An Improved Machine for Rounding and Polishing Pills.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 1st Sept., 1890-Accepted, 18th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Rounding and Polishing Pills.
I, JOHN WILLIAM PINDAR of 75 New Church Road Camberwell in the County of
Surrey, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved form of machine for rounding and polishing
pills.
The object being to increase the efficiency, while the operation of rounding and
polishing is more rapidly effected, irrespective of the quantity of pills operated
upon.
To this end the pills to be rounded are fed from a hopper on to the circumference
of a grooved metal drum which is mounted on a driving shaft, carried in bearings on
a suitable frame.
This drum is capable of slight movement in the direction of its axis.
An endless band of rubber, metal or other suitable material is caused to bear on
about one fourth of the circumference of the grooved drum, the pills to be rounded
falling between the periphery of the drum and the endless band, enter the grooves in
the drum.
The endless band is passed round two pullies, one of which is driven by a belt or
otherwise from the driving shaft, in such a manner that the endless band will travel
over the circumference of the grooved drum, in a direction contrary to the rotation of
that drum, and at a different speed.
Thus. the pills under treatment will be retained for a longer or shorter period
between the grooves in the drum and the endless band, according to the difference of
speed at which these are driven.
The pills will thus be subjected to a certain amount of pressure and will be constantly
rotated in the grooves: these grooves being made of a suitable depth.
In order to adjust the pressure necessary for polishing pills, a tightening pulley is
provided for the endless band, or the bearings of the drum may be made adjustable, or
any other well known means may be employed.
On leaving the grooved roller and endless band, the rounded and polished pills fall
into a suitable receptacle placed below the drum.
In addition to the first rotary notion imparted to the pills, a second rotary motion
is given to them in the direction of the axis of the drum. This is effected by fitting
to the boss of the drum a cam, which in its rotation will strike a projection with anti-
friction roller carried by the frame and so shift the drum sideways across the face of
the endless belt, against a spring which will return the drum to its normal position on
the cam ceasing to act.
To provide for a regulated supply of pills being fed into the machine, and so prevent
choking, the hopper is fitted with a self acting feed, such as a slowly rotating cylinder
with openings therein corresponding to the grooves in the drum and actuated by a
belt or otherwise from the driving shaft.
Or the base of the hopper may be hinged and opened and closed by a tappet or
spring at regular intervals as required.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1889.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Rounding and Polishing Pills.
I, JOHN WILLIAM PINDAR, of 75 New Church Road Camberwell in the County of
Surrey, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved form of machine for rounding and polishing
pills, the object being to increase the efficiency of the machine while the operation of
rounding and polishing is more rapidly effected than heretofore, irrespective of the
quantity of pills operated upon.
In the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1. is a side elevation of my improved machine, and
Fig. 2. is an end view of the same.
In these figures A is a grooved metal drum mounted on a driving shaft B carried in
suitable bearings on the frame ().
D D' are pullies mounted on shafts d d¹ carrying an endless band E of rubber,
leather, metal, or other suitable material of sufficient width to cover the grooves in the
drum A. The band E bears on about one fourth of the circumference of the grooved
drum. The driving shaft B carries at one end a step pulley b which actuates by a
belt a second step pulley b' carried by the shaft d and through the pullies d², d³ and
belt da rotary movement is communicated to the shaft d' carrying the pulley D'.
Thus the endless band E may be driven at any desired speed and will travel over a
portion of the circumference of the grooved drum A in the direction of the arrows in
Fig. 1, that is to say, in a direction contrary to the rotation of the grooved drum, and
at a different speed for the purpose to be presently explained.
In order to adjust the pressure of the band E, a tightening pulley F is provided,
which is carried in adjustable bearings e, sliding in grooves in brackets secured to the
frame C, or the bearings of the shaft B may be made adjustable or other well known
means may be employed.
G is a hopper to receive the pills to be rounded, fitted with a small grooved feed
roller g mounted on a spindle carried by pendent arms g¹. A slow rotary movement
is communicated to the grooved feed roller g by pullies g² and belt from the shaft d
so as to provide for a regulated supply of pills being fed into the machine and prevent
choking.
The position of the feed roller g being adjustable to suit the sizes of pills to be
rounded and polished.
The action of the machine is as follows:-
A supply of pills being placed in the hopper G and the grooved drum A set in
motion, the pills will pass under the feed roller g into the grooves in the drum A
between the periphery of that drum and the endless band E, where they will he
constantly rotated and retained in the grooves for a sufficient time to effect the
necessary rounding and polishing. This is determined by the rate of speed at which
the band E travels over the portion of the periphery of the grooved drum A. The
required pressure for polishing the pills is obtained by adjusting the bearings of the
tightening pulley F by means of the screws f. Fig. 1.
In some cases it may be necessary to impart å slight movement to the drum A in
the direction of its axis.
This may be effected by fitting to the boss of the drum a cam, which, in its
rotation will strike a projection with antifriction roller, carried by the frame and
so shift the drum. endways across the face of the band E against a spring which
will return the drum to its normal position on the cam ceasing to act. But I have
found that practically there is sufficient play sideways on the belt to impart the
requisite movement to the pills under treatment.
The rounded and polished pills, on leaving the grooves in the drum A will fall
into any suitable receptacle placed beneath the said drum. In place of the grooved

page_text: feed roller g above described I may use a slowly rotating cylinder with openings
therein corresponding to the grooves in the drum and actuated as before described.
Or, the base of the hopper may be hinged and opened and closed by a tappet
or spring at regular intervals as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
+
1. In a machine for rounding and polishing pills, the use of an adjustable
endless band travelling over, and in close contact with a portion of the periphery
of a revolving grooved drum in a direction contrary to the rotation of that drum
and at a different speed for the purpose set forth.
2. An improved machine for rounding and polishing pills constructed and operating
as above described and shown in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 29th day of August 1890.
JOHN WILLIAM PINDAR.