IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND PREPARING MILLSTONES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Victor Fouchier, of 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in
the Empire of France, and of No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND
PREPARING MILLSTONES."
Sealed the 8th February 1856, and dated the 23rd August 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Victor Fouchier at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
August 1855.
I, VICTOR FOUCHIER, of 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of
France, & of No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND
PREPARING MILLSTONES" to be as follows, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in preparing the surfaces of millstones; Figure 1
representing a plan; Figure 2, a section through b, c; & Figure 3, a section
of a groove.
I divide the circumference of the millstone into 12 equal parts, & draw
from the point f two lines parallel to each other, & tangents to the grinding
stone a at the point d, operating in the same way on the points h & e. These
two double lines f, d, & h, e, show two of the large division, which I call
feeders. At the points d & e they are about one inch wide & one-third
of an inch deep, & at the points f & h they are about seven-eighths of an

page_text: inch wide & one-sixth of an inch deep, so that their width & depth are
on a descending scale from the centre to the circumference. At about one-
third of the line h, e, at the point i, I draw a radius, starting from that point
up to the edge of the millstone, as shown at i, g. This radius, which I call
inverse, is parallel to f, d, & forms an acute angle with h, e. I divide the
two lines f, d, & g, i, in five graduated parts, widening as they draw towards
the circumference, & I draw five double lines j, k, l, m, n, forming five inter-
mediate radii parallel to h, e, & oblique to d, f, on the line i, g. I also
make three equally graduated divisions & obtain three radii o, p, q, which
are oblique to g, i, & parallel to h, e, taking care not to place them facing
the intermediate grooves. The width & depth of these various radii are repre-
sented at Figure 8.
Millstones to be worked at right hand Lonorate. the
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Victor Fouchier in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd February 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, VICTOR
FOUCHIER, of 39, Rue de l'Echiquier,. Paris, in the Empire of France, and of
No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Victor Fouchier, Her special license that I, the said Victor Fouchier, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Victor
Fouchier, 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
terin 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 CONSTRUCTING
AND PREPARING MILLSTONES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Victor Fouchier, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Victor Fouchier, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing hereto annexed, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
:
This Invention consists in a peculiar method of channelling millstones.for
grinding corn, and in employing different kinds of stone for the construction
of the same pair of millstones.
'
The object proposed to be obtained by this Invention is. to divide the grain
instead of crushing it, and by causing a circulation of cold air between the
millstones to prevent the formation of lumps and the heating. of the flour.
Each pair of millstones is composed of three or four different qualities of stone,
cemented or otherwise fixed together. For example, the heart or central
part of the upper stone, represented by dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3, con-
sists of one kind of hard stone, whilst the other portion is composed of another.
The lower or permanent millstone is, on the contrary, composed of two kinds
of stone, possessing a soft quality. These conditions may, however, be reversed,
the upper stone being of a soft and the lower of a hard nature. By this
combination I obtain a grinding surface corresponding with the different parts
of the corn, each of which requires a different kind of working. I make
millstones much thinner than usual, viz., from 6 to 8 inches thick, according
to their diameter. I make the eye holes from 6 to 9 inches in diameter,
according to the size of the millstones, in order that the work may be effected
as near to the centre as possible, by which means I obtain an economy of
power, and lessen the repetition of the grinding. The eye holes are of equal
size, with this exception, that the eye hole of the running millstone is about
one inch wider at top than at bottom, thus causing it to assume a conical form.
To facilitate the introduction of air under the millstones, the box s is made
about one inch higher than the running millstone y. The box s has an
opening made in it on the top, in which I place a conical tin pipe u, Figure 1.
This tube u may be made to revolve with the upper. millstone, in which case
it is fixed to the iron bar . The air passing through the pipe u passes
between the surfaces of the stones, and escapes freely through an orifice v in
the box s. In case the opening v does not suffice for discharging the air,
I make a hole s¹ in the upper part. of the box, on which a silk gauze bag tis
fixed, of the kind used for sifting flour, which allows the air to pass through, 'at
the same time preventing the escape of. the flour.. The opening vis provided
with a cover n, made of silk gauze.
:

