Improvements in Machinery for Hulling, Polishing, and Cleaning Coffee.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1889
1
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Hulling, Polishing, and Cleaning
Coffee.
A communication to me from abroad by JOHANNES ANTONIUS CEULEN, Engineer,
of the City of the Hague, Netherland.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of. the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to machines for hulling, or removing the hull or husk 'from
coffee.
Two cylinders of cast iron or other suitable material are used, made in two halves
so that they can be opened when desired, and fastened by thumb screws when closed.
The internal surface of these cylinders is serrated at right angles and made preferably
of hard metal. Through both cylinders (which are arranged in the same line) runs
an iron shaft in two pieces coupled by flanges and bolts and the first cylinder has an
aperture and receiver cast upon its upper sides through which coffee beans are fed to
the machine.
At the end of the first or peeling cylinder is an aperture communicating with a
moveable funnel which conducts the coffee and dust into a sheet iron hopper' which
has a slide to regulate the quantity of dust exhausted by an exhausting fan and to
prevent the beans being carried away by the current.
The current of air caused by the suction of the exhauster enters the hopper through
wire gauze or net under the funnel and must pass through the beans which are falling
in.the hopper.
From this hopper the partially hulled beans and a quantity of dust enter into the
second or polishing cylinder, where the coffee beans are polished by the dust, and by
friction against each other.
A second funnel and a second hopper at the outlet side of the second cylinder are
used and are similar in form and construction to those first described.
The hopper has however a second slide at the bottom and a glass in its side. Valves
are fitted into the suction pipes of the exhausting fan to regulate the quantity of dust
exhausted from the hoppers and their extent of opening depends upon the quality of
the coffee and the required degree of polishing.
An important part of the invention consists in the construction of the hoppers with
their wire gauze, slides, glass sides, and doors and the combination of these by means
of pipes provided with regulating valves and connected with an exhausting fan..
This combination enables the improved machine to hull, to polish and to clean the
coffee at the same time, without other machinery.
The second hopper which is similar in form and construction to the first one, has
an ordinary sliding valve at the outlet opening which prevents the entrance of air
when regulated in such a manner that a certain quantity of coffee (quite clean and
polished) remains upon the valve when leaving the machine.
This cleaned coffee can be observed through the glass side and according to its
quantity the slide must be shut or opened more or less."
Dated this 11th day of December 1888.
EDWARDS & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Hulling, Polishing, and Cleaning
•
Coffee.
A communication to me from abroad by JOHANNES ANTONIUS CEULEN, Engineer,
of the City of the Hague, Netherland.
.
J
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex 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 and accompanying drawings (that is to say) :-
This invention relates to machines for hulling, or removing the hull or husk from
coffee..
In the accompanying drawings, which are in illustration of the invention, figure 1
is a longitudinal section of a machine, figure 2 a side view, figure 3 an end view, and
figure 4 a plan. The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several
figures.
Two cylinders a¹ of cast iron or other suitable material are used, made in two
halves so that they can be opened when desired, and fastened by thumb screws when
closed. The internal surface of these cylinders is serrated at right angles and made
preferably of hard metal. Through both cylinders (which are arranged in the same
line) runs an iron shaft (provided with suitable rubbing devices) in two pieces coupled
by flanges and bolts at b and the first cylinder a has an aperture and receiver c cast
upon its upper-sides through which coffee beans are fed to the machine..
At the end of the first or peeling,cylinder a is an aperture communicating with a
moveable funnel d, which conducts the coffee and dust into a sheet iron hopper e
which has a slide to regulate the quantity of dust exhausted by an exhausting fan
and to prevent the beans being carried away by the current.
The current of air caused by the suction of the exhauster enters the hopper through
wire gauze or net g under the funnel d and must pass through the beans which are
falling in the hopper e.
From that hopper the partially hulled beans and a quantity of dust enter into the
second or polishing cylinder a', where the coffee beans are polished by the dust,
and by friction against each other.
A second funnel and a second hopper at the outlet end of the second
cylinder a are used and are similar in form and construction to those first
described.
The hopper has however a second slide k at the bottom and a glass in its side
at 1. Regulating valves m and m are fitted into the suction pipes of the exhausting
fan to regulate the quantity of dust exhausted from the hoppers and their extent
of opening depends upon the quality of the coffee and the required degree of
polishing.
An important part of the invention consists in the construction of the hoppers e
and with their wire gauze, slides, glass sides, and doors and the combination of
these by means of, pipes provided with regulating valves and connected with an
exhausting fan.
This combination enables the improved machine to hull, to polish and to clean the
coffee at the same time, without other machinery.
The second hopper. which is similar in form and construction to the first one.c,
has an ordinary sliding valve k at the outlet opening which prevents the entrance of
air when regulated'in such a manner that a certain quantity of coffee (quite clean and
polished) remains upon the valve when leaving the machine.
This cleaned coffee can be observed through the glass slide and according to its
quantity the slide k must be shut or opened more or less.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination and arrangement of the hoppers for withdrawing the dust
from the coffee by means of an exhausting fan substantially as described and
shown.
2. The regulating valves for regulating the quantity of dust exhausted, substantially
as described and shewn.
3. The wire gauze or net on the lower sides of the hopper for allowing air to
enter and pass through the falling coffee, substantially as described and shewn.
4. The arrangement of a transparent glass for the purpose of observing the
interior of the hopper, in order to regulate the outlet valve so as to prevent the
admission of air, substantially as described and shewn.
5. The general arrangement and construction of the machine so that it works
without noise, and its parts are kept free from dust, substantially as described and
shewn.
Dated this 11th day of September 1889.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Patentee.