IMPROVEMENTS IN GRINDING OR PREPARING CORN OR SIMILAR SUBSTANCES AND REDUCING THE SAME INTO FLOUR, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN GRINDING OR PREPARING CORN OR SIMILAR SUBSTANCES AND REDUCING
THE SAME INTO FLOUR, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN."
Bavaria
A communication from abroad by Oscar Oexle, of Augsburg,
Scaled the 3rd November 1876, and dated the 18th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th May 1876.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GRINDING OR PREPARING CORN OR SIMILAR
SUBSTANCES AND REDUCING THE SAME INTO FLOUR, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." A communication from abroad by Oscar Ocxle,
of Augsburg, Bavaria.
This Invention relates to an improved mode of and apparatus for preparing grain
and similar substances and reducing the same into flour, and consists essentially in
the employment for that purpose of hydraulic pressure in the manner herein-after
described.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to employ a roller mounted in
fixed bearings, and towards which are forced say two smaller rollers under the
action of hydraulic pressure. The bearings of these adjustable rollers are cach cast
in one piece with a piston or plunger working in a hydraulic cylinder, suitable
packing being provided in order to maintain a tight joint. Through a stuffing box
in the opposite extremity of one of the cylinders there passes another piston or
plunger, one end of which by preference enters the interior of the other piston
or plunger (made hollow or recessed for that purpose), whilst its outer end is acted
upon a lever carrying a weight, the position of which is moveable at will. A
suitable quantity of liquid (which may consist for example of oil or soup water)
having been introduced into the cylinders (the whole of which are in inter-
communication by means of suitable pipes or connections) the position of the
weight on the lever is suitably adjusted, whereby the piston or plunger on which
it acts is forced into the liquid contained in the cylinder and the pressure thus
produced is equally distributed over all the moveable bearings of the apparatus.
[Price 6d1

page_text: The grain (for example) is supplied by a feeding chute or roller or similar ar-
rangement, and after being pressed between the rollers falls into a hopper which
leads the meal into a screw, whence it is conducted into a disintegrator or similar
machine for separating the cakes formed by the squeezing process of the rolls. In
order to drive the rollers pinions are employed of such a diameter as to impart a
differential speed to the roller surfaces so as to effect at the same time with the
squeezing a slight rubbing action. The rollers are smooth, and may be composed
of cast iron, steel, porcelain, or other suitable material. In order to release the
pressing rollers from contact with the fixed roller springs are fitted in a suitable
manner on each bearing, and these springs lift the rollers when the pressure is taken
off by raising the pressing lever. The arrangement of the rollers may be modified,
as, for example, 2 or 3 fixed rollers may be employed in one frame, each having
mounted thereon say 1 or 2 movable rollers with differential or equal speed. When
equal speed is adopted scrapers should be fixed towards the roller surfaces so as to
clean them.
The advantages of the Invention are larger produce of flour of a superior
quality from a given quantity of grain with less expenditure of motive power.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
November 1876.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GRINDING OR PREPARING CORN OR SIMILAR
SUBSTANCES AND REDUCING THE SAME INTO FLOUR, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." A communication from abroad by Oscar Ocxle,
of Augsberg, Bavaria.
The said Invention relates to an improved mode of and apparatus for preparing
grain and similar substances and reducing the same into flour, and consists essen-
tially in the employment for that purpose of hydraulic pressure in the manner
herein-after described, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings represent sectional elevations of
an apparatus constructed according to the said Invention, the views in the two
Figures being taken at right angles to each other; Figures 3 and 4 are respectively
a vertical section and plan of a modification of a portion of the apparatus illustrated
by Figures 1 and 2; similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the Figures.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, A is a roller mounted on a shaft B which is supported
in fixed bearings C, C, in the main frame D and carries a pulley E for receiving
motion from any suitable prime mover, and also a spur wheel F for transmitting
such motion through the intervention of spur pinions G, G, to two smaller rollers
H, H, mounted with the said pinions on shafts I, I', respectively. These shafts
are supported in movable bearings J, J, respectively, so as to admit of the rollers
H, H, being forced towards the roller A under the action of hydraulic pressure
applied in the manner next herein-after explained. Each of the bearings J, J, is
cast in one with or attached to a piston or plunger working in a hydraulic
cylinder b, suitable packing c being provided in order to maintain a tight joint.
Through a stuffing box d in the opposite extremity of the right hand cylinder b of
the roller H there passes another piston or plunger e, one end of which enters the
interior of the piston or plunger a (made hollow or recessed for that purpose), whilst
its outer end is acted upon by a lever f mounted upon a centre or fulcrum g, and
carrying a weight 1, the position of which is moveable at will. A suitable quantity
of liquid, which may consist, for example, of glycerine, oil, or soap-water having been
introduced into the cylinders b (the whole of which are in intercommunication by
means of suitable pipes or connections i), the position of the weight on the lever f

