Improvements in or relating to Machines or Apparatus for Cleaning, Separating, and Grading Peas, Grain, and other Substances or Materials.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 13th July, 1900-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Machines or Apparatus for Cleaning,
Separating, and Grading Peas, Grain, and other Substances or
Materials.
We, WILLIAM WHITE, of the Firm of Messieurs Thomas Smith and Son,
of Leeds Bridge Works, Tenter Lane, Leeds, in the County of York, Engineers
and Wheelwrights, and JOSEPH VICKERS, of Hopwood Bank, Horsforth, near
Leeds aforesaid, Milling Engineer; do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machines or apparatus for cleaning,
separating, and grading peas, grain, malt, and other substances or materials,
whether in a whole or pulverized state.
Hitherto peas, barley, and the like grain have been graded and separated,
either by being picked by hand, or by means of machinery in which a revolving
cylinder is provided with a "pitted or perforated periphery to receive a pea
or grain, or through which they pass.
"
Now the object of this invention is to provide simple and ready means or
apparatus in which the peas or other material operated upon may be cleaned,
graded, and separated into, say, two or more sizes by means of one or more
stationary and interchangeable sieves capable of being adjusted to the required
angle under which one or more sets of brushes 'or wipers are made to reciprocate
in a longitudinal or transverse direction for controlling the feed and propelling
the material operated upon over the sieve, as well as for clearing the meshes or
perforations of the same.
According to this invention on, say, suitable framework is mounted one or
more sieves of suitable length, width, and depth. The framework may be
arranged to be either a fixture, or it may be mounted upon wheels so as to be
capable of being removed from place to place. A hopper is provided and fixed
to the framework at one end over the sieve or sieves. The lower portion of
the hopper is armed with an adjustable slide for regulating the supply of material
to the sieve.
Each sieve may, at one end, be jointed or otherwise fixed to or mounted on a
shaft carried in adjustable bearings attached to the framework whilst the opposite
or delivery end of the sieve may be supported or suspended by
any convenient means, such as. say, by one or more screws and
hand wheels, for enabling it to be adjusted to any required angle. The bottom
of each sieve may be formed of any suitable perforated material, such as, say,
for example, perforated zinc, of either the same or varying mesh or perforations,
with or without a division plate or space between them. Thus, for instance, the
bottom of the sieve may be made of one gauge or mesh of perforations from end

page_text: to end, or one half of the longitudinal length of the bottom of the sieve may be
of one gauge or mesh, and the other half, say, of a smaller gauge or mesh, or
The mesh or gauge of the perforations, as well as their size and
shape, will require to be varied in accordance with the material being operated
vice versa.
upon.
In order that the sieves may be readily changed from one mesh or
gauge to
another the perforated material, forming their bottoms, may, when so desired.
be mounted in frames separate from, but capable of being fixed to the walls
(sides and end or ends) of the sieve so as to be capable of being readily removed
therefrom whenever a change is required. Or the said perforated material may
be fixed directly to said walls.
Below and at a suitable distance from each sieve is adjustably or otherwise
fixed thereto; but at a suitable distance therefrom, a chute provided with suit-
able walls (sides and end or ends) for receiving the material as it falls or passes
from the sieve. The chute may be made a little longer than the sieve, so that
the full extent of the same may be employed for separating and grading pur-
poses as well as providing guides for the propelling brushes or wipers to be
presently described.
Separate delivery openings or outlets with or without controlling slides are
provided in the sieves and their chutes for each grading of the material. When
the bottom of the sieve is made of more than one mesh or gauge then each
chute will require to be provided with delivery openings and transverse division
picces corresponding with the number of meshes or gauges to prevent the
gradings becoming again mixed.
In the space between each sieve and its chute one or more endless chains, or
bands, or it or their equivalent or equivalents, all of which are hereafter termed
and included in the term endless chain or chains," mounted on suitable pulleys,
are made to traverse in a longitudinal or transverse direction. The pulleys, upon
which the endless chain or chains work, are fixed to transverse or longitudinal
shafts (carried in adjustable or other bearings on the framework) to which a
rotary motion may be imparted by hand or power. To the endless chain or
chains are fixed or attached transversely a number of brushes or leather or other
flexible wipers at suitable distances apart, and so arranged that their ends will
work in guides,-formed for their reception in the side walls of the chute,-.
whenever they are caused to travel under the bottom of the sieve, against which
the bristles of the brushes or edges of the wipers are made to impinge. Thereby
means are provided for not only, drawing a supply of material from the hopper
but also for causing it to travel or gravitate gently down the inclined bottom
of the sieve for grading purposes, as well as cleaning the same and keeping the
meshes of the sieve preferably clear. After the material has passed through
the bottom of a sieve it falls on to and gravitates down the chute underneath to
its delivery outlet. When the sieves are provided with perforations in their
bottoms of more than one gauge or mesh, then, if so desired, a separate set of
travelling brushes or wipers may be provided for each length or set of perfora-
tions. Also, when required, a rotary motion may be imparted to each brush or
wiper in addition to its longitudinal or transverse traversing motion. The said
rotary motion may be imparted to the brush or wiper by any suitable means,
such as, say, by its frictional contact with its guides, or by means of gearing
and belting.
Where more than one sieve, chute, and brushes or wipers are employed and
fixed to the framework above each other then the endless chains and brushes or
wipers may be rotated either separately, or be geared together by, say, wheels,
belts or chains.
The cleaning, grading, and separating apparatus may also be adapted to be
fixed on the different floors of a mill or building with one or more sets of sieves,
chutes, endless chains, and brushes or wipers arranged on each floor, and con-
nected together by pipes or tubes with or without regulating valves so arranged

