IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUs for THE COMPRESSION OF OIL SEEDS TO EXTRACT OIL THEREFROM, AND PRODUCE CAKES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE IN THE COMPRESSION OF OTHER SEEDS OR MATTERS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CAKES OR BLOCKS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hopps, of Kingston-upon-Hull, in the County of
York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUs for
THE COMPRESSION OF OIL SEEDS TO EXTRACT OIL THEREFROM, AND PRODUCE
CAKES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE IN THE COMPRESSION
OF OTHER SEEDS OR MATTERS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CAKES OR BLOCKS."
Scaled the 23rd May 1876, and dated the 17th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hopps at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th March 1876.
WILLIAM HOPPS, of Kingston-upon-Hull, in the County of York.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR THE COMPRESSION OF OIL SEEDS TO
EXTRACT OIL THEREFROM, AND PRODUCE CAKES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE IN THE COMPRESSION OF OTHER SEEDS OR MATTERS FOR THE PRO-
DUCTION OF CAKES OR BLOCKS."
In the compression of oil seeds for the purpose of extracting oil therefrom, and
the production of what is called oil cakes, it is at present customary after first
grinding and heating the seed to place it in bags, which when filled are then placed
in wrappers, or envelopes, or other covers, and between plates or "boxes," and are
subjected to pressure in hydraulic presses, and when pressure of the material has
been fully effected, stripping and paring has to be attended to. The cost of these bags
and wrappers or other covers as well as the stripping or paring is considerable,
whilst also only a limited number of the plates or boxes can with facility be
operated upon at any one time, so that the process as at present adopted is tedious
and expensive.
The object of my Invention is to remedy these evils by simplifying the process
and economizing the labour incurred.
According to my Invention the first part consists in dispensing with the "boxes"
now in use, and substituting therefor fixed sides and back within the columns of
the press; extending down to where the present "boxes" come; these plates are
grooved at intervals down the sides and end to form channels for allowing oil or
moisture extracted from the material receiving pressure to pass away. About the
Dia C71

page_text: centre of the two fixed side plates there is a large groove, which contains a bar to
allow the wheels of an inner shell to pass down, which shell I will now describe.
The inner shell is composed of two thicknesses of perforated sheet iron, and has a
layer of wooll or other fabric between to act as a filter for the oil or moisture
which passes from the material through the perforations during pressure, has two
sides and back, which back is coupled to the sides by hinges, so that it will open
and release the compressed material. There are two cross bars at the front, one
at the top the other at the bottom, these cross bars are made with a hole at each
end, which go on studs with holes in them fixed at both sides of the shell, top and
bottom, to allow cotters to go in which secure the cross bars, and the cross bars hold
the two sides of the shell firmly together at the required distance from each other.
There is a groove down each side inside, top and bottom of the shell, to allow of a
plain iron plato to slide in at each end, that is, top and bottom, close to the cross
bars, those two plain plates are intended to be withdrawn from the shell when it is
in the proper position and filled with the material ready to receive pressure. It
has a stud about the centre, on the outside of each side to which is fixed a carriago,
and a pair of small whcols to travel the shell along round bars and in and out of
the press along the round bar in the grooves of the fixed plates. The shell is now
formed or looks like a box without a lid.
My Invention further consists of a gauge, which is made of rods of iron, and fits
within the shell to receive corrugated iron plates, which will divide it into compart-
ments; the said compartments are to receive the substance to be pressed. The gauge
is intended to be withdrawn when each compartment is full.
To prevent the seed or other material from falling out at the front I insert a
piece of sheet iron down the inside of each compartment coupled together with a
piece of woollen or other fabric.
The plates are corrugated on both sides, and may also have letters or trade marks,
which will print or brand on both sides the material receiving pressure, they have
hand holes to facilitate their being placed in position in the shell.
It is of great importance to the seed crushing trade to retain the prevent shape
of the oil cakes, which are wedge shaped, therefore my apparatus is preferalby
tapered, viz., the fixed back in the press is narrower than the front, the back of the
shell is narrower than the cross bars which fasten it, and the plates and gauge are
also tapered to correspond.
The operation is as follows:-I place the shell on its back, that is, the narrow end,
which is fixed with the hinges under the hatch of the seed kettle; I then put on
the cross bars and secure them with the cotters; I then put in the two plain iron
plates down the grooves at each end of the shell; I then place the gauge within or
down each side of the shell; I then place the corrugated plates within the shell and
between the spaces of the gauge so that I form thereby, say, twenty compartments;
I now take the hatch out of the kettle, and allow the material to be pressed to pass
out of the kettle and fill each compartment; 1 then withdraw the gange; I now
insert the two pieces of sheet iron down each compartment with the woollen fabric
to hold the material in; I then reverse the shell and contents on to its end, and
wheel it into the press between the fixed iron plates and over the ram, which
has a plate or block fixed, on which block is the same shape as the inside of the
shell, and works up between; I now withdraw the two plain iron plates, the
pumps are started, and the ram and block forced through the shell gradually
pressing the material between the plates until the required pressure is obtained
long enough to allow the oil or other moisture to pass away, I then allow the
ram and block to lower and withdraw the shell and its contents, take the cakes
out, and place them in racks to cool in the ordinary way.
In order that the maximum of work may be got out of the material and
pumps I have a duplicate shell plate and parts connected therewith filled ready
to put in the press when the other is withdrawn.
The process as above described are especially adapted to the extraction of oil
from oil seeds, and the obtaining of oil cake, but the apparatus will also make corn

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Hopps in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th September
1876.
WILLIAM HOPPS, of Kingston-upon-Hull, in the County of York. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR THE COMPRESSION OF OIL SEEDS TO
EXTRACT OIL THEREFROM, AND PRODUCE CAKES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE IN THE COMPRESSION OF OTHER SEEDS OR MATTERS FOR THE PRO-
DUCTION OF CAKES OR BLOCKS."
In the compression of oil seeds for the purpose of extracting oil therefrom, and
the production of what is called oil cakes, it is at present customary after first
grinding and heating the seed to place it in bags, which when filled are then placed
in wrappers or envelopes or other covers and between plates or " boxes," and aro
subjected to pressure in hydraulic pressers, and when pressure of the material has
been fully effected stripping and paring has to be attended to. The cost of these
bags and wrappers or other covers as well as the stripping or paring is considerable,
whilst also only a limited number of the plates or boxes can with facility be operated
upon at any one time, so that the process as at present adopted is tedious and
expensive.
The object of my Invention is to remedy these evils by simplyfying the process,
and economizing the labour incurred.
According to my Invention the first part consists in dispensing with the boxes
now in use, and substituting therefor fixed sides and back within the columns of
the press extending down to where the present boxes come; these plates are grooved
at intervals down the sides and end to form channels for allowing oil or inoisture
extracted from the material receiving pressure to pass away. About the centre of
the two fixed side plates there is a large groove, which contains a bar to allow the
wheels of an inner shell to pass down, which shell I will now describe. The inner
shell is composed of two thicknesses of perforated sheet iron, and has a layer of
woollen or other fabric between to act as a filterer for the oil or moisture which
passes from the material through the perforations during pressure, has two sides
and back, which back is coupled to the sides by hinges, so that it will open and
release the compressed material. There are two cross bars at the front, one at the
top, the other at the bottom; these cross bars are made with a hole at each end,
which go on studs with holes in them fixed at both sides of the shell, top and bottom,
to allow cotters to go in, which secure the cross bars, and the cross bars hold the
two sides of the shell firmly together at the required distance from each other.
There is a groove down each side inside top and bottom of the shell to allow of a
plain iron plate to slide in at each end, that is, top and bottom, close to the cross
bars. Those two plain plates are intended to be withdrawn from the shell when it
is in the proper position, and filled with the material ready to receive pressure; it
has a stud about the centre on the outside of each side, to which is fixed a carriage
and a pair of small wheels to travel the shell along round bars, and in and out of
the press along the round bar in the grooves of the fixed plates. The shell is now
formed, or looks like a box without a lid.
