IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PRESSES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH." A communication from
abroad by Jean Baptiste Java Mignon and Stanislas Henri Rouart, of Paris,
in the Republic of France, Engineers.
ealed the 2nd June 1876, and dated the 5th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th January 1876.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE-
WITH." A communication to me from abroad by Jean Baptiste Java Mignon and
Stanislas Henri Rouart, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineers.
This Invention relates to the construction of presses capable of exerting great
power, and applicable to the compression of all kinds of substances, and in particular
of the pulp obtained by treating sugar canes by means of triturators, and it has
for its object economizing the power required for effecting the compression and
obtaining increased facilities for conducting the operation.
In carrying out this Invention, in order to effect these objects, the substances to
be compressed are placed in a case or tube, and are acted upon by a plunger
forming one with a piston with which it is rigidly connected by a rod. The piston,
which has a larger area than the plunger, say, for example, ten times the area of
the latter, is fitted in a cylinder, and on steam or other pressure being applied to
the upper part of the piston it is caused to descend, thereby producing upon the
whole area of the plunger a pressure equal to ten times that which it receives. A
suitable slide valve may be adapted to the cylinder so as to admit of pressure being
applied underneath the piston after having acted above it for the purpose of raising
the whole of the parts to their normal position. The pulp, for example, is fed into
the cylindrical case by a mechanical feeder or distributor. The steam acts upon
the upper surface of the piston, as before mentioned, the pressure being continued
until the descent of the piston is completed. The juices issue by orifices suitably
arranged in the sides of the case, and the substance under treatment becomes com-
pressed into the form of a cake upon the bottom of the case. The bottom, which
[Price 6d1

page_text: is sustained in position by a cam or excentric, is then released, so that it is caused
to descend with the cake upon it, which is then removed, and the whole of the
parts are subsequently restored to their normal position.
When it is not required to exert a great pressure during the whole time of the
compressing action an arrangement, such, for example, as that herein-after described,
may be employed for the purpose of regulating the consumption of steam according
to the work performed. In this arrangement the plunger of the press is acted
upon by two pistons of unequal diameter and unequal stroke. The smaller piston
may have, for example, a stroke and an area equal to those of the plunger of the
press, whilst the other piston has an increased stroke and area, say, for example, a
stroke equal to one-quarter or to one-third of the stroke of the plunger, and ten
times the area of the latter. The rod of the small piston is directly connected to
the plunger of the press, whereas the rod of the large piston is so arranged that at
suitable periods it is rigidly connected to or forms one with the rod of the small
piston, and again becomes disconnected therefrom.
The following is a convenient mode of obtaining this result :-The rod of the
small piston passes through the large piston and the cylinder in which it works,
and also through its rod, which is made hollow for this purpose. Assuming that at
the commencement of the action the rod of the large piston rests upon the plunger
of the press the small piston first performs a portion of its stroke, after which the
large piston is brought into action, sufficiently resisting bodies, such, for example, as
one or two cams or eccentrics actuated from the engine, or a self-acting wedge
attached to the rod of the large piston being employed, in order to form a
medium between the piston and the plunger on which the former may act.
A
The apparatus may be arranged horizontally, so as to render it double acting,
whereby an increased saving in the consumption of steam will be effected, and
greater rapidity in the operation obtained. It is also proposed to employ a press
actuated by water pressure, and provided with an accumulator arranged in the
manner next herein-after described. In this arrangement the piston works in a
cylinder, which is in communication with a reservoir provided with a piston of the
same dimensions as itself, and loaded with a given weight contained in a case.
pipe provided with a suitable cock or obturator serves to establish the communi-
cation between the cylinder and the reservoir, into which latter water is forced by
means of a pump, so as to elevate the weight, which is allowed to descend at the
required moment, so as to force the water into the cylinder, and by acting upon its
piston effect the compression of the substances placed beneath it. In some cases,
however, it will be necessary to have recourse to two successive pressures, that is
to say, a slight or low pressure during a portion of the stroke, and a high pressure
during the remainder of the stroke. In order to accomplish this result it is pro-
posed to employ either one accumulator acting upon pistons of different diameters,
or a piston of a uniform diameter acted upon by two accumulators of different
capacities.
In carrying out the first arrangement the piston is composed of two parts of
unequal diameters, the areas of which are calculated in proportions to the pressures
which it is desired to exert. These two parts work in a cylinder which is itself
composed of two unequal parts, so that it thus forms two pumps of different
diameters. The operation may be commenced by causing the pressure to be exerted
on the smaller diameter of the piston, the empty space left by the decent of the
larger diameter being filled from a reservoir at a higher level. By the act of
closing a cock in connection with this reservoir, and opening another in connec-
tion with the force pump the pressure is brought to bear simultaneously upon
both diameters of the piston, and their combined forces are utilized.
The piston
may be brought back by means ordinarily employed, or by the action of the
vacuum produced by the flowing off of the water to a lower level than that of the
press.
In the second arrangement one reservoir only is employed, in connection with
which there are placed two accumulators of different diameters, the piston of the

page_text: smaller of which is submitted to a pressure which is to take effect during a
portion of stroke of the piston of the press, the piston of the other accumu-
lator acting only during the remainder of the said stroke, but submitted to an
increased pressure. The two pistons are to be acted upon by the same water, only
it is necessary that their areas should be calculated so as to obtain the required
result, and that they should be caused to act in succession by interrupting the com-
munication between the two accumulators, and opening at the proper moment the
communication between the press and the accumulators.
In apparatus employed for pressing certain substances, such, for example, as those
destined for the manufacture of sugar, the case of the press may be constructed so
as to form a filtering surface, for which purpose it is composed of pieces of metal
placed side by side, following the contour of the case, and in the direction of the
radii of the section, the whole being hooped round externally by bands, and
internally supported by hoops of metal suitably arranged.
The chamber of the press may be constructed with three cells capable of moving
round an axis; each of these cells serving at the same time for a given purpose,
viz., one for pressure, another for extracting the cake, and the third for charging.
These three cells slide on a flat bottom perforated with a hole at the place where
the cake is to be removed.
The Invention, lastly, consists of an improved mode of constructing accumulators
applicable both to the purposes herein-before described, and in conjunction with
presses generally; and the general principle of which will be understood by the
description hereunder given. In order to accumulate a pressure of a given number
of atmospheres, which is equal to that of a column of water of a given height, the
result may be obtained by constructing at the summit of a column of water of
the given height, a reservoir in which the desired quantity of water may be accu-
mulated, or by injecting water or other liquid in a continuous manner by a
pump into a close chamber or reservoir at the end of a pipe of the given height,
the liquid then flowing off with a pressure of the given number of atmospheres.
In the case however of elevated pressures the following arrangement may be
adopted: A series of vertical tubes are provided, which are connected together at
opposite ends alternately, and each of which tubes is filled with water to a given
height. If pressure be exerted at one extremity of this vertical serpentine it will
continue accumulating in proportion as the number of vertical tubes is increased
for at each additional ascending tube, that is to say, at every other tube a fresh
column of liquid will have to be overcome the weight of which will be added each
time, so that by increasing the height of this vertical serpentine, and augmenting
the number of branches the desired pressure will be obtained at the extremity of
the serpentine. It is therefore simply necessary to make the tube of sufficient
volume in order to obtain a constant pressure in the chamber or closed space, and
thus obtain a most simple and economical accumulator capable of a variety of
applications.
In lieu of working these apparatus with water and air, two liquids of a
different density may be employed, say for example, mercury and water, water
saturated with carbonate of potash or other salt and oil or alcohol.
It will be seen that in this process by the employment of two liquids of different
densities a weight accumulator is produced, which weight would continue dimi-
nishing with the action of the accumulator; provision should therefore be made
for ensuring an approximately constant action. By employing a liquid and a gas
the combined action of a weight such, for example, as that of a liquid and of a
spring such, for example, as the air is obtained.
A spring such, for example, as air, may likewise be employed in the manner next
herein-after described. The air is contained in a reservoir in which dips one
extremity of a bent tube, the other extremity. of which enters a chamber or
enclosed space having a pump acting in connection therewith. By the act of
forcing,water into the reservoir the air contained therein is compressed, and then
again expands, and by making the reservoir of sufficient volume and suitably

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
Baid John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th June
1876.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE-
WITH." A communication to me from abroad by Jean Baptiste Java Mignon and
Stanislas Henri Rouart, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineers.
The said Invention relates to the construction of presses capable of exerting great
power, and applicable to the compression of all kinds of substances, and in par-
ticular of the pulp obtained by treating sugar canes by means of triturators, and it
has for its object economizing the power required for effecting the compression and
obtaining increased facilities for conducting the operation.
The Invention is based upon the following principles, videlicit, let any surface be
taken upon which it is required to exert a given pressure, say, for example, 100
atmospheres; let the pressure supported by this surface be expressed in pounds,
and it will be exactly the same as a pressure of only 10 atmospheres would exert
on a surface ten times the area. This pressure may be readily obtained by
means of the steam boilers at present in use. If these two surfaces be rigidly con-
nected, the displacement of the one will involve the displacement of the other, and
assuming the larger of the two surfaces to be formed by a moveable piston in a
cylinder exposed to the action of steam at 10 atmospheres, the other will be capable
of exerting upon a given body a pressure of 100 atmospheres.
Having thus enunciated the principle upon which the Invention is based, I shall
now proceed to describe particularly the manner in which the same is or may be
used or carried into effect, and for that purpose shall refer to the several Figures on
the annexed two Sheets of Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating like
parts in all the corresponding Figures.
Referring to Figure 1 (Sheet 2) of the accompanying Drawings, the substances to
be compressed are placed in a case or tube B, and are acted upon by a plunger A,
forming one with a piston C, with which it is rigidly connected by a rod D. The
piston C which has a larger area than the plunger A, say, for example, ten times
the area of the latter, is fitted in a cylinder E, and on steam being admitted
through the pipe a to the upper side of the piston C, the said piston is caused to
descend, thereby producing upon the whole area of the plunger A a pressure equal
to 10 times that which the piston itself receives. A suitable slide valve may be
adapted to the cylinder E so as to admit of pressure being applied underneath the
piston, after having acted above it, for the purpose of raising the whole of the parts
to their normal position. This Figure also illustrates a convenient arrangement
which may be employed when it is required to treat the residue resulting from the
trituration of sugar canes or beetroot. The pulp is supplied to the cylindrical
case B by a mechanical feeder or distributor. The steam acts upon the upper
surface of the piston C, as before mentioned, the pressure being continued until the
descent of the piston is completed. The juices issue by orifices suitably arranged
in the sides of the case, as shewn, and the substance under treatment becomes com-
pressed into the form of a cake upon the bottom of the case B. The bottom, which
is sustained in position by a cam or eccentric b, is then released, so that it is caused
to descend with the cake upon it, which is then removed, and the whole of the
parts are subsequently restored to their normal position, the piston being raised by
admitting through the pipe c a small quantity of steam to its under side, or simply
by the action of the vacuum at its upper side, and the bottom of the case B being
simultaneously replaced and restored to its position by the piston as it reascends.

page_text: It is evident that the whole of these movements can take place very rapidly, the
speed with which they are performed being limited only by the time requisite for
an effective pressure, which will be ascertained by experiment in each particular
case.
This apparatus is very simple, and will be found to be adapted for compressing a
variety of substances. In many cases, however, and particularly in pressing sugar
canes, which application forms a special object of this Invention, a high pressure is
not required during the whole of the compressing action.
In the apparatus herein-before described an increasing pressure may be obtained
when desired, by regulating the steam supply, but it is preferred to employ an
arrangement, such for example, as that next herein-after described for the purpose
of regulating the consumption of steam according to the work performed. The
essential parts of this apparatus (which is more particularly applicable to the manu-
facture of sugar) are shewn in Figure 2 (Sheet 1).
The plunger A of the press is acted upon by two pistons A¹, B¹, of unequal
diameter and unequal stroke. The piston A', which is the smaller of the two, has
for example, a stroke and an area equal to those of the plunger A of the press,
whilst the other piston B¹ has a stroke equal to, say, one-quarter, or one-third of
the stroke of the plunger and ten times the area of the latter. Under these con-
ditions it will be understood that the piston A¹ will admit of the pressure exerted
on the plunger being raised from 0 to 10 atmospheres (taking this as the pressure
In order to
of the boiler), and the piston B¹ may cause it to vary from 10 to 100.
effect the object in view it is necessary that the rod D of the piston A¹ should be
directly connected to the plunger A of the press, whilst the rod D¹ of the large
piston B¹ should be so arranged that at suitable periods it shall be rigidly connected
to or form one with the rod of the small piston and again become disconnected
therefrom. Any arrangement of parts may be employed which is capable of effecting
this result.
The Drawing represents the following arrangement:-The rod of the small
piston A¹ passes through the large piston B¹ and through the cylinder C in which
it works, and also through its rod D¹ which is made hollow for this purpose.
