IMPROVEMENTS IN MILLS FOR GRINDING CORN AND OTHER GRAIN
Year: 1860

page_text: -LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MILLS FOR GRINDING CORN AND OTHER GRAIN."-A communication from
abroad by Pierre Etienne Brisson, of Orleans, France.
Sealed the 7th February 1861, and dated the 7th August 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald Brooman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th August 1860.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MILLS FOR GRINDING CORN AND OTHER GRAIN," (communicated to
me from abroad by Pierre Etienne Brisson, of Orleans, France,) to be as
follows:-
The first part of this Invention consists in suspending millstones from their
central parts; and in the application of this mode of suspension to the lower as
well as the upper stone. The two stones suspended in this manner are free
to perform similar oscillations; the upper is the travelling or working stone.
The Invention also consists in the application of a ventilator in combination
with an exhauster to mills, for grinding corn and other grain. The upper
stone is connected to a vertical shaft through a collar keyed to the shaft, and
carrying two arms or trunnions; these take into another collar also carrying
other arms or trunnions, which are inserted in two semicircular grooves

page_text: formed in a collar fitted in the stone itself. The vertical shaft passes through
a frame, it is driven by a pulley keyed to its lower part, and is free to rise and
fall to regulate the distance between the stones. The lower stone is suspended
from the centre of the frame through which the vertical shaft passes. On
motion being communicated to the upper stone through a pulley keyed on the
vertical shaft, .the grain is fed by a hopper on to a bowl, from whence it is
driven by centrifugal action between the millstones. A double case is placed
in the hopper, and prolonged close to the bowl, and air passes in from a
ventilator through a pipe provided for the purpose. The shaft for the venti-
lator is the same as that for the exhauster, so that they both revolve together.
The ventilator and exhauster shaft is driven by a belt passing round a pulley
fixed thereon, and round on the shaft carrying another pulley on the horizontal
shaft supporting the upper stone. Springs may be applied under the frame
carrying the lower, stone, and the lower stone may be connected to the frame
from which it is suspended by a conical cap fitting over a conical centre
formed on the frame. Friction, balls or spheres may be placed for the cap to
rest noon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th February '1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent,
⚫ send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
'Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, 'in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,: the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said" Richard
Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators; and assigns, or such..others:
as I, the said Richard 'Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrátors,.. and
assigns, should at any time agree with; and no; others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend; within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
*IMPROVEMENTS IN MILLS FOR GRINDING CORN: AND OTHER. GRAIN," (a communi-
cation from abroad by Pierre Etienne Brisson, of Orleans; France), upon 'the

page_text: condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman,. my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be-per-.
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office.within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to.
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:
:
The first part of this Invention consists in suspending millstones from their.
central parts, and in the application of this mode of suspension to the lower:
as well as the upper stone. The two stones suspended in this manner are-
free to perform similar oscillations; the upper is the travelling or working
stone as shewn in the annexed Drawings, but this arrangement may be
reversed, that is to say; the lower may be made the working stone.
The Invention also consists in the application of a ventilator in combination.
with an exhauster to mills for grinding corn and other grain. The upper
stone is connected to a vertical shaft through a collar keyed to the shaft, and
carrying two arms or trunnions, these take into another collar also carrying.
other arms or trunnions, which are inserted in two semicircular grooves formed
in a collar fitted in the stone itself. The vertical shaft passes through a
frame, it is driven by a pulley keyed to its lower part, and is free to rise and
fall to regulate the distance between the stones. The lower stone. is sus-
pended from the centre of the frame through which the vertical shaft
passes. Motion is communicated to the upper stone through a pulley keyed.
on the vertical shaft; the grain is fed by a hopper on to a bowl from whence
it is driven by centrifugal action between the millstones.. A double case is
placed in the hopper, and prolonged close to the bowl, and air passes in from
a ventilator through a pipe provided for the purpose. The shaft for .the.ven-
tilator, is the same as that for the exhauster, so that they both revolve together.
The ventilator and exhauster shaft is driven by a belt passing round a pulley
fixed thereon, and round another pulley on the horizontal shaft supporting the
upper stone: Spring's may be applied under the frame carrying, the lower.
stone, and the lower stone may be. connected to the frame, from which it is
suspended by a conical cap fitting over a conical centre formed on the frame:
Friction balls or spheres may be placed.for the cap to rest.upon.

page_text: Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings'shows in sectional elevation so much
of a mill for grinding corn as will be necessary to illustrate the manner in
which this Invention is carried into effect; Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7
are views of parts in detail to be hereafter referred to in the following
description.
A is the grain hopper; B is a second hopper, which may in some cases
be dispensed with; C is a cross beam for regulating the supply of grain,
adjusted by a rod through one of the hand wheels C³, C¹; D is a bowl or cup
on which the grain falls from the hopper, and from whence it is. driven by
centrifugal action upon the lower stone M.; E is a collar keyed on the top of
the vertical shaft H. This collar is formed with two arms or trunnions a, a,
which drop into sockets cut in the ring F. This ring F is also formed with
trunnions b, b, as seen in plan Figure 2, which are received in sockets made
in the ring G, the back of which is embedded in the upper stone I.. The
vertical shaft passes through the frame L, it is driven by the pulley N, and
imparts rotary motion to the upper stone I. J, Figure 6, is a casting formed
with two sockets, and two arms or trunnions, which latter are embedded in the
lower stone M. The casting J is supported by the ring K. formed with two
sockets or apertures, into which two trunnions or arms on the frame-L onter.
This method of connection allows of free oscillation to the stone M, and of its
yielding to the motion of the upper stone. P is a drum or case enclosing the
stones. Air is supplied to the stones by the fan R, which causes it to enter
through the tube which extends from the case B down to near the bowl D;
S is a white metal tube' communicating with the fan 'R; X is another fan,
separated by a division plate from the fan R, but keyed on the same shaft.
The fan R draws in air at B, and drives it out at Q. The fan X draws in
air at U, and discharges it at T. The fans are driven by a belt passing round
a pulley g¹ on the fan shaft, and round a pulley g in the vertical shaft H.
The fans are supported in a frame Z bolted to the side of the drum or case
enclosing the stones. The vertical section Figure 3 and the plan Figure 4 shew
the method of securing the centrality of the shaft H in the aperture through
the frame L, by means of the regulating cone S aud of the packing d, d.
Figures 8, 9, and 10, shew another method I adopt for suspending and support
ing the stones. I is a conical head formed in a piece with or fixed to the frame L
which supports the cap 2, the rim of which is embedded in the lower stone M.
Friction rollers or spheres may be interposed between the head and the cap
to facilitate the oscillating motion of the stone. The collar 4 bolted to the
frame L is shewn in sectional elevation at Figure 8, and in plan Figure 9.
The upper stone I is suspended by the cross bar 5, provided with four trun

page_text: nions, so that it is capable of motion in all directions about the head 6, see
Figure 10. The particular object of the arrangement given at Figure 11 is
to provide a receiver for catching the ground material thrown out by the
upper stone without affecting the oscillation of the stones nor the supply
of air. 7 is a metal ring or ledge fixed on the under stone upon which the
ring 8 rests; this ring 8 can be removed when necessary to dress the stones
or otherwise, and it only opens into the drum where the flour is received.
The fan R through the pipe S supplies the necessary current of air, either at
the upper part of the apparatus as shewn at Figure 1, or at any other part.
In the arrangements, Figures 8 and 11, a convex plate u is substituted for the
cup D. In some cases the parts which carry the lower stone may be placed
entirely under the said stone.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as the improve-
ments in mills for grinding corn and other grain :-
First, suspending 'millstones from their central parts, substantially in manner
herein-before described.
Second, the combination of two fans with the drum or case enclosing mill-
stones acting in manner before described, and as shewn at Figure 1 of the
Drawings annexed.
Third, the employment of a receiver in manner and for the purpose herein-
before described and shewn at Figure 11 of the Drawings annexed.
And, fourth, the particular arrangement and combination of parts herein-
before described and shewn at Figure 1 of the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of February, One thou-
sand eight hundred and sixty-one.