improvements in the Manufacture of Rag Engine Bottom Plates, Used in the Manufacture of Paper.
Year: 1886

page_text: improvements in the Manufacture of Rag Engine Bottom Plates,
Used in the Manufacture of Paper.
I CHARLES CROOKES Argus Works, Shoreham Street Sheffield in the County of
York Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAG ENGINE BOTTOM PLATES, USED IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture and construction of
what are known in the trade as "bottom plates" for Rag Engines, Machines used
in the manufacture of paper; the object being to increase the durability, and to
reduce the cost of manufacture, and of the renewal of such bottom plates.
The bottom plate, broadly speaking, is a cutter with a series of parallel edges
placed horizontally underneath and in close contiguity with a revolving cylinder.
also provided with blades upon its periphery, between which and the bottom plate,
the rag is drawn and cut up into pulp. The present method of manufacture and
construction of these bottom plates, is to bolt together a series of bevil edged steel
bars of the required depth, and of sufficient number to make the desired width of
plate, thin strips or dividers of zinc or other suitable material being placed between
each steel bar.
The edged face of the bottom plate is shaped. to correspond with the circum-
ference of the cylinder above it.
Such bottom plates when worn down require taking to pieces and the bars must
be rebevilled which is a costly process, and after a time the bottom plate becomes
too low and is cast away.
According to my invention I make a base block of metal or other suitable
material, on the top of which I secure by any suitable means, a solid serrated plate
or facing, which may be cast in Phosphor Bronze, Steel, chilled cast iron, or other
suitable metal, in a finished and complete, state or thereabouts and to the exact
curve required. When this serrated face is sufficiently worn it can be taken off the
base and readily replaced with a new one, at little cost. My invention can be
applied to straight, elbowed, and corrugated bottom plates.
I do not bind myself to the use of one piece only to form the serrated face, as it
may be convenient in some cases to make it in two or even more serrated pieces.
Dated the 16th day of January 1886
;

page_text: Used in the Manufacture of Paper.
I CHARLES CROOKES Argus Works, Shoreham Street Sheffield in the County of
York Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAG ENGINE BOTTOM PLATES, USED IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF PAPER and in what manier the same is to be performed, to he
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is
to say :-
My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of what are known
in the trade as bottom plates" for rag engines, which are machines used in the
manufacture of paper, the object being to improve the construction and thereby
increase the durability, to reduce the cost of manufacture and also of the renewal
of worn out plates.
:
The bottom plate (broadly speaking) is a cutter having a series of parallel edges,
and is placed horizontally underneath, and in close contiguity with à revolving
Cylinder, also provided with blades upon its periphery, between which and the
bottom plate the material, is drawn and cut up into pulp.
Now the present method of manufacture and construction is to secure together
a series of bevil-edged steel bars of the required depth and of sufficient number to
make the desired width of bottom plate, thin strips of zinc or other material being
usually placed between each bar.
And in order that my invention may be may be clearly understood, I have
annexed a sheet of drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate similar
parts in any of the figures in which they occur.
Fig 1 & 2, are a plan, and a cross section of one method of carrying out my
invention.
Fig 3. 4. 5. 6. 7 & 8, are modifications of my invention.
.
Bottom-plates of ordinary construction, when worn down, require taking to
pieces, and the bars must be bevilled which is a costly process, and after a time the
plate becomes too low and is cast away.
According to my invention the bottom plate is made in two (or more) parts, the
base and the facing. The base-block A is made of any suitable material, and on
the top I secure by any suitable means, a serrated or grooved plate or facing B;
which may be cast or otherwise made in a complete (or nearly complete) state, in
steel; Chilled cast iron, Phosphor bronze, or other suitable metal.
If preferred the cutting-face may be made in sections, or parts, instead of one
entire piece, as above described, and the He of the cutting edges may be straight
as in Fig. 6, diagonal or "elbowed as in Figs 2 & 4, or waved, or of other form.
In Figs 1 & 2 I have shown the serrated facing B, as fitting into a recess C of the
base block A, and having lugs D, projecting from the underside, and fitting into
holes in the base block, these lugs being bored and tapped to receive the holding
down screws E

page_text: In Fige 3 & 4, I show another method of attaching the serrated face to the base
block, the bottom of the face being dovetailed at F, and secured in the under cut
recess in the base-block by means of one or more keys or wedges G, and Figs 5 & 6,
7 & 8 show somewhat similar arrangements, but I do not limit myself to the
methods shown of securing the face to the base block, as it will be evident that
such methods may be varied to a very considerable extent, without departing from
the spirit of my invention.
When the serrated face is sufficiently worn it can be readily taken from the base
block and be replaced with a new one at a moderate cost; my invention also
permits of duplicate faces being kept in stock (or store) so as to avoid the delay
that often occurs in having suddenly to replace a damaged bottom plate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1st. The construction of Bottom plates for Rag Engines, consisting of a serrated
or grooved facing piece, (such as B), supported upon a base-block, (such as A), for
the purpose specified, and substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
2nd. In the manufacture of Rag Engine bottom plates, constructing the cutting
faces as separate parts, either in one piece or in sections, but casting, rolling or
otherwise forming them in a finished or nearly finished state (so far as regards
their cutting edges, and so that they can be readily attached to or removed from
the base block substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
1000
ROBT F. DRURY,
Agent for the Applicant.