IMPROVEMENTS IN SHAPING SOAP AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED All PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John O'Keeffe, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, and William Robertson, of the same place, Merchant, for an
:
LETTERS PATENT to John O'Keeffe, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, and William Robertson, of the same place, Merchant, for an
Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN SHAPING SOAP AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
All
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John O'Keeffe and William
Jobertson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th November
1880.
JOHN O'KEEFFE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and WILLIAM
ROBERTSON, of the same place, Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHAPING SOAP,
AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
The practice introduced into the soap trade during comparatively recent years of
shaping nearly all kinds of soap before sale renders the economical and neat pro-
duction of tablets and the like of great importance. The object of our Invention
is to cheapen and expedite the production of soap in these shapes.
We take a bar or blank and shape it into a series of tablets or the like by
stamping or pressing between dies, and afterwards cut off the tablets singly or
otherwise. So operating constitutes the first part of our Invention.
The apparatus employed consists of dies, one or both of which is made to move
and shape the soap into the desired outline. The die (or dies) is operated by a
lever moving on a fulcrum pin, and it may be actuated by a steam cylinder, by
hand, or otherwise. When a bar is shaped into a series of tablets or the like it is
passed forward to cutting apparatus by a sliding carrier or the like, or by hand, to
cutting off apparatus. This latter consists of a series of metal wires at the proper
distance apart, held stretched in a frame, such frame being made to swing or
reciprocate by hand or otherwise in such manner that the wires act so as to cut off
the tablets or pieces at the desired lines.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John O'Keeffe and William Robertson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th May 1881.
Jonn O'KEEFFE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and WILLIAM
ROBERTSON, of the same place, Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHAPING SOAP,
AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
The practice introduced into the soap trade during comparatively recent years of
shaping nearly all kinds of soap before sale renders the economical and neat pro-
duction of tablets and the like of great importance. The object of our Invention
is to cheapen and expedite the production of soap in these shapes.
We take a bar or blank and shape it into a series of tablets or the like by stamping
or pressing between dies, and afterwards cut off the tablets singly or otherwise.
So operating constitutes the first part of our Invention.
The apparatus employed consists of dies, one or both of which is made to move
and shape the soap into the desired outline. The die (or dies) is operated by a
lever moving on a fulcrum pin, and it may be actuated by a steam cylinder, by
hand, or otherwise.
C
When a bar is shaped into a series of tablets or the like it is passed forward to
cutting apparatus by a sliding carrier or the like, or by hand, to cutting off
apparatus. This latter consists of a series of metal wires at the proper distance
apart, held stretched in a frame, such frame being made to swing or reciprocate by
hand or otherwise in such manner that the wires act so as to cut off the tablets or
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of apparatus constructed under our Invention for
shaping soap. 1, framework; 2, 3, dies for giving shape to the soap; 4, steain
cylinder; 5, valve box and valve for admitting steam to either end of the cylinder;
6, steam pipe; 7, lever for giving motion to the valve 5; 8, piston and rod, giving
motion to the die 2; 9, slotted link attached to 8, and working on pin 10, to
prevent the piston from striking the ends of the cylinder; 12, rod attached to the
die 3 and connected to the lever 13 by the link 14; the lever 13 is secured to the
shaft 15 carrying the lever 7; 16, bar of soap to be shaped; 17, rest for soap;
18, bar of soap to be cut after being shaped; 19, plate for supporting the said bars;
20, wires for cutting the soap; 21, ratchet for tightening the wires; 22, adjustable
guides for regulating the position of the bar of soap being cut; 23, push piece
attached to 8 by the rods and studs 24. Fig. 2 is a transverse view shewing the
position of the cutting wires and guides.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
A bar of soap is placed on the rest 17, the lever 7 is moved so as to pull the
die 3 into the position shown, and at the same time move the valve 5 and admit
steam to the cylinder, so as to cause the piston and rod 8 and die 2 to advance and
compress the bar of soap into the desired shape against the stationary die 3. The
motion of the piston and rod 8 also causes the push piece 23 to force a previously
shaped bar of soap 18 past the wires 20, and so cut such soap into cakes. The said
bar of soap 16 being compressed into shape the lever 7 is moved until the valve 5
admits steam into the front end of the cylinder so as to withdraw the piston and
rod 8 and die 2, at the same time the said lever 7 causes the die 3 to be moved
forward and eject the shaped bar of soap, which is then removed by hand and
placed on the plate 19 to be cut. A fresh bar of soap to be shaped is then placed
on the rest 17, and the operations are repeated.

page_text: Fig, 3 is a sectional view showing a modification of apparatus, in which the
wires 20 are caused to move by the lever 25 and cut the bar of soap into cakes.
Having now described and illustrated the said Invention in such manner that
others will be enabled to carry our improvements into effect, we claim,-
1st. The improvements in shaping soap substantially as set forth.
2nd. Apparatus constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for
the purpose set forth.
3rd. The combination of shaping dies 2, 3, and cutting wires 20, operating
conjointly for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John O'Keeffe, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
JOHN O'KEEFFE. (L.S.)