IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MEASURING, COMPRESSING, AND MOULDING OIL SEEDS OR OTHER MATERIALS NOW COMMONLY COMPRESSED WHOLLY IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Virtue, of Hull, in the County of York, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MEASURING, COMPRESSING,
AND MOULDING OIL SEEDS OR OTHER MATERIALS NOW COMMONLY COMPRESSED
WHOLLY IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES."
Sealed the 2nd March 1877, and dated the 16th September 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Virtue at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th September 1876.
FRANCIS VIRTUE, of Hull, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR MEASURING, COMPRESSING, AND MOULDING OIL SEEDS OR OTHER MATERIALS
NOW COMMONLY COMPRESSED WHOLLY IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES."
I take a frame or box, open at bottom and top, any shape or size that may be
required to hold any quantity of crushed seeds or other matters that are ultimately
made into cake in hydraulic presses; beneath this box I place a tray resting on a
pair of slides connected at one end by a bar, which also acts as a handle for pushing
the slides and tray backwards and forwards; these sides are attached to two side
frames by grooved or dovetailed pieces planed and fitted into each other. The
length of the side frames is fully twice the width of each tray.
The box already described is attached to these frames with ordinary pin joints
so constructed as to allow the box to swing through about a third of a circle, and
immediately behind the box and level with the bottom of tray a strong table, and over
the table is suspended a die of precisely the same shape as the inside of the shaping
or measuring box; these dies are raised or depressed by a graduated cam so con-
structed as to press down the die quickly and apply the required pressure with
rapidity, and maintain that pressure for whatever length of time is considered
desirable.
The forward action of the two slides described above puts the die in motion, and
when the pressure has been maintained as long as practice shows is desirable the
die rises automatically.
This machine is placed close to a heating kettle from which the material to be
acted on is drawn, the modus operandi being as follows:-The workman raises
the measuring box as the lid of a chest is lifted until it is about vertical, places a
tray on the slides, puts a piece of cloth on the tray, leaving a piece hanging down
at each end; then brings down the measuring box on top of cloth and tray, fills it

page_text: from the kettle, then raises the measuring box, folds the ends of cloth over the
material, then pushes slide tray and material forward on the top of the table
already described; the die is thus set in motion, and while the pressure is being
given the slides are withdrawn, another tray put on them, and the operation just
described repeated. When the die rises the pressman removes the cake from under
it, and the second one now measured and otherwise prepared is free to be pushed
under the die.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis Virtue in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th March
1877.
FRANCIS VIRTUE, of Hull, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR MEASURING, COMPRESSING, AND MOULDING OIL SEEDS OR OTHER MATERIALS
NOW COMMONLY COMPRESSED WHOLLY IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES."
My improvements in machinery for measuring, compressing, and moulding oil
seeds (which have been crushed or otherwise prepared,) and other materials that are
ultimately made into cakes in hydraulic presses are illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings, to which I will refer in describing my Invention and the manner of
carrying the same into effect.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation (partly in section) of the entire machine;
Figure 2 represents a front elevation of the same (also partly in section).
Figure 3 represents a plan of the machine with the pressing plate and gear
connected therewith removed.
Figure 4 is a plan of the mechanism and gearing shown in elevation in the upper
part of Figure 1 only.
Figure 5 represents a plan, transverse and longitudinal sections of one of the trays
used with the said machine.
A is the machine framing suitably constructed; B is the table on which the tray
containing the crushed seeds or other material is supported under the pressing
plate C. The table is strongly constructed and provided with stops B2 for the tray.
It is mounted on pillars B₁ rising from the base of the machine frame, and the
presser C is attached to an upright rod C₁ fitted to slide in guides D, D¹, of which
the lower one is fixed to a pillar D2, and the upper one to a girder or other support.
The presser and its rod are balanced by a counterweight E attached to the end of
a lever E fulcrumed at E2, and connected with rod by a fork Es embracing the
said rod between two shoulders thereon. The presser is brought down by a cam F
on an overhead shaft F¹ acting on a friction roller C mounted on the upper end of
the rod C¹ the cam being so shaped as to bring down the presser quickly, and
apply and maintain the required pressure as long as may be considered desirable.
When the downward pressure of the cam ceases the presser is raised by the
counterweight E¹; G, G, are a pair of slides or carriers fitted to move upon hori-
zontal guides or ways H on the side frames A. These guides H are preferably of
dovetail form in cross section, and are planed true, and extend from the front of the
machine back past the ends of the table B, and their length is rather more than
twice the width of the tray I supported on the sliding carriers G and containing
the matters to be pressed, so that while one tray is under pressure on the table B
another may be fitted in front of it ready to be conveyed by the carriers G on to the
table when the first one is removed.
In Figure 1 the carriers with a tray upon them are shown in the forward
position, and in Figure 2, the tray is shown deposited on the table. The top of the
carriers G is slightly lower than the surface of the table B to allow the carriers to be
drawn forward, whilst the tray which they have conveyed on to the table is being
pressed in readiness to receive another tray. To enable the tray to pass readily
from the carriers on to the table there is a slight incline 6 formed on the front edge

