IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GRINDING, MINERALS AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent
Agency, of Frankfort-on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GRINDING,
MINERALS AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES." A communication from Franz
Rudeloff, Engineer, residing at Buckau, near Magdeburg (Germany).
ealed the 27th October 1877, and dated the 4th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th May 1877.
A
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency, of Frankfort-
on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF
AND APPARATUS FOR GRINDING MINERALS AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES."
communication from Franz Rudeloff, Engineer, residing at Buckau, near Magdeburg
(Germany).
My Invention has for its object a new method of humid grinding of such matters
as quartz, flint, spar, and the like to a fineness wanted for using the same, for
instance, in the manufacture of porcelain, for glazing, and for porcelain masses.
My Invention combines the advantages of the dry and humid grinding without
their inconveniences.
My said Invention comprises the grinding of the mass, mixed previously with
water, on the bad stone of an ordinary stone mill with perfectly tightoned bearings.
This grinding is effected in such manner that the mass mixed with water is, by
continuous circulation, always brought back on the millstones. For this purpose
there are employed in combination with the said mill two stirring apparatuses and
a pump with a conduit of pipes.
The mass having been subjected to a preliminary crushing in a pool work is con-
ducted into a vessel termed the lower stirring coop, which has previously been partly
filled with water. From this coop the water-mixed mass is, by means of a suitable
pump, raised to another vessel which I call the upper stirring coop, whence it falls
through an inclined tube on the bed stone of the mill, where it is ground, and
whence it falls into the first-named stirring coop in order to begin again the above-
[Price Gd.]

page_text: described circulation. The continuous stirring of the mass and the vertical position
of the pipes uniting the upper stirring coop with the mill and the lower stirring
coop with the pumps, cause the heaviest pieces, which naturally are also the largest
ones, to descend more quickly than the others, and they are in consequence brought
first on the mill. Each stirring coop is large enough to contain the whole quantity
of the mass, so that if part of the apparatus should become deranged, the work need
not be discontinued.
In order to keep the whole quantity of water wanted for the regular work of the
pump from passing needlessly through the mill, an overflow pipe, arranged in con-
nection with the upper coop, leads back about half the quantity of the water
directly to the lower coop. All the pipes may be regulated or closed by means of
cocks
If the mass is reduced to a sufficiently fine powder, the same is brought by any
well-known means to a receptacle where it is allowed to set when the water is
drawn off by means of a syphon. In consequence of the millstones being continually
cooled by the water the same can be made to roli more rapidly than would be
practicable in dry grinding, as the largest pieces are always brought on the mill.
The effect of my Invention is much greater than that of the old methods, either
dry or humid. The cost of my apparatus is moderate and time is economized by
its use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st November
1877.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency, of Frankfort-
on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF
AND APPARATUS FOR GRINDING MINERALS AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES." A
communication from Franz Rudeloff, Engineer, residing at Buckau, near Magdeburg
(Germany).
My Invention has for its object a new method of humid grinding of such matters
as quartz, flint, spar, and the like to a fineness wanted for using the same, for
instance, in the manufacture of porcelain, for glazing, and for porcelain masses.
My Invention combines the advantages of the dry and humid grinding without
their inconveniences.
My said Invention comprises the grinding of the mass, mixed previously with
water, on the bed stone of an ordinary stone mill with perfectly tightened bearings.
This grinding is effected in such manner that the mass mixed with water is, by
continuous circulation, always brought back on the millstones. For this purpose
there are employed in combination with the said mill two stirring apparatuses and
a pump with a conduit of pipes.
These different parts are arranged in the manner shewn in the Drawing, and the
operation of the said apparatus is as herein-after described.
Figure 1 is a front elevation and Figure 2 is an end elevation of the said In-
vention.
Like letters indicate the same parts in both Figures.
The mass having been subjected to a preliminary crushing in a suitable apparatus
is conducted into a vessel termed the lower stirring coop A, which has previously
been partly filled with water. From this coop the water-mixed mass is, by means
of a centrifugal or plunger pump, or a pulsometer, or other suitable pump, as shewn
at B, raised to another vessel, which I call the upper stirring coop C, whence it falls
through an inclined tube on the bed stone of the mill D, where it is ground and
whence it falls into the first-named stirring coop A in order to begin again the
above-described circulation. The continuous stirring of the mass and the vertical

page_text: position of the pipes uniting the upper stirring coop with the mill and the lower
stirring coop with the pumps, cause the heaviest pieces, which naturally are also the
largest ones, to descend more quickly than the others, and they are in consequence
brought first on the mill. Each stirring coop is large enough to contain the whole
quantity of the mass, so that if part of the apparatus should become deranged, the
work need not be discontinued.
In order to keep the whole quantity of water wanted for the regular work of the
pump from passing needlessly through the mill, an overflow pipe E, arranged in
connection with the upper coop C, leads back about half the quantity of the water
directly to the lower coop A. All the pipes may be regulated or closed by means of
cocks.
If the mass is reduced to a sufficiently fine powder, the same is brought by any
suitable means to a receptacle where it is allowed to set, when the water is drawn
off by means of a syphon. In consequence of the millstones being continually cooled
by the water, the same can be made to roll more rapidly than would be practicable
in dry grinding as the largest pieces are always brought on the mill.
The effect of my Invention is much greater than that of the old methods, either
dry or humid. The cost of my apparatus is moderate and time is economised by its
use.
The different parts of my grinding apparatus are moved by suitable gearing,
arranged in the manner shewn in the Drawing.
Having thus fully described the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The method of grinding minerals or other like substances (which have or
have not previously been crushed in a suitable crushing apparatus) by mixing them
with water and forcing them, by means of a pump or other like apparatus, to
circulate together with water continually through pipes, and stirring or other appa-
ratus connected with a grinding mill, so as to return always to the mill for being
reground until they have become sufficiently fine, as above set forth.
Second. The herein-described method of grinding minerals or other like substances
by forcing them to circulate together with water from a lower stirring apparatus
through a pump to an upper stirring apparatus and to a grinding mill, and thence
back to the said lower stirring apparatus, and so on in continual circulation until
the mass to be ground has been reduced to a sufficiently fine powder, when it is
removed from the apparatus to a receptacle, where it is allowed to set, and the water
is drawn off by a syphon, as above set forth.
Third. The mill in combination with the lower stirring coop or vessel, the pump
of any suitable construction, the upper stirring coop or vessel, and the overflow pipe,
arranged and connected and set in motion in the manner above described and as
shown in the annexed Drawing for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
F. WIRTH (L.S.)