IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES FOR PRESSING INDIGO OR OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IMPROVED' CUTTING DEVICES TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Olpherts, of Ardee House, Ardee, in
the County of Louth, Ireland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PRESSES FOR PRESSING INDIGO OR OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IMPROVED'
CUTTING DEVICES TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.
33
Sealed the 25th August 1871, and dated the 10th June 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Olpherts at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 10th June 1871.
I, RICHARD OLPHERTS, of Ardee House, Ardee, in the County of
5 Louth, Ireland, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES FOR PRESSING INDIGO OR OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND
IMPROVED CUTTING DEVICES TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH," to be as
follows:-
In the Provisional Specification of a former Invention of "Improve-
) ments in. Presses for Pressing Indigo or other Substances," for which
I have obtained Provisional Protection dated the 22nd May 1871,
No. 1369, I stated that in screw presses which are worked by nuts
actuated on the screw and tangent principle I made the tangent screws

page_text: and nuts alternately right and left in order to prevent the end strain or
thrust of the tangent screw shaft being discharged on the brackets or
bearings which carry it. I now further carry out this principle, and for
this purpose I make the tangent screw shaft work over or through the
centre of the press beam, and cause each screw to gear into two nuts,
one at each side, in place of gearing into only one nut, as in my
previous arrangement. The beam will thus be perfectly balanced as far
as regards the strains brought to bear upon it. The screws may be
made to act as stays or to form part of the sides of the press.
In order to make a press the capacity of which shall be equal to the
combined capacity of a number of presses such as are now used, in fact
equal to the requirements of any indigo factory; I make the sides and
false bottom in pieces of such size and weight as will allow them to be
readily put together, and so that by employing more or less of these
pieces as occasion may require the size of the press may be increased or
diminished accordingly. The adjoining edges or faces of these pieces are
slightly beveled, joints at the corners being avoided, and when they are
brought together they are held and supported by bars or brackets and
clamped. The pieces forming the short sides of the press extend partly to
the long sides, and are beveled from the inside so as to grasp the beveled
edges of the long sides. Wedges driven between the screws and the
short sides bind the whole together, and when these wedges are removed
the parts come to pieces readily, or the internal capacity of the press
may be reduced from the inside by packing.
•
I make the follower or ram also of a number of pieces with slightly
beveled edges, so that they act as wedges one to the other, being easily
put into position, and being nearly self-adjusting, driving each other
homė. The area of the follower can be increased or diminished by
employing more or less of these pieces, and I have besides the power of
inspecting the stage of pressing from time to time by lifting up one
of the pieces. As the pieces which are first put into position maỷ,
owing to their weight, sink in the indigo, some or all of the pieces may
in the first stage of pressing be of wood and be afterwards replaced by
iron pieces.
The platform may be constructed entirely of iron or otherwise, and
grooved to carry off the expressed liquid or to receive ropes when the
press is used for pressing bale goods. The lower parts of the sides of
the press are grooved to receive the upper portions of rollers (the objects

page_text: of which are herein-after explained) which are let into the rim of the
false bottom at all four sides, or these rollers may be entirely let into
the sides of the press, and the increased thickness required for this
purpose may serve or partly serve as the lower support like a cornice,
which may be extended into a bracket the whole length of the press; or
the rollers may be entirely let into the false bottom.
To avoid the waste caused by turning over the block of indigo pre-
paratory to cutting it into cakes as in the old method I arrange the
press so that the block may be cut in the press itself. This may be
effected by means of wires set in the press and attached to the rollers
before mentioned, which I make hollow for the purpose. Two of these
rollers, viz., a long side roller, and a short side roller are square internally,
while the interior of the other rollers which are opposite to them is
round. The ends of the wires are attached to spools placed in these
rollers, the spools in the round bored rollers forming handles by which to
draw the wires across for cutting; the other spools being set in the
square enables the wires to be wound round their small spindles to ensure
tension before dropping them into place. The opposite ends of the
wires may be slackened when required by unwinding the spools by a
key or otherwise, locking bars being used to keep the spools in place; or
I let the wires through the press and fasten them there, the one end to
a handle, the other end being fixed. To effect this the sheet forming
the lining of the press may be composed of parts, the bottom of one
piece the sides of other pieces passed out between the false bottom and
the sides of the press which are buffed for protection. In this case it
may be well to allow the rim of the false bottom to project beyond the
sides of the press, which have an external flange to rest on the pro-
jecting rim of the false bottom, the ends of the several pieces of sheeting
being between them, and the wires being between the sheeting retained
by the weight of the sides. The sides may be further pressed together
to a close joint by clamps cut or formed in the brackets to embrace the
projecting rim of the false bottom and the flange of the sides of the
press. This support may be of triangular form, the upper portion of
the inside face pressing against the side of the press, and the lower
portion against the platform while the base rests on the ground. By
the addition of small wedges I ensure strength and the perfect position
of the press itself. This arrangement combines both bracket and cramp.
If desired the brackets may be further secured by screws. When the