Assuming that at the commencement of the action the rod D¹ of the large piston B¹
rests upon the plunger of the press the small piston A¹ by travelling over, say, two-
thirds of the stroke of the plunge A without carrying the large piston B¹ with it,
but merely passing its rod D through it will produce an interval or separation
between the extremity of the rod D₁ of the large piston B¹ and the upper part of
the plunger of the press, the length of which interval will be exactly two-thirds of
the stroke of the apparatus. At the moment when the piston A¹ has completed
two-thirds of the total length of the stroke of the apparatus the steam acts upon the
piston B, but in order that it may be effective in its action it is necessary that a
sufficient resisting body should fill up the vacant space or interval existing between
it and the plunger A of the press. This result may be accomplished by any
suitable contrivance, such, for example, as by one or two cams or excentrics actuated
from the engine, or (as shewn in Figure 2 and in the detail, Figure 2a), by a self-
acting wedge F attached to the rod D¹ of the large piston B¹, or by any other
suitable means. When the pressure is completed the apparatus will reascend by
the action of the steam, but it is then necessary that for a third of the upward
stroke the rigid connection which existed between the two piston rods D, D¹, by
virtue of the eccentric or of the wedge should be discontinued, which effect is
obtained by the action of the apparatus or of the wedge itself, the piston B¹ will
thus be brought back to its original position, and the piston A¹ will continue its
travel until it has returned to the point of departure, when the apparatus will be
ready for repeating the operations.
The apparatus may be arranged horizontally so as to render it double acting,
whereby an increased saving in the consumption of steam will be effected and
greater rapidity in the operation obtained. A press actuated by water pressure
and provided with an accumulator may be employed with a similar result, as will

page_text: be apparent from the following considerations:-Let it be assumed that it is
required to produce upon any area a in square inches travelling over a course or
stroke 8 a pressure p on each square inch; the whole area will therefore be acted
upon by a weight p, a, and the theoretical amount of work performed is equivalent
to the descent of a weight of p, a, through a space of 8. Now if this weight has
been previously raised the power which has been transmitted to it may be restored
by the intermedium of an incompressible fluid, such, for example, as water. This
result may be accomplished by the employment of an accumulator, an example of
which arrangement is shewn in Figure 1a, Sheet 1, and next herein-after described.
According to this arrangement the piston A works in a cylinder D, which is in
communication with a reservoir B provided with a piston B¹ of the same area as
the piston A, and loaded with a given weight contained in a case C. A pipe a
provided with a suitable cock or obturator b serves to establish and cut off the
communication between the cylinder D and the reservoir B, into which latter
water is forced by means of a pump so as to elevate the weight C, which is allowed
to descend at the required moment so as to force the water into the cylinder D, and
by acting upon its piston A effect the compression of the substances placed beneath
it. In some cases however it will be necessary to have recourse to two successive
pressures, that is to say, a slight or low pressure during a portion, say three
quarters of the stroke, for example, and a high pressure during the remainder of
the stroke. This result may be accomplished by employing either one accumulator
acting upon pistons of different diameters, or a piston of a uniform diameter acted
upon by two accumulators of different capacities.
In the former case it will be necessary to have recourse to the apparatus shewn
in vertical section, elevation, and plan respectively in Figares 7, 8, and 9, Sheet 2,
which is simply a modification of the arrangement shewn in Figure 2 (Sheet 1), as
applied to a steam press. The use of water however admits of the apparatus being
simplified.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 7, 8, and 9, Sheet 2, the piston is com-
posed of two parts A¹, B¹, of unequal diameters, the areas of which are calculated
in proportion to the pressures which it is desired to exert. These two parts or
pistons work in a compound cylinder having two chambers C, C¹, corresponding
respectively to the pistons, and which thus constitute two pumps of different
diameters. A stuffing box c is employed in order to ensure the piston completing
its stroke without loss of water, and a cup leather is provided for preventing the
water from penetrating from one pump body into the other. The operation is
commenced by causing the pressure to be exerted on the smaller diameter A¹ of the
piston, the empty space left by the descent of the larger diameter being filled from
a reservoir at a higher level. By the act of closing a cock in connection with this
reservoir and opening another cock in connection with the force pump the pressure
is brought to bear simultaneously upon both diameters of the piston, and their
combined forces are utilized. The piston may be brought back by the aid of the
apparatus D arranged at the upper part by means ordinarily employed, or by the
action of the vacuum produced by the flowing off of the water to a lower level than
that of the press.
