The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-04-09
A NEW FIGURING INVENTION.
Utilizing Frietional Eeetrisity-A Novel De-
vice for Separating Flour from the Bran.
CLAIMED TO BE AN INVENTION THAT Is
WORTHY TO BE RANKED WITH THE
COTTON GIN.

COTTON GIN.
New Haven [Conn Telegram.
The son of Superintendent Smith of th,
Atlantic -four mills noticed some months
ago, while watching the process of boltint
-four, that the electricity pervading th.
betting used in connection with the purify
ing machines attracted the bran and caused
it to cling to the belts in large quantities
Thus was suggested the machine that wa
"electric miGdlings purifier" and which
his friends say is an invention equal in i'm
portance to that of the cotton gin, and the
first application of frictional electricity te
! any practical use. =.
On Saturday forenoon last q notable
gathering assembled IN dingy room in the
third story Of machine shop IN this city
to see one OF the purifiers in operation.
Among those present were President Porter,
Profs. Lyman, Thatcher johnson, 4. s
Dana, Brush, Wright, Norten Or. J. P. G
Foster and Librarian Van Name of Yale
college; Pref. Blake, of Providence. r. l..
and Ex-Governor English, the Hon. Henry
B. Harrison, Ell Whitney Blake, Thomas
r. Trowbridge, aud Arthur Osborne, oi
the board of education of New Haven.
Several ladies were also there. Thomas B.
Osborne, young man of twenty years ex-
planned the invention. He is half owner
OF the patent, and is a member of the
Junior class in Yale college. Young Smith
was his classmate until recently, when
failing eyesight compelled him to leave
college. When he conceived the idea OF an
electric purifier he went to young Osborne
and asked him to get machine constructed
embodying the frictional electricity idea.
Working together, the young men brought
forth the present invention.
In the boiling machines now used the
bran IS separated from the -four by q power
full air blast, which blows off the lighter
bran. Considerable steam power is needed,
the work must be done In an enclosed
chamber on account Of the dust, and there
is great waste, because the air current car
ries off with the bran the finer particles of
-four. In the new invention electricity is
designed to take the place of the air blast
Just over the wire boiling cloth, which has
a rapid reciprocal motion, are q number of
hard rubber cylinders, slowly revolving.
As they turn they rub against strips of
sheepskin, which are made to press down
upon them, thus generating the electricity.
AS the middlings are sieved by the recipro-
cal motion, the lighter bran comes to the
top of the moving middings, and is at
tracted to the rollers. To these it clings,
as do pieces Of paper to stick of sealing
wax when it has been smartly rubbed, un-
til a certain quantity is thus attracted,
when it drops into receiving troughs,
whence by simple mechanical arrange
ment the bran is brushed out of the side
OF the purifier into receptacles. At the
same time the bolted -four is pouring out
of the other side of the machine, while the
tailings" drop out at the end opposite
the hopper.
The persons who saw the new purifier in
operation on Saturday agreed that it was a
wonderful invention. Although shown un-
enclosed, IN an ordinary machine room,
there was neither dust nor waste. 1t was
said that the purifier could be run by one
man working at a crank. The electric
power was in proportion to the speed Of
the roller. In the experimental purifier
eight six.inch rollers were used. Mr.. Smith
is now IN Minnesota, arranging to put one
into one of the largest flour mills in the
State, which will have eighteen eight-inch
rollers. 1t is claimed that the new purifier
can be manufactured at less cost than those
in present use. Last year there was great
damage caused in Minneapolis, Minn., by
an explosion in -four mills while boiling
miidlings by the air-blast process. 1t is
claimed that there can be no explosion
where the electric machine is used.
While exhibiting the electric purifier Mr..
Osborne explained that it was separating
winter wheat middlings, and said that they
are the most difficult to purify. The young
mans explanations of the manner of ope-
rating the new invention were very clear.
His father is member of the local educa-
tioral board, and has been for many years
clerk Of the superior court. The Hon.
Henry B. Harrison, prominent lawyer, is
the young inventors uncle, and his grand
father, Mr.. Blake, has invented success
full stone crusher, and Is himself the
nephew Of the cotton gin inventor, Eth
Whitney. Mr.. Osborne is popular among
his classmates. and since his invention has
been styled "Yale's Young Edison"