A New Combination and Arrangement of Machinery for Preparing Corn Meals.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left 11th Feb. 1895-Accepted, 16th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New Combination and Arrangement of Machinery for Preparing
Corn Meals.
I, JAMES SLEEMAN, of Carlton House, Portishead, in the County of Somerset,
Maltster, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
Whereas the usual method of grinding corn into meal is to pass the grain
direct to millstones, the dressing and arrangement of which is that the grain is
admitted through the eye or centre of the upper stone, which revolves upon the
bottom stone, the latter being fixed and still; the said grain passes between the
two stones, from the centre to the periphery of the stones, and during such
passage it is first broken by the portion of the stone nearest the centre, and
gradually reduced to powder as it nears the periphery, the powdering or softening
of the grain being effected by a ring of the stones a few inches only in width
near the periphery. In my improvements, I first pass the grain through fluted
rollers which rapidly effect the breaking or crushing of the grain, and thence
pass the broken material to millstones, which have to do only the powdering or
softening of the broken grain; and, instead of revolving the upper stone, I keep
that fixed and still, and revolve the bottom stone against the upper, thereby -
enabling the millstones to receive, without difficulty or danger of "choking," a
very much larger quantity of grain than is possible by the ordinary method. And
in order that the millstones may efficiently perform the work of powdering and
softening the grain, I balance the bottom stone on the driving spindle in such
a manner that the stone may serge or yield as it revolves, and both stones are
furrowed and dressed in such a manner that practically the whole surface of the
stones is capable of powdering or softening, instead of, as in the usual method,
a fractional portion of the surface only.
By the combination of fluted rolls and millstones increased capacity is obtained
and lessened power required, because the whole of the rough breaking or crushing
is performed by the fluted rolls, which can do such work more rapidly, better,
and with less power and cost, than millstones; and because the work left for the
latter to do is only the comparatively light work of powdering and softening;
and, since the whole of the stone surface is available for such work, a very much
increased quantity, can be done by them with less power and cost in a given time.
By my method of running the bottom stone against the fixed upper stone,
instead of vice versa, the difficulty of feeding to, and passing through the stones,
à large quantity of grain, (which difficulty would otherwise arise), is avoided.
By balancing the bottom revolving stone on the driving spindle, instead of
fixing it thereto, the stone is permitted to surge and yield and so, to a certain
extent, to accommodate itself to the exigencies of running against the upper stone,
and the material between them; thus the stones are enabled to more efficiently
powder, or soften the material operated upon, and to perform an increased quantity
of work with less friction, than if the running stone were firmly fixed to the
driving spindle.
By a simple arrangement of any known method of driving, the upper stone
may also be revolved, that is to say, both stones may be balanced and revolved
in opposite directions.
Dated Oth Antil 1801
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.

page_text: A New Combination and Arrangement of Machinery for Preparing
Corn Meals.
1, JAMES SLEEMAN, of Carlton House, Portishead, in the County of Somerset,
Maltster, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
Whereas the usual method of grinding corn into meal is to pass the grain direct
to millstones, the dressing and arrangement of which is that the grain is admitted
through the eye or centre of the upper stone, which revolves upon the bottom
stone, the latter being fixed and still, the grain passes between the two stones, from
the centre to the periphery of the stones, and during such passage it is first broken
by the portion of the stone nearest the centre and gradually reduced to powder as
it nears the periphery, the powdering or softening of the grain being effected by a
ring of the stones a few inches only in width near the periphery. In my improve-
ments I first pass the grain through fluted rollers, which rapidly effect the breaking
or crushing of the grain, and thence pass the broken material to millstones, which
have to do only the powdering or softening of the broken grain; and, instead of
revolving the upper stone, I keep that fixed and still, and revolve the bottom stone
against the upper, thereby enabling the millstones to receive, without difficulty or
danger of "choking" a very much larger quantity of grain than is possible by
the ordinary method. And in order that the millstones may efficiently perform the
work of powdering and softening the grain, I balance the bottom stone on the
driving spindle in such a manner that the stone may surge or yield as it revolves,
and both stones are furrowed and dressed in such a inanner that practically the
whole surface of the stones is capable of powdering or softening, instead of, as in
the usual method, a fractional portion of the surface only.
By the combination of fluted rolls and millstones increased capacity is obtained
and lessened power required, because the whole of the rough breaking or crushing
is performed by the fluted rolls, which can do such work more rapidly, better, and
with less power and cost, than millstones; and because the work left for the latter
to do is only the comparatively light work of powdering and softening; and, since
the whole of the stone surface is available for such work, a very much increased
quantity, can be done by them with less power and cost in a given time.
By my method of running the bottom stone against the fixed upper stone, instead
of rice versa, the difficulty of feeding to, and passing through the stones, a large
quantity of grain, (which difficulty would otherwise arise) is avoided.
By balancing the bottom revolving stone on the driving spindle, instead of fixing
it thereto, the stone is permitted to surge and yield and so, to a certain extent, to
accommodate itself to the exigencies of running against the upper stone, and the
material between them, thus the stones are enabled to more efficiently powder or
soften the material operated upon, and to perform an increased quantity of work
with less friction, than if the running stone were firmly fixed to the driving
spindle.
By a simple arrangement of any known method of driving, the upper stone may
also be revolved, that is to say, both stones may be balanced and revolved in
opposite directions.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly. described and
ascertained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which
similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is an elevation illustrating the method of mounting a pair of millstones

