Improvements in Machines for Purifying, Sorting, and Grading all kinds of Grain, Seeds, and Cereal Products, such as Semolina, Middlings, or other Granular and Pulverulent Substances, and Apparatus therein for Separating Dust from Air.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 24th Dec., 1805-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1896
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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Purifying, Sorting, and Grading all
kinds of Grain, Seeds, and Cereal Products, such as Semolina,
Middlings, or other Granular and Pulverulent Substances, and
Apparatus therein for Separating Dust from Air.
I WILLIAM WALTER WILLIS of Duncombe Burrell Street Ipswich in the
County of Suffolk Miller do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Firstly. This invention relates to modifications & improvements in machines
constructed according to my prior Patent No. 3955 of 1893 whereby the said
machine or purifier is available for treating the larger substances coming under the
heading of grain.
Secondly. In a machine or purifier in which the grain or other substance being
treated is subjected to a current of air as it falls from the feed hopper whereby it
is carried along and separated according to the size and gravity of the grains or
particles & deposited into a series of division hoppers from which it is collected
for further treatment or discharged through valve trapped spouts outside the
machine.
Thirdly. The material from one or more of the said division hoppers is recieved
upon the sieve or sieves where it is further separated & graded according to size.
A current or currents of air are applied to the sieve or sieves sufficient to cause
any light or unsound grain or other substance to tail over the said sieve or sieves,
into suitable receptacles from which they are discharged out through the side of
the machine.
Fourthly. In some cases I also provide a tray of special section together with
adjustable deflectors & arresting surfaces immediately above the sieve (or upper
sieve of a series) for the purpose of collecting the light grain or other substances
lifted off the said sieve by the air currents.
Fifthly. The grain or other substance tailing over the lowermost sieve (of a
series) is discharged into an asperator passing through an upward current of air
which further separates any light or broken & damaged grain or particles & deposits
them into a separate, or second series of division hoppers which also deliver their
collected material to the outside of the machine by means of trough's & valve
trapped outlets.
Sixthly. I further provide means whereby the air (which circulates continuously
round the interior of the machine) is purified & freed from dust.
暮
Seventhly. I also provide means whereby any loss of air current, caused. by air
escaping with the grain & other substances passing out of the machine through the
various outlets is immediately made up out of the room in which the purifier is at
work; and by this means also the air in the machine may be gradually &
continuously changed without any dust being blown into the room.
Eighthly. I also further provide within the machine casing a large settling
chamber in which the air is practically still into which any fine dust (that may
scape the beforementioned dust arrestors) readily settles. The settled dust is
wept out by brushes attached to an endless chain which slowly revolves therein &

page_text: which deposits the collected dust into the main dust catching & discharging hopper
placed underneath the machine.
Dated this 30th day of September 1895.
WILLIAM WALTER WILLIS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Purifying, Sorting, and Grading all
kinds of Grain, Seeds, and Cereal Products, such as Semolina,
Middlings, or other Granular and Pulverulent Substances, and
Apparatus therein for Separating Dust from Air.
I WILLIAM WALTER WILLIS of "Duncombe " Burrell Street Ipswich in the
County of Suffolk Miller 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:--
Firstly. This invention relates to modifications and improvements in machines
constructed according to my prior Patent No. 3955 of 1893 whereby the said
machine or purifier is available for treating the larger substances coming under the
heading of grain.
Secondly. In a machine or purifier in which the grain or other substance being
treated is subjected to a current of air as it falls from the feed hopper whereby it
is carried along and separated according to the size and gravity of the grains or
particles and deposited into a series of division hoppers from which it is collected
for further treatment or discharged through valve trapped spouts outside the
machine.
Thirdly. The material from one or more of the said division hoppers is recieved
upon the sieve or sieves where it is further separated and graded according to size.
A current or currents of air are applied to the sieve or sieves sufficient to cause
any light or unsound grain or other substance to tail over the said sieve or sieves
into suitable receptacles from which they are discharged out through the side of
the machine.
