IMPROVEMENTS UPON A WINNOWING MACHINE
Year: 1811

page_text: "TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ELVEY, of the City of Canterbury, in the County of Kent, Millwright, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Sixteenth day of
December, in the fifty-second year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the
said John Elvey, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, His especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said John Elvey, my exors,
adors, and assigns, should and lawfully might, during the term of years
therein mentioned, make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS UPON A
WINNOWING MACHINE;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a
proviso that if I, the said John Elvey, shall not particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within two calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
recited Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and

page_text: advantages whatsoever thereby granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and
become void, as in and by the same (relation being thereunto had) may more
fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Elvey, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described and
ascertained by the Drawing hereunto annexed, and the following description
thereof (that is to say):-
Fig 1 is a section of the machine shewing all the internal parts, and the
course of operation.
Fig. 2 is an external view of that side of the machine on which the
winch or first mover is placed.
Fig. 3 is a front view of the machine, shewing the back of the wind board
and the second sieve.
Fig. 4 is an external view of that side of the machine on which is placed
the apparatus for agitating the sieves. N.B. The various letters, A, B, C,
a, b, c, &c., refer to the same parts in each Figure. (A) is the hopper into which
the corn or seed is put to be winnowed; and from thence, through an opening
adjustable by the sliding door (a), the same is permitted to pass into the first
sieve (B), which sieve hangs upon an inclined plane, and is agitated in a hori-
zontal direction, in a manner particularly described hereafter; through the wires
of this sieve (constructed of different numbers, according to the work to be per-
formed) the dirt, chaff, small seeds, or other rubbish, falls into the box (C), while
the corn passes down the inclined plane, and falls upon the wind board (D)|
placed on an angle of about 45 from the orizontal, and here it meets with an
uninterrupted current of wind from the tunnel (E), which rushes with consider-
able force upon the corn as it slides down the wind board, and blows back the
chaff, smutt, or light seed, over the top of the same. The good corn falls upon
the wind board into the second sieve (F) constructed with wires of the proper
number for the business, and is horizontally agitated as the first sieve, and
sifts the corn on to the screen (G), through which the dirt (if any remains)
falls to the ground. Should stones, beans, or other improper matter, two course
to pass through the wire, be with the corn when in the sieve (F), the inclina-
tion upon which the sieve bangs will carry it over into the box (H), placed
there for that purpose. The corn after sliding down the screwn (G) falls into
cylindrical cage (I), and is then submitted to the operation of a brushing
roller (K), turned round by means of a band attached to its external wheel;
as shewn at K, in Fig. 4, and communicating with another wheel fixed to
the axle of the fan wheel, from whence it turns itself out of the machine

page_text: winnowed and finished. When it is deemed necessary to brush the corn (as
it frequently will) a sliding board (L), shewn with red ink, may be placed over
the screen and roller, or the screen itself moved up to the same place, down
which the corn will pass directly to the ground. The current of wind force:
up the tunnel (E), Fig. 1, as before mentioned, is produced by the action of
a fan wheel (M), made to revolve with great velocity by means of a winch (N)
and cog wheel (0) shewn in Fig. 2, which work in a lesser cog wheel (P),
attached to the axle of the fan wheel, and turns the same with a multiplied
velocity. The quantity of wind required for the winnowing of different kinds
of seeds may be increased or diminished at pleasure by opening or shutting
the door (Q, Q). (R) is a fly wheel upon the axle of the brush wheel (K),
merely to regulate the motion. (S) is a door through which the rubbish is
cleared from the box (C). The operation of sifting, as before mentioned, is
produced by the following means:-On the side of the machine, Fig. 4, is
placed two square-edged spindles (p and g), to which is fixed the arms (1, 5,
and t), each communicating by means of a rod with the bottom of the
sieves (B and F) within the machines; to the spindles likewise are fixed the
arms (v, v, and u), at right angles to the former. To the arms (u, v) are
attached the connecting rod (w), and to the arm (u), and the crank (n)
is attached a connecting rod (X), which crank (n) being fixed to the axle
of the fan wheel is turned round with its velocity. The eccentric motion of
this crank moves the connecting rod (x) which is attached to it backward and
forward, and its connection with the arm (u) produces a vibratory motion of
the spindles, consequently the ends of the arms (r, s, and t), to which the
sieve rod is attached, by the vibration of the spindles are alternately turned
to and from the machine, pulling and pushing the sieve rods with them, by
which the sieves are agitated in the manner required.
Lastly, the sieve (B) is loosely suspended by four wires or springs fixed
to the upper beam (y), so as to permit it to be shook, and the sieve (F) is
supported by two beams upon which it slides.
The improvements for which I claim a Patent consist principally (and
differ from any before produced) in the manner of sifting the corn or seed,
and the peculiar direction and application of the wind to clean the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Elvey, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twelve.
JOHN ELVEY. (L.S.)

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighth day of February, in
the year of our Lord 1812, the aforesaid John Elvey came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of
the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twelfth day of Februrary, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twelve.