Improvements in Machines for Hulling or Shelling Maize.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Hulling or Shelling Maize.
We, WILLIAM FOSTER AND COMPANY, LIMITED, of Wellington Foundry, in
the City of Lincoln, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention,
which has been communicated to us from abroad by Louis Pfaff, of Buenos Ayres,.
in the Argentine Republic, Engineer, to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in that class of machines for hulling or
shelling maize, for improvements in which Letters Patent were granted to us
dated the 22nd day of April 1890, No. 6109, and the present invention has for its
object to render more certain the separation of the whole of the grains from the
cobs.
For this purpose, we form the cage tapered or conical from the feed end to the
delivery end, or vice-versa, or from both ends inwards with the larger or smaller
diameter in the centre, and we employ, in connection therewith, a beater whose
wings are formed either of an approximately cylindrical shape, that is to say, with
their outer edges equidistant from its axis, or more or less tapered or coned in the
same or in the reverse direction to the cylinder or cage; or, in some cases, we form
the cage truly cylindrical, as shewn and described in the Specification of the herein-
before recited Letters Patent, and employ in connection therewith a tapered or
conical beater.
When employing a tapered or conical cage, it may take the form of a gradual
cone, single or double, that is to say, it may be formed with more or less straight, but
gradually approaching or receding sides from end to end or for half its length, or,
it may be formed in steps or sections of different diameters, either parallel or
conical, and the beater may be of corresponding shape, or it may be of any of
the shapes herein before referred to.
of Tun 1001
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Hulling or Shelling Maize.
We, WILLIAM FOSTER AND COMPANY, LIMITED, of Wellington Foundry, in
the City of Lincoln, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention,
which has been communicated to us from abroad by Louis Pfaff, of Buenos Ayres,
in the Argentine Republic, Engineer, and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in that class of machines for hulling or
shelling maize, for improvements in which Letters Patent were granted to us
dated the 22nd day of April 1890, No. 6109, and the present invention has for its
object to render more certain the separation of the whole of the grains from the
cobs.
For this purpose, we form the cage tapered or conical from the feed end to the
delivery end or vice versa, or from both ends inwards with the larger or smaller
diameter in the centre, and we employ in connection therewith, a beater whose
wings are formed either of an approximately cylindrical shape, that is to say, with
their outer edges equi-distant from its axis or more or less in the same or in the
reverse direction to the cylinder or cage; or, in some cases, we form the cage truly
cylindrical, as shown and described in the Specification of the hereinbefore recited

page_text: Letters Patent, and we employ in connection therewith a tapered or conical
beater.
When employing a tapered or conical cage, it may take the form of a gradual
cone, single or double, that is to say, it may be formed with more or less straight
but gradually approaching or receding sides from end to end or for half its length,
or, it may be formed in steps or sections of different diameters, either parallel or
conical, and the beater may be of corresponding shape, or, may be of any of the
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more
fully to describe the same.
shapes hereinbefore referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. is a vertical longitudinal section representing this cylinder or cage
portion of a machine constructed according to this invention.
Figure 2. is a transverse section thereof taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 1.
Figure 3. is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and showing
also the relation of the supplemental blower to the cylinder or cage.
Figure 4. is a similar view to Figure 1. but representing a modification in the
shape of the beater.
Figure 5. is a transverse section thereof taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4, and,
Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. represent further modifications in the shape of the
parts.
In these drawings like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference, and, as
far as possible, parts corresponding with those employed in our Specification filed
in pursuance of the said former Letters Patent are marked with corresponding
letters of reference.
Referring to Figures 1. 2. and 3. a. represents a number of rings which are
formed with holes therethrough to receive a number of rods or bars a constituting
a cylinder or cage, a² represents an opening at the upper part and near to one end
of the cylinder or cage, through which the heads are fed in any suitable direction
and a³ represents an opening in the side of and near to the opposite end of the.
cylinder or cage through which the cobs and husks are delivered.
Within the cage or cylinder is located a beater ., the arrangement of the blades
of which is fully described in the Specification of our said former Letters Patent
and therefore does not need any special description here.
According to the present invention, in lieu of forming the cage cylindrical from
end to end thereof, as heretofore, we form it tapered or conical from the feed end a²
to the delivery end a³ and in connection therewith we employ a beater b. of an
approximately cylindrical shape, that is to say, with the outer edges of the blades
equi-distant from the axis thereof.
The cage or cylinder is held stationary, as is well understood, whilst the beater b.
through its boss which is mounted in bearings c. c* carried by the frame d., receives
rotary motion from any suitable source of power thereby stripping off the husks
and corn from the cobs, the husks and cobs being continuously delivered from the
cylinder or cage through the side opening a³ therein, and which stripping is, by
means of the difference in the angles of the general outlines of the cage and beater b.,
rendered more certain than heretofore.
We find it advantageous to employ in connection with the cylinder or cage and
beater b., herein before described, à cross blast or current of air from a supplemental
fan or blower e. located at the delivery end a³ of the cage or cylinder as heretofore
proposed by us.
In the arrangement represented at Figure 4, a similar form of cylinder or cage to
that shown at Figure 1. is employed, that is to say, it is formed tapered or
conical from the feed end a2 to the delivery end as thereof, but in this case the
blades or wings of the beater b. are formed of gradually diminished depth from the
delivery end towards the feed end of the cage or cylinder so as to produce a

page_text: beater b. which is tapered or coned in the reverse direction to the taper or cone of
the cylinder or cage.
In the example given at Figure 6. the cage or cylinder is formed tapered or of
gradually diminishing diameter from both the feed and delivery ends towards
the centre thereof whilst a beater of approximately cylindrical shape or of
uniform diameter similar to that represented at Figure 1. is employed in connection
therewith.
In the example given at Figure 7, the reverse form of cage or cylinder to that
represented in Figure 6. is employed, that is to say, the cage or cylinder is
tapered or formed of gradually increasing diameter from each end towards the
centre thereof, whilst the beater b. is of similar form to that represented at
Figure 1.
In the example given at Figure 8, the cage or cylinder is formed of gradually
decreasing diameter from the feed end a² thereof to the centre, and it is then
continued in a cylindrical form to the delivery end thereof whilst the beater b. shown
in connection therewith is similar to that represented at Figure 1.
In the example given at Figure 9, the cage or cylinder in lieu of being formed
tapered or coned for any part of its length is formed in steps or sections of
different diameters parallel to each other from the feed end a² to the delivery.
end a³ thereof, the beater b. shown in connection therewith being similar to that.
shown at Figure 1.
Or, in lieu of forming the steps or sections of cylindrical form, they might be
more or less conical or tapered.
In the example shown at Figure 10, the cage or cylinder is formed truly
cylindrical from end to end thereof, whilst the beater b. is formed tapered or coned
or of gradually reduced diameter from the delivery end a³ to the feed end a², in a
similar manner to that represented at Figure 4.
The general action of the machine is precisely the same as described in our said
former Letters Patent, the object of the modification hereinbefore described being
to strip the cobs more completely, thus rendering the final separation of corn, cobs
and husks easier.
We would here remark that the foregoing are merely given as examples of
various modes in which the invention may be carried into effect, but we do not
confine ourselves thereto, as it will be evident that various other combinations of
the elements may be formed, and that the details may be considerably varied
without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a machine for hulling or shelling maize, the combination of a cage or
cylinder of cylindrical form, and a coned or tapered beater, substantially as herein
shown and described.
2. In a machine for hulling or shelling maize, the combination of a coned or
tapered cylinder and an approximately cylindrical beater, substantially as herein
shown and described.
3. In a machine for hulling or shelling maize, the combination of a coned or
tapered cage or cylinder with a coned or tapered beater, substantially as herein
shown and described.
4. In a machine for hulling or shelling maize, the combination of a cage or
cylinder the general outline of which is caused to assume a given angle or angles
and a beater whose general outline is caused to assume an angle or angles different.
from those of the cage, substantially as herein showu and described.
Dated this 17th day of March 1892
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.