IMPROVED APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENSILAGE
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
We EDWARD CORY, FREDERICK WILLIAM REYNOLDS and GEORGE WADSWORTH
CRAGG CATFORD, all of Acorn Works, Edward Street, Blackfriars Road in the
Borough of Southwark, Engineers do hereby declare the nature of the invention
for IMPROVED APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENSILAGE to be
as follows:-
The object of the present invention is to effect the manufacture of ensilage in a
more expeditious and simple manner than heretofore and the invention consists in
certain improved appliances by means of which this object may be carried out.
In making ensilage hitherto it has been usual to employ dead weights for the
purpose of compressing the materials in the silo or pit, which operation thus
becomes cumbersome, costly and lengthy.
In carrying out the invention we employ open link, ladder and similar chains
which we arrange in pairs on opposite sides of the silo or pit and fixed by one
end to the bottom of the walls or in any other convenient position by means of
bolts of other fastenings, or they may be taken through the walls and secured on
the outside, or continuous chains passing under the ensilage may be used.
To these chains are hitched in any convenient manner, chain stretchers, tackle
or equivalent apparatus for drawing the chains together over the top of the
materials and so effecting the desired amount of compression.
The cross beams are notched at their ends to allow the chains to pass through
and are provided in any convenient manner with removable pulleys over which
the chains pass and means are also provided for securing these beams to the chains
after the compression of the materials has taken place to allow for the removal or
shifting of the chain stretchers or other tightening-up apparatus.
Instead of using chain stretchers and equivalent apparatus, we may employ
screw or hydraulic jacks or presses or levers, the chains offering the required
resistance to the strain to be thus produced.
Although we have described this invention more particularly with reference to
specially constructed silos or pits it will be evident that it may also be applied
in any other position and will constitute ready and facile means for producing
ensilage.
TUL
L1801

page_text: We EDWARD CORY, FREDERICK WILLIAM REYNOLDS, and GEORGE WADSWORTH
CRAGG CATFORD, all of Acorn Works,, Edward Street, Blackfriars Road in the
Borough of Southwark, Engineers do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for "IMPROVED APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENSILAge,"
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 the present invention is to effect the manufacture of ensilage in a
more expeditious and simple manner than heretofore, and the invention consists in
certain improved appliances by means of which this object may be effected.
Hitherto in making ensilage it has been usual to employ dead weights for the
purpose of compressing the crop to be made into ensilage in the silo or pit, an
operation which though effective is cumbersome, costly and lengthy.
.
In carrying out our invention we employ chains, which may be either drawn
together over the crop to be. compressed by any suitable. tightening apparatus, or
may serve as the point of resistance for screw or hydraulic jacks or presses or for
levers to effect the compressing.
•
The chains which we prefer to use are open link, ladder and similar chains, and
a suitable number of these chains, according to the size of the pit we arrange at
regular distances apart on opposite sides of the silo or pit, and secure by one end to
the foot of the walls, or in any other convenient position by means of bolts or other
fastenings. Or the chains may be taken through the walls and secured on the
outside by bolts or other fastenings or continuous chains may be used passing under
the ensilage.
In the accompanying drawings we have shown various plans in which the chains
may be employed either as the means for effecting the compression or as repre-
senting the point of resistance for suitable compressing apparatus.
In all the figures the same letters refer to corresponding parts.
Fig: 1 is a sectional elevation of a silo or pit with our invention in a simple
form adapted thereto.
A is the silo or pit-wall, B are the chains which are shown as being passed
through the foot of each wall and secured on the outside. The space C represents
the crop to be compressed. On the top of the crop is arranged in the usual manner
a series of boards a and above the boards cross beams D one for each pair of chains.
These beams D are notched or recessed at their ends to permit of the passage of
the chains B, and are each provided at its opposite ends with a bracket bearing D¹
to receive a removable pulley D³ over which one of the chains is passed. A
removable pulley is shown detached in side elevation at Fig: 1.
"
In this arrangement the compressing is effected by drawing together, above the
cross beam, two chains from opposite sides of the pit, the chains being so drawn
together by means of a chain stretcher E, which is hooked onto or otherwise.
secured to a link of each chain. When the chain stretcher is jammed up so that it
cannot work any further, a pin or bolt b is inserted through the last, or last but
one, (as the case may be) exposed link and across the end of the beam.
Packing pieces b¹ see Fig: 1b of wood are used to bring the pins or bolts up to
the top of the last or last but one exposed link, so that there shall be no loss of
pressure when the chain stretcher is unhooked.
The beam D being thus held firmly, the chain stretcher is run back, unhooked,
and hooked onto another pair of chains, which are tightened up and secured in the
same way the pulleys D³ being also removed and applied to another cross beam.

page_text: When each pair of chains in the silo has received its first tightening up, the
chain stretcher and pulleys are taken back to the first pair, and the stretcher being
hooked onto fresh links, is screwed up again; thus the compressing operation is
continued and carried on until a sufficient amount for the first compression has
been given, when the ensilage is left to contract or shrink the chains being tightened
up daily or oftener so long as any shrinkage takes place.
Fig: 2 is a sectional elevation of a silo showing the application of an hydraulic
press and also of an ordinary lever for effecting the compression of the crop.
In this case the chains are shown as secured to blocks of stone or concrete
inserted below the walls of the silo or on which the walls are built up, and they
are also secured at the top of the wall in any convenient manner to ensure their.
always being in position. The compressor may be either a screw or hydraulic jack
or press F which is hitched onto a link in the chain and bears on the cross beam D
or a hand lever G may be employed.
In Fig: 3 we have shown a toggle lever arrangement the action of the toggles
being effected by a right and left handed screw H.
One arm o of the toggle will be secured in any convenient manner to a link of
the chain, and the other arm d will work in a shoe or its equivalent secured at the
end of the cross beam D. In all cases, the rising of the cross beams, after com-
pression and on loosening the compressing apparatus will be prevented by inserting
pins or bolts in the last exposed links of the chains as before explained.
In Fig: 4 we have shown an arrangement which admits of a continuous pressure.
being given to the crop if desired.
Levers I are employed and are secured end to end (in an inclined position, as
shown) by bolts or otherwise to the centre of the cross beams D, and extend
outwards. The outer ends of these levers carry bracket bearings D' for removable
pulleys D³ the chains being passed over the pulleys, and attached to a chain
stretcher E or other convenient tightening up appliance as before described with
reference to Fig: 1. The levers I will have a certain amount of elasticity or spring
and as the tightening up proceeds the free ends will be forced down onto the
blocks ee. In this arrangement when the compressing is completed either the ends
of the two chains must be secured together and as the ensilage contracts or shrinks,
the spring of the levers I will act on the crossbeams, and force them down, the
chains thus acting as the points of resistance; or pins or bolts may be inserted
through the last exposed link and across the top of the levers I so as to serve for
the points of resistance for these levers.
In this figure it will be seen that the chains are secured to a beam J which is let
into the bottom of the pit below the footings of the walls.
In Fig: 5 the chain is secured to a beam J which spans the top of the pít or
silo. From this beam the chain passes downwards to and round a pulley J and
thence upwards to the chain stretcher in the manner shown at Fig: 1.
The pulley J' is fitted to the underside of a beam J³ placed at the bottom of the
pit. In this arrangement it is essential to have a platform below the crop which
platform may be constructed of boards a and crossbeams D in a manner similar to
the covering boards and cross beams shown at Fig: 1.-Or the platform may be
constructed of the poles K which are laid across the pit with their ends resting on
the beams J. This arrangement we prefer. As the tightening up takes place not
only the cross beams D' will be forced down, but the cross beams JS with the
platform will be drawn up thereby squeezing the crop between them, and the poles,
if the platform is constructed of poles, will be more or less bowed. As the crop
contracts or shrinks the dead weight of the crop will cause the poles to straighten
out and also descend in the pit thus taking up any slack of the chains. In this
arrangement continuous pressure on the crop will be obtained.
When a single chain under the crop is employed it will be also necessary to
provide a platform at the bottom of the pit for the crop to rest on. This platform
may consist of crossbeams and poles as shown in Fig: 5 or of cross beams and
boards as shown at D and a Fig: 1.

page_text: In some instances when the silo or pit is of small dimensions a single chain
conveniently secured in the centre of the pit may be employed. In this case the
chain will be passed up through a hole made in the cross beam. In the like
manner the pairs of obains need not necessarily be placed at the sides of the pit
but may be secured along the centre line or in any other convenient or desirable
position the cross beams D being provided with openings or otherwise modified to
receive the chains.
Although we have described our invention more particularly with reference to
specially constructed silos or pits, it will be evident that the appliances may also be
used in other positions thus in Fig: 6 we have shown one form of our invention
applied to a stack, but either of the other forms will be equally applicable.-It will
also be obvious that a dynamometer or other suitable pressure denoting apparatus
may be adapted to the compression appliances, to denote the amount of pressure
being employed, and that the appliances may be used for compressing other
materials than green crops in the manufacture of ensilage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, We declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In the manufacture of ensilage in pits or in the open, the use of chains, by
the aid of which, leverage is obtained for compressing fodder, and compressed fodder
is retained in the compressed state as above described.
2. In the manufacture of ensilage either in pits or in the open, the use of chains
conveniently secured and arranged to be drawn together above the crop to be
compressed by means of chain stretchers, tackle, or equivalent apparatus substan-
tially as described.
3. In the manufacture of ensilage either in pits or in the open, the use of a chain
or chains conveniently secured and arranged to afford points of resistance to the
action of screw jacks, levers, and equivalent contrivances, for giving pressure,
substantially as described,
4. In the manufacture of ensilage, the combination of chains and chain stretchers
or equivalent apparatus, with cross beams D having notched ends or openings to
receive the chains, and provided with means for receiving removable pulleys
substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. In the manufacture of ensilage, the combination of chains and screw jacks,
levers,, or equivalent contrivances for giving pressure, with cross beams D having
notched ends or being provided with openings to receive the chains, substantially
as described.
6. In the manufacture of ensilage, the combination of chains and cross beams D
with means for anchoring or securing the chains after the pressure has been applied
substantially as described.