Improvements in and relating to the Husking, Winnowing, Cleaning, and Polishing of Paddy, Rice, or other Grain or Seeds, and in the Appliances therefor.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1891-Accepted, 30th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Husking, Winnowing, Cleaning,
and Polishing of Paddy, Rice, or other Grain or Seeds, and in
the Appliances therefor.
I, JOHN FARMER, of 147 St. Andrew's Road, Pollokshields, Renfrewshire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows :—
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in the process, or
mode of and means or various arrangements and combinations of appliances for
the husking, winnowing, cleaning, and polishing of paddy, rice, or other grain or
seeds with husks and which will be more efficient and economical than has
been the case with the modes and means heretofore employed for the said
purposes.
The nature and novelty of the improvements consist all as follows:-Under one
system and arrangement the improvements consist in feeding in the paddy grain or
seeds to be husked and cleaned or otherwise treated, to a hopper and central tube,
and fast revolving fan blades secured on a central shaft, so that the blades will
throw the granular material with sufficient force radially out from the centre to be
made to act on the upper inner roughened surface of a curved domed or conical
top or case, and be thrown circumferentially and radially downwards into a sheet
metal wood or other conical recess below where the grain and chaff would pass out
through an opening or openings, and the air pass out through a screen on one side,
so that the air put in motion by the fan blades would pass out through the screen
on one side, and by an outer and lower case be deflected down and across the grain
passing through the openings at the lower apex of the vessel, so as to blow the
chaff and dust out laterally through a cleaning spout, the heavy grain falling
backwards through an opening or openings in the lower part of this outer case, and
so be separated from the paddy or chaff and dust and fall out as clean rice from
the bottom of the outer case. The central spindle with the grain dispersing fan
blades on it, might be driven by a belt pulley on the shaft below or above the
apparatus, or direct by a small rotary or other engine, and which shaft would be
carried in a lower footstep bearing and upper centre or journal bearing at or above
the hopper, which might be secured by a disc cover over the centre eye of the top
cleaning dome large enough to remove the fan and spindle up through, and which
would be supported by flanges on a strong ring below, carried on three or more
standards from the base carrying the whole as a self-contained machine. In some
cases the
upper dome might be continued down as a circle instead of the metal
conical delivery case. The upper cleaning domed part of the case against which
the rice or grain acts to be cleaned, would preferably be made of cast iron with
roughened or dovetailed surfaces, to have a coating of emery plastic mixture swept
round it in a similar manner to that coated on the grinding plates or stones of rice
or grain cleaning mills, which afterwards gets hard by drying, or which is used for
emery wheels, or other roughened cutting cements or surfaces might be used.
although this arrangement has been described as having the shaft driven vertically
with the fan blades and dome horizontally it is to be understood that the arrange-
ment might be formed and fitted with the shaft horizontally, and the fan blades
and dome vertically at right angles to the shaft and the hopper be so fitted as to
feed in the grain at the eye in the manner the air rushes into a fan. While the
grain and chaff would in this case fall out through the bottom part of the
cleaning dome, made wider and deeper for that purpose, and the air be driven out
on the opposite side near the circumference, and deflected to pass across the grain
And

page_text: falling through the outer case below, the paddy husk and dust being driven up and
out through the winnowing spout, while the cleaned rice or grain would fall back
by gravitation out through ducts below the air deflecting surfaces. In either of
these arrangements with vertical spindles and horizontal rotating fan blades, or
horizontal spindles and, vertical rotating fan blades; the outer circumferential part
of the close case opposite the radial blades, instead of being made of a dome shape,
as described, would be made much larger and cylindrical, for fully the width of
the fan blades, and have sets of approximately radial angled or curvilineal plates
set in these cylindrical spaces at some inches apart, either individually on
segmental flanged plates, or in numbers in one segmental flanged plate, passed in
through openings made for them in the upper side or one end of the cylindrical
part of the case, these plates being coated with the emery or other roughened
material on one or both surfaces, and easily removed for the renewal of the rough
cutting surfaces, and replacement, being secured portably by flanges and screw
bolts to the outer case as stated, the rice or grain acting on all these roughened
surfaces as it is thrown out radially or angularly against them by the fan blades.
The grain after passing through these blades would strike the outer cylindrical
surface which might be covered with india rubber or other equivalent soft
material to prevent it breaking the cleaned rice, which with the paddy husk would
both fall down the conical hopper and cleaning and separating outer case arranged
for it below, otherwise substantially as in the former modifications. The
cylindrical cases in these arrangements are made strong, with supporting pillars to
support one or more bearings of the shaft and fan blades. The fan blades might
be made straight or curved running off tangentially as in other fan blades from
their central eye or hub, and might either be made to throw the grain parallelly
out or be curved approximately parallel to the axis towards their outer diameter,
so as to spread it on the roughened acting surfaces before mentioned which cleans
off the husk from the internal grain; or the blades might be curved in a concave
manner outwards on the roughened surface, in the direction they were turning ;
and when the fan blades were made to act horizontally on a vertical shaft the
blades would have a disc on their lower surface to prevent the paddy rice from
falling down vertically through the fan and cause it to fly out radially with
converging edges towards the outer periphery to direct it against the roughened
dome or louvre board cleaning surfaces. In some cases these angled roughened
surface plates might each oscillate on centre or end journals in the manner of
louvre boards, to set them at different angles to receive the grain on their acting
surface shifted and set by a loose ring or otherwise at their internal or external
swivelling ends, with radial slots at their other ends to allow of their shortening or
lengthening in the angular direction. In some cases the fan blades might be
made large in radial diameter and be made numerous, and the paddy or grain be
made to flow out at a rapid rate along the surface of the blades themselves which
might be so curved and have roughened surfaces on their outer extremities that
the paddy would roll with such force on these surfaces as to remove the chaff from
the internal rice and separate it as it left the fan blades without requiring the
use of the outer circumferential fixed or stationary acting surface. When the rice
was desired to be polished after being thus separated from the paddy or husk, the
last part of the roughened or husk breaking off surfaces might be corrugated and
made of a finer gripping or polishing material such as leather cloth or strong hair
or fibre brush material, which would clean off the cuticle and polish the surface of
the rice before it fell away from the acting surface; or in some cases the cleaned
rice after being separated from the husks might be polished in this manner in a
special machine of analogous construction to those described, but with polishing
surfaces instead of roughened grinding surfaces made of hard leather, cloth, brush
or strong fibrous material. The roughened decorticating surfaces for removing
the husks from the paddy although described as preferably made of emery mixtures
such as used for emery grinding stones, might be made of roughened perforated
steel or cut as file surfaces or made of wire gauze or of sandstones, or of cements

page_text: or porcelain slabs formed with sand or ground glass, to form rough hard wearing
cutting surfaces, either plain or corrugated, and fitted on the metal plates or
surfaces all otherwise as described. Although in the foregoing improvements the
rough breaking or cutting surfaces for hulling the paddy or other grain or seeds
have been described mainly as stationary, it will be understood that these might
rotate in the opposite direction to that in which the paddy or grain was made to
strike on them, and that the grain might be made to fall by gravitation on the
surfaces in the opposite direction to the rotation, or be blown against the rotating
roughened surfaces with currents from air jet nozzle apparatus, such as used for
the raising and conveying of rice and other grain through tubes and ducts; and
the rotating surfaces might be in the form of single or double cylinders or cones,
domed surfaces or discs, vanes or angled or curved blades, rotating at the same or
at different speeds and either one or both roughened surfaces or with one roughened
surface cylinder cone dome or disc rotating in the inside or outside of a correspondingly
shaped stationary hollow vessel with roughened surface either eccentric or concentric
to the enclosing case, so that the paddy would be hulled on the close side and free to be
discharged on the wide side; and the acting roughened surfaces of these rotating
cylinders or cases might be made corrugated in annular rings or undulating rings
with springs, weights, or screws to regulate the distance between the hulling surfaces.
When these nozzle apparatus and currents of air are used, the paddy might be
driven round an lonic scroll duct of one, two, or more coils, with roughened material
secured on the inner surface of the outer coils of the scroll duct and be drawn off
through the centre and winnowed in angular close shoots, the chaff and dust being
blown out by the higher apertures, while the cleaned rice or other grain or seeds
In like manner when
would fall out by gravitation through the lower apertures.
compressed air is used with nozzle apparatus, the paddy, grain or seeds to be forced
with the air might be blown down through or up through other forms of spiral or
helical coiled pipes of one, two, three or more turns with the roughened material or
plates on the inner, outer and lower circumference of the coils, and discharge at
their exit end into winnowing shoots as in the former case, or the air jets might be
made to play out through radial or curved arms on a rotating hollow spindle as a
"Barker wheel," so that the grain would be thrown out from the extremities of
the nozzles or arms against the roughened surfaces which as before stated might be
made in the form of angled or curved blades acting in the opposite direction to
the rotation of the fan. Or the radial arms might be angled or corrugated, and
have roughened surfaces formed on their inside made broad in the acting direction,
and with covers on them for inserting the roughened surfaces and the rice either
act on these surfaces by centrifugal action, or by the blast of air carrying it
through the arms. By a further improvement when air blast is thus used to
convey the paddy, grain or seeds to the acting roughened surfaces, the exit nozzle
might be made of a trumpet shape to spread the grain and cause it to act on an
arrangement of a number of louvre boards with roughened surfaces on both sides
and fulcrumed at their ends along one edge, and connected at the other edge ends
nearest the trumpet to be moved to different angles for the grain to act on their
surfaces; and when the roughened material was worn at one side they could be
set and shifted to the opposite angle, and thus cause these louvre boards with their
roughened surfaces to last double the time that they would when only made
stationary and roughened on the one side, and the hulled paddy or rice after
passing through the louvre boards, would as described in the latter arrangement be
blown out through ordinary angled winnowing spouts, the chaff and dust being
blown out at the upper openings, while the cleaned grain would fall out through
the lower openings by its own gravitation. These improved decorticating angled
louvre boards would also preferably be made corrugated on their acting surfaces
to act and break off the husk from the rice or other grain. And these decorti-
cating and cleaning arrangements of roughened surfaces used with the air blast
carrying the paddy or grain, might with great advantage be fitted at the ends of
the pipes conveying the paddy or grain from the vessels which transport the rice

page_text: from the growing estates to the shove, stores, or warehouses, where the rice would
thus be stored partially or fully husked and cleaned.
By a further improvement these rotating acting cylinders, domes, or cones, might
rotate on and with their shafts vertically or horizontally within their corre-
spondingly shaped outer cases either with fan or screw feeders above for feeding
in the paddy or grain to be cleaned, or it might be without these, the grain being
fed in between the revolving and stationary working surfaces, by leaving feeding-in
crevices for the purpose, and leaving the acting surfaces closer towards their centre,
and freer again towards their delivery periphery. And have their surfaces either
roughened with a covering of the said emery cements, or with rings or discs of
these bolted together on the barrel of the rotating cylinder. And when these.
arrangements of friction cylinders were used, for polishing the husked rice or
grain, the acting surfaces of the rotating cylinders might be made of discs or
pieces of leather, strong cloth, hair or fibre brush material in the form of rings
or ribs secured on the surface of the rotating cylinders. In some cases these
rotating surfaces might act on similar surfaces on the stationary fixed case to
separate the cuticle from the rice seed and polish it, or wire gauze might be used
for the outer case, through which the dust and broken cuticle would pass or be
blown or exhausted out by currents of air, or the whole might fall down to the
close case below the rotating cylinder and be winnowed in an ordinary manner by
winnowing apparatus to separate the cleaned and polished rice from the dust and
waste cuticle coatings. Instead of using close rubbing surfaces on the rotating
cylinders, movable angled flaps of strong leather or hide material might be gripped
by screw or swivelling clips to the cylinder, leaving the free edges of the flaps to
oscillate or fly out at a tangent or angle from the radial line, so that their outer
edges would rub on the rice over the roughened or acting surface or wire gauze
secured on the inner acting surface of the hollow cylinder, and so clean or polish
the rice while it was being fed down between the rotating cylinder and the outer
stationary case, from the lower close box part of which the rice would be winnowed
and cleaned as described in reference to the former arrangement. The outer
stationary cases might either be made strong enough to support the footstep and
journal bearings of the rotating shafts and internal cylinder, or they might be
erected on or between standard frames which would carry these journal and
footstep bearings all as self contained or portable machines with their feeding
hoppers above them, either for the said decorticating or polishing purposes.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1890.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Husking, Winnowing, Cleaning,
and Polishing of Paddy Rice, or other Grain or Seeds, and in
the Appliances therefor.
I, JOHN FARMER, of 147 St. Andrew's Road, Pollokshields, Renfrewshire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings, that is to say:-
My invention has reference to and comprises improvements in the process, or
mode of and means or various arrangements and combinations of appliances, for
the husking, winnowing, cleaning, and polishing of paddy rice or other grain or
-seeds with husks, and which will be more efficient and economical than has been
the case with the modes and means heretofore employed for the said purposes.
The main features of these improvements consist in feeding the paddy rice or
grain into the. central part of high speed fan wheels with blades of various

