IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING OR KEEPING OPEN THE MESHES OF BOLTING SCREENS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING OR KEEPING OPEN THE MESHES OF
BOLTING SCREENS." A communication from abroad by William Wallace
Huntley, Abel Porter Holcomb, and August Heine, all of Silver Creek, New
York, United States of America.
Sealed the 27th December 1879, and dated the 2nd July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd July 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. * IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING OR
KEEPING OPEN THE MESHES OF BOLTING SCREENS." [A communication from
abroad by William Wallace Huntley, Abel Porter Holcomb, and August Heine, all
of Silver Creek, New York, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to a device for jarring or agitating the bolting cloth of the
vibrating screens in middlings-purifiers, and other bolting machines, to prevent the
meshes thereof from clogging or filling up. Heretofore these vibrating screens have
been provided with various mechanical devices, for instance, travelling brushes,
knockers, and air-blasts, for keeping the meshes of the bolting cloth open, but these
devices are more or less objectionable by reason of their cost, their liability to get
out of order, and their injurious effects on the bolting cloth.
The object of this Invention is to provide a simple and cheap device for accom-
plishing the desired result, which I effect by employing loose balls arranged to play
back and forth in contact with the bolting cloth by the motion of the vibrating
screen, as hereinafter described.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide loose balls, preferably made
of india-rubber or other light and elastic material, and arranged on the underside
of the bolting cloth within the compartments formed by the longitudinal and
transverse connecting pieces of the screen, and resting upon an open or perforated
surface secured to the underside of the screen frame. This surface is preferably
formed of wire cloth having a comparatively large mesh, and the said balls are made
of such size that there will be a clear space, preferably about an eighth of an inch,
between the top of cach ball and the bolting cloth. The screen frame is made

page_text: slightly inclined towards its tail end, or hung so that its motion will impel the
material towards the tail end, and a vibrating or shaking motion is imparted to the
screen in any usual and well known manner.
The vibrating motion of the screen causes the balls to pass back and forth in their
compartments, with a peculiar dancing or jumping motion, whereby the balls are
made to impinge against the underside of the bolting cloth and deliver light blows
against the same, just sufficient to completely clean the meshes of the bolting cloth
from any matter which may adhere to the same.
The said perforated surface is preferably formed of wire-cloth or other material
having a rough surface, as the ineqnalities of this surface materially aid in imparting
to the balls the desired vertical motion which brings them in contact with the
bolting cloth. The openings in this surface should be large enough to permit the
free passage of the material which is sifted through the meshes of the screen, but
not so large that the balls will wedge in said openings.
As both the bolting cloth and the wire-cloth are elastic the balls will be kept
continually vibrating from one surface to the other while the screen is in motion.
In some cases I place the balls on the upper side of the bolting cloth, and the
pockets or compartments are formed by the upper connecting pieces, the transverso
pieces being arranged sufficiently above the bolting cloth to permit the material to
freely pass under the same to the tail end of the screen, and low enough to retain
the balls within the compartments.
The balls being made of india-rubber or other elastic material travel towards the
tail end of the screen until they strike the tail board of the compartment in which
they are contained, when the impact will return the balls at once to their starting
point at the head of the compartment, and in this manner the balls will travel back
and forth in their compartments, and successively come in contact with all parts of
the bolting cloth enclosed by the compartment.
By arranging the balls on the underside of the bolting cloth upon a separate
supporting surface the bolting cloth is relieved from the weight of the balls and
subjected only to the ordinary wear and tear, and for this reason I prefer tho
arrangement first herein described.
When non-elastic balls are employed the requisite elasticity may be obtained by
lining the tail end of each compartment with a material possessing sufficient elas-
ticity to return the balls by their impact to the head of the compartment.
If any particular portion of the screen is more liable to become clogged than
other portions, a greater number of balls may be placed in the proper compartments,
whereby the amount of jarring to which each portion of the screen is subjected may
be readily regulated in accordance with the requirements of the various portions or
sections of the screen.
This improved means of clearing the meshes of the bolting cloth is very simplo,
cheap, and effective, and entirely noiseless in its operation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
January 1880.
BJ
WILLIAM ROBERT Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING OR
KEEPING OPEN THE MESHES OF BOLTING-SCREENS." A communication from
abroad by William Wallace Huntley, Abel Porter Holcomb, and August Heine, all
of Silver Creek, New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to a device for jarring or agitating the bolting cloth of
vibrating screens in middlings-purifiers, and other bolting machines, to prevent the
meshes thereof from clogging or filling up. Heretofore these vibrating screens have
been provided with various mechanical devices, for instance, travelling brushes,
knockers, and air-blasts for keeping the meshes of the bolting cloth open, but these
devices are more or less objectionable by reason of their cost, their liability to get
out of order, and their injurious effects on the bolting cloth.
The object of this Invention is to provide a simple and cheap device for accom-
plishing the desired result, which I effect by employing loose balls arranged to play
back and forth in contact with the bolting cloth by the motion of the vibrating
screen, as hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a bolting screen provided with my
Invention.
Figure 2 is a plan or top view thereof.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a bolting screen, showing a modified manner
of applying the said Invention.
Figure 4 is a cross section on the line a, a, Figure 3.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A represents the frame of a rectangular bolting screen of ordinary construction;
B is the bolting cloth stretched over the screen frame A; and c, c', are the longitu-
dinal and transverse connecting pieces of the screen-frame A, which form open
pockets or compartments on the underside of the screen; d, d, are loose balls,
preferably made of india-rubber or other light and elastic material, and arranged on
the underside of the bolting cloth within the compartments formed by the pieces
c, c, and resting upon an open or perforated surface e secured to the underside of
the screen-frame. This surface c is preferably formed of wire cloth, having a com-
paratively large mesh, and the balls & are made of such size that there will be a
clear space, preferably about an eighth of an inch, between the top of each ball
and the bolting cloth B. The screen-frame A is made slightly inclined towards its
tail end, or hung so that its motion will impel the material towards the tail end,
and a vibratory or shaking motion is imparted to the screen in any usual and well
known manner.
The vibrating motion of the screen causes the balls d to pass back and forth in
their compartments with a peculiar dancing or jumping motion, whereby the said
balls are made to impinge against the underside of the bolting cloth and deliver
light blows against the same, just sufficient to completely clean tho meshes of the
bolting cloth from any matter which may adhere to the same.
The supporting surface e is preferably formed of wire cloth or other material
having a rough surface, as the inequalities of this surface materially aid in imparting
to the balls the desired vertical motion which brings them in contact with the
bolting cloth. The openings in the surface e should be large enough to permit of
the free passage of the material which is sifted through the meshes of the screen,
but not so largo that the balls will wedge in said openings. As both the bolting
cloth and the wire cloth s are elastic, the balls will be kept continually vibrating
from one surface to the other while the screen is in motion.

page_text: In Figures 3 and 4 the balls & are arranged on the upper side of the bolting cloth,
and the pockets or compartments are formed by the upper connecting pieces f, g, the
transverse pieces g being arranged sufficiently high above the bolting cloth to permit
the material to freely pass under the same to the tail end of the screen, and low
enough to retain the balls within the compartments. The balls being made of
rubber or other elastic material, they travel towards the tail end of the screen until
they strike the tail-board of the compartment in which they are contained, when
the impact will return the balls at once to their starting point at the head of the
compartment, and in this manner the balls will travel back and forth in their com-
partments, and successively come in contact with all parts of the bolting cloth
enclosed by the compartment.
By arranging the balls on the underside of the bolting cloth upon a separate
supporting surface e, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the bolting cloth is relieved from
the weight of the balls, and subjected only to the ordinary wear and tear, and for
this reason I prefer the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2.
When non-elastic balls are employed the requisite elasticity may be obtained by
lining the tail end of each compartment with a material possessing sufficient
elasticity to return the balls by their impact to the head of the compartment.
If any particular portion of the screen is more liable to become clogged than
other portions, a greater number of balls may be placed in the proper compartments,
whereby the amount of jarring to which each portion of the screen is subjected is
readily regulated in accordance with the requirements of the various portions or
sections of the screen.
This improved device for clearing the meshes of the bolting cloth is very simple,
cheap, and effective, and entirely noiseless in its operation.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim,―
First. The combination with a shaking screen provided with pockets or compart-
ments of loose balls placed in the said compartiments, whereby each ball is caused
to pass back and forth within its compartment, and the screen is agitated or jarred,
and its meshes are kept open, substantially as set forth.
Second. As ineans for cleansing or freeing the meshes of bolting screens, looso
balls passed back and forth in contact with the screen by an elastic impact, substan-
tially as set fortb.
Third. In combination with a reciprocating bolting screen loose balls made of any
suitable elastic material, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. As means for cleansing or freeing the meshes of bolting screens loose
balls, arranged on the under side of the screen and supported by an open or per-
forated surface, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination with a vibrating bolting screen, provided with pockets
or compartments on its underside of loose balls arranged in the said compartiments,
and an open or perforated surface by which the said balls are supported, substan-
tially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this First day of January, in the year of our Lord One