Improvements in Hydraulic Presses Particularly Adapted for Extracting Oil from Oleaginous Seeds.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1899-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydraulic Presses Particularly Adapted for
Extracting Oil from Oleaginous Seeds.
I, ALEXANDER EUSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Security
Building, City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, United States of America, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
Figure 1 is a front elevational view partly in section, illustrating my improved
hydraulic press in two positions.
Figure 2 is a cross sectional view showing the plate in bottom plan.
Figure 3 is a top plan view broken away, showing the supporting mechanism.
in a different position.
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of part of the upper portion of the press,
showing the manner of operating the supports in unison.
Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the upper portion of the press.
Figure 6 is a detail view of one of the supporting racks attached to its column.
Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the press showing a modified form of
mechanism for supporting the plates.
Figure 8 is a similar view showing the plate in inverted plan, and
Figure 9 is a front elevational view of a portion of the press.
This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in hydraulic presses
designed particularly for use in extracting oil from oleaginous seeds, such as
linseed.
The object of my present invention is to simplify the construction of the
supporting mechanism for the plates in presses of the character described, to
increase the capacity of said presses.
In the presses now in use for extracting oil from oleaginous seeds, there are
two well known methods employed for supporting the plates on which the green.
cakes are placed preparatory to being subjected to pressure. One method involves
the use of links attached to pins or bolts inserted in the edges of the plates, and
each plate is thus connected to the next adjacent by such links. By this con-
struction, the green cakes are inserted between each plate, a sufficient clearance
being provided for each cake. Usually there are fifteen plates in presses answer-
ing this description. When the ram ascends it necessarily comes in contact
with the bottom plate, raises it until its carried green cake.comes in contact
with the plate next above, and so on, the initial movement of the ram being
depended upon to overcome the clearance between the plates and each. cake, or say,
about 15 to 20 inches in a press having from 15 to 20 plates. The links of
course move over their pins or bolts when the ram thus rises, and after all'
clearance has been overcome by the movement of the ram, the cakes are sub-
jected to pressure. When the ram descends, the total number, fifteen to twenty
plates, are suspended at equal distances governed by the length of the links
between. The pressed cakes are then removed, and green cakes inserted in
their places, and the same cycle of operations is repeated.

page_text: Another method is to place a metal rack or frame on either side of the press,
which rack or frame is formed with a series of steps at unequal distances apart.
The plates in the press are provided with suitable projections located at varying
distances apart to co-operate respectively with proper steps, so that as the ram
lescends, the plate having the projections closest together, will be supported on
the top steps, the second plate on the second steps, and so on, until the ram has
reached its lowest position, when all of the plates will be supported by their
proper steps. In this construction, from fifteen to twenty plates are employed,
and it is necessary to have a clearance between each plate for the introduction
and proper manipulation of the green cake, which clearance has to be overcome
by the ram in its initial upward movement, and provided for by the ram in
its final descending movement.
My invention contemplates a construction which dispenses with this clear-
ance, thereby adding from 25 to 50% to the capacity of each press, without
increasing the size of the press, and; furthermore, the descent of each plate
according to my invention, is under immediate control of the operator, instead
of following the ram as it descends.
My invention consists in the provision of a number of movable projections
suitably mounted on the plates for co-operating with supports for sustaining
the plates in an elevated position, or for permitting the descent of each individual
plate at the will of the operator; and the invention consists in the construction,
arrangement and combination of the several parts, all as will hereinafter
be described, and afterwards pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings A indicates a column, of which there are usually four, pass-
ing at each end through a head piece B, and a base plate C. On the base
plate C is arranged a cylinder D), carrying a piston or plunger E, which latter
is raised or lowered according to the will of the operator, by the introduction of
hydraulic pressure thereunder, through a pipe d. The above parts are common
to most hydraulic presses now in use for the purpose of extracting oil from
oleaginous seeds.
