IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THRASHING, ELEVATING. CLEANSING, AND SEPARATING
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Hornsby, junior, of the Spittlegate Works,
Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR THRASHING, ELEVATING. CLEANSING, AND SEPARATING
Sealed the 13th June 1862, and dated the 13th February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Hornsby at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th February 1862.
I, RICHARD HORNSEY, junior, of the Spittlegate Works, Grantham, in the
County of Lincoln, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IM.
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THRASHING, ELEVATING, CLEANSING, AND SIPARATING
GRAIN, AND IN APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING STRAW," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for thrashing,
elevating, cleansing, and separating grain, and in apparatus for elevating
straw.
In thrashing machines, as at present constructed, it is common to employ a
Jacob's ladder (or endless band with scoops or lifting instruments upon it), in
order to raise the grain from the bottom of the machine to a higher level, and
heretofore it has been usual to put separate axes and gear into the machine
to carry and drive the Jacob's ladder. According to iny Invention I much
simplify the machine by mounting the Jacob's ladder. at its lower end on the
Price d
1......

page_text: axis of the fan, and at its upper on the axis of the thrashing drum. This
arrangement, it is truc, causes the Jacob's ladder to run much more rapidly
than is necessary for simply lifting the grain, from this, however, no incon-
veniencearises, on the contrary, the lifting instruments in consequence of their
high speed cause the grain to be lifted to be thrown about within the apparatus,
and rubbed both amongst itself and against the parts of the apparatus, a
treatment which brightens it and improves its appearance; and further to
increase this effect I roughen both the case and the lifting instruments of the
Jacob's ladder. When this arrangement is employed it will not be necessary
to add to the thrashing machine a separate apparatus for horning or removing
the spike from barley, as is now usual, as when this grain is being thrashed
the elevator, in consequence of the speed at which it runs, will effectually
remove the horn or spike from the grain; it also serves as the barley horuer
does usually to complete the removal of the husk when wheat is being
thrashed. A separate barley horner may, however, be employed, if preferred,
and if this be done, the axis of the horner as it runs at a high speed may be
made to carry one end of the elevator. I submit the grain to a finishing
dressing after it has passed through the elevator,and the blast for this purpose
I obtain from a small fan mounted on the axis of the beater or thrashing
drum. In order to elevate the straw on to a stack after it has been thrashed,
I employ a tube of sufficient length to give the elevation required; at the
lower end of the tube feeding apparatus is mounted; this feeding apparatus
is, by preference, a pair of rollers, these take the straw as it escapes from the
thrashing machine and convey it into the tube, where it is continually pushed
onwards by other straw similarly entering between the rollers until it is pushed
out at the upper end of the tube at the elevation required. The tube may be
jointod, and with its feeding apparatus may be mounted on wheels, so that it
may be readily removed from place to place, and the tube may be fixed at any
inclination when at work, so that the straw may be discharged at the height
required. When in operation the feeding apparatus of the tube is driven by
the same power as the thrashing machine. If desired, apparatus, such as
endless bands, with spikes or otherwise, may be employed within the tube to
assist in carrying the straw up. To complete the dressing of the grain after
it is thrashed out, and for separating or sorting the grain into different sizes,
it is common to employ rotatory screens, which are drums of wirework, into
which the grain is fed at one end, the smaller falls through the screen, whilst
the larger passes on. Several arrangements, have been proposed for making
the distances between the wires of such screens adjustable, and also for
making them self-cleaning, so that it may be impossible for the screen to

page_text: become choked with grain sticking in the spaces between the wires; some of
these arrangements have in practice proved more or less successful. Toobtain
the objects above mentioned, in constructing a rotatory screen I wind wire
round into a spiral of the required diameter. The coils or convolutions of
this spiral I do not, as heretofore, connect together by cross wires or connec-
tions running lengthwise from end to end of the drum; but I connect the coils
or convolutions together in couples, each joint connecting one coil or convolu-
tion to that which is next it, and to that alone. Each coil or convolution is
connected with that next to it, say, on the right-hand side by several such
joints around the circumference of the screen, and intermediate of each pair
of such joints another joint is made connecting the first wire with that next
it on the left-hand side. In this manner a screen is formed, which can be to
some extent extended in the direction of its length by drawing its two ends
further apart; this increases to a corresponding extent the distance between
the individual wires, and this with sufficient regularity for practical purposes.
And in order to make this screen self-cleaning I set the ends of the screcu
to revolve in planes slightly inclined the one to the other, so that the top of
the screen is always somewhat more extended than the bottom, this causes
any grain which becomes jammed between the wires at the bottom to be set
free at the top. In place of constructing the screen by winding the wire into
a spiral, each coil or convolution may be a separate hoop, but this is not by
any means so advantageous. In a similar manner I make self-cleaning
adjustable rotatory screens similar to those known as Mitton's, in which the
coils or convolutions are held together by attaching them to spiral springs
running from end to end of the screen; such screens have heretofore always
been constructed so that their ends revolve in parallel planes. Now, accord-
ing to my Invention, I mount them so that they may revolve in planes slightly
iuclined the one to the other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Hornsby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, RICHARD
HORNSBY, junior, of the Spittlegate Works, Grantham, in the County of
Lincoln, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Richard Hornsby, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Hornsby, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Richard Hornsby, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR THRASHING, ELEVATING, CLEANSING, AND SEPARATING GRAIN, AND
IN APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING STRAW," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Richard Hornsby, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Hornsby, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for thrashing,
elevating, cleansing, and separating grain, and in apparatus for elevating straw.
In thrashing machines, as at present constructed, it is common to employ a
Jacob's ladder (or endless band with scoops or lifting instruments upon it) in
order to raise the grain from the bottom of the machine to a higher level, and
heretofore it has been usual to put separate axes and gear into the machine to
carry and drive the Jacob's ladder. According to my Invention I much simplify
the machine bymounting the Jacob's ladder at its lower end on the axis of the
fan, and at its upper on the axis of the thrashing drum, this arrangement it is
true causes the Jacob's ladder to run much more rapidly than is necessary for
simply lifting the grain, from this, however, no inconvenience arises, on the
contrary the lifting instruments, in consequence of their high speed, cause the
grain to be lifted to be thrown about within the apparatus, and rubbed both
amongst itself and against the parts of the apparatus, a treatment which
brightens it and improves its appearance, and further to increase this effect,
I roughen both the case and the lifting instruments of the Jacob's ladder. When
this arrangement is employed, it will not be necessary to add to the thrashing
machine a separate apparatus for horning or removing the spike from barley

