Year: 1885

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firmn of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention a communication to me
from abroad by Ernst Gessner Junior, of Aue in the Kingdom of Saxony, Engineer
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a cloth pressing machine having any suitable number
of press plates and essentially consists first in the combination therein of a number
of guide rollers all or part of which receive motion for carrying the cloth through
between the plates intermittently; secondly in the combination in the same
machine of a number of hot plates and a suitable number of cold plates and press
sheets thirdly in the combination of the hot and cold press plates with a number of
guide rollers all or part of which receive motion; fourthly in the combination of
hot and cold press plates and sheets in a cloth pressing machine so arranged that
the hot plates are above the cold plates and sheets, the cloth being drawn through
the machine from above downwards; fifth in a cloth pressing machine, the
combination of thick and thin press plates and press sheets between the heated
press plates; sixth a cloth pressing machine wherein the guide rollers are at a
certain distance apart from the press plates and sheets, so that the length of the
cloth extending beyond the plates amounts to about the same or nearly the same
as the length of cloth lying between the press plates and sheets, and so that guide
rollers may be employed having a diameter greater than the thickness of the press
plates; seventhly in driving the said guide rollers at one or particularly at both
sides whereby pulleys. of larger diameter may be applied; eighthly in a cloth
pressing machine, the combination of press blocks, press plates and sheets in the
same pressing machine ninthly in the same pressing machine, a movable press-
block moved to and fro by any suitable means and particularly by the means used
with the ordinary cloth presses; tenthly moving the movable press-block in the
Pris 1171

page_text: same cloth pressing machine with the press plates and sheets, to and fro in such
a way that when moved apart, an equal opening will be left between each of the
press plates and sheets for the cloth to be passed through; eleventhly, effecting
and regulating the intervals and spaces of time for pressing together and moving
apart the movable block plates and sheets and also the time for passing the cloth
through between the plates by a counter device in combination with the same
pressing machine.
The blocks, press plates and sheets may be arranged together vertically, hori-
zontally or obliquely.

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me
from abroad by Ernst. Gessner Junior, of Aue, in the Kingdom of Saxony, Engineer),
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-.
Automatic pressing machines having hot plates movable up and down, the cloth
being drawn intermittently between them, have before been made, but it has not
been possible to produce the same effect on the cloth as that produced by the
ordinary cloth presses worked by screws, or hydraulic power. The object of this
invention is a machine acting automatically, and producing the same, or nearly the
same, effect on the cloth as that produced by the ordinary cloth presses worked by
screws or hydraulic power. For this purpose the system and principle of the
ordinary cloth press is adopted as nearly as possible so that parts of the latter may
be used, or altered to suit this machine, a suitable number of steam heated and
cold plates, or hot plates in combination with press sheets or papers being pressed
together and moved apart automatically by screws or hydraulic pressure between
two press blocks while guide rollers mounted at both sides of the press plates, and
driven by gear or straps, draw the cloth intermittently through between the plates.
The cooling of the cloth under pressure in the same way as with the ordinary cloth
press, is effected by the use of cold press plates or sheets, the cloth passing first
through the hot plates for hot pressing, and then entering the cold press plates or
sheets to be cooled. The cooling of the cloth after hot pressing may also be
effected without pressure, and out of the press plates or sheets, by a current of air
blown from a fan, or by leading the cloth over cold rollers or plates.
The cloth to be pressed, may be drawn through the machine in a wet state, so
that it will be pressed and dried at the same time during its passage through the
machine.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification, wherein Figure 1 represents a side view, and part section, of a
pressing machine, with a single screw for raising and lowering the press plates
and press sheets. Figure 2 shews the side view of a pressing machine with four
screws for moving the press plates up and down. Figure 3 represents the ground
plan of the machine shewn in Figure 2. in connection with a self-acting reversing
gear for raising and lowering the press plates, which is also applicable for the
pressing machines shewn in Sheets 1 and 5. Figure shews a front view of the
reversing gear, Figure 5 shews the side view of Figure 4. Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9
shew, in plan, the reversing gear in four different positions of the reversing wheels
and the belt-shipper. Figure 10 shews a pressing machine wherein the press
plates are raised and lowered by hydraulic power. Figure 11 shews various ways
of drawing the cloth through between the press plates, with different combinations
of the press plates with the press sheets,
and
rollers.
papers guide

