A New or Improved Grinding Mill.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left. 11th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Nov.,
1895
A New or Improved Grinding Mill.
1, THOMAS TORRANCE, of Bitton Foundry, Bitton, in the County of
Gloucester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to a new or improved mill, for grinding earths, colors,
quartz, chemicals, paints, and other substances, in either a wet or dry state, the
chief features are ineans for automatically feeding the material to the grinding
medium with the least possible number of working parts, having a maximum
of efficiency with a minimum of friction.
My invention consists of a metallic or other base or bed plate, carrying in its
centre within a suitable and fixed casing a vertical shaft, the upper end or head of
which is finished in spherical or semi-spherical form, and upon the upper portion
of said shaft, below and clear of the said head is keyed, or otherwise fixed, a bevel
wheel, the teeth of which gear with a pinion wheel mounted upon and keyed or
otherwise fixed to a horizontal shaft, preferably borne by an extension fixed upon
or formed integrally with the casing of the before mentioned vertical shaft, and a
suitable plummer block, or its equivalent mounted upon a vertical bracket or
pedestal, which may be fixed to and upon the before mentioned base or bed plate.
or otherwise, as may be found most convenient, and upon the free end of said
borizontal shaft, is mounted one or more fast or loose pulleys, by means of which,
actuated by any suitable power, motion is imparted to the before mentioned bevel
wheel.
Upon the said toothed bevel wheel is fixed or formed integrally therewith, a
hollow bracket or extension, the aperture in which carries a fixed shaft extending
in a horizontal direction therefrom, and upon the free end cf this is mounted,
loosely, a pair of, preferably toothless, splay or bevel wheels or rollers, the outer
of which is of less diameter than the inner, and traverses a circular path or race
borne by brackets, or a circular frame, or cast or otherwise formed integrally with
said brackets or frame, which may be fixed to and upon the hefore mentioned base
or bed plate, or otherwise as may be found convenient. The said brackets or
circular frame also carries a second circular path or annular groove above and
clear of the first named race or circular path, and the wheel or pulley travelling
thereon, the said annular groove or path being preferably semicircular, or
approximately so, in cross section, and may be cast or otherwise formed integrally
with the first race or path if desired.
Upon the spherical or semi-spherical summit of the vertical shaft is fulcrummed
or pivotally mounted the cupped or concave-centre of a circular pan, or
container for the material being ground, such centre being adjustable vertically
by the tension of a suitable spring and set-screw, and upon the outer or
circumferential edge of the bottom of said pan is fixed, or formed integrally
therewith, an annular ridge or projection, of circular form, or approximately so, in
cross section, capable of engaging with the last mentioned annular groove or
circular path, some part of the circumference of said ridge or projection being
always resting within some part of the said path or groove, by reason of the
diametrically opposite portion of the bottom of the pan always resting upon the
Jarger of the two splay or toothless bevel wheels before mentioned, the diameter

page_text: of which is such that the pan is always tilted from the horizontal in one direction
or another.
It will be understood that by the rotation of the first mentioned horizontal or
driving shaft, motion would be imparted to the bevel wheel mounted upon the
vertical shaft, and as this rotates it carries with it the horizontal shaft fixed
thereto, causing the smaller of the two splay or toothless bevel wheels thereon, to
traverse the race or circular path upon which it rests, while the larger splay or
bevel wheel would impart a rotary tilt to the said pan or container.
Within the said pan is placed one or any number of large heavy balls, preferably
made of hardened steel or chilled iron, and by reason of the rotary tilt impartel
to the pan as stated the said balls would travel automatically around the inner
circumference of the pan, at a speed equal to the velocity of the before mentioned
bevel wheel, and that of the rotary tilt of the pan, this part of the pan being, lined
with any number of plates of hardened steel or chilled iron, having an inner curve
corresponding to the radius of the before mentioned halls, such plates being
renewable to accommodate wear, and between these plates, and the travelling ball
or balls the material to be treated would be crushed, ground or mixed, the rotary
tilt of the pan serving to keep the said material always within the path of the ball
or balls.
As an alternative method of construction I may mount the said pan,, across its
centre line, upon suitably borne trunnions, and effect the tilting of the pan by the
means of a centrally jointed lever, one end of which would be pivotally connected
to the under surface of the pan, at right angles to the said trunnions, while its
opposite end may be pivotally connected to the base or bed plate, when by means
of a connecting rod engaging with the central joint of said lever, and an eccentric,
disc or cam, or its equivalent, actuated by suitable gearing operated by and from
the before mentioned or other driving shaft, the said jointed lever may be bent
and straightened alternately once to every rotation of said cam or eccentric disc,
and thus impart a tilting motion to the pan, which if regularly continued would
give rotary, motion to the ball or balls in the pan. In this method L may find it
convenient or desirable to form the said pan of elliptical form: in plan, suspended
upon trunnions placed at its narrowest diameter.
When my said improved mill, constructed in either of the manners bereinbefore
provided, is employed in the crushing of dry material I may, for the purpose of
carrying off the dust, cover the said pan with a flexible hood, secured to the upper
edge of same, and having a central aperture therein, connected to the leading tube
or pipe of a suitable rotary fan or blower, operated by a band or strap engaging
therewith, and one of the before mentioned driving pulleys upon the driving shaft
of the grinding apparatus, and by this means the said dust may be conveyed to a
suitable receiver.
When the said apparatus is employed for grinding material in a wet or semi-wet
condition, I may, as a quick and easy means for emptying same, provide in any
suitable or convenient part of the rim of said pan, a removable portion or lip and
coinciding therewith, at a convenient part of or surrounding the apparatus a groove
or channel having a suitable chute, or its equivalent, through which the said
material may be delivered to a settling tank or otherwise where required.
Dated this 11th day of January 1895.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: wet or fluid material is being ground the pan is provided with a suitable outlet for
same as hereinafter explained.
In order that my said invention may be better or more fully understood, I
hereunto append a sheet of drawings of which :-
:-
Fig. 1 is a vertical, part sectional view of my improved mill, and in which I
have chosen to presume the same to be employed for crushing and pulverizing dry
substances or materials.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan taken upon the line A B Fig. 1, or in other words
with the pan and all therein and thereon removed.
In carrying my invention into effect I cast or otherwise provide a ircular frame A,
mounted upon or arranged to form a base or bed plate B, the latter carrying in its
centre a fixed casing C, holding a vertical shaft or standard D, the head of which a
is finished, preferably, in spherical or semi-spherical form. The casing C carries
a sleeve E, to which fixed or cast or otherwise formed integrally therewith, a
toothed bevel or mitre wheel F, in gear with a like pinion G, keyed or otherwise
fixed upon a horizontal shaft H, preferably carried by a bearing b, (fixed upon or
formed integrally with the casing C,) and pedestal bearings c d. the former of
which may rest upon a bracket e forming part of the frame A or base B, the said
shaft being provided with suitable fast and loose pulleys J, J' by means of which,
actuated by any suitable power, the pinion G imparts motion to the bevel
wheel F.
The wheel F is cast with, or has fixed thereto a hollow bracket K, extending
horizontally therefrom, which carries a fixed spindle L, and upon the free end of
this is mounted loosely a pair of toothless splay or bevel wheels, rollers or
pulleys M and M', the latter of which rests upon and traverses an annular path
or race fi, fixed upon or formed integrally with the frame A, and above and clear
of this, the said frame also carries or has formed therewith, a second race or path g
for purposes hereinafter explained.
***
The upper end of the vertical shaft or spindle D is surrounded by a steadying
collar N, connected by webs h to, or cast or otherwise formed integrally with a
ring, which fits within the upper end of, and is secured by bolts or their
equivalents j, to, the casing C, and so formed as to retain in position the sleeve E.
Upon the spherical or seni-spherical head a of the spindle D, is mounted a
metallic or other block k, the lower end of which is cupped or hollowed to fit, and
oscillate upon, and revolve around a, and surrounding said block is a collar 1,
connected by suitable webs to the lower end of a hollow chamber P, open at the
top and bottom, and this chamber forms the axial centre of a circular and
preferably metallic pan R, to which it may be screwed, bolted or otherwise
connected, or cast or otherwise formed therewith.