page_text: size of the press is reduced packing may be introduced between the
brackets and the press. Or the cutting of the block may be effected by
wires laid across the bottom, one end being fixed to the zinc plate, and
the other being led round and under it with sufficient slack to be drawn
out by a wire set for the purpose..
For any
of these arrangements I employ a guiding board to secure an
even and straight cut. One or more wires may be laid below the
cutting wires to detach the block as cut into cakes from the bottom of
the press.
Or I can cut the indigo with a knife working vertically on
a pivot at one end, or with a series of blades or knives so set and spaced
and guarded by stops, the outer one of the series being flat edged and
set a little deeper, and not being used to cut, but as a further safeguard
to the sheet or to the perforated zinc bottom when such is used above
the sheet. These blades can be detached by being folded back separately
on hinges for the purpose of freeing the other cut lengths of indigo from
the cutting blades. These blades traversé on a bar arranged along the
long side of the press. The lengths so cut can be cross cut with hand
wires. The guiding board may be provided with embossed letters for
the purpose of marking the cubes with the ordinary factory stamp or
other required information. Or I can cut the indigo with a wire set in
a bow or frame similar to a billet saw or by means of a guillotine, singly
or otherwise, the indigo being freed from its side by any convenient
arrangement which will drive it out. The discharged indigo will be
received on a tray set see-saw fashion for the purpose; or I can cut the
indigo with two-sided cutters resembling the "slays" or two-sided
spades used in cutting peat, each cake cut being discharged by the next
following cut. A handle in the form of a wire or otherwise may be
fitted horizontally to the sides of the cutter to draw it forward without
prising it back against the uncut portion of the block.
I arrange my press across or in such a position in relation to the
"table" as to enable the contents of the table to be discharged directly
into the press; a separate press house is thus dispensed with, and the
table cloth or part of it may be used as the sheeting for the press, but
without rollers.
By the arrangements before described the sheeting is double at the
bottom. In order to double it at the sides I drop the required length
on to the bottom, thus overlapping the fold in the sheet caused by the
setting of the roller in it. To ensure this being kept in position, and to

page_text: allow of its coming out freely when required,. I tongue it with a narrow
strip of zinc or other suitable substance.
Among the advantages gained by the improvements herein-before
described I may mention the following:-Economy in the first cost of
the plant, and in renewals and repairs; a saving of about two-thirds
of the sheeting; one or two settings of the presses in place of twenty
settings; only 4 corners in place of 40; about 140 outside cakes in
lieu of about 400; no waste by conveying the indigo in buckets from
the "table" to the press; little or no paring of the cakes; less oppor-
tunity for peculation, as there are few scraps, and the press may be
filled, closed, and opened, and the indigo cut in the presence of the
manager; reduction in the "washings" in proportion to the reduction
in the sheeting; little possibility of loss by the sheet bursting; uni-
formity of thickness in the cakes, it can be seen when the mass is
sufficiently pressed; there is no breakage by turning over the block of
indigo; carpenters will be no longer required; the process may be
repeated every four hours in the same press; should any part of the
press get broken it can be readily replaced, each piece being numbered;
the indigo is not liable to suffer from handling; the sheets require no
scwing.
2
Although T have desavibad
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Olpherts in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD,
OLPHERTS, of Ardee House, Ardee, in the County of Louth, Ireland,.
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Richard Olpherts,, Her special licence that I,
the said Richard Olpherts, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Richard Olpherts, my executors, adminis-

