IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ADJUSTING MILL-STONE IRONS
Year: 1884

page_text: I HENRY COUBROUGH, of Liscard House, Liscard Road, Liscard in the County
of Chester, Merchant do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ADJUSTING MILL-STONE IRONS to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in mill-stone irons and it
consists in means by which the stationary, or non revolving stone is hung on self
adjusting irons, so that the face of the non-revolving stone may adjust itself to the
face of the runner-stone, it being desirable that the face of the runner stone should
revolve in a plane, parallel to the face of the non-revolving stone.
In this Invention the runner-stone may be made a fixture at will to the driving
spindle, or may be hung upon loose irons in the usual method.
In the usual method of hanging millstones the stationary, or non revolving
stone is a fixture and the runner stone is driven either with universal irons with
bail and driver or with stiff irons. When on loose irons, the runner stone has to
be balanced on the irons and in motion, in order to get what is known as, the
standing and running balance," and the spindle has to be carefully trammeled
that it may run at right angles to the face of the non revolving stone.
24
When the runner stone hangs upon stiff irons, it is even more necessary carefully
to trammel the spindle to the non revolving stone.
Notwithstanding the greatest care in balancing, it is impossible to obtain a
perfect balance of the runner, and however carefully the spindle may be trammelled
the strain from the power used in driving will spring the spindle and cause the
stone to grind more on one side than the other.
Thus even if it were possible perfectly to balance the runner, the springing of
the spindle would throw the stone out of tram and cause the material to be
unevenly ground. Again, if the spindle could be perfectly trammeled, the defects
in the balance of the runner would cause uneven grinding..

page_text: Both of these difficulties are overcome by this Invention, because in whatever
position, the face of the runner may be, the non revolving stone will immediately
reciprocate.
Referring to the accompanying Drawings,
Figure 1 sheet 1 is a vertical section taken through the stones and spindle.
Figure 2 is a top view of the bottom irons with a portion broken away.
Figure 3 sheet 2 is a vertical section taken at right angles with Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a bottom view of the runner irons, or inque.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are detail views of parts of the irons.
Figure
upper disc.
shows an under runner and the self adjusting irons applied to the
This Invention is shown applied to an upper runner and a lower non revolving
stone, A is the upper and B the lower mill stone.
In carrying this Invention into effect, I take a socketed centre casting, or forging
of iron, or steel C such as is commonly known as a "stiff inque," having pre-
ferably three radial arms, and of such material, shape and size as is suitable for
the runner into which said "stiff inque" is permanently secured by means of
bolts and cement.
The upper end of the spindle D is fitted and locked to the said socketed centre
casting by means of a stud W and nut Z, so that the runner will rotate with the
spindle.
The upper side of the washer X beneath the nut, may be shaped as a saucer and
serve as a feeder. The lower stone B is cemented and fixed to a circular plate F
which fits into its lower surface as shown and has an upwardly extending hollow
cylindrical extension G which projects upward into the hollow central portion of
the stone.
Upon opposite sides of the part G are openings H, the upper sides of which form
Semi circular caps, which fit upon similarly shaped trunnions I upon the hollow
cylinder J. This cylinder has semi circular openings K in its lower edges in radial
lines at right angles with the trunnions I, forming caps to rest upon trunnions L
which project from the sides of the inner cylinder M.
This cylinder M has four arms N projecting radially from its lower edge and
these are bolted to the hurst-timbers to support the whole weight of the
stone B.
There is a space between the inner cylinder M and the cylinder J and also
between J and the outer cylinder G, so that the stone which is supported by
means of the two sets of trunnions at right angles with each other may have
a motion about them to raise, or lower its edges, or skirt at any point and thus
adjust itself to the irregularities of motion of the upper stone.
The spindle D turns in a step at the lower end and is supported where it
passes through the lower stone and the inner cylinder M by babbited boxes, or
followers P. Three, or more of these segmental boxes P are fitted into vertical
channels formed by projections Q within the cylinder M and upon the back in the
centre of each is a spherical projection R. Behind each of these pieces P is a
plate S having a depression corresponding with the projection R and into which
the latter fits, so that the interior segments may have a rocking adjustment about
the spherical projections R to allow them to fit the spindle D perfectly, if it
should run out of line by reason of the strain from the power used in driving, or
from other cause.
Wedges T are driven in behind the plates S and by these the segments P are
kept to a bearing upon the spindle D.
Adjustable screws, or stops U project upward from the arms N, or the bed
timbers to limit the movements of the lower stone upon its trunnions.
A flexible apron, flange, or gasket V is fixed around the lower stone and presses
against its periphery to prevent dust from falling down at that point.

page_text: W is a screw passing through a disc, or washer X into the top of the spindle D
and having a nut Z screwed down upon the top. The flanged edge of the disc
rests upon the top of the inque C in the upper stone and tends to prevent the
stone from rising when a large amount of feed is passing beneath it.
Mill stones are in some instances replaced by metal discs, or artificial stones.
It will be manifest that this Invention will apply not only to mill stones, pro-
perly so called, but to any apparatus operating similarly, or designed to supply
their place, although for the sake of brevity I have only mentioned mill stones."
I have hereinbefore described this Invention as applied to mills in which the
upper stone is the runner, but it must be obvious that it is equally applicable to
those in which the under stone is the runner, whether it be fixed rigidly or with
loose irons to the spindle.
In this case the irons are made large enough to encircle the exterior of the upper
stone, there being two set of irons with trunnions at right angles like the gimbals
of the mariners compass.
As under runner mills are usually of comparatively small dimensions this
method of suspending the non revolving stone can be applied without difficulty.
The same adjustment of the runner to the non revolving stone may be made if
the disc runs upon a horizontal axis, or in any other position, as the adjustment
is always a relative one between the stones, or dises.

page_text: I HENRY COUBROUGH of Liscard House, Liscard Road, Liscard in, the County
of Chester, Merchant do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF ADJUSTING MILL STONE IRONS and in wh:
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertaine
the following statement :—
manner the
and by
This Invention relates to certain improvements in mill-stone irons and it consists
in means by which the stationary or non revolving stone is hung on self adjusting
irons, so that the face of the non revolving stone may adjust itself to the face of
the runner stone, it being desirable that the face of the runner stone should revolve
in a plane parallel to the face of the non revolving stone.
In this Invention the runner stone may be made a fixture at will to the driving
spindle, or may be hung upon loose irons in the usual method.
In the usual method of hanging mill stones the stationary, or non revolving
stone is a fixture and the runner stone is driven cither with universal irons, with
bail and driver, or with stiff irons. When on loose irons the runner stone has to bo
balanced on the irons and in motion in order to get what is known as the "standing
and running balance" and the spindle has to be carefully trammeled that it may
run at right angles to the face of the non revolving stone.
When the runner stone hangs upon stiff irons it is even more necessary carefully
to trammel the spindle to the non revolving stone.
Notwithstanding the greatest care in balancing, it is impossible to obtain a
perfect balance of the runner, and however carefully the spindle may be trammeled
the strain from the power used in driving, will spring the spindle and cause the
stone to grind more on one side than the other.
Thus even if it were possible perfectly to balance the runner, the springing of
the spindle would throw the stone out of tram and cause the material to be
unevenly ground. Again, if the spindle could be perfectly trammeled the defects
in the balance of the runner would cause uneven grinding.
Both of these difficulties are overcome by this Invention because in whatever
position the face of the runner may be, the non-revolving stone will immediately
reciprocate.
Referring to the accompanying Drawings,
Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the stones and spindle.
Figure 2 is a top view of the bottom irons with a portion broken away.
Figure 3 is a vertical section taken at right angles with Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a bottom view of the runner irons, or inque.
Figures 5. 6 and 7 are detail views of parts of the irons.
Figure 8 shows an under runner and the self adjusting irons applied to the
upper diso.
This Invention is shown applied to an upper runner and a lower non revolving
stone. A is the upper and B the lower mill stone.
In carrying this Invention into effect I take a socketted centre casting or forging
of iron, or steel C such as is commonly known as a “stiff inque ” having preferably

page_text: three radial arms and of such material, shape and size as is suitable for the runner
into which said "stiff inque" is permanently secured by means of bolts and
cement.
The upper end of the spindle D is fitted and locked to the said socketted centre
casting by means of a stud W and nut Z so that the runner will rotate with the
spindle.
The upper side of the washer X beneath the nut may be shaped as a Saucer
and serve as a feeder. The lower stone B is cemented and fixed to a circular
plate F which fits into its lower surface, as shown and has an upwardly extending
hollow cylindrical extension G which projects upward into the hollow central
portion of the stone.
Upon opposite sides of the part G are openings H, the upper sides of which form
semi circular caps which fit upon similarly shaped trunnions I upon the hollow
cylinder J. This cylinder has semi-circular openings K in its lower edges in
radial lines at right angles with the trunnions I forming caps to rest upon
trunnions L which project from the sides of the inner cylinder M. This cylinder M
has four arms N projecting radially from its lower edge and these are bolted to the
burst timbers O to support the whole weight of the stone B.
There is a space between the inner cylinder M and the cylinder J and also
between J and the outer cylinder G so that the stone which is supported by means
of the two set of trunnions at right angles with each other may have a motion
about them to raise, or lower its edges, or skirt at any point and thus adjust itself
to the irregularities of motion of the upper stone.
The spindle D turns in a step at the lower end and is supported where it passes
through the lower stone and the inner cylinder M by babbited boxes, or followers P.
'Three, or more of these segmental boxes P are fitted into vertical channels formed
by projections Q within the cylinder M and upon the back in the centre of each is
a spherical projection R. Behind each of these pieces P is a plate S having a
depression corresponding with the projection R and into which the latter fits so
that the interior segments may have a rocking adjustment about the spherical
projections R to allow them to fit the spindle D perfectly if it should run out
of line by reason of the strain from the power used in driving, or from other
cause.
Wedges T are driven in behind the plates S and by these the segments P are
kept to a bearing upon the spindle D.
Adjustable screws, or stops U project upward from the arms N, or the bed-
timbers to limit the movements of the lower stone upon its trunnions.
A flexible apron, flange, or gasket V is fixed around the lower stone and presses
against its periphery to prevent dust from falling down at that point.
W is a screw passing through a disc, or washer X into the top of the spindle D
and having a nut Z screwed down upon the top. The flanged edge of the disc rests
upon the top of the "inque" C in the upper stone, and tends to prevent the stone
from rising when a large amount of feed is passing beneath it.
Mill stones are in some instances replaced by metal discs, or artificial stones. It
will be manifest that this Invention will apply not only to mill stones properly so
called, but to any apparatus operating similarly, or designed to supply their place,
although for the sake of brevity mill stones are only mentioned.
This Invention has been herein before described as applied to mills in which the
upper stone is the runner, but it must be obvious that it is equally applicable to
those in which the under stone is the runuer, whether it be fixed rigidly, or with
loose irons to the spindle.
In this case the irons are made large enough to encircle the exterior of the upper
stone, there being two sets of irons with trunnions at right angles, like the gimbals
of the mariners compass.
As under runner mills are usually of comparatively small dimensions this method
of suspending the non revolving stone can be applied without difficulty.

page_text: The same adjustment of the runner to the non revolving stone may be made if
the disc runs upon a horizontal axis, or in any other position as the adjustment is
always a relative one between the stones, or discs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my Foreign Correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First The runner rigidly secured to a driving spindle, in combination with a non
revolving stone provided with a fixed circular plate F, having an internal
extension G and bearings H an interior cylinder M provided with arms N and
trunnions, L, and an intermediate cylinder, J, having trunnions I and openings K
substantially as herein described.
Second In a grinding mill a non revolving disc, a fixed circular plate, provided
with an interior extension having bearings, an intermediate cylinder having
trunnions and openings and an interior cylinder having trunnions and radially
extending arms, in combination with the segmental boxes P, having projections R,
plates S and adjusting wedges T substantially as herein described.
Third In a grinding mill, the non revolving disc, the fixed circular plate F,
having the internal extension G and the bearing Hat opposite sides, in combination
with the interior cylinder M having trunnions L' and the intermediate cylinder J,
having trunnions I and bearings K corresponding with those of the outer and inner
cylinders, substantially as described.