IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOUR AND OTHER SUBSTANCES FROM WHEAT, RICE, OR OTHER GRAINS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Higginbottom, Engineer, and Edward Hutchinson,
Rice and Corn Miller, both of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS USED IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOUR AND OTHER SUBSTANCES FROM WHEAT, RICE, OR
OTHER GRAINS"
Sealed the 18th November 1879, and dated the 26th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Higginbottom and
Edward Hutchinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th
May 1879.
"
JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM, Engineer, and EDWARD HUTCHINSON, Rice and Corn
Miller, both of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. 'IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOUR AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES FROM WHEAT, RICE, OR OTHER GRAINS."
The subject matter of this application is designed to work or operate in con-
junction with machinery for which we have obtained British Letters Patent, Nos.
908, 1193, and 1911, of 1875, 2176 of 1877, 318 of 1878, and 1722 of 1878, such
machinery being used for converting grain as grown or imported into flour and its
concomitant substances with the least possible expense, deterioration, and waste.
1st. The wheat or other grain after being washed in our patent washer 318 of
1878 or otherwise is purified from cockle and kindred matters, and for the purpose
of feeding any number of cockle cylinders from one source we use a shaker and
cause the grain to spread into one uniform layer upon its tail board; from this tail
board the grain falls into spouts or ducts having as many divisions as there are
cylinders; these spouts are either compound, that is, fastened together, or can be
single spouts arranged side by side. The cylinders are arranged preferably one
above another, and the discharge from the tail end of each can be combined and
sent on to a second shaker, or carried singly to another set of cockle cylinders for
further treatment.

page_text: 2nd. The grain purified from the cockle is passed to our previously patented
cleaner or decorticator, as the case may be (neither of which need be described
here), and when cleaned it is passed to rolls made preferably of chilled crucible cast
steel, but they can be of chilled cast iron, porcelain, or other material used by the
trade. We construct our rolls four or more in number and side by side, all in
contact. The bearings of one of the two outside rolls are secured so as to be
immovable except for repairs; those of all the others are free to slide laterally.
Two springs capable of adjustment bear against the bearings of the other outside
roll, tending to press. all the rolls together. The grain is fed between the outside
rolls and the next ones, and if there be more than four, between every alternate
contact of two rolls. The advantages of this plan are that two springs only are
required to keep the entire set of rolls in contact, only four bearings, namely, those
of the end rolls, are under pressure. As these rolls run at a high speed and require
constant lubrication we use our self lubricating bearings, for which we obtained
Letters Patent, No. 2176, of 1877.
3rd. The grain being now crushed we grind it, and it is well known that in the
grinding of grain, middlings, and the like by millstones having spindles, balance
bars, and drivers it is of great importance to thoroughly balance the running mill-
stone or otherwise bad or uneven grinding will ensue. Owing to the difficulty of
accomplishing and maintaining the running stone in balance we have devised a
method of carrying the running stone which obviates or does away with the
extreme care required in balancing the stone, and which has the power or faculty
of becoming self adjusting even though the stone is considerably out of balance.
In the top of the spindle we bore a slightly conical hole, and in this fit a metal
plug, preferably of steel, having a broad disc head projecting above. This we call
the spindle head, and upon its upper surface we hollow it out to a true spherical
contour; on this we place a cylindrical or disc balance block of phosphor bronze or
other tough hard material. This disc has its lower surface of a spherical contour
complimentary to the spherical contour of the spindle head. The upper surface of
the balance block or disc is flat, and upon this surface lies the balance bar fixed to
the running millstone. The balance bar has a recess formed in it to receive the
disc and the spindle head, and the recess is of such a size as to allow of a free
movement of the disc and oscillation of the running stone. The contact surfaces
of the disc and spindle head being portions of a true sphere and the disc being free
to move, the disc will adjust itself to the balance bar, and the bearing or carrying
surfaces being of large diameter a line let fall from the centre of gravity of the
running stone is sure to be contained within the carrying surfaces.
