Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-08-17
still more, and find a profit in it, while
others will enter the business with zeal to
leave it with disgust on the first fall
Removing Metallic Substances from Grain

The introduction of grain binding ma
chimes employing iron wire to bind the
sheaves very quickly led to the discover
ing that the bits of wire, cut off each time
a shief was bound, caused great deal of
trouble in the after process of grinding.
The ends Of the wire mixed with the
grain reached the mill only to break and
scratch the stones and machinery, and
to produce friction and heating that
sometimes results in setting fire to the
mill So serious became this matter that
the millers objected to receiving any
grain bound in machines using wire. For
tudately the difficulty has been surmount-
ed by the introduction Of appliances for
removing the bits of iron from the grain
before passing 1t to the mill. Expert
ments showed that common magnet
hung in grain-spout would catch and
retain particles of metallic substances
mixed with the grain. Several methods of
accomplishing 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 graln-spout arc sufficient to ar
rest every particle Of magnet metal, from
pieces of wire several centimeters long,
down to iron filings and metallic dust.
The usual plan is to saw off portion of
the top of the spout and to divide it into
for the legs of. the magnets placed directly
or diagonally across the stream of grain,
the diagonal position being considered
the best as the grain is driven
from side to side passing. and
brought into close contact with the
magnets. The magnets may be lifted
out of the spout in groups of four by tax
ing off one of the covers, and may then
be cleaned and put back without disturb
ing the others. Another method of hang
ing the magnets is to cut three slots
across the spout, and hang the magnets
on rod with blocks between them to
keep them in position. By this arrange
ment, the may be removed one at time,
or in groups of three or four, as most
convenient. BY taking out only por-
ton of the magnets at one time, enough
of them remain to keep up the work
while the others are being cleaned. The
metal adhering to the magnets is easily
brushed off, two clearings in 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 te break the cir
cult, when the metal adhering to them
will instantly drop off, Anothes form of
apparatus employs horseshoe magnets,
having paper or wooden filling between
the legs, set upright on the ends of arms
revolving horizontally in circular tank,
very much after the manner of some forms
of mixing-machines- The grain is deliv-
cred at the edge of the tank, and Is push
ed by the revolving magnets toward the
center, when it escapes through an open
ing in the bottom of the tank. Another
device employs series of permanent
magnets and travelling apron for convey
| ing 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 suitable
clock-work this can be done automatical-
| ly, provided there are appliances for shut
ting Of the grain and for catching the
metallic dust when the magnets are
thrown out of action. The first and most
simple of these grain cleaning appliances
was brought out by persons interested in
mill property, and has been wisely given
to the public without patent restrictions.
The other appliances are patented.