IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR DRESSING MIDDLINGS, WHEAT MEAL, AND OTHER GROUND OR CRUSHED GRAIN OR SEEDS
Year: 1878

page_text: In the Matter of the Letters Patent granted to Abraham Crabtree, of Bacup,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR DRESSING MIDDLINGS, WHEAT MEAL,
AND OTHER GROUND OR CRUSHED GRAIN OR SEEDS," bearing date the
11th day of July 1878.
DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION filed by the
Assignee, James Smith Sutcliffe, of Bacup, in the County of Lancaster, Corn
Miller, in the Great Seal Patent Office, with the Specification to which the same
relates, pursuant to the Statutes in that case made and provided.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES SMITH
SUTCLIFFE, of Bacup, in the County of Lancaster, Corn Miller, send greeting:
WHEREAS Her Majesty Queen Victoria by Her Letters Patent, bearing date
the 11th day of July, A.D. 1878, in the forty second year of Her reign did give
and grant unto the said Abraham Crabtree, his executors, administrators, and
assigns, the sole privilege of making, using, exercising, and vending his Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR DRESSING
MIDDLINGS, WHEAT MEAL, AND OTHER GROUND OR CRUSHED GRAIN OR SEEDS,"
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and the Isle of Man, for and during the term of fourteen years thence next
ensuing.
And whereas, in pursuance of a condition in the said Letters Patent contained,
the said Abraham Crabtree did within six calendar months next after the date of
the said Letters Patent, cause a Specification in writing under his hand and seal,
purporting to particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 11th day of January, A.D. 1879.
And whereas the said Abraham Crabtree did by a certain Deed of Assignment
under his hand and seal, bearing date the Nineteenth day of December 1878, assign
unto me, the said James Smith Sutcliffe, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
Prior A73

page_text: the said Letters Patent, and the exclusive exercise, right, and enjoyment of the said
Invention therein mentioned and thereby granted to the said Abraham Crabtree,
his executors, administrators, and assigns, for the term of fourteen years, and all and
singular the liberties, privileges, profits, emoluments, and advantages whatsoever
appertaining or belonging thereto, or in anywise to be had or made therefrom,
and all the right, title, interest, term of years unexpired property claim and demand
whatsoever at law and in equity of the said Abraham Crabtree, in, to, and out of
the same Letters Patent and premises under the conditions and for the consideration
mentioned in the said Deed of Assigment.
And whereas since the filing of the said Specification and the transfer of the said
Invention and Letters Patent as aforesaid, I, the said James Smith Sutcliffe, have
ascertained that there exist in the said Specification certain clerical errors, and that
some of the claiming clauses might be understood or construed as including
matters which were not new at the date of the said Letters Patent, and matters
which were not and are not intended to be claimed; therefore, with a view of
correcting such clerical errors, and of more precisely defining the Invention claimed
under the said Letters Patent, I am desirous of disclaiming certain portions of the
said Specification, and of altering and amending the said Specification and claiming
clauses in the manner following, that is to say:-
I strike out at page 3, line 33, of the Specification, as printed by Her Majesty's
Printers, the word "rim" and substitute therefor the word "run," and also in the
same line I alter the word "pulley" to the word "pulleys," and also on the same
page 3, line 45, I substitute the letters "m¹ and m "for the letters "m and m¹,"
and on the same page 3, line 51, I strike out the word "beaters" and substitute
therefor the word "distributors," and on page 4, line 25, after the words "that I," I
insert the words "make no general claim to the use of silk covered cylinders
"with internal revolving beaters having blades straight, or concavely curved,
arranged helically or parallel to the axis, but I," and on page 4, lines-32-and-33,
I disclaim and strike out the whole of the claiming clause contained in lines 32
and 33, and in line 34 I strike out the word "Thirdly" and I substitute therefor
the word "Secondly," and on the same page 4 I disclaim and strike out the whole
of the claiming clause contained in lines 36 and 37.
"
And I do hereby declare that the said Specification when amended and altered
by me in the manner above indicated by this present Disclaimer and Memorandum
of Alteration will read as follows:-
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Abraham Crabtree, 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 any by the following statement and
accompanying Drawings.
My Invention relates to what are called centrifugal dressing machines, and
consists principally of a combination of apparatus for the above purposes consisting
of a revolving cylinder covered with silk, cloth, or other suitable material, and a
beater of peculiar construction which revolves inside the cylinder (in the same
direction but at a greater speed), together with a revolving brush which constantly
cleans the silk of the cylinder, and a screw to deliver the flour or meal which has
been worked by the beater through the silk cloth.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood
I have annexed hereunto two Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in
the following explanation thereof:-
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawings represents a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 a
transverse section of my improved centrifugal apparatus or machine drawn to a
scale of about one twelfth the actual size; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the feeding end
of the machine, and Fig. 4 is an elevation of the opposite end of the same.
s

page_text: The whole apparatus is enclosed in a casing a, a, and suitable framing b, b. The'
cylinder is carried upon and driven by small friction pulleys c, c, mounted upon
two shafts d, d, running beneath the cylinder, one of these shafts being driven from
the main or beater shaft e, e, by the cross strap f. f. The cylinder is formed of two
end rims g, g, and a suitable number of intermediate rims g', g¹, according to its
length, all the said rims being connected together by longitudinal bar's or rods h, h,
fastened thereto so as to form a kind of cage or skeleton cylinder. The silk i, i, is
stretched over this case in the following manner:-The ends or rims g, g, of the
cylinder which run on the friction pulleys c, c, are provided with annular grooves
in which the outer edges of the silk i, i, (being bound with ticking or other strong
fabric and corded as usual) are placed. Over the cord is passed a thin hoop of
steel or other suitable material k, k, the ends of which are drawn tight by means of
screws k*, k*.
The central portions or inner edges and the ends of the silk are also bound and
provided with eyelet holes by means of which their edges are laced together, and a
strip of calico or other suitable material is then pasted or otherwise cemented over
this joint. The silk is thus well secured and strained perfectly tight over the
skeleton frame so as to form as near a perfect cylinder as possible. Inside this
cylinder, and passing through the centre thereof, is the main shaft or axle e, e,
revolving in the same direction but at a quicker speed. On this shaft is mounted
a series of narrow drums or wheels 1, 1, having nebs or projections round the
circumference, to which are attached the propellers and distributors m', m, arranged
alternately. The distributors m, m, are formed of long narrow strips or blades of
metal or other suitable material, set on edge in almost a radial position, their outer
edges being bent to a considerable angle so as to throw the middlings or meal out-
wards against the silk or sieve i, i, these strips or blades m, m, being placed parallel
to the centre line of the shaft e, e, (as seen at Fig. 1). The propellers m', m', are
also made of continuous strips but narrower than the distributors, and are provided
at intervals with a series of vanes or blades m", m", placed at a slight inclination
or angle to the centre line of the shaft, and also bent at their outer edges. These
vanes or blades disperse the middlings or meal and distribute it over the whole
inner surface of the silk, and at the same time propel the bran and all the coarse
meal or other matter that does not pass through the silk forwards to the delivery
end of the cylinder. The air enters the cylinder with the meal at the large central
opening 8, 8, round the axis at the feeding end of the cylinder (see Fig. 3), and
passes out at the other end through several openings t, t, made nearer to the
circumference (see Fig. 4). In some cases I propose instead of having alternate
distributors and propellers to make the same blades act as both distributors for
throwing the meal, &c., against the silk, and propellers for driving the bran and
offal towards the delivery end, in which case I arrange the blades diagonally
(instead of parallel with the axle), and I form and fix the blades as shown at Figs. 1*
and 2. The outer edge 1, 1, of the blade is bent at an angle as before and will
act as a distributor, and the inner part 2, 2, being radial, or nearly so, and set in a
spiral direction, will propel the bran and offal towards the delivery end of the
cylinder. The blades are attached to the nebs 3, 3, by angle pieces 4, 4, of spring
steel, which gives a certain amount of elasticity thereto, and prevents the beater from
being drawn out of shape by the diagonal strain of the blades, the latter being
made adjustable by means of a slot. The meshes of the silk cylinder are kept open
and clean by means of a flat brush m, n, which is adjustable to or from the cylinder,
and is kept constantly revolving in contact with the outside thereof by means of a
strap o, o. p, p, is a worm or screw, kept revolving by means of the strap q, q, for
the purpose of impelling the fine sifted flour or meal towards the delivering part of
the inachine.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together
with the manuer in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I make no general claim to the use
of silk covered cylinders with internal revolving beaters having blades, straight or

page_text: concavely curved, arranged helically or parallel to the axis, but I claim as my
Invention,―
First. The construction of an apparatus or centrifugal machine for dressing
"middlings," wheat meal, or other ground or crushed grain or seeds, by the combi-
nation of a revolving "silk" or cylinder with an internal revolving beater of the
peculiar construction herein-before described and illustrated by the annexed Drawings,
and a flat revolving brush for cleaning the silk, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Secondly. I claim the peculiar construction of the internal revolving beater,
substantially as described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Smith, Sutcliffe, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty
I hereby grant my fiat, giving leave to the above named James Smith Sutcliffe
(as assignee of the said Letters Patent) to file in the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with the Specification to which the same relates, the above written
Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration, upon the condition that no actions be
brought against Susannah Hind and Ann Mary Lund, trading as Hind and Lund,
Flour Mill Engineers, at Preston, in the County of Lancaster, nor against Joseph
Bedford, Machine Maker, of Leeds, in the County of York, or any other person or
persons in respect of any machines that have been, prior to the 12th February 1881,
made or sold by any or either of them the said Susannah Hind, Ann Mary Lund,
or Joseph Bedford. Dated this Twenty first day of February 1881.
HENRY JAMES,
Attorney General

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Abraham Crabtree, of Bacup, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS
FOR DRESSING MIDDLINGS, WHEAT MEAL, AND OTHER GROUND OR CRUSHED
GRAIN OR SEEDS.”
aled the 27th September 1878, and dated the 11th July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Abraham Crabtree at the Office
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th July 1878.
ABRAHAM CRABTREE, of Bacup, in the County of Lancaster.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR DRESSING MIDDLINGS, WHEAT MEAL, AND
OTHER GROUND OR CRUSHED GRAIN OR SEEDS."
The Invention relates principally to a combination of apparatus for the above
purposes, consisting of a revolving cylinder covered with silk cloth and a beater of
peculiar construction which revolves inside this cylinder (in the same direction, but
at a greater speed) together with a revolving brush which constantly cleans the
outside of the cylinder, and a screw to deliver the flour or meal which has been
worked by the beater through the silk cloth.
The cylinder is supported upon and is driven by small friction pulleys mounted
upon two shafts running beneath the cylinder. The cylinder is formed of two end
rims and a suitable number of intermediate rims according to its length, all the
said rims being connected together by longitudinal bars fastened thereto so as to
form a kind of cage or skeleton cylinder. The silk is stretched over this cage in
the following manner: The end rims of the cylinder which run on the friction
pulleys are provided with annular grooves, in which the edges of the silk are
placed and tied round with a cord, over which is placed a thin hoop of steel, the
ends of which are drawn tight by means of screws. The central portions or edges
of the silk are provided with eyelet holes, by means of which these edges are laced
together, and a strip of calico or other suitable material is then pasted or otherwise
cemented over this joint. The silk is thus well secured and strained perfectly tight

page_text: over the the skeleton frame. Inside this cylinder, and passing through the centre
thereof, is a shaft or axle, revolving in the same direction, but at a quicker speed.
On this shaft is mounted a series of narrow drums or wheels having nebs or pro-
jections round the circuinference, to which are attached the beaters or distributors
and propellers, arranged alternately or otherwise. The beaters or distributors are
formed of long narrow strips of metal or other suitable material set on edge in
almost a radial position, their outer edges being bent to a considerable angle
so as to throw the middlings or meal outwards against the silk or sieve.
The propellers are also made of continuous strips, but narrower than the beaters,
and are provided at intervals with a series of vanes or blades placed at a slight
inclination or angle to the centre line of the shaft, and also bent at their outer
edges. These vanes or blades break up and disperse the middlings or meal, and at
the same time propel the bran and all that does not pass through the silk forwards to
the delivering end of the cylinder..
The outside of the silk cylinder is kept clean by means of a flat brush, which is
kept constantly revolving in contact therewith.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Abraham Crabtree in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
January 1879.
ABRAHAM CRABTREE, of Bacup, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR DRESSING MIDDLINGS, WHEAT MEAL, AND
OTHER GROUND OR CRUSHED GRAIN OR SEEDS."
My Invention relates to what are called centrifugal dressing machines, and con-
sists principally of a combination of apparatus for the above purposes, consisting of
a revolving cylinder covered with silk, cloth, or other suitable material, and a beater
of peculiar construction; which revolves inside the cylinder (in the same direction,
but at a greater speed) together with a revolving brush, which constantly cleans
the silk of the cylinder, and a screw to deliver the flour or meal which has been
worked by the beater through the silk cloth.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect, and in order that the saine may be clearly
understood I have annexed hereunto two Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof,
and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with
those in the following explanation thereof,-
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawings represents a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 a
transverse section of my improved centrifugal apparatus or machine, drawn to a
scale of about one-twelfth the actual size.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of the feeding end of the machine; and Fig. 4 is an
elevation of the opposite end of the same.
The whole apparatus is enclosed in a casing a, a, and suitable framing b, b. The
cylinder is carried upon and driven by small friction pulleys c, c, mounted upon two
shafts d, d, running beneath the cylinder, one of these shafts being driven from the
main or beater shaft e, e, by the cross strap f. f. The cylinder is formed of two end
rims g, g, and a suitable number of intermediate rims g¹, g¹, according to its length,
all the said rims being connected together by longitudinal bars or rods h, h, fastened
thereto so as to form a kind of cage or skeleton cylinder. The silk i, i, is stretched
over this case in the following manner :-The ends or rims g. 9, of the cylinder
which rim on the friction pulley c, c, are provided with annular grooves, in which
the outer edges of the silk i, i, (being bound with ticking or other strong fabric,-
and corded as usual) are placed. Over the cord is passed a thin hoop of steel or
other suitable material "k, k, the ends of which are drawn tight by means of
screws k*, *. The central portions or inner edges and the ends of the silk are also
bound and provided with eyelet holes, by means of which their edges are laced
together, and a strip of calico or other suitable material is then pasted or otherwise
cemented over this joint. The silk is thus well secured and strained perfectly tight
over the skeleton frame so as to form as near a perfect cylinder as possible. Inside
this cylinder, and passing through the centre thereof, is the main shaft or axle e, e, re-
volving in the same direction but at a quicker speed. On this shaft is mounted a series
of narrow drums or wheels 7, l, having nebs or projections round the circumference,
to which are attached the propellers and distributors m, m', arranged alternately.
The distributors m, m, are formed of long narrow strips or blades of metal or other
suitable material set on edge in almost a radial position, their outer edges being
bent to a considerable angle so as to throw the middlings or meal outwards against
the silk or sieve i, i, these strips or blades m, m, being placed parallel to the
centre line of the shaft e, e, (as seen at Fig. 1). The propellers m', m', are also
made of continuous strips, but narrower than the beaters, and are provided at
intervals with a series of vanes or blades m", ml, placed at a slight inclination or
angle to the centre line of the shaft, and also bent at their outer edges. These vanes or
blades disperse the middlings or meal, and distribute it over the whole inner surface

page_text: of the silk, and at the same time propel the bran and all the coarse meal or other
matter that does not pass through the silk forwards to the delivering end of the
cylinder.
The air enters the cylinder with the meal at the large central opening 8, 8, round
the axis at the feeding end of the cylinder (see Fig. 3), and passes out at the other
end through several openings t, t, made nearer to the circumference (see Fig. 4).
In some cases I propose instead of having alternate distributors and propellers to
make the same blades act as both distributors for throwing the meal, &c., against
the silk and propellers for driving the bran and offal towards the delivery end. In
which case I arrange the blades diagonally (instead of parallel with the axle), and I
form and fix the blades as shown at Figs. 1* and 2*. The outer edge 1, 1, of the
blade is bent at an angle as before, and will act as a distributor, and the inner
part 2, 2, being radial, or nearly so, and set in a spiral direction, will propel the
bran and offal towards the delivery end of the cylinder. The blades are attached
to the nebs 3, 3, by angle pieces 4, 4, of spring steel, which gives a certain amount
of elasticity thereto, and prevents the beater from being drawn out of shape by the
diagonal strain of the blades, the latter being made adjustable by means of a slot.
The meshes of the silk cylinder are kept open and clean by means of a flat
brush m, n, which is adjustable to or from the cylinder, and is kept constantly
revolving in contact with the outside thereof by means of the strap o, o; p, p, is a
worm or screw kept revolving by means of the strap q, q, for the purpose of
impelling the fine sifted flour or meal towards the delivering part of the machine.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,―
First. The construction of an apparatus or centrifugal machine for dressing
"middlings," wheat meal, or other ground or crushed grain or seeds by the combi-
nation of a revolving "silk" or cylinder with an internal revolving beater of the
peculiar construction herein-before described and illustrated by the annexed
Drawings, and a flat revolving brush for cleaning the silk, substantially as herein-
before described.
Secondly. I claim the peculiar construction of the cylinder and the method of
straining and fixing the silk thereon, substantially as described and shown.
Thirdly. I claim the peculiar construction of the internal revolving beater,
substantially as described and shown.
And, Fourthly. I claim the flat revolving brush for cleaning the meshes of
the silk of centrifugal dressing machines.
In witness whereof, I, the said Abraham Crabtree, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
ABRAHAM CRABTREE. (L.S.)