IMPROVEMENTS, IN APPARATUS FOR KNEADING OR MIXING DOUGH OR BREAD MATERIALS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Lindop, of Middlewich, in the County of Chester,
Engineer and Millwright, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS, IN APPARATUS
FOR KNEADING OR MIXING DOUGH OR BREAD MATERIALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Lindop at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th July 1880.
'
THOMAS LINDOP,, of Middlewich, in the County of, Chester, Engineer and
Millwright. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR KNEADING OR MIXING DOUGH
OR BREAD MATERIALS."
My Invention relates to the kneading of bread material in the formation of
dough, and to the inixing or kneading of materials used in the manufacture of
biscuits. In apparatus .constructed in accordance with my Invention I employ à
mixing chamber, which is preferably of a globular form, and is or may be made
of cast iron. In the axial line of this chamber a shaft is fitted to revolve, and
receives motion by means of a belt or of suitable gearing connected with a suitable
prime mover. To the said shaft and in the interior of the chamber are fixed mixing
blades, made of tee or angle iron, or steel; or otherwise made of a suitable material
ánd of a suitable cross-sectional form. Each blade is curved to suit the interior
form of the chamber, and is attached by both ends to blocks which are secured to
the shaft. The blades vary in proportions, one blade or certain blades passing close
to the interior of the chainber and the other blades projecting varying distances
from the shaft. Each blade is bent to a spiral form in addition to the curvature
previously indicated, so that one end of the blade leads, when entering the dough,
the blades resembling the threads of a screw of a long pitch. The chamber is
formed with an inlet opening through which the materials are introduced, and with
a discharge opening, which is fitted with a hinged or closable door through which the
kneaded dough is discharged or removed;

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Thomas Lindop in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 27th January 1881..
THOMAS LINDOP, of Middlewich, in the County of Chester, Engineer and
Millwright. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR KNEADING OR MIXING DOUGH
OR BREAD MATERIALS."
My Invention relates to the kneading of bread materials in the formation of
dough, and to the mixing or. kneading of materials used in the manufacture of
biscuits. In apparatus constructed in accordance with my Invention I employ a
mixing chamber, which is preferably of a globular form, and is or may be made of
cast iron. In the axial line of this chamber a shaft is fitted to revolve, and
receives motion by means of a belt or of suitable gearing connected with a suitable
prime mover.. To the said shaft and in the interior of the chamber are fixed mixing
...blades, made of iron or steel, or of a suitable material and of a suitable cross sectional
form. The blades vary in proportions, one blade or certain blades passing close to
the interior of the chamber, and other blades projecting varying distances from the
shaft. Each blade is bent to a spiral form in addition to the curvature previously
indicated, so that one end of the blade leads when entering the dough, the blades
resembling the threads of a screw of a long pitch.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood I have attached
hereunto a Sheet of Drawings, made to a scale of about one inch to the foot, and
marked with letters of reference, to which Drawings I will now refer in this place.
Fig. 1 of the said Drawings represents a vertical section, and Fig. 2 an elevation
of my improved apparatus. In the said Figures a is the mixing chamber and
b, b, are the mixing blades. The chamber a is of a globular form, and in the
example is supposed to be made of cast iron, but it may be made of other suitable
material. The said chamber is formed with an inlet mouth c and also with a
discharge opening, which is fitted with a hinged door d, the inside surface of which
door is of a concave form, so as to correspond with the inner surface of the chamber.
On the outside of the chamber are cast brackets e, e, which rest upon suitable beams f
which sustain the chamber when it is fixed in position. The mouth c is provided
with a trunk g. I prefer to so fix the chamber as that the said trunk shall project
through the floor, indicated by h, of an upper room. A shaft i passes through
the centre of the chamber and is fitted to revolve in stuffing-box bearings k, k, or
in other suitable bearings. Upon this shaft. are secured two blocks l, l, to which
the ends of the mixing blades are fixed. The said blades are preferably formed of
metal bars, which are thicker at one edge than the other, so as to have a section
similar to that of a thick knife blade. In the example the ends of each blade are
bolted or secured in recesses formed in the backs of the blocks l, l. Each blade or
each of the blades 61,62, and 68 is curved outwardly from the central axis, and is
also curved spirally partly around the said axis, as indicated in Fig. 1 and by the
dotted lines in Fig. 2. In the example each blade makes about a quarter of a turn
around the shaft, the attachment to one block being at about right angles to the
attachment to the other block. The blades vary in the amount of their projection
from the central shaft. The blade 6' is made of such a curvature as that its leading
edge, which is in all cases the thin edge of the blade, just clears the inner surface of
the chamber. The blade 62 has a less projection; the blade b³ a still lesser projection,
whilst the blade 6' projects only slightly beyond the blocks 7, and has little or no
outward curvature, but is spirally curved as in the case of the other blades. One
end of the shaft i projects to some extent beyond the chamber and revolves in a
pedestal bearing m, and upon this outer part of the shaft is fixed a spur-wheel n
with which gears a pinion o which is fixed upon a driving-shaft, upon which are

page_text: fixed and mounted fast and loose strap pullies p, which receive motion from the line
shafting or from any suitable source. When the apparatus is in use the materials
to be mixed, say, for example, the flour and water and any other material which may
be required, are introduced from the room above through the mouth c. The shaft is
then caused to revolve, whereby the blades are caused to pass successively through
the mass of materials, the varying projections of the blades from the shaft causing
all parts of the mass to be operated upon, whereby the materials become thoroughly
blended. When the dough has been sufficiently worked the door d is opened for
the discharge of the dough. The said discharge is facilitated by continuing the
rotation of the shaft and blades until the chamber is cleared.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which I carry the same into practical effect, I would have it
to be understood in conclusion that I claim,-
First. The apparatus, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated
hereinbefore and in and by the accompanying Drawings.
And, Secondly. The mixing chamber provided with a central revolving shaft, upon
which are fixed spirally curved mixing blades which project varying distances from
the said shaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Lindop, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty-one.
THOMAS LINDOP. (L.S.)