IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION, ARRANGEMENT, AND MODE OF WORKING HYDRAULIC PRESSES, AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF FORCE PUMPS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Peel, junior, of the Firm of Messieurs Peel,
Williams, and Peel, of the Soho Foundry, in the City of Manchester,
Engineers, and Joseph Simpson, of the same Place, Manager, for the
Invention of" IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION, ARRANGEMENT, AND MODE
OF WORKING HYDRAULIC PRESSES, AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF FORCE
PUMPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Peel and Joseph
Simpson, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 4th June 1862.
We, GEORGE PEEL, junior, of the Firm of Messieurs Peel, Williams, and
Peel, of the Soho Foundry, in the City of Manchester, Engineers, and JOSEPH
SIMPSON, of the same Place, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION, ARRANGEMENT, AND
MODE OF WORKING HYDRAULIC PRESSES, AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF FORCE
PUMPS," to be as follows:-
Our improvements in the construction of hydraulic presses consist in
making the cylinders and rams of steel instead of cast iron as heretofore
customary; in making the columns of steel instead of wrought iron; and in
making the framing for the top and bottom of the press of wrought iron or
steel, either alone or combined with cast iron or other materials instead of
[Price 8d.]

page_text: entirely of cast iron, the object being to unite great strength with comparative
lightness.
Our improvements in the arrangement of hydraulic presses, consist in
making the rams and cylinders to work within each other in the same manner
as the slides of a telescope; the largest ram works within a stationary cylinder
and the smaller ram works within the larger ram which acts as a cylinder for
it; in this way iwo or more rams of different diameters may be acted upon
successively to increase the power of the press as the speed diminishes..
When the smaller or smallest ram has been raised, self-acting blocks come
into action to support the follower, which is then carried forward by the action
of the succeeding ram.
Our improvements in the mode of working hydraulic presses, consist in
forcing the water that has been used to raise the ram or rams into an air
vessel in which it accumulates under pressure, and in conveying this water
again into the cylinder or cylinders for the purpose of partially raising the ram
or rams during the next operation, by this means the rams are. rapidly raised
while the pressure to be overcome is small, thus economising power and time
in working the hydraulic press. The air vessel may be charged direct by the
pumps when the pumps are not required for working the press.
Our improved arrangement of force pumps for hydraulic presses, consists in
connecting the plungers of two or more pumps to a beam working on a
fulcrum. The piston rod of a steam cylinder is connected direct to one or both
ends of the beam, thereby applying the power as the most convenient manner
for working any convenient number of force pumps; the pumps are or may be
of different diameters, and they are provided with self-acting valves, so that
as the resistance increases, the larger pumps are successively thrown out of
action.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Peel and Joseph Simpson, in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 2nd December 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
PEEL, junior, of the Firm of Messieurs Peel, Williams, and Peel, of the Soho
Foundry, in the City of Manchester, Engineers, and JOSEPH SIMPSON of the
same Place, Manager, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said George Peel, junior, and Joseph Simpson, Her special license that we, the
said George Peel, junior, and Joseph Simpson, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said George Peel, junior, and Joseph
Simpson, our executors, administrators, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION,
ARRANGEMENT, AND MODE OF WORKING HYDRAULIC PRESSES, AND IN THE ARRANGE-
MENT OF FORCE PUMPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
George Peel, junior, and Joseph Simpson, our executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of our or their hands
and seals should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
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 we, the said George Peel, junior, and Joseph
Simpson, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement (that is to say):--
Our improvements in the construction of hydraulic presses, consist in
making the cylinders and rams of steel instead of cast-iron as heretofore
customary; in making the columns of steel instead of wrought iron; and in
making the framing for the top and bottom of the press of wrought iron or
steel, either alone or combined with cast iron or other materials, instead of
entirely of cast iron, the object being to unite great strength with comparative
lightness.
Our improvement in the arrangement of hydraulic presses consists in
making the rams and cylinders to work within each other in the same manner
as the slides of a telescope; the largest ram works within a stationary
cylinder, and the smaller ram works within the larger ram, which acts as a
cylinder; in this way two or more rams of different diameters may be acted
upon successively to increase the power of the press as the speed diminishes.
When the smaller or smallest ram has been raised, self-acting blocks come
into action to support the follower, which is then carried forward by the action
of the succeeding ram.
Our improvement in the mode of working hydraulic presses consists in

