IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEPARATING THE DUST, BRAN, AND GERMS FROM THE GRANULATED PORTIONS OF WHEAT
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEPARATING THE
DUST, BRAN, AND GERMS FROM THE GRANULATED PORTIONS OF WHEAT."—A
communication from abroad by James Parkyn, of Montrcal,
Canada.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Palents, with his Petition, on
the 1st February 1873.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVENENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEPARATING
THE DUST, BRAN, AND GERMS FROM THE GRANULATED PORTIONS OF WHEAT," a
communication, to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to improvements in that class of
machines used for separating the dust, bran, and germs of the wheat

page_text: from the granulated portions known as
middungs It is designcu to
provide a better and more equally distributed current of air, and one
capable of adjustment, thereby increasing the quantity and quality of
the work done by the machine; it also provides a brush for acting on
the bolting cloth in a more simple and efficient manner than those at
present in use.
The framework consists of horizontal and vertical scantlings connected
by means of joint bolts," or in any suitable manner to form a
rectangular framework of suitable size for the parts of the machine. On
the sides of the frame are two scantlings forming part of the same.
The
whole of the sides from the top are sheeted down with boards attached
on the inner side with the exception of the opening herein-after more
particularly described. The ends of the machine are also sliceted in a
similar manner from top to bottom with the exception of an opening in
cach.
The bottom of the machine or that part of it below the scantlings is
formed in the following manner :-A casing placed longitudinally and
centrally contains the conveyer which revolves to remove the material
falling down from above through openings made in its bottom, the same
being provided with slides. In the space existing between the top of
the sides of the casing and the scantlings inclined sheeting boards arc
placed extending from end to end of the machine, these are arranged
with openings, and they are set so that the material falling from the
upper board will be received upon the next, and will not fall through
the said openings; laths are attached by set screws to the edges of
boards to form valves for regulating the size of the said openings.
The space existing between the uprights, the bottom of the machine,
casing, and inclines, is filled in with a piece of wood outwardly separating
it in three divisions; this arrangement provides a suitable support and
stiffening for the inclines; therefore the openings and valves are cach
divided correspondingly lengthwise into three parts. In the space
existing inside the machine above the already described parts aro
situated two cross bars extending through the sheeting; the openings
these bars pass through are made somewhat larger than the width of the
bars to allow them to be slightly raised or lowered by screws and nuts.
To the said cross bars are attached slides, in the ends of which are carried

page_text: shafts with pullies attached to them; on these is placed a belt having a
brush attached to it to secure it at right angles to the belt. One of the
shafts towards the front end of the machine has a gear wheel attached
to it to operate it by means of a gear wheel attached to a counter pulley,
and driven by a belt in the ordinary manner from a pulley carried on a
shaft on which is secured an eccentric. Slides are arranged to form
guides for the said brush to travel upon. When the said brush comes to
a roller at the back of the machine it passes downward and returns on
the under side to be again raised on the said roller at the head of the
machine, and travel on the upper side as before. Above the space in
which. the brush travels and situated so that it may be acted upon
thereby is a shaker, the bottom of which is formed by a bolting cloth.
This shaker consists of a suitably stout frame made somewhat smaller
than the inner part of the machine, and having blocks extending through
suitable openings cut in the sheeting; it is suspended by steel springs
or suitable straps to projections on the side of the sheeting, or to the
sheeting itself as desired. The front end of the said shaker has a pro-
jection extending through the sheeting, and to which is attached an
cccentric yoke connecting it with the aforesaid eccentric. At the back
end of the machine the shaker is open and extends into a shoot provided
with an adjustable valve. Another valve is hung in such a manner that
it closes the mouth of the shoot. Immediately under this shoot is a
hopper to receive the "offal." The space within the machine above the
shaker is divided by diaphragms into three spaces. In the first spacc
inverted hoppers are attached converging at their tops to throats. In
another of these spaces is a hopper within which is placed a diaphragm
extending entirely across its sides; this is for the purpose of causing the
air in passing to its corresponding throat to form an eddy at the upper
side of the diaphragm. Room must be left in this space for the feed
hopper. In like manner the inverted hoppers in the first space may be
provided with similar diaphragms. A feed roller extends across the
opening at the bottom of the said feed hopper, distributing the material
to be treated upon the bottom cloth; this opening is regulated by an
adjustable slide. The throats are provided with passages leading into a
general passage in connection with a fan for drawing the air through the
machine and discharging it. In these passages are situated valves, so
arranged that the opening may be adjusted. The said feed roller is
rotated by means of a spur wheel on one end of its shaft which projects
through the sheeting, the said wheel intermesshing with a pinion on