page_text: is suitably adjusted, whereby the piston or plunger e on which it acts is forced into
the liquid contained in the corresponding cylinder b, and the pressure thus produced is
equally distributed over the whole of the moveable bearings J, J, of the apparatus.
The grain (for example) is supplied by a feeding hopper K, shewn only in
Figure 1, or by a roller or similar arrangement, and after being pressed between
the rollers A, H, H, falls into a shoot L which leads the meal into a revolving
screw M. This screw which receives its motion through the intervention of a belt
and pullies N, N, from the shaft B conducts the meal into a disintegrator O carried
on the axis of the screw M, and consequently partaking of its motion), the object
of such disintegrator being to separate the cakes formed by the squeezing process of
the rolls, or the meal may be conducted into any other apparatus performing the
same functions. The wheels F and G, G¹, are made of suitable relative diameters to
impart a differential speed to the roller surfaces, so as to effect at the same time
with the squeezing a slight rubbing action. The rollers are smooth, and may be
composed of cast iron, steel, porcelain, or other suitable material. In order to release
the pressing rollers H, H', from contact with the fixed roller A, springs (not shewn
in the Drawing, Figures 1 and 2) may be fitted in a suitable manner on each
bearing, such springs being intended to lift the rollers when the pressure is removed
by raising the pressing lever f. The arrangement of the rollers may be modified, as,
for example, two or three fixed rollers may be employed in one frame, each having
mounted thereon say one or two moveable rollers, the whole working at differential
or equal speeds. When equal speed is adopted scrapers should be fixed towards the
roller surfaces for the purpose of cleaning the same. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a
modified arrangement of the piston or plunger a and cylinder b, and their contiguous
parts, whereby an elastic or resilient action is obtained for lifting the rollers H, H¹,
when the pressure is removed. The piston or plunger a on or to the bottom of
which is to be formed or attached one of the moveable bearings J or J, Figures 1
and 2, is fitted so as to be free to inove along the cylinder bas before, but in lieu
of being unconnected at its upper end it has attached thereto one extremity of a
tube P of gutter percha or similar clastic material, tho opposite extremity of which
is secured to a tubular cap bolted to the upper end of a frame m, extending
upwards from and forming one with the cylinder b, whilst the central longitudinal
portion of such tube P consists of a spheroid P' of suitable tensile and contractile
capacity or power. This apparatus operates in the following manner :-Liquid
under pressure is admitted through the passage n of the cap into the tube P, and
by acting upon the piston or plunger a depresses the bearing which it carries, as in
the apparatus shewn in Figures 1 and 2, the tube P being thereby elongated, and a
similar arrangement being applied to both bearings of each of the moveable rollers,
the latter are forced into contact with the fixed roller in the manner herein-before
described. When the pressure is removed the movable bearings with their rollers
are raised by the contraction of the clastic tubo P, which thus acts as a spring, and
may be employed in combination with the apparatus shewn in Figures 1 and 2 for
that purpose. In this modification, Figures 3 and 4, the pressure of the liquid may
be obtained by means of a weight (or its equivalent, a spring) acting either directly
or through the intervention of a lever upon a piston fitted in a cylinder, which is
arranged at a suitable height above the apparatus and is provided with pipes or
connections communicating with the several passages n leading to the tubes P of the
respective moveable bearings.
The said Invention possesses the advantages of enabling a larger produce of flour
of a superior quality to be obtained from a given quantity of grain with less
expenditure of motive power.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is or may bo used or carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, effecting an equal distribution of hydraulic pressure upon the bearings
of an adjustable roller or rollers, working in conjunction with a roller or rollers

page_text: supported in fixed bearings, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-
before described and as illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Speci-
fication set my hand and seal, the Seventeenth day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
MA
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)