IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAKING OR DISINTEGRATING PEAS, BEANS, INDIAN CORN, AND SIMILAR PRODUCE, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Douglas, the younger, of Stranraer, in the
County of Wigton, North Brițain, Millwright, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAKING OR DISINTEGRATING PEAS, BEANS, INDIAN
CORN, AND SIMILAR PRODUCE, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR.
"
Sealed the 1st May 1874, and dated the 7th November 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Douglas at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th November 1873.
I, JOHN DOUGLAS, the younger, of Stranraer, in the County of Wigton,
North Britain, Millwright, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAKING OR DISINTEGRATING PEAS, BEANS,
INDIAN CORN, AND SIMILAR PRODUCE, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention, which relates to improvements in breaking or disin-.
tegrating, as distinguished from grinding, peas, beans, and Indian corn,
and similar produce, consists of a serrated drum or cylinder rotated at a

page_text: high velocity within a casing. At one side of the periphery of the
serrated drum or cylinder a knife edge or plate is situated horizontally
and parallel to the axis of the drum or cylinder. This knife edge or
plate is provided with means of adjustment, so that its distance from the
revolving drum or cylinder can be regulated according to the degree of
breaking up or disintegration required. The produce is broken or
disintegrated by the joint action of the teeth or serrations of the rotating
drum or cylinder and that of the knife edge or plate. The produce to
be treated is or may be passed through one or more sieves before passing
into the hopper, by which it is conducted to the breaking or disinte-
grating mechanism.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Douglas in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 1st May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
DOUGLAS, the younger, of Stranraer, in the County of Wigton, North
Britain, Millwright, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the 37th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Douglas, Her special license
that I, the said John Douglas, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Douglas, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BREAKING OR DISINTEGRATING PEAS, BEANS, INDIAN CORN, AND
PRODUCE, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Douglas, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
SIMILAR

page_text: same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Douglas, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention, which relates to improvements in breaking or dis-
integrating, as distinguished from grinding, peas, beans, Indian corn, and
similar produce, consists of a serrated drum or cylinder cylinder rotated
at a high velocity within a casing. At one side of the periphery of the
serrated drum or cylinder a knife edge or plate is situated horizontally
and parallel to the axis of the serrated drum or cylinder. This knife
edge or plate is provided with means of adjustment, so that its distance
from the revolving drum or cylinder can be regulated according to the
degree of breaking up or disintegration required. The peas, beans,
Indian corn, or other similar produce is broken or disintegrated by the
joint action of the teeth or serrations of the rotating drum or cylinder
and of the knife edge or plate. The produce to be treated is or may be
passed through one or more sieves before passing into the hopper, by
which it is conducted to the breaking or disintegrating mechanism.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, reference being had to the annexed Sheet of Drawings and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
Figure 1 on the annexed Sheet of Drawings is a vertical section of the
mechanism constituting my Invention; Figure 2 is an end elevation of
the same at right angles to Figure 1.
According to this arrangement of my Invention as illustrated on these
Drawings the two side frames A are secured together by stays B and C.
Within the space between the frames A a casing D constructed of sheet
iron or other suitable material, and having an inlet hopper or duct I and
outlet J is situated, and in which the toothed or scrrated drum E fixed
to the shaft F revolves, being carried in bearings situate on the side

page_text: frames A (Figure 2) and outside standard G. On the shaft F and
between the side frame A and standard G fast and loose pulleys H are
situated, from the fast pulley of which the shaft F is driven. A bevil
pinion K at the end of the shaft F gears with and drives another bevil
pinion L fixed to a vertical shaft M carried in bearings N, cast on or
bolted to the side frames A. A crank O is fixed upon the upper
extremity of the shaft M, and which is coupled to the sieve P by a
connecting rod Q. The sieve P consists of an oblong box provided with
an opening opposite the inlet hopper or duct I of the casing D. Over
this opening is stretched wire meshing marked R, the openings in which
are of a size to correspond with the produce under treatment, the object
of the sieve being to retain and prevent from entering the mechanism
any foreign substance that may have become mixed with the produce
about to undergo disintegration.
The sieve P is suspended at one end by chains S from a standard T, and
at the opposite side is supported by a standard U from a hinge or pivot
joint V. By means of the screw W, actuated by the hand wheel X, that
end of the sieve P which is suspended by the chains S may be raised or
lowered. The crank O is fixed to the shaft M by a pinching pin and
slip feather, so that it may be readily shifted upwards or downwards on:
the shaft M according as the sieve P is raised or lowered by the
screw W. Near the periphery of the toothed or serrated drum E, and
in a position parallel with the axis thereof, is a steel blade or plate Y,
the inner edge of which (that is, the edge nearest to the periphery of
the drum E) is V shaped. The blade Y is fixed in a bed or bracket a
capable of movement in a horizontal plane. Guide blocks are formed at
each end of the bed or bracket a, which slide in V guides formed for
their reception on the side frames A. The bed or bracket a and steel
blade Y are caused to advance or retire to or from the periphery of the
drum E by the action of the screw 6 operated by the hand wheel c. The 3
inner extremity of the screw b is furnished with two collars, between
which fits a projection rising from the upper portion of the bed or
bracket a. A bracket & bolted between the side frames A is bushed by
a nut e, through which the screw 6 passes. A jamb nut f secures the
screw b, bracket a, and steel plate Y in position when they have been a
set at any required distance from the periphery of the drum E.
In operating my Invention the peas, beans, Indian corn, or other
produce to be broken or disintegrated is placed in the sieve P, which

page_text: receives a rapid vibrating motion from the crank O and connecting
rod Q, or from a cam fixed on the shaft M, and acting on the sieve P so
as to push it in one direction, whilst a spring fixed upon the opposite
side of the framing or in any other suitable position moves the sieve Pin
a direction contrary to the push of the cam on the shaft M. The produce
under treatment falls through the wire meshes R and enters the casing D
by the hopper or duct I. The toothed or serrated drum c revolving at a
high velocity in the direction indicated by the arrows breaks or disin-
tegrates the produce thus admitted betwixt the teeth or serrations
thereon and the steel plate or blade Y, the said steel plate Y being
adjusted by means of the screw 6 to any required distance from the
periphery of the drum E corresponding to the size or peculiarities of the
produce undergoing disintegration. After being broken or disintegrated,
as herein-before described, the produce passes below the steel blade Y,
and is discharged through the outlet J, situated at the lower part of the
casing D, into any suitable receptacle.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe
in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the arrangement of mechanism consisting of a revolving
toothed or serrated drum acting in conjunction with a knife edge, plate,
or blade, as applied to the breaking or disintegration of peas, beans,
Indian corn, or other produce, substantially as herein-before described
and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Douglas, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-four.
JOHN DOUGLAS, JR. (L.S.)