A NEW MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR DECORTICATING. SEPARATING THE GERM, AND DRYING WHEAT OR OTHER GRAIN
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Anton Joseph Glas, of Bedford Street, West-
minster, London, for the Invention of "A NEW MODE OF AND APPARATUS
FOR DECORTICATING. SEPARATING THE GERM, AND DRYING WHEAT OR OTHER
GRAIN."
Sealed the 17th December 1869, and dated the 21st June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Anton Joseph Glas
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st June 1869.
I, ANTON JOSEPH GLAS, of Bedford Street, Westminster, London,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Iuvention for "A NEW MODE
OF AND APPARATUS FOR DECORTICATING, SEPARATING THE GERM, AND DRYING
WHEAT OR OTHER GRAIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain new methods of decorticating,
separating the germ, and drying wheat or other grain. The grain may,
according to these plans, be treated in either the dry or the wet state,
the latter being prefered. In the first instance I place the dry grain in
[Price]

page_text: a wire gauze cylinder of an improved construction in order to separate
from it the dust, stones, straws, or other foreign matters with which it
may be mixed, and after having passed it through this cylinder I
subject the grain to the action of a current of air so as to separate all the
lighter matters which are of the same size as the grain, and which
cannot be easily separated from it in any other way. Next, if the
grain is to be moistened, I submit it to the wetting process, this being
effected by admitting to the grain suflicient water to moisten it to the
desired extent, and subjecting it to the action of an Archimedean screw
combined with stirrers. By this means the grain is kept in motion and
is moistened uniformly at all parts, while the water which is not
absorbed by it is allowed to escape before the grain has passed com-
pletely through the moistening apparatus.
When the grain has gone
through this apparatus I deliver it to the decorticating apparatus, the
construction of which may vary considerably in detail so long as the
mode of action hercin-after described is adhered to. For instance,
according to one arrangement of this apparatus I use a horizontal
hollow shaft provided with flat shaped blades or stirrers, which are set
round it at equal intervals, and in a helical line or nearly so. This shaft
with its stirrers is surrounded by a cylinder, which is also provided with
stirrers projecting from its inner surface so as to form a helical line,
having a contrary pitch to that followed by the stirrers on the shaft first
mentioned. This cylinder is provided at what I may term its hindmost
end with a feed pipe for supplying it with grain, this pipe com-
municating with a collar which surrounds the cylinder and covers the
holes in the latter, through which the grain (previously moistened, as
above described) is fed into the cylinder at a regulated rate as it comes
from the moistening apparatus. The grain on entering the cylinder is
forced forward towards the stirrers by means of a short Archimedean
screw fixed on the hindmost end of the hollow shaft above mentioned.
To this shaft with stirrers and Archimedean screw, as well as to the
cylinder surrounding it, I give a slow rotating motion, the motion of the
shaft being in the opposite direction to that of the cylinder. Thus in
this arrangement the grain is forced towards the stirrers by the Archi-
medean screw, and is then kept in motion by the stirrers. The pressure
upon the grain caused by the Archimedean screw, combined with the
agitation produced by the stirrers, gives rise to great rubbing friction
amongst the particles of the grain, and the decortication as well as
the separation of germ is thus effected by the frictional contact of the

page_text: particles themselves without in the least degree injuring or cutting the
inner kernel. At the same time, through the combined action of the Archi-
medean screw and stirrers, the grain has a progressive motion imparted
to it, which carries it towards the foremost end of the apparatus, when,
according to the arrangement I am now describing, it is 'discharged
into an annular space surrounding the cylinder already mentioned.
Here the method of treatment above explained is repeated, but with
less stirring action (water being added if necessary), the grain being
acted upon only by stirrers, which project from the outer surface of the
cylinder through which it was previously passed. This latter cylinder is
itself surrounded by a perforated sheet-iron cylinder, the annular space
between the two cylinders being that to which I have already referred.
The outer cylinder is closed at both ends, and is fixed at the foremost
end on the shaft before mentioned, so that it revolves in the opposite
direction to the inner cylinder which carries the stirrers. The grain
discharged from the inner cylinder is by means of a short Archimedean.
screw fixed on the exterior of that cylinder forced into the annular
space between the two cylinders, and is made to traverse this space
towards the hindmost end of the apparatus, being subjected on its way
to the action of the stirrers projecting from the exterior of the inner
cylinder. These stirrers give rise to a moderate rubbing action between
the particles, which completes the decorticating operation. During the
time the grain is traversing the annular space also the husks and germs
will, to a great extent, be discharged through the perforations of the
outer cylinder. When the grain reaches the hindmost end of the annular
space it is discharged through holes in the circumference of the outer
cylinder into another apparatus, which is suitably connected with that
already described. The apparatus which now receives the grain consists
of a perforated sheet-iron cylinder set horizontally, this cylinder being
traversed by a shaft having arms, which support bars of suitable soft
material bent into a helical line of such pitch that each bar makes but
one half turn in the whole length of the cylinder. This shaft has a
rapid rotatory motion imparted to it, while the cylinder is also made to
rotate slowly in the opposite direction, so that there is given to the grain a
rapid whirling motion, which produces the final finish; at the same time
the action of the bars causes the grain to progress towards the discharging
end of the apparatus, and the husks and germ are during this operation
nearly, if not all, thrown out through the perforated cylinder, while the
drying of the grain is also effected to a great extent. After the grain

