TUAXSACTIONS OF THE SECTIOXS. 233 



On a new Mill for Bisintegrathig Wheat. By TnoiiAS Care, 

 In all previous mills and pulverizing- machines the material operated on inter- 

 venes betvreen, and is simultaneously in contact with two working surfaces. In 

 tliis mill the disintegration is eflfected while the material is falling freely or hein>5- 

 projected through the air unsupported, and no individual particle thereof, at tlie 

 moment of disintegration, is ever in contact with more than one portion of the 

 mill, viz. the particular heater striking and shattering it in mid air. It is also the 

 onljr mill in which the projectile impetus in the material acted on contributes to 

 its own disintegration. 



It consists of a series of beaters, formed of bars with open spaces between them, 

 arranged cylindrically on disk-plates, around and parallel with a central axle. 

 Into these disk-plates one end of each bar is rivetted, so that the bars stand at 

 right angles to the faces of the disks, while their other ends are rivetted into rings, 

 which so tie them that each bar is supported by the aggregate strength of (he 

 whole. These cylindrically arranged beaters (forming what may be called can-es 

 from the slight resemblance they have to squirrel-cages) are of different diameters, 

 so that when placed, as they are, concentrically one within the other, sufficient 

 spaces may intervene between to isolate each, and give them the requisite clear- 

 ance, and thus prevent any scrubbing or grinding-action on the material, which 

 might ensue between them if they were rotating in too close proximity. 



Tliese sets of beaters, of which for flour fourteen are used, are driven by means 

 of an open and a crossed strap with extreme rapidity in contrary directions to one 

 another, right and left alternately. 



The wheat flows in at the central orifice, and is thrown out by centrifuo-al force 

 from the first cage at a tangent to its circle, and at a speed equivalent to that at 

 which the beaters of the said cage are rotating, when, meeting the beaters of the 

 next cage moving in an opposite direction, its direction is reversed, and it is again 

 tlirown outwards to meet the beaters of the third cage, also moviuo- in a contrary 

 direction, and so on with the other cages until (and that in less than a second from 

 its first introduction) the fragments, reduced to fine flour, semolina, and bran are 

 deli^•ered in a radiating shower alike from every part of the periphery into a sur- 

 rounding casing, all tlie beaters (of which there are about 1000) beino- thus simul- 

 taneously eflective, and the balance of the machine maintained. Thus, thou"-]i 

 with these diflerent sets of beaters each acts independently, they are so arrano'od 

 relatively to one anotlier that not only is a repetition of the blows on the same 

 material thereby obtained, as many times repeated as there are different sets of 

 beaters, but the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of each set is caused to 

 throw the material forward to the next set. Thus the first set of beaters throws 

 it off and dashes it with great violence against the second, the second in like 

 manner against the third, and so on in directions the reverse of that in which 

 each successive set of beaters it strikes is moving, by which means the blows are 

 enabled to act with redoubled energy on the separated particles of matter as they 

 are discharged against them, precisely in the same way that stones are hurled 

 from a sling. 



The machine can hardly be impaired by work further than the necessary wear- 

 ing of the brasses of the four bearings. The crucible steel beaters, itis esti- 

 mated, should last for ten years at least, and are then capable of being quickly 

 replaced. 



It can pulverize easily 20 qrs. of wheat per hour, and dispense with twentj'-five 

 pairs of millstones. The percentage of flour from it is nearly the same as from 

 millstones ; but the quality of flour from the new mill is greatly supeiior, it beinn- 

 shattered into a fine granular state, not felled or killed as the bakers call it. The 

 disintegrated flour absorbs more water, forms a raw paste of greater tenacity, and, 

 when baked, a whiter, lighter, and much better keeping bread, with the sweet 

 nutty flavour of the wheat most agreeably preserved. 



Tlie cost of production of flour by this system is considerably less than \iy any 

 other. 



T\vo of the machines have been successfully worked for many months at Messrs 

 Gibson and Walker's Flour Mills, IJonnington, Edinburgh. 



