The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-07-23
Removing Metallic Substances From
Grain.

6ralns
The introduction of binding
machines employing iron wire to bind
the sheaves very quickly led to the dis
covering that the bits of wire, cut off
each time q sheaf was bound, caused q
great deal of trouble in the after process
of grinding. The ends g, the wire mixed
with the grain reached the mill only to
break and scratch the stones and ma:
chinery, and to produce friction and
heating.that sometimes resulted in set
ting fire to the mill. So serious be-
came this matter that the millers OBJ
jected to receiving any grain bound in
machines using wire. Fortunately the
difficulty has been surmounted by the
introduction Of appliances for removing
the bits Of iron from the grain before
passing it to the mill. Experiments
showed that Il common magnet hung IN
n grain-spout would catch and retain
particles of metallic substances mixed
with the grain. Several methods Of ac-
complishing the same results are now in
use in Western mills, and they may be
divided into two classes: those using
permanent magnets, and those using
electro-magnets. 1t has been found that
dozen machine" magnets (preferable
to horseshoe" on account of their
shape) hung in grain-spout are suffi-
cient to arrest every particle of magnet
metal, from pieces of wire several cent?
meters long, down to iron filings and
metallic dust. The usual plan il to saw
to divide it into three pieces and cut
holes in each piece for the legs of the
magnets, placing four magnets ina row
across the spout. This gives three rows
of magnets placed directly OF diagonally
across the stream Of grain, the diagonal
position being considered the best as the
grain is driven from side to suicide
passing, and brought into close contact
with the magnets. The magnets may
be lifted out of the spout in groups of
four by taking off one of the covers, and
may then be cleaned and put back with
out disturbing the others. Another
method Of hanging the magnets is to
cut three slots across the spout, and
hang the magnets on a rod with blocks
between them to keep them in position.
BY this arrangement, the magnets may
be removed one ut time, or in groups
of three or four, as most convenient. BY
taking out only a portion of the mag
nets at one time, enough of them re-
main to keep up the work while the
others are being cleaned. The metal
adhering to the magnets is easily
brushed off, two clearings in a day be-
ing found sufficient. By employing bars
of soft iron in connection with coils of
wire and battery, electromagnetic may
be used, and in lifting out the magnets
it will only be necessary to break the
circuit, when the metal adhering to
them will instantly drop off,. Another
form of apparatus employs horseshoe
magnets, having apaper or wooden fill
ing between the legs, set upright on the
ends of arms revolving horizontally in
q circular tank, very much after the
manner of some forms of mixing-ma-
chimes. The grain is delivered at the
edge of the tank, and is pushed by the
revolving magnets toward the center,
when it escapes through an opening in
the bottom of the tank. Another device
employs series of permanent magnets
and a travelling apron for conveying the
grain away after it has passed over the
magnets. The only advantage of the
use of electro magnets is the facility OF
cleaning them by breaking the circuit
and demagnetizing the iron. BY suita-
BILE clock-work this can be done auto
matically, provided there are appliances
forshutting off the grain and for catch
ing the metallic dust when the magnets
are thrown out of action. The first and
most simple of these grain cleaning ap-
pliances was brought out by persons in
terested in mill property, and has been
wisely given to the public without pat
ent restrictions. The other appliances
are NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..