IMPROVEMENTS IN DISINTEGRATING MACHINERY
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
A
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISINTEGRATING MACHINERY."-
communication from abroad by Charles Graham Chappell Simpson,
of Montreal Canada Engineer
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd May 1871.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISINTEGRATING
MACHINERY," a communication, to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to improvements in disintegrating
machinery generally, but more particularly in that class invented by
Thomas Carr, and for which Letters Patent were granted to him bearing
date the 29th day of March, A.D. 1859, No. 778, the 22nd day of October,

page_text: A.D. 1868, No. 3235, the 5th day of July, A.D. 1870, No. 1895, and the
2nd day of August, A.D. 1870, No. 2149.
The present Invention consists in various improvements herein-after
described for the following purposes :—
Firstly. To obviate the large amount of very accurate workmanship 5
essentially necessary to enable Carr's machine to work without en-
dangering the lives of those employed about it, as also for the safety
of the machine itself and the building in which it is placed.
Secondly. To produce a machine capable of being taken apart and put
together or transhipped without extraordinary care to prevent its being 1
injured.
Thirdly. To produce a machine having the above advantages at a less
cost.
Fourthly. To produce a machine wherein access may be had to the
inner or disintegrating bars in case of any foreign substance having 1
entered the machine and injured any of them without lifting the shafts
and discs out of the bearings.
Fifthly. To produce a better form of bar or one capable of being easily
removed and replaced.
My first improvement consists in making each disc in one solid plain 2
piece attached directly on the main shaft; these can only be injured
by a blow of such force as will bend either the disc or the shaft carrying
it. This arrangement also obviates the large amount of overhang of
one of the discs and consequent tendency to friction and heating of the
adjoining bearing. The discs are provided with bars, their ends being 2
attached together by steel rings with a recess cut in the opposite disc
opposite each ring to enable it to enter a short distance within the
disc. Each of the discs is made in one piece and concentrically secured
on a stout steel or iron shaft carried in suitable bearings formed in a
moveable portion of the bed or "saddle."
My second improvement consists in bringing the material to be dis-
integrated through openings made in the discs by first introducing it
into a casing revolving with the disc and secured to it. This I call my
first modification.
3
In the discs constructed as before described openings are formed 3
suitable to a machine for manufacturing flour or disintegrating seeds
generally or other substances of small size, but these openings may be

page_text: increased in size and decreased in number to provide a sufficient space
for such substances as broken or partly crushed ores without materially
diminishing the strength required for the discs. On the back of each
disc a casing is placed consisting of an annular flange attached by bolts
to the discs and of such diameter that they enclose the holes, this flange
being put on concentrically with the disc. From it springs an inclined
side at any suitable angle, this terminates in an annular flange at right
angles to the line of the shaft. This casing is best made of wrought iron
or steel and turned up true on all sides, after which flat semi-pyramidical
pieces of any suitable substance such as cast or wrought iron will be
introduced and fitted to the inner side of the inclined side and attached
by bolts; guards are attached in any suitable manner at the inner side
of the openings to prevent the material passing through them being
thrown too much on the surface of the opposite disc.
My third improvement consists in bringing the material to be dis-
integrated into the machine by providing it with hollow shafts and
various other arrangements to accomplish that object. This I call my
second modification. The discs are the same as in my first modification
in every respect, except that the openings are dispensed with, as also the
casing and spouts. The saddles are arranged with bearings to carry
shafts of greater external diameter. These shafts are made hollow by
boring them, leaving a sufficient amount of material to give the required
strength to carry the discs. In the bore and concentric with the shaft a
spindle is placed and supported by providing the end of the shaft with
a socket. On the spindle an archimedean screw is formed extending
from the enlargement of the bore to a little within the other end of the
shaft. The extremity of the shaft at this end is received within a hopper
with an opening closely fitting around the end of the shaft. The spindle
passes through the hopper, and on the inner side is provided with a
collar working against a socket. The hopper is supported on an iron
tressle. On the extension of the spindle a driving pulley is placed,
while the extreme end of the spindle is carried by a bracket. The hopper
is also provided with a telescopic feed spout.
My fourth improvement consists in making the bed in three or four
parts, one or two attached securely to the masonwork bed and forming
guides for the other two parts of the bed which hold the shafts to slide
upon, after the fashion of a slide of a lathe, to enable the discs to be
moved apart when required without the shafts and discs being lifted.

page_text: Saddles are made to slide in the sub-beds. Projections are either cast
in one with the bed or attached to it by flanges and bolts in the ordinary
way. These projections are arranged to hold a jack screw working into
the saddle or into a nut arranged in it, the screw being actuated by any
suitable lever introduced into a hole in the head, or this end of the
screw may be provided with a ratchet and the lever working it with a
double pawl. The masonry bed is built preferably of large blocks of
stone put together in the best form to resist vibration; on this the
sub-bed is bolted with any suitable bolts.
My fifth improvement consists in a new form of bar constructed of
such figure as to stand on the revolving disc by itself and withstand the
centrifugal force, together with the strain caused by disintegrating,
doing away with the steel ring heretofore required and allowing any one
particular bar to be removed without disturbing any of the remainder,
thus saving much trouble and expense in repairing. My improved bar
consists of a turned cast steel pin of conical form with a neck fitting the
hole in the disc for its reception, and rivetted on the back. These bars
are distributed in circles on the discs in the same manner as Carr's bars,
and are of such length that their ends enter into recesses formed in the
opposite disc to which they are attached. The base of the cone forming
the pin is made in proportion to the length of the pin and to the
centrifugal force with a view of rendering the bars better capable of
withstanding the centrifugal force in the rows nearest to the periphery
of the discs; they may be formed so that they approach each other as
they extend from the centre to the periphery.
These improvements may be used separately, or those contained in
the first modification may be combined in any machine with all the
others, except those mentioned in the second modification and comprised
under the head of my third improvement. In like manner my second
modification may be used alone or in combination with all the other
improvements mentioned above, except those described under the head
of my second improvement or first modification.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd November 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence.
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS.
IN DISINTEGRATING MACHINERY," a communication to me from abroad by
Charles Graham Chappel Simpson, of Montreal, Canada, Engineer,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert
Lake, 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification.
This Invention has reference to improvements in disintegrating
machinery generally, but more particularly in that class invented by
Thomas Carr, for which Letters Patent were granted to him bearing
date the 29th day of March, A.D. 1859, No. 778, the 22nd day of

page_text: October, A.D. 1868, No. 3235, the 5th day of July, A.D. 1870, No. 1895,
and the 2nd day of August, A.D. No. 2149.
The present Invention consists in various improvements herein-after
described for the following purposes :
Firstly. To obviate the large amount of very accurate workmanship
essentially necessary to enable Carr's machine to work without endanger-
ing the lives of those employed about it, as also for the safety of the
machine itself and the building in which it is placed.
Secondly. To produce a machine capable of being taken apart and
put together or transshipped without extraordinary care to prevent its
being injured.
Thirdly. To produce a machine having the above advantages at a less
cost.
Fourthly. To produce a machine wherein access may be had to the
inner or disintegrating bars in case of any foreign substance having
entered the machine and injured any of them without lifting the shafts
and discs out of the bearings.
Fifthly. To produce a better form of bar or one capable of being easily
removed and replaced.
My first improvement consists in making each disc in one solid plain
piece attached directly on the main shaft, these can only be injured by
a blow of such force as will bend either the disc or the shaft carrying
it. This arrangement also obviates the large amount of overhang of
one of the discs and consequent tendency to friction and heating of the
adjoining bearing.
My second improvement consists in bringing the material to be
disintegrated through openings made in the discs by first introducing it
into a casing revolving with the disc and secured to it. This I call my
first modification.
My third improvement consists in bringing the material to be disin-
tegrated into the machine by providing it with hollow shafts and various
other arrangements to accomplish that object. This I call my second
modification.
My fourth improvement consists in making the bed in three or four
parts, one or two attached securely to the masonwork bed and forming;
guides for the other two parts of the bed which hold the shafts to
slide upon, after the fashion of a slide of a lathe, to enable the discs

page_text: Figure 1 is a side sectional and elevational view of my improved
disintegrator constructed according to its first modification; Figure 2
is a part plan of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a half end section and end
elevation of the bed and other parts of the disintegrator; Figures 4 and 5
shew details of the disc; Figures 6 and 7 shew the casing and feed
spout; Figure 8 shows the discs modified; Figure 9 is a side sectional
and elevational view of my improved disintegrator constructed according
to its second modification; Figure 10 shews in detail the shaft end of
Figure 9; Figure 11 illustrates my improved bars. Like letters indicate
the same parts throughout the Drawings.
In Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, a, a, are two discs made preferably
of best hammered iron or steel, and of suitable size and strength for
the work they are to be employed in. As shown in Figure 1 they are
provided with bars a¹ similar to those employed by Carr, their ends
being attached together by steel rings a³ with a recess a³ cut in the
disc opposite each ring to enable it to enter a short distance within
the disc. Each of the discs a is made in one piece and concentrically
secured on a stout steel or iron shaft 6 carried in suitable bearings 6'
formed in a moveable portion of the bed or "saddle" bº.

page_text: According to the fourth part of this Invention the saddles are made
as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3 to slide in the sub-beds 6, in the
manner so clearly shown as to require no further explanation than to
say that 6 are projections on the bed either cast in one with it as shown,
or attached to it by flanges and bolts in the ordinary way; these pro-
jections are arranged to hold a jack screw c working into the saddle
or into a nut arranged in it, the screw being actuated by any suitable
lever introduced into the hole c¹ in the head c², or this end of the screw
may be provided with a ratchet, and the lever working it with a double
pawl as commonly used in engine lifting "jacks." The bed 63 is formed
with a recess c³ opposite the disc and correspondingly extended in the
masonry at c* to give it such a size that when the saddle is drawn back
by the screw c sufficient room may be had for the discs to retire. To
compensate for the unsupported centre part of the saddle when in
position caused by this recess, the saddle is provided with a strong deep
flange forming its end in that direction and extending below it, as
shown in the Drawing. The masonry bed d is built preferably of large
blocks of stone put together in the best form to resist vibration; on
this the sub-bed 6s is bolted with any suitable bolts d³. The grooves
in the sub-bed in which the saddles slide are shown at d², one of these
is removed back a sufficient distance to leave room for the introduction
of a strip of hard wood d³ and back strip of steel; these are pressed
forcibly and made to hold the saddles laterally when in place by suitable
bolts d³. The strip of wood is used to give a sufficiently yielding or
elastic substance to prevent damage to the sub-bed by expansion should
the journals in the bearings by accident heat and cause the saddle slightly
to expand. The bolts e are also used for more firmly securing the
saddles on the sub-beds after they are in place, they are arranged
with the head of the bolts above and the nuts under the sub-bed, the
nuts being put in place and secured there by any suitable caps e¹
attached by flanges and tap bolts to the under side of the bed before
the same is laid upon the masonry. The caps e¹ do not, however, hold
the nuts rigidly, being only of such size as to prevent the nuts from
getting away from the bolt when it is introduced to connect with it
and to prevent the nuts from turning round; by this means when the
bolts e are withdrawn and the bolts d³ slackened back the saddles are
free to slide by action the of the screw c.
If desired the nuts and caps e¹
may be dispensed with and the hole in the bed screwed to receive the
end of the bolt. The sub-bed made in two parts is connected together.

page_text: by any suitable piece e³, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, extending between
and secured to each, or the sub-bed may be made in one if desired, the
only objection being the difficulty of casting so large a mass.
According to the second part of this Invention in the discs a con-
structed as before described openings fare formed, as shown most
clearly in Figures 4 and 5, as suitable to a machine for manufacturing
flour or disintegrating seeds generally or other substances of small size,
but these openings may be increased in size and decreased in number
to provide a sufficient space for such substances, as broken or partly
crushed ores, without materially diminishing the strength required for
the discs. On the back of each disc a casing f¹ is placed; the details
of construction are shown in Figures 4, 6, and 7, also in other Figures.
They consist of an annular flange f* attached by tap bolts to the discs,
and of such diameter that they enclose the whole of the holes f, as
shown by the large dotted circle in Figure 5, this flange being put on
concentrically with the disc. From it springs an inclined side f³ at any
suitable angle for the purposes herein-after described, this terminates
in an annular flange fat right angles to the line of the shaft. This
casing is best made of wrought iron or steel and is turned true on all
sides. Flat semi-pyramidical pieces f³ of any suitable substance, such as
cast or wrought iron, will be introduced and fitted to the inner side of
the inclined side f³, and attached in the proper position by tap bolts
passing through f³ and screwed into f³; these are so placed that they
form a double incline between each of the openings f, or the pieces f³
may be, if preferred, made in one with the inclined side f³. Guards ƒ
are attached in any suitable manner at the inner side of the openings f to
prevent the material passing through them being thrown too much on
the surface of the opposite disc.
By referring to the Drawing it will be seen that this revolves in very
close proximity to the end of the saddle. To enclose the casing a
stationary plate g (either made in two halves or in one piece as shown)
is attached to the saddle by brackets or in any other suitable manner.
The face of the plate 9 presented towards f* is turned or planed to a
true surface and is supported as closely as possible to it (as shown in
Figure 4) without actually touching it.
In Figure 6 the dotted lines 1, 1, 1, represent the outline of the
bearing formed by the end of the saddle, while the dotted circle indicates
the inner circumference of f'; it will therefore be seen that there is

page_text: room for the introduction of two branches h of a feeding spout h² into
each of the casings f¹ through the plate g. The branches h, formed as
shown in the Drawing, do not obstruct the free lubrication of the
shaft, and are attached firmly by straps or brackets to the adjacent
part of the saddle. The upper end of the spout h¹ forms a matrical
reception for the male end of a telescopic extension 7 of the spout,
this connects with and slides upon any suitably formed spout h³ leading
from a general receiving or supply chamber above. The spouts h, h¹,
12, hs, are made preferably of sheet iron or copper, and are provided with
one or more stop valves or slides to regulate the supply of material to
be disintegrated.
.
By the arrangement of the spout as above when it is desired to stop
the machine and move back the discs, shafts, and saddles it is only
necessary to stop the supply by the valve or slide above, slide up the
telescopic part h³ on the fixed part h³ a sufficient height to clear the
disc, which may then be moved, the parts h and h¹ travelling with it.
As in Carr's Invention the shafts 6 are driven by pulleys h*, but the
heavy counterbalancing wheels he uses are rendered unnecessary by
making the pulley solid. The machine is also enclosed in a suitable
casing as in the previous Invention, and any suitable means are provided
as in analogous cases by which the material is removed as it descends
and settles at the bottom of the recess in which the disintegrator works.
Figure 8 shews the discs arranged the reverse way for the purpose of
giving more room within the casings f, and utilizing the waste space
within the centre of the machine. This arrangement, which is so
obvious as to require no further explanation, may be applied in either
of my modifications to diminish the overhanging of the discs from the
bearing.
According to the last-described part of my Invention the discs are set
in motion in contrary directions and at the required speed for the work
to be accomplished, say, for flour, 800 revolutions per minute. The
material is allowed to enter the casing f¹ by the spout h, h³, and falling
by gravity comes in contact with the inclined side f³ or the inclined
surface of f³, and is at once induced to partake of the revolving action
of the parts. Any particles rebounding in this operation are prevented
leaving the casing by the plate g. No sooner do the particles, grains,
or masses thus revolve with the casing than centrifugal force induces
them to seek the largest circle in which they can revolve, as indicated by

page_text: the arrow in Figure 4; they are thus caused to come in front of the
openings (which are also inclined from the centre of revolution) with
immense force. The guard fo prevents them from striking against the
opposite disc as before mentioned; proceeding onward they meet the
bars a³, and are acted upon as in other similar machines.
According to the third part of my Invention the discs are the same
as in my first modification in every respect, except that the openings f
are dispensed with, as also the casing f¹ and spouts h³, h², h¹, and h, the
other parts also remaining the same as herein-before described, but with
the following exception and other necessary adaptations well understood
to be required. The saddles p² are arranged with bearings to carry
shafts i of greater external diameter. These shafts are made hollow by
boring them, leaving a sufficient amount of material to give the required
strength to carry the discs. In the bore and concentric with the
shaft a a spindle is placed, and supported by providing the end of
the shaft with a socket / screwed on the end of the shaft projecting
through the discs or otherwise securely attached to it. On the spindle **
an archimedean screw is formed (preferably by casting it on the
spindle in copper) extending from the enlargment of the bore to a
little within the other end of the shaft i, as shown in Figure 9. The
extremity of the shaft at this end is received within a hopper ³, with
an opening closely fitting around the end of the shaft, but not actually
touching it. The spindle passes as shewn through the hopper k³, and
at the back on the inner side is provided with a collar working
against a socket k and keeping the shaft in position longitudinally, at
the same time preventing the escape of the material to be disintegrated.
The hopper is supported on an iron tressel / attached to the pro-
jection 6, and firmly holding it in place. On the extension of the
spindle beyond the socket k³ a driving pulley is placed of suitable
size, herein-after described, while the extreme end of the spindle is
carried by a bracket m attached to the projection 6* in the position
indicated in the Drawing by any suitable bolts. The end of the bracket
may be made with a block cap and brasses, in the ordinary form of
plumber blocks, but I prefer to provide it with a simple bush m², which
may be reversed when worn in one direction, and may be replaced at
pleasure by having spare bushes on hand. m³ is a small projection
within the hopper k³ to prevent small particles from entering between k³
and . The hopper is also provided with a telescopic feed spout m³, and
z²

page_text: otherwise arranged as described for Figure 6. The heavy black lines m*
indicate an oil passage drilled in the parts to allow oil to be supplied
to the end of the spindle 23 in the socket k when the machine is
stationary.
The shafts and discs being rotated as in my previous modification, "
the material to be disintegrated is conveyed to the hoppers k³, and by
gravity enters the end of the shafts i, and by making the pulley 1 of a
different diameter to that of h* the spindle will have a different speed
to the shaft. The screw is acts in conveying the material through the
shaft to the part where its bore is enlarged; here, by centrifugal force,
it slides down the inclines formed by the enlarged bore k², and escapes
at the end and comes in contact with the bars, as in Figures 1 and 2.
Regarding the difference of speed of revolution between the shaft i and
spindle above mentioned, when the required number of revolutions to
give the proper amount of feed is known, the pulley may be a plain
one, as shewn at A, of such diameter as will give the necessary difference
of speed; but when the speed requires to be varied and is not known
the pulley may be made the frustrum of a cone, as also the pulley on
the driving shaft that actuates it, the speed being varied by causing the
belt to act in the ordinary way on different parts of the pulleys. Or
the pulley and the corresponding one on the driving shaft may be
constructed after the fashion of the differential pulleys so commonly
used for driving turning lathes and other like machinery. Due attention
must be given to make the pitch of the screw either right or left handed,
as the case may require, so that the spindle may, when revolving at
a slower speed than the shaft i, cause the material to be carried through
the shaft, otherwise it will act in the wrong direction.
11
If desired the material to be disintegrated may be introduced through
the hollow shafts by inserting a stationary tube, extending a con-
siderable distance down the bore, and propelling the material through
the tube by means of a current of air caused by a fan or other suitable
apparatus.
As shewn in Figure 1 the bars are similar to those used by Carr,
in which case they require to have their ends furthest from the disc
supported by a steel ring, attaching the ends of all the bars in each cage
together.
Now as great care and expence is involved in manufacturing these
rinos to make them true when in place, and as they are very frail and

page_text: Fifth. The novel bar p with disc a, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here.
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
Witness,
EDWARD C. JACKSON.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)