IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE GRADUAL REDUCTION OF GRAIN
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Firm of W. P.
Thompson and Co., of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
and of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE GRADUAL REDUCTION OF GRAIN."
A communication from abroad by William Dickson Gray, of Milwaukee, in the
County of Milwaukee, in the State of Wisconsin.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st May 1881.
"
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., of
6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and of 323, High Holborn,
in the County of Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE GRADUAL
REDUCTION OF GRAIN." A communication from abroad by William Dickson
Gray, of Milwaukee, in the County of Milwaukee, in the State of Wisconsin.
This Invention consists in an organized machine for carrying out what is
ordinarily known in the art as the system of "gradual reduction" of wheat by the
employment of rolls in connection with screens, and the object of the Invention
is to produce a machine which shall be exceedingly simple and compact in con-
struction, and which shall effect the required separation of the material with the
least possible separation of the fine flour from the middlings and the least possible
breaking up of the bran.
Upon the upper part of a rigid main frame intended and adapted to support the
various transverse shafts and other moving parts of the machine I mount a pair of
horizontal reducing rolls, which may be of any ordinary or suitable construction;
one of these is adjustable. Above these rolls I mount in an ordinary manner a
feed hopper and a feed roll. The adjustable roll is sustained and made adjustable
by means substantially the same as those represented in American Letters Patent,
No. 222,895.
The roll is supported in swinging arms pivoted at their lower ends and connected
at their upper ends with adjusting rods; these rods being connected at one end

page_text: with arm by means of nuts and intermediate springs, and being connected at the
opposite end with an eccentric which admits of the rod being readily released and
thrown back when the adjustable roll is to be thrown out of action.
In the lower portion of the frame, at a considerable distance from the upper rolls,
I mount a second and corresponding pair of rolls mounted and controlled in like
manner. The arm with eccentric for throwing out the lower adjustable roll is
connected by a rod with the corresponding arm which operates the eccentric to
throw the upper adjustable roll out of action, so that the attendant by moving the
connecting arm endwise may instantly throw both sets of rolls into or out of
action simultaneously.
This connection is an important feature of my machine for the reason that will
hereinafter appear.
The second or lower set of rolls are fed by material from the first, so that the
connection of the two pair as described prevents the passage of unground
material to the lower rolls or of the lower rolls running against each other in the
event of the upper rolls being stopped so as to stop the flow of material of the
lower rolls.
"
Within the frame of the machine I mount two reciprocating screens, one above
the other, connected rigidly with each other by means of vertical side plates.
The screens are suspended by means of links pivoted to the main frame and to
the ends of the screens.
In order to give extended wearing services and to aid in preventing the screens
from losing their proper form the links are made with long sleeves to receive the
pivots, and these pivots are formed by passing a shaft transversely through the
screens from side to side, and mounting the sleeves upon their protruding ends.
The upper screen is provided with a perforated sheet metal screening surface
extending from a point beneath the upper rolls to a point above the lower rolls,
and is also provided with an inclined conducting board or plate which serves to
conduct the material screened through the surface to the tail of the machine away
from the lower rolls. The lower screen is provided with a perforated sheet metal
screening plate inclined downward from a point beneath the lower rolls to the tail
of the machine, and is also provided beneath the said plate with an imperforate
conducting plate, also inclining to the tail of the machine.
The grain being placed in the hopper is delivered by the feed roll to the upper
reducing rolls, which break and partially reduce the grain and deliver the same
upon the upper screening surface, which permits the fine flour and the middlings
set free by the action of the rolls to pass through to the conducting board while the
clean coarse material, cominonly denominated "the break," is carried downward
upon the upper screening surface and delivered to the lower rolls for further
reduction. These rolls, which are set closer than the upper rolls, acting upon the
break" further reduce the same, and set free a large proportion of middlings and
a small amount of flour. From these rolls the material falls upon the lower screen
surface, through which all the free flour and middlings pass to the conducting
plate below, while the clean coarser material passes over the tail of the screen.
€5
The tailings from the two screens may be spouted to the front of the machine,
and again introduced between the rolls or reduced by means of a second machine
or otherwise as may be preferred.
As before stated the screening surfaces are composed of perforated sheet
metal. This metal should be made as smooth as possible upon the upper surface
with special reference to its offering the least possible resistance to the passage of
the material downward over this surface, and in this connection the use of the
sheet metal for the treatment of the wheat "break" forms an essential and
important feature of my Invention.
