IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Blezard, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Millwright, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES FOR CLEANING WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN."
Sealed the 14th August 1868, and dated the 19th February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Blezard at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th February 1868.
I, RICHARD BLEZARD, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Millwright, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN,"
to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to provide a machine by which wheat
and other grain can be thoroughly cleaned and freed from extraneous
matter at one operation, that is to say, by passing the grain once through
the machine all adhering earthy and other matter will be rubbed or

page_text: beaten off, and immediately thereafter along with any free dust and
foreign matter present separated, and the grain delivered by itself in
a better condition for grinding and other uses than hitherto has been
attainable. For this purpose I employ two main parts, the one sur-
rounding the other, and cause them by power applied in any convenient
manner to rotate in opposite directions, the grain to be cleaned being
passed between them. The inner part consists of a solid or hollow
inverted cone, a cylinder, or piece of any other form fitted with beaters
on its periphery or sides mounted on a shaft supported in a step or other
bearing; the other or outer part consists of a screen or cage of wirework
or perforated metal, also supported in a step or other bearing. Screws
or other mechanism to move one or both of the said parts are provided,
so that the distance apart can be increased or decreased at pleasure.
By moving them further from or nearer to each other the rubbing or
cleaning action on the grain will be lessened of augmented. The grain
in its passage through the machine is alternately thrown outwards and
inwards by the motion of the surfaces of the parts, which, as above-
mentioned, rotate in opposite directions; this action thoroughly cleans
it and separates the extraneous matter, which is projected through the
meshes or openings in the screen or cage and so separated from the
grain.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Richard Blezard in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th August 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
BLEZARD, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Millwright, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Richard Blezard, Her special license,
that I, the said Richard Blezard, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard Blezard, my executors,

page_text: administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING WHEAT AND OTHER GRAIN," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Blezard, my execu-
tors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Blezard, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
accompanying Sheet of illustrative Drawings, and to the figures and
letters of reference thereon, that is to say-
The object of my Invention is to provide a machine by which wheat
and other grain can be thoroughly cleaned and freed from extraneous
matter at one operation, that is to say, by passing the grain once through
the machine all adhering earthy and other matter will be rubbed or
beaten off, and immediately thereafter along with any free dust and
foreign matter present separated and the grain delivered by itself in a
better condition for grinding and other uses than hitherto has been
attainable. For this purpose I employ two main parts, the one sur-
rounding the other, and cause them by power applied in any convenient
manner to rotate in opposite directions, the grain to be cleaned being
passed between them. The inner part consists of a solid or hollow
inverted cone, a cylinder, or piece of any other form fitted with beaters
on its periphery or sides mounted on a shaft supported in a step or other
bearing; the other or outer part consists of a screen or cage of wirework
or perforated metal, also supported in a step or other bearing. Screws
or other mechanism to move one or both of the said parts are provided,
so that the distance apart can be increased or decreased at pleasure.
By moving them further from or nearer to each other the rubbing or

page_text: cleaning action on the grain will be lessened or augmented. The grain.
in its passage through the machine is alternately thrown outwards and
inwards by the motion of the surfaces of the parts, which, as above
mentioned, rotate in opposite directions; this action thoroughly cleans
it and separates the extraneous matter, which is projected through the
meshes or openings in the screen or cage and so separated from the
Fig. 1 is a perspective view; Fig. 2, a side clevation; Fig. 3, a vertical
transverse section; and Figs. 4 and 5 horizontal sections respectively
at A, B, and C, D. Like letters are marked on the same parts in all
the views.
a denotes the frame, formed preferably so as to be easily secured as
well to the ceiling as the floor of the room in which the machine is
placed; b, the shaft on which the inner part is supported; the said inner
part consists of the hollow inverted cone or piece c fitted with wings or
beaters d; these wings or beaters & are placed either in vertical lines or
slightly curved spirally. The lower end of the said shaft b rests in the
footstep e; e is formed with a screw on its external surface to raise or
lower and so bring the cone or piece c and the beaters & nearer to the
outer part for the purpose hereafter set forth. fis a set screw to secure e
in the desired position; is a protector to prevent dust from reaching e;
h is the driving pulley. Of the outer part i is the frame, this holds the
screen of woven wire or perforated metal j, I prefer woven wire gauze ;
k, the driving pully; is a footstep in which the supporting shaft m is
carried; n is a receiver, and o a spout; these parts are stationary and
do not rotate with either the inner or outer parts. p is a protecting
plate or frame, part only shewn in Fig. 1, and represented by dotted
lines in Fig. 2, to prevent the dust projected through the screen from
clogging the footstep 1 and yet large enough to allow a person to reach
through or enter thereunder to lubricate the bearings, a door, not shewn,
being provided in the receiver n; q is the grain feed pipe.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The grain from the feed

page_text: wards between the inner and outer parts. These parts by being made
to rotate, the one to the right and the other to the left, subject the grain
to friction, and thereby rub off any extraneous matter, which by its being
in a fine enough state of division is with any dust or smut projected
through the meshes or openings ; and so separated. The tendancy of
the action of the inner part is to rub and press the grain downwards,
whilst that of the outer part is to retard it, indeed almost raise it to the
top or widest part; and it is of the very essence of my improvements
that both the inner and outer parts should rotate at a comparatively
high velocity. I have found speeds of from 250 to 750 revolutions for
the inner part, and 200 to 500 revolutions for the outer part, to answer
well. In any case the speed of the outer part, regard being had to
the size of the screen, should be sufficient to throw out the dust and
foreign matter and considirably retard the downwards progress of the
grain. The grain passes from between the internal and external parts
into the receiver n and is discharged by the shoot o into any suitable
receptacle or bin. The nearer the inner and outer parts are to each
other the greater the rubbing the grain undergoes; and when it is
required to perform the operation known to millers as "scouring," and for
which the above described machinery is well adapted, I prefer, and indeed
this is desireable in all cases, to subject the grain after or as it leaves
my said machinery to currents of air either forced or drawn through
it to remove the "hullings" and other loose matter objectionable
in grinding.
Although I prefer the arrangement of parts or mechanism above
described when fitting up new machines I would have it understood
that machines of various constructions now in use for cleaning grain
can be altered and adapted so as to possess the advantages secured by
my improvements, one point of great moment to be borne in mind being
to make both the inner and outer parts rotate at a high speed, as before
mentioned.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and
particularized the same so that others acquainted with the manufacture
will be enable to carry my improvements into effect, I would have
it understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein
set forth and delineated; what I claim is, constructing machines for
cleaning wheat and other grain with inner and outer parts, substantially

page_text: as described, and causing such parts to rotate in opposite directions in
the manner herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said. Richard Blezard, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
In the presence of
JOHN T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
RICHARD BLEZARD. (L.s.)