Fourthly. In some cases I also provide a tray of special section together with
adjustable deflectors and arresting surfaces immediately above the sieve (or upper
sieve of a series) for the purpose of collecting the light grain or other substances
lifted off the said sieve by the air currents. The said tray consists of a sheet or
sheets of metal into which are cut a series of slits of the required length and width
and either longitudinally or transversely of the sieve the metal on each side of the
said slits being turned upwards into a vertical or nearly vertical position the two
sides are joined at their ends by means of another small strip of metal of corre-
sponding depth to the parts turned upwards. The tray is thus formed into a series
of trough's and slotted perforations in any desired proportion of trough to
perforation (usually from two to three parts trough to one of perforation are found
to give the best results) to suit the kind of work to be done. The portions of the
tray forming the troughs are strengthened on the under side by bevelled bars of
wood or other material as illustrated in the drawings herewith. The tray as above
described is placed above the sieve or sieves and secured by suitable means to the
sieve frame and vibrated to and fro with it by means of the eccentric. The
deflectors consist of a series of four sided bars the two lower sides of which are
curved the lower ends being nearly vertical the two upper sides being plain inclined
surfaces, and the arresting surfaces beforementioned consist of plain pieces of board
or sheet metal the said deflectors and arresting surfaces are secured together in
the form of a grid on suitable cross bars and the said grid is suspended in position
over the beforementioned tray with the lower pointed portions of the deflecting

page_text: bars in the center of the slotted perforations the diagonal of the deflecting bars is
slightly greater than the said slotted perforations to prevent anything once lifted
from again falling onto the sieve.
Fifthly. The grain or other substance tailing over the lowermost sieve (of a
series) is discharged into an aspirator passing through an upward current of air
which further separates any light or broken and damaged grain or particles and
deposits them into a separate or second series of division hoppers which also deliver
their collected material to the outside of the machine by suitable means having
valve trapped outlets.
Sixthly. I further provide means whereby the air which circulates continuously
round the interior of the machine is purified and freed from dust, such apparatus
consisting of a series of circular brushes for the purpose of filtering the fine dust
from the air the dust being caught upon the fibre's of the brushes is retained while
the air passes through. The said brushes are made to revolve slowly and are kept
clean by means of a bar or rod adjusted so as to hold back the fibre's of the brushes
in such a manner that in order to release themselves a sharp flick forward is given
which effectually cleanses the brushes of the acumulated dust at every revolution.
The dust thus separated by the said revolving brushes drops into a settling
chamber or dead air space in which a slowly revolving endless chain or chains
having a brush or scraper attached is fixed for the purpose of collecting the said
fine dust and which discharges it into the dust catching and discharging hopper
which is placed underneath the machine. The said settling chamber is divided
into sections by means of swing boards which open in the direction in which the
cleaning apparatus travels, a section is provided for each of the aforesaid dust
collecting brushes in which to discharge their dust.
Seventhly. I also provide means whereby any loss of air current caused by air
escaping with the grain or other substances passing out of the machine through the
various outlets is immediately made up out of the room in which the purifier is at
work and by this means also the air in the machine may be gradually and con-
tinuously changed without any dust being blown into the room. The abovementioned
apparatus consists of an adjustable louvred shutter fitted into the outer casing of
the machine in any suitable position.
I will now proceed to describe a machine constructed according to my said
improvements having reference to the accompanying drawings in which
.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a machine for treating all kinds of
grain and seeds, or such like substances.
Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse vertical sections on the lines X. X. and Y. Y.
Fig. 4 a part plan of the tray showing trough's and slotted perforations on an
enlarged scale.
Fig. 5 a part plan showing tray as covered with the deflectors and arresting
surfaces in position above it and
Fig. 6 a section through a sieve and tray and showing a grid of deflectors an i
arresting surfaces suspended in position and the mode of adjusting by means of the
rods and winged nuts.
A Fig. 1. is a rectangular outer casing and framework of a machine Al is the
feed hopper for introducing the material to be treated in the machine B. is a fan
for causing the air enclosed in the casing of the machine to circulate continuously
through the various channels indicated by the arrows. C. C 1. C 2 are the
division hoppers into which the material separated by the air currents is deposited.
D is the sieve or sieves frame D 1. D 2. D 3. are the sieves fitted into the said
frame D4 is the connecting rod and D 5. the eccentric for giving motion to the said
sieve frame D 6. D 7. D 8. are knockers for the purpose of keeping the meshes of the
sieves open. E. is the overtails aspirator E 1. E 2. E 3. the second series of division
hoppers into which the material separated by the air current or currents drawn
through the tails aspirator is deposited. F. F 1. are conveyors of well known
construction for discharging the grain or other substance to the outside of
machine G. G 1. are main regulating valves by which the amount of air admitted

page_text: to the fan through the front and tail aspirators is controlled. H. is a collecting
tray fixed underneath the lowermost sieve, for collecting the small seeds or other
substances passing through the said sieve, and H 1. a trough for discharging the
said substances to the outside of machine. I is the fan discharge into the dust
collecting chamber J. J 1. J2. are channels through which the air drawn through
the front or feed aspirator passes into the division hoppers C 3. C 4. one on each
side of the fan casing these said hoppers discharge their collected dust or other
material into the dust catcher K. through suitable valves or they may be made to
discharge outside through the casing at the back of the machine into suitable
receptacles. K 1. K 2. K 3. K 4. are brushes for the purpose of filtering the fine
dust from the air as beforementioned. L. L 1. L 2. L 3. L 4. are the rods and bars for
keeping the brushes clean and to which are attached the upper series of swing
boards M. M 1. M 2. A frame Mx with cross bars L* onto which the lower ends
of the upper series of swing boards rest, and to which the lower series of swing
boards M 3. M 4. M 5 are attached the lower ends of the said lower series of
swing boards rest upon the floor of the machine. The said frame M* also forms a
support for the cleaning brush or scraper N. which collects the dust out of the said
settling chamber and deposits it into the dust hopper K* and from which it is
delivered from time to time by pressing open the valve or valves at the lower ends
of the said hopper or hoppers. O. is an adjustable louvred shutter for the
purpose of admitting air into the machine to make up any loss of current that may
be caused by air escaping through the various outlets along with the separated
material passing out of the machine through the said outlets; P. P 1. are the
return air channels leading back to the fan through the various aspirating channels
as herein described and illustrated in the drawings aunexed by the arrows.
Q. Q1. are valves for admitting air to the fan that is sucked through the sieves for
the purpose of drawing away the dust or other light material from the sieve or
sieves. R. R1. are deflecting valves and R 2 a division valve, which are all
capable of adjustment to assist in the division and deposition of the separated
material.
Suitable trough's S. S 1. S 2. S 3. S 4. are provided for conveying the materials
tailing over the upper sieves or discharged through the valves from the division
hopper above the sieve or sieves to the outside of the machine into separate
receptacles. But in some cases I prefer to use the tray or trays as herein described
and illustrated in the drawings Figs. 4. 5. and 6 for the purpose of collecting these
materials which are deposited upon it and which by reason of the reciprocating
motion imparted to it by the eccentric causes the material to travel to and out of a
main outlet T. Fig. 3. provided for that purpose; when the tray or trays are
thus used the knockers for cleaning the sieves are despensed with and a brush (such
as described in my Patent Specification No. 3955 of 1893) is substituted which
works on the underside of the sieve or sieves. The whole of the novelties and
improvements herein described are applicable to the abovementioned patented
machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
Claim 1. In a machine of the kind described for treating all kinds of grain, or
seeds, and cereal products such as semolina, middlings, and other such substances.
In combination with a feed hopper, an air channel or channels, and a fan for
causing the air enclosed in the machine casing to circulate continuously through
the said air channels, a series of division hoppers arranged together, side by side
and opening into each other at their upper ends. A series of movable boards for
the purpose of deflecting and dividing the material separated by the air current or
currents into the said division hoppers the said hoppers having valves at their lower
ends for automatically discharging the collected material into suitable troughs or
other apparatus to be conveyed outside the machine, the air channels leading into

page_text: the dust hoppers at the back of the machine having discharge valves at the bottom
of the said hoppers and the main regulating valves whereby the air admitted to the
fan is controlled substantially as described.
Claim 2. In combination with the feed hopper the air channels, the fan, and the
division hoppers, a sieve or series of sieves which receive the material froin one or
more of the said division hoppers, the apparatus for cleaning the said sieve or
sieves, an aspirating channel through which the material tailing over the lowermost
sieve passes through an upward current of air, and a second series of division
hoppers opening one into the other and provided with suitable discharging
apparatus for the separated materials deposited therein by the air currents and
communicating with the fan inlets by separate valves by which the volume of
air drawn through the said aspirating channel is controlled substantially as
described.
Claim 3. In machines such as described in combination with the fan discharge
and return air channels, a dust collecting chamber into which are fitted a series of
circular and slowly revolving brushes (or they may be made in any other suitable
form and attached to a belt or other suitable means capable of motion for cleaning
and so forth, but I prefer to make them in the form herein described and illustrated
in the drawings annexed) for arresting and separating dust from air, and beneath
the brushes a settling chamber divided into a series of dead air spaces by the swing
boards, each of the aforesaid brushes is provided with a cleaning bar or rod whereby
they are made to discharge the collected dust at every revolution into the said
dead air spaces an apparatus is also provided for cleaning and discharging the
collected dust to the outside of the machine from the said settling chamber
substantially as described.
Claim 4. In machines of the kind described in combination with a sieve or
sieves, a tray consisting of a series of alternating troughs and slotted perforations
together with a grid of adjustable deflecting bars and arresting surfaces substantially
as and for the purposes described.
Claim 5. In machines such as described in which the air circulates continuously
round the interior of the machine, the use of an adjustable louvred shutter fitted
into any suitable position in the casing of the machine substantially as and for the
purpose described and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1895.
WILLIAM WALTER WILLIS.