Improvements in Grinding or Crushing Mills.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Grinding or Crushing Mills.
I, FRANK HAMACNEK, of Kewaunee, Kewaunee County, State of Wisconsin,
U.S.A., Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in crushing or grinding mills more
especially designed for crushing oats, barley, rice, corn, peas, and like grain.
The primary object is to provide a construction whereby the grinding discs
may be adjusted with such exact nicety as to allow for the same being brought
to within a hair's breadth of each other and yet not touch at a single point,
the discs being held with sufficient firmness in their adjusted position to with-
stand proper pressure, but yielding laterally or spreading apart under
the strain of hard substances which may get in between the grinding discs.
A mill constructed in accordance with this invention, comprises a table or frame-
work, which may be constructed of wood. A rectangular metal frame is supported
by the table, and has bearings on two of its opposite sides; said bearings being
preferably bushed with anti-friction metal. A shaft is carried by the bearings,
and is capable of endwise movement therein.
One bearing is cast integral with a disc on its front face, which disc has an
annular forwardly projecting flange on its face, thereby forming an annular box-
like casing. A cover is fitted to the front of the casing, and has a chute projecting
from its outer face and upwardly; the lower end of the chute covering a central
aperture in the cover. The rear wall of the chute is provided with a bearing in
which one end of the shaft, aforementioned, is seated and made adjustable longi-
tudinally, in one direction, by a set-screw in the end of the bearing and fitted
with a lock-nut. The other end of the rod rests against a projection situated mid-
way the length of a lever which has one end pivoted to the frame and its other
end perforated to pass over a rod which is reciprocably mounted in bearings on
the rectangular frame, at one end, and the cover of the casing aforementioned at
the other end. That portion of the rod which extends beyond the end of the lever
carries a coiled spring compressed between the end of the lever and a
nut or nuts on the rod. The other end of the rod is screw-threaded and
fitted with a hand-wheel, by turning which, the rod can be caused to move longi-
tudinally in either direction to regulate the tension of the spring. The position
of the hand-wheel, when adjusted is retained by means of a pawl or detent which is
adapted to engage between its spokes.
The ends of the shaft are perforated longitudinally to retain a steel pin which
extends into similar perforations in the set-screw and projection on the lever.
respectively. Hard steel or anti-friction discs are mounted on the pins between the
ends of the shaft and the set-screw and projection on the lever respectively..
Suitable oil-holes are made in the bearings so that lubricant can readily percolate.
to said discs.
A-disc is secured to the shaft within the casing and has a grinding disc secured

page_text: to one face of it to coincide with a similar disc secured to the inner face of the
cover of the casing, and having a central aperture coincident with the aperture in
the cover.
A substantially egg-shaped piece of metal is secured to the shaft at
the bottom of the chute and has a spiral groove upon its outer, surface. The object
of this, device is to convey the grain or the like from the chute to the space
between the grinding discs, and also to seize any hard and large substance and
force it against the fixed disc on the shaft (through a central opening in the
grinding disc thereon,) thereby pushing it and the grinding-disc backwards to
permit the substance to fall to the bottom of the casing from between the
grinding discs. The shaft being movable longitudinally against the pressure of
the spring on the rod aforedescribed permits of the separation of the grinding
discs. The substance is removed out of the casing, through an outlet therein,
with the meal, by means or ridges or scrapers on the disc on the shaft which rotate
adjacent to the sides of the casing.
The normal distance between the grinding discs is regulated by means of the
set-screw, and lock-nut aforementioned.
A hopper is situated above the chute and has its opening regulated in size by
means of a door which is adjustable in any position by means of a lever. The
lever has teeth on one of its faces which are retained in engagement with similar
teeth on a segment rack by means of a spring pressing on its rear face. The
lever can be lowered by pressing it backwards against the spring; but when
raising it the teeth will ride over each other.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1800
P. R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicant.
.
Improvements in Grinding or Crushing Mills.
1, FRANK HAMACHEK, of Kewaunee, Kewaunee County, State of Wisconsin,
U.S.A., Manufacturer, 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 has relation to improvements in grinding or crushing mills more
especially designed for crushing oats. barley, rice, corn, peas, and like grain.
The primary object is to provide a construction whereby the grinding discs
may be adjusted with such exact nicety as to allow for the same being brought
to within a hairsbreadth of each other and yet not touch at a single point,
the discs being held with sufficient firmness in their adjusted position to with-
stand proper pressure, but yielding laterally or spreading apart under
the strain of hard substances which may come in between the grinding discs.
The invention contemplates other important objects, which will be hereinafter
more fully pointed out.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of the complete
device, Fig. 2 is a side elevation Fig. 3 is a plan view with the hopper removed.
Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a view of the shell or casing for the grinding discs, the outer end or
head of said shell and the outer grinding disc, secured thereto, being removed,
and shewing a part of the discharge chamber broken away. Fig. 6 is a view of the
left hand end of the driving shaft and its bearing with parts broken away.
Fig. 7 is a similar view of the right hand end of said shaft and its bearing at that
. end. Fig. 8 is.a rear view of the pressure lever and the end of the frame to which

page_text: it is pivoted. Fig. 9 is a detail of the pawl and ratchet mechanism for the tension
regulating shaft. Fig. 10 is a front view of the hopper gate and the lever for
closing same. Fig. 11 is a section on line 11-11 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is an
edge view of Fig. 10, shewing the gate in section. Fig. 13 is an inner face view
of the flange to which the inner grinding disc is secured. Fig. 14 is an elevation
of a fragment of the feeding wheel, and Fig. 15 is a cross section of one of the
wings of said wheel.
Referring to the drawings, the numeral 14 indicates the supporting framework,
which may be of any suitable form best adapted to support the working parts.
Mounted upon this frame is a rectangular main frame 15. The
opposite end pieces of this main frame are provided with integral
bearings 16, 16, in which a longitudinal shaft 17 is seated. It will be
noticed that this frame is perfectly straight and lics flat upon the supporting frame
to which it is secured: so that the shaft is in a straight line with this frame 15.
The cap pieces of these bearings are indicated by the numerals 18, 18. These cap
pieces are held in place by means of securing bolts 19, passing through lateral
outstanding flanges from the cap-piece. Oil cups 20 are formed upon the tops of
these cap-pieces, and from these cups passages 21, lead downwardly to the shaft.
Mounted upon the shaft intermediate the two bearings 16, 16¹ is a band.
pulley 22.
Formed integral with one end of the main frame 15 is a head piece 23, which at
its edge is formed with an outstanding rim 24, the head piece and rim forming a
shell or boxing preferably of cylindrical form.
On the outside rim 24 of the frame or shell is fastened a plate 27, forming the
outer head of the shell. This plate has an outstanding spout 26 cast thereon and
has also projecting therefrom a hub 25, which forms a bearing for the shaft 17.
The outer head or end 27 has its inner side faced off, as indicated at 28, so as to
receive the edge of the rim 24. Bolts 29 extend through the edges of the heads 23
and 27; and serve to connect the rim 24 to said head 27. It will be seen that the
main frame piece 15, its bearings for the shaft 17, the inner head 23, and its
rin 24 are in one piece, while the bearing 25 for the end of the shaft, the spout 26,
and the outer head piece 27 are also in one piece.
The parts enumerated constitute the main portions of the machine and are con-
structed simply from two castings.
A screw-bolt 30 turns through a threaded opening in the end of the bearing 25
against hard steel discs 31, 31, interposed between the end of said bolt and the end
of the shaft 17. These discs are mounted loosely upon a pin 32, which pin at one
end enters loosely its bearings 33 in the shaft 17, and its opposite end enters
loosely a recess in screw-bolt 30. A jamb-nut 34 takes onto the threads of the
bolt 30 and is adapted to be turned up against the end of the bearing 25. An
oil-chamber 34 is formed in the bearing 25, and this chamber leads to the annular
oil recess 35, adjacent to the outer face of the outermost disc 31. The lubricant
in the chamber 34', therefore, is free to pass to the recess 35, and from this recess
feeds to the screw-bolt, to the respective discs, to the loose-pin, and along the
bearing 25, the waste oil finds its exit out of openings 36, 36, in the outwardly
bulged portion 36 of the casting. The opposite end of the shaft 17 is likewise
provided with a recess 37, in which fits loosely a pin 38. On the outer
end of this pin are loosely mounted discs 39, 39, advisably of hardened steel.
The numeral 40 indicates a pressure lever pivoted at one end to an outstanding
lug 41. At a medial point this lever is provided with an inwardly extending
projection 42, which as adapted to bear against the outer one of the discs 39.
The outer end of the pin 38 also passes loosely into a recess formed in the inner
end of this projection 12. It will be noticed that the under edges of the inwardly
extending projection 42 is provided with a downwardly extending lug 43. The
end of the bearing 16' is extended upwardly to form an outer wall 44, and upon
the upper edge of this wall rests a straight edge 40¹ of the lever 40. Between this
outer wall and. the outer disc is formed. an oil reservoir 45, in which the down-

page_text: wardly extending lug 43 is received. The bore of the bearing 16¹ is advisably
lined with babbit metal 46, which lies next to the shaft. The oil which is poured
through the cap-piece is free to pass to the discs 39, to the shaft, to the pin 38,
and also to the pressure lever 40, being received in the oil reservoir 45. From
this reservoir it is free to pass along the bearing 101 to and out of the inner end
of said bearing.
The numeral 47 indicates a tension regulating rod, one end of which passes
through an eye formed in the free end of the pressure lever 40. A coiled spring
48 encircles one end of the rod and is confined between the end of the pressure
lever and a nut 49 located on the threaded end of the rod. Just in advance of
the end of the pressure lever the rod is provided with a rigid rectangular collar 50,
against which a lug 51, projecting from the lever, is adapted to bear. The opposite
end of the tension rod has its bearings in a lug projecting from the edge of the
head or plate 27. This end of the red is also threaded, and working on these
threads is a hand-wheel 52. The inner face of this hand-wheel is formed, with
a hub having a series of recesses 53 therein. A locking dog 54 is pivoted to the
head 27, and at its free end is provided with a depending tooth adapted to engage
in any of the recesses in order to hold the hand-wheel to adjusted position on the
end of the tension rod.
The numeral 55 indicates a flange which is shrunk tight, or otherwise rigidly
secured onto the main shaft 17. This flange is placed on the shaft in such
position as to be within the grinding chamber or shell, said flange being opposite
to the inner face of the head 27. This flange is faced off, as indicated
at 56 to receive the grinding disc 57, said disc being held to the flange
by bolts 58. The inner side of the flange has formed or cast integral thereon a
series of radial wings 59, the outer ends of said wings being provided with lateral
extensions 591, which project over the edge of the flange. Opposite the grinding
disc 57 is the fixed disc 60. The end or head 27 is faced off, as indicated at 61,
to receive the disc 60, said disc being secured to the head 27 by means of bolts 62.
The numeral 63 indicates a feeding wheel which is mounted upon and turns
with the shaft 17 and is located on the shaft, so as to be within the chamber or
space formed by the bulged portion 361. It will also be noticed that this feeding.
wheel and the two discs 57 and 60 are intermediate the two bearings 16 and 25.
It will be seen from the drawings that the feeding wheel is substantially of an
egg shape, with the point end cut off, said cut off end bearing against the wall
of the flange 55, the opposite oval end of the feed wheel being the outer end of
said wheel and entering the feed chamber. Being oval in shape at this end, the
wings proceed immediately from the outer end of the wheel, said wings being
from the starting point spirally curved and concavo-convex in cross section, as
indicated by 631, the spiral curvatures extending across the body of the wheel.
The wings increase in width as they ascend the oval from the outer end of the.
feed wheel, said wheels being widest and most convace at the greatest diameter of
he feed wheel, and thence, by the same spiral curve descending, the wings
gradually diminishing in width toward the inner and smaller end of the feed-
wheel. While the wings diminish in width, the spiral curve increases towards
the inner and smaller end of the feed wheel, thereby relieving the grasp upon
the material, and by the centrifugal motion of the feed wheel as it revolves, the
material is distributed equally between the grinding discs. The wings; as afore-
said, proceed immediately from the outer end of the feed wheel, and the conveying
and grasping power of the feed wheel thereby absolutely prevents any clogging or
lodging of material between the feed-wheel and the feed-chamber walls, with the
result that when any kind of hard substance gets in between the grinding disc or
when there is an endwise movement of the shaft, with the mountings thereon,
material will always fall and lodge between the walls of the feed chamber and the
feed wheel, which feed wheel is of course moved with the shaft. Were it not for
the very fact of the grasping power of the wings proceeding from the outer end
of the feed wheel, such material could only be dislodged by taking the mill apart..

page_text: In my improved form of feed-wheel, however, with the wings proceeding imme
diately from the outer end of the feed wheel and of the shape and form, described,
the wings are enabled to grasp and clear away all material so. lodged.
Extending out from the rim 24 is a casing (4, said casing being preferably
integral with the rim and forming a discharge chamber. 65. This casing is
provided with a discharge opening 66, which is normally closed by a sliding.
pivoted gate 67. The end of the casing is preferably of circular form, and the
gate fits thereagainst and conforms thereto in shape. This gate is formed with an
arm or arms 68, to receive the pivot 69. The gate therefore when operated swings
on an arc of circle.
Secured to an extending upwardly from the rim 24 are brackets.70-70. These
brackets are secured to and support a hopper 71. This hopper has its discharge
opening located in one of the inclined sides of the bottom of the hopper and in line
with the spout 26, so as to discharge into said spout. This discharge opening is
controlled by means of a cover 72. The cover has projecting therefrom a trup-
nion 73, which fits in an elongated slot 74 of a pivoted lever 75. The free end
ot this lever works above the raised portion of a looped segment 76, the lower
side of the looped segment being provided with a series of teeth or serrations 77;
with which teeth or serrations similar teeth 78, formed on the lever, are adapted.to
engage. Above the lever is a coiled spring 79, which presses downwardly against
the lever and holds the teeth thereof normally in engagement with the teeth of
the segment. It will be noticed that the upper side piece of the looped segment is
provided with a shoulder 76 and the upper side of the lever with a shoulder 751
and that between these shoulders the cover 72 slides, said shoulders forming a
guideway for the cover
In the operation of my invention rotation is imparted to the main shaft 17 by a
belt running from a source of power over the pulley 22. As the shaft is rotated;
the, flange 55 and the grinding disc 57, secured thereto, are rotated together. The
grain to be ground or crushed is fed into the hopper 71 and the cover 72
for the opening of said hopper regulated so as to discharge. the proper amount of
the grain into the spout 26. This cover is regulated by pressing up the lever
75 against the action of the spring 79, so as to release the teeth 78 from engage-
ment with the teeth or serrations 77 of the segment. The lever is then free-to
be turned on its pivot. As it is thus turned the cover is moved so as to either
increase or decrease the size of the discharge opening of the hopper in accordance
with the direction in which said lever is moved. After the required adjust-
ment is obtained pressure on the lever is removed. The spring 79 then forces the
lever downwardly to bring the teeth 78 into engagement with the teeth 77, which
of course has the effect of holding the lever to adjusted position. The grain
passing through the discharge opening of the hopper passes into the spout 26 and
from said spout to the space or chamber formed by the bulged out portion 36¹,
in which space or chamber the grain is acted upon by the feeding wheel 63 and
forced up between the grinding disc 57: and 60. As the disc 57 is revolving with
the flange 55 the grain is thoroughly crushed and ground between the two discs,
being forced by the angular extension 59¹ of the wings 59 into the discharge
chamber 65, to pass out of the discharge opening of said chamber into a bag. 80,
suspended at the discharge opening in convenient position to catch the feed: Any
feed that passes from between the grinding discs back of the flange 55 is forced
out of said space into the discharge chamber by the radial wings 59. As soon as
the bag becomes filled the sliding gate 67 is closed down so as to close the dis-
charge opening. The bag is then detached and an empty bag substituted therefor.
The gate 67 is now again slid back to open the discharge 66..
By reason of the fact that the projection 42,of the lever 40 bears against against
the end of the shaft 17 and the coiled spring 48 bears, against the end of the
lever 40 said shaft 17 is held against endwise movement, which would be apt to be
caused by the pressure of the grain between the grinding discs. As some grains
are harder than others, and consequently have more of a tendency to separate or

page_text: spread the grinding discs apart, I provide the hand wheel 52, herein before referred
to, for the purpose of adjusting the tension rod longitudinally, and thereby increas-
ing the tension of the spring 48. In order to secure this adjustment, the tooth of
the dog 54 is released from the recess 53, and the hand-wheel is then free to be
turned. The rod 47 is prevented from being turned with the hand-wheel by reason
of the lug 51 of the lever 40 engaging against the rigid rectangular collar 50. As
the hand-wheel is turned, therefore, the rod is moved longitudinally, and when it
is desired to increase the tension of the spring, the hand-wheel is turned so as
to cause the rod to move in a direction necessary to compress the spring 48 between
the end of the lever 40 and the nut 49. By this arrangement the grinding discs
can be readily adjusted so as to prevent the movement of the inner disc. 57 away
from the outer disc 60, no matter what kind of grain is fed between the
discs. While the movable disc is thus capable of being held firmly
against the outward pressure of the grain, yet it is adapted to move laterally
away from the dise 60 under undue strain caused by a hard and unyielding sub-
stance getting in between the discs. The pressure of such substance is against the
flange 55, and as said flange is rigid to the shaft the said shaft is caused to move
endwise the end thereof pressing against the projection 42 of the lever 40 and
throwing said lever outward on its pivot against the contrary force exerted by
the spring 48. The moment hard or unyielding substances pass from between the
grinding discs the coiled spring 48 forces the lever 40 inwardly again, and the pro-
jection 42 thereof, acting on the shaft 17, causes said shaft to likewise move
inwardly and carry the flange 55 and its grinding disc 57 back to their normal
position.
i
By my invention the disc 57 can be adjusted with the most minute nicety toward
the stationary disc 60. This adjustment is secured by first loosening the jamb-
nut 34 and then turning the screw-bolt 30 which, acting against the end of the
shaft, will cause the same to move endwise and as the flange 55, which carries
the grinding disc 57 is fast to the shaft, said flange and the grinding disc will be
moved therewith. The disc may by this means be moved closer to or farther away
from the disc, and the finest possible adjustment thereby attained without any
portion of the two discs contacting.
In my invention, when the adjustable disc is once set it remains fixed in its
adjusted position, and consequently the discs at their peripheries or edges are
always free for the escape of the ground feed, and hence all clogging is prevented.
The anti-friction bearing discs 31 and 39 at opposite ends of the shaft reduce
friction to the minimum. A plurality of discs is advisable, inasmuch as if only
one were employed and it became stuck to the shaft it would thereby be com-
pelled to rotate with said shaft. The constant friction thereby created would
soon wear out a single disc. By providing at least two discs, however, if one
should become fast to the shaft, the other will still remain loose. The disc are
also loosely mounted on the pins 32 and 38, so as to further decrease friction.
By providing the loose discs and the loose pins the lubricant is free to pass to all
the bearings and to get in between the faces of the discs, oozing out between the
outer edges of said discs.
By reason of the fact that the frame 15 is perfectly straight and lies flat upon
the supporting frame to which it is secured the pressure at opposite ends of the
shaft caused by the pressure lever against one end of the shaft forcing the other
end of said shaft against the set bolt said pressure. is exerted straight against the
ends of the frame, and consequently there is no tendency to buckling, bending,
or breaking of parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
-
A grinding mill comprising a stand or support, a rectangular frame mounted
on said stand a drive shaft

page_text: formed integral with one of the bearings for said shaft and having an annular
projecting flange at right angles thereto to form a grinding chamber, a cover
for said chamber formed with a spout or chute and a bearing for the end of the
shaft aforesaid, a discharge opening in the grinding chamber, a hopper supported
above the spout aforesaid having a gate for regulating the flow therefrom, a fixed
disc secured to and rotatable with the aforesaid drive shaft within the grinding
chamber, and having radial wings at its rear and projecting at right angles thereto,
a concave grinding disc having a hollow centre secured to said fixed disc, a second
grinding disc conforming to the last mentioned disc secured to the inner surface
of the cover of the grinding chamber, the feed wheel formed as described and
mounted on the aforesaid drive shaft with its forward end in contact with the
disc aforesaid secured to the drive shaft, a shaft reciprocally journalled in the
frame parallel to the drive shaft and carrying a spring, operating upon an arm
having a projection which bears against the drive-shaft for the purpose of keeping
the discs in contact, and means such as a hand wheel, screw-threaded on the last
mentioned shaft and working in conjunction with a pawl to regulate the tension
of the aforesaid spring, all substantially as and for the purpose herein before set
forth, and illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this with date of Anton 1900.
P. R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicant.