IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REDUCING SEMOLINA, MIDDLINGS, OR SHARPS TO FLOUR
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Frost, of Chester, in the County of Chester,
Miller, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REDUCING SEMOLINA,
MIDDLINGS, OR SHARPS TO FLOUR."
Sealed the 14th August 1877, and dated the 24th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Frost at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th May 1877.
"IMPROVED
ROBERT FROST, of Chester, in the County of Chester, Miller.
APPARATUS FOR REDUCING SEMOLINA, MIDDLINGS, OR SHARPS TO FLOUR.".
The object of this Invention is to reduce semolina and middlings or sharps to
flour without grinding up the bran that is combined therewith. To this end,
instead of submitting the semolina to the action of millstones, I provide a metal
disc runner (by preference, cast iron) the face of which is grooved tangentially, and
upon this I place a stationary disc of metal faced similarly to the runner. This
disc is provided with an eye like a top millstone, and it has on its periphery studs
which enter vertical grooves in the case. This arrangement of the top disc allows
of its adjusting itself to the work, its weight serving to provide the requisite pres
sure for crushing the semolina, and the studs preventing its moving round with the
runner.
The semolina is delivered to the eye of the top disc from a purifier which deprives
it of the detached particles of bran and other impurities mixed with the semolina.
When therefore the semolina is presented to the crushing surfaces, the attached
portions only of the bran are carried in with it. By the action of the crushing
surfaces, this bran is readily detached without disintegration, and it may then be
separated from the flour by dressing in any approved manner.
The runner is provided with scrapers which deliver the flour as it is formed out
of the case. :

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Frost in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
November 1877.
"
ROBERT FROST, of Chester, in the County of Chester, Miller. IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR REDUCING SEMOLINA, MIDDLINGS, OR SHARPS TO FLOUR."
The object of this Invention is to reduce semolina, middlings, or sharps to flour
without grinding up the bran that is combined therewith. To this end, instead of
submitting the semolina to the action of millstones I employ for the reduction of
the semolina the apparatus shewn in sectional elevation at Fig. 1 of the accom-
panying Drawing and in plan view at Fig. 2, part of the annular cover being
removed the better to shew the interior construction of the apparatus..
In these Figures A is the mill case supported on standards B, B¹, which stand
up from a cruciform casting C. The standards B¹ carry at their upper ends a
casting C¹ which is fitted with a bearing for the spindle D. This spindle runs in a
footstep in the casting C, and is driven by a belt passing over a pulley D¹ keyed to
the spindle below the mill case. E is a metal disc runner keyed to the spindle D.
This runuer is made by preference of cast iron, the annular working face of which
is smooth but grooved tangentially, as shewn in the plan view, Figure 3. Upon this
runner I place a stationary disc of metal F faced similarly to the runner, as shewn
in the plan view, Figure 4. This disc is provided with an eye like a top millstone,
and it has on its periphery studs f which enter vertical grooves cast in the case A.
This arrangement of the top disc allows of its adjusting itself to the work, its
weight serving to provide the requisite pressure for crushing the semolina, and the
studs preventing its moving round with the runner.
Fitted to the centre of the stationary disc F is a hoop G for receiving the semolina
as it is delivered to the mill, and conducting it to the operating surfaces. H is the
cover of the case A, and to it is fitted a curtain of canvas or other flexible material
which will prevent the stive or any particles of fine flour from being driven upwards
out of the case by the centrifugal action. A¹ is the discharge opening in the bottom
of the case, and a are the vertical grooves in the case into which the studs f of the
plate F project. This is best seen in the detached sectional view, Figure 5, which
shews that the plate F is free to rise under the upward pressure of an accumulation
öf semolina between it and the runner, and to descend by its own weight as the
accumulation is disposed of.
The semolina to be operated upon is delivered to the hoop G from a purifier
which serves to deprive it of the detached particles of bran and other impurities
mixed with the semolina. When therefore the purified semolina is presented to the
crushing surfaces, the attached portions only of the bran are carried in with it. By
the action of the smooth metal crushing surfaces this bran is readily detached
without disintegration, and it may then be separated from the flour by dressing in
any approved manner.
The runner E is provided at its periphery with scrapers which sweep the flour
as it is formed to the opening A¹, and deliver it out of the case into any suitable
receptacle.
It will be understood that in my improved mill the semolina or reduced grain
will be subject only to so much action as is due to the resisting power of the plate F
to the semolina as it is carried round by the runner. In other words, the severe
and positive action of the ordinary flour mill is modified by leaving the plate F,
which represents the top stone, free to adjust itself to the requirements of the work,
and by this means all risk of the bran being ground up into fine dust, which will
become inseparable from the flour, will be removed, and thus a flour of good color
may be obtained from wheat of a comparatively inferior quality.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my Invention and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in
part recited Letters Patent, I claim,-
First. In combination with the runner E, a stationary self-adjusting crushing
plate or surface F, acting in the manner and for the purpose above explained.
Secondly. The recessed case A for containing the runner and having retaining
guides a for the studs or projections f of the adjustable plate or crushing surface F.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Frost, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.