The pan R is so constructed in horizontal cross section as to form an annular
pathi R, for one or more heavy balls or spherical bodies S, made of any suitable
substance or material, but preferably hardened steel or chilled iron, or iron or
other heavy material faced with steel, and upon the under surface of the pan is
formed or connected thereto a plane faced annular ridge m, and outside this an
aunular ridge or projection n, the outer edge or nozing of which is preferably
circular in cross section. The ridge m or some part thereof always rests upon
the wheel or roller M, the pau R being always tilted at some part of its
circumference thereby, while that part of the ridge or projection n opposite
thereto always rests in some part of the race or path g.
The concave under surface of the pan R is provided with a rim such as p, and
to this is connected the upper mouth of a rubber composition, leather, canvas or
other dust proof and flexible casing p1, the lower mouth of this being connected to
the upper mouth of a rim O, thus forming a dust proof passage from P to C,
capable of accommodating itself to the rotary oscillatory movements of the pan R.
The pan R when employed for pulverizing dry material or substances, is provided
with a dust proof cover r, bolted or otherwise connected thereto, and preferably
divisable at r', and to the mouth of the said cover is bolted or otherwise

page_text: A New or improved Grinding
I, THOMAS TORRANCE of Bitton Foundry Bitton in the County of Gloucester,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to a new or improved inill for crushing and grinding earths,
quartz, paints, colors chemicals, and other substances and materials, in either a wet
or dry state, and has for its objects, a method of construction and manipulation by
the means of which I am enabled to employ gravity as an assistant factor in
imparting motion to the grinding medium, and effect a material saving of the
power hitherto absorbed by friction, when either the crushing and grinding medium,
or the pan containing the material being treated has to be moved bodily, as obtains
with all mills heretofore made and used.
My invention consists of a preferably circular metallic pan, so formed as to
provide an annular path or race for one or more heavy preferably metallic ball,
which are caused to traverse the said path or race by the action of gravity alone,
and crush or grind the material in the said pan when a rotary or other oscillatory
motion is imparted to the latter and to effect this I prefer to pivotally mount the
said pan, centrally, upon a vertical shaft, within a casing fixed upon a suitable base
or bed plate, and upon said casing sleeved a bevel wheel, in gear with a pinion
upon a horizontal power shaft, carried in suitable bearings. The said horizontal
bevel wheel has a hollow bracket or extension, projecting horizontally therefrom
which carries a fixed shaft or spindle, upon which is loosely mounted a pair of
toothless splay or bevel wheels, pulleys or rollers, the outer of which rests upon
and traverses a circular path or race, formed integrally with, or fixed upon a
circular frame, preferably fixed to and upon the said base or bed plate, while
upon the inner of said bevel wheels or rollers, rests a portion of the periphery
of the bottom of the before mentioned pan, which is thereby tilted several
degrees from the horizontal. The said pan has upon the outer limits or circum-
ferential edge of its under surface an aunular ridge or projection, some portion
of which is always resting upon some part of a second ridge or race (formed
upon or connected to the before mentioned frame) when the opposite side of the
pan is tilted by the said bevel wheel or roller before mentioned. By imparting
motion to the pinion wheel before referred to, motion is imparted to the said
toothed bevel wheel, and as this rotates it carries with it the shaft or spindle
bearing the before mentioned splay or bevel wheels or rollers, the outer of which
travels upon the first named race or path upon the said frame, while the inuer
of these wheels or rollers rotates by reason of its contact with the under surface
of the pan and raises this as it traves beneath it, and so imparts a rotary,
oscillatory motion thereto, thereby imparting motion to the balls or balls therein,
which by travelling around within the pan, crush, pulverize, or mix the material
therein.
