IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING, TRANSFERRING, AND DISTRIBUTING GRAIN
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING, TRANSFERRING,
AND DISTRIBUTING GRAIN." A communication from abroad by Frederic
Augustus Luckenbach, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America, Mechanical Engineer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th May 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR
ELEVATING, TRANSFERRING, AND DISTRIBUTING GRAIN." [A communication from
abroad by Frederic Augustus Luckenbach, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America, Mechanical Engineer.]
This Invention relates to that class of apparatus employed in elevating and
transferring grain from one ship or vessel to another, or from a vessel to a ware-
house, or the like.
The objects of the said Invention are to provide an apparatus which in its con-
struction and application is both simple and effective, and which will greatly
economize time and expense in transferring grain, and to improve the condition of
the grain during the time of its transfer by causing its contact with currents of cold
dry air.
The said Invention comprises the combination of a gradually contracting and
expanding chamber or intermediate section of a grain elevating tube with an air-
injecting tube, also a gradually contracted chamber or end section of a grain dis-
charging tube with an air-injecting tube, for the purpose of transferring and
distributing or trimming grain. By injecting air into and forcing it through the
contracted chamber or section of an elevating tube a powerful suction current is
produced within the tube below the contracted chamber or intermediate section, and
when the lower end of the tube is brought in contact with the grain lying in bulk
the grain will be drawn into and carried upward until it comes in contact with the
current of injected air, with which it mingles, and by its power the grain is elevated

page_text: through the several sections of said elevating tube to various heights and into the
positions required.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I employ cylindrical tubes, which
are constructed of any suitable length and diameter, so that when necessary they
may easily be telescoped into each other in order to regulate the various heights
and positions required. The most essential part however of the said tubes consists
in having certain intermediate sections and also end sections of said tubes con-
structed in a peculiar form, and which I term concavo-convex sections, in connection
with each of which is an air-injecting pipe, introduced into and terminating within
or near to the lower end of said sections. There may be one, two, or more of the
said sections connected and in use at the same time with the main elevating tube,
according to the height of elevation required. The several positions of said sections
most suitable for effective work should be from 15 to 20 feet from the lower end,
and from 30 to 40 feet from each other in the main elevating tube.
The compressed air injected into the contracting lower end of said sections causes
a powerful combined force and suction of air throughout the whole length of the
elevating tube, and when the lower end of said tube is brought in contact with
grain lying in bulk the grain is thus drawn into and elevated through said tube,
and the grain may be discharged into a receiver in the upper part of a floating
elevation vessel, or it may be discharged directly into another vessel, or the grain
may be allowed to pass into weighing apparatus in the usual manner, after which
it may be discharged into a tube leading to the hold of a vessel or elsewhere.
An air-compressor or blowing engine with suitable air-receivers is placed in
proper position, the blowing engine being driven by steam from a generator in a
suitable location. The pressure of air in the receivers should be about 40 pounds
per square inch. Air-conducting pipes or hose are attached to the air receivers,
which are connected with and conduct the compressed air into the several concavo-
convex sections, suitable valves being in position to regulate the supply of air. The
upper end of the elevating tube may be arranged. to enter a curved section of tube,
which may be of gradually increasing diameter towards its end. At the lower end
of the elevating tube is a flexible hose or section of tube of suitable length for
reaching the grain lying at various distances from the hatches of the ship or
vessel. A perforated tapering cap at the extreme lower end of this section of tube
enables the said tube to be easily thrust into the grain lying in bulk, the perfora-
tions being of suitable size to allow a free but not too great an inflow of grain at
one time.
The sections or chambers are constructed and employed in the form described for
the purpose of securing a more concentrated power of the injected air-current than
could otherwise be obtained from a similar air-current if injected' and passed
through a plain straight tube. Another form of contracting and expanding sections
or chambers having straight inner walls may be employed with some effect, but these
are not nearly so effective as the curved convex walls. The smallest diameter of
the concavo-convex sections or chambers should not exceed one half the greatest
diameter, usually 8 inches. The length should be four times the largest diameter,
say 32 inches. The inner surface should be enamelled to secure perfect smoothness.
An injecting air-pipe is attached to and enters a short section of a plain straight
pipe, which is attached to the lower end of the chamber by a flange joint. The
bend of the injecting air pipe should be as long or large as possible within the
section. Upon the end of the injecting air-pipe an adjustable nozzle is arranged;
it, should be made annular in form to be most effective. The nozzle should be
adjusted in position so that the air jet or current on its exit will impinge with
greatest power against the inner convex walls of the chamber before it reaches the
centre or its most contracted part. The point of adjustment can easily be ascer-
tained by closing tight the lower end of the section of plain straight pipe or the
flexible hose section, attaching a vacuum guage thereto, and by injecting the air-
current through the chamber the greatest vacuum will be shewn upon the guage
when the nozzle is properly adjusted.

page_text: For distributing or trimming grain in the holds of vessels or on the floors of
warehouses a concavo-convex end section of tube with an injecting air-pipe attach-
ment is employed; the end section forms a distributing or trimming nozzle, through
which the grain as it falls through a discharging tube is ejected from the nozzle by
the power of the air injected into and through it, thus causing the grain to be forced
in a more or less horizontal stream from the nozzle to various distances and in
positions required. The nozzle attachments being made flexible and easily movable
to various positions, the grain can be distributed or trimmed more perfectly and at
much less expense of labor than has hitherto been done. During the progress of its
transfer by this improved pneumatic apparatus the grain is very much improved in
condition, caused by its contact with cold dry air.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
November 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR
A communication from
ELEVATING, TRANSFERRING, AND DISTRIBUTING GRAIN."
abroad by Frederic Augustus Luckenbach, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America, Mechanical Engineer.
This Invention relates to that class of apparatus employed in elevating and
transferring grain from one ship or vessel to another, or from a vessel to a ware-
house, or the like.
The objects of the said Invention are to provide an apparatus which in its con-
struction and application is both simple and effective, and which will greatly
economize the time and expense in transferring grain, and to improve the condition
of the grain during the time of its transfer by causing its contact with currents of
cold dry air.
The said Invention comprises the combination of a gradually contracting and
expanding chamber or intermediate section of a grain-elevating tube with an air
injecting tube, also a gradually contracted chamber or end section of a grain-
discharging tube with an air-injecting tube, for the purpose of transferring and -
distributing or trimming grain. By injecting air into and forcing it through the
contracted chamber or section of an elevating tube a powerful suction current is
produced within the tube below the contracted chamber or intermediate section, and
when the lower end of the tube is brought in contact with grain lying in bulk the
grain will be drawn in and carried upward until it comes in contact with the
current of injected air, with which it mingles, and by its power the grain is elevated
through the several sections of the said elevating tube to various heights and into
the positions required.

page_text: I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying Drawings,
in which,-
Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectional elevation of a pneumatic grain-
elevating tube and a grain distributing tube with grain-trimming nozzle attached
thereto.
Figure 2 represents a transverse sectional elevation of a floating pneumatic grain-
elevator between two vessels, showing the several positions in which my Invention
may be applied.
The remaining Figures are hereinafter described.
Similar letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I employ cylindrical tubes, which
are constructed of any suitable length and diameter, so that when necessary they
may easily be "telescoped" into each other in order to regulate the various heights
and positions required.
The most essential feature however of the said tubes consists in the provision of
intermediate sections and end sections constructed in a peculiar form, which I term
concavo-convex sections. In connection with each of these is an air-injecting pipe,
introduced into and terminating within or near the lower end of the said sections.
There may be one, two, or more of the said sections connected and in use at
the same time with the main elevating tube, according to the height of elevation
required.
The several positions of the suid sections most suitable for effective work should
be from 15 to 20 feet from the lower end, and from 30 to 40 feet from each other in
the main elevating tube.
The compressed air injected into the contracting lower end of the said sections
causes a powerful combined force and suction of air throughout the whole length of
the elevating tube, and when the lower end of this tube is brought in contact with
grain lying in bulk the grain is thus drawn into and elevated through the said
tube, and the grain may be discharged into a receiver in the upper part of a
floating elevator vessel, or it may be discharged directly into another vessel, or
the grain may be allowed to pass into weighing apparatus in the usual manner;
it may then be discharged into a tube leading to the hold of a vessel or elsewhere.
An air-compressor or blowing engine B with suitable air receivers C is placed in
the proper position, the blowing engine being driven by steam from a suitably-
arranged generator. The pressure of air in the receivers C should be about
40 pounds per square inch. Air-conducting pipes or hose attached to the air-
receivers Care connected with and conduct the compressed air into the several
concavo-convex_sections E, E¹, E, suitable valves being provided to regulate the
supply of air. The upper end of the elevating tube D may be arranged to enter a
curved section of tube, which may be of gradually increasing diameter towards its
end. To the lower end of the clevating tube is connected a flexible hose or section
of tube G of suitable length for reaching the grain lying at various distances from
the hatches of the ship or vessel. A perforated tapering cap g at the extreme lower
end of this tube or section G enables the tube G to be easily thrust into the grain
lying in bulk, the perforations being of suitable size to allow a free but not too
great an inflow of grain at one time.
The sections or chambers E, E¹, E2, are constructed and employed in the form
shewn and described for the purpose of securing a more concentrated power of the
injected air current than could otherwise be obtained from a similar air-current if
injected and passed through a plain straight tube. Another form of contracting and
expanding sections or chambers having straight inner walls may be employed with
some effect, but these are not nearly so effective as the curved convex walls, as
shewn. The smallest diameter of the chamber E should not exceed one half its
greatest diameter (usually 8 inches); its length should be four times its largest
diameter (say 32 inches). The inner surface should be enamelled to secure
smoothness. The injecting air-pipe f is attached to and enters a short section of
plain straight pipe F, which is attached to the lower end of the chamber E by a

page_text: fange-joint. The bend of the injecting air-pipe f should be as long or large as
possible within the section F. Upon the end of the injecting. air-pipe f an
adjustable nozzle is arranged; this nozzle should be annular in form to be most
effective, and should be adjusted into such a position that the air jet or current on
its exit will impinge with greatest power against the inner convex walls of the
chamber E before it reaches the centre or its most contracted part. The point of
adjustment can easily be ascertained by closing tightly the lower end of the sections
For G and attaching a vacuum-gauge thereto, and by injecting the air-current
through the chamber E the greatest vacuum will be shown upon the gauge when
the nozzle is properly adjusted.
For distributing or trimming grain in the holds of vessels or on the floors of
warehouses a concavo-convex end section of tube E2 with an injecting air-pipe
attachment is employed; this end section forms a distributing or trimming nozzle,
through which the grain as it falls through the discharging tube K is ejected from
The grain will
the nozzle by the power of the air injected into and through it.
thereby be forced in a more or less horizontal stream from the nozzle to various.
distances and to any positions required. The nozzle-attachments being flexible and
easily movable to various positions, the grain can be distributed or trimmed more*
perfectly and with much less expense for labor than has hitherto been practicable.
During the progress of its transfer by this improved pneumatic apparatus the grain
is greatly improved in condition by its contact with cold dry air.
In Figures 3, 4, 5, I have shewn a modified construction of the aforesaid, injecting
apparatus.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the same.
Figures 4 and 5 are plans of portions of the same detached.
The ejector in this modification has its narrowest part or throat nearer the lower´
end than in that above described to allow a longer and more gradual enlargement
of the volume of air and grain passing upward through it. Moreover, the lower
portion of the ejector from the narrow or throat part is much more widened out to
its end to afford space for an air-chamber around the pipe, passing into and through
it. Near the throat the portion of the elevating pipe below the ejector is arranged
to enter it, and the end of this pipe being convexly taper an annular space is formed
between it and the inner walls of the ejector, so that the compressed air forced into
the bell-shaped, chamber passes into the ejector through this annular space or nozzle,
and into and upward through the main ejector and pipe at the point of smallest
area, thus causing greater power of suction and force than would be obtainable with
other air-injecting pipes used for similar purposes. Moreover, this improved form"
causes less obstruction to the passage of the grain through the pipe than the pipe
within the elevating pipe, as first above described. The air is introduced into the
bell-shaped chamber by two opposite openings from a two-branch pipe outside of
the elevating pipe.
Figure shews the air-chamber with two air-inlets and the annular air-nozzle..
At the lower end of the flexible part of the elevating tube or pipe there is an
improved apparatus, as shewn in Figure 5, for allowing the grain to enter the pipe.
It is very difficult to move grain by suction when such grain is lying inertly in any
position, but I employ for this purpose a pointed or tapering end with a slotted
cover forced into or under the grain in order that the grain inay fall of its own
gravity into the slots or openings in the top surface, and be at once subjected to the
force of suction and carried upward in regular quantities, according to the size of
the openings made by the sliding cover upon the tapering slotted end.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,―
First. In a pneumatic apparatus one or more intermediate sections of tube, which
5 are concavo-convex in form, their inner walls being either curved or straight to and
from the smallest diameter thereof, in combination with an air-injecting pipe, the
exit end of which terminates in a central position within or near to one end of the

page_text: said section, the whole being in combination with a tube or tubes for elevating and
transferring grain, as herein set forth.
Second. In a pneumatic apparatus a concavo-convex chamber or end-section
forming a grain-ejector-nozzlo, the inner walls of which are either curved or straight
towards its smallest diameter, in combination with an air-injecting pipe, the exit end
of which terminates in a central position within or near to one end of the said end-
section, the whole being in combination with a grain-discharging tube for distri-
buting and trimming grain, as herein set forth.
Third. In an apparatus for transferring grain the concavo-convex injector-chamber
for exhausting grain from its receiver and forcing the grain through the said injector-
chamber into a transfer pipe or tube, in combination with an air-injecting nozzle
upon the discharge end of the said transfer pipe or tube, substantially as and for
the purpose herein set forth.
Fourth. In combination with the air-pump, the air-receiver, and the air con-
ducting pipe, the contracted and expanded chambers with the air and grain
induction pipe attached thereto, and the eduction pipe leading therefrom, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fifth. In combination with a grain elevating and transferring apparatus provided
with a blowing engine or air-compressor-pump or pumps, the air receiver or
receivers and grain receiver, the pneumatic transfer tube provided with one or
more intermediate concavo-convex chambers for drawing and forcing grain from
and to different positions, and the pneumatic tube or hose leading from the said air-
receivers to the said chambers, and the discharging tube provided with the grain-
ejecting-nozzle leading therefrom for conducting and distributing grain, as above
described.
Sixth. In a pneumatic grain elevating, conveying, or transferring tube, two or
more concavo-convex ejectors having within their lower end an air-chamber into
which the elevating tube is inserted, and having a tapering end which terminates
near the throat or smallest part of said ejectors in such manner that the end of the
pipe or tube in connection with the inner part of the ejector forms an annular air-
space or nozzle for the passage of the air from the chamber into the ejector at its
smallest area, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Seventh. In a pneumatic apparatus for elevating, conveying, or transferring
grain, the tapering end-section, as shewn in Figure 5, having a slotted cover or top
upon which there is a sliding cover to regulate the quantity of grain entering the
elevating tube, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)