IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOUR DRESSING BY THE USE OF IMPROVED MECHANISM
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Palmer, of Knockcloughrim, Castle-
dawson, in the County of Londonderry, Ircland, and Charles
Hopkinson, of Retford, in the County of Nottingham, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOUR DRESSING BY THE USE OF IMPROVED
MECHANISM."
dawson, in the County of Londonderry, Ircland, and Charles
Hopkinson, of Retford, in the County of Nottingham, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOUR DRESSING BY THE USE OF IMPROVED
MECHANISM."
Sealed the 2nd June 1874, and dated the 14th February 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Palmer and
Charles Hopkinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 14th February 1874.
We, WILLIAM PALMER, of Knockcloughrim, Castledawson, in the
County of Londonderry, Ireland, and CHARLES HOPKINSON, of Retford,
in the County of Nottingham, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOUR DRESSING BY THE USE OF IMPROVED
MECHANISM," to be as follows:-
Our improvements in flour dressing by improved mechanism relate to
the use for the above purposes of the improved mechanism hereafter
described, that is, silk flour dressing machinery of peculiar construction
and arrangement, whereby the objections attendant on the ordinary

page_text: machines known as
of same regulated.
66
bolting" machinery are obviated, and the action
In the old form of machinery the screen was inclined or elevated at
one end, and as it revolved round it allowed the flour to pass through
too rapidly, and without being properly sifted; but by our improvements
the revolving screen is brought on a level or horizontal, and it contains
a screw which causes the meal and flour to move slowly along and pass
round the machine once for every eighteen inches in length. This screen
is made moveable by being attached to an iron rail or rod with a moveable
screw and nut at the end of the machine, whereby it can be so regulated
as to give or take more pitch, according to the number of stones the
machine has to dress for, and at the option of the miller. Another screw
or worm under the machine takes the flour away, as well as the coarser
flour and bran to any required place.
The feeding of the machine with the meal or ground wheat may be
effected by means of an elevator, or if preferred the machine may be
made to feed itself. A fan at each end of the machine keeps up a strong
current of air, which keeps the flour cool, and maintains a pressure
against the inside of the silk or sifting fabric, such pressure, together
with wooden balls inside the screen, falling at each revolution of the
machine, serves to keep the holes of the silk open, and causes the
flour to be dressed quicker.
The reel or silk machine is by preference driven by gearing at both
ff the ill but it may be driven at
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Palmer and Charles Hopkinson in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th August 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
PALMER, of Knockcloughrim, Castledawson, in the County of London- 30
derry, Ireland, and CHARLES HOPKINSON, of Retford; in the County of
Nottingham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
T

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said William Palmer and Charles
Hopkinson, Her special licence, that we, the said William Palmer and
Charles Hopkinson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said William Palmer and Charles Hopkinson, our
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 “ImPROVEMENTS
IN FLOUR DRESSING BY THE USE OF IMPROVED MECHANISM," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said William Palmer and Charles
Hopkinson, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, 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 we, the said William Palmer and Charles
Hopkinson, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The objects of our said Invention are to remove the objections to or
rectify the defects of the old form of "bolting" machinery, or ordinary
silk machines for flour dressing, wherein the screen was inclined or
elevated at one end, and as it revolved round it allowed the flour to pass
through too rapidly owing to the silk becoming "made up," especially
in damp weather or with damp meal when the flour meal could not get
through, which was a great loss to the manufacturer. It also had a
large shaft of wood or iron inside the reel, together with a number of
stays, which obstructed the meal from acting on the silk. Likewise it
was only geared at one end, which caused a twist and strain on the
reel.

page_text: The nature of the said Invention and the character of the means or
improvements we adopt are these:-The revolving screen is brought on
a level or horizontal, and contains a screw which causes the meal and
flour to move slowly along and pass round the machine once for every,
say for instance, fifteen inches in length. The screw is made moveable
by being attached to a light iron rod with a moveable screw and nut
and at the end of the machine, whereby it can be so regulated as to give
or take more pitch according to the number of stones and the quality
of flour the machine has to dress for, and at the option of the
miller.
The machine is fitted up with hard wood balls or knockers so arranged
that not any one knocker or more can be used at the option of the
miller.
A screw fan on each end of the reel keeps up a strong current of cool.
air, which purifies and cools the meal; also keeps the silk perfectly open
and clean, and maintains a pressure against the inside of the silk or
sifting fabric. When the meal has passed through the above purifying
process it is quite "wick."
A screw or worm at the bottom of the machine takes away the flour,
sharps, and bran as required.
The feeding of the machine with the meal or ground wheat may be
effected by means of an clevator, or if preferred the machine may be
made to feed itself. The reel or silk machine is by preference geared at
both ends so as to take the strain from off the silk, but can be driven at
either end.
The foregoing statements particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and indicate in what manner the same is to be
performed or carried out in practice; and in further compliance with
the condition in the said Letters Patent contained we will now further
and particularly describe and ascertain the same by referring to the
Drawings accompanying these Presents.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

page_text: G, driving pulley; H is feed spout of the machine, through which the
flour is introduced; I, metal ends; J, purifying fanners at each end of
the reel, which keeps up a strong current of air; K, spout for exit of
flour; L, spout for exit of sharps; M, spout for coarse sharps; N, exit
for broad bran; O, form of screw inside the reel, the pitch of which
screw may be altered to any pitch required by means of a rod running
the whole length of the machine; P, represents the "rail" of silk; Q,
hollow malleable shaft with endless screw thereon, such shaft being
driven by spur pinion D; R, cover or case of machine. Motion being
given by means of the gearing consisting of the wheels and other consti-
tuents thereof above described. The meal is admitted through feed
spout H into the reel, the screw (0) causes the meal to move slowly
along, the current of air being kept up in the machine by the revolving
fans (J), the flour, sharps, and bran being respectively discharged by the
action of the endless screw (Q) through the spouts or exits (K, L, M, N).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and
object of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed or carried out in practice, we hereby declare that we claim the
herein described Invention of "Improvements in Flour Dressing by the
Use of Improved Mechanism," as herein described and illustrated by
the accompanying Drawings, in which Invention the arrangements for
the introduction of air purifying the flour on entering the reel, and the
doing away with the large shaft and stays used in the machines ordinarily
used are important and peculiar features; we do not however claim the
mechanical details "per se " and apart from the nature and character of
our said Invention as herein-before described.
In witness, I, the said Charles Hopkinson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and coments foun
Witness to the signature of
Charles Hopkinson,
CHAS. HUGGINS.
CHARLES HOPKINSON. (L.S.)