Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
GEORGE HINTON BOVILL, of Mill Wall, in the County of Middlesex,.
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,
by Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster,
the Eighteenth day of August (One thousand eight hundred and forty-
six), in the tenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said George Hinton Bovill,
my exors, admiors, and assigns, Her especial licence,, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said George Hinton Bovill, my
exors, adññiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Hinton
Bovill, my exors, adiñors, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon
Tweed, and in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and
Man, and in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,

page_text: the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURING WHEAT AND OTHER
GRAIN INTO MEAL AND FLOUR," being a communication from a certain
foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso that I, the said George Hinton Bovill, should cause a par-
ticular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by
the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said George Hinton Bovill, do hereby declare that the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
are fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:
The first part of the Invention consists of closing the eye of the
running stone, by which currents of air above the pressure of the
atmosphere may be introduced or forced between the stones, and in
such a manner that the meal is delivered from between them in a cool
state, and the operation of grinding is carried on in a more rapid
manner.
Secondly, in the application of ventilating vanes or screws at the
centre of the stones, for supplying the air between the grinding
surfaces.
Thirdly, in the application of blades to the peripherics of running
stones for producing by a fan action the necessary current between the
grinding surfaces.
Fourthly, the Invention consists of the application of double stone
hoops or cases for condensing and separating the dust or stive from the
air and avoiding the waste of meal.
And in order that the Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I proceed to describe the means pursued by
me for performing the same.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents a transverse section of a pair of mill stones fitted
according to one arrangement of the first part of the Invention, in
which A, A, are the stones as usually employed; B, driving spindle, on
the cross bar of which the cup C is attached to receive the grain from
the feed pipe D, which is regulated in the ordinary manner with the
lever and regulating rod E, E; F, the double stone case or hoop, the
top of which is closed by the cast iron plate G, fastened by bolts and
nuts; attached to this plate is the nozzle EI, furnished with a throttle
valve J, for regulating the supply of air to the stones from the air pipe
K, through which the air is blown from an ordinary fan or other blow-
ing machine; L, cast iron hollow column with open bars or flutes
between which the studs of the feeding lever are screwed to the feed
pipe D, which works through the column into the feeding hopper M,
which stands on the top of the column; N, is a cast iron grooved ring
attached to the top of the running stone around the eye; O, a circular
leather inserted into the groove of the cast iron ring, and secured to the
stone case F, the object of which is to prevent the current of air or any
grain passing otherwise than through between the grinding surfaces.
It will be obvious when the stones are set to work, and a blast of air
introduced from a blowing machine through the pipe K, that there
will be a considerable current of air between the stones from the centre
outwards in every direction; and by the eye of the stone being closed
up by the leather ring O, and plate G, the necessary pressure of the
blast from the fan or other blowing machine is sustained, the blast of
air not being able to get away through the eye of the stone; hence the
blast will be equal to deliver in its passage from the centre of the stones
outwards in every direction the meal or flour from the stones in a cool
state, as it is produced from the grain; the stones are cooled, and being
hus kept free from meal their entire working surfaces are constantly
naction on the grain, the stones thus performing a very considerably
ncreased duty without a corresponding increase of power. I would
ere remark that I am aware that air has before been introduced
between the surfaces of mill stones in various ways, but without closing

page_text: the eye or centre of the runner, and therefore the supply of air passing
between the stones has not been maintained above the pressure of the
atmosphere; aud such modes so heretofore practised have consisted of
openings in the runner to create a circulation of air between the sur-
faces when working; also by the introduction of a blast of air through
a pipe placed near the centre of the bed stone, such pipe being sur-
mounted with a distributing plate attached to the driving spindle for
dispersing the air between the surfaces; but from the necessity of the
distributing plate being of much smaller diameter than the eye of the
running stone to allow the feed of grain between the stones and the cir-
cumference of the distributing plate, the greater portion of the air blown
into the eye passed up through the eye of the runner without effecting
its object. And it has also been proposed to withdraw the air from the
case containing the stones with a view to inducing air to pass down
the eye of the runner and through between the stones. I would there-
fore have it understood I do not claim as the Invention the principle of
causing air to pass between the grinding surfaces of mill stones.
Figure 2 is a transverse section, shewing another arrangement
of this part of the Invention. The same letters refer to the same
parts that are similar to Figure 1. The eye of the running stone
-is closed with the leather O, secured to the top of the stone;
this leather has a circular opening, into which the blast pipe K is
fitted; there is a throttle valve J for regulating the supply of air as in
Figure 1, and the feed tube D works through the air pipe into the
feeding hopper M, which is supported by the bracket L. When the
stones are working, the leather O attached to the runner works freely
round the air pipe K, the lower end of which is furnished with a
telescope joint to facilitate it being withdrawn to clear any dust from
the feed cup or eye of the stone, without stopping; by this arrangement
of closing the eye of the running stone, the pressure of wind blown from
the fan is sustained, as before described.
Figure 3 represents another method of effecting the same purpose
the feed tube D being in this instance inserted into a circular opening
to fit it in the leather covering O, and the blast of air from the air pipe
K, introduced through an open cast iron bush P, around the spindle B

