APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR ASCERTAINING THE QUALITY AND CONDITION OF GRAIN AND SEED
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Bünger, of 34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR ASCERTAINING THE QUALITY AND
CONDITION OF GRAIN AND SEED." -A communication from abroad by
Christian Joseph Schmitz,, of Raeren, near Aix-la-Chapelle, in the
Kingdom of Prussia.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Bünger at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 14th August 1865, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, BE IT KNOWN
that I, WILLIAM BÜNGER, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention for "APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR ASCERTAINING THE QUALITY AND
CONDITION OF GRAIN AND SEED," (communicated to me from abroad by Christian
Joseph Schmitz, of Raeren, near Aix-la-Chapelle, in the Kingdom of Prussia,)
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof; that is to say :-
The first part of the Invention bas for its object the arrangement of apparatus

page_text: for testing the fruit contents of grain and seeds of various kinds, to determine
their relative value by ascertaining the amount of gluten and starch contained
in a given quantity of wheat, rye, and other similar kinds of grain, and to
ascertain the amount of oil contained in a given quantity of rape, poppy, flax,
or other kinds of seed..
The nature of this apparatus will be readily understood by the following
description aided by reference to the accompanying Drawing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The apparatus consists of a cylinder A (Figures 1 and 2) which serves as a
support for the steelyard or scale B, C, D, E, and F, consisting of the arc or
lever B, the weight C, the adjustable disc D, the pointer E, and the vessel F,
to contain the grain or seed to be tested. a, a, are fixed bearings on each side
of the vessel F, to support the arc and lever B. The lever arm has a divided
scale thereon to indicate the weight of the contents of the vessel F, which is
supported at the other end of the lever arni on knife edges d, d, the vessel
being correctly balanced on the lever F, by the moveable disc or weight D,
indicated by the pointer E and fixed point a', and recorded on the graduated
scale. By means of this apparatus the fruit contents of the grain and sced
may be gauged as hereafter described. The gauge for ascertaining the degree
of humidity or dryness of the grain or seed consists of the rod G, and conical
shaped instrument J (see Figure 3). The rod G rises from the centre of the
bottom of the vessel F, and is by preference formed in two parts screwed
together at or near the level of the upper rim of the vessel. At the upper
end of the rod G are two springs, and a nut q, which can be fixed on the rod
by a set screw r. The nut q carries the instruments with the disc t. Upon
the rod G the cone J moves up and down freely, there being a groove g on
the upper end of the boss into which the ends of the springs on the uut q
enter and support the cone at the upper end of the rod G. By pressing upon
the nut or instrument f, the springs are withdrawn from the groove g, thus
releasing the cone J which slides quickly down the rod G, the distance to
which it falls being indicated by a divided scale upon the rod G.
The apparatus is used in the following manner :-After placing the cylinder
A and vessel Fupon a perfectly level surface, the grain or seed to be tested is
put into the funnel H, which is taken by the upper rim and is gently lifted
out of the yessel F, the grain then runs out of the opening at the bottom of
the funnel into the vessel F. The surplus lying above the level of the
vessel F is then struck off by passing a levelling rod over the upper surface
of the vessel. The vessel F thus filled is placed within the vessel A' and

page_text: weighed, the scale indicating the weight in ounces or half-ounces and in 20th
parts of the same. After ascertaining in this manner the weight of the grain
or seed, its quality or condition is further tested as follows:-The vessel F
containing the grain is gently raised out of the cylinder or vessel A and placed
upon a level surface, the rod G with the cone J thereon is then screwed together,
the cone J being supported at the upper end thereof by the springs taking
into the groove g, as previously described. By a slight pressure upon the nut f
the spring claws are withdrawn from the groove g, thus releasing the cone J,
and allowing it to fall down the guide rod G into the grain in the vessel F,
the divided scale on the rod G indicating the depth to which the cone has
entered the grain. If a measured quantity of grain is allowed to get damp
it will increase in bulk, and a corresponding measure from it will weigh less
than when it was in a drier condition, but the increased humidity will increase
its frictional resistance to the dip of the falling cone. If the grain becomes
drier a measured quantity in this condition will weigh more than a corresponding
measure of the same grain did previously, the frictional resistance to the dip
of the falling cone J being reduced in a proportionate degree.
Having thus ascertained the weight and the depth to which the cone J
enters into the sample of grain or seed thus tested, it is compared with the
results obtained by experiment from a standard quality of grain or seed of
similar character tested in the same manner. The standard sample of grain
is weighed and tested under certain degrees of humidity and dryness, and by
this means rules and tables are laid down by which the results of the tests
upon other qualities of grain or seed are ascertained by comparison. The
tables of the results given by various qualities of grain and seed in good
or bad condition affords the necessary information for guiding the operator in
testing the quality and condition of other samples of grain or seed tested by
weight and-by the frictional-apparatus-previously described; by which means
he can judge with great accuracy how much oil or farinaceous matter is
contained in any sample of grain or seed submitted to this testing apparatus.
It may be desirable to state that if grain or seed becomes heavier owing to its
having become damp, a measured quantity will weigh less than a similar
measured quantity when it was in a drier condition, the swelling of the grain
causing the vessel to hold a smaller quantity of grain or seed than those in a
dry state, the grain being found to increase more in bulk than in weight by
becoming damp and from dryness, they decrease more in bulk than in
corresponding weight. Owing to the above circumstances it is impossible to
ascertain 'the true value of grain by testing it by weight alone, but by the
additional test for ascertaining its humidity by friction as previously described

page_text: compared with the weight of a corresponding measured quantity, its true
value may be thus ascertained with the greatest accuracy when compared with
a given standard previously determined..>
In witness whereof, I; the said William Bünger, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
WILLIAM BUNGER. (L.S.).