IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR THE GRADUAL REDUCTION OF GRAIN
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Liverpool and London
Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the
county of Lancaster Civil Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINES FOR THE GRADUAL REDUCTION OF GRAIN "" Communicated to
him from abroad by William Dickson Gray and Edward P Allis both of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th January 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool and London Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster
Civil Engineer " IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR THE GRADUAL REDUCTION
OF GRAIN a communication to me from abroad by William Dickson Gray and
Edward P Allis both of Milwaukee, in the state of Wisconsin, United States of
America
"
This invention relates to an organization of mechanisms for automatically effecting
the production of flour from grain, by what is commonly known in the art as the
system of gradual reduction, which consists essentially in gradually reducing the
grain by subjecting the same repeatedly to the action of grinding or crushing rolls
with intermediate treatments to effect the removal of the fine flour between each
reduction and the next.
Various machines have, already, been devised for this purpose. The object of
this invention is to produce a machine which shall be more simple and reliable in
action than those which have preceded it; which shall occupy less space; and
which shall admit of the reductions and separations being varied in number and
arrangement as circumstances may require.
To this end it consists in the combination of several pairs of grinding rolls
combined with intermediate screens, elevators, and conductors as hereinafter
described, and in many features and combinations, which will be hereinafter
detailed.

page_text: The machine embraces in its construction, first, a rectangular main frame, upon
the respective corners of which four roller mills are located, the mills being coupled
together in pairs so that the motion imparted to two of them will be transmitted
therefrom to the other two. In the base of the frame, beneath the mills there are
two longitudinal cylindrical screens or bolts, divided transversely at the centre so
that each constitutes in effect two independent bolts. In this manner four bolts
are produced, one to receive the products from each of the roller mills. From the
bolts the material is delivered into receptacles, from which endless elevators,
driven preferably by the belts, convey the material from the respective screens
into an elevator chamber or hopper, whence it is delivered through conductor
pipes to the respective rolls. The arrangement is such that the grain introduced
into one mill is passed through the same and bolted to separate the fine material,
after which the coarse material is elevated and delivered into the next mill to be
again bolted, and so on repeatedly throughout the series, the coarse material being
subjected to the action of all the mills or rolls in succession with a removal of the
fine material by the screen between each reduction and the next.
A rigid rectangular base frame sustains the various operative parts of the
machine. Four roller mills are located upon the respective corners of the main
frame. These mills consist each of a pair of horizontal co-operating rolls mounted
in suitable bearings and provided with adjusting devices and with a feed hopper,
for supplying the material thereto. The rolls and their supporting and adjusting
devices may be of any ordinary or suitable construction. Either of the
arrangements represented in the various patents hitherto granted in the name of
or as communications, from William Dickson Gray for roller mills will answer an
excellent purpose. The mills on one side of the frame are constructed with rolls
of a length less than those of the other mills, it being preferred to make them
usually of about two thirds the length of the others. This is for the purpose of
giving the last two mills a greater surface in order to adapt them to act upon and
dispose of all of the reduced material without driving them at a higher speed
than the others. The mills at one end of the frame are arranged with their axes
in line having their rolls coupled together by means of transverse shafts the ends
of which are connected to the journals of the rolls by universal joints, or joints of
any suitable construction which will prevent the parts from cramping or binding
in the event of the rolls being slightly thrown out of line. A simple connection
for this purpose is one wherein connecting shafts are each bored out at the ends to
fit over the journals of the rolls and connected to each journal by a single
transverse bolt, the bolt at one end being at right angles to that at the other. It
will be seen that under this arrangement motion transmitted to either roll of
one mill will be transmitted therefrom through the connecting shaft to the
corresponding rolls of the companion mill, being thus caused to drive them, and
the two being caused to run at equal speeds. At the opposite end of the machine
the mills are arranged in like relation to each other and coupled in like manner.
