IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Wilson, of the Bridgwater Foundry, Patricroft,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HYDRAULIC PRESSES AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
ور
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Wilson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th June 1876.
ROBERT WILSON, of the Bridgwater Foundry, Patricroft, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES AND APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH."
This Invention consists, first, in certain improvements upon the bydraulic presses
described in reference to Fig. 5 of the Specification of former Letters Patent
granted to me on the 19th day of March 1862, No. 765, and in the distribution
valve boxes for working one or more pairs of pumps as described in the Specification
of Letters Patent granted to me in conjunction with James Nasmyth on the 3rd
day of November 1856, No. 2577.
The object of my present improvements in hydraulic presses is to simplify the
construction and to render the press of sufficient power and strength to compress
the balo within the proper limits by two operations in the same press, and thereby
to dispense with the second or finishing press, now generally employed to reduce
the size of the bale.
In performing my Invention, I employ one or more hydraulic cylinders, and one
or more rams for raising the bottom follower in the trunk, and to the follower I fix
two rods or pillars which pass down through holes in the press bottom. When
the follower has been raised to the proper level for giving the preliminary com-
pression to the cotton or other fibres in the trunk, these rods or pillars will have
been raised by the follower through the holes and to above the level of the top
side of the press bottom, and then they are blocked in that position to support the
bottom follower by a swivel plate which turns round the head of the cylinder
and covers over the holes through which the rods or pillars have been drawn, thus
giving a firm foundation to the rods or pillars for supporting the bottom follower
The final compression is given by two hydraulic rams fixed to the top follower,
which rams work in cylinders fixed to the under side of the press top, and the top
follower with its rams is raised after the bale has been lashed or hooped by a small
hydraulic ram and cylinder fixed on the top of the press.
[Price 6.]

page_text: The object of my present invention in distribution valve boxes is to admit
the water from any required number of pumps to the cylinders, and to afford
facility in reducing the number of pumps at work in proportion to the increased
resistance of the materials in the press, this is accomplished by the arrangement of
valves for admitting the water from the pumps, first to the bottom cylinder or
cylinders, and afterwards to the top cylinders above described, part of these valves
are self-acting, and others are worked by hand.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the' Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th December
1876.
ROBERT WILSON, of the Bridgwater Foundry, Patricroft, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer. " IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES AND APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH."
My Invention is particularly applicable to presses for baling cotton and other
similar substances by first pressing upwards and then compressing downwards for
finishing the bale as described in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted
to me on the 19th day of March 1862, and it consists in an improved mode of
applying two or more cylinders and rams or pistons to the same hydraulic press,
whereby the pressure can be regulated according to the resistance to be overcome.
In applying this part of my Invention to a press with three cylinders, one
cylinder is placed in the bottom of the press, the ram of which acts upon the
bottom follower, and is employed for giving the preliminary or packing pressure
to the cotton or other substance to be compressed. When the follower has been
raised to the required height it is locked or supported there by two rods or pillars,
which being attached to the follower are drawn up through holes or openings in
the bottom, and are blocked at their proper height by sliding blocks, the final or
finishing compression is then given by the top follower, acted upon by the two top
rams or pistons working in the two top cylinders. The top follower and rams or
pistons are raised to their highest position by a counterweight or other equivalent,
which acts so soon as the water is allowed to escape from the top cylinders.
My Invention consists also in an improved arrangement of the distribution boxes
of hydraulic presses.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the two accompanying Sheets of Drawings,
reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
On Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is a front view; Fig. 2 an end view of the press and distri-
bution boxes which are arranged for high and low pressure pumps, similar to those
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me in conjunction with
James Nasmyth on the 3rd day of November 1856, Number 2577; Fig. 3 is a plan
of the press bottom and also of the distribution boxes in position; Fig. 4 a plan of
the press top, and Fig. 5 a plan of the tie beam. On Sheet 2, Fig. 6 is a vertical
elevation in section; Fig. 7 is an end elevation in section; Fig. 8 a section through
the line A, B, on Figs. 6 and 7; Fig. 9 is a section through the line C, D; Fig. 10 a
section through the line E, F; Fig. 11 an enlarged elevation of the distribution
boxes, and Fig. 12 a plan of the same.
a is the bottom cylinder; b, the bottom ram; c, the bottom follower; d, d, the
pillars for supporting the follower; e, e, the locking blocks for the pillars; f, f, the
bottom doors for the gunny cloth being put on the bottom follower c; g, g',
the front and back top doors; h, the end door for relieving one end of the balo;
i, the sliding plate for relieving the other end of the bale when the door g¹ is
opened; ;, the top follower; k, k, the top cylinders which are bolted to the under
side of the press top, these cylinders may be lined with gun metal when pistons
are used so as not to injure the piston packing and provided with false bottoms and