page_text: the top of this open bush being covered with a perforated plate Q, pre-
vents the grain entering or choking the air pipe. R. is a box or nozzle
attached to the under side of the bush, having a throttle valve as before,
for regulating the supply of air; the bottom of the box R has a circular
opening for the stone spindle to work through, but is to be so fitted as
to prevent the escape of air.
Figure 4 represents a transverse section of a pair of mill stones
fitted according to the second part of the Invention. A, A, mill stones;
B, driving spindle; C, feeding shoe of the ordinary construction supplied
from the hopper M; D, shaker or damsel for feeding shoe; and E,
line for regulating feed in the ordinary way. F, double stone case
for preventing dust, as hereafter described; G, a portable ventilating
blowing machine fitted to the eye of the running stone; this ventilator
is furnished with blades or arms attached to a spindle, upon the top of
which a small rigger H. is fixed, for driving it at considerable velocity.
The damsel D is constructed with a bush to carry the spindle of the
ventilator. J, driving pulley on stone spindle from which the gut band
K passes over the small wheels L, L, round the small rigger of the
ventilator. When the stones are set to work, this ventilator revolves
at considerable velocity, blowing and sustaining a sharp blast of air
down the centre of the runner, the blades performing the duty of
supplying the necessary blast for discharging the meal from between
the grinding surfaces instantly on its production; the grain passes freely
down through the ventilator to the stones. The blades shewn in the
Drawing may be varied, or a screw substituted for, driving motion may
also be altered at pleasure, and the ventilator might be placed in the
bed stone instead of the runner; but I would remark that I have
ound three blades, as shewn on the ventilator spindle, and the arrange-
ment for driving the same, the most convenient.
Figure 5 represents a pair of mill stones according to the third part
of the Invention, in which the arrangement of hopper M, shoe C, and
lamsel feeding apparatus D, are of the common description adopted by
nost millers. Attached to the running stone A, I have a set of fan.
lades G, G, secured to the stone by the thumb nuts H, H, H, H, so as
o be easily removed; fixed to the top of the runner around the eye-there-

page_text: groove
of
is a. cast iron grooved ring N, into which the leather ring O is inserted,
its other end being secured to the top of the double stone hoop F; when
the stone is set to work, the blades G, G, on its periphery displace a large
quantity of air, performing the functions of a fan; the air is blown through
the slots d, d, d, d, in the internal case of the stone hoop F, and down the
air exit spout, the meal being delivered down the meal spout S in the
ordinary manner; the leather ring O, forming a joint in the
the cast iron ring N as it rotates with the runner, prevents any air or
grain passing over the back of the stone; in proportion, therefore, to the
displacement of air flying off from the outer circumference by the action
of the fan blades G, G, so will the current of air be produced down the
eye of the runner, between the grinding surfaces to the skirt, clearing
the meal from the stones, as produced, and keeping the goods cool
whilst undergoing the grinding process. I am aware, as I have before
remarked, that currents of air have been produced by pumps or fans,
exhausting the cases of mill stones, which arrangement is most in-
convenient, and such inconvenience is by this arrangement avoided.
I mention this circumstance in order that the nature and extent of this
part of the Invention may be more clearly understood, which consists
of connecting with the running stone fan blades to create currents of
air between the grinding surfaces, by which the dust is avoided and the
general arrangements of the old system are undisturbed.
The last part of the Invention consists in the application of double
hoops or stone cases to mill stones for preventing the dust or stive pro-
luced in the process of grinding, by which great waste is avoided, and
the inconvenience to the millers prevented. Figure 6 is a plan of the
double hoop marked F on the other Figures, in transverse section on
the Drawing. a, a, rings or hoops of sheet iron, zinc, or other metal,
fixed to the circular kirb b at the bottom, and to the cover c; these
hoops are placed about two inches apart; the internal one is perforated
with a series of slots or openings d, d, d, d, cut down nearly to the joint
of the runner and bed stone; by this simple arrangement the air sur-
charged with meal at the periphery of the stones is by the centrifugal
action of the running stone impelled through the slots d, d, d, d, in the
internal hoop against the outer hoop where the stive or fine dust carried

page_text: with it sticks from its natural moisture; the current of air being thus
broken escapes free of any dust down the air exit pipes e, e; by this
arrangement, and by having the meal delivery spouts made with angles,
as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 4, letter S, almost all dust is avoided,
even when blowing or exhausting apparatus is applied. There are four
small doors ff, on the top of the double hoop to enable the millers to
sweep the stive or dust deposited between the internal and external
hoops down the air exit pipes e, e, into a sack or bin, and this operation
will not be required more than once in twenty-four hours work.
Figure 7 represents the application of this double hoop to stones when
the current of air between the surfaces is produced by an exhausting
air pump or fan; the suction pipe K, provided with a throttle valve J,
for regulating the current, is attached to the air exit pipe c; the running
stone has several scrapers T, T, for delivering the meal into the meal
delivery spout S, which, as well as the air exit spout e, is furnished with
a balance valve V, to prevent the inlet of air, but allowing the meal
to escape; by this arrangement the necessity of sucking the mical
through the exhausting machine is avoided, and the waste and dust
prevented.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise details herein mentioned, so long
as the peculiar character of either part of the Invention be retained.
But what I claim is,-
First, the closing of the eye of the running stone, and combining
therewith a blast of air above the pressure of the atmosphere at or near
the centres of mill stones, so that the pressure of air is sustained
to carry out the meal from between the grinding surfaces as
produced.
Secondly, I claim the application of ventilating screws or vanes for
blowing and sustaining the necessary blast of air between the grinding
surfaces of mill stones, as herein described.
Thirdly, I claim the application of what I term fan blades, to the
periphery of the running stone for producing currents of air between

page_text: the grinding surfaces of mill stones, the passage over the back of the
stones being closed, as described in respect to Figure 5.
And, fourthly, I claim the application of double hoops or cases to
mill stones for separating and condensing the dust or stive from the
atmosphere and avoiding the waste of meal, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Hinton Bovill, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February,
One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.
:
GEORGE HINTON (L.S.) BOVILL.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighteenth day of
February, in the year of our Lord 1847, the aforesaid George Hinton
Bovill came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and
acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing
therein contained and specified, in form above written. And also the
Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Eighteenth day of February, in the year of our