to CLEANING AND SORTING GRAIN, BEANS, PEAS, SEEDS, COFFEE, AND RICE
Year: 1885

page_text: I SAMUEL BEAVEN, of Campinas, in the province of São Paulo, Brazil
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
" to
CLEANING AND SORTING GRAIN, BEANS, PEAS, SEEDS, COFFEE, AND RICE
be as follows:-
:-
The principle of my invention is the making a separation by means of a strong
current of air in a vertical tube, or, when a number of separations are required in a
number of vertical tubes jacketted one over and above the other the pressure of
the air being according to the area of the section of the tube, and the separation of
the different grades according to the pressure, the heaviest grain falling down the
central tube the lighter grade between this and the next larger and the lightest.
between the outer and second tube.
My Pneumatic Separator in its simplest form for making a single separation'
and for dealing with dusty material consists of an iron fan blower in combina-
tion with a bend and a vertical tube passing upwards through a hopper which
surrounds it and is fixed to it.
Another form, of my separator for making a single separation of grain or other
material free from dust, consists of a fan blower in combination with a bend
and a vertical tube jacketted by a larger tube extending above it over which is
fixed the hopper.
"
The more complicated form of my separator for making more than one separation
consists of a fan blower in combination with a bend of special form, and a vertical
tube jacketted by a larger tube extending above it this being jacketted by another'
and still larger tube upon which rests the hopper the upper part of the outer tube
being perforated to allow the air to escape.
The bend for connecting the blower with the vertical tube is made with the
vertical part continued downwards to the level of the base of the blower and'
with a flange for bolting to the floor, and an outlet at the bottom covered by the
sliding register plate. I use this form of bend when the machine is fixed in an
upper storey to discharge the grain into a lower.
When my separator is made for the use of small farmers and is required to
discharge the grain into a bushel measure I use a curved tube in which the vertical'
part is continued downwards and cut off at an angle sloping outwards towards an
outlet which is covered by the sliding plate.

page_text: When the separator is required to discharge the heavy grain either into sacks or
bins, I use a combination of a bend with an inverted T (the horizontal part of the
tube being continued beyond the bend) having an internal curved division.
In the horizontal part of the tube where it extends beyond the bend, there is
an aperture in the curved plate communicating with the space below, and in
communication with this space there a curved tube through which the heavy
grain which falls through the aperture is discharged into sacks or bins.
At the end of the horizontal part of the tube where it extends beyond the bend
there is a sliding plate for communicating with the interior of the tube.
There is a sliding register plate (regulated by a screw) placed between the
mouth of the blower and the flange of the bend for regulating the pressure of the
air in the vertical tube. This plate covers the part of the tube above the curved
plate, the communication with the space underneath the curved plate, being left
always open.
For certain purposes I use a box or chamber, instead of a bend for forming the
connection between the blower and the verticle tube, having the mouth of the
blower secured to one side and the vertical tube fixed on the top and having a
door or sliding plate covering an aperture through which the grain falling down
into the chamber can be removed.
In that form of my separator in which the vertical tube passes up through
the hopper, the feed is regulated by an annular plate having a number of
apertures corresponding to openings in the bottom of the hopper and choking is
prevented by means of a stirrer which consists of an annular plate similar to the
before named plate but having a number of vertical projections.
An alternating rotary or shake motion is given to the plate by means of a lever
having a fork at its lower extremity which clutches an eccentric cast on the hub
of a wheel.
The hopper is continued beyond the bottom until it encircles the tube into which
the grain is conveyed as it falls through the apertures in the plate.
In the other form of my separator with the jacketted tubes, the hopper is fixed
upon the outer tube and there is a small tube for the purpose of conducting the
grain into the vertical tube. As far as the conducting tube enters the outer tube
the latter is made of so much larger diameter as to preserve the same sectional area
throughout, after deducting the space occupied by the conducting tube. In this
tube just underneath the hopper, there is a conical valve upon a vertical rod
passing through the centre of a cross bar in the hopper.
The upper part of the rod has a screw thread and nut, by means of which it can
be raised or lowered to regulate the feed..
'
When it is desired to close or open rapidly the valve without using the screw
and nut, this is done by means of a bow of hoop steel resting upon the cross bar.
When the hoop rests upon the cross bar the valve is closed; to open it, it is merely
necessary to turn the bow round at right angles to the bar.
The double cone at the bottom' of the conducting tube is for the purpose of
spreading the grain so that it may fall evenly distributed in the outer tube and
also for the purpose of guiding the wind upwards between the tubes.
The hand driving gear consists of a cog-wheel (to which the handle is attached)
driving a pinion upon the spindle of which is a pulley upon which runs a belt
driving the blower. The axle of the wheel is fixed to a ring suitably secured and
the spindle of the pinion works in suitable bearings.
The process of cleaning and sorting grain and seeds by my pneumatic separator
is as follows. The grain from the hopper falls down upon the double cone which
distributes it evenly in the vertical tube where it is met by a'strong current of air
coming from the blower. The heavy grain falls down against the pressure of the
wind into the tube and passing through the aperture in the curved plate it there
encounters a strong blast of wind coming from the blower, which expels it through
the curved tube into sacks or bins,
3
17

