CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY MACHINERY OR APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO HYDRAULIC PRESSES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Norbury, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
Sealed the 18th March 1856, and dated the 26th September 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Norbury at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th September
1855.
I, JOHN NORBURY, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO HYDRAULIC PRESSES" to be as follows:-
This Invention applies to that description of hydraulic presses which are
worked by steam power, and cominonly called "power pumps."
My improvements are designed for the purpose of starting and stopping
such pumps, and enable such processes to be effected from any desired part or
parts of a building in which the presses may be employed without the aid of
signaling, as at present in use.
An arrangement of this Invention may be carried throughout the entire
building wherein many presses are employed, the attendant at either press
being enabled to start or stop such press or presses at will. In the vicinity of
each press and conveniently situated, I employ a dial plate and finger, the
finger being connected with a handle (forming a bell crank lever), and move-
able at pleasure. The handle of each dial plate is connected with all the

page_text: others throughout the building in such a manner, that, upon one finger being
moved upon its dial plate, all the fingers may simultaneously move on their
respective dial plates, pointing, as the case may be, to the words "off" or
"on," marked upon each dial plate. From the finger of the dial plate which
is situated nearest to the engine is attached a weighted wire, at a convenient
point of which is secured a rod or arm, working in a fitting secured upon the
framing of the steam or power engine, and having on its axis a cam. Upon
this cam one end of a light beam bears, the other end of which works in a
fitting (likewise secured on the framing of the engine), and carries a friction
pulley, the axis of which gives motion to the pumps. This friction pulley is
so situated, that when placed in contact with a broad flange attached to the
interior surface of the fly wheel of the engine acting as a drum, the said
friction pulley is driven by it.
It will now be understood, that supposing the whole of the fingers to
indicate "off" on the dial plates employed in the building in connection with
the several presses, signifying that the pumps were not working, any of the
attendants may start his particular press by drawing back the handle of
the dial plate, and bringing the indicating finger to the word "on of the
dial plate, the effect of which will be to raise the weighted wire or rod, and
with it the rod or arm on which the cam is secured. By this motion the cam
will allow of the depression of one end of the beam, elevating the opposite
end which carries the friction pulley, and thus bring it into contact with the
flange attached to revolving fly wheel of the engine, and immediately impart
motion to the pumps. As quickly as the required rise of the bed of the press
in operation has been attained, the attendant removes the handle of the indi-
cator or dial plate, hitherto held back by a pin on the dial plate, and intimation
is at once given to the whole of the other press attendants that the pumps are
at liberty. By this arrangement each press may be started and stopped at
will, and the pumps only used when required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed 30
by the said John Norbury in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th March 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
NORBURY, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3:
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our

page_text: Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Norbury, Her especial license that I, the said John Norbury, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Norbury, my 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO HYDRAULIC PRESSES," upon the con-
dition, amongst others, that I, the said John Norbury, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said John Norbury, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
This Invention applies to that description of hydraulic presses which are
worked by steam power.
My improvements are designed for the purpose of starting and stopping the
power pumps" used for working such presses, and enable such processes to
be effected from any desired part or parts of a building in which the presses
may be employed without the aid of signalling, as at present in use.
An arrangement of this Invention may be carried throughout the entire
building wherein many presses are employed, the attendant at any press being
enabled to start or stop such press or presses at will. In the vicinity of each
press, and conveniently situated, I employ a dial plate and finger, the finger
being connected with a handle. The handle of each dial plate is connected with
all the others throughout the building in such a manner, that, upon one finger
being moved upon its dial plate, all the fingers may simultaneously move on
their respective dial plates, pointing, as the case may be, to the words "off"
or " on "marked upon each dial plate. From the finger of the dial plate
which is situated nearest to the engine is attached a weighted wire or rod, at
a convenient part of which is secured a filling, fixed upon the framing of the
steam or power engine, or otherwise, and having on its axis a cam. Upon
this cam a light beam bears, the other end of which works in a suitable fitting

