Improvements in Cloth Pressing Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 5th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cloth Pressing Machines.
I, ERNST GESSNER of Aue, in the Kingdom of Saxony, Machine Builder, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to cloth pressing machines having a rotary cylinder and
heated concave presser plates about the same. In such machines the cloth when
carried round with the cylinder, is subjected to friction against the presser plates
whilst under pressure between them and the cylinder which gives rise to certain
defects, amongst others that of producing on certain goods a peculiar metallic lustre
or glaze, known as the stove pipe glaze, which is frequently considered objection-
able, the fabric being moreover subjected to such excessive tension as to become
diminished in width. Another defect is that certain fabrics, especially starched
goods, are liable to adhere to the presser plates and become torn.
The object of this invention is to obviate these defects, and this is accomplished
by making the rotating motion of the cylinder and the pressing action of the
presser plates intermittent and alternate, so that the fabric only receives pressure
when the cylinder is stationary and is only carried through the machine by the
rotation of the cylinder when the presser plates are out of contact with the cloth,
this intermittent action being so regulated that there shall not be any deficiency or
excess of pressure of any portions of the fabric. The application and separation
of the presser plates to and from the cylinder may be effected by various means,
such as toggle joints, cams, screws, or hydraulic power, and may be effected by
motion of the presser plates or of the cylinder or of both according to the number
and arrangement of the presser plates, of which there may be one, two, or more,
arranged about one cylinder or several cylinders each acting in combination with
one or several presser plates. An endless travelling apron may travel between the
cylinder and presser plates along with the fabric to be pressed, and the presser
plates may be lined or provided with a metallic press sheet or jacket made of
German silver or other metal.
I will now briefly describe various examples of the mode of carrying out my
improvement, to which however I do not limit my invention, as the means of
moving the presser plates to and from the cylinder can be varied still further
without departing from the invention.
According to one arrangement in which two steam heated presser plates are
arranged respectively above and below the cylinder the lower presser plate journals
are supported in fixed bearings whilst those of the cylinder and of the upper
presser plate are supported in bearings to which up and down motion is imparted
by mechanism, such as hereinafter described, the extent of such motion being twice
as great for the top presser plate as for the cylinder, so that in the upward motion
the former is raised from the latter and the latter is raised from the lower
stationary presser plate to about the same distance apart. The motion is produced
by toggle mechanism, one at each end of the machine each consisting of two main
members whereof the one is a radius arm turning loose on the journal of the lower
stationary presser and pivoted to the. lower cross-head of the other member. This
member is composed of the lower crosshead above mentioned and an upper
crosshead pivoted on the journal of the upper presser, the two crossheads being
coupled by a pair of rods provided with screw adjustments and spring loops to
regulate and render elastic the pressure. The lower crosshead has a guide slot
in which plays a crank pin and die block ou a rotating crank driven from the main
shaft whereby a pendulum-like motion is imparted to said member which under the

page_text: control of the radius arm constituting the other member of the toggle is caused to
move up and down. When the two members of the toggle are in the vertical line
of centres, or at the dead point, the upper presser plate is forced down upon the
cylinder which is at same time stationary and bearing upon the lower presser
plate, so that the fabric about the cylinder is pressed between it and the two presser
plates, whereas when the toggle joints are moved to the one side or the other of the
line of centres the upper presser plate is raised off the cylinder which is at same
time also raised off the lower presser plate by suspension links coupling the journals
of the upper presser plate and of the cylinder through a slotted or loose connection
with the latter which permits of the upper presser plate being raised about half its
distance of travel before it takes the cylinder along with it. The fabric on the
cylinder being then out of contact with both presser plates is carried through the
machine by the intermittent rotation of the cylinder which is turned by a pawl
engaging a wheel on the cylinder and carried by an arm pivoted about the cylinder
journal and operated through a link from the crank which actuates the toggle, the
amount of feed being regulated by a screw abutment which when struck by the tail
lever of the pawl throws the latter out of engagement, the feed and drawing rollers
of the fabric being geared with the cylinder and the parts being so timed that the
feed takes place only when the pressers are quite separated from the cylinder and
the pressure is applied only when the cylinder is stationary. It is obvious that the
lifting and lowering mechanism for the presser plates may be varied and that the
latter may be placed at opposite sides of, instead of above and below, the cylinder
and be moved horizontally instead of vertically and that only one pressing
plate may be used either it or the cylinder or both being movable the one from
the other.