4th. The produce from the stones is carried to a reel for separation. This reel
has its outer casing preferably of metal, having a conical shaped trough below, and
being carried by longitudinal T or L irons, the top covers being of a curved shape,
loose, and readily removable by being sprung into their places without the use of
bolts or other fastenings. The reel is supported on a stout tubular central shaft
having solid ends and preferably fitted with our patent bearings. The stationary
feed head plate is hung or supported upon the shaft itself, so that in case of wear it
sinks with the surrounding head plate of the reel, thus preventing the leakage of
the material. The head plate of the reel has projecting bent arms, upon which is
The
formed a cage to intercept the foreign matter which may be in the material.
cage can be cleaned out while at work through a hole in the feed head plate. The
tail plate of the reel has lifting or discharging buckets formed upon it to facilitate
the discharge of the tailings. The form of the outer casing gives great neatness
and economy of space. In certain cases we line the inside of the outer casing
with wood lining, also we form the upper part of the casing by light wood frames
covered with cloth, or we use loose cloth covers resting upon longitudinal wood
rails.
5th. The larger granules sifted out by the reels contain a considerable quantity
of branny particles, and these are separated by the purifier. In the machine as

page_text: used by millers for this purpose the extraction of the bran is accomplished mostly
by one or two fans placed in such manner that it is found necessary to adopt vanes
or adjustable orifices to break up or intercept the wind currents for the purpose of
equalizing the same, the adjustable orifices being either above or below the cloth
surface. This is a serious defect, the result in working being that the branny
particles are not removed as completely as is possible, and the wind is deficient in
its action through the cloth surface, thus producing unequal work. Some of the
portions of the cloth surface are exposed to a strong current, and both the bran and
middlings are lifted and blown away, while other portions are deficient in wind
current and the bran drops through the cloth into the clean middlings, thus spoiling
their quality.
We entirely dispense with vanes or adjustable orifices, and instead of placing one
or more fans irregularly upon the machine we place a series of suction fans upon
the top of the machine extending the whole of its length, so that each fan is
directly over and commands an equal share of the cloth surface below. These fans
draw the wind or stive containing the impurities in at their centres from the air
chamber over the cloth surface, and discharge the same into a central flue formed
under the fans and inside the air chamber; this flue opens out at the end of the
machine and connects by a discharge pipe with the stive chamber, as is usual in
mills. The chamber is formed of metallic framing and sheets, and is supported upon
longitudinal L or T irons carried by the end frames of the machine. The casings
of the fans are formed in such manner as to be readily sprung into their places
without bolts or other fastenings. We make a flexible connection of cloth or other
flexible material between the frame of the vibrating cloth surface and the bottom
of the air chamber on every side to prevent the passage of the outer air to the
inside of the air chamber. The entire under surface of the vibrating frame and
cloth is free and open for inspection and admission of air during work. The falling
middlings are collected in a trough below the vibrating cloth.
6th. The tailings from the purifier are then sent on to an aspirator by means of
a spout, tube, or other duct; this machine is for the purpose of sucking out the
larger particles of branny matter still mixed with the granules, and consists of a
branch pipe opening into the tube from above leading vertically upwards or nearly
so to a fan. The lower part of the branch pipe receives the material being treated
from the tube, and the fan sucks up the light branny particles; the material then
drops from the branch pipe into a second tube or duct, which may be either a
continuation of the first tube running in the same direction, or it may run in an
opposite direction. A break is made between the branch pipe and the second tube
for admission of air, as it is frequent in mills to carry or spout material containing
dust or impurities from one part to another; this machine is applicable for the
separation of such impurities, being capable of ready attachment without much
alteration of existing spouts or tubes. This apparatus is made still more effective
by placing a feed roller in the first tube and forming an overflow to prevent any
chance of choking; also we place a regulating slide in the branch uptake to adjust
the air current going to the fan.
