IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING, TEARING, CRUSHING, OR OTHERWISE PREPARING, FOR VARIOUS USEFUL AND ECONOMICAL PURPOSES, FURZE OR GORSE, STRAW, BEAN-HAULMS, TURNIPS, BARK, FLAX, OR ANY OTHER
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Walsh, of Stedalt, Balbriggan, Ireland, for
the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING, TEARING, CRUSHING,
OR OTHERWISE PREPARING, FOR VARIOUS USEFUL AND ECONOMICAL PURPOSES,
FURZE OR GORSE, STRAW, BEAN-HAULMS, TURNIPS, BARK, FLAX, OR ANY OTHER
Sealed the 3rd September 1860, and dated the 6th March 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Walsh at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
March 1860.
I, JOHN WALSH, of Stedalt, Balbriggan, Ireland, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING. TEARING,
CRUSHING, OR OTHERWISE PREPARING, FOR VARIOUS USEFUL AND ECONOMICAL PUR-
POSES FURZE OR GORSE, STRAW, BEAN-HAULMS, TURNIPS, BARK, FLAX, OR ANY
THER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
This Invention comprises an apparatus constructed with two rollers com-
posed of a series of discs of metal of different sizes, either smooth or serrated,
said discs being fastened on revolving axes connected together by toothed
pinions or wheels, said discs being so arranged and disposed on the aforesaid
axes as to work past each other like cutting shears. In connection with
[Price 8d.]

page_text: these rollers I propose to employ a system of cleaners or combs to prevent
the spaces between the aforesaid discs of metal from filling up and becoming
choked with the material upon which they are operating.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Walsh in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th September 1860.
----
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WALSH, of Stedalt, Balbriggan, Ireland, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of March in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of er reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Walsh, Her special licence that I, the said John Walsh, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Walsh, 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 "IMPROVED MACHINERY
FOR CUTTING. TEARING, CRUSHING, OR OTHERWISE PREPARING FOR VARIOUS USEFUL
AND ECONOMICAL PURPOSES, FURZE OR GORSE. STRAW. BEAN-HAULMS, TURNIPS,
BARK. FLAX OR ANY OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Walsh, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Walsh, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention comprises an apparatus constructed with two rollers com-
posed of a series of discs of metal of different sizes, either notched or serrated,
L.

page_text: said discs being fastened on revolving axes connected together by toothed
pinions or wheels, said discs being so arranged and disposed on the aforesaid
axes as to work past each other like cutting shears. In connection with
these rollers I propose to employ a system of cleaners or combs to prevent
the spaces between the aforesaid discs of metal from filling up, and becoming
choked with the material upon which they are operating.
And in order to explain this Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of
reference marked thereon respectively as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of any improved machinery, shewn partly in
section; Figure 2 is an end view of Figure 1, the hopper hereafter described
being removed; Figures 3 and 4 exhibit detached parts of the machinery,
drawn full size to shew the construction thereof more clearly. At each of
the foregoing Figures I employ similar letters of reference to denote corre-
sponding parts in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at each of such
said Figures respectively.
A, A, is the framing of the machine supporting the following parts:
B, C, are shafts or spindles, capable of revolving in bearings at the top of the
framing; D, E, are a series of discs of metal keyed or otherwise securely
fixed on the shafts or spindles B and C, said discs being so arranged and
disposed as that the large discs D on one shaft or spindle come opposite to
the small discs E on the other spindle. I form each large and small disc of
one piece of cast metal; I have found cast iron to answer well. I form the
teeth or serrations of the large discs D inclining in an opposite direction
to the teeth of the smaller discs E, for the purpose hereafter described.
G, G, are cleaners or clearers, one to each disc. These cleaners are fixed to
the framing of the machine, as at Figure 3, with their points nearly touching
those of the serrations on the smaller discs E. On one end of each of the
shafts or spindles B, C, a pinion or toothed wheel F is securely fixed, gearing
into each other, said pinions or wheels being made of corresponding size, so
as to move each shaft at the same speed. The depth of the teeth of theso
pinions or wheels should be such as that they will always be in gear, not-
withstanding the distance between the shafts B and C require to be varied
according to the description of material to be operated upon by the serrated

page_text: discs. In some cases the points of the teeth or serrations on the edge of the
larger discs D will require to be brought nearly close to the points of the
teeth or serrations on the edge of the smaller discs E, at other times they will.
require to be farther apart. I propose to effect this adjustment by regulating
screws H, H, affixed to the framing of the machine, and connected with the
ends of the shaft or spindle B, a slot being formed in the framing for the
boarings of the said shaft to slide in; the other shaft or spindle C may have
its bearings fixed to the framing. I is a hopper and board for feeding the
machine with the substance intended to be operated upon. This hopper is
formed open at top as far as the inclined plane K, and is formed closed over
the serrated discs. Lis a fly wheel fixed on the shaft C, for equalizing and
assisting the rotations of the machinery.
gorse or
The operations of this improved machinery are as follows:-The
other vegetable substance to be operated upon is laid on the feeding board I,
and then regularly pushed forward down the incline K, and falling on to the
teeth or serrations of the large discs D is drawn in by them as they revolve,
the effect being to cut or tear the said substance into short lengths by a shear-
like operation, resulting from the crossing of the teeth of the large discs, which
move in opposite directions, as denoted by the arrow's flight at Figure 3.
The substance, after being thus cut or torn, is then carried on until it arrives
at that point where the teeth or serrations of the large discs come nearest to
the points of the teeth or serrations of the small dises, as at Figure 3, at
which point the substance undergoes a kind of grating or rasping operation,
arising from the difference between the circumference of the large and small
discs, which, suppose for example, to be in the ratio of 15 to 9, it follows,
therefore, that there will be a difference in the relative speed of these discs
in the same ratio, thus producing the grating or rasping motion above men-
tioned; and I would here observe, that it is this peculiar grating or rasping
motion which constitutes the principal improvement and feature of novelty
in this Invention.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my
said Invention of "Improved Machinery for Cutting, Tearing, Crushing,
or otherwise Preparing, for various Useful and Economical Purposes, Furze
or Gorse, Straw, Bean-haulms, Turnips, Bark, Flax, or any other Vegetable
Substances," together with the best means I am acquainted with for carrying
the same into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I am aware
of rotating rollers composed of a series of large and small discs of metal,
arranged somewhat after the manner exbibited by the accompanying Drawing,

page_text: having heretofore been employed for cutting, tearing, and crushing various
substances, I do not therefore claim as my Invention such combination of
disc rollers; but I do claim as my Invention, forming serrations, teeth, or
notches upon the edge or periphery of each of the aforesaid smaller discs,
so that when used in combination with the larger serrated discs, as above
described and represented by the accompanying Drawing, I obtain a rasping
or grating motion, which in practice I have found to be very effective, and
an important improvement in machinery employed for cutting, tearing, and
crushing, as above stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Walsh, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
JOHN WALSH.
(L.S.)