IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR PREPARING MATERIALS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHINA AND EARTHENWARE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Cope, of Lawton, in the County of Chester,
Civil Engineer, and William Robert Renshaw, of Tunstall, in the County of
Stafford, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR PREPARING MATERIALS USED IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF CHINA AND EARTHENWARE."
Sealed the 5th September 1879, and dated the 8th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Cope and William
Robert Renshaw at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th
March 1879.
CHARLES COPE, of Lawton, in the County of Chester, Civil Engineer, and
WILLIAM ROBERT RENSHAW, of Tunstall, in the County of Stafford, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR PRE-
PARING MATERIALS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHINA AND EARTHENWARE."
$
Our Invention relates to apparatus used in the disintegration or pulverisation of
materials used in the manufacture of china and earthenware, as, for example, in the
treatment of calcined flints. For the said purpose we introduce the materials into
a revolving chamber, and we withdraw air from the said chamber by means of a
fan or of other suitable exhausting apparatus, the current of air separating and
transporting the materials which have become sufficiently pulverised. The current
of air holding in suspension the dust or pulverised materials is conveyed into suit-
able stive or still rooms or settling chambers from whence it may be conveyed by
means of a worm, creeper, or elevator, or by other suitable means to the mixing pan,
or the said materials may be damped by treatment with water or steam preparatory
to being fed into the pug-mill, as may be most suitable or convenient. In the form
of apparatus which we now consider to be suitable, the said revolving chamber
consists of a metal cylinder lined with shaped blocks of granite or with other suit-

page_text: ably hard material. The said cylinder is provided with two hollow trunnions, one
trunnion being sufficiently large to permit of the materials being introduced through
it into the cylinder. This trunnion by preference revolves on anti-friction wheels
or rollers; the other trunnion is connected with the exhausting apparatus. A spur-
wheel or driving pulley is fixed to the last named trunnion, or to one of the trun-
nions, and is actuated by any suitable arrangement of gearing and shafting or
driving apparatus. The arrangement may be varied by dispensing with the larger
trunnion and extending the other trunnion so that it can revolve in two bearings
or between two sets of anti-friction wheels. The degree of fineness of the reduced
materials is determined by the exhaustive action, and this we regulate by means of
slides or valves, or by regulating the speed of the exhausting apparatus..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Cope and William Robert Renshaw in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 6th September 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT RENSHAW, of Tunstall, in the County of Stafford, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR PRE-
PARING MATERIALS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHINA AND EARTHENWARE."
This Invention relates to apparatus used in the disintegration or pulverisation of
materials used in the manufacture of china and earthenware, as, for example, in the
treatment of calcined flints. For the said purpose we introduce the materials into
a revolving chamber and we cause air to flow through the said chamber by means
of a fan or of other suitable exhausting or blowing apparatus, the current of air
separating and transforming the materials which have become sufficiently pulverised
The current of air holding in suspension the dust or pulverised materials is conveyed
into suitable stive or still rooms or settling chambers, from whence it may be con-
veyed by means of a worm, creeper, or elevator, or by other suitable means to the
mixing pan, or the said materials may be damped by treatment with water or
steam preparatory to being fed into the pug-mill, as may be most suitable or
convenient.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I have attached
hereunto a Sheet of Drawing made to a scale of about three quarters of an inch to
the foot and marked with letters of reference. In the said Drawing the apparatus
illustrative of the Invention is represented in vertical longitudinal section. Referring
to the Drawing, A is a cylindrical chamber having conically shaped ends. The said
chamber may be made of wrought iron or steel plates. To each end is bolted,
riveted, or screwed a cast metal trunnion piece b, which is formed with turned
trunnions c and c¹, and is also formed with a ring of spur teeth d. Each trunnion
rests upon a pair of anti-friction wheels, one wheel of each pair being seen at e.
