Patent GB-190419977-A (GB)
Title: New or Improved Automatic Apparatus for Charging and Discharging Grain by Means of Compressed and Rarefied Air.
Inventor: TERRIN AUGUSTIN JOSEPH
Filed: 1904-09-16
Granted: 1905-07-20
Abstract: 19,977. Terrin, A. J. Sept. 16. Actuating valves and cocks ; lift valves; tubular valves.-In an apparatus for discharging grain by means of compressed and rarefied air, in which two chambers are alternately filled with grain by the action of the rarefied air, and emptied by compressed air, the change of action is effected by the reversal of special valves for the distribution of the air and grain. This reversal is accomplished indirectly by the weight of grain in the chamber which is being filled. The apparatus consists of the two chambers 1, 2, which are separated by an airtight partition, and either of which may be put into communication with the compressed-air pipe 6 or the rarefied-air pipe 7 by means of a sliding valve 35. Each chamber contains a grain-feed pipe 8, 9, the inner ends of which are opened to the chambers by swinging valves 10, operated by the difference in pressure in the chambers. The grain is discharged along a pipe 11, at the bottom of which a clack valve 13 is free to swing under the action of the air pressure. In each chamber there is arranged a compartment 14 having a pipe 15 opening into the top of the chamber, and at its middle part a hinged pallet 16, which is swung open by the weight and the impetus of the grain when the chamber is filled to the proper level. The pallet actuates through the medium of a crank and connecting-rod a valve-rod 21, Fig. 5, to which is also fixed the connecting-rod operated by the other pallet. The two valve chambers 23 have each two pairs of valve seats 28, 29, one for the admission of compressed air through the pipe 30, and the other for connection to the vacuum through the pipe 31. The two pairs of valves 32, 33 are fixed on the rod 21, and are arranged to close the openings 28, 29. With the valves in the position shown in Fig. 5, compressed air is admitted from the pipe 30 and passes along the pipe 26 to the right-hand end of the cylinder 27, while the lefthand end of the cylinder is put into connection with the vacuum by the pipes 31, 25. The piston 34 which works in the cylinder 27 is connected bv a bifurcated rod with the slide valve 35, which consists of a hollow piston with two enlarged circular parts 37 and an annular space 38 between them. With the slide valve in the position shown in Fig. 1, the vacuum pipe 7 is connected through the interior of the piston with the opening 5, and grain is sucked in along the pipes 8, 9 into the chamber 2 ; at the same time the compressed-air pipe 6 is connected through the space 38 with the chamber 1, and the grain is forced out along the pipe 11. When the valve is pushed to the right, these operations are reversed. A pair of shoulders 44 are arranged to bear on the circular projections on the piston, so that the air pressure always tends to keep the valve in position while the chambers are being filled and emptied. A similar arrangement is used in the auxiliary valve chamber, the width of the seats 28, 29 being so calculated that the air pressure tends to keep the valves 32, 33 on their seats while the chambers are being filled and emptied. The piston 34 may be arranged to operate the valves 10, 13 in addition to the distributing-valve 35.