IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING MACHINES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred William Mantle of Eckernfoerde in the German
Empire but now temporarily of 169 Fleet Street London Engineer for an
LETTERS PATENT to Alfred William Mantle of Eckernfoerde in the German
Empire but now temporarily of 169 Fleet Street London Engineer for an
invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING MACHINES,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred William Mantle at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st March 1882.
ALFRED WILLIAM MANTLE of Eckernfoerde in the German Empire, but now
temporarily of 169 Fleet Street, London, Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING
MACHINES
This Invention has for object improvements in thrashing machines and it
mainly consists first in combining the shaker with the riddles and working them
from the same cranks; second, in providing for the adjustment of the inclination of
the shaker so as to adapt it to the particular grain under treatment, and third in
combining with the second cleaning apparatus a screen composed of sieves which
are removable so that sieves of various grades can be employed; the bearings
required for the ordinary rotary screen are not required this screen being dispensed
with.
In carrying out my invention I connect the shaker to the riddle by means of
iron bands or otherwise so that the reciprocating movement imparted to the riddles
by the crank shaft is also imparted to the shaker. In order to adjust the inclination
of the shaker I construct it with a joint or hinge at any suitable distance from its
back end or quite at the back end and I fit any suitable contrivance such as a
screw by which the front end can be raised or lowered as required.
In combining with the second cleaning apparatus a screen composed of sieves, I
place these sieves, 3 more or less of different grades, below the said cleaning
apparatus and in the same box and they receive the same reciprocating motion as
the cleaning apparatus and the ordinary upper sieves. The lower sieves can be
taken out when required and replaced by others with meshes of different size
according to the qualities into which it is required to screen the grain.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred William Mantle in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th September 1882.
ALFRED WILLIAM MANTLE of Eckernfoerde in the German Empire Engineer
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING. MACHINES"
The object of the first part of my Invention is to effect a simplification of the
parts from which the straw shakers and caving riddles of thrashing machines
derive their motion and to make the inclination of the shakers adjustable so as to
adapt them to the particular grain under treatment.
In thrashing machines as ordinarily constructed the straw shaker is disconnected
from the caving riddle or riddles and is actuated by one pair or set of cranks or
other devices while the caving riddles are actuated by another pair or set of
cranks.
Now according to my Invention I connect the straw shaker with the caving
riddles so that the reciprocating movement imparted to the riddles by the cranks
which actuate them is also imparted to the shaker; the ordinary cranks or devices
for actuating the shaker are thereby dispensed witli. The machine is thus simplified
and a saving in first cost and in repairs effected.
Further, I construct the shaker with a joint or hinge at any suitable distance
from its back end or quite at the back end and I fit a contrivance such as a screw
by which the front end can be raised or lowered as required--This adjustment of
the inclination of the shaker adapts the machine for different sorts of grain.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a longitudinal section of a thrashing
machine constructed with the improvements hereinbefore described.
A is the thrashing drum. B the concave or breasting. C the shoot for con-
ducting the grain which falls through the breasting to the caving riddles. D the
straw shaker, E the caving riddle or riddles. Fone of the rods connecting the
riddle with the cranks. G the crank on a shaft driven in the usual manner.
There are another rod F and crank G at the other side of the machine.
H Harc
the hangers by which the riddles are suspended. I is the shaker frame and K. the
riddle frame; these frames are made to fit one upon another so that the recipro-
cating motion imparted to the frame K by the cranks G and connecting rods F is
also imparted to the frame I; the two frames I and K may be further connected
if desired by metal bands such as indicatted in dotted lines at X X or otherwise.
L is a hinge or joint in the shaker D; this hinge may either be at the position
shewn or at any other desired distance from the back end of the shaker or quite at
the back end. M is a screw (of which there may be one or more) working in a
nut N on the riddle frame and bearing against the underside of the shaker D so
that by rotating the screw in the one direction or the other the shaker is raised or
lowered on the hinge L.
Another part of my Invention relates to the second cleaning and screening
apparatus.
In thrashing machines as now ordinarily constructed the grain after having
been submitted to a first dressing or cleaning is conveyed by an elevator or
otherwise to a second dressing or cleaning apparatus composed of riddles or sieves;
in passing through these riddles or sieves the grain is submitted to the action of a
fan blast which blows out such impurities as may not have been removed by the
first dressing or cleaning operation-From the said riddles or sieves the cleaned or
dressed grain is usually allowed to fall to or is conveyed to, a rotary screen whose
periphery is divided into sections having respectively meshes of different gauge so

page_text: as to divide or assort the grain into several portions according to its various sizes.
This rotary screen which is itself expensive of course requires bearings and these
quickly, wear out.
Now this part of my Invention consists in combining with the second cleaning
or dressing apparatus a screen composed of riddles or sieves, three more or less, of
different gauge, these riddles being fitted in the same box as the second cleaning
or dressing apparatus so as to receive the same reciprocating motion as that
apparatus. As this screen does not rotate no bearings are necessary and it is
besides cheaper to construct than a rotary screen. The said screen can be taken
out when required like the ordinary first cleaning or dressing riddles of a thrashing
machine and replaced by others with meshes of different gauge according to the
qualities into which it is required to screen or assort the grain or according to the
particular grain under treatment.
This part of my invention is illustrated in the longitudinal section Figure 1 and
in Figure 2 which is a transverse section on the line xx.
a is the box containing the second dressing or cleaning apparatus; this box has
reciprocating motion imparted to it in any ordinary manner; in the drawing it is
shewn as connected for this purpose to the shoot C which conveys to the caving
riddles of the machine the grain which falls through the breasting or concave,
this shoot receiving reciprocating motion by cranks c and connecting rods d. e e are
hangers by which the shoot C and box a are suspended. ff are the riddles or sieves
of the second cleaning apparatus. g is the spout by which the grain descends to
these riddles. h is the pipe by which the blast from the fan i reaches the cleaning
apparatus. is a shoot upon which the grain which passes through the cleaning
apparatus falls. is the screen composed of three (or other number of) sieves or
riddles of different gauge for dividing or assorting the grain into four qualities
which respectively fall into the four receivers or hoppers m¹ m² m³ m*-The screen
like the riddles ffis fitted in the box a and therefore participates in the recipro-
cating motion imparted thereto as already explained. The screen as has been
already stated is removable so that it can be replaced in case of requirement by
one having meshes of different size.
<<
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my Improvements in thrashing
machines":
First. Connecting the straw shaker to the caving riddle substantially as herein
set forth so that they are both actuated by the same cranks in the manner
described.
Second. Constructing the straw shaker with a hinge or joint towards its back
end combined with means of raising or lowering its front end substantially as and
for the purpose herein set forth.
Third. Combining with the second cleaning apparatus a screen composed of
sieves or riddles of different gauge arranged to reciprocate with the riddles or
sieves of the second cleaning apparatus substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred William Mantle have hereunto set my
hand and seal this 18th day of September One thousand eight hundred
and eighty two.