AN IMPROVED AGRICULTURAL MACHINE FOR CLEANING GRAINS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jaques Richard, near Melun, a Town of France,
Agriculturalist, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED AGRICULTURAL MACHINE
FOR CLEANING GRAINS."
Sealed the 23rd October 1857, and dated the 23rd April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jaques Richard at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd April 1857.
I, JAQUES RICHARD, near Melun, a Town of France, Agriculturalist, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED AGRICUL
TURAL MACHINE FOR CLEANING GRAINS," to be as follows:-
This improved machine cleans the grains quicker and with a greater per-
fection than any other similar apparatus hitherto employed. The annexed
Drawings show a side view of the upper part of the said machine composed of
two similar apparatuses placed above each other, formed with four standings
M, M, and boards nailed fast around, so as to form a chest or chamber,
within which play the cleaning parts. The grain, after having been thrashed
and winnoved, is thrown into the hopper A, it falls in the hanging box B on
the four bottom wire grates C. A quick rotatory motion being given to a fan
T, and a shaking motion to the box B, all the chaff and small light grain will
be blown up by the action of the fan, falling into the chamber D, thence
through the leading pipe E into a receiving bag S, while the heavier grains
fall into the funnel chamber F, and are conveyed through the pipe. I into the

page_text: inclined rotating cylinder G, which is made of perforated metallic sheets; this
cylinder is actuated by endlees bands a, a, passing over pulleys and by
bevelled wheels R; the smaller kinds of grains fall into the chambers I, J,
through the perforations of the cylinder G, whilst the thicker grain issuing at
His conveyed into the hopper L of a similar apparatus standing under the
floor P, where it is submitted to another cleaning nearly similar, and finally
the first quality of grain is conveyed to the lower cylinder where it is received
in bags suitably arranged, whilst the smaller kinds of grains falling out of the
perforations of various size are received likewise in separate bags.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jaques Richard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JACQUES
RICHARD, near Melun, a Town of France, Agriculturist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant to me, the said.
Jacques Richard, Her special licence that I, the said Jacques Richard,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Jacques Richard, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all timos there-
after 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 "AN IM-
PROVED AGRICULTURAL MACHINE FOR CLEANING GRAINS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Jacques Richard, my executors or admi-
nistrators, 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 Jacques Richard, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:-

page_text: This apparatus is for the purpose of cleaning grain or seeds of any descrip-
tion, performing this most important operation quicker and with greater
perfection than any other apparatus hitherto employed for the same purpose..
When this machine is-worked-by-hand labour two-men-can-produce 5 quarters:
per hour, or. 50 quarters per day of grain, cleaned in the best manner, each
kind of inferior seed being separated from the grain, and each size of grain.
conveyed away in a separate bag & the chaff and dirt blown away, as will "be
seen by the annexed Drawing.
This Drawing consists of a sectional elevation of the said machine, and is
composed of two separate sets of apparatus, which may by preference be placed
on different floors one above another. Each set of apparatus is composed of a
rotatory fan and a hollow perforated metallic cylinder fitted in suitable frame-
work. The grain to be cleaned is taken from the winnowing machine and:
tbrown or poured into the hopper A of the upper apparatus, which is composed.
of a main chamber B, B, B, B, the sides of which are screwed or nailed fast.
on four stands or legs L, L. From the hopper A the grain falls down
through a channel b into a box D, which box is hung by two moveable' rods
d, d; the bottom of the box D is composed of iron wire grates c, c, c, c, dis-
posed over each other, and the grain is blown out by the wind from a four:
winged fan V, V, which is actuated either by a hand crank fitted on the shaft
E of the fan or by.a strap driven by any motive power. The box D receives.
at the same time a vibratory motion by any suitable means, and the heavier
grains passing through the wire grates c, c, c, c, fall down through the channel
F into the perforated hollow metallic cylinder G, whilst the chaff and lightest
seeds and dirt are blown off by the wind of the fan and fly through the back
chamber H, and are gathered into the bag I. The rotatory motion given to
the fan V, V, is transmitted by a strap h, h, from the pulley S, fastened on the.
shaft of the fan to the pulley T, carried by a shaft N, which bears a bevel
wheel R, which wheel gears into a similar one J, carried by the shaft of the
cylinder G, and this cylinder being thus actuated rotates at any required
speed. The cylinder G is inclined, so that the grain falling into this cylinder
at F, will travel downwards from F to K, where it falls out in an inclined
channel ff, by which it is conveyed to the hopper A', of the second set of
apparatus on the lower floor. When the grain is travelling through the
hollow cylinder G, all the smaller seeds and chaff that have not been blown off
hrough the chamber H, will pass through the perforations of the cylinder G,
and gather on the bottom of the chamber B, B, where special apertures can
e made for applying either bags or boxes for the purpose of receiving it, or it
an be taken out into drawers.

page_text: -The lower apparatus is disposed in a similar manner to the upper one; the
fan V', V', is actuated by the strap u, u, running round the pulley m to the
pulley m', the grain falls down from the hopper A' into the vibratory box D',
then passes through the iron grates c, d, c, d, and channel F' into the cylinder
G'. The lightest seeds are likewise blown off from the box D' through the
chamber H', and falling through the channel l' are gathered into the bag I',
whilst the better sorts are conveyed along the cylinder G', the perforations of
which are suitably made so as to allow each size of grain to get out through
them as they are carried along, and to fall into a set of hoppers disposed within
the chamber B', B', whence they are conveyed separately into the bags M &
O, and at last the first quality fit for sowing passes out at K', from the lower
mouth of the cylinder G', and is gathered into the bag P. The cylinder G' is
actuated in a similar manner to the cylinder G by the strap h', h', running
over the pulley's S' and T', and by the bevil wheels R', J'; this second set of
apparatus can also be actuated by itself.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and how the same
is to be performed, I wish to have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise arrangement & shape of the parts described and represented on
the annexed Drawing. But what I claim as my Invention is the combination
of two sets of revolving fans, wire grates, and hollow perforated metallic
cylinders, working either simultaneously, as shewn on the annexed Drawing, or
separately, according to the room at my disposal, for the purpose of cleaning
grain or any other kind of seeds by the motion imparted to the said fans,
grates, and cylinders, and I claim the graduated perforations of the cylinders
in both sets of apparatus, so as to clean and gather separately each kind of
grain or seed, as herein-before described, the mechanical arrangements taken
apart from my peculiar use I do not claim.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jacques Richard, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of October, A.D. Eighteen
hundand and fifty-seven
Signed and sealed in the presence of
I. D'AUBREVILLE, C. E.,
86, Rue de l'Echiquier.
J. RICHARD. (L.S.)