Harper's New Monthly Magazine: No. XVI.—September, 1851—Vol. III.Various
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine: No. XVI.—September, 1851—Vol. III.
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
At Weovil, in the south of England, are produced biscuits for the royal
navy. There the motive power is a large steam-engine, whose agency is
visible in all parts of the establishment. The services of this engine
commence with the arrival of a cargo of wheat under the walls of the
building; and we should have a very imperfect notion of the ingenuity
displayed in the establishment if we did not examine some of the earlier
processes. Let us, then, begin with the beginning; and having observed
that the wheat is lifted by a steam-worked crane from the lighter to the
uppermost floor, let us descend to the floor below, and examine the
first process to which it is submitted--that of cleaning. The grain
supplied from above flows in a continual stream into one end of a
cylinder of fine wirework, about two feet in diameter and ten in length
which revolves steadily in a horizontal position. A spiral plate runs
through the interior of this cylinder, dividing it into several
sections, and thus forming a sort of Archimedean screw. The revolutions
of this cylinder carry the grain onward through its whole length, so
that in the passage any particles of dirt that may have been mixed with
it fall through the interstices of the wirework. The effectual character
of this operation is exemplified by the quantities of dirt deposited
from wheat which to all appearance was clean before entering the
cylinder; the grain thus thoroughly cleansed, descends another stage to
the grinding-room (for the wheat is ground on the premises), where ten
pairs of millstones are worked by the same steam-power. There is nothing
peculiar in the process of grinding; but the manner in which the flour
is afterward collected deserves notice. As it flows from the several
stones, it is led into horizontal troughs, along which it is propelled
by the action of perpetual screws working in each trough. The contents
of all the troughs are brought to one point, whence, by means of a
succession of plates or buckets revolving round a wheel, on the
principle of a chain-pump or dredging-machine, the flour is lifted to
the story above, where it is cooled, sifted, and put into sacks, for
removal to the bakehouse. It is not long since we observed in a
newspaper the announcement of an invention for collecting and saving the
impalpable powder, which flies off in the process of grinding corn, and
which, containing the purest portions of the flour, has hitherto been
wasted. This saving has not yet been effected at Weovil, as our whitened
appearance on leaving the millroom sufficiently testified; but
doubtless, the zeal and ingenuity that has introduced the improvements
we are describing will not stop short while any thing remains to be
done.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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