Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Wheat or other Grain.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 14th Oct., 1890—Accepted, 15th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Wheat or other Grain.
I, JOSEPH BLAISE BONNARD of 16, Rue Drouot, Paris in the Republic of France,
Miller do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
--
This invention has for its object an apparatus for cleaning grains of wheat, and
principally for separating therefrom substances of the same size and little different
density which are often mixed therewith and the elimination of which is somewhat
difficult by reason of this identity of bulk and weight. It also relates to the
removal from the grains of hardly visible impurities which often remain attached to
the husks.
This apparatus is distinguished by the combination of two mills of different kind
and position, which remove foreign bodies, by exerting on the grain a slight pressure
without crushing it, whilst attacking and crushing the non-compressible stones and
bits of earth of the same size, and at the same time produce a friction on the exterior
of the grain to clean it.
An arrangement of brushes acting on a riddle performs this cleaning by separating
and ejecting the heavier foreign matters from the grain whilst an exhaust fan playing
on the whole carries off the lighter particles to the outside.
The apparatus comprises a lower mill of metal (hard cast iron, for instance,)
located horizontally, and fixed, turned and channelled in such a way that the grain
drawn down by the upper mill takes a position parallel to the grooving which may
be altered according to the speed with which the machine turns.
The aforesaid lower mill is supported by a frame which has regulating screws to
adjust its position and screws for fixing it in that position. The frame carries besides,.
concentrically to the lower mill and all round the same, a series of radiating strips
or flanges governed by means of bolts and on which the metallic cloth constituting
the sieve is stretched. The whole is supported by an annular rim having regulating
screws and screws for fixing in position.
On the fixture above described, a moveable device mounted on a rotatable vertical
axle revolves and comprises an upper mill with horizontal annular plate, fixed and
governed by screw rings, or, in another way, in a frame of metal keyed on the
centre axle aforesaid, and (on the other hand) comprises a system of brushes, the
position of which can be regulated by means of screws. The whole of this moveable
apparatus and the axle supporting it can be regulated at will as regards position,
by means of the moveable bush or foot piece similar to those commonly used in mill
gearings.
The apparatus just described is covered with a canopy shutting it in and in con-
junction with which an exhaust fan works by a pipe. A tube penetrates into this
same canopy which serves for feeding the grain.
Around the frame aforesaid, supporting the upper mill and the brushes, is placed
a fixed sieve through which the lighter particles of dust detached from the grain
escape to the outside.
A pulley serves to communicate the motion to all the moveable apparatus.
The mode of action of the apparatus is as follows:-
The grain once introduced by the tube falls through the spaces left open between
the arms which support the frame onto the fixed lower mill, where it is operated
upon by the moveable mill which rubs it without crushing it, detaching the impurities
which it may have on its surface and pulverizing the earth and stones which may
be mixed with it.
On leaving the mills, the grain is brushed by the brushes, the heavy dust traverses
the sieve cloth in order to fall out of the machine, the grain passes in its turn to

page_text: any given point, whilst the light dust also passes to the outside through the sieve
under the action of the exhaust fan which agitates it and itself carries off a somewhat
considerable quantity.
Dated this 13th day of January 1801
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Wheat or other Grain.
I, JOSEPH BLAISE BONNARD of 16 Rue Drouot, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Miller, 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 object an apparatus for cleaning grains of wheat, and
principally for separating therefrom substances of the same size and little different
density, which are often mixed therewith and the elimination of which is somewhat
difficult by reason of this identity of bulk and weight. It also relates to the
removal from the grains of hardly visible impurities which often remain attached to
the husks.
This apparatus is distinguished by the combination of two mills of different kind
and position, which remove foreign bodies, by exerting on the grain a slight pressure
without crushing it, whilst attacking and crushing the non-compressible stones and
bits of earth of the same size, and at the same time produce a friction on the exterior
of the grain to clean it.
An arrangement of brushes acting on a riddle performs this cleaning by separating
and ejecting the heavier foreign matters from the grain, whilst an exhaust fan acting
on the whole carries off the lighter particles to the outside.
Referring to the drawings
:-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance with
this invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the machinery of the lower mill, parts being removed on
the left hand half of the figure.
Figure 3 is a section on line 1, 2, 3, of Figure 2.
Figures 4 and 5 show sections of the machine frame.
The apparatus comprises a lower mill A of metal (hard cast iron, for instance)
located horizontally, and fixed, turned and channelled in such a way that the grain
drawn down by the upper mill takes a position parallel to the grooving which may
be altered according to the speed with which the machine turns.
The aforesaid lower mill A is supported by a frame B which has regulating
screws a a to adjust its position, and set screws b for fixing it in that position. The
frame carries besides, concentrically to the lower mill A and all round the same, a
series of radiating strips or flanges governed by means of bolts c and on which the
metallic cloth D, constituting the sieve, is stretched. The whole is supported by an
annular rim E having regulating screws e¹¹ and screws for fixing in position,
traversing on the one band the lugs E" cast on the rim, and, on the other, the
plates F on the frame F of the machine. This fitting from beneath facilitates the
mounting or dismounting of the apparatus.
On the fixture above described, a movable device mounted on a rotatable vertical
axle G revolves and comprises an upper mill H with horizontal annular plate fixed
and governed by set screw h (or in another way in a frame L of metal keyed on
the centre axle G aforesaid) and (on the other hand) comprises a system of brushes M,
the position of which can be regulated by means of screws m. The whole of this
movable apparatus and the axle supporting it can be regulated at will, as regards
position, by means of the movable bush or foot piece N similar to those commonly
used in mill gearings.
The apparatus just described is covered with a canopy O shutting it in, and in

page_text: conjunction with which an exhaust fan works by a pipe O¹. A tube O¹ penetrates
into this same canopy_which serves for feeding the grain.
Around the frame L, supporting the upper mill H and the brushes M, is placed
a fixed sieve P through which the lighter particles of dust detached from the grain
escape to the outside.
A belt pulley R serves to communicate the motion to all the movable apparatus.
The mode of action of the apparatus is as follows:-
The grain once introduced by the tube 0 falls through the spaces_left open
between the arms which support the frame L onto the fixed lower mill H where it
is operated upon by the movable mill which rubs it without crushing it, detaching
the impurities which it may have on its surface and pulverizing the earth and
stones which may be mixed with it.
On leaving the mills A and H, the grain is brushed by the brushes M, the
heavy dust traverses the sieve cloth D in order to fall out of the machine, the
grain passes in its turn to any given point, whilst the light dust also passes to the out-
side through the sieve P under the action of the exhaust fan which agitates it and
itself carries off a somewhat considerable quantity.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An apparatus for cleaning wheat or other grain, consisting of the combination
of two mills placed one above the other, one fixed and the other movable, and a
system of brushes acting on a sieve cloth or on other suitable riddle for brushing
and cleaning the grain previously scrubbed between the two mills in order to
remove the previously pulverised impurities, the action being aided by the applica-
tion of an exhaust fan acting in the closed chamber containing it, for the purpose of
agitating, the dust produced and removing it to the outside, substantially as
described.
2. In an apparatus such as described, the combination of an annular plate and
fixed supports for sustaining, fixing and regulating in position in the centre a metal
mill, and concentrically thereto a series of strips on which a sieve cloth is fixed and
stretched forming a riddle, substantially as described.
3. In combination with a cleaning apparatus such as described, an annular plate
and movable supports for the purpose of sustaining, fixing and regulating in
position at the centre, an annular mill and concentrically thereto a series of brushes
adapted to act on the sieve of the lower fixed part, substantially as described.
4. The improved apparatus for cleaning wheat or other grain, constructed and
arranged substantially as described.
...
OF
1000