IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND MIXING FOOD FOR PIGS AND OTHER ANIMALS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. Ralph Mellard, of Trent Foundry, Rugeley, in the
County of Stafford, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND MIXING FOOD FOR
PIGS AND OTHER ANIMALS."
Sealed the 5th November 1867, and dated the 10th May 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ralph Mellard at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th May 1867.
I, RALPH MELLARD, of Trent Foundry, Rugeley, in the County of Stafford,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND MIXING FOOD FOR
PIGS AND OTHER ANIMALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the construction and arrangement of certain
mechanism whereby food for pigs aud other animals can be more perfectly
and advantageously mixed and prepared than by the methods previously
employed. A hollow cone constructed of metal or wood is mounted upon a
strong frame or bed plate, such cone having its apex placed downwards, the
interior surface thereof being furnished with a series of cutters or mixing

page_text: knives or blades. A vertical spindle furnished with cutters or mixing knives
or blades corresponding with those before mentioned is mounted in the centre
of the cone by means of suitable bearings, the said spindle being of such a
length as to enable it to operate upon the whole of the substances in the cone.
The spindle is caused to revolve by means of any suitable motive power and
gearing, as well understood. At the upper or wider end of the cone is fixed a
hopper with compartments to contain the roots, meal, and other substances to
be mixed, the same being also provided with a feed apparatus, and also with
a shut-off slide and moveable grating to proportion the meal to the quantity of
roots or other materials which are to be prepared and mixed. Upon motion
being given to the supply apparatus and to the vertical spindle, the roots,
meal, and other substances pass through the hopper and are subjected to the
action of the mixing knives or blades, by which they are reduced to a pulp
and thoroughly mixed, the whole being then expelled at the bottom of the
cone in a fit state to be used for feeding purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ralph Mellard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RALPH
MELLARD, of Trent Foundry, Rugeley, in the County of Stafford, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Ralph Mellard, Her special licence that I, the said Ralph Mellard,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ralph
Mellard, my executors, administrators, and assigus, 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 IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
MACHINERY FOR MIXING AND PREPARING FOOD FOR PIGS AND OTHER ANIMALS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Ralph Mellard, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said

page_text: 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 Ralph Mellard, 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,
reference being had to the annexed Drawings, that is to say:-
My said Invention consists in the construction and arrangement of certain
mechanism whereby food for pigs and other animals can be more perfectly
and advantageously mixed and prepared than by the methods previously
employed. A hollow cone is mounted upon a strong frame or bed plate,
such cone baving its apex placed downwards, the interior surface thereof
being furnished with a series of cutters or mixing knives or blades. A vertical
spindle provided with cutters or mixing knives or blades corresponding with
those before mentioned is mounted in the centre of the cone by means of
suitable bearings, the said spindle being of such a length as to enable it to
operate upon the whole of the substances in the cone. At the upper part of
the spindle is a revolving cone, which is made to rise and fall by means of
suitable mechanism for opening and closing the aperture for the supply
of meal. The spindle is caused to revolve by means of any suitable motive
power and gearing, as well understood. At the upper or wider end of the
cone is fixed a hopper with compartments to contain the roots, meal, and
other materials to be mixed, the same being also provided with a feed
apparatus and also with a shut-off slide and moveable grating to proportion
the meal to the quantity of roots or other materials which are to be prepared
and mixed. Upon motion being given to the supply apparatus and to the
vertical spindle the roots, meal, and other substances pass through the hopper
and are subjected to the action of the mixing knives or blades, by which they
are reduced to a pulp and thoroughly mixed, the whole being then expelled
at the bottom of the cone in a fit state to be used for feeding purposes.
My said Invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the
annexed Drawings.
Figure I. is an elevation of the apparatus, Figure 2 being a vertical section
thereof; and Figure 3 a transverse section of the cone.
a is the meal hopper; b, b, root hopper; c, c, bottom of meal hopper; d,
revolving cone actuated by lever f and hand wheel and screw g; h, aperture
for meal; i, fly wheel; j, horizontal shaft; k, bevel wheels actuating vertical
shaft e; 1, 1, 1, cutters on shaft; m; inverted cone with cutters n; o, step in
which spindle e works; p, p, hinged lids for preventing escape of roots until

page_text: pulped; 9, frame of cone; r, enlargement outside cone forming groove inside
for stationary cutters n.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe
in conclusion that I do not claim the several and distinct parts of the said
apparatus separate and apart from each other as being of my Invention; but
what I consider novel and original and therefore claim as constituting the
Invention secured to me by the said herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, the combination and arrangement of parts and mechanism as and
for the purposes herein-before described and set forth or any mere modifications
thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ralph Mellard, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
RALPH MELLARD. (L.S.)