IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE CLOTHS IN BOLTING REELS FOR FLOURING MILLS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lewis Vernon Rathbun, of East Pembroke, New York,
United States of America, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR CLEANING THE CLOTHS IN BOLTING REELS FOR FLOURING MILLS."
Sealed the 19th January 1877, and dated the 24th July 1876
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lewis Vernon Rathbun at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th July 1876.
LEWIS VERNON RATHBUN, of East Pembroke, New York, United States of
America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE CLOTHS IN BOLTING
REELS FOR FLOURING MILLS."
The objects of iny improvements are to clean the meshes of the bolting cloth of
the fine fibrous matters which enter and obstruct the free passage of the flour;
also to prevent the flour from adhering to the cloth and pasting or clogging the
same.
These objects are effected by attaching on the inside of the reel strong cords made
fast at one end of the reel close up under the cloth, and connected at the other end
These springs
to springs or spring bolts which project through the end of the reel.
or spring bolts as they pass around by the revolution of the reel strike an inclined
cam, which depresses them, slackening the cords, and then as they pass over the
abrupt end of the cam the reaction of the springs snaps the cords against the cloth,
thereby freeing it of the fibrous matters and adhering flour. Three of the cords
and springs or spring bolts are preferably used on each section or square of the
cloth, but a greater or less number may be used at pleasure.
The springs to which the cords are attached may be flat and of elbow form
passing through the end of a reel and having a jointed section to prevent binding.
But I prefer spring bolts in which exterior cases made in halves are used, inclosing the
bolt proper, a spring resting around the bolt within the case serving to throw the
bolt outward. The half cases are counterparts fitting together and held by screws or
other suitable means having also interimatching points. The sides of these half
cases are slotted or perforated to allow the fine flour which gathers there to pass
out, and which would otherwise obstruct the action of the springs. The inner end
of the bolt is bent up to hold the cord close under the cloth while the outer end is
rounded to ride easily on the cam. The bolt has two lugs or feathers inside which
ride in grooves of the case to prevent the bolt from turning.

page_text: On the bridge tree which holds the end of the bolting reel is erected a segment
or curved standard. Its lower ends are jointed on the bridge tree, so that the
segment can be moved toward or from the end of the reel. This segment is pro-
vided with a concentric slot which extends neary from end to end.
The cam is an inclined plane secured in the slot of the segment by a bolt. The
bolt has two nuts inclosing the thickness of the cam between them, and a third nut
which serves to clamp the cam to the segment at any adjustment. By loosening
the nut the cam may be made free to be moved forward or backward. A metallic
tube sunk in the cam around the bolt and between the first two nuts forms the
bearing for the cam. This arrangement allows the cam to turn freely on its axis,
however tight it may be clamped to the segment. The cam is made wedging or
convex on its two opposite edges, which mect at a point forming the abrupt
shoulder of the cam. This point stands as high as the upper side of the circle. This
enables the reel to be turned backward at any time, in which case the springs strike
under the cam and raise it so as to pass. The cam is made right and left by
simply turning it over in one direction or the other. The adjustment of the cam
forward or back on the segment enables the cords to strike more or less angularly
on the cloth, thereby dividing the wear more equally over the whole surface of the
cloth. In some cases where the reel is not turned backward the cam may be secured
at any position in the slot by two bolts making it a fixture.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Lewis Vernon Rathbun in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
January 1877.
LEWIS VERNON RATHBUN, of East Pembroke, New York, United States of
America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE CLOTHS IN BOLTING
REELS FOR FLOURING MILLS."
The object of my improvement is to clean the meshes of the bolting cloth of the
fine fibrous matters which enter the same and obstruct the free passage of the flour,
also to prevent the flour from adhering to the cloth, and pasting and clogging the
same.
In the Drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a bolting reel, showing my
improvement applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is an clevation of the bridge tree in which the axis of the bolting reel rests
and the adjusting segment and cam; Fig. 3 is a cross section of the same in line
x, x, of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a plan of one of the spring bolts on an enlarged scale, showing also the
cam with which it engages; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the same; Figs. 6
and 7 are cross sections of the spring bolt in lines y, y, and z, z, respectively.
Fig. 8 is a modification of the spring device.
the same.
A, represents a bolting reel of ordinary form; B, B, are strong cords, usually cat-
gut, on the flat faces of the inner side of the reel. They are made fast at one end
of the reel close under the bolting cloth, and at the opposite end they are attached
to spring bolts C, C, attached to the cross strips of the reel and projecting through
These spring bolts are shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7. They each consist
of a case made in two halves a, a, which fit together, and a bolt proper b resting
within the case. The bolt is surrounded by a spiral spring c which serves to throw
the bolt outward. The halves of the case are counterparts fitting together, and
are held by screws, having also points on one half, entering notches in the other.
The sides of the case are provided with slots or perforations d, d, which allow the
flour which enters the case to fall out, thereby preventing the obstruction of the
bolt b, which would occur if the case were made closed. Owing to their position
on the inside of the reel these cases would soon become filled and obstructed were

