IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND DECORTICATING PULSE, GRAIN, AND SEEDS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND DECORTICATING PULSE,
GRAIN, AND SEEDS."-A communication from abroad by Eugéne Pierre
Barrabé, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Merchant.
Sealed the 21st December 1866, and dated the 28th June 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th June 1866.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND DECOR-
TICATING PULSE, GRAIN, AND SEEDS," a communication to me from abroad by
Eugéne Pierre Barrabé, of Puris, in the Empire of France, to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the cleaning and decor-
ticating machine for which I obtained Letters Patent bearing date the 24th
of December 1861, No. 3214, and has for its object the improving the
decorticating properties of such machine, and the rendering of the same

page_text: applicable to every description of pulse, grain, and seeds, such, for example, as
coffee berries, cocoa nibs, corn, and rice. According to this Invention it is
proposed to roughen the upper surface of the rotating conical or dished plates
and the under surface of the intermediate or stationary conical or dished
plates, so that the pulse or grain operated upon may be more effectually
cleaned and decorticated by being thrown by the centrifugal force produced
by the revolution of the conical or dished plates against the asperities or
roughened projections thereon, and also at the same time against the similar
roughened under surfaces of the fixed plates. The pulse or grain on being
thrown over the outer edges of the revolving cones strike against the inner
roughened surface of the cylindrical casing and thence falls on to the upper
surface of the next lower fixed plate, between which and the under surface of
the revolving plate above, both of which surfaces are smooth, it descends freely
towards the central shaft and falls upon the roughened surface of the second
one of the series of rotating conical or dished plates, and so on throughout
any number of alternate moveable and fixed roughened plates, the roughened
surfaces of which are always in juxtaposition as above described. By using
separate machines in which the plates are at different angles different effects
may be produced on the same substances, as the more acute the angle the
longer will be the time during which the substance is under treatment, and
the more effectual will be the decortication; the angle of the plates there-
fore will depend upon the effect to be produced and the nature of the
substance operated upon. It is further proposed to gradually diminish the
width of the annular space between the circumference of the rotating plates
and the cylindrical casing from the top plate to the bottom one of the series,
whereby the proportionate action of the several cones upon the whole of the
pulse or grain is graduated in a regular manner and is rendered successive
and progressive from top to bottom of the series. In order to vary at will
the speed of rotation of the plates without necessarily varying the speed of
the driving shaft it is proposed to drive the central spindle by friction from
the vertical face of a disc carried by the horizontal driving shaft, such disc
being held against a pulley on the central shaft by spring, the power of
which may be varied by an adjusting screw. The pulley on the central
shaft is by preference composed of a number of leather collars or washers
pressed together so as to present their combined peripheries to the face of the
lise and form a good frictional surface. By raising or lowering the friction
pulley on the central shaft, so as to bring it nearer to or farther from the
centre of the disc, the speed of rotation of the central shaft will obviously
be varied accordingly. This adjustment of the friction pulley may be
a

page_text: effected by means of a lever embracing a collar on the pulley, which is
elevated and depressed by a screw spindle and hand wheel; or in lieu of this
arrangement cone driving pulleys may be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th December 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND DECORTICATING PULSE, GRAIN,
AND SEEDS,"
a communication to me from abroad by Eugene Pierre Barrabé,
of Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The said Invention relates to certain improvements in the cleaning and
decorticating machine for which I obtained Letters Patent bearing date the