page_text: The
leather packings, by this arrangement the press tops are not weakened.
object of the false bottom is to simplify the construction of the cylinder. When
rams are used the lining of the cylinder is not required, as the rams may be covered
with gun metal. l, l, are the pistons or rams which work in the cylinders k, k, for
giving the finishing pressure to the bale, and thus dispensing with the finishing
press now in general use, and saving both time and expense in working; m is the
counterbalance weight for raising the top follower. When the press is to be set
to work for baling cotton the top follower j should be up and the bottom follower c
down, as shewn in Fig. 1, and both are clothed with gunny cloth, and the bottom
doors f, f, locked. The trunk may now be filled, and the top doors g, g¹, and h
closed and locked. The distribution valves n, o, p, q, and r, shewn best in Figs. 11
and 12, are closed, and 8, t, opened to admit the water from a double set of force
pumps to the lower cylinder a, the ram b will then rise rapidly, and with it the
follower C, and the two pillars d, d. When the resistance of the cotton or other
similar substance equals the pressure on the ram b, one set of the pumps will be
relieved by opening the valve, to allow the water to return to the supply cistern
and the remaining pumps will force up the ram at a slower speed, but with
increased power until the resistance of the fibres again equals the pressure on the
ram b, the valve n should now be opened and the valves q and r closed, the power
will again be increased, and the motion reduced by a still less number of pumps
being in action on the ram, the follower c will now be raised with its pillars d, d,
as shewn in Fig. 6, so as to admit the blocks e, e, under the pillars and over the
openings through which the pillars have come up. The top doors g, g¹, and h, should
now be opened, and the sliding plate i released to set free the bale at the sides and
ends, and immediately the valve n is closed, and the valve p opened (the valve q
having been previously closed) to allow the water from the pumps to enter the top
cylinders k, k, which will force down the top follower j by the rams or pistons 1, 1,
until the resistance is equal to the pressure on the said rams or pistons, the valve n
is then opened to bring the rams or pistons down with the full finishing force
required, thus dispensing with the finishing press now in general use, and saving
both expense and labour in pressing and compressing the bale. This compound
press produces a more perfect bale than can be produced by ordinary finishing
presses. When the bale is finished by lashing or hooping, the valve p is closed
and q is opened, the top follower j will then be raised by the counterbalance
weight m, the bottom follower will also rise with the pillars d, d, and release the
locking blocks e, e, which are then withdrawn, the valves s and t must now be
closed and the valve o opened to allow the lower ram with the follower c and
pillars d, d, to descend to their first position, when again the follower c and j may.
be clothed for the next bale. In some cases the valve r may not be required.
On referring to Figs. 1 and 6, it will be seen that the weight m is made in
several pieces, when it is necessary to replace the packings of the rams or pistons I, I,
the upper parts of the weight are removed, leaving only sufficient weight to balance
the follower j, and the rams or pistons 1, 1, will descend out of the cylinders k, k,
so as to expose the packings and rings.
It is evident that the number of cylinders and rams or pistons may be varied,
and that the same set of pumps may be applied to several presses, each press
having its own set of distribution valve boxes, as shewn and described.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described a convenient
mode of performing the same, I declare that I claim―
First. The improved compound hydraulic press, shewn and described, consisting
of one or more cylinders and rams for working the bottom follower, and one or
more cylinders and rams or pistons for working the top follower, whereby the bale
is completed by two operations in the same press without the usual finishing press
being required.
Secondly. The improved mode of constructing the cylinders k, and connecting
them to the press top, whereby the press top is not weakened, as shewn and
described.

page_text: Thirdly. The improved mode of locking the bottom follower, as shewn and
described.
And, Fourthly. The improved arrangement of and mode of working the distribution
valves of hydraulic presses for increasing the power in proportion to the resistance,
as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Wilson, have hereto set my hand and
seal, this Twentieth day of December, One thousand eight hundred and
Seventy-giv
ROBERT WILSON. (L.S.)