Improvements in Grain Separating, Cleaning, and Dust Collecting Machines
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1891-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1891
Improvements in Grain Separating, Cleaning, and Dust Collecting
Machines.
A communication from abroad by THE BARNARD AND LEAS MANUFACTURING
COMPANY, of Moline, in the County of Rock Island and State of Illinois,
United States of America, Manufacturers of Milling Machinery.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, 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 :--
The present invention is an improvement in combined grain separating, cleaning
and dust collecting machines; and its object is to clean middlings, grain or other
like material, by air-blasts or currents, grading the material by the currents into
two or more portions, and separating the dust and other light impurities therefrom,
and collecting it and discharging each grade of material and the dust at separate
points, thereby combining in one machine a purifier, grader and dust collector.
The machine shown in the accompanying drawings is specially designed for operating
upon middlings for the object stated; and it consists essentially of a pair of dust
collecting chambers, communicating through a fan-casing, and through an upper
collecting chamber, and a lower air passage; and a series of conveyors and
separating trunks or passages; and certain other novel details of construction and
combination of parts as will be clearly understood from the following description
and claims.
Referring to the drawings by figures
:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved combined separator, grader and dust-
collector.
Figure 2 is an end view thereof.
Figure 3 is a central, vertical, longitudinal, sectional view through the same.
Referring to the drawings by letters :-
A designates the frame or casing of the machine, closed on all sides, but having
suitable doors provided at various points for allowing access to its interior.
B designates a feed hopper of ordinary construction at one upper corner and
extending transversely of the casing, and having a feed roller in its mouth, and a
hinged flap or valve for regulating the flow of material. The feed roller inay be
driven by pulleys and a belt from a shaft S journaled in boxes s, s, secured to
one end of the frame. C, C, C, designate a series of shunt boards arranged below
the hopper, upon which the material fed therefrom drops successively, and from the
last board it falls into a transverse trough H¹ in which is a conveyor H that
conducts the material out of the machine. c'e' c¹ are a series of upwardly inclined
boards arranged parallel with each other, their lower ends approach the boards C,
respectively. Air passages c² are left above the upper edges of boards C which
communicate with the air passages between boards c; respectively. And
passages are left between the lower ends of boards C, c' respectively as shown.
d, are a series of valves at the upper ends of boards c¹ which can be adjusted
by fingers. on the outside of the casing, as indicated in Figure 3, and thus
regulate the draft through passages d', or, in place of valves d², a single valve
or valves might be placed in the passage connecting the fan chamber with
chamber F, or any suitable arrangement of valves might be used as is obvious,
the effect of which will be to regulate or vary the draft or currents of air through
the passages between chambers F and D.

page_text: designates a transverse horizontal partition in the upper part of the casing
extending from near the upper end of the inner board c to a conveyor trough
lying transversely of the casing at the upper corner thereof opposite hopper B, and
in this trough is a conveyor J. The space above partition d forms a depositing
chamber D wherein the second grade of material is deposited; any deposits being.
swept off into trough ; by means of an endless belt L carrying brushes or
scrapers, 1, and operated by pulleys on shafts L' journaled in the sides of
the casing.
A passage is left between trough j and the end wall of the casing-for-the-descent
of air-currents into the space below partition d, which constitutes a large dust
collecting chamber E.
Just beneath partition d and adjoining the inner board c¹ is a fan casing or
chamber G in which is a fan G' mounted on a shaft o' journaled in bearings on the
casing. This fan chamber communicates with chamber E at one end or side, and a
vertical partition O is placed between the fan chamber and trough so that the
current of air passing from chamber D is deflected downward under the partition O
before it can rise into the fan chamber. Below the fan chamber is a transverse
partition P which extends nearly to the bottom of the casing, A, and connects with
a false bottom P¹ which extends forward under trough H' to near the end wall of
the casing and P2 is a transverse shunt board, just above and extending nearly to
bottom 1, leaving a narrow passage between the same. The space thus separated
from chamber E and below boards C and hopper, constitutes a second dust collecting
chamber F. A board p is set between the inner edge of trough H' and the inner
board c forming an air passage F¹ through which air is driven from the fan chamber
into chamber F.
Any dust or matters collecting on the bottom of chamber F are swept out
through passage by means of an endless belt N carrying brushes n and running
over pulleys on shafts N' journaled in the sides of the casing.
K' designates a transverse trough'in chamber E at the lower right hand corner
of the machine and K is a conveyor therein. The bottom of chamber E and casing
inclines from the upper inner edge of trough K down to the other end of the
casing A below chamber F as shown, and any deposits on this bottom are swept
into trough K' by endless belts M carrying brushes m and running over pulleys on
shafts M journaled in the sides of the casing.
The conveyors H, J, and K are preferably driven by sprocket pulleys and belt v¹
from shaft S as indicated in Figures 1 and 2 which is driven by belt U and pulleys
from the fan shaft g¹ to which the power is applied. The conveyors L, M and N
are driven by sprocket pulleys and a belt from shaft S., are tightener
pulleys for said belts. The mouths of the conveyor troughs are preferably closed
by flap or other suitable valves so that no air will be drawn into the casing.
The operation is about as follows:-
The middlings enter the hopper B and are fed in a uniform stream of even
thickness across the entire width of the machine by the roller 62, and are aspirated
by the air currents that pass through passages c, d, and the cleaned middlings of
heaviest grade fall into the conveyor trough H' through the opening and are
discharged out of the machine by conveyor H. The air currents indicated by the
arrows are produced by the revolutions of the fan G' which causes the air contained
in the machine to pass through the dust chamber F, then through the openings
and passages d' into and through the settling chamber D, then into and through
the dust settling chamber E and thence into the fan chamber G, thus forming
continuous current. The small openings at the bottom of chamber F extending
across the width of the machine allow part of the air current to pass through them
into dust chamber E beneath dust chamber F and thence into the fan chamber,
thus forming in the machine two continuous air currents, as indicated by the arrows
in Figure 3, which serve a double purpose, viz. to draw the dust and the light
particles that are deposited in the dust chamber F through into the chamber E
where the endless carrier M will sweep it into the conveyor K, and secondly, by the
a

page_text: dividing and meeting, the currents form eddies in the two dust settling chambers E
and F which assist in depositing the dust in said chambers. The air currents
passing through the openings c and d can be regulated by the valves d, and the.
cleaning and grading of the middlings governed thereby.
The lighter middlings and the dust and other impurities which are taken up by
the air currents pass into the chamber D where a separation takes place. The
middlings settling therein are delivered by the endless carrier L into the con-
veyor and trough which discharges them from the machine, while the dust and
other light impurities pass down into the chamber E and are deposited on the
bottom thereof and conveyed by the endless carrier M into trough K and the
conveyor K discharges them out of the machine.
These conveyors H, J and K have an opening at the end of each of them
provided with a valve through which the material is discharged without the
admission of air. The machine is cased, and no air admitted or discharged except
such as is unavoidable in the admission of the material and the discharge of
the same.
The partition O in the chamber E deflects the dust laden air downwards, thus
assisting in settling the dust in said chamber.
It will be observed that this machine contains a fan, a separating device, a
settling chamber for middlings and two dust settling chambers; an opening through
the fan chamber connecting the dust chambers, and there are two return air
passages connecting these dust collecting chambers, thus producing two continuous
endless air currents in both dust chambers; and the dust taken up by the air
passing through the separating device has to travel through both dust chambers,
and the air is thus thoroughly deprived of dust before re-entering the separating
device. Also that these two continuous air currents, meeting and dividing, cause
eddies to be formed in the dust chambers which assist in depositing the dust therein.
The separating device can have as many or as few air passages for purifying and
grading the middlings as may be desired. The form of the chamber is such that
the air in passing through it travels in almost a semi-circular direction, and the
dust is naturally impelled thereby to the outside edge of the current, and the
opening in the bottom of the chamber F allows that part of the air current con-
taining the most impurities to pass through and be again returned to the dust
chamber E, and thus made to pass through both chambers again; this forms a cut-off
and assists in making the current of air, passing through the separating devices,
cleaner than it otherwise would be.
When the machine is wide, two fans may be mounted on the same shaft.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said.
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a combined middlings purifier, grader and dust collector, the combination
of a separating device having a series of air passages across which the material
must pass, means for discharging the purified material collected in it, a settlings
chamber for collecti g the lighter middlings blown out in the process of purifying,
and two dust settling chambers, each provided with devices for discharging the
material deposited therein; with a fan and mechanism for imparting motion thereto,
substantially as described.
2. The combination, in a separator and dust collector combined, of an air blast
separating device and two dust chambers communicating with said.device for collect-
ing the dust drawn up by the air current, with a secondary air passage connecting
the two dust chambers and means for creating a circulation of air in said passages
whereby a part of the dust laden air can be returned to the first dust chamber and
made to pass through both chambers again, substantially as described.
3. The combination of the hopper, inclined boards below the same upon which
the material delivered from the hopper falls; and a receiving trough for the
material, a deposit chamber above and to one side of the said boards, two dust

page_text: collecting chambers below said deposit chamber and hopper, respectively, a fan
chamber communicating with said dust chambers, and a fan whereby a continuous
air current is created through the said chambers and between said boards; with the
conveyors for removing the material from the said receiving trough, deposit chamber
and dust chambers, substantially as described.
4. The combination, in a combined purifier, separator and dust collector, of two
dust collecting chambers, a fan chamber communicating with said chambers, a series
of air blast passages above one dust chamber through which the material is passed.
to be cleaned, a deposit chamber above said passages-communicating with the other
chamber,-and-a-fau for creating a continuous current through said chambers and
passages substantially as described; with an air passage leading from one dust
chamber to the other whereby a second air current is created in the large dust
chamber below the fan, substantially as described.
5. In a combined purifying, separating and dust collecting machine, the com-
bination of a hopper, inclined boards C, e below the hopper, and trough H¹ and
conveyor H, the dust collecting chamber below said boards and trough, the
brushes n in chamber F, the deposit chamber D at top of the machine commu-
nicating with chamber F, the conveyor trough j and conveyor J and brushes 1, and
the dust collecting chamber E below chamber D communicating therewith and
extending under chamber F and communicating therewith through its bottom,
and the trough and conveyor K, and brushes m in said chamber; with the fan and fan
chamber communicating with chambers F and E and adapted to create continuous
air currents through the machine, and the deflecting partition O in chamber E,
substantially as specified.
6. In an endless air current separating machine having a continuous air passage,
a separating device, a fan chamber, one or more settling chambers, each chamber
being flat bottomed and provided with both a scraper for continuously cleaning the
bottom, and a conveyor for removing the material collected by the scrapers; in
combination with a fan and mechanism for imparting motion to said fan, scrapers
and conveyors, whereby larger settling chambers are obtained, the dust more
effectually settled, and the air in said.air passages made more free of dust before it
again enters the separating device, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
7. In a separator and dust collector, the combination of an air blast separating
device, a flat bottomed settling chamber below the same, a second flat bottomed
settling chamber indirectly communicating with the first chamber through said air
blast device and through a fan chamber; with the conveyors for removing collected
materials from said chambers and travelling scrapers or brushes for sweeping the
collected matters off the bottoms of said settling chambers to the conveyors, sub-
stantially as specified.
8. In an endless closed air current dust collecting machine, the combination of a
fan chamber and fan, and a dust chamber having substantially vertical walls and
large flat surfaced bottom; with travelling scrapers or brushes adapted to sweep the
collected material off the bottom of the dust chamber, and mechanism substantially
as described for laterally moving said scrapers or brushes over the bottom of the
dust chamber, substantially as set forth.
9. In a combined separator and dust collector having an endless air current, the
combination of the settling chamber, an air blast separating device, a second settling
chamber communicating with the first through said separating device, both said
chambers having flat bottoms; with a fan chamber establishing communication
between the settling chambers below the separating device, travelling scrapers or
brushes for scraping collected matters off the bottoms of said chambers, and means
for operating said scrapers, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 29th day of June 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.