page_text: Twenty-fourth of December, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, Number
3214, and has for its object the improving the decorticating properties of such
machine, and the rendering of the same applicable to every description of pulse,
grain, and seeds, which, for example, as coffee berries, cocoa nibs, corn, and rice.
According to this Invention it is proposed to rougben the upper surface of
the rotating conical or dished plates and the under surface of the intermediate
or stationary conical or dished plates, so that the pulse or grain operated upon
may be more effectually cleaned and decorticated by being thrown by the
centrifugal force produced by the revolution of the conical or dished plates
against the asperities or roughened projections thereon, and also at the same
time against the similar roughened under surfaces of the fixed plates. The
pulse or grain on being thrown over the outer edges of the revolving cones
strike against the inner roughened surface of the cylindrical casing, and thence
falls on to the upper surface of the next lower fixed plate, between which and
the under surface of the revolving phate alore, both of which surfaces are
smooth, it descends freely towards the central shaft and falls upon the
roughened surface of the second one of the series of rotating conical or dished
plates, and so on throughout any number of alternate moveable or revolving
and fixed roughened plates, the roughened and smooth surfaces of which are
always in juxtaposition as above described. By using separate machines in
which the plates are at different angles different effects may be produced
on the same substances, as the more acute the angle the longer will be the
time during which the substance is under treatment, and the more effectual
will be the decortication; the angle of the plates therefore will depend upon
the effect to be produced and the nature of the substance operated upon.
It is further proposed to gradually diminish the width of the annular space
between the circumference of the rotating plates and the cylindrical casing
from the top plate to the bottom one of the scries, whereby the proportionate
action of the several cones upon the whole of the pulse or grain is graduated
in a regular manner and is rendered successive and progressive from top to
bottom of the series. In order to vary at will the speed of rotation of the
plates without necessarily varying the speed of the driving shaft it is proposed
to drive the central spindle by friction from the vertical face of a disc carried
by the horizontal driving shaft, such disc being held against a pulley in the
central shaft a spring, the power of which may be varied by an adjusting
screw. The pulley in the central shaft is by preference composed of a number
of leather collars or washers pressed together so as to present their combined
peripheries to the face of the disc and form a good frictional surface. By
raising or lowering the friction pulley on the central shaft, so as to bring it

page_text: nearer to or further from the centre of the disc, the speed of rotation of the
central shaft will obviously be varied accordingly. This adjustment of the
friction pulley may be effected by means of a lever embracing a collar on
the pulley, which is elevated and depressed by a screw spindle and hand
wheel; or in lieu of this arrangement cone driving pulleys may be
used.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall
refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding
Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a vertical section of the improved
decorticating apparatus complete; Figure 2 is an external end view; Figure 3
is a plan of the machine; and Figure 4 represents on an enlarged scale a
sectional detail of the cones or dished plates, in order to render their mode of
action more clear. In the interior of a wooden frame A there is fitted a
cylinder composed of rings B held tightly one on the other and having in
the interior of each a stationary truncated cone or dished plate a having a
circu ar opening in the centre. All these openings admit of the passage of a
vertical shaft b, which carries a series of cones c of roughened sheet metal and
placed exactly in the intervals between the fixed cones a; this shaft b and the
cones which it carries being rotated at a high velocity. When grain is intro-
duced into the hopper D placed above the edge of the cylinder B, this grain
passes by the spout d and falls into the first of the rotating cones C, the
centrifugal force throwing the grain to the circumference it escapes from the
first rotating cone and falls on to the first of the fixed cones a, which allows
it to descend on to the second rotating cone by bringing it to the centre thereof.
Now the centrifugal force again acting as before throws the grain to the
circumference, when striking the walls of the cylinder it falls on to the next
fixed cone below the second rotating cone, the same operation being repeated
throughout the entire range of rotatory and fixed cones, and as the grain is
successively brought to the centre of each of the rotatory cones and expelled
outwards again in contact with the roughened surfaces thereof, it follows that
the grain becomes thoroughly rubbed and decorticated. Beneath the rotatory
cone which terminates the series of alternate rotatory and fixed cones there
is situate the incline e upon which the grain is thrown. As on leaving the
decorticator the grain is mixed with the dust and refuse husks or skins
which have been removed by the decorticator it is requisite that it be
winnowed, for which purpose a fan E is employed which acts upon the end

