IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW PRESSES FOR COMPRESSING COTTON AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Muir, of the City of London, and of the City
of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer and
Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW PRESSES FOR
COMPRESSING COTTON AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Muir at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd October 1864,
I, ANDREW MUIR, of the City of London, and of the City of Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer and Machinist, do herebý
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW PRESSES
FOR COMPRESSING COTTON AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
My Invention is particularly applicable to double-acting, single-acting,
horizontal, or vertical screw presses for baling cotton, but it may be applied
for other substances. In performing my Invention, when a horizontal press
is employed, I make use of a long trunk, the interior of which corresponds to
the size of the bale to be produced. This trunk has lids, which are easily
removed or raised for supplying the cotton to be compressed, and I place the
trunk on edge, so that the sides of the bale are accessible for the double press,
and at one end for the single press, by doors on each side for roping or
banding. the bale. Within the trunk is a screw, with a plunger at each end
for a double press. The screw passes through a revolving nut in which it is

page_text: screwed, and through a revolving collar in which there is a fast key, which
fits in a key-groove in the screw, to each of which a wheel is fixed, and these
wheels have an unequal number of teeth. Each wheel is driven by a separate
pinion, one pinion being fixed to the driving shaft and the other loose on it,
but connected when required by a clutch-box. When the press is ready for
starting, and the cotton is in a loose state, the screw is put in motion by the
wheel driven by the fast pinion on the driving shaft, and the-cotton continues
to be compressed in this manner until the final compression is required. The
second pinion is then brought into operation by throwing the clutch-box into
gear without stopping the press, and then the screw acts differentially, the
speed being reduced, but power-increased to any desired extent.
When a vertical press is preferred, I make use of a similar movement
slightly altered, so as to be able to work it either from a stage above or from
the ground.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
and of an Order of the Lord Chanceller, by the, said Andrew Muir in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th May 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
MUIR, of the City of London, and of the City of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer and Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Andrew Muir, Her special license that I, the said Andrew
Muir, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Andrew Muir, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW PRESSES FOR COMPRESSING COTTON AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Andrew
Muir, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their; or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was

page_text: to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately. after the date of.
the said Letters Patent.!
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Andrew Muir, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention; and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and. ascertained in and by, the following.
statement:-
.
The object of this Invention is to construct a screw press which to a certain
extent will be a substitute for the cumbrous and expensive hydraulic press,.
and so to concentrate its parts that certain sizes may be mounted upon wheels,.
and so be easily transported from. place to place. The advantage of such a
machine will be apparent to all who have to pack or press goods in the.
interior of a country. where it would be impracticable to erect an. hydraulic.
press, and as the power required to work a screw press according to this
Invention will be so small, and the advantages over the ordinary press so.
numerous, it is anticipated that it will be used in preference even in localities;
where an hydraulic press is quite practicable.
My Invention is particularly applicable to double-acting, single-acting,.
horizontal, or vertical screw presses for baling and packing cotton, wool,,
and other substances, and it may be applied to the extraction. of oils and for
other purposes where great pressure is required.
In performing my Invention when a horizontal press is employed. I make
use of a long trunk the interior of which corresponds to the size of the bale to
be produced; this trunk has lids which are easily removed., or raised for
supplying the cotton or other substance to be compressed,, and I place the
trunk on edge, so that the sides of the bale are accessible for the double press,
and at one end for the single press, by doors on each side for roping or
banding the bale; within the trunk is a screw with a plunger at each end for
a double press. The screw passes through a revolving nut, in which it is
screwed, and through a revolving collar in which there is a fast key which fits
in a key groove in the screw, to each of which a wheel is fixed, and these
wheels have an unequal number of teeth; each wheel is driven by a separate
pinion, one pinion being fixed to the driving shaft and the other loose on it,
but connected when required by a clutch box. When the press is ready for
starting, and the cotton is in a loose state, the screw is put in motion by the
wheel driven by the fast pinion on the driving shaft, and the cotton continues
to be compressed in this manner until the final compression is required.; the
second pinion is then brought into operation by throwing the clutch box into
gear without stopping the press, and so causing the screw to act differentially,

page_text: the speed being reduced, but power increased to any desired extent. When
a vertical press is preferred I make use of a similar movement slightly altered
so as to be able to work it either from a stage above or from the ground..
That this my said Invention may be the more readily seen and understood
I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings illustrative of two modifications
of my improvements in screw presses, like letters and figures being used to
denote similar parts.
Fig. is a side elevational view; Fig. 2 is a front end view, and Fig. 8 is a
plan, partly in section, of a horizontal screw press having one modification of
my improvement's applied thereto.
A represents the bed plate mounted upon wheels B, B, B, B, the front
axletree being fitted with a lock plate turning on a "perch bolt," and being
furnished with shafts C, C, to which a horse, bullock, or other animal may be
yoked when it is required to transport the press from place to place. To the
bed plate A the cross heads D and D', are bolted or screwed, such cross heads
being bolted together in the ordinary manner by the bolts E, E, and provided-
with brackets or ledges to support the body F or trunk of the press. Access
is gained to the interior of the press for the purpose of feeding or supplying
the substance to be baled, packed, or pressed, by means of the sliding, hinged,
or other doors G and G₁ (one of which, G', is shewn partially open in Fig. 8.).
And in order to "band or "rope" the bale or package, the rear end of the
press is provided with side doors at each side (which are removed in Fig. 1
in order to be able to see the interior of the press, but one of which H is seen
open in Fig. 8), which side doors hinge upon the sides, or top or bottom
of the framework, but by préference are jointed to the bottom, so that
when let down to the horizontal position (see Fig. 3) such doors may
form a platform for the packers to stand upon when "banding" or
*roping" the bale or package; and to ensure such doors being effectually
fastened the clamp plate I is caused to descend by turning the screw J by
means of the hand wheel K, and so grips the upper edges of the side doors
when closed, and holds them firmly in position; L, represents the press
screw which is jointed to the presser or pluger M, by a swivel joint, in
order that the screw may turn round without causing the presser or
plunger M to turn with it, which screw is screwed through the nut or
boss N working in a bearing in the cross head D¹, so that when rotary
motion is imparted to the nut N the said press screw is caused to move
backwards or forwards according to the direction in which the nut N is
turned. The spur wheel (O) is keyed upon the 'end of the nut N, and gears
into the pinion wheel P; working upon the driving shaft Q, which revolves.in
46