page_text: as is now usual,as when this grain is being thrashed, the elevator in consequence
of the speed at which it runs, will effectually remove the horn or spike from
the grain, it also serves, as the barley horner does usually, to complete the
removal of the husk when wheat is being thrashed, a separate barley horner
may however be employed it preferred, and if this be done the axis of the
horner as it runs at a high speed may be made to carry one end of the elevator.
Figure 1 is a side view partly in section, and Figure 2 is an end view of a
thrashing machine, in which the Jacob's ladder is mounted at its lower end on
the axis of the fun, and at its upper on the axis of the thrashing drum, in
other respects the machine is of ordinary construction, except that the usual
gear for driving the elevator and the lower fan is dispensed with, and the
barley horner and its driving gear is removed so that the machine is much
simplified. is a trough at the bottom of the thrashing machine, into which
the grain descends, and which is kept constantly shaking,as is usual; into this
the cups or lifters of the Jacob's ladder dip; b is the lower pulley of the Jacob's
ladder, it is mounted on the axis c of the lower fan, this axis it is preferred to
joint at c', c¹, as when it is so made less care is required in the construction;
is the band of the Jacob's ladder, it is made by preference of leather, and has
cups e, e, of thin slieot iron fixed upon it; fis the upper drum of the Jacob's
ladder mounted on the axis of the thrashing drum; g is the casing of the Jacob's
ladder, at its lower part at g¹ it is made of metal, and this metal plato may be
roughened by forming transverse ridges upon it,as is shown at Figures 3,so as
to increase the friction or rubbing of the grain, this is not however in all cases
requirod. If for special descriptions of grain more rubbing is required, the
cups may be roughened, or the extent of roughened surface in the case may
be increased, Figure 4 is a side view partly in section, and Figure 5 is a
transverse section of a machine, like that already described, except that the
barley horner is retained, it is driven in the usual manner, and the upper pulley
of the Jacob's ladder is mounted on the axis of the barley horner in place of on
the axis of the thrashing drum, and it raises it into the horner in place of on
to the riddles; this arrangement is not generally so advantageous as that first
described, as it is very rarely that grain requires morerubbing than the Jacob's
ladder will give it. It will be observed that it is an important feature of both
thearrangements above described that the Jacob's ladder is driven at the rapid
speed of the fan in place of slowly as is usual, and also the Jacob's ladder, in
place of having separate bands and gear to drive it, as is usual, itself serves to
drive other parts of the machine. In order to elevate the straw on to a stack
after it has been thrashed, I employ a tube of sufficient length to give the
elevation required. At the lowerend of the tube feeding apparatus is mounted

