IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CRUSHING HARD SUBSTANCES, SUCH AS MINERAL ORES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jules Omer Mesnier, of the Firm of Poingdestre and
Mesnier, of Swansea, Glamorganshire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CRUSHING HARD SUBSTANCES, SUCH AS
MINERAL ORES." A communication from abroad by Messieurs Huet and
Geyler, Engineers, both of Paris, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jules Omer Mesnier at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th October 1878.
JULES OMER MESNIER, of the Firm of Poingdestre and Mesnier, of Swansea,
Glamorganshire. 'IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CRUSHING
HARD SUBSTANCES, SUCH AS MINERAL ORES." A communication from abroad by
Messieurs Huet and Geyler, Engineers, both of Paris, in the Republic of France.
The Invention has for its object the production of apparatus comprising none but
simple operative parts, such as jaw crushers or squeezers, at the same time avoiding
their liability to variation of distance while in motion, and capable of reducing hard
substances at will to any size, say from inch to the finest powder, and provided
with means for readily changing the working parts which are liable to little wear,
and aro of extreme hardness whilst their weight and price are brought down to the
lowest possible limit.
To fulfil these conditions it is thought necessary to submit the substance to a
crushing process analogous to that which takes place between two rollers or under
the tyre of a wheel, and to provide means for prolonging this action as long as may
be considered necessary to reduce the substance into fragments of a given size.
The solution of this problem rests mainly on the following basis:-
Any two surfaces being in contact, the one stationary and the other moving,
it is required to make this last surface roll and slide at the same time on the
fixed one.
Take two circular sectors as an example; it is evident that the compound double
motion of simultaneous rolling and sliding of the moveable sector on the stationary

page_text: one would be realised by making a circular arc roll on a fixed one having the same
centre, the two radii being so chosen in practice as to bear the same relativo
proportion to each other as suits best between the rolling and sliding motions,
ranging from zero to any given limit. Besides, the two arcs should be coincident
with each other in their movement.
But as one circle rolls on another the centre of the one follows a circular arc
having same centre as the other round which it revolves.
Now in a very small movement the middle of the rolling are may be considered
as the centre of oscillation for the moveable sector, on the condition of its being
allowed a slight free play for horizontal displacement, the vertical displacement
being practically insignificant. Thus instead of following two small epicycloidal
arcs, this middle point would be made to follow the tangent common to these two
ares (that which rolls, and that round which it rolls).
If therefore any given point be chosen on the radius of the moveable sector
between its centre and the middle of the arc aforesaid, as axis of oscillation, this
said point will describe sundry curves according to its position, and that may be so
chosen as should the sector's movement also be very slight, it may be considered
during a short period of motion to follow a circular arc, whose centre should be the
fulcrum of a lever having the same length as its radius, the other end or any
intermediate point thereof being driven by a connecting rod, whose stroke is thus
limited by the length of the little arc mentioned above. Instead of two circular
sectors there may be one circular sector rolling on a fixed plane considered as a
'sector whose radius is infinite. Sectors, either elliptical, parabolical, or of any
given shape would suit the purpose equally well.
To realise in practice all the above-mentioned conditions, take as an example a
circular sector rolling on a fixed plate, the axis of oscillation or fulcrum of the
sector being situated as aforesaid in the middle of the ideal arc, the axis of
oscillation or fulcrum having a sufficient free play for its horizontal movement.
one point situated between the centre of the circular are and the fulcrum are linked
in a common joint the lever, the moving sector, and the connecting rod.
At
This connecting rod serves to work the machine by means of the crank shaft
which bears two pulleys, one or other of which carries the driving belt. The
throw of the crank is such that the centre of connection travels just the length of
.the small circular arc mentioned above. The lever oscillates in a socket so that the
centre remains a fixed point.
Two sliding guides on either side of the axis have sufficient horizontal play to
allow a slight displacement of the moveable sector. The fixed plate is so placed as
to allow the open space that intervenes between it and the moveable sector to be
readily regulated, thus enabling the substances to be reduced to any given size; all
that is required is to turn the nuts serving to adjust the position of the fixed sector.
Lastly, a powerful spring enables the resistance of the plate to being driven back
to be regulated according to the hardness of the substance to be crushed; this
allowance is necessary to avoid breakage, as in the case which sometimes happens
of fragments of iron passing through the machine. The two bearings of the driving
shaft are fixed on the framing which consists of two strong flat wrought-iron bands
firmly joined together by cross blocks, the whole being tightly bound together by
bolts and nuts. This mode of construction allows of easily taking the machine to
pieces in small parts, facilitating transport when, as frequently occurs, carriage is
difficult. As for the two working surfaces, the preference is given to the hardest
possible tempered steel, they can be made either smooth, grooved, toothed, or
roughened according to any pattern. The construction of the machine may be
modified in many ways, and according to the requirements and importance of the
works where it is used, a number of these machines can be grouped on one singlo
bed plate or framing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Jules Omer Mesnier in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
April 1879.
JULES OMER MESNIER, of the Firm of Poingdestre and Mesnier, of Swansea,
Glamorganshire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CRUSHING
HARD SUBSTANCES, SUCH AS MINERAL ORES." A communication from abroad by
Messieurs Huet and Geyler, Engineers, both of Paris, in the Republic of France.
Crushing machines as heretofore constructed are all subject to considerable
inconvenience in use.
In Carr's and Napart's disintegrators it is impossible to regulate the size of
fragments produced, as their mode of working tends rather to produce a fine powder
than fragments of any desired size.
In cylindrical crushing machines in general use in the working of mines the
inconveniences are equally numerous, the apparatus may be too complicated by
toothed gearing, the bushes which are difficult to obtain always of the proper
quality are also a cause of expense and loss of time when it is necessary to change
them, and further, if cylindrical crushers give good results when the sizes wanted
above an eighth of an inch, they lose much if not all their efficiency when sands or
powders are required.
The object of the present Invention is to obviate these draw backs and to
produce apparatus comprising none but simple operative parts, such as jaw crushers
or squeezers, at the same time avoiding their liability to variation of distance while
in motion, and capable of reducing hard substances at will to any size, say from one-
eighth of an inch to the finest powder, and provided with ineans for readily
changing the working parts which are liable to little wear, and are of extreme
hardness whilst their weight and price are brought down to the lowest possible
limit. To fulfil these conditions it is thought necessary to submit the substance to
a crushing process analogous to that which takes place between two rollers or under
the tyre of a wheel, and to provide means for prolonging this action as long as may
be considered necessary to reduce the substance into fragments of a given size.
The solution of this problem rests mainly on the following basis:-
Any two surfaces being in contact, the one stationary and the other moving,
it is required to make this last surface roll and slide at the same time on the fixed
one.
Take two circular sectors as an example; it is evident that the compound double
motion of simultaneous rolling and sliding of the moveable sector on the stationary
one, would be realised by making a circular are roll on a fixed one having the same
centre, the two radii being so chosen in practice as to bear the relative proportion
to each other, which suits best between the rolling and sliding motions ranging
from zero to any given limit.
But as one circle rolls on another, the centre of the first arc, that is to say, the
rolling are will be displaced by describing an are having same centre as the other
round which it revolves.
Now in a very small movement the middle of the rolling are may serve as the
centre of oscillation for the moveable sector, on the condition of its being allowed a
slight free play for its horizontal displacement, the vertical displacement being
practically insignificant. Thus instead of following two small epicycloidal arcs, this
middle point would be made to follow the tangent common to these two arcs (that
which rolls, and that round which it rolls). If therefore any given point be chosen
between the centre of the moveable sector and the point above chosen as the axis
of oscillation, this said point will describe according to its position sundry curves,
and that may be so chosen as should the sector's movement also be very slight, the
curve described by this point during a certain period of its motion may be
considered, to follow a circular arc, whose centre should be the fulcrum of a lever
..

page_text: having the saine length as its radius, the other end or any intermediate point
thereof being driven by a connecting rod whose stroke is thus limited by the length
of the arc mentioned above.
Instead of two circular sectors there may be one circular sector rolling on a fixed
plane which may be considered as a sector whose radius is infinite. Sectors, either
elliptical, parabolical, or of any given curve would suit the purpose equally well.
The apparatus hereafter described realises practically all the conditions
enumerated.
Figure 1 is a vertical section; Figure 2 is partly a plan and partly a horizontal
section; and Figure 3 is a cross section of one mode of carrying the Invention into
effect. The circular sector A rolls on a fixed plate B and its axis of oscillation C is
placed as before described in the middle of the ideal arc, this axis being allowed
sufficient free play for its horizontal movement; f is the centre of the circular arc
described by the point E on the radius between the centre of the circular arc and
the axis of oscillation C. At the point E are linked in a common joint the lever F,
the moveable sector A, and the connecting rod G.
This connecting rod serves to give motion to the machine by means of a crank
shaft I which controls it, and which bears two pulleys J, J, one or the other of
which serves to receive the driving belt. The throw of the crank shaft I being so
calculated that the course of the connecting rod G shall cause the point E to
describe the desired circular arc. The lever is arranged so as to be capable of
oscillating freely in the socket H, so that the centre fremains a fixed point. The
two sliding guides D, D, mounted on either end of the axis C have sufficient
horizontal play to allow the small displacement of the moveable sector.
The fixed plate B is so placed as to allow the open space that intervenes between
it and the moveable sector A to be readily regulated, thus enabling the substance
to be reduced to any given size; this is effected by turning the nuts screwed on the
guide M and the two rods L, L.
Lastly, a powerful spring N enables the resistance of the plate B to being driven
back to be regulated according to the hardness of the substance to be crushed; this
play being necessary to avoid breakage as in the case which sometimes happens of
fragments of iron passing into the machine.
The two bearings of the driving shaft are fixed on the framing, which consists of
two strong flat wrought-iron bars T, T, firmly jointed together by blocks P and Q,
the whole being tightly bound together by bolts and nuts.
This mode of construction allows of easily taking the machine to pieces in small
parts, facilitating transport when, as frequently occurs, carriage is difficult. As for
the two working surfaces A and B they are made by preference of the hardest
possible tempered steel, and they may be either smooth or striated as may be
desired.
The arrangement of apparatus shown at Figures 1, 2, and 3, above described,
represents a complete machine, but according to the requirements and importance
of the establishments in which this machine can be used, it will be readily
understood that several of them can be grouped together on a single framing.
This arrangement may be varied as indicated at Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7.
Thus in the arrangement shown at Figure 4 the form of the framing is modified
and all the framing is bound together by iron bands a.
In the arrangement represented at Figures 5, 6, and 7, the triple articulation of
the connecting rod with the two levers upon a single axle is replaced by knuckle
joints b, the position of the centres of oscillation being so fixed as to obtain the
combined movement of crushing and of friction.
In this latter arrangement other modifications are also represented, which will be
readily understood on reference to the Drawings.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and modes in which the
same may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is,
the novel arrangements and combinations of machinery herein shown and described
for effecting the crushing of materials more or less hard, and reducing them into

page_text: grains, sand, or dust, such apparatus consisting essentially in the employment of two
surfaces, the one fixed, the other moveable, which latter rolls and slides at the same
time upon the fixed surface, so as to produce a combined motion of crushing and of
friction with capability of varying the duration of one or the other of these
movements, in order to facilitate the division of the material to be crushed into
fragments of any given size.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jules Omer Mesnier, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
J. O. MESNIER. (L.S.)