CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MECHANISM KNOWN AS THE ' SILK BOLTER,' EMPLOYED FOR DRESSING FLOUR, AND WHICH MAY ALSO BE EMPLOYED FOR DRESSING OTHER GROUND OR PULVERIZED MATERIAL
Year: 1870

page_text: '
LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Dawson, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, and Edward Davies, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
OR MECHANISM KNOWN AS THE ' SILK BOLTER,' EMPLOYED FOR DRESSING
FLOUR, AND WHICH MAY ALSO BE EMPLOYED FOR DRESSING OTHER GROUND
OR PULVERIZED MATERIAL."
Sealed the 28th February 1871, and dated the 3rd September 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Dawson and
Edward Davies at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 3rd September 1870.
We, STEPHEN DAWSON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
5 and EDWARD DAVIES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS OR MECHANISM KNOWN AS THE SILK BOLTER,' EMPLOYED For

page_text: DRESSING FLOUR, AND WHICH MAY ALSO BE EMPLOYED FOR DRESSING OTHER GROUND
OR PULVERIZED MATERIAL," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to the improvements upon the well-known
mechanism employed in dressing flour known as the "silk bolter,"
the arrangement and construction of which, when metal gauze is
employed in lieu of silk, may be employed for the purpose of dressing
ground or pulverized vegetable or mineral substances or material.
The improvements relate, first, to that part of the "silk bolter "
known as the "reel," which is a polygonal cylinder supported in a
diagonal position revolving in bearings inside a frame; the polygonal
sides of this cylinder are composed of silk gauze which in the ordinary
arrangement are attached to longitudinal ribs forming the angles of the
cylinder, the said ribs being arranged to protrude inside the silk or
metal gauze by which they form shelves that carry the flour when the
cylinder is revolving near to the top centre, which when falling into
the lower silk or other gauze causes unnecessary wear, and also forces
a portion of the sharpes, bran, or browns with the fine flour through
the meshes of the gauze, thereby producing an inferior dressing. The
present improvement on this part the "bolter" consists in attaching the
"silks" or other gauze to the longitudinal ribs by means of clamp rails
or other equivalent, that secures the edges of the silk to the surface of
the ribs in such a manner that the angle formed by the gauze is flush
or on a level with the inside of the rib, or the clamp rails may be made
adjustable so that the ribs may be allowed slightly to protrude inside
the cylinder, the surfaces so protruding or flush with the inside of the
reel or "
cylinder" being roughened or serated.
Secondly. The Invention relates to an improved arrangement of
beaters which are suspended in a position near the "reel," and which
as the cylinder revolves successively nock or come into contact with the
outside protruding ribs, the action of which effectually clears the meshes
and prevents the "blinding" of the silks.
Lastly. The Invention relates to the worm or creeper employed for
expelling the dressed flour from the machine, and the improvement
consists in constructing such worm (which in the ordinary construction
is composed of one continuous spiral blade) or propeller of two or more

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Stephen Dawson and Edward Davies in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd March 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, STEPHEN
DAWSON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, and EDWARD
DAVIES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Stephen Dawson and Edward Davies, Her
special license that we, the said Stephen Dawson and Edward Davies,
our exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Stephen Dawson and Edward Davies, our 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 nake, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
OR MECHANISM KNOWN AS THE 'SILK BOLTER' EMPLOYED FOR DRESSING FLOUR,
AND WHICH MAY ALSO BE EMPLOYED FOR DRESSING OTHER GROUND OR PULVERIZED
MATERIAL," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said.
Stephen Dawson and Edward Davies, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of our or their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 we, the said Stephen Dawson and Edward
Davies, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described

page_text: and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying
Drawings, that is to say :-
33
Our Invention relates to improvements upon the well-known
mechanism employed for dressing flour known as the "silk bolter,'
the arrangement and construction of which when metal gauge is used
in lieu of silk may be employed for the purpose of dressing ground
or pulverized vegetable or mineral substances or material.
The improvements relate, first, to that part of the "silk bolter'
known as the "reel" which is a polygonal cylinder supported in 'a
diagonal position revolving in bearings inside a frame; the polygonal
sides of this cylinder are composed of silk gauze which in the ordinary
arrangement-are-attached-to-longitudinal ribs forming the angles of
the cylinder, the said ribs being arranged to protrude inside the silk
or metal gauze by which they form shelves that carry the flour when
the cylinder is revolving near to the top centre, which when falling
on to the lower silk or other gauze causes unnecessary wear, and also
forces a portion of the sharpes, bran, or "browns" with the fine flour
through the meshes of the gauze, thereby producing an inferior dressing.
The present improvement on this part of the "bolter consists in
attaching the "silks" or other gauze to the longitudinal ribs by means
of clamp "rails" or other equivalent that secures the edges of the silk to
the side surfaces of the ribs in such a manner that the angle formed
by the gauze is flush or on a level with the inside of the rib; or the
clamp rails may be made adjustable so that the ribs may be allowed
slightly to protrude inside the cylinder, the surfaces whether protruding
or flush with the inside of the "reel" or cylinder being roughened or
serrated.
"
Secondly. The Invention relates to an improved arrangement of
beater or beaters which are suspended in a position near the "reel,"
and which as the cylinder revolves successively knock or come into
contact with the outside protruding ribs, tlie action of which effectually
clears the meshes and prevents the blinding of the silks.
Lastly. The Invention relates to the worm or creeper employed for
expelling the dressed flour from the machine, and the improvement
consists in constructing such worm (which in the ordinary construction
is composed of ouc continuous spiral blade) or propeller of two or more

page_text: distinct blades or wings in one revolution of the worm, and in some cases
having their propelling surfaces roughened or serrated.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained
in detail, we have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawing made upon a
scale of about one inch and a half to a foot, similar letters of reference
being marked on corresponding parts on all the Figures alike.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the "silk bolter," shewn part
in section; Figure 2 represents a transverse section of the same, shewing
the silks clamped flush with inner surfaces of the longitudinal rails
forming the angles of the cylinder.
Figure 3 represents a transverse section of the cylinder shewing
another construction or arrangement for securing the silks between the
ribs, and in which a separate frame is employed that can be adjustably
secured between the longitudinal ribs in a position that will allow the
supporting ribs to protrude more or less inside the cylinder.
Figure 4 represents another modification of the same, in which an
adjustable ledge is shewn for giving more or less lift to the material
inside the cylinder when being dressed.
In Figure 2 is shewn an arrangement of beater employed for pre-
venting the meshes of the silks becoming filled with particles of the
material being dressed usually termed blinding of the silks.
In these Figures a, a, is the framing of the machine; b, the octagonal
cylinder in which the material is placed for dressing, being fed thereto.
through the coarse wire grid c; the silks d of this octagonal cylinder,
according to Figures 1 and 2, are secured flush with the inside of the
ribs by bolts or other equivalent, giving by this means when the cylinder
is revolving the slighest amount of lift to the material, at the same time
keeping the material agitated sufficiently for the purpose of dressing
and preventing by the employment of such flush surfaces the repeated
heavy fall of the material on to the silks, which when protruding ledges
are employed according to the old construction of reel rapidly destroy
the silks and produce inferior dressing, which our improved flush.
surfaces are designed to obviate. The transverse tie bars e being locked
at the axis of the cylinder give a rigidity and firmness to the reel, and
which with our improvements are capable of being constructed of a
large diameter, say, five to six feet, giving thereby an increased silk

page_text: dressing surface. When it is desired to employ the "reel" for dressing
subject to irregular supplies of material being fed thereto, that is to say,
at one time being supplied from two pairs of stones and then from three
or more, we in such cases construct the silks so as to be adjustable,
that is, to be secured at any point between the inner and outer edges
of the longitudinal ribs or rails; as there are many equivalent means of
obtaining this result we have merely shewn those methods we have found
to answer the purpose best, namely, by an adjustable silk frame, as shewn
in Figure 3, or an adjustable ledge i, as seen in Figure 4; this ledge can
be adjusted so as to protrude more or less inside the reel. From this
arrangement of loose adjustable frame we also derive the advantage
of readily taking out the silks from the reel when they require to be
-replaced-with-others,-and-in-some-instances-the-reel-itself-might-even
be composed of separate frames supported by radial arms projecting
from the centre axis; f is a beater placed underneath the "reel" in a
position that will admit of its arm knocking each longitudinal rib in
succession as they present themselves during the cylinder's revolution.
The beater is readily put out of action by raising its counterbalance end
by means of the pulley and string h.
In Figure 5 is shewn the improved construction of worm or creeper
employed for conveying the dressed material from the machine, and
consists in forming the worm blade of two or more fins or blades in
one revolution.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, together with
the method we employ for carrying the same into practical effect, we
wish it to be understood in conclusion that we claim,-
"
First. The novel employment, use, and adaptation to "silk bolters
or "reels" of silks that can be secured by clamps or other equivalent
permanently between the longitudinal ribs of the reel in a position flush
with the inside of such ribs as shewn in the Drawings at Figure 2, or a
the employment and use of adjustable silks which are capable of being
secured at any distance between the ribs so as to form ledges for lifting
the material being dressed more or less according to the depth or
capacity of the ledge as described and shewn at Figures 3 and 4 of the
Drawings.
Secondly. The novel adaptation to "reels" of knockers employed for
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page_text: And, lastly. The subdividing each complete coil of the worm or
creeper conveying the dressed material from the machine into two
or more parts, as herein-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated
in the Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals,
the Twenty-fifth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness to the signatures,
THOMAS WRIGLEY,
Manchester.
STEPHEN DAWSON. (L.S.)
EDWARD DAVIES.
(L.S.)