Year: 1886

page_text: I, FRANCOIS BRANDSTAEDTER of Louvain in the Kingdom of Belgium, Miller,
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 apparatus for washing and drying grain, and such
apparatus according to this invention is composed of a washer, a double bottomed
sifter or sieve, and an archimedean screw drier.
My invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings of which Figure 1 is a vertical section of my apparatus for washing
and drying grain, and Figure 2 is a plan of same with the covers of washer
removed and taken through line vv of the drier Figure 1. Figures 3 and 4 are
detail views.
It will be seen that the washer is composed of a cylinder A preferably of sheet
iron, at the lower part of which is rivetted an inner bottom B of corrugated iron,
this bottom is of an inverted cone, or funnel, shape, and receives through the
opening at its lower end the perforated metal cone C. This latter is mounted upon
a valve D and is governed by a vertical shaft J. The object of this arrangement
will be hereinafter explained.
The bottom of the washer is closed by covers B¹ and 0¹; C₁ carries at its lower.
part the seat of the discharge valve D.
The shaft J passes through the cover A¹ of the washer and carries a pinion N
which transmits to it the movement communicated by motor shaft Z.
This motor shaft carries a spur wheel M which actuates a pinion M¹ fitted upon a
hollow independent shaft I placed around shaft J (This shaft J fits in the socket
or step E).
The hollow shaft I carries the agitator G G and the shaft J carries a scraper F
working at the lower part of the washer.
The body of the washer is fitted, below the agitator with an outlet valve O
for the passage of the grain. Against the sides of the interior of the washer and;

page_text: concentrically with same are mounted rings H furnished with cylindrical pro-
jections H so placed as to throw the grain between the crossbars of the agitator G.
The crossbars of the agitator are carried by the rings G₁ fixed upon the central
hollow shaft I so that they turn with the said shaft, whilst the projections H
remain stationary.
During the rotation of the hollow shaft I the solid shaft which passes through it
revolves the scraper F the projections of which just touch the corrugated or
undulated surface B forming the bottom of the washer. An overflow opening
with pipe K is placed at top of the washer above the agitator.
As shewn there is at the lower part of the washer a discharge valve D with up
and down motion, it is governed by lever D¹ pivotted upon the framing X
The following is a description of the second part of this invention, viz the drier.
This drying apparatus is composed of a cylindrical vat or tub W furnished with
two tubes Y and A' and its bottom is formed of a plate J' formed with a central
aperture through which passes the central vertical shaft V, around this aperture in
the bottom plate there is a cylindrical flange formed from the plate itself and
covered by a hood formed by the cylinder U which acts at the same time as the
boss of a float wheel U fixed upon central shaft V. Fixed by angle iron to the
plate J is a vertical cylinder S of perforated sheet iron forming the inner covering
or lining of the drier.
The central shaft V carries three wheels U fitted with lugs L' (Fig. 2) to which
are attached the floats or pallets T and upon these floats are fitted at R the blades
of two helical screws R¹. These floats T are formed with wings or shoulders T¹
passing above the helical screws but as close as possible to the bottom of the
covering D of the apparatus so as to scrape up the grain and drive it through
tube E³.
The cylindrical covering D' is closed at top (excepting at its central part) by
a cover F which carries a bracket G' which forms a bearing for the central
shaft V.
A covering K in which may be arranged doors, or port holes, is fixed upon the
tub or vat W. This covering K' forms the exterior of the apparatus and is placed
around at some distance from, the perforated inner covering or lining S.
The whole is mounted upon the framing B2 in which is formed a journal C³ for
the central shaft V. Motion is communicated to this shaft V through pulley H*
fitted at top of same.
'
I have shewn to a larger scale in Figures 3 and 4 the manner in which I attach
the blades of the helical screws to the floats T of the fan.
This attachment consists of T iron the vertical web of which is placed below the
helical screw and the horizontal web is placed against the float T. Apertures b b
are arranged in the web fixed to the float T, and other apertures e, e are made in
the web attached to the blade of helical screw thus allowing the diameter of the
helical screws to be arranged so that there may be the least possible play between
the latter and the cylinder S.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:
The grain to be treated enters at the upper part of the apparatus through the
cover A¹ or by an opening formed in the body A. It then falls into the water held
in the washer at a constant level by means of the overflow K. Being heavier than
water the grain: sinks and meets the crossbars G G of the agitator and the pro-
jections H, H fixed upon the trunk of the apparatus by means of the rings HP.
The agitator is turned at a high speed and the projections H remaining stationary
the grain is threshed and separated from its husks which being lighter than the
water float upon the top and are carried away by the overflow K. Grit, sand, and
other foreign matters being heavier sink to the bottom and are deposited upon the
corrugated plate B. Water enters by the tube L and passes into the bottom by
perforated cone C. and reaches the grain which it carries to the outlet valve O in
tube Q.