Assuming however the arrangement to be the same, the upper presser plate
might be fixed and the lower one movable and be operated directly by one or
more hydraulic rams the cylinder journal bearings moving in vertical guide_slots
limiting the descent of the cylinder, so that when the pressure is released the
cylinder may drop away from the upper presser plate and the lower presser plate
drop still further away from the cylinder leaving the cylinder free of pressure
which may then be rotated for feeding the fabric as before described. When the
hydraulic pressure is applied, the lower presser plate first rises and then carries up
with it the cylinder until it bears against the upper presser plate. Or the lower
presser may be stationary, and the hydraulic power applied to the upper one which
together with the cylinder is made movable as first described or both may be
movable symmetrically with regard to the cylinder, either in the vertical or
horizontal direction.
According to another arrangement, more than two presser plates, four for
example, are arranged symmetrically about the cylinder and simultaneously moved
radially outward therefrom in guides, by links coupled to their guide blocks and to
the buss of a lover pivoted on each cylinder journal and oscillated by a crank
working in a curved slot in the lever whereby the necessary period of rest is
obtained for the application of pressure to the fabric, the lever also carrying the
pawl by which the cylinder is rotated intermittently during the period when the
presser plates are retracted from the cylinder. The links and the boss to which
they are coupled in common, act as so many sets of toggles, the links being of such
form as to be capable of passing the cylinder journal to the dead point at the side
farthest from the respective presser plates for the purpose of drawing the latter
with the necessary pressure against the cylinder.
According to another arrangement, a greater number of presser plates are
encircled by a band or chain near each end to which they are attached like the
shoes of a strap brake, the ends of each band being connected to the oppositely
moving members of a toggle, operated by a lever from a crank on the main shaft so
that on the crank reaching the one dead point the pressers are drawn tightly
against the cylinder and are moved away therefrom by the slacking of the band as
the crank approaches its other dead point. The intermittent rotation of the

page_text: cylinder is effected by a pawl motion carried by a radius arm pivoted on the
cylinder journal and connected by a die and slot with the connecting rod through
which the toggle motion is operated from the crank.
According to another arrangement a single presser plate is substituted for so
many separate steam heated presser boxes, said presser plate being flexible,
encircling about three-fourths of the cylinder, more or less, and being fastened at
one end to a stationary, and at the other to a movable, cross-frame attached at each
end to a toggle-joint operated by a lever from a crank on the main shaft whereby the
presser plate is alternately tightened and slackened about the cylinder, the pressure
being regulated by an adjustable eccentric bush for the pivot of the said lever.
The cylinder is rotated intermittently, by means such as before described, to carry
the fabric through the machine when the presser plate is slackened about the
cylinder.
In order to heat the presser plate, it is surrounded by a jacket or casing supplied
with air heated by gas flames.
.תנית
1141 1 M. 1902
E. GESONEN,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cloth Pressing Machines.
1, ERNST GESSNER of Auc, in the Kingdom of Saxony, Machine Builder,
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 :-
This invention relates to cloth-pressing machines having a rotary cylinder and
heated concave presser-plates about the same.
In such machines the cloth, when carried round with the cylinder, is subjected
to friction against the presser plates whilst under pressure between them and the
cylinder, which pressure gives rise to certain defects, amongst others that of
producing on certain goods a peculiar metallic lustre or glaze known as the
stove-pipe glaze which is frequently considered objectionable, the fabric,
moreover, being subjected to such excessive tension as to become diminished in
width. Another defect is that certain fabrics, especially starched goods, are
liable to adhere to the presser plates and be torn.
