IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRESSING AND PRESERVING GREEN CROPS FOR ENSILAGE
Year: 1884

page_text: I DAVID BANNISTER CHATTERTON of 4 The Groves Chester in the County of
Chester, Building Surveyor do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRESSING AND PRESERVING GREEN CROPS
FOR ENSILAGE to be as follows:-
The apparatus can be adapted to any suitable existing building, or special
buildings can be erected for it, it will answer perfectly either below the surface
or above the ground forms a cover for the silo if required or will work under the
cover of an existing roof.
It consists of a series of wrought iron uprights of suitable section of T or L
or bulb iron or any other of girder shape. The uprights are bedded at the foot,
below the floor of the silo, in massas of cement concrete or other suitable bases,
and have angle iron stays connected and embedded with them in the concrete.
The uprights are continued up to a sufficient height above the walls of the silo,
and through the ensilage (when filled) to allow of the silo being filled.
The cover is formed of planks of suitable thickness, with tongued and grooved
joints, and the joints are caulked.
The cover planks are bolted to the bottom flanges of rolled iron girders, the
girders being curved one inch to the foot lineal.
The cover is loosely fitted round the wrought iron uprights and is movable, up
or down as required, attached to the iron girders are screw grips, clasping the
uprights and capable of fastening the cover and girders to the uprights as
required.
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The cover is also provided with angle iron bolted to the edges of the cover
forming a channel for rain water and also with spouts to convey the water away
from the silo.
The edges of the cover are also provided with felt cushions to exclude the air
from the ensilage.
A movable screw grip is provided to each iron upright above the cover girders
of suitable form to receive a "screw or hydraulic jack" of suitable power for the
desired pressure.
The apparatus.is worked as follows.
the highest point on the uprights is
The cover including girders being raised to
there fastened by the grips attached to the

page_text: girders. The silo is then filled with the green crop up to the top and of course
as high as the cover will allow.
The cover and the girders are then detached from the uprights and lowered on
the top of the ensilage. The screw or hydraulic jacks are then applied on the upper
flanges of the girders, and under the upper screw clips on the uprights.
The screw
or hydraulic jacks being then applied the cover is pressed down the uprights until
the foot of the jack is at its greatest length. The screw clip in connection with the
girder is then fastened to the upright, the foot of the jack is returned, the upper
screw clip is lowered and fastened above the jack as before, the girder clips are
loosened and the pressure is applied as before, and this is continued until the jacks
can no longer overcome the pressure of the ensilage..
To raise the cover the girder screw clips are released, and the upper clips are
raised up the iron uprights, as high as may be found convenient and are there
fastened. The screw or hydraulic jack is then placed on the grip and chains of
special construction applied to the upper flange of the girder and to the stud of the
jack. The working of the screw or hydraulic jack now lifts the cover up the
uprights the length of the screw. The girder clips are then fastened and the chain
shortened until another hold of the stud on the jack is obtained. The girder clips
are loosened and the jacks again raise the cover as before and this action is
continued until the cover is raised high enough for another filling up of the silo,
which being done the cover is lowered and the pressure applied as before, by this
means a pressure can be applied and obtained limited only by the strength of the
uprights and jacks employed.
I claim for the Invention First. Simplicity of action and durability. Second.
The almost total exclusion of atmospheric air. Third. The application of far
greater pressure then has ever yet been applied. Fourth. The comparative
cheapness. as once fixed there is nothing to get out of repair, and should last for
twenty years without more expence. The first cost would be, for building and
apparatus including jacks about 20/ twenty shillings per ton of ensilage. The
after cost would be for labour and filling and pressing about one shilling per ton
per annum.
Dated this 99nd dow of Tanuo 1001