7th. The bran from the reel is passed to a brush machine. The brush machines
in ordinary use have several defects, such as being difficult of access, partial choking
of the outer wire owing to the depositing of the flour upon the bottom rail of the
outer cylinder, the dropping of the feed inside the cylinder down the centre of the
machine in place of being kept up to the wire, and defective carrying or supporting
of the driving shaft. We carry our machine upon four legs, and form the bottom
or base of the machine of one casting. Three of the legs attach to the base and are
continued upwards the full length of the machine and are attached to the top plate.
The top plate has a bearing bolted to it for carrying the spindle. The fourth leg is
not carried the full length of the machine, but only reaches froin the floor to the
base, thus leaving a large opening in the side of the machine for the purpose of
quickly taking in and out the cylinders. The outer casing is formed of curved

page_text: sheets of iron laid loosely around the machine and fastened by straps and buckles.
The casing rests upon the base of the machine and closes around the top plate. We
fix discs at intervals upon the centre shaft to prevent the feed being dropped down
the centre of the machine. The cylinders are formed with a bottom rail of thin
metal having the least possible surface to obstruct the falling dust or meal:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Higginbottom and Edward Hutchinson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 26th November 1879.
JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM, Engineer, and EDWARD HUTCHINSON, Rice and Corn
Miller, both of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOUR AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES FROM WHEAT, RICE, OR OTHER GRAINS."
The subject matter of this application is designed to work or operate in conjunc-
tion with machinery for which we have obtained British Letters Patent, Nos. 908,
1193, 1911, of 1875, 2176 of 1877, and 318 and 1722 of 1878, such machinery being
used for converting grain as grown or imported into flour, and its concomitant
substances, with the least possible expense, deterioration, and waste.
The wheat or other grain, after being washed in our patent washer, No. 318 of
1878, or otherwise, is purified from cockle and kindred matters, and for the purpose
of feeding any number of cockle cylinders from one source we use a shaker and
cause the grain to spread into one uniform layer upon its tail board. From this
tail-board the grain falls into spouts or ducts having as many divisions as there are
cylinders; these spouts are either compound, that is, fastened together, or single
spouts arranged side by side. The cylinders are arranged preferably one above
another, and the discharge from the tail end of each can be combined and sent on
to a second shaker or carried singly to another set of cockle cylinders for further
treatment.
Sheet 1, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, illustrate this part of the Invention. In these A is the
spout, down which the grain falls freely to the machine; B, tail-board, made prefer-
ably with a sieve above as shewn; this tail board is kept in continual agitation by
shaking apparatus C, driven from main driving shaft D. The grain, descending the
tail board B in a uniform level stream, falls into the range of spouts E, E, there
being one spout to each cylinder; it then passes through the ordinary cockle
cylinders F, F, and issues at the lower end at G and H in the usual manner; I, I,
are the belts driving the cockle cylinders from each other and from the driving shaft
D; J, J, framework of the machine. The points specially new and useful about
this part of our Invention are the arrangement of a series of cockle cylinders in one
machine fed from one source, substantially as described, and the mode of feeding all
the cylinders by one feeding apparatus so as to give an equal and continuous feed
to cach cylinder.

page_text: The grain purified from the cockle is passed to our previously patented cleaner or
decorticator, as the case may be (neither of which need be described here), and when
cleaned it is passed to rolls made preferably of chilled crucible cast steel, but they
can be of chilled cast iron, porcelain, or ther material used by the trade.