Findicates the plates preferably used, which plates are arranged in the press
between the columns, and guided in their vertical movement by rods G, said
plates having lugs on each side thereof, embracing said guide rods. The two
side and front edges of my improved plate are provided with ribs f¹, on their
upper faces, the rear side being left open to conduct off the oil as it exudes from
the pressed cake, the press as an entirety being slightly tilted to conduct off the
oil at this point. A panel F¹ is provided in each plate, which panel is formed
by transversely arranged corrugations, said corrugations being so positioned
that they match each other in their respective plates, so that the thickness of the
cake is substantially equal throughout its length. By providing these panels
in the plates, such panels being an integral part of the plates, I dispense with
the use of hair mats, and all the labor of securing separate panels or mats in
position on the upper and lower faces of each plate. Furthermore, by having
fixed corrugations above and below the cakes to be pressed, I prevent said cakes
from spreading, and by having an equal thickness throughout the cake, all parts
of the cake are pressed evenly, so that said cake will test out more uniformly
with respect to the percentage of oil remaining therein after pressure, than with
other systems.
Mounted on columns A (although I do not wish to confine myself to these
main columns as supports for the supporting mechanism, as other supports may
be provided if desired), are notched or stepped bars H, the projections or steps
of which co-operate with suitable dogs or movable supports arranged on the
plates. These movable supports, as shown more clearly in Figure 2, are arranged
on the under side of the plates, and consist of a U-shaped frame I, slotted for
the reception of retaining screws i, the parallel members of said frame being
provided with projections, and extending laterally beyond the side edges of
the plate to which the frame is connected. These projections are adapted to

page_text: engage with the steps of bar H, and support the plate in position. It will be
noted that when the U-shaped frame is moved in one direction, say to the rear,
all of the projections are thrown out of the path of the bar H, and when said
frame is moved in the other direction, say forwardly, all of the projections are
thrown in the path of the projections on bar H, and so support the plate in
position. The plate itself is prevented from moving forwardly and backwardly
by reason of the engagement of the guide rods G. Each plate in the press is
provided with a frame I, and the notches of bars H are arranged at such distances
apart that when the press is approximately at its pressing position, or rather,
immediately after the greatest pressure is removed from the plates and the ram
starts to descend, all of the projections on the different movable frames of the
several plates are in register with the notches of bars H, and by moving the
frames I forwardly, said projections enter said notches, and are supported by
the projections or steps of bars H. As shown in Figures 2 to 5, means are
provided for operating all of the supporting frames of a press at one time, so as
to save the labor of drawing out each frame independently. This means consists
of links J and Ji pivotally mounted to the head piece, and to the forward
columns respectively, said links carrying bars j, arranged within the cross bars
of the U-shaped frames I. The pivotal connection between the links and the
bars, consists preferably of through bolts j', so that bars will be moved
forwardly and upwardly in parallel, to prevent the U-shaped frames from
binding.
In Figures 7 and 8 I have shown a modified form of supporting means in which
the same notched bars H are employed, but in which pivoted dogs arranged
on the bottom of the plate are substituted in lieu of projections ¹. These
dogs k, are connected on each side by rods or bars K, one end of said rods or
bars being connected by lever K', so that when either of said rods or bars K
is operated to throw its connected pivoted dogs into or out of the path of the
projections on the bars H, through the instrumentality of the lever K¹, the other
bar K will operate its connected dogs & correspondingly.
Assuming, for the purpose of description, that the ram is at its highest point,
as shown at the right in Figure 1, and in Figure 5, in which position all the
oil has been extracted from the cakes, the ram is preferably permitted to descend
slightly, so as to allow the pressed cakes to expand slightly. The lower through
bolt is pulled outwardly and upwardly as shown by the dotted lines in
Figure 4, so as to operate all of the frame I, and throw their projections into
the notches of the bars H, for the purpose of supporting each plate, which posi-
tion is shown in Figure 3. The ram is now permitted to drop, say three or
four inches, and the pressed cake is removed from the head thereof, and a green
cake inserted in its place. By proper manipulation of the frame I, on the lowest
plate, the projections are thrown out of the paths of the bar H, so as to permit
said plate to fall onto the green cake arranged on the ram head. The pressed
cake is now removed from the dropped plate, and a green cake arranged in
position thereon. The frame on the next plate above is operated in the same
way, and said plate dropped, its pressed cake being removed, and a green cake
inserted, this operation of loading the ram step by step and dropping the plates
individually for the purpose of removing the pressed cakes and introducing green
cakes, being continued until the ram occupies its lowest position, as shown at
the left in Figure 1, wherein it will be seen that the press is charged with green
cakes for the next ascent of the ram. It will be further noted in this connection
that the only clearance left, when the press is charged to its full capacity, is the
clearance for the last cake introduced on the top plate. The operator may, instead
of starting and stopping the ram at each removal of the dry cake and introducing
the green cake on the release of cakes, start the ram slowly in its descending
movement, drop a plate, remove the dry cake, and insert a green one, and so.
on, accommodating the removal and insertion of cakes according to the speed of
the descent of the ram without further control thereof. The bars K with their
1...

page_text: connected dogs are operated in substantially the same manner as that above
described. After the press is charged with green cakes, all of the plate supports
are out of the paths of the bars H, and the plates have an unobstructed upward
movement. When the plates are approximately at their highest point, these
supports are thrown into engagement with the notched bars, and the plates are
held in such elevated position until the operator, starting at the bottom of the
tier of plates, successively releases each plate independently of the others and
removes the pressed cake and charges such released plate with a green cake.
I am aware that minor changes in the construction, arrangement and com-
bination of several parts of my device, can be made and substituted for those
herein shown and described without, in the least, departing from the nature and
principle of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with a plate, of movable projections arranged thereon, and
a stationary support with which said movable projections co-operate; substan-
tially as described.
2. In a hydraulic press, the combination with a plate, of a stationary support,
a movable projection mounted on said plate and adapted to co-operate with said
support, and means for moving said projections into and out of engagement with
said support; substantially as described.
3. In a hydraulic press, the combination with a plate, of a plurality of stationary
supports, a plurality of projections co-operating with said supports, and means
for operating said projections in unison to engage, or disengage same from said
stationary supports; substantially as described.
4. In a press, the combination with the plates, of stationary supports, and
supporting mechanism on each individual plate for supporting the same inde-
pendently of its companions; substantially as described.
5. In a press, the combination with the plates, of stationary supports, and
mechanism on each individual plate for engaging with, and being disengaged
from, said stationary supports to support and release the plate independently
substantially as described.
6. In a press, the combination with a plurality of plates, of stationary supports,
supporting mechanism mounted on the different plates for co-operating with
said supports and holding the plates in approximately their pressing position,
and mechanism for operating said supporting mechanism so as to release each
plate independently, substantially as described.
7. In a press, the combination with a plurality of plates, of supports mounted
on each plate, stationary supports co-operating with the plate supports, and con-
nection between all of said plate supports for operating the same in unison, so as
to throw said supports into or out of the paths of said stationary supports; sub-
stantially as described.
8. In a press, the combination with a plurality of plates, of guide rods for the
same, a plurality of stationary supports, a plurality of movable plate supports
mounted on each plate, and connections between all of the supports of an indi-
vidual plate, whereby said supports may be operated in unison to engage with,
or be disengaged from said stationary supports; substantially as described.
9. The combination with a plurality of plates, of supporting mechanism
mounted on each plate, stationary supports with which said supporting mechanism
co-operates, and means co-operating with the supporting mechanism of all the
plates for operating the same as an entirety; substantially as described.
10. In a press, the combination with a plurality of plates, of independently
operable supporting mechanism mounted on each plate, stationary supports for
co-operation with the supporting mechanism of all the plates, and mechanism
common to all the plate supports, and adapted to operate same in unison; sub-
stantially as described.

page_text: 11. In a press, the combination with a plurality of plates, of a plurality of
supports mounted on each plate, a plurality of stationary supports co-operating
with the plate supports, means for operating the plate supports independently
of each other, and means common to all of said plate supports for operating the
same in unison to engage the stationary supports; substantially as described.
12. In a press, the combination with a plurality of plates, of a plurality of
supports mounted on each plate, a plurality of stationary supports co-operating
with the plate supports, means for operating the plate supports independently
of each other, and means common to all of said plate supports for operating
the same in unison to engage the stationary supports, said means comprising a
bar j, mounted in the ends of pivoted links; substantially as described.
13. The combination with a plate, of stationary supports and a U-shaped
frame provided with projections for engaging said stationary supports; substan-
tially as described.
14. The combination with a plate, of stationary supports, a U-shaped
frame I, which is slotted for the reception of plate bolts, by which said frames
are slidingly mounted and projections extending laterally from said frame
and beyond the side edges of said plate; substantially as described.
15. The combination with a plurality of plates, of stationary supports, U-shaped
frames slidingly mounted on each plate and provided with lateral projections
for co-operating with said stationary supports, and connected bars j, mounted
in the ends of pivoted links for operating said U-shaped frames; substantially
as described.
Dated the 22nd day of August 1899
PHILIP M JUSTICE,
Chartered Patent Agent, London, For the Applicant.