page_text: trators, 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 PRESSES 5
FOR PRESSING, INDIGO OR OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IMPROVED CUTTING DEVICES TO
BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Richard Olpherts, 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 1
Invention, and in what manner the same was 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 Richard Olpherts, do hereby declare 1
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say :-
In the Specification of a former Invention for improvements in presses
for pressing indigo or other substances, for which I have obtained
Letters Patent dated the 22nd May 1871, No. 1369, I stated that in
screw presses which are worked by nuts actuated on the screw and
tangent principle, I made the tangent screws and nuts alternately
right handed and left handed in order to prevent the end strain or thrust
of the tangent screw shaft being discharged on the brackets or bearings
which carry it.
I now further carry out this principle, and for this purpose I make
the tangent screw shaft work over or through the centre of the press
beam, and I cause each screw to gear into two nuts, one at each side, in 3
place of gearing into one nut only, as in my previous arrangement, the
beam will thus be perfectly balanced as far as regards the strain brought
to bear upon it, or I set my tangent shaft between two beams, each
worm or screw gearing into the nuts of the vertical screws which pass
through both ends of the two press beams. I attach transverse beams a
to these beams for the purpose of distributing the pressure evenly over
the surface. The vertical screws may be used to act as stays for the
supporting bars of the sides of the box.

page_text: In order to make the boxes of my press of a size equal to the com-
bined capacity of a number of the boxes such as are now used, in fact to
make a press equal to the requirements of a factory, I make the sides,.
false bottom, and lids of the boxes up in pieces of such sizes and weights
as will not only allow of their being readily handled, but I also make
such pieces to correspond in size, so that by employing more or less of
them, as occasion may require, the size of the boxes may be increased or
diminished accordingly. For example, I would make up such a box of
pieces as follows:-The lid or follower of 15 pieces (by preference 5 rows
of 3 each), the sides of 12 (the corners being turned), and the false
bottom of 5 pieces. I slightly bevel all the sides of the pieces com-
posing the lid where they join each other, the sides of such pieces which.
form the outside of the lid being straight; by this means the pieces act
as wedges one to the other, are easily put in position, and being nearly
self-adjusting drive cach other home, the centre piece being bevelled on
all four sides like the frustrum of a pyramid forms a key piece and affords
the power of inspecting the stage of the pressing by the lifting of it up.
To enable me to reduce the size of a box, say, of 7 feet 6 inches long and
4 feet broad to 6 feet long and 4 feet broad, or to 4 feet 6 inches long
and 4 feet broad, I withdraw Nos. 4, 5, and 6 of the lid, that is to say,
the three pieces which form the second row with the corresponding side
pieces and false bottom, and close up Nos. 1, 2, and 3, that is to say,
the pieces composing the first row. If you want further to reduce the
size of the box withdraw the corresponding section, viz., pieces Nos. 10,
11, and 12, which form the fourth row, and close up the end or last row.
Again, by employing straight pieces for the ends or short sides of the
box in place of those turned at the corners, and by taking out more of
the picces which form the lid and using angle pieces to fill or square up
the bevelled edges or sides of the remaining pieces forming the lid you
can reduce the box to as small a size as 18 inches square, or the capacity.
of the box may be reduced by packing. When the lid is thus made
up in pieces those which are first put in position may, owing to
their weight, sink into the liquid indigo; to avoid this some or all of
the pieces forming the lid may in the first stage of the pressing be of

