IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING GRAIN FOR BREWERS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Gibbon, of the Royal Brewery, Brentford,
in the County of Middlesex, Brewer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING GRAIN FOR BREWERS,"
Sealed the 22nd April 1862, and dated the 29th October 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Gibbon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th October 1861.
I, RICHARD GIBBON, of the Royal Brewery, Brentford, in the County of
Middlesex, Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING GRAIN FOR
BREWERS," to be as follows:-
My improvements in machinery or apparatus for preparing grain for
brewers, consists in a combination of contrivances for separating, dressing,
crushing, weighing, and valuing malt and barley, my main object being
to crush or bruise every grain, whatever be its size, equally so as on the
one hand to avoid powdering the large grains, and on the other not to allow
the smaller grains to escape without being at all or sufficiently operated
This I accomplish by an arrangement of apparatus by which the
grain after passing an ordinary feed roller through a hopper placed above
upon.

page_text: it, is allowed to fall upon the finest of a series of sieves arranged in a slop-
ing position, and through which fine sieve the small grains pass, the larger
ones continuing their course over the coarser sieves until each grain in its
turn falls through some portion of the series of sieves, according to its
size, thus dividing the whole quantity of grain into any convenient number
of samples, three being usually sufficient. During the progress of the grain
towards the sieves, I subject it to the action of a gentle blast, by which
much of the refuse mixed with it is removed, the clean grain alone passing
through the sieves into the several hoppers or receivers before named.
The grain now passes between a series of crushing rollers, three pairs
being preferred, arranged upon a frame, each pair being adjusted to any
required degree by "set screws" or wedges, and so as to crush equally the
several sized grains into which the grain has been previously separated;
these rollers are actuated by toothed wheels keyed on one end of their axes,
the whole series deriving motion from large spur wheels keyed on the opposite
ends of the axes of some of them, and primarily from ordinary fast and
loose pulleys attached to a prolongation of the axis of one of the rollers.
In the arrangement above described, I. préfer to have three pairs of
rollers, having found, by experience, that grain is naturally and conveniently
divisible into three sizes; this being the case whatever be the quality of the
general sample, I arrange the separating sieves so that they may be readily
changed as required, according to the quality of the grain to be crushed or
bruised. Thus having a series of sieves numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. and so
on, I am enabled to employ any three or more of them, the rollers being
adjusted to suit the sizes of the grain. I do not confine myself to three
pairs of rollers, as a pair more or less may in certain cases be employed.
The grain after being crushed between the rollers passes into three
separate receptacles or into a single one as preferred. The sieves are kept
in motion by means of an eccentric or other contrivance, and as the par-
ticular state of the grain requires a variation to be made in the inclination
of the sieves in order to ensure its uniform descent, I arrange adjusting
mechanism to the frame containing them.
That part of my Invention relating to the weighing and valuation of barley
and malt consists of an adjustable balance, such as an ordinary steelyard, by
which their actual weight per bushel and quarter, as also the specific gravity
of the grain can be at once determined, and thence its real value to the brewer.
Experience having shewn me that this latter may easily, and with almost
absolute certainty, be deduced from the former by the help of suitable com-
parative tables, which may be engraved on a plate attached to the apparatųs

page_text: for elevating the crushed grain when necessary; this elevating apparatus
consisting of small tin or wooden buckets attached to a leather belt, which
latter is passed over rollers at top and bottom, the whole being enclosed in
a wooden or other casing and driven from any convenient part of the machine.
When necessary, I arrange a feed roller to each pair of crushing
rollers; this arrangement being only required where the general sample of
grain does not divide itself into tolerably equal quantities of the different
sized grains, which, however, it is usually found to do. I further provide
against the "back-lash" of the crushing rollers when running empty by
means of a contrivance, the effect of which is to retain the rollers exactly
in their places, whether or not subject to the pressure of crushing. This
arrangement is specially calculated to avoid undue wear and tear.
A convenient mode of carrying out this part of my Invention is, that of
placing wedges of metal or hard wood between the brasses of the rollers of
each pair of rollers, which wedges are driven in or withdrawn as the rollers
require to be set wider apart or closer together respectively. Instead of
wedges, "set screws" may be employed, the object simply being to retain
each roller firmly in its place after being adjusted, as before described.
Finally, I construct the crushing rollers of chilled iron or steel, the bearings
in some cases being of cast steel, or of brass or white metal, and I arrange
movable metal cleaners to the sieves when necessary. The feed rollers, whether
one or several, as well as the fan blast, are driven by bands or cords from any
convenient parts of the machine, as also the elevating apparatus whenemployed.
In arranging the toothed gearing for driving the crushing rollers or in deter-
mining the sizes of the crushing rollers themselves, I sometimes prefer toprovide
for an additional surface speed being given to a single roller of one or more

page_text: of the pairs of rollers, so as to produce a rubbing action in addition to the
crushing one. In the case of obtaining this action by means of different sized
toothed gearing, I provide a second set of equal-sized wheels, which may be
readily keyed on the axes of the rollers, so as to cause the said rollers to be
driven with equal surface speeds, and thus produce a crushing action alone.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Gibbon in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
GIBBON, of the Royal Brewery, Brentford, in the County of Middlesex,
Brewer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Richard Gibbon, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Gibbon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Richard Gibbon, 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 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING GRAIN FOR BREWERS,"
upon the
condition (amongst others), that I, the said Richard Gibbon, 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 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 Richard Gibbon, 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:-
My Invention consists in a combination of contrivances for separating,
dressing, crushing, weighing, and valuing malt and barley, my main object

page_text: being to crush or bruise every grain whatever be its size equally, so as on the
one hand to avoid powdering the large grains, and on the other not to allow
the smaller grains to escape without being at all or sufficiently operated upon.
This I accomplish by an arrangement of apparatus by which the grain after
passing an ordinary feed roller through a hopper placed above it, is allowed to
fall upon the finest of a series of sieves arranged in a sloping position, and
through which fine sieve the small grains pass, the larger ones continuing
their course over the coarser sieves until each grain in its turn falls through
some portion of the sieves according to its size, thus dividing the whole
quantity of grain into any convenient number of samples, three being usually
sufficient. During the progress of the grain towards the sieves I subject it to
the action of a gentle blast, by which much of the refuse mixed. with it is
removed; the cleau grain alone passing through the sieves into the several
hoppers or receivers placed above the crushing rollers. Between the feed
roller and the separating sieves above described, I place a frame containing
two sieves, the upper one allowing the whole of the grain to pass through it,
and the lower one fine enough to stop all the grain, but allow of the passage
of the rootlets. This frame is shaken by the ordinary means, and is so
arranged that any stones or other large substances may pass over the edge of
the upper sieve, the rootlets falling into a trough placed below the lower
sieve. The coarse sieve may, if preferred, be placed at the end of the spout
employed for bringing the grain on to the separating sieves, the fine sieve
being placed at the upper end of the said spout, the whole being shaken instead
of the frame alone as above described. In the hopper above the feed roller I
place also two sieves, through both of which the whole of the grain passes.
These may or may not be shaken, if not, I fix them to movable frames,
which may be withdrawn, and cleared of stones or other refuse. From the
hoppers placed below the separating sieves, the grain passes between a series
of rollers, three pairs being preferred arranged upon a frame, each pair being
adjusted to any required degree by set screws or wedges, and so as to crush
equally the several sized grains into which the grain has been previously sepa-
rated. These rollers are actuated by toothed wheels keyed on one end of
their axes, the whole series deriving motion from larger spur wheels keyed on
the opposite ends of the axes of some of them, and primarily from ordinary
fast and loose pulleys attached to a prolongation of the axis of one of the
rollers. In the arrangement above described, I prefer to have three pairs of
rollers, having found by experience, that grain is naturally and conveniently
divisible into three sizes, this being the case whatever be the quality of the
general sample. I arrange the separating sieves so that they may be readily

