IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR HULLING AND WINNOWING GRAIN
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lloyd Wise, of the Patent Office, Chandos
Chambers, Adelphi, in the City of Westminster, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR HULLING AND WINNOWING
GRAIN." A communication from abroad by Friedrich Henckel and
Wilhelm Seck. both of Munich, in the Kingdom of Bavaria.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lloyd Wiso at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th September 1865.
J, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of the Patent Office, Chandos Chambers, Adelphi,
in the City of Westminster, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR HULLING AND
WINNOWING GRAIN," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to separate from the kernels of wheat and
other grain or seed the bulls or integuments which remain after the. husks.or
chaff have been removed by the previous operations of threshing and winnowing,
or otherwise; and to effect this I submit the grain or seed in a damp state
to a process of combined friction and shaking by passing the same through a
series of annular spaces or chambers, and by rapid rotary motion simultaneously

page_text: forcing them into contact with each other, and driving them against a grooved,
corrugated, or other surface or surfaces, the loosened bran, hulls, or integu-
ments being finally separated from the kernels by fanning or winnowing, as
hereafter explained. For this purpose I make use of a metallic or other
suitable cylinder or casing, placed vertically by preference, and provided at its
upper end with a suitable cover having a smaller casing furnished with an
adjustable hopper or tube for feeding the machine with the grain or seed
to be treated. Within the main cylinder or casing is a shaft, supported by
and free to revolve in suitable bearings, and having keyed upon it at suitable
vertical distances radial arms carrying vapes extending from top to bottom of,
and by preference parallel to, the interior of the main cylinder or casing, within
which they are to be carried round. Upon the upper part of the main shaft
of the machine I fix a circular plate or stone, upon the centre portion of
which the grain or seed to be treated falls from the adjustable hopper or tube
before mentioned, and is thence carried by the centrifugal force along the
upper surface of the plate-from its centre towards its circumference, and
thrown down on to a second and somewhat larger plate or stone, also secured
to and revolving with the main shaft of the machine, and surrounded by the
upper or smaller casing. Within the upper portion of the main cylinder or
casing are suitably attached to the shaft four or any other convenient number
of discs or plates, equal or nearly so in diameter to the main cylinder or
casing, and on to which the grain or seed after being thrown from the small
plates or stones in the upper casing is conveyed or conducted by suitable
tubes or guides, Below these larger plates or discs are suitably fixed, one
below another, by bars or rods attached to the radial arms of the main shaft,
a series of rings or circular shelves, almost equal in diameter to the interior
of the main cylinder or casing, and having their upper surfaces either plain
or formed with ribs placed radially or at angles best suited for throwing the
grain against the interior of the main cylinder or casing. These rings or
shelves are farther provided at their inner or back edges with a wire gauze
screen or other pervious partition to prevent the grain or seed from falling
into the interior or central portion of the machine, but so constructed never-
theless as not to materially obstruct the passage of the current or currents
Fair produced by the vanes attached to the arms of the main shaft, as
Previously explained. It will be understood that by this arrangement an
annular space is formed between the internal surface of the main cylinder or
casing and the exterior of the wire gauze or other circular casing, such
annular space being divided horizontally or nearly so by means of the rings
or circular shelves into a series of smaller spaces or annular chambers, which