page_text: constructions and shapes which both produce an air current and direct the grain
with great force against the cutting acting surfaces of the machine which are
coated with emery or other frictional material for removing the paddy or husk,
and which are also of various shapes and may either be stationary or revolve,
in the different arrangements, blasts of air being also used to give speed and
direction to the grain in some of the modifications, all as hereinafter described.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended six explanatory sheets of drawings in which the same reference letters
are used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Under one system and arrangement shown in sectional side elevation and plan
respectively in Figures 1 and 2, on Sheet 1, the improvements consist in feeding in
the paddy grain, or seeds to be husked and cleaned or otherwise treated, to a
conoidal or other shaped hopper A and central orifice or tube A.', where the air
would also enter into the central eye part B, of a fast revolving fan B with
blades B2 secured on a central shaft C, so that the blades B2 will throw the
granular material with great force radially out from the centre to be made to
act on the upper inner roughened surface D' of a curved domed or conical
top or case D, and be thrown circumferentially and radially downwards into a
sheet metal, wood or other conical recess D" below where the grain and chaff
would pass out through an opening or openings, preferably regulated at d, and
the air pass out through a duct at d', or it might be a screen d² as shown in
some of the other figures, so that the air put in motion by the fan blades B
would pass out through the duct d' on one side, and by an outer and lower
case Di be deffected down and across the grain passing through the openings d
at the lower apex of the vessel D", so as to blow the chaff and dust out
laterally through a cleaning spout D, the heavy grain falling backwards
through an opening or openings at d in the lower part of this outer case, and
so be separated from the paddy or chaff and dust and fall out as cleaned rice
from the bottom of the outer case by the spout at d. The size of the grain
discharge orifice may be regulated by a side door d'. The central spindle C
with the grain dispersing fan B and blades B2 on it, may be driven by a belt
pulley C, on it below or above the apparatus, or direct by a small rotary or
other engine, and this shaft C, is carried in a lower footstep bearing C and
upper central or journal bearing C², fitted on or above the hopper A which may
be secured by a closing in disc cover A" over the centre eye D2 of the top
cleaning dome D all large enough to remove the fan B and spindle C up through,
and which dome D would be supported by flanges on a strong ring frame D³
below, carried on three or more standards D₁ from the basement sole plate of
the frame D' carrying the whole as a self-contained machine. The upper cleaning
domed part D of the case against which the rice or grain acts to be cleaned,
would preferably be made of cast iron with roughened or dovetailed surfaces,
to have a coating of emery plastic mixture D' swept round the inside of the
whole curved surface D, in a similar manner to that coated on the grinding
plates or stones of rice or grain cleaning mills, which afterwards gets hard. by
drying, or which is used for emnery wheels, or other roughened cutting cements
or surfaces might be used; and the upper part below this grinding or cutting
surface D might be fitted with a rim or ring surface of india-rubber, cloth
bagging, or other soft material, as indicated at D, to prevent the breaking of
the rice after the paddy has been removed from it by the cutting surface at D'.
The arrows in Figure 1 indicate the direction of motion of the shaft C and fan
wheel B, B2, and the direction and passage of the rice or grain and air through
the machine.
Figure 3 shows a section of the top D, and spindle C, of the machine, with
a means of mounting the fan B, B2, by its eye B to slide by a driving slot and
feather and screw raising and lowering eye bush 6' with screw pins 6" so as
to set the fan B, B2, to the best position for throwing the rice or grain against

page_text: the cutting surface D₁ of the top D, in which case the eye may be fitted with
a removable ring at D' to protect the entering edge of the cutting surface. D¹.
The blades B2 of the fan B which generate the currents of air and throw the
grain out may either be radial as shown in Figure 2, or they may be angled or
curved backwards or forwards from their boss B and the direction they are
turned. And these blades 132 may extend from the boss B to the outer periphery,
or be made shorter and only extend partially throughout that distance, as shown
in many of the subsequent figures; and the lower and upper webs B, B³, of the
fan may either be made as shown in Figures 1 to 3 and formed vertically or at
an angle to the axis C, or they may be curved as shown in Figure 5 to direct
the grain and air at different angles, out through the spaces 2 between the arms B²
and openings at the circumference. Or as shown in the top section Figure 4,
of another arrangement of the fan B, different sets of these vanes B2 and
passages may be formed in the same fan B to give two, three, or more sets
of divisions and streams of the grain and air through them to carry the
grain against the angled cutting surface D¹, each division having an open
eye B for admitting the grain to each division 2 and stream from a spout A
over or in the hopper A. The acting or husking surface D¹ may be of various
curves or angles, as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, and formed or curved for each
division 2, and stream of grain as indicated at E', E², in a small sectional elevation
in Figure 4, in which the husked grain is thrown into an angular recess or
pocket E covered in by a top cover A, either lined with india-rubber De or not,
the husked grain forming a soft cushion in itself to prevent breakage which as it
increased would run down into the delivery vessel D₁ below.
Figure 4B shows a modification of this arrangement in sectional elevation and
plan, analogous to Figure 4, but with the upper part of the receiving vessel D³
cylindrical beyond the cutting curved discs E², E2, E2, on to which the several
streams from the divisions 62 of the fan B are thrown; these discs E2 being carried
on arms and rings at Ex; and to prevent the grain from being broken when husked,
annular rings of hollow tubes or other equivalent F2, F, Fare fitted round the
inside of the cylindrical part D³, the grain and air passing as indicated by the
arrows down into the receiving chamber D". In this arrangement the paddy rice
to be husked is shown as led down by separate regulating spouts A into separate
conduits or ducts A', and into the eyes B31 of the several fan divisions 62. Or these
surfaces may be continued down as a circle as shown in Figure 5, Sheet 2, which
is a sectional elevation of another form of the machine shown in Figures 1 and 2,
in which the internal chamber D, D¹ is formed globular, having the cutting
surface D¹ continued down any desired distance, and having loose jointed closing
in ends at D' for getting in and renewing this grinding surface, the outer case Din
being shown as cast in one with the inner web D", D³, and with the air and paddy
or chaff discharge pipe D, with foundation standards D*, D. In this arrange-
ment the fan B is shown as carried and driven by an upper shaft and pulley C, &,
working in bearings formed on the hopper A and top D, and the fan blades B² and
channels b², between them are curved downwards to direct the grain round the
globular cutting surface D', the rice and paddy falling out at the opening on to
separating louvre boards d³; and the air and dust passes out through a perforated
screen part d² into the duct or chamber d', and in passing through the spaces
between the louvre boards d³ and rice as it falls down, separates the paddy husk
from the cleaned rice, the former passing up through the spout D, and the
cleaned rice falling out through the opening d¹ all as indicated by the arrows in
this figure.
--Although in Figures 1 to 5 the shaft Chas been described as driven vertically
with the fan blades B2 and dome D to D³ horizontally, it is to be understood that
these might be formed and fitted with the shaft horizontally and the fan blades and
dome vertically at right angles to the shaft, and the hopper A be so fitted as to
feed in the grain at the eye A, B, in the manner the air rushes into a fan.
While the grain and chaff would in this case fall out through an opening d at the

