IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DECORTICATING AND CLEANING GRAIN
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Johnson, of Wrexham, in the County of
Denbigh, Corn Miller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR DECORTICATING AND CLEANING GRAIN."
Sealed the 14th March 1871, and dated the 26th September 1870:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th September 1870.
I, DAVID JOHNSON, of Wrexham, in the County of Denbigh, Corn
3 Miller, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DECORTICATING AND CLEANING Grain," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates partly to further improvements upon the
machinery described in the Specification of an Invention for which
) Letters Patent have been granted to me bearing date the Tenth day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine, No. 740.

page_text: The objects of my present Invention are a more perfect decortication
of the grain without injuring the same, greater simplicity of construc-
tion, and increased durability of the working parts of the machine,
together with a capacity for acting upon a larger quantity of grain
with a given expenditure of power than has heretofore been practicable.
The said machine is designed for hulling or decorticating wheat, rice,
barley, and other grain or seed, and is adapted for working wheat in
either a dry, damp, or wet condition..
In my said former Specification I describe a horizontally rotating
drum working within a case, the said drum and case being provided
with scouring surfaces, by whose action the decortication of the grain
is effected.
According to my present Invention the scouring portions consist of
ribbed or corrugated surfaces which are made continuous around the
drum and case; and I prefer that they should be undulating or in a
series of alternate projections and depressions both at the periphery and
at the bottom of the drum, instead of being arranged as described in the
aforesaid former Specification. By this means a diminished space is left
between the surfaces of the drum and case, and therefore the machine
at any given time during its operation contains a smaller quantity or
body of grain. This grain being passed more rapidly through the
machine, and being brought more effectually in contact with the scouring
surfaces is therefore more thoroughly hulled or decorticated, the germ
and beard are completely removed, and I avoid breaking or otherwise
injuring the kernel of the grain. I keep the case always full of grain
during the action of the machine. I allow the grain to enter freely at
the top of the case, and regulate the quantity passing through the
machine at the delivery aperture, which for this purpose is provided
with a sliding door opened or closed by a screw or other suitable con-
trivance. By thus regulating the delivery of the grain the same may
be for a shorter or longer time subjected to the action of the machine
according as it is desired, that is, should be merely screened or perfectly
decorticated. The scouring surfaces may be cast upon the body of the
drum, or may be formed on blocks, rings, or segments secured thereon
in any suitable and convenient manner. The periphery of the drum and
the interior of the case may be flat, bevelled, or curved. I prefer
that the scouring portions should be of steel or chilled cast iron.
Instead of making the scouring, surface undulating or in a series of

page_text: projections and depressions around the drum, I may make either the
peripheral or bottom surface or both free from. such undulations or pro-
jections and depressions, but I prefer the first described construction of
the scouring, surfaces because of the wedge-like action thereof.
The aforesaid drum is made of cast iron, or other suitable metal, and
I construct it in two or more parts. or segments, which are fitted
together around the shaft. The outer portion is connected to the boss
by arms, and the arms of the different parts, or sections are secured
together by bolts. By adopting this method of construction I am
enabled to remove and replace the drum without disturbing the other
parts of the machine. Where a series of machines is used with one
above another openings are made around the bottom of cach case to
allow the grain to descend from one case to the one next below it. The
foot of the drum. shaft is supported by a bearing on a block. which is
adjustable vertically by a screw or rack and pinion, so that the spaces
between the horizontal scouring surfaces of the drum and case may be
increased or diminished according to the hardness of the grain.
In preparing wheat to be manufactured into flour of the best quality
it is important after it leaves the decorticating machine or the ordinary
screening apparatus that all the loose fibrous particles or dust which
may adhere to the grain should be completely removed. The perfect
removal of these particles: cannot be effected by the blast or current of
air and screen ordinarily used for such purpose: I therefore as the
wheat leaves the aforesaid machine conduct it into an inclined rotating
frame, which is square or hexagonal in transverse section, and is covered
with screen wire or perforated metal. As the grain passes through this
rotating frame the greater portion of the aforesaid loose fibrous particles
or dust is removed from it, and passes through the wire or perforations
at the sides of the frame, while the grain thus partially cleaned is
delivered at the lower end of the said rotating frame to a cleaning and
polishing drum, or number of such drums, arranged one above the
other. These drums rotate within a suitable case. The drums and
cases are made of cast iron or other suitable metal. I form on the
periphery and on the bottom of the outer portion of the drum projections
or lugs, between which I place a number of strips or pieces of leather.
or india-rubber, or both combined, or other suitably soft substance
whose outer edges form the cleaning and polishing surface. These.
leather or other soft pieces or strips are secured between the lugs by

page_text: bolts or other suitable means; and I prefer that their outer surfaces
should be undulating, like the scouring surface of the aforesaid decorti-
cating drum. The surface of the case under the lower surface of the
drum thus covered with leather or other soft material partly consists of
screen wire or perforated metal through which the dusty or fibrous
particles removed from the grain escape, and fall into any convenient
receptacle, their escape from the case being accelerated by the use of
an exhausting fan or other suitable air exhausting apparatus. The
grain passes down through the machine, or series of machines, and is
delivered therefrom through an aperture at the bottom provided with
a regulating sliding door, as above described. Between the wire or
perforated metal at the bottom of the case I form openings through
which the grain descends from one case to another. This drum may be
made in two or more segments or portions bolted together as above
described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 25th March 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
JOHNSON, of Wrexham, in the County of Denbigh, Corn Miller, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said David Johnson, Her special
licence that I, the said David Johnson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said David Johnson, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DECORTICATING AND CLEANING GRAIN," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said David Johnson, my

page_text: 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 Patcut.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings forming a part of this Specification :-
This Invention relates partly to further improvements upon the
machinery described in the Specification of an Invention for which
Letters Patent have been granted to me bearing date the Tenth day of
March, A.D. 1869, No. 740.
The objects of my present Invention are a more perfect decortication
of the grain without injuring the same, greater simplicity of construction,
and increased durability of the working parts of the machinery, together
with a capacity for acting upon a larger quantity of grain with a given
expenditure of power than has heretofore been practicable.
The said machinery is designed for hulling or decorticating, scouring,
cleaning, and polishing wheat, rice, barley, and other grain or seed, and
is adapted for working wheat in either a dry, damp, or wet condition.
In my said former Specification I describe a horizontally rotating
drum working within a case, the said drum and case being provided
with scouring surfaces, by whose action the decortication of the grain is
effected.
According to my present Invention the scouring portions consist of
ribbed or corrugated surfaces which are made continuous around the
drum and case, and I prefer that they should be undulating or in a
series of alternate projections and depressions both at the periphery and
at the bottom of the drum instead of being arranged as described in the
aforesaid former Specification. By this means a diminished space is left
between the surfaces of the drum and case, and therefore the machine
at any given time during its operation contains a smaller quantity or
body of grain. This grain being passed more rapidly through the
machine and being brought more effectually in contact with the scouring
surfaces is therefore more thoroughly hulled or decorticated, the germ

page_text: the aforesaid machine conduct it into an inclined rotating frame, which
is square or hexagonal in transverse section, and is covered with screen
wire or perforated metal. As the grain passes through this rotating
frame the greater portion of the aforesaid loose fibrous particles or dust
is removed from it and passes through the wire or perforations at the
sides of the frame, while the grain thus partially cleaned is delivered at
the lower end of the said rotating frame to a cleaning and polishing
drum or number of such drums arranged one above the other. These
drums rotate within a suitable case; the drums and cases are made of
cast iron or other suitable metal. I form on the periphery and on the
bottom of the outer portion of the drum projections or lugs between
which I place a number of strips or pieces of leather, or india-rubber, or
both combined, or other suitably soft substance, whose outer edges form
the cleaning and polishing surface. These leather or other soft pieces or
strips are secured between the lugs by bolts or other suitable means, and
I prefer that their outer surfaces should be undulating like the scouring
surface of the aforesaid decorticating drum. The surface of the case
under the lower surface of the drum thus covered with leather or other
soft material partly consists of screen wire or perforated metal through
which the dusty or fibrous particles removed from the grain pass and
fall into any convenient receptacle, their escape from the case being
accelerated by the use of an exhausting fan or other suitable air
exhausting apparatus. The grain passes down through the machine or
series of machines, and is delivered therefrom through an aperture at the
bottom provided with a regulating sliding door as above described.
Between the wire or perforated metal at the bottom of the case I form
openings through which the grain descends from one case to another.
This drum may be made in two or more segments or portions bolted
together as above described.
In the accompanying Drawings I have shown my improvements
embodied in a convenient, compact, and economical form, but I wish it
clearly understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details of
construction of the parts shown, as the same may be varied to a con-
siderable extent without any departure from the characteristic features
of my Invention herein-before set forth.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
P
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page_text: plane of the line x, x, and partly in the planes of the lines x¹, x³, x², x²,
Figure 4; Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line y, y, Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a front view of two of the scouring blocks as placed on the
drum; Figure 6 is a plan of the cleaning and polishing drum; Figure 7
is a vertical section of the said cleaning and polishing drum and its
case. Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
The case or cylinder a which may be of any suitable diameter and
depth is preferably constructed of cast iron and is placed on the stand or
frame b, or otherwise firmly supported at a convenient height above the
ground or floor. Within the said case is the rotating drum c which is
firmly fixed on the vertical shaft d. The said case is formed with a
series of recesses or chambers 1, 2, 3, one below the other. By referring
to Figure 3 it will be clearly seen that the outer case a is made in seg-
ments or portions a¹ which are secured together by screw bolts e passed
through the flanges a². The corrugated scouring surfaces f, g, of the
case and drum are clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4. Those of the case
are formed by casting corrugations or ribs solidly on the inner periphery
of the body or shell of the said case while those of the drum are formed
on separate blocks g¹. It may be seen by referring to Figure 3 that the
said blocks are hollow, and that their interior surfaces are fitted to the
periphery of the drum to which they are secured by the bolts h. Collars c¹
formed on the said drum and turned true on their sides ensure the
adjustment and maintenance of the said blocks in a true circular position
´on the drum.
The undulatory circumferential outline of these blocks is clearly
shown in Figure 4, which Figure also shows the scouring surface of the
case a free from undulations, but it is obvious that the latter may be
made to correspond in its configuration with the surface of the drum
if desired. In Figure 4 the blocks g¹ are shown as varying in depth
or thickness, while the recesses 1, 2, 3, in the case into which the blocks
project are uniform throughout the entire circumference of the case.
By this peculiar construction of the scouring surfaces I produce a
wedge-like action upon the grain passing through the case; that is to
say, the grain accumulates in the spaces between the projecting or high
parts of the undulating surfaces and as the surface of the drum travels
faster than the grain the entire quantity of the latter passed through
the machine is carried forward by the drum and brought in contact
with the scouring surface of the case a, which tends to retard or retain

page_text: it; thus the grain will be continually turned over and over and none of
it will escape the scouring action of the surfaces f, g. The cover a³ of
the case a is firmly secured upon the said case by screw bolts passed
through the flange a*. The said cover is provided with a hopper or feed
spout, through which the grain enters the upper portion or recess 1
of the case a; from this recess the grain gradually passes through the
annular space surrounding the drum and the four apertures 1* into the
next recess, and thence through corresponding apertures into the third
recess. I make the bottoms or shelves a³ of the recesses sloping or
inclined downward towards the centre of the drum, and these sloping
shelves a facilitate the passage of the grain from one recess to the
other. The bottom recess of the case a is provided with a delivery
spout or shoot 1, through which the decorticated or scoured grain is
conducted away from the machine into the inclined rotating frame
herein-before described or into any desired receptacle.
It will be seen by referring to Figure 4 that the vertical shaft d
extends through the top and bottom of the case. The said shaft must
be provided with suitable bearings m, n, above and below the said case;
o is the adjustable bearing at the foot of the said shaft; o¹ is a bracket
secured to the frame 6 and formed with a central socket o², wherein the
bearing or block o is fitted; o³ is the adjusting screw, which is passed
through the bottom plate o* of the bracket and is provided with a
locking nut o³.
In Figures 6 and 7, p is the cleaning and polishing drum with the
surfaces composed of the strips q of leather or india-rubber, or both
combined. These strips are secured by the bolts q¹ between the lugs p¹.
s is the case enclosing the said drum, which case is preferably formed
of a series of chambers one below the other; 81; 8¹, s¹, are the pieces of
screen wire or perforated metal; 3 is a passage connected with the
exhausting apparatus; is the exit spout or shoot for the grain.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and shown how the
decortication, scouring, cleaning, and polishing of grain or seed may
be thoroughly and conveniently accomplished by the same, I wish it
understood that I claim,-
First. In a machine for decorticating and cleaning grain a rotating
drum enclosed within an outer case or cylinder and provided with
continuous corrugated surfaces composed of a series of undulations or.

page_text: wedge-like projections and depressions, substantially as set forth for.
the purpose specified.
Second. The outer case of the said machine provided with corrugated
surfaces, either undulating or otherwise, and constructed to act properly
in combination with the scouring surfaces of the said drum, substantially
as set forth for the purpose specified.
Third. The corrugated blocks constructed and secured to the drum,
substantially as set forth, and arranged to rotate within the recesses or
cavities of the case for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The corrugated outer case made in segments or parts, secured
together in such a manner as to form a complete circle around the
drum, substantially as set forth for the purpose specified.
Fifth. The herein described machine constructed with the case a
mounted on the frame 6 or other suitable support in combination with
the drum c fixed on the shaft d provided with the adjustable bearing o,
substantially as herein set forth for the purpose specified.
Sixth. The rotating, cleaning, and polishing drum provided with
surfaces composed of leather, india-rubber, or other suitably soft sub-
stances, and arranged within a case provided with means for the escape
and exhaustion of the dust and for the separate exit of the grain
substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.