IMPROVEMENTS IN MIXING, SIFTING, AND CLEANING MACHINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Baker and Joseph Allen Baker, of 14, Tabernacle
Walk, in the City of London, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MIXING, SIFTING, AND CLEANING MACHINES."
Sealed the 30th December 1879, and dated the 1st July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Baker and Joseph
Allen Baker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st July
1879.
JOSEPH BAKER and JOSEPH ALLEN BAKER, of 14, Tabernacle Walk, in the City
of London, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MIXING, SIFTING,
AND CLEANING MACHINES,
This Invention is an improvement on a former Patent granted to George
Haseltine, numbered 2289, and dated 1st July 1874.
The object of our present Invention is the more perfect mixing, sifting, and
cleaning of various substances, such as drugs, flour, sugar, colours, fruits, tea, et-
cetera.
Our Invention consists mainly in a body or trough with a circular bottom and of
suitable size, form, and materials. The bottom is formed of a sieve of any suitable
material and removable, so that sieves of different meshes may be substituted at
pleasure. Horizontally along the centre of the body runs a shaft carrying two sets
of agitators, the one larger than the other, and fixed to the shaft and extending
nearly to the sieve at the bottom, the other somewhat shorter and fixed to a tube
which is free to turn on the shaft. These agitators, when working, describe part of
& circle only, and are so constructed as to pass through each other, the projections of
one coinciding with the spaces of the other. Their motions are in opposite
directions, and each is worked by a crank fixed to the shaft and tube respectively;
the cranks are worked by means of levers from the driving shaft, either from a
wheel on the end of it or in any other convenient manner. For some purposes it
is necessary to work with one agitator only in the trough or body, as, for instance,
when it is used for sifting only.
At the top of the body or trough we place a hopper which may have one or
more divisions running longitudinally, and with preferably a rounded bottom
provided with a slot or opening. In the lower part of the hopper for mixing

page_text: purposes is placed a revolving agitator whose projections nearly touch the rounded
hopper bottom and pass between other projections in the hopper, as before described.
Extra rollers provided with teeth and driven by suitable gearing from the end of
the hopper are sometimes used, and extra teeth may be fixed inside the hopper as
before.
The shaft carrying the hopper agitator is driven by a belt or other contrivance
from the driving shaft or wheel. In some cases however we find it better to
dispense with the hopper and gear.
Underneath the body is a receiver with drawers to catch the siftings. We may
also arrange the body so that it will fit over an ordinary baker's trough. We
sometimes make the receiver in form of a tank, so that by partly filling it with
water the fruit or other substance to be cleaned may be washed while undergoing
the agitating operation.
We find it convenient to pivot the whole machine except the receiver, taking the
main shaft as a centre, and by means of a cord and pulley or other suitable appliance
to cant it over so as to tip into a suitable receptacle, the impurities remaining in the
body; this may be done without stopping the machine, so that the moving agitators
make an effectual clearance. For some purposes, as in cleaning currants, the usual
process is reversed, the good part remaining in the body and the impurities going
through the mesh of the sieve. With sugar and tea the coarse part remains in the
body and the fine goes through the mesh."
The machine may be driven by hand or power, and may be fixed upon legs or
other supports, or may be mounted on rollers or castors when found more con-
venient.
Covers are provided, where necessary, to prevent escape of dust, et cetera.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Baker and Joseph Allen Baker in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st January 1880.
JOSEPH BAKER and JOSEPH ALLEN BAKER, of 14, Tabernacle Walk, in the City
of London, in the County of Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN MIXING, SIFTING,
AND CLEANING MACHINES."
The object of our present Invention is the more perfect mixing, sifting, and
cleaning of various substances, such as drugs, flour, sugar, colours, fruits, ten,
elcetera.
The machine consists mainly in a body or trough with a circular bottom and of 3
suitable size, form, and materials. The bottom is formed of a sieve of any suitable
material and removable, so that sieves of different meshes may be substituted nt
pleasure. Horizontally along the centre of the body runs a shaft carrying two sets
of agitators, the one smaller than the other and fixed to the shaft and not extending
to the sieve at the bottom, the other somewhat longer and fixed to a tube which is
free to turn on the shaft. These agitators, when working, describe part of a circle

page_text: only, and are so constructed as to pass through each other, the projections of one
coinciding with the spaces of the other. Their motions are in opposite directions,
and each is worked by a crank fixed to the shaft and tube respectively; the cranks
are worked by means of levers from the driving shaft, either from a wheel on the
end of it or in any other convenient manner. For some purposes it is necessary to
work with one agitator only in the trough or body, as, for instance, when it is used
for sifting only. At the top of the body or trough we place a hopper which may
have one or more divisions running longitudinally, and with preferably a rounded
bottom provided with a slot or opening. In the lower part of the hopper for
mixing purposes is placed a revolving agitator whose projections nearly touch the
rounded hopper bottom and pass between other projections in the hopper, as in the
case of the agitators Extra rollers provided with teeth and driven by suitable
gearing from the end of the hopper are sometimes used, and extra teeth may be
fixed inside the hopper as before. The shaft carrying the hopper agitator is driven
by a belt or other contrivance from the driving shaft or wheel In some cases how-
ever we find it better to dispense with the hopper and gear.
Underneath the body is a receiver with drawers to catch the siftings; or, if
preferred, the body can be arranged so as to fit over an ordinary baker's trough.
We sometimes make the receiver in form of a tank, so that by partly filling
it with water the fruit or other substance to be cleaned may be washed while
undergoing the agitating operation; or a continual flow of water may be
carried through the tank. The body of the machine is generally pivotted or
hinged upon or around the driving shaft, and by means of a cord and pulley
or other suitable appliance can be canted over so as to tip the impurities
left in the body into a suitable receptacle (which may be attached to the
frame of the machine); this can be done without stopping the machine, so that
the moving agitators make an effectual clearance. For some purposes, as, for
instance, in cleaning currants, the usual process is reversed, the good part remaining
in the body and the impurities going through the mesh of the sieve; in this case
the good part would be tipped into the receptacle instead of the bad. With sugar
and tea the coarse part remains in the body and the fine goes through the mesh.
The machine may be driven by hand or power, and may be fixed upon legs or
other supports, or may be mounted on rollers or castors when found more con-
venient. "Covers are provided, where necessary, to prevent escape of dust, etcetera.

page_text: draw B³, the bad part remaining in the body A to be subsequently tilted into the
other drawer B. This process is reversed in the case of some articles where the
inferior or useless part is the fine which passes through the sieve. The agitators
may be kept working while the body is tilted, thus completely clearing it out.
CLAIMS.
. Having now described our Invention, and the best method known to us of
carrying it into effect, we wish it to be understood that what we claim and desire
to protect under the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,—
1st. In the above described machines the combination of the agitators C working
simultaneously and in opposite directions one within the other, substantially as set
forth and shown.
2nd. The combination of the agitators C and the crushing or mixing roller or
rollers J, the latter working within the hopper, substantially as set forth and
shown.
3. The combination of agitators C, shaft E, and upper shaft or tube E',
levers F, F, and F', and flywheel or crank G on driving shaft G', substantially as
and for the purposes set forth and shown.
4th. The method herein described and illustrated of tipping the machine without
impeding its action, whereby the body A may be conveniently emptied of its
contents.
5th. The method herein described of sifting and cleaning fruit and the like
whilst immersed in water, whether circulating through the tank and body or
otherwise.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Allen Baker, on behalf of myself and
the said Joseph Baker, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth a
day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy nine.
JOSEPH ALLEN BAKER. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALFRED J. BOULT,
of the Firm of W. P. Thompson, & Co.,
323, High Holborn,
London,
& 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool,
"Solicitors of Patents.