Year: 1886

page_text: I EDMUNDSON SCHOLES of the Victoria Mills, Hollinwood in the County of
Lancaster Corn Miller do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as.
follows:-
My said Invention relates to apparatus employed in the process of flour making.
In the manufacture of flour by the roller system it is usual to subject the grain to
a preliminary breaking process in which the berry is broken up by successive pairs
of fluted or toothed breaking rollers. Thus by the first pair of rollers the berry
is broken into two it is then cleansed and separated so as to remove the dust and
to eliminate the detached semolina after which it is elevated or, taken forward
and delivered to the next pair of rollers by which the broken halves are again
subdivided. The separating and cleansing operation is again gone through and
the broken grain delivered to the next pair of rollers and so on the breaking and
cleansing and separating operations being carried on in succession until the grain
has been thus treated the desired number of times after which the resulting
semolina is subjected to the crushing rollers which transform it into flour.
The number of pairs of breaking rollers with their corresponding cleansing,
separating and elevating apparatus vary from four to eight and it will readily be
understood that these sets of breaking rollers with their attached apparatus are
expensive in prime cost and occupy considerable space. The first part of my
invention relates to an apparatus which is intended to supercede the said sets of
breaking rollers and which will be economical in prime cost and occupy con-
siderably less space. Instead of using the herein before referred to successive and
separate sets of breaking rollers I employ a series of concentric fluted rings or
annular surfaces preferably arranged horizontally. In an apparatus embodying
my Invention I employ two circular plates of cast iron, each provided with the
required number of concentric fluted rings which come exactly opposite to each
other when the plates are placed face to face. The said concentric fluted rings are
so arranged as to leave an annular space between each ring and in the lower plate
these annular spaces are occupied by wire gauze or perforated partitions. The
similar and opposite annular spaces in the upper plate are fitted with bristles or
brushes which sweep over the wire gauze or perforated partitions. Any desired
umber of these concentric fluted rings and annular sieves and brushes may be

page_text: applied to the plates. The annular spaces in the upper revolving plate are placed
in communication with an air exhausting apparatus by which the light and fluffy
portions of the bran and other light impurities are drawn away to and deposited
in any suitable receptacle. The said concentric rings are preferably fitted to the
plates in segments so that either a portion or the whole of each ring may be
removed at pleasure for repair or for renewal, the annular wire gauze sieves
and brushes may also be applied so that they can be taken out and replaced
Beparately or in sections. An aperture exists in the centre of the apparatus by
which the grain can be introduced to be broken by the concentric rings in the
same manner that grain is fed to the ordinary mill stones. The lower plate
is preferably stationery while the upper plate revolves or both might revolve
either in the same or in contrary directions. When the apparatus is at work
the grain is first halved by passing between the first pair of concentric
rings after which it is cleansed, brushed and purified while passing over
the annular perforated gauze sieve which exists between each pair of rings. The
dust is thus removed and the detached semolina should there be any such falls
through the wire gauze to a receptacle beneath whilst the broken grain passes on
to the next pair of fluted breaking rings, whereby it is again broken the resulting
dust and semolina being removed in the succeeding sieve the operations of
breaking, cleansing, purifying and separating being thus gradually carried on in
succession any desired number of times whereby the grain is gradually reduced
into semolina and bran as many breaks as desired being employed. The centrifugal
action of the revolving plates tends to carry the grain under treatment towards the
peripheries of the plates where it is finally delivered broken up to the required
degree of fineness. Although I prefer the described form of breaking apparatus
for gradually reducing the grain it will be obvious that an apparatus productive
of the same effects could be made by arranging the said breaking rings or surfaces
and cleansing and purifying spaces in vertical horizontal or inclined succession and
caused to act either on the inner or outer periphery or surfaces of similarly arranged
breaking rings or surfaces. In crushing the semolina so as to form flour I use a
revolvable plate or disc lying in a horizontal plane and having a case hardened flat
ledge ring or race at its outer circumference. A suitable number of crushing rollers
say for example four are mounted to run in contact with the said ledge and are or
may be pressed downwards by a spring or by weights so that when the disc is
rotated the crushing rollers revolve by frictional contact with the ring or ledge on
the disc. The semolina is spread on the ledge by a shute, feed roller or other
suitable feeding apparatus immediately in front of the crushing rollers and is
carried beneath the said crushing rollers by the rotation of the disc. As the
surface speed of the flat ring ledge is greater at the outer periphery than at the
inner edge and the crushing roller is of an equal diameter throughout it follows
that at certain points of the rollers' contact with the ledge a grinding or rubbing
action must take place, which grinding or rubbing action has a beneficial effect in
triturating and pulverising the grain under treatment. In the present roller
system this rubbing, grinding or frictional effect is obtained by causing one of the
two crushing rollers which are in contact to revolve more quickly than the other
whereby great power is absorbed and the risk of rollers striking fire is increased.
It will be observed that under my invention this effect is gained with less risk
of firing and without any special arrangement for producing the same. To prevent
the semolina and flour from leaving the ledge except when desired, I place a
stationery fence on both sides of the ledge at the points where the crushing rollers
are situated and behind the crushing rollers I place fixed inclined guides which
sweep or divert the flour from the revolving ledge into a suitable shute or receptacle.
The grinding ledge on the disc can be applied in segments if desired so as to give
facility for removal and repairs. Any suitable number of crushing rollers can be
employed in combination with the aforesaid revolving plate or disc and ledge and
I can produce flour of different qualities in the same apparatus by feeding middlings
or semolina of different qualities to the different crushing rollers. By means of my

