Improvements in or connected with Hydraulic Presses.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Hydraulic Presses.
I, FRANK ERNEST PLUMB, of 32 Hyde Park Terrace, Leeds, in the County
cf York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to hydraulic presses such as are intended for
foreign countries wherein the difficulties of transport are formidable, and it has
for its object the construction, without sacrifice of strength or power, of a less
weighty press than usual, in order to lessen the said transport difficulties,
dangers of breakages, and costs of getting the machinery to an "up-country
destination.
I accomplish my object as follows:-The ram and the cylinder I form of com-
paratively light steel tubes, the latter being suitably attached to a light lower
crosshead carrying the straining posts, which latter I also form of tubes. The
upper or thrust receiving crosshead is also built up mainly of tubes, suitably
arranged, and the table of the ram may be treated somewhat in the same way, or
built up or wrought out of iron or steel.
The boxes for holding material for pressing may, further, be framed in tubing,
filled in with wood where necessary.
As an alternative to tubes, thinly rolled steel joists may be suitably nested
together for the upper crosshead, etc.; and the same with the frames for pressing
boxes, and with bars doing similar work.
The terms, upper, and lower crossbeads, are relative only, as the invention is
applicable to any class of press.
Dated this 2nd day of April 1806
WM. SNOWDON,
9, Old Bank Chambers, Leeds, Yorks, Agent for the Applicant.
I, FRANK ERNEST PLUMB, of 32 Hyde Park Terrace, Leeds, in the County
of York, Engineer, 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:-
This invention has reference to hydraulic presses such as are intended for
foreign countries, wherein the difficulties of transport are formidable, and it has
for its object the construction, without sacrifice of strength or power, of a less
weighty press than usual, in order to lessen the said transport difficulties,
dangers of breakage, and costs of getting the machinery to an "up country
destination.

page_text: An additional advantage in my arrangement of press lies in its being made to
take from together; the various pieces being designed first with a view to lightness
individually, as well as collectively, and secondly with a view to easy re-erection
and adjustment.
I accomplish my object as follows :--
The ram and the cylinder I form of comparatively light tubes, the latter being
suitably attached to a lighs lower crosshead carrying the straining, posts, which
latter I also form of tubes. The upper or thrust-receiving crosshead is also built
up mainly of tubes, suitably arranged, and the table of the ram may be treated
somewhat in the same way, or built up, or wrought out, of iron or steel.
In order more fully to explain my invention, I have annexed two sheets of
drawings, to which reference letters are attached, the same letters referring to the
same parts in all the figures.
Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a press made in accordance with my invention,
whilst Fig. 2 is a corresponding side elevation.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the upper crosshead;
Fig. 4 is a plan of the table;
Fig. 5 is a corresponding half plan of the table with its top plate removed;
Fig. 6 is a plan of the intermediate-frame; and
Fig. 7 is a plan of the lower crosshead.
Fig. 8 is an isolated sectional elevation of the table; and
Figs. 9 and 10 are (on an enlarged scale) side elevations-half and half-of
the upper crosshead, and the central-member which binds its tubes and plate
together.
Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the head of a cylinder, etc.
The chief characteristics of the general arrangement are, first, a slung lower
crosshead A, towards the centre of which the four straining posts B are gathered
and secured, which crosshead carries one or more hydraulic cylinders, which
collectively give the requisite area to suit the water pressure, etc.; secondly, an
intermediate-frame, with strong cross members D, which carries the structure, and
at the same time deals with the inward pull of the straining posts below, and so
transmits the stress to the upper crosshead in a suitable manner; thirdly, an upper
crosshead arranged with its near straining posts placed in a more central position, as
it were (and not at the extreme corners) with a view to distributing the strains
more uniformly with less weight in the side-members.
The cylinder C (one or more) and the ram C I form of thin (comparatively)
tubes, screwing the foot of the former in a recess in the lower crosshead, as shown
at C in Fig. 2. An arrangement of the necessary stuffing box and leather ring C
is shown in Fig. 11, where the bottom of the ram is closed by a screwed plug C.
Following up to the head of the ram I flange the tube over and attach it to the
table by suitable bolts or screws.
The lower portion E¹ of the table E I dish out of a steel plate, as shown in
Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 8, whilst the top is a flat one. This latter is either lipped over
the former at the edges to take the strains, or the countersunk bolts E are
sufficiently well fitted to meet the said strains. The interior of the hollow table
(which at its destination may be made to contain counterweights) is fitted with one
or more short tubes Es, which act as supports to the top, and where the table is
large these tubes may be made to carry T irons E at their heads to further
distribute the supporting power.
Where the cylinders pass through the intermediate-frame I arrange clamps D₁
and adjusting screws D, by which the central position may be the better secured
and maintained. This, and the general arrangement of the intermediate-frame will
be best understood by a reference to Fig. 6. The tubes D D, D D, are, as before
mentioned, the main members which bear the weight of the structure and form the
bare, which bere rests on the foundation. The four tubular straining posts B, pass
through the guides B as shown, which guides also encircle the tubes D, and are
piuned or cottered fast to meet the inward thrusts of these posts, Where other

page_text: adjustments to meet light strains do not suit, a pin is run through the guide and
the tube D (this latter being suitably slotted) and a hook bolt D³ embraces it. In
this way the thrust is taken against the tube end washer and nut as shown. Short
tubes D take the cross strains between the near posts, as shown, all in Fig. 6.
This intermediate-framing must be fixed in relative position on the straining
posts.
Following either pair of the near straining posts B upwards, they will be seen,
in Fig. 1 (and also in Fig. 9) to pass through the side-members of the upper cross-
head (in the example given) between two pairs of cross tubes G'ani G', a pressure
distributing washer plate G being arranged under the nut as shown. The four
cross tubes G', G2, G3, G4, span across to the other side-member at the head of the
other pair of straining posts B, as already shown in plan in Fig. 3. Beneath these
cross-tubes is a flat plate G, see Figs. 10 and 12, which forms the face of the
upper crosshead. This plate is here continued along under the tubes as they pass
through and over the side-member's bar G, and is thus secured along these edges.
Each side-member of the upper crosshead consists of two bars G and G7, between
which the tubes are tightly held. But instead of being ordinarily nipped, they are
carefully surrounded by a series of packing blocks, as shown in Fig. 9, which not
only keep the tubes in true circle, but also form the intermediate webs of the side-
members when considered as girders. These latter (with their top and bottom
bars G7 and G) are completed by the nipping action of the three bolts, shown in
dots in Fig. 1, together with the nip of the two straining posts B, B. In order to
further hold the tubes and the plate G' in true form at the centre when under
pressure, a cramp, H, carefully arranged with packing blocks and supporting
bolts, after the manner shown in Fig. 10, is arranged midway between the two side-
members. The over-hanging edge of the plate at the intermediate positions may
be strengthened by turning it back so that it thrusts against the outer tube, as
shown in cross section in Fig. 12.
Fig. 6 shows an alternative arrangement of an open guide B¹ for receiving the
straining posts B, which in some cases will be thus more conveniently pocketed, for
instance, where the posts are much bent.
It would not be difficult to substitute steel girders in place of some of the tubes
without departing from the spirit of the invention; for instance, the upper cross-
head could be fitted with steel cross girders in place of tubes, and yet have the
general lines of the invention adhered to.
The terms, upper, and lower, crossheads are relative only, as the invention is
applicable to any class of press.
In the case of an inverted press, two of the tubes passing through the side-
members could be lengthened and made to support the structure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The general arrangement of hydraulic press, built up of light members,
consisting of a lower crosshead carrying the cylinders (one or more), slung from
an intermediate frame forming the base of the structure, and further used for
throwing the strains forward in straight lines, together with a suitable upper cross-
head for receiving the said strains through special side-members, in and after the
manner described and shown, with the object and for the purpose set forth.
2. The general arrangement of the slung lower crosshead, whether fitted with
multiple cylinders or not, substantially as described and shown, with the object and
for the purpose set forth.
3. The general arrangement of the intermediate strain-receiving frame, forming
also the general support of the whole structure, substantially as described and
shown, with the object and for the purpose set forth.
4. The general arrangement of the built up table, mounted on one or more
cylinders (resting on a slung lower crosshead below) clamped and stayed as they

page_text: pass through the intermediate frame, substantially as described and shown, with
the object and for the purpose set forth.
5. The general arrangement of the upper crosshead with its special side-members,
and its mode of bracing tubes whilst nipping them, substantially as described and
shown, with the object and for the purpose set forth.
6. The general arrangement of the straining posts as gathered together in the
lower crosshead in combination with the intermediate frame, which spreads and
holds them to suit the upper crosshead, substantially as described and shown, with
the object and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1897.
WM. SNOWDON,
9, Old Bank Chambers, Leeds, York., Agent for the Applicant.