Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Pulverizing Grain and other Substances.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 4th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Pulverizing Grain
and other Substances.
We, THE CYCLONE PULVERIZER, LIMITED, of 134 Palmerston Buildings,
Bishopsgate Street Within, in the City of London, Manufacturers, and BENJAMIN
HOOKER, of the same address, Engineer to the above named Company, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to apparatus for grinding or pulverizing grain and other
substances.
The said invention is chiefly designed to improve the construction and increase
the efficiency of apparatus of the kind or class described in the Specifications of the
following former Letters Patent, viz. :-No. 3599 of 1884, No. 1270 of 1887,
No. 4290 of 1888, and No. 12,677 of 1889, and now known as Cyclone Pulverizers.
The present improvements are, however, also partly applicable to other
pulverizing or grinding machines.
One feature of the present invention is a novel method or manner of effecting
the separation of the fine particles from the coarser or heavier pieces on their way
from the pulverizing chamber to the depositing or collecting chamber. For this
purpose, an inclined or oblique uptake or shaft is combined with a depositing or
collecting chamber arranged to work under a forced draught, with or without a
direct or adjustable air-outlet, and the residual air-pressure. in the said depositing
chamber is utilized in conjunction with the force of gravitation for effecting the
separation of the different grades of material. The residual pressure in the
collecting chamber and that of the air-current forced through the uptake or shaft
are so regulated according to the character of the substances being operated upon,
that the movement of the coarser or heavier pieces of the material carried upward
by the air-current, is arrested when they arrive at or near the entrance to the said
collecting chamber, and the said pieces fall upon the inclined surface of the uptake
or shaft, and roll or slide down the same and fall into the pulverizing chamber, in
which they are further reduced. The fine particles, however, are carried into the
said collecting chamber by the air-current forced through the uptake or shaft.
To more effectually provide for the separation of the lighter and heavier particles
as above mentioned, we find it advantageous either to maintain the transverse
sectional area of the uptake or shaft the same throughout its length, or to increase
the area of the said uptake or shaft from the pulverizing chamber to the depositing
chamber, and also to increase or diminish the intensity of the effluent air-current
produced by the rotating fans or other pulverizing devices, according to the nature
of the substances under treatment.
The present invention, moreover, comprises improved means for feeding the
material into the pulverizing chamber. For this purpose, we employ a worm or
conveyor in combination with a circular or other suitably shaped hopper provided
with a stirrer or agitator, and with an adjustable slide, which is preferably arranged
to be moved transversely to the axis of the feed worm or conveyor, for the purpose
of regulating or controlling the supply of material to the said worm or conveyor.
In pulverizers of the kind or class wherein the pieces or grains of material to be
reduced are caused to impinge against each other by micans of rotating fans, as in
the aforesaid cyclone pulverizers, and as herein set forth, any pieces or grains
which may come into actual contact with the blades of either fan are thrown off or
ejected obliquely, and, if they do not strike or collide with other pieces or grains,
simply return to the space from which the said fans are fed, without any pulverizing
action being exerted upon them. We, therefore, according to another part of our

page_text: said invention, combine, with the said fans, an impinging plate or bar, which is
preferably annular, semi-annular or arc-shaped, and which is secured in such a
position that it will form an obstruction against which the pieces projected from the
fans along intersecting paths will impinge; the said plate or bar will, therefore,
intercept the whole or the greater number of the pieces of material thrown from
the surface of the fans as above mentioned, and will reduce or pulverize them. The
output of the machine will thus be considerably increased. To prevent undue
contraction of the area of the uptake or shaft by the introduction of the said
impinging plate or bar, we enlarge the width of the said uptake or shaft at the part
where the said plate or bar is to be situated therein.
