IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MIXING, BEATING, AND KNEADING DOUGH, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR MIXING OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Liddell, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR
MIXING, BEATING, AND KNEADING DOUGH, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR MIXING
OTHER SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Liddell at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd August 1880.
JOHN LIDDELL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MIXING, BEATING, AND KNEADING DOUGH,
ALSO APPLICABLE FOR MIXING OTHER SUBSTANCES."
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of machines
for mixing, beating, and kneading dough for the manufacture of bread, designed to
render them more efficient and expeditious in their action than such machines
as heretofore constructed.
Under one improvement, the trough or lower part of the vessel in which the
water and flour and other ingredients of the dough are placed to be mixed and
kneaded is made hemispherical or of inverted dome shape, instead of being of the
usual semi-cylindrical shape, and it is made to revolve slowly round a vertical
centre or axial line, whilst the cutting, beating, or mixing and kneading knives are
acting on the dough. For this purpose the hemispherical trough, which is preferably
made of steel for lightness, is formed or fitted with a broad outer flange near its
upper edge, to which there is bolted, cast, or fitted in segments, or otherwise, a
toothed wheel extending round the whole external periphery of the trough. This
wheel is driven preferably by a worm, but it might be a spur or bevil wheel in
gear with it, fitted on a horizontal shaft, carried in bush bearings in strong side
standards, and which is also geared to actuate the cutting or mixing knives, as will
be hereinafter described.
The upper part of the dough trough is stationery, and is made in the form of a
short open cylinder, detached or separate from the lower revolving hemispherical
part, but of the same diameter, and fitting close to the upper edge of the lower
trough by a bevilled or other close joint, so that the dough cannot exude through
Price 671

page_text: when the trough is revolving. This stationery part of the trough is carried in
strong journal bushes or gudgeons working in bearings in the side standards or
frames so as to be capable of oscillating on these together with the lower part for
tilting and emptying the trough after the mixing and kneading process is over.
The lower part of the trough is suspended from the upper stationery or oscillating
part by means of strong brackets fitted at intervals round the periphery, and
having small pulleys or anti-friction rollers running on horizontal or vertical axes
at their lower ends, adjustable by screws to bear up against the under edge of the
flange or flange wheel near the top of the revolving trough; and this lower part
may be further supported by a footstep or other bearing underneath in its axial
line.
The mixing, beating, or kneading knives are formed on or fitted to short
horizontal revolving spindles passing through the bushes or gudgeons supporting
the trough, and driven in opposite directions by means of spur wheels on their outer
ends in gear with pinions on the worm shaft already referred to, the one wheel
being actuated direct, and the other through an intermediate wheel to reverse the
motion.
The knives consist of two sets or series of longitudinal, preferably tapered, blades
fixed to or formed at one end on a transverse or semi-circular revolving bar or
blade fitted to each revolving spindle close to the inner edges of the trough and
shaped to its contour. The blades of each set of knives are cut short and arranged
to clear each other during their revolution in the opposite direction, the one set
passing through the spaces between the others, and their action is such as to beat
or cut, and mix the ingredients of the dough thoroughly whilst it is slowly
revolving in the trough.
For the purpose of preventing any lodgement of the dough at the end in the
axial line of the revolution of the knives, the inner end of each knife spindle is by
a minor improvement fitted with a screw blade which forces the dough at those
parts towards the middle of the trough to be fully acted on by the knives.
The dough trough is fitted with a toothed segment in gear with a worm
actuated by a hand wheel as usual for tilting the trough on its supporting gudgeons
as a centre when it is to be emptied, and by a further improvement the emptying
process is rendered automatic. To effect this one of the wheels on one of the
revolving knife spindles is disengaged or thrown out of gear by a clutch, or
otherwise, and the other knife spindle partly rotated, if necessary, until both sets
of knives are in one plane longitudinally, when they are temporarily fixed together
by a clip or other means, and then revolved together in one direction, with the
result, that instead of cutting the dough they merely lift or throw it out of the
trough in its canted or tilted position.
The improved machine is also applicable for mixing other substances than dough,
as for example, for confectionary purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Liddell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd February
1881.
JOHN LIDDELL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MIXING, BEATING, AND KNEADING DOUGH,
ALSO APPLICABLE FOR MIXING OTHER SUBSTANCES."
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
machines for mixing, beating, and kneading dough for the manufacture of bread,
designed to render them more efficient and expeditious in their action than such
machines as heretofore constructed.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended for that purpose a Sheet
of explanatory Drawings to be hereinafter referred to, and representing a modifi-
cation of my improved dough mixing machine. In these Drawings the same
reference letters are used to indicate the same parts in the several Figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2 is a plan; Figure 3 is a back elevation,
and Figure 4 is a vertical section taken as at the line 1 - 1 in Figure 2 of my
improved machine.
Referring to these Drawings the improved machine comprises a trough or
vessel A, A, in which the water and flour and other ingredients of the dough are
placed to be mixed and kneaded, the lower part A of which is made hemispherical
or of inverted dome-shape instead of being of the usual semi-cylindrical shape,
preferably of cast-iron or steel, but it might be wood. This lower part A of the
vessel is made to revolve slowly round a vertical centre or axial line whilst the
cutting, beating, or mixing and kneading knives G, G³, G2, are acting on the
dough. The hemispherical trough A is formed or fitted with and suspended by a
broad outer flange A² near its upper edge, and for the purpose of actuating the
trough A there is bolted, cast, or fitted to it in seginents or otherwise a toothed
wheel B extending round the whole external periphery of the trough A, and near
its upper edge. This wheel B is driven preferably by a worm C as shown, but it
might be a spur or bevil wheel in gear with it, and fitted on a horizontal shaft C¹
fitted with fast and loose pulleys C, C, for driving purposes, and carried in bush
bearings in the back of the strong side standards D, which also carry the knife
spindles H, H', and bear the weight of the mixing trough A, AL.
The upper part A¹ of the dough trough A, A', is stationary, and is made in the
form of a short open cylinder of sheet metal fixed to a bottom cast-iron flange A³
carried by strong gudgeons E, E¹, bolted to it, and fitting in bush bearings E' in
the standards D, D₁. The upper part A¹ is detached or separate from the lower
revolving hemispherical part A, but of the same diameter, and fitting close to the
upper edge of the lower trough A by a close joint formed by a feather in the upper
flange A fitting into a groove in the lower A2, so that the dough cannot exude or
pass through when the trough A. is revolving. This stationary part A' of the trough
is carried in the strong journal bushes or gudgeons E, E', working in bearings E³
in the side standards or franes D, D', so as to be capable of oscillating on these,
together with the lower part A, for tilting and emptying the trough A, A', after
the mixing and kneading process is over.
The lower part A of the trough is suspended from the upper stationary or oscil-
lating part A¹ by means of strong hanging brackets F fitted at intervals round the
periphery, and having small pulleys or anti-friction rollers f fitted on studs to run
on horizontal axes at their lower ends. The position of these rollers f is made
adjustable by screws at the upper ends of the brackets F, which pass through angled
pieces F¹ bolted to the side of the vessel A', and after adjustment are secured by

page_text: jam nuts. The rollers fare thus caused to bear up against the under edge of the
flange or flange wheel A² near the top of the revolving trough A; and this lower
part may be further supported by a footstep or other bearing underneath in its
axial line when considered desirable.
The mixing, beating, or kneading knives G, G1, G2, are fixed or fitted by a
strong eye or boss G³ on the inner ends of short horizontal revolving spindles H, H³,
passing through the bushes or gudgeons E, E¹, carrying the trough A, A¹. These
spindles H, H', with the knives G, G¹, fitted to them are driven in opposite
directions by means of large spur wheels I, I, on their outer ends in gear with
pinions J, J, on the worm shaft C' already referred to, the one wheel I being
actuated direct and the other I' through intermediate wheels or pinions J2, J³, to
reverse the motion, these pinions J, J³, being carried on a stud J fixed to the
standard D¹. The knives consist of two sets or series of longitudinal, preferably
tapered, blades G, G', fixed to or formed at one end on a transverse or semi-circular
revolving bar or blade G2 fitted to each revolving spindle H, H', close to the inner
edges of the trough A, A¹, and with the blades G₁ shaped to its contour. The
blades of each set of knives G, G', G, are cut short and arranged to clear each
other during their revolution in the opposite direction, the one set passing through
the spaces between the others, and their action is such as to beat or cut and mix
the ingredients of the dough thoroughly, whilst it is slowly revolving in the
trough A, A. The dough trough is fitted with a toothed segment K fixed to the
gudgeon E and in gear with a worm K' below, on a transverse shaft k, carried in
bearing brackets & secured to the inner side of the standard D', and actuated by
a hand crank 2 as usual for tilting the trough on its supporting gudgeons E, E¹, as
a centre, when it is to be emptied. By a further improvement the emptying process
is rendered automatic. To effect this the pinion J³ working into the wheel I' on
its revolving knife spindle H¹ is disengaged or thrown out of gear by a clutch and
hand lever L, and the other knife spindle H is partly rotated if necessary until
both sets of knives are in one plane longitudinally, as shown in the plan, Figure 2,
when they may be temporarily fixed together by a clip or other means, or simply
left in this position, and then revolved together in one direction by putting the
pinion J into gear with the wheel 1' by means of the handle L', with the result
that instead of cutting the dough they merely lift and throw it out of the
trough A, A', while in its canted or tilted position.
To prevent the weight of the trough A, A', bearing on and bending the worm
shaft C when the trough is canted back a bracket M is fitted underneath the
worm C, and a bracket piece N bolted to one side of the trough is provided to form
a stop and rest on the standard D' when in its vertical working position.
For the purpose of preventing any lodgment of the dough at the end in the
axial line of the revolution of the knives G, G1, G2, the inner end of each knife
spindle H, H, may be fitted with a screw blade to force the dough at those parts
towards the middle of the trough to be fully acted on by the knives.
A doorway is provided in the upper part of the vessel A fitted with hinged
doors A, A, meeting at the centre and overlapping the edges of the doorway, the
object of which is to enable the flour and other materials to be mixed as dough to
be readily thrown in, and also to facilitate their withdrawal when the trough A, A¹,
is canted to a horizontal position.
The improved machine is also applicable for mixing other substances than dough,
as, for example, for confectionary purposes.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not confine myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The construction, arrangement, and combination of the parts of a machine a
for mixing, beating, and kneading dough, having sets of knives G, G1, G2, fitted and
arranged on horizontal revolving spindles H, H', to rotate in the same or reverse

page_text: directions, while the dough carrying trough A revolves in a vertical axis or in a
plane at right angles to the rotation of the knives, substantially as and for the
purposes herein described in reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In machines for mixing, beating, and kneading dough, the construction
and arrangement of a revolving dome-shaped containing trough or vessel, in com-
bination with sets of knives rotating in the same or reverse directions in a plane
at right angles to the rotation of the trough, substantially as and for the purposes
herein described in reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In machines for mixing, beating, and kneading dough, the construction
and use of a dome-shaped containing trough or vessel made to revolve whilst the
dough materials are being mixed or cut by revolving or other knives, substantially
as herein described in reference to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Liddell, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-first day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
Witness,
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, C.E.,
Of W. R. M. Thomson & Co.,
Patent Agents,
Glasgow.
JOHN LIDDELL. (L.S.)