Year: 1885

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention a communication to me
from abroad by Jose Guardiola of Chocola, in the Republic of Guatemala, Central
America, Gentleman, to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to provide a new and improved machine of simple
construction, for hulling coffee.
On a vertical shaft, mounted on a foot step, and driven by bevel gear from a
horizontal shaft, are keyed two discs of double conical form, that is, the thickness
of the discs decreases from the middles toward the rims. The discs are hollow
castings in one piece, or separate, and have formed on their outer surfaces numerous
teats, or projections. The discs are surrounded by a casing conforming to the shape
of the discs, and having numerous projections, or teats formed on its inner surface
To the underside of each disc, is connected, by flexible material, a series of rubbing,
or hulling plates which are inclined downwardly. The free ends of the plates are
slightly rounded, or turned up, and on the curved surfaces teats or projections are
formed which press upon the projections of the casing. The undersides of those
parts of the casing surrounding the discs are provided with apertures increasing in
diameter from the top to the bottom; a circular gutter for catching the chaff etc
being provided around and below that part of the casing surrounding the lower
diso. A hopper, having a slide valve is mounted on the top of the casing, and a
chute, provided with a gate, leads out from the underside of the casing beneath
the lowermost disc.
The operation is as follows ;-
The coffee berries to be hulled are poured into the hopper, and pass from the
same into the casing and upon the discs, which are revolved about 200 times per

page_text: minute. The berries are rubbed between the projections of the casing, and the
discs, or between the casing and the plates carried by the discs, and thus the hulls,
or shells, are broken and removed from the berries.
A large part of the chaff passes through the apertures in the casing, and into
the gutter, or trough, and the berries, after passing over both discs, pass out through
the chute. As a great part of the chaff passes off through the apertures, the
subsequent cleaning is accomplished much more easily.
If desired, an exhausting fan can be connected with the casing, for drawing off
the chaff, and facilitating the separation of the chaff and berries.

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me
from abroad by Jose Guardiola of Chocola in the Republic of Guatemala Central
America Gentleman) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this Invention is to provide a new and improved machine of simple
construction for hulling coffee.
The Invention consists of the combinations of parts including their construction,
substantially as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming parts of this
Specification in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the figures.
Figure 1 is a partial side and sectional view of the improved machine for hulling
coffee, figure 2 is a plan view of the same parts being broken out; figure 3 is an
enlarged detail longitudinal sectional view of one of the hulling plates, a portion
of one of the discs, and a portion of the enclosing casing.
The vertical shaft A is mounted on the step B and carries a bevel cog-wheel C
engaging with a bevel cog-wheel D on a horizontal shaft E carrying a belt pulley F.
On the shaft A are keyed two discs G of double conical form that is the thickness
of the discs decreases from the middles towards the rims. The discs are hollow
and made of cast iron or of any other suitable material and the two discs can be
made as one piece or they may be cast separately. On the outer surfaces of the
same numerous teats or projections H are formed. The discs G are surrounded by
a casing J made to conform to the shape of the discs, and on the inner surface of
the said casing numerous projections or teats K are formed. To the under side of
each disc G is connected by leather pieces M or other flexible material a series
of rubbing or hulling plates L which are inclined downwardly their lower
extremities arranged in proximity to the teats or projections K of the casing J.
The free ends of the plates L are slightly rounded or turned up and on the curved
surfaces teats or projections N are formed which press upon the projections of the
casing as shown in figure 3. The plates L are made of copper or other suitable
material. If desired, the strips L can rest against cleats U to increase their
spring-tension.
The undersides of those parts of the casing J surrounding the discs G are
provided with apertures O increasing in diameter from the top to the bottom.
A chute P having a gate Q extends downward and outward from the casing J.
A hopper R having a slide-valve S is mounted on the top of the casing. A circular
gutter T for catching the chaff etc is provided around and below that part of the
casing surrounding the lower disc G.
The operation is as follows;-The coffee-berries to be hulled are poured into the
hopper R and pass from the same into the casing and upon the discs G which are
revolved about two-hundred times per minute. The berries are rubbed between

page_text: 1
the projections of the casing and the discs, or between the casing and the plates L
and thus the hulls or shells are broken and removed from the berries. A large
part of the chaff passes through the apertures O and into the gutter or trough T
and the berries, after passing over both discs, slide down the chute P. As a great
part of the chaff passes off through the apertures O the subsequent cleaning is
accomplished much more easily.
If desired, an exhausting fan can be connected with the casing for drawing off
the chaff and facilitating the separation of the chaff and berries.
Having now particularly described and ascertaining the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is;
1. In a coffee-huller, the combination with a vertical revolving shaft of discs
mounted on the same and having their top and bottom surfaces bevelled or tapered
from the centre toward the rim on which surfaces projections or teats are formed
and of a casing conforming to the shape of the discs and provided with projections
or teats on its inner surfaces substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In a coffee-huller, the combination with a vertical revolving shaft of discs
mounted on the same and provided with teats or projections on the surfaces, a
casing conforming to the shape of the discs and having teats or projections and
of plates hung on the casing and having teats or projections on the free ends
substantially as herein shown and described.
-
3. In a coffee huller, the combination with a vertical revolving shaft of the
discs G on the same, the casing J the plates and the flexible pieces M substantially
as herein shown and described.
4. In a coffee huller, the combination with a vertical revolving shaft of discs
mounted on the same and having their top and bottom surfaces bevelled from
the centre to the rim, and also having teats or projections on Baid surfaces, a
casing conforming to the shape of the discs and having teats or projections and
also apertures O in the parts below the disc, substantially as herein shown and
described.
'