page_text: I
Figure 2 shows a millstone channelled for turning to the left; and Figure 3,
the same for turning to the right. Taking a running millstone of about four
feet and a half in diameter, the eye hole a of which is about six inches in
diameter, I divide the circumference into twelve equal parts, each of which
is channelled, in the manner shewn in Figures 2 and 3. From the point f. I
draw two lines nearly parallel to each other and tangent to the circumference
of the eye hole a, from the point h to the point e I do likewise; these two
double linés f, d, h, e, represent two of the twelve channels, which I call
feeders. At the points d and e they are about one inch and a third in width,
and one third of an inch in depth. At the points f and h they are one inch
in width, and one-tenth to two-tenths of an inch in depth, so that their width
and depth form a decreasing proportion from the centre to the circumference.
At a distance of rather more than one-third of the line h, e, I take a point i,
and draw two lines to the edge g of the grinding stone parallel to f, d, which
forms with h, i, an acute angle; I divide each of the two lines f, d, and g, i,
into five equal parts; I draw five double lines j, k, l, m, n, which form five
intermediate channels parallel to h, e. On the line i,
I form two finishing
channels p, q, also parallel to h, e; I take care not to place them opposite
the intermediate lines to avoid the escape of the grain. The channels are
cut out in the form of an obtuse angle, in such wise that a third only of the
angle is on the left side, and the other two-thirds on the right side. The edge
is rounded off' on the right, as shewn at Figure 4, for a millstone revolving to
the left. With a millstone turning to the right, I operate in a similar manner
to that before described, with this difference, that I trace the lines from right
to left, and cut the channels in an inverse direction, that is' to say, the third
of the angle on the right and the other two-thirds on the left, and so on for
the rest, as shewn at Figure 5. The running and the stationary millstones
forming a pair should be channelled out in the same direction, viz., both on the
left for Figure 2 and on the right for Figure 3, so that when placed one over
the other the lines will cross each other in the middle. By this means the
division of the grain is effected. The eye hole of the running millstone should
be slightly bevelled off; as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
When the upper
millstone is revolving, the grinding is effected in the following mauner:-The
feeding channels f, d, f', d', receive the grain, and when introduced it is dis-
tributed under the. millstone by centrifugal force. They transmit it to the
intermediate channels j, k, l, m, n, j, k, l, m, n', which channels effect the
separation of the flour from the oatmeal and bran. If a part of the grain is

page_text: not sufficiently ground, the channels i, g, i, g', working in an inverse direction
to the others, viz., from the circumference to the centre, will bring it back to
its starting point, and finish it. The flour is then projected into the finishing
channels p, q, p', q', where the operation of the complete separation of the
farinaceous parts of the grain is effected. The millstones should move at a rate
of 130 to 150 revolutions per minute, according to their diameter. By this
means I obtain a greater displacement of air and its more frequent renewal.
To facilitate the discharge of the bran, I make on the two stones a re-
dressing t, parallel to the channels. This mode of channelling is applicable
to millstones of any diameter. The number of divisions and channels in each
division vary, according to the diameter, and the form, depth, and angle of the
channels may be varied according to the nature of the corn and stones to be
employed. To apply the new system to millstones in use, it is first necessary
to remove the cuttings already existing, and when its surface is brought down
even, the design shewn by the Figures 2 or 3 may be worked on it, according
as the millstones are intended to work to the left or right. The eye hole and
box must also be modified according to the annexed Drawing, and it becomes
necessary to give the millstone the speed above mentioned.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details herein laid down, as they may be varied
according to circumstances; but what I claim is,―
First, the peculiar method of channelling the surfaces of millstones and the
peculiar form of the channels, as herein-before described, and referred to in
the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly, the uniting together different kinds of stones for composing the
same pair of millstones, as before described.
Thirdly, the giving a conical form to the eye hole of millstones, and also
the peculiar construction of the box, as before described, and referred to in the
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Victor Fouchier, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
V: FOUCHIER. (L.S.)