In passing,
however, from one machine to another it is very frequently desirable to aspirate the
farinaceous matter in transit, and for this purpose use the mechanism shown in
Figs. 1 and 2. This machine is chiefly used for the purpose of sucking out the loose
or free particles of branny matter still mixed with the granules, and consists of a
branch pipe M opening into the tube N from above, leading vertically upwards, or
nearly so, to a fan P. The fan sucks up the light branny particles from the material,
and as it passes from O to N, the material then drops from N into a second tube or
duct R, which may be either a continuation of the first tube running in the same
direction as shown, or it may run in another direction. A break is made between
the branch pipe and the second tube for admission of air. As it is frequent in mills
to carry or spout material containing dust or impurities from one part to another,
this machine is applicable for the separation of such impurities, being capable of
ready attachment without much alteration of existing spouts or tubes. This
apparatus is made still more effective by placing a feed roller in the tube O, and
forming an overflow to prevent any chance of choking; also we sometimes place a
regulating slide T in the branch uptake to adjust the air current going to the fan.
The chief points of novelty in this part of our Invention are the arranging of an
aspirator on a descending pipe, spout, or tube, so as to suck out the dust or stive
while the material is in actual transit, the passage of the valuable material being
practically unimpeded by the aspirating apparatus.
Our roller mills are constructed with rolls, four or more in number, and side by
side, all in contact. The bearings of one of the two outside rolls are secured so as
to be immovable, except for repairs; those of all the others are free to slide latterally.
Two springs capable of adjustment bear against the bearings of the other outside
roll, tending to press all the rolls together. The grain is fed between the outside
rolls and the next ones, and, if there be more than four, between every alternate
contact of two rolls. Sheet 2 is illustrative of this part of our Invention. Fig. 6 is
a transverse section through rolls. Fig. 7 transverse section through bearings and
springs. Fig. 9 plan view, covers of bearings and spring box removed. Figs. 10,
11, and 12 sections of our bearing patented in 1877, No. 2176, as applied to said
rolls. In these A, A, are the rolls; B. B, scrapers; C bearings; D oil tank for
bearings to slide in; E, spring; F, F, hand screws for regulating pressure of springs;
G hopper. As these rolls run at a high speed, and require constant lubrication, we
use our self lubricating bearings for which we obtained Letters Patent No. 2170, of
1877. The principal point of novelty in this apparatus is the arrangement of the
bearings as described in such manner that a single spring to each row of bearings
keep the entire set of rolls in contact, and only four bearings, namely, those of the
end rolls, are under pressure. Each spring has a graduated gauge attached showing
the amount of pressure in cwts. put upon the bearings in connection with same.
The grain being now crushed we grind it, and it is well known that in the
grinding of grain, middlings, and the like by mill stones having spindles, balance
bars and drivers, it is of great importance to thoroughly balance the running mill-
stone, or otherwise bad and uneven grinding will ensue. Oweing to the difficulty
of accomplishing and maintaining the running stone in balance we have devised a
method of carrying the running stone, which obviates or does away with the extreme
care required in balancing the stone, and which has the power or faculty of becoming
self adjusting, even though the stone is considerably out of balance.
Sheet 3 illustrates our ballancing apparatus. In the balancing Fig. 13 is a trans-
verse section of driving apparatus, and the other views show details of the various
parts. Like letters refer to like parts throughout this Sheet. A is the spindle; B,
conical hole in the top of same; C, metal plug called the spindle head, preferably of
steel, having a broad disc head above, and its lower portion turned to fit the upper
portion of hole B. The upper surface of the spindle head is bored out spherically,

page_text: and in this is placed a cylindrical or disc balance block D of phosphor bronze or
other hard tough material. This disc has its lower surface of a spherical contour,
complimentary to the spherical contour of the spindle head. The upper surface of
block D is flat, and upon this surface lies the balance bar E, fixed to the running
mill stone F. The balance bar has a recess formed in it to receive the disc D, and
the spindle head C, and the recess is of such a size as to allow of a free movement
of the disc and oscillation of the running stone. The contact surfaces of the disc
and spindle head being portions of a true sphere, and the disc being free to move,
the disc will adjust itself to the balance bar, and the bearing or carrying surfaces
being of comparatively large area a line let fall from the centre of gravity of the
running stone is sure to be contained within the carrying surfaces. The central
channels bored out of pieces C and D are used so as to insert spindle pivots for the
purpose of balancing the runner stone before the disc is inserted and the stone
started to work. Fig. 14 shows the details of such a pivot. The principal point of
novelty in this part of our Invention is the construction of the spindle head with a
cup bearing of spherical contour, and the hard cylindrical disc block D having its
one side flat and the other side formed with a complimentary contour; also the
mode of working mill stones with self adjusting combined flat and spherical bearings
or joints, such as those of C and D, instead of with a bearing or pivot, pointed or
convex on its upper surface, fitting into a conical or concave socket above, as has
been heretofore the practice.
