IMPROVEMENTS IN SUGAR MILLS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ephraim. Death and John Ellwood both of Leicester
in the County of Leicester Engineers for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SUGAR MILLS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ephraim Death and John
Ellwood at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st September
1882.
EPHRAIM DEATH and JOHN ELLWOOD both of Leicester in the County of
Leicester Engineers
IMPROVEMENTS IN SUGAR MILLS"
"
This Invention consists of a simplified and effective arrangement of cattle power
vertical or horizontal roller sugar cane crushing mills for small planters.
As usually made this class of mills consists of two metal rollers working in
bearings in a specially constructed wood frame or standard one roller being worked
directly by the draft pole connected to the top end of the spindle thereof
consequently the roller makes one revolution only with the revolution or circle
made by the cattle.
"
According to our invention we dispense with the wood frame or standard and so
arrange the mill as to be complete in itself and capable of being fixed to a tree
with the top cut off or to a strong post or other similar support fixed in the ground
The draft pole is connected to a toothed spur or bevel wheel which gears into a
corresponding toothed wheel upon the end of the first roller spindle and drives the
rollers which are geared together at an increased speed consequently increasing the
capabilities of the mill for producing or crushing a greater quantity of cane.
The mill being complete in itself requires no skilled workman to erect it and is
ready for work as soon as fixed to the tree or post.
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Ephraim Death and John Ellwood in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st March 1883.
EPHRAIM DEATH and JOHN ELLWOOD both of Leicester in the County of
Leicester, Engineers-" IMPROVEMENTS IN SUGAR MILLS."
Our said invention relates to an economical and simple arrangement of
cattle-power vertical or horizontal-roller sugar-cane crushing mill specially adapted
for use by small planters by reason of its small cost and the simple manner in
which it can be erected ready for work in any locality without necessitating the
use of skilled labour. As heretofore constructed cattle-power cane crushing mills
consisted generally of two metal crushing rollers working in bearings mounted in &
frame or standard specially constructed for the purpose and involving either the
employment of skilled labour to construct which cannot readily be obtained in
outlying districts or the expense of transport to the locality where the mill is to be
erected. One of the crushing rollers moreover is usually rotated directly by the
draught pole which is mounted upon the upper end of the spindle or journal itself
* of the said roller consequently the roller only makes one revolution for each circuit
performed by the cattle.
According to our invention we dispense entirely with the usual standard or
framing and so arrange the mill as that it shall be complete in itself or self
contained the several parts being carried by or mounted on one and the same
bracket which is adapted for ready attachment to the stump of a tree or to a strong
post firmly fixed in the ground at the spot where the mill is to be used. We also
mount the draught pole on a separate horizontal toothed driving wheel which gears
into a smaller wheel on the axle of one of the crushing rollers thereby driving them
at a greater speed than heretofore and enabling the mill to crush a greater quantity
of cane in a given time. The said bracket provided with a vertical bearing or
support east-thereon or if preferred fitted thereto for the reception of the axle or
pivot of the horizontal driving wheel which is formed with spur or bevel teeth
according as vertical or horizontal crushing rollers are employed. The journals of
the crushing rollers whether disposed vertically or horizontally are mounted in
_bearings formed in the overhanging portion of the before mentioned bracket and
are so arranged as to admit of the rollers being brought closer together or wider
apart by the use of adjustable brasses or bearings and tightening nuts as will be
readily understood. The two rollers are geared together directly by spur wheels
on their axles or journals either outside or inside the said bracket. When vertical
crushing rollers are employed the driving wheel which in that case would be a
spur wheel gears directly into one of the smaller spur wheels fast on the axle of
one of the crushing rollers or cast in one therewith. When horizontal crushing
rollers are used the driving wheel which in this case would be a bevel wheel gears
directly into a smaller additional bevel wheel on the outer end of the axle of the
upper crushing roller. The mill being complete in itself requires no skilled
workman to erect it and is ready for work as soon as it is fixed to a tree stump
or post.
And in order that our said invention may be fully understood we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer
to the several figures on the explanatory sheet of drawings hereunto annexed the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of our drawings represents in side elevation one form of our improved
sugar post-mill as provided with a pair of vertically disposed crushing rollers and
showing the mill as fixed to the stump of a tree and ready for work.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the mill with the gearing removed and showing

page_text: the bracket with its pair of crushing rollers mounted therein detached from its
support.
Figure 3 is a view similar to figure 1 but showing a slightly modified arrange-
ment of mill provided with horizontally disposed crushing rollers, and
Figure 4 is a sectional plan of the same with the gearing removed and showing
the bracket detached from its post or stump.
Figures 5 and 6 are details hereinafter referred to.
A is the cast metal bracket carrying in suitable bearings at B B a pair of vertical
crushing rollers C C along with the driving gear D, E, F, for actuating the same.
G is an upright bearing cast on or if preferred fitted to the inner end of the bracket
for carrying the axle or pivot H of the large spur driving wheel D, (figure 1) which
gears directly into the smaller spur wheel E fast on the upper journal of the inner
vertical crushing roller C which again gears into the corresponding spur wheel F
fast on the upper journal of the outer roller C. I is the draught pole (shown
partly broken away) mounted in a suitable socket or holder K on the upper side of
the horizontal driving wheel D. L is a slotted fence or guard plate secured in
front of the crushing rollers and fixed in any suitable manner to the bottom
centre bearing piece B₁ as shown in figure 1 and in the sectional detail and plan at
Figures 5 and 6; or to the bracket A itself as shown in Figure 3..
Figure 6 shows also in plan the bottom centre bearing B'.
In figure 3 where horizontally disposed crushing rollers are shown a horizontal
bevel driving wheel D' is substituted for the spur driving wheel D of figure 1 and
this wheel gears into the small additional bevel wheel D¹ on the axle of the upper
crushing roller C which is geared to the corresponding roller C' by, the spur
wheels E and F. The large bevel driving wheel D¹ is here shown as mounted
loose upon a vertical pin H fixed at G into the inner end of the bracket A which
in both arrangements is provided with bolt holes at a a or otherwise adapted for
ready attachment in any suitable manner to the upper end of the tree stump .
or upright post M as shown clearly in our drawings it being simply requisite in
most cases when mounting the mill for work to cut away slightly or flatten one
side of the stump or post at its upper end in order to present a good bearing
surface for the inner end of the bracket A which is then bolted or otherwise
securely fixed thereto. N (figures 1, 5 and 6) is a spout formed in the bottom
centre bearing piece. N¹ (figure 3) is a tray forming spout at the bottom of
the mill.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect we would observe in conclusion that what we consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the invention secured to us by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is :-
A cattle power crushing mill for crushing sugar cane and analogous substances,
wherein the crushing rollers and their actuating gear are s arranged as to be all
carried by, or mounted on one and the same bracket, the whole constituting a self
contained crushing mill adapted for ready attachment when required for use, to the
stump of a tree, upright post, or equivalent support substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by our drawings.
In witness whereof we the said Ephraim Death and John Ellwood have
hereunto set our hands and seals this nineteenth day of March in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
EPHRAIM DEATH (L.S.)
JOHN ELLWOOD
(L.S.)