IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COMPRESSED GUNPOWDER to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & C° Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the
nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF COMPRESSED GUNPOWDER to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to presses, for making gunpowder into prismatic or other
shaped blocks or cakes, and differs from presses heretofore constructed in that the
table containing the matrices moves with the lower set of plungers whereas the
upper set of plungers are motionless.
The improved press is provided with a movable matrix table which is raised by
connecting rods together with a lower cross-head carrying plungers entering the
matrices in the said table towards an upper fixed cross-head also carrying plungers
occupying positions corresponding to those of the plungers on the lower cross-head.
The lower cross-head with its plungers is forced by a hydraulic piston towards
the fixed plungers which enter the upper ends of the watrices. The table is then
drawn downwards by the said connecting rods, the lower plungers remaining
stationary for a short time. The blocks of powder are thus pushed from the
matrices in the table and are removed therefrom by a reciprocating plate, the cross-
head returning to its original position.
The various operations are effected in the following manner, that is to say; The
filling of the matrices is effected by means of the said plate which is provided with
apertures corresponding with the matrices, and which is actuated from the main
shaft by means of a cam and an arrangement of levers in such a manner that the
cavities in the said plate are filled with powder under a hopper, the said powder
being subsequently pushed over the matrices.
The hopper is fastened upon the matrix table which is connected with the lower
cross head and with a plate carrying pins which pass through the lower plungers
and serve to perforate the blocks of powder. The lower cross-head is also
connected by means of rods with the piston of the hydraulic cylinder.

page_text: The first part of the stroke of the table and lower cross-head is produced by the
rotation of a shaft operated by any suitable means. The said shaft has connected
with it two crank pins which move in slots in the ends of the connecting rods.
As the lower cross-head is raised the hydraulic piston is also raised therewith, a
valve being provided which is opened automatically to admit water into the
cylinder to prevent the formation of a vacuum.
Previous to the connecting rods raising the table the matrices are filled with
gunpowder. As soon as the latter comes in contact with the upper set of plungers
the said valve is closed by a cam on the said shaft acting on suitable lovers, and a
second valve is opened. Liquid under pressure then passes through the said valve
and enters the cylinder, raising the piston and with it the lower cross-head and
plungers, thereby compressing the powder in the matrices.
This motion of the table takes place by means of the slots at the lower ends of
the rods, in which slots 'the crank-pins slide. As soon as the latter have arrived
at the lower end of the said slot the matrix table is drawn downwards by the
- connecting rods and the blocks or cakes of powder are forced from the matrices
upon the surface of the table and removed therefrom, in the ordinary manner, by
means of the reciprocating plate as soon as the second valve is closed. As soon as
this takes place the lower cross-head is brought back in its lowest position by the
opening of the first valve and by the action of suitable levers. One of the said
levers is connected with the matrix table and another is connected with the cross-
head. In the downward movement of the matrix table the first lever strikes a
projection and transmits its motion by, means of an intermediate lever to the second
lever, thereby forcing the cross-head to move downwards. At the same time all
the other parts of the machinery return to their original positions and the operation
is repeated in a similar manner.
According to a modification the principle of the press is the same as that herein-
before described as also the series of motions of the matrix table, plungers, and
sliding plate, but in this case the rotary shaft serves only to regulate the operation
of the various parts, the movements being imparted by hydraulic power.
The lower plungers are connected with a hydraulic piston which is actuated in
the ordinary manner. The up and down motion of the table is obtained by means
of two hydraulic pistons the construction of which will be hereinafter described.
The matrix table is connected with the lower cross-head by means of the levers
herein before described, the said cross-head serving to move the plungers down.
The powder hopper operates, as in the above described arrangement.
The movements of the various parts of the apparatus are regulated by means of
a shaft which transmits its motion to a second shaft by means of friction wheels.
In the friction wheel on the second shaft is formed a notch which causes an
interruption in the motion as soon as it arrives opposite to the wheel mounted on
the shaft, in which position it remains until a rod carrying a projection impinges
against a projection on the friction wheel of the said second shaft and turns it.
