Improvements in Grain Elevators.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 27th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1897
Improvements in Grain Elevators.
I, EMILE BLANCHARD, of 47 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Director of The Société Anonyme de l'Élévateur Propulseur
Pneumatique à Marche Continué, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates more especially to continuously acting apparatus for
elevating grain, in which the grain is drawn up from any point in a vessel, for
example, and delivered on to a wharf or other place by means of pneumatic propellers
which consist of air tight chambers connected with suction and compression air
pumps placed in any suitable position, and of an automatic distributing apparatus
so applied to the propellers as to assure the communication of each chamber in
turn either with the air and grain suction pipes, or with the compressed air and
grain delivery pipes.
A tender moored to the vessel to be unloaded, contains the motive power engine
which may be of any suitable kind, the air pumps and any other pumps that may be
necessary. On the vessel loaded with grain, is placed the elevator or propeller
properly so called, suspended at the requisite height by suitable tackle and
communicating with the hold of the vessel by a suction pipe, with the store-house
by a delivery pipe, and with the air suction and delivery. pipes by means of 'the
distributing apparatus above mentioned. The elevator or propeller comprises
essentially two air-tight chambers into which the grain is first drawn to be
afterwards delivered to the wharf or storehouse, two grain suction pipes one from
each chamber which unite into a single grain suction pipe, two grain delivery
pipes one from each chamber which also unite into a single pipe, grain delivery
and a
distributing-apparatus comprising two air cylinders each of which is in:
communication with one of the airtight chambers and with the air suction and.
delivery pipes, and obturators or slide valves between the chambers and the grain.
pipes.
The air cylinders contain pistons which effect the communication, according to
their position, of one of the propeller chambers with the suction pipe of the air
pumps, and of the other of the said chambers with the compressed air delivery pipe.
The upward and downward movements of the aforesaid air pistons is effected
automatically either by means of hydraulic gear and compressed air, or by means
of compressed air and the weight of the grain with which the chambers are
alternately filled. In the first case the pistons are connected together by means
of rigid rods to two other pistons which may be called operating pistons fixed on
one rod, one of which is acted upon by hydraulic pressure and serves to raise the
distributing apparatus, and the other is acted on by air pressure being in constant
communication on its upper face with the compressed air pipe and serves to force
the distributing apparatus downwards. All these pistons are connected to the
obturators or slide valves which alternately place each of the chambers in
communication either with the grain suction pipe or with the grain delivery pipe..
The air suction and delivery pipes are connected to the two air suction and
compression pumps, which are actuated by an intermediate shaft, crank plates, and
connecting rods.

page_text: The exhaust air pump exhausts the air alternately from each of the chambers
of the propeller, and delivers it into the atmosphere, a strainer box being preferably
provided to prevent dust from entering the pump. The compression pump draws
air from the atmosphere and compresses it alternately into each chamber of the
propeller. The air pumps are combined with hydraulic gear for operating the air
and grain distributing apparatus. This gear is arranged as follows:-The pump
crank shaft carries a spur pinion which gears with teeth on a disc which it thereby
causes to rotate. This disc has a cam groove in which takes a friction roller
which, by means of a slide, communicates a reciprocating motion to the piston or
plunger of a water pump cylinder. The pipe which forms the communication
between the said water pump cylinder and the cylinder of one of the operating
pistons, is constantly full of water, so that for each descent of the said water
pump piston the said operating piston is raised, and with it the whole apparatus
for distributing air and grain to the chambers. When the water pump piston
rises in its cylinder the compressed air which is constantly pressing on the upper
face of the other operating piston causes the whole distributing apparatus to
descend.
To compensate for any loss of water from the hydraulic cylinders or from the
pipes connecting them, a small pump operated by an eccentric or otherwise forces
water into them.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Supposing the whole to be arranged as above described that the air pumps are
in action, and that the piston of the water pump has arrived at the top of its
stroke, the whole of the distributing apparatus being in its lowest position one of
the chambers is in communication with the air delivery pipe. The other chamber
is in communication with the air suction pipe, and one of the obturators effects the
communication of this chamber with the grain snction pipe whilst another of the
obturators closes the communication of that chamber with the grain delivery pipe,
a third obturator closes the communication between the first chamber and the grain
suction pipe, whilst a fourth obturator effects communication between that
chamber and the grain delivery pipe. It results then from this position of the
movable parts, that is to say of the air and grain distributing apparatus that the
grain is drawn from the vessel into and fills the second chamber whilst the grain
already in the first chamber is forced into the storehouse.
The rotation of the disc on the pump shaft being continuous, and the friction
ruller moving in its groove the hydraulic piston or plunger is forced downwards in
its cylinder and forces the hydraulic operating plunger and with it the whole
distributing apparatus upwards. This effects a complete reversal of the distribution,
that is to say that the first chamber is now in communication with the air and
grain suction pipes whilst the second chamber is in communication with the
compressed air and grain delivery pipes. Consequently the first chamber
becomes refilled with grain, and the grain that filled the second chamber is forced
up into the storehouse. As the water piston rises in its cylinder the pressure
ceases below the hydraulic operating piston or plunger, and the compressed air,
which presses constantly on the operating air piston causes the whole distributing
apparatus to descend, and the cycle of operations is repeated, the action of the
apparatus being continuous and automatic so long as the air pumps and the water
piston are kept in motion.
According to a modification the distributing apparatus with its air pistons and
its grain obturators remains the same as above described, but is actuated in a
different way. The up and down movement is communicated in this case to the
distributing apparatus by utilising the weight of the grain which fills alternately
the two chambers, instead of by hydraulic gear.
For this purpose each of the chambers is furnished at the bottom- with a
diaphragm piston the rod of which is pin jointed to the end of a lever pivotted at
a suitable point, and pin jointed itself, at its other end, to the rod of a slide. The
slides are free to move in their respective cylinders which are placed at each side

page_text: of a cylinder of two diameters. In this cylinder are fitted differential pistons fixed
on one rod, which is rigidly connected by a cross bar and rods to the air pistons
and grain obturators. Finally the compressed air taken from the general com-
pressed air pipe is led to the upper or smaller part of the differential cylinder, to
the upper part of the boxes or cylinders containing the slides, and to the admission
pipe.
The weight of the grain acting on one or other of the diaphragms as the case
may he, causes the corresponding lever to oscillate and produce alternately the
escape or admission of air from or to the lower face of the piston in the larger
part of the differential cylinder, which results in a to and fro motion of the
whole distributing apparatus. The slides are returned to their lower position
by the pressure of the compressed air acting at the upper part of their boxes or
cylinders.
Instead of employing, for the air and grain distribution into the chambers,
obturating cylinders connected rigidly to each other, I sometimes employ cocks
or valves placed in the various pipes and operated automatically by means of
connecting rods and wrist plates in the same manner as the well known Corliss
valves. The up and down motion is communicated to a longitudinal rod by one of
the methods above described that is to say either by means of hydraulic gear, or
by the weight of the grain. On this rod are jointed at suitable points the three
connecting rods which actuate the aforesaid wrist plates, from which notion is
communicated to the various connecting rods jointed to the spin lles of the said
cocks or valves.
It will be readily understood that the operation of the cocks will effect the
distribution into the chambers in a manner analogous to that effected by the
obturators the action of which has been described above.
I do not confine myself to the precise arrangements and details herein described,
as they may be varied according to circumstances without departing from the
nature of my invention.
It is obvious that the elevator herein described may be employed not only for
unloading grain, cereals or other aualogous substances froin vessels but that it is
also applicable to transporting such substances from one place to another, as from
one storehouse to another, and so forth.
Dated this 20th day of Anvil
E. BLANCHARD,
Per W. H.. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Grain Elevators.
I, EMILE BLANCHARD, of 47 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Director of The Société Anonyme de l'Élévateur Propulseur
Pneumatique à Marche Continue, 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 :-
This invention relates more especially to continuously acting apparatus for
elevating grain, in which the grain is drawn up from any point in a vessel, for
example, and delivered on to a wharf or other place by means of pneumatic
propellers which consist of air-tight chambers connected with suction and com-
pression air pumps placed in any suitable position, and of an automatic distributing
apparatus so applied to the propellers as to assure the communication of each

page_text: air and grain delivery pipes.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 represents diagrammatically the general arrangement of an elevator
constructed in accordance with my invention as applied to the unloading of a grain
ship,
Figure 2 is an elevation of the motive power air pumps coupled with hydraulic
devices for actuating the distributing apparatus,
Figure 3 is a sectional plan of the pumps and hydraulic devices shown in
Figure 2,
Figure 4 is an end view of the hydraulic apparatus shown in Figure 2,
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of the propeller, properly so called, with
hydraulic distributing gear, Figure 6 is a plan of the apparatus shown in
Figure 5,
Figure 7 is a general view of the distributing apparatus,
Figure 8 is a side view of the propeller shown in Figure 5,
Figure 9 is an elevation of a propeller somewhat different from those shown in
Figures 5 to 8, and in which the weight of the grain is utilised to actuate the
distributing apparatus instead of the hydraulic or steam gear, Figure 10 is a plan
of same,
Figure 11 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section of the motor cylinders of the
distributing apparatus and
Figures 12 and 13 represent a further modification of the distributing apparatus
actuated by the weight of the grain.
Referring to Figure 1, a tender A moored to the vessel B to be unloaded.
contains the motive power engine C, which may be of any suitable kind, the air
pumps P and P and any other pumps that may be necessary. On the vessel B,
loaded with grain, is placed the elevator or propeller, properly so called, E.E,
suspended at the requisite height by suitable tackle, and communicating with the
hold of the vessel by a suction pipe F, with the storehouse G by a delivery
pipe H, and with the air suction and delivery pipes I and I by means of the
distributing apparatus J.
Referring now to Figure 5, it will be seen that the elevator or propeller com-
prises essentially two air-tight chambers E and E' into which the grain is first
drawn to be afterwards delivered to the wharf or storehouse, two grain suction
pipes a and a', one from each chamber, which unite into a single grain suction
pipe F, two grain delivery pipes & and 61, one from each chamber, which also unite
into a single grain delivery pipe, H, and a distributing apparatus comprising two
air cylinders c and c' each of which is in communication with one of the airtight
chambers E and E¹ respectively and with the air suction and delivery pipes I
and 1', and obturators or slide valves j, j, k, k', between the chambers E, E and
the grain pipes F and H.
The air cylinders c and c' contain pistons e eff¹ which effect the communication,
according to their position, of one of the propeller chambers E or E' with the
suction pipe of the air pumps, and of the other of the said chambers with the
compressed air delivery pipe or vice versa, (see Figures 5 to 8).,
The upward and downward movements of the air pistons e e', ff is effected
automatically either by means of bydraulic gear and compressed air, by steam
gear, by means of compressed air and the weight of the grain with which the
chambers E and E' are alternately filled. In the first case (Figures 5 to 8) the
pistons e e, f are connected together by means of rigid rods g to two other
pistons and i which may be called operating pistons, fixed on one rod, one of
which pistons, h, is acted upon by hydraulic pressure and serves to raise the
distributing apparatus, and the other, i, is acted on by air pressure being in
constant communication on its upper face with the compressed air pipe 1', and
serves to force the distributing apparatus downwards. All these pistons h, i, e, e¹‚ff¹
are connected to the obturators or slide valves j, j, k, k' which alternately place

page_text: each of the chambers E or E' in communication, either with the grain suction
pipe F, or with the grain delivery pipe H.
The air suction and delivery pipes I and I are connected to the two air suction
and compression pumps, P and P (Figures 2 and 3,) which are actuated by an
intermediate shaft o, crank plates, p and p', and connecting rods q q' operated by
any suitable motive power engine.
