Improvements in Means for Separating the Germ from Maize or Indian Corn, which Means may be Used for Washing Grain and Making Separations thereof.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1899.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Separating the Germ from Maize or
Indian Corn, which Means may be Used for Washing Grain and
Making Separations thereof.
I, ERNEST SAMUEL SPENCER, of Castle Brewery, St. George's Road, Southwark,
in the County of Surrey, Managing Director to a Public Company, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide improved means for separating the
germ from crushed maize or Indian corn, which may also be used for washing
wheat, barley, or other grain, and making separations thereof.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ a trough which is fixed hori
zontally and preferably of smaller section at the lower part than at the upper
part thereof. At one end of this trough and communicating therewith, I arrange
an inclined trough. At the lower part of the horizontal trough is arranged a
conveyor, preferably formed of a number of crescent shaped blades fixed to a
shaft. In the centre of each of these crescent shaped biades, or between the
same, I preferably arrange other blades to assist in the suspension of the germ
and lighter particles, as well as to assist the flow of the water and of the germs
or lighter particles carried by the water in a contrary direction to that of the
crushed maize. The inclined trough has a screw or other conveyor to carry the
crushed and gem freed maize out of the water and to drain the same. The water
is admitted at that end of the horizontal trough which adjoins the inclined trough,
and a plate is fixed over the meeting ends of the worms to receive the water from
the inlet and to spread and direct it towards the overflow. At the overflow end
of the horizontal irough is mounted an adjustable slide, whereby the height of
he overflow can be adjusted. A hopper to supply the crushed maize to the hori-
zontal trough is arranged at a suitable point along the length of the latter.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows. Water and crushed maize are
supplied to the horizontal trough, the waterflow is directed towards the overflow
end of such horizontal trough, the crushed maize is conveyed by the horizontal
conveyor, in a contrary direction to the flow of the water, towards the inclined
conveyor, which latter raises the crushed maize from the water and allows the
main part of the latter to drain therefrom. The germs or other light particles
or impurities are thus separated from the crushed maize. The speed of the con-
veyors and the flow of water may be varied according to circumstances.
Although in the above description I have referred only to the degerming of
maize, it will be evident that the apparatus is equally applicable to the washing
of grain and to making separations thereof.
Dated this 19th dox of T..1.. 1800
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Means for Separating the Germ from Maize or
Indian Corn, which Means may be Used for Washing Grain and
Making Separations thereof.
I, ERNEST SAMUEL SPENCER, of Castle Brewery, St. Georges Road, Southwark,
in the County of Surrey, Managing Director to a Public Company, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
. J
The object of my invention is to provide improved means for separating the
germ from crushed maize or Indian corn, which may also be used for washing
wheat, barley, or other grain, and making separations thereof.
My invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a sectional end view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of Fig. 1 showing one pair of crescent shaped conveyor
blades in the horizontal trough.
Fig. 4 is a cross section of Fig. 1 showing one pair of blades to assist in the
suspension of the germ and lighter particles, as well as to assist in the flow of
the water and of the germs or lighter particles carried thereby in a contrary
direction to that of the crushed maize.
Fig. 5 is a cross section of the inclined part of Fig. 1.
Figs. 6 and 7 are separated views of one of each of said blades, and
Fig. 8 is a cross section of a modified form of trough.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ a trough a, which is fixed in a
horizontal position and is preferably of smaller section at the lower part than at
the upper part thereof.
At one end of this trough a and communicating there-
with, arrange an inclined trough b. At the lower part of the horizontal
trough a is arranged a conveyor, preferably formed of a number of crescent
shaped blades e fixed to a shaft e passing at one end through a stuffing box a¹ and
journalled in bearings dc. Between these crescent shaped blades c¹ I preferably
arrange other blades, which are also fixed to the shaft c, to assist in the sus-
pension of the germ and lighter particles, as well as to assist in the flow of the
water and of the germs and lighter particles carried by the water in a contrary
direction to that of the crushed maize. The inclined trough has a screw or
other conveyor f to carry the germ freed crushed maize out of the water and to
drain the same, finally delivering it to a suitable chute g.
The water is admitted by a pipe h at that end of the horizontal trough which
adjoins the inclined trough b, and a plate i is fixed over the meeting ends of the
conveyors c, e, f to receive the water from the pipe h and to spread and direct
it towards the overflow. This plate also prevents any disturbance by the in-
coming water of the germ-freed crushed maize near the point where it is being
delivered to the inclined trough b and conveyor f. At the overflow end of the
horizontal trough a is mounted an adjustable slide whereby the height of the
overflow can be adjusted.
Achute and hopper to supply the crushed maize to the horizontal trough a
are arranged at a suitable point along the length of the latter. The conveyor
shaft c is driven by means of a belt passing around a pulley fixed on said
shaft c, and the worm f is driven by a belt f passing round a pulley f fixed on
the shaft of said conveyor. Other means of driving said conveyors may how-
ever be adopted.
In order to prevent the worm f from carrying the water to the upper end of

page_text: and overflowing the inclined trough b, I perforate a portion of such trough 6 and
i
fix a jacket around such perforated part to receive the water passing through
the latter, a pipe denvers the water from such jacket to the horizontal
trough. The overflow water from the trough a and the germs carried thereby
are received by the hopper whence they are conveyed by the pipe m to any
suitable receiver.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-Water and crushed maize are
supplied to the horizontal trough a, the water-flow is directed towards the over-
flow end of said trough a, the crushed maize is conveyed by the conveyor blades c¹,
in a contrary direction to that of the now of the water, towards the inclined
conveyor, which latter raises the germ-freed crushed maize from the water and
allows the main part of the latter to drain therefrom.
The blades 2 assist to separate the germ and lighter particles from the crushed
maize.
The germs and other light particles are thus separated from the crushed maize.
The speed of the conveyors and the now of water may be varied according to
circumstances.
Although in the above description I have referred only to the degerming of
maize, it will be evident that the process and apparatus are equally applicable to
the washing of grain and to making separations thereof.
In separating or sizing wheat, barley, beans or other cereals, it is only necessary
to regulate the quantity and flow of water, to suit requirements when the lighter
grain can be carried with the water whilst the heavier gram travels with the
worm in the opposite direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what
I claim is;-
1. In means for separating the germ from maize or Indian corn, and for wash-
ing grain and making separations thereof, the combination of a horizontal trough,
means for feeding the crushed maize or grain to said trough, means for supplying
water to said trough, a conveyor mounted in said trough giving motion to the
crushed maize or grain in a contrary direction to that in which the water flows,
agitators carried by the said conveyor shaft, an inclined trough communicating
with the grain discharge end of the horizontal trough and a conveyor in said
inclined trough to raise the grain out of the water and drain the same, substan-
tially as herein set forth.
2. In means for separating the germ from maize or Indian corn, and for wash-
ing grain and making separations thereof, the combination of a horizontal trough,
means for feeding crushed maize or grain to said trough, means for supplying
water to said trough, a conveyor mounted in said trough giving motion to the
crushed maize or grain in a contrary direction to that in which the water flows,
agitators carried by the said conveyor shaft, an inclined trough communicating
with the grain discharge end of the horizontal trough, a conveyor in said inclined
trough to raise the grain out of the water and drain the same, a guard over the
meeting ends of the horizontal and inclined troughs to prevent the incoming
water from disturbing the germ-freed maize or washed grain and to spread and
direct the water towards the overflow, and an adjustable plate at the overflow
end of the horizontal trough to regulate the height of the overflow, substantially
as herein set forth.
Dated this 9th day of April 1900
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.