IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING AND PURIFYING FLOUR MIDDLINGS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Spence, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in
A
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING AND PURIFYING FLOUR MIDDLINGS."
communication from abroad by Benjamin Barter, of Toronto, Canada.
Scaled the 5th January 1877, and dated the 13th July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Spence at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th July 1876.
WILLIAM SPENCE, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING AND PURIFYING
FLOUR MIDDLINGS." A communication from abroad by Benjamin Barter, of
Toronto, Canada.
This Invention consists chiefly in the combination of a bolting cloth agitated or
shaken and acted upon by a brush or brushes to clean the cloth, and a current of air
ascending through the cloth, whereby the materials are graded and bolted in such a
manner that the flour middlings and offal are properly separated and delivered, if
desired, into separate bins or chests by one continuous operation.
It consists further in the combination with the bolting shaker brush and current
of air of a series of return chainbers extending laterally above the bolting shaker,
the said return chambers being so arranged that the air currents must pass over
them and deposit any particles of middlings drawn up by the fan, the middlings so
deposited being returned through variable openings in the return chambers to the
shaker until they find their rightful place.
In constructing this machine a strong rectangular frame is made with a smaller
frame extending above and across one end. Upon one end of the large frame a
hopper is placed, into which the flour to be dressed is fed. In the upper frame a
series of triangular or other suitably shaped chambers are arranged, connected
individually by a series of openings in the ceiling of the frame with an exhaust fan
by one or more leading pipes or air trunks. Immediately under these chambers a
bolting shaker clothed in sections with one or more grades or numbers of bolting is
placed. This shaker is suitably operated from a revolving shaft by a cam or crank,
or by any of the usual mechanical contrivances. To the under side of the shaker a
brush or brushes is or are applied, either by being attached to a revolving band or
belt or to any equivalent mechanical contrivance that will effect a proper travelling or
[Price Gd.]

page_text: reciprocating application of the brush to the shaker, with the object of freeing the
meshes of the bolting cloth from the clogging particles of middlings or bran.
Below the said brush or brushes an inclined partition leading to a series of hoppers
equal in number to the different kinds of bolting cloths stretched on the shaker is
placed, and so arranged as to receive, as near as may be, the different grades of flour
bolted by the different kinds of cloth. In the body of the larger frame a second
shaker is arranged at right angles with the upper one, and a frame or revolving
band, provided with one or more brushes and operated in a manner similar to the
upper shaker and brushes, is placed. This shaker is divided into sections by a
series of longitudinal partitions, so as to make as many sections as there are hoppers,
and so that each hopper will feed into one of the sections. In the lower part of the
frame one or more conveyors are arranged, the bottom of the frame being hoppered
to the trough within which the conveyor or conveyors revolve. Suitable openings
in the hoppered bottoms and at other suitable points under the brushes are provided
for the admission of air.
The return chambers are of a triangular shape preferably, but may be of any
suitable shape that will effect a return of the middlings to the shaker; they are
placed between the ceiling of the upper chamber or frame and the shaker in such
manner that the air current drawn up through the middlings must be divided and
pass over the upper wide portion of the chamber before passing out through the
openings in the ceiling to the exhaust fan.
Each chamber forms a distinct working section of the machine operating on but
one portion of the air current. In operation the action of the fan rarefies the air
within the return chambers, so that when the currents of air from the shaker pass
over their open mouths the heavy particles of middlings, which in air of the usual
density would by the strength of the draft be carried away, are forced to drop by
gravity into the chambers, from whence they pass down to the shaker again.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Spence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th January
1877.
sex,
WILLIAM SPENCE, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING AND PURIFYING
FLOUR MIDDLINGS." A communication from abroad by Benjamin Barter, of
Toronto, Canada.
This Invention consists chiefly in the combination of a bolting cloth agitated or
shaken and acted upon by a brush or brushes to clean the cloth, and a current of air
ascending through the cloth, whereby the materials are graded and bolted in such
a manner that the flour middlings and offal are properly separated and delivered,
if desired, into separate bins or chests by one continuous operation.
In constructing this machine a strong rectangular frame A with a smaller
enclosed frame B forming a chamber extending above and across one end of it; these
frames are of any size desired. Upon one end of the frame B is placed a hopper C,
into which the flour to be dressed is fed, and also if desired a grooved feed roller a and
a feed regulator b. In the upper part of the frame B is arranged in suitable ways
or guides a shaking bolter D with a projection E on its outer end, provided with a
square opening through which passes a shaft c having rigidly attached to it, so as
to be excentric with it, a cam d, so that when motion is imparted to the shaft by
the mechanisin of the machine a reciprocating motion will be given to the shaker D.
