IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMPRESSING BLACK LEAD OR PLUMBAGO AND OTHER SUBSTANCES INTO SOLID BLOCKS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Collier James, of Woodside, Plymouth, Starch
Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
COMPRESSING BLACK LEAD OR PLUMBAGO AND OTHER SUBSTANCES INTO
SOLID BLOCKS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Collier James at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th September 1880.
WILLIAM COLLIER JAMES, of Woodside, Plymouth, Starch Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMPRESSING BLACK LEAD OR PLUMBAGO
AND OTHER SUBSTANCES INTO SOLID BLOCKS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for compressing
black lead or plumbago and other substances into solid blocks.
For this purpose I form a machine with a fixed horizontal bed or table, through
which a number of vertical holes are formed, each of a diameter equal to the
diameter of the blocks which are to be moulded. Below this table is a horizontal
plate or platten supported by the ram of a hydraulic press below it. Projecting
upwards from the top of this plate are numerous projections or plungers which
enter and fit into the bottom ends of the holes formed through the table. Above
the table is another similar plate or platten with a number of plungers descending
from it, which, when the platten is lowered, enter and close the top of the holes in
the table. By preference each of these plungers is mounted in the plate or platten
so that it can be revolved, and has upon it a toothed wheel by which this revolving
motion can be imparted to it; the several toothed wheels are made to gear together
so that when one is revolved the others revolve with it. Motion can be given to
one of the wheels to revolve it by a rack actuated by a small hydraulic cylinder,
or by other mechanical appliances.
The top of the plungers carried by the lower platten may have any required
stamp or device upon them; and the lower end of the plungers carried by the
top platten is made cup shaped, or it might be to other shape to which it is desired
to mould the top of the moulded blocks. The upper platten can also be raised or
lowered by small bydraulic cylinders or other mechanical appliances. When the
bottom platten is lowered and the top platten raised, the lower ends of the holes
in the table remain closed by the plungers of the lower platten whilst the upper
platten and plungers carried by it are away from the top of the table. The holes in
the table are then filled with powdered material which is to be compressed, and the

page_text: excess of material scraped off from the top of the table. The amount of material
which can thus be supplied to each hole in the table is regulated by adjustable stops
which limit the descent of the lower platten. I prefer to use for this purpose small
screw pillars for the platten to rest upon when lowered, so that by turning the
pillars they may be raised or lowered. When the boles in the table have been
filled with material the upper platten is lowered and the plungers carried by it
caused to enter and close the top of the holes in the table. This platten is then
locked and held down in its lowered position in the following manner:-
At a distance above the platten and firmly secured to or formed in one piece with
it is a strong horizontal plate, in the centre of which is a square hole. Through
this square hole passes a corresponding square projection carried below the top of
the frame of the machine.
When the platten is lowered to its lowest position the square hole before
mentioned gets below the end of the square projection. The square projection is
fixed centrally on the lower end of a vertical axis. This axis has a one eighth
turn then given to it, so that the end of the square projection is set cross cornered
with the square hole in the plate, and thereby prevents the plate from rising:
When the upper platten is thus locked the lower platten is forced upwards by the
hydraulic ram below it, and tho plungers carried by this platten compress the
material in the moulding cavities of the table.
When this has been done the upward pressure upon the blocks in the cavities of
the tables may-be-slightly-released,-and-the-plungers which_close the top of the
-cavities caused to revolve and thereby polish the upper ends of the moulded blocks
as above explained.
The square locking projection above mentioned is then turned back to its former
position and the top platten is raised. Afterwards the lower platten is by the ram
below it raised to such an extent as to lift the moulded blocks completely out of
the cavities in the table; the moulded blocks are then removed, the bottom platten
is again lowered, and the same operations are repeated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Collier James in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th March 1881.
WILLIAM COLLIER JAMES, of Woodside, Plymouth, Starch Manufacturer.
“IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMPRESSING BLACK LEAD OR PLUMBAGO
AND OTHER SUBSTANCES INTO SOLID BLOCKS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for compressing
black lead or plumbago and other substances into solid blocks.
For this purpose I form a machine with a fixed horizontal bed or table, through
which a number of vertical holes are formed, each of a diameter equal to the
diameter of the blocks which are to be moulded. Below this table is a horizontal
plate or platten supported by the ram of a hydraulic press below it. Projecting

page_text: upwards from the top of this plate are numerous projections or plungers which
enter and fit into the bottom ends of the holes formed through the table. Abovo
the table is another similar plate or platten with a number of plungers descending
from it, which, when the platten is lowered, enter and close the top of the holes in
the table. By preference each of these plungers is mounted in the plate or platton,
so that it can be revolved, and has upon it a toothed wheel by which this revolving
motion can be imparted to it; the several toothed wheels are made to gear together,
so that when one is revolved the others revolve with it. Motion can be given to
one of the wheels to revolve it by a rack actuated by a small hydraulic cylinder,
or by other mechanical appliances.
The top of the plungers carried by the lower platten may have any required
stamp or device upon them, and the lower end of the plungers carried by the top
platten is made cup shaped, or it might be to other shape to which it is desired to
mould the top of the moulded blocks. The upper platten can also be raised or
lowered by small hydraulic cylinders or other mechanical appliances. When tho
bottom platten is lowered and the top platten raised the lower ends of the holes in
the table remain closed by the plungers of the lower platten, whilst the upper
platten and plungers carried by it are away from the top of the table. The holes
in the table are then filled with powdered material which is to be compressed, and
the excess of material scraped off from the top of the table. The amount of
material which can thus be supplied to each hole in the table is regulated by
adjustable stops which limit the descent of the lower platten. I prefer to use for
this purpose small scrow pillars for the platten to rest upon when lowered, so that
by turning the pillars they may be raised or lowered. When the holes in the table
have been filled with material the upper platten is lowered, and the plungers
carried by it caused to enter and close the top of the holes in the table. This
platten is then locked and held down in its lowered position in the following
manner:
At a distance above the platten and firmly secured to or formed in one piece
with it is a strong horizontal plate, in the centre of which is a square hole.
Through this square hole passes a corresponding square projection carried below
the top of the frame of the machine.
When the platten is lowered to its lowest position the square hole before
mentioned gets below the end of the square projection. The square projection is
fixed centrally on the lower end of a vertical axis. This axis has a one eighth
turn then given to it, so that the end of the square projection is set cross cornered
with the square hole in the plate, and thereby prevents the plate from rising.
When the upper platten is thus locked the lower platten is forced upwards by the
hydraulic ram below it, and the plungers carried by this platten compress the
material in the moulding cavities of the table.
When this has been done the upward pressure upon the blocks in the cavities of
the tables may be slightly released, and the plungers which close the top of the
cavities caused to revolve, and thereby polish the upper ends of the moulded blocks
as abovo explained.
The square locking projection above mentioned is then turned back to its former
position and the top platten is raised. Afterwards the lower platten is by the ram
below it raised to such an extent as to lift the inoulded blocks completely out of
the cavities in the table; the moulded blocks are then removed, the bottom platten
is again lowered, and the same operations are repeated.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe
more fully the manner of performing the same.

page_text: A is a strong hydraulic cylinder forming the base of the machine; B are four
uprights carried upwards from this base. The uprights have secured to them a
horizontal table C, and at the top are secured to the top plate D of the frame;
E are rows of vertical holes formed through the table; F is a horizontal plate or
platten supported by the ram G of the hydraulic cylinder; H are adjustable stops
for the plate F to rest upon when in its lowest position; I are plungers which
stand up from the top of the plate F, and which enter and fit into the bottom of
the holes in the table C; J is a horizontal plate above the table C; K are plungers
which project downwards from this plate, and which when the plate is lowered
enter and close the top of the holes in the table. Each of the plungers K is carried
by the plate J in such a manner that it can be revolved. The several plungers in
each row of plungers are geared together by toothed wheels L just below the table.
The plungers at one or other end of each row are made to extend through the
plate J, and above the table are genred together by toothed wheels M; upon one
of them a lever handle N is also fixed, so that by it a partial turn can be given to
this plunger, and as all the plungers are geared together the whole of them will
turn simultaneously. As before stated a toothed rack moved to and fro by a small
hydraulic cylinder might be used to give a revolving motion to one of the plungers,
or other ordinary mechanical appliances might be used for the purpose. In some
cases also the plungers might be fixed to the plate Jif it was not required to
employ them for burnishing the tops of the moulded blocks. Above the plate J,
and firmly secured-to-it,-is-another_horizontal plate O, in the centre of which is a
-square-hole P are small hydraulic cylinders by which the plates O,J,-can-be-
raised or lowered; Q is a bollow square block-on-the-lower-end-of-an-axis R which_
passes through the top plate of the frame; S is a lover handle on the axis R by
which one eighth of a turn may be given to the axis. The square block carried by
the axis can either be set cross cornered with the square hole in the plate, as shown
at Figure 3, so that it then provents the plates O, J, from being raised, or its sides
can be brought into a position parallel with the sides of the hole in the plate O, so
that the plate may be raised and the square block then enter the hole in the
plate.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. The construction of machinery for compressing black lead or plumbago
and other substances into solid blocks, substantially as herein before described and
iltustrated in the Drawings annexed.
Second. Mounting the plungers used for shaping the top of the moulded blocks
in such a manner that they can revolve, and gearing thein together so that they
may be revolved simultaneously and made to burnish the top surface of the
blocks.
Third. The means, substantially as described, for holding down the plate J which
carries the upper set of plungers and preventing it from rising during the time that
blocks of black lead or other material are being compressed in the moulds.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Collier James, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
WILLIAM COLLIER JAMES. (L.S.)