When
The matrix table is, as above stated, moved by hydraulic pistons each of which
has in its cylinder, an annular space, which is constantly filled with water.
water is introduced in the upper and larger space of the cylinder, the piston
sinks; if then the inlet valve is closed and the outlet valve opened, the piston
ascends in consequence of the difference in the pressure in the two spaces.
The inlet and outlet valves are opened and closed by cams fixed upon the second
shaft and by means of a lever and weight. An arm arranged upon a rod, as the
latter moves back, presses upon a second rod and brings the weight back to its
position after it has been moved.
The lower plungers are raised by hydraulic power as soon as the inlet valve is
opened by means of a cam and a lever. In order to cause them to sink, an outlet
valve is opened in a similar manner to the inlet valve above mentioned, and the
lower cross-head by means of the said levers is drawn down by the movement of
the table, carrying the plungers with it.
3

page_text: Motion is imparted to the reciprocating plate by a shaft and by means of a
crank and levers.
The press operates as follows, that is to say:-The inlet valve and the outlet
valve are automatically opened, the plungers and the matrix table then ascend after
the matrices have been filled.
The outlet valve then closes automatically and the table remaining stationary,
the pressure is applied. When this is accomplished the inlet valve is opened, and
the table sinks, whereby the blocks or cakes of powder are pressed out of the
matrices and removed by 'the reciprocating plate after the inlet valve has closed.
The outlet valve is then opened and the plungers are brought back by means of
the levers to their normal position ready for the next operation.
i
"
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: by the slides j. The shaft f rotates in the direction indicated by the arrows in
Figures 1 and 3. During the first quarter of the revolution of this shaft, the pins h
move freely in the slots g' and the table a remains stationary, but the cam f¹ acts
upon the lever f and moves the slide j under the hopper k into position to be
re-filled. The table a is then raised by the further rotation of the shaft f, and
carries with it the cross-head b and cross-bar m. The cross-head braises with it
the hydraulic piston e, and the valve n is opened by the weighted lever o³ and the
lever o to admit water from a suitable reservoir into the cylinder e¹ as the said
piston rises. As soon as the powder in the matrices comes into contact with the
dies c¹, the said valve n is closed and a valve o simultaneously opened by the cam
or excentric o' through the medium of the levers o³, 03. Liquid under pressure
then passes through the valve o into the cylinder e¹ and further raises the piston e
and with it the cross-head b and dies or plungers 61, thereby compressing the
powder in the matrices, the said cross-head moving on the rods 7, and the table a
remaining stationary by reason of the crank-pins / sliding in the slots g¹.
As soon as the said crank-pins have arrived at the lower ends of the said slots,
the matrix-table a is drawn downwards by the connecting rods g (the cross-head b
remaining stationary), and the blocks or cakes of powder are thus forced from the
matrices to the surface of the table a; the said blocks or cakes are afterwards
pushed from above the matrices in the ordinary manner, by the reciprocating slide j
as it moves forward to refill the said matrices. When the table a has moved
downward sufficiently to force the said blocks or cakes to its surface, the valve o is
closed, and the valve n'opened, and the cross-head b is moved back into its lowest
position by the matrix-table a in its downward movement through the medium of
the levers p, and links q in the following manner, that is to say-The inner ends
of the levers p are coupled to the matrix-table a, and the inner ends of the levers r
are coupled to the cross-head b; the outer ends of the said levers p, r are connected
by the links q; and the levers r are pivotted at . In the downward movement
of the matrix-table a, the levers p come in contact with the projections or fulcrums 8
and are thus turned around the pins or bolts which couple them to the table a.
The motion of the said levers is transmitted by means of the links q; to the levers r,
thereby forcing the cross-head b to move downward. All the parts of the mechanism
then occupy the positions shewn in the drawings, ready for the above described
operation to be repeated.
The modified form of my apparatus shewn in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 6 is the same
in principle as that herein before described, and the series of movements of the
matrix-table, plungers and slide or carrier are somewhat similar, but these move-
ments are effected by hydraulic power, and the shaft ƒ* serves merely to control
the several valves as hereinafter specified.