<6
"
The object of this invention is to obviate these defects, and this is accomplished
by making the rotating motion of the cylinder and the pressing action of the
presser plates intermittent, and causing them to alternate the one with the other,
so that the fabric only receives pressure when the cylinder is stationary and is
only carried through the machine by the rotation of the cylinder when the presser
plates are out of contact with the cloth, these intermittent and alternating actions
being so regulated that there shall not be any deficiency or excess of pressure on
any portions of the fabric. The application to, and separation from, the cylinder
of the presser plates, may be effected by various means, such as toggle joints,
cams, screws, or hydraulic power, and may be effected either by motion of the
presser plates, or of the cylinder, or of both, according to the number and
arrangement of the presser plates, of which there may be one, two, or more,
arranged about one cylinder, or several cylinders, each acting in combination with
one or several presser-plates. An endless apron may travel between the cylinder
and presser-plates along with the fabric to be pressed and the presser-plates may
be lined or provided with a metallic press-sheet or jacket made of German silver
or other metal.
I will now briefly describe various examples of the mode of carrying out my

page_text: improvement, to which, however, I do not limit my invention as the means of
moving the presser-plates towards and away from, the cylinder may be varied still
further without departing from the invention.
According to the arrangement illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 which shew
respectively a central transverse section and a front elevation of one end of the
machine, M M' are two steam-heated presser plates arranged respectively below
and above the cylinder W, the lower presser plate journals X being supported
in fixed bearings in the frame G whilst the journals X2 of the cylinder and X' of
the upper presser plate M pass through vertical slots in the frame G and are
supported in bearings to which up and down motion is imparted by mechanism such
as hereinafter described, the extent of such motion being twice as great for the
top presser plate as for the cylinder, so that in the upward motion the upper
presser plate M' is raised from the cylinder W and the latter is separated from
the lower stationary presser plate M to about the same extent. This motion is
produced by toggle mechanism, one at each end of the machine and each consisting
of two main members whereof the one is a radius arm H turning loose on the
journal X of the lower stationary presser M and pivoted by pin X to the lower
cross-head C' of the other member H'. This member is composed of the lower
cross-head C¹ above mentioned and an upper cross-head C pivoted on the journal X'
of the upper presser M', the two cross-heads CC being coupled by a pair of
rods Z Z provided with screw adjustments, to regulate the pressure, and spring
loops to enable the rods to yield to any excessive strain. The lower cross-
head C has a guide slot C in which plays a die-block L in which is journaled a
crank pin X on a rotating crank X on a shaft driven from the main shaft Xs by
wheels R R¹ whereby a pendulum like motion is imparted to said member H'
which under the control of the radius arm H constituting the other member of
the toggle is caused to move up and down. When the two members of the toggle
are in the vertical line of centres or at the dead point, the upper presser plate M¹
is forced down upon the cylinder W which is at same time stationary, and
bearing upon the lower presser plate M so that the fabric about the cylinder is
pressed between it and the two presser plates, whereas when the toggle joints are
moved to the one side or the other of the line of centres the upper presser plate M'
is raised off the cylinder W which is at same time also raised off the lower presser
plate M by suspension links B coupling the journals ✗' of the upper presser
plate to those ✗% of the cylinder through a slotted or loose connection with the
latter, which permits of the upper presser plate M¹ being raised about half its
distance of travel before it takes the cylinder W along with it. The fabric on the
cylinder being then out of contact with both presser plates is carried through the
machine by the intermittent rotation of the cylinder W which is effected by
pawl P with counter-balance n engaging a wheel R2 on the cylinder, the pawl being
carried by an arm H2 pivoted about the cylinder journal X2 and operated through
a link S by a crank arm K fast on the end of the crank pin X³ which actuates
the toggle, the amount of feed being regulated by a screw abutment i which when
struck by the tail n of the pawl throws the latter out of engagement, the feed
rollers u u¹ and drawing rollers u³ us for the fabric being geared with the cylinder.