page_text: Referring to Figure 1, the head A' and base A' of the press are connected by
four pillars which also serve to guide and. support the follower A³, press plates B, B1,
and press sheets C. In the head A¹ is a nut D to receive a screw F to which is
connected by a groove and feather a worm wheel G, with which gears a worm
pinion H on the shaft M which is in connection with the reversing gear shewn at
Figure 3, whereby the screw F and the follower A³ attached to it are raised or
lowered. In order to raise and lower the press plates B with the follower A³ the
former are loosely connected together and with the follower A3 by means of ears i
and loosely fitting bolts K. The bolts K connect the plates B, by two and two,
and are of such length that when the plates are moved apart they are separated to
equal distances to allow the piece of cloth to be drawn through, while on the
descent of the follower all the plates B with the cloth laying between them are
pressed together. Under these plates B, plate B¹ of greater thickness is placed
and connected directly with the follower A³ by rods l. To this plate B¹ are
connected all the press sheets C, the said sheets being connected together by a
strap n in such a way that when the plate B is raised by the follower A³ all the
sheets C are moved apart to equal distances for the cloth to be drawn through in
the same way as the plates B, while on the descent of the follower all the sheets,
with the interposed cloth, are pressed together. The press sheets C may be made
of metal, wood, paste-board, felt, or any other suitable material, of any suitable
thickness. The cloth is conveyed intermittently in a downward direction around
all the guide rollers L between the plates B and sheets C. The guide rollers L are
mounted at a certain distance from either side of the press plates C in a frame R,
as the upper plates move through a proportionally greater distance than the lower
plates, their position relatively to the corresponding guide rollers L is variable and
in order to avoid consequent variation of the distance between the press plates and
their corresponding guide rollers, the frame R is pivoted to arm Q and connected
by a link T with the follower A³ so that as the latter moves up and down the
frame R receives a slight angular motion about its pivot and the guide rollers L
are moved proportionately towards or away from the plates, in order to compensate
for the unequal up and down motion of the plates. This arrangement will not be
required when the guide rollers L have their bearings close to the plates B, or
sheets C. The advantage of placing the rollers L, at a certain distance from the
plates is, that rollers of a larger diameter can be used, and the machine can do
more work. The distance between the plates and guide rollers is such, that the
part of the cloth passing to and around the guide rollers amounts to about the
same length as that lying between the press plates. The cloth is drawn through
the machine in such a way that the part of the unpressed cloth passing to, and
around, the guide rollers will go between the plates at the next passage, while the
pressed part of the cloth will pass out of the plates around the rollers L where it
might be cooled by a current of air.
Figure 2 shews a front elevation and Figure 3 a plan of a pressing machine in
which the follower is worked by four screws F which have their bearings in the
head A¹ and base A' of the press, and pass through nuts fixed in the follower.
The screws F are provided each with a spur wheel G. beneath the base A³ each
wheel being in gear with one of two worm pinions H whereby the four screws are
rotated simultaneously to raise, or lower, the follower. To the follower A³ are
fixed the lifter bars g whose lower ends work through guides h bolted to the
base A These bars are provided with step-like series of shoulders i projecting
on their inner faces, and arranged in six vertical rows, corresponding with lugs on
the plates B so that when the follower A³ with the bars g moves upward, the plates
will be lifted in succession by the shoulders until they are separated by equal
distances as shewn at Figure 11. On the descent of the follower A³ after the cloth
has been passed through first the bottom plate, and then, in succession, all the
others, will be lowered till at last the top plate is stationary. Then all the
shoulders i are removed from the plates B and the follower A³ presses upon the
plates till the cloth between them is sufficiently pressed: The pressure thus given

page_text: is maintained for any required length of time which can be regulated by a reversing
gear connected with the machine, after which the follower A³ is raised again and
the plates lifted by the.shoulders i in order that the cloth may be drawn through
again. In contrast to Figure 1, this Figure shews the rollers L close to the press
plates B. The rollers L are provided with pulleys p at both sides and are driven
intermittently by a strap o running from the pulley S in the direction of the arrow
over a guide pulley n over the pulleys p of the rollers L and over the pulleys q
back to pulley S. The machine may be provided with a tension-bar on the
entrance side or instead of some of the guide rollers, tension bars might be
applied. The cloth laying on the board y passes over the roller n enters the
machine at the upper part, and passes downward over the guide rollers, being
drawn intermittently between the plates, and is cuttled down on the bottom board.
The self acting motion of the pressing machine is regulated by the device
illustrated in Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Figure 3 shews, in connection with the
machine, the main and counter shafts, and the whole reversing gear in plan.
Figure 4 shows a front view of the reversing gear separately. Figure 5 shews &
side view of Figure 4. Figures 6 to 9 shew different positions of the counter
device. On the counter-shaft W, is fixed a worm pinion s gearing with a worm
wheel t which carries on its lower face a pin u for shifting the belt-shipper-bar v.
The shaft of wheel t gears by a pinion a with the notch-wheel q. The belt-
shipper-bar is operated by the pin u in wheel t striking the four points of
contact x of a lever d carried by the belt-shipper-bar and the pin u striking the
points of the lever d only when the latter is raised. This is effected in the
following way-To the boss of lever d is connected a second lever c by a key
acting as a driver; the lever d is prevented from moving out of its place by
an arm Z, fixed on the bearing P. The notch wheel q is provided with four
tappets 1. 2. 3. 4. which may be adjusted in different positions in a circle. These
tappets take intermittently under the lever c lifting it, and with it the lever & so
that the points of contact x of the latter will be struck by the pin u of the wheel t
whereby the shifting of the belt-shipper-bar vis effected intermittently.
tappet 1. causes the crossed-belt to be thrown on to the loose pulley S³ whereupon
the machine remains with the plates, pressed together for any length of time
required. The tappet 2 causes the open-belt to be shifted on to the main pulley S
for raising the plates. The tappet 3 causes the open-belt to be moved on to the
loose pulley S¹ thereby causing the ascent of the plates to be stopped, and the
cloth to be drawn through. The tappet 4 stops the passing through of the cloth,
removes the crossed belt to the main pulley S and causes the descent of the plates.
The two cone-pulleys el, et serve for drawing the cloth between the press plates B/
e is loose, and is revolved intermittently by a friction clutch f. By the conical
pulleys e, e (instead of which cone-pulleys might be used) a variable feed motion
of the cloth can be obtained. On the axis m of the clutch-fork n is fastened a
two-armed lever m¹ to whose opposite ends are connected rods 5, 6 which meet
the lever d so that by the to and fro motion of the lever d the friction clutch f
will be thrown in, or out of, gear. The main shaft M has two loose pulleys S¹ S*
for the open and crossed belts with a fast pulley S between, which is provided.
with an inner-friction cone as shewn in dotted lines, to cause a slight screwing
together of the plates to suit the different qualities of the goods.
The
Figure 6 shews the position of the belt-shipper when the plates are closed
together; and the cloth is being pressed. The tappet 1 is under the lever c.
lifting the same, and with it the lever d whereby the pin u comes in contact with
a point on the lever d moving the latter together with the belt-shipper-bar v in
the direction of the arrow. When the straps are in the position shown in Figure 7
the machine is at rest; and remains so until tappet 2 passes under the lever c
whereby the two levers are again lifted, and the lever d with the belt-shipper-bar
is moved to the position shewn at Figure 8. The open belt is now on the main
pulley S and consequently the plates are moved upwards until tappet 3 passes,
under the lever c whereupon the belt-shipper is moved to the position shewn at

page_text: Figure 9, and the lever d at same time pushing against the upper rod 5 and
assisted by a lever weight throws the friction clutch into gear, and causes the cloth
to be moved between the press-plates until tappet 4 lifts the lever c whereupon the
lever d and the belt-shipper are moved to the position shewn in Figure 6; the
lever, d, at same time pushing against the lower rod 6 causes the friction clutch f
to be disengaged whereby the cloth is arrested, and the pressing begins again. By
altering the position of the tappets 1, 2, 3, 4, the several actions can be differently,
timed. The tappet 2 might be omitted, when the machine is not to be kept at
rest, after being screwed together, but is to be raised again immediately. This
reversing gear might be otherwise arranged for regulating the reversing motion of
the pressing machine.
"
In Figure 10, the head and base A1 A2 are connected by the four posts S on
which the follower A³ is guided. The follower A³ is connected directly with the
ram F working in the cylinder D of a hydraulic press by which the follower is
raised. The inlet and outlet of the water is regulated by reversing gear similar to
that before described. To the press-head and base A¹ A² are fixed the bars G;
shown in dotted lines, provided with series of step-like shoulders i, similar to those
shewn at Figure 2, on which corresponding studs projecting from the plates B, rest
while the follower A³ is descending. When all the plates rest on the corresponding
shoulders, the plates are separated by equal intervals, and the cloth is then drawn
through. On the ascent of the follower A³ the plates are lifted off the lugs in
succession from the lowermost upwards until they are all closed up and pressed
together with the cloth between them, and vice-versa on the descent of the follower
when the cloth is again drawn through them. The drawing through of the cloth
is effected in the same way as shewn at Figures 1 and 2. from the top downwards
by means of the rollers L. These rollers have their bearings some distance away
from the plates in movable frames R as already described and shewn at Figure 1.
The hollow press-plates B are made of wrought or cast iron, or other suitable
metal, and are heated by steain in the same way as in ordinary cloth presses.
They may also be made in any other way. When all the plates in a machine are
heated, the cloth might pass upwardly through the machine; but when a number
of cold plates are used as well, it is preferable to place the cold plates at the
bottom of the machine and the hot plates above and to pass the cloth downwards.
The cold plates may be made hollow, or solid, and of any suitable material.
When all the press-plates in a machine are made hollow like those shewn at
Figures 2 and 10, the machine can be used in different ways, so that either all the
plates may be heated, or only part of them while the remainder might be cooled,
(or not), with water, or air.
Figure 11 shews the plates B and sheets C at a distance apart, and between the
plates B, are single press sheets C, so that only one side of the cloth touches the
hot faces of the plates while the other side is against the sheets C, whereby the two
sides of the cloth receive different kinds of finish. This fiuish can be given to a
single piece, or to two pieces at once.
Two pieces of cloth are shewn as passing at one time through the upper part B
of the series of plates, one piece only being shewn at the lower part B³. More
than one sheet C, might be used between each pair of the plates B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st. A cloth pressing machine having a number of press plates, in combination
with a number of guide rollers L, all, or part of which are driven, for drawing the
cloth between the plates intermittently, substantially as specified.
2nd. A cloth pressing machine having a number of hot press plates B, in
combination with a number of cold plates, and press sheets C, substantially as
described.

page_text: 3rd. The combination of hot and cold press plates B, C, with a number of guide
rollers L all, or part of which are driven, substantially as, and for the purpose
specified.
4th. The combination of hot and cold press plates and sheets B, C, in a cloth
pressing machine, the arrangement being such that the hot plates are above and
the cold plates and sheets C, below, the cloth travelling in a downward direction
through the machine, as described.
5th. In a cloth pressing machine, the combination of thick and thin press
plates B, B¹, and press sheets C laying between the beated press plates Bas
described.
6th. A cloth pressing machine in which the guide rollers L are arranged at such
a distance from the press plates B, and sheets C, that the length of the cloth
extending beyond the plates and around the guide rollers is about equal to that of
the cloth laying between the plates B and sheets C, and in which the guide rollers L
are of larger diameter than the thickness of the press plates, as described.
7th. The cloth pressing machine herein described in which the guide-pulleys L
at one or both sides are driven, whereby pulleys of larger diameter may be used as
described.
8th. In a cloth pressing machine, the combination of the press heads A¹, A²,
follower A³ and the press plates and sheets B, C, substantially as specified.
9th. In the cloth pressing machine herein-described, the movable follower A³
actuated by mechanical power, especially by the means used in ordinary cloth
presses.
10th. A cloth pressing machine in which the follower A³, press plates and
sheets B, C, are so actuated, that when moved apart, the press plates and sheets
are separated by equal intervals for the passage of the cloth.
11th. The combination of a cloth pressing machine of mechanism for effecting and
regulating the timing of the operations of closing together, and moving apart the
follower As, plates and sheets B, C, and also for timing the passage of the cloth
between the plates, substantially as described.