IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CRUSHING, PULVERIZING, AND GRINDING STONE, QUARTZ, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1852

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
JAMES WALLIS, of Clarendon Chambers, Hand Court, Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-fourth day of June, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did give and grant unto me, the said Charles
James Wallis, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial license, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Charles James Wallis, my exors,
admors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Charles James Wallis, my
exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term of years therein
mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CRUSHING, PULVERIZING, AND
GRINDING STONE, QUARTZ, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," within that part of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her Dominion
of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in the Islands of
Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all Her Colonies and
Plantations abroad, during the term of fourteen years thence next ensuing;
in which Letters Patent is contained a proviso, requiring that I, the said
Charles James Wallis, shall particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be enrolled in Her said

page_text: Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as
reference being thereunto had will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Charles James Wallis, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by this present Specification in writing, reference being
had to the several Drawings hereunto annexed (that is to say):-
This Invention consists of the application of balls, spheres, or wheels,
rotating or working in grooves or channels, for the purpose of crushing,
pulverizing, and grinding quartz and various other substances, and by the
action of these balls or spheres I crush, pulverize, or grind the substances or
matters submitted to their operation. The mode in which I give motion to
these balls, spheres, or wheels, is by placing them between two circular tables,
plates, or discs, and by giving rotary motion to one or both of the tables
which press the balls, spheres, or wheels between them, the balls, spheres,
or wheels will be caused to roll round in the eircular groove or channel,
grooves or channels, in one or both of the tables. For the purpose of
making a machine of this description, I take a circular plate or disc, which
I call the foundation plate or table, and I lay it horizontally with its
grooved side upwards upon the ground or some suitable foundation sufficient
to bear the weight of the machine, and I fix this foundation table firmly upon
its foundation or support, so as to be immoveable, and upon the upper face of
the table or plate, and at a convenient distance from its periphery, I make
an annular groove in which the balls or spheres are to roll round. The groove
should be made of the size and shape proper for receiving the balls or spheres
intended to work in it, and the groove should be placed sufficiently far from the
periphery of the table to allow the balls or spheres to roll round without
impediment during the action of the machine. In the annular
groove thus
made in the foundation table or plate I place a number of balls, spheres, or
wheels (usually six), the number and sizes of them being so regulated that
there shall be small spaces between them. Upon these balls or spheres I
place another circular plate or table, which I call the upper table or plate, and
which I prefer to make with its lower side grooved in a similar manner as the
upper side of the foundation plate, and so as to receive the upper parts of the
balls or spheres placed in the groove of the foundation table. The upper
groove must be made concentric with and in a circle of the same diameter as
the corresponding groove in the foundation table, so that when the upper
table is turned round the balls or spheres will rotate or work both in the

page_text: lower and the upper grooves, between which they may be placed. The depth
of the grooves and the size of the balls or spheres should be such that the
upper table may be supported and press upon the balls or spheres, or if some
of them be smaller than the others, then upon the larger balls or spheres,
without touching the upper surface of the foundation table, and I leave such a
convenient space between the two tables as will enable the material to be
operated upon to enter freely into the groove in which it is to be subjected to
the action of the balls or spheres. When the upper table or plate is made to
revolve it will communicate motion to the balls or spheres which bear it, and
cause them to roll round in the groove in the foundation table in which they
may be placed. The upper table
may have rotary motion given to it in either
direction by steam or other power, by means of a strap or belt applied to its
periphery, or in any other convenient manner, and an orifice may be made
in the centre of the upper table, and an upright shaft fixed upon or rising
through the centre of the lower table, round which shaft the upper table
may revolve and be left free to rise or fall, so as to accommodate itself to
any rising or falling of the balls or spheres, which may be occasioned by
any inequalities in the material in the groove over which the balls or
spheres may be passing. Instead of fixing the upright shaft so as to be
immoveable, it may be introduced through a suitable bearing in the centre
of the foundation table, and the upper end of it fixed to the bottom of
the upper table at the centre of it, so that rotary motion being given to the
shaft from beneath, the upper table may be caused to revolve. The machine
being ready for operation, and motion being communicated to the upper
or revolving table, I introduce the quartz or other material to be operated
upon (which, when necessary, should first be roughly broken) into the
machine through openings made in the revolving table for that purpose,
so that it shall fall into the groove in which the balls or spheres are rolling
round, and there be crushed or ground by the action of the balls or spheres to
which greater force is given by the weight of the superincumbent table or
plate. The material, thus pulverized, may be discharged from the machine
through a screen, placed so as to surround the space between the two tables,
and fixed or resting on the periphery of the foundation table, or it may be
discharged through an orifice in the centre of the foundation table. I prefer,
however, to construct the machine so that the pulverized material shall pass
through a screen at the periphery of the foundation table, the screen being so
made as to allow those particles falling upon it which are sufficiently fine
to pass through and those which are not fine enough to roll back into the
groove upon the foundation table. The action of the balls or spheres in their

