IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO MILL STONES AND ROLLER MILLS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Davies of Manchester in the County of
"
Lancaster Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent for an Invention of
"IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO MILL STONES AND ROLLER MILLS
communicated to him from abroad by John Suttie Stark of Constantinople
T
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Davies at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th May 1883.
GEORGE DAVIES of Manchester in the County of Lancaster Consulting
Engineer and Patent Agent "IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO MILL
STONES AND ROLLER MILLS (a Communication to me from abroad by John
Suttie Stark of Constantinople Turkey)
The object of this invention is to prevent mill stones and roller mills from
running empty by giving an automatic alarm, so as to prevent the deterioration
of the mill stones or rollers, and also to lessen the liability of the destruction of
flour mills by fire.
The automatic alarm consists of a bell or gong put in action by means of an
electric battery, the contact between the negative and positive poles being made by
means of an armature of platinum or other suitable metal.
This armature is pressed against the terminals by means of a spiral spring encased
in a cylinder fixed to the flooring above or in any other convenient position above the
hopper and the rod to which the armature is connected is provided with a book at its
lower end from which is suspended a link or rod which carries at its lower end a
convex disc or inverted cup inside the hopper near to the top thereof. So long as
the wheat, grain or meal continues to flow into the hopper through the spouts or
shoots above the disc or cup, the weight of the said wheat grain or meal acting on
the upper surface of the convex disc or inverted cup will press the latter down
and hold the armature out of contact with the terminals or poles and thus interrupt
the electric circuit so that the bell or gong will be silent: but if the hopper or
wheat bin runs empty, or the spout from the bin to the hopper is blocked from any
D

page_text: cause whatever the convex disc or inverted cup in the hopper will be relieved from
the weight of the wheat or other grain or meal in the hopper and the spiral spring
will then come into action and press the armature against the terminals or poles
and thus complete the electric circuit and cause the alarm bell or gong to sound so
as to give from twelve to fifteen minutes warning (according to the size of the
hopper) before the stones or rollers can run empty.
The alarm bell or gong will be kept ringing until wheat or other grain or meal
is supplied to the mill stone or roller mill hoppers.
A spring stop is provided for the purpose of holding the armature out of contact
at any time when for dressing the stones, or otherwise it is required to relieve
the convex disc or inverted cup of the weight of the wheat or other grain or meal
upon it, without ringing the alarm.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th November 1883.
GEORGE DAVIES, of Manchester in the county of Lancaster, Consulting
Engineer and Patent Agent "IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO MILL-
STONES AND ROLLER MILLS." (A communication to me from abroad by John
Suttie Stark of Constantinople, Turkey)
The object of this invention is to prevent mill-stones and roller mills from
running empty by giving an automatic alarm so as to prevent the deterioration of
the mill-stones or rollers and also to lessen the liability of the destruction of flour
mills by fire.
The automatic alarm consists of a bell or gong put in action by means of an
electric battery, the contact between the negative and positive poles being made by
means of an armature of platinum or other suitable metal. This armature is pressed
against the terminals by means of a spiral spring encased in a cylinder fixed to the
flooring above or in any other convenient position above the hopper and the rod to
which the armature is connected is provided with a hook at its lower end from
which is suspended a link or rod which carries at its lower end a convex disc or
inverted cup inside the hopper near to the top thereof. So long as the wheat
grain or meal continues to flow into the hopper through the spouts or shoots above
the dise or cup the weight of the said wheat, grain or meal acting on the upper
surface of the convex disc or inverted cup will press the latter down and hold the
armature out of contact with the terminals or poles and thus interrupt the electric
circuit so that the bell or gong will be silent, but if the hopper or wheat bin runs
empty, or the spout from the bin to the hopper is blocked from any cause whatever,
the convex disc or inverted cup in the/hopper will be relieved from the weight of
the wheat or other grain or meal in the hopper and the spiral spring will then
come into action and press the armature against the terminals or poles and thus
complete the electric circuit and cause the alarm bell or gong to sound so as to give
from twelve to fifteen minutes warning (according to the size of the hopper) before
the stones or rollers can run empty.
The alarm bell or gong will be kept ringing until wheat and other grain or meal
is supplied to the mill stone or roller mill hoppers.
.
A spring stop is provided for the purpose of holding the armature out of contact
at any time when for dressing the stones or otherwise it is required to relieve the
convex disc or inverted cup of the weight of the wheat or other grain or meal upon
it without ringing the alarm.
If desired instead of a bell or gong the completion of the electric circuit might
open a steam or air whistle or other similar alarm or if desired when using a
number of stones an annunciator or indicator of well known construction might be
arranged in circuit and be placed in the manager's or foreman's office and so indicate
the particular stone or rollers requiring attention.
Or at night if electric light is used the completion of the circuit by the stones or
rollers running empty might in addition operate a relay to switch an incandescent
lamp into circuit thus calling additional attention to the particular stones or rollers
connected therewith.
And in order that the nature of the said invention communicated to me may be
understood and carried into practical effect I have annexed the accompanying
sheet of drawings and will refer to the figures and letters of reference thereon
indicated.

page_text: Figure 1 shews a pair of stones fitted with the apparatus part of the hopper being
broken away to shew the convex disc or inverted cup.
Figure 2. shews a sectional elevation of the apparatus.
A is the cleat attached to or forming part of the cylinder F for securing the same
to the ceiling joist or beam.
B B¹ are the platinum tipped studs forming the terminals of the circuit, C is the
armature carried on a pad of felt or other soft material D on the piston and serving
to cushion the same striking against the terminals B B'. The rod E carries the
piston and the spring G presses the piston upward against the downward pressure
put on it by the pull of the convex disc or inverted cup K carried by rod L hung
by a chain or cord from piston rod E. J is a safety pin to pass through hole I in
the rod E and hold the armature C out of contact with the terminals B-B¹ when
dressing the stones or for other purposes when the alarm is to remain silent.
A spring or other device might take the place of this pin.
The spring G may be made adjustable by a screwed cover on the cylinder For
other device may be used for the purpose.
Instead of the spring G I may arrange the armature C on a weighted lever to
complete the circuit.
Having now described the invention communicated to me from the said John
Suttie Stark and particularly ascertained the manner of performing the same I
would have it understood that I claim under the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent :-
Firstly. In combination with the convex disc or inverted cup K placed in the
hopper of mill stones or roller mills, a spring or weighted contact device
for completing an electric circuit giving an alarm or signal on the cessation
of the supply of grain, meal or the like to the hopper by relieving the
said disc or cup substantially as described.
Secondly. The arrangement and combination of parts forming the contact maker
and spring support for the dise or cup substantially as described..
In Witness whereof I the said George Davies have hereunto set my hand
and seal this seventh day of November in the year of our Lord, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty-three.
CODAN DAVILO
GEORGE DAVIES
HES (L.S.)