Improved Disintegrator for the Use of Millers.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Disintegrator for the Use of Millers.
We HENRI CORNETTE and PHILIPPE LAFON bath of 29 Rue Jean-Jacques
Rousseau, Paris, France, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:--
In the operation of grinding, the powerful compression of the grain between
the smooth cylinders produce small cakes which it is necessary to disintegrate
before proceeding to the operation known as bolting; a slight effort suffices for
this disintegration but there is much to be desired in the apparatuses usually
employed. Flat bolters have, during the last few years, almost entirely replaced
the round, polygon, or centrifugal ones, but in the last processes of conversion,
the flat bolter, when acting upon oily and spongy substances frequently gives
trouble owing to the cohesion between the different molecules of such substances
submitted to the more powerful compressions of the whole quantity. Disintegrators
are, of course, already in use which are employed before bolting, but those which
give fair results in the first converting operation are almost useless for what is
left; they are not suitably contrived to separate the strongly compressed flour
and milldust still adhering to the grits that are left.
Now, besides disintegrating the cakes, a good Disintegrator, ought to serve
another purpose, namely, to completely detach the flour and milldust from the
converted grits; the flour then passes through the sieve of the bolter, the
grits are easier to separate in the sieve and the grinding is finished more rapidly.
Having the grits very dry permits a good separation by the sieve and
rapid conversion, two things of prime importance in the milling industry.
Our invention has for its object a Disintegrator which perfectly fulfils these
several conditions. It divides and pulverises the cakes, completely detaches the
flour adhering to the grits, by means of a light but quick beating energetic
and multiplied; it works by means of steel wires rapidly revolving round an
axis in the same direction.
Our Disintegrator is subject to none of the faults attached to the apparatuses
at present in use. These apparatuses nray be divided into two groups, namely
those working by heavy blows and projectile motion by means of dash-boards;
teeth and the like, and those working by friction by means of brushes or pallets
which effect the friction of the substance under treatment on metal gauze; those
of the former group do the work but roughly and require considerable motive
power.
Moreover, it is found that the heavy shocks deprive the gluten of a
part of its elasticity which is very prejudicial to the good panification of the
Hour. Those of the second or latter group, working by friction, require still
greater driving-power than the first-mentioned, owing to the tangential friction
which acts like a brake. Moreover these Disintegrators become choked
occasionally, the brushes wear out and become dirty while the irregularity of
their work often necessitates the addition of a regulating fly-wheel.
Our disintegrating apparatus is of exceptional lightness in its working parts,

page_text: is driven with a minimum force and its mode of action which is that of threshing
with steel wires, instead of diminishing the elasticity of the gluten gives it, on
the contrary, fresh vitality, all this without prejudice to its principal action, the
object of which is to completely detach from the grits the adhering flour
thus preparing for and facilitating the subsequent work.
An essential part of our apparatus is a metal drum, to which is given a sufficient
rotary speed, and carrying-fixed on its periphery-fine metallic wires which may
be of round, square, or any other suitable section. These wires are made of
elastic metal (steel, for example) and can be of varying flexibility according to
circumstances. They are preferably made to correspond with a certain number
of the generating lines of the drum 3 for example. The drum and the wires
turn in a cast iron frame inside of which, and firmly fixed by means of circular
ribs, is a cone of metal gauze, which envelopes the wires allowing them a slight
play.
The substance to be treated passes into the cone through an opening formed
in the metal gauze on the side of the small base, where it is well thrashed by the
flexible wires; one portion then passes through the metal gauze and runs through
an opening, in the bottom of the apparatus, passing on to the bolting-mill; the
other part passes out through an opening formed in the cone on the side of its large
base, and then follows the same course.
To enable the apparatus to be readily taken to pieces, and to render the interior
accessible, one of the ends of the outside cylinder is moveable and handles are
provided for fixing it in its place.
The drum on which the steel wires are fixed, turns without friction between
cylinder ends and it is keyed on a driving shaft. The latter turns in two oiled
bearings fixed on brackets cast with the cylinder and it has, keyed to it, a pulley
at one of its ends.
The apparatus may be fixed, as desired, from the top or the bottom tanks
to fixing flanges.
The wires are embedded in the drum at the time of its casting. To prevent
the annealing of the wires while casting, the drum is made of metal that is fusible
at low temperature, such as zinc, tin or the like.
The wires may also be attached by isolated wires, in this case the drum which
is made of cast iron possesses longitudinal mortises into which small rods, made
of fusible metal, enter. The steel wires are fitted into these latter. Tightening
keys are used to ensure the steadiness of the small rods on the drum and to
enable them to be quickly replaced if needful. I also reserve the right of simply
fitting these steel wires into moveable rods by piercing small holes in the latter.
Besides the advantages already stated, our Disintegrator in its rotary movement
produces a slight centrifugal ventilation, which, whilst absorbing the humidity
contained in the substances under treatment, restores to them a normal tem-
perature which contributes to a perfect bolting. It is well known, in fact, that,
according to their nature the different kinds of corn-particularly those of India
and America-need to be washed and damped for grinding. In this way the
separation of the bran is facilitated, and the gluten absorbs a certain quantity
of water, which renders it more elastic and contributes to its subsequent good
panification. If however humidity is useful during grinding and separating, it
is hurtful in converting and bolting; for a damp grist is not easily converted and
in bolting, it sticks together and chokes the bolting tissue the result of which is
that the remainder still contain good farinaceous products.
Our Disintegrator remedies this state of things without necessitating a special
apparatus. Air enters the apparatus, passing through the annular space, provided
between the driving shaft and the frame afterwards following the radial grooves
formed on the face of the drum. We can, moreover, employ a hollow driving
shaft communicating with the interior of the Disintegrator by means of openings
suitably arranged on its surface and on that of the drum.
Our Disintegrator has therefore, besides the advantages already stated, the

page_text: further recommendation of acting as a cooler and Dryer without necessitating
any modification.
In conclusion, we may remark that our machine can turn equally well either to
the right or left, may be instantly taken to pieces to allow access to the interior,
may be fastened at the top or at the bottom and never gets stopped up. The
wires do not break, during operation; this durability proceeds from their being
made pliable and being finely tempered; moreover the corn remains but a short
time in the apparatus and the steel wires only come into contact with it when
spread over the whole height of the drum without ever encountering any
accumulation in the lower part.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1896.
L. DUVINAGE,
Agent for Applicants.
Improved Disintegrator for the Use of Millers.
We HENRI CORNETTE and PHILIPPE LAFON both of 29 Rue Jean-Jacques
Rousseau, Paris, France, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In the operation of grinding, the powerful compression of the grain between
smooth cylinders produces small cakes which it is necessary to disintegrate
before proceeding to the operation known as bolting; a slight effort suffices for
this disintegration but there is much to be desired in the apparatuses usually
employed. Flat bolters have, during the last few years, almost entirely replaced
the round, polygon, or centrifugal ones but in the last processes of conversion,
the fat boiter when acting upon oily and spongy substances frequently gives
trouble owing to the cohesion between the different molecules of such substances
submitted to the more powerful compressions of the whole quantity. Disintegrators
are, of course, already in use which are employed before bolting, but those which
give fair results in the first converting operation are almost useless for what is
left; they are not suitably contrived to separate the strongly compressed flour
and milldust still adhering to the grits that are left.
Now, besides disintegrating the cakes, a good disintegrator, ought to serve
another purpose, namely, to completely detach the flour and milldust from the
converted middlings; the flour then passes through the sieve of the bolter, the
middlings are easier to separate in the sieve and the grinding is finished more
rapidly.
Having the middlings very dry permits a good separation by the sieve and
rapid conversion-two things of prime importance in the milling industry.
Our invention has for its object a disintegrator which perfectly fulfils these
several conditions. It divides and pulverises the cakes, completely detaches the
flour adhering to the middlings by means of a light but quick beating, energetio
and multiplied; it works by means of steel wires rapidly revolving round an
axis in the same direction.
Our disintegrator is subject to none of the faults attached to the apparatuses
at present in use. These apparatuses may be divided into two groups, namely
those working by heavy blows and projectile motion by means of dash-boards,
teeth and the like, and those working by friction by means of brushes or pallets
which effect the friction of the substance under treatment on metal gauze; those
of the former group do the work but roughly and require considerable motive

