IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING CORN, RICE, AND OTHER GRAIN, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE."
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John August Arnold Buchholz, of Walpole
House, Chiswick, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING CORN, RICE, AND OTHER GRAIN, AND IN
APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John August Arnold
Buchholz at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 18th September 1873.
I, JOHN AUGUST ARNOLD BUCHHOLZ, of Walpole House, Chiswick;
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING CORN, RICE, AND OTHER GRAIN,
AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE," to be as follows:-
:-
These improvements relate to certain methods of treating corn, rice,
and other grain for the production of flour, semolina, bran, and other
substances therefrom, and also to special forms, constructions, and
arrangements of apparatus for that purpose, whereby the cost of pro-

page_text: duction is reduced, the quality of the substances are not deteriorated as
heretofore, and the quality of the yield of the food constituents contained
much increased from a given quantity of raw grain.
The first part of my Invention consists of an improved method of
hulling the grain, and this is effected by two coned surfaces travelling
at different speeds in the same direction or in different directions by
mechanical means. The cones are mounted upon a vertical shaft held
in a suitable framing, one of the cones or drums receiving its motion
direct from bevil gearing, and the other through a combination of bevil
the
and spur gearing from off the main shaft. One of the drums, i.e.,
outer one, is perforated or formed of wirework, and the other, i.e., the
inner one, is built up of segmental blocks composed of strips of rubber
or a yielding body of a similar character and of wires on edge, the rubber
and the wires being arranged in any suitable manner, also in some cases
with blades having their working edges at an angle for operating upon
the grain, which is brought into contact with the drums, and rise by a
part rubbing action and a part centrifugal action by the rotation of the
drums.
The grain is fed to the centre or eye of the inner drum from a plate
or disc, which receives it from a shoot above, and the dust issuing from
it during its passage up between the drums is caused to pass out through
the perforations into a receptacle, which also revolves. At the top edge
of the outer drum is a shield to lead the grain, which has become hulled,
into an annular channel, from which it is swept by brushes into an
outlet to be operated upon for the second treatment, as herein-after
described.
The advantage gained by this method of action is, the grain by not
being operated upon violently and cut or fractured, which has always.
more or less damaged the kernel, is hulled only, and this hulling is
effected in my apparatus by a rubbing process in rising to the top of the a
drums, the grain being caused to move in a continuous and closely
packed stream along the surfaces, and rotated with the axis parallel, or
nearly so, and vertically inclined, causing it to be hulled equally at
every part.
I do not restrict myself to rotating both of the coned drums, as the
outer one may be a fixture, but when I desire to hull rice and clean it I
prefer to rotate both drums.

page_text: For hulling wheat grain I purpose using three cone drums, and to
fit them upon separate spindles driven by a shaft common to all of
them.
The next improvement relates to the second or cutting operation
whereby the hulled grain, particularly hulled semolina grain, is cut to
set free the kernel from the body. My apparatus for effecting this is
composed of a pair of rollers travelling at different speeds within a
framework. Above the rollers is a jigger, which moves to and fro under
the action of a crank or eccentric, and this feeds the hulled grain in a
thin line into and between the rollers, first depositing it upon the mouth
of two guard plates, one of which terminates at a distance a little below
the other to prevent the choking of the grain, and presents an even
stream of grain to the rollers. One of these rollers is formed with teeth
or cracking points upon the surface, the points being formed from an
angle side and a flat side like the teeth of a ratchet wheel or a saw; the
teeth or points upon the other roller are blunt, with sides at corre-
sponding angles, and are much closer together than those of the positive
pointed roller, which I prefer should be the fastest rotator of the two.
.
· I am aware that positive pointed toothed rollers for this purpose are
not new, but these have always been used in pairs and worked in unison,
therefore there is no novelty in this portion of my Invention, with the
exception of using one positive pointed toothed roller and one blunted
toothed roller, whose teeth or points are of closer cut and more compact
than those of the positive pointed toothed roller, with which it works in
unison.
The advantages gained by the employment of the differently shaped
and spaced toothed rollers are, the grain is more evenly operated upon,
no crushing or bruising takes place, and the bran left upon some of the
grain from the previous operation is removed completely, without being
cut, a result not heretofore accomplished without several after operations
for removing the bran being gone through.
The next improvement relates to the cleaning operation, and this is
effected by an apparatus of shallow form, into which the hulled and cut
semolina are introduced from an adjustable spout to an annular space
arranged at the foot of an exhausting fan, which is caused to revolve by
a spindle supported from above, the spindle being rotated by frictional
gearing in any known manner, and regulated by a governor,

page_text: The semolina is spread outwards by the centrifugal action of the foot
to distances according to the gravity of the particles, and they fall into
separate receptacles arranged beneath for their reception. The main
feature in this improvement is the suspension of the centrifugal foot,
the exhausting from above, and the rotation of the fan within a shallow 5
box or casing; also the frictional gearing, by which an equable speed
çan be maintained by the governor attached.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John August Arnold Buchholz in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 18th March 1874.
1
.1
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
AUGUST ARNOLD BUCHHOLZ, of Walpole House, Chiswick, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting..
f
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John August Arnold Buchholz,
Her special licence that I, the said John August Arnold Buchholz, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
August Arnold Buchholz, my executors, administrators, 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 TREATING CORN, RICE, AND OTHER GRAIN, AND
APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,.
the said John August Arnold Buchholz, 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 performed, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John August Arnold Buchholz, do
hereby declare the nature of my 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:-
These improvements relate to certain methods of treating corn, rice,
and other grain for the production or flour, semolina, bran, and other
substances therefrom, and also to special forms, constructions, and
arrangements of apparatus for that purpose, whereby the cost of
production is reduced, the quality of the substances is not deteriorated as'
heretofore, and the quality of the yield of the food constituents is much
increased from a given quantity of raw grain.
:
The Invention will be fully understood by the following description
when taken in connection with the accompanying Drawings.
.ir
The first part of my Invention consists of an improved method of
hulling the grain, and this is effected by two coned surfaces A, B,
Figures 1, 2, and 3, travelling at different speeds in the same direction or
in different directions by mechanical means. The cones A, B, are
mounted upon a vertical shaft C held in a framing D; one of the cones or
drums A receives its motion direct from bevil gearing E, E, and the
other through a combination of bevil and spur gearing F, F, from off
the main shaft G; one of the drums is partly perforated or formed of
wirework as in detached views, Figures 4 and 5, and is partly built up of
segmental blocks composed of strips of rubber or a yielding body of a
similar character and of wires on edge, as in Figures 6 and 7, the
rubber and the wires being arranged in any suitable manner.
It will be seen in Figures 7 and 8 how I purpose building up my
segmental blocks of wires and rubber or other yielding body; a, a, are
the wires laid in line at equal distances apart upon a sheet of rubber b,
and then another series of wires are laid upon that one in the same
manner, and so on, until the required number of layers in alternate order
is formed sufficient to make a block, the outer ends of the wires which
project beyond the outer edges of the rubber being arranged at an angle
corresponding to the angle of the outer cone or drum working face.
The block of combined wires and rubber is then laid upon an inner
flanged ring or circular plate c, but upon its side, so that the wires of the
series appear to rest upon cach other, a top ring d is then put on and

page_text: secured to the flanged ring c, and between every two blocks I arrange a
a double wedge piece e which can be drawn up between the blocks by
screw nuts f, f, to compress the rubber and to hold the wires firmly in
position. Before inserting the wedge pieces I fit a plate such as I have
shown at g, Figure 8, flat upon one side and notched or serrated upon
the other. The flat side is arranged nearest the wedge picce and the
notched one against the rubber, so that the edges of the serrations get
forced into the outside rubber pieces and take a firm hold of them, the
flat sides being for the wedge pieces to slide upon on the screw nut
drawing them up..
The outer drum or cone may in some cases have segmental blocks
fitted in them to work in conjunction with the segmental blocks in tho
inner drum, and any number of these segmental blocks can be fitted in
either or in both cones, perforations being formed at intervals in the outer
drum or cone for the escape of the dust.
Figure 9 shows a portion of a cone with a series of wire in close
contact to form a rib between which on either side is a packing or
distancing piece of rubber or other material, the face of which being
sunken so to speak to permit of the ends of the wires projecting for the
hulling operation.
The method of arranging the wire ends to form a combination with
the rubber is shown in Figure 10, but any other arrangement capable of
performing the operation can be used, and also plates or blades with
their faces or working edges set at an angle for operating upon the
grain which is brought into contact with the drums and rise by a part
rubbing action, and a part centrifugal action by the rotation of the
drums.
The grain is fed to the centre or eye of the inner drum A from a plate
or disc H which receives it from a shoot I above, and the dust issuing
from it during its passage up between drums is caused to pass out
through the perforations in the outer drum into a receptacle J which is
fixed, and in which brushes, can work to sweep the dust to an shoot J¹.
At the top edge of the outer drum is a shield K to lead the grain which
has become hulled into an annular channel from which it is swept by
brushes L, L, into an outlet M to be operated upon for the second
treatment as hereinafter described.
The advantage gained by this method of action is, the grain by not