The air pump P exhausts the air alternately from each of the chambers EE'
of the propeller, and delivers it into the atmosphere, a strainer box X being
preferably provided to prevent dust from entering the pump. The compression
pump P¹ draws air from the atmosphere, and compresses it alternately into each
chamber of the propeller. The air pumps shown in Figures 2 to 4 are combined
with hydraulic gear for operating the air and grain distributing apparatus. This
gear is arranged as follows:-The pump crank shaft o carries a spur pinion
which gears with teeth on a disc L which it thereby causes to rotate. This disc
has a cam grooves in which takes a friction roller M, which, by means of a
slide N, communicates a reciprocating motion to the piston or plunger t of a water
pump cylinder t'. The pipe T, which forms the communication between the said
water pump cylinder and the cylinder of one of the operating pistons his
constantly full of water so that for each descent of the piston t the said operating
piston h is raised, and with it the whole apparatus for distributing air and grain to
the chambers E and E'. When the piston t rises in its cylinder t' the compressed
air which is constantly pressing on the upper face of the air piston i causes the
whole distributing apparatus to descend.
To compensate for any loss of water from the pipe T or from the hydraulic
cylinders containing the pistons t and a small pump Q, operated by an eccentric Q',
constantly forces water into the said pipe through the tube Q'.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Supposing the whole to be arranged as above described, that the air pumps P P1
are in action, and that the hydraulic piston t has arrived at the top of its stroke, as
seen in Figure 2, the whole of the distributing apparatus of the chambers E and E
being in its lowest position, as shown in Figures 5 and 7, the chamber E is in
communication with the air delivery pipe I by the pipe, the cylinder c and
the orifice m. The chamber E¹ is in communication with the air suction pipe [
by the pipe ', the cylinder c' and the orifice n; and one of the obturators j
effects the communication of the chamber El with the grain suction pipe F, whilst
the obturator k¹ closes the communication of that chamber with the grain delivery
pipe H, the obturator J closes the communication between the chamber E and
the grain suction pipe F, whilst the obturator k effects communication between
that chamber and the grain delivery pipe H. It results then from this position
of the movable parts, that is to say of the air and grain distributing apparatus,
that the grain is drawn from the vessel B into and fills the chamber E,
grain already in the first chamber E is forced into the storehouse G.
whilst the
The rotation of the disc L by the pump shaft o being continuous, and the
friction roller M moving in the groove s, the hydraulic piston or plunger t is forced
downwards in its cylinder t' and forces the hydraulic operating plunger h, and with
it the whole distributing apparatus upwards. This effects a complete reversal of
the distribution, that is to say the chamber E is now in communication with the
air suction pipe laud with the grain suction pipe F whilst the chamber E' is in
communication with the compressed air and the grain delivery pipe H. Con-
sequently the chamber E becomes refilled with grain, and the grain that filled the
chamber E is forced up into the storehouse. As the water piston t rises in its
cylinder the pressure ceases below the hydraulic piston or plunger and the
compressed air, which presses constantly on the operating air piston i causes the
whole distributing apparatus to descend, and the cycle of operations is repeated,
the action of the apparatus being continuous and automatic so long as the air
pumps P, P, and the water piston t are kept in motion.
Figures 9 to 11 show a modification of the elevator apparatus in which the

page_text: distributing apparatus with its air pistons and its grain obturators remains the same
as above described, but is actuated in a different way. The up and down
movement is communicated in this case to the distributing apparatus by utilising
the weight of the grain which fills alterantely the two chambers E and E instead
of by hydraulic or steam gear.
For this purpose each of the chambers E E is furnished at the bottom with a
diaphragm piston 23 or 24 the rod of which is pin jointed to the end of a lever 25
or 26 pivotted at 27 or 28 and pin jointed itself at its other end, to the rod of a
slide 29 or 30. The slides 29 and 30 are free to move in their respective cylinders 31
and 32 which are placed at each side of a cylinder of two diameters 33, 34 with a
bollow chamber between them. In these cylinders 33, 34 are fitted differential
pistons 35, 36 fixed on one rod 37, which is rigidly connected by a cross bar 38 and
rods 39 to the air pistons and grain obturators. Finally the compressed air taken
from the general compressed air pipe I' is led to the upper part of the slide valve
chests or cylinders 31, 32 by the pipes 40 and 41, and into the inlet pipe 42.