In the practical operation of milling it has been found desirable that the wheat
break from the rolls shall be subjected to the least possible agitation and friction
consistent with the separation with the free flour and middlings therefrom. It is
found the agitation of the mass of break by passing the same through reels or over

page_text: rough screening surfaces, or through extended conveyers, or in short through any
apparatus by which the mass is agitated or the particles subjected to attrition upon
each other or to frictional contact with other surfaces is followed by injurious results
and deterioration in the quality of the flour produced, this being due to the fact that
an excessive amount of fine flour is produced and fine dark specks and impurities
released and combined with the flour and middlings from which they cannot
subsequently be separated.
In practice I have found that by making use of the smooth perforated sheet
metal over which the material can flow smoothly and with the lowest attainable
degree of resistance, I can effect the separation of the flour and middlings more
perfectly and in much cleaner and better condition than by any means known in
the art. I find that the action of this smooth sheet metal when used upon the
peculiar material known as "wheat break" differs materially from the action of
any other separating surface to which the material has hitherto been subjected.
The reciprocation of the screens is effected by means of rods actuated by eccentrics
mounted on a cross shaft set in bearings in the main frame. The rods are passed
through and secured by adjusting nuts to the metal sleeves, which are seated and
have a long bearing up on a cross shaft extended through the connecting plates of
the screens. By giving the sleeves a long bearing on the shaft, extending the
latter through the screen from side to side, and giving the rods a long bearing in
the sleeves at right angles to the shaft, the screens are braced and prevented from
twisting or losing their form, and are caused to move forward and back without
lateral vibration. For the purpose of keeping the measures or openings of the
screen clear and free from obstruction I make use of a knocker sustained by a spring
in such manner that being once set in motion it continues to vibrate rapidly under
the action of the spring, and strike repeated blows upon the screen. The connection
of this striker or knocker with the spring in such manner that it may vibrate
freely under the action of the spring constitutes an essential feature of my Invention,
and is susceptible of embodyment in many different forms.
A vertical rod mounted in suitable guides and arranged to move up and down
freely is at its upper end attached rigidly to the main frame, the spring being so
arranged that it suspends the rod nearly vertically. The rod passes through the
screens, and is provided with collars to strike upon the screens or plates fastened
thereon. When the parts are at rest the collars stand above and out of contact
with the screen.
A transverse shaft passing through the frame is provided with a tappet or arm
which acts upon a collar on the knocker shaft for the purpose of elevating the same
against the action of the spring.
As the tappet releases the rod the spring depresses the same and causes the
collars to strike upon the screen, and immediately raise it again, and so on repeatedly,
the knocker striking rapidly and successively upon the screens, and finally coming
to rest in the position indicated above and out of contact with the screen.
In order to prevent the material upon the screen from flowing down through the
slot made to receive the knocker, a flange is turned upward from the screen around
said opening. The body of the machine is closed on all sides to confine the dust,
and is provided with various windows and doors through which the interior may be
viewed and access gained thereto.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th November 1881.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., of
6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and of 323, High Holborn,
in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE GRADUAL
REDUCTION OF GRAIN." A communication from abroad by William Dickson Gray,
of Milwaukee, in the County of Milwaukee, in the State of Wisconsin.
This Invention consists in an organized machine for carrying out what is
ordinarily known in the art as the system of "gradual reduction" of wheat by the
employment of rolls in connection with screens, and the object of the Invention is
to produce a machine which shall be exceedingly simple and compact in construction,
and which shall effect the required separation of the material with the least possible
separation of the fine flour from the middlings, and the least possible breaking up
of the bran.
Referring to the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of
the machine; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section through the centre of the same;
Fig. 3, a rear elevation of the same with one side in section.
Referring to the Drawings, A represents a rigid main frame intended and
adapted to support the various transverse shafts and other moving parts of the
machine.
.
In the upper part of this frame is mounted a pair of horizontal reducing
rolls B, B', which may be of any ordinary or suitable construction. Above these rolls
is mounted in an ordinary manner a feed hopper F and a feed roll G. The roll B¹
is sustained and made adjustable by means substantially the same
represented in American Letters Patent, No. 222,895.
as those
The roll is supported in swinging arms D pivoted at their lower ends and
connected at their upper ends with the adjusting rods b, these rods being connected
at one end with arm by means of nuts c and d and intermediate springs, and
being connected at the opposite end with eccentric , which admit of the rod being
readily released and thrown back when the roll B¹ is to be thrown out of action.
In the lower portion of the frame at a considerable distance from the upper rolls
is mounted a second and corresponding pair of rolls C, C¹, mounted and controlled
in like manner, the arm f¹ being connected with the eccentric for throwing the
rolls out of action.
This arm is connected by a rod E with the corresponding arm f which
operates the eccentric to throw the upper roll B¹ out of action, so that the attendant,
by moving the arm E endwise, may instantly throw both sets of rolls into or out of
action simultaneously.
This connection is an important feature of the machine for the reason that will
hereinafter appear.
The second or lower set of rolls are fed by material from the first, so that the
connection of the two pair as described prevents the passage of unground material
to the lower rolls, or of the lower rolls running against each other in the event of
the upper rolls being stopped so as to stop the flow of material of the lower rolls.
Within the frame of the machine is mounted two reciprocating screens H and I,
one one above the other, connected rigidly with each other by means of vertical side
plates g.
The screens are suspended by means of links K pivoted to the main
frame and to the end of the screens as shown. In order to give extended wearing
services and to aid in preventing the screens from loosing their proper form, the
links are made with long sleeves to receive the pivots, and these pivots are formed

page_text: by passing shaft N transversely through the screens from side to side and mounting
the sleeves upon their protruding ends, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. The upper
screen H is provided with a perforated sheet metal screening surface h extending
from a point beneath the upper rolls to a point above the lower rolls, and is also
provided with an inclined conducting board or plate i, which serves to conduct the
material screened through the surface h to the tail of the machine away from the
lower rolls. The lower screen is provided with a perforated sheet metal screening
plate K inclined downward from a point beneath the lower rolls to the tail of the
machine, and is also provided beneath the said plate with an imperforated conducting
plate also inclining to the tail of the machine. The grain being placed in the
hopper F is delivered by the feed roll G to the upper reducing rolls B, B¹, which
break and partially reduce the grain and deliver the same upon the upper screening
surface which permits the fine flour and the middlings set free by the action of
the rolls to pass through to the conducting board i, while the clean coarse material,
commonly denominated "the break," is carried downward upon the surface and
delivered to the lower rolls C, C', for further reduction. The rolls C, C¹, which are
set closer than the upper rolls acting upon the "break" further reduce the same
and set free a large proportion of middlings and a small amount of flour.
the rolls C, C', the material falls upon the screen surface k, through which all the
free flour and middlings pass to the conducting plate 7, while the clean coarser
material passes over the tail of the screen. The tailings from the two screens may
be spouted to the front of the machine and again introduced between the rolls or
reduced by means of a second machine or otherwise, as may be preferred.
From
As before stated the screening surfaces are composed of perforated sheet metal.
This metal should be made as smooth as possible upon the upper surface, with
special reference to its offering the least possible resistance to the passage of the
material downward over this surface, and in this connection the use of the sheet
metal for the treatment of the wheat break" forms an essential and important
feature of this Invention.
<
In the practical operation of milling it has been found desirable that the wheat
break from the rolls shall be subjected to the least possible agitation and friction
consistent with the separation with the free flour and middlings therefrom. It is
found the agitation of the mass of break by passing the same through reels or over
rough screening surfaces, or through extended conveyers, or in short through any
apparatus by which the mass is agitated, or the particles subjected to attrition upon
each other, or to frictional contact with other surfaces, is followed by injurious
results and deterioration in the quality of the flour produced; this being due to
the fact that an excessive amount of fine flour is produced, and fine dark specks
and impurities released and combined with the flour and middlings from which
they cannot subsequently be separated.
The
In practice it is found that by making use of the smooth perforated sheet metal
over which the material can flow smoothly, and with the lowest attainable degree
of resistance, the separation of the flour and middlings can be effected more
perfectly, and in much cleaner and better condition than by any means known in
the art. It is found that the action of this smooth sheet of metal when used upon
the peculiar material known as "wheat break," differs materially from the action
of any other separating surface to which the material has hitherto been subjected.
The reciprocation of the screens is effected by means of rods m actuated by
eccentrics mounted on a cross shaft o set in bearings in the main frame.
rods m are passed through and secured by adjusting nuts to metal sleeves q, which
are seated and have a long bearing upon a cross shaft extended through the
connecting plates g of the screens. By giving the sleeves q a long bearing on the
shaft 7, extending the latter through the screw from side to side, and giving
the rods m a long bearing in the sleeves at right angles to the shaft r, the screens
are braced and prevented from twisting or losing their form, and are caused to
move forward and back without lateral vibration. For the purpose of keeping the
measures or openings of the screen clear and free from obstruction, use is made of

page_text: a knocker sustained by a spring in such manner that being once set in motion it
continues to vibrate rapidly under the action of the spring, and strike repeated
blows upon the screen. The connection of this striker or knocker with the spring
in such manner that it may vibrate freely under the action of the spring constitutes
an essential feature of this Invention, and is susceptible of embodiment in many
different forms, the plan represented in the Drawing being considered the most
simple and desirable for ordinary uses.
-
M represents a vertical rod mounted in suitable guides and arranged to move up
and down freely. At its upper end this rod is attached rigidly to the main frame,
the spring being so arranged that it suspends the rod in the position shown in the
Drawing. The rod passes through the screens, as shown, and is provided with
collars a to strike upon the screens or plates fastened thereon.
When the parts
are at rest the collars stand above and out of contact with the screen, as shown.
A transverse shaft O passing through the frame is provided with a tappet or
arm v, which acts upon a collar w on the knocker shaft for the purpose of elevating
the same against the action of the spring.
As the tappet releases the rod the spring depresses the same, and causes the
collars to strike upon the screen and immediately raise it again, and so on
repeatedly, the knocker striking rapidly and successively upon the screens, and
finally coming to rest in the position indicated above and out of contact with the
screen.
In order to prevent the material upon the screen from flowing down through
the slot made to receive the knocker, a flange c¹ is turned upward from the screen
around said opening. As shown in the Drawing, the body of the machine is closed
on all sides to confine the dust, and is provided with various windows and doors,
through which the interior may be viewed and access gained thereto.
"
Having now described my Invention and the best mode known to me of carrying
it into effect, I hereby in the following claims define and ascertain the extent of
my said Invention, it being however clearly understood that when using such an
"the shaft r
expression as
or the plates g," I do not confine the claim to a shaft
or plates exactly as depicted, but embrace in such an expression any piece or pieces
of mechanism equivalent to said shaft r or plates g respectively, and operating in
the same manner,
First. The herein described method of separating the flour and middlings from
the wheat break or partially reduced wheat, the same consisting in passing the
same over a smooth perforated sheet of metal.
Second. The combination of two reducing rolls and a smooth perforated metal
sheet arranged thereunder, substantially as described and shown.
Third. In an organized machine for the reduction of wheat, the combination of a
primary pair of reducing rolls, a secondary pair of reducing rolls, and an inter-
mediate inclined sheet of perforated metal having a smooth upper surface.
Fourth. In an organized machine for the reduction of wheat, the combination of
a primary pair of reducing rolls, a secondary pair of reducing rolls, and an
intermediate screen arranged to receive the material falling off the first rolls and
deliver its tailings to the second rolls.
Fifth. The combination of the upper reducing rolls, the lower reducing rolls, the
intermediate screen to receive the material from the first rolls and deliver its
tailings to the second rolls, the second and lower screens arranged to receive the
material from the lower rolls, and the inclined delivery boards arranged to conduct
the screenings from the two screens and the tail of the machine.
Sixth. In a wheat reduction machine embracing a primary pair of reducing rolls,
and a secondary pair of reducing rolls which receive the material from the first,
and a device common to both sets of rolls for throwing them simultaneously out
of action.
Seventh. In combination with the two pair of reducing rolls, the two screens
connected by plates g, and both sustained by one set of swinging links.
Eighth. In combination with the upper and the lower reducing rolls, the two

page_text: screens arranged one above and the other below the lower rolls, the two screens
being rigidly united and separated by a single pair of connecting rods and
eccentrics, as shewn.
Ninth. In combination with the reciprocating screen, the eccentrics and the
connecting rods, the shaft extended through the screen from side to side, and
provided with the sleeve q on its ends.
Tenth. In combination with a screen and vibratory spring knocker, a means
adapted to act momentarily thereon to set it in motion.
Eleventh. In combination with the screen, the vertical reciprocating knocker, the
spring supporting the knocker, and the tappet or cam arranged to raise the
knocker and then release the same.
Twelfth. In combination with a screen, a spring supported knocker which is
permitted to vibrate freely, subject only to the action of the spring after being first
set in motion.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
W. P. THOMPSON. (L.S.)