Improvements in Screens or Machines for Cleaning, Dressing, and Separating, Grain.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1895-Accepted, 17th Aug.,
1895'
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Screens or Machines for Cleaning, Dressing,
and Separating, Grain.
:
We, CHARLES COUSINS, and GEORGE WILLIAM WEATHERHOGG, both
of 7 Broadgate, in the City of Lincoln, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of this 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 accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
Our invention relates to improvements in screens, or machines for cleaning,
dressing, and separating grain, and it has reference more particularly to that class
of screen known as the flat or "Boby," the object being to provide improved means,
of a more simple and reliable kind than those at present in use, for varying the
mesh of the screen, by altering. the adjustment of the parallel screening wires
or rods.
Our invention further relates, to an improved cleaning washer for use in screens
of this class, whereby the same can slide freely upon the carrying bars without
fear of becoming fast thereon.
In carrying out our invention, the screen bed is supported on transverse carrying
bars secured in a shoe working upon the outer frame in the ordinary manner, but,
in order to effect the adjustment of the mesh, we provide the screen with adjustable
side frames arranged to slide on the carrying bars, and between which side frames
extend spiral springs surrounding each alternate one of the said carrying bars, and
to the coils of which springs the screening wires or rods are secured. Our improved
cleaning washers are arranged on transverse washer rods, and are provided with
bosses or ferrules to enable them to work more freely.
.
In order to vary the adjustment of the meshes, the adjustable side frames are
brought closer together, or are separated by any suitable means, such as hereinafter
described, thus compressing, or expanding, the springs to which the screening wires
are secured, and correspondingly diminishing, or increasing, the distance between
the said wires. The side frames may be operated by a parallel motion.or
otherwise.
And in order that the invention may be readily understood we will describe the
same fully with reference to the annexed drawings, in which :-
T
Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of our improved screen, and
Fig. 2, is a horizontal section thereof with the parts above, the screen bed
removed, as also a portion of such bed.
Fig. 3 is an edge view of our improved cleaning washer; and
Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views, in elevation and plan, respectively, of the screen
bed', washers, and springs.
a is the, outer frame of the screen, and is the shoe having the transverse
carrying bars which support the screen bed and serve as stays thereto, and are
held, securely in position in the shoe by washers. 2 are the washer rods which
re carried in separate supports 6 secured to the outer frame of the machine. This
hoe b has a reciprocating motion imparted to by means of a crank A, connecting
od A', and gear wheels B, B', c are the adjustable side frames which slide upon
he bars b; and d are the spiral springs secured to the side fraines c, and, which

page_text: surround alternate carrying bars and to which the screen wires or rods e are
-secured by wire lacing in a manner similar to a rotary corn screen.
C is the hopper which is of ordinary construction.
In the arrangement shown in the drawings, the adjustable side frames c, are
operated by a parallel motion comprising two pairs of levers, each pair forming a
toggle arrangement-and being connected at their outer ends to opposite points
on the side frames, while their inner ends are connected to a winged nut 9. there
being one such nut for each of the two pairs of levers. The nuts g work on a
screw shaft h, the portion on which one of the nuts works having a left hand
thread, and that on which the other nut works having a right hand thread. The
screw his arranged centrally and longitudinally of the screen; it is supported in
bearings h¹, and is operated by a hand wheel 2.
The adjustment of the mesh to suit various size of grain, is effected, as already
stated, by operating the side frames c towards or away from each other, and this
can readily take place by turning the handwheel in one or the other direction.
For instance, in the screen shown in the drawings, by turning this wheel in a right
handed direction, the nuts.g are caused to travel on their respective screw portions
and to recede from each other, and by means of the toggle levers f to force the
side frames apart, so allowing the springs d to expand and the screen wires to
separate thus increasing the size of mesh. By turning the wheel in the opposite
or left handed direction, the side frames care caused to advance towards each
other, and the wires are, of course, brought closer together, thereby diminishing
the 'mesh.
,, are the improved cleaning washers which are arranged as seen more clearly
in Figs. 4 and 5, on the washer rods 62, and have bosses or ferrules stamped or
otherwise formed, on them, as shown more clearly in edge view Fig. 3, these bosses
or ferrules serving as 'bearings for 'the washers and permitting them to slide freely
on the said rods. These washers have a central aperture, shaped to correspond to
the rods, so that if these latter be round in cross section the washers will slide
and turn 'freely, thus further diminishing the liability to stick, whereas if the bars
be of square or other section, the washers will still be able to move laterally freely,
but without 'turning.
C
An alternative arrangement for effecting the movements of the side frames by
screws, instead of by toggle levers, will be readily understood from the following
description, but is not shown in the drawings. It comprises two, or more, screw
shafts situated parallel to the bars b' and having left hand threads at one end, and
right hand threads at the other end, each set of threads engaging a nut, or its
‘equivalent, on one of the side frames. Suitable means, such as a worm shaft
arranged longitudinally of the screen in a position corresponding to that of the
shaft in the arrangement previously described, and engaging worm wheels secured
to the screw shafts, are provided for rotating these shafts simultaneously, and hence
the side frames will be drawn together, or be separated, on such rotation taking
place in one or the other direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said 'inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we
claim:
:
1. The improved construction of flat or "Boby " screen, for cleaning, dressing,
and separating grain, in which the screening wires are attached to spiral springs
capable of being compressed between adjustable side frames to vary the mesh, and
the adjustment of such frames is effected by toggle 'levers connected, on the one
band, to said side frames, and on the other to winged nuts working on a screw shaft
having right and left hand threads, substantially as described and shewn in the
drawings.
2. In a 'screen of the kind above claimed, the improved form of cleaning washer
having bosses or ferrules stamped or otherwise formed thereon, substantially as and
for the purpose described.

page_text: 3. The alternative arrangement, for opening and closing the adjustable side
frames of the bed, wherein two (or more) cross shafts are employed, said shafts
having right and left hand threads working in threaded nuts secured to the
side frames and being operated by a worm shaft geared to the screwed shafts so
that upon turning the worm shaft in one direction the side frames are drawn
inwards, thereby compressing the spiral springs and reducing the meshes of the
screening wires, and when turned in the opposite direction expanding the springs.
and increasing the meshes, substantially as described.
4. Our improvements in screens or machines for cleaning, dressing, and separating.
grain, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.
1008
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78 Fleet Street, London, and 5ª Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.