IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR TRITURATING TEXTILE BODIES AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Laurent Charles Marie Joseph Vilcoq, of Courbevoie,
in the Department of the Seine, France, Householder, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR TRITURATING TEXTILE
BODIES AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 14th June 1861, and dated the 29th December 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Laurent Charles Marie
Joseph Vilcoq at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 29th December 1860.
I, LAURENT CHARLES MARIE JOSEPH VILCOQ, of Courbevoie, in the Depart-
ment of the Seine, France, Householder, do hereby declare the nature of the.
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR TRITURATING
TEXTILE BODIES AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of a drum, preferably of cast iron, which has its
outer surface serrated or fluted, the size, depth, direction, and rake of these
flutings being governed by the speed at which the drum is driven. This drum
rotates in bearings of the usual description, and is driven by any motive power
by means of pullies or gear on its shaft. Beneath this drum is placed an
apparatus formed of small plates placed one against the other, and serrated on
the upper surface, forming a segmental are nearly concentric with the drum.

page_text: The extremity of each plate is supported by means of a link chain, and
balanced by weights passing over pullies fixed to the frame of the machine.
Each plate has projections on its extremities, which fit into corresponding
notches in the said chain. The object attained by the suspension of this
serrated segment is the regulation of the space between it and the exterior of
the drum, so that the teeth, flutings, or projections may never come in contact.
The fibrous or vegetable matters to be ground are introduced on the one side
of the drum by means of an endless band travelling on rollers. Another small
serrated segment surrounds the drum at the point where the materials are
received, and this segment is arranged so that the one end turns on a hinge,
thus allowing the other to be more or less opened; a vibratory motion is given
to this last segment by means of an excentric or cam on the axle. To facili-
tate the action of the machine on the planks, in pulping them, I place it in a
tank of water.
This machine is also applicable for grinding or pulverizing any kind of
textile substances for the manufacture of paper, and also for oleaginous or
cereal seeds, as well as dry hard substances, such as bricks, stones, and other
such like materials.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Laurent Charles Marie Joseph Vilcoq in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 27th June 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LAURENT
CHARLES MARIE JOSEPH VILCOQ, of Courbevoie, in the Department of the
Seine, France, Householder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Laurent Charles Marie Joseph Vilcoq, Her special licence that
I, the said Laurent Charles Marie Joseph Vilcoq, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Laurent Charles Marie
Joseph Vilcoq, 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 of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS

page_text: IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR TRITURATING TEXTILE BODIES AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Laurent
Charles Marie Joseph Vilcoq, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Laurent Charles Marie Joseph Vilcoq,
do 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, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of a drum, preferably, of cast-iron, which has its
outer surface serrated or fluted, the size, depth, direction, or rake of the
flutings being governed by the speed at which the drum is driven. This drum
rotates in bearings of the usual description, and is driven by any motive
power by means of pullies or gear on its shaft. Beneath this drum is placed
an apparatus formed of small plates placed one against the other, and serrated
on the upper surface, forming a segmental are nearly concentric with the
drum. The extremity of each plate is supported by means of a link chain, and
balanced by weights passing over pullies fixed to the frame of the machine.
Each plate has projections on its extremities, which fit into corresponding
notches in the said chain. The object obtained by the suspension of this
serrated segment is the regulation of the space between it and the exterior of
the drum, so that the teeth, flutings, or projections may never come in contact.
The fibrous or vegetable matters to be ground are introduced on the one side
of the drum by means of an endless band travelling on rollers. Another small
serrated segment surrounds the drum at the point where the materials are
received, and the segment is arranged so that the one end turns on a hinge,
thus allowing the other to be more or less opened; a vibratory motion is
given to this last segment by means of an excentric or cam on the axle.
To facilitate the action of the machine on the plants, I place it in a tank
of water.
In order more clearly to illustrate my Invention, and how the same is con-
structed, formed, and acts, I have appended to this Specification the accom-
panying Drawings, which, however, are only intended to illustrate the general
principles, it being understood that modifications of some or all of the parts
employed may be adopted to suit peculiar arrangements or circumstances.

page_text: Figure 1 is a vertical section of my machine; Figure 2, a transverse section;
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 are different views of detached parts. Similar letters
indicate the same or similar parts in the different Figures.
The apparatus is composed of a cast-iron drum A, the convex surface of
which is covered with flutings more or less deep; these may be strait, or
incline towards the axis of rotation. The axle of this drum is supported by
the blocks and bearings B; it carries at one of its extremities the pullies C, D,
one of which is loose, and the other fast, so as to receive the action of the
motive power; the first being actuated by the fly wheel E, which is intended
to regulate the movement. The lower part of the drum is surrounded by an
are F, formed of small fluted plates a, a, placed one against the other; at
their extremities are small projections i, which fit into corresponding notches
provided in the lateral sides b, b, (see Figs. 2, 3, and 4,) and are then sup-
ported by link chains d, d, at the extremities of which are the rings c, c, to
which the hooks f, f, of the chains or ropes g, g, are fastened. These chains
pass over rollers or pullies h to hold the counterpoises G, G; the object of which
is to draw the fluted plates a, a, closer to the flutings of the cylinder A, by
which means I regulate the open space. left between the fluted surfaces
according to the nature of the substance to be ground. This space is not
uniform, but rather wider on the side at which the matter is introduced,
occupying less space as it advances between the fluted surfaces. The fluted
plate a, a, may receive any inclination from the axis of the cylinder according
to the substances to be acted upon. To attain this it is only necessary to
advance or push back one or both of the lateral sides b, b. Besides the fluted
plates a, a, placed above the cylinder A, as I have just
laterally cover this cylinder with a segment H, the concave surface of which is
also covered with strait or inclined flutings, but is not concentric with the
convex surface of the cylinder A. It is wider towards the top, so as to give
free entrance to the substance to be ground, which is placed on the endless
band K, which carries it to the space reserved for it between the segment H
and the cylinder A, from whence, by the rotation of this cylinder, the ground
matter is continuously born between the fluted plates, so that it may issue at
the other extremity entirely disintegrated; it is then placed on the inclined
plane L, which carries it into troughs.
explained, I also
If the machine is used to grind any sort of textile substances, especially the
leaves or stalks of tobacco, or to produce a paste fit for the manufacture of

page_text: paper; the lower part of the cylinder, and consequently the fluted blades a, a,
should be immersed in water, so as to facilitate the reduction of the substance
to fibres; or, in certain cases, instead of pure water such other liquid as
experience will point out; the object of which will be to render the trituration
easier and to whiten or colour the paste.
The machine may also be advantageously employed to grind (besides textile
substances) any kind of oleaginous seed, as well as dry or bard substances,
such as bricks, earth, all sorts of stones, for example, those used for the pro-
duction of cement, mortar, or plaster; and may be employed for numerous
industrial purposes whenever it is necessary to grind or triturate, so as to
obtain fibres more or less long, or a powder more or less fine.
It will also replace, advantageously, the grinding stones used in the manu-
facture of paper pulps, as also the different machines generally used for
grinding rags, textile or fibrous substances, which may be employed in the
composition of paper pulp.
Instead of making the counterpoises act directly upon the chains d, d, a
lever with unequal branches may be employed, the chains being attached to
the short branches, and towards the extremities of the long ones the rolling
counterpoises are placed, so as to regulate the distance between the small
plates a of the fluted drum A. The endless band K, which carries away the
substance to be ground continuously, may be replaced by other means, which
would only carry the textile substance away at intervals. To effect this I
replace the endless band by a series of troughs m, m, m, separated from each
other (see Fig. 7). It is into these that the substance to be ground or dis-
integrated is placed. By the action or movement of this sort of chain of cups,
the troughs arrive successively and empty themselves at the entrance of the
segment H. If by means of an excentric R (Fig. 8) placed on the axle of
the drum A an oscillatory movement revolving on an axis situated at its lower
part is imparted, combined so as to separate the lower part of the segment H
from the drum when one of the troughs empties itself, the substance to be
ground will easily penetrate between the plates and the drum. The whole of
the small plates a, a, composing the arc may, when thought fit, be replaced by
one large one.
Having now described my Invention, and how the same is carried into
practice, I wish it understood that what I claim and desire secured to me by
the before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, the general arrangement of the machine, substantially as herein set
forth and shewn in accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Second, the method of and means for inclining more or less the flutings of
the moveable plates in relation with those of the fluted drum, substantially as
herein described and shewn in the accompanying Drawings.
Third, the mode of regulating the open space between the fluted surfaces
for the passage of the substance to be ground, substantially as herein described
and shewn in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth, the use of my machine for grinding textile substances for the
formation of pulp to be employed in the manufacture of paper, for grinding
oleaginous seed, and for the trituration of dry or hard substances for cements,
plaster, or other matters employed either in building or for agricultural purposes,
substantially as berein described and shewn in the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth, I also claim the arrangement of the counterpoises and the chain of
cups or troughs.
In witness whereof, I, the said Laurent Charles Marie Joseph Vilcoq,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of June,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
CH VILCUQ. (L.S.)
CH.