IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SEEDS, AND MORE ESPECIALLY CLOVER SEED
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Last Catchpole, of Framsden, and George
Frederick Stidolph, and Thomas Frederick Stidolph, both of Wood-
bridge, all in the County of Suffolk, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SEEDS, AND MORE ESPECIALLY CLOVER
SEED."
Sealed the 9th July 1875, and dated the 19th February 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Last Catchpole,
George Frederick Stidolph, and Thomas Frederick Stidolph at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the
19th February 1875.
We, JOHN LAST CATCHPOLE, of Framsden, and GEORGE FREDERICK
STIDOLPH, and THOMAS FREDERICK STIDOLPH, both of Woodbridge, all
in the County of Suffolk, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SEEDS, AND MORE
ESPECIALLY CLOVER SEED," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for
cleaning seeds and more especially clover seed.

page_text: The apparatus consists of a case in which are fixed inclined shelves.
The shelves are arranged one above another in such manner that the
bottom of each is not vertically over the top of the next, but leaves a
small space between.
The seed is fed into the case by a hopper and falls on to the top shelf,
along which it travels, and then falls on to the second shelf, and from
thence to the third, and so on. The good seed being rounder and
heavier than the dross travels with a greater velocity, and is able to
jump over the space between the shelves, whilst the dross travelling
slower drops down between the shelves and falls on to the bottom of the
ease from whence it is removed. The good seed is collected from the
bottom shelf.
If required the shelves may be covered with cloth or other suitable
material, so as to give more friction and thus retard the rough
impurities.
The apparatus is especially adapted for cleaning clover seed, which is
a round seed, and as collected is commonly mixed with plantain seed,
which is longer and lighter than the clover seed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Last Catchpole, George Frederick Stidolph,
and Thomas Frederick Stidolph in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th August 1875.
· TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, John Last
CATCHPOLE, of Framsden, and GEORGE FREDERICK STIDOLPH, and
THOMAS FREDERICK STIDOLPH, both of Woodbridge, all in the County
of Suffolk, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by. Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said John Last Catchpole, George
Frederick Stidolph, and Thomas Frederick Stidolph, Her special license
that we, the said John Last Catchpole, George Frederick Stidolph, and

page_text: Thomas Frederick Stidolph, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said John Last Catchpole, George Frederick
Stidolph, and Thomas Frederick Stidolph, our executors, administrators,
and 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
CLEANING SEEDS, AND MORE ESPECIALLY CLOVER SEED," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said John Last Catchpole, George
Frederick Stidolph, and Thomas Frederick Stidolph, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands
and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 we, the said John Last Catchpole and George
Frederick Stidolph, on behalf of ourselves and the said Thomas Frederick
Stidolph, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, 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:—
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for
cleaning seeds and more especially clover seed.
The apparatus consists of a case in which are fixed inclined shelves.
The shelves are arranged one above another in such manner that the
bottom of each is not vertically over the top of the next, but leaves a
small space between.
The seed is fed into the case by a hopper and falls on to the top shelf,
along which it travels, and then falls on to the second shelf, and from
thence to the third, and so on. The good seed being rounded and
heavier than the dross travels with a greater velocity, and is able to
jump over the space between the shelves, whilst the dross travelling
slower drops down between the shelves, and falls on to the bottom of
the case from whence it is removed. The good seed is collected from
the bottom shelf.

page_text: carried into effect we will describe the Drawing hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The Figure shows a vertical section of the apparatus; a is the case;
b are the inclined shelves. These shelves are by preference fixed to two
side boards c thereby forming a sort of ladder which is hinged to the
case at d, so that by raising or lowering the lower end of the ladder, the
inclination of the shelves can be altered to suit different sorts of seeds;
e is a stop pivotted at one end and there locked by a nut, and which
serves to support the ladder at any desired elevation. The ladder can
readily be removed by taking out the pin on which it is hinged, and
another ladder can be substituted, so that various sets of shelves, each
suited to one particular sort of seed, may be used in one outer case.
For example, for clover seed we prefer to have the shelves covered with
cloth, whereas for grass seed we use plain board.
In some cases for very dirty seed we make the shelves or some of
them of wire gauze; fis the hopper, and h is an inclined shelf on to
which the seed drops from the hopper. This shelf is hinged at its upper
end so that its height and inclination may be varied to suit different sorts
of seeds by giving them different initial velocities; it is supported in
position by a stop similar to the stop e which supports the shelves; g, g,
are two holes in the bottom of the case for the dross to run out of, the
lower one is provided with a hinged stop or otherwise which projects
slightly into the case, thus preventing the dross from mixing with the
good seed which flows out at the end.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of our said Invention and the
manner of performing the same, we would have it understood that what
we claim is, the apparatus for cleaning seeds, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Last Catchpole and George
Frederick Stidolph, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-five.