Motion may be communicated to the mills thus coupled together by any suitable
system of driving belts or driving gear, but a preferable arrangement is one
wherein a transverse counter-shaft located in the base of the machine is provided
at one end with two pulleys connected, the former by a belt, to a driving pulley
attached to one of the rolls of one mill and the latter connected by a belt to a
driving pulley attached to one of the rolls of the other mill. In this manner
motion is communicated from the counter-shaft to one roll of each of the four
mills. Motion is communicated to the remaining rolls of the four mills from
the counter shaft on the opposite side of the machine. The counter-shaft being
provided on that side with a pulley from and beneath which a driving belt is
extended upward around two pulleys applied, the former to one of the rolls of one
mill and the latter to one of the rolls of another mill. By the above system of
belting on the two sides of the machine, a positive motion is transmitted to the
four sets of grinding rolls.
It is obvious that the system of belting may be applied entirely to one side of

page_text: the machine by placing all the driving pulleys on that side, but for various reasons,
the principal one being that a smoother action is obtained, it is preferred to retain
the arrangement mentioned.
There are located in the base of the machine on opposite sides two horizontal or
substantially horizontal cylindrical reels. These reels are each carried by
longitudinal central shafts one in each reel. Each reel has its outer end sustained
and carried by a skeleton wheel or head mounted upon the central shaft. At the
center each reel contains a large supporting pulley or drum, made with a broad
face or rim and with a central web which is made solid for the purpose of forming
a division or partition and thus dividing the reel transversely so that its opposite
ends will serve as separate and independent reels. The central pulley has its
rim or periphery provided with perforations, near the outer edge, these perforations
serving as outlets through which the tailings escape into receiving chambers
beneath.
As regards their construction and arrangement, the two reels on opposite sides.
of the machine are duplicates of each other, the pair of divided reels constituting
in effect four separate and independent reels, one for each mill.
It will be observed that the reels are so arranged with respect to the mills that
the open head or end of one reel is located beneath each mill to receive the
product therefrom. A spout or conducting passage extends from the first mill
downward into one end of one reel, while a corresponding passage extends from
the second mill, into the opposite end of said reel, and in like manner on the
opposite side of the machine, conducting passages extend from the other two mills
into opposite ends of the second reel, the product from each mill being thus
delivered into a screening surface below so as to have the fine material separated
from the coarse, the fine material passing through the screening or bolting surface
into the receiving chambers or hopper located thereunder, while the tailings or
coarse material passes from the interior surface of the reel through perforations
into the other chambers.
There are two of these tailings chambers beneath each reel, the chambers being
independent of each other to receive the material discharged from opposite ends
of the reel. To effect the delivery of the coarse material from these chambers or
hoppers to the next succeeding mills for treatment two elevator belts are used one
placed on each side of the machine. These belts are arranged to pass around the
circumference of and are driven by the central reel pulley, one belt travelling in
the chamber to receive the tailings from one end of the reel, while the other belt
travels in the chamber to receive material from the opposite end of the reel.
From the reel the elevator belts extend upward through spouts to an elevator
chamber. In this chamber the four elevator belts pass around supporting pulleys
being so disposed that they deliver the material into the upper ends of spouts or
conductors leading to the hoppers of the respective mills. The arrangement of
the spouts, is such that the material passing from the first mill, through the
corresponding end of the reel, is carried by the belt and delivered into the pipe, by
which it is conducted into the second mill, for the second reduction. After passing
through this mill the material passes into the right hand end of the reel, where a
second separation of the fine material takes place after which the remaining coarse
material is delivered into the chamber below, whence it is carried by the elevator
to the top of the conductor pipe and thereby delivered into the third mill.
Passing through this mill, the material enters one end of the second reel and has
the fine material removed as before, after which the coarse product is taken up by
another elevator and delivered into the second or opposite end of the reel, whereby
a third separation of the fine material is effected. The coarse product from this
last screening may be removed from the machine for further treatment, or it may
be permitted to ascend through another elevator preparatory to its being again
passed through the machine.
It will be seen that by the above apparatus the coarse product may be caused
to travel repeatedly through the machine subject to continual reductions and

page_text: separations for any desired length of time, or until it is all reduced to the proper
degree of fineness, or the material may be spouted out and removed after the first,
second, or third reduction as preferred..
Motion may be communicated to the reels in any suitable manner, but it is
preferred, to mount a transverse shaft, across one end of the machine and to
provide the same with bevel pinions engaging into and driving corresponding
wheels, on the ends of the reel shafts.