page_text: fitted with cotters so as to be available for whatever size the box may
be reduced to. The pieces forming the sides are kept in position by
clamp keys let into the upper rim of the channel iron like the con-
necting clamp of a dining table.
dining table. I secure the lower flange of the
channel iron sides to the platform by cramps or combined cramps and
brackets to embrace the projecting rim of the bottom of the box and the
flange of the channel iron of which I prefer to make its sides. This
cramp and bracket may be of a triangular form, the upper portion of
the inside face pressing against the side of the box and the lower
portion against the platform, while the base rests on the ground. I
prefer making the sides of the box of pieces the full depth. The sides
of the box may be made of cast iron, and grooved at the bottom to
receive the upper portion of the rollers (the objects of which are herein-
after explained). The lower portion of the rollers may be let into the
rim of the platform, or may rest upon it, or these rollers may be entirely
let into the sides of the box or be entirely bedded in the platform.
When the box is made of channel iron the rollers are held in position by
brackets outside. I prefer to have the top of the rollers on a level with
the floor or bottom of the box, which I make of iron grooved to carry
off the expressed liquid, and with a tap, drain, and spout. I make
provision in the platform for ropes or other like devices when the press
is used for bale goods.
For the lining of the box I employ two sheets, the lower one placed
lengthways, across this I lay the upper sheet, to which are attached the
corner pieces; the rollers are then placed in position (and on the sheet)
cutting wires, as herein-after described, are then strained and the sheets
folded back over the rollers; the pieces forming the sides of the box are
then set up and the ends of the sheet are drawn up against the side walls
of the box, sufficient being left to cover the top when filled. I can make
the press capable of pressing at the same time two or more boxes one
above the other, and I can release the lower box from the pressure of the
upper one by lifting the upper tier bodily from the lower one by means
of a chain (fitted with screw shackles) from each of the four nuts and
made fast to beams or bars, which pass through the joist beams or
otherwise of the bed of the upper tier, which joist beams may partly
act as press blocks on the follower of the lower box; in this case I
employ the boss or lower part of the nuts as drums, round which the
lifting or lowering chains are wound, being directed into position by

page_text: chain wheels set from the girders. The reversing of the motion of the
tangent shaft lifts the upper tier with ease and accuracy, or a winch or
other analogous arrangement may be used for this purpose set on the
top of the structure.
To avoid waste, as also the breaking of the block of indigo (not an
uncommon occurrence), caused by the turning over of the block of
indigo to free it from the sheet preparatory to cutting it into cakes,
as is at present the custom, the press is so arranged that the block of
indigo may be cut in the press itself. This may be effected by means
of wires set along the floor of the box over the sheeting and attached to
the rollers before mentioned; two of these rollers, viz., a long side roller
and a short side roller may be square internally, while the interiors of
the rollers which are opposite to them are round. The ends of the
wires may be attached to spools or shuttles; those in the round bored
rollers may form the handles by which to draw the wires for cutting,
the other spools may be set in the square to enable the wires to be
wound round their small spindles to ensure tension before dropping
them into place. The wires set in the round rollers may be slackened
by unwinding the spools, which are fitted with journals, by a key or
otherwise; or a locking bar may be used to keep the spools or shuttles
in their place; which bar might at the same time complete or form part
of the periphery of the roller; or the wires may be fastened to a roller
on one side and be wound round a screw peg, like a harp string, 'by
a key (to give tension) set in the opposite roller, which may be half
round. The other half of the roller may be provided with holes to
receive the heads of the pegs, or both rollers may be made round with
grooves at proper distances apart wherein to bed the wires. The wires
may be passed out between the sides of the box and its bottom. To
effect. this the lining of the box may be composed of parts, the bottom
in one piece, the sides of other pieces passed out between the sides and
bottom of the box, and the wires between the sheets, or the cutting of
the block may be effected by wires attached to the false bottom.
For any of these arrangements I employ during the cutting operation
a guiding board of fork shape to secure an even and straight cut. This
guiding board may be provided with embossed letters for marking the
cakes, or the marking of the indigo may be effected by letters or figures
fixed on to plates of perforated zinc; these plates may be connected
like venetian blinds (to allow of the detaching bar, hereafter mentioned;

