IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN THE APPARATUS FOR TREATING CORN AND OTHER GRAIN
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patént
Solicitors, at Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN THE APPARATUS FOR
TREATING CORN AND OTHER GRAIN." A communication from Messrs. Weber
and Bünzli, Manufacturers, of Uster, in the Republic of Switzerland.
ed the 5th February 1878, and dated the 17th November 1877
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th November 1877.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort-on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF AND IN THE APPARATUS FOR TREATING CORN AND OTHER GRAIN."
A communication from Messrs. Weber & Bünzli, Manufacturers, of Uster, in the
Republic of Switzerland.
The Invention consists in relieving the axles of porcelain or other rollers from
pressure; also in the mode of constructing and fastening rollers, and in a separating
apparatus, all for the purpose of treating grain, as herein-after described.
Attached to a firm and substantial framework of metal are two cast metal guides,
in which journals slide. On removing the journal covers the journal brasses are
left quite free, and can be taken out at will. The extreme journals receive the
pressure axle, the inside one the axles of the porcelain rollers. The journals are free
from all pressure, as that which is required is given by the outside friction wheels
on their two axles, these being pressed forward each by regulating screws and
springs. The friction wheels are in proportion about 1 to 5 to the axles of the
china rolls, so there is no chance of the journals of the former running hot.
Motion is imparted to the machine by one of the axles of one of the center rollers,
and communicated to the others by friction wheels. In order to prevent slipping of
the friction wheels, which might happen if the rollers get choked on starting the
machine, the two outside rollers are provided with band pulleys connected by a
belt.

page_text: The porcelain rollers have the shape of hollow cylinders, and have their two ends
and center lined with metal framework, which is fastened in the following manner :---
The side flanges are provided with projections which fit into suitable slots in the
porcelain; the latter is also conically formed, and the iron lining turned down to fit
the same, thus preventing the casing becoming loose; the other end of the roller is
fastened by steel wedges to the metal casing, the whole of the intermediate space
being filled with cement. A porcelain roller secured after this manner cannot
become loose of itself; but should become necessary to change the same, this can be
done with great ease and in a very short time.
The feeding apparatus, also made of porcelain, is operated by a belt run from the
machine.
These apparati can be constructed in two ways, in one of which each pair of rolls
run at the same rate, or in another, by which one roller of each pair turns faster
than its fellow, thus effecting a rubbing as well as a crushing movement.
If groats are to be separated by this machine, they, leaving the rollers in the form
of flatly crushed particles, pass into the separating apparatus in which the separating
of the bran from the mealy portion is effected by rubbing between two discs, which,
however, do not touch each other, thus not destroying the bran, etc. One of the
before-named dises is provided with a roughened surface, and driven by a belt from
the roller machine described; this disc is provided with a regulating spring, in order
that it can adapt itself to the quantity of stuff going through it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th May
1878.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort-on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF AND IN THE APPARATUS FOR TREATING CORN AND OTHER GRAIN."
A communication from Messrs. Weber & Bünzli, Manufacturers, of Uster, in the
Republic of Switzerland.
This Invention relates to the treatment of corn and other grain in mills of the
kind in which crushing rollers are employed, and consists in means of relieving the
axles of such rollers from pressure in their bearings, in the construction of porcelain
rollers for such mills, and of apparatus for separating the bran from the mealy portion
of groats or such-like material that has passed through the roller mill.
The accompanying Drawings represent a double roller mill and separating
apparatus, according to this Invention,-
Fig. 1 being a half side elevation; Fig. 2, a half longitudinal section; Fig 3, a
half end elevation; and Fig. 4, a half transverse section; and Fig. 4ª, a plan of the
rollers.
Figs. 5, 6, and 7 represent, to an enlarged scale, the construction of one of the
porcelain rollers employed in the mill, Fig. 5 being a longitudinal section thereof,
Fig. 6 a half transverse section on the line X, X, of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 a half end view.
A, A, are the two side frames of the mill, each having a longitudinal slot in which
are fitted, free to slide, the bushes for the axles B, B, of the two inner rollers and the
axles B¹, B, of the two outer rollers, and also for two other axles C, C, one near
each end of the slot. Each of the axles C, C, has on it two friction wheels D, D,
the peripheries of which bear against the axles B¹, B¹, of the outer rollers; also the
two axles B, B, of the inner rollers have on them at each end friction wheels E, E,
the peripheries of which bear against each other. At each end of the slot is a strong
buffer spring F which butts against the bush of the friction axle C with an elastic
pressure which can be adjusted by means of a setting screw G. By this arrange-
ment, whereby all the pressure is taken on friction wheels, the roller axles are
entirely relieved from lateral strain, and the risk of their bearings becoming heated
when they are driven at high speed is avoided. One of the four roller axles being
driven by a belt and pulley, or otherwise, the other rollers are driven from it either
by friction or toothed gear, or by belts and pullies, and according to the proportions
of the gear employed they are driven at equal or differential speed, as may be
required. H, H, are scrapers of ordinary construction, one to each of the rollers.
Above the rollers is mounted a hopper having two feeding mouths adjustable by
screw slides I, and at each mouth is mounted a feeding roller K which is driven by
a band from one of the roller axles. Below the rollers is fixed the separating
apparatus, consisting of a fixed disc L and a disc L' revolving in front of it, both
discs being enclosed within a casing. The disc L' is fixed on a spindle M which is
driven by a band from one of the roller axles above. This spindle is free to slide
longitudinally in its bearings, and has on it a spring N which causes the revolving
disc L' to bear with elastic pressure against the stationary disc L, and by adjusting
which the quantity of material passing through the separator can be regulated.
There is also on the spindle M a worm O by which the crushed groats or such-like
materials descending from the rollers are advanced through a hole in the disc L to
the space between the discs, to have the bran and meal separated by trituration
between the discs, which are roughened on the surface in the manner of millstones.
The porcelain rollers for mills of the kind described are constructed, according to
this Invention, as shewn in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 B is the roller axle on which is fitted a
taper sleeve P, made in segments, which can be separately driven as keys between
the axle and another solid sleeve Q, which is cast in one with an end disc R.

page_text: Another end disc S is secured on the sleeve Q by segmental keys T. Both the end
discs R and S have internal projections U of dovetail shape, which enter corre-
sponding notches in the cylindrical porcelain shell V that forms the external
circumference of the roller. Also the ends of the shells V are slightly coned, and the
peripheries of the discs R, S, are correspondingly coned to fit over these ends, as
shewn at v, v. The porcelain shell V having been placed on the disc R, and the disc S
having been then placed and secured on the sleeve Q by the segmental keys T,
cement W is run in through holes in one of the end discs, so as to completely fill the
space between the shell V and the sleeve Q, and the roller can then be secured on
its shaft B by the segmental keys P.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my correspondents, I hereby
declare that I make no general claim to the use of porcelain rollers in mills for
treating corn and other grain, nor to the arrangement of such mills in double form;
that is to say, with two pairs of crushing rollers fed from a double-mouthed hopper
above; nor do I claim any particular forms or proportions of gear for driving the
crushing and feeding rollers of such mills, but I claim in respect of mills of the kind
referred to,
First. Relieving the axles of the crushing rollers from pressure in their bearings
by means of friction wheels arranged to bear against the said axles and against
each other, substantially as herein described.
Second. The use, in combination with crushing rollers, of the separating apparatus
herein described.
Third. The construction of roller with porcelain shell fixed thereon, as herein
described with reference to Figs. 5, 6, and 7 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
FRANK WIRTH. (L.S.)