It will be seen that the timing of the toggle and feed motions is such that the
feed takes place only when the pressers M M' are quite separated from the
cylinder W and the pressure is applied only when the cylinder W is stationary.
It is obvious that the lifting and lowering mechanism for the presser plates, may
be varied and that the latter may be placed at opposite sides of, instead of above
and below, the cylinder and be moved horizontally instead of vertically, and that
only one pressing plate may be used, either it or the cylinder or both being
movable the one from the other.
Figures 3 and 4 shew respectively a front elevation, partly in section, and an
end view of a similar arrangement to the one just described, excepting that the
upper presser plate M' is fixed and the lower one M is movable in guides C in
the frames G and is operated directly by a hydraulic ram K working in cylinder D,

page_text: the cylinder journal bearings X moving in vertical guide slots C¹ limiting the
descent of the cylinder W so that when the hydraulic pressure is released the
cylinder W may drop away from the upper presser plate M' and the lower
presser plate M will drop still further, away from the cylinder W leaving the
cylinder free of pressure. The cylinder may then be rotated for feeding the
fabric, as before described. When the hydraulic pressure is applied the lower
presser plate M first rises and then carries up with it the cylinder W until it
bears against the upper presser plate M. More than oue hydraulic ram may be
applied to operate the lower presser. plate, or instead of hydraulic power,
mechanical means such as toggles, cams, or screws, may be applied to operate it,
the means for rotating the cylinder and drawing the fabric through the machine
being the same as shewn in Figure 1. Or the lower presser may be stationary
and the hydraulic power applied to the upper one which together with the
cylinder is made movable as first described, or both may be movable symmetrically
with regard to the cylinder either in the vertical or horizontal direction.
Referring to Figure 5 which is an end elevation of a cloth-pressing machine
having four presser plates M' M' M³ M, arranged symmetrically about the
cylinder W and simultaneously moved radially outward therefrom in
guides C C C C (formed in the frames G) by pairs of links Z¹ Z³ Z³ Z' whose
outer ends are coupled to the slide blocks at each end of the four presser plates.
and whose inner ends are pivoted to the pins 1 2 3 and 4 on the boss of a lever H
piroted on each cylinder journal X and oscillated by a crank K fixed on shaft X*
and working in a curved slot F in the lever H whereby the necessary period of rest
is obtained for the application of pressure to the fabric, the lever H also carrying
the pawl P engaging the wheel R fixed to the shaft of cylinder W by which the
latter is rotated intermittently during the period when the presser plates are
retracted from the cylinder. The links Z1 Z3 Z3 Z4 and the boss to which they are
coupled in common, act as so many sets of toggles, the links being of curved form
so as to be capable of passing the cylinder journal to the dead point at the side
farthest from their respective presser plates for the purpose of drawing the latter
with the necessary pressure against the cylinder. R' is a fly-wheel fixed on
shaft X'.
Figure 6 is an end elevation of a cloth pressing machine having ten presser
plates M' to M10 arranged around a cylinder W and encircled by bands or chains J,
one near each end, and to which they are attached like the shoes of a strap brake,
the ends of each band J being connected to the oppositely-moving members z z¹ of
a toggle operated by a lever H through rod S from a crank K on the main shaft X"
so that on the crank reaching the one dead point, as shewn, the pressers M¹ to M10
are drawn tightly against the cylinder W and are moved away therefrom by the
slacking of the band J as the crank K approaches its other dead point. The
intermittent rotation of the cylinder is effected by a pawl P engaging wheel R
and carried by a radius arm H¹ pivoted on the cylinder journal X and connected by
a die and pin t and slot i with the connecting rod S.
Referring to Figure 7 which is an end elevation of a cloth pressing machine and
wherein a single presser plate U is substituted for so many separate steam heated
presser-boxes, said presser plate being flexible, encircling about three-fourths (more
or less) of the cylinder Wand being fastened at one end to a stationary cross-
frame T and at the other end to a movable cross-frame T¹ attached at each end to
the joint of a radius link H on the one hand and a pair of a toggle levers H¹ H⁹
on the other hand, the latter lever H being a bell crank lever whose other arm is
coupled to a crank K on the main shaft X' whereby the presser plate U is.
alternately tightened and slackened about the cylinder W, the pressure being
regulated by an adjustable eccentric pivot X' upon which the lever H² is mounted.
The cylinder W is rotated intermittently, by means such as before described, to
carry the fabric through the machine when the presser plate is slackened about the
cylinder.
In order to heat the presser plate U it is surrounded by a jacket or casing N

page_text: between which and the presser plate pass the products of combustion of a gas-
flame burning in combustion chamber M.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A cylinder cloth-pressing machine wherein the presser plates and cylinder are
so combined and operated that the cylinder remains stationary whilst the cloth is
being pressed between their pressing surfaces and is rotated when the pressure is
relieved for advancing the cloth through the machine so as to avoid all friction of
the fabric between the pressing surfaces during the pressing operation.
2. In a cylinder cloth-pressing machine comprising the cylinder and two presser
plates at diametrically-opposite sides thereof, the combination, with a stationary
presser plate, of a cylinder movable towards and away from the stationary presser
plate and a presser plate movable towards and away from the cylinder, as specified.
3. In a cylinder cloth pressing machine, the combination, with the movable
cylinder between stationary and movable presser plates, of toggle mechanism, the
two members whereof are pivoted respectively to a fixed point and to the movable
presser plate, and of link connections between the movable presser plate and the
cylinder whereby they are moved in the same direction but to different extents, as
specified.
4. In a cylinder cloth-pressing machine, the combination, with a movable
cylinder between stationary and movable presser plates, of toggle mechanism
actuating the cylinder and movable presser plate towards and from the stationary
presser plate, and of feed mechanism actuated by the toggle-operating crank and so
timed as to rotate the cylinder when the presser plates and cylinder are separated,
substantially as specified.
5. In a cylinder cloth-pressing machine, the combination, with an intermittently-
rotating cylinder, of pressers movable radially to said cylinder and of toggle
mechanisms whereof one member is common to all the pressers and is formed by a
boss pivoted about the cylinder journals and connected by links forming the other
members to the respective pressers, substantially as specified.
6. In a cylinder cloth-pressing machine, the combination, with the cylinder,
pressers movable radially thereto, toggle mechanisms constructed as described and
operated by a crank working in a lever slotted so as to give to the cylinder the
dwell necessary for the application of the pressure, of pawl and ratchet feed
mechanism actuated by the same lever for rotating the cylinder when the pressure
is relaxed, substantially as specified.
7. In a cloth-pressing machine, the combination, with the intermittently-rotating
cylinder, of pressers carried by encircling bands which are alternately tightened
and slackened by toggle gear substantially as specified, and of feed mechanism by
which the rotary motion is given to the cylinder when the bands are slackened.
. 8. In a cylinder cloth-pressing machine, the combination, with the intermittently
rotating cylinder and its actuating gear, of a flexible presser sheet encircling the
cylinder and of toggle gear whereby the presser is intermittently drawn tight
around the cylinder for applying pressure to the fabric passing between them.
9. The respective arrangements of cylinder cloth-pressing machines, constructed
as herein specified with reference to the respective figures of the drawings,
wherein the pressing action of the presser plates and cylinder is alternated with
the revolving motion of the cylinder, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose specified.
Dated this 5th day of Dobra 1904