page_text: to effect its work), and be laid over the bottom lining of the box or
between the double sheeting of the bottom. By this means also the
cakes could be marked at both sides, if desirable to do so, that is to say,
on the upper side by the lid or by the guiding board, and on the lower
side by the letters which are fixed to the zinc plates. This double
marking would be particularly useful if sufficient mall is put into the
box (say two feet) to produce a five-inch block of indigo, the cakes
from which it would be well to divide to assist the drying; thus a
surface of each would be stamped. Should the indigo adhere to the
sheet when cut I pass a bar slightly rounded at the back between the
plate of zinc and the sheet, this will open up the cut lengths of indigo
and detach them from the sheet and from each other. One of the
short end rollers may be employed as a drum on which to wind cords
or chains by which the detaching bar or plate is drawn along under
the block. The detaching bar may have legs, which passing along or
on the long side rollers ensure its being moved evenly along the bottom.
In the event of a wire breaking, or if otherwise desirable, I can cut
the block into cakes with a knife vertically on a pivot, or a scries
of blades may be set and spaced and guarded by stops, the outer
one of these blades being flat edged and set a little deeper, and not
being used to cut, but as a further safeguard to the sheet or to the
perforated zinc, when such is used, above the sheet; these blades can
be folded back separately on hinges for the purpose of freeing the cut
lengths of indigo from the cutting blades. This arrangement may be
made to traverse on one of the long side rollers; the lengths so cut can
be cross cut with hand wires.
If desirable all the long length cutting wires may be dispensed with,
the cut lengths being then cut into cubes by hand wires or otherwise,
or the indigo may be cut with a two-sided cutter resembling the "slay"
used for cutting peat.
I attach rails to my press on which I can draw back and forward by
an endless chain and pulleys as many boxes as may be required, the
boxes being provided with wheels on excentrics.
I find it advantageous to arrange my press in such a position in
relation to the table as to enable me to discharge the contents of the
tablecloth into the boxes direct. I effect this by running the rails across
and below the table through a movable or adjustable gap at such a
height that the top of the boxes will be a little below the level of the

page_text: table, which can for the purpose be raised on its legs higher than usual
to admit of it, or the drip well under the table can be sunk lower than
usual.
In single-storied presses where two or more boxes are employed it
may be found advantageous to submit such boxos to a preliminary
stage of pressing by arranging the old screw or other presses along the
lines of rails or otherwise.
When desirable the follower may be secured against interference by
locking the key piece or centre picce No. 8 to one of the adjoining
pieces. When I employ this press for pressing cotton, bale goods, or
other substances where more speed is required, the speed of the press
can be increased by extending the tangent shaft and applying steam or
other power thereto.
For some purposes I employ two followers or rams working in opposite
directions from opposite ends or sides of the press. In this case I prefer
to arrange the press horizontally, and I either provide the beams of the
two followers with separate tangent screw shafts and nuts, or I make
'the longitudinal screws which pass through the beams right-handed at
one end and left-handed at the other to take into corresponding female
screws in the beams, the tangent wheels or nuts being keyed to the
longitudinal screws, so that when the tangent screw shaft is made to
rotate the two followers are caused to approach each other, pressing the
substance between them. I thus obtain double the pressing speed that.
is obtained with only one follower. A third follower set at right angles
to the others, and worked by another tangent screw shaft and nuts, may
be used for a press so worked.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings are respectively a
longitudinal section and a transverse section of an indigo press con-
structed according to this Invention; Figures 3 and 4 are respectively
plan views of one side and of one end of the press box.
a, a, represent the press beam or beams; 6 is the tangent screw shaft
which is provided with hand wheels c, c, and works in bearings or
brackets d, d. The two screws e, e, on this shaft are the one right-
handed and the other left-handed, and they each gear into two tangent
wheels ff, one at each side. The four tangent wheels are screw-threaded
internally so as to form nuts to work upon the 4 corresponding vertical
screws g, g, which pass through the press beam a, and also through the

page_text: bottom supporting beams h, h, and are secured by cotters i, i, or other-
wise; j, j, are girders which are bolted to the under side of the press
beam a, a.
These girders bear upon loose girders or bearers k, k, and
these latter in their turn bear upon the lid or follower 1, 7. This lid
is composed of 15 pieces, that is to say, there are 5 rows of 3 pieces
cach, as seen in the Drawing. All the sides of these pieces are bevelled
where they join, as shewn, the sides which form the outside of the lid
being straight. It will be readily understood that by taking out the
.3 pieces which form the 2nd row, and by closing up the 1st row
against the 3rd row, the size of the lid will be diminished; again, by
taking out the pieces forming the fourth row and closing up the last
row the size of the lid will be further diminished; and, again, by taking
out the front or back pieces of the remaining rows and inserting angle
pieces to square up the bevelled edges of the pieces still left the size of
the lid will be still further diminished. m, m, are the sides of the box
made in twelve pieces, and by preference of channel iron; these side
pieces correspond in size with those of the lid, so that the box may be
reduced in size to correspond with the size of the lid when reduced;
n, n., is the bottom or platform of the press on which rests a false bottom,
which is for the same purpose made in 5 pieces, so as to be capable
of reduction. The false bottom (not seen in the Drawings) consists
of strong wire netting upon which perforated zinc plates are laid. The
bottom or platform n rests upon girders o, o, which are bolted to the
bottom supporting beams h, h. p, p, are the rollers, the tops of which
as here shewn are on a level with the bottom of the box. It is these
rollers which serve to secure the sheet in place, and may also be used
for straining the wires before referred to, which wires during the pressing
operations lie along the bottom of the box above the sheeting. Q, Q,
represents the block of indigo, the parts of the press being shewn in the
position they occupy when the pressing operation has just been finished.
r, r, are rails on which travel wheels 8, 8, with which the press boxes
are provided. These wheels are fitted excentrically, and are worked by
levers t, t, or otherwise, so that they may be made to let the press box
come down upon the girders o, o, or to lift the box clear of these girders
so that it shall then be free to be hauled along the rails by an endless
chain and pulleys or otherwise. By this means as soon as the pressing
operation is completed the box may be wheeled away, and another box
ready for pressing moved into position.

