IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC ELEVATORS FOR RAISING OR CONVEYING SEED, CORN, OR OTHER GRANULOUS MATERIALS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Friedrich Hermann Felix Engel, Civil Engineer and
Patent Agent, in the City of Hamburg, Germany, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC ELEVATORS FOR RAISING OR CONVEYING SEED,
CORN, OR OTHER GRANULOUS MATERIALS." A communication from Alfred
Benno Hennicke and Hermann Isaac Goos, both of Hamburg, in the German
Tmnire
Sealed the 20th April 1880, and dated the 31st October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Friedrich Hermann Felix
Engel at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st October
1879.
⚫ FRIEDRICH HERMANN FELIX ENGEL, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, in the
City of Hamburg, Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC ELEVATORS FOR
RAISING OR CONVEYING SEED, CORN, OR OTHER GRANULOUS MATERIALS." A
communication from Alfred Benno Hennicke and Hermann Isaac Goos, both of
Hamburg, in the German Empire.
This apparatus is constructed for raising or conveying seed; corn, or other
granulous materials by pneumatic pressure, and consists of a vessel of cast iron, into
which the corn or other granulous material is led from a hopper by the aid of a fan-
wheel, which is turned either by a motor or automatically by the weight of the
material which presses on one side of the fan blades only while passing through the
wheel. The ends of the fan blades are furnished with leather strips, and the sides
of the wheel are turned carefully to make it fit air-tight in its corresponding
casing. Through the top of the vessel, and reaching down very near to the
bottom of the same is placed a tube, through which the corn or other granulous
material is removed from the vessel as soon as the latter is put in communication
with an air compressor. The compressed air enters into the vessel through a pipe,
and acts on the material fed into the vessel by the fan-wheel. The material may
be further raised or conveyed in any desired direction from the apparatus by means
of prolongation pipes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Friedrich Hermann Felix Engel in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 29th April 1880.
"
"
FRIEDRICH HERMANN FELIX ENGEL, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, in the
City of Hamburg, Germany. IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC ELEVATORS FOR
RAISING OR CONVEYING SEED, CORN, OR OTHER GRANULOUS MATERIALS." A
communication from Alfred Benno Hennicke and Hermann Isaac Goos, both of
Hamburg, in the German Empire.
This apparatus is constructed for raising or conveying seed, corn, or other
granulous materials by pneumatic pressure, and, as represented by Figs. 1, 2,
and 3, consists of a vessel A of cast iron, into which the corn or other granulous
material is led from a hopper E by the aid of a fan-wheel C, which is turned either
by a motor or automatically by the weight of the material, which presses on one
side of the fan blades only while passing through the wheel. The ends of the fan
blades are furnished with leather strips r, and the sides of the wheel are turned
carefully to make it fit airtightly in its corresponding casing, as shown. Through
the top of the vessel, and reaching down very nearly to the bottom of the same, is
placed a tube B, through which the corn or other granulous material is removed
from the vessel A, as soon as the said vessel is put in communication with an air
compressor. The compressed air enters into the vessel through pipe D, and acts
on the material fed into the vessel by the fan-wheel. The material may be further
raised or conveyed in any desired direction from the apparatus by means of
prolongation direction pipes attached to B. a is exhaust pipe for air which returns
from vessel A.
In Figs. 4 and 5 are represented modifications of constructions of the improved
elevator, whereof Fig. 4 represents an apparatus which is periodically filled and
emptied, whilst Fig. 5 represents a continuously acting elevator.
Fig. 4 consists of a vessel R, R, of circular, oval, or square shape, which is
divided by wall e into two compartments; each compartment is at the top
furnished with a conical valve A which can be turned by hand, and be opened or
closed accordingly; each compartment is furnished with a pipe B carrying at the
bottom end an enlarged mouthpiece of curved shape; both pipes are at the upper
end outside of R, R, joined and run into one tube, and are at the point of junction
furnished with a flap-valve C, by means of which alternately one or other of
tubes B, B, is closed automatically; D, D, are the blast pipes leading from the
blower or air compressor, which pipes are furnished with cocks or valves, by means
of which the communication with the air compressor can be shut off. The material
which has to be conveyed is passed through valves A into the compartments R, R,
and after these valves have been closed one of the air inlet pipes D is opened. The
compressed air forces the material from the corresponding compartment upwards
through the corresponding pipe B, which pipe or connection pipes may be laid in
any desired direction; after the one compartment has been emptied the air pressure
pipe to the other compartment is opened, whilst that of the first compartment is
closed. The material of the second compartment is consequently forced upward
through pipe B, whilst in the meantime the first compartment can be refilled with
new material by opening the corresponding top valve. In such manner alternatively
one compartment after the other is filled and emptied.
Instead of conical revolving valves A, A, also flat valves or flaps may be employed
for feeding the apparatus.
Fig. 5 represents the modification of continually acting elevator with two feeding
fan-wheels C, and mounted on wheels m, m, for transportation of the apparatus
from one place to another if required. The wheels C¹ may be driven by gearing,
straps, or in any other convenient manner; H is the vessel into which the material

page_text: is fed by the wheels C³, and to which the air pressure is applied by the air pipe P
which communicates with H from one side of the apparatus; a, a, are exhaust
pipes for the air which returns from vessel H through the emptied fans of wheels C', C',
to the open air. The lifting pipe N is shown in the Drawing in vertical direction,
but it may be bent or elbowed or be laid in any other convenient direction for
conveying the material.
Instead of feeding the apparatus by means of fan-wheels travelling aprons or
creepers, archimedian screws or other convenient arrangements may be used for
that purpose.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention,
I claim,
First. The combined elevator for raising or conveying granulous materials by
pneumatic pressure, consisting of an air tight vessel, into which the material is fed
by continual action of fan-wheels (one or more) creepers, archimedian screws, or
other similar arrangements; an air pressure pipe, and a lifting or conveying pipe,
substantially as described, and as explained in reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5, of
the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The periodically acting elevator consisting of two or more air tight
compartments, which are fed periodically one after the other through valves or
flaps and emptied by air pressure, likewise periodically one after the other,
substantially as described, and as explained in reference to Fig. 4 of the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Friedrich Hermann Felix Engel, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
F. H. F. ENGEL. (L.S.)