An Improved Scalper, Grader, and Dresser, preferably Combined with a Purifier.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Nov., 1899-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Scalper, Grader, and Dresser, preferably Combined
with a Purifier.
We, GEORGE THOMAS SMITH and WILLIAM GARDNER, Milling Engineers, of
Bristol Road, Gloucester, in the County of Gloucester, do hereby declare the.
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to an improved scalper, grader and dresser combined
in a single machine and preferably with a purifier, and which may if desired be
used in connection with a dust collector and return air device also of improved
construction.
By the combination of the elements used in the construction of the machine
much valuable space in the mill building will be saved and the meal treated on
the machine is exposed to much less travel. Much less machinery is required
to put the different parts in motion than is required when the different devices
are placed in separate machines, as is commonly done.
Much less power is required to operate the whole system when arranged in .
the manner to be hereinafter described, and by the use of this combination new
and useful results are obtained.
The wheat meal enters the machine by being fed upon the head end of an
upper or top inclined sieve to which a reciprocating motion is given by an
eccentric shaft or other suitable means. This reciprocating motion moves the
wheat meal or wheat breaks down over inclining small sieves arranged in steps,
of which such sieve is built up. The meal is composed of bran or the outer
coating of the wheat, semolina or middlings and fine flour.
As the meal passes
down over these sieves, which are covered with silk cloth or gritz gauze, or any
perforated material placed upon the sieve frames, the flour and semolina passes
through the perforations or meshes and falls upon a carrier formed of an endless
band carrying brushes moving along the under surface of the sieve (the meshes
of which it serves to keep clear), such belt being also provided with overlapping
slats, so that the flour and semolina falling thereon is conveyed to the top end
of the chamber in which the carrier travels. The bran or wheat hull is carried
to the lower end of the sieve and discharged into a spout. A draught of air is
caused to be drawn through the sieves, and so through the meal on its passage
down over them, and a graduating draught is produced in the chamber by regu-
lating valves, and as the bran or breaks pass from the lower end of the sieve
another regulated draught of air is passed through them. The draught is pro-
duced by a fan having suitable connections with the interior of the casing.
The flour and semolina may pass in succession through two, three or more
sieves beneath each of which a carrier is arranged, and during the whole treat-
ment is subjected to regulated air draughts as above described.
The finer semolina and flour is conveyed along by the carrier arranged
beneath the lowest sieve and is carried to a spout which delivers it to a cylin
drical or other flour dresser. The finer or medium semolina passes from the
3

page_text: tail of the lowest sieve into an air chamber connected with the fan. The air
draughts that pass through the different sieves are regulated by valves, so that
a gentle draught of air is passed through the sieve and meal, causing the light,
fluffy fibre to float upon the upper surface of the meal, or to be drawn into air
chambers by the fan, as the case may be. As the meal passes to the tail or lower
end of the sieve, a stronger draught is made to pass through the meal and carry
away the woody fibre or impurities, or prevent them from passing through the
sieves, and they pass into an air chamber at the tail end of the sieve where a
still stronger draught is applied. The flour and fine semolina passes through
the upper end of the sieve and does not pass into the chamber at the lower or tail
end thereof, and it is not exposed to the stronger draughts of air. The flour
and fine semolina which passes from beneath the bottom sieve through a spout
is redressed in the cylindrical dresser. The fine flour passes through the silk
cloth of the latter onto a carrier of similar construction to that above described,
which delivers it through a spout as a finished product. The fine semolina
passes over the tail end of this cylindrical dresser through a spout to a purifier,
and is passed down the sieve of the purifier and subjected to other currents of
air. The air currents are passed through a spout to the fan and regulated by
valves. The fine semolina passes through the sieves of the purifier to another
carrier which delivers it into a spout and discharges it from the machine. The
coarse or medium semolina also passes through a spout to a purifier, and is treated
with a stronger draught of air and discharged onto a carrier, whence it is dis-
charged from the machine.
The whole of the sieves have a reciprocating motion imparted to them, pre-
ferably by means of an eccentric shaft which is provided with six eccentrics,
three at each side of the machine and arranged at three equally divided points,
so that the force of one sieve counter-balances the others, preventing the machine
or its frame from vibrating, as would be the case if all the eccentrics, passed
over the centre at the same point, or were set in a straight line on the eccentric
shaft. Placing the eccentrics in this manner enables the sieves to be driven
with much less power and balances the eccentric shaft.
The cylindrical flour dressing machine is preferably driven from the same
eccentric shaft through a belt and cone pulley which gives motion to the cylin
ders by gears. By changing the belts on the cones of the cylindrical dressing
machine the speed can be varied at will, which causes the dressing to be done
more or less rapidly as desired, so that no cut-off is required.
If desired the combined machine need not include a purifier, but only a scalper,
grader and dresser, but when same is included motion is imparted to the purifier
sieve preferably by a belt and pulley from the eccentric shaft. The fan drawing
the air through the sieves and through the different air chambers, carries with
such air 'the light impurities (i.c. woody fibre and light impalpable dust) which
are discharged into a dust collector preferably of the construction hereinafter
described.
The fast motion of the fan discharges the dust at a great velocity into a cor-
rugated cylinder. The momentum imparted to the dust by the fan causes it
or the light impurities to be carried to the periphery of the cylinder, and the
dust passes through openings or corrugations therein and is deposited in a dead
air chamber, and being gathered up by a brush is carried to a conveyor. The
air after being freed from the dust passes to an inner circle or chamber through
corrugations, through such chamber and a number of travelling cloths, into an
air trunk. The travelling cloths are revolved or caused to travel preferably
by sprocket wheels and a chain. The lower sprocket wheels are arranged in a
tank filled with water, and the continuous revolving of the chain or sprocket
wheel causes the cloth that is attached to the chain while passing over the
lower sprockets to be carried through the water. The cloth that passes up
through the air chamber is thoroughly saturated with water, causing the impuri-
ties that may be carried with the air to adhere to the cloth. By this arrange-

page_text: ment of the travelling cloths the air is cleared from all impurities, and the air
passing to the air trunk is entirely free from dust. The air from the air trunk
is carried back and discharged into the machine again at the desired points.
By the arrangement of the return air draughts no outside air is required to
supply the machine, and no smoke or impure air will be mixed or come in con-
tact with the purified flour and semolina. No dust will be blown from this
device or machine, or float into the air causing waste of material and annoyance.
By passing the air through these wet cloths it will keep the return air cur-
rents at a very high humidity, very nearly to a saturating point. The damp
air passing through the meal and flour will not cause the natural moisture or
the valuable elements of which the wheat berry is composed, and which are
given off in the form of gas, to pass from the machine, but will return them
and cause same to permeate the flour and be retained therein, instead of pass-
ing into the open air. The flour will retain the desired wheaten flavor, and the
phosphates and volatile oils will not be destroyed.
By the use of the carriers above described the ground meal will not be worn
into impalpable dust and will be of a more even granulation, which is desirable,
as an evenly granulated flour is far more valuable than flour containing impal-
pable dust made by abrasion. It is a well known fact that air, which is mixed
with moisture to a very high degree of humidity, will not absorb any further
moisture and will pass through any damp material without drying it, while
on the other hand dry air, of a very low humidity, passed rapidly through any
damp material would dry it very quickly. The evaporation of the natural mois-
ture in the wheat, kernel, which is principally composed of volatile oils and
phosphates, destroys it and carries it away in the form of gas or air.
1
..
L: 1
1900
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.
An Improved Scalper, Grader, and Dresser, preferably Combined
with a Purifier.
We, GEORGE THOMAS SMITH and WILLIAM GARDNER, Milling Engineers, of
Bristol Road, Gloucester, in the County of Gloucester, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to an improved scalper, grader and dresser combined
in a single machine and preferably with a purifier, and which may if desired be
used in connection with a dust collector and return air device also of improved
construction.
By the combination of the elements used in the construction of the machine
niuch valuable space in the mill building will be saved and the meal treated on
the machine is exposed to much less travel. Much less machinery is required
to put the different parts in motion than is required when the different devices
are placed in separate machines, as is commonly done.
Much less power is required to operate the whole system when arranged in
the manner to be hereinafter described, and by the use of this combination new
and useful results are obtained.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, and
Ti 5 n
transverse section of the combined machine.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view, Fig. 4 a longitudinal section, and Fig. 5 a
side elevation of a dust collector we may employ in connection with our inven
tion.
The wheat meal enters the machine by being fed upon the head end of ait
upper or top inclined sieve 19 to which a reciprocating motion is given by au
eccentric shaft 20 or other suitable means. This reciprocating motion moves
the wheat meal or wheat breaks down over inclining small sieves 21 arranged in
steps, of which such sieve is built up. The meal is composed of bran or the
outer coating of the wheat, semolina or middlings and fine flour. As the meal
passes down over these sieves 21, which are covered with silk cloth or gritz
gauze, or any perforated material placed upon the sieve frames, the flour and
semolina passes through the perforations or meshes and falls upon a carrier 22
formed of an endless band 23 carrying brushes 24 moving along the under sur-
face of the sieve 19 (the meshes of which it serves to keep clear), such belt being
also provided with overlapping slats 25, so that the flour and semolina falling
thereon is conveyed to the top end of the chamber in which the carrier travels.
The bran or wheat hull is carried-to the lower end of the sieve 19 and discharged
into a spout 126, whence it passes through a suitable opening from the machine.
A draught of air is caused to be drawn through the sieves, and so through
the meal on its passage down over them, and a graduating draught is pro-
duced in the chamber by regulating valves 27 and 28, and as the bran or breaks
pass from the lower end of the sieve another draught of air regulated by valve 29
is passed through them. The draught is produced by a fan 30 having suitable
connections with the interior of the casing 31.
The flour and semolina may pass in succession through two, three or more
sieves 19, beneath each of which a carrier 22 is arranged, and during the whole
treatment is subjected to regulated air draughts as above described.
The finer semolina and flour is conveyed along by the carrier 22 arranged
beneath the lowest sieve 19 and is carried to the spout 26 which delivers it to
a cylindrical or other flour dresser 32. The finer or medium semolina passes
from the tail of the lowest sieve into an air chamber 33 connected with the
fan 30. The air draughts that pass through the different sieves 19 are regu-
lated by valves 34, 35, 36, 37, so that a gentle draught of air is passed through
the sieve and meal, causing the light, fluffy fibre to float upon the upper surface of
the meal, or to be drawn into air chambers by the fan 30, as the case may be
As the meal passes to the tail or lower end of the bottom sieve 19, a stronger
draught is made to pass through the meal and carry away the woody fibre or
impurities, or prevent them from passing through the sieves, and they pass
into the air chamber 33 at the tail end of the sieve where a still stronger draught
is applied. The flour and fine semolina passes from the upper end of the sieve
and does not pass into the chamber at the lower or tail end thereof, and it is
not exposed to the stronger draughts of air. The flour and fine semolina which
passes from beneath the bottom sieve through the spout 26 is redressed in the
cylindrical dresser 32. The fine flour passes through the silk cloth of the latter
onto a carrier 39 of similar construction to that above described, which delivers
it through a spout 40 as a finished product. The fine semolina passes over the
tail end of this cylindrical dresser through a spout 41 to a purifier 42, and is
passed down the sieve 43 of the purifier and subjected to other currents of air.
The air currents are passed through a passage to the fan 30 and regulated by
valves 38, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48. The fine semolina passes through the sieves 43
of the purifier 42 to another carrier 49, which delivers it into a spout 50 and
discharges it from the machine. The coarse or medium semolina also passes
through a spout 51 to a purifier, and is treated with a stronger draught of air
and discharged onto a carrier, whence it is discharged from the machine.
The whole of the sieves have a reciprocating motion imparted to them, prefer-
ably by means of an eccentric shaft 20 which (when three sieves are used) is provided
with six eccentrics 52, three at each side of the machine and arranged at three

page_text: equally divided points, so that the force of one sieve counterbalances the others,-
preventing the machine or its frame from vibrating, as would be the case if
all the eccentrics passed over the centre at the same point, or were set in a
straight line on the eccentric shaft. Placing the eccentrics in this manner
enables the sieves to be driven with much less power and balances the eccentric
shaft.
The cylindrical flour dressing machine 32 is preferably driven from the same
eccentric shaft 20 through a belt 53 and cone pulley 54 which gives motion to
the cylinders by gears 55, 56, 57, 58, the action of which is described more fully
in the Specification of our Application for Patent No. 3351 dated 15th Febru
ary 1899. By changing the belts 53 on the cones 54 of the cylindrical dressing
machine 32 the speed can be varied at will, which causes the dressing to be done
more or less rapidly as desired, so that no cut-off is required.
If desired the combined machine need not include a purifier 42, but only, a
scalper, grader and dresser, but when same is included motion is imparted to
the purifier sieve preferably by a belt 59 and pulley GO from the eccentric shaft 20..
The fan 30 drawing the air through the sieves 19 and through the different air
chambers, carries with such air the light impurities (i.e. woody fibre and light
impalpable dust) which are discharged into a dust collector 61 in which the
fast motion of the fan 30 discharges the dust at a great velocity into a corrugated
cylinder 62. The momentum imparted to the dust by the fan 30 causes it or
the light impurities to be carried to the periphery of the cylinder 62, and the
dust passes through openings or corrugations therein and is deposited in a dead
air chamber 63, and being gathered up by a brush 64 is carried to a conveyor 65.
The air after being freed from the dust passes through corrugations and the
centre of the corrugated cylinder 62 to an inner circle or chamber 66, and
through such chamber and a number of travelling cloths 67, 68, 69, into an air
trunk 70, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 & 4, the arrows 72 showing the course
followed by the air and the arrows 73 that followed by the dust which is sepa-
rated therefrom. The travelling cloths are revolved or caused to travel prefer-
ably by sprocket wheels and a chain. The lower sprocket wheels are arranged
in a tank 71 filled with water, and the continuous revolving of the chain or
sprocket wheel causes the cloth that is attached to the chain while passing over
the lower sprockets to be carried through the water.
The cloth that passes up
through the air chamber (if is thoroughly saturated with water, causing the
impurities that may be carried with the air to adhere to the cloth. By this
arrangement of the travelling cloths the air is cleared from all impurities, and
the air passing to the air trunk 70 is entirely free from dust. The air from the
air trunk is carried back and discharged into the machine again at the desired
points. By the arrangement of the return air draughts no outside air is required
to supply the machine, and no smoke or impure air will be mixed or come in
contact with the purified flour and semolina. No dust will be blown from
this device or machine, or float into the air causing waste of material and
annoyance.
By passing the air through these wet cloths 67, 68, and 69 it will keep the
return air currents at a very high humidity, very nearly to a saturating point.
The damp air passing through the meal and flour will not cause the natural
moisture or the valuable elements of which the wheat berry is composed, and
which are given off in the form of gas, to pass from the machine, but will return
them and cause same to permeate the four and be retained therein, instead of
passing into the open air. The flour will retain the desired wheaten flavor, and
the phosphates and volatile oils will not be destroyed.
By the use of the carriers 22, 39, 49, above described the ground meal will
not be worn into impalpable dust and will be of a more even granulation, which
is desirable, as an evenly granulated flour is far more valuable than flour con-
taining impalpable dust made by abrasion.
Each of the sieves 19 is preferably provided with an arm 74 acting as a ham-

page_text: mer which as the sieve reciprocates comes in contact with the carrier 22, so as
to strike same and keep it clear.
The carriers 22 might be enclosed in a case and be employed as an ordinary.
carrier for conveying flour or other product from one machine to another or
from one part of a mill to another.
It is a well known fact that air, which is mixed with moisture to a very high
degree of humidity, will not absorb any further moisture and will pass through
any damp material without drying it, while on the other hand dry air, of a very
low humidity, passed rapidly through any damp material would dry it very
quickly. The evaporation of the natural moisture in the wheat kernel, which
is principally composed of volatile oils and phosphates, destroys it and carries
it away in the form of gas or air.
It will be seen that by the use of the apparatus above described these disad-
vantages will be obviated.
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:-
1. The improved combined scalper, grader and dresser constructed and operat-
ing substantially as specified and as shown in the drawings.
2. The improved combined scalper, grader, dresser and purifier constructed
and operating substantially as specified and as shown in the drawings.
3. The improved combined scalper, grader, dresser, purifier and dust collector
with a return air device, constructed and operating substantially as specified an⋅l
as shown in the drawings.
4. The improved carrier for flour or other products consisting in an endless
travelling chain of overlapping slats working over chain wheels or pulleys,
substantially as described and as shown in the drawings.
Doted
Rud for of November
1809
Dated thio Rud der
of
Novem hey LSN
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.