page_text: The sheets or linings are not shewn in the Drawings, but the mode
of arranging them will be readily understood by those acquainted with
the working of indigo presses. To protect these sheets narrow plates of
zinc bent at right angles may be used, one half of each plate overlapping
the upper edge of the sheet, and the other being between the sheet and
the side of the box; these plates being forced down by the follower.
prevent the sheet rising between the follower and the sides, and they'
also guard it from being chafed by the follower along the joints of the
sides of the box.
Figure 5 represents the guiding board herein-before mentioned. The
portion at the end rests against the side of the block of indigo, and
not only ensures the board being set true, but also guards the edges of
the block from being broken or chipped while being cut by the wires:
The slots v, v, are for the wires to work in.
Figure 6 shews the two-sided cutter herein-before mentioned.
Among the advantages gained by the improvements herein-before
described, and more particularly by the construction of presses with
boxes of large dimensions by the means explained, I may mention the
following:-Economy in the first cost of the plant and in renewals and
repairs as compared with the collective cost of the number of presses.
which would be required to do the same amount of work; saving of
nearly one half of the quantity of sheeting in the lining of the boxes;.
there are only four corners in place of twenty-four, supposing the press
to be equal in area to six ordinary presses; only 88 outside cakes in
place of 192; two-thirds of the number of men for press-house work are
dispensed with; the waste occasioned by conveying the mall from the
table to the press is avoided, as is also the injury to the indigo by its
being handled; there should be no core therefore no parings of the
block of indigo, no broken cakes, and little or no crumbs or bits of
indigo to be returned to the boilers; little room left for peculation;
there will be a reduction in the "washings" in proportion to the
reduction in the sheeting and in the vessels employed in conveying
the "mall" to the presses; the pressure being perfectly even and so
gradual there will be little liability of loss by the bursting of the sheet;
uniformity in the thickness of the block is insured, and all breakage
by the turning over of the block of indigo avoided; the attendance of
a carpenter in the press-house is dispensed with; as there is the
power of inspecting the stage of pressing from time to time the perfect
.

page_text: pressing of the indigo will depend on the manager; if the manager
sees the mall collected and put into the boxes it cannot be tampered
with, as he has the power of locking the boxes during his absence;
there is the power of graduating the size of the boxes as occasion may.
require; this press will enable oil to be pressed for use in the factory,
and therefore of obtaining it at a nominal cost, and will be most useful
in affording the means of feeding the cattle at the factory or plantation
with oil cake.
And having now described the nature of my said 'Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be perforined, I declare that I
claim,-
First. Constructing presses in which alternately right-handed and
left-handed tangent screws each gear into two tangent wheels or nuts,
one at each side on corresponding longitudinal screw shafts, as and for
the purposes herein-before described.
Second. Constructing the lid or follower, the sides, and the false
bottom of presses of a number of pieces, as and for the purposes herein-
before described.
Third. Arranging indigo presses as herein-before described so that
the pressed block may be cut into cakes or cubes in the press itself.
Fourth. The several arrangements and devices herein-before described
to be employed in cutting the block of indigo while in the press.
Fifth. The general combination or arrangement of parts of indigo
presses as herein-before described and represented in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Olpherts, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of December One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-one.