The dies or plungers 6' are connected separately with a corresponding number of
hydraulic pistons e*, which are actuated conjointly. The up and down motion of
the table a is effected independently of the said dies or plungers by means of two
hydraulic pistons e, e³, the construction of which is hereinafter described. The
table a is connected, as in the apparatus shewn in Figures 1, 2 and 3, with the
levers p,r and the links q for causing the downward movement of the cross-head b;
the said cross-head, in its downward movement, comes in contact with the collars b³
on the plungers 61 and moves the same down with it.
:
The movements of the various parts of the apparatus re regulated or controlled
by the shaft f*, which is arranged at the back of the machine, and which transmits
its motion to another shaft f5 by means of the friction wheels f, f. In the
friction wheel f7 is formed a notch f8 which causes an interruption in the motion
as soon as it reaches the wheel f6, the wheel f' then remaining motionless until
a projection t¹ on the rod t (which is actuated as hereinafter explained) impinges
against the projection ƒ on the friction wheel f' and partially rotates the said
wheel.
The matrix-table a is, as above stated, moved by the hydraulic pistons e³, es
Each of these pistons is fitted in a cylinder and is so formed that there is an

page_text: annular space e* at one end of the said cylinder, which space is kept constantly;
filled with water under pressure through the pipe u. When the outlet valve n is
closed and the inlet valve o opened, water under pressure is introduced through the
pipe into the upper and larger space of the cylinder, and the piston descends by
reason of the greater amount of pressure exerted on its upper side; if, on the other
hand, the valve o is closed and the valve n opened, the piston ascends by reason of
the difference between the pressures above and below the same. The said inlot and
outlet valves are shewn in the diagram, Figure 7, and are actuated by means of the
cam f10, lever w and weight w¹. A projection t is provided upon the rod t, so
that, as the said rod moves downward the said projection will press upon the lever w
and move the weight back to the position shewn in the drawing.
The rod t is moved up and down by the table a through the medium of the rod
or link t³ and lever t'.
The dies or plungers are raised by the cross-head b when the matrix-table a
rises, water from the reservoir entering through the valve n¹ and pipe y and
following the pistons e*. The hydraulic pressure acts through the pipe y as soon
as the valve n¹ is closed and the valve o* is opened by means of the cam o³ and
lever o. In order to cause the plungers to descend, the valve o* is closed and the
valve n¹ opened, and the cross-head b; through the medium of the levers p,r and
links q, as shewn in Figure 6, is forced down by the movement of the table a,
carrying with it the plungers b', as will be understood by referring to Figure 5.
Motion is imparted to tlie reciprocating slide j by the can fi on the shaft f³
through the medium of the levers p₁, and links q¹ and ƒ³.
This press operates as follows, that is to say:The outlet valve n is opened
automatically and the matrix-table a, cross-head b, and plungers 61 ascend. After
the matrices have been filled, the outlet valve n is closed, and the table remains
stationary, the inlet valve o* is opened and pressure is applied to the powder in the
matrices through the pistons e* and dies or plungers 6'. When this is accomplished,
the valve o is closed, the inlet valve o is opened and the table a descends; the
blocks or cakes of powder are thus pushed out of the matrices to the surface of the
table a from which they are removed by the reciprocating slide or carrier j. The
outlet valve is then opened and the cross-head band plungers b' are moved back,
by means of the levers p, r, to their original position ready for the next operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. The combination of the fixed or stationary dies, the movable dies or
plungers actuated by hydraulic power, and the matrix-tablé arranged to be moved
up and down by a rotating shaft through the medium of slotted connecting rods, or
by hydraulic power, all substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Second. The combination of parts comprising the levers and connecting rods or
links substantially as described with reference to Figure 3 of the drawings, whereby
the movable dies or plungers are returned to their original position by the matrix-
table in its downward movement as above specified.
'
Third. The improved press or apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and
combined substantially as described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3; or
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 6 of the drawings, and operating as, and for the purpose,
specified.
Di
ST100K