IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY CHURNS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROTARY CHURNS." A communication from abroad by Lewis Washington
Murch, Cabinet Maker, and Luther Calvis Colburn, Farmer, both of Kennedy,
Chautauqua County, State of New York, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th July 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
A communication from
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY CHURNS."
abroad by Lewis Washington Murch, Cabinet Maker, and Luther Calvin Colburn,
Farmer, both of Kennedy, Chautauqua County, State of New York, United States
of America.
The object of the first and second parts of this Invention is to construct the
body of the churn in a strong and simple manner so that any shrinkage, warping,
or bulging of the body of the churn may be in a great measure prevented or easily
remedied. The object of the third part of the Invention is to provide a rotary
churn with a dasher of peculiar construction, whereby the entire body of cream is
equally acted upon by the dasher blades so that they will cut through the cream
and give to it an undulating or wave like motion to thoroughly agitate it without
mashing or breaking the globules by concussion. The object af the fourth part of
the Invention is to construct a churn in such manner that the entire body of cream
will be churned alike, and in which the dasher will be so formed and fitted to the
churn body that the inner surface of the churn will be scraped clean at each
revolution and the adhering cream will be returned to the moving mass, and the
entire body of cream will be converted into butter which will effectually prevent
the formation of white streaks and caps in the butter. The object of the fifth
part of the Invention is to provide a rotary churn with an improved means for
ventilating the cream at regular intervals while being churned, a limited quantity
of air being drawn into the body of the cream at each revolution of the dasher.
The object of the sixth part of the Invention is to provide simple means for
journalling the dasher shaft to the casing, and apply in connection therewith drip
cups to catch the cream that may escape through the bearing plates and prevent it

page_text: from running down the outside of the casing. The object of the seventh part of
the Invention is to provide a hearing plate which will have connected with
it a stud pin provided with a crank or arm upon its other end, a pivoted latch
that bears against the outer end of the crank to hold it in place and prevent
its accidental withdrawal and permit the ready removal or replacement of the
dash. The object of the eighth part of the Invention is to operate the rotary
dash by means of a removable crank held in place upon the dash, but allowed to
revolve freely by means of an annular groove around the neck of the crank shaft,
and a sliding plate that fits into the groove and embraces the crank so that the
crank cannot be removed without first lifting the plate from the groove, as will
hereinafter appear. The object of the ninth part of the Invention is to provide
an improved adjustable crank mechanism for operating the rotary churn dash or
for other purposes, whereby the arm of the crank-may-be-lengthened-or_shortened_
to suit the convenience of the operator.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section through
a churn constructed according to the Invention; Figure 2, transverse section of the
same in the line x-x of Figure 1; Figure 3, an end elevation of the churn showing
the adjustable crank; Figure 4, an elevation in detail of one of the end pieces;
Figure 5, an elevation in detail of the drip cup, stud pin, and pivoted latch to hold
the end of the dash and admit of its removal; and Figure 6, a sectional detail of
the outer dasher stretcher.