page_text: of the table, up which incline the tray passes on to the table. The two slides G are
connected and pushed back and forth by a cross bar G¹ which serves as a handle;
K is an open frame jointed at K¹ to short uprights fixed to the side frames A, so
that it may be raised to a vertical position, as shown in Figure 1, or lowered into a
horizontal position upon the tray I, as shown in dotted lines in the same Figure.
When thus lowered this frame K rests upon the sides of the tray, and its top
surface is exactly level or flush with a table L, seen at the left side of the machine
in Figure 2.
The measuring frame K has a rectangular aperture (but it may be of other form
if desired) which corresponds on the under side to the shape and size of the presser B.
The frame is of such depth as to hold the quantity of crushed seeds or other
materials that are to be subsequently made into cakes in hydraulic presses and the
sides of the said frame are bevilled, so that the said aperture is rather smaller on the
upper side which is faced with iron guides K2 forming continuations of the guides
on the table L; M is a striking or strickling box open at top and bottom for con-
veying the seed from the kettle to the measuring frame K. It rests on the table L
and by drawing it along the guides on the measuring frame K and back again the
latter is exactly filled with seed.
The mechanism is set in motion automatically to bring down the presser B by
the following means:-N is a crank lever pivoted at N¹ to the side frame A. The
upper end of this lever is in a position to be struck and oscillatead by a pro-
jection G2 on the under side of one of the carriers, as the latter carrying a filled tray
are being pushed under the presser. The oscillation of the lever N sets the cam
shaft F in motion through the gearing overhead. For this purpose a horizontal
arm of lever N is connected by a chain O passing round a pulley O¹ with a latch
lever P fulcrumed at P1 and weighted at P3; this latch lever P has a step P³ which
engages with a horizontal lever Q working on a pivot at Q1 and connected by
pivots R¹ to a clutch coupling R which the lever Q is forked to embrace; this
clutch coupling is on the main or driving shaft S (receiving motion from a steam
engine or other motor) on which shaft a pinion T is mounted loose, said pinion
gearing with a spur wheel U keyed on the cam shaft F¹. At the end of lever Qis
a friction roller Q2 in the path of a curved inclined block V bolted on the face of
wheel U. After one revolution of the latter the lever Q is pushed back and
clutch R is thrown out of gear, thus stopping the machine automatically when the
presser is at the top of its stroke. The lever Q is retained in this position by the
latch lever P engaging with it until released by the latch lever being drawn down
by the chain O when lever N is struck by the slide G, as above mentioned; W is a
weight connected to lever Q by a chain W₁ passing over a pulley to throw the
clutch into gear immediately the lever Q is released from the latch P The
tray I is constructed of sheet iron or steel bent up at the sides with triangular bars
of wood I fixed along the edges, as shown in Figure 5 to form the sides of the tray,
an end piece 12 being provided at one end with a handle for moving the tray.
The inside width of the tray corresponds to that of the presser which just fits in it;
the length of the tray is somewhat greater than that of the presser.
The modus operandi is as follows:-The workman raises the measuring frame,
places an empty tray on the sliding carriers, lays a piece of cloth over the tray,
leaving a piece hanging down at each end; then brings down the measuring frame
on the top of the cloth and tray and fills it from the strickling box; then raises the
measuring frame, folds the ends of the cloth over the material and by pushing the
carriers conveys the tray on to the table. The machinery operating the presser is
set in motion and the latter is brought down on the carrier striking the lever N, as
above described; whilst the pressure is being applied to the contents of the first
tray the sliding carriers are withdrawn and another tray put on them and filled, as
above described. When the presser rises the pressman removes the tray containing
the pressed seed from under it, and then the second tray now measured and other-
wise prepared is pushed on to the table, and the same operations are repeated with
nother tray and so on.

page_text: Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The general combination and arrangement of parts operating in conjunction,
and constituting my improved machinery, substantially as herein shown and
described, whereby a quantity of materials to be acted on is accurately measured at
one part of the machine, whilst the pressure is being applied to another quantity of
the material at another part of the machine, instead of the measuring and pressing,
being both performed in the same box as at present.
2nd. The employment of the carriers moving on guides, substantially as shown
and described for conveying the tray from the place where it is filled on to the
pressing table to enable one tray to be filled whilst another is being pressed as
specified.
3rd. The employment of a measuring frame moving on hinges, substantially as
shown and described for the purpose specified.
4th. The system of levers and apparatus acted on by the sliding carrier, sub-
stantially as shown and described for automatically setting the machine in motion.
5th. The combination with the cam for depressing the pressing plate and main-
taining the pressure of the system of levers and apparatus for automatically
throwing the machine out of gear, and bringing it to a state of rest, substantially as
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Virtue, have hereunto set my hand
hand and seal, this 13th day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
FRANCIS VIRTUE.
(L.B.)