Improvements in and relating to Shoots for Flour, Grain, and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 30th Oct., 1893—Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Shoots for Flour, Grain, and
the like.
I, JOHN KERR JOHNSTON of Churchtown Park, Dundrum, in the County of
Dublin, Miller and Baker, do hereby declare tho nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to shoots for granular or pulverulent material, and has for its
chief object to provide flour and grain shoots, and appurtenances for the same, which
can be withdrawn or raised. This is desirable when it is required to raise the shoot
clear of the machines for example in which the flour, grain or the like is to be
treated after being delivered thereinto by the shoot.
According to one method of carrying out my invention I provide a telescopic
shoot, that is to say, a shoot made in two parts one of which can slide axially
relatively to the other so as to shorten or lengthen the shoot. The two parts of
the shoot are preferably furnished with guide rollers, and the movable part with
counterweights so as to render the same easily movable up and down'; suitable
stops are provided to limit the travel of the said movable part and to prevent the
same from becoming altogether detached from the fixed part. I also provide
suitable arrangements to prevent the dust from escaping between the two parts of
the shoot.
In another method.of carrying out my invention I provido a shoot which can be
moved very readily up and down through a floor for oxample by means of counter-
weights and rollers or other suitable means. Such a shoot is very convenient as
when not in use it may be drawn up and thus kept clear of the machinery which
may be in the room below.
My improved shoots may be provided with fixed hoppers, or a movable hopper
may be used as is hereinafter more particularly indicated.
When it is desired to furnish a valve or door at the bottom of a shoot I prefer to
construct the same in the manner following, that is to say, the shoot which should
be square or rectangular in section has two of its sides which are opposite one
another longer than the other two of its sides. At the bottom of each of tho short
sides a door of suitable size is hinged so as to be capable of being folded inwards
towards the opposite side. When both doors are folded inward their lower ends
meet. The said doors may he secured together in this position by any suitable
means, for example by pins projecting from one of the doors and adapted to engage
in holes in the second door and also a spring catch or hasp on the first door which
can engage with a pin on the second door. By these means the doors can be very
firmly closed.. This connection also admits of very readily opening and closing the
doors. To regulate the rush of grain or the like down tho shoot when the doors
are first opened 1 sometimes provide additional catches or bolts which can be placed
so as to keep either door closed or partially closed independently of the other door.
When the shoot is nearly empty the door or doors can then be opened to the full.
When the valves or doors are open they form a 'continuation of the sides to which
they are attached and the whole forms a shoot the lengths of whose four sides are
equal and so conveys the flour or materials much nearer to the machine thau by
other constructions of shoot heretofore in use.
My improved movable hopper is constructed with four sloping sides like an
ordinary hopper but is supported on a frame furnished with preferably two wheels
so arranged that when the hopper is in position over a shoot for instance the said
wheels do not reach the ground; the hopper is thereby prevented from shifting,
DJ1

page_text: when in use. Additional stops are also provided to prevent shifting. The sides of
the hopper make contact with the top of the shoot. When it is required to move
the said hopper it is tilted by suitable handles so that the wheels rest on the ground
and it can then be very easily transported from place to place. My improvod
shoots and appurtenances are very suitable for conveying various materials such as 5
flour, grain and the like. Thoy may also be used for delivering liquids. They
may be used in bakeries for conveying flour and dough to the machines, and may
be conveniently employed for various other purposes.
Dated this 1st day of February 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Shoots for Flour, Grain, and
the like.
JOHN KERR JOHNSTON of Churchtown Park, Dundrum in the County of
Dublin, Miller and Baker do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to shoots for granular or pulverulent material, and has for
its chief object to provide flour and grain shoots and appurtenances for the same
which can be withdrawn or raised. This is desirable when it is required to raise
the shoot clear of the machines for example in which the flour, grain or the like is
to be treated after being delivered thereinto by the shoot.
In carrying out my invention I provide a telescopic shoot, that is to say, a shoot
made in two parts one of which can be moved axially relatively to the other by
any suitable inechanical means so as to shorten or lengthen the shoot. Such shoots
are very convenient as when not in use they may be drawn up and thus kept clear
of the machinery which may be in the room below. I also provide a movable
hopper for use on the floor above the shoot and through which the grain or the like
is supplied thereto.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a telescopic shoot constructed according to
my invention.
Fig. 2 is a section on the line x. 2, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation and Fig. 4 a view from below of a removable
hopper which I prefer to use with the shoot shown in Fig 1.
Fig. 5 is an elevation partly in section of a telescopic shoot such as shown in
Fig. 1. combined with a movable hopper such as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts in all the drawings.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2. A is the movable part of the shoot which is
adapted to slide on the fixed part B of the same.
D is the floor of the chamber from which the flour, grain or the like is to be
conveyed.
C is the hoppor; E, E the doors for closing the mouth. of the shoot; and
FF are counterweights which balance the movable part of the shoot.
The fixed and movable parts of the shoot are both provided with guide
rollers A, A, B, B' to render the motion of the sliding part A more easy, and
with the same object the said sliding part is counterbalanced by the weighta F. F.
attached to the cords F' F' passing over pulleys F F'.
In order to prevent the movable part of the shoot from being pushed up too far
or from desconding too low and thus becoming disconnected with the fixed part. I
preferably provide ledges A' A³, secured inside the upper end of the said movablę

page_text: part, which lodges are adapted to come in contact with similar ledges B' when the
said movable part is drawn up as far as desirable. Ledges A', A', are also
provided on the movable part to limit its downward travel by engaging with
lodges B', B, secured to the bottom of the fixed part.
These ledges are moreover useful for preventing the escape of dust and fine
particles between the sides of the two parts of the shaft when in use, and for
the better accomplishment of this purpose I sometimes cover the interior
faces A, A, B, B, of the said ledges with cloth, india rubber or similar matorial
so as to form a dust tight joint when the shoot is extended or shortened to the limit.
I may for a similar purpose line the interior parts of the ledges A' A', and the
external sides of the ledges B, B', with felt or the like so as to fill the space
between the said ledges and the sides of the fixed or movable part of the shoot.
In order to prevent the weight of any flour, grain or the like which may be
contained in the shoot when the doors E. E' are closed straining the ledges A',
or stops B injuriously I prefer to arrange that the weight shall be borne by a
stud shown by dotted lines Fig. 1. and secured to the outside of the movable
part A, which stud works in a slot in an arm D' also shown by dotted lines and
suspended from the floor D.
In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown my improved shoot fitted with a valve or doors in -
the bottom thereof although such valve is not always required. The valve which
I prefer to use has two doors E, E', hinged to two opposite sides of the shoots
respectively. These sides are preferably shorter than the other pair of sides by an
amount equal to the length of one of the doors. Hence when the doors are open
as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. all the sides of the shoot are the same length..
The doors are arranged to be folded in toward each other as shown in full lines
in the said fig. till their lower edges meet. The doors are secured in this position
by pins E' projecting from the door E and adapted to engage in holes provided in
the other door E' and also by a spring catch or hasp secured on the door E and
adapted to engage on a pin E projecting from the door El. By these means the
doors can be very firmly closed. This construction also admits of very readily
opening and closing the said doors.
E, E are other doors with sloping top sides hinged to the long sides of the
shoot which may be opened to various angles so as to keep either the doors E, EL,
closed, or one only partially opened independently of the other regulating the rush
of grain or the like down the shoot. When the shoot is nearly empty the door or
doors can be opened to the full.
In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown a movable hopper which I prefer to use with my
improved shoot instead of employing a fixed hopper as shown at C, Fig. 1. And
in Fig. 5 a movable hopper is shown in combination with one of my telescopic
shoots.
The said hopper is made with four sloping sides C' fixed to a frame C' which
sides are adapted to rest on the floor over the hole at the top of the shoot.
I provido moreover two wheels C³, C³, pivoted on the frame C' by means of which
the hopper may be trundled from place to place when tilted forward by the
handles C, C. When the hopper is stationary the wheels are off the ground so
that it can not be easily moved and in order to still further guard against the
accidental shifting of the same when in use 1 provide stops, ledges, or pro-
jections, C' C', on the bottom thereof which engage with the sides of the hole in
the floor and effectually prevent any movement of the hopper. These ledges or
projections moreover convey the grain or the like better over the joints between
hopper & shoot.
My improved shoots and appurtenances are very suitable for conveying various
materials such as flour, grain and the like. They may also be used for delivering
liquids.
They may be used in bakeries for conveying flour and dough to the machines,
and may be conveniently employed for various other purposes,

page_text: 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 :-
1. A telescopio shoot, consisting of a stationary and a movable tubular part
having guide rollors and coacting ledges mounted on the stationary and movable
tubular parts and operating to prevent the escape of dust, and also to limit the
movement of the movable tubular part, relatively to the stationary part, sub-
stantially as described.
2. A shoot for grain and the like comprising the combination with a tubular
fixed part, of a movable tubular part one pair of opposite sides of which is shorter
than the other pair, and adapted to slide on the said fixed part, rollers secured to
the said parts, ledges secured to the said parts, and adapted to limit the travel of
the said inovable part and to provent dust escaping from between the said parts, a
valve consisting of two doors hinged to the lower edges of the two short sides of the
movable part of the shoot, and means for maintaining said valve tightly closed,
substantially as described.
3. A shoot for grain and the like comprising the combination with a tubular
fixed part, of a movable tubular part one pair of opposite sides of which is shortor
than the other pair, and adapted to slide on the said fixed part, atops secured to
the said parts and adapted to limit the travel of the said movable part, a valve
consisting of two doors hinged to the short sides of the movable part of the shoot,
and brackets hinged to the long sides of the movable part adapted to hold one of
the said doors at any desired height and thus maintain the valve partly open,
substantially as described.
4. The combination with a telescopic shoot, consisting of a stationary and a
movable tubular part having guide rollers, and coacting ledges mounted on the
stationary and movable tubular parts, of a detachable hopper, adapted to be moved
away from the said shoot when required substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of October 1893.