IMPROVED MEANS FOR SEPARATING DIFFERENT KINDS OR QUALITIES OF SEED OR GRAIN FROM EACH OTHER
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Palmer, of Stockton-on-Tees, in the County
of Durham, Agricultural Implement Dealer and Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS FOR SEPARATING DIFFERENT KINDS OR
QUALITIES OF SEED OR GRAIN FROM EACH OTHER."
Sealed the 15th May 1857, and dated the 25th November 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Palmer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th November 1856.
I, JOHN PALMER, of Stockton-on-Tees, in the County of Durham, Agri-
cultural Implement Dealer and Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS FOR SEPARATING DIFFERENT KINDS
OR QUALITIES OF SEED OR GRAIN FROM EACH OTHER," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to facilitate the operation of separating
different qualities of winnowed grain and seeds from each other. To this
end I provide any ordinary cylindrical rotating screen or sieve, and fit in
the cylinder longitudinal partitions or divisions formed of blades of iron, steel,
wood, or any other material, set side by side, and at such a distance apart that
(the partitions) will as they rotate carry the grain up the side of the screen,
but not round or over the centre of it. These partitions distribute the grain
(as it enters the elevated end of the cylindrical screen) over the inner periphery

page_text: of that cylinder, and thus retain a larger amount of grain in contact therewith
than is due to the momentum of the running screen, or to specific gravity;
they also serve to arrange the individual grains or seeds in the direction of
the length of the meshes of the sieve. A larger operating surface for riddling
or sifting the grain being thus virtually obtained, the operation of separating
the thin kernels, &c. from the full-sized ones will consequently be considerably
expedited.
The cylindrical screen is provided with meshes of varying gauge, which
increase in coarseness towards the delivery end of the cylinder. The partitions
may be set at any required angle, and it will be convenient to connect them
to radial arms carried by the axle of the cylinder, or in case the cylinder bas
no axle and is driven by means of gearing teeth attached to the end of the
screen, the partitions may be fixed in the cylindrical screen.
In some cases I propose, instead of discharging the largest or best seeds
through the meshes in the screen, or into a spout at the end of the screen,
to let them fall on to a vibrating riddle set at the end of the rotating
screen, and to discharge these seeds through it, while stones and other large
extraneous substances are carried forward beyond the seed receptacle.
For the purpose of keeping the meshes clear I apply a steel wire brush to
the outer surface of the cylinder, and as the cylinder rotates these wires
will thrust inwards any seeds, grain, or other substance that may have stuck
fast in the meshes. I also propose to apply a blast of air to the seed as
it falls from the elevators, hopper, or riddle, and is entering the rotating
cylinder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Palmer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
May 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PALMER, of Stockton-on-Tees, in the County of Durham, Agricultural Imple-
ment Dealer and Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
tho said John Palmer, Her special license that I, the said John Palmer,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Palmer, my executors, administrators, and assigns; should at any time agree

page_text: with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "IMPROVED MEANS FOR SEPARATING
DIFFERENT KINDS OR QUALITIES OF SEED OR GRAIN FROM EACH OTHER," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Palmer, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Offico
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Palmer, 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 following statement,
reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The object of this Invention is to facilitate the separation of different
qualities of winnowed grain and seeds from each other. To this end I apply
to the interior of the rotating cylindrical screen sets of segmental partitions
or plates, which fit close against the inner periphery of the cylinder, and are
arranged so as to extend from end to end thereof. These partitions distribute
the grain or seed (as it is fed into the elevated end of the cylinder) over the
inner periphery of the screen, and thus serve to present a larger surface of
grain to the meshes of the screen than is due to the momentum of the running
screen or to specific gravity. The action of these plates is further to arrange
the individual seeds in a direction parallel with the meshes of the screen, and
thereby to facilitate their escape through the screen.
.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 shews in longitudinal sectional
elevation a rotating cylindrical screen, fitted according to my Invention; and
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, shewn partly in section. a, a, is a
cylinder, composed of wire lapped helically round longitudinal rods, which are
rivetted at their extremities to rings having a boss and radial arms, by which
they are connected to the central driving shaft b. Attached to these arms are
two longitudinal bars c, c, which extend from end to end of the cylinder and
are fixed at opposite sides of the shaft b. Projecting from these bars are
arms for carrying the two sets of plates d, which I prefer to form of sheet
iron. These plates I arrange side by side at about one and a quarter inches
apart (see the detached views, Figures 3 and 4), and parallel or nearly.so with
the meshes of the screen, and I set the forward end of every alternate plate

page_text: a little in advance of the others, that in coming down into the grain they
may not all strike into it at the same moment. e is the hopper for feeding
in the grain or seeds to the screen; f is a conical case attached to the feeding
end of the screen, for the purpose of receiving the grain and guiding it on
to the meshes of the cylinder. The meshes of the cylindrical sieve I prefer
to make of four different gauges, the finest being at the feeding end and. the
coarsest at the discharging end thereof. Below these several divisions in
the cylinder 1 place suitable shutes or spouts g, h, i, k, for conducting tho
various products of the screening operation to suitable receptacles. Thus, the
spout g will receive the small seeds and dust extracted by the first division
of the screen; the spout h will receive and conduct away to a proper receptacle
the very thin corn; into the spout i the tail corn will be discharged from the
screen; and through the largest gauge of meshes the perfect sample will be
delivered to the shute k. This shute may, if desired, consist of a vibrating
riddle. At the end of the cylinder I provide a shute 1, for receiving poppy
heads and other bulky substances which will not pass through the meshes;
these as they are discharged from the open end of the cylindrical screen are
also conducted away to a suitable receptacle. It will now be understood that
as the cylinder in its rotation carries round the sets of segmental plates, these
plates will dip into the corn that lies on the lower part of the cylinder, and
by reason of their friction in passing through the corn they will tend to
arrange the individual grains in a line with the meshes, and also spread the
. corn over an extended area of the surface of the screen, whereby a larger
operating surface than is available in ordinary rotating screens will be virtually
obtained, and the operation of separating the seeds, dust, and thin kernels
from the perfect sample will consequently be greatly expedited. In order to
keep the meshes clear I apply to the exterior of the cylinder a clearing brush
m, having steel wire instead of bristles, whalebone, or cane; and as the
cylinder rotates the elastic wire will thrust inwards any seeds, grain, or
extraneous substance that may have stuck fast in the meshes and is brought
up into contact with the brush. I would remark, that if thought desirable
a blast of air may be applied to the seed as it falls from the hopper, riddle,
or elevator, and is entering the cylinder.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "improved means
for separating different kinds or qualities of seed or grain from each other,"
and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be
understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
The attaching to rotating screens of partitions or plates for distributing the
grain, in the manner and for the purpose above set forth.

page_text: And I also claim the application to screens so fitted of the metallic wire
brush.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Palmer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
JOHN PALMER. (L.S.)