page_text: "
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I DAVID BANNISTER CHATTERTON of 4 The Groves Chester in the County of
Chester Building Surveyor do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRESSING AND PRESERVING GREEN CROPS
FOR ENSILAGE" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The apparatus is formed by wrought iron uprights of suitable form and strength
of T or L or bulb iron or of any other section of girder shape, shown on plans
Fig. 1. 2. 3. 4 and 5 and on sketches Fig. 7. 8. 9 and 10. as T shaped. The.
uprights are embedded at the foot below the floor of the silo, in cement concrete
or other suitable bases, and have angle and bar iron stays, bolted or revetted to.
the uprights and embedded with them in the concrete as shown Fig. 1. 2. 3. 4
and 5 and in sketch Fig. 10. The uprights are continued to a sufficient height
above the walls, in silo's where the covers are to form roofs to allow of the silo
being filled over the walls as in Fig. 3. and 4. And in the case of a building
converted into a silo, up to the roof timbers and bolted to them as shown on
Fig. 5.
The cover is formed of planks of suitable thickness required for the size of the
silo and pressure proposed to be applied. The joints of the cover are tongued.
with hoop iron and when the cover forms the roof, the joints are caulked and
made watertight. The cover planks are bolted to the bottom flanges of rolled iron.
girders, the said girders when required to form the roof being curved as shown
on Fig. 3. and 4. or streight as shown on Fig. 3 and 4. by dotted 'lines, one end.
being kept at a lower level to allow any water that may fall on the top running.
to one end, and in this case the cover would be continued through the opening at
lower end of silo to allow the water to escape at that point. The beams or girders
would be streight for a building converted as shown Fig. 5.
There are also two cross girders bolted on the top of longitudinal girders called
pressing girders and shown on plans, Fig. 2. 3. 4 and 5 and sketches 9 and 10.
The said pressing girders being for the purpose of equalising the pressure over the
three longitudinal girders. Firmly bolted to the pressing girders are powerful.
screw grips, Fig. 8. working loosely on the uprights and capable of fastening the
girders and cover to the uprights as required. The cover is loosely fitted round
the wrought iron uprights and to the walls, and is movable up or down as
required.
The cover is also provided with angle irons bolted to the edges, and fitting as
close as possible to the walls, which angle irons form spouts or gutters to convey
the water to the down pipes as shown on sketch Fig. 6. The down pipes are
made to telescope one in the other to allow the roof or cover, to be raised or
lowered as desired. This arrangement is shown on Fig. 3. 4. and 6. If the cover
or roof is arranged as shown on Fig. 3 and 4. by dotted lines, the down pipes will
not be required as the water will escape at 1. a. Fig. 3. The top edges of the
angle irons forming the spouts or gutters have strips of leather or felt revetted on
the outside next the walls, and pressing against the walls, the object being to
prevent any water that may run down the walls from penetrating below the cover,
and also to prevent the air getting in.
13
A second movable screw grip Fig. 7, is provided to each iron upright above the
pressing and cover girders of suitable form to receive a "screw or hydraulic jack
of suitable power for the desired pressure see Fig. 7. 9. and 10. called grip on
uprights.
Chains and hooks of peculiar form as shown on Fig. 10. are provided for lifting
the cover..
The apparatus is worked as follows. To raise the cover, place the grips on the
uprights a suitable distance above the pressing girders as shown on Fig. 10. Place
the hydraulic jacks upon the grips, and place the loose bands round the upper part

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of the jacks as shown Fig. 10. to keep the jacks steady, place the chains upon the
studs of the jacks and the hooks on the upper flanges of the pressing girders,
Fig. 10. The handles of the jacks being now worked, the rams or feet of the
jacks press on the grips on uprights and the said grips being firmly fixed, the
bodies of the jacks are forced upwards, carrying the chains hooks, girders and
cover up with them. The rams or feet of the jacks being run out to their greatest
length, the girder grips, Fig. 10. are firmly fastened. The rams or feet of the jacks
are returned into the bodies of the jacks and a fresh hold is obtained by shortening
the chains and inserting the studs of the jacks in other links, or the grips on
uprights and the jacks are raised up the uprights as high as may be needful for
another lift. The girder screw grips are now loosened and the lifting proceeds as
before, and this process is continued until the cover is at the desired height, when
it is fastened by the girder grips until required for pressing.
Pressing. The silo having been filled to its full capacity, or part filled as may
be. The cover is lowered by the jacks and chains in the same manner it was
raised only the process is reversed. The jacks being run out to their full extent,
and the chains attached to studs on jacks and girder Hanges. The lowering screws
in the jacks are opened and the water is allowed to escape from over the rams and
return to the cestern, lowering the bodies of the jacks and the cover of silo.
complete the length of the rams, this process is repeated until the cover rests on the
ensilage.
The jacks are then taken off the top of the grips on uprights, and the feet placed
on the pressing girders. Fig. 9. The grips on uprights being securely fastened
over the heads of the jacks and resting on them. The handles of the jacks, being
now worked the rams or feet are forced down the uprights, and the girders and
cover with them, when the rams or feet of the jacks are at their full extent, the
girder grips are fastened, the ranis are returned into the bodies of the jacks,, the
grips on uprights are lowered on the heads of the jacks, the girder grips are
unscrewed; the handles are worked as before, this action is continued until the
desired pressure is obtained.
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 Placing the uprights in the centre of the silo substantially in the manner
herein before described.
2nd Raising and lowering the cover and beams &c. complete by hydraulic jacks as
herein before described.
3rd Adapting the cover to form a watertight roof if required, substantially in
the manner herein before described.
4th The arrangement of spouts and down pipes for conveying water away from
roofs substantially as herein before described.
5th Excluding atmospheric air and making the cover water and air tight, by
strips of leather or felt revetted to the angle irons on edges of cover as
bereinbefore described.
"
6th The application of screw grips for raising or lowering the cover, which grips
will be adapted to any section of upright.