Improvements in Exhaust Fans, and Apparatus for Removing Dust from "Chop" during Cutting, and for other like purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Exhaust Fans, and Apparatus for Removing Dust
from "Chop" during Cutting, and for other like purposes.
WE ERNEST NICHOLAS GRONNSELL, Millwright, and WILLIAM BOTTOM,
Retired Schoolmaster, both of 36 Regent Street in the City of Sheffield do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
This invention has for its chief object, to protect the health of cattle, by
removing dust from the chop or chaff which constitutes part of their food, during
the process of cutting; it may also be used to remove dust from workshops in
which dusty trades are carried on, dust being well known to be injurious to
animal and human life, whether taken into the system by breathing, or with food.
The fan and appliances that we propose to use for the above named purposes are
illustrated in the annexed sheet of drawings, in which:
Fig. 1, represents a complete apparatus for removing dust from chop, consisting
of the fan, chopper, driving gear, exhaust pipes and delivery spout.
Fig. 2, plan of fan, chopper and pipes.
Fig. 3, fan, shown in cross sectional elevation with part of exhaust pipes.
In carrying out our invention in the manner illustrated in the drawings, as
applied to a hay chopping machine for example, we construct a fan F, for exhausting,
and place it in any convenient part of the cutting room; it consists of an outside
casing 1, enclosing the vanes 2, by preference made of sheet metal, and firmly fixed
upon two sets of radial arms 3, each set preferably made in one piece of the
form of a cross by casting it in metal, and having a central boss through which
the spindle 4, passes, and to which they are firmly secured.
The spindle is supported by and revolves in bearings 5, and is provided with a
driving pulley 6.
The usual side openings to admit air into the fan, are enclosed by a wood or
metal casing 7, which leads to the horizontal exhaust pipes P, one on each side of
the fan, and which preferably rest upon the floor, and extend to the chopping
machine C.
From the top of the fan, or other part we take a delivery spout D, which may be
carried to any place to which it is desired to convey the dust extracted from
the chop. The mouthpiece M, to which the spout D, is fixed, is made
detachable and so that it can be adjusted upon the casing at various angles
either in the position shown in Fig. 1, or reversed so as to point in the opposite
direction.
The side plates of the fan are made with an annular groove in the inside face to
receive the edges of a coiled sheet of metal which forms the periphery of the casing,
a space between the ends forming the mouth or exit, and by slackening the bolts 20,
the sheet of metal can be turned round and the mouthpiece M, secured in position
by the bolts 20.
The knives of the chopping machine C, are enclosed by a cover 8, and the cut
chop falls down a hopper 9, through a vertical shoot S, and through a connecting
neck 10, of open work fabric or material, attached to the shoot S, and which is
intended to be placed in the neck of a sack or other receptacle to receive the
chop.
The shoot S, may be passed through the floor of the room in which the chopper
is fixed, or the chopper may be raised on a platform which will allow the cleansed
chop to drop upon the floor or into a tray or the like, in which case the neck 10,
would be dispensed with

page_text: The shoot S, which is connected with the hopper 9, is made with an internal or
central passage 11, for the falling chop to drop through, the walls 12, being
constructed of perforated metal, woven wire, or the like, and the exhaust pipes P,
communicate directly with the intermediate space 13, which is provided with a slide
or like means for removing accumulated dust.
When the apparatus is at work, and the chop is falling through the shoot, the air
is drawn by the fan through the pipes P, and from the intermediate space 13,
causing the outer air to rush through the mesh of the material 10, into the shoot
and through the falling chop, from which it separates and carries away the dust
and other deleterious floating matter through the perforated walls 12, to the
fan, whence it is blown up the delivery spout D, into a chamber or bin B, or
elsewhere.
To further protect the attendant to the chopper from inhaling dust arising from
the hay or straw while feeding it into the trough 14, of the chopper, we propose to
erect an exhaust pipe 15, opening into the horizontal pipe P; the upper part of
this pipe may be made of any form that is suited to the purpose such as the one
shown and marked 16, and it may be fixed or movable, and provided with one or
more openings 17, with means for closing same 18, or a single sliding valve 19,
in the base.
The pillar pipe 15, may be fixed to any part of the pipes P, near to the chopper,
the openings 17, being turned towards it.
Our improved fan when used for removing floating workshop dust only may be
fixed in any convenient position inside or outside the shop or room and exhaust
pipes may be carried either under or over the workbenches, or otherwise brought
in close proximity to any dust producing machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion, and in what manner the same may be carried into practice, we wish to
state that we are aware of the two Patents Nos. 527588 and 149860 on the same
subject, and that we claim no part of such Patents as may be therein claimed,
but we declare that what we do claim is :
1. An apparatus for cleansing chop from dust, consisting of the combination of
an improved fan F, exhaust pipes P, and a double walled shoot S, with a chopper
of any suitable construction, arranged and combined substantially as hereinbefore
described, and with reference to the drawings.
2. An apparatus for carrying off dust from chop, such as claimed in Claim 1, in
combination with a pillar pipe 15, communicating with the exhaust pipe P,
provided with one or more mouths for the purpose of carrying away dust from
the neighbourhood of a chopping machine, as herein before described and shown.
3. A fan constructed with an adjustable mouthpiece M, for reversing, and
altering the angle of the spout D: the vanes 2, being secured to and carried by
two or more sets of radial arms 3, fastened to the spindle 4, the usual openings
round the spindle to admit air, 21, being enclosed by hollow covers 7, which
communicate with the exhaust pipes, substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
4. For use in separating dust from chop while falling through the air, a shoot
constructed with interior walls of perforated or openwork material, through
which a current of air is drawn or forced, substantially as hereinbefore described
and shown in Fig. 1.
Dated the 1st day of Sentember 1902
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicants.