IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING CHAFF, AND FOR CLEANING THE SAME AND DELIVERING IT INTO RECEPTACLES.”
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Percival Everitt and William John Adams, of Ryburgh,
in the County of Norfolk, Engineers, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR CUTTING CHAFF, AND FOR CLEANING THE SAME AND
DELIVERING IT INTO RECEPTACLES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Percival Everitt and William
John Adams at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th
February 1880.
PERCIVAL EVERITT and WILLIAM JOHN ADAMS, of Ryburgh, in the County of
Norfolk, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING CHAFF, AND
FOR CLEANING THE SAME AND DELIVERING IT INTO RECEPTACLES."
This Invention relates to improvements in chaff cutting machines, the object
being, firstly, to remove dust and mildew from the chaff as it is formed, and to
facilitate the delivery of the chaff so cleaned into receptacles.
Secondly. To means whereby an increased width of feed may be acted upon
without enlarging the diameter of the cutter wheel; and, thirdly, to a novel
arrangement of parts for throwing the feed rolls out of action when an accident to
the attendant is imminent.
In order to attain the first object of the Invention we convert the fly wheel which
carries the curved knives into a fan by casting its curved arms with fan blades on
the opposite side to that to which the knives are affixed; this fan wheel we enclose
in a circular case, which is made fast to the framing of the machine.
A central opening is made through the outer side of the case for the admission of
air thereto, and an opening is made through the inner side of the case opposite the
inouth of the trough to permit of the fodder being fed up to the revolving knives of
the chaff cutter.
In the periphery of the circular case an opening is made to bring into communi-
cation with the case a curved conducting tube, to the extremity of which is to be
attached the sack or other receiver for the chaff.
The upper side of this tube (which is for convenience made rectangular in cross
section) is formed for a portion of its length of perforated metal or equivalent
material to provide for the discharge of dust and other light extraneous matter
ID 11

page_text: contained in the chaff, and we may also perforate in a similar manner the periphery
of the fan case.
Rotary motion is imparted to the fan wheel or cutter wheel by a band and pulley
or their equivalent, and as the fodder fed up to the knives is cut into chaff air will
be drawn into the fan case through the central opening, and discharged with the
dust through the perforations; the chaff will at the same time be carried round
by the fan blades, and be discharged into the curved tube leading to the receiver.
By this means any dry mildew and dust contained in the chaff will be carried by
the escaping air through the perforated metal, thereby leaving the chaff clean and
free to pass down into the receiver.
In carrying out the second object of our Invention, instead of mounting the
cutter wheel on one side of the feed trough we mount its axle below the trough,
and in a central position with regard thereto; thus the curved knives in com-
mencing their action will cut upwards, and in completing their action will cut
downwards.
The trough, it will be understood, admits of being considerably widened in con-
sequence of the increased reach thus given to the blades; but to ensure the proper
holding of the feed under the action of the blades we arrange the feed rollers in a
peculiar manner.
The lower roller we mount, one end (say, the right end) in a stationary bearing,
which is capable of a slight oscillation, and the other in a sliding bearing, which is
held in position by a weighted lever or its equivalent.
The upper roller we also mount in a similar manner, but reverse the position of
the bearings. By this means a suitable resistance to the upward pressure as well
as to the downward pressure of the knives is secured.
In carrying out the third object of our Invention' we weight the clutch lever
which actuates the clutch for reversing the direction of rotation of the feed rolls,
and thus cause it to rest on one or the other side of a vertical line, according to the
position in which it is placed.
Supposing this lever to operate upon a clutch at one side of the machine, we arch
it over the feed trough, and pivot it on both sides thereof, giving it a forked exten-
sion below the pivot at the clutch side of the machine.
The arch of the lever will carry the weight, which may be a broad flat plate of
cast iron, forming virtually a portion of the lever.
Should the attendant find his fingers caught in the bite of the feed rolls, he will
be able instantly, by pressing against this broad plate, to throw over the lever and
reverse the direction of rotation of the rolls, the lever being equally accessible
whether the attendant be standing at the right or the left hand side of the
machine.
This arrangement, it will be understood, is equally applicable to machines having
the sliding clutch below the feed trough.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Percival Everitt and William John Adams in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th August 1880.
PERCIVAL EVERITT and WILLIAM JOHN ADAMS, of Ryburgh, in the County of
Norfolk, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING CHAFF, AND
FOR CLEANING THE SAME AND DELIVERING IT INTO RECEPTACLES."
This Invention relates to improvements in chaff cutting machines, the objects
being, firstly, to remove dust and mildew from the chaff as it is formed, and to
facilitate the delivery of the chaff so cleaned into receptacles; secondly, to a novel
arrangement of parts for throwing the feed rolls out of action when an accident to
the attendant is imminent.
In order to attain the first object of the Invention we convert the fly wheel which
carries the curved knives into a fan, which we enclose in a circular perforated case
made fast to the framing of the machine, and the dust or dry mildew is driven off
through the perforations.
In communication with the case is a conducting tube, to the extremity of which
is to be attached the sack or other receiver for the chaff.
Rotary motion is imparted to the fan wheel or cutter wheel by a band and pulley
or their equivalent.
In carrying out the second object of our Invention we arrange the clutch lever
which actuates the clutch for reversing the direction of rotation of the feed rolls so
as to bring it within reach of the shoulder of the attendant, who, should he find his
fingers caught in the bite of the feed rolls, will be able instantly to throw over the
lever and reverse the direction of rotation of the rolls.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of a chaff cutting machine
with our improvements adapted thereto; Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section
of the same; and Figure 3 a back view of the machine with one side of the cylindrical
case removed, and shewing the cutter wheel.
A is the framing, which is supported at one end by the axle of a pair of running
wheels B, and at the other end by legs B'; C is the trough in which the fodder to
be cut is placed, and C¹ is an endless apron in the bottom of the trough for carrying
the fodder forward to the feed rolls D; E is the fly wheel, from the axle of which
the feed rolls D are driven by gearing in the ordinary manner. The cutters E¹
are attached to the fly wheel E in the usual manner. Rotary motion is imparted
to the fly wheel axle by band and pulley or their equivalent.
Reference having thus been made to those parts of the machine which are old,
we will proceed to describe our improvements.
The fly wheel E is converted into a fan by casting its curved arms with or
securing thereto in any convenient manner fan blades E on the opposite side to
that on which the cutters are affixed.
This fan wheel we enclose in a circular case F, which is made fast to the framing
of the machine.
The greater portion of the periphery of the case F is perforated or formed of
wire gauze.
A central opening is made in the outer side of the case for the admission of air
thereto, and an opening F¹ is made through the inner side of the case opposite the
mouth of the trough C to permit of the fodder being fed up to the revolving knives
of the chaff cutter.
A portion of the periphery of the circular case F is removed, and the sides of the
case are prolonged to form a collecting chamber F for the chaff. In communication

