IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO PRESSES FOR BALING PURPOSES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Eaton, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Smith and Wheelwright, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO PRESSES FOR BALING PURPOSES."
Sealed the 9th October 1863, and dated the 15th April 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Eaton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th April 1863.
I, HENRY EATON, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Smith and Wheelwright, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO PRESSES FOR BALING PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
My improvements apply to that part of baling presses termed the "stillage,"
and relate,
Firstly, to an improved mode of constructing stillages upon the principle of
that for which Letters Patent were granted to me on the Twenty-eighth day
of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two,
and numbered 1596, and this part of my improvements consists in making the
moveable ribs of hollow wrought-iron tubing, and in securing them to the bed
of the stillage by bending up the end of the rib so as to take hold of the over-
hanging plate, and instead of making the bed plate of the stillage flat it is
made convex, and the iron ribs are made parallel, but bent to fit the convex
bed plate.

page_text: The second part of my Invention has for its object means for supporting
the entire surface of the bale while it is being pressed, and then forming gaps
for the hoops or ropes to be passed round the bale, and this part of my Inven-
tion consists in forming stillages of a series of ribs or sections equal in breadth
to the breadth of the hoops or ropes, such ribs being so secured against the
bed of the stillage that when the bale is pressed openings for the ropes or
hoops may be formed by allowing the ribs at the places required to collapse,
fall back, or be withdrawn. The ribs in this case may be formed by com-
pound inclines or wedges, which can be forced back so as to withdraw the ribs
when the bale has been pressed, and then pushed back when another bale is
to be pressed, so that the surface of the stillage will form a uniform plane.
Instead of inclines or wedges arrangements may be used similar to those
forming the next part of my improvements.
This part of my Invention also consists in forming stillages by combining
compound or collapsing ribs, or ribs which can be drawn back to allow the hoop
or rope to pass when the bale is in the press and has been pressed with stillages
having moveable ribs, the compound or withdrawing or collapsing ribs being
arranged and constructed so as to be secured and changed in place same as
the moveable ribs described in the Specification of my aforesaid Patent, or
as improved by the means described in the first part of this Provisional
Specification.
The third part of my Invention relates to a mode of constructing compound
collapsing or withdrawing ribs to be used in common stillages where the
spaces for the hoops or ropes are fixed and unalterable, and also for carrying
out the second part of my Invention above described, and this part of my
Invention consists in forming such compound ribs of two parts, connected
together by a series of short props, which are loosely jointed at one end to the
inner rib, and at the other end to the outer rib; when the two ribs are at their
greatest distance apart each of the series of props is perpendicular to both
ribs, and will thus support the outer rib, which is against the surface of the
bale, but by applying a lever so as to draw the outer rib endways all the props
are thrown or turned on one side, thus causing the outer rib to approach the
inner rib, and leave a space between the outer rib and the bale for the hoop
or rope to be passed through. The props are made so as to turn easily on
one side by having their opposite corners' rounded off, so that the ends roll
slightly when they turn till the pressure is removed. Two sets of props may
be used to fold or roll together when the rib is made to collapse. Instead of
straight props a series of small rollers may be used, which when the rib is
drawn endways will each enter a recess, and thus allow the ribs to collapse.

page_text: Props or rollers may be arranged in the longitudinal direction of the rib instead
of transversely.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Eaton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th October 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
EATON, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Smith and
Wheelwright, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Henry Eaton, Her special license that I, the said Henry
Eaton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1,
the said Henry Eaton, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO PRESSES FOR BALING PURPOSES,"
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Eaton, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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.
¡upon
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Eaton, 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 and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
My improvements apply to that part of baling presses termed the stillage,
and relate,
Firstly, to an improved mode of constructing stillages upon the principle of
that for which Letters Patent were granted to me on the Twenty-first day of
May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, and
numbered 1596, and this part of my improvements consists in making the

page_text: moveable ribs of hollow wrought iron or other suitable malleable metal tubing,
and in securing them to the bed of the stillage by set screws or by bending up
the end ribs, so as to take hold of the overhanging plate, and instead of making
the bed plate of the stillage flat it is made convex, and the iron ribs are made
parallel, but bent to fit the convex bed plate.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a stillage shewing the ends of a few ribs in their
places, and Fig. 2 is an end sectional elevation of the same shewing a side
sectional view of one rib, and the manner in which it is secured; Fig. 3 is a
view corresponding to Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2,
sbewing a flat stillage and a method of securing the ribs by set screws;
Fig. 5 shews a plan view of one of the ribs detached and similar to those
shewn in Fig. 1 and 2, and Fig. 6 is a plan view of a rib detached similar
to those shewn in Fig. 3 and 4.
These ribs (a) are made of wrought-iron tubing which has been formed by
being drawn through dies having square or rectangular holes in them. This
tubing is cut to the required length and a piece is welded at each end of the
tube to make it solid and so that it can be formed at the ends as shewn in
Figs. 1, 2, and 5, the bed (a¹) and bed plate (a) of the stillage is also made
curved where required as shewn, and the tubes are bent when hot to the curve
of the stillage so as to make the ribs in the form shewn. The bent ribs have
a longer turned up part (a*) at one end than at the other, and the long end
is first entered upon the edge of the plate and pushed so that the short end
can be made to take hold of the other edge of the plate and the rib is then
drawn back, and all the ribs when thus placed are secured by a bar (b) as
described in the Specification of my former Patent herein-before mentioned.
The turned up part (a*) of each rib has slits formed in it as shewn and into
these slits pins (c) enter, which are rivetted into the plate (a) and serve to
keep the ribs in their places. Figures 2, 3, and 6 show tubular ribs secured
by set screws, this mode of securing may be employed when the ribs are either
straight or curved; slots are formed at one or both ends of the ribs (a) for
the set screws to pass through so as to allow for irregularity in the distance
between the holes in the bed plate (a²).
The second part of my Invention has for its object means for supporting the
entire surface of the bale while it is being pressed, and then forming gaps for
the hoops or ropes to be passed round the bale, and this part of my Invention
consists in forming stillages by a series of ribs or sections about equal in
breadth to the breadth of the hoops or ropes, which ribs are so constructed and
secured against the bed of the stillage that when the bale is pressed, openings
at the places required for the hoops or ropes may be formed by allowing the

page_text: ribs opposite those places to collapse, fall back, or be withdrawn. The ribs
in this case may be formed by compound inclines or wedges which can be
forced back so as to withdraw the ribs when the bale has been pressed, and
then pushed forward so as to force the ribs outward again, when another bale
is to be pressed, so that the entire surface of the ribs will present a uniform
plane. Instead of inclines or wedges arrangements may be used similar to
those forming the subject of the next division of my Invention.
The manner of carrying out this part of my Invention is illustrated by Fig. 7,
a side elevation, shewing a few compound withdrawing ribs, and Fig. 8 an
end view, showing a rib with the wedge drawn back, and Fig. 9 an end view
with the wedge pushed forward, and Fig. 10 a plan view of a few ribs together.
In Figs. 7, 8, and 9 the part (a') is supposed to be made of metal all in one
piece, it may be a part of the cross beam, which forms the top of the press, or
a separate part forming the bed of the stillage. This part (a¹) has a series of
undercut slots (a³) formed in it extending from one side to the other side, at
such distance from centre to centre as shall be equal to the breadth of the ribs,
that is, about the breadth of the hoops or ropes to be used in baling. This
part (a) it will be seen is wedged-shaped, being deeper at one edge than at
the other edge, and into each undercut slot a metal wedge (d) is placed which
has flanges or overhanging edges (d') upon it which fit into the undercut slot,
and upon the lower flange of the wedge (d), a rib (a) is placed, this rib having
an undercut slot lengthway of it, thus the wedge (d) is suspended from the bed
of the stillage, and the rib (a) is suspended from the wedge. It will be seen
that when the wedge (d) is in the position shewn in Fig. 8, the rib is lifted
upwards, and when the wedge is in that shewn in Fig. 9 the rib is pushed
downwards to its lowest position. A few of the ribs (a) are shown in Fig. 7
at each end of the stillage, they are all shown down at their lowest position
except one, which is lifted to shew the gap or space for a hoop or rope.
When all the ribs (a) are in their places they will just touch each other and
will hold each other vertical with the assistance of the side plates e. A narrow
vertical recess (a*) is formed in the centre of each rib on one side and a pro-
jecting part a on the other side so that when the ribs are placed side by sido
the projection on one rib will fit into the vertical recess in its adjoining rib,
except at the two outside ribs coming against the side plates (e), one of them
will have a projection to fit into the vertical recess in the rib against it, and
the other will have a vertical recess to receive the projection from the rib
against it. By this means the ribs will be kept in their places when the pres-
sure is not upon them, as the projections and recesses will prevent end move-
ments, but will permit vertical movements of the ribs. The wedges (d) are

page_text: driven in and out by a wooden mallet, but when the wedges are all in they
are so close together that it will be difficult to strike the end of one of them
without also striking the ends of the adjoining ones, to avoid this the ends
of the wedges are formed to receive a loose piece with a socket (d) one of
which is placed upon the ends of each of the wedges which is to be driven
back. If required pawls (d) hinged to the side of the stillage may be used
to prevent the wedges from being moved by accident as shewn in dotted line,
Fig. 9. If preferred both the upper (a') and lower inclined part (a) having
undercut slots may be made in separate pieces and then secured by set screws
or otherwise to the top of the press or bed of the stillage. Instead of the
wedges being made with flanges and the inclined parts (a', a,) with undercut
slots they may be made plain and with springs, weights, or weighted levers
connected to each end of the lower inclines or ribs (a) each of such weights
or springs having force sufficient to support the weight of the inclined rib (a)
and wedge (d) and lift the inclined rib as the wedge is forced back and allow
it to descend when the wedge is forced forward. Instead of wedges or inclines
collapsing ribs may be used similar to those forming the third part of my
Invention described below.
This second part of my Invention also consists in forming stillages by com-
bining compound or collapsing ribs, or ribs that can be drawn back to allow
the hoop or rope to be passed round tho bale when the bale is in the press,
and has been pressed with stillages having moveable ribs, the compound
withdrawing or collapsing ribs being so arranged and constructed as to be
secured and changed, in place same as the ribs referred to in the first part of
this Specification and described in the Specification of my aforesaid Patent.
In carrying out this part of my Invention it will only be necessary to make
the non-withdrawing or non-collapsing ribs of the same depth as the with-
drawing or collapsing ribs when at their greatest depth.
The third part of my Invention relates to a mode of constructing compound
collapsing or withdrawing ribs to be used in common stillages where the
spaces for the hoops or ropes are fixed and unalterable, and also for carrying
out the second part of my Invention above described, and this part of my
Invention consists in forming such compound ribs of two parts connected
together by a series of short props which are loosely jointed at one end to the
inner rib, when the two ribs are at their greatest distance apart, each of the
series of props is perpendicular to both ribs, and will thus support the outer rib
which is against the surface of the bale, but by applying a lever so as to draw
the outer rib endways all the props are thrown or turned on one side which
causes the outer rib to approach the inner rib and leave a space between the

page_text: outer rib and the bale for the hoop or rope to be passed through. The props
are made so as to turn easily on one side by having their opposite corners
rounded off so that their ends will roll slightly when they turn, till the pressure
is removed. Two sets of props may be used to fold or roll together when the
rib is made to collapse. Instead of straight props a series of small rollors may
be used which when the rib is drawn endways will each enter a recess and
thus allow the ribs to collapse, props or rollers may be also arranged in the
longitudinal direction of the rib instead of transversely.
Fig. 11 shews a side view, and Fig. 12 an end view of one of my improved
collapsing ribs when extended, and Figs. 13 and 14 are views respectively
corresponding to Figs. 11 and 12 of the same rib after it has been made to
collapse. The upper bar (a¹) is secured to the bed of the stillage, and its
lower side has ears (a) formed at intervals along each edge (which are not
shown on Figs. 11 and 13, but are seen in Figs. 12 and 14) to which one end
of each of a series of props is jointed, the other end of each prop being jointed
in like manner to the lower bar (a). The props (d) are so loosely jointed
that the ends will rest against the bars (a', a,) and opposite corners are rounded
off as shewn. The rib is made to collapse by turning the handle (d) into the
position shewn by Fig. 13 or by striking with a mallet the projecting end
opposite to that at which the handle () is placed. Figs. 15 and 16 show
on a larger scale views corresponding respectively to Figs. 11 and 12 of a
collapsing rib formed by a series of two rows of props and an additional cross
bar a one part of it is shewn in the position it occupies when it has collapsed,
with this method of construction the lower bar (a) need only have a vertical
movement. A handle may be connected with the outside prop of the lower
series at the opposite end to that at which the handle for the higher series of
props is placed if required. Fig. 17 is a side sectional view, and Fig. 18 is
a cross sectional view of a collapsing rib formed by means of a series of
rollers; a', upper rib or bar which is formed as shewn to sustain two side bars aº,
which have holes in them for the pivots of the rollers (d). Between the
rollers a sliding bar a* is placed, the breadth of which is reduced at each end
and formed into inclines (a) as shewn, so as to pass through slots in parts a³,
turned up from the ends of the lower bar a, which has a projection a³ under
each of the lower series of rollers. The side bars a are secured together by
countersunk screws and cross stays a', and can slide endways upon the bar a',
thus the bars a hold up the rollers and the rollers the sliding bar a*, which
sustains the bar a. When the slide bar is pushed in the direction of the arrow
in Fig. 17, both sets of rollers will roll in the same direction till the lower
series are clear of the projections a³, then the inclines a³ on the slide bar a*,

page_text: will lift the lower bar a at each end, and the lower series of rollers will enter
the spaces between the projections a³. When the sliding bar is moved in the
opposite direction to that just referred to the bar a will be lowered and a stop
upon the slide will push the bars a back, so that the lower series of rollers
will come over the projections a³. The slide bar may be acted upon either by a
mallet or a lever.
I have now particularly described the nature of my Invention and the modo
in which it may be carried into effect, and wish it to be understood, that I do
not confine myself to the details, but claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, the use of wrought iron or malleable metal tubular ribs, and also the
combination of wrought iron or malleable metal ribs, and convex beds as
described under the first division of this Specification.
Secondly, the system or mode of constructing, and the use of stillages des-
cribed under the second division of this Specification.
Thirdly, the system or mode of constructing, and the use of collapsing
ribs as described under the third division of this Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Eaton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.