The weight of the grain acting on the diaphragms 23 or 24 as the case may be,
-causes the corresponding lever 2 or 26 to oscillate and produce alternately the
escape or admission of air from or to the lower face of the larger piston 35, which
results in a to and fro motion of the whole distributing apparatus. The slides are
returned to their lower position by the pressure of the compressed air neting at
the upper part of their boxes or cylinders.
Instead of employing, for the air and grain distribution into the chambers E E,
obturating cylinders connected rigidly to each other, I sometimes employ cocks
or valves 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, ns shown in Figures 12 and 13 placed in
the various pipes a, b, x, y, a¹, bl, and operated automatically by means of connecting
rods and wrist plates I, II, III in the same manner as the well known Corliss
valves. The up and down motion is communicated to a longitudinal rod 51 by one
of the methods above described, that is to say either by means of hydraulic gear,
by steam gear or by utilizing the weight of the grain. On this rod 51 are jointed,
at suitable points, the three connecting rods 52, 53, 54 which actuate the aforesaid
wrist plates, from which motion is communicated to the various connecting rods
jointed to the spindles of the said cocks or valves.
It will be readily understood from an inspection of Figure 12 that the operation
of the cocks will effect the distribution into and out of the chambers E and E' in
a manner analogous to that effected by the obturators the action of which has been
described above.
I do not confine inyself to the precise arrangements and details herein described,
as they may be varied according to circumstances without departing from the
nature of my invention.
It is obvious that the elevator herein described may be employed not only for
unloading grain, cereals or other analogous substances from vessels, but that it is
also applicable to transporting such substances from one place to another, as from
one storehouse to another, and so forth.
Having now particularly described and ascertaiued the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
-claim is :-
First. A continuous action grain elevating apparatus having two airtight
chambers forming a pneumatic propeller connected on the one hand with air suction
and compression pumps, and on the other with the place from which the grain is to
be removed, and with that to which it is to be delivered, in combination with
automatic distributing apparatus for placing each chamber in turn in communication
with the air and grain suction pipes, and with the compressed air and grain delivery
pipes, substantially as described."
Second. In a pneumatic grain elevator of the kind herein described, in com-
bination with the two airtight propeller chambers, an apparatus for distributing
air and grain to and from the said chambers, which consists of pistons and

page_text: obturators or slides valves connected together by means of rigid rods, the said
pistons being adapted to reciprocate in the air cylinders c c', and the said obturators.
or slides valves in the grain suction pipes a a¹ and grain delivery pipes b, b', in
such manner as to place alternately one of the airtight chambers in communication
with the air and grain suction pipes, and at same time the other airtight chamber
with the compressed air and grain deli very pipes, substantially as described.
Third. In a pneumatic grain elevator of the kind herein described, in combination
with apparatus for distributing air and grain to and from the propeller chambers,.
apparatus for communicating automatically and continuously reciprocatory motion.
to such air and grain distributing apparatus, which consists of two pistons and i
fixed on one rod and connected to the said distributing apparatus, one of the said
pistons, h, which serves to raise the whole distributing apparatus, being actuated
by hydraulic pressure derived from another piston t which is moved by the driving.
shaft of the air pumps, and the other of the said pistons, i, which serves to return
the said distributing apparatus to its lowest position, having its upper face constantly
subjected to the action of compressed air, substantially as described.
Fourth. In a pueumatic grain elevator of the kind herein described an arrange
ment of gear for operating the apparatus for distributing air and grain to and
from the propeller chambers, which consists of a diaphragm piston placed at the
bottom of each such chamber, and transmitting the weight of the grain to a lever
actuating a slide valve which effects a communication between the lower face of a
differential piston, connected with the distributing apparatus, and the compressed
air or the exhaust, substantially as described.
Fifth. In a pneumatic grain elevator of the kind herein described, in combination
with the two airtight propeller chambers, an apparatus for distributing the air and
grain to and from the said airtight chambers which apparatus consists of cocks or
valves actuated by connecting rods and oscillating wrist plates, which plates are
themselves operated by other connecting rods jointed to a rod which is caused to.
reciprocate by any suitable means, substantially as described.
Dated this 97th day of January 1897
Doted the 27th day of January 1897
E.
BLANCHARD,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent..