A NEW APPARATUS FOR CLEANING GRITS KIND OF CORN, GRAIN, SEEDS, AND OTHER LIKE PRODUCED FROM ALL SUBSTANCES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Anthony Besser, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria,
Millwright, for an Invention of "A NEW APPARATUS FOR CLEANING GRITS
KIND OF CORN, GRAIN, SEEDS, AND OTHER LIKE
PRODUCED FROM ALL
SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Anthony Besser at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th October 1881.
ANTHONY BESSER, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria, Millwright. "A NEW
APPARATUS FOR CLEANING GRITS PRODUCED FROM ALL KIND OF CORN, GRAIN,
SEEDS, AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES."
My Invention has for its object the construction of an apparatus by which grits,
grain, seeds, and analagous substances can be thoroughly cleaned in a continuous
and economical manner.
The apparatus consists of a chest of wood or of any other convenient material with
apertures or holes of suitable form and dimensions for observing the process in the
interior of the chest and for cleaning the same. In this chest the grit or other
analagous material to be operated upon is introduced through a hopper or funnel
above in a continuous and uniformly divided stream.
In the hopper or funnel I fix a valve or rollers, or any similar contrivance made
from suitable material, so that the material introduced may easily pass through the
same (its supply being regulated as required), and that the entrance of air at the
top of the apparatus may be prevented.
The charged grit or analagous material passes through a slot or aperture into a
chamber or compartment arranged between the slot or opening and a triangular
prism, in passing through which chamber or compartment the material is
traversed by a current of air entering at the side of the chamber, whilst the
particles of greater specific gravity which resist the pressure of air descend and
pass through a slot or aperture in a partition below. The current of air which
enters the chamber by suction lifts the lighter particles of the materials to be
cleaned over the upper edge or corner of the prism before mentioned, where some
of the particles descend partly according to their specific weight, whilst the lightest
of them are blown on by the current of air over an elevated partition and through a

page_text: suction channel in the exhauster, by the action of which they are discharged in the
ordinary manner.
This process can be repeated in the following compartments (arranged underneath
in the apparatus in any desired number), with the difference only that the current
of air traversing the lower partitions traverses and cleans again the material which
descends from the upper compartments; valves are provided at the slots or
apertures for the regulation of air entering the respective compartments, whilst
a valve in the suction channel serves for the regulation of air in general in all the
compartments.
The prisms are pivoted to inclined sides of the chambers or compartments by
means of tenons, shafts, or joints, so as to admit of the adjustment of the upper
angle of the prisms nearer to or further from the slots or apertures, according to
the nature of the material to be cleaned, whereby the quantity of material to be
drawn over this angle is diminished or augmented as required; the prisms are
maintained in position by an adjusting screw, or any other suitable device.
The prisms may be made solid or hollow and of any suitable material, such for
example, as wood, china, glass, metal, and the like.
It is obvious that in using this apparatus the grit or other material to be cleaned
is divided into any required number of different sorts, which are discharged
respectively through the several channels and through the suction channel.
If desired the materials may also be removed together from, say, the two upper
compartments through one of the channels by simply adjusting a valve suitably
placed. Valves are provided at the bottom of the apparatus for the purpose of
preventing the entrance of air from below.
The partitions requisite may be made of any required inclination. The number
of compartments as also the number of slots or apertures for the entrance of air
may be varied, and even a single compartment may suffice for the purpose.
This apparatus in combination with an exhauster makes one complete machine,
but a number of such apparatus with corresponding compartments, exhaustors,
elevators, feeding pipes, funnels, and the like, may be combined in one and the
same machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Anthony Besser in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th April
1882.
ANTHONY BESSER, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria, Millwright. "A NEW
APPARATUS FOR CLEANING GRITS PRODUCED FROM ALL KIND OF CORN, GRAIN,
SEEDS, AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES."
My Invention has for its object the construction of an apparatus by which grits,
grain, seeds, and analogous substances can be thoroughly cleaned or winnowed in a
continuous and economical manner. The accompanying Drawing represents a
vertical section of an apparatus constructed according to my said Invention.
The said apparatus consists of a chest A of wood or of any other suitable
material with apertures or holes of convenient form and dimensions for observing
the progress of the process going on in the interior of the said chest, and for
cleaning purposes.
In the said chest A the grit or other analogous material to be cleaned is
introduced through the hopper or funnel B in a continuous and uniforınly divided
stream.
In the said hopper or funnel B I fix a valve C opening inwards, as indicated by
the dotted line (or rollers or any similar contrivance made from suitable material
may be adopted), so that the material to be cleaned, which is introduced into the
hopper B, may readily pass the said valve (the supply of the said material being
regulated as required), and so also that the entrance of air at the top of the
apparatus may be prevented.
The charged grit or analogous material to be treated passes through a slot or
aperture D at the end of the hopper into a chamber or compartment between the
said slot or aperture D and the triangular prism F, and in passing through the said
chamber or compartment, the said material is traversed by and subjected to the
cleaning action of a current of air entering by suction the said chamber or com-
partment, the opening E at the side of the said chamber. The particles of greater
specific gravity which resist the pressure of air descend and pass through another
slot or aperture leading into another similar chamber or compartment below. The
lighter particles of the material being cleaned are by the current of air carried over
the upper edge or corner H of the before mentioned prism F, where some of the
particles of greater specific gravity descend, whilst the lightest of them are blown
on by the current of air over the elevated partition L, and through the suction
channel M in the exhauster, by the action of which they are discharged in the
ordinary manner.
This process can be repeated any desired number of times by providing several
chambers or compartments, one beneath the other arranged like that above, that is
to say, the apparatus may have any desired number of these chambers so as to
carry the cleaning to any desired extent. These following chambers or compart-
ments will be alike, with the difference only that the current of air traversing the
lower partitions traverses and cleans again the material which descends from the
upper compartments J and K.
The valves or covers N at the slots or apertures E are capable of adjustment to
regulate the admission of air to the respective chambers or compartments. The
valve m, shewn in the suction channel M, serves for the regulation of the admission
of air generally for all the compartments of the apparatus.
The prisms F are pivotted or hinged to the inclosed sides or shed tables O of the

page_text: chambers or compartments by means of tenons, shafts, or joints, for the purpose of
adjusting the upper angle of the said prisms F to or from the slots D or apertures,
as indicated by the dotted lines, according to the nature of the material being
cleaned, by which means the quantity of material which is drawn over this angle
is diminished or increased as required. The said prisms are adjustable from outside
the apparatus, and they are maintained in position by an adjusting screw, or any
other convenient device.
The said prisms F may be made solid or hollow and of any suitable material,
such for example, as wood, china, glass, metal, and the like.
In each of the chambers therefore the material being cleaned descends from the
prisms F, and is cleaned by a current of air entering at E. The lighter particles
pass over the angle of the said prism F into the compartments at the back, where
they are again separated according to their specific gravity, the heavier descending
over the inclined shelves S and through the slots D2, whilst the lighter pass over
into the compartment K, or into the suction channel M. It is obvious that thus
the material being cleaned is divided into any required number of different sorts,
which are discharged respectively through the channels or shoots M', M2, M³, and
through the suction channel M. If desired, the materials may be removed together
from the compartments J and K through the channel M² by turning the valve or
flap P into the position shewn by the dotted lines, so that the the materials from K
are also directed into the channel M². The valves R at the bottom of the apparatus
are for the purpose of preventing the entrance of air from below. The slots or
passages D, D, from chamber to chamber are preferably formed with an angle, as
shown in the Drawing, but they may be of any other form.
The inclination of the partitions S or of the shed tables O, and the depth of the
chest and the other parts of the apparatus may vary according to particular
circumstances and requirements. Also the number of compartments and the
number of slots or apertures E for the entrance of air may be varied, and even a
single compartment may suffice for particular purposes where but slight division
or rough cleaning is required. This apparatus in combination with an exhauster
makes one complete machine, but a number of such apparatus with corresponding
compartments, exhausters, elevators, feeding pipes, funnels, and the like, may be
combined in one and the same machine.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The apparatus for cleaning grits and other like substances, the said
apparatus being constructed or arranged, substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
Second. In apparatus for cleaning grits and the like, the use of the prisms F fixed
or adjustable, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
Third. In apparatus for cleaning grits and the like, the use of slots or passages
(forming communications from chamber to chamber) of an angular form to give a
double passage or passages in two directions, as illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Fourth. In combination with the front chamber or front chambers of the
apparatus, the partitions S, passages D', and channels K and L, M, substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. In apparatus, arranged substantially as hereinbefore described, the
employment in combination with the valves C and R of the regulating valves N
and m, substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
Sixth. The arrangement of the valve or flap P, so that it is capable of being
operated to allow the material from two parts of the apparatus to be passed down

page_text: each of the shoots (M³, M³) or so that the said material may be caused to pass
down one shoot only, as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Anthony Besser, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, this Twenty ninth day of March, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
ANTHONY BESSER. (LS.)