A New or Improved Apparatus for Mixing, Blending, and Sifting Powders, especially for Bakers' and Chemists' Purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Cate of Application, 5th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 5th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 7th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Mixing, Blending, and Sifting
Powders, especially for Bakers' and Chemists' Purposes.
I, ROBERT KENNETH BALCARRAS, of 14 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin,
Ireland, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to a new or improved apparatus for mixing,
blending and sifting powders, and is especially designed for bakers' and chemical
purposes.
In carrying out my invention I construct a receptacle of suitable dimensions,
consisting of three parts (1) the box proper, (2) a concave sieve carried in suitable
framework, and (3) a false concave bottom.
Within this receptacle is arranged a circular framework of wire whose diameter
is nearly equal to the width of the receptacle. This circular frame rotates on
longitudinal horizontal axis, one end of which projects through the end of the
receptacle and is provided with a lever handle for the purpose of imparting rotation
to the circular frame.
The outer longitudinal ribs of the frame are provided with small floats or webs
projecting towards the centre for the purpose presently described.
Close to the underneath half of the periphery of the circular frame is introduced
the sieve whose concavity coincides with the circumferential curve of the circular
frame, and underneath the sieve and in contact therewith is introduced the false
bottom whose shape concides in turn with the curve of the sieve so that when
the false bottom is pressed home to its normal position, it, together with the
sieve forms practically a solid bottom, whereas when the false bottom is removed the
sieve alone remains in close proximity to the rotating circular frame.
Thus when it is desired to use the apparatus for the purpose of mixing, or
blending, the three parts are first fitted to their normal position and the powders
to be mixed or blended dropped into the receptacle from the top, whereupon the
circular frame is rotated and the contents tossed to and fro by the floats or
webs on the outer ribs of the circular frame thereby effectually mixing or blending
the contents.
For the purpose of sifting, it is only necessary to remove the false bottom leaving
the sieve undisturbed, when the contents upon being tossed about by the rotation of
the circular frame will pass directly through the sieve into the vessel placed under-
neath to receive same.
Deted the 2nd day of June 1893
J. K. FAHIE & SON,
9, Westland Row, Dublin, Agents for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Mixing, Blending, and Sifting
Powders, especially for Bakers' and Chemists' Purposes.
J, ROBERT KENNETH BALCARRAS of 14 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin,
Ireland, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to a new or improved apparatus for mixing, blending and

page_text: sifting powders and will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which :-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete apparatus with the upper part or
lid raised and portion of the lower part or body broken away and
Figure 2 is a perspective view drawn to smaller scale than that to which Figure 1
is drawn showing the back of the apparatus.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The casing of the apparatus is made in two parts, a lower one or body A and an
upper one or lid A', hinged together by a rod B Figure 2 which passes through
lugs A formed on these parts, which when necessary may be secured together at
the front by means of say a bolt or screw C secured to A a lug A' on the lid A'
through which C passes and a winged nut C¹ screwing on to C; the nut C¹is shown
detached in Figure 1.
The end walls of the casing A A' are provided with open bearings A* for
receiving trunnions D carrying discs E in which are secured arms or frames E
and on the outwardly projecting end of one of these trunnions is secured a crank
handle D' instead of the short shafts or trunnions D I may, as indicated in dotted
lines in Figure 1, employ a single shaft extending throughout the length of the
machine.
The frames E' of which there may be any desired number according to the size
of the machine may be all connected together by one or more rings E3 and each
carries a blade conveniently of about half the length of the casing A A¹ and
constructed at one part F radial and parallel with the axis of rotation and at
another part in the form of two or more or less wings F which are set at an angle
to the axis of rotation. The wings F at one end of the machine are set at an
angle the reverse of that to which those at the opposite end are set so that when
the frame and blades E E F and F, hereinafter for convenience referred to as a
whole as the frame Fare rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 1
the material being agitated or sifted by such operation will tend to approach the
middle of the machine; if desired however other forms of blades may be used
instead of those indicated in the drawings.
G is a semi-cylindrical sieve supported as by a bead or a flange G¹ or in other
convenient manner in the lower part or body A of the casing and H is a concave or
partly cylindrical plate adapted to slide through a correspondingly-shaded slot in
the wall A' of the casing so as to fit closely against the underside of the sieve G
or to enable it to be drawn out from beneath G as indicated in dotted lines in
Figure 1. The plate H may be conveniently supported on shoulders A by means
of its flanged or turned-over longitudinal-edges, and if desired to prevent the
accumulation of material on these edges fillets having properly inclined surfaces
may be provided on A to extend over them. The outwardly projecting end of the
plate H may conveniently be formed with a lip or handle H by which it may
easily be grasped to enable it to be readily pushed in or out.
The lid A may be provided with a hopper or shoot A' to facilitate the
introduction of the material into the machine and the case being made in two
parts as shown enables the frame F and sieve G to be readily removed when
necessary.
When it is desired to use the before described apparatus for mixing purposes,
the sieve G and plate H are arranged in the position in which they are represented
in full lines in Figure 1 so that by the latter being close against the outer
surface of G none of the material treated in the machine will then be allowed to
pass through G. The necessary ingredients are then introduced through the
hopper A and the frame F rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows in
Figure 1 by means of the crank handle D' the ingredients being thereby thoroughly
incorporated one with another. After this by withdrawing the slide or plate H
and continuing the 1otation of the frame F the material will be sifted through G
into any desired receptacle placed below the sieve to receive it any particles too
large to pass through the interstices of G being subsequently removed after the

page_text: lid A has been raised by lifting first the frame F and its accessories and then G
out of the machine and inverting G or in other desired manner.
The apparatus may be used for directly sifting any material charged into it if
the slide or plate H is removed before the introduction of said material and
thereafter rotating the frame F as before.
The before described apparatus may be modified without departing from the
spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is ;-
1. In apparatus such as described the combination with a rotating frame having
blades vanes or stirrers of a substantially semi-circular sieve such as G fitting closely
against the frame and an adjustable concave slide or plate such as H fitting closely
against the sieve substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus such as described the combination with a casing formed in
two connected parts such as A A' of rotating frame having stirrers thereon and
a sieve such as G both readily removable from the casing and an adjustable
slide or plate such as H substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
3. A machine such as described adapted to mix only or to mix and sift sub-
stantially as described.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete mixing
and sifting machine substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of March 1894.