AN IMPROVED MILL FOR GRINDING
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Buxton, of Malton, in the County of
York, Agricultural Implement Maker, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED MILL FOR GRINDING."
Sealed the 18th January 1854, and dated the 26th July 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Buxton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 26th July 1853.
1, THOMAS BUXTON, of Malton, in the County of York, Agricultural
Implement Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for AN IMPROVED MILL FOR GRINDING" to be as follows:-
The grinding surfaces may be in iron or stone, according to the use
to which they are intended to be applied. The running stone or grind-
ing surface is in the shape of a cone, while the stationary surface is of u
corresponding cone shape. These conical surfaces are placed vertically,
and the corn or other substance to be ground is fed through an aper-
ture in the stationary stone or grinding surface, while the flour or
pulverized material makes its exit through another aperture in the

page_text: stationary grinding surface, as well as from the circumference of the
base of the cone. In addition to the teeth on the surfaces, I find it
necessary to cut a spiral groove or channel in the working surfaces in
order to insure the ground stuff leaving the mill. In some cases I
intend forming the upper part of the cone in stone, and the lower part 5
in metal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Buxton in the Great Seal Patent Office.
on the 26th January 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
THOMAS BUXTON, of Malton, in the County of York, Agricultural
"Implement Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Buxton, "Her special
licence that I, the said Thomas Buxton, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Buxton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, 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. night make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
AN IMPROVED MILL FOR GRINDING," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Buxton, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said "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 Thomas Buxton, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:
Mnvention consists of an improved mill for grinding grain, seeds,
coffee, spices, and generally all such substances (mineral productions
excepted) as are required to be reduced to the state of flour, meal, or
powder. The grinding surfaces may be formed in iron, brass, or stone,
or one of these surfaces may be formed in any one of these materials,
and the other surface in any other of these materials, according to the
use to which the mill is intended to be applied. The running stone or
grinding surface is in the shape of the frustum of a cone, while the
stationary surface is of a corresponding cone shape. These conical
surfaces are placed vertically, the running or grinding surface being
mounted on a horizontal axis or shaft, and being made capable of
adjustment with respect to the stationary surface in order to vary the
distance between them, as may be required. The corn or other substance
to be ground is fed through an aperture in the stationary stone or grind-
ing surface, while the flour or pulverized material makes its exit through
apertures in the running grinding surface, as well as from the circum-
férence of the base of the cones. In addition to the teeth on the two
surfaces, I find it necessary to cut a spiral groove or channel in the
working surfaces, or in the running surface only, in order to ensure the
ground stuff leaving the mill without being subjected to any unneces-
sary retrituration, and also to distribute the grain or substances to be
ground well over and between the grinding surfaces. In some cases
I intend forming the upper part of the cone in stone, and the lower
part in metal. The mill is driven by hand, or by steam, water, or horse
power applied to the axis or shaft of the running stone or grinding
surface. In addition to the purposes of grinding or reducing materials
to flour, my improved mill may also be used for breaking, bruising, or
crushing beans, peas, and seeds, ginger, sugar for confectioners, char-
coal, and other substances requiring the like operations.
Figure 1, of the Drawings hereunto annexed is a front elevation of
my improved mill; Figure 2, is a side elevation of the same: Figure 3.
a sectional elevation, with the front part of the framing removed in

page_text: order to shew the apertures through the convex or running grinding
surface; and Figure 4, a longitudinal section; Figure 5, is a face
view of the convex cone detached, shewing the apertures through it for
the escape of the ground material and the spiral groove cut on its
surface. A, A, is a stout wooden framing cased in on all sides, on
which the working parts of the mill are mounted: B, B, is a cast iron
box fixed to the framing A, A, within which the grinding surfaces are
placed. C, is the stationary grinding surface bolted to one side of the
box B; and D, the running cone, which is keyed fast to the shaft E.
F, F, are the bearings for this shaft, which are fitted to the sides of the
box B, through which the shaft passes; and G, is a strap pulley by
which the shaft is driven when other power than manual labour is
employed to give motion to it. In the case of manual labour a fly
wheel and handle would be substituted for the pulley. H, is an
adjusting screw, by which the position of the grinding cones can be
regulated, and the distance between them increased or diminished as
may be required. I, is a set screw in one end of the arm J, (which is
fixed to the head of the adjusting screw H,) by means of which the
grinding cones when adjusted are so maintained until their position is
again required to be varied. K, is an index plate fixed to the front of
the framing, and pierced with holes into which the set screw I, takes;
the index is graduated so that the relative positions of the grinding
cones may be ascertained at once by inspecting it. I, is a brass
washer mounted on the shaft E, between the grinding cones to prevent
their sufaces coming into actual contact, and also to prevent the flour,
&c. from working into and through the aperture at the centre of the
stationary cone through which the shaft E, passes. M, M, are aper-
tures in and through the running cone which permit the pulverized
material to be discharged as soon as ground, and serve also for the
admission of air to prevent the pulverized material from becoming
heated. N, is a spiral groove in the face of the running conie, by which
the grain or material to be ground is carried around during the pro-
cess of grinding, so that those portions which pass away from the
centre of the cones in an unground state are subjected to a further
grinding action in their onward progress, until they are discharged from

page_text: the circumference of the base of the cones in a perfectly ground state.
O, is the feed aperture through the stationary cone, by which the
materials are supplied to the grinding surfaces. P, is the hopper of
the mill, and Q, the meal spont. The grinding surfaces are dressed in
the usual manner when composed of stone, as shewn in Figure 5, and
are similarly fluted when formed in metal.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim
as my Invention is,
The improved mill for grinding represented in the Drawings here-
unto annexed and herein-before described, that is to say, in so far as
regards the employment therein of conical grinding surfaces placed
vertically, or with their axes in a horizontal position, and adjustable in
respect to each other, the mode of feeding through an aperture in the
stationary grinding cone, and the construction of the running grinding
cone with apertures through it for the escape of the ground materials
and the introduction of air, and with a spiral groove cut thereon for the
purpose of carrying up the materials to be ground between the grinding
surfaces, all as before described; but I do not claim these several im-
provements independent of their employment in combination with each
other, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Thomas Buxton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of January, Onc
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
THOMAS BUXTON. (L.S.)
Witness to the execution hereof,
HENRY JACKSON.
Solicitor,
Malton.