IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC GRAIN ELEVATORS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Julius Boult of the firm of W. P. Thompson
& Boult Agents for Foreign Patent Solicitors of 323 High Holborn in the
county of Middlesex Engineer for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PNEUMATIC GRAIN ELEVATORS A communication to him from abroad by
Lymon Smith of Kansas City in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri
in the United States of America
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alfred Julius Boult at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1882.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of the firm of W P Thompson & Boult Agents for
Foreign Patent Solicitors of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC GRAIN ELEVATORS " communicated
to me from abroad by Lymon Smith of Kansas City in the county of Jackson and
State of Missouri in the United States of America
The invention relates to that class of grain elevators which is operated by
pneumatic process. The elevator is cheap in first cost, simple in construction
economic in its operation and easily manipulated. The invention consists in the
arrangement of the grain tubes which are provided with self operating or automatic
valves and a vacuum chamber interposed between the mouth of the delivery pipe
and the exhaust pipe and it further consists in means for relieving the grain tubes
of the vacuum pressure, for facilitating the delivery of the grain and taking it out
of the current and also in means for shutting off the admission of atmospheric air,
through the said discharge grain tube.
To this end the invention consists in the peculiar construction of the suction
feed pipe by which the grain is fed through apertures and the atmospheric air is
brought in contact with the grain beneath it whereby the air power is utilized in
connection with the blower in lifting or elevating the grain. It further consists in
interposing a dust trapping device between the vacuum chamber and the blower

page_text: whereby the dust is prevented from passing through the blower thereby avoiding
the usual disadvantages caused to the blower by the grit, dust, chaff and sand on its
.working bearings.
It further consists in the combination with the feed and delivery conduits of a
flexible hose connected and joined in such a manner that the said conduits may be
swiveled round and about to suit the feeding and delivery vessels and in other
details of construction as will hereinafter more fully appear and be pointed out in
the claims
Referring to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked
.thereon
Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of the improved elevator,
Figure 2 an elevation showing a portion of the exhaust chamber broken away and
also clearly showing the front valves and bottom valves mechanically connected.
Figure 3 shows a partial elevation and section of one of the grain pipes showing
an air pipe and valve adapted to be operated by gravity. Figure 4 shows a
detached view of the delivery and combined induction and eduction valves and cut
off valves connected The delivery valves are adapted to operate the latter valves.
Figures 5 and 6 represents other means of operating the valves i, e, by cranks and
chains.
-
Figure 1 represents a vacuum or lifting chamber a blower and a dust trap
interposed between said vacuum chamber and blower, the trap being shown in
longitudinal section.
Figure 2 shows a sectional elevation of the improved lifting or elevating pipe
with the flexible connections. Figure 3 shows the lifting or feed pipe in a horizontal
position having an air supply pipe attachment. Like letters denote like parts in
all the figures. A is the vacuum chamber which also serves the purpose of a
receptacle for the grain. This combined vacuum chamber and receptacle A is
provided with four or more openings acting respectively for the following purposes
viz. a for the reception of the grain, b b for the exhaust of the foreign or extraneous
matter and air and c c for the alternate discharge of the grain from the vacuum
chamber. To these four apertures are attached respectively four tubes or pipes,
pipe d for the elevation of the grain, pipe, e for exhausting the chamber of air etc,
and pipesff for discharging the grain from the receptacle or vacuum chamber into
any place where it is desired to store it as into cars, ships etc. All these pipes or
tubes are peculiarly constructed with a view to a definite object. The pipe d
taperingly enlarged from the elbow to its entrance with the vacuum chamber the
object is to relieve the friction due to a moving body against the side of a stationary
surface and by this means lessen the pressure at the throat of the pipe and thus
facilitate the entrance of the grain to the chamber.
The exhaust pipe is flaring at its mouth whereby the flying, cloud like particles
more readily enter than if the throat were narrow, The inductive and eductive
grain tubes ff' are provided with valves 1, 2, 3, 4 at their end which valves 1,
and 2 are arranged to close upwards within the tubes by action of the vacuum and
air while the lower set 3, 4 open downward outside of the tubes
GG are induction and eduction slide and cut off valves arranged to work in
guide boxes g gl and on valve seats on the outside of the grain tubes ff. These
guide boxes g g' and valves G G lend an important function in the operation of
my elevator when the upper valves 1, 2 are open and the lower valves 3 and 4 are
closed, the object of which will be described further on, hh are valve stems or
rods for operating the valves G G¹
At the lower end and between the grain tubes ff' are hinged the duplex
valves 3 and 4 which are rigidly fastened to each other, so that one valve cannot
move in either direction without the other, that is to say when one of these valves
closes the other opens. Attached to these valves 3 and 4 is a cross head I (which is
pivoted to the pintle of the valve hinge). To this cross head are connected the
stems or rods hh so when the valves 3 and 4 move they must necessarily move
and open or close the induction or eduction slide valves G G¹. It is preferred to

page_text: weight the valve 3 for the purpose of overcoming equilibrium or balancing of the
valves. The side or gravity valves G GS may not be employed at the same time the
positively connected valves are used one simply being a modification of the other,
and either to be used at the option of the operator. Attached to the guide boxes g g¹
are air conveying tubes j¹. These tubes have an important function (and cannot
be too much impressed on the mind of the operator or builder) and which will be
described hereafter. Within the vacuum chamber A is located a deflector or baffle
plate B which is preferably curved towards the exhaust pipe so that the grain
when entering the vacuum chamber will have ample room to distribute itself in
said chamber. A lip or deflector C is located on the lower side of the mouth of
the exhaust pipe e, the object being to prevent any grain entering it along with
chaff dust etc, which is usually extracted from the grain while in transit through
the pneumatic elevator. Upon the top of the vacuum chamber is located a man
hole c for ready access to the inside of said chamber. A vacuum valve D is also
placed for a safety valve (against collapse) which is designed to open inwards to
relieve over vacuum pressure and regulate the vacuum according to the kind of
grain used, and a vacuum gage E is also placed which will show the pressure within
the vacuum chamber and upon the body of the chamber and also upon the induction
and eduction tubes ff¹, Eye or peep holes K are located by which the operation
within the said chamber and pipes may be observed
The operation of my elevator is as follows: the blower engine being put in
operation and a partial vacuum created thereby in the vacuum chamber A grain or.
other substances from a car or other feeder is then elevated into a receptacle or
said vacuum chamber A and deposits itself in one of the tubes as f¹; when the
tube f is nearly filled the weight of the grain opens the lower valve 4, and closes
valve 3 and causes the valve G₁ to register with the post in box g', and the lower
port in the wall of tube f¹. The opening of the valve G closes connection with
pipe jas between the latter and tubes f¹ and registers with the lower port in the
guide box'g' and that in the side of the tube to. which it is attached thereby
permitting a free admission of air into tube f which simultaneously closes the
valve 2 with the opening of valve 4.
By this operation the vacuum in the tube f¹ is destroyed thus permitting the
grain in the said tube to fall bodily by its own gravity, and at the same time the
atmospheric air is prevented from entering the vacuum chamber by valve 2 and
which being closed permits the air in the tube f¹ when the lower valve 4 is
closed and valve G₁ registers with tube to be exhausted through pipe j into
the vacuum chamber above the body of grain and allows valve I to fall open of its
own weight.
The foregoing operation is repeated by other tubej or by as many tubes of like
character as may be deemed expedient.
It should be remembered that the tubes ff¹ are induction tubes while receiving.
the grain and eduction while delivering it. It is obvious that one or more elevating
tubes may be employed as may be found necessary and attached to the receptacle
and vacuum chamber.
By suitable connections attached to the elevating pipes the grain may be moved.
vertically or horizontally from any point desired. The pipes and vacuum,
chamber may be made of any desired shape or configuration which in addition to;
other features of the invention are fully shown in figures 1 2 and 3ª to which I
will now refer.
A is the blower, B¹ the trap and A the vacuum chamber, e is the exhaust pipe,
leading from the vacuum chamber into the dust trap B' and has at its terminal end
a flaring mouth e¹ for the more ready exit of the dust and air.
