IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRESSING COTTON OR OTHER ELASTIC SUBSTANCES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles George Wilson, of No. 60, Gracechurch
Street, in the City of London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRESSING COTTON OR OTHER ELASTIC
SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 16th June 1865, and dated the 22nd December 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles' George Wilson,'
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on'
the 22nd December 1864.
I, CHARLES GEORGE WILSON, of No. 60, Gracechurch Street, in the City of
London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS. IN MACHINERY FOR PRESSING COTTON OR OTHER ELASTIC
SUBSTANCES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
The object of my improvements in machinery for pressing cotton and
other elastic-substances, is to economise time by obtaining an increase in the
speed of the said machinery in the first part of the pressing operation, where
less power is required, and in obtaining in the latter part of the operation the
full power required for completing the pressure on the substance.
The object of my Invention is also to reduce weight by improved con-
struction, causing parts to be subjected to compression and tensile strain,
instead of bursting, pressure as is the case with the large cylinders employed
in the ordinary construction of press.
My Invention consists in using two bydraulic cylinders, combined in such a

page_text: manner that one cylinder becomes in the latter part of the operation the ram
of the other cylinder of large diameter in completion of the desired pressure;
or screw arrangements can be employed instead of the small cylinder, so that
the said screws become compression struts for the final pressure by one or
more bydraulic cylinders. The small cylinder ram is fixed to or actuates the
follower in the usual manner, which traverses inside of a box made to receive
the substance to be pressed. The sides of the said box I prefer to make of
wrought iron, forming tension or tie bars for connecting the lower end of the
large cylinder and plate to the plate at the end of the box on which the bale is
made, or if applied to the vertical press the columns for the same purpose are
continued in length to a lower end plate on which the large cylinder is fixed
or rests, or forms part of and receives the thrust. One or more moveable
boxes could be used alternately, doors being provided to the said boxes with
suitable arrangements for opening and shutting the same. A middle frame
(the usual press plate) is fastened to the sides or columns, of only sufficient
strength to sustain the thrust of the small ram from the collar of the
small cylinder; 'the same middle frame then serves as a guide to the large
cylinder ram, which the small cylinder becomes on completion of the stroke of
the small ram. Through this guide and through the face of the small cylinder
collar pass two or more compression struts, fixed to and drawn through, by,
and from the back of the follower. From the face of the small cylinder or
ram a carrier is fixed or held to support the ends of the said struts in passing
out of the collar. The strength of these struts. may be equal to the whole
amount of compression, or only require as much strength as the whole amount
less the amount exerted by the small ram; if the lesser amount is desired, the
communication from the pumps to the large cylinder will be to and through
the small cylinder. A self-acting arrangement may be used, consisting of a
small orifice a short distance through the end of the ram at right angles,
which is only brought into communication with a similar orifice in the collar
of the small cylinder when the small ram has completed its stroke. A small
plunger in the collar is driven out by the working pressure inside the cylinder;
this works a lever plate or other contrivance over the openings the ends of the
struts have passed through, which then takes the thrust of the said struts.
The plunger is so arranged as only to communicate the working pressure to
the large cylinder when fully forced out, but other arrangements can be
employed working round the cylinder by gear, endless screw, or by communi-
nicating motion to the struts. The connection between the small and large
cylinder is made from the collar of the former by means of tubing in the usual
imanner; a corresponding socket or other suitable arrangement is made in the

page_text: face of the large cylinder, with play equal to the stroke of the large cylinder
ram similar to a plunger.
The action of the herein-before described press machinery is as follows:-
The cotton or other substance to be pressed is placed in the aforesaid box
through the doors, and upon being filled the doors are closed and fastened, and
the follower set in motion continues its course to the greatest distance the stroke
of the small ram on the elastic substance. The communication is then made
through the end of the ram and collar of the small cylinder to the large cylinder
and ram, at the same time the pressure forces out the small plunger, which works
a lever and plate or other contrivance over the openings through which the com-
pression struts have been drawn. The large press then completes by these struts
the pressure required, when the doors of the box are opened and the bale bound
in the usual manner. On the pressure being relieved from the cylinder and
pumps, the bale is removed through the doors, the small plunger returns to
its original position by counterpoise or springs, and the lever plates being thus
removed the struts pass through, and the follower returns to its original posi-
tion by its own weight in the vertical or upright press or in the horizontal
press, by arrangements such as rack and pinions, pullies and chains, or other
suitable contrivances.
I would here remark that I do not confine myself to any particular design
in construction or in the working arrangements, or in any particular direction
in working the same, or in the motive power employed in the first part of the
operation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles George Wilson, in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 22nd June 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
GEORGE WILSON, of No. 60, Gracechurch Street, in the City of London, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Charles George Wilson, Her special licence that I, the said
Charles George Wilson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Charles George Wilson, my executors, administrators,

page_text: 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS. IN. MACHINERY FOR PRESSING COTTON OR OTHER
ELASTIC SUBSTANCES," upon the condition. (amongst others) that I, the said
Charles George Wilson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
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. Charles. George. Wilson, 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, reference being. had to the. Drawings. hereto. annexed,
and to. the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
The object of these improvements in machinery for pressing cotton and
other elastic substances is to economise time by obtaining an increase in
speed of the said machinery in the first part of the pressing operation, where
gradual increase of power is required, and in obtaining in the latter part of
the operation the full power required from. hydraulic pressure, also to reduce
weight, causing parts to be subjected to compression and tensile strains instead
of the bursting pressure, as is the case with long cylinders employed in the
ordinary construction of hydraulic press.
My Invention consists, firstly, in using two hydraulic cylinders combined in
such a manner that one cylinder becomes in the latter part of the operation
the ram of the other cylinder of larger diameter in completion of the desired
pressure; and, secondly, in using screw rack and gearing or other arrange-
ment, instead of the small cylinder in the. first part of the operation, so that
the said screw or, screws, may serve as compression, struts for the final pressure
from one or more hydraulic cylinders. And in order that the nature, of my
Invention may be more fully understood, I will now.proceed. to describe it by
reference to the accompanying Sheets of Drawings, in which the same,letters
refer to similar parts.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, shews a plan, and Figure 3 end elevation of the double
cylinder press; Figure. 2, side elevation; and Figure 4 end view of the large
cylinder; Figure 5, side elevation of locomotive cotton press, worked by com-
bined screw and hydraulic pressure; Figure 6, plan of same; Figures 7 and

page_text: 8, Sheet 2, elevation and plan, shewing centre screw arrangement and short
hydraulic cylinder; Figure 9, plan of press with struts, racks, and pinions,.
worked by single or double gearing to complete-the-first part of the operation,
and. short hydraulic cylinder to complete the final pressure; Figure 10, end
view of cylinder plate-shewing openings for struts.
Figures 1, 2, 3,. and 4. The small cylinder ram a! is fixed to or-actuates.
the follower 6 in the usual manner; which traverses inside of a box A made
to receive the substance to be pressed; the sides C of the said box .A I prefer
to make of wrought-iron, forming tension or tie-bars for: connecting the lower
end of the large cylinder D and plate d to the plate E. at the end of the box.A.
on which the bale is made; or if applied to the vertical press the columns
for the same purpose are continued in length to a lower end plate on which.
the large cylinder is fixed or rests, or forms part of, and. receives the thrust;
one or more moveable boxes could be used alternately, doors being provided to
the said boxes with suitable arrangements for opening and shutting the same..
A middle frame d¹ (the usual press plate) is fastened to the sides or columns,.
of only sufficient strength to sustain the thrust of the small ram a¹ from the
collar of the small cylinder a³; the same middle frame d¹ then serves as a
guide to the large cylinder ram which the small cylinder a becomes on com-
pletion of the stroke of the small ram a¹. Through this guide d', and through
the face of the small cylinder collar a², pass two or more compression struts.
G, G, fixed to and drawn through by the back of the follower b¹. From the
face of the small cylinder or ram a carrier c is fixed or held to support the
ends of the said struts in passing out of the collar; the strength of these-
struts may be equal to the whole amount of compression required, or only
require as much strength as the whole amount of compression, less the amount
exerted by the small ram, if the lesser amount is desired, the communication.
from the pumps to the large cylinder will be to and through the small cylinder..
A self-acting arrangement may be used, consisting of a small orifice e, a short
distance through the end of the ram at right angles, which is only brought
into communication with a similar orifice f in the collar of the small cylinder
when the small ram has completed its stroke. A small plunger g in the
collar is driven out by the working pressure inside the cylinder;, this moves a
lever plate h or other contrivance over the openings G1, G2, the ends of the
struts have passed through, which then takes the thrust of the said struts.
The plunger is so arranged as only to communicate the working pressure to
the large cylinder, when fully forced out the compression struts G then butting
against the lever plates over the openings; but other arrangements can be
employed for the same puapose, that of working round the cylinder over the

page_text: openings by gearing, endless screw, or by communicating motion to the struts.
The connection between the small and large cylinder is made from the
collar a of the former, by means of tubing i in the usual way; a corres-
ponding socket is made in the face of the large cylinder D, the tubing
working similar to a plunger, and having play equal to the stroke of the large
cylinder ram. The communication from the hydraulic pumps to the small
cylinder is made from the pipe 7 through an orifice m in the large cylinder
casting, admitting the tube n to have similar play, as before described, equal to
the stroke of the large cylinder ram.
The action of the machinery is as follows:-The substance to be pressed
is placed in the box through the door or doors, and upon being filled the doors
are closed and fastened, and the follower set in motion continues its course
the distance the stroke of the small ram is required on the elastic substance.
The communication is then made through the end of the ram a¹ and collar a³
of the small cylinder to the large cylinder D and ram, at the same time the
pressure forces out the small plunger g, which moves the lever and plates h, h,
or other contrivance over the openings through which the compression struts G
have been drawn. The large cylinder press then completes by these struts
the pressure required when the doors of the box are opened and the bale
bound; on the hydraulic pressure being relieved from the cylinder by opening
the stop-valve S (Figure 6) of the pumps, the bale descends through the
lower door, the small plunger freturns to its original position by counterpoise
or springs, and the lever plates h being thus removed the struts pass through,
and the follower returns to its original position by its own weight in the vertical
or upright press, or in the horizontal press, by arrangements such as rack
pinions, pullies and chains, or other suitable contrivances.
I will now proceed to describe by reference to Figures 5 and 6, Sheet 1,
and Figures 7 and 8, 9 and 10, Sheet 2, the second part of my Invention in
which I employ screw, rack, and gearing, or other arrangements, instead of the
small ram and cylinder in the first part of the pressing operation.
Figure 5 side elevation, and Figure 6 plan of combined screw and bydraulic
press, adaptable for locomotion on railways or common roads driven by steam-
power. The follower ¹ is connected firmly to screw nuts N, one on each
side, the traversing motion being given by revolving screws 0, 0, of any
required diameter turning in bearings P, P, fixed to the side plates C and
bottom plate d, the said screws or screw shafts being worked by endless screw
gearing with loose and fixed pullies s, s, driven by a band t from the drum r
fixed on the crank shaft u of the engine.
On the follower being forced upon the elastic substance as far as required

page_text: by the side screws, or until the power exerted equals the resistance at a certain
point, which will be nearly the whole of the distance the follower has to
traverse, the pressure is then completed by the short hydraulic cylinder D,
which actuates a second follower 6, and completes the bale. The said cylinder
is worked by hydraulic pumps p, p, driven by pinion from the crank
shaft u, which when not required may be thrown out of gear with the wheel v
on the intermediate shaft w, the reciprocating motion to the pump lever
being given by the crank y and connecting rod z, the end R of the lever being
also made for working the pumps by manual power, the pumps and stop-
cocks S, S, S, are also arranged for working several auxiliary presses. The
pressure being completed by the hydraulic cylinder D, the bolts T are with-
drawn; the doors a, a (counterbalancing), are thrown open by suitable
arrangements shewn, consisting of toothed wheel segments B, B, and pinion B¹,
but lever or other suitable arrangements can be employed in lieu thereof.
The bale is then bound by rope lashing or iron bands, and upon the pressure
being removed the bale descends through the lower opening a, the press
followers 6 and 62 return to their original position; the doors a, a, are closed,
and the filling is again commenced through the door U, which is lifted by a
crank arrangement and lever to the position shewn in dotted lines, the lower
flaps V binged at V, V, V, on both sides remain down until the box is nearly
filled, one side is then closed up, the rest of the filling is then completed, the
flap is finally raised up and closed and fastened at V2, forming a box with
ends V³ as shewn. The crank and lever arrangement y is then brought into
operation by the wheels W and endless screw shaft W¹, the cotton is thus
first pressed into the box, the screw arrangement is then brought into operation
as already described, and lastly the bydrostatic power.
Arrangements are shewn for locomotion, when required, or for traction
purposes by chain gearing X, which is removed when at stationary work with
steering apparatus Z used when on common roads, and driving drum Y¹ for
utilising the power for other purposes. Side guides or equivalents are pro-
vided to the follower to preserve the parallel motion in traversing the box.
For lightness and portability, I prefer using the light portable upright tubular
boiler and engine arrangements, as commonly employed in the construction of
steam fire-engines built of steel, capable of being worked at very high pressure,
by which little weight only will be added to the cotton press framing, besides
affording facilities for cleaning and burning any kind of fuel.
Figures 7, 8, and 9, Sheet 2, shew different modes of construction in work-
ing the follower or followers which may or may not be combined with steam
power on the same framing worked by auxiliary presses.

page_text: Figures 7 and 8 shew elevation and plan of centre screw and gearing and
short hydraulic cylinder, of which a short description only is necessary. On
the box A, formed with side tension plates C, C, end plate d, and cylinder
plate D being filled as before. The centre screw O, of any required diameter,
performs its portion of the pressure by means of the nut O¹ firmly connected
to double gearing e, e, adaptable to be worked by steam or other power, or by
manual power by means of the handle e forcing the substance by means of
the follower 6 as far as required. The hydraulic cylinder D connected to the
hydraulic pumps then completes the pressure as before by the follower b², the
screw becoming the compression strut against the end plate d in receiving
the pressure from the follower be actuated by the hydraulic cylinder D. Side
guides, rollers, or equivalents thereto are provided as before described for
carrying the weight of the follower 6' in traversing the box.
Figure 9, plan of press with struts, and rack and pinion arrangement;
the follower is set in motion by the racks O, O, fixed to or forming part of.
the struts G, put in motion by double gearing e, e, adaptable to be worked by
steam or other power, or by manual power by means of the handle e'; on the
follower arriving at the position shewn by the dotted lines, the struts G, baving
passed through the collar a², the ends being supported by carriers c, c, the
loose collar a is worked round by endless screw or other arrangement, and
the struts then butt against a solid part of the collar a³, the final pressure is
then given by the hydraulic cylinder D or ram through the said collar a³ and
struts G to the follower 63; if keys or other suitable contrivances be used in
lieu of the loose collar arrangement the struts can be made available to
receive the hydraulic pressure at any portion of their stroke in traversing
the box.
Figure 10 shews a section on line A, B, of Figure 9 of the cylinder and
plate D, shewing four openings G¹, G¹, G¹, G₁, through which the struts
G, G, G, G, pass, although any number of struts may be employed to com-
municate the pressure from the hydraulic cylinder. The machinery I prefer
in most cases to combine with locomotive and traction engine arrangements,
as shewn by the Drawings. In all cases, the followers are grooved in order
to permit of binding or lashing the bale by means of iron bands or rope
lashing; the operation in the horizontal press would be greatly facilitated by
the rope lashing being placed on at the same time as the gunny bagging before
filling or during the operation of filling in the following manner :-The grooves
are continued over the top and bottom sides of the followers, the lashing is
passed up the face and round pins on the back; thence it is carried to the
next groove, forming loops when relieved from the pins, when the doors of

page_text: the box are thrown open; the said pins being placed at such a distance as to
admit of the lashing just meeting when brought over the sides of the bale when
fully compressed; the remaining operation consists in simply lacing the loops
whilst the hydraulic pressure is on the bale.
Having now fully described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine my-
self to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein laid down, as
the same may be altered without deviating from the principle of the Inven-
tion; but what I claim and wish to be protected by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly, the general arrangement and employment of two hydraulic cylinders
combined (for obtaining speed during the operation of pressing and lightness
in construction) for working a horizontal or vertical press in the manner and
for the purposes herein-before described, reference being had to Figures 1, 2, 3,
and 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly, the general arrangement and employment of a short hydraulic
cylinder of any desired length, combined with side screws, centre screw or
racks, pinions, and struts, so arranged as to communicate the hydrostatic
pressure at a desired point by compression struts, whether adapted to work
horizontally (as I usually prefer) or otherwise, and worked either by steam or
other power, substantially as berein-before described, and shewn in Figures
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles George Wilson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of June, in the
year of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
G. F. REDFERN.
C. G. WILSON. (L.S.)