AN IMPROVED METHOD OF COLLECTING AND CONVEYING AWAY THE CHAFF, DUST, OR OTHER RESIDUE FROM THRASHING, HAY-CUTTING, AND SIMILAR MACHINES.”
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Bridges, of North Berwick, in the County of
Haddington, North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF COLLECTING AND CONVEYING AWAY THE CHAFF, DUST, OR OTHER
RESIDUE FROM THRASHING, HAY-CUTTING, AND SIMILAR MACHINES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Bridges at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th December 1876.
ROBERT BRIDGES, of North Berwick, in the County of Haddington, North
Britain, Engineer. "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF COLLECTING AND CONVEYING
AWAY THE CHAFF, DUST, OR OTHER RESIDUE FROM THRASHING, HAY-CUTTING, AND
SIMILAR MACHINES."
This Invention, which relates to an improved method of collecting and conveying
away the chaff, dust, or other residue from thrashing, hay-cutting, and similar
machines, has for its objects to prevent the inconvenience attending the accumu-
lation of these matters in the proximity of the machines by which they are
produced; and, further, to convey them rapidly to any desired place according to
the purpose for which it is intended they should be used.
To effect these objects a fan or blower, of any well known rotary form, is placed
at or near the thrashing, hay-cutting, or other machine, its position being such
that the suction exerted by it collects the chaff, dust, or other matter from the
machine and propels it through a series of troughs, pipes, or tubes carried in
brackets on the walls or joists of the shed if under cover, or in suitable supports
when in the open. When desired, the troughs, pipes, or tubes may be laid under
ground.
The fan or blower may be actuated from the machine or independently, as
desired.
By this Invention space in sheds is economised and the number of attendants
reduced.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Robert Bridges in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th June 1877.
ROBERT BRIDGES, of North Berwick, in the County of Haddington, North
Britain, Engineer. "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF COLLECTING AND CONVEYING
AWAY THE CHAFF, Dust, or other RESIDUE FROM THRASHING, HAY-CUTTING, AND
SIMILAR MACHINES."
My said Invention, which relates to an improved method of collecting and con-
veying away the chaff, dust, or other residue from thrashing, hay-cutting, and
similar machines, has for its objects to prevent the inconvenience attending the accu-
nulation of these matters in the proximity of the machines by which they are pro-
duced; and, further, to convey them rapidly to any desired place according to the
purpose for which it is intended they should be used.
To effect these objects a fan or blower of any well-known rotary form is placed
at or near the thrashing, hay-cutting, or other machine, its position being such
that the suction exerted by it collects the chaff, dust, or other matter from the
machine, and propels it through a series of troughs, pipes, or tubes carried in
brackets on the walls or joists of the shed if under cover, or in suitable supports
when not under cover, or, when desired, the troughs, pipes, or tubes may be laid
underground.
Blowers others than rotary may be used to effect the same purpose.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which tho
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to
the annexed Sheet of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say :-
At Figure 1 on the hereunto appended Sheet of Drawings is represented a side
view of one mode of application of my said Invention, shewing the adaptation
of the fan or blower to the fanners of a thrashing mill; Figure 2 is a plan of the
same.
The grain and chaff from the mill are fed into the fanner A by the hopper a,
and the chaff which is separated from the grain by the current of air produced by
the revolving wheel B of the fanner A is driven into the hopper C, as indicated
by the arrows shewn on the Drawing, the grain ineanwhile passing through the
riddle D and finding exit at the apertures b, U, in the usual manner. Conveniently
placed in or near the hopper C is the rotating fan or blower E, which may be
driven either from the same shaft as the fauner wheel B, or independently, and the
chaft, dust, or other residue arising from the fanning of the grain is induced by the
action of the fan or blower E into the aperture e thereof, and passing into the
interior of the fan or blower E is ejected therefrom through the pipe, tube, or
trough F, and conducted to any desired place in the farm offices by disposing the
troughs, tubes, or pipes accordingly. The fan or blower E is applied in a similar
manner to hay and straw cutting and such like machines and the cut produce
collected and conveyed away in like manner as herein-before described with
reference to the fanners of a thrashing mill, and it may be so arranged as to collect
grain and other similar substances for the like purpose.
The position of the fan or blower, relatively to the machine to which it is applied,
will be obviously that best suited to receive the material desired to be collected and
conveyed away.
Under this Invention the inconvenience arising from the accumulation of chaff,
dust, or other residue in the proximity of the machine by which they are pro-
duced is prevented, and the labour consequent on collecting these matters by
hand obviated.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I i

page_text: consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the application to and
combination with thrashing, hay-cutting, and similar machines of a fan or blower
to collect and convey away the chaff, dust, or other residue or produce, as and for
the purpose herein-before described and shewn on the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Bridges, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
ROBT. BRIDGES. (L.S.)