only be subjected to pressure causing them to advance when the feeding slide
is in its back position leaving the mould plate clear.