IMPROVEMENTS IN AP- PARATUS FOR GRINDING GRAIN, PULSE, BONES, CEMENT, AND OTHER SUB- STANCES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Simon, of No. 7, St. Peter's Square, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AP-
PARATUS FOR GRINDING GRAIN, PULSE, BONES, CEMENT, AND OTHER SUB-
STANCES." A communication from abroad by Edmund Schmeja, of Biala, in
the Austrian Empire.
Sealed the 13th September 1878, and dated the 25th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Simon at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th March 1878.
HENRY SIMON, of No. 7, St. Peter's Square, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GRINDING GRAIN, PULSE, BONES, CEMENT, AND
OTHER SUBSTANCES." [A communication from abroad by Edmund Schmeja, of
Biala, in the Austrian Empire.]
This Invention relates to that description of apparatus for grinding grain and
other substances, wherein the substance to be ground is passed between two metal
discs with roughened or grooved surfaces revolving in close contiguity to each
other.
The present improvements relate to a peculiar construction of the grinding sur-
faces of such discs with projections or teeth of various forms, such that while they
effectually reduce the grain or other substance to the desired pulverulent or granular
condition, the projections or teeth are capable of being adjusted, in order to make
good any wearing off of their grinding surfaces, and are also capable of having their
working edges re-sharpened by grinding the acting surfaces of the one disc against
those of the other with the intervention of emery or similar substance.
Furthermore, one or both the grinding surfaces may be made reversible with
duplicate sets of teeth or projections on each side, so that when the one set is worn
or blunted the plate may be reversed so as to bring the other set into action.
These grinding surfaces operate according to two different methods,-

page_text: First. By causing the teeth or projections on the one surface to enter between
the teeth of the other surface, the teeth being in this case arranged in concentric
circles or segments of circles, having grooves or spaces at intervals between them,
extending from the centre to the circuinference of the disc for the passage outwards
of the grain or other substance, which is in all cases fed in centrally between the
two discs.
According to the second method the projections of the one disc merely meet those
of the other disc without entering between them, the acting surfaces of the two
sets of projections being ground flat together in the first instance, thus forming sharp
edges at the boundaries of these surfaces, which edges consequently operate with a
cutting or crushing action.
The teeth or projections operating according to the first method may, according
to one arrangement, consist of separate rods of steel or other suitable hard metal
secured to a ring which is adjustable upon the disc, so that as the acting ends of
the rods wear away they can be advanced towards the teeth of the other disc. Such
adjustment may conveniently be effected by screwing the ring upon a screw thread
forined on the circumference of the disc.
The rods forming the teeth may be firmly clamped together at their acting ends
by external clamping rings.
Both the grinding discs may.be provided with teeth formed of rods; as described;
or the one disc may have in lieu thereof reversible metal blocks or plates having
teeth formed on both sides thereof.
The rods forming the separate teeth may either have small interstices between
them, which may advantageously be filled with some soft material, such as paper,
or they may fit closely against each other.
Instead of forming the radial rows of tecth of separate rods they may be all cut
out of or cast in a single strip, like a comb, and be made either of considerable
length or merely of the length required for the acting part thereof; and in this case
the strips-may be reversible, as before described.
According to another modification both discs may be provided with plates or
blocks having teeth. on both sides, so as to be reversible.
In either of the above arrangements the teeth may either extend over the whole
surface of the discs or the central parts of the discs may be left without teeth, or
may have a less number than at the circumference, the central teeth being, by
preference, stronger and of coarser pitch to facilitate the entrance of the grain, and
to break it into large fragments that are afterwards reduced to smaller size by the
outer teeth.
The bounding surfaces of the teeth may have any desired configuration, so as to
form angular, rounded, dovetail, or other shaped grooves between thom.
•
The teeth or projections operating according to the second before-described method
may either be in the form of pins or studs, having their one end fixed in a plate
carried by the shaft or on a boss at the back of the disc, through holes in which
the acting ends of the pins pass, the plates carrying them being adjustable on the
shaft, so that the pins may be advanced through the discs as their acting surfaces
wear away.
The pins or studs may be either of a circular, square, or other angular sectional
form, and they may be advantageously made of greater size and distance apart as
they approach the centre of the disc for the purpose mentioned with reference to
the first-described mode of construction.