The trap has also within it a vessel c perforated on the side farthest from the
inlet pipe. This vessel is preferably the shape of a double cone, the flaring mouths;
being joined.
The object of this construction is that when an air current strikes it it is
livided or broken up. To further effect this and divide the current into jets
:

page_text: and also to remove therefrom the dust grit and other foreign matter held in
suspension that would otherwise be carried over with the current into the blower, I
make the vessel C open at the bottom to permit such dust that might pass through
the perforations to fall out
The discharge opening of the trap has two valves 6 and 7 to discharge the
contents of the trap which operate as follows:-
To prevent air from rushing in when the discharge valve is open, valve 6 is
pushed in and shuts off the external air from the current passing through the body
of the trap.
Valve 7 is then opened when the contents of pipe 8 are discharged. Ordinarily
valve 7 will open automatically when the machine is at rest. The weight 9 on
valve 7 overbalances the valve, and will close it and keep it closed until the
material within overbalances the weight when it will dump and close again. The
valves, cross head etc, shown on vacuum chamber is fully shown in figures 1 to 6
inclusive referred to.
The air induction pipe D' closed at its bottom encircles the grain feed pipe d and
extends a short distance below the bottom thereof so as to leave an air inlet space
between the bottom of the air pipe and the mouth of the grain feed pipe d.
Extending through the walls of the pipes D' and dare located a series of grain
inlet tubes through which the grain is sucked by the power of the blower. The
feed tube d is connected to the vacuum chamber, the operation of which has already
been described.
The quantity of grain to be fed to the elevator is controlled by a slip joint
thimble or valve which slides on the outside of the air pipe and closes as many of
the grain inlet tubes as may be desired.
The principle of construction described for figure 2 may be applied to the
horizontal pipes shown by figure 3ª only in figure 3ª the air pipe is at right angles
to the grain pipe.
The air pipe has an annular air chamber of larger diameter than itself so as to
permit an easy and full supply. The flexible tubes which connect the mouth piece
with the vacuum chamber have curved sections or elbows adapted to swivel around
to suit the location from where the grain is to be taken from and also to be
delivered. These bends or elbows are made of smaller diameter than the other
portion of the pipe for the purpose of clearing them by the increased velocity of the
grain and air passing through them. Heretofore these bands have been made
larger and usually the same size of the straight pipe, but in these instances the
passage of the grain through them was sluggish and frequently chocked up. By
this improvement, these objections are completely overcome, and now there is as
free a flow through the bends as through any portion of the conveying tube.
In operating this apparatus it is well to have the trap as large as possible so that
the current through will be very slow; in this way the particles of dust light
grain chaff or any foreign substance will separate from the air and fall to the
bottom of the trap The joints in the pipes should be properly packed and joined
so that they may be air tight and of the suitable pipe coupling may be employed
on the conveying tubes. These attachments for elevators may be applied to any
of the elevators now in use, nor is it intended to be confined to the use of grain alone
as it obvious that the elevator and attachment may be employed to any material
capable of being raised by pneumatic pressure.
The attachment may be made of any suitable material and of any suitable shape
or design.
What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-
1st The combination in a grain elevator of the elevating grain tube, the exhaust
tube with a combined vacuum chamber and receptacle, the said tubes being enlarged
at their connecting ends with the said chamber, said chamber having a baffle plate
and the exhaust pipe having a deflecting lip c¹ substantially as described.
2nd In an elevator for grain or other material the combination of the exhaust
chamber provided with a baffle plate, an elevating tube, an exhaust tube, the latter

page_text: being slightly above the former and having a downwardly projecting lip, by means
of which baffle plate, lip and position of tubes, the heavier material is made to take
a downward current while the lighter particles are separated therefrom and made
to take an upward current substantially as described.
3rd In an elevator for grain or other material, the combination with a vacuum
chamber forming a receptacle for the grain, the elevating and exhausting tubes
connected therewith and the tubes f. f', the latter being provided with air induction
and eduction valves substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
4th The combination with a combined vacuum chamber and grain receptacle of
the tubes ff and with air communicating tubes arranged to be alternately opened
and closed for destroying the vacuum in the said tubes substantially as described.
5th The combination in an elevator consisting of the combined vacuum and
receptacle chamber, the tubes ff' said tubes being provided with inwardly and
outwardly opening valves arranged to open automatically said tubes communicating
with the exhaust chamber by independent means as set forth.
6th The combination in a grain elevator consisting of the vacuum and grain
receiving chamber the tubes of f¹ the alternating opening and closing valves and
the air cut off valves G G¹ all operating together in the manner set forth.
7th In combination in a grain elevator of the tubes ƒ ƒ', the mechanically con-
nected opening valves G G¹, 3 and 4, and the air pressure closing valves 1 and 2
substantially as described.
8th The combination in a grain elevator of the tubes ff and the automatically
operating valves 1, 2, 3 and 4 and the slide valves G G₁ arranged to open and close
duplex air ports by the movement of the said valves 3 and 4 as set forth and
described.
9th The process herein described of elevating and delivering grain consisting in
first elevating it by automatic power then separating it from the air current
equalizing the pressure in the inductive tube and vacuum chamber, then shutting
off the vacuum pressure from said tube and admitting air above the grain to be
delivered.
10th The combination with a grain elevator of a separating trap or vessel
interposed between the vacuum chamber and the blower whereby the grit, sand
chaff, and other foreign substances are prevented from entering the blower
substantially as described.
11th The combination in a pneumatic grain elevator of the vacuum chamber and
a blower with a dust trap arranged on the exhaust pipe between the vacuum
chamber and blower, the trap being provided with a dust separating device in the
manner shown and specified.
12th The combination in a pneumatic elevator consisting of the vacuum chamber,
the blower, the trap arranged between the said blower and chamber, said trap
being provided with valves for discharging its contents without interfering with
the air current passing through the trap substantially as shown and describer.
13th The combination in a pneumatic elevator consisting of the vacuum
chamber, the blower, and trap interposed between the blower and chamber and in
communication therewith, the said trap being provided with a separating device
and discharge valves in the manner shown and described.
14th The combination with the suction feed pipe of a pneumatic grain elevator
of the mouth piece having an outer air supply pipe closed at its bottom and open
at its top, the said outer pipe being sufficiently below the grain pipe to permit the
air to be sucked in below the grain, thereby utilizing its power said pipes having
grain inlet apertures substantially as described.
15th The combination in a grain elevator of the air supply pipe the grain supply
pipe with a grain controlling valve or thimble for graduating the grain supply to
the feed pipe substantially as described.
16th The combination in a grain elevator of the air inlet pipe, the grain inlet
tubes or apertures, the controlling thimble or valve with the flexible tubing having

page_text: contracted sections for increasing the velocity of the contents passing through the
tubes substantially as set forth and described.
17th A pneumatic tube consisting of straight and bent sections or elbows, the
said bent sections being contracted for the purpose of increasing the velocity of the
contents of the tube passing through them substantially as specified.
18th The combination in a grain elevator of the air supply pipe, the mouth piece
of the grain elevating pipe, the latter being connected to the former by grain inlet
tubes with a grain supply controlling device substantially as described.
19th The combination in a grain elevator of the air tube D', the grain inlet
tubes a, the mouth d¹, the grain supply controlling device, a suction feed, a flexible
tube and a non flexible contracted portion for increasing the velocity of the
substance passing through the tube substantially as set forth.
20th The combination with a vacuum chamber or a receiver of a separating trap
or device interposed between the vacuum chamber or receiver and the blower or
exhausting machine as set forth.
21 The method of separating extraneous matter from grain cereals while being
elevated by pneumatic process, the same consisting in conducting the foreign matter
from a compartment into which the grain has been received into a trap or device
thence separating the air from the foreign matter and preventing the latter from
entering the blower or exhauster in the manner shown and described.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Julius Boult have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty eighth day of November in the year of our Lord, One
thousand Eight hundred and Eighty two.