IMPROVEMENTS IN CHURNS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of
Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CHURNS." A communication from abroad by Silvanus S. Riker, Payton
Spence, Isaac W. Morrell, and Leonardo Westbrook, all of New York,
in the United States of America.
Sealed the 2nd March 1860, and dated the 20th December 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 20th December 1859.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
IN CHURNS," a communication from abroad by Silvanus S. Riker,
Payton Spence, Isaac W. Morrell, and Leonardo Westbrook, all of the
United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to churns of the rotatory class, and consists in the
application and use of grinding discs rotating either vertically or horizontally,
so as to prevent the milk or cream, from being thrown out of the churn by
centrifugal force. When two discs are used one may remain stationary whilst.
the other revolves, or both may revolve in opposite directions; a space is left

page_text: between the inner faces of the discs to allow the milk to enter freely, which it does
through an opening in the fixed disc in communication with a funnel fixed to
the top of the churn. The peripheries of the discs touch, or nearly touch, each
other, and one may have a projecting annular bead formed upon it which
works in a corresponding annular grove in the opposite disc, thereby securing
a more perfect attrition or rubbing of the milk or cream as it passes between
the two surfaces. In the inner surface of one or both of these discs are fitted
arms or projections so as to ensure not only a greater agitation of the milk
but a centrifugal action as well, which will throw the milk outwards and so
subject it more speedily to the action of the grinding surfaces of the discs
these arms or projections may however be dispensed with, if desired, the two
discs being plane rubbing surfaces; a glazed spy-hole is fitted into one side of
the churn, for the purpose of affording facility for inspecting the progress of
the operation. Any suitable form of dasher or agitator may be used in com-
bination with the discs, but it is preferred to use a dasher composed of a shaft
fitted with a number of radiating arms arranged spirally thereon or at reverse
angles so as to act upon every portion of the milk in the body of the churn
after it leave the discs which are situate at one end inside the churn. Motion
is imparted to the disc or discs or agitator by means of a winch handle on a
shaft which carries a spur wheel gearing into a spur pinion on the outer end
of the disc spindle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th June 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and
of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Henry Johnson, Her special licence that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time

page_text: 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 IN CHURNS," a communication from
abroad by Silvanus S. Riker, Payton Spence, Isaac W. Morrell, and Leonardo
Westbrook, all of New York, in the United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I the said John Henry Johnson, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
samo 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to churns of the rotatory class, and consists
in the application and use of grinding discs rotating either vertically or
horizontally, so as to prevent the milk or cream from being thrown out of the
churn by centrifugal force. When two discs are used, one may remain
stationary whilst the other revolves, or both may revolve in opposite directions.
A space is left between the inner faces of the discs to allow the milk to enter
freely, which it does through an opening in the fixed disc in communication
with a funnel or feeding mouth fixed to the top of the churn ; the peripheries
of the discs touch or nearly touch each other, and one may have a projecting
annular bead formed upon it, which works in a corresponding annular groove
in the opposite disc, thereby effecting a more perfect attrition or rubbing of
the milk or cream as it passes between the two surfaces. In the inner surface
of one or both of these discs are fitted arms or projections so as to ensure not
only a greater agitation of the milk but a centrifugal action as well, which
will throw the milk outwards and so subject it more speedily to the action
of the grinding surfaces of the discs. These arms or projections may however
be dispensed with, if desired, the two discs in that case being plane rubbing
surfaces. A glazed spy-hole is fitted into one side of the churn for
the purpose of affording facility for inspecting the progress of the opera-
tion; any suitable form of dasher or agitator may be used in combination
with the discs, but it is preferred to use a dasher composed of a shaft fitted
with a number of radiating armis arranged spirally thereon or at reverse

page_text: :
angles, so as to act upon every portion of the milk in the body of the churn
after it leaves the discs which are situate at one end inside the churn. Motion
is imparted to the disc or discs and agitator by means of a winch handle on
a shaft which carries a spur wheel gearing into a spur pinion on the outer end
of the disc spindle.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all
the Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is an outside end view of the churn, shewing
the crank, the driving wheel, and the. small cog wheel on the end of the
shaft which rotates the discs and the dashers. A is the crank handle; B, the
driving wheel connected with the same, and C the small cog wheel. Figure II.
is a longitudinal sectional view of the churn. d, d, are the dashers; E, the shaft
or spindle to which they are fastened, and on which they revolve; F, F',
are the discs, g and g' the trough and bead on the outer rim of the same,
between which the milk, or cream is ground or rubbed; H, the hopper
or funnel in which the milk is poured; I, the channel or opening by
which it passes down between the dises; J, J, the open space between the
discs, and K the glazed spy-hole. Figure III. is a horizontal sectional view
of the same apparatus. Figure IV. and V. are detached views of the discs
shewing the wings or projections N, N, and N¹, N', on their inner surfaces, and
.also the annual trough and bead g, g', and (in Figure IV.) the hole in the
disc terminating the channel I. Figure VI. is an end view of the dasher and
shaft, and Figure VII. is a side elevation of another dasher securing great
variety of motion in the agitation of the milk or cream, and which has been
found very effectual in its operation. The body of the churn may consist of a
square box as shewn at M (Figures I., II., and III.), but it may be of any
desired shape. In this the dasher shaft E is fitted, being attached at one end.
to the shaft of the small cog wheel C, and at the other held by the thumb-
screw L (Figure II.) It is so made as to be capable of being detached and
taken out in a moment by loosening the thumb-screw.
.small cogwheel C, and inside the churn is fitted the revolving disc F.. The
stationary disc F, is fastened to the end of the churn, and through its centre
the shaft of the cog wheel C passes. In the upper portion of the disc F¹ is
cut the hole I (see Figure IV.), to admit of the entrance of the milk or cream.
.It is obvious that by a slight modification and a little gearing the disc F¹
might be made to revolve in an opposite direct on to that of the disc F. In
On the shaft of the

page_text: that case the milk would be let in through a hole in the centre. The proximity
or degree of pressure between the surfaces of these discs can easily be regu-
lated by thumb-screws or other suitable devices. These discs as stated above
fit together or nearly together at their outer edges, where one has a projecting
bead g', which revolves in a trough or hollow 9, of the other, but the bead and
trough are by no means indispensable requisites, the object being to compress
or agitate the milk or cream between the surfaces of the discs, before being
finally acted upon by the dashers, and this can be effected by dispensing with
the bead and trough, and bringing larger portions of the surfaces of the discs
in contact or near to a state of contact whilst the milk or cream is rubbed or
passed between them. I however prefer this arrangement, as in any other
the butter, which is rapidly formed, is apt to adhere between the surfaces and
to clog the machine. With this arrangement, and particularly with the radial
arms, it clears itself.
The wings or arms or projections on the inner surfaces of the discs are
shown in Figures IV. and V., at N, N, and N', N', and they may be either
straight, as here shewn, or curvilinear; or instead of being continuous, they may
be mere projections, those on the moving disc passing between those on the
stationary one. I prefer, however, the arrangement shewn, for the reason that
it secures a better centrifugal impetus to the milk or cream, thereby preventing
clogging, and accelerating the work.
The operation of the whole apparatus is as follows:-The operator begins
turning the crank and at the same time pouring the milk or cream into the
hopper. The milk or cream passing into the space between the discs, is there
caught by the wings or projections on their inner surfaces and thrown, after
much agitation, between the rubbing or contiguous edges or rims of the discs
or between the trough and bead of the same. Being thrown out thence it
passes into the body of the churn box, where the dashers continue the agitation
until the butter is gathered and the operation is completed. The operator can
see when this occurs by means of the glazed spy-hole K. Two or three
minutes suffice for the work. In constructing and working the disc, tho
places where they touch or nearly touch in their rotations may be confined to
a narrow rim near their outer edges, or to a space between the bead and its
corresponding trough, as above described, or it may extend to nearly the whole
surface between the centre and circumference of the discs so that the two
rotate in contact or nearly in contact, like two millstones (or one rotates and
the other remains stationary, as before mentioned) and the bead and trough, as
described, may, where sufficient attrition is obtained between the discs otherwise,
be dispensed with. The revolving dashers which are shewn in Figures II., 11.,

page_text: and VI. of the Drawings are arranged spirally around the shaft, so that every
part of the fluid is struck by one or more of them, and the same result is
obtained by angling the arms as shewn in Figure VII.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that, what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me, by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
First, the general construction and arrangement of churns as herein-before
described.
Second, the application and use to and in churns of two or more rotating
discs or of two discs one of which rotates whilst the other is stationary, as
herein-before described.
Third, the peculiar construction of discs whereby the milk or cream enters
between them near or towards their centres, and is rubbed or agitated between
them at or towards their peripheries in the manner and for the purpose
herein-before described.
Fourth, the application and use of the hopper or funnel combined with the
opening or channel I, for the purpose of introducing the milk or cream as
hérein-before described.
Fifth, the application and use of the wings, arms, or projections, on the
inner surface of one or both of the discs arranged and operating substantially
in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described.
Sixth, the application and use of the glazed spy-hole placed in the side top
or end of the churn box for the purpose herein-before described.
Seventh, the use of dashers or agitators in combination with the above discs
constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose
.herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)