page_text: invention the advantages of the roller system in the production of flour are com-
prised in apparatus which is more economical in prime cost, takes less driving
power and which occupies considerably less space than the said roller arrangements
for breaking and crushing the grain. Another practical advantage arising from
my invention is that the existing machinery, spindles and gearing for working the
now obsolete stones can be utilised as the most preferable forms of my improved
breaking and crushing plates and rings and discs are mounted and driven in a
manner similar to the now disused millers' stones so that the prime cost of my
apparatus would be largely diminished by the utilisation of existing machinery
and parts.
0
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Flour.
I EDMUNDSON SCHOLES of the Victoria Mills, Hollinwood in the County of
Lancaster Corn Miller 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 and accompanying drawings:-
My said Invention relates to apparatus employed in the process of flour making.
In the manufacture of flour by the roller system it is usual to subject the grain to
a preliminary breaking process in which the berry is broken up by successive pairs
of duted or toothed breaking rollers. Thus by the first pair of rollers the berry is
broken into two it is then cleansed and separated so as to remove the dust and to
eliminate the detached semolina after which it is elevated or taken forward and
delivered to the next pair of rollers by which the broken halves are again
subdivided. The separating and cleansing operation is again gone through and
the broken grain delivered to the next pair of rollers and so on the breaking and
cleansing and separating operations being carried on in succession until the grain
has been thus treated the desired number of times after which the resulting
semolina is subjected to the crushing rollers which transform it into flour.
The number of pairs of breaking rollers with their corresponding cleansing,
separating and elevating apparatus vary from four to eight and it will readily be
understood that these sets of breaking rollers with their attached apparatus are
expensive in prime cost and occupy considerable space. The first part of my
invention relates to an apparatus which is intended to supercede the said sete
of breaking rollers and which will be economical in prime cost and occupy con-

page_text: siderably less space while the second part of my invention relates to improved
means employed to transform the resulting semolina into flour.
In order that my said invention may be properly understood I will now proceed
more particularly to describe the same with reference to the annexed two sheets of
drawings. Sheet 1 of the said drawings illustrates my improved grain cracking
rings while sheet 2 illustrates the crushing rollers. Instead of using the herein-
before referred to successive and separate sets of breaking rollers I employ a series
of concentric fluted rings or annular surfaces. In the example seven such rings are
shown and marked a¹ a³ a³ a* a³ aº a³ preferably arranged horizontally as illus-
trated in vertical section at Fig. 1 sheet 1 and in plan at Fig. 2. In my improved
apparatus I employ two circular plates b and c of cast iron, each provided with the
required number, in the example seven, concentric fluted rings a¹ a¹ a³ a¹ a³ a® a
which come exactly opposite to each other when the plates are placed face to face
as in Fig. 1. The faces of the rings are fluted, notched, grooved, roughened cut or
toothed as shown on a portion of the rings at Fig. 2 the said flutes, notches,
or grooves increasing in fineness towards the outer ring the said increase of fineness
being conventionally represented at Fig. 2. To allow the grain to find an entrance
to the flutes I cut gutters ports or "swallows" across the said rings at intervals.
The grain is thrown by the centrifugal action of the plate or plates into the said
gutters or swallows and is then caught and broken by the teeth. The said
concentric fluted rings are so arranged as to leave annular spaces de between the
rings and in the lower plate 6 these annular spaces e are occupied by wire gauze or
perforated partitions indicated by the dotted line marked f. The similar and
opposite annular spaces d in the upper plate bare fitted with bristles or brushes as
indicated by g at two of the said spaces (Fig. 1) which sweep over the wire gauze
or perforated partitions f. When the rings are at work any desired number of
these concentric fluted rings and annular sieves and brushes may be applied to the
plates. The annular spaces in the upper revolving plate are placed in communi-
cation with an air exhausting apparatus not shown in the drawings by which the
light and fluffy portions of the bran and other light impurities are drawn away to
and deposited in any suitable receptacle. The said concentric rings a¹ a³ a³ a' a aª a²
are preferably fitted to the plates b. c in segments so that either a portion or the
whole of each ring may be removed at pleasure for repair or for renewal. The
annular wire gauze sieves f and brushes g. may also be applied in such a manner
that they can be taken out and replaced separately or in sections. An aperture h
exists in the centre of the apparatus by which the grain can be introduced to be
broken by the concentric rings in the same manner that grain is fed to the ordinary
mill stones. The lower plate c is preferably stationary and is supported upon
stools while the upper plate b is carried by the central shaft ; and revolves. The
bearing of the shaft ; is protected from the dust by a packed gland as shown.
Both plates might however revolve either in the same direction at differential
speeds as is the case with existing breaking rollers or in contrary directions.
When the apparatus is at work the grain is first halved by passing between the
first, that is to say the inner pair of concentric rings a¹ after which it is cleansed,
brushed and purified while passing over the annular perforated gauze sieve f
which intervenes between each pair of rings. The dust is thus removed and
drawn away by the fan and the detached semolina, should there be any such,
falls through the wire gauze f to a receptacle beneath whilst the broken grain
passes on to the next pair of fluted breaking rings a whereby it is again broken
the resulting dust and semolina being removed in the succeeding sieve f and so on
throughout all of the remaining rings and cleansers the operations of breaking,
cleansing, purifying and separating being thus gradually carried on in succession
any desired number of times whereby the grain is gradually reduced into semolina
and bran as many breaks as desired being employed. The centrifugal action of the
revolving plate or plates tends to carry the grain under treatment towards
the outer circumference of the plates where it is finally delivered broken up to
"the required degree of fineness. Although I prefer the described form of breaking