page_text: has passed through the operations above described and is completely
docorticated, as well as free from germ and husks, I admit it to the
drying apparatus, which consists of an inclined surface of wire gauze of
large area, there being introduced underneath this surface a blast of air,
which acts on the grain as the latter passes slowly down the incline.
On reaching the bottom of this incline this grain falls upon an inclined
endless band of wire gauze (underneath which a blast of air is also
admitted), this band having a slow motion which carries the grain up
the incline. The grain may in this way be passed over a series of as
many fixed and travelling inclines (such as I have just described) as
may be found desirable. After the grain is discharged from the drying
apparatus I subject it to the action of another and more forcible current.
of air so as to separate the grain into two or more different sorts. as
may be desirable, according to its qualities, and at the same time all the
husks and the germ or other extraneous matters, should any such still
be mixed with the grain, will be separated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Anton Joseph Glas in the Great Seal Patent Oflice
on the 21st December 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1. ANTON
JOSEPH GLAS, of Bedford Street, Westminster, London, County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Anton Joseph Glas, Fler special licence that I,
the said Anton Joseph Glas, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Anton Joseph Glas, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 "A NEW MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR DECORTI-
CATING, SEPARATING THE GERM. AND DRYING WHEAT OR OTHER GRAIN," upon

page_text: the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Anton Joseph Glas, my
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 Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Anton Joseph Glas, 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 Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):―
This Invention relates to certain new methods of decorticating,
separating the germ, and drying wheat or other grain. The grain may,
according to these plans, be treated in either the dry or wet state, the
latter being prefered. In the first instance I place the dry grain in a
wire gauze cylinder a of an improved construction in order to separate
from it the dust, stones, straws, or other foreign matters with which it
may be mixed, and after having passed it through this cylinder I subject
the grain to the action of currents of air a' produced by the fan a, so as
to separate all the lighter matters which are of the same size as the
grain, and which cannot easily be separated from it in any other way.
Next, if the grain is to be moistened, I submit it to the wetting process,
this being effected by admitting to the grain sufficient water by the pipe z
to moisten it to the desired extent, and by subjecting it to the action of
an Archimedean screw b combined with stirrers b'. By these means the
grain is kept in motion and is moistened uniformly at all parts, while
the water which is not absorbed by it is allowed to escape through the
perforated trough c before the grain has passed completely through the
moistening apparatus. When the grain has gone through these opera-
tions I deliver it to the decorticating apparatus, the construction of
which may vary considerably in detail so long as the mode of action
herein-after described is adhered to. For instance, one arrangement of
this apparatus which I propose is shown in the accompanying Drawing,
where Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section taken through the line A, B, of
Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a cross section taken through the line C, D, of
Fig. 1.
In these Figures d is a horizontal hollow shaft provided with

page_text: flat shaped blades d' or stirrers, which are set round it at convenient
intervals, and in a helical line or nearly so. This shaft d with its stir-
rers d' is surrounded by a cylinder e, which is provided with stirrers e'
projectind from its inner surface, so as to form a helical line having a
contrary pitch to that followed by the stirrers d' on the shait d first
inentioned. This cylinder e is provided at what I may call its hindmost
end with a feed pipe for supplying it with grain, this pipe communi-
cating with a collar which surrounds the cylinder e and covers the
holes c' in the latter, through which the grain (previously moistened, as
above described) is fed into the cylinder e at a regulated rate as it comes
from the moistening apparatus. The grain on entering the cylinder is
forced forward towards the stirrers d' and e' by means of a short Archi-
medean screw g at the hindmost end of the hollow shaft above men-
tioned. To this shaft with the stirrers d' and Archimedean serew g, as
well as to the cylinder e surrounding it, I give a slow rotative motion,
the motion of the shaft d being in the opposite direction to that of the
cylinder c. Thus in this arrangement the grain is forced towards the
stirrers by the Archimedean screw g, and is then kept in motion by the
stirrers d' and e'. The pressure upon the grain caused by the Archi-
medean screw, combined withthe agitation produced by the stirrers, gives
rise to great rubbing friction amongst the particles of the grain, and the
decortication as well as the separation of the germ is thus effected by the
frictional contact of the particles themselves without in the least degree
in injuring or cutting the inner kernel. At the same time, through
the combined action of the Archimedean screw and stirrers, the grain has
a progressive motion imparted to it, which carries it towards the formost
end of the apparatus, where, according to the arrangement. I am now
describing, it is discharged into an annular space surrounding the
cylinder e already mentioned. Here the method of treatment above
explained is repeated, but with less stirring action, a fresh supply of
water being added by the pipe e" fixed on the collar ', as shown at
Fig. 4, if necessary. Here the grain is acted upon only by the stirrers i
which project from the outer surface of the cylinder e through which it
was previously passed. This latter cylinder e is itself surrounded by a
perforated sheet-iron cylinder j, the annular space between the two
The outer
cylinders being that to which I have already referred.
cylinder is closed at both ends and is fixed at the formost end on the
shaft d, so that it revolves in the opposite direction to the inner cylinder e
which carries the stirrers e¹ and i. The grain discharged from the inner

page_text: cylinder e is by means of a short Archimedean screw k fixed on the
exterior of the cylinder e forced into the annular space between two
cylinders, and is made to traverse this space towards the hindmost end
of the apparatus, being subjected on its way to the action of the stirrers i
projecting from the exterior of the inner cylinder e. These stirrers give
rise to great rubbing action between the particles, which completes the
decorticating operation. During the time the grain is traversing the
annular space also the husks will, to a great extent, be discharged
through the perforations in the outer cylinder j. When the grain reaches
the hindmost end of the annular space it is discharged through holes in
the circumference of the outer cylinder j into another apparatus h, which
is connected by a collar m to that already described and shown at Fig. 5.
The apparatus h which now receives the grain consists of a perforated
sheet-iron cylinder n set horizontally, this cylinder being traversed by a
shaft o having arms o' which support iron bars covered with indian-
rubber p and bent into a helical line of such pitch that each bar makes
but one half turn in the whole length of the cylinder. This shaft has a
rapid rotatory motion imparted to it, while the cylinder n is also made to
rotate slowly in the opposite direction, so that there is given to the grain
a rapid whirling motion which produces the final finish; at the same
time the action of the bars causes the grain to progress towards the
discharging end of the apparatus, and the husks are during this operation
nearly, if not all, thrown out through the perforated cylinder and made
to traverse with those thrown out of the decorticator by the threads q
around the cylinder n to the hindmost end of the apparatus, while the
drying of the grain is also effected to a great extent. If it should be
found desirable to dry the grain still more I propose to use an apparatus
consisting of an inclined surface of wire gauze of large area, there being
introduced underneath this surface a blast of air, which acts on the grain
as the latter passes slowly down the incline. On reaching the bottom of
this incline the grain falls upon an inclined endless band of wire gauze
(underneath which a blast of air is also admitted), this band having a
slow motion which carries the grain up the incline. The grain may in
this way be passed over a series of as many fixed and travelling inclines
(such as I have just described) as may be found desirable. After the
grain has passed through the operations above described and is completely
decorticated as well as free from husks I admit it into the fan elevator r,
which throws the grain up through the spout r' into the hopper s, where
it is subjected to the action of a number of currents of air s¹, which are

page_text: produced by the fan z, so as to separate the grain into two or more
different sorts, as may be desirable, according to its qualities, and at the
same time all the husks or other extraneous matters, should any such
still be mixed with the grain, will be separated.
Fig. 6 shows in section another arrangement of feed apparatus in
which one or more discs are applied, as shown, to prevent the grain
from moving round with the Archimedean screw g when the resistance
to the grain being forced forward is great. This apparatus will enable
the decorticator to be fed under any desired head pressure and at any
desired rate.
In witness whereof, I, the said Anton Joseph Glas, have hereunto
set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of December, in the
year of our Lord 1869.
ANTON JOSEPH GLAS. (L.S.)