Improvements in Roller Mills.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 29th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roller Mills.
A communication from abroad by JOHN ARMSTRONG MCANULTY, of Minneapolis,
in the County of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, United States of America,
Manufacturer.
I, GEORGE CECIL DYMOND, M. Inst., M.E., of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the
County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
First means are provided for feeding the stock or material to be ground evenly.
to the rolls.
Second: means for holding the outer rolls positively in grinding position while
permitting them to yield should any hard substance pass between them, and thus
cause any undue strain upon them.
Third: a novel means for spreading the rolls which enables my correspondent by
the use of a single lever, to spread either or both pairs of rolls of a double or four-
roller mill.
Fourth an improved means for supporting the movable roll and also an improved
means for driving the rolls, so that all four of the rolls of a double roller mill can
be driven by means of a single driving belt.
A suitable hopper forming a part of the feeding device is arranged above the rolls
of the mill, and the material or stock to be treated enters the hopper through a
suitable spout. A valve which may have adjustable wings attached or secured to it,
divides the stock into two equal parts, and each part is received in a subdivision of
the hopper. The valve that is preferred for use consists essentially of a plate
mounted upon a suitable support directly beneath the spout through which the
material enters the hopper.
A pivoted wing is arranged on each side of the plate and may be turned to direct
all of the material that enters the hopper upon one side of the dividing plate into
either of the subdivisions of the hopper. Each subdivision of the hopper is provided
with a yielding gate or bottom which is pivoted upon adjustable arms, that are
attached to a vibratory frame. Each of the gates is provided with an arm extending
beyond its pivot, which receives a movable weight that holds the gate with a yielding
pressure against the bottom of the hopper, and regulates the flow of material therefrom.
The upper surface of the gate is serrated or grooved with the abrupt surfaces of the
grooves preferably facing towards the discharge sides of the gates. A flexible connec-
tion between the other edge of the gate and the bottom of the hopper, prevents the
material from escaping at that side of the gate. The shaker-frame to which the gate
is pivoted, is vibrated by means of an eccentric shaft and curved pitman one end of
which is attached to the shaker-frame by universal coupling, and the other to the
eccentric shaft by a half-gimbal joint or yoke that is pivotally adjusted upon the
eccentric, thus permitting the pitman to move sidewise without binding, should
the line of its vibration not be exactly at right angles to the eccentric shaft. The
hopper being stationary and the hopper gates or bottoms vibrating thereunder, the
stock resting upon the gates will be carried forward and fed over the discharge side
of the gate with each vibration, substantially in the manner in which saw-dust is
forced ahead of a saw in sawing wood.
An adjustable stop may be provided on the shaker frame to pre-determine the
distance to which the hopper gate may yield, and thereby to regulate the feed from
the hopper.
The stock may pass directly from the hopper gates or may be made to pass over

page_text: riffle boards which will spread it out evenly, and remove any uneven places that may
be in the sheet, and it may also pass over the stationary inclined shelves which will
cause it to pass the rolls with an even flow.
In some instances where the feeding device is intended for feeding the wheat to the
first-break rolls, a device is provided which automatically regulates the flow of the
wheat and also a device which indicates the feed. In this instance the hopper is
provided with a series of horizontal boards projecting from its opposite sides which
relieve the gate from a considerable portion of the weight of the wheat. The arm
projecting from the rear of the gate, is provided with a series of notches, and a knife-
edge rests in one of these notches and the bar carrying it is connected by a threaded
rod with a nut arranged below the hopper gate, upon a screw-rod extending in
front of the machine. This screw-rod is swivelled in a frame pivoted in the
shaker-frame and provided at one end with a pivoted shelf arranged beneath the
discharge side of the hopper gate and adapted to be set at any desired inclination,
and to receive the material as it falls from the hopper gate. A counter-balance weight is
arranged upon the screw-rod before mentioned at the other side of the pivot of the
frame. As the grain feeds from the hopper gate it falls upon this inclined shelf
and passes from that to another shelf upon the shaker-frame. The weight of the
grain upon the inclined shelf operates automatically to adjust the hopper-gate, and
thereby to regulate automatically the feed of the grain from the hopper. Should
the hopper gate be opened to permit more than the desired amount of grain to pass
through, a larger amount than desired would be accumulated on the inclined shelf,
and its weight, through the pivoted frame and connecting rod and arm on the hopper
gate will partially close the hopper-gate, and thereby lessen the flow of the grain
therefrom. It is also desirable in some instances, to provide a registering device or
indicator that will show the rate at which the grain is being fed to the rolls. This
device consists of a hinged shelf supported upon the shaker-frame above the rolls over
which the grain passes, one end of this shelf is supported upon a bail or operating
rod connected with an indicating device, so that as the shelf is swung down by the
weight of the grain upon it, the indicating device is operated, and the amount of
grain passing over the shelf in any given time is shown.
The principal frame of the roller mill upon which the feeder already described rests,
is made preferably of one casting, and the two inner rolls are mounted in fixed
bearings formed in this casting. The frame is provided with brackets near the
lower part of each side, and is open above these brackets. A shoe or frame section
which is adapted to close each of the portions of the frame, is mounted one on each
of the brackets by a universal coupling of any suitable construction. The upper
parts of these shoes or frame sections are provided with bearings for the outer
rolls of the mill, which are journalled therein in the same manner, as the other rolls
are journalled in the main frame. The shoes lap over the outside of the edges of the
main frame, thereby preventing a sidewise motion of the shoes at their upper end,
while their lower ends are adapted to be moved sidewise to tram or adjust the outer
rolls to the inner rolls. The outer rolls are held in proper contact position by means
of yokes which are connected with their journal bearings and have their inner ends
connected with an eccentric shaft journalled in the upper part of the main frame
and extending transversely across the frame. This shaft is provided with a hand-lever
by which it may be turned upon its axis, and it is also provided with a series of cams
or eccentrics so arranged that when the hand-lever is thrown in either direction at
an angle of about 60 degrees with a horizontal line through the axis of the shaft,
one set of the rolls will be out of contact and when thrown at an angle of 30 degrees,
both sets of rolls will be out of contact.
The arrangement of the cams is such that the set of rolls towards which the lever
turns, is the one which is spread by the first movement of the lever.
The yokes by which the outer or movable rolls are held in grinding position, are
constructed of spring metal and are provided at their outer ends with an upturned
end, which, under the ordinary pressure of the rolls engages a shoulder on the other
side of the yoke and thereby the rolls are held positively in grinding position, but

page_text: should a foreign substance that is too hard to be crushed by the rolls, pass between
them, the rolls will spring apart, the upturned end will be released from the shoulder
and will spring back until it engages a second shoulder, thus allowing the outer roll
to yield sufficiently to permit the foreign substance to pass between the rolls without
injury to them. The yoke is preferably provided at about its central part with a
stirrup passing around it, and provided with an adjustable spring by means of which
the tension of the yoke may be pre-determined.
Means are also provided for driving the rolls of the mill by a single driving belt.
This belt is arranged preferably substantially in the following manner :-
The rolls are each provided with driving pulleys all of which are arranged on the
same side of the mill. A counter-shaft provided with a driving pulley is arranged
below the mill, and an adjustable lever carrying an idler or tightener pulley is arranged
below the mill but above this counter-shaft. Two other idlers mounted upon swivelled
yokes so that they may be turned at an angle to the plane of the pulleys of the rolls,
are secured upon the floor or upon the base of the frame of the mill. The driving
belt passes from the counter-shaft, first over the driving pulley on one of the outer
rolls, then down and around the one of the idler pulleys mounted on the pivoted yokes
at the base of the main frame, then up and over the pulley of the inner roll, next,
to the outer roll already mentioned, then down beneath the mill and under the
adjustable tightener pulley on the lever, then up and around the driving pulley on the
other outer roll, then down and around the other idler at the base of the frame, then
up and around the driving pulley on the other inner roll, and then down to the
counter-shaft first referred to. By this means all the rolls can be driven from a
single counter-shaft and by means of a single belt. The hopper gates have side pieces
and the hopper ends feather edges.
Dated this 29th day of November 1888.
WM. P. THOMPSON & CO.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roller Mills.
A communication from abroad by JOHN ARMSTRONG MCANULTY, of Minneapolis,
in the County of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, United States of America,
Manufacturer.
1, GEORGE CECIL DYMOND M. Inst. M.E., of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in the
County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, 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 :-
This invention relates to roller-mills; and the objects thereof are, first, to provide
improved mechanism for evenly feeding the stock or material to be crushed or ground
to the rolls; second, improved means for holding the outer rolls in positive grinding
position or fixed relation with respect to the inner rolls and at the same time permitting
them to yield in case any hard foreign substance passes between and causes undue
strain upon them; third, novel means for spreading the rolls, by which, with the use
of a single lever and the parts operated thereby, it is possible to spread or throw out of
grinding relation either or both pair of rolls of a double or four-roller mill; fourthly,
improved means for supporting and adjusting the inovable roll; fifth, improved means
for driving the rolls, whereby it is possible to drive all four of the rolls of a double-
roller mill by means of a single belt.
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification :
Figure 1 represents a side elevation partially broken away, of a roller mill embodying
this invention.
Dina is an and elevation of the same.

page_text: Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the belt drive.
Figure 4 is a vertical section through the feeding mechanism.
In the drawings, 1 represents the body or casing of the mill, the inner rolls 2 being
firmly journalled in the upper portion thereof, the outer rolls 3 being movably
supported adjacent thereto, and above these rolls and the casing the feeding
mechanism is arranged in the usual manner.
A suitable hopper 4, forming part of the feeding mechanism, receives the material
or stock to be treated through a suitable spout. A valve 5 is pivoted in the upper
part of said hopper, and above a suitable partition which separates the hopper into two
compartments 6, 6. Two wings 5¹ which are provided with plates upon their outer
edges, are pivoted at their lower ends upon a bolt which passes through and is
supported by the lower end of the valve. These wings with their plates are adapted
to be moved or rocked upon said bolt over both sides of said valve; also said wings
with their plates may be turned upon its pivot to bring the upper edge in line with
the axis of the spout, also the wings may be moved or adjusted so as to incline in the
same direction on the opposite sides of said valve and thus direct all of the stock into
one hopper compartment, also they may be adjusted to incline in opposite directions
so that equal or unequal parts of the stock may be delivered into both compartments
according to their adjustment. Each compartment of the hopper is provided with a
yielding gate or bottom 7, which is pivoted upon adjustable arms attached to a
vibratory frame 8 which extends outside of and above the lower end of the hopper
compartments 6. Each of the gates is provided with an arm or rod 9 extending out
beyond its pivotal points and receiving a movable weight 91 for holding said gate
with a yielding pressure against the bottom of the hopper, and regulating the flow of
material therefrom. The upper surfaces of these gates are serrated or grooved, the
abrupt faces of said grooves preferably facing toward the inner or discharge sides of
the gates.
Over the outer sides and ends of the gates, and the bottoms of the
hopper compartments are secured strips 10 of yielding or flexible material which
prevent the stock from escaping only at the inner sides of the gate. The shaker
frame 8, to which the gates 7 are pivoted, is suspended by yielding or spring
hangers 7' attached to the stationary frame, and is vibrated by the following
means
An eccentric shaft 11 is passed through the walls of the hopper and supported in
bearings outside thereof, the eccentrics being arranged thereon intermediate of said
bearings and the hopper-walls. Connecting with the eccentrics, one at each side of
the hopper, is a pitman 12 having a curved and downwardly bent outer end, which
is secured to an arm 12' secured to the vibrating shaker and extending outside of the
wall of the casing through a suitable opening therein. The end of the pitman is
connected to the end of the arm 121 by a universal coupling. This universal coupling
permits a sidewise movement of the shaker frame without bending the pitman, should
the line of its vibration be not exactly at right angles to the eccentric shaft. Directly
over the outer ends of the arm or rods 9, and secured to the cross bars 14 at the ends
of the shaker frame, are placed adjustable stops 14', for determining the distance
to which the gates may yield, and thereby regulating the feed from the hopper. The
stock may be made to pass directly from the hopper gates 7 to the rolls or pass over
the riffle boards 15, which will spread it out evenly and remove any uneven places
that may be in the sheets, and it may also pass over the stationary inclined shelves 16,
which will cause it to pass to the rolls with an even flow.
As the hopper is stationary and the hopper gates or bottoms vibrate thereunder,
the stock resting upon said gates will be carried or pushed forward and fed over their
inner or discharge sides with each vibration of the shaker frame substantially in the
manner in which saw dust is forced ahead of a saw in sawing wood.
The main frame, body, or casing of the mill, upon which the already described
feeder rests, is preferably made of one casting, and the two inner rolls 2 are mounted
in fixed bearings formed in said casing.
This casing is provided with an upright portion 17 near the lower part of each of
its ends, and is formed with transverse openings which extend from side to side of

page_text: said casing. A casting 17¹ is arranged upon the upper edge of the portion 17, and
is provided at its top with one member of a ball and socket joint 17". This
casting is provided with a transverse slot, and a lock bolt having a suitable hand
wheel passes through this slot and engages the main part of the casing. Tramming
bolts 17111 pass through threaded lugs on the principal casing engaging the ends of
the casting 17. A shoe or frune section 18 of corresponding size to the openings
in the casing and adapted to cover and close the same is also provided with one
member of a ball and socket joint which is adapted to rest upon the other member of
said joint upon the casting 17. It is preferable to form the ball upon the casting 17'
and the socket upon the shoe or frame section 18. The frame section 18 is locked to
the main portion of the casing by means of a yoke 18' arranged upon the inside of
the casing. A flexible connection 1811 is arranged over the joint between the main
casing and the supplemental casing or frame section 18. The upper parts of the shoes
or frame sections 18 are provided with fixed bearings for the outer rolls 3 which
are journalled therein in the same manner that the inner rolls are journalled in the
casing. The lower ends of these frame sections are adapted to be moved sidewise by
the tramming screws so as to tram or adjust the outer roll to the inner one.
The outer rolls are held in proper grinding position with respect to the inner rolls
by means of yokes 19, which are connected at their outer ends with the journals of
said rolls and at their inner ends with an eccentric shaft 20 which is journalled in the
upper part of the casing and extends across the same. This shaft is provided with a
hand lever by which it may be turned upon its axis, and it is also provided with a
series of cams or eccentrics 22 so arranged that when the hand lever is thrown in
either direction-say at an angle of about sixty degrees to a horizontal line through
the axis of the shaft-the eccentrics will be turned in the openings 191 at the inner
ends of the yokes and move one set of the rolls out of contact, and when thrown to
another angle say one of thirty degrees, both sets of rolls will be out of contact.
The arrangement of the cains or eccentrics is such that the set of rolls towards which
the lever turns is the one which is first separated or spread by the movement of the
lever.
The yokes 19 by which the outer or movable rolls are held in grinding position
are of the form more plainly shown in Figure 1, and have their lower members
constructed of suitable spring metal. The upper members are preferably formed
separately and are pivoted to the main portion of the yoke. The lower members
or arms are provided with upturned ends which, under the ordinary pressure of the
rolls, engage shoulders near the outer ends of the upper arms of said yokes and thereby
hold the outer rolls positively in grinding position. But in case a foreign substance
that is to hard too be crushed be passed between the rolls of either pair they will
spread apart, when the upturned ends of the lower members of the yokes will be
released from the shoulders upon the upper members and forced outward until they
engage the second shoulders on said members, which will thus allow the outer rolls
10 yield sufficiently from the fixed rolls to permit the foreign substance to pass without
injuring them. The upper member of the yoke is provided with a spring 21, and a
threaded stud 21' passes from the upturned end of the lower member, through the
upper member and through the spring 21 and is provided with hand nuts 21. By
operating these hand nuts any amount of tension required from the arms or members
of the yokes may be obtained. To provide for varying the grinding adjustment or
proximity of the rolls, the frame sections 18, in which the movable rolls are journalled,
are provided with studs or projections 27 having screw-threaded openings therein.
The upturned end of the yoke is also provided with a threaded opening which is of a
different pitch from the thread in the projection 27. A differential screw 28 provided
with a suitable hand wheel passes through the upturned end of the yoke and into the
projection 27. By means of this differential screw a very fine or close adjustment
of the rolls may be obtained, the movement which is given to the rolls being equal to the
difference in pitch on the two parts of the compound or differential adjusting screw.
For the purpose of keeping the rolls clean, there is arranged within the casing a
lever or bar 29, having openings at its ends which are adapted to receive suitable

page_text: brushes 30. These brushes may be set into the openings in the arm and require no
other fastening. One of the brushes is arranged beneath each of the roils of a pair
and the arm is centrally pivoted upon one arm of a bell crank lever 31 that is pivoted
upon a bracket or support 32, and is provided with an adjusting screw 33 for its other
arm. By means of this adjusting screw, the end of the lever which carries the brush
supporting arm may be raised or lowered for the purpose of bringing the brushes
nearer to or farther from the roll.
As the arm to which the brushes are secured is centrally pivoted, the brushes will
be held against the rolls while either one will be free to move as the arm vibrates
upon its pivot.
The following devices are provided for driving the rolls of a double roller mill by
a single driving belt, said belt being preferably arranged in the following manner :-
Each roll is provided with a driving pulley, all of them being arranged on the
same side of the mill. A counter shaft 34 provided with a driving pulley 35 is
arranged below the mill; also an adjustable lever 36 carrying an idler or tightener
pulley 37 is arranged below the mill but above said counter shaft. Two other idler
pulleys 38 and 39 are mounted upon swivelled yokes 40 so that they may be turned
at an angle to the plane of the pulleys of the rolls. The idler pulleys 38 and 39 are
secured upon the floor or upon the base of the mill as may be found most convenient.
The driving belt 41 passes from the driving pulley 35 on the counter shaft, first
over the driving pulley 42 on one of the outer rolls 3, thence down and around the
idler pulley 39, thence upward and over the pulley 43 of one of the inner rolls 2,
thence down beneath the mill and under the adjustable tightener pulley 37, thence up
and around the driving pulley 44 on the outer roll 3, of the other set of rolls, thence
down and around the idler pulley 38 at the base of the frame, thence up and around
the pulley 45 on the other inner roll 2, and thence down to the driving pulley 35 on
the counter shaft.
By this construction and arrangement of the parts just described, all the rolls of a
double roller mill may be driven from a single counter shaft by means of a single
belt passing over pulleys at one side of the mill upon the shafts of all the rolls; also, as
is obvious, the belt and pulleys named may be duplicated and arranged at the opposite
side of the mill, as is often desirable or necessary as tending to lessen the driving
power required and to hold both ends of the roll shafts firmly or properly in their
bearings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :—
1. A roller-mill-feeding mechanism comprising the hopper 4, having the compart-
ments 6, the yielding gates 7, the valve 5, and the pivoted wings 5¹ adapted to be
adjusted upon the sides of said valve for directing the flow of stock to either or both
of said compartments, substantially as described.
2. In a roller-mill-feeding mechanism, the combination with the inlet spout 4' and
the hopper 4, having the compartments 6, of the valve 5 located between said com-
partments and spout, the adjustable wings 5¹ secured upon opposite sides of said valve,
and the pivotal bolt or shaft 511, substantially as described.
3. In a roller-mill-feeding mechanism, the combination of a hopper, a suspended
frame provided with a pivoted yielding feed gate, and devices for vibrating said frame
and gate, consisting of an eccentric shaft and pitman connected at their inner ends
thereto and connected at their outer ends to said frame, substantially as described.
4. In a roller-mill-feeding mechanism, the combination of a hopper, a suspended
frame provided with a pivoted yielding feed gate, and devices for vibrating said frame
and gate, consisting of an eccentric shaft and pitman connected thereto and connected
at their outer ends to said frame by universal couplings, substantially as described.
5. In a roller-mill, the combination of a frame or casing formed with transverse
openings extending across its ends and fixed or non-adjustable rolls supported upon
said casing, with adjustable shoes or frame sections arranged and adapted to cover or

page_text: close said openings and movable rolls mounted upon said shoes or frame-sections,
substantially as described.
6. In a roller-mill, the combination of a frame or casing formed with transverse
openings extending across its ends and fixed or non-adjustable rolls supported upon
said casing, with shoes or frame-sections arranged and adapted to cover or close said
openings, devices arranged at the lower ends of said frame-sections for adjusting them
laterally, and movable rolls mounted in fixed bearings in the upper ends of said
frame-sections, substantially as described.
7. In a roller-mill, the combination of a frame or casing formed with transverse
openings extending across its ends and fixed or non-adjustable rolls supported upon
said casing with shoes or frame-sections arranged and adapted to cover or close
said openings, a laterally movable casting arranged near the bottom of said casing
and supporting said frame-section by a ball and socket joint and tramming screws
for adjusting said casting, substantially as described.
8. In a roller-mill, the combination of the casing formed with transverse openings
extending across its end, and fixed rolls mounted upon said casing with shoes or
frame-sections covering said opening and carrying the movable rolls, yokes secured
at their outer ends to said shoes, a cain or eccentric-shaft passing through the inner
ends of said yokes, and a hand lever for operating the same to move the movable
rolls into or out of grinding relation to the fixed roll.
9. In a roller-mill, the combination with the fixed rolls, of a movable roll, and
differential screws for adjusting said movable rolls, substantially as described.
10. In a roller-mill, the combination of a casing formed with transverse openings
extending across its end and fixed rolls mounted in said casing with shoes or frame-
sections covering said opening and carrying the movable rolls, yokes secured at
their outer ends by differential screws to said shoes, the cam or eccentric-shaft
passing through the inner ends of said yokes, and a hand lever for operating the
same to move the movable rolls into or out of relation to the fixed roll.
11. In a roller-mill, the combination with a movable roll, of yokes suitably supported
at their inner ends and formed with upper pivoted arms, and lower members con-
structed of spring metal, the upper members being formed with shoulders and the
lower members with upturned ends adapted to be engaged with and released from
said shoulders.
12. In a roller-mill, the combination with a movable roll, of yokes suitably supported
at their inner ends and formed with upper pivoted arms and lower arms constructed
of spring metal, the upper members being formed with shoulders and the lower
members with upturned ends adapted to engage with and be released from said
shoulders, and the adjustable springs for binding together said upper and lower
members and adjusting their spring tension.
13. In a roller-mill, the combination with the rolls, of the brushes mounted
upon a pivoted arm and bearing against the rolls and an adjustable bell crank lever
centrally supporting said arm, substantially as described.
14. In a belt-drive for a four-roller mill, the combination of the roll-pulleys 42, 43,
44 and 45, the swiveled idler-pulleys 38 and 39, the adjustable tightener-pulley 37,
the counter-shaft pulley 35, and the single continuous open belt 41, which passes
first from pulley 35 over pulley 42, driving the outer roll of one set inward, then
beneath the swiveled idler-pulley 39, then over the pulley 43, driving the inner roll
of said set inward, then downward and beneath the adjustable tightener-pulley 37,
then upward and over the pulley 44, driving the outer roll of the opposite set inward,
then downward and beneath the swiveled idler-pulley 38, then upward and over the
pulley 45, driving the inner roll of this set inward, and thence downward back to
and below the counter-shaft pulley 35, substantially as described.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.