My Invention further consists of a gauge which is made of rods of iron, and fits
within the shell to receive corrugated iron plates, which will divide it into com-
partments; the said compartments are to receive the substance to be pressed; the
gauge is intended to be withdrawn when each compartment is full.
To prevent the seed or other material from falling out of the front I insert a piece
of sheet iron down the inside of each compartment, coupled together with a piece of
woollen or other fabric.

page_text: The plates are corrugated on both sides, and may also have letters or trade marks
which will print or brand on both sides the material receiving pressure; they have
hand holes to facilitate their being placed in position in the shell.
It is of great importance to the seed crushing trade to retain the present shape of
the oil cakes, which are wedge shaped; therefore my apparatus is preferably tapered,
vizt, the fixed back in the press is narrower than the front, the back of the shell is
narrower than the cross bars which fasten it, and the plates and gauge are also
tapered to correspond.
And in order that this my Invention may be more fully understood I will now
proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
of which,
Figure 1 is a side clevation of a press with one cylinder and ram.
Figure 2, a front view of a press with my improved appliances in readiness to
receive the hydraulic pressure.
Figure 3 shews a "shell" ready to be run into the press, that is, after having
been charged with the material to be pressed, and provided with the "plates" and
compartments, the whole resting on a truck which runs on rails.
«
Figuro 4 shews the shell in the position suitable for being charged, that is, laid
down on one side with the opposite open side up and underneath the filling spout
from the kettle" (or it may be any other vessel filled with the material to
be pressed); in this case for seed pressing there is shown a heater or hollow chambers
underneath the kettle."
"
Figure 5 is a side view of a press with two cylinders and rams, and arranged
according to this Invention.
Figures 6 to 16 are details of the "shell" and other detail parts of my improved
appliances.
A, A, are the fixed "sides" inside of the columns, and attached to the head of
the press or otherwise fixed thereto; there is also a fixed back at B, which unites
the two sides A, A. The open front is fitted with a door at C, through which the
shell can be run into the press, and which then is immediately closed. The sides
and back and also the door are grooved inside for allowing the oil to flow away.
About the centre of each of the two sides is fitted a bar or rail for the guide wheels
or pulleys to run down.
The shell is shown separately at Figures 9, 11, and 12, Figure 9 being a plan of
same when put together; Figure 11 showing the shell inside when open; and
Figure 12 being an outside side view of the shell when closed. It consists of two
thicknesses of perforated sheet iron, with a layer of woollen or other fabric or
material between to act as a filtering medium, the oil passing through the holes in
the sheets and through the intervening filtering medium. The shell consists of two
sides D, D, and a back E hinged together as shown; the sides have studs at top and
bottom, and on these studs can be passed cross bars with corresponding eyes or
holes for holding the sides the proper distance apart, as shewn at Fig. 9. The
sides D are cach provided with a groove d at top and bottom, and in these grooves
a plate P can be slid in and out; these plates F, F, Figures 4 and 6, form the top
and bottom of the shell when the shell is placed upright, but these plates Far
withdrawn when the shell is ready to receive pressure. f.f, are wheels or rollers
on the sides of the shell, and which run on round rnils or bars g on the truck G, and
from thence can be run on to the round bars b, which are fixed to the fixed plates
A, A. The truck G runs on rails 1 from the place where the shell is filled and
into the press, which has corresponding rails along the fixed sides A, A.
Figure 13 is a side view, and Figure 14 an end view of a double gauge made of
iron rods or tines, and fitting inside the shell D, E. Iron plates are placed between
these tines, and thus form compartments which are to receive the material to be
pressed. The gauge is withdrawn when each compartment is full. To prevent the
seed from falling out of the front a plate of iron is inserted down the inside of ench
compartment, coupled together with a piece of woollen or other fabric. The inter-
stitiary plates aforesaid are corrugated on both sides, and may also have letters or

page_text: trade marks, as shewn at Figure 7; they have hand holes to facilitate their being
placed in position in the shell. The "cakes" thus obtain corrugations, and also if
desired letters or trade marks on their pressed surfaces or sides.
"
H, H, Figure 4, is a heater fixed to the under side of the "kettle
for pre-
venting the seed from getting chilled while being put into the shell, and before it is
subjected to pressure in the press, as the oil cannot be extracted properly from oil
seeds when cold or chilled. It consists of double walls of iron of the same shape as
the "shell." The space between the double walls is for steam to heat the shell and
plates. There are two horizontal rails, one on each side within the heater for tho
shell to travel in and out on.
The operation of the above-described apparatus is as follows:- Having ground a
quantity of oil seed or other material to be pressed, and having heated it to the
required temperature in the kettle K or other appliance I proceed to put the shell
together ready to receive the material. I therefore close it, and place it on its
back, that is, the narrow end, which is fixed with the hinges. I then put on the
cross bars, and secure them with the cotters, and place the two plain iron plates
F down, the grooves at each end of the shell closing the ends thereby; I then
insert the gauge within or down each side of the shell, which looks like a box
without a top lid. The corrugated plates with their marks or devices are then put
in, so as to form, say, twenty compartments. These divisional plates may be mado
of wood or paper or horsehair, or any kind of metal, and may have horsehair edges
attached down the sides and ends or middle, so as to form the cake to break easily
in two. The shell on its truck is then in under the spout L of the seed kettle K.
I then take the hatch out of the kettle, and allow the material to pass out of the
kettle, and fill each compartment; I then withdraw the gauge, and insert a clasp,
shown at Figure 10, between each two compartments, so as to keep the material
from falling out when the shell is being subsequently reversed. The shell being
reversed on to it to the position shewn at Figure 3, I then travel the truck with
the shell or into the press, as shown at Figure 2, between the fixed iron plates A, A,
and exactly over the ram, which has a plate or block M of same shape as the inside
of the shell, and works up into it. I now withdraw the two plain iron plates F, and
close the door at C. The press pumps are then started, and the ram and ram block
are forced gradually through the shell, pressing the material between the plates
until the required pressure is attained long enough to allow the oil or other moisture
to pass away; the ram is allowed to descend, and the shell is then withdrawn, being
pushed on to the truck G, and wheeled off from the press. The contents of the
shell are now taken out, and placed in racks one by one to cool them in the usual
way.
In order that the maximum amount of work may be got out of the press and
pump a duplicate shell and parts connected therewith are employed, which may be
emptied, filled, and got ready while the other is being pressed and put into the
press when the other has been withdrawn therefrom.
In pressing large quantities of material into cakes or blocks at one time the latter
retain a large amount of elasticity. To guard against this I prefer to employ two
or more cylinders and rams; Figure 5 shews one. The shell may if desired be also
advantageously worked with bags and envelopes, as in the present system.
The apparatus operating as above described is especially adapted to the extraction
of oil from oil seeds, and the obtaining of oil cake therefrom; but it is obvious
that it is also applicable to the compressing of corn or other seed, or fruit or feeding
cake, or many other materials, as it can be formed into one, or a few, or many com-
partments, as desired and required. Apparatus constructed according to my Invention
should be tinned or galvanized.
And having thus fully described this Invention, and a mode or modes of carrying
the same into effect, I declare that I claim as my improvements in means or
apparatus for the compression of oil seeds to extract oil therefrom, and produce
cakes, which improvements are also applicable in the compression of other sceds or
matters for the production of cakes or blocks, the fixed sides, back, and door or

page_text: equivalent means in combination with a shell with or without a gauge and appliances
for dividing the shell into compartments, all constructed and operating substantially
as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hopps, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Thirteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
WILLIAM HOPPS. (L.S.)