page_text: bearings in the brackets (R) and R', the said driving shaft being provided.
with a fast and loose pulley S and S', to which power may be applied by a
strap or band, with squares or their equivalents at each end of the said shaft,
in order that it may be worked with winch handles T, and a fly wheel (U) is
also keyed upon the said driving shaft. The spur wheel V which works in a
bearing upon the pedestal W has its boss bored out sufficiently large to
enable the press screw L to pass through it, and has a key fitted firmly into
the hole bored through its boss, whick key fits into a corresponding key
groove X, cut longitudinally down the whole length of the press screw L, so
that the said spur wheel V cannot turn without turning the press screw L
also, and at the same time the press screw is free to move backwards or for-
wards whilst the said spur wheel. remains perfectly stationary; the small
pinion wheel Y mounted loosely upon the driving shaft gears into the spur
wheel, and when put into gear by means of the lever Z, causing the clutch-
box Z¹ to lock into the projections on the said small pinion wheel, imparts a
revolving motion to the press screw.
Fig. 5 illustrates a side elevation partially in section, and Fig. 6 is a front
view of another modification of my improvements applied to the screw press;
the letters, which are the same as those in Figures 1, 2, and 3, represent the
same parts, and therefore no repetition as far as they are concerned is
needed. (a) represents half of a worm wheel which is keyed to the nut N,
and (6) is another half of a worm wheel having more or less teeth than the
other half, which is free to revolve upon the press screw L; the driving shaft C
working in bearings in the pedestals d, d, is provided with a fast and loose
pulleys and with squares and winch handles fand with a fly wheel 9, and
imparts rotary motion to the halves of the worm wheels a and b by means of
the endless worm h, which worm gears into and turns both halves of the worm
wheels at the same time. The clutch box i, which is bored out and provided
in the same manner in the hole through its boss as the spur wheel V in
Figs. 1, 2, and 3, herein-before described, allows the screw to move back-
wards and forwards whilst it (the clutch box) remains stationary, but by being
placed in gear with the half of the worm wheel 6-causes the press screw (L)
to revolve.
The manner of working the improved press may be thus described:-The
side doors H of the press being shut and fastened by the clamp plate. being
screwed down upon their edges, the press screw L should then be wound
back as far as practicable, and the sliding. or other doors Gand G₁ opened.
The substance to be baled, packed, or pressed may now be inserted through
the open doorways. into the body of the press, and when sufficiently full, the

page_text: sliding or other doors G and G' may be closed, and motion communicated to
the driving shaft by the winch handles or by power. The pinion wheel P will
then communicate rotary motion to the spur wheel O, and so cause the
presser or plunger M to advance at a comparatively quick speed, so com
pressing the contents of the press to a certain density without stopping the
driving shaft Q; the handle of the lever Z may then be pushed towards the
body of the press, and so cause the clutch box to gear into, and so impart
rotary motion to the small pinion wheel Y, which in its turn will cause the
spur wheel V to revolve, and thus the press screw L will rotate and unwind
itself at a certain speed; a compound or differential motion of the press
screw L will then be produced, and a slower speed, but an indefinately greater
pressing power will be the result. When the desired compression is effected,
the hand wheel K should be turned in order to release the clamp plate I,
and the side doors being then opened, the bale or package may be "banded"
or "roped" round in the usual way, and then be removed.
In using the modification shewn in Figs. 4 and 5, the half of the worm
wheel marked a produces the quick speed, and when greater power is deemed
necessary the clutch box i is thrown into gear, and so the other half of the
worm wheel 6 causes the press screw L to unwind itself at a certain speed;
thus a compound or differential motion is imparted whereby great power is
gained. The advantages of this worm gear consists in its compactness, a
consideration of no mean importance when applied to a portable press.
It will be readily understood that by having a double trunk or body to a
press, the gearing for working the screw being in the middle, that a presser
or plunger might be affixed to each end of the press screw, so that when one
side of the press is full and undergoing the compressing process, the other side
may be packed, and so no time be lost, and that although my improvements
.are represented as only applied to a horizontal press, that they are equally
applicable to a vertical stationary press, whether worked from the ground or
from a stage above.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my
said Invention, together with the best method with which I am acquainted
for carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details, relative proportions or
dimensions, as the same may be considerably varied without departing from
the Invention; but what I particularly claim is,-
Firstly, the methods of applying a differential or compound motion to screw
presses, whereby any required amount of power is gained, as herein-before
described and fully set forth, or any mere modification of the same.

page_text: Secondly, and lastly, the general arrangement and combination of the
various parts of the portable press, herein-before described and fully set forth,
or any mere modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Muir, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
JOHN G. WILSON,
Mechanical Engineer and Patent Agent,
Manchester.
ANDREW (L.B.) MUIR.