page_text: apparatus for gradually reducing the grain it will be obvious that an apparatus
productive of the same effects could be made by arranging the said breaking rings
or surfaces and cleansing and purifying spaces in vertical horizontal or inclined
succession and caused to act either on the inner or outer periphery or surfaces of
similarly arranged breaking rings or surfaces. The semolina obtained by treating
the grain in the herebefore described apparatus is next subjected to the action of
the crushing rollers illustrated on sheet 2 of the drawings so as to reduce it to flour.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a plan a portion of the lower
side being removed for want of space. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the supporting
bracket and journal of one of the crushing rollers. I use a revolvable plate or disc k
revolving with a central shaft e in a horizontal plane and having a case hardened
flat ledge ring or race m at its outer circumference. A suitable number of crushing
rollers in the example four n¹ n³ n³ n' are mounted in a fixed frame o to run in
contact with the said ledge m and are or may be pressed downwards by an adjus-
table spring p or by weights pressing upon the bearings of the rollers ni n³ ³ nso
that when the disc k is rotated the crushing rollers revolve by frictional contact with
the ring or ledge m on the disc. The semolina is spread on the ledge by a shute,
feed roller or other suitable feeding apparatus immediately in front of the crushing
rollers and is carried beneath the said crushing rollers by the rotation of the disc.
The said means for feeding or spreading the semolina on the ledge form no part of
my invention and are not shown in the drawings. As the surface speed of the flat
ring ledge m is greater at the outer periphery than at the inner edge and the
crushing rollers n¹ n² n³ n' are of an equal diameter throughout, it follows that
at certain points of the rollers contact with the ledge a grinding or rubbing action
must take place which grinding or rubbing action has a beneficial effect in tritu-
rating and pulveriaing the grain under treatment. In the present roller system
this rubbing, grinding, or frictional effect is obtained by causing one of the two
crushing rollers which are in contact to revolve more quickly than the other
whereby great power is absorbed and the risk of the rollers striking fire is
increased. It will be observed that under my invention this effect is gained with
less risk of firing and without any special arrangement for producing the same. To
prevent the semolina and flour from leaving the ledge except when desired, I place
a stationary fence on both sides of the ledge at the points where the crushing
rollers are situated and behind the crushing rollers I place fixed inclined guides the
position of which is indicated by the dotted lines q and which sweep or divert the
flour from the revolving ledge into a suitable shute or receptacle. The grinding
ledge on the disc can be applied in segments if desired so as to give facility for
removal and repairs. Any suitable number of crushing rollers can be employed in
combination with the aforesaid revolving plate or disc and ledge and I can produce
flour of different qualities in the same apparatus by feeding middlings or semolina
of different qualities to the different crushing rollers. By means of my invention
the advantages of the roller system in the production of flour are comprised in
apparatus which is more economical in prime cost, takes less driving power and
which occupies considerably less space than the said roller arrangements for
breaking and crushing the grain. Another practical advantage arising from my
invention is that the existing machinery, spindles and gearing for working the now
obsolete stones can be utilised as the most preferable forms of my improved
breaking and crushing plates and rings and discs are mounted and driven in a
manner similar to the now disused millers stones so that the prime cost of my
apparatus would be largely diminished by the utilisation of existing machinery
and parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
(1.) The improved grain cracking or breaking apparatus described with reference
to sheet 1 of the drawings and consisting of two discs one or both of which revolve

page_text: and which are formed or fitted with concentric fluted or grooved rings or annular
breaking or reducing surfaces, the grain being introduced at the centre of the discs
and caused to pass between the successive opposing rings and over the intervening
cleansers the flutes of each ring increasing in fineness toward the outer circum-
ference of the discs so as to gradually break or reduce the grain substantially as
hereinbefore described and shown.
(2.) The improved apparatus described with reference to sheet 2 of the drawings
for crushing the cracked grain or semolina and reducing it to flour, the said appa-
ratus consisting of any suitable number of crushing rollers mounted in a frame in
adjustable bearings and resting upon a chilted race or ledge formed on or attached
to a revolving disc, the broken grain or semolina being fed upon the ledge in front
of the rollers and the resulting flour removed in rear all arranged constructed and
operating substantially as herein before described and shown.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester,
Agents.