CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRO- GRESSIVE MANUFACTURE OF GRAIN INTO FLOUR OR MEAL, THE. WHOLE OR PART OR PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY BE APPLIED TO. THE ORDINARY METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
FORSTER COTTERILL, of Walsall, in the County of Stafford, Merchant, send
greeting."
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Hér
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-seventh day of April, in the sixth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Charlès
Forster Cotterill, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Charles Forster Cotterill, my exors; adiñors, and assigns; or
such others as I, the said Charles Forster Cotterill, my exors, admors, or
assigns, should at any time agrée with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use; exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and; the Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRO-
GRESSIVE MANUFACTURE OF GRAIN INTO FLOUR OR MEAL, THE. WHOLE OR PART OR
PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS MAY BE APPLIED TO. THE ORDINARY METHODS OF
MANUFACTURE," communicated to me by a certain foreigner residing abroad; in
which said Letters Pätent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Charles Forster
Cotterill, shall cause a particular. description of the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner. the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her
said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in

page_text: and by the same face being conto mad, win more funy and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Charles Forster Cotterill, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed and to the figures and letters
marked thereon (that is to say):-
The said Invention consists of, first, an improved smutting machine, or
apparatus for clearing smutted or other grain from the diseased or smutted
particles or other impurities; secondly, of an improvement in the apparatus for
feeding or supplying mills with grain; thirdly, of an improved method or
methods of adjusting the bed stone or bed stones of a mill; fourthly, of an
improved method of throwing mill machinery into and out of gear, and,
fifthly, of improvements in the dressing machine, and in the method of con-
structing and fixing the brushes of the same.
The several improvements, excepting the improved smutting machine, are
more particularly applicable to that system of grinding called progressive
grinding, in which system of grinding the wheat or other grain is first partially
ground in one pair of stones, and after having been dressed so as to remove
therefrom any particles which may have been ground sufficiently fine, is
subjected to a complete grinding in a second pair of stones. The several
improvements, excepting the improved smutting machine, are herein-after
described and represented in the accompanying Drawings in connection with a
progressive mill or mills, they are, however, separately considered, equally
applicable to mills of the ordinary construction.
The improved smutting machine is represented in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 1
being a vertical section, and Figure 2 a horizontal section. a is a stone, the
upper surface of which is grooved, as seen in the segmental section of the same,
Figure 3; these grooves are in the direction of radii to the centre of the stone.
This stone rests on the bed or support b, fixed on the axis c; the upper end of
this axis works in a collar at d, and its lower end is supported in a cup at e.
The axis c is made to rotate through a pulley or toothed wheel fixed on its
upper end. is a frame formed on the under side of the bed or support b;
this frame has the form of an inverted cone; g is a similar and larger conical
frame, situated externally to the former; the larger cone 9 is fixed to and forms
part of the framing of the machine; each of these conical frames is covered
with wire guaze. h is the feeder, in which the smutted grain is placed; i is the
top plate of the machine, fixed immediately above the grooved surface of the

page_text: upon
stone a; a series of radial slots or openings are formed in this plate, in each
of which openings a brush is fixed; these brushes bear upon the surface of the
stone a; one of these brushes fixed in its slot or opening is seen in dotted lines
at j, Figure 1, and another is seen in the section, Figure 3. I form these
brushes of cane split into fine fibres, in preference to any other material. k, k,
are a series of vanes attached to the axis ; this axis is made to rotate rapidly
during the action of the machine, through a pulley or toothed wheel fixed
thereon, and by its rotation, a current of air is determined in the direction of
the arrows. Four brushes m, m, are attached to the internal cone f, and bear
the wire guaze of the external cone g. The action of this machine is as
follows: The smutted grain is introduced into the feeder h, from which it
falls on the grooved surface of the stone a, by the rotation of the stone in the
direction of the arrow, Figure 3; the brushes carry the grain over the inclined
grooves of the same, and thereby crush and break the smutted particles; the
grain, thus rubbed, while passing over the surface of the stone, at length
arrives at its periphery, and falls on the internal surface of the cone 9, the
brushes in, m, carry it over the wire guaze, and force the broken or smutted
grains through the meshes of the same. The removal of the dust and small
particles, into which the smutted grains are broken by the stone a and brushes
m, m, is further secured by the action of the fan k, the current of air produced
by its rotation, passing from the centre of the inner cone outwards through the
wire guaze of each cone, carries away those particles which, from the small-
ness of their size, escape the brushes m, m. The grain thus cleansed passes
out at x.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 represent a double mill, in which all the said improve
ments, except those relating to clearing smutted grain, are combined. Figure 4
is a front elevation; Figure 5, an end elevation; and Figure 6, a plan.
a, a, are the feeders for supplying the grain to the upper pair of stones, as
herein-after particularly described. After the grain has been partially ground
between the upper pair of stones b, it falls over the edge of the bed stone of
the said upper pair into the dressing machine c, it is here carried over the wire
guazed by the brushes e, fixed on the axis f, and the finer particles pass
through the said wire guaze and fall into the annular chamber 9, while the
coarser parts fall through the funnels h, h, to the lower pair of stones; the flour
collected in the annular chamber g is brought to an opening in the bottom of
the said chamber, and there received in bags by the revolution of scrapers in
the said chamber, as herein-after more particularly described. These revolving
scrapers are worked from the driving shaft i, a pulley j; and band k, commu-
nicate motion to the bevil gear 1, and through the vertical shaft m (shown in

page_text: dotted lines) to the toothed wheels n, n, other toothed wheels on the same axes
as the toothed wheels n, n, take into the teeth of the ring to which the scrapers
are attached, as herein-after particularly described. is the mechanisin by
which the bed stones of each pair are adjusted, as herein-after particularly
described; is the driving shaft, through the bevil gear on which the axis
carrying the runner stone of each pair is made to rotate.
Figure 7 represents, in section, the improved feeding apparatus. is the
runner, and. 6 the bed stone of the top pair; c is the feeder, supported on
the case d of the mill by the brackets or arms e, e. The pipe ƒ of the feeder
descends to within a short distance of the concave plate or cup g fixed on
the top of the shaft or axis h, to which the runner stone a is attached; i is
'a tube which slides on the pipe f; this tube is adjusted to a greater or less
distance from the concave plate or cup g, and by its adjustment the quantity
of grain which falls over the edge of the concave plate or cup 9 in a given time
is determined...The adjustment of the tube i is usually effected by a forked
lever, the arms of which grasp its upper part, and by raising or lowering the
longer arm of this lever, the tube i is made to slide up or down the pipe f;
the improvement consists in adjusting the tube i by a screw, by which improve-
ment a more accurate adjustment is effected, and many difficulties attending
the ordinary mode of adjustment are avoided. The tube i screws on the
pipe fat k, and by turning the tube i so as to cause it to advance in either
direction on the 'screwed shoulder of the pipe f, it may be adjusted to the
greatest nicety. Zis a key (shown separately in Figures 8 and 9), a tooth m
on which takes into the teeth on the upper part of the tube i.
The adjust-
ment, is effected by means of this key.
Figure 10:shows, in plan, the upper part of the tube i. The key 7 may be
moved by a chain attached thereto, which chain, passing over pullies fixed on
the casing of the top pair of stones, descends to the lower part of the machine,
and is there under the controul of the miller.
Figures 11, 12, and 13 represent, in detail, the improved method of adjust-
ing the bed stones of a mill; Figure 11 being a plan of a bed stone with the
adjusting mechanism'; Figure 12 a side view of the same; and Figure 13, a
side view, partly in section.. a is the stone supported on the cast-iron frame-b;
this frame rests upon the bed c at the points d, d, d, Figure 11. The under
surfaces of these supports are inclined, and rest upon projections e, e, e,
of the bed c, the surfaces of these projections being also inclined; f is a rod,
one end of which is formed into a screw, and the other passes through the
guide g;, an arm or lever h from one of the inclined supports d, enters a slot
in the rod f; i is a screw box working on the screwed end of the rod f; this

page_text: screw box. is furnished with a toothed. wheel j,. and is maintained in its place
by the collar k. In order to adjust the stone the toothed wheel j is made to
rotate by the mechanism herein-after described. The rotation of the screw
box-i, on which the toothed wheel j is fixed, causes the rod f to advance or
recede, and through the arm or lever h effects the. partial rotation of the stone.
If the stone be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow, Figure 11, the
supports d, d, ascend the inclined projections e, and the stone rises; if the direc-
tion of the stone's motion be contrary to that indicated by the arrow, Figure 11,
the supports d, d, descend the inclined projections.e, e, and the stone descends.
One of the inclined supports d, and the inclined projection. on which it rests,
are shown in section, half the real size, in Figure 14.
The mechanism by which the toothed wheel jis made. to rotate, and to
effect the adjustment of the bed stone, as herein-before. described, is repre-
sented in elevation in Figure 15. a is the toothed wheel for adjusting the
upper bed stone, and 6 that for adjusting the lower bed stone; c is a rod,
or axis, the upper end of which works in a support affixed to the framing
of the mill, and the lower end is supported by and works in the top of the
column d; a worm wheel x, fixed on the upper end of. the rod c, takes into
the teeth of the toothed wheel a of the bed stone of the top pair; e; e; e, are
four handles (three of which only are seen in Figure 15) attached to the
clutch box f on the lower end of the rod c; g is a tube surrounding the
lower part of the rod c, and carrying at its top..a.worm wheel h, which
geers into the toothed wheel b of the bed stone of the bottom pair; i is a
clutch box attached to the lower end of the tube.g by a sliding key, so as to
admit of the said clutch box sliding a sufficient distance up the tube 'g,
to admit of the liberation of, its teeth from those of the lower coupling box:f;
when it is desired to raise or lower the bed stones of each pair; the worm
wheels and h may be turned by the handles e, e; the various parts of the
mechanism having the same relative position as that shewn in the Figure;
when it is desired to adjust only one of the stones, the clutch box i must, be
raised so as to disengage it from the other, and while in that position the
adjustment of either one of the stones may be effected without moving the
other; if it is desired to adjust the bed stone of the top pair, it may be
done by the handle of the lower clutch box; and if the bed stone of the bottom
pair, it may be done by the handles of the clutch box i. Figure 16 represents,
in plan; one of the clutch boxes.
Figure 17. represents, in vertical section, and Figure 18, in plan, the
apparatus for throwing the mill out of gear. a is the axis on which the
runner stone of each pair is fixed; is a bevil toothed wheel attached to the

page_text: axis a; and c is a similar toothed wheel connected with the driving machinery;
d is a screw cut in the axis a; and e is a screw box working on the same;
this screw box is attached to the wheel or spanner ƒ by the key g, Figure 18.
h, h, are grooves cut longitudinally in the axis a; i, i, are keys sliding in the
grooves of the axis a, and entering similar grooves in the boss of the toothed
wheel b. The toothed wheel 6 rests on the lower ends of the keys i, i, and the
upper ends of the said keys rest on the top of the screw box e. The action of
this apparatus is as follows:-By turning the wheel or spanner f, the screw
box e is made to rise or fall on the screw d, the keys i, i, are thereby raised or
depressed, and with them the toothed wheel 6; in order to throw the mill out
of gear, it is only necessary to turn the wheel or spanner f in such a direction
as to raise the screw box e; and in order to throw it into gear, the reverse
action must be given to the said screw box. The keys i, i, are shown
separately in Figure 19.
Figures 20, 21, and 22 represent, on a large scale, the improved dressing
apparatus; Figure 20 represents it in plan; Figure 21, in vertical section;
and Figure 22, in elevation. a is the wire gauze on which the grain falls from
the grinding stones; 6 is the axis of the mill, to which are fixed the four
arms c, c, c, c; these arms carry the metallic cone c¹, c', to which cone are
fixed the four brushes d, d, d, d, which brushes bear against the wire gauze a.
