Improvements in or Appertaining to Flour or other Mills where Two Stones, Discs, or the like are Used.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1888
Complete Left, 22nd May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 29th June, 1888
Improvements in or Appertaining to Flour or other Mills where
Two Stones, Discs, or the like are Used.
I, FREDERIC JAMES LONGTON of Woolton, near Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The great object in flour mills at the present time is to obtain as much middlings,
and as little finely ground flour as possible. I have found that this object, and otlier
good results hereafter set forth can be much better attained, if the upper millstone
or runner be hollowed out very considerably in the central portion, so as not to
approach the lower stone nearer than an inch or two, and thus avoid doing any work.
If, however, the stone be cut away in this manner in the ordinary arrangement, the
grain accumulates in the centre, and is there submitted to considerable grinding or
tearing action.
Now I avoid this, and at the same time considerably cheapen the cost of the mill-
stones by cutting out the entire surface of the upper stone, to say nine inches from
the circumference, and by placing on the spindle neck a disc of cast iron or other
suitable material, extending to within about nine inches of the circumference of the
siones. Between the driving box and this disc, I place a stout leather washer to
ensure steadiness.
The grain falling on the disc is propelled outward by centrifugal force, but in order
to still further assist the centrifugal force, and more evenly distribute the grain, I at
present prefer to cast or otherwise fix on the upper surface of the plate a series of
low volute, or even in some cases, nearly radial ribs.
The annulus of grinding surface is preferably formed (if nine inches wide) the
inner five inches depressed, and the four outside inches level. The central portion of
the stones by this arrangement need not be made of burrstone, but of cheaper
material, such as cement, or even a suitably weighted metallic skeleton. In this way,
the stones can be considerably cheapened in cost, and this refers not merely to the
upper stone, but to the lower stone also.
In actual operation, the eye of the runner should be cut away to allow of free run
of wheat between the plate and the upper stone, say one inch at most, that is in

page_text: several cases, all depending on length of cockhead, and mode of drive. The upper
stone should have its edge gradually cut away to allow of wheat delivering from the
distributor straight into its place without falling back, although no positive harm
would accrue if the stone were not so cut. Of course a good draught coming into
the eye and out at the skirt, would ensure a good delivery, but it is not by any means
necessary.
The disc or distributor can be considerably varied in design and diameter.
This arrangement of stone will be found useful for many purposes:
1st. For gradual reduction of wheat as now practised with roller mills.
2nd. For granulating.
3rd. It acts as a dismembrator, the tearing action at the high speed attained by the
periphery scattering the contents of the wheat grain much better than the chopping
action of rolls will do it.
4th. The distributor is also applicable for low grinding, as a feeder, and also for
middlings feeding.
By my arrangement, the bran is not so much cut up and is delivered broader
through not being pulverised by a too great amount of stone surface. The break
flour is improved through there not being so great a pulverisation of the branny
dust, because of the greater case with which the stone keeps its balance through
having an even and constant supply of feed, and thickness of same. The wheat is
preferably broken before going to the stone.
Dated this 10th day of March 1888
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or Appertaining to Flour or other Mills where
Two Stones, Discs, or the like are Used.
I, FREDERIC JAMES LONGTON of Woolton, near Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Miller, 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 :—
The great object in flour mills at the present time is to obtain as much middlings,
and as little finely ground flour as possible. I have found that this object, and other
good results hereafter set forth can be much better attained, if the upper millstone
or runner be hollowed out very considerably in the central portion, so as not to
approach the lower or bed stone nearer than an inch or two, by which means the
central portion is prevented from doing any work. If, however, the stone be simply
cut away in this manner, the grain accumulates in the centre, and is there submitted
to considerable grinding or tearing action.
Now I avoid this defect, and carry out my invention as follows: reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a central section through a pair of millstones as constructed and
arranged in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1 with the runner and driving mechanism removed.
A is the runner, and A' the bed stone. I cut out the entire central portion of the
face of the runner, say to a depth of an inch or two to within say about nine inches of
the skirt or circumference. By this means, a shallow recess a is formed in the
runner. place on the neck F of the driving spindle E a dise B of cast iron or other
suitable material, about one eighth of an inch thick, extending to within a short
distance of the periphery of the recess a. Between the driving box G¹ and this disc,
I place a stout leather washer B' to ensure steadiness. The plate B lies within the
recess a with its lower surface in about the same plane as the grinding face of the
bed stone. The distance between the upper surface of the plate B and the top of
the recess a can be varied according to circumstances or taste, but it should not be
more than about an inch. Instead of attaching the disc B to the neck F, it might
be attached to the runner A, or to the driving mechanism, by a variety of devices,
for instance, it might be attracted to the runner by means of two or more studs
or bolts provided with distance ferrules or their equivalent. Also instead of placing
the disc with its lower or upper surface in the plane of the lower grinding face,

page_text: it might be placed with its lower surface in the plane of the upper grinding face,
or it might be located at any intermediate point, the upper or lower stone or both
being recessed accordingly. G is the cock head, H is the driver, I the saucer, and J
the feed spout.
The grain falling on the disc B from the saucer I is propelled outward by
centrifugal force, but in order to still further assist the centrifugal force, and more
evenly distribute the grain, I at present prefer to cast or otherwise fix on the upper
surface of the plate, a series of low volute, or even in some cases nearly radial grooves
or ribs b, b. (Figure 2). The ribs or grooves are unnecessary when feeding
middlings, and the upper face of the disc is preferably made quite smooth.
The annulus of grinding surface is preferably formed (if nine inches wide) with the
inner five inches depressed, and the four outside inches level. The central portion of
the stones, by this arrangement, need not be made of burrstone, but of cheaper
material, such as cement, or even a suitably weighted metallic skeleton.
In this way,
the stones can be considerably cheapened in cost, and this refers not merely to the
upper stone, but to the lower stone also.
The periphery of the recess a should be gradually sloped or cut away as at a to
allow of the grain being delivered from the distributor or disc straight into its place
between the stones, without falling back, although no positive harm would accrue if
the stone were not so cut. Of course a good draught coming into the eye C and out
at the skirt K, would ensure a good delivery, but it is not by any means necessary.
The disc or distributor can be considerably varied in design and diameter.
This arrangement of stone will be found useful for many purposes:
1st. For gradual reduction of wheat as now practised with roller mills.
2nd. For granulating wheat or other grain.
3rd. It acts as a dismembrator, the tearing action at the high speed attained by
the periphery, scattering the contents of the wheat grain much better than the
chopping action of rolls will do it.
4th. The distributor is also applicable for slow grinding as a feeder and also for
middlings feeding.
By my arrangement, the bran is not so much cut up, and it is delivered broader
through not being pulverised by too great an amount of stone surface. The break
flour is improved through there not being so great a pulverisation of the branny dust,
because of the less surface of stone employed, and the greater case with which the
stone keeps its balance through having an even and constant supply of feed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The process or method of grinding grain, which consists in causing it to fall
onto a revolving disc, which delivers it evenly to the entire inner circumference of
narrow annular faces of a pair of stones, whereby the abrading action of those portions
of the stones nearer the centre is done away with, and only the more cutting or
breaking action of the outer portions brought into play.
2nd. In combination with a pair of mill stones, a circular disc such as B, rotating
with the runner, with its surface near the plane of the bed stone face, and a recess
such as a in the runner, whereby the grain instead of accumulating round the eye, and
being there subjected to an abrasive action, is propelled freely outwards in an even
and continuous stream, and delivered between the working faces of the stones at a
comparatively short distance from the skirt thereof, substantially as and for the
purposes described.

page_text: 3rd. As a device for feeding middlings to a pair of mill stones, a circular disc such
as B rotating with the runner, and having its smooth surface in or near the plane of
the bedstone face, and a recess such as a in the runner larger and deeper than the said
disc, whereby the middlings instead of accumulating round the eye is delivered in an
even and continuous stream to the annular working faces of the stones, at a com-
paratively short distance from the skirt thereof, substantially as set forth.
4th. In a flour mill such as described, and in combination with disc B above
described, a series of rays, ribs, or flutes b for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated this 19th day of May 1888.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.