IMPROVEMENTS IN MILLS FOR HULLING OR HUSKING GRAIN
Year: 1884

page_text: I, DIEDRICH UHLHORN junior, of Grevenbroich, in the Empire of Germany,
Mechanical Engineer, and owner of Mills do hereby declare the nature of the
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MILLS FOR HULLING OR HUSKING GRAIN " to be
as follows:
My invention relates to machinery or apparatus used 10. Jusking or hulling grain,
in which the husks are removed from the grain by the friction between the grains
themselves and against the rubbing surfaces of millstones or their equivalents in the
apparatus.
My improved apparatus consists of a cast iron frame, to the upper part of which
is bolted an inverted millstone case preferably of cast iron in which an upper or
fixed millstone is cemented and bolted face downward.
The lower or running millstone is also secured face upward in a similar case
which is firmly keyed and secured upon a vertical central revolving spindle, driven
by a belt or other convenient means, and the lower end of which revolves in an
adjustable footstep, whilst its upper end revolves in a box fixed upon the upper side
of the upper millstone case, below a gudgeon or centre connected with a horizontal
plate the height of which can be adjusted by means of a screw in such manner that
the minimum distance between the working surfaces is somewhat more than the
greatest length of the grains which are being treated in the machine.
The grain to be husked or hulled is previously moistened with water and is
delivered by a device of the ordinary well known kind through an aperture in the
top of the upper millstone case and through the millstone, upon the lower one.
The grains are then driven by centrifugal force between the roughened surfaces
of the two millstones or their equivalents, this movement being aided by helicoidal
shaped distributing arms arranged round the inner edges of the stones; and in this
way the whole of the husks are quickly removed by the friction of the grain
between themselves and against the rubbing surfaces.
In order to prevent the husked grain from too soon leaving the outer edge of
the millstones, I arrange an adjustable ring of metal round and near their outer
edge, this ring having rivetted to it a sufficient number, preferably six, of vertical
screws which are fitted in nuts forming the centres of a corresponding number of
horizontal wheels turning in bearings bolted to the top of the upper inillstone case.
The peripheries of these wheels are provided with teeth, and an endless chain passes
round and gears with the teeth of all the wheels, so that when one of the wheels is

page_text: turned round the chain causes all the other wheels to turn simultaneously, and the
whole of the screws are raised or lowered together with the ring to which they are
rivetted and the exact height of the latter is thus adjusted. A handle or hand
wheel is fitted to one of the wheels described for the purpose of turning it round.
An outer ring of somewhat greater diameter the lower edge of which is fixed to
the lower case, may sometimes be used to assist in retarding the discharge of the
grain from between the stones.
The lower step bearing for the revolving spindle is provided with a screw by
which its height can be adjusted, by means of a nut fitting upon it and turned by
bevilled tootlied wheels and shafts actuated by a handle in any convenient position,
and between the step and this adjusting screw are arranged india rubber or
metal springs which become somewhat compressed as soon as the pressure between
the rubbing surfaces becomes too great, and the discharge of the grain is thus
facilitated.
Instead of stones as described, hard and rough wood or other suitable material
may be employed.

page_text: ע
J, DIEDRICH UHLHORN, junior, of Grevenbroich, in the Empire of Germany,
Engineer and Owner of Mills do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MILLS FOR HULLING OR HUSKING GRAIN and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying drawing:-
My invention relates to machinery or apparatus used for husking or hulling
grain, in which the husks are removed from the grain by the friction between the
grains themselves and against the rubbing surfaces of millstones or their equivalents,
in the apparatus.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention, figure 1 being a
vertical section and figure 2 a horizontal section of a bulling mill.
My improved apparatus consists of a cast iron frame a to the upper part of which
is bolted an inverted millstone case b preferably of cast iron in which an upper or
fixed millstone d is cemented and bolted face downward.
The lower or running millstone is also secured face upward in a similar case
f
which is firmly keyed and secured upon a vertical central revolving spindle g,
driven by a belt or other convenient means, and the lower end of which has a step
bearing m which revolves in an adjustable footstep h which is guided in the
Cross piece k and raised or lowered as desired by the lifting device i.
The upper end of the spindle g revolves in a box c fixed upon the upper side of
the upper millstone case b, below a gudgeon or centre / connected with a horizontal
plate n which prevents it from turning round, and the height of which can be
adjusted by means of a screw o in such manner that the minimum distance between
the working surfaces is somewhat more than the greatest length of the grains which
are being treated in the machine.
The grain to be husked or hulled is previously moistened with water and is
delivered by a device of the ordinary well known kind through an aperture p in
the top of the upper millstone case and through the millstone, upon the lower one e.
The grains are then driven by centrifugal force between the roughened surfaces
of the two millstones or their equivalents, this movement being aided by helicoidal
shaped distributing arms r, r, arranged round the inner edges of the stones; and in
this way the whole of the husks are quickly removed by the friction of the grain
between themselves and against the rubbing surfaces.
In order to prevent the husked grain from too soon leaving the outer edge of the
millstones, I arrange an adjustable ring 8 of metal round and near their outer edge,
this ring having rivetted to it a sufficient number preferably six, of vertical
screws t, t, t, which are fitted in nuts forming the centres of a corresponding
number of horizontal wheels u, u, turning in bearings bolted to the top of the upper
millstone case b by the brackets v.
The peripheries of these wheels are provided with teeth and an endless chain w
passes round and gears with the teeth of all the wheels u, so that when one of
the wheels is turned round, the chain w causes all the other wheels to turn
simultaneously, and the whole of the screws t are raised or lowered together with
the ring 8 to which they are rivetted and the exact height of the latter is thus
adjusted. A handle or hand wheel a is fitted to one of the wheels t for the purpose
of turning it round.
An outer ring y of somewhat greater diameter the lower edge of which is fixed
to the lower case, may sometimes be used to assist in retarding the discharge of
the grain from between the stones.

page_text: The lower stepbearing m for the revolving spindle g is provided at i, i, with a
lifting device consisting of a screw by which its height can be adjusted, by means
of a nut fitting upon it and turned by hevilled toothed wheels and shafts actuated
by a handle in any convenient position, and between the step and this adjusting
screw are arranged india rubber discs z, z, or metal springs which become somewhat
compressed as soon as the pressure between the rubbing surfaces becomes too great,
and the discharge of the grain is thus facilitated.
Instead of stones as described, hard and rough wood or other suitable material
may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The case brigidly fixed to the frame a, and provided with the box c and
containing the upper millstone d.
2. The helicoidal shaped distributing arms r, r, arranged and operating sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
3. The adjustable ring s, alone or in combination with the fixed ring y, arranged
and operating substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
4. The india rubber discs z, z, or their equivalents, arranged and operating
substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
5. The combination of the upper gudgeon 7 with the adjusting device n, o, by
which the height to which it can rise is regulated, substantially as described and
shewu.
Dated this 4th day of November 1884