IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MIXING MATERIALS, WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE. FOR SMOOTHING, FINISHING, ROUNDING, OR POLISHING ARTICLES OF METAL OR OTHER MATERIAL
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robinson, of Wembdon, Bridgewater, in
the County of Somerset, Brewer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR MIXING MATERIALS, WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE. FOR
SMOOTHING, FINISHING, ROUNDING, OR POLISHING ARTICLES OF METAL OR
OTHER MATERIAL."
Sealed the 8th June 1866, and dated the 14th December 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th December 1865.
I, WILLIAM ROBINSON, of Wembdon, Bridgewater, in the County of
Somerset, Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MIXING MATERIALS, WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE.
FOR SMOOTHING, FINISHING, ROUNDING, OR POLISHING ARTICLES OF METAL OR OTHER
MATERIAL," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in apparatus to be used for mixing materials
and for other purposes may be said to be an improvement on the machine
known as a rumble, used for producing an abrading; action on materials by.
tossing them about in a cask or other receptacle; it usually consists of a
mounted on an axis, on which it is rotated slowly.
cask

page_text: According to one arrangement of my apparatus I mount two frames,
one (within the other) to hold the cask or receptacle on axes in the
manner of gimbles, so that the cask or receptacle shall receive rotary
motion on its own axis, that is to say, in the direction of its circular
form, and also end over end and in all angular positions intermediate
thereof by the rotation of the main axis, which axis retains the same
position, while the cask by the action of the machine passes gradually through
the succession of positions mentioned; the cask is placed in the intermediate
angular positions by simply turning the inner frame on its axis, either by hand
at intervals or by gearing. For this purpose I mount the outer rotating frame
on its axis, so that the cask held by the inner frame while in the plane of
the outer frame will have its ends towards the gudgeons or bearings of the
main axis. The inner frame has the gudgeons or bearings of its axis in the
outer frame, which axis is disposed at right angles to the main axis, and so as
thereby to permit the disposition of the cask as before mentioned. The inner
frame is furnished with a locking plate at one end around its axis, into which
a pin drops or screws in several holes to fix the cask in the various positions
required and as before mentioned; or the inner frame may be operated by
gearing in connection with the outer rotating frame or its axis, whereby the
inner frame is moved gradually and successively through the different positions
mentioned.
According to my second arrangement, instead of making the frames
rectangular as before, I use two circular frames, one within the other, the
inner frame being fitted so as to move round in its circular. direction, and
either fitting the outer frame throughout the whole circumference or mounted
in bearing blocks or friction pullies fitted thereto. The outer frame is mounted
on a main axis in the line of its diameter, and to which it receives motion
and transmits it to the inner frame. The inner. frame is fitted with two fixed
rails forming chords to arcs of the circle, such rails being at the ends of the
cask; at the sides of the cask are curved movable rails somewhat of the
bulged form of the cask, one of which curved movable rails is fitted and fixed
by pins or bolts to the straight rails, while the other is slid and held thereon'
by a screw or other contrivance; these curved rails are caused to approach or
rocede from each other to suit the diameter of a larger or smaller cask or
vessel containing the matters to be treated, the cask being held by curved
chocks placed transversely to these rails or bars. To the inner frame I attach
or form on it a circular rack, and around the gudgeons of the inner frame I
place fixed eccentrics, which take effect on blocks mounted on the outer frame.
and give them a to-and-fro movement; these blocks carry palls taking into.

page_text: the rack of the inner frame, causing it to be propelled the distance of one or
more teeth at each revolution; stop palls may be applied, if necessary, to check
any backward or undue motion. By this motion of the rack and the motion
of the frame on the main axis the cask or containing vessel when rotated is
subjected to rotary motion in the various positions herein-before mentioned.
I have described my machine as being adapted for holding a cask, that
vessel being such as is used in an ordinary "rumble," but they may be adapted
to any other containing vessel, which may be operated on being intro-
duced and removed by a suitable door or access hole. I employ. this
apparatus for the mixing of materials, such as in mixing the different
ingredients to form gunpowder, or it may be mixing materials with
gunpowder to render it non-explosive; it may also be used for polishing
gunpowder in grain, and for mixing materials in the manufacture of glass, and
generally for the mixing of materials which require to be intimately mixed.
I also employ this apparatus in lieu of the ordinary "rumble" for smoothing
small castings of iron, chains and other articles of metal, and generally for
rounding, cleaning, polishing, or otherwise finishing articles, which may be
treated.in bulk by inducing a rubbing action amongst themselves alone or
with the addition of some additional material to produce or increase the
cutting or abrading action required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Robinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th June 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBINSON, of Wembdon, Bridgewater, in the County of Somerset, Brewer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Robinson, Her special licence that I, the said William.
Robinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such other's as
I, the said William Robinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom.

page_text: of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MIXING MATERIALS, WHICH IS
ALSO APPLICABLE FOR SMOOTHING, FINISHING, ROUNDING, OR POLISHING ARTICLES OF
METAL OR OTHER MATERIAL," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, 'the
said William Robinson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner.
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great.
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robinson, dó 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, reference being had to the two Sheets of Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
My Invention of improvements in apparatus for mixing materials and for
other purposes may be said to be an improvement on the machine known.
as a rumble, used for producing an abrading action on materials by tossing.
them about in a cask or other receptacle; it usually consists of a cask mounted.
on an axis, on which it is rotated slowly.
According to one arrangement of my apparatus I mount two frames (one
within the other) to hold the cask or receptacle on axes in the manner of
gimbals, so that the cask or receptacle shall receive rotary motion on its own
axis, that is to say, in the direction of its circular form, and also end over end
and in all positions intermediate thereof by the rotation of the main axis,
which retains the same position, while the cask by the action of the machine
passes gradually through the succession of positions mentioned; thus the
cask will be placed in angular positions intermediate of those positions
mentioned by simply turning the inner frame on its axis, either by hand at
intervals or by gearing. For this purpose I mount the outer rotating frame
on the main axis in the direction of the length of the frame, so that the cask
held by the inner frame while in the plane of the outer frame will have its
ends towards the gudgeons or bearings of the main axis. The inner frame
has the gudgeons or bearings of its axis in the outer frame, which axis is
disposed at right angles to the main axis, and so as thereby to permit the
disposition of the cask as before mentioned. The inner frame is furnished
with a locking plate at one end around its axis, into which a pin drops or
screws in several holes to fix the cask in the various positions required and as

page_text: before mentioned; or the inner frame may be operated by gearing in con-
nection with the outer rotating frame on its axis, whereby the inner frame is
moved gradually and successively through the different positions indicated.
According to my second arrangement, instead of making the frames
rectangular as before, I use two circular frames, one within the other, the inner
frame being fitted so as to move round in its circular direction, and either
fitting the outer frame throughout the whole circumference, or mounted on
bearing blocks or friction rollers fitted thereto. The outer frame is mounted
on a main axis in the line of its diameter, and on which it receives. motion
and transmits it to the inner frame. The inner frame is.fitted with two rails
forming chords to arcs of the circle, such rails being at the ends of the cask;
at the sides of the cask are curved movable rails somewhat of the bulged form
of the cask, one of which curved movable rails is fitted and fixed by pins or
bolts to the straight rails, while the other is slid and held thereon by a screw
or other contrivance. These curved rails are caused to approach or recede
from each other to suit the diameter of a larger or smaller cask or vessel
containing the matters to be treated,. the cask being held by curved chocks
placed transversely to these rails or bars.. To the inner frame I attach or
form on it a circular rack, and around the gudgeons: of the inner frame I
place fixed eccentrics, which take effect on blocks mounted on the outer
frame and give them a to-and-fro movement; these blocks carry pawls taking
into the rack of the inner frame, causing it to be propelled the distance of one
or more teeth at each revolution; stop pawls may be applied, if necessary, to
check any undue backward motion. By this motion of the rack and the
rotary motion of the frame on the main axis the cask or containing vessel is
subjected to rotary motion in the various positions herein-before mentioned.
I have described my machines as being adapted for holding a cask, that
vessel being such as is used in an ordinary "rumble," but they may be
adapted to any other containing vessel, which may be a permanent fixture in
the machine, the materials to be operated on being introduced and removed
by a suitable door or access hole. I employ this apparatus for the mixing of
materials, such as in mixing the different ingredients to form gunpowder, or
it may be mixing materials with gunpowder to render it non-explosive; it
may also be used for polishing gunpowder in grain, and for mixing materials
in the manufacture of glass, and generally for the mixing of materials which
are required to be intimately mixed. I also employ this apparatus in lieu of
the ordinary rumble for smoothing small castings of iron, chains and other
articles of metal, and generally for rounding, cleaning, smoothing, polishing, or
otherwise finishing articles, which may be treated in bulk by inducing a rubbing:

page_text: action amongst themselves alone or with the addition of some additional
material to produce or increase the cutting or abrading action.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a machine arranged and constructed
according to my Invention; Figure 2 a plan of the same, showing also
several of the positions assumed by the cask, or it may be other containing
vessel, throughout this description, however, I will assume it to be a cask,
during the evolutions of the machine.
.
.A, A, is the base of any suitable material, and B, B, two standards in the
bearings b, b, of which the journals or gudgeons c, c, of a rectangular
frame C are fitted; this frame, which I prefer to be of wrought or cast iron,
is of sufficient size to receive an inner frame D, which is made to receive
casks of different sizes; frame Chas bearings d, d, in which the gudgeons 6, e³,
of frame D are received, so that the axis on which the frame D rotates is at
right angles to that of the main axis c, c; the red circle in the plan, Figure 2,
shows the direction of its rotation in relation to frame C. The frame D is
fitted with bars E, F, fitted to slide towards or from each other for the
purpose of accommodating the different sizes of casks and in order to pinch
and hold them in position. The one of the bars E is held simply by bolts or
pins f,f, passing through them and the frame D, while the other F is further
controlled and. held by a screw G and hand wheel; this screw passes up
the centre of one of the gudgeons e, in which it is screwed and works. The
hollowed holding chocks 9; 9, of wood are fixed by screw nuts h, h, to bars
E and F, and may be slid therein to effect a further movement of regulation
for the reception of the cask by being moved so as to grip a larger or smaller part
of the cask, thereby to subdivide the distances of movement to which the bar E
is subject in moving its pins f; f, from one set of holes in frame D to the next;
by this means the cask may be always fixed truly central with the main axis.
To facilitate fixing the cask in position the opposite gudgeon e may also be
fitted with a screw and hand wheel, whereby to move the bar E in same
manner as bar F. On the main axis I have represented a winch handle as
being fixed in order to communicate motion to the rotating frame; a strap
rigger, toothed, or other gearing may, however, be substituted and the machine
actuated by power. It will be readily understood that if a cask be mounted
in the chocks 9, 9, as seen in Figure 1, and the frame rotated in its bearings b, b,
the cask will receive rotary motion in the direction of its circular form, but
while being rotated in this direction it is also caused to be rotated on its axis
at right angles to the line of the main axis, that is to say, by the frame D

page_text: moving round on its journals e, e¹, so that the cask assumes the several
positions shown in the plan, as also the frame D, and all similar intermediate
positions in the circle. In addition to the outline and dotted positions of the
cask and frame the red lines show two other positions, the red horizontal-
position being the same as the position of cask in Figure 1, while the red
vertical position shows the cask at right angles thereto, and in which it
receives its end-over-end motion. In order to communicate motion to frame D
on its axes e, e, I fix to the 'gudgeon e' a spur wheel i, which takes into a
pinion k, mounted on a short spindle 1, fitted to a bearing in framing C. The
spindle projects beyond the frame, and has fitted on its extremity a cross or star
wheel m; this cross m is carried round by the rotation of frame C on its bearings
b, b, and comes in contact with a fixed camp, which moves it a tooth or one-fourth.
of a revolution at each revolution of frame C,'thus imparting a slow intermittent
rotary motion to pinion k, which is transmitted thereby to wheel i, and so to
frame D by gudgeon e'. Instead of an intermittent motion being given to tho
frame D on the axes e, e', it may be slow and continuous, and such motion
may be communicated by a train of wheels, shown red, consisting of a fixed
stationary wheel q taking into a stud wheel r mounted on frame. C, which
drives & wheels, fixed on a spindle t, carrying at opposite end a-small-bóvil
pinion gearing with a bevil wheel substituted for wheel i, or instead of a bevil
wheel and pinion it may be a screw wheel and endless screw; according to the
arrangement and proportions of this gearing so will be the rate of speed
communicated to the frame D on the axis e, e. .The spindle 'should be
sufficiently stiff of movement to hold the cask and matters it contains in
position during the revolution of frame C while star wheel m'is not in contáct
with cam p.
Figure 3 represents a front elevation of another arrangement of machine
constructed according to my Invention; Figure 4 is a transverse section of
the same through the line 1, 2, Fig. 3, while Figure 5 represents a similar
section, but with the cask shown dotted in two positions, in order to better to
show the internal frame and its gearing.
.
A, A, are the side standards which support the rotating frame; these standards.
are connected by a tie-piece B, and mounted on a suitable foundation. The
upper parts of standards A, A, are furnished with bearings in which the main
axis of the outer circular frame C is received. This frame may be of wrought.
or cast iron or of other suitable construction, the gudgeons a, a; being of a pieco
therewith or suitably fixed thereto. This circular frame I either turn' in a lathe
throughout the interior surface, or so prepare projections thereon as to receive
the inner ring D, so that it may rotate easily therein in its circular direction.

page_text: In the Drawings I have shown six points of contact between the frames C
and D, consisting of plates b, b, b, bolted on each side of frame C, so as to
embrace and form bearing surfaces for D, in which it may rotate as described,
while it is at same time held firmly in its relative position with C. In
order to allow for wear in the bearing surfaces the plates b, b, may be free to
approach each other and be drawn up by their holding bolts. A set screw &
may be also inserted from the periphery of C to force up a bearing pad or
surface in a radial direction and against the circumference of D. The ring D
is furnished with two fixed rails or bars D¹, D¹, of a piece with it; to these
rails the shifting bars E, E¹, are fitted to embrace and slide thereon. These
bars are curved to suit somewhat the bulge of a barrel, but of course may be
of any other shape to suit the form of the container if other than a cask; the
one E¹ is fixed at either end to the bars D¹ by pins e, which may be shifted
to different holes in D', D', according to the size of the cask; while the other
E is connected with a screw F, by turning which it is slid towards or from the
opposite and fixed bar E. This screw F is mounted in a third curved rail E³;
this rail is a fixture to the rails D'. The screw F is furnished with a hand
wheel G to facilitate the rotation of the screw. The rails E, E, are furnished
with wooden chocks f,f, curved on the inside to embrace the cask H, which
they grip. The pair of chocks on each rail E and E' can be approached or
recede towards or from each other according to the size of the cask to be
held, which may be readily effected by loosening the bolts 9 which slide
between the parts E, E³. Each of these rails being formed of two plates
embracing the sides of D', the parts of each rail are connected by suitable tie
bolts or studs. The chocks f should at all times have a little more curve in
the gripping surface than the part of the barrel held to ensure a tight hold,
as will be readily understood. The inner ring D is furnished with a series of
ratchet teeth, by which it is propelled in a circular direction at the same time
that it is carried round by the motion of frame C on its axis. For effecting
this circular motion of D I mount on each of the standards A a fixed
eccentric eccentric to the axis a, as seen separately at Figure 6. I fit
sliding pieces I, I, so as to embrace the frame C (one on either side); these
sliding pieces are guided and held in position by bolts passing through slot
holes in the frames C; projections i, i, on these sliding pieces embrace the
eccentrics across their diameter, as seen in Figures 3 and 6. Rotating
motion given to the frame C on its axis causes the pieces I, I, to be carried
round, which pieces are caused to slide on the frame C by reason of their
embracing the fixed eccentrics, which impart an amount of motion to the
parts I equal to the eccentricity of those eccentrics with respect to the axis of

page_text: motion. Pawls k, k, are fitted to the pieces I, I, which pawls take into the
teeth of the frame D, and are held up by suitable springs. One of the
eccentrics deviates from the axis in a downward and the other in an upward
direction, by reason of which the pawls simultaneously recede over the inclined
part of a ratchet tooth during one half of the revolution of frame C, while
during the other half revolution they take effect on the vertical face of such
tooth, and thereby propel the frame D round the distance of one tooth; this
action is repeated at each revolution. Friction rollers are introduced to
receive the pressure of the eccentrics on the pieces I while communicating
the thrusting force to propel frame D. Instead of communicating the circular
motion to D by eccentrics as described, other methods may be adopted to
communicate such motion direct from the rotary motion of C, or as a con-
sequence resulting therefrom. Such motion instead of being intermittent
may be continuous, and such as would be the case if communicated with
toothed gearing, and as will be readily understood.
The machines herein-before described and represented in the Drawings may
be rendered of simpler construction by making them for one size of cask or
other receptacle, which may be of any suitable form or construction, and fixed
permanently in the machine; in either case the cask or receptacle must be
provided with a suitable opening and hinged door or other closure, as at a,
Fig. 3, for the introduction and removal of the materials to be operated on.
The door may require to be varied according to the materials to be introduced
into the receiver to be operated on, as will be readily understood.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the arrangement, construction,
and application of apparatus herein-before described and represented in the
Drawings annexed for mixing materials, and also for smoothing, finishing,
rounding, or polishing articles of metal and other material.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robinson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
WILLIAM ROBINSON. (L.s:)