Improvements in Pneumatic Elevators for Corn and other Granular Substances.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1893
Improvements in Pneumatic Elevators for Corn and other
Granular Substances.
We, THOMAS CASSIENET PALMER, and WILLIAM JOHN FRASER, both of
98, Commercial Road, in the County of London, Engineers, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:―
This invention relates to apparatus for elevating grain or other granular material
by means of air-currents.
In such apparatus as hitherto constructed it has been usual to cause the grain or
other material to pass through the elevating tube either by introducing a current
of compressed air at its lower end, or by exhausting the air from its upper end.
The object of our invention is to render pneumatic elevators more efficient than
heretofore by employing air-suction and air-compression simultaneously.
In carrying out our invention we arrange at the lower end of the elevating pipe
a nozzle for the discharge of compressed air into the pipe as heretofore, and we
connect the upper end of the elevating pipe with a chamber from which the air is
to be exhausted. In practice we exhaust the air from this chamber by connecting
the air-suction pipe of the pump which compresses the air for supplying the lower
nozzle with the said chamber, so that the suction from one end of the elevating
pipe and the discharge of compressed air into the other end of the elevating pipe
are effected by means of a single pump.
As with this arrangement a considerable quantity of air, in addition to that
introduced into the grain elevating pipe through the compressed air-nozzle, would
enter the said elevating pipe with the grain or other substance being elevated and
so tend to prevent the formation of sufficient vacuum in the chamber to which the
grain elevating pipe is connected, we provide an auxiliary air-pump or other suitable
means for removing the excess of air so as not to impair the efficiency of the
apparatus.
As with our invention the air which enters the suction side of the pump is
practically the same as that previously discharged through the compressed air
nozzle it is necessary to remove the dust from this air, and this we advantageously
accomplish by arranging in the pipe, between the chamber to which the upper end
of the elevating pipe is connected and the air-pump, a dust collector which
advantageously consists of a chamber having a series of canvas screens within it
through which the air is drawn and by means of which the dust is removed from
the air.
We may,
if desired, employ two grain elevating pipes through one of which
the grain is elevated by compressed air and through the other by air-suction.
Dated this 4th day of May 1892.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Pneumatic Elevators for Corn and other
Granular Substances.
We, THOMAS CASSIENET PALMER, and WILLIAM JOHN FRASER, both of
98, Commercial Road, in the County of London, Engineers, 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 to improvements in elevators for corn and other granular
substances in which air-currents are employed.
In such apparatus as hitherto constructed it has been usual to cause the grain or
other material to pass through the elevating tube either by introducing a current
of compressed air at its lower end, or by exhausting the air from its upper end.
The object of our invention is to render pneumatic elevators more efficient than
heretofore by employing air-suction and air-compression in the manner hereinafter
more particularly described.
To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation of a pneumatic elevating plant constructed according to
our invention, and,
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
In carrying out our invention we arrange at the lower end of the elevating
pipe a a nozzle 6 (or nozzles) of the usual type for the discharge of compressed air
into the said pipe as heretofore, and we connect the upper end of the elevating pipe
with a chamber e from which the air is to be exhausted. The grain or other
material raised by the elevator is delivered into this chamber and is discharged
therefrom in such a manner that no air can re-enter through the discharge opening
for the grain. In practice we exhaust the air from this chamber by connecting the
air-suction pipe d of the pump e (or other mechanical appliance employed) for
compressing the air for supplying the lower nozzle 6 with the said chamber c, s0
that the suction from one end of the elevating pipe and the discharge of compressed
air into the other end of the elevating pipe are effected by means of a single pump.
fis the pipe through which the compressed air is delivered from the pump e to the
nozzle b, and g is a reservoir for enabling such air to be delivered at such pressure
as may be required for the load.
As with this arrangement, a considerable quantity of air, in addition to that
introduced into the grain elevating pipe a through the compressed air-nozzle b
would enter the said elevating pipe with the grain or other substance being
elevated and so tend to prevent the formation of sufficient vacuum in the chamber c
to which the grain elevating pipe is connected, we provide an auxiliary air-pump or
a fan h, Figure 2, or other suitable means for removing the excess of air from the
said chamber so as not to impair the efficiency of the apparatus.
As with our invention the air which enters the suction side of the pump is
practically the same as that previously discharged through the compressed air
nozzle it is necessary to remove the dust from this air, and this we accomplish by
arranging in the pipe d, between the chamber c to which the upper end of the
elevating pipe a is connected and the air-pump e, a dust collector i which consists of
a chamber (or chambers) of suitable form having a series of canvas or wire gauze
screens within it through which the air is drawn and by means of which the dust
is removed from the air, and can be redelivered to the grain or into a separate
receptacle.
j is a weighing machine which we advantageously adapt to the receiving chamber ⚫
to allow of automatically weighing the grain raised.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A pneumatic elevator for corn and other granular substances in which the
expansion and exhaustion of air are utilized in the manner and for the purposes
substantially as described.
2. In a pneumatic elevator of the kind referred to in the preceding claiming
clause the use of a receiving chamber with an air-tight discharge outlet, substan-
tially as described.
3. The combination with a pneumatic elevator of the kind herein before described
of a weighing machine. in connection with a receiving chamber, substantially as and
for the purpose, described.
4. In a pneumatic elevator of the kind herein before described the use of a
chamber such as i whereby the dust contained in the air drawn from the receiving
chamber is separated and collected substantially as described.
5. In a pneumatic elevator of the kind hereinbefore described, an auxiliary pump
or fan for exhausting the superfluous air entering with the substance being operated
on substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 6th day of February 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.