IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED THRASHING MACHINES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Tasker, the younger, of the Waterloo Iron
Works, near Andover, in the County of Hants, Agricultural Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED THRASHING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Tasker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th
May 1864.
I, WILLIAM TASKER, the younger, of the Waterloo Iron Works, near
Andover, in the County of Hants, Agricultural Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED THRASHING
MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the elevating and delivering of the chaff into bags
or other suitable contrivances placed to receive it, after it has been separated
from the corn in the ordinary manner, and consists according to one modi-
fication in the application and use of an adjustable blast or blasts, or a
combination of blasts of air produced by and received from the same fan that
creates the blast for the separation of the chaff from the corn in the usual way,
and in the disposal of such blast or blasts, or combination of blasts of air in
the manner herein-after described, for the elevating or delivering of the chaff into
bags or receptacles as required without the aid of the fingers, cup elevators, or
projections attached to revolving endless bands bitherto employed. At.the outer
extremity of the case in which the ordinary fan revolves, and at the bottom

page_text: thereof, and by preference immediately under the mouth that delivers the
primary blast into the heaver or riddles of the winnowing machine, a distinct
opening or mouth is formed, in which mouth or opening an adjustable valve
or shutter is fitted.
I
After the chaff is divided from the corn and is leaving the heaver or
winnowing machine it is collected into a shoot or spout attached to the heaver
and blown by the same blast or part of it that effected the separation through
such shoot or spout, this shoot or spout being of such a shape as to conduct
the chaff to the side of the machine into a box, and the under side or bottom
of it by preference declines from the point of junction with the heaver
to its termination at the side of the machine, and the front is perforated,
through which a portion of the blast or wind escapes that had been used
in separating the corn from the chaff
1.715!
On the under side of the heaver a box or case is formed, having a mouth at
one end opposite the small opening in the fan case and receives through it
a blast from the fan; this box or case is continued, under the heaver and by
preference round in the same direction under the first-named shoot or spout
terminating in the same box. From the under side of, the upper spout, to the
lower spout there is a space which allows the chaff to partially fall, and the
current of air or blast from the under spout now comes in contact with it, and
being of a greater velocity than that from the upper spout (which is partially
exhausted) imparts a fresh impetus to the chaff and the blasts combined
elevated through a vertical case fixed to the side of the machine and provided
with a suitable shaped head with perforated sides and top for the blast to
escape through, whilst the chaff falls into the bag attached to receive it.
Or according to another modification, in lieu of the box or case herein-before
referred to, underneath the heaver through which a second blast of air passed
from a special opening in the fan casing, I propose in some cases to place a
small exhaust fan on the top of the vertical case fixed to the side of the
machine and to draw the chaff upwards instead of blowing it up.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 'filed
by the said William Tasker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th November 1864. .
i₁
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TASKER, the younger, of the Waterloo Iron Works, near Andover, in the 3
County of Hants, Agricultural Engineer, send greeting,

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the sail
William Tasker, the younger, Her special license that I, the said William Tasker,
the younger, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as .I, the
said William Tasker, the younger, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COMBINED THRASHING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Tasker, the younger, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand
and seal of one of them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Tasker, the younger, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference 'being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to the elevating and delivering of the chaff into
bags or other suitable contrivances placed to receive it after it has been sepa-
rated from the corn in the ordinary manner, and consists, according to one
modification, in the application and use of an adjustable blast or blasts, or a
combination of blasts of air produced by and received from the same fan that
creates the blast for the separation of the chaff from the corn in the usual way,
and in the disposal of such blast or blasts or combination of blasts of air in
the manner herein-after described for the elevating or delivering of the chaff
into bags or receptacles as required without the aid of the fingers, cup elevators,
or projections attached to revolving endless bands as hitherto employed. At
the outer extremity of the case in which the ordinary fan revolves and at the
bottom thereof, and by preference immediately under the mouth that delivers
the primary blast into the heaver or riddles of the winnowing machines, a
distinct opening or mouth is formed, in which mouth or opening an adjustable
valve or shutter is fitted.

page_text: After the chaff is divided from the corn, and is leaving the heaver or win-
nowing machine, it is collected into a shoot or spout attached to the heaver,
and blown by the same blast or part of it that effected the separation through
such shoot or spout, this shoot or spout being of such a shape as to conduct the
chaff to the side of the machine into a box, and the under side or bottom of
it by preference declines from the point of junction with the heaver to its ter-
mination at the side of the machine, and the front is perforated, through which
a portion of the blast or wind escapes that had been used in separating the
corn from the chaff. On the under side of the heaver a box or case is formed
having a mouth at one end opposite the small opening in the fan case and
receives through it a blast from the fan; this box or case is continued under
the heaver, and by preference round in the same direction under the first-named
shoot or spout, terminating in the same box. From the under side of the
upper spout to the lower spout there is a space which allows the chaff to partially
fall and the current of air or blast from the under spout now comes in contact
with it, and being of a greater velocity than that from the upper spout (which
is partially exhausted) imparts a fresh impetus to the chaff, and the blasts
combined elevate it through a vertical case fixed to the side of the machine
and provided with a suitable shaped head with perforated sides and top for
the blast to escape through whilst the chaff falls into the bag attached to
receive it.
Or, according to another modification, in lieu of the box or case herein-
before referred to underneath the heaver through which a second blast of air
passed from a special opening in the fan casing, I propose in some cases to
place a small exhaust fan on the top of the vertical case fixed to the side of
the machine and to draw the chaff upwards instead of blowing it up.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Fig. 1 (Sheet 1) of my Drawings represents a longitudinal vertical section.
of a portion of a combined thrashing machine to which my improvements are
applied; Fig. 2 is a corresponding transverse vertical section of the same,
taken along the line 1-2 in Fig 1, and Fig. 3 is an end elevation of this
part of the thrashing machine.
A is the ordinary fan blower for separating the chaff from the corn, which
it does in the usual manner by means of a blast which is supplied through
the mouth or opening B into the heaver or riddles C of the winnowing appa-

page_text: ratus. In addition however to the mouth or opening B there is provided a
supplementary but smaller mouth or opening D, also communicating with the
fan blower, and which is situate by preference immediately under the mouth
B of the primary blast, and is furnished with an adjustable valve or regulating
shutter E for controlling the second blast. The mouth or opening D of the
secondary blast is situate immediately opposite to the open mouth of a box or
case F, which is continued under the heaver, as shown in the Drawings, and
consequently receives the secondary blast. The first or main blast from the
mouth B after having separated the chaff from the corn passes onwards in the
direction of the arrow towards the front end of the heaver, carrying the chaff
along with it into a transverse shoot or spout G, which forms a part of the
heaver, and which is inclined towards the side of the machine where it opens
into a receiver H. A portion of this blast escapes through the perforated or
wire gauze end I of the heaver (shown in Figs. 1 and 3) whilst the remainder
enters the receiver H through the opening for that purpose in the side of the
heaver and carries the chaff along with it. The box or case F, herein-before
referred to, underneath the heaver is continued also underneath the transverse
shoot or spout G and opens at K into the bottom of the receiver H, imme-
diately underneath the delivery end of the shoot or spout G, as shewn clearly
in Fig. 2. As the chaff enters the receiver H from the spout G, it partially
falls or descends towards the bottom of the receiver, the primary blast being
weakened by the escape of a considerable portion of it through the wire gauze
I, but the chaff in the act of falling is caught up by the full force of the
secondary blast, which enters the bottom of the receiver at K, and by the com-
bined action of these two blasts of air the chaff is blown up the vertical spout.L
fixed over the receiver H, at the side of the machine, and into the perforated
head M formed or fitted on to the top of the vertical spout L, whereby the air
is allowed to escape, as shown by the arrows, whilst the chaff descends into a
sack, basket, or other receptacle, the mouth of which sack, basket, or
other receptacle may be hooked on to the mouth of the perforated head M
or placed under it for that purpose. It will thus be seen that the chaff is
elevated by a portion of the same blast of air which is employed for separating
it from the corn in conjunction with a secondary blast derived from the same
fan, the use of mechanical elevators of all kinds being entirely dispensed with.
The two openings D', B', at the upper part of the fan casing serve to conduct
a portion of the wind to another part of the machine for the corn to pass
through after it has passed through the first winnowing in place of using
separate fans, one fan being made to serve for all. These openings may how-
ever be omitted, as they form no part of my present Invention. Although I

