CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING, PURIFYING, AND DRYING WHEAT OR OTHER GRAIN OR SEEDS
Year: 1836

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MILES
BERRY, of the Office of Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the Parish of Saint
Andrew, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent and Mechanical
Draftsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Seventh day of June, in the sixth year of His reign, and in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, did, for
Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Miles
Berry, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege, and authority, that I,
the said Miles Berry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Miles Berry, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and also in all His Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,
an Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
CLEANING, PURIFYING, AND DRYING WHEAT OR OTHER GRAIN OR SEEDS," being a
communication from a foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Miles Berry, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is

page_text: to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Miles Berry, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):-
These improvements in machinery or apparatus for cleaning, purifying, and
drying wheat or other grain or seeds, consist in the novel adaptation, con-
struction, and arrangement of a series of apparatus by means of which wheat
or other grain or seeds may, by peculiar operations or processes of washing
and subsequent drying, be perfectly purified and cleaned from smut, weevils,
worms, or any other foreign or extraneous matters. The operation is com-
menced by separating the bad from the good grains. This is effected by the
following means:-The corn is introduced into a vessel of water, in which the
sound grains by their weight sink to the bottom. Those which are defective,
Together with other light bodies that may happen to be mixed with the corn,
float on the surface. A hopper of indeterminate size, but of sufficient capacity
to contain a largo quantity of the grain to be cleaned, is placed immediately
above a small hopper of such dimensions as 'to be capable of containing tho
quantity of grain, adapted to the capacity of the apparatiis, into which smaller
hopper the lower extremity of the upper one opens. The two hoppers are
cách closed at their lower extremities, by valves worked by rods and compound
levers, so contrived as alternately to open the discharging valve of one hopper
on shutting the other. On lowering the rod, the valve of the upper hopper is
opened, and that of the lower one is shut, upon which the grain contained in
the upper hopper descends into the lower one, where it gradually becomes
heaped up in a pyramidical form, until it completely closes the orifice, and
thus, without assistance, determines the quantity of grain to be successively
submitted to the operations of the apparatus. On raising the rod, the valve of
the upper hopper is shut, and that of the lower one is opened, and the quantity
of grain contained in the lower hopper passes down through its valve. This
is so constructed as to cause it to fall in a thin stratum or shower on to a
large flat spout with raised edges, which receives and conducts it into a vessel
or vat filled with water, by which contrivance each grain falls into the water
separately. If it be a sound grain, its weight causes it to sink, but if it be

page_text: defective, and consequently light, it will float on the surface. Two portions of
the upper rim of a vessel or vat, one at the front and the other at the back
are made lower than at the sides; to these lower portions are attached curved
troughs, sloping towards a waste pipe, which empties itself into a basket on
the lower story. The grain in falling into the vessel or vat displaces a pro-
portionate bulk of water, which, on flowing over into the trough, carries along
with it the faulty grain, light seeds, and other matters which float on the surface;
water is then supplied from a reservoir, in such quantities as may be required,
by means of a pipe with a regulating cock. The water is made to rise in the
vat and to flow over into the troughs, driving over with it any defective grain
or other foreign substances that may still remain, which thus completes the
operation of separating the good from the bad grain. The good grain being
thus separated from the refuse, and still immersed in the water, is subjected to
violent agitation by means of a series of rapidly revolving arms affixed to a
vertifical shaft, which works in the intervening spaces of stationary arms fixed
to the sides of the vat or vessel; this operation is repeated in several waters
after intervals of repose, according as the state of the grain may require, by
which means the grain becomes thoroughly washed, and is cleaned from all
extraneous matters that may have been attached to it. After this washing of
the grain has been effected, and without stopping the rotatory motion of the
arms, a valve in the bottom of the vessel is opened through the aperture of
which the grain is precipitated into a tube, from whence it descends into a
hopper placed under it. This hopper is formed of wire gauze, through which the
water drains in its descent. The water is caught by an outer hopper of wood,
which encloses the one of wire gauze. Both of these hoppers are placed above
a drain for carrying off the water. The lower end of the wire gauze hopper
rests upon a wooden trough, having flat sides, and a semicylindrical bottom,
lined with suitable metal, above which is a false bottom of wire gauze of the
same shape. This trough, supported by feet, and inclined towards the wire
hopper, contains an Archimedes screw, made of suitable metal, the lower end
of which lies under the open end of the wire gauze hopper, and receives the
falling grain. By the rotation of this Archimedes screw, the grain is gradually
conducted or propelled upwards towards the drying apparatus, that is, towards
the opposite end of the trough, from whence it falls through an aperture in the
wire
gauze bottom into a receiving box, the water which drains from it in its
passage being carried off towards the waste drain by the inclination of the
trough. This receiving box has a semicylindrical bottom, and a wheel or
pulley revolving within it upon a horizontal axle, which, with a corresponding
wheel at the top of the building, carries an endless chain of buckets travelling.

