US787007A - Valve-operating mechanism for presses. - Google Patents

Description

' 10.787,007. g l lPATENTED APR. 11, 1905.

J. M. STUART. Y A

VALVEUPERATING MECHANISM FOR PRESSES.

'APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1304,.

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PATENTED AEE.` 11,-1905.

0 J. 1M. STUART. 'VALVE OPERATING ME'GEANTSM EOE EEESSES.

APPLICATIONIILED JULY 28, 1904.

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5mm/Lto@ Patented April 11, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. STUART, OF'ELMO, TEXAS.

VALVE-OPERATING MEoHANiSM Fon` PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,007, dated April 11, 1905.

Application iqdquiy 29,1904. serial No. 218,713.V

To @ZZ whom, 712 may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN M. STUART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elmo, in the county of Kaufman and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Valve-Operating Mechanism for Presses, of which the 1following is a specilication. p

My present invention relates to further improvements in baling mechanism of that type exemplified in my Patent No. 748,231, wherein is shown a Huid-operated press controlled by valve mechanism which is operated automatically from a condenser constituting thefeeder of the press.

This invention has for its object to improve the operating connections between the condenser and the valve mechanism of the press', with special reference to the provision of means for economizing the steam orother motive uid utilized to drive the packer.

A further object is to provide means for regulating the duration of the interval during which the packer remains Aat .rest to permit the feeding of a new charge of cotton or other materialto the charging-chambers.

Other objects subordinate to those enumerated will appear as the succeeding description of the preferred embodiment of the invention is developed.

In the accompanying drawings, .Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section,showing my apparatus complete,.and Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are diagrammatic views showing the ,controlling-valve and its operating mechanism in dif-Y ferent progressive positions.

Like numerals indicate corresponding parts in the several views. Y

In order that this invention may be better understood, it may be explained, by way of premise, that the Munger baling-machine, illustrated in Patent N o. 680,164 to R. S. Munger, and for the equipmentof which my invention is primarily intended, includes a turn-table 1, carrying at opposite sides of its axis a pair of baling-chambers or press-boxes, one of which (indicated by the numeral 2) is shown in the drawings. By the intermittent rotation ot' the table 1 the boxes 2 are alternately presented belowa charging-chamber 3 to receive the cotton fed to the chargingchamber from a condenser4 through the medium of a chute 5 and a hopper 5', as shown. The cotton fed to the chamber 3 is forced into 8, reciprocating in a cylinder 9, supported in any suitable manner above the chargingchamber.

The piston 8 is operated by a motive fluid received from the supply-pipe 10, led from a suitable source of supply to a controllingvalve casing 11 at a point ydiametrically opposite an exhaust-.pipe 12.' From other diametrically-opposed points of the casing 11 are i led pipes 13 and 14, communicating' with the opposite ends of the cylinder 9. Within the casing 1l is mounted a rotary controllingvalve 15, provided with a pair of arcuate ports'16 and 17, which serve, in a manner well understood in the art, to place the opposite ends of the cylinder in communication with the supply and exhaust pipes alternately. Thus by partially rotating the controllingvalve alternatelyinopposite directions the motive Huid will-)be alternately supplied to and exhausted from each end of the cylinder to eiiiect the reciprocation ot' the piston 8 and the connected tramper 6.-

To the Well-known construction thus far described it has been my object to add efficient automatic mechanism for properly operating the controlling-valve and for also operating a regulating-valve designed to effect an automatic increase of the quantity of steam supplied to the cylinder 9 as the accumulation of cotton in the press-box increases. While the patented construction Jr'or attaining these ends is efficient, I have devised further improvements for increasing the eiciency, and I will now proceed to describe my present'arrangement of valve-operating mechanism.

The stem 18 of the controlling-valve 15 is provided at its lower end with a crank-arm 19, whose wrist-pin 20 has connection with one end of a connecting-rod 2l, having a separable slotted extension 23, within theslot 24 of which are located a pair ot' adjustable stops 25, Between the stops 25 is designed to play the upper end of a lever 26, fulcrumedat its IOO lower end upon a bracket 27 and movable in a suitable guide 28, the bracket and guide being preferably carried by the frame of the condenser 4, as shown.

The upper end portion of the lever 26 is equipped with a series of pin-holes 29, facilitating the adjustable attachment of one end of a pitman 3Q, connected at its opposite end to the wrist of a crank 31, fixed to a countershaft 32, mounted in suitable bearings on the condenser-frame. The shaft 32 is geared to the driving-shaft 33 of the condenser through the medium of a gear-wheel 34, mountedl on the shaft 32, and a somewhat larger mutilated gear 35, mounted on the driving-shaft 33. The teeth of the wheels A34 and 35 correspond in number', so that a completeV rotation will be imparted to the counter-shaft for each complete rotation of the driving-shaft. By reason, however, of the fact that the two gears are of different diameters a considerable interval or dwell 36 will occur between the adjacent ends of the toothed segment of the wheel 35. Consequently duringa given period of movement of the driving-shaft 33, the counter-shaft 32 will remain stationary and to this fact is due Athe attainment of the primary objects of the present invention. The meaning of this statement will be clear from a consideration of the four diagrammatic views, Figs. 2 to 5, in connection with the following eX- planation:

The diagram in Fig. 2 corresponds to the position of the parts' as they appear in Fig. lwthat is to say, the valve 15 is in position to supply steam to the lower end of the cylinder 9, the upper end of the cylinder is in communication with the exhaust, and the piston has reached the upward limit of its movement. The cotton will now be fed from the condenser to the charging-chamber 3, and in order to give time for the feed the upper end of the lever 26 will traverse the slot 24 in the connecting-rod 21 while the counter-shaft 32 is making a quarter-turn. The parts will now be the in positions shown in Fig. 3, and as the lever 26 will now have reached the end of the slot 24 continued movement of the countershaft will cause the rod 21 to be moved endwise for the purpose of partially rotating the controlling-valve 15 sufciently to partially open communication between the supply-pipe 10 and the upper end of the cylinder 9 by way of the port lthat is to say, the movement of the valve will continue until it assumes the position shown in Fig. 4-and wherein it will be seen that communication between the lower end of the cylinder 9 and the supply-pipe has been cut off and that the port 16, while it has not been presented in direct coincidence to the pipes 10 and 14 has, nevertheless, advanced sufficiently to permit a restricted supply of steam to the upper end of the cylinder. The steam thus admitted is suicient, however, to move the piston down to present the tramper or packer 6 to the cotton in the charging-chamber. Then thevalve has reached the position shown in Fig. 4, the end of the toothed segment'of the wheel 35 will pass beyond the point of engagement with the wheel 34, and as a consequence said wheel and the valveoperatingmechanism connected thereto will remain stationary while the packer is moving down to the cotton and while the dwell 36 of the mutilated gear 35 is passing the wheel 34. By the time the packer or tramper 6 reaches the cotton in the charging-chamber the teeth of the mutilated gear will again mesh with the gear 34, the continued movement of which will complete the actuation of the valve 15, thus opening the port 16 to insure the continued movement of the piston 3 under a full head of steam. The parts will now have assumed the positions shown in Fig. 5, further rotation of the wheel 34 serving to move the lever 26 to the opposite end of the slot 24 and to thereafter effect the reversal of the valve 15 for the purpose of elevating the packer. It will thus be seen thatI the present invention involves means operated by the condenser or feeder to eil'ect lirst a partial movement of the controlling-valve and to then complete the valve movement after an interval, so that the tramper will move down to the cotton under a partial head of steam and will then be driven under a full head of steam to compress the cotton in the press-box.

The driving-shaft 33 of the condenser is of course geared to the drum-shaft 37, this connection being preferably effected by means of a sprocket-chain 38, passed around sprockets 39 and 40 on the shafts 33 and 37, respectively.

As successive charges of cotton are packed in the press-box the resistance opposed to the downward movement of the packer increases. At lirst comparatively slight vpressure is suflicient to reciprocate the packer even after it has reached the cotton; but after a considerable quantity of cotton has been forced into the box greater pressure is applied to drive the packer down with snliicient force to effect the proper compression of the staple. l therefore utilize in my present construction, asin that described in the patent, a regulator including a throttle\f'alve 41, located in the supply-pipe 10 and having its stem equipped with a ratchet-wheel 42. '.lhis wheel is advanced step by step by a counterweighted pawl 43, mounted on a swinging` arm 44, pivotally supported at its lower end by a 'bracket 45, outstanding from the pipe 10. rlhe arm 44 is swung in unison with the lever 26 through the medium of an interposed link 46. The. hopper 5'l is provided with a swinging counterweightcd door 47, which is normally closed, but which may be opened for the purpose of enabling the operator to lOO llO

level thecotton in theboX under certain conditions. l

Briefly, the operation of the described apparatus is as follows: The condenser being in operation and the parts being positioned as shown in Fig. l, an initial charge of cotton will be fed into the charging-chamber 3 while the valveoperating mechanism is moving from the positionV l shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3. The controlling-valve l5 will then be partially operated to admit a limited supply of steam to the upper end of the cylinder, the valve-operating mechanism mov ing from the' position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4. The valve-operating mechanism will now remain stationary while the condenser continuesv to feed cotton to the charging chamber and while the tramper moves'down to the cotton. Finally, the valveoperating mechanism will be moved from the position shown in Fig. 4 to thatshown in Fig. 5 for the purpose of lfully opening the port 16 of the valve to admit a'full head of steam behind the piston. Thelatter will now be driven down with considerable force to compress the cotton, and this pressure will continue while the lever 26 is retraversing the slot 21, after which the controlling-valve will be reversed to admit steam to the lower end of the cylinder for the purpose of raising the tramper. The parts will then be positioned as in Fig. 2 for a repetition of the described operation.`

As the repetition continues and the cotton ac-l cumulates in the press-box the throttle-valve 41 will be opened wider and wider, so that after the bale has assumed considerable proportions the baling mechanism will operate under maximum pressure. v t

It is believed that the foregoing description is ample for the purposes of this disclosure; but it may be stated in conclusion that while the illustrated embodimentof the invention is thought at this time to be preferable I reserve the right to effect such changes, modifications, and variations of the illustrated structure as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim isl. In baling mechanism, the combination with a baling appliance, including a reciprocatory fluid-operated packer, of means for controlling the supply ot' motive iiuid and operative to increase the supply at an intermediate point of the packer-stroke.

2. In a baling mechanism, the combination with a baling appliance including arecipro.-

catory Huid-operated packer, of a controllingbe tramped thereby, and an operative con-` Valve, and automatic means for operating the valve to supply motive iiuid to the packer and to increase the Huid-supply at an intermediate point of the effective-stroke of the packer.

3. rl`he combination with a fluid-operated packer and controlling mechanism therefor, of means for feeding cotton to the packer to nection between the cotton-feeding means and the controlling mechanism, whereby said controlling mechanism will be operated to supply motive uid for moving` the packer to the cotton and to increase the fluid-supply during that portion of the packer-stroke whereby the cotton is tramped.

4. The combination with a baling applit ance including a press-box and a fluid-operated packer, of valve mechanism controlling the fluid-supply, a cotton-condenser larranged to deliver cotton to the packer, a driving-shaft for the condenser, and connections between the driving-shaft and the valve mechanism to effect an increase in the rate of Huid-supply after the packer has completed a-portion of its tramping stroke:

5. The combination with a Huid-operated packer and valve mechanism controlling the uid-supply, of valve-operating mechanism including a driving-shaft, a mutilated gear the motive-iiuid supply after each reciprocation of the packer, and for operating the controlling-valve mechanism to supply motive fluid for the reciprocation of the packer and to increase the motive-Huid supply at an intermediate point of the packer-stroke.

7. The combination with a reciprocatory huid-operated packer and apress-box, of a controlling-valve Jfor the motive liuid, a condenser arranged to feedv cotton to the pressbox to be tramped by the packer, a -driving shaft for the condenser, a mutilated gear carried by said driving-shaft, a counter-shaft provided with a gear-wheel arranged to be driven by the mutilated gear, and operating connections between the counter-shaft and the controlling-valve. f

8. The combination with a reciprocatory iiuid-operated packer, of a controlling-valve for the motive fluid, and operating connectionsfor the valve including a rod provided with a pair of adjustable stops, a lever interposed between the stops, and means for oscill-ating the lever.

9. The combination with a reciprocatory Huid-operated packer and a controlling-valve for the motive iiuid, of valve-operating connections including a slotted rod,I relatively adjustable stops mounted in the slot, a lever IOO disposed to engage the stops, and means .for K' Huid-operated packer and a press-box, of a means including a mutilated gear for operzit- 10 Condenser disposed to feed cotton to the pressing the lever from the Condenser. box, a controlling-valve, a regulating-valve, ln testil'nony that; 1 claim the foregoing as Valve-operating means including an operatmy own I have hereto :Lhixed my Signature in 3 ing-lever` common to said Valves, a ratehetthe presence of two witnesses.

Wheellixed to the regulating-valve, acounter- JOHN M. S'lUAR'l. weighted pawl engaging the ratchet-Wheel, a VitneSSeS: swinging arm carrying the pawl and having W. C. MCGORD, connection with the operating-lever, and C. C. BENNETT.

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