page_text: of the spout coinciding with the spout e', and thus winnows the particles
immediately on their issuing from the decorticator. In order that the action
of the rotating and fixed cones C and a be properly understood, a detail of
these cones and their enclosing cylinder A is shewn at Figure 4 on an
enlarged scale in the act of operating upon, say, coffee berries. This Figure
shews clearly that taking two consecutive cones, the one C rotating and the
other a fixed, the roughing of the plates forming such cones is so arranged
that the roughened surfaces and the smooth surfaces shall always be in juxta-
position; for example, the upper surfaces of the rotating cones are roughened
and the under surfaces of the fixed cones, therefore the substance to be
operated upon falling on the first rotating cone is thrown by centrifugal force
against the roughened under side of the cover above, traverses also the upper
roughened surface of the rotating cone, and is forcibly ejected against the
oylinder A, which is also lined with roughened plates or has teeth or sharp
points formed thereon; the substance is therefore decorticated by being
thrown from one surface to the other, but it finishes by falling through the
space between the first rotating cone and the cylinder A on to the first fixed
cone; this cone like the rest of the fixed ones has a smooth upper surface, so
that the substance merely slides along it without being subjected to any
decorticating action therefrom; it then arrives at the second rotatory cone,
and the centrifugal force again coming into action it is again thrown from
this rotating cone against the roughened under surface of the fixed cone above,
and is consequently compelled to pass between two opposed roughened surfaces;
it falls through the annular space round the edge of the second rotating cone
on to the smooth surface of the second fixed cone, which directs it as before
to the centre of the third rotating cone and so on, the substance passing
alternately between two roughened surfaces and two smooth ones. Further,
the act of decortication is effected by the projection or throwing of the grain
or other substance from one surface to another and not by mere friction,
which only cleaus but does not decorticate, to produce which effect the hull,
husk, or outer covering of the grain or other substance must be broken and
opened and not merely rubbed uniformly over its surface. In order to apply
the delicate operation of decortication to grain of various descriptions an
important arrangement is requisite, namely, the adjustment or regulation of
the width of the annular space between the edges of the rotating cones and
the surrounding cylinder A, so that this space be gradually contracted from
the top to the bottom of the apparatus, that is to say, from the first to the
last of the rotating cones. This arrangement is important inasmuch as
it admits of the proportionate action of all the cones upon the mass of

page_text: grain being graduated in a regular manner, and renders this action both
successive and progressive. Figure 4 also illustrates this gradual reduction
in the width of the annular spaces between the circumferences of the rotating
cones and the cylinder A, which should be in proportion to the reduction in
volume of the grain as the operation progresses. Without confining or
restricting myself to any angle of the roughened plates, which may vary
from a right angle or a horizontal plane to a sharp cone, I select the angle
most suitable for the work to be performed, hence different effects can be
produced on the same substances or modifications effected which shall be
advantageous as regards expenditure of force in producing the same effects
on certain given substances; thus it will be readily understood that the
sharper the angle of the cones the greater will be the resistance afforded by
the roughened surface which the substances encounter whilst under the
influence of centrifugal force, and the longer will be the time during which
they will be subjected to the decorticating process; the reverse will of course
be the case if the angles of the cones be more obtuse. The greater or less
angle of the cones moreover involves a corresponding variation in the power
expended and in the action of the apparatus on the substances under treat-
ment. The effect produced may be still further modified by selecting the
most appropriate materials for the construction of the cones, which may be
made of sheet iron or steel, and by adopting a round or polygonal roughing of
the plates or cuts made after the manner of rasp or file teeth or otherwise.
The driving of the shaft 6 of the decorticator at variable speeds is effected in
the following manner, reference being had to Figures 1, 2, and 3. This shaft b
is driven direct from the driving shaft G by the aid of friction gearing con-
sisting of a disc L mounted upon the shaft, which also carries the driving
pullies F, F, and a cylindrical pinion M without teeth keyed on to the
vertical shaft b. The disc L being capable of sliding along its shaft, its
pressure against the pinion M may be regulated by the spring 1, the tension of
which is also regulated by means of a double nut m mounted on the shaft G
which is screwed at that part. The pinion M being composed of rings of
leather placed one above another and held tightly together, its friction against
the disc L is sufficient for the driving of the apparatus; but as the disc
is flat, and the pinion cylindrical, it is sufficient in order to vary the speed
to change the position of the pinion on its axis, so as to bring it nearer to
or further from the centre of the disc; this is facilitated by mounting the
pinion on a feather on the shaft and connecting it by a groove with the end
of a forked lever N, the opposite extremity of which is connected with a
nut on a screw O which is rotated by means of a hand wheel o when the

page_text: position of the lever N is to be changed, and consequently that of the pinion M.
It is also proposed to employ the uniformly rotating shaft G for driving
the fan through the intervention of the pulleys j,, and driving band. Other
arrangements may be employed, for example, the disc L and pinion M may
be replaced by bevel wheels, and the speed of driving may be varied by using
an intermediator and cone or stepped driving pulleys; or the driving pulley
may be keyed directly on to the shaft 6 and the variation in speed produced
beyond the machine itself. As a detail of construction it may be remarked
that in order that the several rings B composing the cylinder may be held
firmly together the footstep bearing H is made in one piece with the bottoni
ring, whilst the collar bearing I is fixed to the top ring of the series.
Figure 5 represents a vertical section of a slightly modified form of
apparatus which may be employed either as a decorticator or as a pulverisor.
In this modification I still employ the rings A, A, which correspond each
with a fixed cone a and the cones 6 carried by the vertical shaft C. Each
of the cones 6 is nipped, as shown in the Drawing, between a plate B and a
disc B. The entire series of rotatory cones rests upon the collar c of the
vertical shaft, and they are kept in place by a sleeve g and key g'. Above the
upper disc B¹ there is fitted a plate i, which receives the grain, seed, or other
substances fed into the hopper T, and has for its object the distributing of the
same to the cones a and b. Underneath the fixed cones a are secured the rings
a¹ by the aid of small lugs p which divide the circumference; the object of
these rings, the number of which may vary according to the nature of the
substances to be treated, is to retard the ascending movement of such sub-
stances and thereby to prolong the centrifugal action produced by the rotatory
cones; they check, in fact, the too rapid advance of the grain, seed, or other
substance, and compel them to fall down again upon the rotating cones and
take the undulating course indicated by the arrow on the left-hand side of
the Figure; by this means the amount of useful effect is augmented, since
the roughened surface of the plates is increased, and the substances are
distributed more evenly over the operating surfaces without increasing the
power required for driving the machine. The rotatory cones bare brought
nearer to the fixed cones a by elevating the vertical shaft by means of tho
following arrangement :-The shaft C, which is supported at its upper end
by the collar bearing d, rests at its lower extremity upon the footstep bearing
in the bar D; now the centre of this bar is perforated to admit of the passage
through it of the pin y, the convex top of which supports the bottom of the
footstep bearing, whilst its opposite end is in contact with the lever L having
a bearing or fulcrum at 7. The extremity of this lever is connected to the

page_text: lower end of the vertical rod m, the upper part of which is screwed and works
through the boss of the band wheel M; by turning this wheel in one direction
or the other the lever L is caused to rise or fall, and by the intervention of
the pin y it raises or lowers the footstep and with it the vertical shaft C and
rotatory cones b. The shaft C carries the grooved pulleys P which may be
thus driven direct, or a cone pulley may be used in lieu of the grooved pulleys,
as shewn in red lines. Immediately above the upper fixed cone there is
fitted the hopper T supported by a ring t secured at the four corners of the
frame by bolts e. The central collar T", which is made in one with the
bopper, and which encloses the sleeve 9, is intended to protect the grain or
other substances thrown into the hopper T from the centrifugal action of the
sleeve and from the useless friction of the shaft. The amount of feed is
regulated by varying the distance between the surface of the disc i and
the under side of the hopper; for this purpose the ring t is supported at
the four angles of the frame by a nut baving a screwed collar f and by the
jam nut f; this nut f is screwed on the bolt e, and admits of the raising or
lowering of the ring t, thereby adjusting the entire hopper and varying the
clearance between the edge a¹ and the surface a of the disc i. The jam nut f
being screwed in the contrary direction prevents the main nut from working
loose.
I may observe in conclusion that according to the nature of the substances
to be decorticated or pulverised there is disposed in the hopper T a wire cloth
or grate G, of suitable mesh, for the purpose of arresting any foreign matters
of larger bulk than the substances under treatment, such as stones or bits of
wood, and thereby provent them from entering the apparatus, where they
might cause derangement or undue wearing of the parts. In order to faci-
litate the insertion and removal of this grating the cross bars n, which
support the central collar in the hopper, are screwed by nuts and screws, and
not fixed by means of rivets.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of machinery or apparatus
applicable either to the decorticating of grain, seeds, and berries, or to the
reducing of various substances, wherein the desired effect is pro luced by the
throwing of the substances against the working surfaces, the roughened faces
of which are opposite to each other, as herein-before described.

page_text: Second, the pecular means for driving or actuating the said machinery at
different speeds according to the nature of the substances to be operated upon,
as herein-before described.
Third, the peculiar arrangement of the roughened and smooth surfaces of
the several cones, whereby the substances to be operated upon are caused to
pass between and against two opposite roughened surfaces and two smooth
surfaces alternately, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day
of December, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)