The bottom of this shaker is made of wire or silk cloth of several grades corre-
sponding to the desired degree of separation, and the part or portion nearest the
hopper is provided with the finest cloth, the next with the next coarser, and so on
to the end, so that the flour coming from the feed hopper will be separated by
them. The chamber B is connected to an exhaust fan F placed on the top and at

page_text: one end of the purifier by a series of openings B¹ cut in the ceiling of the chamber B,
and fitted with regulating valves b¹. The working connection between the fan and.
openings being made by one or more trunk pipes F¹. I are a series of return
chambers of any suitable cross section, but of preferably an inverted triangular
shape, situated between the shaker and the ceiling of the chamber B in such
manner that the air current drawn up through the middlings must be divided and
pass over the upper wide portion of the chambers before passing out through the
openings B¹ to the exhaust fan. Each chamber and ceiling opening in themselves
form a distinct working section of the machine, and is independent of the other
An opening is
chambers, and operates on but one portion of the air current.
arranged at the lower part of the chamber through which the middlings precipitated
from the air current is returned to the shaker. The width of opening may be
regulated as desired by a valve. The upper open sides of the return chambers are
fitted with a sliding cover I2 for the purpose of enlarging or contracting the width
of opening. In operation the action of the fan F rarifies the air within the
chambers I so that when the current of air from the shaker is drawn over the
open mouth of the said chambers the heavy particles of middlings, which in air of
the usual density would by the strength of the draft be carried away, are forced
to drop by gravity into the chambers and are passed down again to the shaker.
The same operation would result were the fan F dispensed with and a connection
made with the fan U. Underneath the shaker D a frame G provided with
brushes H is also arranged in guides or ways so that the brushes will bear against
its under side, and is also so connected with the driving mechanism that motion
may be imparted to it in such a manner as to always clean the surface of the cloth.
This motion may be given to it either by means of a crank shaft c, or by means of
a wheel, chain, and weight, or the brushes may be attached to a revolving band or
belt operated by any suitable mechanism that will effect a proper application of the
brush to the shaker. The brushes may also be applied above or below as found
most convenient or desirable. Below the said brushes is an inclined partition 1³
leading to a series of hoppers J equal in number to the different kinds of wire or
silk cloth on the bottom of the shaker D, and so arranged as to receive as near as
may be the different grades of flour bolted by the different kinds of cloth, as
indicated in Figures 1 and 3. In the body of the frame A a second shaker K is
arranged at right angles with the upper one D, and a frame L provided with
a series of brushes underneath. Both run in guides (or ways, and are operated
similar to the upper shaker and brushes by means of the driving mechanism of
the machine, that is, the shaker may be driven by the excentric cam f revolving
in a square opening in a projection N of its frame and the brushes by means of
a crank shaft O, or by a rod P connected to one of the gear wheels, or by an endless.
band or belt, or in any other convenient manner, the application of the brushes
being made on the upper or lower face of the cloth as desired. This shaker K is
divided into sections by longitudinal partitions Q, so as to make as many sections
as there may be hoppers J, and so that each hopper will feed into one of the
sections. The bottoms of the several sections in K are made of wire or silk cloth,
such as is used for bolting purposes, but of different grades, in the different sections,
the finest being underneath, the hopper receiving the finest grade of flour from the
upper shaker, and the next coarser opposite the hopper receiving the next coarser
flour, and so on. There may be partitions g extending up the incline Is from the
hoppers J, and also a feed roller / between the hoppers and the shaker K, as shown
in Figures 1 and 3. In the lower part of the frame A are a couple of conveyors R
and S with a pivotted partition T between them, so arranged that it may be adjusted
as desired by means of cords i through the sides of the body of the machine. These
sides are inclined so that the flour passing through the shaker will be directed to
the conveyors, and the partition is made adjustable so as to separate the four as
desired. The conveyors R and S are operated by belts and gear wheels F and D¹
connected with the driving mechanism, as shown. Thus far it will be seen that this
machine bolts and separates the flour into different grades, but for the purpose of,

page_text: more thoroughly clearing or freeing it from dust and other impurities, and also to
assist in the operation of separating the various particles from each other, at the
same time a continuous current of air is caused to pass through the machine by
means of a fan or fans or any other known means of producing a current of air,
and in such a manner that it may be regulated by the operator in its passage
through the several sections of the shaker and hoppers as desired. To this end
on the upper side of the frame A and B, or in other suitable position, are placed
the fans and U. The fan U communicates with a rectangular box or chamber W
placed upon the frame A in convenient proximity with the lower shaker. This box
has a series of openings into the body of the machine equal in number to the
sections in the shaker if desired, and cach opening is provided with a slide for
regulating its size or closing the same, as shewn in Figures 1 and 4. Below this
box and within the machine a cloth V is arranged over a balloon or skeleton frame
in a zig-zag manner, as shewn in Figure 1. From this frame partitions extend to
the upper side of the partitions in the shaker K, and so as to be in line with them,
but so as to leave a sufficient space for a perforated cover A', which is attached to
the upper side of the shaker, and which is provided with longitudinal slots, as
shown in Figure 4. This cover A' instead of having longitudinal slots extending
the whole length of each section of the shaker may be provided with shorter ones,
and have slides with slots therein of a corresponding size, so that the openings
from the shaker may be adjusted to any size as desired, as indicated in Fig. 2.