page_text: through two vertical pipes. The buckets in passing upward successively fill
themselves with the washed corn or grain contained in the lower box, and
carry it up to the top of the building. The grain thus raised is discharged
successively from the buckets into a shoot, from whence it descends into the
drying apparatus. The drying apparatus consists of a series of cylindrical
vessels or hollow drums, made of metallic gauze stretched over metal framework,
which are placed one above the other in a hot air chimney or flue, and mounted
on axles slightly inclined to the plane of the horizon at similar returning
angles. They are put into rotary motion by toothed gear or other suitable
means. These cylinders are so placed as to receive successively the grain
which gradually descend from one into the other as they revolve. The axles
of these cylinders turn in suitable bearings, the cylinders being contained
within the hot air chimney, in the lower part of which a fire of coke or
charcoal is made, or in which a hot air stove is placed. The grain when thus
dried passes from the lower drum of the series into a shoot, which conducts it
into a receiving box. From this box the hot grain is taken up by another
series of buckets attached to an endless chain, as in the former apparatus, and
is from these buckets discharged in a similar way through a shoot into the
upper drum of another series of hollow rotary cylinders or drums, mounted in
an air tower in a similar manner to those contained in the hot air chimney,
but instead of the flue being in this instance a hot air chimney it is merely a
tower open at bottom, having a strong current of cold air passing through it,
which perfectly cools the grain before it is ultimately discharged from the
lower drum. The grain by this consecutive series of operations is perfectly
cleaned from all extraneous matters, and rendered fit for immediate use, or
for depositing in store.
Having now described the general features of the improved machinery or
apparatus, as well as the processes employed for cleaning, purifying, and
drying wheat or other grain or seeds, for the exclusive privilege of constructing
and adapting which in this kingdom the above in part recited Letters Patent
are granted to me, I now proceed to describe the details of the machinery
which has been found suited to the accomplishment of the desired object, but
without intending to restrict my Invention to the particular forms, positions,
or dimensions of the several parts, as it must be obvious that every part of the
machinery is susceptible of slight variation, without in any degree changing
the general principle of their construction, or of the operation to be performed.
The novel features constituting this improvement I consider essentially to
consist,―
First, of the process by which the defective and light grains are separated

page_text: from the whole body of the grain subjected to the operation. This is done by
letting the grains fall in a thin shower upon the surface of water into an
appropriate vessel," while to the bottom of which the good seeds descend by
their gravity, the defective seeds being carried off by an upward current.
Secondly, in submitting the grain to great agitation in a vessel of water for
the purpose of washing off all extraneous matters from its surface.
Thirdly, in drying or evaporating the moisture from the washed grain, by
means of a current of hot air passed amongst the grains, whilst they are
separated from each other and agitated by a rapid tumbling or tossing
motion.
And, lastly, in submitting the grain in a similar way to a current of cold air,
for the purpose of cooling or reducing its temperature to a fit state of grinding
or putting in store, which operations may be performed either consecutively in
one series of apparatus or separately in distinct apparatus.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 represents in sectional elevation
the whole series of apparatus employed for separating, washing, drying,
and cooling the grain, as it is constructed and arranged in consecutive
connection in one building. Fig. 2 exhibits in elevation a front view of
four distinct separating and washing apparatus, with their feeding and
draining hoppers, and part of the apparatus by which the grain is conveyed to
the drying apparatus. Fig. 3 is an end view in elevation of the drying
apparatus, as seen on the side next to the washing apparatus; and Fig. 4,
similar views of the same, as seen on the opposite side. Fig. 5 represents in
elevation (drawn upon a larger scale) one of the vessels in which the grain is
separated and washed, with the external appendages and machinery that
actuates the washing apparatus. Fig. 6 is a horizontal view of the same, as
it would appear when seen from above; and Fig. 7 is a section taken
vertically through the middle of the vessel.
In Figures 1 and 2, A is a large hopper into which the foul grain is to be
first introduced, having a shoot at bottom through which the grain descends
into a smaller hopper B, and from thence into the washing vessel C. The
discharging orifice of the larger hopper is closed by a slide valve a, and that
of the smaller hopper by a similar valve b, which are both connected to a
vibrating lever c. The end of this lever c is attached to a crank rod d, and
this crank having a pulley on its axle, is turned by means of a cord with
handles cand c. On drawing down the handle e', the crank causes the
lever c to slide the valves a and b, so as to open the aperture of the larger
hopper A, and to close that of the smaller B, by which means the grain
is allowed to descend from the larger into the smaller hopper and to accumu-

page_text: late in the latter until it has risen up sufficiently high to stop up the
discharging orifice of the larger hopper. The valves a and b are then shifted
by drawing down the handle &, which closes the discharging orifice of the
hopper A and opens that of B. By this means the quantity of grain contained
in the lesser hopper is allowed to run out slowly in a thin stream, through a
wide flat spout f, into the vessel or vat C. A reservoir D, placed in any con-
venient situation above, supplies water by a pipe 9, which leads into the
middle of the vessel C, and by means of this pipe the vessel C becomes filled.
The grain is now allowed to fall upon the surface of the water from the spout
in a thin stream as above described; and as the greater part of the lighter or
defective grain or seeds will naturally float they are carried off by the over-
flowing of the water. The stop-cock of the pipe 9 being now opened the
water continues to pass in a stream into the vessel C, and in rising up forces
such of the defective grains as have been immersed, and causes them also to
flow with the waste water over the sides of the vessel into a trough E, which
leads to a waste pipo E, and these refuse grains may be collected in a basket
placed under the waste pipe, and when the grain contained in the hopper B,
(which holds the quantity intended to be separated and washed at one
operation), has all passed in the vessel C; the valve 6 is closed, and the
valve a again opened for the purpose of filling the lesser hopper again, to be
ready for the next operation. The separation of the good from the defective
grain having been thus effected, the cock of the valve g is to be closed, and
the heavy grain which has descended in the vessel C is now to be subjected to
the operation of washing. For this purpose the vertical shaft F with its arms
h, h, h, mounted in the vessel C, is to be put into rotary motion between the
fixed arms i, i, i, in order to agitate the grain, which is done by bovel gear, in
the way shewn in the Drawings. This rotary motion of the shaft and arms
should be slow at first, but may be increased as the washing of the grain
proceeds, and for this purpose a clutch box is mounted upon the horizontal
shaft J, as shewn in Fig. 2, which by locking the shaft to either the slow or
the quick driving power gives the different speed required. When the
operation of washing the grain has been thus carried on for some time, the
dirty water is to be discharged from the vessel C by sliding the valve k, the
orifice of which must be covered with wire gauze to prevent the escape of the
grain. On closing the valve again, water is to be admitted into the vessel for
the further washing, and this changing of the waters may be repeated two or
three times, as the condition of the grain may require. When the washing
operation has been completed, the water is to be withdrawn from the vessel as
before, and a slide valve opened in the bottom of the vessel, for the purpose

page_text: of discharging the grain down a shoot m into the wire gauze hopper G, the
shape and position of which is shewn in Figure 1 and 2. The wet grain
having fallen into this hopper the water drains off through the wire gauze, and
the grain descending to the bottom passes thence into the inclined trough H,
in which the Archimedes screw I revolves. The periphery of the screw I
works nearly in contact with a false bottom of wire gauze placed along the
trough, and as the screw revolves it gradually carries forward in the trough the
grain descending from the hopper, the water draining off through the false
bottom and running down the trough into a waste drain below. The Archimedes
screw is made to revolve by means of toothed gear, as shewn in Fig. 3, and by
its rotation the grain is conducted into a semicylindrical trough K, seen best
in Fig. 1. Through this trough K the endless chain of buckets n, n, n,
is made to travel as the lower carrier wheel or pulley L revolves, and in, so
doing the buckets successively take up the grain from the trough K and carry
it to the top of the building. In the apartment at the top of the building a
carrier wheel or pulley M is mounted, corresponding with the wheel L below,
over which two carrier wheels the endless chain of buckets is extended.
Behind the wheel M a hopper N is placed, which receives the grain as it falls
out of the successive buckets on their turning over by the rotation; of the
wheel M. From the hopper N the grain passes through a spout N* into the
upper of the series of drying cylinders O, which revolve on axles. These
drying cylinders or drums are of metallic gauze, extended over frames formed
by broad but thin rings of metal, some of which rings have cross arms, by
which they are attached to the axle. These rings are braced together by broad
thin longitudinal bars, extending inward, for the purpose of forming ledges,
and with the rings dividing the internal periphery of the drum into compart-
ments, as shewn in Fig. 10. These compartments are for the purpose of
interrupting the progress of the grain as it passes along the cylinder, and
causing it to be thrown over and progressively advance towards the end in
helical curves. Drying cylinders are mounted in the hot air chimney or flue
P, P, P. They are so placed that their axles form small angles with the plane
of the horizon, and are situate one above another at opposite or returning
angles, so that the grain descending from the uppermost cylinder may fall into
the next below, and so on, travelling, through the successive cylinders in the
way described. The cylinders are made to revolve by means of toothed gear Q
on the main driving shaft R taking into another toothed wheel S on the axle
of the middle driving cylinder, as shewn in the Drawing at Fig. 3, 8, & 9.
Fig. 8 represents, in elevation, two of the drying cylinders upon an enlarged
scale, mounted in the chimney, at returning angles, as described. The upper

page_text: one is shewn as it would appear externally partly enclosed by its shutters, the
lower one in longitudinal section. Supposing the grain to have been delivered
by the buckets into the upper cylinder, and to have been carried along in the
manner above explained, it would ultimately fall out at the lower end of the
cylinder into the hopper, and from thence pass down into the next lower
cylinder, to be conducted through it in like manner. The end of the cylinder
is closed by a dise of metal, having an aperture through which the grain
passes to the interior. This disc is fixed to the lower part of the hopper,
and the end of the cylinder turns upon it, the edge of the disc being embraced
by a couple of rings fixed to the end of the cylinder. Fig. 9 is a horizontal
representation of two cylinders placed side by side in the flue, with the
machinery for driving them, and Fig. 10 is a section of one of the cylinders,
taken transversely through the axle. The hot air chimney or flue is constructed
at the lower part of the brickwork, and above of framework, with wooden
shutters, in order to allow of ready access to the cylinder. The chimney should
be so constructed as to allow of no passage for the air but through the spaces
between the bars or tubes forming tho grating of the fire-place. A current of
air, produced by the ignition of fuel placed in the furnace or stove, becoming
charged with caloric in its passage through the flue, ascends with a rapidity
proportioned to the combustion and draught, carrying with it the moisture
with which the descending grain was charged. The grain is delivered from
the lower cylinder of the series into a shoot V, which conducts it by a pipe V**
into a receiving box W, similar to the box K described above. On the hot
grain reaching the receiving box W by the pipe or tube V, which leads from
the last rotatory cylinder O of the hot air chimney or flue P, it is taken up by
the series or endless chain of buckets r, r, r, which is passed around the wheel
or pulley X at the bottom, and over another pulley at the top part of the
building, which latter pulley is actuated by means of an endless chain or straps,
leading from the pulley t of the axle of the first rotatory cylinder Y of the
cold air tower Z, or from any other rotatory shaft of the apparatus in any con-
venient manner. The buckets, as they carry up the grain and pass over the
upper pulley, deliver it into the shoot or pipe u, down which it passes into the
end of the first cooling cylinder Y where it undergoes precisely the same
motions as in the drying process, and passes out of the opposite end of this
first cylinder into the second cylinder, and so on throughout the whole series
of rotatory cylinders or drums until it reaches the last one, from which it is
delivered by the shoot or pipe w on to the floor of the building, or into recep-
tacles placed to receive it, and the operations are completed; the now cleaned,
dried, and cooled grain being in a state fit for immediate use, or for depositing

page_text: in the store. The rotatory cylinders in the cold air tower are actuated by the
spur wheel 1, mounted on the main driving shaft R, which takes into another
toothed wheel 2 on the axle 3 of the third rotatory cylinder, and gives motion
by means of the wheels 4 and 5 to other wheels 6 and 7 on the axle of its
neighbouring cylinders, which by means of other toothed wheels actuate the
next succeeding cylinders, and so on throughout the whole series, each cylinder
actuating the next or succeeding one. The cold air tower is fitted with doors
8 & 9 at the bottom, and with shutters or doors at the sides, for the purpose
of allowing free access to the cylinder, for the purpose of adjustment or other
purposes.
In conclusion, I would remark that it will be seen by inspecting the Draw-
ings that there are adapted to this apparatus two endless chains of buckets,
and two sets or series of rotatory cylinders in the hot air chambers, and also
two sets of cylinders in the cooling tower, which are requisite for carrying on
the operations of four washing apparatus, but when only two washing tubs
are used, only one endless chain of buckets, and only one set of rotatory
cylinders in the hot air chimney and in the cold air tower need be used. And,
further, that the apparatus should be extended in the same proportion when
the operations are conducted and carried on on a more extended scale than
that above stated or described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Miles Berry, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six.