US341070A - soule - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. W. SOULE.

COTTON PRESS. No. 341,070. Patented May 4,1886.

2 l/VVEA/TOR i O Aflorney N4 PETERS, FnOm-Lflhngmphur. Washingtnn. D. r;

3 Sheets Sheet 2.

G. W. SOULE.

COTTON PRESS.

Patented May 4 1886.

(No Model.)

ll! l ihnh,

N. PETERS, PhowLilhogr-whcr. Washington, D. c.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

' G. w. SOULE.

COTTON PRESS.

Patented May 4, 1886..

INVE/VTOI? flomey (No Model. 3 Sheets Sh et 2-.

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- Patented May 4, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo UEOltLill W. SOULE, OF MERIIHAN, llllSSlbbllll.

COTTON-PRESS.

Application filed August 5, 18.55.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, (lnoiuin 250111.12, of Meridian, in the county of liauderdale and State ofMississippi, haveinvcnted certain new and useful improvementsin Gotten-Presses; and 1. dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to "lake and use the Same.

My invention relates to an improvement in cotton prcsscs.

The object is to provide a self-packing press and means for operating the same in a simple aml effective manner.

A further object is to provide an economical construction of the main frame and movable Darts without diminishing theinstrength and durability.

A further object is to provide an extended rcceivinghopper, by means of which the cotton or other fibrous material may be introduced rapidly and in large bunches beneath tlle follower.

\Vith these ends in view my invention coir sists ill-certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the'claims.

1n the accompanying drawings, ltigure .l is a view of the press in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a view of the same in end elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view, and l igs. 4 and 5 represent detached views of parts.

The bed or base of the main frame consists of a series ofsills, A, lying parallel with one another and a short distance apart. The number of sills A may be eight or more or less, as found most-expedient. 'lhey are e0nstrnr-li-d thin and deep. lteneath the outer and middle sills A are placed similar sills, B, their upper edges resting in snug contact with the lower edges of the sills A, and con heeled therewith by bolts a. One or more eross-girders, [1, are mortiscd halt into the sills A and half into the sills 1 thereby forming a solid support, for such ofthe sills A as are not supported orstrengtheued by sills'l Four uprights, U, are secured at the four corners--- one at each being shouldered and tirmly bolted between the two outside sills. The two pairs of end uprights, (l, are connected at the top by cross-heads c, and the two pairs of LAJZ'IGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,070, dated May 4, 1.886.

Serial No.1tZLG22. No moth-1.1

side girders are connected by the pairs of beams 1) I) and (I, located at the top of the pressbox, above the feed and near the top of the uprights, respectively. braces (t, are'sceu red 1 o the beams .l.) 1'), to give the framework additional tirmuess, and two of the diagonallyo niosite uprights (J are eonneeted at their tops by the double beam l).

.1! represents the press-box, provided with the swinging sides and removable ends, as is usual. The upper end of the pressbox is provided with laterally-extending oblique flanges f, which serve to form an enlarged hopper for feeding the cotton or other fibrous material to the box.

G is the follower or nn'ivable platen. It is constructed of a series of thin deep sills, 1, lying leng hwise of the. i tlatnu ermnnetxrul on their upper edges by erosslics and on thcirlowcr edges by cross-planks Cleats G are also secured at suitable intervals on the lower sides of the planlv's 1 The side sills, 1 are further strengthened by upper sill-sections, 1, secured thereto by bolts extending through the two or by means of corner-cleats Or by both. The opposite sides of the follower are provided with upwardly-exteuding guides .l l, which extend through slots ll, formed in blocks It, secured to the beams ii) and (Z, and serve to st cady the follower in its upwardand downward movement, and cause it to enter the top of the press-box without catching on the sides or ends thereof.

Two sets of levers, K, or two lovers coniposed of several sections, are pivoted at their lower ends to the base-sills by means of bolts or rods 1, which extend transversely through the sills and levers near their ends.

The several sort ions ol' the lovers :lilive (more or less) in number--are each pivoted between two of the sills The sect-ions 7.: are further seen red together by cross-heads l." and 'crossties 1..

Two sets of live-levers, l1, ortwo levers com posed of several sect-ions, 1 six (nun-cor less) in number -are pivotallyseeured to the levers K, near their upper ends, and to the ends of the sills on the movable platen by bolts or rods t, which extend through the sections! and It and theseetionsl andsills 1 res n-(:tively. The sections Z alternate with the sect ions hand sills g, respectively. The sections 1 are fur- Short diagonal I ther secured together by cross-ties 1*. A set of loose pulleys or sheaves, M, is secured in the upper end of each of the levers K, The pulleys M are preferably mounted on a common rod, m, one pulley being located between each two successive leve sections 7.1. The lever-sections and cross-heads thus form housings for the pulleys, and prevent the ropes from displacement, thereby saving the expense of blocks or independent housings. There is a simple operating-shaft, N, located transversely of the press near its base at one end. The shaft N is journaled in suitable bearings, 01, secured to the uprights, and is provided with a band-pulley, O, rigidly secured on one of its ends. The shaft N is also provided with two spools, I" and Q, adapted to receive the two ropes, which depress and elevate the follower, rcspcctively.. The rope R, which serves to depress the follower, is secured to the spool P, and leads from thence over one of the middle pulleys in the end of the lever K, and from the middle of thebeam L, thence downwardly to and around a pulley, a, secured to the follower, thence over a' pulley, s, mounted'ncar the middle of the beam E, thence down to and around a pulley, r, secured to the follower, and thence up to the beam E, to which it is secured. It will be observed that a strain on the rope R will tend to draw the upper ends of thelevers K toward each other, and thereby depress the follower, and also that a strain on the rope S will tend to elevate the follower.

The two-spools P and Q. are loosely mounted on the shaft N, and adapted to be thrown into and out of engagement with clutches p and q on the shaft N, as follows: When the shaft is slid toward the left, the end. of the spool P bears against one of the shaft-bearings, and the clutch p is thrown into engagement therewith, and the follower thereby lowered. The clutch q is in the meantime-held out of engagement with the spool Q, by a lug. t, on the shifter-rod T, and therefore pays out rope S as the rope R is wound up. When, however, the shaft Nis slid to th'e right, the clutch q engagesthe spool Q, and the spool l. is disengaged, and thereby allowed to unwind the rope R as fast as the rope Sis wound. \Vhen the shifter-lever rod T is half-way between the twocxtremes, the spools are both disengaged from their clutches, and theshaft N is allowed to run freely. The shifter-rod T has a hearing at its lower end in a bracket-arm, V, secured to the upright O, and near its,upper end in a bracket-arm, V. The rod T is provided with a pair of jaws or arms, 15', at its lower end, which engage a loose collar, t,

attached to an oscillating cam standard or lever, "W, pivotally secured to the beam D and adapted to engage a cam projection, 10, on the end of the follower as thelatter reaches its elevated position. The effect of the en gagement of the cam in with the oscillating lever \Vis to throw the latter back, and thereby twist the rodT toward the right, and hence shift the shaft N toward the left, thereby releasing the clutch qfroni the spool Q, and thus automatically stopping the upward movement of the follower. The angle-arm t is also brought into engagement with a cam, 10', on a section Zof the live-lever L at the moment when the follower reaches its depressed position, which engagement throws the lever W in the opposite direction, and hence turns the rod T toward the left and the shaft N toward the right, thereby releasing the clutch p from the spool P, and allowing the follower to stop and the shaft N to run free. Around one flange of the outer spool (or the spool for elevating the follower) passesayielding metallic strap, W, which latter is adapted to act as a brake. end to the frame of the machine, and is provided at its opposite end with a hole for the passage of a bolt, 10', also secured to the machine-frame. This box-t is preferably screwthreaded, and can, if desired, be provided with a head for screwing and unscrewing the bolt, or it can be provided with a; nut. In either event a spring is placed between the free end of the metallic strap and the head of the bolt or nut, and yieldingly holds the strap in contact with the flange of the wheel. The strap'is so applied to the parts that when the spool is turning in the direction to elevate the follower the flange moves toward the spring, and there is little or no friction applied, but when turning in the opposite direction This strap is rigidly secured at one the strap offers considerable resistance, and

prevents the follower from falling rapidly. A ratchet, a2, is secured on the end of the spool P,and a gravity-pawl, :0, adapted to engage the ratchet is pivoted to a lug, x", on the shaft.- bearing. The pawl 00 is raised by a rod, at", attached to a lever having an elongated slot in its end, extending upwardly to the end of a engage the anglearl'n at an earlier or later moment,and stop the downward motion of the follower in different positions; or the anglearrn I? might be extended and accomplish the same purpose. The upper portion of the press-box is contracted more or less by means -,of inwardly-projecting shoulders w formed cit-her by the ends of the planking forming the sides and ends of the upper portionof the box, or by means of separate obliquefaced cleats seen red on theinside of the planking. As

the material is forced downwardly through the contracted portion,it is compressed, and'when it reaches the enlarged lower portion of the box it naturally expands, and thereby locks itself against a return upward movement.

The operation of the whole is as follows: Suppose the follower to be elevated, and the shaft N to be running at the desired rate, when the press-box is filled with material to be pressed the operator presses the lever on I therod T inwardly, and thereby sets the spool spool l and clutching the spool Q.

lower now uses, while a new mass of cotton P150 rotatingand t-hcleversK beginning to approach and force the follower downwardly, if there has not enough material been received to form a bale the operator, after the follower has traveled downwardly far enough to slightly compress the amount received, reverses the movement of the follower by drawing the operating-let'er outwardly, thereby releasing the The folis being collect-ed, and as soon as itreachesits upward limit the new charge received, and the follower again caused to pack it down. When enough has been received to form a bale.

, the follower is allowed to travel downwardly Lil , accomplishes its work, it does away with the help of one or more men. Cotton may also be fed into its hopper directly from a ginning, machine, it being capable of baling it as fast as a first-class gin can furnish it.

It is evident that many slight changes in the construction and arrangements of the several parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention;

hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction herein set forth; but

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1-. A bed or base for a baling-press, consisting, essentially, of the upper and lower sills and the cross girders secured in mortises formed in the adjacent faces of the upper and lower sills, substantially as set forth.

3. in a billing-press, the combination, with apress-box, of a follow-block or verticallymovable platen provided on opposite sideswith upwardly projecting gnidestandards and slotted guide-blocks secured to the pressframe above the pressbox and adapted to receive the guide-standards and guide the followblock in its movements, substantially as set forth.

3. The combinatiomwith the press-box,open at its upper end, of a flaring hopper, snbstair tially as described, secured to and forming a continuation of said upper end, for receiving the cotton in large masses, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a box, a follower, and levers for moving the follower, of a shalt, a spool loosely mounted thereon, a rope se cured to said spool for elevating the follower, a second spool loosely mounted on said shaft, a rope secured thereto and connected directly with the follower, for depressing the follower, and devices whereby either spool can be locked to the shaft or both spools be permittcd to remain stationary while the shaft is moving.

5. The combination, with a press-box, afollower, and levers connected with the follower, ofa driving-shaft, two spools loosely mounted thereon, ropes connecting the spools to the lovers and follower, substantially as described, clutch mechanism for locking either spool to the shaft, and devices for automatically operating the clutch when the follower reaches either limit of movement.

6. The combination, with a press-box, follower, and levers connected with the follower, of a longitudinally-movable drive-shaft, two spools loosely mounted thereon, and ropes connecting one spool with the follower and the other spool with the levers, clutch mechanism for locking the shaft to either spool, and devices for moving the shaft longitndinally.

7 The combination, with the press-box, follower, and the levers, substantially as described, pivotal'ly secured to the follower and to the base of the press, of the driving-shaft, the spools loosely mounted thereon, the ropes connecting one spool to the follower and the others to the levers, and clutch mechanism for locking either spool to the shaft.

8. The combination, withaprcss-box, afollower, and levers for operating the follower,

of a shaft, two spools mounted thereon, a rope connecting one spool with the follower, a rope connecting the other spool with the lovers, and a friction-brake in contact with the spool connected with the follower, for preventing said spoo. from rotating rapidly in one direction.

9. The combination, with a press-box, afollowerfiandlcvers connected with the follower,

of a shaft, 'two spools loosely mounted thereon, ropes connecting the spools and follower and levers, as described, a yielding frictionbrake in contact with one of said spools, and a screw for regulating the tension of said brake, substantially as set forth.

4 l ammo 10. Theeombination, with a press-box, afolw. lower, and levers for depressing the follower, of a shaft, spools loosely mounted thereon, de vices for locking either spool to the 'shaft, a shifting-lever for operating said devices, and devices operated by the levers forturning said shifting-lever, sulxstantially as set forth;

'11. The combii ation, with a follower and levers for operating the follower, of a' shaft, two spools connected, respectively, with the follower and lever, clutch devices for, locking the spools to the shaft, and a shifting-lever, and two stops, one permanent and the other removable, and both connected with the shifting-lever, whereby the movement of the follower can be automatically checked by the removable stop before it completes its descent, or automatically checked after it reaches the limit of its downstroke, substantially asset forth.

12. The combination, with a press-box and follower, of a drive-shaft, spools and ropes for elevating and lowering the follower, a shift:

jug-lever, and a stop or trip device for auto-- matically"disconnecting thespool which elevates the follower from the drive-shaft ,s vhen the follower reaches the limit of its upstroke.

13. The combination, with a press-box, follower, and the levers arranged substantially as shown, of the pulleys arranged between the levers, which form housings therefor, a shaft, a drum mounted on said'shaft, audit rope connected with the drum and passing around the pulleys, substantially as set forth.

v'L i. In a billing-press, two windlasses mounted upon a longitu-diually movable shaft,forsecuring both an upward and a downward movement of follow' bloek, with the Windlass-shaft running continuously in one direction, substantially as set forth.

15. In a bEIIiHg-PIGSS, two windlasses mounted upon one shaft, arranged in such manner that either may be driven by said shaft at will of operator, or both left still while Windlass is running, substantially as set forth.

1 6. In a baling-pness, the combination, with a vertically movable platen or follower, of two windlasses mounted on a single shaft and devices connecting both windlasses with the platen, for securing botlr an upward and downward'lmovement of the plat'en,,with the Windlass-shaft running continuously in one directioni' i 17. In abalingpress, the combination, with two windlasses mounted on a single shaft, of a verticallyniovable follower or platen connectedtdboth windlasses and devices for locking eitlier ndlass to the shaft, whereby the moveiiien't ojt'fthe plate 11 can be reversed at any de sired point-without changing the direction of the actuating-power, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed. this specification ill i118 presence of two subscrily ing witnesses.

UEO'RI l E W. SOULE.

witnessfg sz

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