page_text: have described the blasts of air as being both derived from one and the same
fan it is obvious that the same result might be obtained by using a separate
fan for each blast, though not so economically.
•
According to another: modification; of which Fig. 4 (Sheet 2) is a trans-
verse section, an exhaust fan. N of any suitable construction is employed,
keyed on to a spindle O, révolving with it in suitable bearings and receiving
motion by the pulley P. This fan (shewn detached in end elevation at
Fig. 5) is situate above on the top or at the end of the vertical spout L
whereby the chaff is drawn up from the receiver H; being assisted in its
ascent by that portion of the blast from the fan A (Fig. 1) which enters the
said receiver; and: after passing the fan N continues its course through the
spout and case R.into à sack, basket, or other suitable receptacle S,
placed to receive it: In this arrangement the box or case F (Fig. 1), and
the additional mouth or opening D, in the case of the fan blower A herein-
before referred to may be dispensed with. Or, if preferred; the exhaust fan
alone may be used for elevating and delivering the chaff without the assistance
of the blast from the fan A...
Fig. 6 represents a section taken transversely through the machine of a
slightly modified arrangement for elevating and delivering chaff by means of
an exhaust fan... In this arrangement I divide the spout G at the point T, so
that a portion of the chaff is conducted to each side of the machine into the
receiver or receivers H; H, communicating with the vertical spouts L, L.
On the spindle O a fan N is keyed, working in suitable bearings, and receiving
motion from the pulley P. This fan is a double one by preferencé, but may
be single if desired, and is made solid at X, where it is keyed to the shaft O.
By the revolution of the exhaust fan N the chaff is drawn up from the
receivers H, H; through the vertical spouts L, L, into the fan at T, T, and
is delivered through openings U, U, at its circumference into hoppers V, V,
and through the inclined spouts W, W, into sacks, baskets, or other receptacles
placed to receive it at the end of the machine..
"
'I do not confine or restrict myself to the position of the exhaust fan or
spouts through which the chaff is conducted, as these can be so arranged as
to deliver the chaff on either side of the machine, or at the end or front
thereof.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-

page_text: First, the general construction and arrangement of combined thrashing
machines, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-before
described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Second, the application and use to and in the elevating and delivering of
the chaff in combined thrashing machines of an adjustable blast or blasts, or
a combination of blasts of air produced by and received from the same fan or
blower which creates the blast for the winnowing of the corn, substantially as
herein-before described.
Third, the peculiar mode of disposing and applying blasts of air in combined
thrashing machines, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-
before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Fourth, the application and use to and in the elevating and delivering of
the chaff in combined thrashing machines of an exhaust fan or fans, disposed
substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Fifth, the application and use of an exhaust fan in conjunction with one or
more blasts of air obtained from the winnowing fan in combined thrashing
machines, for the purpose of drawing up and delivering the chaff, substantially
as herein-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Sixth, the combination of independent blasts of air of the same or different
velocities, for the purpose of elevating and delivering the chaff in combined
thrashing machines.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Tasker, the younger, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the 14th day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-four.
WILLIAM TASKER, JUNIOR. (L.S.)