It will of course be understood that if preferred the various mills may be driven
independently of each other, and that instead of driving the elevator belts by
means of the reels they may be otherwise driven without departing from the
general scope of the invention.
It is also obvious that one or two of the mills and the corresponding reels and
elevators may be omitted when a smaller number of reductions are to be effected.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th July 1883.
"
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool and London Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster
Civil Engineer
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR THE GRADUAL REDUCTION
OF GRAIN A communication to me from abroad by William Dickson Gray and
Edward P. Allis, both of Milwaukee in the State of Wisconsin United States of
America.
This invention relates to an organization of mechanisms for automatically
effecting the production of flour from grain by what is commonly known in the art
as the system of gradual reduction, which consists essentially in gradually reducing
the grain by subjecting the same repeatedly to the action of grinding or crushing
rolls, with intermediate treatments to effect the removal of the fine flour between
each reduction and the next
Various machines have already been devised for this purpose. The object of this
invention is to produce a machine which shall be more simple and reliable in action
than those which have preceded it; which shall occupy less space; and which shall
admit of the reductions and separations being varied in number and arrangement,
as circumstances may require.
To this end it consists in the combination of several pairs of grinding rolls
combined with intermediate screens, elevators, and conductors, as hereinafter
described, and in many features and combinations which will be hereinafter
detailed.
The machine embraces in its construction, first, a rectangular main frame upon
the respective corners of which four roller mills are located, the mills being coupled
together in pairs so that the motion imparted to two of them will be transmitted
therefrom to the other two. In the base of the frame beneath the mills there are
two longitudinal cylindrical screens or bolts, divided transversely at the centre, so
that each constitutes in effect two independent bolts. In this manner four bolts
are produced, one t- receive the products from each of the roller mills. From the
bolts the material in delivered into receptacles from which endless elevators, driven
preferably by the belts, convey the material from the respective screens into an
elevator chamber or hopper, whence it is delivered through conductor pipes to the
respective rolls. The arrangement is such that the grain introduced into one mill
is passed through the same and bolted to separate the fine material, after which the
coarse material is elevated and delivered into the next mill to be again bolted, and
so on repeatedly throughout the series, the coarse material being subjected to the
action of all the mills or rolls in succession with a removal of the fine material by
the screen between each reduction and the next.
Referring to the accompanying drawings.
Fig 1. is a side elevation of the machine.
Fig 2. is a top plan view of the same, one side being shown in horizontal section
through the centre of the reel on the line 1-1 Figs 2 and 3.
Fig 3. is an end elevation of the machine, one side being shown in vertical section
on the line 2-2 Figs 2 and 3.
Fig 4. is a longitudinal vertical section through one side of the machine on the
line 3-3, Figs 3 and 4.
A represents a rigid rectangular base frame designed to sustain the various
operative parts of the machine. B, B1, B2, B3, represent the four roller mills
located upon the respective corners of the main frame. These mills consist each of

page_text: a pair of horizontal cooperating rolls mounted in suitable bearings and provided
with adjusting devices and with a feed hopper o for supplying the material thereto.
The rolls and their supporting and adjusting devices may be of any ordinary or
suitable construction. Either of the arrangements represented in the various
patents hitherto granted in the name of, or as communications from William
Dickson Gray for roller mills will answer an excellent purpose. The mills
B and B upon one side of the frame are constructed with rolls of a length less
than those of the other mills, it being preferred to make them usually of about two
thirds the length of the others. This is for the purpose of giving the last two
mills a greater surface in order to adapt them to act upon and dispose of all of the
reduced material without driving them at a higher speed than the others.
As.
shown in the drawings, particularly in Fig. 5, the mills B and B at one end of the
frame are arranged with their axes in line having their rolls coupled together by
means of transverse shafts D2, and the ends of which are connected to the journals
of the rolls by universal joints, or joints of any suitable construction which will
prevent the parts from cramping or binding in the event of the rolls being slightly
thrown out of line. A simple connection for this purpose is that represented in
the drawings, wherein connecting shafts are each bored out at the ends to fit over
the journals of the rolls, and connected to each journal by a single transverse
bolt a, the bolt at one end being at right angles to that at the other:
It will be
seen that under this arrangement motion transmitted to either roll of the mill will
be transmitted therefrom through the connecting shaft to the corresponding rolls of
the companion mill, being thus caused to drive them, and the two being caused to
run at equal speeds. At the opposite end of the machine the mills B1 and B2
are arranged in like relation to each other and coupled in like manner by
shafts D and E¹ Motion may be communicated to the mills thus coupled
together by any suitable system of driving belts or driving gear, but it is
preferable to make use of the peculiar arrangement represented in the drawings,
wherein a transverse countershaft F located in the base of the machine, is provided
at one end with two pulleys G. and H connected, the former by a belt I to a
driving pulley J attached to one of the rolls of mill B, and the latter connected by
a belt K to a driving pulley L attached to one of the rolls of the mill-B. In this
manner motion is communicated from the counter-shaft to one roll of each of the
four mills. Motion is cominunicated to the remaining rolls of the four mills from
the counter-shaft on the opposite side of the machine by the arrangement represented
in Figs' 1, 2, and 3, the counter-shaft being provided on that side with a pulley M,
from and beneath which a driving belt O, is extended upward around the pulleys
P, and Q, applied, the former to one of the rolls of mill B³, and the latter to one of
the rolls of mill B2. By the above system of belting on the two sides of the
machine, a positive motion is transmitted to the four sets of.grinding rolls.
It is obvious that the system of belting may be applied entirely to one side of
the machine by placing all the driving pulleys on that side, but for various reasons,
the principal one being that a smoother action is obtained, it is preferred to retain
the arrangement represented.
Having thus described the arrangement and action of the mills I will now pass
to the bolting or separating mechanism, and the means for elevating the tailings
and effecting the delivering of the coarse material from one mill to another:
Referring to Figs 2, 3 and 4, it will be seen that there are located in the base of
the machine on opposite sides, two horizontal or substantially horizontal cylindrical
reels S. and S2. These reels are each carried by longitudinal central shafts
T, and T¹, one in each reel. Each reel has its outer end sustained and carried by a
skeleton wheel or head U, mounted upon the central shaft as shown in Figs 2 and 4.
At the centre each reel contains a large supporting pulley or drum V, made with a
broad face or rim and with a central web b, which is made solid for the purpose of
forming a division or partition and thus dividing the reel transversely so that its
opposite ends d, and d¹ will serve as separate and independent reels. The central
pulley has its rim or periphery provided with perforations c, near the outer edge,

page_text: these perforations serving as outlets through which the tailings escape into the
receiving chambers W, W, et cetera beneath, as clearly shown in Figs 2, 3, and 4.
As regards their construction and arrangement, the two reels on opposite sides
of the machine are duplicates of each other, the pair of divided reels constituting
in effect four separate and independent reels, one for each mill.
It will be observed that the reels are so arranged with respect to the mills that
the open head or end of one reel is located beneath each mill to receive the product
therefrom. As shown in Figs 2 3 and 4, a spout or conducting passage X extends
from the mill B, downward into one end of the reel S, while a corresponding
passage extends from the mill B' into the opposite end of said reel, and in like
manner on the opposite side of the machine, conducting passages extend from the
mills B, and B³, into the opposite ends of the reel S³, the product from each mill
being thus delivered into a screening surface below, so as to have the fine material
separated from the coarse, the fine material passing through the screening or
bolting surface into the receiving chambers or hopper Y Y¹ et cetera located there-
under, while the tailings or coarse material passes from the interior surface of the
reel through the perforations c into the other chambers W, and W¹. As shown in
Figs 2, 3, and 4, there are two of these tailings chambers beneath each reel, the
chambers being independent of each other to receive the material discharged from
opposite ends of the reel. To effect the delivery of the coarse material from the
hoppers W, W₁ et cetera to the next succeeding mills for treatment, there are
employed on each side of the machine two elevator belts Z, and Z. As shown in
Figs 2 and 3, these belts are arranged to pass around the circumference of, and
are driven by the central reel pulley V, one belt travelling in the chamber W, to
receive the tailings from one end of the reel, while the other belt travels in the
chamber W to receive material from the opposite end of the reel. From the
reel the elevator belts extend upward through spouts to an elevator chamber A¹
as clearly shown in Figs 2, 3, and 4. In this chamber the four elevator belts pass
around supporting pulleys C2, being so disposed that they deliver the material into
the upper ends of spouts or conductors E¹, E2, E³, leading to the hoppers of the
respective mills. The arrangement of the spouts as clearly represented in the
drawings is such that the material passing from the mill B through the corres-
ponding end of the reel S³, is carried by the belt Z, and delivered into the pipe Es
by which it is conducted into the mill B³, for the second reduction After passing
through the mill B² the material passes into the right hand end of the reel S², where
a second separation of the fine material takes place after which the remaining
coarse material is delivered into the chamber Ws, whence it is carried by the
elevator to the top of the conductor pipe E3 and thereby delivered into the mill B².
Passing through the mill B2, the material enters one end of the reel S¹, and has
the fine material removed as before, after which the coarse product is taken up by
the elevator X³ and delivered through the spout E, from which it passes into the
second or opposite end of the reel S, whereby a third separation of the fine material
is effected. The coarse product from this last screening may be removed from the
machine for further treatment, or it may be permitted to ascend through the
elevator X³ preparatory to its being again passed through the machine.
It will be seen that by the above apparatus the coarse product may be caused to
travel repeatedly through the machine subject to continual reductions and separations
for any desired length of time, or until it is all reduced to the proper degree of
fineness, or the material may be spouted out and removed after the first, second, or
third reduction, as preferred.
Motion may be communicated to the reels in any suitable manner, but it is
preferred, as shown in Figs 2 and 4, to mount a transverse shaft H³ across one
end of the machine and to provide the same with bevel pinions 12, engaging into
and driving corresponding wheels J2 on the ends of the reel shafts.
It will of course be understood that if preferred the various mills may be driven
independently of each other, and that instead of driving the elevator belts by means
of the reels they may be otherwise driven without departing from the general scope

page_text: of the invention. It is preferred however, to retain the details of construction
represented in the drawings.
It is also obvious that one or two of the mills and the corresponding reels and
elevators may be omitted when a smaller number of reductions are to be effected.
Having now described the invention as communicated to me, I wish it to be
understood that what I desire to protect under the Letters Patent is
1. In an automatic apparatus for the gradual reduction of grain, the combination
substantially as shown of four roller mills, two reels located thereunder and
provided each with a central division, and elevators operating in connection with
the respective ends of each reel, said parts arranged substantially as described to
effect the delivery of the material through the successive mills and reels alternately.
2. In a gradual reduction machine, the combination of two pairs of crushing
rolls and intermediate couplings connecting the rolls of each pair with the
corresponding rolls of the other pair, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3. In a reduction machine, the roller mills B and B', and the intermediate
couplings connecting the respective rolls as described, in combination with the two
driving pulleys arranged on opposite sides of the machine, and connected one with
the forward roll of the machine, and the other with the rear rolls of the other mill,
as described, whereby motion is transmitted to the forward rolls of both mills from
one pulley, and to the rear rolls of both mills from the other pulley.
4. In a gradual reduction machine, the combination of a rectangular sustaining
frame, four roller mills mounted upon the respective corners of said frame, two
transversely divided reels mounted in the base of said frame below the mills to
receive the ineal delivered by gravity therefrom, an elevator connected with each
reel and a series of spouts leading from the upper ends of the respective elevators
to the respective mills, in the manner shown and described.
5. The combination in a gradual reduction machine of the following elements:
four roller grinding mills, universal couplings as described connecting said mills
in pairs, two driving pulleys applied in connection with each pair of mills on
opposite sides of the machine, and a counter shaft F, extending transversely of the
machine and provided with driving pulleys on its two ends, and three driving belts
extended two from one end of the main shaft, and one from the opposite side of
said shaft to the respective rolls of the grinding mills, as described and shown.
6. In combination with two roller mills or reduction machines, a cylindrical reel
divided transversely, and arranged to receive the product from the respective mills
at its opposite ends.
7. The rotary reel or screen provided with a central pulley V, having the
divided web or disc to separate the two ends of the reel, and the perforations in
the rim to permit the escape of the tailings.
8. The transversely divided reel having the outlets on opposite sides of its central
division, in combination with independent receiving chambers W and W', and the
independent elevator belts X and X', as shown and described
In witness whereof I the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto set
my hand and seal this twenty sixth day of July in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.