IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING AND DRIVING MILLSTONES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Smith, junior, of the Unity Flour Mills,
Belper, in the County of Derby, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MOUNTING AND DRIVING MILLSTONES."
Sealed tho 31st January 1868, and dated the 9th October 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Smith at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th October
1867.
J, RICHARD SMITH, junior, of the Unity Flour Mills, Belper, in the County
of Derby, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MOUNTING AND DRIVING MILLSTONES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in mounting and driving
millstones. In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, and dated
the 3rd day of November 1865, No. 2839, there is described improvements
in mounting and driving millstones, such improvements consisting in fixing
the revolving stone upon its shaft or axis so that it receives only a rotatory
motion, whilst the other stone with which it works is hung or mounted on an
universal joint or gimbals. In describing, however, the method of carrying
the said Invention into effect the gimbals are in this Specification represented

page_text: to be beyond the circumference of the stone, and this indeed was the best
method with which I was then acquainted of carrying the said Invention into
effect.
I have since discovered further improvements, and my present Invention
consists in arranging the universal joints or gimbals in the opening in the
centre of the stone known as the eye, and by which the material to be ground
is fed between the stones. To prevent the stone which is hung on universal
joints or gimbals from rattling or jolting when stopping or starting a set screw
or screws are employed, as is described in the Specification of my said former
Patent.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
April 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
SMITH, junior, of the Unity Flour Mills, Belper, in the County of Derby, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Smith, Her special licence that I, the said Richard Smith, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard
Smith, my executors, administrators, and 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
MOUNTING AND DRIVING. MILLSTONES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Richard Smith, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their bands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the 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 Richard Smith, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,

page_text: to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in mounting and driving
millstones. In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, and dated
the 3rd day of November 1865, No. 2839, there is described improvements in
mounting and driving millstones, such improvements consisting in fixing the
revolving stone upon its shaft or axis so that it receives only a rotatory motion,
whilst the other stone with which it works is hung or mounted on an universal
joint or gimbals. . In describing, however, the method of carrying the
said Invention into effect the gimbals are in this Specification represented to
be beyond the circumference of the stone, and this indeed was the best
method with which I was then acquainted of carrying the said Invention into
effect.
I have since discovered further improvements, and my present Invention
consists in arranging the universal joints or gimbals in the opening in the
centre of the stone known as the eye, and by which the material to be ground
is fed between the stones. To prevent the stono which is hung on universal
joints or gimbals from rattling or jolting when stopping or starting a set screw
or screws are employed, as is described in the Specification of my said former
Patent.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
odil sried into affect L

page_text: and cemented into the upper stone h, hangs and is able to rock on these studs
or trunnions, which are at right angles to the studs or trunnions f¹×, and so a
universal joint is formed, such that the upper stone is able to rock freely in
any direction, and so as to maintain its face parallel with the face of the lower
stone although the lower stone may not be truly at right angles with its axis.
Vertical sections of these parts taken at the lines E, F, and G, H, respectively
are shown at Figures 6 and 7. is a telescopic pipe conveying the grain to
the stones; its lower end terminates in a contracted nozzle immediately over
the distributing disc a', which is fixed on the top of the axis a, and by moving
the nozzle of the pipe i nearer to or further from the disc a¹ the supply of
grain may be regulated. This movement is given to the lower joints of the
pipe i by means of the lever and descending rod l, as is shewn. m is the
casing of the stones; it is made tight around the upper stone by means of
the leather flap m². m³ is a passage in connection with a fan by which a
partial vacuum is maintained in the casing m, so that air may be compelled to
pass between the stones together with grain, as is well understood; m³ is the
passage by which meal passes out of the casing m; f³, fs, are set screws
passing through the cross bearer f; they are screwed down so close to the
stone that a sheet of paper can but just be drawn out from beneath them
when the screws are set; the lower stone being at work these screws serve to
steady the upper stone in starting and stopping. The step of the axis a is
adjustable in the usual manner.
What I claim is, the fixing one of the millstones on a rotating vertical axis,
whilst the other stone is hung upon a universal joint or gimbals contained in
the eye or opening in the centre of the stone.
I also claim the combining with stones so mounted and driven a set screw
or screws to control the stone hung on the universal joint or gimbals.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
RICH. SMITH. (L.B.)