Apparatus for grinding material, such as spice or grain

Abstract

A mill for grinding a spice or grain material has a grinding mechanism including: a lever mounted for pivotal movement about a lever axis, a grinder bit mounted for rotational movement about a grinder bit rotational axis, the grinder bit rotational axis being at least approximately parallel to the lever axis, and a linkage coupled to the grinder bit and coupled to the lever to transfer pivotal movement from the lever to the grinding bit. The grinder bit may be cylindrical and include a gradated set of teeth. A cam pivots an engagement surface to adjust a spacing between the engagement surface and the grinding bit to select a size of resulting particles.

1 . A grinding bit for a spice grinder, comprising: 
 a cylindrical body having a peripheral edge; and    a number of grinding protuberances extending along the peripheral edge between a first angular position and a second angular position, the grinding protuberances being of at least two different sizes, the grinding protuberances gradating in size between the first and the second angular positions.    
   
   
       2 . The grinding bit of  claim 1  wherein the number of grinding protuberances includes a first set of knurls, the knurls of the first set proximate the first angular position, a second set of knurls, the knurls of the second set being smaller than the knurls of the first set and the knurls of the second set proximate the second angular position, and a third set of knurls, the knurls of the third set being smaller than the knurls of the first set and larger than the knurls of the second set, the knurls of the third set positioned between the knurls of the first and the second sets.  
   
   
       3 . The grinding bit of  claim 1  wherein the number of grinding protuberances includes a first set of at least two teeth, the teeth of the first set proximate the first angular position, a second set of at least two teeth, the teeth of the second set being smaller than the teeth of the first set and the teeth of the second set proximate the second angular position, and a third set of at least two teeth, the teeth of the third set being smaller than the teeth of the first set and larger than the teeth of the second set, the teeth of the third set positioned between the teeth of the first and the second sets.  
   
   
       4 . The grinding bit of  claim 1  wherein the number of grinding protuberances include a first tooth proximate the first angular position, a second tooth smaller than the first tooth proximate the second angular position, and a third tooth being smaller than the first tooth and smaller than the second tooth positioned between the first tooth and the second tooth.  
   
   
       5 . The grinding bit of  claim 1  wherein the cylindrical body is a right cylinder.  
   
   
       6 . A method of operating a grinding mechanism, comprising: 
 pivoting a lever about a lever axis; and    rotating a grinder bit about a grinder bit rotational axis at least approximately parallel to the lever axis in response to the pivoting of the lever about the lever axis.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the pivoting of the lever about the lever axis is reciprocal.  
   
   
       8 . A method of operating a grinding mechanism, comprising: 
 pivoting a cam about a cam axis; and    pivoting an engagement surface about an adjustment axis with respect to a grinder bit where the adjustment axis is perpendicular to the cam axis to adjust a spacing between the engagement surface and the grinder bit.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 rotating the grinder bit about a grinder bit rotational axis at least approximately parallel to the adjustment axis.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 pivoting a lever about a lever axis; and    rotating the grinder bit about a grinder bit rotational axis in response to the pivoting of the lever about the lever axis, the grinder bit rotational axis at least approximately parallel to the adjustment axis and the grinder bit rotational axis at least approximately parallel to the adjustment axis.