A WEEKLY JOURNAL OF PRACTICAL INFORMATION, ART, SCIENCE, MECHANICS. CHEMISTRY, AND MANUFACTURES.
Vol. XXIII.-No. 12. /
\
[NEW SERIES.]
S ,8 per A.nnum.
[IN ADVANCE.]
NBW YORK; SEPTEMBER 17, 1870.
I
Improved Cotton and Hay Press.
frame is held in place by strong turn-buckles, F, while the
A simple, economical, durable, and, at the same time, strict­ cotton is being compressed.
ly practical cotton and hay press, has long been a desidera­
tum in the Southern States.
Thougb presses for baling hay
have been constructeq that an­
swer
that
bars, G, having pivoted levers which, when the sections
are clamped, ate held by stout pins, H. The ends of the bars
The hinges, however, are not submitted to any material .opposite the levers are bent down at right angles, and hook
strain by the action of the screws as the hinged sections of over angular iron plates attached to stout pieces of timber
which
purpose admirably,
when appJied to
cotton,
extend
entirely across
and are bolted to the hinged
they
sections
of the box.
TheM
have not met the wants of cot­
clampin� bars, together with
the fact that still the old-style
bind tbe hinged sections on all
ton packers, as is evidenced by
the timbers described, serve to
wooden pre9s is used to a grllater
sides,
extent than perhaps any other
for
packing cotton.
these
pres8es
80m e of
have had
and
they
receive
tIle
pressure when the press is in
operation.
their_
'fhey
can
be ad­
justed in a moment's time, but
good points, which led plpnt'ers
four or five movements being
to believe that at last the press
necessary to close the press and
they had been looking for was
clamp it ready to receive the
devised, but on trial they have
cotton.
their merits to such an extent,
tbe cotton is put in the press,
manifested defects which offset
The upper and hinged
platen or lid is left
that they failee to fulfill their
open whill'
which does not take materially
promise.
longer than to pack it in tbe
baskets or sacks heretofore u!!ed
But in these times of progress,
to carry the cotton to the press.
when wood has given way to
The top is then closed and fae­
iron and iron is yilllding prece­
ten ed, and the screws are then
dence to steel, and manual Ja bor
run up by means of the nuts
and horse-power are being super­
seded by the steam engine, it is
and levers, D, carrying up with
old wood sCrew press, cumber­
compressinl!;,
them the lower platen, B, and
scarcely to be expecte.d that tbe
the
banded.
One reason why the presses
A detachable cord belt works
heretofore offered to the cotton
in grooves turned in tbe nuts,
planter have failed, is because
by which means the screws are
many of them have been con-
rapidly run down when the
structed with a view to simply
compress· readily and strongly
bale is taken out.
necessary requirements.
one
due
regard
to
The
taken oft the bale is stitcbed and
much longer tolerated ..
without
bale.
clam ping bars, G, being then
some and iII convenient, will be
Altogether we regard this aR
other
These
ot" the
most
simple and
presses have to be placed outside
practical cotton presses we have
is carried to them in baskets
the attention of cotton packers.
taining
hundred
tific American Patent Agency,
hand, and stamped into them.
improvements are pending be-
the ginning room.
seen, and as such well worthy
The cotton
Patented, through the Scien-
from the gin, the baskets eonIlome
two
September 29,1869 (and other
pounds of cotton, picked up by
DAVIS' IMPROVED COTTON AND HAY PRESS.
fore the Patent Office), by JoWhen the press is rllached this
cotton has to be pulled out of the baskets, put into the the upper part of the box are held in such a manner as to seph K. Davis, of Monticello, .South Carolina, who may be
press again, and again stamped with the feet.
When the transfer the outward pressure to be transferred to otber parts addressed for further information or for territorial rights.
--•
press stands wholly above the floor, as is the case with presses especially designed to receive and sustain it. These parts' are
in which the pres9ure is applied to the upper pI aten,its weight
has to be raislld to the top of the press, a severe and
exacting labor.
The press herewith illustrated is invented by an experi-
F�7'
BELLS AND BELL METAL.
2
Every one has read about the enormous bells made in Rus-
II
sia and China; and nearly every one has some acquaintance
with the troubles which at first beset the two bells cast succes-
enced cotton planter and ginner, who, perfectly familiar
sively for the Houses of Parliament at Westminster.
with the requirements of the case, has reversed the plan of
But
there are many interesting facts connected with the tones
applying pressure to the upper platen, applying it instead
or sounds of bells which are not so familiar.
Those sounds
to the lower one, w4ereby he is enabled to sink his press
had formerly much more importance attached to them than
exposure to weather and the labor of lifting the cotton.
church bells would drive away thunder and lightning, and
through the floor of the cotton or lint room, thus av.oiding
they have now.
The
latter saving is so great that the inventor has publicly chal-
repel demons and el'il spirits; in fact, these were parts of the
lenged all presses to compete with his in packing, claiming
same sunerstition, seeing that the production of thunder and
that it will do materiaIty more, in a given time and with the
.'
c.
same number of hands, than any other press yet invented.
The press is a model of simplicity, :s cheap and durable.
g WJ1S
lightnin
att�ibuted to the malevolent agency of fiends.
Times were, when bells were also rang during eclipses, to
drive away tbe malevolent fiend who was supposed to hide
As the engraving shows, it is expressly designed to be used
inside of, or adjacent to the lint-room, and may be worked
the beautiful face of the sun or moon.
It was a very frequent custom to include a rhymed enumer
with equal facility in either the second or ground floor, thereby saving a portion of the labor of. partially compressing the
ation of these and other uses of church bells in the inscrip-
tions thllY bore.
cotton in baskets or sacks preparatory to carrying it out and
this:
up to the mouth of the box of the press, asin all cases. where
One English form, frequently adopted, was
To caJl the foll<ll to church in t1me-1 chime
presses are worked outside the lint-room and in which the
When mirth and joy are on the wing-1 rlog.
bale is formed at the bottom of the box, and also saving the'
When from thellody parto the 0001-1 toJl.
whole of the time and labor expended in carrying out the
The sound of a bell depends, of course, on many different
lint, besides preventing damage/rom wind, rain-storms, drop­
ping upon the ground, etc.
A firm belief existed that the B<>und of
circumstances or conditions.
These advantages will be seen
which the bell is composed.
and duly appreciated by practical cotton packers.
One of these is the metal of
The mixed metals or alloys il­
lustrate in an- instructive way the differllnces of quality which
Upon reference to Fig.1, it will be seen that the upper
result fram diff�rences in the proportion of ingredients.
which are thrown back into the position shown while sewing
tions they yield speculum metal, for making the brilliantly
part of the press box is formed of two hinged segments, A,
and banding tbe bale.
Copper and tin produce the metal bronze; in other propor­
At this time the lower platen, B, is
white reflectors of telescopes; while in other proportions,
raleed and held slightly above t h e level ofthe floor by the
again, they furnish bell metal
C. TheBb screwl! are worked by nuts and levers, D,
both AUts and screws "cing of iron and made very strong and
The Chinese in their gongs
and the Europeans in their bells have peen rellllOn to employ
I!CI'eWS,
pretty nearly the same kind of metal.
durable.
There is ,uways much
more copper than tin; but every bell founder h�B his favorite
When it is desired to release the bale, the upper part, E,
recipe in this matter.
of Dne Bide of the, press frame, which is also hinged, and
Some 'adopt simply foUl' of copper to
one of tin; some thirty-two copper to nine of tin.
Big Ben
which, when in the position shown, engages with the top of shown in Fig. 2, which represents the hinged sections closed has about twenty-two copper to seven of tin. Mr. Layard
the 'upper platen, is thrown outward, rt>leasing the upper and ready to re"eivl) the pressure from the. screws through found at Nineveh bells which had as much as ten parts cop­
platen, so that it is lifted back like the lid of a box, and held the medium of the inclosed lint. In this position of tho press, per to one of tin. It is, therefore, evident that no very great
by hooks provided for that purpose. The part, E, of the pres� the hinged sections are held together by strong iron clamping amount of exactness is necessary in this matter. It is con sid -
© 1870 SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN. INC.