page_text: according to my invention, some parts being shown broken away, and other parts.
being shown in section.
Fig. 2 is a separate underside view of the cross-head 7.
The stones are mounted in a cylindrical case or pan 3. The bottom of the case is.
provided with a central bearing 4, in which the vertical spindle 5 works, and drives
the lower stone 6. The upper end of the spindle 5 is fitted with a cross-head 7.
Two iron blocks 9, 9, are fitted in the lower stone 6. These blocks have semi-
circular sockets to receive the gudgeons 8, 8. 10 is a pin passing through the
spindle 5, as shown. The cross-head 7 has semi-circular sockets formed in its
underside, in which the two ends of the pin 10 engage. The upper part of the
bore formed in the cross-head 7 is slightly elliptical, to allow the cross-head a little
play in the direction of the centres of the gudgeons 8.
From this description it will be understood that the lower stone 4 is capable of
moving slightly away from a strictly horizontal position in any direction by
oscillating upon the gudgeons 8 and piu 10, and thereby accommodating itself to
the position of the upper stone 11, and to the quantity and variations of the
material under treatment between the stones.
Three or more slotted bars 12 are bolted to the pan 3, at equal distances apart,
the slots 13 being provided for the purpose of adjusting their height relatively to
the pan 3. The upper stone 11 is fitted with a metallic band 14.
Three or more
studs 15 are fitted to this band, distributed at equal distances round the stone, and
corresponding with the slotted bars 12. The studs 15 work in slots 16 formed in
the bars 12. The effect of so mounting the upper stone 11, is that it is prevented
from turning upon its centre, and at the same time is capable of slight departures
from a strictly horizontal position, and of accommodating itself to the corre-
sponding motions of the lower stone 6, and to the quantity and variations of the
material under treatment between the stones.
The spindle 5 may be driven by any ordinary gear, for the purpose of driving
tlie stone 6.
With obvious modifications the stones may both be driven in contrary directions,
by means of concentric shafts, a solid shaft or spindle being fitted to drive the
upper stone, and a sleeve or tube driving the lower stone.
By the use of my invention the stones are made capable of automatically
adjusting themselves to the work and to each other, and the evils attending too
great rigidity are entirely avoided.
The method of working is as follows.-
The grain to be ground having been passed between fluted rollers which cut
it up into "grits" these grits are passed through the eye or centre of the upper
stone, which is fixed as hereinafter described, the bottom stone is revolved, the
grits are reduced to powder and softened between the stones.
The millstones are so faced furrowed and dressed that the whole surface of
the stone is practically softening or powdering surface, the facing of the stones
is "flatter" so that the stones run close together throughout their whole surface
instead as is usual in grinding grain of being hollow near the centres and closer
at the skirts and the furrows are so cut as to carry away from the stones an
increased quantity of ground grain.
Having more 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 1
claim is:
1. The new combination and arrangement of machinery for preparing corn meals
substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. The improvement in the method of preparing corn meals by passing the
same through fluted rolls as an initial operation previously to passing the meal
to the stones for grinding substantially as described.
3. In the preparation of corn meals as aforesaid, the combined use of fluted
rolls for performing the initial operation, and a pair of self-balancing stones, the

page_text: upper stone being held so as not to revolve, while the lower stone is driven by
suitable gear substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the
drawings.
4. In the preparation of corn-meals as aforesaid the application and use of a
pair of self-balancing mill-stones driven in contrary directions substantially as
herein before described.
5. The improved method of mounting and driving the stones of corn-mills aud
rendering the same self-balancing, by means of a cross-head 7, carried by the
spindle 5 & operating substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the drawings.
Dated
GEO. DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.