page_text: changed as required according to the quality of the grain to be crushed or
bruised. Thus, having a series of sieves numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and so on,
I am enabled to employ any three or more of them, the rollers being
adjusted to suit the sizes of the grain; I do not confine myself to three
pairs of rollers, as a pair more or less may in certain cases be employed.
A modification of the above arrangement may be made by placing three
rollers on the same spindle, the said rollers working opposite to a second set
of three rollers fixed to a second spindle. In this arrangement each pair of
opposite rollers is made of a different diameter (about the twenty-fifth part
of an inch), so that when the largest rollers are working close together, or
nearly so, and thus allowing the smaller grains to be properly crushed, the
next pair of rollers would be slightly separated so as to properly crush the
medium sized grain, whilst the third pair of rollers would be still further
separated so as to properly crush the larger grains. The three rollers in-
stead of being cast separately, may be cast together so as to form a single
roller, and be afterwards turned to the required diameters. Instead of the
rollers of each pair being the same size as above described, the difference of
diameter to allow for the different sized grains, may be made in the roller or
rollers upon one of the spindles only, the roller or rollers on the other spindle
being parallel throughout, or lastly, part of the difference may be made in
the rollers upon one spindle, and part in the rollers upon the second spindle,
either of these latter arrangements giving a slight rubbing action to the
grain as well as crushing it. In this arrangement I do not confine
myself to three sizes of rollers or sets of rollers as one more or
less may be used. The grain, after being crushed between the rollers,
passes into three separate receptacles, or into a single one, as preferred.
The sieves are kept in motion by means of an eccentric or other contrivance,
and as the particular state of the grain requires a variation to be made in
the inclination of the sieves in order to insure its uniform descent, I
arrange adjusting mechanism to the frame containing them. This adjust-
ment applies more particularly to the separating sieves, the upper frame
of sieves under the feed roller not usually requiring any adjustment.
That part of my Invention relating to the weighing and valuation of barley
and malt, consists of an adjustable balance, such as an ordinary steelyard, by
which their actual weight per bushel and quarter, as also the specific gravity
of the grain can be at once determined, and thence its real value to be brewer,
experience having shewn me that this latter may easily, and with almost
absolute certainty, be deduced from the former by the help of suitable com-
parative tables, which may be engraved on a plate attached to the apparatus,

page_text: propose also to attach to the machinery above described an apparatus
for elevating the crushed grain when necessary, this elevating apparatus
consisting of small tin or wooden buckets attached to a leather belt which
is passed over rollers at top and bottom, the whole being enclosed in a
wooden or other casing, and driven from any convenient part of the machine.
When necessary, I arrange a feed roller to each pair of crushing rollers,
this arrangement being only necessary where the general sample of grain
does not divide itself into tolerably equal quantities of the different sized
grains, which, however, it is usually found to do. I further provide against
the "back-lash" of the crushing rollers when running empty, by means of
a contrivance, the effect of which is to retain the rollers exactly in their
places, whether or not subject to the pressure of crushing; this arrange-
ment is specially calculated to avoid undue wear and tear.
A convenient mode of carrying out this part of my Invention is that of
placing wedges of metal or hard wood between the brasses of the rollers of
each pair of rollers, which wedges are driven in or withdrawn as the rollers
require to be set wider apart or closer together respectively. Instead of
wedges "set screws" may be employed, the object simply being to retain
each roller firmly in its place after being adjusted, as before described.
Finally, I construct the crushing rollers of chilled iron or steel,the bearings
in some cases being of cast steel, chilled iron, brass or white metal, and I
arrange movable metal or other cleaners to the sieves when necessary. The
feed rollers, whether one or several, as well as the fan blast, are driven by
bands or cords from any convenient parts of the machine, as also the elevating
apparatus when employed. In arranging the toothed gearing for driving the
crushing rollers,or in determining the sizes of the crushing rollers themselves,
I sometimes prefer to provide for an additional surface speed being given to a

page_text: single roller of one or more of the pairs of rollers, so as to produce a rubbing
action in addition to the crushing one. In the case of obtaining this action
by means of different sized toothed wheels, I provide a second set of equal
sized wheels, which may be readily keyed on the axes of the rollers so as to
cause the said rollers to be driven with equal surface speeds, and thus pro-
duce a crushing action alone. In the hopper above the feed roller or feed
rollers a regulating valve is placed capable of ready adjustment; this valve
I prefer to make similar to one leaf of an ordinary hinge, the edge working
close to a plane surface so placed as to be at right angles or nearly so with
the valve, when the latter is closed. By depressing the valve, the space
between its edge and the plane surface is increased to any extent required;
by attaching the spindle of the valve to a tolerably long arm, and working
this latter in a quadrant with a set screw, a very accurate adjustment may
be made, and a valve or regulator so constructed I find cannot get choked
with grain, as is the case with the ordinary slide doors or valves.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood, I shall now describe
the Drawings hereunto annexed, the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts throughout all the Figures.
Figure 1 shews a side elevation of the machine; and Figure 2 a plan view
of the same. A is the cast-iron frame, having suitable receptacles for the
bearing blocks B, and caps over each pair of rollers marked C, and which are
movable at pleasure. A cast-iron plate D is placed at the back of these
caps, which extends the whole length of the frame, and fits over the necks of
the gudgeons of the rollers, and against the ends of the said rollers. The
rollers marked E, F, and G are fixed in place, the other three being movable
and adjustable by means of set screws, as shewn. The wedges H are driven
in behind each of the movable rollers to prevent the back lash, as before
explained, and are kept in place by set screws tapped into the back plates of
the caps C; I is the upper hopper box, containing the regulator valve J, the
feed roller K, and the two sieves L and M, the latter being fixed in frames,
so as to be readily withdrawn; N is the frame under the feed roller, con-
taining two sieves O and P, the top one being coarse and the lower one fine,
as before described. The spout Q is here shewn fixed, and conducts the grain
to the separating sieves, which are placed in the frame R. This frame travels
on the bars S, which are secured at the upper ends to the frame of the
machine, their lower ends being supported by the adjusting screw T, for
altering the inclination. These bars carry rods, upon which the cleaners
revolve, and which consist of thin discs of metal placed between the wires
of the sieves. These sieves are shaken by means of the lever U, keyed or

page_text: otherwise attached to the shaft V, which latter is worked by the eccentric W
on the shaft X, which also carries an eccentric for working the sieve frame N j
Y is an ordinary fan, for driving off the refuse from the grain as it falls from
the feed roller. The dust is driven out of the spout Z, which has a slot in it
for the grain to pass through on to the sieve O. Three pinions for driving the
rollers are placed on one side of the frame, and three on the other, as they
would not well gear if placed all on the same side as the main driving
wheels a, a, one of which I prefer to make a mortise wheel. The hoppers
for supplying the rollers are fixed in a frame b, and those for receiving the
crushed grain in a frame c; they may all, however, be separate. The frame
N rests upon small wheels, which are carried by the bars d, which may be
placed at any convenient angle. The weighing machine may be placed any
where convenient. A shoot or spout is shewn at e, for carrying off the
stones or other matters which are separated by the sieve O.
Figure 3 shews the modification in the arrangement of the rollers,
before described, viz., a single pair of rollers of different diameters, or two
or more pairs of rollers fastened on two spindles only. In this arrange-
ment the separating sieves are placed in the direction of the length of the
rollers instead of across them, as shewn in Figure. 1.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements herein described, as many
variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the principles or
main features of my Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the general arrangement of two or more sets of rollers with sepa-
rating sieves and other apparatus combined in one machine, as described
above, for preparing grain for brewers.
Secondly, the construction of crushing rollers and their bearings of
machines for crushing grain of chilled cast-iron or steel.
Thirdly, the arrangement shewn, or an equivalent one, for preventing the
back lash of the crushing rollers when running empty, of any description
of machine for crushing grain.
Fourthly, the construction of a weighing apparatus, as above described,
having a set or sets of figures or other references engraved or otherwise
marked on the lever or beam for indicating the weights, specific gravity, and
other particulars of barley and malt, or one of them, as above described.

page_text: Fifthly, the construction of a regulating "butterfly" valve for regulating
the supply of grain to the feed roller, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Gibbon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-two.
RICHARD GIBBON. (L.s.)