page_text: with this chamber F2 is a conducting tube F³, to the extremity of which the sack
or other receiver for the chaff is to be attached; this tube Fs (which is for conve-
nience made rectangular in cross section) may be made wide enough to support two
sacks or receivers side by side at one time. In this case we divide the tube by a
central partition G, see dotted lines in Figure 3, the lower part of which is fixed, the
upper part being hinged thereto and capable of rocking from side to side. We thus
form two shoots, one of which may be closed to remove a filled sack and place an
empty one, while the other shoot is open for discharging the chaff into the other
sack. In this way the removal of the filled sacks may be effected without stopping
the working of the machine.
The action of this part of the apparatus is as follows:-Rotary motion being
imparted to the fly wheel E as the fodder fed up to the knives is cut into chaff, air
will be drawn into the fan case through the central opening, and discharged through
the perforated periphery of the case, carrying with it the dust. The chaff will at
the same time be carried round by the fan blades, and discharged by centrifugal
force into the collecting chamber F2, from whence it passes by the tube F³ to the
sack or other receiver.
By this means any dry mildew and dust contained in the chaff will be first beaten
out of the chaff, and then carried by the escaping air through the perforations in the
case, thereby leaving the chaff clean and free to pass down into the receiver.
In carrying out the second object of our Invention we weight the clutch lever H,
which actuates the clutch for reversing the direction of rotation of the feed rolls D,
and thus cause it to remain on one or the other side of a vertical line, according to
the position in which it is placed. This lever H is usually placed on one side of
the machine, and is not accessible to the attendant, whose fingers get caught in the
feed rolls D. We therefore employ an arched lever, which we place over the
feed trough C, and pivot it on either side thereof, giving it a forked extension
below the pivot on one side to embrace the clutch.
The arch of the lever will carry the weight, which may be a broad flat plate of
cast iron, forming virtually a portion of the lever.
By thus forming the lever it will be brought within reach of the shoulder of the
attendant, who, should he find his fingers caught in the bite of the feed rolls, will
be able instantly, by pressing with his shoulder against the broad plate, to throw
over the lever and reverse the direction of rotation of the rolls D.
The lever H will also be equally accessible, on whichever side of the machine the
attendant may be standing.
The feed rolls are weighted in the usual manner.
In some cases it is desirable to sift the chaff before it is delivered to the sacks.
To this end we hang a riddle or sieve under the mouth of the conducting tube F
and to this riddle a reciprocating motion is communicated through a crank pin from
the fly wheel axle. Below the riddle is a fixed hopper to receive the sifted chaff,
and conduct it to a receiver below.
The chaff which does not pass through the riddle is thrown off at the end into
another receiver. This apparatus is shewn in the Drawing in front elevation at
Figure 4, and in side elevation at Figure 5. I is the riddle or sieve, which is supported
in any convenient manner, and receives a quick reciprocating motion from the
crank pin on the disc J. This disc is driven by a band from the fly wheel axle.
Having now described the nature of our "Improvements in Machinery for Cutting
Chaff, and for Cleaning the same and Delivering it into Receptacles," and explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, we wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent we claim,―
First. The combination with a chaff cutting machine of a fan or blowing
apparatus, constructed and arranged substantially as herein shewn and described,
whereby the chaff as it is cut is cleaned and delivered into receptacles, as set
forth.

page_text: Second. The arrangement of clutch lever, substantially as herein shewn and
described, whereby the attendant can instantly change the direction of the feed rolls
in case of accident, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William John Adams, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Tenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. J. ADAMS. (L.S.)