page_text: latter communicate with each other, as hereafter explained by means of an
adjustable slide or slides containing suitable grooves or channels. Thus, for
instance, presuming the shaft to be provided within the upper portion of the
main cylinder or casing with four of the larger discs or plates before alluded
to, and below them to be furnished (by means of bars or rods attached to its
radial arms) with eleven of the rings or circular shelves, one under another,.
as previously explained, then the slide or slides may conveniently be arranged
to form communications (capable of adjustment to regulate the rapidity of
the operation to suit the requirements of the particular grain or seed from.
time to time under treatment) by suitable grooves or channels between the
various annular spaces or chambers in manner following (commencing from
the upper portion of the interior of the main cylinder or casing), that is to
say-The spaces above the first and between the first and second discs or
plates with the space between the lowest disc and upper ring; the spaces
between the second and third and third and fourth discs with the space
between the first and second rings; the space between the lower disc and
upper ring with that between the second and third rings; the space between
the first and second rings with that between the third and fourth rings; the
space between the second and third rings with that between the fourth and.
fifth; the space between the third and fourth rings with that between the
fifth and sixth; the spaces between the fourth and fifth and the fifth and sixth.
rings with the space between the sixth and seventh rings; and each of the
'spaces between the six lower rings with the space next under it, the lower
space or chamber communicating with a suitable tube or guide or tubes or
guides provided for conveying the grain which has been operated upon out.
of the machine. A portion or portions of the main cylinder or casing is or
are made of wire gauze or otherwise suitably constructed to form a screen or
sieve or screens or sieves through which the bran, hulls, or integuments, after
being separated from the kernels, may be blown into a bran chamber or
chambers or other suitable receptacle or receptacles.
Supposing the machine to be set in motion, which may be done by means
of a horizontal shaft having a wheel provided with suitable teeth taking into
corresponding teeth on a wheel fitted to the lower end of the main shaft of the
machine, when the main shaft has attained the required circumferential
velocity the vanes attached to it act as a fan, producing a powerful current
of air, the latter being drawn in through the openings in the upper and
lower ends of the machine, and driven out through the screen or sieve or
screens or sieves into the bran chamber or other receptacle.
The wheat or other grain or seed is, as previously explained, fed by the

page_text: adjustable hopper or tube on to the small upper plate or stone, from it on to
the second small plate, and after being from thence guided in four currents
on to the four large discs or plates is thrown by the centrifugal force against
the interior surface of the main cylinder or casing in such manner as by the
friction of the grains or seeds against each other combined with the rubbing
or rolling against the interior of the main cylinder or casing, and the action of
the draught or currents of air to separate the bran, hulls, or integuments
from the kernels, the former being driven by the powerful draught through
the screen or sieve or screens or sieves into the bran chamber or chambers
ór other receptacle or receptacles before alluded to. The four currents of
grain or seed unite by means of the communicating grooves or channels
into two currents, and passing down respectively through the fifth and sixth,
seventh and eighth, and ninth and tenth annular spaces or chambers, unite
into one current in the eleventh space, and pass through the twelfth, thirteenth,
furteenth, and fifteenth spaces. In its passage downward through each of
the annular spaces or chambers the grain undergoes a repetition of the process
before described until it reaches the fifteenth or last space, from which tho
now completely hulled grains or kernels leave the machine by the tube or
tubes or other conveyances previously mentioned as being provided for that
purpose.
It is to be understood that the machine may be constructed with a greater
or less number of rings and annular spaces or chambers, and may be so
arranged as that the grain may pass in more or less than four currents.
Likewise that the main cylinder or casing may be constructed of wood,
stone, or other material, with its interior either grooved or corrugated or
otherwise, as found most desirable to meet the circumstances of particular
cases, and I may remark that for the manufacture of pearl barley I construct
the main cylinder by preference of course grained sandstone,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Lettors Patent, filed
by the said William Lloyd Wise in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30
6th March 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
LLOYD WISE, of the Patent Office, Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in the City
of Westminster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by IIer Letters 3!
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of September, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Lloyd Wise, Her special licence that I, the said William Lloyd
Wise, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Lloyd Wise, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR HULLING AND WINNOWING GRAIN," a communication
to me from abroad by Friedrich IIenckel and Wilhelm Seck, both of
Munich, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William Lloyd Wise, my exccutors or administrators, 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 William Lloyd Wise, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of this Invention is to separate from the kernels of wheat and
other grain or seed the hulls or integuments which remain after the husks or
chaff have been removed by the previous operations of threshing and win-
nowing, or otherwise; and to effect this I submit the grain or seed in a damp
state to a process of combined friction and shaking by passing the same
through a series of annular spaces or chambers, and by rapid rotary motion
simultaneously forcing them into contact with each other, and driving them
against a grooved, corrugated, or other surface or surfaces, the loosened hulls
or integuments being finally separated from the kernels by fanning' or win-
nowing as hereafter explained, so that by the process of grinding only flour is
produced without bran.
For this purpose I make use of a metallic or other suitable cylinder or
casing, placed vertically by preference, and provided at its upper end with a
suitable cover, having a smaller casing furnished with an adjustable hopper
or tube for feeding the machine with the grain or seed to be treated. Within
the main cylinder or casing is a shaft supported by and free to revolve in
suitable bearings, and having keyed upon it at suitable vertical {distances

page_text: radial arms carrying vanes extending from top to bottom of, and by preference
parallel to, the interior of the main cylinder or casing within which they are
to be carried round. Upon the upper part of the main shaft of the machine
I fix a circular plate or stone, upon the centre portion of which the grain or
seed to be treated falls from the adjustable hopper or tube before men-
tioned, and is thence carried by the centrifugal force along the upper
surface of the plate from its centre towards its circumference, and thrown
down on 'to a second and somewhat larger plate or stone, also secured to and
revolving with the main shaft of the machine, and surrounded by the upper
or smaller casing. Within the upper portion of the main cylinder or casing
are suitably attached to the shaft four or any other convenient number of
discs or plates, equal or nearly so in diameter to the main cylinder or casing,
and on to which the grain or seed after being thrown from the small plates or
stones in the upper casing is conveyed or conducted by suitable tubes or
guides. Below these larger plates or discs are suitably fixed, one below
another, by bars or rods attached to the radial arms of the main shaft, a series
of rings, circular shelves, or terraces, almost equal in diameter to the interior
of the main cylinder or casing, and having their upper surfaces either plain
or formed with ribs placed radially or at angles best suited for throwing the
grain against the interior of the main cylinder or casing. These rings, shelves,
or terraces, are farther provided at their inner or back edges with a wire
gauze screen or other pervious partition to prevent the grain or seed from
falling into the interior or central portion of the machine, but so constructed
nevertheless as not to materially obstruct the passage of the current or
currents of air produced by the vanes attached to the arms of the main shaft,
as previously explained. It will be understood that by this arrangement an
'annular space is formed between the internal surface of the main cylinder or
casing and the exterior of the wire gauze or other circular casing, such
annular space being divided horizontally or nearly so by means of the rings,
circular shelves, or terraces, into a series of smaller spaces or annular cham-
bers, which latter communicate with each other, as hereafter explained, by
means of an adjustable slide or slides containing suitable grooves or channels.
Thus, for instance, presuming the shaft to be provided within the upper por-
tion of the main cylinder or casing with four of the larger discs or plates
before alluded to, and below them to be furnished by means of bars or rods
attached to its radial arms with eleven of the rings or circular shelves, one under
another, as previously explained. Then the slide or slides may conveniently be
arranged to form communications (capable of adjustment to regulate the
rapidity of the operation to suit the requirements of the particular grain or

page_text: seed from time to time under treatment) by suitable grooves or channels
between the various annular spaces or chambers in manner following (com-
mencing from the upper portion of the interior of the main cylinder or casing),
that is to say:-The spaces above the first and between the first and second discs
or plates with the space between the lowest disc and upper ring; the spaces
between the second and third and third. and fourth discs with the space
between the first and second rings; the space between ; the lower disc and
upper ring with that between the second and third rings; the space between
the first and second rings with that between the third and fourth rings; the
space between the second and third rings with that between the fourth and
fifth; the space between the third and fourth rings with that between the
fifth and sixth; the spaces between the fourth and fifth and the fifth and
sixth rings with the space between the sixth and seventh rings, and each of the
spaces between the six lower rings with the space next under it, the lower
space or chamber communicating with a suitable tube or guide or tubes or
guides provided for conveying the grain which has been operated upon out of
the machine. A portion or portions of the main cylinder or casing is or are
made of wire gauze or otherwise, suitably constructed to form a screen or
sieve or screens or sieves through which the bran, hulls, or integuments, after
being separated from the kernels, may be blown into a bran chamber or
chambers or other suitable receptacle or receptacles.
"
Supposing the machine to be set in motion, which may be done by means
of a horizontal shaft, having a wheel provided with suitable teeth, taking into
corresponding teeth on a wheel fitted to the lower end of the main shaft of
the machine, when the main shaft has attained the required circumferential
velocity the vanes attached to it act as a fan, producing a powerful current of
air, the latter being drawn in through the openings in the upper and lower
ends of the machine, and driven out through the screen or sieve or screens or
sieves into the bran chamber or other receptacle. The wheat or other grain
or seed is, as previously explained, fed by the adjustable hopper or tube on
to the small upper plate or stone, from it on to the second small plate, and
after being from thence guided in four currents on to the four large discs, or
plates is thrown. by the centrifugal force against the interior surface of the
main cylinder or casing in such manner as by the friction of the grains or
seeds against each other, combined with the rubbing or rolling against the
interior of the main cylinder, or casing, and the action of the draught or
currents of air to separate the bran, hulls, or integuments from the kernels,
the former being driven the powerful draught through the screen or sieve
or screens or sieves into the bran chamber or chambers or other receptacle or

page_text: receptacles before alluded to. The four currents of grain or see.l unite by
means of the communicating grooves or channels into two currents, and
passing down respectively through the fifth and sixth, seventh and eighth, and
ninth and tenth annular spaces or chambers unite into one current in the
eleventh space, and pass through the twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and
fifteenth spaces.
In its passage downward through each of the annular
spaces or chambers the grain undergoes a repetition of the process before
described until it reaches the fifteenth or last space, from which the now com-
pletely hulled grains or kernels leave the machine by the tube or tubes or
other conveyances previously mentioned as being provided for that purpose.
It is to be understood that the machine may be constructed with a greater or
loss number of rings and annular spaces or chambers, and may be so
arranged that the grain may pass in more or loss than four currents. Like-
wise that the main cylinder or casing may be constructed of wood, stone, or
other material, with its interior either grooved, or corrugated, or otherwise, as
found most desirable to meet the circumstances of particular cases, and I may
remark that for the manufacture of pearl barley I construct the main cylinder
by preference of coarse grained sandstone.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
. Fig. 1 represents a vertical section of a machine constructed according to
the said Invention, and shewing the slide B in section through the line a, b, of
Fig. 8. Fig. 2a horizontal section of the same through the line c, d, of
Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 a section through the line e, f, of Fig. 1, shewing the
arrangement of slide (with the back part removed), employed for regulating
the downward passage of the grain under treatment.
A is the main cylinder or casing of the machine, having portions of its
interior grooved or corrugated, as shewn, and provided at its upper end with a
suitable cover, having a smaller casing V, furnished with an adjustable hopper
T for feeding the machine with the grain or seed to be treated. Within the
cylinder or casing A in the main shaft B supported by and free to revolve in
the bearings J and K. Upon the main shaft B are keyed the radial arms
C, carrying the vanes G. The circular plates U, U¹, are secured to the
upper portion of the shaft B, which latter also carries the four discs or plates
F, F, F, F, and below these are eleven rings, circular shelves, or terraces E,
secured to angle irons or bars D (carried by the radial arms C), and having
their upper surfaces formed with ribs X, placed at suitable angles for throw-
ing the grain against the interior of the main cylinder or casing A. At the
inner or back edges of the rings, shelves, or terraces E, is a wire gauze screen