Each trunnion is formed with a central passage, which is for the most part conical
in form, the large end of the cone opening into the chamber. The metal shell of
the chamber is lined throughout with a lining of granite, indicated by f. This
lining consists of blocks, which are suitably shaped to fit the said shell and also to
fit together, and are cemented or fixed in position. Any other suitably hard
material which will be sufficiently durable and will not deteriorate the pottery
materials by the intermixture therewith of its abraded particles may be used in
lieu of the granite. The delivery spout g of a hopper h enters the hollow trunnion c,
a conical projecting mouth on the said trunnion enters a casing i which is connected
by means of a trunk or pipe K with the delivery opening of a fan or blowing
apparatus L. A mouth on the trunnion C¹ at the other end of the chamber enters
a stive room M which is partly divided into three compartments by means of par-
titions n which do not extend to the top of the room. The floors of the said com-
partments slope in each direction towards a revolving worm o.
A trunk or pipe p
connects the end of the room M which is the most remote from the chamber A with
the inlet openings of the fan L. Pinions on a driving shaft q gear with the spur
wheels d. The said shaft is connected in a suitable manner with line shafting, or
with a steam engine, or other prime mover, so that a revolving motion is imparted
to the chamber A. The calcined flints or materials are placed in the hopper h and
pass thence through the spout g into the chamber A. As the said chamber revolves
the said materials by attrition with each other and by forcible contact with the
lining become pulverised. During the pulverising the fan is maintained in action,
whereby a current of air is caused to flow through the chamber A and the stive-
room, as indicated by the arrows. As the materials become sufficiently pulverised
the current of air conveys them into the stive-room, wherein they settle, the coarser
particles falling into the first compartment, and finer into the centre compartment,
the finest powder settling in the last compartment. The powder is conveyed from

page_text: the lower parts of the compartments by the worms o or by any suitable creeper sub-
stituted therefor, or may be removed at intervals by any suitable means.
Any
coarser particles which may settle in the conical mouths of the chamber A slide
down the cones and re-enter the said chamber. In the example the air withdrawn
by the fan is delivered into the casing i and re-enters the chamber through the
mouth formed in the trunnion c. The air is thus caused to circulate through the
chamber and stive room over and over again. An advantage of this arrangement is
that any fine particles carried off from the stive-room through the trunk j and not
settling in the fan passages re-enters the pulverising chamber instead of being lost,
as would be the case if the air were delivered from the fan into the outer atmosphere,
but, if preferred for any reason, the latter plan may be adopted. The degree of
fineness of the reduced materials is determined by the exhaustive action of the fan,
and this is regulated by means of suitable slides or valves in the trunks or pipes, or
by regulating the speed of the fan or of any exhausting or blowing apparatus used
in lieu thereof. The stive rooms may be made much more extensive than indicated
in the Drawings, being made of such dimensions as may be considered to be most
suitable, and may be divided into less or more than three compartments. The form
of pulverising chamber represented is such as is now considered to be suitable, but
it may be greatly varied, as, for example, the said chamber may be attached to one
end of a hollow shaft which is fitted to revolve in bearings or upon and between
anti-friction wheels, the air being withdrawn through the said shaft and the
materials being introduced through an open mouth which is formed in place of the
trunnion c.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of the said Invention and
means whereby, the same may be carried into effect, I would have it to be under-
stood in conclusion that I claim,―
First. The apparatus, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated
herein before, and in and by the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. A revolving chamber in combination with apparatus to create a current
of air through such chamber, and with a suitable stive or settling room, or with such
rooms or places, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated.
And, lastly. The revolving chamber, lined with granite or other suitable material,
and provided with hollow trunnions through which the indicated materials are fed,
and when pulverised are conveyed out of the chamber by means of a current of air,
substantially as set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Renshaw, for myself and on
behalf of the executors of the said Charles Cope, deceased, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of September, One thousand eight hundred
and savanty ning
Signed, sealed, and delivered
this Fifth day of September,
One thousand eight hundred
and seventy nine, in the
presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
St. Ann's Churchyard,
Manchester,
(Agent for the Patentees).
WILLIAM ROBERT RENSHAW. (L.S.)