We make cach of the aforesaid fans with two, three or more blades set at an
angle of from thirty to sixty degrees to the axes of the fans. We find it
advantageous to make each of these fans with a boss or hub having attached
thereto suitable arms, and to provide removable, and, if desired, reversible wearing
plates or blades formed of or faced with steel, chilled iron, or other suitable
material; these plates or blades are firmly secured to the said arms by means of
bolts and nuts, anchor-bolts or wedges, or in any other convenient manner.
said plates or blades are made either plain, file-cut, corrugated or edge-ribbed as
may be found most desirable.
The
Another feature of the present invention is a novel construction and arrangement
of the air-inlets. Instead of admitting air through comparatively small holes
situated near the spindles of the rotating fans, we make annular openings which
surround the said spindles and which admit air in such a manner that the said fans
produce an air-current sufficiently strong for conveying the material through the
uptake or shaft to the depositing or collecting room. We are thus enabled to
dispense with a separate blower. In combination with the said annular opening
for the admission of air, we provide air-ports through which the air is conducted to
the said opening, and which are furnished with regulating devices for controlling
the admission of air. These air-ports are extended upward a considerable distance
above the spindles of the fans, to obviate any liability to escape of the material
through them.
We also provide for filtering the air before it is admitted to the pulverizing
chamber, in order to intercept or arrest any impurities that may be suspended in
the air, and thus prevent the entrance of such impurities into the pulverizing
chamber, and the consequent admixture thereof with the pulverized material.
For this purpose we prefer to arrange, in combination with the air admission
ports, air-filters consisting of wadding or similar material interposed between pieces
or layers of wire-gauze or the like.
We provide the casing of the machine with a suitable door to permit access to the
interior thereof. This door is arranged to swing about a pivot and may be fastened
by means of a cross-bar provided with a screw to bear against the centre of the said
door.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Pulverizing Grain
and other Substances.
THE CYCLONE PULVERIZER LIMITED, of 9 and 11 Fenchurch Avenue, in the
City of London, Manufacturers, and BENJAMIN HOOKER, of Pear Tree Court, in
the County of London, Engineer, 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 apparatus for pulverizing grain and other substances,

page_text: and the said invention is chiefly designed to improve the construction and increase
the efficiency of such apparatus.
One feature of the present invention is a novel method or manner of effecting the
separation of the fine particles from the coarser or heavier pieces on their way from
the pulverizing chamber to the depositing or collecting chamber. For this purpose
an inclined or oblique uptake or shaft is combined with a depositing or collecting
chamber arranged to work under a forced draught, with or without a direct or
adjustable air-outlet, and the residual air-pressure in the said depositing chamber is
utilized in conjunction with the force of gravitation for effecting the separation of
the different grades of material. The residual pressure in the collecting chamber
and that of the air current forced through the uptake or shaft are so regulated
according to the character of the substances being operated upon, that the move-
ment of the coarser or heavier pieces of the material carried upward by the
air-current is arrested at or near the entrance to the said collecting chamber and the
said pieces fall upon the inclined surface of the uptake or shaft, and roll or slide
down the same and fall into the pulverizing chamber in which they are further
reduced. The fine particles, however, are carried into the said chamber by the
air-current from the uptake or shaft.
The present invention, moreover, comprises improved means for feeding the
material into the pulverizing chamber. For this purpose we employ a worm or
conveyor in combination with a circular or other suitably shaped hopper provided
with an agitator, and with an adjustable slide arranged to move transversely to the
axis of the feed worm or conveyor for the purpose of regulating or controlling the
supply of material to the said worm or conveyor.
In pulverizers of the kind or class wherein the pieces or grains of material to be
reduced are caused to impinge against each other by means of opposing air-
currents produced by rotating fans, any pieces or grains which may come into
actual contact with the blades of either of the said fans or screws are thrown off or
ejected obliquely, and, if they do not strike or collide with other pieces or grains,
simply return to the space from which the said fans are fed, without any pulverizing
action being exerted upon them. We therefore, according to another part of our
said invention, combine with the said fans, an impinging plate or bar which is
preferably annular semi-annular or arc-shaped and which is secured in such a
position that it will intercept the whole or the greater number of the pieces of
material thrown from the surface of the fans as above mentioned, and will reduce
or. pulverize them. The output of the machine will thus be considerably
increased.
We make each of the aforesaid fans with two, three or more blades set at an
We find it
angle of from thirty to sixty degrees to the axes of the screws.
advantageous to make these fans with a boss or hub having attached thereto suitable
arms, and to provide removable and, if desired, reversible wearing plates or blades
formed of or faced with steel, chilled iron or other suitable material, which are
firmly secured upon the said arms by means of bolts and nuts, anchor bolts or
wedges or in any other convenient manner. The said plates or blades arc. made
either plain, file-cut, corrugated or edge-ribbed as may be found most desirable.
Another feature of the present invention is a novel construction and arrangement
of the air-inlets. Instead of admitting air through comparatively small holes situated
near the spindles of the rotating screws, we make annular openings which surround
the said spindles and which admit air in such a manner that the said fans serve as
blowers and produce an air-current sufficiently strong for conveying the material up
We are thus
through the uptake or shaft to the depositing or collecting room.
enabled to dispense with a separate blower. In combination with the said annular
opening for the admission of air, we provide air-ports through which the air is
conducted to the said opening and which are furnished with regulating devices for
controlling the admission of air. These air ports are extended upward a consider-
able distance above the spindles of the fans to obviate any liability to escape of the
material through them.

page_text: cage view, and
Figure 4 a face view of one of the rotating screws or fans.
Figure 5 is a face view, and
Figure 6 a transverse section of one of the arms or blades of such fans.
Figure 7 is a side elevation partly in vertical central section.
Figure 8 a horizontal section on the line a Figure 7 the beaters being
removed and
Figure 9 an end elevation showing another form or modification of the improved
machine.
A is the pulverizing chamber, B B are the rotating fans for producing the
opposing air-currents whereby the pieces of material to be crushed are projected
against each other. These fans are fixed upon spindles B driven from any
suitable motor.
C is a depositing or collecting chamber which is constructed in such a manner
that the air forced into it will be slowly discharged through cloth or other suitable
material and a residual pressure will be maintained in the said chamber. D is the
uptake or shaft for conducting the air-current and the crushed material from the
pulverizing chamber A. to the collecting chamber C. This uptake is inclined as
shown so that any coarse or heavy pieces of material which may be carried up
by the air current but which cannot be conveyed thereby into the collecting
chamber, will fall upon and roll or slide down the inclined wall D' of the said
uptake back into the pulverizing chamber A. By regulating the admission of air
to the said chamber A or the egress of air from the chamber C, or both, the velocity
of the air-current and the intensity or pressure of the air in the said chamber Care
varied according to the character of the material to be crushed. This regulation is
effected in such a manner that the fine particles of the said material which can be
casily carried upward by the air current will be conveyed into the chamber C, but
the said air-current, although it may carry the coarser or heavier pieces of material
up the shaft D, will not be strong enough to convey them into the chamber C, and
the said coarser or heavier pieces will, therefore descend under the action of gravity
and return to the pulverizing chamber A.
To facilitate the operation above mentioned, it is advantageous to make the
uptake or shaft D of the same transverse sectional area throughout its length or to
make it increase in transverse sectional area from the pulverizing chamber towards
the collecting chamber.
The improved feed mechanism comprises a hopper E which may be of circular
or other convenient form and which is provided with a stirrer or agitator F fixed
upon a shaft F arranged to be rotated through suitable gearing G. The said shaft
is connected at its lower end through gearing H, with a worm or conveyor J which
is enclosed in a casing K. This casing can be put in communication with the
hopper E by moving the slide L transversely to the axis of the worm or conveyor.
by means of the rod M this slide closing an aperture in the bottom of the hopper E
immediately above the casing K. By adjusting the said slide L the supply of
material from the hopper E to the conveyor J may be regulated or controlled as
required. The said conveyor discharges the material into the pulverizing chamber
through an aperture in the side thereof.
N is an impinging plate or bar which is fixed within the pulverizing chamber A
and which partially surrounds the space between the rotating fans B. The pieces
of material projected from the surface of the fans B will impinge against this plate
or bar and be thereby pulverized. It is evident that if desired this plate may be

page_text: of annular form so that it completely surrounds the space between the fans B; or
it may extend through a greater or less are of a circle than that shewn in the
drawings. As this plate or bar would otherwise contract the transverse sectional
area of the uptake the width of the said uptake should be increased as shown in
Figures 7 to 9.
The rotating fans B are preferably constructed as shown in Figures 3 to 6 that
is to say: Each fan is made with a boss 133 to which are firmly secured, by bolts B
or in any other convenient manner, removable wearing pieces or plates B³ which
are formed of faced with steel chilled iron or other suitable material. These wearing
pieces or plates are sometimes made reversible. By constructing the fans in this
manner, the necessity for replacing the entire fau in case of injury to one of the
operative parts thereof is obviated as the said removable pieces or either of them
can be very readily taken off and either reversed or replaced by new wearing
pieces.
In Figures 7 to 9 is shown a convenient and advantageous arrangement of the
air-inlets and the regulating devices therefor. P, P are aunular admission openings
for the air which surround the spindles B of the rotating fans B. Air is supplied
to these openings through air ports Q which extend upward a considerable distance
above the said spindle so as to prevent the escape through the said ports of the
material under treatment. These air-ports Qare provided with regulating devices R
such as hinged lids, whereby the admission of air to the pulverizing chamber, may
be effectually regulated or controlled.
We find it advantageous to provide in combination with the air ports Q air
filters consisting of wadding interposed between layers of wire-gauze which filters
will arrest any impurities that may be suspended in the air. The above described
construction and arrangement of the air inlets obviates the necessity for using a
separate blower as the rotating fans B are enabled to produce a sufficiently strong
current or blast of air to convey the material through the uptake or shaft D to the
collecting chamber C.
To permit access to the interior of the pulverizing chamber A, we provide a
door S which is connected by a hinge-joint S to the casing of the machine and is
retained in position when closed by means of a cross bar provided with a screw
which bears against the centre of the door by any other convenient means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The hercin described method of separating the fine particles from the coarser
or heavier pieces consisting of varying the admission of air to the pulverizing
chamber, or the egress of air from the collecting chamber, or both, according to the
nature of the material under treatment, so that the air current will convey the fine
particles through the uptake or shaft into the collecting chamber, but, whilst
raising the coarser or heavier pieces, will be unable to convey the same into the
said collecting chamber in which a residual pressure is maintained.
2. A pulverizing machine having an uptake or shaft D extending from the
pulverizing chamber to or nearly to the top of a depositing or collecting chamber C
inclined in such a manner that the coarser or heavier pieces of material which are
carried upward by the air-current but cannot be conveyed thereby into the said
collecting chamber will roll or slide down the oblique surface of the said uptake or
shaft and thus be returned to the pulverizing chamber, the transverse sectional area
of the shaft being either the same throughout its length or increased from the
pulverizing chamber to the collecting chamber, substantially as described.
3. The feed mechanism comprising the hopper E provided with the stirrer or
agitator F and with the adjustable slide L arranged in combination with the worm
or conveyor J, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the rotating fans B of an impinging plate or bar N
which surrounds or partially surrounds the space between the said fans, and against

page_text: which the pieces of material undergoing pulverization when projected from the sur-
face of the blades of the fans will impinge, substantially as described.
5. The rotating fan B having the boss or hub 132 and the arms B³ attached
thereto, and having secured to the said arms the removable or reversible wearing
pieces or plates B³, substantially as described.
6. The annular air admission openings P surrounding the spindles of the rotating
fans in combination with air ports Q which extend upward a considerable distance
above the said spindles and which are provided with devices R, substantially as
described, for the purpose specified.
7. The improved pulverizing machine constructed as described with reference to
the drawings, and operating as specified.
Dated this 9th day of April 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.