Improvements in or Appertaining to Sieving or Separating Cylinders for Grain, Seeds, or the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Appertaining to Sieving or Separating
Cylinders for Grain, Seeds, or the like.
1. PIETER VAN GELDER of Sowerby Bridge in the County of York, Milling
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in sieving or separating cylinders,
with the object mainly of keeping the meshes or perforations of the same clear, thai
is, in an open condition.
In separating or sieving apparatus of the description to which this invention relates,
the material to be treated is kept in motion within a revolving or oscillating cylinder,
which is perforated in a suitable manner, according to the nature of such material and
the purpose for which it is treated. The dust or smaller seeds or grains pass through
to the exterior of the sieve, but it is usually found that a number of seeds, etcetera,
become jammed or wedged into the perforations of the cylinder, thus rendering the
latter less effective in its operation.
It is with the object of removing this wedged material that the present invention is
mainly designed.
In carrying the invention into effect, I provide a series of parallel fingers con-
structed of a suitable material, preferably of some soft, wood such as willow. Each
finger lies in a plane approximately at right angles to the axis of the cylinder, and
their tips rest with a slightly yielding pressure upon the exterior surface of the
cylinder, so that they tend to thrust inwards any material which is wedged into the
perforations. The fingers are, at their other ends, spring pivoted, or otherwise
Hexibly mounted, in such a manner as to produce a yielding pressure upon the
cylinder.
If desired the tips of the fingers only may be of wood. If the cylinder is provided
with long circumferential perforations, the wood, after a little time becomes scored or
grooved so that it adapts itself to the shape and pitch of the perforations, and projects
for some distance into the latter. It is thus enabled to act more effectually upon any
wedged material.
A revolvable or fixed brush or a series of radial whisks may also be placed inside
the cylinder, so as to bear against its inner surface and assist in keeping the perfora-
tions open.
The brush or whisks may be supported upon the cylinder shaft or in
other suitable manner.
In some cases also in order to ensure a more efficient separation of the smaller
material, I may place within the cylinder and approximately parallel with the axis
thereof, an inclined plate or a series of inclined fingers, so arranged that the material,
after being carried round to a certain point by the rotation of the cylinder, is caused
to fall upon the plate or fingers and is led back to the lower or comparatively
unoccupied portion of the cylinder instead of falling back upon the material imme-
diately below it. This arrangement is also applicable to separating cylinders having a
pitted interior surface, in lieu of perforations.
Dated this 13th day of February 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Appertaining to Sieving or Separating
"Cylinders for Grain, Seeds,, or the like.
I, PIETER VAN GELDER of Sowerby Bridge, in the County of York, Milling
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 :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in sieving or separating cylinders,
with the object mainly, of keeping the meshes or perforations of the same clear, that
is, in an open condition.
In separating or sieving apparatus of the description to which this invention relates,
the material to be treated is kept in motion within a revolving or oscillating cylinder,
which is perforated in a suitable manner, according to the nature of such material and
the purpose for which it is treated. The dust or smaller seeds or grains pass through
to the exterior of the sieve, but it is usually found that a number of seeds, etcetera,
become jammed or wedged into the perforations of the cylinder, thus rendering the
latter less effective in its operation.
It is with the object of removing this wedged material that the present invention is
mainly designed.
The invention may be described by reference to the accompanying drawings which
show one way of carrying it into effect.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is an end elevation of a sieving or separating cylinder fitted with the
device forming the principal part of my invention.
Figure 2 is a plan view of a portion of said device.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of a sieving or separating cylinder to which another
part of my invention is applied.
A, is the sieving or separating cylinder mounted on an axle A¹ within a suitable
casing A²
BB are a series of parallel fingers constructed of a suitable material,
preferably of some soft wood such as willow. Each finger lies in a plane approxi-
mately at right angles to the axis of the cylinder, and their tips & rest with a slightly
yielding pressure upon the exterior perforated surface of the cylinder (preferably near
the top portion thereof), so that they tend to thrust inwards any material which is
wedged into the perforations. The fingers are, at their other ends, spring pivoted, or
otherwise flexibly mounted in such a manner as to produce a yielding pressure upon
the cylinder.
In the arrangement shown on the drawing, the fingers are pivoted upon a rod
which is carried by brackets 2 supported in any suitable manner, as upon the top
frame A3 of the machine. Each finger is held in contact with the cylinder by a spiral
spring which is attached at one end to the underside of the finger and at the other
end to a stationary point, such as a bar a fixed upon the casing of the machine.
If desired, the tips of the fingers only may be of wood. If the cylinder is provided
with long circumferential perforations, the wood, after a little time, becomes scored or
* grooved so that it adapts itself to the shape and pitch of the perforations, and projects
for some distance into the latter. It is thus enabled to act more effectually upon any
wedged material.
A revolvable or fixed brush or a series of radial whisks (as described in my
former patent Specification No. 7595 of 1888) may also be placed inside the cylinder,
so as to bear against its inner surface and assist in keeping the perforations open.
The brush or whisks may be supported upon the cylinder shaft or in other suitable
manner.
In some cases also, in order to ensure a more efficient sieving or separation of the
material, I may employ a device such as that set forth in my aforesaid specification
No. 7595 of 1888. Such device may be understood by reference to Figure 3. It
consists of an inclined plate or a series of inclined fingers (which is or are placed

page_text: within the cylinder approximately parallel with the axis thereof. The outer edge of
the plate or row of fingers is placed in proximity to the surface of the cylinder, and
its (or their) position and inclination are such that any material, which has been
carried round to a certain point by the rotation of the cylinder, is, in falling back-
wards, caused to fall upon the plate or fingers and is led back to the lower or
comparatively unoccupied portion of the cylinder instead of falling back again upon
the material immediately below it. The plate or fingers may be supported in any
convenient manner within the cylinder, preferably upon the shaft A¹ as shown, which
is, in this case, made a fixture, the cylinder being mounted loosely thercon. The
above arrangement is also applicable to separating cylinders having a pitted interior
surface, in lieu of perforations.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In combination with a sieving or separating cylinder for grain, seeds or the
like, a series of fingers spring pivoted or otherwise flexibly mounted side by side in
proximity to the cylinder and having their tips bearing with a yielding pressure upon
the surface thereof, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In combination with a sieving or separating cylinder for grain, seeds or the like,
an inclined plate or series of inclined fingers located within said cylinder in such a
position that material, which has been carried by the rotation of the cylinder to
a certain point, is, on falling backwards, led by said plate to the lower or com-
paratively unoccupied portion of the cylinder, instead of being permitted to fall again
on to the material immediately below it, substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of November 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.