page_text: groove have a tendency to impel the pulverized material or a portion of it
towards the periphery of the foundation table, where it will come in contact
with the screen, and as the material which is not sufficiently pulverized to pass,
the screen will fall back into the groove and be again subjected to the action
of the balls or spheres, the whole of the material will ultimately be pulverized
to the requisite extent. When the pulverized material is intended to be dis-
charged from the machine at the periphery of the foundation table, I make
the outer edge of the groove of that table lower than the inner edge of that
groove. I also construct the middle or inner part of that table so that any
material thrown upon it shall fall down an inclined plain into the groove, and
I introduce the material to be pulverized by throwing it upon the inner part
of the table, from whence it slides into the groove and is there subjected to
the action of the balls or spheres. When the pulverized material is intended
to be discharged from the machine at the centre of the foundation table, I
make the outer edge of the groove of that plate considerably higher than the
inner edge of that groove, so that the pulverized material may escape over
the inner edge of the groove into an opening or hopper in the middle of the
table, and so pass out of the machine. The material to be crushed, ground,
or pulverized, may be operated upon either in a dry state or wet, and with a
stream of water passing through the machine. When operating in the dry
way, I prefer to construct the machine so that the ground material shall pass
through a screen at the periphery of the foundation table, as already described.
When operating upon wet material with a stream of water passing through
the machine, the ground material may be discharged either in the middle or
at the periphery of the foundation table. The motions of the balls or spheres
rolling round in the grooves of this machine may be compared to a planetary
or plane spherical motions, as by the weight and motion of the revolving table
or plate they are made to revolve upon their own centres, and at the same
time to revolve around the plate in the grooves in which they are placed. I
find it desirable to make each alternate ball or sphere, placed in any groove
of a slightly smaller size than the other balls or spheres, that they shall not
come in contact with the top of the groove in the upper table, and in order
that they shall be moved by the larger balls or spheres and not by the révolving
table. The object of thus reducing the size of each alternate ball or sphere
is to prevent the balls or spheres from rubbing against each other as they
are driven round by the revolving table, and thus impeding the action of the
machine. When I use wheels in lieu of all or of some of the balls or spheres,
I mount them upon the ends of rods or arms radiating from a collar working
loosely round the centre shaft or pillar (when fixed) and round which the rods

page_text: together with the collar will be carried by the action of the revolving table
upon the wheels. When the upright shaft is made to rotate with the upper
table, the radiating arms or the collars to which they are attached may be
fixed upon the upright shaft and carried round with it. The balls or spheres
may be kept apart from each other when rotating by being perforated and
mounted upon the ends of arms radiating from a ring or collar working
loosely round the centre shaft, such as I have just described. Instead of
making each alternate ball or sphere smaller, as above described, the balls or
spheres when rolling round in their grooves may be kept apart by a set of
rollers mounted upon the ends of arms radiating from a collar, as above
described, a roller being interposed between every two of the balls or spheres
to prevent their rubbing against each other, as above mentioned. Two or
more circular grooves may be made on the surface of each table, and a series
of balls or spheres placed in each groove in manner above described; but I
prefer to have only one circular groove on the surface of each table. In
grinding substances of a clayey nature or paint, &c., brushes or scrapers may
be also attached to radiating arms for cleaning the grinding balls, and also to
clean out the grooves in which the balls revolve, or to stir up the material
being ground. My pulverizing or grinding machines may also be formed
with two or more upper or revolving tables mounted above each other, balls
or spheres being placed between the second and third tables, and (if more
than three tables) between every other two tables in like manner as herein-
before described. In such a machine the second series of balls work in a
groove upon the top of the second or revolving plate, and have placed above
them a (third) table, properly grooved on its under side. If the machine has
a third series of balls, they will work in a groove upon the top of the third
table, and have placed upon them a (fourth) table, also properly grooved on
its under side, and so on through any number of tables and series of balls
which may be found convenient. If each table above the foundation table
have motion given to it, each alternate table should be made to revolve in a
contrary direction. Instead of giving rotary motion to each of the upper
tables, such motion may be given to each alternate table, only the other tables
being prevented from rotating by suitable means, and each rotating table will
give motion not only to the balls or spheres below, but also to the balls or
spheres above it. In machines constructed with more than two tables, per-
forations may be made in the bottoms of the grooves in which the balls or
spheres rotate, so that the material being ground may pass from the upper or
each upper groove in which it has been operated upon by one series of balls.
into a groove below, and be operated upon by another series of balls, and the

page_text: grinding ultimately completed by the balls rotating in the grooves of the
foundation table. I prefer to form the top of the upper table of any of my
machines in such a manner that it may receive any additional weight which
may be required to give greater crushing or grinding effect to the balls,
spheres, or wheels as they roll round in their grooves. The power of the balls,
spheres, or wheels of these machines to crush or grind any material operated
upon, will greatly depend upon the weight applied to the balls, spheres, or
wheels by means of the table or tables above them, but I have not found
the power necessary for giving motion to the revolving table or tables of a
machine to increase in proportion with the additional weight placed upon the
upper or uppermost table of it. The machines may be made of any required
size and material. If intended to be used for grinding quartz they may be
made wholly of iron; if for grinding artist's colors, &c., they may be made of
glass or porcelain or other incorrosive material. These machines may also be
used for the purpose of separating gold from quartz during the operation of
grinding, by placing quicksilver in the groove made on the upper side of the
table or each table, in which "gold bearing quartz" may be crushed, ground,
or pulverized, so that the quicksilver may combine with and form an amalgam
with the gold contained in the quartz as it passes through the machine.
In Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed, I have shewn a section of a
machine made according to my Invention, and having two tables, that is to
say, a foundation table and an upper or revolving table, between which a series
of balls are placed in the grooves of the tables. In this Figure B, B is the
foundation table or plate, which I fix securely upon firm foundations or sup-
ports; C, C, is the upper or revolving table, in the middle of which is made a
circular opening for the admission to the machine of the material to be
operated upon; D, D, are balls, which are placed in grooves in the lower and
upper table respectively, and within which grooves the balls roll round when
the machine is in motion. In the centre of the foundation table is placed a
bush or bearing b, b, in which the vertical shaft E, E is inserted, and works;
F, F, is a cap surrounding the shaft E, E, at or near to the top of it, and
within which the shaft is securely fixed. The lower edge of the cap F, F bas
a groove made all round it to receive the circular lip or rim f, f. which projects
upwards from the foundation table, and upon which it is securely fixed in a
position concentric with the groove in the lower edge of the cap F, F, and so
that when the machine is in motion the lip or rim shall work within the groove,
and prevent any grit from getting into the bearing b, b. Near the top of the
cap F, F, are inserted arms G, G, (which may be three or more in number)
securely fixed to the cap, and also to the upper or revolving table C, C, by

page_text: means of which the upper table is carried round with the shaft E, E. Upon the
top of the upper table is fixed a fly wheel W, W, having a circular receptacle
R, R, which may be used for giving weight to the upper table, and greater
crushing power to the balls D, D. The centre opening II, H, of the wheel
W, W is a hopper or opening for the admission to the machine of the material
to be operated upon. I, I, I, I, is a hopper attached to the periphery of the
foundation plate, to which it is securely fixed. This hopper may either extend
all round the edge of the foundation table, or several segments of such hopper
may be placed at intervals round the table. Between the foundation table and
the circular hopper I, I, is placed a screen j, held in grooves at the sides, so
that it may be removed for the purpose of cleaning it or freeing its meshes
when stopped up. This screen permits the passage of the material when
sufficiently pulverized, but prevents the escape of all the particles which are
not sufficiently fine. If the hopper extends all round the foundation table,
there should be several of these screens together, extending round the whole
of the table. At the bottom of the hopper or hoppers I, I, I, I, are placed
several pipes or openings K, K, for permitting the escape of the pulverized
material from the hopper or hoppers, and the material may be allowed to fall
into a circular trough, or vessels placed under the hopper or pipes, or may be
conducted from the pipes K, K, to a suitable receptacle in any convenient
manner. Rotary motion being given to the shaft E, E, by means of steam or
other power, the upper table C, C, and the fly wheel W, W, will be caused to
revolve with it, and the revolution of the upper table will also cause the balls
D, D, to roll round in their grooves. If some of the material to be operated
upon be introduced through the opening in the middle of the wheel and the
table, it will pass down in the direction shewn by the arrows upon the middle
part e, e, of the foundation table which surrounds the cap F, F. This part of
the table being raised, the material will slide down the inclined plane or
conical part of the table into the grooves under the balls, and will be there
crushed and pulverized by the balls as they roll round in the grooves. The
pulverized material will pass from the groove of the table and over its edge in
the direction indicated by arrows, the edge of the table being lower than
the centre part of the table. The pulverized material which passes through
the screen or screens will fall through the hopper or hoppers I, I, I, I, and
escape from the machine through the pipes or openings K, K. Additional
quantities of the material to be operated upon may from time to time be
introduced into the machine so as to keep up the constant working of it'
whilst it is in motion. Figure 2 of the said Drawings represents a section
of another machine made according to iny Invention, with three tables or'

page_text: plates, and with two sets of balls, one set of balls being placed between the
foundation table and the middle table and the other set of balls between
the middle and upper tables. In this Figure B, B is the foundation table or
plate, which is to be securely fixed upon firm foundations, and which has
an annular groove on its upper surface for the reception of the balls, as
before described. In the middle of this table is made a circular opening
or hopper I, I, through which the ground or pulverized material may
escape from the machine, and be conducted by the tube K to the reservior
prepared for its reception. And it will be seen that the outer edge of
the groove of this plate, near the periphery of the table, is considerably
higher than the edge next to the hopper I, I, over which last mentioned
edge the ground or pulverized material is to pass into the hopper; C, C, is the
middle or revolving table, which has an annular groove on its under side, made
concentric with the groove on the foundation table, and of a proper size to
receive the upper parts of the balls D, D, placed between the foundation and
middle tables. The table C, C, has also an annular groove made on the upper
side of it to receive another series of balls U, U, and the middle d, d, of the
same table is made of a conical shape, so that the material falling upon it may
slide down into the groove on the upper side of that table, and also so that the
middle of the table may be higher than the outer edge of the groove, which is
at the periphery of the table, and over which the material subjected to the
action of the machine is to fall after being operated upon by the balls upon the
middle table; from the centre of the middle table rises a shaft E, E, by means
of which that table is to be caused to revolve, the shaft rises through an open-
ing on the upper table, and the upper part of it is to be mounted in a bearing
of such a description as will allow sufficient play to permit the shaft and the
middle table to be raised slightly from time to time during the working of the
machine by the material under the balls D, D upon the foundation table; X, X,
is the upper table, in the middle of which is made a circular opening for the
admission to the machine of the material to be operated upon, and also to
permit the shaft E, E, to rise through it from the centre of the middle table to
the pulley, by means of which, (and the strap or belt working upon it,) rotary
motion is to be given to the middle table. The upper table has an annular
groove made on the under side of it, concentric with the groove on the upper
side of the middle table, so as to receive the upper parts of the balls or spheres
U, U. Upon the top of the upper table is fixed a circular receptacle R, R,
(similar to that which forms the fly wheel shewn in Figure 1) in which may
be placed weights for giving greater crushing power to the balls D, D, and
U, U. The centre opening H, I, forms a hopper through which the material

page_text: to be operated upon may be introduced into the machine. Several vertical
rods r, r, are fixed at intervals round the periphery of the foundation table B, B,
and rise up to the periphery of the upper table X, X, the upper ends of the
rods working loosely in slots made for that purpose at the periphery of the
upper table, so that those rods may prevent the rotation of the upper table,
but permit it to rise and fall as much as may be necessary during the working
of the machine. And I prefer to surround the space between the peripheries
of the upper and bottom tables with a casing (not shewn in the Figure) so as to
strengthen the rods 1, 1, and prevent the material operated upon from being
thrown out of the machine as it falls from the periphery of the middle table.
This casing should be made in pieces or divisions, and put into its place in
such a way that the whole or any part of it may be removed at pleasure for the
purpose of obtaining access to the machine. When motion is given by means
of the shaft E, E, to the middle table, and that table is caused to revolve (the
upper and bottom tables being prevented from turning), the middle table will
give motion both to the balls D, D, below it and the balls V, V, above it.
The material to be operated upon being thrown through the hopper H, H, and
the opening in the centre of the upper table will fall (in the direction shewn
by arrows upon the middle of the middle table at d, d, and from thence slide
down into the groove of that table and be there subjected to the action of the
balls rolling round in that groove. After being thus acted on the material
will pass over the periphery of the middle table (in the direction shewn by
arrows) down into the groove in the bottom table, where it will be subjected
to the action of the balls rolling round in that groove, after which it will pass
over the inner edge of that groove (in the direction indicated by arrows) into
the hopper I, I, and from thence through the pipe K out of the machine.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that I claim as my
Invention the mode or modes of working balls, spheres, or wheels in grooves,
between tables or plates, for the purpose of crushing, pulverizing, or grinding
stone and other substances, in manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles James Wallis, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December, One thousand
aight hundred and fifty-two.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-fourth day of December,
in the year of our Lord 1852, the aforesaid Charles James Wallis came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.