Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 11th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 16th Nov., 1895
A communication by CHRISTIAND SCHWEITZER, of Einville (Meurthe and
Moselle), in the Republic of France, Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham
in the County of Warwick and 31 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
This invention has for its object an improved flour mill comprising means for
ensuring and maintaining exact parallelism of the stones; an improved arrange-
ment of channels or furrows on the stones allowing the cuticle to be separated from
the kernel and of reducing the mealy kernel into fine flour; and an improved
arrangement of bolting sieve forming part of the apparatus and efficaciously
separating the bran from the flour.
The apparatus is mounted on a rigid base on which are fixed by means of bolts
the frame of the millstones and the supports of the bolting sieve which receives by
means of a shute the products of the grinding.
The lower rotary millstone is fixed on the upper face of a pulley driven by the
motor. This pulley is keyed on a shaft which is supported along all its length in a
long socket filled with oil in such a way that the part of the pulley which receives
the driving belt corresponds to the centre of the shaft and of the socket which
encloses it. In this way the said shaft receives from the belt an equal force at all
points of its length, and consequently the wear of the socket along all its length is
even and the shaft keeps constantly vertical.
The upper millstone is fixed underneath the plate which forms the cover of the
apparatus, the lower part of which cover is flanged in such a way as to fit exactly
into the upper part of the frame hereinbefore mentioned. This cover rests on four
screws provided with cog wheels connected by an endless chain, so that by
operating one of these wheels the fixed millstone will be forced to rise or descend,
remaining always exactly parallel to the lower movable millstone.
The same result may be obtained by forming a thread on the periphery of the
cover and on the upper part of the frame, so that by screwing down this lid more
or less by means of suitable handles with which it is provided, the two millstones
may as before be forced to remain parallel in all their positions.
Hitherto the furrows of the two millstones were generally arranged in such
a way as to be parallel during the working of these millstones. Further, the
direction of rotation was arranged in such a way that the track edges of the
furrows were forward as in file cutting, which had for its object to produce a
cutting of the cuticle, and of the farinaceous kernel into more or less coarse
fragments, or meal.
This invention consists on the contrary in arranging the furrows on each
millstone in such a way that whilst at work they cross at a more or less acute
angle.
Further, the lower movable millstone is caused to revolve in such a direction
that the feather edges of the furrows are forward or in front, so that under the

page_text: combined action of the crossing of the furrows and of the hereinbefore-mentione
direction of movement of the millstone, it is possible to detach the cuticle from the
kernel, which latter is then gradually disintegrated by itself and reduced to fine
flour.
In order to greatly increase the effective action of the bolting sieve fitted to the
apparatus, and which receives the meal directly from the millstones, the sieve is
encased in a frame or casing of slightly greater length than the sieve itself, and in
which it may consequently travel longitudinally to a certain extent.
In this way
at each back and forward movement imparted to the frame by an eccentric rod, the
sieve alternately strikes one of the ends of the frame, and all the farinaceous mass
thus receives a sliding movement on the bolting silk in an inverse direction to the
original movement, which has for its object to increase the passage of the substance
through the meshes of the silk, and to free these meshes from the granules which
obstruct them.
Further, the surface of the sieve is divided into compartments by means of cross-
bars slightly projecting above the sieve and arranged transversely on the silk,
which crosspieces force the flour and the finer substances to remain in contact with
the bolting silk, whilst the bran or coarser particles rise up and successively
pass over these crossbars in order to finally reach the orifice where they are
discharged. The bolting action is thus not only increased but purer products are
obtained.
Finally the whole or part of these crossbars may be provided with metallic or
other brushes, which rub on the silk and remove therefrom the particles of flour
adhering thereto.
Dated this 11th dive of Lan 100%
A communication by CHRISTIAND SCHWEITZER, of Einville (Meurthe and
Moselle), in the Republic of France, Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street Birmingham in the County of
Warwick and 31 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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
satement:-
This invention has for its object an improved flour mill comprising means for
ensuring and maintaining exact parallelism of the stones or grinding discs; an
improved arrangement of channels or furrows on the stones or grinding discs
allowing the cuticle to be separated from the kernel and of reducing the mealy
kernel into fine flour; and an improved arrangement of bolting sieve forming part
of the apparatus and efficaciously separating the bran from the flour.
The invention will now be described in detail reference being bad to the
accompanying drawing, in which,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the whole apparatus;
Figure 2 is a vertical section showing a modification of the adjustment of the
grinding dises or stones;
Figure 3 is a plan view of the bolting sieve;
Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line x-y of Figure 1;

page_text: Figure 5 is a diagram showing the intercrosse directions of the grooves of the
two grinding dises or stones which are placed one above the other;
Figures 6 and 7 are transverse sections showing the action of the grooves in
grinding discs or stones such as are at present employed;
Figure 8 is a section showing the action of the grooves in this improved
arrangement of grooves ;
Figure 9 is a section showing the arrangement of the grooves for gradual
grinding;
Figure 10 is a plan view of this arrangement of grooves.
The apparatus shown in Figure 1 is mounted on a rigid base comprising a
platform, the frame of the grinding discs or stones and the supports of the
bolting sieve, which latter receives by means of a shute the products of the
grinding.
In order to ensure that the two stones or grinding discs of the apparatus shall be
exactly parallel, the lower rotary grinding disc a is fixed on the upper face b of a
pulley driven by the motor. This pulley is keyed on a shaft c which is
supported along all its length in a long socket d filled with oil and the part
of the pulley which receives the driving belt shown by the dotted line eel
corresponds to the centre of the socket d. In this way the said shaft receives
from the belt an equal force at all points of its length, and consequently the wear
of the socket d along all its length is even and the shaft c keeps constantly
vertical
The upper grinding disc a' is fixed underneath the plate g¹ which forms the
cover of the apparatus, the lower part g of which cover is flanged in such a way as
to fit exactly into the upper part of the frame y hereinbefore mentioned. This
cover g rests on four screws provided with cog wheels i connected by an endless
chain so that by operating one of these wheels the fixed grinding disc a¹ will be
forced to rise or descend, remaining always exactly parallel to the lower rotary
disc a.
The same result may be obtained by forming a thread on the periphery g of the
cover and on the upper part of the frame, as shown in Figure 2, so that by
screwing down this lid more or less by means of suitable handles & with which it is
provided, the two discs may as before be forced to remain parallel in all their
positions.
Hitherto, the furrows of the two grinding discs or millstones were generally
arranged in such a way as to be parallel during the working of these discs.
Further, the direction of rotation was arranged in such a way that the track edges
of the furrows were forward as in file cutting, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, which
had for its effect to produce a cutting of the cuticle, and of the farinaceous
kernel into more or less coarse fragments or meal.
This invention consists on the contrary in arranging the furrows obliquely in
opposite directions on each disc and as tangents of a common circle concentric with
the disc in such a way that whilst at work they cross at a more or less acute angle
as shown in the diagrammatic view, Figure 5, in which the full lines su', u',
show the furrows in the upper disc, and the dotted lines t s¹, vt, indicate those in
the lower rotary disc which moves in the direction shown by the arrow.
this way there is produced on the grain a paring action which has for effect to
disintegrate the cells and to rapidly expel to the outside the ground products.
In
Further, the lower rotary disc is caused to revolve in such a direction that the
feather edges of the furrows are forward or in front, as shown in Figure 8, so that
the grain is laminated or crushed by the progressive approachment of the crests of
the furrows. The result is that under the combined action of the crossing of the
furrows and of the hereinbefore-mentioned direction of movement of the dises, it is
possible to detach the cuticle from the kernel, which latter is then gradually
disintegrated by itself and reduced to fine flour.
Finally in order to ensure the progressive transformation of the grain into fine
flour by a single operation, the furrows arranged in the manner hereinbefore

page_text: described are preferably each subdivided into several finer furrows.
In Figures 9
and 10 of the drawings each main furrow R is subdivided into three small
furrows r, the lengths of which increase progressively, and moreover in each
group I of 3 main furrows R the lengths of these groups of small furrows r
also gradually increase as shown in Figure 10. This construction is easily
obtained by progressively increasing the depth of these small furrows in proportion
as they are further from the edge of the grinding disc. It is evident that the main
furrows R produce the crushing of the grain and bring it into the small furrows
which impart to the flour the desired degree of fineness.
In order to greatly increase the effective action of the bolting sieve fitted to the
apparatus, and which receives the meal directly from the grinding discs a and a',
the sieves B, Figures 1, 3 and 4, are encased in a frame or casing A of slightly
greater length than the sieves themselves and in which they may consequently
travel longitudinally to a certain extent on lateral guides or ledges. In this
way at each back and forward movement imparted to the frame by an eccentric
rod, the sieves B alternately strike the stops o arranged at the ends of the
frame and all the farinaceous mass thus receives a sliding movement
on the
bolting silk in an inverse direction to the original movement, which has for its
effect to increase the passage of the substance through the meshes of the silk, and
to free these meshes from the granules which obstruct them.
Further, the surface of the sieve is divided into compartments by means of cross
bars m slightly projecting above the sieve and arranged transversely on the silk,
which crosspieces force the flour and the finer substances to remain in contact with
the bolting silk, whilst the bran or coarser particles rise up and successively pass
over these crossbars in order to finally reach the orifice where they are discharged.
The bolting action is thus not only increased but parer products are obtained.
Finally, with the object of insuring equal distribution of the ground products on
the sieve according to the nature or quantity of the products which are to be
bolted, these sieves are divided by means of longitudinal bars n into several inde-
pendent compartments supplied by a hopper p enabling one or more of these
compartments to be fed as may be desired.
It must be understood that the invention is not limited strictly to the forms
and arrangements herein before mentioned and shown in the accompanying
drawings, but that these arrangements may vary according as the grinding discs
are made of metal, stone or other suitable material and according to the nature of
the products which are to be ground, decorticated, crushed and sieved in the
apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with the lower rotary disc, of a pulley carrying said disc
and having its vertical shaft i.eld in a socket of sufficient height to enable the
position of the driving belt operating the lower part of this pulley to correspond
with the centre of the said socket substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
set forth.
2. The combination with the fixed upper grinding disc, of an arrangement for its
parallel adjustment, consisting of a cover on the under face of which said disc is
fixed, said cover having a centreing flange and resting on several screws which are
attached to the frame and operated by a common endless chain, substantially as
herein before described.
3. The combination with the fixed upper grinding disc of a regulating device
consisting of a cover on the under face of which said disc is fixed, said cover
having a centreing flange threaded in such a way as to allow of its being screwed
into the upper part of the frame, substantially as herein before described.
4. The improvement in flour mills, consisting in forming the furrows on the
grinding discs in oblique directions and as tangents of a common circle in such a

page_text: way that the furrows of the lower disc intercross those of the upper disc when at
work, and in arranging the direction of rotation so that the feather edges of these
furrows on the respective discs advance towards one another, substantially as and
for the purpose herein before set forth.
5. Grinding discs having main furrows formed in such a way as to intercross
during the working of the discs and having smaller furrows formed on the
feather edges of each main furrow; the length and depth of these smaller
furrows varying substantially in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore
specified.
6. The combination with a mill having parallel adjustable grinding discs of a
bolting sieve receiving directly the ground products and composed of several
superposed sieves sliding in an oscillating frame, the length of such sieves being
less than that of the frame and the latter being provided with stops at its two ends
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
7. The combination with a bolting sieve in which the sieves have play in
their oscillating frame, of bars placed transversely on the silk of the sieve with the
object of assisting the action of these sieves, and bars placed longitudinally on the
silk of these sieves for the purpose of dividing them into several independent
compartments, substantially as herein before set forth.
Dated this 10th day of October 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.