page_text: that as the material passes from the sieve or sieves and chute or chutes of one
Hoor it is conveyed to the sieve or sieves or chute or chutes of another floor.
Dated this Twelfth day of October 1899
WILLIAM WHITE.
JOSEPH VICKERS.
Improvements in or relating to Machines or Apparatus for Cleaning,
Separating, and Grading Peas, Grain, and other Substances or
Materials.
We, WILLIAM WHITE, of the Firm of Messieurs Thomas Smith and Son,
of Leeds Bridge Works, Tenter Lane, Leeds, in the County of York, Engineers
and Wheelwrights, and JOSEPH VICKERS, of Hopwood Bank, Horsforth, near
Leeds aforesaid, Milling Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly de-
scribed and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in machines or apparatus for cleaning,
separating, and grading peas, grain, malt, and other substances or materials,
whether in a whole or pulverized state.
Hitherto peas, barley, and the like grain have been graded and separated,
either by being picked by hand, or by means of machinery in which a revolving
cylinder is provided with a pitted" or perforated periphery to receive a pea
or grain, or through which they pass.
"
Now the object of this invention is to provide simple and ready means or
apparatus in which the peas or other material operated upon may be cleaned,
graded, and separated into, say, two or more sizes by means of one or more
stationary and interchangeable sieves capable of being adjusted to the required
angle under which one or more sets of brushes or wipers are made to reciprocate
in a longitudinal or transverse direction for controlling the feed and propelling
the material operated upon over the sieve, as well as for clearing the meshes or
perforations of the same.
In the drawings hereunto annexed
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed according to this invention.
Fig. 2 longitudinal section of same.
Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively elevations of opposite ends of the machine.
Fig. 5 an elevation of one of the sieves.
Fig. 6a plan of same.
A is the framework of the machine on which is mounted one or more
sieves B of suitable length, width, and depth. One sieve only is shown in the
drawings. The framework A may be arranged to be either a fixture, as shown
in the drawings, or it may be mounted upon wheels so as to be capable of being
removed from place to place. A hopper C is fixed by bolts e to the framework A
at one end of the machine, and it is provided with an inclined bottom, and
with a delivery opening c¹ on the side facing the delivery end of the machine
over the sieve B. The lower portion of the hopper is armed with an adjustable
slide for regulating the size of the delivery openings and consequently
the supply of material to the sieve B.
Dare longitudinal slides for receiving the sieve B. The slides Dare

page_text: attached at each side thereof to the walls or sides of the framework A by a
bolt or bolts E which form a pivot or fulcrum on which this end of the slide
may turn. Instead of making this end of the slide a fixture its supporting bolt
or bolts E may be carried in adjustable bearings, say, of similar construction to
that shown for carrying the brushes of the machine. The opposite end of the
slide, that is, at the delivery end of the machine, is suspended by a holt F,
having a screw thread cut thereon. The bolt is made to pass through the trans-
verse portion of the framework as shown at Fig. 2. It is armed at its upper
portion with a hand wheel G, the boss of which forms the nut for the screwed
portion of the bolt, thereby providing a ready means for adjusting the slide to
the required angle of inclination. The slide is inclined from the hopper towards
the delivery end of the machine.
dd are longitudinal guides fixed to the sides of the slide D between which
the framework of the sieve B is inserted, as at Fig. 2.
In some cases it may be found advisable to dispense with the slide D in which
case one end of the sieve would be fixed by the bolt or bolts E to the frame-
work A, and the opposite end suspended by the bolt I.
The sieve B consists of frame b, say, of wood, armed with a handle 1 at one
end, by which it can be readily removed from or inserted between the guides d d
of the slide D. The frame may be strengthened by the longitudinal stay 72
and transverse stays 63. The lower edge of the frame bis covered with any
suitable perforated material, such as, say, for example, perforated zinc B of
either the same or varying mesh or perforations, with or without a division plate
or space between them. Thus, for instance, the bottom of the sieve may be
made of one gauge or mesh of perforations from end to end, or one half of the
longitudinal length of the bottom of the sieve may be of one gauge or mesh,
and the other half, say, of a smaller gauge or mesh, or vice versa.
The mesh or
gauge of the perforations, as well as their size and shape, will require to be
varied in accordance with the material being operated upon.
In order that the sieve may be readily changed. from one mesh or gauge to
another the perforated material, forming its bottom is mounted in the frame b,
as already described, which is separate from but capable of being carried in
the slide D attached to the walls of the framework so as to be capable of being
readily removed therefrom whenever a change is required. Or the said per-
forated material with or without the frame b may be fixed directly to said
walls of the framework A. The frame of the sieve B is arranged to be directly
under the bottom of the hopper C as shown at Fig. 2, and its delivery end is
armed with a piece of felt G¹ or other suitable material which is made to hang
down the delivery spout H for closing the opening between the underside of the
sieve B and the top of the chute I, thus preventing any material that passes
over the end of the sieve from entering the chute.
Below and at a suitable distance from the sieve B is adjustably or otherwise
fixed to the framework as shown, but at a suitable distance therefrom, a chute I
as shown, provided with suitable walls for receiving the material as it falls or
passes from the sieve B. The chute may be made a little longer than the sieve,
so that the full extent of the same may be employed for separating and grading
purposes.
Separate delivery openings or outlets J, H' with or without controlling slides
are provided in the sieve and the chute for each grading of the material. When
the bottom of the sieve is made of more than one mesh or gauge then each chute
will require to be provided with delivery openings and transverse division pieces
corresponding with the number of meshes or gauges to prevent the gradings
becoming again mixed. If desired, the chute I may be adjustably attached to
the slide D by say, slotted plates and bolts, instead of being fixed to the frame-
work A as shown in the drawings.
In the space between sieve B and the chute I two or more endless chains, or

page_text: bands, or it or their equivalent or equivalents, all of which are hereafter termed
and included in the term "endless chains K mounted on suitable wheels L
are made to traverse in a longitudinal or transverse direction. The endless
chains are shown to traverse longitudinally. The wheels L upon which the
endless chains K work are shown fixed to transverse shafts M (carried in
adjustable bearings N fixed to the slides D) to which a rotary motion may be
imparted by hand or power. In the drawings the wheels L and shafts M are
shown to be operated by the handle O, but when power is required the handle
can be dispensed with and pulleys mounted on the shaft in place thereof. To the
endless chains K are fixed or attached transversely. a number of brushes P or
leather or other flexible wipers at suitable distances apart, and so arranged that
their ends will work in guides Q-formed for their reception in the side pieces
and attached by the bearings of shafts M to the slides 1) as previously described,
whenever they are caused to travel under the bottom of the sieve, against
which the bristles of the brushes or edges of the wipers are made to impinge.
Thereby, means are provided for not only drawing a supply of material from
the hopper but also for causing it to travel or gravitate gently down the inclined
bottom of the sieve B for grading purposes, as well as cleaning the same and
keeping the meshes of the sieve perfectly clear. After the material has passed
through the bottom of a sieve it falls on to and gravitates down the chute I,
underneath to its delivery outlet J.
When the sieve is provided with perforations in its bottom of more than one
gauge or mesh, then, if so desired, a separate set of travelling brushes or wipers
may be provided for each length or set of perforations. Also, when required, a
rotary motion may be imparted to each brush or wiper in addition to its longi-
tudinal or transverse traversing motion. The said rotary motion may be im-
parted to the brush or wiper by any suitable means such as, say, by its frictional
contact with its guides, or by means of gearing and belting.
If desired, a set of brushes mounted on endless chains and pulleys may also
be arranged above the seive for cleaning the meshes thereof.
The material to be operated upon is first placed in the hopper C, and escapes
therefrom on to the scive B through the delivery opening c. It is then made
to travel down the inclined seive B by the brushes P mounted on the endless
chains K for grading purposes. Part of the material during its traverse or
passage down the sieve falls through its meshes into the chute I, whilst the
material too large to pass through the meshes is carried forward and passes
into the delivery spout H.
When more than one sieve, chute, and brushes or wipers are employed and
fixed to the framework above each other then the endless chains and brushes or
wipers may be rotated either separately or be geared together by, say, wheels,
belts, or chains.
The cleaning, grading, and separating apparatus may also be adapted to be
fixed on the different floors of a mill or building with one or more sets of sieves,
chutes, endless chains, and brushes or wipers arranged on each floor, and con-
nected together by pipes or tubes with or without regulating valves so arranged
that as the material passes from the sieve or sieves and chute or chutes of one
floor it is conveyed to the seive or seives or chute or chutes of another floor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
A machine for cleaning, separating and grading peas, grain, and other sub-
stances or materials substantially as herein described consisting essentially
of one or more removable inclined seives mounted in adjustable guides within
the framework of the machine, and interposed between the feed supply hopper
and chute or chutes that receive the graded, cleaned, separated and graded

page_text: material, each sieve having a set of travelling brushes or wipers adjustablý
attached thereto and arranged to work against its underside and to be operated as
described and a delivery spout or spouts adapted to receive the tailings of the
seives, all arranged and combined substantially as set forth and illustrated.
Dated this Twelfth day of July 1900.
WILLIAM WHITE,
JOSEPH VICKERS,
By W. Fairburn Hart,
Agent.