page_text: bottom part of the cleaning dome, made wider and deeper for that purpose, and the
air and dust be driven out on the opposite side through a screen d² near the centre
down the duct d to the circumference and deflected to pass across the louvre
boards d, and grain falling through the outer case at below, the paddy husk
and dust being driven up and out through the winnowing spout Du while the
cleaned rice or grain would fall back by gravitation out through the duct d¹¹ below
the air deflecting surfaces d³.
Figure 6 shows a sectional elevation of this horizontal arrangement corresponding
to the vertical arrangement shown in Figure 1, in which the fan shaft C is mounted
horizontally in bearings C³, formed or mounted in the hopper end part A, A" and
the other frame D", and having the case D, D', mounted vertically on a strong
foundation standard frame D', D, in this case formed in one with the paddy
discharge spout D, the screen for the air and dust to pass through being
formed in the centre of the back plate D" of the chamber and directed down the
channel through between the louvre boards to separate the chaff or paddy
busk and dust from the rice, which as in the other arrangements is blown out
through the channel D, while the cleaned rice falls back through the
opening d", a layer of india-rubber or other soft material D being also fitted on
the inside of the case D" to prevent the rice separated from the husk being broken,
the arrows indicating the direction of the currents of grain and air through the
machine. In either of these arrangements with vertical spindles and horizontal
rotating fan blades, or horizontal spindles and vertical rotating fan blades, the
outer circumferential part D' of the close case D D" opposite the radial blades B²
instead of being made of a dome shape as described, may be made much larger
and cylindrical, beyond the fan blades, and have sets of approximately radial
angled or curvilineal plates E, or double angled plates as shown at El set in
these cylindrical spaces at some inches apart, as shown in side elevation and plan
in Figures 7 and 8, either individually on segmental flanged covering plates E¹, or
in numbers in one segmental flanged plate E", passed in through openings made
for them in the upper side or one end A" of the cylindrical part D³ of the case,
these plates E being coated with the emery or other roughened material on one or
both surfaces, and easily removed through the said holes at E', E" in the top A",
for the renewal of the rough cutting surfaces, and replacement, being secured
portably by flanges E, E, and screw bolts to the outer case as stated, the rice
or grain acting on all these roughened surfaces as it is thrown out radially or
angularly against them by the fan blades B. The grain after passing through
these blades B3 would strike the inner surface of the cylindrical case D³ which
might be covered with india rubber D or other equivalent soft material to
prevent it breaking the cleaned rice, which with the paddy husk would both fall
down the conical hopper D and cleaning and separating outer case D Di
arranged for it below, otherwise substantially as in the former modifications.
cylindrical cases D, D³, D, in these arrangements are made strong, with sup-
porting pillars D' to support one or more bearings C", C2, of the shaft C, and fan
blades B, or C3, or of the horizontal arrangement. And as before stated the fan
blades B, might be made straight or curved running off tangentially as in other
fan blades from their central eye or hub B", and might either be made to throw
the grain radially out or be curved approximately parallel to the axis towards
their outer diameter, so as to spread it tangentially on the roughened acting
surfaces DE before mentioned which cleans off the husk or paddy from the
internal grain; or as shown in sectional plan view Figure 9, the stationary
blades E might be curved in a concave manner outwards on the roughened
surface, in the direction the fan B and its blades B2 were turning; and when the
fan blades B were made to act horizontally on a vertical shaft the blades would
have a disc as B on their lower surface to prevent the paddy rice from falling
down vertically through the fan and cause it to fly out radially or tangentially
with converging edges towards the outer periphery to direct it against the
roughened dome or circular surface D', or against the cleaning surface of the louvre
The

page_text: boards or plates E.
In some cases these angled roughened surface plates E might
each oscillate on centre or end journals e in the manner of louvre boards to set them
at different angles to receive the grain on their acting surface all shifted and set
by a loose ring e¹ or otherwise at their internal or external swivelling ends with
radial slots eat their other ends to allow of their shortening or lengthening in
the angular direction, these slots e² being formed in the inner fixed sides or ends of
the case.
Figures 10 and 11 on Sheet 3 shows a sectional elevation and plan of this
improved fan arrangement for husking or decorticating paddy rice, in which the
fan blades B2 are made large in radial diameter and more numerous, and the paddy
rice or grain is made to flow out from the eye B¹ of the fan B and hopper A, A,
all rotating on the shaft C, at a rapid rate, along the surfaces of the blades B2
themselves, and the inner surfaces of the sides B³, and which might be so curved
and have the roughened or cutting surfaces formed on their sides and outer
extremities at b,, that the paddy rice would roll with such force on these surfaces
as to remove the paddy husk or chaff from the internal rice and separate it as it
left the fan blades at the orifices 2 and lips 63 of the web B³ coated with the
roughened cutting material without requiring the use of the outer circumferential
fixed or stationary acting surfaces D, D.
Figure 12 shows a sectional elevation of an arrangement of the rotating an
secured on the lower end of a vertical spindle C, but having its webs B, B³, and
arms B curved in the opposite direction to that shown in Figures 10 and 11, and
having the lower web B dished up at its extremities 13, over which the rice
and paddy would be thrown by the force of the fan blades B2 and centrifugal
force of the whole, being husked in acting on the inner surface of the web Bin
this case coated with the roughened material 6, and have the grain falling, and
-acting at right angles to the rotation of the cutting surface b¹.
Figures 13 and 14 show a sectional elevation and plan of a rotating dish disc
or fan corresponding to Figure 12 with raised curved vanes B32 near the centre but
without an upper web B3 which would all be coated on the inner surface with the
roughened material b, b¹, and by the centrifugal action of the wheel would cause
the grain to act against the roughened material and be husked before falling over
the outer edge b³.
3
Figure 15 shows a sectional elevation of a rotating dish fan corresponding to
Figure 12, but with the fan blade B2, and upper web B³ only extending out a short
distance from the centre, and with the lower web B corrugated annularly near
the centre and dished up towards the outer extremity and coated with the
roughened material 6, so as to give a greater husking effect while the paddy
rice is passing over it, before being delivered over the lip 3.
Figure 16 shows a sectional elevation of the top of a decorticator with the
fan B secured on the lower end of the rotating shaft C with two sets of
blades B2 B2 and orifices 2, 2, forcing out the paddy rice by centrifugal action
against an upper and lower stationary cutting disc surface D', ', the latter being
formed on an under stationary disc so as to husk it and deliver it through a
downward curved annular space at E, into the hopper chamber D", these curved
delivery parts being. lined with india-rubber at D, to prevent the rice being
broken after it was husked on the cutting surfaces D₁, b¹. As the hopper A, A
in this case revolves with the fan B it is shown with a lip running in an annular
recess Juted with water or other equivalent at A to prevent the air set in motion
by the fan being blown back, so as to have the full advantage of this in forcing
the rice out radially and circumferentially on the acting surfaces D¹¹..
Figure 17 shows a sectional elevation of a modified form of my decorticator
with the fan B revolving on the lower end of the shaft C, and with a dished up
disc E2 carried on the upper end of a vertical shaft C4, preferably rotating in the
opposite direction or at a slower speed in the same direction as the shaft C and
fan B, so that the rice would be husked in passing through the space E³ between
the upper cutting surface D' and that 6' of the disc E2 before being delivered

page_text: over the lip at 63 into the receiving and discharging chamber D", and it will be
observed also that the shaft C with the revolving disc E may be raised or
lowered to give a narrower or wider space E³ between the cutting surfaces D', ',
for the rice to pass out through in being husked.
Although in the foregoing improvements the rough breaking or cutting
surfaces D' and for hulling the paddy rice or other grain or seeds have been
described mainly as stationary or only formed on one side of the rotating fan or
part, it will be understood that these might have cutting material on both
surfaces and rotate either in the same direction on the same spindle or on different
spindles in the opposite directions.
Figures 18 and 19 on Sheet 4, show sectional elevations of the fan B with
lower and upper rotating discs E' mounted to rotate on the same spindle C with
the cutting emery or roughened surface on both their inner acting surfaces
out beyond the central fan B, and with elastic spring arrangements for setting
their cutting surfaces nearer to or further from each other. On the right in
Figure 18 the cutting disc E2 F2 are shown as angled towards each other at their
outer delivering periphery 3 while on the left these discs are shown as corrugated
annularly and drawn together by screw nuts c and rubber discs c¹ on the lower
end of the driving shaft C.
While in Figure 19, these discs E2 F2 are shown as curved downwards, analogous
to Figures 10 and 11, but with the fan B very much shorter, and made movable
with the upper disc F2, mounted on or with a spring e by a screw boss and nuts c²
on the shaft C, above the lower disc E, which in this case is secured to the lower
end of the spindle C.
Figure 20 shows a sectional elevation and half front end view of this fan
form of decorticator, with the cutting discs E, F, mounted vertically on a
horizontal shaft, the outer disc F2 being mounted loose to the inner one by
bolts and nuts and elastic springs or washers between them at 3 to adjust the
distance between the cutting surfaces ', ', and with an eye at B' in the outer
disc for leading in the grain between the two cutting discs E, F, by a spout A
with short angled tangential blades B2 out beyond this eye B' for throwing the
grain through the space E³ between the cutting surfaces ',, of the discs E², F.
111
In Figure 20, the inner acting surface of the discs E2, F2, are shown as
straight and angular, and converging towards the outer periphery where the
husked paddy rice is delivered down into the enclosing case, to be winnowed and
separated all as hereinbefore described.
Figure 21 shows three views, a sectional elevation, internal end view, and a plan,
respectively, of a modified form of the arrangement shown in Figure 20, in which
the acting discs E, F, and their cutting surfaces,, are curved or dished
outwards and made slightly corrugated radially out from the centre, and adjusted
towards each other and act otherwise substantially as shown and described in
reference to Figure 20.
Figure 22 shows a sectional elevation of a decorticating fan B and centrifugal
acting cutting discs E, F, analogous to Figure 19, but having the hopper A, A.',
and upper centrifugal disc F only, secured on the lower end of a shaft C, while
the fan B and acting discs E2 are secured on the upper end of a fast revolving
shaft C, preferably adjustable towards the upper shaft and acting disc F, so as to
give a greater or less opening E³ between the cutting surfaces &¹ of the cutting
discs EF for the husking of the grain which would be fed in and forced out
between them by the action of the fan B, and its blades B2, and the centrifugal
action of the cutting surfaces 61 61. The outer periphery 63 of these discs E, F,
where the decorticated grain is delivered, may be curved down as shown at bon
the right of this figure to deliver the grain down into the receiving case of the
former figures.
Figure 23 shows a side section and diagram end view respectively of the inner
and outer discs E F mounted on the outer end of a horizontal shaft or upper end
of a vertical shaft C, as a kind of centrifugal or "Barker" wheel arrangement, in
33

page_text: which the grain would be fed by a spout A111 into the eye B', where the air would
rush or be forced in through radial or curved spaces 2, formed by a broad or deep
web or arms at B2, to give great acting surface, mounted and bolted between the
discs E, F, and coated on their inner surface with the cutting material 6', 6', so
that as this fan or wheel was rotated at a high speed, the paddy rice or grain
would flow out through the spaces & between the cutting surfaces ', b', narrowing
circumferentially towards the outer periphery where the material would be delivered
husked as indicated by the arrows in these figures. But in some cases the spaces ³
with their cutting surfaces may be undulated in curves or angles outwards
towards the periphery as indicated at 6, 66, respectively in the diagram end view
of Figure 23, to cause the grain to act on both cutting surfaces b,, in an opposite
direction to the rotation of this wheel or fan. Or instead of using these outward
curved blades B2 and recesses 62, between the discs E2, F2, a great number of
circular rings of studs with short tubes on them may be similarly bolted between
them, with roughened cutting surfaces on their outer periphery, as shown at b*
in the lower part of these figures, and set radially in alternate lines, so that the
grain passing through between them would have to undulate or make a serpentine
motion through between the tubes, as indicated by the arrows, to husk the grain
before being delivered at the outer periphery b³.
Figure 24 shows a sectional elevation of a decorticating arrangement in which a
number of fans with lower dished webs B E2 are mounted by an eye B" on the
under end of the vertical spindle C, each dished up analogous to the single
arrangement shown in Figures 12 and 13, and coated on their inner acting upper
surface with a layer or thickness of the emery or other cutting material along
which the inner short blades B2 of the fan would force the material, assisted by
the centrifugal action of the discs B, through the spaces 23 the eyes B' of cach
space and fan being so stepped inwards from the deep pipes or ducts A as to get
a nearly equal supply. The inner cylindrical surface of the enclosing case against
which the husked rice would be thrown at D³, would be lined with india-rubber De
or other equivalent soft material to deliver it down into the lower receiving box D".
Figure 25 on Sheet 5, is a sectional elevation of an arrangement of decorticator
analogous to Figure 24, but with only one combined fan B and acting disc E, and
three other dish shaped decorticating discs E, all secured to rotate on the lower
end of one vertical shaft C, mounted in a cylindrical part D³ of the enclosing and
delivery case D¹¹. In this case the grain is filled in by one spout A only into
the eye A' of the top A" of the case and into the eye B of the upper fan
disc B, E², where it gets one treatment in passing over the acting surface of the
upper disc B, E2; and as it passes over the lip of this disc, it is conducted down
an inverted conical or angled receiving plate G secured in the upper part of the
cylindrical case D³, to deliver the grain into the centre of the next centrifugal
decorticating disc E, from which after getting a second treatment it is delivered
over the lip into a second angled delivery plate similarly secured in the
cylindrical case D³ to deliver the paddy rice into the third dished disc E³, and so
on down to the lowest, from the periphery ³ of which it is delivered down into the
angled receiving chamber D" through the aperture d and winnowed and separated
from the husk by the louvre boards d³ in the lower part d', the cleaned rice falling
out by the lower opening and spout du, all as indicated by the arrows in Figure 25.
Wire screens d analogous to the screens 2 in the lower vessel D", D", are
preferably fitted round the inside of the cylindrical part D³, to draw off all dust
or cuticle which may be taken off the rice in the intermediate discs E2 and
chambers between the intermediate conducting hoppers G, into an annular
casing-G,-mounted-outside-the-cylindrical.casing Ds. The upper or under acting
roughened surface of these dish shaped intermediate centrifugal discs E, E², arc
preferably formed as shown in the half top view in Figure 26, with radial corruga-
tions to act more efficiently in the removal of the husk while passing out on them.
Figure 27 is a sectional elevation of an arrangement of turned up or dish shaped
fan B, mounted on the lower end of a revolving shaft C, with turned up outer

page_text: lips E, enclosed within a cylindrical case B3, in which the grain is fed in by a
curved or conoidal hopper A to the outward directing eye B¹ of the fan B covered
in by a raising and lowering conical lid a, to direct the grain out along the
spaces between the fan blades B, the outer periphery in this case directing
the grain directly up in a curved return part and space a' in the top A of the
case B3, back into the eye B' of the fan, so as to circulate through the fan and
space
a¹ until it is sufficiently husked, the dust and husks or paddy passing up and
out by an upper annular duct all between the top A" and the hopper A, when by
a hand lever or otherwise the conical lid a is raised and the cleaned rice or grain
falls out through an open space a² below it in the eye B" of the fan B into a
delivery receiving hopper a³, all as indicated by the arrows.
Figure 28 shows a sectional elevation of a double conical rotating case I, II,
mounted to rotate on the lower end of a vertical spindle C, into a hopper 1 on
which the grain is fed in from a spout A", and passes down the annular conical
space, between the inner acting surfaces of these cones I, 1, either or both of
which are covered with a coating of the emery or other roughened material,
either plain or corrugated spirally as indicated at i which delivers the grain from
its lower periphery into a corresponding annular recess 2 in a lower double
truncated conc 12, 13, also coated on either or both inner acting surfaces with a
layer of the cutting or roughened material & this lower conc 12, 13, being mounted
on the upper end of a lower shaft C+ actuated by a pulley at C, to rotate preferably
in the opposite direction to the upper spindle C and cone I, the shelled rice falling
out at the lower periphery into the enclosing case as indicated by the arrows, to
be winnowed and separated all as described in reference to the former figures.
Figure 29 shows a sectional elevation of a conical arrangement of decorticating
apparatus in which a fan B is preferably mounted over the top of a cylinder J to
rotate on the lower end of a shaft C, with a conical acting surface J, formed of
discs of various kinds of material such as of rubber, canvas, or leather, or other
limp material screwed by bolts J", or otherwise secured between the upper and
lower ends of the cylinder J, either mixed or coated with a frictional rubbing
surface to act on the grain in the annular space 62, between this and the inner
surface of a conical cylinder J2, mounted by arms and an eye at J³ on the upper
end of a lower shaft C. The inner surface of this outer cone would be coated
with the emery surface ', and to maintain it concentric with the inner cylinder it
would have an upper close end steadied by a journal bracket with
the hopper A, A¹, mounted on it, for leading the grain or paddy rice into the
eye B of the fan B, which might also be coated on the inside with the
emery or cutting material, and deliver the grain out into the annular
space between the inner cone J, J, and the inner acting surface of the outer
cone J, and the grain would be delivered at the outer periphery 3 of the acting
surfaces of these cones J, J, J, all as indicated by the arrows; the centrifugal
action of the drum J J causing the limp material to fly out radially and act
with a
wedge action against the rice or grain in the spaces 2 between it and
This
the cutting surface of the outer revolving or stationary drum J2.
arrangement, shown in Figure 29 may also be used for taking the inner cuticle
from and polishing the rice after it was husked in the former arrangements of
husking machines, and it might be made cylindrical or nearly cylindrical instead of
conoidal as shown.
Figure 30 shows a plan and elevation of a cylindrical form, but it might be
conical, of the inner acting cylinder J with longitudinal stripsj made of leather or
other yielding material instead of the disc strips either jointed or secured along
one edge to the outer circumference of the cylinder J, leaving the outer free edge j'
to fly out with the centrifugal action and rub the rice against the acting cutting or
polishing surface of the outer cone or case J2, which might be formed of wire
gauze, through which the dust and broken cuticle would pass outside by the
force of the air, separated from the cleaned rice which would fall down within the
vessel.

page_text: Figure 31 shows an outer and inner rotating cylinder arrangement in which
the outer cylinder Jis mounted by arms and an eye J³ to rotate on the lower
end of the upper spindle C, while the inner cylinder Jis mounted on a lower
spindle C, to rotate in the opposite direction to the spindle C, as indicated by
the arrows, or it might be at a slower rate in the same direction. The inner
surface of the cylinder J2 is coated with an annular layer of the emery or other
acting frictional material b', and the inner cylinder J has mounted on it screw
spiral projecting rims j" or it might be corrugated rims or projecting segmental
or radial metal pins which may be of flat, square, or round section as indicated
at in this figure any of which projecting acting surfaces may be used.
on the cylinders J. Or as shown in Figure 31, lateral pins may be put in
annular projecting rims on the cylinder J in alternate spaces, instead of using
the projections, to shown in Figure 31. The acting surfaces of these
projections, to may also be coated with the emery or acting frictional
material. The paddy rice or other grain is fed in from the spout indicated
at A into the upper end of the cylinder J2 so as to pass down in the space /2
between the acting surfaces 1 of this, and the projecting acting surfaces on the
inner rotating cylinder J; and the husked rice and paddy would pass out at the
lower end of the space between the inner and outer working cylinders J', J²,
as indicated by the arrows, into the enclosing and separating chamber D", d, d',
shown in Figure 1.
Figure 32 is a sectional elevation of an arrangement of revolving decorticating
discs, analagous to Figure 22 on Sheet 4, with a centre disc E2 having an open
eye e keyed and revolving on the lower end of the top shaft C with cutting
surfaces on both the upper and under sides, and having a lower acting disc E
revolving on the upper end of a lower or outer shaft C, with roughened cutting
surface on its upper side, so as to husk the grain in the spaces E³ between these
two discs E, E, the unhusked rice or grain passing through the eye in the
dise E, and having an upper disc Es mounted loose and concentrically on the upper
shaft C, with cutting surfaces on its under side, so as to husk the grain passing
through the space ³ between these discs E², E', the grain being fed in through
the eye e in the disc E, all as indicated by the arrows, and be delivered husked at
the peripheries 63 in the enclosing case. The upper and lower discs E, E', would
be moved to and from the central fixed disc E, to give any desired pressure to the
grain passing through the spaces E³ while being husked by levers e²e each
fulcrumed at eto some stationary part of the framing, and having adjustable
weights or it might be springs to adjust the desired pressures on the
discs E4, E.
Figure 33 shows a somewhat analogous arrangement to Figure 32, without
the central disc E2, and with the lower disc E, keyed on the top of the lower
spindle C, and with a large open ported eye el for letting the grain down from the
feeding hopper or nozzle A, fitted on the top of the eyee of the upper disc E,
which is bored to work loose and slide vertically on the top part of the eye e¹ to
give the pressure desired to the disc E5 over the dise E', by the counter weighted
regulating lever e², e³, and act otherwise as indicated by the arrows in this figure
and as described in reference to Figure 32. In these two arrangements it will be
seen that the upper discs E are not directly driven, but may or may not revolve
with the action of the driven disc E2 and the grain between them; and the grain
might be blown in with the air through the feeding eyes e, e¹ and A, e', when this
was preferred.
Figure 34 shows a sectional elevation of an arrangement analogous to that shown
in Figures 13 and 14, with a dished up disc arrangement of centrifugal
decorticator B, keyed on the lower end of a vertical shaft C, with vanes B curving
out from the boss B, all coated on the inside with the roughened cutting
material but having the outer periphery near the delivery lips B³, much more
curved up, so that the grain which would lie in this part before being delivered
might be treated with a number of discs k on the lowe: ends of short vertical

page_text: spindles K, actuated by belts on the pulleys K' from any adjacent motive power
shafts to rotate in the opposite direction to the dished vessel B, E2. The discs &
may be made of metal plates or of stiff or flexible rubber or leather, and preferably
coated on their sides with the emery or other cutting roughened surface and
have an extra action on the paddy rice or grain before it was delivered over the
lip 3.
Figure 35 on Sheet 6 is a sectional elevation of a decorticator, somewhat
analogous to that shown in Figures 12 and 34, having the fan B, B², secured in
the centre of the dished up vessel E2 beyond the fan B, mounted on the upper
end of a vertical shaft C, carried on a central standard C³ projecting up from
the basement frame D' of the machine. In this arrangement a large disc or
arms K is mounted by an eye K", to rotate on and with an upper vertical
shaft C carrying a feeding eye e to the eye B' of the fan, to direct the grain
from the upper inlet nozzle A₁ formed in the top A" covering in the whole
above the receiving case D", supported as in the former arrangements on
columns D', over the basement D. The disc K³, would preferably revolve in
the opposite direction to the fan B and dished vessel E, and have circumferential
acting discs or blades formed or secured on its outer periphery to act on and
husk the rice in the dished part E of this centrifugal wheel by being coated on
the inner surface with the emery or other cutting material. These husking
segments would preferably also be coated with the roughened material and
as shown in Figure 354 might be stepped to intercept and act on the grain more
perfectly, and the outer dished up part E2 might either curl in a semicircular
form as shown in Figure 35, or be angled upwards, as shown in Figure 35, to
allow the grain when husked to flow more freely over the top lip, down into
the enclosing vessel D" d, d, to be husked and delivered clean, as indicated
by the arrows in this figure, and described in reference to the former figures.
Figure 36 shows a sectional elevation of the upper acting part of a decorti-
cator somewhat analogous to Figures 17, 33 and 35 but with the fan B formed
or fitted on the inside of the lower dished up part E2, 6, and secured on the lower
end of a revolving shaft C, and having the upper disc E³, mounted loose on a
rime round the outer periphery of the fan B, either to revolve or not with the
friction of the grain between it and the lower disc, this disc having a large eye e,
with the feeding in hopper A mounted on it, and carried on the shaft C by a short
hollow spindle or boss A and lever e with compensating spring, so as to raise
or lower this disc Es, to enlarge or contract the space Es, between the discs E2, E³,
to act on the grain with more or less pressure and effect, to husk it before being
delivered into the enclosing case D over the periphery &, which may be curved
as indicated in dotted lines at . A: friction brake band e with screw spindle e,
or other equivalent might be fitted over the enclosing top round the eyee of the
disc E to grip this or allow it to turn with more or less freedom over the grain
being treated in the disc E2, and the cutting material on the underside of the
disc E may be corrugated radially as shown in Figure 364, and as described in
reference to Figure 21.
In the foregoing description and illustrations I have mainly described the rice or
grain as forced out by the centrifugal action of fans, and by the currents of air
Created by these fans, to cause the paddy rice to be acted on and husked on the
emery or other roughened surfaces of either stationary or rotating curved or angled
vessels, fans, wheels, discs, or blades, it will be understood that the paddy rice or
grain may be forced or blown in partially or wholly by compressed air through
pipes, jets or nozzles to similarly act on and be husked, decorticated and polished
in this way on such like rotating surfaces.
Figure 37 shows a partial sectional end view of a part of one disc of a
wheel H, turned intermittently or slowly on an axis or gudgeon at H1, with
radial or angled plates E, cut as files or coated on one or both surfaces with the
roughened material, either fixed at an angle or it might be made to oscillate on

page_text: their inner ends as described in reference to Figure 9, at the outer periphery
between the wheels or discs H, and be fitted with india-rubber or other equivalent
sharp ends where the rice would be forced by compressed air through the pipe and
nozzle H H the nozzle H being preferably contracted in one direction to spread
the rice over the cutting surfaces of the boards E, set to act nearly radially on the
surface of these boards and so be decorticated before falling out at the outer
periphery of the wheel and radial boards E, ', into their enclosing case to be
winnowed, the compressed air pipe H2 being inserted through the hollow centre of
an outer ring disc H, not shown in the drawings, but secured to the inner disc
wheel H to carry the outer ends of the angled boards E.
Figure 38 shows a corresponding end sectional view to Figure 37, and lettered
to correspond, but having the louvre boards E, , fulcrumed on journals Hat
their centre and ends to be set and fixed at any angle between the wheels H.
These radial blades E, would be coated preferably on both sides with the roughened
cutting material 6, so as to be set to the reverse angle, and use the cutting material
on both surfaces for decorticating, and so making them last much longer than they
otherwise would do, the paddy husks and rice falling down at the periphery 3 in
both these arrangements, as indicated by the arrows. But in these two arrange-
ments only claim as new the swivelling and angling of the blades E on their
centres or H, or centre of their disc H and coating them on one or both
surfaces with ronghened frictional material, as I am aware that grain has heretofore
been blown by compressed air against stationary cutting surfaces for busking same.
Figure 39 shows a sectional side view of a different arrangement of decorticator, in
which the acting rotating vessel or surface is made in the form of a semi-egg shape H³,
carried on the overhung end of a horizontal spindle C carried in a headstock
frame C3, with fast and loose pulleys C, and coated on the inside with the cutting
enery or other roughened acting substance with india-rubber at the inner end of
this egg shaped vessel. The cutting sides of this vessel H³ may either be plain
or be corrugated, as shown at in the end modification of this vessel Figure 40.
The air and grain are blown in by a pipe H2, to act at a slight tangential angle on
the inner cutting surface of this vessel, preferably on the upper side and delivered
decorticated on the under side into the winnowing spout D, that separates the
paddy husk from the rice, which falls out approximately clean from the delivery
spout of winnowing part of the machine, all as indicated by the arrows in
Figure 39, and described in reference to the former figures.
Figure 41 shows a side elevation of two rotating dises H3, H4, mounted at an
angle to each other on the extreme ends of separate shafts C, C, one of which
would be made adjustable to move to and from the other, and with the decorticating
emery or other roughened cutting material mounted on the extreme adjacent
faces of the discs H³, leaving an angled space at E³, between the cutting faces,
of the discs into which the grain would be blown by compressed air through the
pipe H, and nozzle H, preferably tangentially on the side of the two discs
running towards the nozzle, so as to spread the grain over these cutting angled
surfaces of the discs, and deliver it husked over the back periphery of the under
dise at 3, as indicated by the arrows in this figure, down into the enclosing case
to be winnowed and separated all as hereinbefore described.
Figure 42 shows an end elevation or section of an arrangement of acting
decorticating mechanism equivalent to Figure 41, except that cylinders H³, H', are
used with the cutting material on their outer circumference and with the lower
cylinder preferably rotating in stationary journal bearings, while the journals on the
upper cylinder on opposite sides of the frames are set in adjustable bearings,
as indicated in dotted lines at H, preferably in a different vertical advance plane
--from that of the lower cylinder, the unhusked rice or grain being blown by
compressed air through the pipe and nozzle H, H", to strike on the under cutting
surface of the upper roller before striking on that of the under roller, both rollers
turning towards each other in the opposite direction to the current of grain
"

page_text: impinging on them to husk it before passing down at B³, at the back of the under
roller to the enclosing case and winnowing and separating chambers below, all as
indicated by the arrows.
Figures 43, show a plan, edge section and end view respectively of a cylindrical
form of decorticator overhung on the outer end of a shaft C, having its inner
circumference of its overhung cylinder H³ coated with the emery or other cutting
material and in which the grain is blown by compressed air through the pipe H2
and nozzle H, to act at a slight tangential angle against the inner surface in the
reverse direction to that of the rotating of the wheel H³ and the cutting surface,
preferably on the upper side, as indicated by the sharp arrows in the end view, the
husks and grain falling down as indicated by the arrows at 3, in the sectional edge
view, although when desired the pipe and nozzle H, Hu might be mounted as
indicated in dotted lines, at the lower side.
Figure 44 shows a sectional elevation and end view of another modification of
the decorticating mechanism in which an overhung cylinder H³ is employed
mounted on the end of a shaft C, similar to that shown in Figure 43, but having an
internal wheel H, mounted on the inner end of the shaft C4, to rotate eccentrically
and adjustably within the former cylinder H³, as indicated at H in Figure 42,
this inner cylinder being covered on its outer circumference with the emery
or other cutting material 6, the air and grain being blown by the pipe and
nozzle H, H, between the near sides of these cutting cylinders to blow the paddy rice
against these in the reverse direction to the rotation of the two cylinders, the
decorticated grain falling out at the lower part , all as indicated by the arrows in
the end view, down into the case enclosing these cutting wheels, to be winnowed
and separated as hereinbefore described. The inner cutting surfaces »,, of these
wheels H, H, may either be plain cylindrical surfaces, as indicated in Figures 43,
or they may be corrugated, as indicated at in the sectional elevation of Figure 44;
or the surface of the one wheel might be plain and the other corrugated as indicated
in section in a small part of their peripheries in Figure 44.
Figure 45 shows a sectional elevation and internal end view respectively of an
Ionic scroll form of decorticator, preferably having the case H' made in two parts
or halves secured together by snugs or other equivalent at II, for the convenience
of forming the cutting material solid within the two parts of the frame with the
Ionic scroll formed half in each part of the frame H and material b. In this
arrangement the rice or grain would be forced in by the compressed air through
the pipe and nozzle H2H fitted to blow the grain into the inner part of the
scroll out through the wide end at the outer periphery where the rice might
be separated from the husk, the rice being heavier falling down into the enclosed
case, while the paddy husk might be blown up through louvre boards or a long
discharge pipe and the rice fall back and be discharged separated from the husk by
the fittings in the lower enclosing case, all as described in reference to the former
figures. Although this lonic scroll arrangement is not shown as revolving, it
might be mounted to revolve on the upper end of a vertical shaft C, as shown
dotted in at C, and have the air blown in, in the centre of the Ionic scroll and
frame H³. In these arrangements in which the grain is fed in with the compressed
air, this would be done by making a nozzle from a compressed air pipe of the
compressor feed the grain in with it by lateral action into a trumpet nozzle of the
close feed pipe H² near the decorticating apparatus. The roughened decorticating
surfaces for removing the husks or paddy from the paddy rice although described
as preferably made of emery mixtures, such as used for emery grinding stones,
might be made of roughened perforated steel or cut as file surfaces or made of wire
gauze or of sandstone, or of cements or porcelain slabs formed with sand or ground
glass to form rough hard wearing cutting surfaces, either plain or corrugated and
fitted on the metal plates or surfaces all as otherwise described. In some cases the
cleaned rice after being separated from the husks might be polished in this improved
nanner in a special machine of analogous construction to those described but with
finer and polishing surfaces, instead of roughened grinding surfaces, made of hard

page_text: leather, cloth, brush or strong fibrous material. And these decorticating and
cleaning arrangements of roughened surfaces used with the air blast carrying the
paddy rice or grain, might with great advantage be fitted at the ends of the pipes
conveying the paddy rice or grain from the vessels which transport the rice from
the growing estate to the shore stores, or warehouses where the rice would thus be
stored partially or fully husked and cleaned, separated from the paddy which could
be used as fuel for the furnaces and boilers of the compressing engines required for
these purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The process, or mode of and arrangements and combinations of appliances
of the nature of fans or centrifugal acting discs or organs combined or separate or
with part of the latter stationary and part rotating for causing the grain to act on
their interior surfaces coated with emery or other roughened or cutting frictional
material, for the husking, winnowing, cleaning or polishing of paddy rice or other
grain or seeds with husks, substantially as herein described, in reference to and by
way of application shown in the accompanying drawings.
Second. The construction and use of curved, conoidal, cylindrical, or other shaped
vessels or discs stationary or revolving with their interior surface or surfaces coated
or formed with emery or other roughened or cutting frictional material, in combination
with high speed fan wheels, blades, discs, cylinders, or like organs, rotating either
horizontally or vertically for producing an air current or centrifugal action, and
directing, husking, winnowing, cleaning, or polishing paddy rice, or other grain or
seeds with husks, substantially as herein described in reference to and by way of
application shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. The construction and use of rotating or moving single or multiple fans,
discs, cylinders, cones, blades, channels or like organs coated or formed with emery
or other roughened or cutting frictional material, for producing an air current or
centrifugal action, and forcing the grain against said surfaces to husk, winnow,
clean, or polish paddy rice or other grain or seeds with husks, substantially as
herein described in reference to and by way of application shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Fourth. The construction and use of rotating discs, channels or vessels having
their acting surface or surfaces coated or formed with emery or other roughened
or cutting frictional material, and on to which paddy rice or other grain or seeds
with husks, is fed and directed or made to impinge on these surfaces by a current
or currents of compressed air through pipes and nozzles, for the purpose of husking
winnowing, cleaning or polishing these substances, substantially as herein described
in reference to and by way of illustration shown under several applications in the
accompanying drawings.
Fifth. The construction and use of vessels for the husking, winnowing, cleaning,
or polishing of paddy rice or other grain or seeds, having their interior surface
or surfaces coated with emery or other roughened cutting material, in combination
with a rotating drum or organ circumferentially fitted with rubber, canvas or other
soft or elastic material to act on the grain in the outer vessel by centrifugal force,
substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in Figures 29 and 30 of
the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 31st March 1201
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents: