Improvements in Disintegrators.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 4th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 10th Feb., 1894
TRUVIDIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Disintegrators.
I JAMES PHILIP GRIFFITHS of Dudley in the County of Worcester Chemical
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Disintegrators of various kinds have for some time been known. These machines
which are used for the purpose of breaking crushing or tearing up various substances
have been constructed on many different principles. In some machines the
substance is broken up by being beaten by rapidly revolving arms. In other
machines the substance is broken by being crushed between oppositely revolving
surfaces provided with corrugations. Various other methods are in use.
All or
nearly all the machines at present in use have a tendency to clog when damp or
fibrous substances are operated upon by them or when hard foreign substances by
accident get into the machine. All or nearly all such machines also require a
screen or a series of screens to prevent the materials which are being operated
upon leaving the machine until they have been reduced to the required degree of
fineness.
In my improved form of disintegrator 1 by a novel arrangement of the parts and
by the new and improved construction of the parts construct a disintegrator which
is free from the defect of clogging, dispenses for ordinary purposes with the use of
a screen or screens, enables the machine to be instantly freed from any foreign
matter which would injure the machine without stopping its working and construct
a more powerful and efficient machine capable of dealing effectually with large
quantities of material of greatly varying sizes.
In the construction of my machine I provide a shaft of steel or other suitable
material mounted in bearings and provided with a driving pulley or other suitable
device for imparting rotary motion to the shaft. Upon the shaft I key or other-
wise suitably mount a circular disintegrating wheel. This wheel I construct of
steel, chilled iron, or other suitable material and according to my invention I
construct the wheel somewhat after the fashion of an ordinary spoked wheel having
a solid rim but I place the hub of the wheel in a plane somewhat to one side of the
plane in which the rim of the wheel revolves so that the spokes joining the rim and
the hub are sloped or bent to one side of the hub. I also at the point where the
spokes join the rim widen out the spokes so at that point the spokes have great
strength and give a shearing action to the machine (that is to say the action of forge
shears) meeting their work at a given angle. Upon each side of the disintegrating
wheel I loosely mount upon the shaft two circular plates of chilled iron or other
suitable material which I prevent from rotating by rods passing through them upon
which they can slide such rods being securely fastened to the frame of the machine
or I may prevent rotation by any suitable means. Upon the face of each of the
plates adjacent to the disintegrating wheel I bolt or suitably fasten a ring of similar
materials. These two rings are of equal size and shape and are formed thicker at
their largest diameter than at their smallest so that when the two plates are
brought near to and facing one another a ✓ groove is left between the rings the
narrowest part of the V being nearest the periphery of the plates and rings. Upon
the inuer or sloping face of each ring at points opposite to one another on each ring
are bolted or suitably secured several triangular sloped pieces of hardened metal
such pieces being thicker at the base than at the apex of the triangle and being
secured upon the rings with the apex of the triangles pointing to the centre of the
shaft. A series of rods are fastened to the edge of each plate and the rods of one
plate are connected with a point on a lever on one side of the centre about which

page_text: the lever moves and the rods on the other plate are connected with a point on the
same lever at an equal distance on the other side of the centre so that when the
lever is moved both plates are at the same time and by the same movement caused
either to approach towards or to move away from the disintegrating wheel.
Suitable appliances are provided for regulating the movement of the said lever and
for fixing the said lever and with it the two plates at any required distance on each
side of the disintegrating wheel. An opening or shoot is formed in one of the side
plates near to the central shaft and through this opening the material to be dealt
with is fed into the machine such opening being in the side opposite to that towards
which the spokes of the disintegrating wheel are sloped or bent so that there is a
clear space for the material to enter the disintegrator.
In working my machine the two side plates and the rings secured to them are set
by means of the lever aforesaid at such a distance on either side of the disintegrating
wheel that materials which are to be ground or disintegrated can only pass out
between the wheel and the rings and thus escape from the machine when they have
been ground or pulverized to a size sufficiently small to enable them to pass the
space between the wheel and the rings. The material to be crushed is fed through
the shoot in the side plate, the machine continuing to run at full speed whilst the
material is fed into it.
As the material passes within the machine the large pieces of material are
crushed and cut in the larger portion of the V between the revolving arms of the
wheel and the triangular pieces of metal upon the faces of the rings and as the
material gets smaller it falls or is driven into the narrower portion of the V and is
constantly cut or torn into smaller pieces until it is eventually small enough to pass
out of the machine through the space left between the wheel and the outer edge of
the rings on each side of it. If desired I may arrange beneath the machine an
endless band carrying the crushed materials up to a series of sieves to separate the
crushed material into different grades and I may return to the feeding shoot of the
machine any materials which require further grinding. It will be apparent that if
any foreign material such as pieces of iron or steel get into the machine which
might injure it (though my machine is so powerful that it cuts and breaks up even
these substances), I can at once free the machine without stopping its movement at
all by simply moving the lever connected with the plates so that both the plates are
moved away from the revolving wheel and the foreign material as well as the
materials that are being ground will immediately fall out of the machine without
any harm being done to any part.
I may if desired also place on the top of my disintegrator a small auxiliary
disintegrator driven by the outside edge of my disintegrating wheel which may be
suitably cogged or serrated for the purpose and outside the wheel I may suitably
secure an outer casing similarly cogged or serrated on its inner face.
The materials which have passed through my disintegrator may if they are not
reduced to a sufficiently fine powder be passed through my auxiliary disintegrator
and be further crushed between the two sets of serrations.
Dated the 3rd day of March 1893.
JAMES PHILIP GRIFFITHS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Disintegrators.
1, JAMES PHILIP GRIFFITHS, Chemical Manufacturer, Dudley, in the County
of Worcester, 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 50
by the following statement :-
Disintegrators of various kinds have for some time been known. These
machines, which are used for the purpose of breaking, crushing or tearing up

page_text: various substances, have been constructed on many different principles. In some
machines the substance is broken up by being beaten by rapidly revolving arms.
In other machines the substance is broken by being crushed between oppositely
revolving surfaces provided with corrugations. Various other methods are in use.
All or nearly all the machines at present in use have a tendency to clog when
damp or fibrous substances are operated upon by them or when hard foreign
substances by accident get into them.
All or nearly all such machines also require a screen or a series of screens to
prevent the materials which are being operated upon leaving the machine until
they have been reduced to the required degree of fineness.
In my improved form of disintegrator I, by a novel arrangement of the parts,
and by the new and improved construction of the parts, construct a disintegrator
which is free from the defect of clogging, dispenses, for ordinary purposes, with
the use of a screen or screens, enables the machine to be instantly freed from any
foreign matter which would injure the machine without stopping its working, and
construct a more powerful and efficient machine capable of dealing effectually with
large quantities of material of greatly varying sizes.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Fig. 1 is an end or side view, Fig. 2 is a cross section and Fig. 3 is a plan drawn
off Fig. 1, of a disintegrator constructed according to my invention but separate
from its supporting frame and some of its connected parts.
Fig. 4 is a side view of the rotating wheel.
Figs. 5 and 6 are interior views of the sides or discs of the machine.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation and Fig. 8 is a plan of the machine complete with its
supporting frame and mechanism for moving and controlling the sides or discs.
In all the figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
In the construction of my improved disintegrator I provide a shaft 5 of steel or
other suitable material mounted in bearings a carried by the framing a and
provided with a driving pulley or other suitable device for communicating motion
from a prime mover to said shaft. Upon the shaft b6 I key or otherwise suitably
fix a circular disintegrating wheel c. This wheel I construct of steel, chilled iron,
or other suitable material, and, according to my invention, somewhat after the
fashion of an ordinary spoke wheel having a solid rim c¹, but I place the hub c² of
the wheel in a plane somewhat to one side of the plane in which the rim c' of the
wheel revolves, and so that the spokes 3 joining the rim c' and the hub c' are
sloped or bent from the plane of the rim to one side of the hub; I also, at the point
where the spokes c³ join the rim c¹, widen out the spokes so that at that point the
spokes have great strength and by such form give a shearing action to the machine
(that is to say, the action of forge shears meeting the work at a given angle,).
Upon each side of the disintegrating wheel c I loosely mount upon the shaft b, two
circular plates or discs d d* of chilled iron or other. suitable material, which I
prevent from rotating by rods or links e connecting the lugs do with the brackets f.
Upon the inner face of each of the plates or discs d d* I form or fix (preferably,
cast) a ring d¹ of similar materials. These two rings d' are of equal size and shape
and are formed thicker at their largest diameter than at their smallest, so that
when the two plates or discs d d* are brought near together with their rings d'
facing each other, an annular V groove is formed between the rings d', the
narrowest part of the V being nearest the periphery of the plates and rings.
Upon the inner or sloping face of each ring d', at points opposite to one another,
are cast or otherwise secured several triangular shaped pieces d² of hardened metal,
such pieces d² being thicker or wider at the base than at the apex of the triangle,
and having the apex of the triangle pointing preferably to the centre of the shaft b.
A series of rods g are connected to lugs d³ at the edge of the plate or disc d, and a
series of rods g* are connected to lugs d³ at the edge of the plate or disc d*; the
rods g are connected to a bar h capable of sliding in a guide bracket i, and such
bar h is connected to a lever j on one side of its centre of motion; the rods g* are
connected to a bar h* capable of sliding in the guide bracket i, and such bar h* is

page_text: connected to the lever j on the side of its centre of motion opposite to that to which
the bar is connected and at equal distance therefrom. By this means, when the
lever j is moved, both plates d d* are at the same time, and by the same movement,
caused either to approach towards, or to move away from, the disintegrating
wheel c.
A spring is attached at one end to the lower end of the lever j and at
the other end to the bar h, and an adjustable screw stud is arranged as a stop to
the lever, by which means the distance of movement given to the lever j by the
spring k, and the consequent distance apart of the plates or discs d d*, are adjusted
as may be desired. If desired the tension of the spring can be regulated by a
suitable adjusting screw. An opening d is formed in the plate or disc d near the
shaft b, and a shoot d' is connected to said plate or disc, and the material to be
dealt with is fed to the machine by the shoot through the opening d*, such opening
being in the disc or plate d opposite to that (d*) towards which the spokes c³ of
the disintegrating wheel care sloped or bent, so as to afford a clear space for the
material to enter the disintegrator.
In working my disintegrator the two side plates or discs d d* and their rings d'
are set, by means of the lever j and adjusting screw stud l, at such a distance on
either side of the disintegrating wheel c that materials which are to be ground or
disintegrated can only pass out between the wheel c and the rings d' and thus
escape from the machine when they have been ground, disintegrated or pulverised
to a size sufficiently small to enable them to pass through the spaces between the
wheel c and the rings d'. The machine continues to run at full speed whilst the
material is fed into it. As the material is fed into the machine the large pieces are
crushed and cut in the larger portion of the V between the revolving arms or
spokes of the wheel c and the triangular pieces of metal d' upon the inner faces
of the rings d', and as the material gets smaller it falls or is driven into the
narrower portion of the V groove and is constantly cut, torn or disintegrated into
smaller pieces until it is eventually small enough to pass out of the machine
through the spaces left between the wheel c and the outer edges of the rings d' on
each side of it. If desired I may arrange beneath the machine an endless band or
carrier to carry the materials up to a series of sieves to separate the crushed
material into different grades and I may return to the feeding shoot of the machine
any materials which require further grinding or disintegration. It will be apparent
that if any foreign material, such as pieces of iron or steel, get into the machine
which might injure it (though my machine is so powerful that it cuts and breaks
even these substances), the discs or plates d d* will be caused thereby automatically
to open out and discharge said foreign substance as they are held in their normal
position only by the spring k, whilst, if required, I can at once free the machine
without stopping its movement at all by simply moving the lever j connected with
the plates or discs d d*, so that both the said plates or discs are moved away from
the revolving wheel, and the foreign material, as well as the materials that are
being ground, will immediately fall out of the machine without any harm being
done to any part.
с
I surround the machine with an outer casing m, into which the discs or
plates dd* fit, and which is wide enough to collect the ground or disintegrated
and other material passing out between the wheel c and the plates or discs dd*. I
may also, if desired, form around the top of my disintegrator an auxiliary
disintegrator as follows; the outside edge of my disintegrating wheel c is provided
with suitable cogs e, or it might be serrated, and the interior of the upper portion
of the casing m is provided with cogs m¹ or with serrations, and such upper
portion of the casing m is formed as shown to cause the material to be disin-
tegrated to be directed to the centre thereof. Thus in the working of the machine
the crushed or disintegrated material which has passed into the casing m is lifted
by the cogs and thrown or crushed against the cogs m' and further disintegrated.
The wheel c, in its rotation, blows or throws the crushed or disintegrated material
out of the casing m through the spout m², whence it is collected or delivered as
may be desired. I preferably employ separate wearing parts carrying the

page_text: cogs and I removably attach said parts c to the wheel e so that they can be
removed and replaced by new ones or otherwise as may be desired. To afford
proper support and guidance to such parts I form angular openings in the
rim c to fit the outer portions of the parts, the latter being finally fixed in
position by bolts c as shown or otherwise as may be desired or may be found
convenient.
I would here remark that in Figs. 2, 3, 7 and 8 the discs or plates dd* are
shown opened out away from the wheel c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a disintegrator, the peculiar combination and arrangement of parts herein
shown and described.
2. In a disintegrator, the combination of a rotating disintegrating wheel such
as c with movable discs or plates such as d d*, substantially as herein shown and
described and for the purpose stated.
3. In a disintegrator, the combination of a rotating disintegrating wheel such
as c, movable discs or plates such as d d* and casing such as m, substantially as
herein shown and described.
4. In a disintegrator, the combination of a rotating disintegrating wheel c
having its hub c² in a plane parallel to that of the rim c¹ and its spokes c³ bent
from the plane of the rim c' to the outer end of the hub 2, with a pair of plates or
discs dd having rims d¹ inclined on their inner faces and provided with projecting
angular pieces and a feeding opening din one of them, substantially as herein
shown and described and for the purpose stated.
5. In a disintegrator, the combination of a rotating disintegrating wheel such
as c, movable discs or plates such as dd", means to carry said plates or discs, and
means for adjusting the distance apart of the plates or discs d* for keeping
them normally in their working position and to enable them to be automatically
or manually moved away from the wheel c, substantially as herein shown and
described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 4th day of January 1894
J. P. GRIFFITHS,
By T. Harris,
6, Furnival's Inn, London, E.C.