IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIFTING AND PURIFYING FLOUR AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Walter Dobing, of Providence Row, in the
City of Durham, Millwright and Corn Mill Engineer, for an Invention of
2
* IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIFTING AND PURIFYING FLOUR AND
OTHER SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Walter Dobing at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th April 1881.
ROBERT WALTER DOBING, of Providence Row, in the City of Durham, Mill-
wright and Corn Mill Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIFTING
AND PURIFYING FLOUR AND OTHER SUBSTANCES.'
"
The object of the Invention is to effect the better separation of the finer
from the coarser qualities of flour or other matters, and the removal of the
impurities which may accompany the same.
For this purpose within a suitable outer casing or framework of the apparatus I
apply a sieve or riddle provided with a suitable silk straining surface; this sieve or
riddle is supported with capability of being vibrated, so as to assist the passage
therethrough of the finer particles of flour or other matters. This vibration of the
sieve or riddle is effected by means of springs on the underside of the sieve or
riddle being acted upon by short arms or projections from an axis or shaft beneath,
or otherwise, by which arms or projections in the revolution of their axis or shaft
those springs are compressed and then released, by which means the sieve in their
rebound is vibrated and the passage of the finer flour or matter is facilitated.
This axis carries a toothed wheel by which it receives motion from a worm
wheel on the main or driving axis of the apparatus or otherwise.
The flour or other matter to be treated is supplied by means of a hopper or
receiver carried by or connected to the sieve by a suitable channel, and partakes of
the vibratory motion imparted to the sieve or riddle; or a roller or other suitable
device for feeding the machine may be employed.

page_text: Communicating with the upper part of the chamber above the sieve is an
exhaust fan or other suitable means which serves to draw off impurities from the
flour or matters under treatment. Suitable valves regulate this exhausting means.
Communicating with the chamber at the lower part of the apparatus below the
sieve by means of a suitable channel or pipe having perforated sides, is another
exhaust fan or other suitable means adapted to withdraw from the. flour or other
matter impurities which may have passed to beneath the sieve, whilst the finer
flour passes from the sieve to a receptacle beneath.
By these means I am enabled to obtain a better result with increased economy
and rapidity.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Walter Dobing in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th October 1881.
ROBERT WALTER DOBING, of Providence Row, in the City of Durham, Mill-
wright and Corn Mill Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIFTING
AND PURIFYING FLOUR AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
The object of the Invention is to effect the better separation of the finer from the
coarser qualities of flour or other matters, and the removal of the impurities which
may accompany the same.
For this purpose within a suitable outer casing or framework of the apparatus I
apply a sieve or riddle provided with a suitable silk straining surface; this sieve or
riddle is supported with capability of being vibrated to and fro so as to assist the
passage therethrough of the finer particles of flour or other matters. This
vibratory motion of the sieve or riddle is also aided by a tapping motion, given to
it by means of springs on the underside of the sieve or riddle, being acted upon by
short arms or projections from an axis or shaft beneath or otherwise, by which
arms or projections in the revolution of their axis or shaft those springs are
compressed and then released, by which means the sieve in the rebound of these
springs is shaken so as to prevent the meshes of the silk from becoming blocked or
stopped up, and the passage of the finer flour or matter under operation is
facilitated
This axis carries a toothed wheel by which it receives motion from a worm
wheel on the main or driving axis of the apparatus or otherwise.
The flour or other matter to be treated is supplied by means of a hopper or
receiver, carried by or connected to the sieve by a suitable channel, and partakes of
the vibratory motion imparted to the sieve or riddle; or a roller or other suitable
device for feeding the machine may be employed.
Communicating with the upper part of the chamber above the sieve is an
exhaust fan or fans, or other suitable means which serves to draw off impurities
from the flour or matters under treatment. Suitable valves regulate this
exhausting means. Communicating with the chamber at the lower part of the
apparatus below the sieve by means of a suitable channel or pipe having perforated
sides, is another, exhaust fan or other suitable means adapted to withdraw from the
flour or other matter impurities which may have passed to beneath the sieve,
whilst the finer flour passes from the sieve to a receptacle beneath.
By these means I am enabled to obtain a better result with increased economy
and rapidity.
But that the Invention may be the better understood I will, by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, proceed more fully to describe means pursued by me in
carrying the same into effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section, and Figure 2, a transverse section of
apparatus arranged according to my Invention. In each of the Figures the same
letters are employed to indicate corresponding parts. a, a, represents the outer
casing or framework of the apparatus; b, b, represents the sieve or riddle to receive
the flour or other substances to be sifted or purified. This sieve or riddle b is
It is also
supplied with the matters to be sifted and purified through a hopper c.
provided with a suitable straining surface 61 of silk or other suitable material, and
this sieve has a vibratory or to and fro motion given to it by excentric or other
Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section, and Figure 2, a transverse section of
apparatus arranged according to my Invention. In each of the Figures the same
letters are employed to indicate corresponding parts. a, a, represents the outer
casing or framework of the apparatus; b, b, represents the sieve or riddle to receive
the flour or other substances to be sifted or purified. This sieve or riddle b is.
supplied with the matters to be sifted and purified through a hopper c. It is also
provided with a suitable straining surface b¹ of silk or other suitable material, and
this sieve has a vibratory or to and fro motion given to it by excentric or other

page_text: suitable motion, and a vertical shaking motion is also imparted to it by means of
tappets d, d, applied to a shaft e, which is caused to revolve for that purpose by a
strap acting on a pulley e', or otherwise, and in the revolution of this shaft e the
tappets d, d, act on springs f, f, attached to framework at the bottom of the sieve,
and in their rebound these springs act on small pieces of india rubber or. other
suitable flexible material g, also attached to the framework of the bottom of the
sieve, by which the desired vertical skating motion is obtained to the sieve or
riddle b. The object of this vertical shaking or tapping motion is to aid in keeping
the meshes of the silk or other fabric 6' open; 62 is a duct or trough for receiving
and carrying away matters that fall over the tail end of the sieve; h, h, are exhaust
fans for exhausting and conducting away the light or impure matters floating in
the chamber a above the sieve b, and thereby to prevent such matters from getting
through the bottom of the sieve with the middlings; h¹, h¹, are valves to regulate
the exhaust effected by the fans h, h; i, i, is an exhaust pipe with perforation
through the sides of it, and connected with a fan i¹ for acting on the material after
it has passed through the sieve b; j is a cover to the exhaust pipe i to assist the
distribution of the material as it passes through the sieve b, so that it may be
conducted to the sides of the interior of the apparatus below the sieve; kc, k, are
openings in the sides of the lower part of the chamber a, through which air is
drawn up through the meshes of the silk or other fabric b' to the fans h, h;
m, m, are openings to supply air to the pipe i, and thence to the fan i¹; o is a
worm shaped conveyor for moving forward, as may be desired, the purified material
operated upon.
Having thus described my Invention and means which I adopt in carrying the
same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise arrangement and disposition of the parts, as the same may be varied
without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention.
But what I do claim is the arranging or combining parts of apparatus whereby
the sifting and purifying of flour and other substances may be effected, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Walter Dobing, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of October, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty one.
ROBERT WALTER DOBING. (L.S.)