Patent GB-287628-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to apparatus for producing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa nibs and the like
IPC: A23G1/10
Filed: 1926-12-22
Abstract: 287,628. Prescott, W. E., Baker Perkins, Ltd., and Anciens Etablissements A. Savy Jeanjean et Cie Soc. Anon. Dec. 22, 1926. Disc and like mills.-In apparatus for producing refined cocoa liquor from cocoa nibs, the reducing-apparatus for rough-grinding the cocoa nibs and producing rough-ground liquor therefrom is arranged above the refining-apparatus for producing refined cocoa liquor from the roughground liquor, so that the reducing-apparatus discharges the coarse liquor by gravity directly into the refining-apparatus. The reducing-apparatus and the refining-apparatus may each comprise a central disc faced at each side with a grinding-disc and rotating between non-rotatable lateral grinding-discs, the rough-ground liquor from one side of the reducing-apparatus being discharged into the refining-apparatus at one side of the latter and the rough-ground liquor from the other side of the reducing-apparatus separately into the other side of the refining-apparatus. Means are provided for feeding an equal quantity of cocoa nibs simultaneously to the two sides of the central disc of the reducer. As shown, the shafts 11, 12 of the reducer 1 and refiner 2 are driven through gearing 9, 110 and 10, 120 from the driving-shaft 7. The shaft 11 is supported on a pedestal 5 and on a casting 13 bolted to a casting 6 on the base 3, and the shaft 12 is supported in bearings 14, 15 on the base 3. The shaft 11 carries a central supporting-disc 25 faced at its sides with reducing-discs 17, 18 which rotate in contact with stationary discs 19, 20, the disc 19 being mounted on a fixed supporting-plate 21 forming part of the casting 13 while the disc 20 is mounted on a plate 24 supported on bolts 22 and is resiliently pressed inwards by springs 23. The refiner shaft 12 carries a similar central disc 26 rotating in contact with stationary refining-discs 29, 30, the disc 29 being mounted on bolts 33 and pressed inwards by springs 34. A flange 35 on the middle of the peripheral edge of the disc 25 runs in close proximity to a fixed shield 36 surrounding the disc except at its lowermost portion where a divided shoot 37 is arranged. The shoot is fixed to the plate 21 and has a central dividing wall 38 with which the flange 35 contacts. Two stationary adjustable scrapers 39 within the shoot bear against the edges of the reducing-discs. The supporting- plates 21, 24, 31, 32 are hollow for water-cooling, and are provided with hoppers 40 - - 43 communicating by passages 44 - - 47 with the spaces between the pairs of discs. The feed-hopper 49 is mounted on a casting bolted to the hoppers 40, 41, and is provided under its outlet with two toothed rollers 50, 51 which revolve in opposite directions. The roller 50 is driven by toothed and chain gearing from a shaft 54 driven through bevel gearing from the shaft 11, and the roller 51 by toothed gearing from the roller 50. The adjustable shutters 64, 65 have toothed racks 66, 67 with which engage pinions 68, 69 on spindles 70, 71 provided with hand-wheels 72, 73 and toothed discs 74, 75 engaged by spring detents 76, 77. The material fed under the shutters 64, 65 by the rollers 50, 51 falls into the hoppers 40, 41, and is fed to the reducer by rods 78, 79 reciprocating in collars 80, 81 on the inside of the hoppers. Pins 82 on the outer ends of the rods engage in slots in arms 83, 84 on shafts 85, 86 which are interconnected by arms 87, 88 and a rod 89. An arm 870 on the shaft 85 is oscillated by means of a rod 90 connected to a crank on the shaft 54. The refined liquor leaving the discs of the refiner 2 is discharged in a single stream from a shoot 93.