IMPROVEMENTS IN BOLTERS USED FOR DRESSING FLOUR AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Bruce, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Engineer, and Robert Evans, of Birmingham, afore-
said, Miller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOLTERS USED
FOR DRESSING FLOUR AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
Sealed the 28th October 1868, and dated the 7th May 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Bruce and
Robert Evans at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 7th May 1868.
We, JOHN BRUCE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer, and ROBERT EVANS, of Birmingham, aforesaid, Miller, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BOLTERS USED FOR DRESSING FLOUR AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES," to be
as follows:-
In bolters as ordinarily constructed the cloth containing the flour to
be bolted is fixed loosely on a rotating frame or reel by which it is
carried round and struck against a series of beaters. These beaters
consist of fixed bars situated parallel to the axis of rotation.

page_text: Our improvements in bolters consist in fixing the beaters in a position
inclined to the axis of rotation of the reel, and also in curving them.
so as to make them follow the figure of the reel. By making the
beaters oblique and curved, as described, the cloth in striking against
the beater does not receive the blow through its whole length at the
same time, but comes in contact first with one end of the beater, and
as the rotation of the reel continues successive portions of the cloth in
the direction of the length of the reel are brought in contact with the
beater, and the blow received by the cloth has thus a progressive or
wave-like motion from end to end of the bolter. By this arrangement
the bolting cloth wears much longer than the bolting cloth of ordinary
bolters, and much more rapid rotation can be given to the reel than can
be given to the reels of ordinary bolters. A much greater quantity of
work can consequently be done in a given time by bolters constructed
according to our Invention than by ordinary bolters.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Bruce and Robert Evans in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 31st October 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, Joun
BRUCE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer, and
ROBERT EVANS, of Birmingham, aforesaid, Miller, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said John Bruce and Robert Evans, Her special
licence that we, the said John Bruce and Robert Evans, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Bruce
and Robert Evans, 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
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOLTERS USED FOR DRESSING FLOUR AND FOR OTHER LIKE
PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John

page_text: Bruce and Robert Evans, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Bruce and Robert Evans,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
In bolters as ordinarily constructed the cloth containing the flour
to be bolted is fixed loosely on a rotating frame or reel by which
it is carried round and struck against a series of beaters. These
beaters consist of fixed bars situated parallel to the axis of rotation.
Our improvements in bolters consist in fixing the beaters in a position
inclined to the axis of rotation of the reel and also in curving them
so as to make them follow the figure of the reel. By making the
beaters oblique and curved, as described, the cloth in striking against
the beater does not receive the blow through its whole length at the
same time, but comes in contact first with one end of the beater and
as the rotation of the reel continues successive portions of the cloth in
the direction of the length of the reel are brought in contact with the
beater, and the blow received by the cloth has thus a progressive or
wave-like motion from end to end of the bolter.
Having explained the nature of our Invention we will proceed to
describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manner
in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation (the framing being in section)
a bolter for dressing flour or for other like purpose, the beaters of
which are constructed according to our Invention, and Figure 2 repre-
sents a cross section of the rotating reel and beaters of the bolter on
a larger scale. The same letters of reference are employed to indicate
the same parts in both Figures.
a is the framing of the bolter carrying the bearings in which the
inclined rotating reel 6 turns as usual. The said reel b is represented
in the Drawing without the bolting cloth which is fixed loosely thereon

page_text: and in which the flour or matter to be bolted is contained. Rotatory
motion is given to the reel b by means of a driving band or friction
wheels as usual, and the flour or matter to be bolted is fed from the
hopper c into the reel b in the ordinary way. The reel b is made
of a series of longitudinal bars attached to the radial arms 6* in the
manner best seen in Figure 2; the said reel may be made of more
or less than six longitudinal bars. Surrounding the said rotating
reel b is a series of beaters d, d; the said beaters d, d, consist of bars
fixed to the uprights e, e, of the framing of the bolter. The beaters
are fixed in a position inclined to the axis of rotation of the reel b
and the said beaters are also curved so as to make them follow the
figure of the reel b. When the bolter is at work the bolting cloth
of the reel b does not receive the blow through its whole length at the
same time as in the ordinary bolter, but in consequence of the oblique
position and curved figure of the beaters d, d, the said bolting cloth
comes in contact first with one end of the beaters d and as the
rotation of the reel b continues successive portions of the said cloth
in the direction of the length of the recl are brought in contact with
the beaters; the blow received by the bolting cloth has thus a progressive
or wave-like motion from end to end of the bolter, as will be understood
by an examination of Figure 1. By this arrangement the bolting cloth
wears much longer than the bolting cloth of ordinary bolters, and much
more rapid rotation can be given to the reel than can be given to the
reels of ordinary bolters; a much greater quantity of work can con-
sequently be done in a given time by bolters constructed according to
our Invention than by ordinary bolters. We do not limit ourselves to
the number of the inclined beaters d, d, nor to the exact curvature
which is given to the said beaters. We find however in practice that
six beaters having the inclination and curvature represented in the
Drawing answer very satisfactorily. Although we prefer to curve the
inclined beaters d, d, so as to make them follow the figure of the reel b,
as represented in the Drawing, yet the said beaters may only be inclined
to the axis of rotation of the reel instead of being both inclined and
curved.
Having now described the nature of our Invention and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that
we do not limit ourselves to the precise details herein described and
illustrated, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature

page_text: of our Invention; but we claim as our Invention the improvements in
bolters used for dressing flour and for other like purposes herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying, Drawing, that is to
say, making the beaters of the said bolters inclined or oblique to the
axis of rotation of the reel of the bolter, also curving the said inclined
beaters so as to make them follow the figure of the said reel for the
purpose and substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Bruce and Robert Evans,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirtieth day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-eight.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
(L.S.)
JOHN BRUCE.
ROBERT EVANS. (L.S.)