Dias Anti-Friction Press. Mr. David Dick's patented press, adapted for press ing cotton, punching, straightening rail road iron, embossing, and for every pur pose of pressing. It is compact, and pre sents a most important arrangement of mechanical powers, to avoid friction. The great principle of this invention is the saving and centralizing of the power, by directing, the power which is applied through a line of contact points. In all machinery constructed to gain power, by losing time, to use common terms, the loss by friction is very great, such as blocks and tackle, and other machinery, screw, &c., where the power is transmitted over a great extent of surface. In machinery for lifting or pressing, 100 lbs. passing through two feet space, will lift 200 lbs. through one foot of space, and so on in the same ratio, saving the friction, which is the great evil of all complicated machin ery. This great drawback (friction) on power is removed, to a great extent, in Mr. Dick's press.
All the sectors are formed alike, but re versed in position—the upper and lower.
There are two partial rotating cams, and two cog-wheels on the axle. This axle is allowed to move slightly up in its bear ings. There is a pinion on a fixed axis, which is operated by the crank handle. A and lever are employed, as re quired, on each side. There are sectors (four), one on each side of the cams ; the lower ones are in a reverse position, viz., resting on their apex. The axle of the lower cam rests on curved surfaces of the lower sectors, and the axle of the up per cam presses on the curves of the up per sectors. The axle of the upper cam moves upward in its side bearings, and the upper sectors are pressed upward, pushing up the plate or frame, which moves upward in the guide slots. The upper sectors move in one direction, while the lower ones move in the contrary direction, bringing their curves to act most effectually, balancing all the mo tions, and acting in right lines through points of contact, produced by the con tact of the curved surfaces of the axles, cams, and sectors, consequently the amount of friction is very small.