page_text: The light grain passes upwards between the enlarged part of the tube and the
inner tube, and then falls down between the former and the tube, escaping by the
spout. When another separation is required to be made the lightest grain (or
coffee) passes upwards between the tubes escaping by the spout.
In the form of my machine intended for dealing with dusty grain the grain
passes through the apertures in the bottom of the hopper and falls into the vertical
tube, where the heavy portion descends and falls out at the bottom, and the light
grain, weed-seeds, and dust ascend and escapes by the bent tube.
My Pneumatic Separator can be used for separating or grading any material
having grains or particles of unequal specific gravities or unequal sizes as according
to the density of the medium, (i.e the pressure of the air) which can be regulated at
pleasure and the specific gravity or size of the grains or particles, they either
descend float or ascend.
It is of special utility in preparing wheat, oats, and barley for seed, as it
eliminates all the light grains and weed-seeds and leaves only the heaviest grain
for sowing.
It can also be utilized for cleaning and grading grain stored for shipment by
being so placed as to receive the grain as it passes down from the upper storeys to
be conveyed by the elevators into the hold of the ship.
When used for grading coffee it produces an even sample by eliminating the
black inferior grains,

page_text: wwww www.
I SAMUEL BEAVEN of Campinas, in the Province of São Paulo, Brazil, Mechanical
Engineer, 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:-.
The principle of my invention is the making a separation by means of a strong
current of air in a vertical tube, or, when a number of separations are required in
a number of vertical tubes jacketted one over and above the other, the pressure of
the air being according to the area of the section of the tube, and the separation of
the different grades according to the pressure, the heaviest grain falling down the
central tube, the lighter grade between this and the next larger, and the lightest
between the outer and second tubes.
My pneumatic separator in its simplest form for making a single separation, and
for dealing with dusty material, consists of an iron fan blower in combination with
a bend and a vertical tube passing upwards through a hopper which surrounds it,
and is fixed to it.
Another form of my separator, for making a single separation of grain or other
material free from dust, consists of a fan blower in combination with a bend and a
vertical tube, jacketted by a larger tube, extending above it over which is fixed the
hopper.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same
by reference to the accompanying drawing in which the various figures represent
various forms of separating machines constructed according to my invention.-
Similar letters in all the figures represent similar parts.
The more complicated form of my improved separator for making more than one
separation is shown in vertical section at figure 1, and consists of a fan blower A in
combination with a bend B of special form, and a vertical tube C jacketted by a
larger tube E, extending above it, this being jacketted by another and still larger
tube G, upon which rests the hopper F, the upper part of the outer tube G being
perforated to allow the air to escape; figure 2 is a horizontal section on line A, B
of figure 1; figure 3 is an end view of the part B; figure 4 is a horizontal section
on line C. D of figure 1; figure 5, is a vertical section shewing the bend B for
connecting the blower with the vertical tube C, made with the vertical part
continued downwards to the level of the base of the blower, and with a flange for
bolting to the floor, and an outlet H at the bottom covered by a sliding register
plate I. I use this form of bend when the machine is fixed in an upper storey, to
discharge the grain into a lower storey.
When my improved separator is intended for the use of small farmers, and
is required to discharge the grain into a bushel measure, use a curved tube of the
form shown in figure 6, and which is a vertical section and in figures 7 and 8
which are side and end views respectively of the separator the vertical tube C is
continued downwards, and cut off at an angle sloping outwards towards an outlet J,
which is covered by a sliding plate K.

page_text: When the separator is required to discharge the heavy grain either into sacks or
bins, I use a combination of a bend with an inverted T (the horizontal part of the
tube being continued beyond the bend) having an internal curved division L of the
form shown in figure 1.
In the horizontal part of the tube B, where it extends beyond the bend, there is
an aperture N in the curved plate L communicating with the space below, and in
communication with this space there is a curved tube O through which the heavy
grain, which falls through the aperture N is discharged into sacks or bins.
At the end of the horizontal part of the tube B, where it extends beyond the
bend, there is a sliding plate P, for communicating with the interior of the tube.
A sliding register plate M (regulated by a screw) is placed between the mouth
of the blower, and the flange of the bend B for regulating the pressure of the air in
the vertical tube C. This plate covers the part of the tube above the curved
plate L, the communication with the space underneath the curved plate being left
always open.
For certain purposes I use a box or chamber instead of a bend, for forming the
connection between the blower and the vertical tube, having the mouth of the
blower secured to one side, and the vertical tube fixed on the top, and having
a door or sliding plate covering an aperture through which the grain falling down
into the chamber can be removed.
In that form of my separator in which the vertical tube passes up through the
hopper, as shown in figures 5, 7 and 8 the feed is regulated by an annular plate Q
(shewn detached in plan at figure 9) having a number of apertures corresponding
to openings in the bottom of the hopper, and choking is prevented by means of a
stirrer, which consists of an annular plate R (shewn detached in plan at figure 10)
similar to the plate Q, but having a number of vertical projections S.
An alternating rotary or shaking motion is given to the plate R by means of a
lever T, having a fork at its lower extremity which clutches an eccentric U cast on
the hub of a wheel V. The lever T and eccentric U are shewn detached in eleva-
tion at figure 11.
The hopper is continued beyond the bottom until it encircles the tube C, into
which the grain is conveyed as it falls through the apertures in the plate Q.
In the other form of my improved separator with the jacketted tubes as shown
in figures 1 and 6, the hopper is fixed upon the outer tube, and there is a small
tube W for the purpose of conducting the grain into the vertical tube C. As far
as the tube W enters the tube C, the latter is made of so much larger diameter as
to preserve the same sectional area throughout after deducting the space occupied
by the tube W. In the tube W, just underneath the hopper, there is a conical
valve X upon a vertical rod Y, passing through the centre of a cross-bar in the
hopper. The upper part of the rod Y has a screw thread and nut, by means
of which it can be raised or lowered to regulate the feed.
When it is desired to close or open rapidly the valve X, without using the screw
and nut, this is done by means of a bow of hoop steel Z, resting upon the cross bar.
When the hoop Z rests upon the cross bar the valve is closed; to open it, it is
merely necessary to turn the bow round at right angles to the bar.
A double cone a is provided at the bottom of the tube W, for the purpose
of spreading the grain so that it may fall evenly distributed into the tube O, and
also for the purpose of guiding the wind upwards between the tubes W and.C.
Figures 4 and 5 show my improved separator arranged to be worked by hand;
if worked by power, a small pulley would be substituted for the pinion c, or, the
blower could be driven direct from a pulley on the driving shaft.
The hand driving gear consists of a cog-wheel V (to which the handle is
attached) driving the pinion c, upon the spindle of which is a pulley ä, upon
which runs a belt driving the blower A. The axle of the wheel V is fixed to a ring
secured to the tube C or to the tube E, and the spindle of, the pinion c, works in
bearings bolted to a flange on the tube C. The pinion c and pulley d, are shewn
detached in plan view at figure 12.

page_text: '
The process of cleaning and sorting grain and seeds by the pneumatic separator
shewn in figure 1 is as follows: The grain from the hopper F falls down upon the
double cone a which distributes it evenly in the vertical tube C, where it is met by
a strong current of air coming from the blower A. The heavy grain falls down
against the pressure of the wind into the tube B, and passing through the
apérture N in the curved plate L, it there encounters a strong blast of wind
coming from the blower, which expels it through the curved tube O into sacks
or bins.
+
The light grain passes upwards between the enlarged part of the tube C and the
tube Q, and then falls down between the former and the tube E, and escapes
through the spout e. When another separation is required to be made, the lightest
grain (or coffee) passes upwards between the tubes C and E and escapes through
the spout f.
In the form of my machine intended for dealing with dusty grain and shown in
figures 5, 7 and 8, the grain passes through the apertures in the bottom of the
hopper D, and falls into the vertical tube C, where the heavy grain descends and
falls out at the bottom, and the light grain, weed-seeds and dust ascend and escape
through the bent tube g.
My improved pneumatic separator can be used for separating or grading any
material having grains or particles of unequal specific gravities or unequal sizes, as,
according to the density of the medium (i,e, the pressure of the air) which can be
regulated at pleasure, and the specific gravity or size of the grains or particles, they
will either descend, float or ascend.
It is of special utility in preparing wheat, oats and barley for seed, as it
eliminates all the light grains and weed-seeds, and leaves only the heaviest grain
for sowing.
It can also be utilized for cleaning and grading grain stored for shipment, by
being so placed as to receive the grain as it passes down from the upper storeys to
be conveyed by the elevators into the hold of the ship.
When used for grading coffee it produces an even sample by eliminating the
black inferior grains.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a machine for cleaning and sorting grain and the like the combination of a
blower with a vertical tube passing through a conical feed-hopper the whole
arranged in such a manner that the heavy grain or other material shall fall down
the tube and pass out at the bottom, the light grain and dust being carried
upwards by the wind and passing out at the mouth of the tube substantially as
hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
2. In a machine for cleaning and sorting grain and the like the combination of a
blower with a bend and a vertical tube jacketted by a larger tube extending above
it, over which is fixed the feed hopper, having a smaller tube extending from the
hopper onto the central vertical tube, the upper part of the latter (as far as the
smaller tube extends into it) being made of so much larger diameter as to preserve
the same sectional area throughout after deducting the space occupied by the
smaller tube substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in figure 6 of
the accompanying drawing.
3. In a machine for cleaning and sorting grain and the like a blower and tubes
constructed as described in claim 2 and having a second jacket over and above
the first jacket the upper part of the outer jacket being perforated and the feed-
hopper resting upon it substantially as hereinbefore described and représented in
figure 1 of the accompanying drawing.
4. In a machine for cleaning and sorting grain and the like a cast iron bend for
connecting the blower and the vertical tube made with. the vertical part continued
1
3
17
ப

page_text: downwards beyond the bend and having an outlet at the bottom substantially as
herein before described and represented in figure 5 of the accompanying drawing.
5. In a machine for cleaning and sorting grain and the like a cast iron bend
forming a connection between the blower and the vertical tube having the form of a
bend combined with an inverted T (the horizontal part of the tube being con-
tinued beyond the bend) having the interior divided by a curved plate for guiding
the wind upwards into the vertical tube and the grain downwards to an aperture
through which it passes into the space beneath the plate from whence it is expelled
(by a blast of wind from the blower passing underneath the curved plate) through
a tube and falls into sacks or bins substantially as hereinbefore described and
represented in figure 1 of the accompanying drawing.
6. In a machine for cleaning and sorting grain and the like a valve or register
plate placed between the mouth of the blower and the flange of the bend for
regulating the pressure of the air passing up the vertical tube substantially. as
hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
7. In a machine for cleaning and sorting grain and the like a feed hopper fixed
to and surrounding the vertical tube (which passes up through it) having a device
for regulating the feed consisting of an annular plate with apertures corresponding
to openings in the bottom of the hopper and having a device for stirring the grain
consisting of an annular plate with a number of apertures and vertical projections
having a shaking motion produced by a forked lever clutching an eccentric sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described and represented in figures 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11
of the accompanying drawing.
8. In a machine for cleaning and sorting grain and the like a device for
regulating the feed in a hopper placed over the vertical tube, the said device
consisting of a conical valve at the bottom of the hopper moved vertically by a
screw and nut substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in figures 1.
and 2 of the accompanying drawing.
9. In a machine for cleaning and sorting grain and the like a double cone placed
at the bottom of the tube which conducts the grain from the hopper for the
purpose of spreading it as it falls into the vertical tube substantially as herein-
before described and represented in figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing.
10. In a machine for cleaning and sorting grain and the like a hand-power
gearing consisting of a large cog wheel revolving on an axle fixed or welded to a
ring secured to the vertical tube geared with a pinion on a spindle (working in
bearings secured to a flange on the tube) on the other end of which is a pulley
and belt serving to drive the blower substantially as herein before described and
represented in figures 7, 8 and 12 of the accompanying drawing.
11. The improved machines for cleaning and sorting grain, seeds, coffee and the
like herein before described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
T112 1711
G. F. REDFERN,
Agent for the Applicant.