IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MOULDING AND COMPRESSING SUBSTANCES FOR ARTIFICIAL FUEL
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Patterson Balls, Engineer, of Maindy,"
Cardiff; in the County of Glamorganshire, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MOULDING AND COMPRESSING SUBSTANCES
FOR ARTIFICIAL FUEL."
Sealed the 10th June 1870, and dated the 19th January 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Patterson Balls
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 19th January 1870.
I, THOMAS PATTERSON BALLS, Engineer, of Maindy, Cardiff, in the
County of Glamorganshire, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MOULDING AND COMPRESSING'
SUBSTANCES FOR ARTIFICIAL FUEL," to be as follows:-
I construct upon an iron base or foundation plate four strong vertical"
columns of iron with suitable bearings and thrust plates, and I place on
the bearings between the columns a loose circular ratchet wheel with
an open centre and a number of moulds around its periphery. In tho
open centre of the wheel I place a double ram Lydraulic cylinder, the
:
:

page_text: cylinder and ram to work simultaneously in opposite directions, one
compressing the material into the mould, the other discharging the
compressed material out of the mould on to strap at the bottom of the
wheel. The wheel and strap receives an intermittant motion on the
return stroke.
According to another plan I employ base plate, columns, and circular
ratchet wheel with moulds as above described. In this case I place in
the open centre of the wheel two coupled levers with ram heads to work
simultaneously in opposite directions, one compressing the material
upwards and the other discharging downwards. The ratchet wheel and
strap receives an intermittant motion on the return stroke of the lever.
In each plan the material is fed into the mould at or near the top of the
wheel through a pugmill by a shaft with agitaters.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Patterson Balls in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th June 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
PATTERSON BALLS, Engineer, of Maindy, Cardiff, in the County of
Glamorganshire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto the said Thomas Patterson Balls, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Patterson Balls, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Patterson Balls, 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 for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MOULDING AND COMPRESSING SUBSTANCES FOR
ARTIFICIAL FUEL," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Patterson Balls, my executors or administrators, by an instru-

page_text: ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention
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 Thomas Patterson Balls, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:
"
I construct upon an iron base or foundation plate four strong vertical
columns of iron with suitable bearings and thrust plates, and I place
on the bearings between the columns. a loose circular ratchet wheel
with an open centre and a number of moulds arounds its periphery. In
the open centre of the wheel I place a double ram hydraulic cylinder,
the cylinder and ram to work simultaneously in opposite directions, one
compressing the material upwards into the mould, the other discharging
the compressed material downwards out of the mould on to a strap at
the bottom of the wheel. The wheel and strap receive an intermittent
motion on the return stroke.
According to another plan I employ base plate, columns, and circular
ratchet wheel with moulds as above described. In this case I. place in
the open centre of the wheel two coupled levers with ram heads to work
simultaneously in opposite directions, one compressing the material
upwards, and the other discharging downwards. The ratchet wheel
receives an intermittent motion on the return stroke of the lever. In
each plan the material is fed into the mould at or near the top of the
wheel through a pugmill by a shaft with agitators.
•
In order that my Invention may be fully explained, I have attached
hereto the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, similar letters of reference
relating to similar parts:
Figs. 1 and 1 are side elevations; Figs. 2 and 2ª are end elevations
Figs. 3 and 3 are end elevations in section; Figs. 4 and 4 are plans.
A is a foundation plate with four strong bolts passing through the
columns and thrust plates a and. a¹; B is the open centre ratchet wheel
with moulds B¹ around its periphery placed in a vertical position upon
the bearings A' and between the columns a. C is an hydraulic ram
cylinder securely fixed to the columns a and in the open centre of the

page_text: wheel B; C¹ is a cylinder and ram to work in opposite directions,
simultaneously compressing and delivering by valves worked in the
ordinary way; D is two coupled levers 'securely fixed to the columns
at D² and in the open centre of the wheel B; the ram heads D' attached
to the levers D work in opposite directions, simultaneously compressing
and delivering by a piston and cylinder E. worked in the ordinary way;
G is a pugmill with agitators for filling the moulds, and may be worked
from the power applied.
>
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-An hydraulic ram
cylinder or coupled levers being used as required, the substances or
material is first fed into the pugmill G through which it passes into
the mould B'; the wheel B is then moved bringing each mould con-
secutively under and over the thrust plates A¹; the ram heads are then
simultaneously and by one stroke or movement propelled in opposite
directions, one ram compressing upwards, and the other ram discharging
the compressed block downwards. A strap is placed under the bottom of
the wheel B which receives the block or blocks and carried out by the
return stroke.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not
bind myself to the exact details described, nor do I bind myself to employ
any particular power; but what I claim is, the one motion for simul
taneously compressing into and discharging out separate moulds by one
stroke, also the wheel supported on the columns, the hydraulic double
ram cylinder, and the application of the coupled levers in the centre of
the wheel.
F
1
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Patterson Balls, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy.
THOMAS PATTERSON - BALLS. (L.S.)
THOMAS PATTERSON BALLS. (L.S.)