page_text: forcing the water that has been used to raise the ram or rams into an air
vessel, in which it accumulates under pressure, and in conveying this water
again into the cylinder or cylinders of the press for the purpose of partially
raising the ram or rams during the next operation, by this means the rams
are rapidly raised while the pressure to be overcome is small, thus economising
power and time in working the hydraulic press. The air vessel may be
charged direct by the pumps when the pumps are not required for working
the press.
Our improved arrangement of force pumps for hydraulic presses consists in
connecting the plungers of two or more pumps to a beam working on a
fulcrum; the piston rod of a steam cylinder is connected direct to one or both
ends of the beam, thereby applying the power in the most convenient manner
for working any convenient number of force pumps; the pumps are or may be
of different diameters, and they are provided with self-acting valves, so that
as the resistance increases, the larger pumps are successively thrown out of
action.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood, and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the five accompanying Sheets
of Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon:-
On Sheet 1, Fig. 1, is an elevation, partly in section, of a hydraulic press,
with three rams and cylinders constructed according to our improvements;
Fig. 2 is an edge view; Fig. 3 is part of an elevation; Fig. 4 is a plan of the
top frame; and Fig. 5 is a plan of the bottom frame of the same.
a, a, a, are the three cylinders, and b, b, b, are the three rams which are
made of steel instead of cast iron as heretofore customary: c, c, are the
columns for connecting the top framing d, and bottom framing e; these coluinns
are made of steel instead of wrought iron as heretofore, and the top framing
instead of being made of one piece of cast iron as heretofore, is constructed
partly of cast iron and partly of wrought iron, or steel plates as shewn; d³ is
a plate of cast iron forming the lower part of the top framing and furnished
with grooves for the cords employed in lashing the bale; in the ordinary
manner, to the plate d' are cast or fixed the stays d, to the flanges of which
are bolted or rivetted the wrought iron or steel plates and d', between which
are the intermediate pieces d made of cast iron or other materials. The ends
of the top framing are secured by metal plates d, which also answer the
purpose of caps for the columns c, c. The stays may be of wrought iron
instead of cast iron. The bottom frame e is very similar to the top frame; the
centre plate e supports the upper ends of the cylinders a, the end plates e are
of sheet metal, as described for top framing, and side plates e³ and e', are of

page_text: wrought iron or steel, while the intermediate pieces es, are of cast iron or
other material. The trunk or casing f, and the doors for admitting the
cotton or other substances to be pressed, and for removing the bale, are
clearly shewn in the Drawing, but as they form no part of our Invention it is
not necessary to describe them.
The object of our improvements in the construction of hydraulic presses is
to combine great strength with comparative lightness. The three rams are
raised simultaneously by force pumps of the usual construction, or by our
improved force pumps, or from a receiver, as will be described hereafter; and
we wish to observe here that our improvements in the construction of hydraulic
presses may be applied to presses having one ram and cylinder, or any other
number of rams and cylinders.
When this press
shewn in Fig. 7,
On Sheet 2, Figs. 6 and 7, are two elevations of a hydraulic press, the
cylinders of which work within each other. a is the lower or fixed cylinder,
in which works the hollow ram b, which forms the cylinder for the second ram
b; to the upper end of the ram b' is attached the follower g, to which are
suspended the self-acting blocks h, h, the point of suspension of these. blocks
being so situated that the blocks when at liberty lean towards the ram ; to
the upper end of the hollow ram b is attached the plate g¹.
is started, the rams and cylinders fit within each other as
and the water under pressure is admitted into the hollow ram b, thereby
raising the ram b' until it assumes the position shewn in dotted lines in Fig. 7,
at this time the blocks h, h, catch on the plate g. to retain the parts in their
proper position; the water under pressure from the hollow ram b then enters
the cylinder a and acts upon the hollow ram b, thereby raising it into the position
shewn in Fig. 6; as soon as the follower g has attained the required elevation,
a stop valve is closed, or the pumps stopped, and the whole is retained in this
position while the bale is being lashed or corded.
When it is
We wish to observe that more than two rams and cylinders may be made to
work into each other like the slides of a telescope, as above described, for the
purpose of increasing the power of the press in proportion to the increasing
diameters of the rams on which the water under pressure acts.
desirable to restore the parts of the press into the positions shewn in Fig. 7,
the blocks are moved apart by hand or by suitable mechanism, until they
clear the centre portion of the follower g', the water in the hollow ram b, and
in the cylinder a is then allowed to return into the usual receiver from which
the force pumps draw their supply, or the water is collected in the air vessel
or hydraulic accumulator, shewn on Sheet 3, in which Fig. 8 is an elevation;
In these views i
Fig. 9, a sectional elevation; and Fig. 10 a plan in section.

page_text: is the air-vessel, fitting upon the stand 7, the joint between the two being
formed by the cup leather j¹, the water is admitted from the cylinders of the
presses, above described, or from the cylinders of any other hydraulic presses,
to the vessel i, through the inlet pipe k, screwed into the valve box k', in
which is the valve 1; this valve is raised by the water entering the air vessel,
and is closed by its own gravity or from the pressure in the air vessel; the
valve is a safety valve, the pressure on which is regulated by varying the
position of the weight on the lever l', as usual; m is the outlet pipe for con-
veying the water from the air vessel to the cylinder of the press, and the
valve in the outlet pipe is opened and closed by a screw and handle or other
convenient means. The mode of operations is as follows:-When the appa-
ratus is first started the vessel i is full of air, and the communications between
the inlet pipe k, and the cylinder of the press being opened, as soon as the
water is turned off to release the pressure on the follower of the press it is
forced into the air vessel i, thus compressing the air within it, the water will
continue to flow into the air vessel i, until the air within it is compressed to the
same extent as the water issuing from the cylinder of the press, the valve 1
then becomes closed, and the rest of the water from the cylinder is carried off
to the usual cistern. The water under pressure in the air vessel i is kept in
reserve until it is again required in the cylinder or cylinders of the press for
the purpose of partially raising the ram or rams during the next operation.
The final compression must be given by the force pumps as usual; by this
means the rams are rapidly raised while the pressure to be overcome is small,
and a considerable economy of time and power is effected in working the press.
We wish to observe that the air vessel may be charged with water direct from
the force pumps when the pumps are not required for working the press, and
that a series of air vessels in communication with each other may be employed.
On Sheet 4, Fig. 11, is an elevation, and Fig. 12 a plan of an improved
arrangement of force pumps for hydraulic presses; n, n, are the cylinders of
two steam engines, the piston rods of which are attached to crossheads,
working in the slides o, o; to these cross heads are connected links, jointed to
the ends of the double beam p, whose fulcrum is at p¹; the piston rods
are also connected by side rods to cranks in the fly-wheels q, for equalizing
the motion of the pumps. To the beam p are connected the plungers of the
pumps and s, the pumps r are of the same or of different diameters. The
pipes from these pumps are all connected together and to the cylinder of
the press or presses to be worked; the same remarks apply to the pumps s.
The pumps and s are provided with self-acting valves, so that as the resistance
on the press increases, the pumps are successively thrown out of action.

page_text: When the press to which these pumps are connected is set to work, the
resistance to be overcome is small, and the water from all the pumps is forced
into the cylinder or cylinders of the press, thereby raising the rams rapidly,
but as the resistance increases the number of pumps in operation is gradually
reduced until the final compression is given. In Fig. 12 we have shewn an
arrangement of eight pumps for illustrating this part of our Invention, but the
number of pumps may be increased or diminished.
On Sheet 5 we have shewn a modification of our improved arrangement of
force pumps, which is particularly suitable where steam power is not available.
Fig. 13 is an elevation partly in section, and Fig. 14 a plan of the same;
p, p, are beams or capstan bars (shewn partly in Fig. 15) connected to the
crank shaft or fulcrum p¹; r and are two sets of force pumps, the barrels of
which are screwed to the lid of the cistern u. The plungers of all the pumps
are connected by rods r' and s¹ to a centre piece actuated by the crank p
consequently as the crank revolves, all the pumps are put in operation. The
pumps rands are all united by the pipe v, but the set of pumps r may be
disconnected from the pumps s, by closing the tap ¹; the outlet valves are
in communication with the cylinder or cylinders of the press or presses to be
worked. The action of these pumps is precisely similar to that of the pumps
described in reference to Sheet 4.
Fig. 16 represents in outline a hydraulic press of the usual construction for
packing goods, to which two of our improved auxiliary steel cylinders are
applied. a is the usual cylinder, provided with the ram b, connected to the
follower g; c, c, are the columns; d the top, and e the bottom frames; x, x,
are the auxiliary steel cylinders, furnished with the rams y, y, connected to
the follower g. The object of this part of our Invention is to afford a con-
venient mode of increasing the effective force of hydraulic presses now in use,
as from the reduced bulk of the steel cylinders, they may be advantageously
applied to aid the central cylinder of existing hydraulic presses.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, we declare that we claim,-
First, the substitution of steel for cast iron in the construction of the
cylinders and rams of hydraulic presses.
Secondly, the substitution of steel for wrought iron in the construction of
the columns of hydraulic presses.
Thirdly, the application of steel or wrought iron combined with cast iron in
the construction of the tops and bottoms of hydraulic press framings.
Fourthly, the improved arrangement of hydraulic press shewn and described

page_text: in reference to Figs. 6 and 7, when applied to presses for baling cotton and
other substances.
Fifthly, the self-acting blocks marked h, in Figs. 6 and 7, for retaining the
rams of hydraulic presses when raised, as shewn and described.
Sixthly, the collecting the water from the cylinders of hydraulic presses in
air vessels for the purposes described in reference to Figs. 8, 9, and 10.
-Seventhly, the improved mode of forming the joints of hydraulic machinery,
as shewn and described in reference to j¹, in-Fig. 9.
And lastly, the improved arrangements of force pumps and the mode of
working them, as shewn and described in reference to Sheets 4 and 5.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Peel, junior, and Joseph
Simpson, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Twenty-sixth day
of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-two.
IMEL,
JOSEPH SIMPSON
(L.S.)
(L.S.)