page_text: they not slotted or perforated as above described. The inner end of the bolt b, to
which the cord is attached is bent or turned up so as to present the cord close up
under the cloth to obtain the best effect of the snapping action. The outer end
which projects through the end of the reel is rounded on the edge to ride casily on
the cam herein-after described. The bolt proper b has two lateral lugs or feathers f, f,
(Fig. 5), which rests in corresponding grooves g, g, of the case, thereby preventing
the bolt from turning around in its socket.
Instead of spring bolts, flat springs may be used being made of elbow form, as
shown in Fig. 8. In such case the springs are attached on the outer end of the
reel and have jointed sections h, to which the cords are attached to prevent binding.
D is the bridge tree on which the journal of the reel rests; E is a segment erected
on the bridge tree. Its lower ends are jointed or pivoted at i, i, to bearings k, l, on
the bridge tree, so that the segment can be turned toward or from the end of the
reel, being held by any suitable means. This segment is provided with a concentric
slot l, which extends nearly from end to end; G is a cam attached to the segment
in the slot l, and capable of adjustment forward or backward in the said slot. It
is attached by a bolt m, which passes through the slot. The bolt has two nuts n, o,
which inclose the thickness of the cam between them and a third nut p on the
opposite end of the bolt outside the segment which serves to clamp the cam to the
segment. By loosening the nut p the cam can be moved forward or backward in
the slot, thereby changing the adjustment, and then be clamped in place again.
A metallic tube 7 (Fig. 3) sunken in the cam rests around the bolt m between the
two nuts n, o, and forms the bearing of the cam on the bolt. This arrangement
allows the cam to turn free on the bolt however closely it may be clamped to the
segment.
The cam is made wedging or convex on its upper and lower edges, as shown at
,, and the point s at which these edges meet forms an abrupt shoulder or drop.
From this point backward to the opposite end where the springs first strike the
face of the cam forms an inclined plane, over which the ends of the spring bolts C
or springs pass as the recl revolves. In so revolving the spring bolts or springs
pass the abrupt end 8 of the cam, and are sprung outward, thereby snapping the
cords up against the under side of the bolting cloth.
The point s stands above the path of the spring bolts, as shown in Fig. 1.
This enables the reel to be turned backward at any time if necessary, in which
case the spring bolts or springs strike under the point of the cam and raise it on its
pivot so as to pass readily. The cam is gauged in its fall by a suitable stop t
which strikes on top the segment.
The cam is made right and left by simply turning it over or shifting it from one
position to the other. The adjustment of the cam forward or back on the segment
enables the cords to strike more or less angularly on the cloth, thereby dividing the
wear more equally over the whole surface of the cloth. Three cords and spring
bolts are generally employed on each section or square of the bolting cloth. In
some cases where the reel is not turned backward the cam may be secured fast to
the segment by two bolts instead of one, but in any case it is made adjustable
forward and backward to change the stroke of the cords.
The cords thus attached on the inside the reel and close up under the cloth are
more effective than if attached on the outside of the reel, for the reason that the
sharp concussion which they produce on the cloth has the effect of shaking off and
driving back the fibrous matters which cling to the cloth and do not pass through
with the flour, whereas if located on the outside the tendency of the concussion
is to drive said fibrous matters deeper into the meshes of the cloth, thereby
obstructing the passage of the flour.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim herein as new is―
1st. In a bolting reel the snapping cords B located within the reel and directly
beneath the bolting cloth, the spring bolts or springs C to which the cords are
attached, and a cam G against which said spring bolts or springs act, the whole
combined to operate as and for the purpose specified.

page_text: 2d. The spring bolt C, consisting of the bolt b, spring c, and the casing a, a,
provided with the slots or perforations d, d, as shown and described, and for the
purpose specified.
'
3d. The combination with a bolting reel of the slotted segment E and the cam G,
made adjustable forward and back on the segment to vary the angle at which the
snapping cords strike the cloth as herein described.
4th. The combination with the rotating reel provided with spring bolts or
springs of the cam G, constructed with the wedging edges 1, 2, and pointed ends,
and pivoted to its support so as to rise under the back action of the spring bolts or
springs, as shown and described and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lewis Vernon Rathbun, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
ITDTT
LEWIS VERNON RATI
AIHDUT
(L.S.)