page_text: another shaft. The conveyer is operated by any suitable gearing; doors
are formed in the sides of the sheeting above the shaker, with glass
inserted in them, by which the operator is enabled to see the action
of the machine and adjust it as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patcut
Office on the 25th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
my executors, 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,
usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEPARATING THE DUST, BRAN, AND GERMS
FROM THE GRANULATED PORTIONS OF WHEAT," a communication to me from
abroad by James Parkyn, of Montreal, Canada, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to bo
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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and

page_text: by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings forming a part of this Specification.
This Invention has reference to improvements in that class of
machines used for separating the dust, bran, and germ of the wheat
from the granulated portions known as "middlings," it is designed to
provide a better and more equally distributed current of air, and onc
capable of adjustment, thereby increasing the quantity and quality of
the work done by the machine; it also provides a brush for acting on
the bolting cloth in a more simple and efficient manner than those at
rosent in woo
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying this Invention;
Figure 2 is an elevation of the front end of the said machine; Figure 3
is an elevation of the back end of the same; Figure 4 is a longitudinal
section of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a transverse section of the same;
Figure 6 shews details of the said machine. Like letters indicate the
same parts throughout the Drawings.
« is the framework consisting of horizontal and vertical scantlings
connected by means of "joint bolts," or in any suitable manner to form
a rectangular framework of suitable size for the parts of the machine.
On the sides of the frame a are two scantlings b, as shown, forming part
of the same. The whole of the sides from the top to 6 are sheeted down
with boards on the inner side with the exception of the opening c. The
ends of the machine are also sheeted in a similar manner from top to
bottom with the exception of an opening in cach, as herein-after more
particularly described.
The bottom of the machine or that part of it below the scantlings b is
formed in the following manner :-c* is a casing placed longitudinally
and centrally as shown in the Drawings. In this casing the conveyor d
revolves to remove the material falling down from above through
openings made in its bottom, the same being provided with slides e, e',
e³, e³¹, e¹, c³. In the space existing between the top of the sides of the
casing and the scantlings b, inclined sheeting boards farc placed
extending from end to end of the machine; these boards are arranged
with openings g, and they are set so that the material falling from the
upper board will be received upon the next, and will not fall through

page_text: the openings g; h, h, arc laths attached by set screws to the edges of
the boards to form valves for regulating the size of the openings g.
As shown in Figure 5, the space existing between the uprights a, the
bottom of the machine casing c*, and inclines is filled in with a piece of
wood outwardly separating it in three divisions; this arrangement
provides a suitable support and stiffening for the inclines, therefore the
openings and valves are cach divided correspondinly lengthwise into
three parts.
I
In the space existing inside the machine above the aforesaid parts are
situated two cross bars / extending through the sheeting, and situated
as shown in the Drawings; the openings these bars pass through are
made somewhat larger than the width of the bars to enable them to be
slightly raised or lowered by the screws and nuts 1. To the cross bars
arc attached slides m, in the ends of which are carried shafts n with
pulleys o attached to them; on these pulleys I place a belt p having a
brush attached to it in the manner delineated to secure it at right
angles to the belt. The shaft towards the front end of the machine
has a gear wheel attached to it to operate it by means of another gear
wheel attached to a counter pulley 8, and driven by a belt from the
pulley in the ordinary manner. This pulley is carried on a shaft u,
and driven by means of a pulley attached to its other end. In the
centre of this shaft is secured the eccentric 10.
The slides m form guides for the brush 7 to travel upon, the gear
wheels being arranged to cause it to do so in the direction indicated by
the arrow 1 in Figure 4. When the brush 7 comes to the roller o at the
back of the machine it passes downwards and returns on the under side
to be again raised on the roller o at the head of the machine, and it
travels on the upper side as before.
Above the space in which the brush travels and situated so that it
may be acted upon thereby is the shaker x, the bottom of which is
formed by the bolting cloth 3. This shaker consists of a suitably stout
frame made somewhat smaller than the inner part of the machine,
having blocks extending through suitable openings cut in the sheeting;
it is suspended by steel spring straps a' or other suitable straps to projec-
tions on the side of the sheeting, or to the sheeting itself, as desired. The
front end of the shaker has a projection extending through the sheeting
at that end, to which is attached an eccentric foke 6' connecting it with