The object of the cover is to receive the offal and deposit it over the end of the
shaker, the slots ensuring a better distribution of the suction draft over the shaker.
Openings B and C for the admission of air are placed in the end of the machine,
the former being just below the brushes H, and similar openings are in the sides
below the brushes M. On the rear end of the machine there is a space with which
the ends of the sections of the shaker K. as well as the ends of the partition space
above the perforated cover A¹ communicate, which space at its lower end may be
partitioned so as to separate the clean middlings from the offals as they pass
from the machine. The operation of the fans for causing currents of air to pass
through the machine, together with the effects of the same, will now be readily
understood. When motion is given to the' in this case suction fan U, which may
be done by means of the belt m communicating with the driving wheel E¹, a current
of air is drawn up through the upper shaker or bolt D, and passing along the air
passage D' carries along with it all the dust and light material rising from it under
the zig-zag cloth V, and at the same time a current of air is drawn up through the
lower shaker K. The two currents united are drawn up through the zig-zig cloth
balloon, then on through the box W, and then through the fan case, from which,
with all the dust it has gathered in its passage, it is blown out to a suitable receiver.
It will be noticed that the upper shaker or bolt serves both to grade and bolt the
flour, so that the different grades may be delivered to the different sections in the
lower shaker. It is also obvious that in place of the upper shaker an ordinary
bolting reel may be used, provided it is covered with varying grades of cloth placed
transversely to its axis on the line of travel for the material, but a shaker constructed
as described is preferred, as it produces better results in combination with the brushes
and the air current from the fan. It is also obvious that both together or either
fans may be used in operation if desired. It is evident also that various other
mechanical devices may be used for operating the different parts of the machine
without departing from the principles of the said Invention, and it is obvious that
the brushes may be made to bear uniformly against the bolting cloths by means of
adjusting devices which will also compensate for any wear. By such a machine
everything of value is retained, the dust alone being carried off by the air currents.
All machines for dressing flour that do not have the combination of a shaker or
bolt brushes and fan as described are hereby disclaimed; but what I claim as the
Invention communicated to me from abroad as aforesaid, is-
First. In a machine for dressing flour, the combination of a bolt or shaker
consisting of one grade or several grades of cloth, a brush or brushes to clean said

page_text: bolt or shaker, and a fan or its equivalent to assist in the operation of dressing and
cleaning, substantially as described.
Second. The combination of a bolt or shaker covered with cloth of various grades
arranged transversely to the direction of the travel of the flour to be dressed, and
by which it will be both graded and bolted, substantially as described, and a brush
or brushes and a fan or its equivalent, as described and for the purpose specified.
Third. The combination in a flour dressing machine, as described, of a second
shaker divided into longitudinal sections, each of which is covered with bolting
cloth, but differing in degree or grade from each other, to produce a second grading
and cleaning of the flour with a brush or brushes and a fan or its equivalent, as
described and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. One or more sectional air or return chambers through which separate
currents are made to pass to produce air currents of varying power passing through
the different or graded corresponding sections of the reciprocating sieve or bolting
shaker, substantially as shewn and described.
Fifth. In a machine for dressing flour the combination of a hopper C, an upper
shaker or bolt provided with cloth of different grades arranged thereon transversely
for grading and bolting, and a lower shaker divided into longitudinal sections and
covered with cloth, as described, and a series of brushes M, and a fan or fans or their
equivalent, as described.
Sixth. The combination of one or more chambers J with the shaker K for holding
the different grades of flour subject to an air current from a fun, as described and for
the purposes set forth.
Seventh. The combination of the shakers D and K, the brushes G and M,
openings B and C, with the fan or fans arranged to operate substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
Eighth. The combination of the shaker K and adjustable partition T, when
constructed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Ninth. The combination of the fans F and U, zig-zig cloth V, perforated cover A¹,
and shakers D and K, when constructed and arranged to operate substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
Tenth. In combination with the fans F and U, and shakers D and K, the box
and chamber W provided with valves & therein for the purpose of regulating the
air currents, as set forth.
Eleventh. The return chambers I provided with the sliding covers I contained
within the close chamber B in combination with the exhaust fans F and U, either
together or alone, and the bolting shaker D, substantially as set forth.
Twelfth. The openings B' cut in the ceiling of the close clamber B and provided
with the regulating valves b¹, in combination with the return chambers I and bolting
shaker D, substantially as set forth.
Thirteenth. The cover A¹ provided with the slots a', with or without slides for
regulating and distributing the air current, substantially as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Spence, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Eleventh day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
FRANK REDMAN,
8, Quality Court,
Chaucery Lane.
WILLIAM SPENCE. (T..S.)