page_text: being operated upon violently, and cut or fractured, which has always
more or less damaged the kernel, is hulled only, and this hulling is
effected in my apparatus by a rubbing process in rising to the top of the
drums, the grain being caused to roll in a continuous and closely packed
stream along the surfaces, and rotated with the axes parallel, or nearly
so, and vertically inclined, causing it to be hulled equally at every part.
I do not restrict myself to rotating both of the coned drums, as the
outer one may be a fixture, but when I desire to hull rice and clean it
I prefer to rotate both drums.
For hulling wheat grain I purpose using three cone drums (in sets),
and to fit them upon separate vertical spindles driven by a shaft common
to all of them.
The next improvement, which is shown in Figures 11, 12, and 13,
relates to the second or cutting operation, whereby the hulled grain,
particularly hulled semolina grain, is cut to set free the kernel from
the body. My apparatus for effecting this is composed of a pair of
rollers S, S¹, travelling at different speeds within a framework P. Above
the rollers is a jigger Q which moves to and fro under the action of a
crank or eccentric R, and this feeds the hulled grain in a thin line
into and between the rollers S, S¹, first depositing upon the mouth
of two guard plates N, N¹, one of which terminates at a distance a little
below, the other to prevent the choking of the grain, and presents an
even strain of grain to the rollers; one of these rollers S is formed
with teeth or cracking points upon the surface, the points being formed
from an angle side and a flat side like the teeth of a ratchet wheel or
a saw, as in Figure 14, the teeth or points upon the other roller S¹ are
blunt, with sides at corresponding angles, and are much closer together
than those of the positive pointed roller which I prefer should be the
faster rotator of the two, a face view of it being shown at Figure 15.
Figures 16, 17, and 18 show portions of pairs of rollers with different
grades of teeth of the foregoing example:-In each case the teeth of
one roller are of sharp pointed form, or of sharp edged form, the other
being more or less flat upon the working edges with side angles corre-
sponding, the two rollers of the pair running at different speeds, as and
for the purposes described.
I am aware that positive pointed toothed rollers for this purpose are
not new, but these have always been used in pairs and worked in unison,

page_text: therefore there is no novelty in this portion of my Invention, with the
exception of using one positive pointed toothed roller, and one .blunted
toothed roller whoso teeth or points are of closer cut and more compact
than those of the positive pointed toothed roller with which it works
in unison...
The advantages gained by the employment of the differently shaped
and spaced toothed rollers are, the grain is more evenly operated upon,
no crushing or bruising takes place, and the bran left upon some of the
grain from the previous operation is removed completely without being
cut, a result not heretofore accomplished without several after operations
for removing the bran being gone through.
).
The next improvement relates to the cleaning operation, and this is
effected by an apparatus T of shallow form, as shown at Figures 19
and 20, into which the hulled and cut semolina is introduced from an
adjustable spout. U to an annular space V arranged at the foot of an
exhausting fan W, which is caused to revolve by a spindle X supported
from above, the spindle being rotated by frictional gearing in any known
manner; and regulated by a governor Y.
The semolina is spread outwards by the centrifugal action of the
foot Z to distances according to the gravity of the particles, and they
fall into separate receptacles arranged beneath for their reception. The
main feature in this improvement is, the suspension of the centrifugal
foot, the exhausting from above, and the rotation of the fan within a
shallow box or casing; also, the frictional governing gearing by which
an equable speed can be maintained under every condition of driving,
the small wheel of the governor approaching to or receding from the
axis of the spindle wheel under the action of the spring balanced weights,
as shown.
And having now described the nature of my said, Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
•
"The several improvements herein-before specially set forth when used
singly or in combination, as and for the purposes of treating corn, rice,
and other grain..
Secondly. I claim the construction and arrangement of segmental
blocks in or to conical drums or frames of hulling machines, together
with their method of action for treating grain, as set forth and shown,

page_text: especially the combination of wires in layers, and with projecting ends
and rubber or other yielding material as distancing pieces,' and' with
sunken faces, herein-before described.
Thirdly. I claim the combination of wires and rubber, or its equi-
valent, in ribs, as shown, by which the hulling operation of corn, rice,
or other grain can be accomplished in the manner herein-before set
forth.
Fourthly. I claim the employment of wedge blocks in combination
with notched and flat faced plates by which the wire and rubber, or
blades and rubber, or its equivalent, in blocks can be secured between
two plates or frame pieces of the conical drums of hulling machines, as
described and shown.
Fifthly. The employment of wedge-shaped blocks and side plates with
one flat face and one notched or serrated face for locking up segmental
blocks in grain hulling machines, as set forth, whether applied to
machines of the construction shown, or to other machines used for the
same purpose.
Sixthly. I claim the combination and method of action of a pair of
rollers upon hulled grain, in which the teeth of one of the pair are sharp
pointed with angle and flat sides, and the other with sides of corre-
sponding angles, but without points, as described and shown in Figure
14, as and for the purposes set forth.
Seventhly. I claim the combination and method of action of two
rollers working as pairs, and travelling at different speeds when the
faces of such rollers are cut or arranged with sharp and blunt teeth
respectively, as and for the purposes set forth.
Eighthly. I claim the employment of guard or guide plates over or
above a pair of rollers in semolina dressing machines, in combination
with a rocking jigger for spreading and regulating the feed, such
guard plates having one lip lower than the other to prevent choking, as
described.
Ninthly. I claim the combination of a shallow vessel with and in
which flyers revolve from a depending hollow head piece, down and
from which semolina and other grain can pass and be thrown by centri-
fugal action into separate receivers, as set forth and shown.

page_text: Tenthly. I claim the means of or apparatus for regulating the speed
of semolina and other grain dressing machines, as herein-before set forth
and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said John August Arnold Buchholz, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of March 5
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
J. A. ARNOLD BUCHHOLZ. (L.S.)