The mode of constructing these brushes is herein-after particularly described.
e is an annular chamber into which the flour falls through the wire gauze a;
f is a metallic ring, the external edge of which is toothed as seen in the
Drawing; 9, 9, 9, 9, are four horizontal guide rollers affixed to the ring f,
which rollers serve to guide it in its motion; h, h, are vertical guide rollers
affixed to the ring f, and on which rollers it is supported; i is a shaft supported
on the exterior of the dressing apparatus by the collars j, j; a toothed wheel x
on this shaft geers into the teeth of the ring f. Motion is communicated to
this shaft through the toothed wheel k fixed on to its lower end in the manner
herein-before described; 1, 1, are a series of metal plates or scrapers fixed on
the toothed ring f, which scrapers are of such size as to fit easily the annular
chamber e. The action of the apparatus is as follows:---The rotation of the shaft
or axis b carries the brushes d, d, d, d, over the surface of the wire gauze a,
and the finer particles of flour pass through the meshes of the same into the
annular chamber e; the rotation of the shaft i and toothed wheel x (effected
in the manner herein-before described) causes the ring fto turn slowly in the
annular chamber e; the scrapers 1, l, are thereby carried slowly round the said
chamber, and scrape or collect together the flour deposited therein; as the
scrapers pass over the hole or opening m, Figure 20, the flour collected by

page_text: them falls through the said opening, and is received by a sack or any other
convenient receptacle. The imperfectly ground grain which does not pass
through the wire gauze a falls to the lower pair of stones to be subjected to a
second grinding, as herein-before described. The construction of the brushes
d, d, d, d, and the mode of adjusting the same, are seen clearly in Figure 21.
The bristles d' are fixed in the metal backs d¹¹. The brushes are held by
the forceps d, which grasp them by their metal backs, as seen clearly in
Figures 20 and 21.. The brushes may be removed from the forceps by
unscrewing the screws u, v, by which the forceps are compressed and made to
grasp the said brushes. These forceps are attached to the cone c¹, c¹, and
adjusted thereon by the screws and nuts w, w.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim all
the parts of the said Invention herein-before described, separately considered,"
as many of them are or may be in common use; and I wish it to be under-
stood that although I have herein-before described the said improvements and
represented them in the accompanying Drawings in connection with a mill
used for effecting that kind of grinding called progressive grinding; yet I do
not limit myself to the use of the said improvements in conjunction with
progressive mills, as the whole or part of the said improvements are or may
be equally valuable in their application to mills of the ordinary construction.
I wish it, therefore, to be understood that I claim exclusive right to the
general application to mills used for grinding grain of,-
First, the improved smutting machine herein-before described, and repre-
sented in the accompanying Drawings, in which the grain to be cleared is
brushed over the surface of a grooved stone, and afterwards subjected to the
action of a conical dressing machine, combined at the same time with a
current of air.
Secondly, the adjustment of the feeder of a progressive or other mill by
a screw, as herein-before described, and represented in the accompanying
Drawings.
Thirdly, the method of adjusting the bed stones of a mill together or sepa-
rately, herein-before described, and represented in Figures 11, 12, 13, 14, and
15 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourthly, the annular chamber and revolving scrapers for collecting the
flour in the dressing apparatus; also the use of metal backs for the brushes of
a dressing machine, and the method of holding and adjusting the same by
forceps, herein-before described, and represented in Figures 20, 21, and 22 of
the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: And, lastly, the method of throwing mill machinery into and out of gear, by.
means of a sliding key or sliding keys,' such sliding key or keys being raised or
lowered by a screw box working on a screw on the axis of the mill as herein-
before 'described and represented in the accompanying Drawings."
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Forster Cotterill, have hereunto
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of October, in the year
set my
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-three.
CHARLES FORSTER (L.s.) COTTERILL.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-fourth day of October,
in the year of our Lord 1843, the aforesaid Charles Forster Cotterill came
before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousani oight hundred and forty thro
TITANYTT