The body of the churn is formed of a cylindrical shell A secured to end pieces A¹
in a peculiar manner and supported upon legs B to hold the cylindrical shell in a
horizontal position. The shell A is formed of a series of staves a, a, placed along-
side of each other, edge to edge, and terminated by shoulder pieces-a-a-Tho-ond-
pieces A¹ are formed with a curved recess a³ in their faces of a radius equal to the
radius of the cylindrical sheel into which the ends of the staves and shoulder
pieces are snugly fitted. The upper portion of the recess a leaves its circular
course in a tangential line, and runs into the upper edge of the end piece in order
that it may strictly conform to the position and shape of the ends of the shoulder
pieces. The shoulder pieces a' are formed with a shoulder a² that rests against the
plain face of the end piece, and serves to extend the inner surface of the stave to
form a continuation of the circular curve of the inner surface, and connect the
walls of the cylinder in an unbroken surface with the undersurface of a cover C
that fits snugly between the shoulder pieces and the end pieces of the shell:
casing. A cap piece D to the casing is formed of a rectangular piece of wood of
equal thickness throughout that extends to the outer edges of the casing, and is
provided with a central rectangular opening that will fit around the inner edges of
the end pieces and shoulder pieces to leave a small shoulder upon all sides around
it to closely embrace the cap piece C¹ of the cover and form a ledge upon which it
may rest. The cap piece D also serves to connect the legs B of the churn above
the cylindrical shell, and braces or rounds E also serve to connect the said parts
below the cylindrical shell so that a strong and durable structure is obtained in a
simple manner. The staves of the churn are closely bound together midway of
their length by means of metal straps F, F, secured at their upper ends to metal
plates or shoulders f, f, each of which is firmly clamped between the cap piece D
and the shoulder pieces a¹ of the shell, and the lower or meeting ends of which are
connected to plates f, f, that are clamped together by set screws f³, by which
means the straps F, F, may be tightly drawn around the staves and clamped
together. This arrangement will provide means for drawing the staves more 5
closely together at their meeting edges or joints if they should warp and spring at
such points, so that the shell may at all times be kept perfectly tight, and the size
of its inner diameter remains constant, which is an important feature in connection
with a peculiarly formed rotary dasher hereinafter described to keep the cream
from adhering to the inner surface of the cylindrical shell The dasher is formed 5
of end pieces G connected at their upper and lower ends by stretchers G¹, G³, eight
of which are employed in this instance, and are firmly connected together to form

page_text: a shaftless rotary dasher, suspended at the middle part of the end pieces by means
of a crank handle L at one end and a stud pin I at the other, which pass through
metal plates in the end pieces of the frames and forin journals upon which the
dasher may revolve. The outer stretchers G₁ of the dasher are formed with
convex surfaces, the outer surface being flattened at its middle portion, as shown
in Figure 6, so that the edges of the outer surface will bear closely against the
inner cylindrical surface of the shell, and the flattened upper surfaco will form a
chord thereto, by which means a space is always left between the outer surface of
the stretchers and the inner surface of the shell. The cover C is perforated at its
ends and is provided with small tubular cups C that pass through cross cleats on
the cover and allow air to pass to the interior of the churn to be mixed with the
The cross
cream and aid the process of butter making in a well known manner.
cleats serve a good purpose by breaking the continuous cylindrical inner surface
of the churn body. The air is drawn into the churn through the perforations in
the cover by the suction of the enclosed space above the stretcher caused by tho
revolution of the dasher, and is carried down to the lower part of the churn
beneath the cream where it can escape and freely percolate upward through the
body of the cream to perform its office in the separation of the globules of butter
from the milk. The inner stretchers G are formed with double-convex sides
which meet to form cutting edges and are arranged upon the end pieces so that
they will be staggered, or be arranged in triangular relation to each other, and as
they pass through the cream cause it to circulate in curved or wave lines around
the double-convex stretchers, by which means the cream will be thoroughly
agitated and subjected to a complete molecular disturbance. By this means it
will be readily seen that while the cream is subjected to the most thorough
agitation, it is not whipped or. beaten by contact with blunt or flat surfaces which
would mash and break the butter globules by their concussion with the dasher.
The cylindrical body of the churn will only be filled to its axial line with cream,
so that its entire body will be equally subjected to the action of the dasher. The
end pieces G of the dasher are formed with feathered or knife edges g which bear
closely against the inner face of the end pieces A¹ of the churn body and completely
scrape from them any cream that may adhere to their surface. The end pieces aro
bevelled in opposite directions upon their opposite ends, so that the forward edgo
of the end piece will be the scraping or knife edge upon each side of the journal of
the dasher. By this means, together with the scraping action of the outer
stretchers G¹ against the inner face of the cylinder, the entire body of cream is at
all times acted upon equally, and the walls of the churn are not allowed to retain
a body of cream that will be operated upon by the dasher unequally with the
main body of cream and be subsequently mixed with and form white streaks and
caps in the butter.
Ench of the end pieces is provided with a metal plate H, H', secured to its outer
side by means of wood screws, and provided with a cup or basin h, h¹³, arranged
directly beneath an opening through which the crank handle shaft at one end
passes the stud pin I, which is also provided with a crank shaft end i passing
through the other end piece. The basin of plate H through which the pin I
passes is formed with a notch in its rim, into which the crank end i of the pin I
passes, and is closely held by means of a latch K pivoted to the end piece of the
casing. A chain & connects a loop in the end of pin I with a staple upon the end
piece, by which means it is always held within convenient reach when not in place.
The metal plate H' forms a bearing for the shaft 1 of a short crank L that is held
in place upon the plate H' by means of a vertically moving clutch plate M, the
prongs of which embrace the shaft and fit snugly in a groove in the said shaft.
The plate M is held in place upon the plate H and made adjustable thereon by
means of a slot m in the plate and set screws m¹, m³. The pin I passes through a
5 bushed bearing in one of the end pieces of the dasher, and the inner end of the
crank L is flattened and fits snugly in a rectangular hole in the metal plate upon

page_text: the other end piece of the dasher, so that by turning the crank the dasher may be
revolved. A rectangular hole and flattened end of the shaft is preferred because it
will not so readily wear into a round hole as where a perfect square connection is
made. The outer end of the crank L is provided with a square sided crank pin,
upon which an ordinary crank arm provided with a square opening to fit the pin
may be fitted in any one of four positions by changing the crank so that any one
of the square sides of the opening will come opposite any one of the sides of the
pin. The pin is squared in such position relatively to the crank that the largest
and also the shortest possible range of movement may be obtained. The drip
cups h, h¹, serve to catch the butter milk and cream that will work through the
bearing plates to the outside of the churn and prevent it from running down its
sides and upon the floor. The butter milk is allowed to escape from the churn
through an opening n by withdrawing plug N, and a metal spout N¹ delivers it
from the said opening.
Having described the nature of the said-Invention, and the manner-of-performing-
the same, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,-
1st. A rotary churn body formed of end pieces grooved upon their face to receive
staves and shoulder pieces that are arranged together with the cover to form a
cylinder, secured together by the legs, cap piece, and brace rods, in the manner and
for the purpose substantially as described.
2nd. The cylindrical churn body formed of a series of staves held at their ends
in circular grooves in the end pieces of the casing, and bound together at their
middle by metal straps secured at their upper ends to the end or shoulder pieces,
and secured at their lower ends to metal plates that are drawn together by set
screws, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3rd. In a churn dasher, the combination of the end pieces G, G, connected-by-
stretchers G', G³, formed with double-convex sides, and arranged upon the end
pieces as described to impart to the cream an undulating or wave like motion, and
supported at its ends only, substantially as and for the purpose described.
4th. The combination in a churn having a horizontal cylindrical body of a dasher
formed of end pieces having their faces bevelled to form feather edges that bear
against the faces of the ends of the churn to clear them of cream, the end pieces
being connected together by stretchers, the outer ones of which will scrape the
cylindrical surface of the churn body, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5th. The combination in a churn having a cylindrical body a cover forming a
segment of such cylinder, and provided with openings communicating with the
outer air, and a dasher formed of double-convex shaped end pieces connected by
stretchers, one of the faces of which are flattened to fit snugly the interior of the
churn body and provide an enclosed air space between the outer surface of the 4
dasher and the inner surface of the churn, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
6th. The metal plates H, H', formed with bearings for the spindles of the rotary
churn dasher, and a bowl arranged immediately below the bearing to catch the drip
therefrom, and also provided with projecting cars, by means of which the plates 4
may be secured to the end pieces, substantially as described.
7th. The metal bearing plate H provided with a bowl having a notch in its rim,
the stud pin I provided with a cranked end that engages with the notch of the
rim, and a pivoted latch piece K that holds the pin in place, substantially as
described.
8th. The combination with a churn body of the metal bearing plate H¹, the
crank L provided with a grooved shaft, and the vertically adjustable plate M that
fits in the groove and embraces the shaft, and is held in place by set screws that
pass through a slot in the plate, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5
9th. The combination with the rotary churn dasher of a short crank secured to 5.
the dasher, and provided with a square crank pin, the sides of which are arranged

page_text: substantially as described, in combination with a removable crank arm that fits
upon the pin in the several positions to lengthen and shorten the throw of the
crank, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
A. M. CLARK. (L.B.)