IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WINNOWING AND SEPARATING GRAIN, SEEDS, OR OTHER LIKE VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Samuel Handscombe and Thomas
Perkins at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd December
1879.
SAMUEL HANDSCOMBE, of Melbourne, near Royston, in the County of Cambridge,
and THOMAS PERKINS, of Hitchin, in the County of Hertford. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR WINNOWING AND SEPARATING GRAIN, SEEDS, OR OTHER LIKE
VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES,"
Our Invention relates to apparatus for winnowing and separating grain, seeds,
or other like vegetable substances, whereby these operations may be performed
more effectually and expeditiously than is attainable by the methods and apparatus
at present employed.
According to one part of our Invention we introduce the material (say, grain for
example) to be operated upon into the upper end of an inclined trough or box, the
bottom of which may be either solid throughout its length or be made for a portion
thereof of finely perforated or reticulated material for the separation of the dust
from the grain under treatment. This trough or box is mounted at one end upon
a pivot or axis so as to be capable of vibrating thereon, and is supported at its
opposite end upon a wheel or roller provided with teeth or arms, and driven either
directly or by means of multiplying gear in such a manner that a shaking or
jigging motion is imparted to the trough or box by the latter being alternately
lifted and allowed to fall by the teeth or arms of the wheel or roller. Or the
inclined trough or box may have a lateral or longitudinal reciprocating motion
given by a crank or other well known means.
By means of this arrangement the grain (for example) to be operated upon
introduced into the upper end of the trough or bed (and which may have been
previously passed through any suitable cage, screen, or sifter) is first sorted or
separated and caused to form strata of particles of different sizes in the said trough
or box, and as the shaking or jigging motion continues the said strata are caused
to descend along the trough or box for delivery in the following manner :-At a
suitable point near the lower extremity of the trough or box an opening is formed
in the bottom of the trough or box, below which opening is placed a roller having
grooves in its periphery, and which may be driven by a band from the shaft
carrying the multiplying gear or otherwise. The particles (which form the lowest
stratum) are, on arriving at the said opening, discharged through the grooves of

page_text: this roller into any suitable receptacle below, whilst the remaining portion of the
lowest stratum descends to the bottom of the trough or box and is discharged
through a regulated opening provided for the purpose. The several strata above
are also discharged at the bottom or end of the trough or box through graduated
and regulated openings, by means of which the grain, wholly or partially covered
with the husks and any extraneous matters mixed with it, are delivered into
separate conduits or receptacles for subsequent treatment as required.
According to another part of our Invention we effect the separation of extraneous
matters from grain or seeds by the employment of a revolving cylindrical screen
having projecting from its internal periphery a series of blades, bars, or lifters,
which are arranged in such a manner as to raise and turn over the grain or seeds
in order to effect the displacement and division of the same, and cause the
separation therefrom of the extraneous matters mixed therewith, and which are
then discharged through the meshes of the screen, the grain or seeds operated
upon being delivered at the end of the screen into any convenient receptacle.
The screen may be surrounded by a cylinder which will collect the particles that
fall through the meshes of the former and conduct it to the end either into any
convenient receptacle cr into another screen for further treatment.
It is proposed to combine the apparatus herein before described with winnowing
machines, the said apparatus being placed within such machines, and the grain (for
example) acted upon in the latter being thence discharged into the sorting or
screening apparatus to be operated upon in the manner and for the purposes
herein before described.