IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR THE MANU- FACTURE OF 'PEBBLE' GUNPOWDER
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haycraft, of Faversham, in the County
of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR THE MANU-
FACTURE OF 'PEBBLE' GUNPOWDER.”
Sealed the 7th May 1875, and dated the 21st November 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Haycraft at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st November 1874.
I, GEORGE HAYCRAFT, of Faversham, in the County of Kent, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for“ IMPROVED MACHINERY
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF 'PEBBLE' GUNPOWDER," to be as follows :—
My Invention relates to improvements on machinery for the manu-
facture of "pebble" or "infant" gunpowder, for which I obtained
Letters Patent, dated May 22nd 1872, No. 1554.
In the former Patent referred to the press cake is described as being
formed into cubes by passing through rolls placed at a suitable distance

page_text: apart, and provided with fixed cutters formed on the periphery of said
rolls, which were therefore limited to the production of cubes of one size
only.
The first improvement of my present Invention consists in providing
wood or metal rolls with longitudinal V cutters fixed adjustably thereon
by screws or otherwise so as to permit of the said cutters being readily
shifted, and set to any desired gauge or distance apart, so as with
different thicknesses of press cake to produce cubes of from ths to
2 inches or more in the same machine.
In order to accommodate the rolls to the varying thickness of press :
cake passing between them I mount the upper roll in adjustable bearings,
and to ensure that the rolls shall always gear together, notwithstanding
their varying distance apart, instead of gearing said rolls directly
together, as before, I interpose a pair of intermediate pinions, which are
mounted on studs fixed adjustably in slots or otherwise on the machine 1
framing so as to be readily shifted as required, according to the distance
of the rolls apart.
According to another improvement I dispense with the canvas used
as a backing for the press cake while under the action of the rolls, and
in lieu of the same I carry the endless web or felt used for feeding the 2
press cake entirely around the lower cutter roll, the V cutters of which
are so blunt as not to damage the same while cutting the cake into
strips, the cloth thus affording an efficient support for the cake. With
the same object I also carry the endless travelling felt over the bottom
cutting edge of the other machine provided with a reciprocating knife
described in the Letters Patent before referred to. The cake, after being
cut into strips by one pair of rolls, is delivered on to a horizontal table,
from which it is transferred by hand by a quick movement on to another
endless cloth placed at right angles, where it is severed in cubes by a
second pair of adjustable rolls of the same arrangement as the preceding.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the condition of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Haycraft in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st May 1875.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HAYCRAFT, of Faversham, in the County of Kent, send greeting.
3

page_text: provided, to allow the cutters to be set at the required distance apart.
The bearing of the upper roll a is moveable in vertical guides in frame d,
and is supported on a bar or frame capable of being raised or lowered,
as required, by the screws f, so as to adjust the rolls at the proper
distance apart, according to the thickness of the press cake to be cut.
The rolls are geared together by spur wheels g, g, on their axes, and
intermediate or idle wheels h, h, mounted on studs i carried on a bracket k
secured to the frame d by screw bolts passing through slots min
frame d. These slots are curved, as shown, so that by shifting
bracket accordingly the rolls may be geared together at different
distances apart. n is the endless cloth or web passing round the lower
roll, as and for the purpose before explained, the cutters of this roll being
blunt or rounded to avoid injury to the cloth.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
1st. Providing a pair of rolls with cutters attached adjustably thereto,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2nd. Mounting the upper one of a pair of rolls (provided with
adjustable cutters, as above mentioned) in adjustable bearings, and
gearing the two rolls together by intermediate wheels made adjustable,
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
3rd. Passing the endless cloth round the lower one of the pair of rolls,
or round the bed cutter of the guillotine machinc, as and for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haycraft, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Nineteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.