When the said pan is circular, and employed for finely pulverizing dry material,
I provide a suitable dust proof cover for the pan, into the upper portion of which
is admitted a powerful blast from a suitable blower or fan, which is directed upon
and constantly agitates the material being crusbed, or pulverized, and the said
cover, being air tight, the only outlet for the said blast being downward through
an elevated chamber in the centre of the pan, and from this through a suitable
conduit to where required, carrying with it only the finest particles of the pulverized
material. An adjustable feed for the material to be treated is provided in the
said cover, and by a suitable device the chute from the said feed and the nozzle uf
the blast pipe are caused to revolve by and with the rotating ball or balls. When

page_text: connected a circular plates and a hopper T, the former having perforations or
openings s', and resting upon s, is a like plate t, having corresponding perforations
or openings t', and integrally with t is formed a hollow casting v, provided at its
upper surface with a worm wheel v¹, with which gears a worm operated by a
wheel or handle such as vll, the rotation of which and would rotate the
casting and the plate t, and so open and close and regulate the feed passages t
and s, leading to the feed chute w. The chute w is connected by a casting w', to
a tube w extending downward into the pan R in the direction of the path R', the
upper end of w fitting loosely into the lower mouth of the casting and capable
of revolving therein, and is kept held upward within v by reason of the casting w
being screwed upon the upper end of a metallic rod æ, the lower end of which is
cupped and rests upon the semispherical head of the block piece k, so as to easily
revolve thereon. The upper end of the tube or passage w¹ coincides with a tube y
extending through v and connected to same, and to this is connected the lower end
of a suitable length of rubber leather or other elastic or flexible tubing y', the
upper end of which is connected to the air conduit y" of a suitable fan or blower U,
driven by any available power, which may be that afforded by the power shaft H,
a. band or strap connecting the pulley J with the pulley J of the blower or
fan, and by this means a continuous blast of air is forced directly upon the material.
in the pan R.
It will be understood that by the rotation of the power shaft H, and the
pinion G, motion would be imparted to the wheel F and as this rotates it carries
with it the horizontal shaft L, causing the wheel M' to traverse the race or
circular path f1, while the wheel M would revolve by reason of its contact with the
ridge m, and as M travels around the under surface of the pan R it would impart
a rotary tilt thereto, the portion of the ridge or projection n opposite to M, in
like manner making rotary contact with the path g, such motion of the pan R,
inducing the travel of the ball or balls S around the path R¹ thereby crushing
and pulverizing or mixing the material therein.
The material to be treated would be fed into the hopper T, from which it would
pass through the adjustable feeding apertures t¹ and s, and the chute w into the
pan R, as shewn by the arrows, and the travelling ball or balls S, engaging with
the chute w, would push against and cause this and the blast tube w¹ to revolve
simultaneously with S, and the blast from the blower by continually impinging
upon the material being ground, would keep the smaller particles of this constantly
agitated, while the finest particles or dust would be lifted from that not yet
sufficiently pulverized, and following the path of the blast, would be carried over
and into the chamber P, and from this through ppl and into the casing C, whereat
it would be deflected by a slope W, into an exhaust or delivery conduit W' as
indicated by the arrow, and so conveyed to where required. By this means the
material as fast as ground or pulverized would be conveyed away, leaving behind
only such material as needed further treatment, thus avoiding the hitherto useless
waste of power spent in continuing the grinding operation upon material sufficiently
pulverized.
The path R¹ of the pan R may be lined with one or any number of renewable
steel or other plates having an inner curve or concavity corresponding to the radius
of the balls S.
When my improved rotary mill is employed for grinding material or mixing in
a wet or semi-wet condition the upper portion of the cover r, and the several
accessories thereon for regulating the feed and supplying a blast of air may if
desired be removed, and I may as a quick and easy means for emptying the pan,
provide in any convenient part of the rim of the pan a suitable lip or spout, and
coinciding with this, at any convenient part of or surrounding the portion g of the
frame A a suitable chute or trough, through which the ground or mixed material
may be conveyed to where required, as suggested by Z and Z in dotted outline in
Fig. 1.
It will therefore be understood that for. the purposes of my invention the

page_text: declination of the path upon which the crushing ball or balls travel, must always.
be maintained during the working of the mill, or so long as it is desired that the
force of gravity shall operate to keep the same in motion, and the tilting of the
pan to attain this end, and the use of a blast to carry away the sufficiently treated
material are the essential features, and (so far as I am aware) novelty of my
invention, but it is obvious that the same motion may be given to the ball or balls
by imparting to the pan an oscillating motion other than a rotary oscillating
niotion as herein before described and shewn, and I may effect this in a variety of
ways, such for instance, as by providing trunnions upon the outside of the pan,
borne by suitable standards or pillars, and to effect the alternate tilting or rising
and lowering of the pan from either side at right angles to its fulcrum, a rod or
rod, lever or levers may be employed operated by a crank, cam, eccentric, disc or
the like, to which motion may be imparted by any suitable means, such for instance
as that afforded by the power shaft II, and I may, when the pan R is to be
mounted in this way, find it convenient or desirable to construct the said pan in
the form of an ellipse in plan, in which case the said trunnions would occur at
each side of its narrowest diameter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In an improved grinding and mixing mill, the construction, use, and
application of the berein described apparatus and (or any desired combination of)
the several parts constituting and forming the same, connected and operating
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and shewn.
2nd. In a grinding and mixing mill, the method of and means for imparting an
oscillating or rotary oscillatory motion to the pan or container, such motion by the
aid of gravity imparting motion to one or more balls or spherical bodies and the
utilisation of such bodies as the crushing, pulverizing or mixing medium, substantially
as herein described and shewn.
3rd. In combination with a grinding and mixing mill, the employment of a blast
or current of air, by the use of a suitable fan or blower, arranged to impinge upon
the material being treated, for dividing and removing therefrom the sufficiently
pulverized particles, the said blast also serving to convey such particles by
suitable conduits to where required substantially as and for the purposes herein
described and shewn.
4th. In an improved, crushing, grinding and mixing mill, the combination of a
frame A, fixed upon or arranged to form a base or bed plate B, with casing C,
containing and holding a vertical shaft or standard D, and carrying a sleeve E,
with toothed mitre wheel F in gear with a mitre pinion G, upon a power shaft H,
provided with fast and loose pulleys J, J', J". The extension or projection K
upon F, carrying a spindle I, upon which are loosely mounted splay or bevel
pulleys or rollers such as M, M', the latter resting upon and arranged to traverse
an annular race or path such as f₁, formed integrally with or connected to the
frame A, the former operating to tilt, and by its travel impart a rotary oscillatory
motion to, a pan or container R, constructed internally to form an annular path R
for one or more metal or metal cased balls or heavy spherical bodies S, and
pivotally mounted upon the standard D, by the means of a block such as k,
connected to a chamber P, forming the axial centre of R, the said pan having
upon its outer surface, an annular ridge or projection n some portion of which is
always resting upon a race or path g, connected to, or formed integrally with, the
frame A. The flexible junction piece p', connected to the under surface of R, and
the upper surface of a ring O, having webs such as h, and collar such as N for
steadying D, and screwed or otherwise connected to the chamber C, the latter
having a sloping plate such as W. and exhaust passage such as W₁, the whole
connected, combined, and operating substantially as and for the purposes herein
described and shewn by the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 5th. In combination with the crushing and grinding mill substantially as set.
forth in the preceding claim, the application and fixation thereto of a dust proof
cover such as r, carrying a crown plate such as s and hopper T, the former having
perforations or apertures s', the latter carrying a plate t having perforations or
apertures such as t¹, and a chamber such as v, provided with a worm wheel or
worm-wheel teeth v engaging with a worm v" actuated by a wheel or handle such
as The blast nozzle w arranged to rotate within the lower end of the
chamber and connected by a casting such as w' with a feed chute such as w, said
casting w¹ being pivotally mounted upon the upper end of a clock k. The tube,
within e, connected by a flexible tube y' to the service pipe y" of a suitable fan
or blower such as U, the whole connected, combined and operating, substantially
as and for the purposes herein set forth and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
6th. In combination with the mill as set forth in the 4th claim when used for
grinding or mixing fluid or semi fluid substances, the application to the pan R of
a lip or spout such as Z, and to the frame A of a chute or receiver such as Z¹,
shewn by dotted outline in Fig. 1 substantially as and for the purposes herein
described.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.