The produce from the stones is carried to a reel for separation. This reel is shown
in Figs. 15 to 19, in which Fig. 15 is a vertical transverse section through the line
Y, Z; Fig. 16, a longitudinal section; Fig. 17,, transverse section looking toward
the tail end; Fig. 18, enlarged section showing pockets at tail end; and Fig. 19,
plan of same. The outer casing A, preferably of metal, has a conical shaped
trough B below, and is carried by longitudinal T or L irons C. The top covers
are of a curved shape, loose, and readily removable by being sprung into their places
without the use of bolts or other fastenings. The reel is supported on a stout tubular
central shaft D, having solid ends E, and preferably fitted with our patent bearings
already mentioned. The stationary feed head plate G is hung or supported on the
shaft itself, so that in case of wear it sinks with the surrounding head plate K of
the reel, thus preventing the leakage of the material. The head-plate K has pro-
jecting bent arms K', K³, upon which is formed a cage L to intercept the foreign
matter which may be in the material. This cage L can be cleaned out while at
work through a hole in the stationary feed head plate G. The tail plate of the reel
has lifting or discharging buckets or pockets J formed upon it to facilitate the
discharge of the tailings shown in larger detail, Figs. 18 and 19. The form of the
outer casing gives great neatness and economy of space. In certain cases we line
the inside of the outer casing with wood lining, also we form the upper part of the
casing by light wood frames covered with cloth, or we use loose cloth covers resting
upon longitudinal wood rails. The chief novel features of this part of our Invention
are the construction of casing for this class of machinery of sheets of metal or other
tough elastic material sprung into their places, and held without fastening in their
metallic framework; 2nd, the head plate hung or supported on the shaft, substan-
tially as described; and, 3rd, the cage L and buckets J, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
The larger granules sifted out by the reels contain a considerable quantity of
branny particles, and these are separated by the purifier. In the machine as used
by millers for this purpose, and having vibrating sieves covered with cloth, the
extraction of the bran is accomplished mostly by one or two fans placed in such
manner that it is found necessary to adopt vanes or adjustable orifices to break up
or intercept the wind currents for the purpose of equalizing the same, the adjustable
orifices being either above or below the cloth surface. This is a serious defect, the
result in working being that the brauny particles are not removed as completely as
is possible, and the wind is deficient in its action through the cloth surface, thus
producing unequal work, some of the portions of the cloth surface are exposed to a

page_text: strong current, and both the bran and the middlings are lifted and blown away,
while other portions are deficient in wind current, and the bran drops through the
cloth into the clean middlings, thus spoiling their quality. Our middlings purifier
is shown on Sheet 5. Fig. 20 is a transverse section, and Fig. 21 a longitudinal
section. In it, as will be seen, vanes or adjustable orifices are entirely dispensed
with, and instead of placing one or more fans irregularly on the machine we place
a series of suction fans Y, Y, upon the top of the machine, extending the whole of
its length, so that each fan is directly over and commands an equal share of the
cloth or silk surface X. immediately below. These fans draw the wind or stive
containing the impurities in at their centres from the air chamber over the cloth
surface, and discharge the same into a central flue O formed under the fans, and
inside the air chamber this flue opens out at the end of the machine, and communi-
cates by a discharge pipe P with the stive chamber, as is usual in mills. This
chamber is formed of metallic framing and sheets, and is supported on longitudinal
L or Tirons carried by the end frames of the machine. The casings of the fan are
formed in such manner as to be readily sprung into their places without bolts or
other fastenings in the manner already described when describing the reel. We
make an airtight flexible connection of cloth or other flexible material W between
the frame of the vibrating cloth surface and the bottom of the air chamber on every
side, so as to prevent the passage of the outer air to the inside of the air chamber.
The entire under surface of the vibrating frame and cloth is free and open for
inspection and admission of air during work. The falling middlings are collected
in a trough below the vibrating cloth. The vibrating sieve can be divided into any
number of separate frames A, B, C, D, E, each covered with a distinct number of
silk coth, and cach discharging into its own compartment A', B, C, D, E, below, thus
the sieve frame makes different sizes or quality of middlings. The sieve hangs on
links G, and is actuated in the usual way by an excentric, as is well understood by
millers. The specially novel points in this part of our Invention are, 1st, the
mode described of regulating or distributing the suction equally over the entire area
by the use of a series of fans; 2nd, the combination of fans (Y), chamber (0), the
body of the machine, and the cloths (W), all arranged for the purpose of causing a
uniform suction through the silk cloth, and extraction of the stive, substantially as
described; 3rd, the outer casing, as in the reel already described.
The bran from the reel is passed to a brush machine. The brush machines in
ordinary use have several defects, such as being difficult of access, partial choking
of the outer wire oweing to the depositing of the flour upon the bottom rail of the
outer cylinder, the dropping of the feed inside the cylinder down the centre of the
machine instead of being kept up to the wire, and defective carrying or supporting
of the driving shaft. Sheet 6 illustrates our brush machine; of this Fig. 22 is a
vertical section; Fig. 23, enlarged view, showing bottom rail; Fig. 24, view with
casing removed; Fig. 25, transverse section; Fig. 26, elevation of machine. We
carry our machine upon four legs A, and form the bottom or base B of the machine
of one casting. Three of the legs attach to the base, and are continued upwards
the full length of the machine, and are attached to the top plate C. The top plate
has a bearing D bolted to it for carrying the spindle E. The fourth leg A¹ is not
carried the full length of the machine, but only reaches from the floor to the base B,
thus leaving a large opening in the side of the machine for the purpose of quickly
taking the cylinder in and out. The outer casing is formed of curved sheets of
iron G laid loosely around the machine, and fastened by straps and buckles H. The
casing rests upon the base B, and closes around the top plate C. We fix discs J, J,
at intervals upon the centre shaft E, to prevent the feed being dropped down the
centre of the machine. The cylinders are formed with a bottom rail K of thin metal
having the least possible thickness to obstruct the falling dust or meal. L is the
exit spout; M, brushes; N, perforated cylinder; O, driving pulley; P, Q, friction
wheels for driving the knocker for the cylinder. The principal novel features in
this part of our Invention are, 1st, the combination of the short leg A', the outer
lining G, and belts H, or their mechanical equivalents, by which the casing can be

page_text: speedily taken down and the interior examined, substantially as described; 2nd,
the bottom rail K, the plates J, in combination with the general arrangement of
machine for the purposes described.
Having now described our Invention, and the best mode known to us of carrying
it into effect, we wish it to be understood that what we believe to be new, and
desire to protect under the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The manufacture and use in the manufacture of flour and other farinaceous
matters of the various machines herein described, each arranged substantially as
herein specified.
2nd. The manufacture and use of the several parts herein described as especially
novel, each substantially as and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Higginbottom, for and on behalf of
myself and the said Edward Hutchinson, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
'
Witness,
JOHN O. O'BRIEN,
Clerk to
Wm. P. Thompson & Co.,
Patent Agents,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool,
and
323, High Holborn,
London, W.C.
JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM. (L.S.)