Improvements in Apparatus applicable for Mixing and Agitating Granular, Pulverulent, Liquid, or other like Substances.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left. 15th Aug.. 1890-Accepted, 20th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus applicable for Mixing and Agitating
Granular, Pulverulent, Liquid, or other like Substances.
1, l'HILIP HENRY BRACHER of West Hill, Wincanton, in the County of Somerset,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
:-
This invention has for its object an apparatus applicable for mixing tea, rice, grain,
or other granular or pulverulent material, for agitating milk or cream to induce the
separation of the oily particles in the manufacture of butter, or for mixing solid or
semi solid substances capable of being melted by the application of a low degree of
heat.
The apparatus for mixing tea, rice, grain, or other granular or pulverulent
substances comprises a rotatable receptacle of a pentagon or other suitable shape, in
which the substances to be mixed or blended cannot slip round as would be the case
in a cylindrical vessel but are caused to be thoroughly mixed and agitated. The said
receptacle is provided with one or more sets of blades or beaters attached to the
inside thereof and so arranged as to stir, scatter, and agitate the contents under
treatment, when the said receptacle is rotated. The said blades or beaters may
comprise a suitable number of strips or plates secured to the ends of the receptacle.
In my model there are three of these, to each set of blades, two are preferably
bent in opposito directions and a straight strip is placed between them the whole so
arranged as to form skeleton or open blades.
The receptacle which is provided with a suitable door for emptying its contents or
filling it with fresh material to be treated is mounted within a case or panelled frame
having a hinged cover or covers through which the said receptacle can be taken out
of the case when the operation of mixing is completed and through which the said
door can be operated.
In the lower part of the said casing is preferably a sliding door adapted to receive
the tea or other substance when mixed. It is provided with diagonal or sloping blades
or chutes adapted to evenly distribute the material over the surface of the drawer so
that a much shallower one can be used than would be required if no blades were
provided.
When the invention is adapted for churning milk the rotatable receptacle is
preferably made of wood and the beaters are so constructed as to be removable for
cleaning. The said receptacle may be mounted on a skeleton stand or open frame.
For mixing liquid substances easily melted by heat I propose to attach hot water
vessels to the outside of the receptacle adapted to heat the contents of the receptacle
which when sufficiently warmed and melted are agitated by rotating the receptacle
aforesaid.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus applicable for Mixing and Agitating
Granular, Pulverulent, Liquid, or other like Substances.
I, PHILIP HENRY BRACHER of West Hill, Wincanton, in the County of Somerset,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention has for its object an apparatus applicable for mixing tea, rice, grain
or other granular or pulverulent substances, for agitating milk or cream to induce the

page_text: separation of oily particles in the manufacture of butter or for mixing solid or semi-
solid substances capable of being melted by the application of a low degree of bent.
The invention may be understood by the following description of it as applied to a
small manual apparatus for mixing tea, rice, grain or other granular substances,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section of such an apparatus, taken transversely to the axis of
the mixer,
Figure 2 is a similar section taken on the plane of said axis and
Figure 3 is a section through the mixer taken on line ≈ x, Figure 2, and showing a
set of agitating blades.
This
A is a rotatable receptacle into which the materials to be mixed are placed.
receptacle is preferably made in the shape of a pentagonal prism (the axis of rotation
being preferably coincident with the axis of the prism) though it may be at an angle
thereto, whereby, as the receptacle is rotated, the substances to be mixed or blended
cannot slip round the sides thereof, as would be the case in a cylindrical vessel, but
are caused to be thoroughly mixed and agitated, being overturned from one side of
the pentagon to the succeeding one.
.
The receptacle A is provided with one or more sets of blades or beaters of any
suitable construction which are attached to the inside thereof and are so arranged as
to stir, scatter and agitate the contents under treatment when the said receptacle is
rotated, as by the handle a. The said blades or beaters may comprise a suitable
number of strips or plates B B' secured to one or more of the sides or to the ends of
the receptacle, or to both sides and ends, or to the central axle, as desired.
In the example shown in the drawing, three of these strips or plates B B' form one
set of blades. Two, B, B are preferably bent in opposite directions, as shown in
Figure 3, and a straight strip B is placed between them, the whole being so arranged
as to form a skeleton or open set of blades. B is another form of blade consisting
of a single strip or plate secured to the side of the receptacle and lying at an angle to
the axis of rotation.
The receptacle is provided with a suitable door a¹ (in this case a sliding one) for
emptying its contents or filling it with fresh material to be treated. It is mounted
within a case or panelled frame C, having a hinged or otherwise removable cover (or
covers) C, through which the said receptacle can be taken out of the case, if desired,
when the operation of mixing is completed and through which the said door can be
operated. The upper rim of the case serves as a bearing for the axle a³ and the latter
is provided with collars a³ which keep the mixer out of contact with the sides of the
case.
In the lower part of the case C is preferably a sliding drawor D adapted to receive
the tea or other substance when mixed. The case is provided, above the drawer but
below the mixer, with two or more diagonal or sloping deflecting blades E or shutes
adapted to evenly distribute the material over the surface of the drawer, so that a
much shallower drawer can be used than would be required if no blades were provided,
and the material was allowed to heap itself up in the centre of the drawer. Sloping
shields a are also secured to the sides of the case to prevent the material getting
between the latter and the sides of the drawer, when the opened receptacle is
overturned.
For mixing semi-solid and solid substances having a low melting point, I propose
to attach hot water vessels or chambers in any suitable manner to the outside of the
receptacle A or case C, by means of which the contents of the receptacle inay be
heated sufficiently to render them liquid or nearly so when they may be agitated by
rotating the receptacle as aforesaid.
When the invention is to be adapted for churning milk or cream, the aforesaid
water vessels may be filled with either hot or cold water, according as it is desired to
keep the milk or cream warm (as in winter) or cool (as in summer). When used for
churning purposes, the receptacle A is made preferably of wood and the beaters are 5
so constructed as to be removable for cleaning. Also the said receptacle may be
mounted simply upon a skeleton stand or open frame.

page_text: I prefer to form the aforesaid receptacle in the shape of a prism with five sides,
rather than in the shape of either a three, four, six or seven sided prism, as it will be
readily perceived that one of the five sides having been removed for discharging, the
fall of the contents will be almost as rapid as if the receptacle had only four sides,
and more rapid than if it were hexagonal or heptagonal. Moreover the angles of a
pentagon are sharper than those of a six or seven sided prism so that the contents are
more thoroughly turned over or shifted in a pentagonal receptacle than in one having
a greater number of sides. Also the contents are overturned or shifted five times at
each revolution, instead of only four or three times as would be the case with a
receptacle having a rectangular or triangular cross section.
The invention is applicable either to small manual machines or to large machines
adapted to be driven by steam or other motive power. A pentagonal tea mixing
machine, such as above described, may be filled to more than three-fifths of its
capacity, and it will then mix the material more rapidly and thoroughly than a
cylindrical mixer filled, as is usual, to not more than half its capacity.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An apparatus applicable for mixing and agitating granular, pulverulent, liquid
or other like substances, having a receptacle of a pentagonal or other angular vertical
cross section revolving about a horizontal axis and provided internally with blades or
beaters rotating with the receptacle, substantially as described.
2. In combination with a revolving mixing and agitating drum adapted to discharge
its contents through its side as described, a series of deflectors such as E located
below the discharge opening of the drum and adapted to distribute the discharged
contents evenly in the receptacle designed to receive them, substantially as described.
Dated this 14th dow of Anos 1800
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, and London, Patent Agents.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, and London, Patent Agents.