page_text: power. Moreover, it is found that the heavy shocks deprive the gluten of a
part of its elasticity which is very prejudicial to the good panification of the
Hour. Those of the second or latter group, working by friction, require still
greater driving power than the first-mentioned, owing to the tangential friction
which acts like a brake. Moreover these disintegrators become choked
occasionally, the brushes wear out and become dirty while the irregularity of
their work often necessitates the addition of a regulating fly-wheel.
Our disintegrating apparatus is of exceptional lightness in its working parts,
is driven with a minimum, of force and its mode of action which is that of threshing
with steel wires, instead of diminishing the elasticity of the gluten gives it, on
the contrary, fresh vitality, all this without prejudice to its principal action, the
object of which is to completely detach from the middlings the adhering flour
thus preparing for and facilitating the subsequent work.
The acompanying drawing represents our apparatus.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus the dotted lines indicating a
device which may be adopted for feeding the machine.
Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 1-2 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a modification which may be employed for fixing the steel wires.
An essential part of our apparatus is a metal drum a to which is given a sufficient
rotary speed, and carrying-fixed on its periphery fine metallic wires which may
be of round, square, or any other suitable section. These wires are made of elastic
metal (steel, for example) and can be of varying flexibility according to circum-
stances. They are preferably made to correspond with a certain number of the
generating lines of the drum-3 for example-as shewn in the drawing. The
drum a and the wires 6 turn in a cast iron frame e inside of which, and firmly :
fixed by means of the circular ribs e is a cone d of metal gauze, which envelopes
the wires b allowing them a slight play.
This metal gauze may be wrinkled and provided on the inner face with small
spikes. The substance to be treated is introduced at f; it passes into the cone d
through an opening fo formed in the metal gauze on the side of the small base, a
where it is well threshed by the flexible wires; one portion then passes through
the metal gauze and runs through the opening, 9 passing on to the bolting mill;
the other part passes out through the opening h formed in the cone d on the side
of its large base, and then follows the same course.
To enable the apparatus to be readily taken to pieces and to render the interior 3
accessible, one of the ends of the outside cylinder e is moveable and pivotable
catches m are provided for fixing it in its place.
The drum a on which the steel wires b are fixed, turns without friction between
cylinder ends e and it is keyed on a driving shaft o. The latter turns in two
oiled bearings pp fixed on brackets qq cast with the cylinder c and it has, keyed 4
to it, a pulley P at one its ends.
The apparatus may be fixed as desired from the top or the bottom tanks to
fixing flanges. In case it is required to make the material pass more rapidly
into the apparatus the entrance may be provided at fi as shewn in dotted lines
in Fig. 1 of the drawing.
The wires are embedded in the drum a at the time of its casting. To prevent
the annealing of the wires, while casting, the drum a is made of metal that is
fusible at low temperature, such as zinc, tin or the like.
The wires may also be attached by isolated wires, as shewn in Fig. 3 of the
drawing. In this case, the drum a which is made of cast iron possesses longitu-
dinal mortices into which the small rods S made of fusible metal, enter. The
steel wires are fitted into these latter. Tightening keys t are used to ensure the
steadiness of the small rods on the drum and to enable them to be quickly replaced
if needful. I also reserve the right of simply fitting these steel wires into moveable
rods by piercing small holes in the latter.
Besides the advantages already stated, our disintegrator in its rotary movement
produces a slight centrifugal ventilation, which, whilst absorbing the humidity
4
5

page_text: contained in the substances under treatment, restores to them a normal temperature
which contributes to a perfect bolting. It is well known, in fact, that, according
to their nature, the different kind of corn particularly those of India and America
need to be washed and damped for grinding. In this way the separation of the
bran is facilitated, and the gluten absorbs a certain quantity of water, which
renders it more elastic and contributes to its subsequent good panification. If
however humidity is useful during grinding and separating it is hurtful in con-
verting and bolting, for a damp grist is not easily converted and, in bolting, it
sticks together and chokes the bolting tissue the result of which is that the
O remainder still contain good farinaceous products.
Our disintegrator remedies this state of things without necessitating a special
apparatus. Air enters the apparatus, passing through the annular space, provided
between the driving shaft o and the frame afterwards following the radial
grooves v formed on the face of the drum a. We can, moreover, employ a hollow
driving shaft communicating with the interior of the disintegrator by means of
openings suitably arranged on its surface and on that of the drum a. Finally,
if we introduce the substance for treatment at f¹ Fig. 1 the draught of air will
be occasioned directly through this opening.
Our disintegrator has therefore, besides the advantages already stated, the
further recommendation of acting as a cooler and dryer without necessitating any
modification.
In conclusion, we may remark that our machine can turn equally well either
to the right or left, may be instantly taken to pieces to allow access to the interior,
may be fastened at the top or at the bottom and never gets stopped up. The
wires do not break, during operation; this durability proceeds from their being
made pliable and being fine tempered; moreover the corn remains but a short
time in the apparatus and the steel wires only come into contact with it when
spread over the whole height of the drum without ever encountering any
accumulation in the lower part.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A flour disintegrating apparatus for completely detaching the adhering meal
from the middling before sending the stuff to the bolting-room and more
particularly assuring a good working of the bolting machines called "Plansichter"
upon the final grinding, this apparatus comprising essentially a metallic drum
having an adequate rotatory speed and bearing, fixed or fitted upon its periphery and
normally with its surface, thin flexible wires b vibrating during the working
and operating by beats and, in preference, spread out according to the generators
of the drum, this drum which is wedged upon the main shaft turning with its
wires in a cast-iron frame inside of which is invariably fixed a cone in wire
gauze which covers the wires but having a slight play; this cone prevents, at its
unner part and its smallest base an opening for the admission of the stuff and at
its lower part and larger base an opening for the exit of the stuff which has not
passed through the gauze during the operation.
2. In a flour disintegrating apparatus according to Claim 1 a drum in metal
fusible at low temperature, zinc, bronze or the like having around its periphery
and normally with its surface flexible wires which are fitted into its body when
cast.
3. In a flour-disintegrating apparatus, according to Claim 1, a cast-iron drum
having longitudinal dove-tailed mortices in which are fixed by means of wedges
small fusible metal bars which bear flexible wires fitted into them..
4. The combination in a flour detaching apparatus, of flexible wires with a
wrinkled, spiked gauze forming a covering and intended to increase the efficiency
of the apparatus.

page_text: 5. An improved flour disintegrator substantially as described and shown in
the annexed drawing.
1
1907
L. DUVINAGE,
Agent for Applicants.