IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS FOR GRINDING OR GRANULATING GRAJN, MIDDLINGS, AND THE LIKE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Higginbottom and Edward Hutchinson, both of
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN OR APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS FOR GRINDING OR GRANULATING GRAJN,
MIDDLINGS, AND THE LIKE."
Sealed the 25th October 1878, and dated the 30th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Higginbottom and
Edward Hutchinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
30th April 1878.
25
JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM and EDWARD HUTCHINSON, both of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster. IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS FOR
GRINDING OR GRANULATING GRAIN, MIDDLINGS, AND THE LIKE."
This Invention is applicable to the class of grinding apparatus known as mill-
stones, and it consists,-
First. In running both stones in the same direction but at different speeds, so
that while their relative motion is slow the centrifugal force is great, consequently
while the grain may be ground without violent tearing or crushing, there is as
strong a centrifugal tendency as ever in the matter being ground.
Second. In the mode of and apparatus for hanging the stones so that each shall
run perfectly true with the other.
To effect this we construct two bed plates with true surfaces, one rigidly attached
to the upper stone, the other rigidly attached to the bottom stone. The upper bed
plate is made so as to form a pulley to receive motion for driving the upper stone,
and the lower bed plate has a trunk, to which a pulley is also attached for the
purpose of receiving motion for driving the bottom stone. Surrounding the stones
is a casing rigidly attached to the frame of the machine. This casing is made in
two parts, one upper and one lower, each being turned accurately true, and having
an adjustable screwed joint. Upon plates, bushes, or bearings, carried by and fixed
to the casing the two bed plates turn, all the wearing surfaces being turned accu-
Price 71

page_text: rately true. Sockets or hollows above the bearings are formed for the purpose of
containing tallow or other lubricant, and are connected with the bearing surfaces
by means of oil holes. The upper stone is thus carried by the upper part of the
casing, and the lower stone by the lower part of the casing, and the mode of action
is as follows:-The distance apart of the stones is accurately regulated by screwing
round the upper part of the casing, thus causing it to rise and fall, and carry with
it the upper stone. Grain is poured into the eye of the top stone by a feeder in the
usual manner, and the two stones revolving at high but different velocities the
grain is ground out at their periphery into the lower part of the casing, and escapes
through the spout provided therein.
This Invention is also applicable to vertical millstones, and the first part of the
Invention can be applied to existing millstone machinery or to millstone apparatus
where millstone spindles are used:
We do not bind ourselves to driving by means of belts, as wheels can be used
instead.
Our object is to obtain a great centrifugal force in the substance being ground
between the faces of the stones, and at the same time to maintain any desirable
amount of grinding, crushing, or tearing action between the two stones, and we
cause the rotation of the working faces of the millstones to be entirely guided and
controlled by true bearings or faces fixed and maintained truly parallel to each
other, and capable of being set nearer together or further apart without disturbing
their parallelism.
We also arrange the driving belts or wheels that the strain produced by the
transmission of the power shall have the least possible effect in disturbing the true
running of the stones.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Higginbottom and Edward Hutchinson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th October 1878.
JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM and EDWARD HUTCHINSON, both of 51, Seel Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPERTAINING TO
APPARATUS FOR GRINDING OR GRANULATING GRAIN, MIDDLINGS, AND THE LIKE."
This Invention is applicable to the class of grinding apparatus known as mill-
stones, and it consists,-
First. In running both stones in the same direction but at different speeds, so
that while their relative motion is slow the centrifugal force is great, consequently
while the grain may be ground without violent tearing or crushing, there is as strong
a centrifugal tendency as ever in the matter being ground.
Second. In the mode of and apparatus for hanging the stones so that each shall
run perfectly true with the other.
To effect this we construct two bed plates with true surfaces, one rigidly attached
to the upper stone, the other rigidly attached to the bottom stone. The upper bed
plate is made so as to form a pulley to receive motion for driving the upper stone,
and the lower bed plate has a trunk, to which a pulley is also attached for the
purpose of receiving motion for driving the bottom stone. Surrounding the stones
is a casing rigidly attached to the frame of the machine. This casing is made in
two parts, one upper and one lower, each being turned accurately true, and having
an adjustable screwed joint. Upon plates, bushes, or bearings carried by and fixed
to the casing the two bed plates turn, all the wearing surfaces being turned accu-
rately true. Sockets or hollows above the bearings are formed for the purpose of
containing tallow or other lubricant, and are connected with the bearing surfaces
by means of oil holes. The upper stone is thus carried by the upper part of the
casing, and the lower stone by the lower part of the casing, and the mode of action
is as follows: The distance apart of the stones is accurately regulated by screwing
round the upper part of the casing, thus causing it to rise and fall, and carry with
it the upper stone. Grain is poured into the eye of the top stone by a feeder in the
usual manner, and the two stones revolving at high but different velocities the
grain is ground out at their periphery into the lower part of the casing, and escapes
through the spout provided therein.
This Invention with modifications is also applicable to vertical millstones, and the
first part of the Invention can be applied to existing millstone machinery or to
millstone apparatus where millstone spindles are used.
We do not bind ourselves to driving by means of belts, as wheels can be used
instead.
Our object is to obtain a great centrifugal force in the substance being ground
between the faces of the stones, and at the same time to maintain any desirable
amount of grinding, crushing, or tearing action between the two stones, and we
cause the rotation of the working faces of the millstones to be entirely guided and
controlled by true bearings or faces fixed and maintained truly parallel to each
other, and capable of being set nearer together or further apart without disturbing
their parallelism.
We also arrange the driving belts or wheels that the strain produced by the
transmission of the power shall have the least possible effect in disturbing the true
running of the stones.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawings and the following description will show
more particularly the method of carrying out our Invention. The same letters on
all the Drawings refer to the same parts.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a pair of millstones, showing our Invention as applied
to horizontal millstones; Figure 2, a plan; Figure 3, a vertical section; Figure 4, a
horizontal section on line A, A; and Figure 5, an enlarged vertical section, showing

page_text: the oil chamber formed on the lower part of the casing, and containing the bed
plate rigidly attached to the lower millstone.
The outer casing is divided into a top part B and a bottom part B 1. The bottom
part rests upon the floor, and upon the outside of its upper portion is formed a
screw thread.
The top part is carried by the bottom part by means of a screw
thread formed upon the inside of the lower portion, thus forming an adjustable
screwed joint. The bottom stone D is rigidly attached, in the manner shown on the
Drawing, to a casting K, having oil drips L,. trunk M, and an annular bed plate E.
The annular bed plate E has its lower surface turned true, and it rests or is carried
by the truly-turned annular plates F, F, the plate F, F, being carried by the truly-
turned and surfaced annular bearing G. The bearing G, forming the lower part of
the oil or lubricating chamber H, is cast with and rigidly attached to the lower part
of the casing. The vertical outside periphery of the annular bed plate E is truly
turned, and revolves in the side bearings I. The side bearings I are carried and
sustained by the bearing G, and the inside of the oil chamber H and oil passages P
are formed between the outside of the side bearings I and the inside of oil chamber H.
The bearing G has annular grooves O on each side, and cross grooves N are cut
through the bearing G to allow the passage of oil or other lubricant between the
annular grooves on each side of the bearing G. The outer annular groove Ọ is in
communication with the oil passages P, and the oil passages being in communication
with each other, the oil is free to risc inside of the chamber Hupon both sides of
the annular bed plate E to any suitable level up the sides Q, Q, of the oil chamber,
for the purpose of keeping the plate bearings, bed plate, and side bearings quite
immersed in oil, tallow, or other lubricant. The carrying of the top stone is done
in a similar manner, except that the oil chamber is rigidly attached to the upper
part of the casing, and the trunk is hollow to allow of the passage of the grain or
middlings to the faces of the millstones, in the manner shown on the Drawings, and
well understood by millers.
To ensure the parallelism of the bearings G on the upper and lower parts of the
casing we first cut the screw thread on the inside of the upper part of the casing.
We then fix the lower part of the casing in the lathe, and cut the screw thread on
its outside; then, before removing the lower part from the lathe, we screw on the
upper part, and turn the bearings G on the two parts at one operation, thus ensuring
that whatever way the upper may be turned round on the screwed joint the
bearing G on the upper part will remain parallel to the bearing G on the lower
part of the casing.
The pulleys R, fixed to the upper and lower millstones respectively, are arranged
so that the position of the rims S which receive the driving belts are directly
opposite to the side bearings I, in the manner as shown on the Drawing.
The plates F, F, are flat annular plates free to move round under the bed plate E,
to equalize the wear of the bearing surfaces when in work.
In our Drawings we have shown the bed plates and carrying bearings and plates
applied to millstones running horizontally, but we would have it distinctly under-
stood that our Invention can be applied to millstones when running vertically.
Having thus fully described our Invention, and the best manner of performing
the same, we wish it to be understood that we claim,-
First. The use of bed plates with true running surfaces rigidly attached to and
revolving with the millstones, in combination with and running upon carrying plates
and bearings having true bearing surfaces, such carrying plates and bearings being
fixed or supported on an outer casing surrounding the millstones, or in any other
suitable manner.
Second. Forming the true running surfaces of the bed plates, which are rigidly
attached to the millstones, and the true bearing surfaces of the carrying plates and
bearings fixed to and carried by the casings or otherwise, so that they are truly
parallel with each other, and also parallel to the grinding or working faces of the
millstones.
Third. The use of an outer casing surrounding the millstones, preferably in two

page_text: parts, each part having its carrying plates and bearings, the joint between the two
parts being adjustible by means of a screw or other mechanical equivalent, so that
the two parts may be set nearer or further apart without disturbing the parallelism
of the running and bearing surfaces.
Fourth. The combination of millstones with bed plates, bearings, plates, and an
outer casing in two parts with an adjustible screwed joint, in the inanner above
described, and as exemplified in the Drawings.
Fifth. The use of an oil chamber H attached to either part of the casing, in
combination with the projecting drip flange L, the side bearings I, and the annular
bed plate E, the plates F, F, and bearing G, with oil channels or grooves, substan-
tially as described.
Sixth. Arranging the pulleys R, R, for receiving motion so that the belts shall be
opposite to the side bearings, that the strain upon the belt shall have the least
possible disturbing effect upon the true running of the millstones.
Seventh. The mode of working a pair of millstones in combination with rigid
bed plates running on bearings, substantially as described, whether such millstones
run in the same direction or in opposite directions, or whether one of the millstones
is stationary and the other revolving.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Higginbottom and Edward Hutchinson,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-fourth day of October,
in the year of our Lord 1878.
JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM.
(L.S.)
EDWARD HUTCHINSON. (LS.)