page_text: (likewise secured on the framing of the engine), and carries a friction bowl or
pulley periphery, which gives motion to the pumps. This friction bowl is so
situated, that, when placed in contact with a broad flange attached to the interior
surface of the fly wheel of the steam engine acting as a drum, the said friction
bowl is driven by it.
It will now be understood, that supposing the whole of the fingers to indi-
cate "off" on the dial plates employed in the building in connection with the
several presses, thus signifying that the pumps were not working, any of the
attendants may start is particular press by moving the finger on the dial
plate, so as to bring the indicating finger to the word "on" of the dial plate,
the effect of which will be to raise the weighted wire or rod, and with it the
rod or arm on which the cam is secured. By this motion the cam will allow of
the depression of one end of the beam, and the elevation of the opposite end
which carries the friction bowl or roller, and thus bring it into contact with
the flange attached to the revolving fly wheel of the steam engine, and imme-
diately impart motion to the pumps. As quickly as the required rise of the
bed of the press in operation has been attained, the attendant removes the
handle of the indicator on the dial plate, hitherto held back by a pin or spring
on the dial plate; by depressing this spring thus, intimation is at once given to
the whole of the other press attendants that the pumps are at liberty. By
this arrangement each press may be started and stopped at will, and the pumps
only used when required.
In order that this Invention may be the better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawing; Figs. 1 and 2 being
made upon a scale of about one inch and one-eighth to the foot, at Fig. 3
about one-fourth the real size, and having throughout the several Figures
similar letters of reference placed upon corresponding parts of the machinery
or apparatus.
Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of my Invention for machinery or appa-
ratus applicable to hydraulic presses, shewing the friction bowl or roller in
contact with the flange upon the fly wheel, and consequently the pumps, as
when at work; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, shewing more clearly the
weighted beam, with the friction bowl attached; Fig. 3 is a front view of the
dial plate, with apparatus forming part of the connection between the finger
on the dial plate and the friction bowl; Fig. 4 is a linear Diagram, illustrating
the method of connection between two or any required number of dial plates,
and the weighted lever carrying the friction bowl or roller.
The novel and peculiar arrangement and operation of the machine is as
follows:-a, a, are the power pumps" required to be driven; and b, the

page_text: friction bowl or roller, shewn in contact with the flange c, c, on the driving or
fly wheel.
Motion is imparted to the pumps by the friction caused by the
periphery of the bowl b being placed in contact with the revolving flange c,
and is thence transmitted through the wheels d, d, to the shaft, upon which
the cranks or excentrics for working the plungers are formed. e is the lever,
carrying the friction bowl, to the extremity of which is attached the weighted
rod f. At the upper end of the rod f is a bell crank lever g, g, which is con-
nected with the finger h on the dial plate by means of the rods, chain, and
levers i, i, i, i. When the pumps are required to be stopped, the handle must
be released from the spring, upon which the finger h will point to the word
"off" on the dial plate, when the connecting apparatus i, i, i, i, will take the
position, as indicated by the red lines, and lift the weighted rod together with
the lever carrying the bowl, thus releasing the periphery of the bowl from the
friction of the flange c, c, and consequently stop the pumps. Upon the stop-
page of the pumps, the counterbalance weight & attached to the bell crank
lever g, g, draws back the chain and rods i, i, i, and raises the fingers attached
to them upon all the dial plates throughout the building to the word "off" on
the dial plate, thus shewing that the pumps are not in use.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, together with the
manner in which the same may be carried into practical effect, I wish it to
be distinctly understood that I claim as my improvements in machinery or
apparatus applicable to hydraulic presses,-
First, the method of imparting motion to "power pumps," by means of
friction exerted between a flange upon the driving or fly wheel, and a bowl or
roller in connection with the pumps.
Secondly, in the arrangement and combination of rods, chains, and bell
crank levers for governing the friction bowl.
And, thirdly, the application of fingers and dial plates in connection with
above arrangement throughout the building, as herein particularly described
and set forth, and fully illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Norbury, have hereunto set iny
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
JOHN NORBURY.
(L.S.)