IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING MACHINES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Hornsby, of Spittlegate Iron Works,
Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THRASHING MACHINES."
Sealed the 25th September 1855, and dated the 13th July 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Hornsby at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
July 1855.
I, RICHARD HORNSBY, of Spittlegate Iron Works, Grantham, in the County
of Lincoln, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THRASHING MACHINES" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the shakers and riddles
of thrashing machines. In constructing shakers composed of inclined parallel
laths or bars fixed in frames, which at the ends near the beating or thrashing
drum are supported on axes, and at their other ends actuated by cranks or
excentrics, it has been usual in some cases to have the upper edges of the
parallel laths or bars of each frame in the same plane or line, but in other
cases transverse bars or boards have been added above the general surface of
the shaker. Now, the present improvements consist of applying a series of pegs
or projections with intervals between them, and such pegs or projections may
be of like or of different heights, and rods or wires are also applied trans-
versely across the frames parallel with the upper edges of the inclined laths or
bars. In making the riddles of thrashing machines, their upper surfaces are

page_text: partly composed of the upper edges of inclined parallel laths or bars, and
partly of rods or wires fixed parallel between the upper edges of the inclined
laths or bars; by which arrangement these inclined parallel laths or bars are
at such a distance apart, that the ears of corn would, but for the wires or rods,
drop or pass freely between them. These riddles have a to and fro motion
communicated to them, and they are subjected to currents of air from fans or
blowing machines.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Hornsby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th January 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
HORNSBY, of Spittlegate Iron Works, Grantham, in the County of Lincoln,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Richard Hornsby, Her special licence that I, the said Richard Hornsby, my
executors, admiuistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard
Hornsby, my 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
THRASHING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Richard Hornsby, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Richard Hornsby, 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 thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the shakers and riddles of

page_text: thrashing machines.
In constructing shakers composed of inclined parallel
laths or bars fixed in frames, which at the ends near the beating or thrashing
drum are supported on axes, and at their other ends actuated by cranks or
eccentrics, it has been usual in some cases to have the upper edges of the
parallel laths or bars of each frame in the same plane or line, but in other
cases transverse bars or boards have been added above the general surface of
the shaker. Now, the present improvements consist of applying a series of
pegs or projections with intervals between them, and such pegs or projections
may be of like or of different heights, and rods or wires are also applied trans-
versely across the frames parallel with the upper edges of the inclined laths or
bars. In making the riddles of thrashing machines, their upper surfaces are
partly composed of the upper edges of inclined parallel laths or bars, and
partly of rods or wires fixed parallel between the upper edges of the inclined
laths or bars; by which arrangement these inclined parallel laths or bars are
at such a distance apart, that the ears of corn would, but for the wires or rods,
drop or pass freely between them. These riddles have a to and fro motion com-
municated to them, and they are subjected to currents of air from fans or
blowing machines.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more fully
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The Drawing shows so much of a longitudinal section of a thrashing
machine as will enable me to describe my present improvements.
a, a, is the shaking apparatus. The several boxes or frames of which the same
is composed are supported near one of each of their ends by axes b. b, and they
are actuated near the other ends by cranks or excentrics c, c. Each frame of
the shaking apparatus is composed of the sides a, a, and the transverse inclined
parallel laths or plates a', a'; or in place of using all inclined plates a', I can
use a simple bar or rod in place of every alternate inclined plate or bar. On
the side frames a, a, are fixed alternately long and short pegs or spikes d, d,
the longer spikes being about 4 to 7 inches long, and the shorter spikes about
2 to 3 inches long. It is not, however, essential that the long and the short
spikes should alternate, as shown.
The second part of the Invention relates to the construction of the riddle e, e,
which in place of being constructed of all parallel inclined plates or laths e, e',
they have between each neighbouring two plates or laths a rod 2, so that a
riddle is composed of inclined parallel plates or laths and rods, placed alter-
nately, as shown in the Drawing.

page_text: It is not necessary to enter into any description of the other parts shown,
as they are such as have before been used, and are well known; what I
claim is,
First, the improvements in the construction of shaking apparatus of thrashing
machines herein described.
And, secondly, I claim the improvement in riddles of thrashing machines
berein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Hornsby, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
W. J. BECK,
of Spittlegate, Grantham,
Lincolnshire.
RICHARD HORNSBY. (L.S.)