An Improved Implement for Tightening the Chains of Ensilage Presses.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 17th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Implement for Tightening the Chains of Ensilage
Presses.
A communication to me from abroad by JULIUS AHRENS, of Neuschlagsdorf, in the
Empire of Germany, Landowner.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved implement for tightening the chains of ensilage
presses which are erected in the field, and have to be kept under constant pressure by
weighted levers or weights. The chains of such presses require from time to time to
he tightened as the bulk of the pile of ensilage sinks down.
The object of the present invention is to provide means by which such tightening
can be conveniently performed by a single man. The weights attached to the pressing
levers of the press gradually sink down towards the ground and require to be raised
again for the purpose of exercising the required continuous pressure, the lifting of the
said weights and levers is with great facility performed by means of the improved
implement, which at its upper end is provided with a hook fitting into the links of the
chain. Having inserted the said hook into one of the chain links, a ring or hoop at
the lower end of the implement is made to engage with the lever, and the lever of the
implement is then reciprocated up and down whereby the main lever is lifted
sufficiently to enable the hook to be engaged. with or inserted into one of the links
higher up, of the chain, and the implement may then be disengaged from the chain
and lever.
At the lower end of the implement a ring or hoop is provided, one part of which is
hinged or pivoted, allowing the ring to open and close for engagement with the main
lever. The said hoop has further formed or secured to it a handle.
According to one modification the said hoop is made integral with or rigidly secured
to a rod having two racks upon its opposite edges. Into the said racks two pawls
engage, the said pawls being pivoted to the lever of the implement already described,
and connected to each other near their upper ends by a spiral spring, which keeps the
said pawls in contact with the racks. The pawls are also provided, each with a handle
by which they may be thrown out of gear with the racks when desired.
The rack at a suitable part of its length, is surrounded by a casing connected to a
central pivot upon which the lever turns, the said casing being capable of sliding along
the rack. By imparting a reciprocating up and down motion to the said lever, the
pawls alternately engage with the racks, whereby a hook pivoted at the upper end of
a forked yoke or shackle upon the implement, and engaging with the chain, is forced
down, carrying the said chain with it and lifting the main lever simultaneously. The
yoke or shackle has a central longitudinal web upon which the rack is guided by
corresponding slots; and the said yoke may, further, be strengthened by webs or ribs
formed upon its outside longitudinal edges. A pin suspended to the yoke serves to
couple the rack with the yoke.
A rod pivoted to the supplementary lever and actuated by pressure upon an
elastic handle, when required, serves to lift the pawls slightly out of gear with the
rack, whereby the said rack is released from the pressure. On pressing upon the
handle the rod will be drawn back, and its other end being connected to a bell crank
lever the latter will lift two links pivoted to it, and short levers connected therewith
and with the pawls, allowing the latter to slide over the respective teeth of the rack
when the supplementary lever is actuated.
The short levers are connected to each other by a bar or plate having an angular

page_text: •
slot which retains one of the short levers when both handles are separated. This
allows the two pawls to be lifted entirely out of gear with the rack and the latter may
then be freely moved up or down within the range allowed by the yoke or shackle.
Another modification of the construction of the improved tightening implement, is
substantially the same, but the rack is replaced by an elongated hoop the two inner
sides of which have racks formed upon them, with which the two pawls connected to
each other by a spiral spring engage. The said pawls are provided with short levers.
and a rod actuated by an elastic handle upon the supplementary lever serves to lift the
said pawls out of the racks, by means of a bell crank lever and connecting plate as
already described.
The said bell crank lever, on being actuated by the drawing rod, raises the two
links which are connected with the short levers, thereby lifting the pawls out of gear
with the racks, and allowing the implement to be released during the reciprocating up
and down stroke of the lever.
The hook, in this modification, is formed at the upper end of a rod which is pivoted
to the lever and passes upward through the elongated hoop.
The former modification is especially adapted to perform the tightening of chains,
in those cases, where moderate power is employed, the other modification, last described,
is destined for exercising a strong power, but both modifications only require a single
man to work them easily.
D
1
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
"An Improved Implement for Tightening the Chains-of--Ensilage-
Presses.
A communication to me from abroad by JULIUS AHRENS, Landowner, of
Neuschlagsdorf, in the Empire of Germany.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, and accompanying drawings, that is to say :-
This invention relates to an improved implement for tightening the chains of
ensilage presses which are erected in the field and have to be kept under constant
pressure by weighted levers or weights (the chains of which presses require from time
to time to be tightened, as the bulk of the pile of ensilage sinks down).
The object of the present invention is to provide means by which such tightening
can be conveniently performed by a single man.
In the accompanying drawings which are in illustration of the invention,
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a side and a front elevation of an ensilage
press;
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a side and a front elevation of the improved
implement which forms the subject of the present invention,
Figure 5 is a central vertical section of the same.
Figures 6 and 7 represent. respectively a side and a front elevation of another
modification in the construction of the improved implement, and
Figure 8 is an inside view of the same.
The weights attached to the pressing levers A, Figures 1 and 2, gradually sink
down towards the ground and require to be raised again for the purpose of exercising
the required continuous pressure, the lifting of the said weights and levers is effected
with great facility by means of the improved implement which is provided (at its
upper end) with a hook B fitting into the links of the chain. Having inserted the said
hook into one of the chain links, as shewn in Figure 1, a ring or hoop D at the lower

page_text: end of the implement is made to engage with the lever A and the lever B of the
implement is then reciprocated up and down whereby the main lever A is lifted
sufficiently to enable the hook (to be engaged with or inserted into one of the links
of the chain higher up and the implement may then be disengaged from the chain and
lever A.
At the lower end of the implement a ring or hoop D is provided, one part D¹ of
which is hinged or pivoted to the said hoop D, allowing the ring to open and close for
engagement with the main lever A. The said hoop D has further formed or secured
to it a handle D³.
According to the modification shewn in Figures 3, 4, and 5, the said hoop D is
made integral with or rigidly secured to a rod E having two racks upon its opposite
edges. Into the said racks two pawls F engage, the said pawls being pivoted to the
lever B and connected to each other noar their upper ends by a spring F¹, which
keeps the said pawls in contact with the racks. The pawls F are also provided each
with a handle G by which they may be thrown out of gear with the racks when
desired.
The rack at a suitable part of its length, is surrounded by a casing connected to a
central pivot H upon which the lever B turns, the said casing being capable of sliding
along the rack E.
By imparting a reciprocating up and down motion to the said lever B, the said
pawls Falternately engage with the racks whereby a hook R pivoted at the upper end
of a forked yoke or shackle J upon the implement and engaging with the chain is
forced down, carrying the said chain with it and lifting the main lever A simul-
taneously. The yoke J has a central longitudinal web J upon which the rack E is
guided by corresponding slots E' and the said yoke J may, further, be strengthened
by webs or ribs formed upon its outside longitudinal edges. A pin J' suspended to
the yoke J serves to couple the rack E with the yoke J by being inserted into the
hole E, Figure 3.
A rod K pivoted to the lever B and actuated by pressure upon an elastic handle K
when required serves to lift the pawls F slightly out of gear with the rack E whereby
the said rack is released from the pressure. On pressing upon the spring handle K,
the rod K will be drawn back, and its other end being connected to a bell crank
lever L, the latter will lift the two links L', L', pivoted to it and handles G connected
therewith and with the pawls allowing the latter to slide over the respective teeth of
the rack when the lever R is actuated.
The two handles G are connected to each other by a bar or plate M having an
angular slot M¹ which retains one of the said handles G when both handles are
separated.
This allows the two pawls to be lifted entirely out of gear with the rack E and the
latter may then be freely moved up and down within the range of the yoke J.
Another modification of the construction of the improved tightening implement, as
shewn in Figures 6, 7, and 8, is substantially the same, but the rack E is
replaced by an elongated hoop N, the two inner sides of which have racks formed
upon them, with which the two pawls O connected to each other by a spring Ol engage.
The said pawls O are also provided with handles G and a rod K. actuated by an elastic
handle K upon the lever B serves to lift the said pawls out of the rack by means of
the bell crank lever L and connecting plate as already described.
The said bell crank lever L on being actuated by the drawing rod K lifts the two
links which are connected with the handles G thereby lifting the pawls 0 out of
gear with the racks and allowing the implement to be released during the recipro-
cating up and down stroke of the lever B. The hook R in this modification is forined
at the upper end of a rod S which is pivoted to the lever B and passes upward through
the elongated hoop.
The former modification described with reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5. is
especially adapted to effect the tightening of chains in those cases, where moderate
power is employed, the other modification shewn and described with reference to

page_text: Figures 6, 7, and 8, is destined for exercising a strong power, but both modifications
only require a single man to work them easily.
i '
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is :-
•
1. An improved implement, capable of being worked by a single person for
tightening the chains of ensilage presses the said implement consisting of an upper
hook R to be hung into one of the chain links, a lower ring or hoop D to engage with
the weighted lever A, a reciprocating lever B carrying pawls F, a rack E engaging
with the said pawls F, and a yoke J within which the said rack is made to slide by
the lifting pawls, the release of the implement being effected by exerting pressure
upon an elastic handle K connected to a drawing rod K on the lever B, whereby the
pawls are lifted out of engagement with the rack by means of a bell crank lever L
and links L engaging with the pawl handles G, substantially as and for the purpose
described and shewn.
2. An improved implement capable of being worked by a single person, for
tightening tho chains of ensilage presses, the said implement consisting of an elongated
hoop N forming two inside racks, a lower ring or hoop D to engage with the weighted
lever A, a reciprocating lever B, carrying two pawls engaging with the said racks
of hoop N, a rod S with hook R to be hung into one of the chain links, and mechanism
to release the said implement by lifting the pawls out of engagement with the racks,
substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
Dated this 10th day of December 1800
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.