page_text: or drum 11, to prevent the grain or ɛeed from falling into the interior or
central portion of the machine, but so constructed nevertheless as not to
materially obstruct the passage of the current or currents of air produced by
the vanes G. By this arrangement an annular space is formed between the:
internal surface of the main cylinder or casing A and the exterior of the
gauze screen or drum II, such annular space being divided horizontally by
the rings, shelves, or terraces E, into eleven smaller spaces or annular cham-
hers 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, communicating with each other
and with the spaces or chambers 1, 2, 3, 4, (between the discs F, F, F, F³),
through the ports or passages in the slide R. By turning the screw S the
slide R may be raised or lowered in order to regulate the passage of the grain
between the annular chambers, as circumstances may render necessary. The
spaces or chambers 1 and 2 communicate with space or chamber 5, chambers
3 and 4 with chamber 6, 5 with 7, 6 with 8, 7 with 9, 8 with 10, 9 and 10
with 11, 11 with 12, 12 with 13, 13 with 14, and 14 with 15. A portion
of the circumference of the main cylinder or casing is constructed of wire
gauze O, thus forming a screen or sieve through which the bran, hulls, or
integuments pass into the bran chamber P, as herein-after described. The
lower space or chamber (15) communicates with a guide or spout Q for con-
veying the grain which has been operated upon out of the machine. W are
tubes or guides for conducting the grain in its passage from the small plates
U, U', to the discs F, F, F, F; motion is imparted to the machine through
the horizontal shaft L and cog wheels M, the former being supported in
bearings N as shewn.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-When the main shaft B has
attained the required circumferential velocity (say about 2,500 feet per
minute), the vanes G act as a fan, producing a powerful current of air, the
latter being drawn in through the openings in the upper and lower ends of
the machine, and driven out through the screen or sieve O into the bran
chamber P. The wheat or other grain or seed is fed in a damp state by the
adjustable hopper or tube T, on to the small upper plate U, from it on to the
second small plate U³, and after being from thence guided in four currents
through the tubes or guides W on to the four dises F, F, F³, F³, is thrown by
the centrifugal force against the interior surface of the main cylinder or
easing A in such manner as by the friction of the grains or seeds against
cach other, combined with the rubbing or rolling against the interior of the
main cylinder or casing A, and the action of the draught or currents of air
(produced by the vanes G) to separate the bulls, integuments, or bran from
the kernels, the former being driven by the powerful draught. through the

page_text: screen or sieve O into the bran chamber P. The four currents of grain or
seed unite by means of the communicating ports or passages in the slide R
into two currents, and passing down respectively through the 5th, and 6th, 7th
and 8th, and 9th and 10th annular spaces or chambers, unite into one current
in the 11th space, and pass through the 12th, 18th, 14th, and 15th spaces.
fn its passage downward through each of the annular spaces or chambers, as
above mentioned, the grain undergoes a repitition of the process herein-
before described, until it reaches the 15th or last chamber from which the
now completely hulled grains or kernels leave the machine by the guide or
spout Q.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same may be performed, I would have it understood that the details set
forth may be more or less modified without departing from the distinctive
features of the Invention; thus, for instance, the machine may be constructed
with a greater or less number of rings, shelves, or terraces, and annular
spaces or chambers, and may be so arranged as that the grain may pass in
more or less than four currents; the main cylinder may likewise be con-
structed of wood, stone, or other material, with its interior either grooved,
corrugated, or otherwise, as circumstances may render desirable, preferring,
however, in machines for the manufacture of pearl barley to construct the
main cylinder of coarse grained sandstone. I do not therefore strictly confine
or limit myself to the precise details herein set forth, but what I claim is,―
Firstly, separating a continuous current of grain into two, three, four, or
more currents by means of a centrifugal feeder, arranged substantially as
herein-before described, and of again uniting 'such currents into one current
by means of a single slide provided with suitable apertures, substantially as
described.
Secondly, the mode of imparting motion to any or all of these currents of
grain by means of the rotating action of the shaft A with its drum H, and
circular shelves or terraces E, substantially as described.
Thirdly, the manner of carrying each separate current or all the currents
of grain along the interior surface of a vertical cylinder, substantially as
described.
Fourthly, so constructing the machine that it shall itself act as a ventilator,
and employing the elasticity of the compressed air within the machine as a
means of forcing the grains gently against the interior surface of the cylinder,
substantially as described.
Fifthly, the use of a sieve placed lengthwise along and forming part only
of the cylinder, substantially as described.

page_text: Sixthly, the use or employment of rotating shelves or terraces without any
limitation as to their number, substantially as described.
Seventhly, the use or employment in apparatus for bulling and winnowing
grain of an adjustable slide for the purpose of establishing communication
between the different annular spaces or chambers between the circular shelves
or terraces for connecting any desired number of such spaces or chambers
together, and simultaneously closing and opening, or regulating the feed and
discharge apertures as required, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lloyd Wise have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
CHAS. NEWBOLD DOLLERY,
Office for Patents,
Chandos Chambers,
London, W.C.
W. LLOYD WISE. (L.S.)