Improvements in Grain Cleaners.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Grain Cleaners.
A communication from ALEXANDER LAIDLAW, and THOMAS MILBURN, both of the
City of Toronto, in the County of York, in the Province of Ontario,
Canada, Manufacturers.
L, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. 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:-
The object of the invention is to design a grain cleaner in which the grain will be
thoroughly scoured and completely separated from all the refuse without in any way
injuring the gorm of the seed; and it consists, essentially, of a smoothly-bored
cylinder having a shaft journalled in its centre, with a series of smooth blades radiating
from the said shaft, and set so that the grain which enters at one end and fills the
cylinder about three parts full, is drawn towards the opposite end from which it is
discharged on to a shaking slanting shoe having two or more sieves formed in it and
arranged to separate the clean grain from the refuse an exhaust fan arranged in
connection with suitable air ducts being provided to act in connection with the
cylinder and on the grain as it leaves the shoe, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Fig. 1, is a perspective side elevation of this improved grain cleaner.
A, is the cylinder, having a smooth inside bore. B, is a shaft passing through the
centre of the cylinder, A, and carried in suitable bearings supported by the frame C.
D, are a series of smooth beaters fixed to and radiating from the shaft B. These
beaters are formed on the line of a screw, so that when they revolve they will convey
the grain which enters at E, to the discharge opening F. A fan, G, is fixed to the
shaft, B, and its chamber is connected to the interior of the cylinder, A, by means of
the air-duct, H. The shoe I, is carried by the spring hangers, J, and is supported so
that its high end shall be below the discharge opening F. One arm of the bell-crank, K,
is connected to the shoe, I, and its other end is connected by the rod, L to an
eccentric strap, M, journalled on an eccentric fixed to the shaft B; consequently when

page_text: the shaft, B, revolves a rotary motion is imparted to the beaters, D, and to the fan, G,
and a shaking movement to the shoe, I.
N, is a sieve carried in the shoe, I, and made sufficiently coarse to separate the peas,
thistle-tops, and other large refuse from the grain.
O, is a finer sieve placed below the sieve, N, and arranged to separate the smaller
seeds which fall on the bottom of the shoe and are discharged through an opening in
its lower end.
P, is what is termed a suction-tube or chamber into which the grain from the
sieve, O, enters.
Q, is what is termed an exhaust-chamber, and R, a valve or gate for separating
the fan-chamber from the suction and exhaust chambers, P, and Q.
Having now described the parts involved in the construction of this machine, I
shall now describe briefly its operation.
The grain which enters the cylinder A, through the opening, E, fills the said
cylinder about three paris full, and before it escapes through the opening F, is
agitated by the action of the revolving beaters, D. These beaters, as well as the inside
of the cylinder, being perfectly smooth, they do not injure the grain, but the
friction produced by the revolving movement of the beaters is sufficient to remove the
beards and thoroughly cleanse the grain. While this process of cleaning is going on,
the exhaust fan, G, draws through the air-duct, H, dust and like refuse thrown off
in the cylinder, A, by the agitation of the grain described. The grain, with the peas,
thistle-tops and other refuse, is discharged through the opening, F, onto the sieve, N,
which is shaken through its connection with the revolving shaft B, as described. The poas,
thistle-tops, and other large refuse, which are separated from the grain, are discharged
from the machine through a spout, S, located in the bottom of the shoe. The second
sieve, O, separates the grain from the small seeds which are discharged from the shoe,
as before described. The grain passes down the sieve and enters what is termed the
suction-tube, P. This suction-tube, as before described, is connected to the chamber
of the fan, G, consequently the awns and light grains are drawn up through the
suction-tube or chamber and discharged out of the fan-chamber. The adjustable
valve or gate, R, is provided so that the opening leading to the valve-chamber may
be increased or decreased in size to regulate the power of the draught. A deflecting-
board, T, is set over the top of the suction tube or chamber, P, and projects into the
exhaust-chamber Q; consequently the awns and light grains drawn up towards the
fan-chamber must pass over the said exhaust-chamber, and as the air in this latter
chamber is rarified, any grain which may be accidentally drawn up by the fan will
drop into the exhaust chamber, where it can be readily removed.
+
Grain passed through this machine is wonderfully improved in appearance, as all
the awns and beards are removed, making the grain perfectly clean without in any
way injuring the germ.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the, nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A grain cleaner having a cylinder with a smooth interior surface, and proper
inlet and outlet for the grain, in combination with a series of beaters fixed to and
radiating from a revolving shaft placed within the cylinder, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
2. A grain cleaner having a cylinder with a smooth interior surface, and proper
inlet and outlet for the grain, a series of beaters fixed to and radiating from a revolving
shaft placed within the cylinder, in combination with an air-duct arranged to connect
the interior of the cylinder with the exhaust fan chamber, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
3. A grain cleaner having a cylinder with a smooth interior surface and proper
inlet and outlet for the grain, a series of beaters fixed to and radiating from a revolving
shaft placed within the cylinder, in combination with a shoe containing two or more
graded sieves arranged one below the other, and below the outlet in the cylinder, the

page_text: said shoe deriving a shaking movement through mechanism connecting it to the
revolving-shaft substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. A grain cleaner having a cylinder with a smooth interior surface and proper inlet
and outlet for the grain a series of beaters fixed to and radiating from a revolving
shaft placed within the cylinder, an air-duct arranged to connect the interior of the
cylinder with the exhaust fan chamber in combination with a shaking shoe containing
two or more graded sieves arranged one below the other and below the outlet in the
cylinder, and with a suction-chamber connected with the exhaust fan chamber and
designed to receive the grain after it has passed the shaking sieves substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
5. In a grain cleaner a suction-chamber designed to receive the grain after it has
passed the shaking sieves and connected with the exhaust fan chamber, in combination
with an exhaust chamber a deflecting board extending partially across the exhaust
chamber and a valve or gate arranged to regulate the opening between the exhaust
fan chamber and the suction and exhaust chambers as specified.
6. The within-described grain cleaner whereby grain may be thoroughly cleaned
without injuring the germ of the seed.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents.