Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Moulding Artificial Fuel or other Materials.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 22nd July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Moulding Artificial
Fuel or other Materials.
I, DANIEL WESTLAKE of Pentreguinea, Swansea, in the County of Glamorgan
Manager of Works 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 :—
The object of my invention is to so situate and work a series and combination of
mechanical movements as to obtain a simple, efficient and economical means of
manufacturing artificial fuel.
In order that my invention may be thoroughly understood reference must be
made to the accompanying drawings and to the figures and letters of reference
thereon marked.
Fig. 1 is a plan
Fig. 2 is an elevation &
Fig. 3 is a section through mould-table etc. of one form of my machine to be
hereinafter described.
Fig. 4 is a plan &
Fig. 5 an elevation of another form of my invention hereinafter to be described.
Fig. 6 shows an arrangement which may be applied to either form of machine.
The framework of my press or machine consists of a strong cast iron bed-plate A.
(Figs. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 & 6) firmly supported on timber or other uprights diagonals or
cross-pieces B (Figs. 2.4 & 5). The bed plate bas holes and recesses to allow holding
down bolts passing either through the timber or other uprights diagonals, and cross
pieces, or a concrete or other foundation, upon which the press may be preferred to
rest and I prefer to cast the bed-plate A with a wide flange A, (Figs. 1 & 5) to
give the same a firm foundation upon whatever it may be required to stand: this
flange being strengthened by pieces A, A2 (Fig. 1).
:
Above the bed-plate A and perpendicular with its surface is a hollow capstan C
(Figs. 3 & 6). This capstan may be cast with the bedplate A as shown on the
accompanying drawing, or may be cast separately from the bedplate A; a space
being left in the bed-plate for it to pass through after which it is secured to the
bed-plate in any advantageous manner.
This hollow capstan must be accurately turned to allow a revolving disc or mould
table D (Figs. 1 & 2) to travel round it with as little friction as possible.
To obtain the best results this mould table is cast with a circular cavity through
its centre which is carefully turned to fit round the outside surface of the hollow
capstan.
This mould table is provided with a number of recesses or moulds E (Figs. 1, 3
& 6) into which the material for compression falls also with a number of teeth
outside its periphery which gear with the teeth on a pinion X (Fig. 2) deriving its
motion from a shaft and power hereinafter to be described giving the mould table
a continuous revolution.
The material for treatment passes from the usual heater, pug, receptacle or
buckets into a pan F (Figs. 1, 2 & 3) provided with a cone bottom G (Figs. 1, 2
& 3) over which a series of knives travel forcing the material into the recesses or
moulds E already mentioned.
In each one of these moulds or recesses E works a stamp or plunger H made of
any suitable material its upper part fitting as closely as possible to the sides of the
moulds or recesses.
The stamps or plungers revolve continuously with the mould table and are raised
and depressed by means of an incline I directly beneath the recesses or moulds

page_text: (Fig. 3) and over which the stamps work being raised by the incline and lowered
partly by their own weight and partly by a fall in the incline. This incline I is
preferably cast with the bed-plate A already described but it may be cast separately
and secured in any suitable manner to the bed plate.
The pressure is given to the material by means of the action of steam upon a
piston working within a cylinder K (Figs. 2 and 3).
The cylinder K, piston J, and piston rod L, are placed below the continuously
revolving disc, the pressing plate M (Figs. 1, 2 & 3) against which the material is
compressed being placed over and above the revolving disc and vertically above
the said piston rod L piston J and cylinder K. Both ends of this pressing plate
and cylinder are connected so as to work together. One connecting bolt N passing
outside the revolving disc: the other connecting bolt N₁ passing through the
hollow capstan these bolts are shown in Fig. 3.
The other end of pressing plate passes over the hollow capstan C.
1
The valve chests O steam pipe P and exhaust pipe P₁ remain rigid the upper end
of steam pipe P forming a centre of oscillation of the cylinder.
I prefer to actuate my valves by means of cams Q under the mould table-
and cast with the mould table-which depress a rod R and raise a counterweight R₁:
this counterweight raises the rod as each cam completes its work. This rod R is
connected at its lower end to the valve chamber.