In the apparatus shewn in Figure 3, Sheet 1, a similar result is obtained by the
employment of a single reservoir, in connection with which there are placed two
accumulators A, B, of different diameters, the piston of the smaller A of which is
submitted to a pressure P, which is to take effect during three-quarters of the
stroke of the piston of the press, the piston of the other accumulator B acting only
during the last quarter of the said stroke, but submitted to a pressure of 10 P, for
example. The two pistons are to be acted upon by the same water, only it is
necessary that their areas should be calculated so as to obtain the required result,
and that they should be caused to act in succession by interrupting the communica-
tion between the two accumulators A and B, and opening at the proper moment
the communication between the press and the accumulators.
In apparatus employed for pressing certain substances, such for example, as those

page_text: destined for the manufacture of sugar, the case of the press is according to this
Invention constructed so as to form a filtering surface, for which purpose it is
composed of pieces of metal (a, see the sectional elevation and sectional plan,
Figure 4, Sheet 1), placed side by side following the contour of the case, and in the
direction of the radii of the section, the whole being hooped round externally by
bands b, and internally supported by hoops c of metal suitably arranged.
The chamber of the press may be constructed with three cells (No. 1, No. 2, and
No. 3, Figure 5, Sheet 1), capable of moving round an axis o, each of these cells
serving at the same time for a given purpose, say, for example, No. 1 for pressure,
No. 2 for extracting the cake, and No. 3 for charging; these three cells slide on a
flat bottom perforated with a hole at the place where the cake is to be removed.
The Invention lastly consists of an improved mode of constructing accumulators
applicable both to the purposes herein-before described and in conjunction with
presses generally, and the essential principle of which will be understood by the
description here under given. In order to accumulate a pressure of a atmospheres,
which is equal to that of a column of water of a height b, the result may be obtained
by constructing at the summit of a column of water of the height b a reservoir in
which the desired quantity of water may be accumulated, or by injecting water or
other liquid in a continuous manner by a pump into a close chamber or reservoir at
the end of a pipe of the height b, the liquid then flowing off with a pressure of a
atmospheres, providing that the pump compensates for the escape of water in a
perfect manner. An accumulator of this construction is however only adapted for
low pressures.
In the case of elevated pressures the apparatus illustrated in Figure 6 (Sheet 1),
and next herein-after described, will be found suitable. This arrangement consists
of a tube D compared of vertical portions or tubes connected together alternately
by horizontal or circular portions or bends, each of which vertical tubes is filled
with water to a given height. If pressure be exerted at one extremity of this
vertical serpentine the pressure will continue accumulating in proportion as the
number of vertical tubes is increased, for at each additional ascending tube, that is
to say, at every alternate tube, a fresh column of liquid will have to be overcome,
the weight of which will be added each time, so that by increasing the height of
this vertical serpentine, and augmenting the number of branches, the desired
pressure will be obtained at the extremity of the serpentine. It is therefore simply
necessary to make the tubes of sufficient volume in order to obtain a constant
pressure in the chamber or closed space, and thus obtain a most simple and
economical accumulator capable of a variety of applications.
In lieu of working these apparatus with water and air, two liquids of a different
density may be employed, say, for example, mercury and water, water saturated
with carbonate of potash or other salt and oil or alcohol.
It will be seen that in this process by the employment of two liquids of different
densities a weight accumulator is produced, which weight would continue dimin-
ishing with the action of the accumulator unless provision were made for ensuring
an approximately constant action. By employing however a liquid and a gas the
combined action of a weight, such for example, as that of a liquid and of a spring,
such for example as the air is obtained.
A spring, such for example as air, may likewise be employed alone, an example of
which arrangement is illustrated in Figure 6. The air is contained in a reservoir A,
in which dips one extremity of a bent tube B, the other extremity of which enters
a chamber or enclosed space C, having a pump p acting in connection therewith.
By the act of forcing water into the reservoir A the air contained therein is
compressed and then again expands, as is the case in pumps delivering a
continuous jet, which is due to the fact of the water being delivered under a
continuous pressure. If therefore it is required to produce an effective action the
reservoir A should be made of sufficient volume to act after the manner of a powerful
fly wheel, and by suitably regulating the action of the pump and the delivery a
perceptibly constant or uniform pressure will be obtained.

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The peculiar construction and arrangement of presses actuated either
directly by steam or by a hydraulic accumulator, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The peculiar hydraulic accumulator arranged and operating substantially
as and for the purposes herein-before described.
Third. The combination with the press of a filtering case arranged and operating
substantially in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Speci-
fication set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)