page_text: the eccentric w. At the back end of the machine the shaker x is open,
and extends into an opening c¹ mado in the form of a shoot provided
with an adjustable valve d² to fit closely to the end of the bolting cloth;
f' is a valve hung in such a manner that by its gravity and the suction
of the air it closes the mouth of the shoot c².
26
Immediately under this
is situated a hopper g¹ to receive the 'offal." The space within the
machino above the shaker is divided by diaphragms ¹ into three
spaces ¹, k', . In the spaces i¹ and ¹ inverted hoppers m³, n¹, are
placed extending at the bottom throughout the whole space formed by
the diaphragms on their sides and end, and converging at their tops to
the throats o¹, p¹. In the division above described the hopper q¹ is
of the configuration shown in Figure 4, leaving room for the feed
hopper ¹ occupying the remainder of the width; & is the extension of
the hopper „ª¹ above the machine. Within the hopper q¹ is placed a
diaphragm t¹ extending entirely across its sides, this is for the purpose
of causing the air in passing to its corresponding throat to form an eddy
at the upper side of the diaphragm as indicated by the curved arrow
for the purpose of causing particles which would otherwise be carried off
by the blast to settle, and accumulate in the space v¹. In like manner
the hoppers m¹ and n³ may be provided with similar diaphragms if
desired, or not, as found most advantageous. 10 is the feed roller
extending across the opening at the bottom of the hopper ¹, and
distributing the material to be treated upon the bolting cloth y; this
opening is regulated by an adjustable slide ¹. To the throats o', p',
and q', passages a², b³, and c³ are formed leading into a general passage d³
situate in connection with the fan få for drawing the air through the
machine and discharging it by the passage 9². In the passages above
described are situated valves h³, one in cach, so arranged that the opening
may be adjusted to regulate the suction of the air by the fan. The feed
roller w¹ is rotated by means of a spur wheel on one end of its shaft
which projects through the sheeting, the said shaft being carried by any
suitable bearings attached to the frame; the wheel intermeshes with a
pinion on the shaft n. The conveyor is operated by any suitable
gearing l²; m², m², m³, are doors formed in the sides of the sheeting above
the shaker with glass inserted in them by which the operator is enabled
to see the action of the machine and to adjust it to suit.
The ancuation of this improved meshing is as follows

page_text: Fifth. The passages a², b², c², in combination with the valves /²,
passage d, fan f, and discharge pipe g³, as hercin described.
Sixth. The shaker x, with projections
straps a', as hercin set forth.
in connection with with
Seventh. The shaker in combination with the valves d' and ƒ¹, con-
structed and arranged as herein described.
Eighth. The inverted hopper in combination with the diaphragm
and space v¹, as herein described.
Ninth. The machine constructed substantially as described, having a
current of air formed by the suction of the fan f³ or its equivalent, as
herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-fifth day July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
and space v¹, as herein described.
Ninth. The machine constructed substantially as described, having a
current of air formed by the suction of the fan for its equivalent, as
herein set forth.
In witness whercof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-fifth day July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
JAMES EDWARDS,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)