Having now described the most important details of my invention I will now
proceed to describe two ways in which it may be applied in practice.
In Figs. 1, 2 & 3 is shown a press with one mould table D, one pressing plate M
and one cylinder K.
The bevel or mitre wheel S keyed to the main shaft: which is presumed to be
driven from any convenient source: gears into another mitre wheel T (Fig. 2)
which is keyed to a vertical shaft U. This shaft U fits into a cast iron pot
securely bolted to a firm foundation: passes through the bedplate A and through
the pan F. Upon this shaft slides a friction clutch W actuating a pinion X which
gives motion to the revolving disc: and also the revolving knives working above
the bottom of pan.
When the revolving disc or mould table is set in motion by the pinion being
placed in gear, the cams or tappets Q under the table depress the rod R and raise
the counterbalance weight R, admitting steam through the pipe P underneath the
piston J causing the compressing ram or piston rod L as also the stamp or plunger H
to ascend and compress the material already in the mould E against the pressing
plate M thus forming the block of fuel or other material.
The force with which this material is compressed against the pressing plate M is
sufficient to make the pressing plate M and therefore the cylinder K and a counter-
weight Y (Fig. 2) travel with the mould table D-the pressing plate working
upon N₁ as a centre, the cylinder with the pipe P as a centre, when the cam or
tappet passes on the counterweight R, raises the rod K: releases the pressure of
steam the counterweight Y bringing the pressing plate M and cylinder K back to
their original positions when R is again depressed by the next cam or tappet Q
coming into operation steam admitted and another block of fuel formed.
At the same time the block of fuel last formed is gradually raised out of the
recess or mould E by means of the stamp or plunger working up the incline I,
until the block is free to be forced or taken from above the mould table into any
suitable place.
I have so far described a motion of oscillation caused by the force of compression
against a pressing plate M, which may be sufficient in case of one table one cylinder
and one pressing plate. But, when two of each are worked in combination it is
necessary to employ some automatic positive device to ensure this oscillation exactly
when required.
In order to obtain this result I prefer to employ-in addition to the means already
described, and the details of parts being similar-a vertical shaft A₁ (Fig. 5) driven
by mitre or other wheels from any suitable arrangement: Upon this shaft A, are

page_text: keyed a pair of grooved cams B₁ В₁ (Fig. 5). A lever C₁ is fixed at one end D₁ to
one of the timber uprights supporting the cast iron bed-plate A. To the opposite
end of this lever C₁ are fastened rods E, E, secured to the long bolts Ni N₁ shown
in Fig. 5 similarly placed as those explained in Fig. 3.
The centre of lever has a pin passing through it which also forms a roller working
in the two grooves of cams.
As the shaft A, revolves the grooved cams and rollers cause the lever to move
back and fore, this motion being imparted to the pressing plates and cylinders
which obtain a similar movement as that already mentioned.
I may provide an arrangement shown in Fig. 6 to take the weight of the cylinder
from straining the bolt N running through the hollow capstan.
An extra piece is cast upon the pressing plate M having a hole passing through
it to take the round end G of a forked arm H,. Within this forked arm is mounted
a wheel I, which travels over the bed-plate A and upon J.
I wish it to be understood that the latter means of oscillation I have described
and illustrated in Figs. 5 & 6 may be applied in the case of one mould table.
I describe it in conjunction with two mould tables as being much more essential.
Having now particularly described the nature of my said invention and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
(1.) The combination of parts forming a simple, efficient, and economical press
or machine as described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
(2.) The method of obtaining the oscillation by means of the force of compression
or the force of compression combined with the automatic positive movement as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
(3.) The method of obtaining the valve motion by cams or tappets placed beneath
the mould table.
(4.) The manner of connecting the pressing plate and cylinder together through
the hollow capstan.
(5.) In the case of one mould table the method of bringing the connected
pressing plate and cylinder to their original position by means of a counterweight.
Dated this 11th day of April 1893.
DANIEL WESTLAKE.