page_text: this feeding apparatus is by preference a pair of rollers; these take the
straw as it escapes from the thrashing machine, and convey it into the tube,
where it is continually pushed onwards by other straw similarly entering
between the rollers until it is pushed out at the upper end of the tube at
the elevation required, the tube may be jointed, and with its feeding apparatus
may be mounted on wheels so that it may be readily removed from place
to place, and the tube may be fixed at any inclination when at work, so
that the straw may be discharged at the height required. When in opera-
tion the feeding apparatus of the tube is driven by the same power as the
thrashing machine. Apparatus such as endless bands with spikes or other-
wise may be employed within the tube to assist in carrying the straw up.
Figure 6 is a side view, and Figure 7 is a transverse section of a straw
elevator constructed according to my Invention, and in the arrangement shewn
endless bands are employed, as I find that without these the apparatus can be
used advantageously only for small lifts. a, a, are a pair of wheels which
carry the frame b, having shafts b¹ to receive a horse, so that the apparatus
may be conveniently moved from place to place; c is a wooden tube mounted
on the axis d, carried by the frame b; c'is a joint in the tube c to enable it to
be folded on itself to facilitate carriage; e, e, ure ropes attached to the tube e;
they pass over guide pulleys fon the frame to the barrel g,on which they can
he wound up so as to raise the upper end of the tube to any required height;
the barrel g is rotated by means of a worm wheel on its axis, gearing with a
worm on the axis of the hand wheel h; i, i, are the endless bands; they are
connected together by cross bars 1, 2, and they pass over the pulleys j, j,
mounted on axes,, one at each end of the tube c; kis the axis of guide
pulleys k, which serve to direct the endless bands; the axis at the lower
end of the tube c is driven from any convenient part of the thrashing machine
at a speed of, say, 50 revolutions per minute, and the endless bands i, i, are
thus put in motion, and they together with the roller resting on the bands,
and which is mounted as is shown, so that it can rise and fall to accommodate
itself to the amount of straw discharged by the thrashing machine on to the
bands c, form the feeding apparatus of the elevator. Spikes may be applied
to the bands i, i, if desired, but they are not necessary, and if they are
employed, the roller 7 should be removed. The method of constructing the
elevator, when endless bands are not employed, will be readily understood from
the description already given, but I consider it more convenient to use tuese
bands. The essential feature of my Invention is the employment of the tube c,
which shelters the straw whilst being raised from the wind, so preventing it
from being scattered and lost, and reducing the amount of power required to

page_text: on.
drive the elevator. To complete the dressing of the grain after it is thrashed
out and for separating or sorting the grain into different sizes, it is common to
employ rotatory screens, which are drums of wirework, into which the grain
is fed at one end; the smaller falls through the screen whilst the larger passes
Several arrangements have been proposed for making the distances
between the wires of such screens adjustable and also for making them self-
cleaning, so that it may be impossible for the screen to become choked with
grain sticking in the spaces between the wires; some of these arrangements
have in practice proved more or less successful. To obtain the objects above
mentioned in constructing a rotatory screen, I wind wire round into a spiral of
the required diameter. The coils or convolutions of this spiral. I do not as
heretofore connect together by cross wires or connections running lengthwise
from end to end of the drum, but I connect the coils or convolutions together
in couples, each joint connecting one coil or convolution to that which is next
it and to that alone. Each coil or convolution is connected with that next to
it,say,on the right hand side, by several such joints around the circumference
of the screen, and intermediate of each pair of such joints another joint is
made connecting the first wire with that next it on the left-hand side. In
this manner a screen is formed which can be to some extent extended in the
direction of its length by drawing its two ends further apart; this increases to
a corresponding extent the distance between the individual wires, and this
with sufficient regularity for practical purposes; and in order to make this
screen self-cleaning, I set the ends of the screen to revolve in planes slightly
inclined the one to the other, so that the top of the screen is always somewhat
more extended than the botton; this causes any grain which becomes jammed
between the wires at the bottom to be set free at the top. In place of con-
structing the screen by winding the wire into a spiral, each coil or convolution
may be a separate hoop, but this is not by any means so advantageous.
Figure 8 is a side view, and Figure 9 an end view of a screen constructed
according to my Invention, but not arranged so as to be self-cleaning;
Figure 10 is a transverse section of the same on a larger scale. The connec-
tions between the wires may conveniently be made by soldering, or they may be
inade by threading small piecesof metal, each perforated with two holes, ontothe
spiral; or the adjacent wires may be attached the one to the other by binding.
The cylinder of wirework a is connected to two metal ends b, 61, which
are capable of turning freely on the fixed axis c. The end is not capable of
sliding along the axis,but the end 6¹ can do so, and it is drawn outwards when
it is desired to increase the guage of the screen by the hooked piece d, which
can be traversed in a groove formed in the axis by means of a nut on its screw

page_text: sten, as is shown at Figures 8 and 11. The screen can be rotated by a
band passing over a drum formed on one of its ends or in other convenient
Bars e, e, are employed to support the screen and prevent it
sagging in the middle. The grain is fed into and discharged from the screen
in the usual manner, and the brush is employed to keep the wires clear.
Figure 12 is a side view partly in section of the arrangement adopted when
it is desired that the screen should be self-cleaning; it differs from the
arrangement shown at Figures 8 and 9; in that the axis c is curved in
place of being straight, and also in the form of the centre frame e, used to
support the screen in the middle to prevent it sagging. This frame is carried
by a boss in the centre of the axis and the supporting. bars are made to
suit the curve the screen assumes in consequence of its ends being set
at an inclination the one to the other. In a similar manner I make self-
cleaning adjustable rotatory screens similar to those known as Mitton's, in
which the coils or convolutions are held together by attaching them to spiral
springs running from end to end of the screens. Such screens have hereto-
fore always been constructed so that their ends revolve in parallel planes,
now according to my Invention I mount them so that they may revolve in
planes slightly inclined the one to the other. This is done in the manner
shewn at Figure 12; it is only the construction of the screen itself which is
varied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Hornsby, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.