page_text: The diameters of the tube L and grain inlet tube are so calculated that the sum
of the areas of these two tubes is greater than the area of the valve O so that the
overflow K fed by the excess of liquid is constantly running and carries away all
foreign matters lighter than water.
The object of the scraper F is to agitate the mass of sand, stone and grit
accumulated at the bottom of the apparatus so as to separate any grain which may
be mixed with it, and let it be carried up by the current of water entering below.
The scraper F makes but about 15 to 20 revolutions a minutė and the difference of
speeds of the agitator and the scraper are effected by means of the spur wheels and
shafts shown in the drawings. The overflow K takes the water from the centre of
the apparatus where it is formed or shaped as a cup or cylindrical receiver con-
centrical to the shaft I and supported at one side by the overflow tube proper K
and by a bar K¹ shewn in Figure 2. This cup or receiver has an opening from top
to bottom at the side of said bar K¹ to allow the water and the matters floating on
its surface to pass, and to lead them away by the tube K. The bar K¹ has a width
of about 7 or 8 centimetres and serves to arrest the foreign matters following
the revolving motion given to the water by the crossbars G and to guide such
matters into the cup or receiver of the overflow K. A rod P actuating the
valve serves to regulate the flow through the overflow and through the tube Q
as desired.
When the apparatus has been at work some time and it is desired to clean it, the
supply of grain is stopped and the water is allowed to run through until all foreign
matters are washed out through the overflow K. The supply of water is then
stopped and that which remains in the apparatus is allowed to flow out by the
valve O and will carry away with it any grain still remaining therein. After this
the lower valve D is opened, the perforated bottom C being in one with it, is
lowered to a corresponding amount, and the water below the level of the valve O
runs out taking with it the deposit of sand and grit resting upon the corrugated
bottom B.
The water and grain passing through valve O is conducted by the tube Q
through Y into the cylinder S of the fan drier, the water runs out of said cylinder
through perforations and falls into the tub or vat W from whence it runs out by
tube A while the grain which cannot pass through the perforations of the
cylinder S falls upon the floats T which revolve rapidly and throw it against
the sides of said cylinder S from whence it falls upon the helical blades R which
carry it up to the top part D³ for passing out by E. The helical blades R are but
of small width so that the grain may be raised in small layers and so that the
current of air given by the rotation of the floats T passes easily over same and
dries any moisture which it may still contain.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
First: The apparatus for washing and drying grain composed of 2 combined
apparatus of which one forms the washer and the other the drier substantially as
herein before set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Second: In the washing apparatus the arrangement of hollow shaft fitted
concentrically around the solid shaft, the one carrying the agitator and the other
the scraper, as herein set forth.
Third: The application to the washing apparatus of the corrugated bottom sheet
or plate forming, in conjunction with a perforated metal cone, a double bottom, for
the purposes specified; and fitted with a valve by which the waste products of the
washing process are withdrawn.
Fourth: The drying apparatus consisting of a double sided receptacle (one
perforated, the other solid) and containing a shaft actuating helical screw blades
which drive or carry the grain upwards and dry it, as herein set forth,

page_text: Fifth The general construction and arrangement of each apparatus forming
together a new combination, and the construction and arrangement of the inlets
and outlets for water and other matters, the outlet valve, the overflow, and the
bars K and particularly the method of conducting the grain from bottom to top
by a helix or screw in the drying process substantially as and for the purposes
specified.