The teeth operating according to this method may also be of elongated form, so
as to constitute ridges or projecting bars, extending either radially or obliquely
from the centre to the circumference of the discs.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Simon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th September
1878.
HENRY SIMON, of No. 7, St. Peter's Square, Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster. " IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GRINDING GRAIN, PULSE, BONES,
CEMENT, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES." A communication from abroad by Edmund
Schmeja, of Biala, in the Austrian Empire.
This Invention relates to that description of apparatus for grinding grain and
other substances, wherein the substance to be ground is passed between two metal
discs with roughened or grooved surfaces revolving in close contiguity to each other.
The present improvements relate to a peculiar construction of the grinding sur-
faces of such discs with projections or teeth of various forms, such that while they
effectually reduce the grain or other substance to the desired pulverulent or granular
condition, the projections or teeth are capable of being adjusted, in order to make
good any wearing off of the grinding surfaces, and are also capable of having their
working edges re-sharpened by grinding the acting surfaces of the one disc against
those of the other with the intervention of emery or similar substance.
Furthermore, one or both the grinding surfaces may be made reversible with
duplicate sets of teeth or projections on each side, so that when the one set is
worn or blunted the plate may be reversed, so as to bring the other set into
action.
These grinding surfaces operate according to two different methods,―
First. By causing the teeth or projections on the one surface to enter between
the teeth of the other surface, the teeth being in this case arranged in concentric
5 circles or segments of circles, having grooves or spaces at intervals between them,
extending from the centre to the circumference of the disc for the passage outwards
of the grain or other substance, which is in all cases fed in centrally between the
two discs. :
According to the second method the projections of the one disc merely meet those
0 of the other disc without entering between them, the acting surfaces of the two sets
.: of projections being ground flat together in the first instance, thus forming, sharp
edges at the boundaries of these surfaces, which edges consequently operate with a
cutting or.crushing action.
The teeth or projections operating according to the first method may, according
5 to one arrangement, consist of separate rods of steel or other suitable hard metal
: secured to a ring which is adjustable upon the disc, so as that the acting ends of the .
rods wear away they can be advanced towards the teeth of the other disc.
Such adjustment may conveniently be effected by screwing the ring upon a screw
thread formed on the circumference of the disc.
0
The rods forming the teeth may be firmly clamped together at their acting ends
by external clamping rings.
Both the grinding discs may be provided with teeth formed of rods, as described,
or the one disc may have in lieu thereof reversible metal blocks or plates having
teeth formed on both sides thereof.
•
5 The rods forming the separate teeth may either have small interstices between
them which may advantageously be filled with some soft material, such as paper,
or they may fit closely against each other.
Instead of forming the radial rows of teeth of separate rods they may be all cut
out of or cast in a single strip, like a comb, and be made either of considerable
length or merely of the length required for the acting part thereof; and in this case
the strips may be reversible, as before described.
According to another modification, both discs may be provided with plates or
blocks having teeth on both sides, so as to be reversible.
In either of the above. arrangements the teeth may either extend over the whole.
5 surface of the discs, or the central parts of the discs may be left without teeth, or

page_text: may have a less number than at the circumference, the central teeth being, by
preference, stronger and of coarser pitch to facilitate the entrance of the grain, and
to break it into large fragments that are afterwards reduced to small size by the
other teeth.
The bounding surfaces of the teeth may have any desired configuration, so as to
form angular, rounded, dovetail, or other shaped grooves between them.
The teeth or projections operating according to the second before-described method
may either be in the form of pins or studs, having their one end fixed in a plate
carried by the shaft, or on a boss at the back of the disc through holes in which
the acting ends of the pins pass, the plates carrying them being adjustable on the
shaft, so that the pins may be advanced through the discs as their acting surfaces
wear away.
The pins or studs may be either of a circular, square, or other angular sectional
form, and they may be advantageously made of greater size and distance apart as
they approach the centre of the disc for the purpose mentioned with reference to the
first-described mode of construction.
The teeth, operating according to this method, may also be of elongated form, so
as to constitute ridges or projecting bars, extending either radially or obliquely
from the centre to the circumference of the discs.
Figs. 1 to 7 of the Drawings shew various constructions of grinding surfaces
operating according to the first herein-described method, that is to say, wherein the
teeth or projections on the one surface are made to project between the teeth or
projections of the other grinding surface. Fig. 1 shews a plan, and Fig. 2 a
section on line X, X, of an arrangement having teeth of suitable form for coarse
grinding for producing groats free from meal.
As it is necessary for this purpose that the grain, after having been cut by the
teeth into the desired number of pieces, should leave the grinding surfaces as quickly
as possible, in order to prevent the formation of meal, only a few circular rows of
teeth taking into each other are provided, as shewn, at the left-hand side of these
Figures.
These circular rows of toeth are formed of steel, each one consisting of a separate
rod A, A, so.that in case of a fracture each tooth can separately be replaced.
These steel rods are fitted into recesses B' in the annular discs or rings B, and
their acting surfaces are advanced towards each other as they wear away by fitting
the rings B with a screw thread upon the discs C, so that they can be scrowed
upwards and downwards upon the latter.
The rings D have for their object to clamp the teeth tightly together by
means of screws D' after they have been set; they are by preferenco provided. with
a packing of leather at D³ to insure a perfect hold all round.
By means of the ribs on the rings B which enter the teeth, the latter are enabled
to be drawn back, and they also prevent them from advancing should the clamping
rings get loose during the grinding.
Instead of forming notches in the teeth for this purpose they may have pins
passing through them.
In order to regulate the extent to which the teeth of the one grinding surface
project between those of the other, according to the fineness of the produce required,
the one disc, together with the shaft, is adjustable by means of a screw and nut, as
shewn at Fig. 12, the other disc together with the casing being fixed..
The above-described form of teeth is also applicable for producing groats with.
meal by providing a greater number of circular and radial rows of teeth, as shewn
on the right-hand side of Figs. 1 and 2. The rings B are in this case considerably.
deeper, and can therefore more readily be made of cast iron, the clamping rings D
being the same as in the first arrangement.

page_text: In order to preserve the points of the teeth on grinding the two sets together after
they are worn, strips of paper or other soft material may be inserted between them,
which will also assist in clamping them together.
At A, Fig. 2, is shewn an arrangement in which each radial row of teeth is
formed of a single steel plate, which however has the disadvantage of not being
able to replace the single teeth when fractured. The said plates are in this case
formed with teeth at both ends, so at to be reversible, which arrangement is also
applicable with the single teeth.
Figs. 8 and 9 shew respectively a vertical section and part plan of an arrange-
ment in which the circular rows of teeth do not fit closely one against the other, but
have interstices between them, so that the grain on leaving the one row passes into
a perfectly clear space, whence it enters the next row. This arrangement is more
particularly applicable to the production of groat free of meal, and it has at the
same time the peculiarity that the teeth are formed with a single oblique cutting
face, as shewn at Fig. 8, whereby the formation of meal is further prevented. The
teeth are in this case formed of cylindrical, rectangular, or triangular rods, which
can be variously arranged, as shewn at Fig. 9, and which have countersunk heads
fitting into recesses in the discs B, as shewn at Fig. 8, and secured by a plate E, so
that by turning the discs B in one direction or the other teeth are advanced.or
withdrawn.
.
The ribs F, Fig. 9, have for their object to catch the grain and to throw it between
the teeth by means of their great circumferential velocity. This form of teeth is
also capable of being ground and adjusted and of being replaced when fractured in
a similar manner to those before described.
Figs. 3 to 6 shew an arrangement in which the teeth are formed on the surfaces
of the grinding discs themselves.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew respectively a plan and section at Y, Y; and Figs. 5 and 6
shew enlarged sections. In this case either the entire discs, as at G, or separate
segments thereof, or the outer annular part thereof, are formed with teeth on
both sides, so that when the teeth on the one side have become blunt after the
rotation of the discs in both directions, the disc can be turned so as bring the other
set of teeth into action.
As the grain or other substance to be ground is always introduced at the centre,
the discs are provided with serrated ribs H at intervals for breaking up coarse sub-
stances, as also to intercept hard foreign bodies, such as nails or pieces of metal, and
thereby bring the mill to a standstill before such bodies have entered the finer
grinding teeth and damaged them, the teeth of such ribs are for this purpose formed
of gradually coarser pitch towards the centre, as shewn at Figs. 3 and 4.
The section at Fig. 6 shews various forms of teeth, such as they present on a
radial section through the discs; and the section at Fig. 5 shews the configuration
of the teeth as viewed from the circumference of the discs.
In order to facilitate the entrance of the grain the radial rows of teeth may be
made of varying lengths, as shewn at K, Fig. 3.
At L, L', Fig. 3, are shewn arrangements of teeth adapted for vertical grinding
surfaces, that is, with the driving shaft horizontal in order to prevent coarse
particles of grain from falling down through the radial spaces between the rows of
teeth at the time when such spaces of the one disc coincide with those of the other
side. For this purpose the rows of teeth, and consequently the spaces, are arranged
somewhat obliquely, so that those of the one disc cannot fit exactly over those of
the other, as indicated by the dotted lines.
At L' the spaces terminate somewhat beyond half the depth of the grinding
surface, the other part of which in line with the spaces is formed with teeth.
At M, Fig. 11, is also shewn a mode of arranging the teeth in groups, in which
the teeth are formed in strips or bars of different length, which are adjustable and
can be ground as above described.
At N a similar arrangement of cutters is shown, but with the surfaces flat, and
arranged obliquely, so that the surfaces of the one set pass obliquely over and in

page_text: contact with those of the other set, as shown in dotted lines, so as to operate with a
shearing action.
The teeth shewn at O, P, Q, also operate with a shearing action in sliding with
their flat surfaces over each other, as shewn in the section, Fig. 12. They are
sharpened by being ground one upon the other, and are adjusted to inako good wear
by shifting the discs R in which they are fixed by means of screw threads and nuts
at S respectively, on the shaft S¹ carrying the disc Y, and on the eye of the disc Y¹,
these discs having holes through which the teeth can slide, as shewn.
In all the above-described arrangements of the teeth it is necessary that the discs
carrying them should be hollowed or dished towards the centre, or that at any rate
the bases of the teeth should be so far removed from each other at that point as to
allow the grain or other substance to enter freely, as indicated at Fig. 7.
Figs. 8 to 10 and 13 to 17 serve to show the application of the above-described
improved grinding surfaces to different arrangements of grinding mills.
Figs. 8 to 10 shew the construction of a mill for producing groats free from meal,
in which the mill shaft is arranged horizontally.
Tis the feeding hopper, and U is the adjusting mechanism for moving the
grinding teeth nearer together or farther apart, according to the desired fineness of
the produce.
Figs. 13 and 14 show a small hand machine for producing groats with meal or
coarse meal. In this arrangement the grinding surfaces are formed of reversible
toothed rings, as described with reference to Fig. 4, which can be reversed as soon
as the teeth on the one side have become blunt. The adjustment of the teeth is in
this case effected by means of the screw collars V, V, on the shaft.
In order to effect a preparatory breaking up of coarse substances, such as bones,
corn cobs, sugar, and the like before entering the grinding surfaces, the mill is
provided at X, X, with a disintegrator, consisting also of separate adjustable teeth
arranged as shewn in the enlarged cross section and sectional plan at Figs. 16
and 15, cach tooth being separately removeable in case of fracture.
The shafts of the grinding surfaces can also be arranged vertically, and either the
one grinding surface only be made to revolve, or both made to revolve in contrary
directions.
The teeth having become blunt on the one side after revolving for a certain time
in one direction, the other side thereof may be brought into action by revolving the
grinding surfaces in the contrary direction, and the teeth may be so formed that
by such reversed rotation the other sides of the teeth are again sharpened.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I
claim,―
First. The before-described improved construction of grinding surfaces with teeth
that are either fixed or adjustable, and of such form that they can be sharpened by
grinding the teeth of the one surface against those of the other surface.
Second. Constructing grinding surfaces having teeth such as are set forth in the
preceding claim, so that the one surface or both can be reversed in order to bring a
second set of teeth into action when the first set has become blunt, substantially as
herein described.
Third. The arrangements for adjusting and securing the teeth on their discs,
herein described with reference to Figs. 2 and 12 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Simon, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
HENRY SINON Gol