IMPROVEMENTS IN GRANARIES OR APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING GRAIN
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Spence, of 50, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN GRANARIES OR APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING GRAIN."- A communication
from Charles Joseph Emile Pavy, of Girardet, Indre et Loire, in the
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Spence 'at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petitiou, 'on' the
22nd December 1858.
I, WILLIAM SPENCE, 'of 50), Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention' for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GRANARIES OR APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING GRAIN," (being
a communication from Charles Joseph Emile l'avy, of Girardet, Indre et Loire,
in the Empire of France, Farmer and Landowner,) to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the construction of granaries or apparatus
in which grain may be stored and preserved by its being sufficiently ventilated
and stirred or turned over, and protected from vermin, such granaries or
apparatus being portable; and the parts easily put together as required.
For this purpose the apparatus consists of a strong wooden chest supported
on pillars, and strengthened by cross-tie pieces bound together by clamps,
being also kept from yielding to the pressure in an outward direction by means

page_text: of longitudinal and lateral stretchers. The bottom of the said chest
terminates in a funnel or hopper, and at its extremity is fitted a pipe or
conduit furnished with a valve or regulator, which is closed when the appa-
ratus is at rest by means of a padlock. This pipe or conduit, which serves
equally for putting grain into sack, leads to a sieve of ordinary form, and fur-
nished with a handle on each side. To the sieve is connected an inclined board
or channel, receiving a jerking kind of movement from the sieve, and which
conducts the grain from the latter to a receptacle either under or above ground,
which receptacle is closed by a door. Into this receptacle an endless bucket
chain dips, being passed over a pulley at the lower part of the receptacle and
over another mounted at the upper part of the apparatus. On the axle of the
former pulley is another of larger diameter, which, by means of an endless
strap or band, communicates the motion of the chain to the sieve when the
apparatus is driven bymechanical power, but when manual labour is employed,
motion is communicated from the sieve to the chain. The chain receives its
motion from the prime mover through a driving pulley. The chain is
supported in the middle of the apparatus by an arm or bracket, carrying at
its extremity a pulley or sheave over which the chain passes freely. At the
upper part of the apparatus is a receptable for the grain as it is carried up
and deposited by the working of the chain; such receptacle communicating
with the apparatus through a grating to prevent mice or other similar vermin
passing into the same. There is a door leading into the apparatus at the upper
part thereof, and a tailing to prevent accidents. There is also an indicator,
consisting of a ball suspended by a cord or chain, to which is also con-
nected a kind of parachute with moveable wings. As the grain has become
ventilated or winnowed the ball descends to obstruct the passage of it to the
sieve, and when the contents of the granary or apparatus have been operated
upon, the outlet it closed, and the ball is drawn up again, the wings of the
parachute collapsing as it passes through the mass of grain. There is also
a graduated index, intended to shew the quantity of grain which the granary
or apparatus contains.
For greater security the granary or apparatus may be covered with plaster
or composition on the outside, or with a thin coating of zinc on the inside.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Spence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th June 1859."
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SPENCE, of 50, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Hér most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did; for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Spence, Her special license that I, the said William
Spence, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Spence, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Mau, an Invention for "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN GRANARIES OR APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING GRAIN," being a com-
munication from Charles Joseph Emile Pavy, of Giardet, Indre et Loire, in the
Empire of France, Farmer and Landowner, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, 'the said William Spence, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in, what manner the same is 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 Spence, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention of improvements in granaries or apparatus for preserving
grain has for its object the construction of granaries or apparatus in which
grain may be stored and preserved by its being sufficiently ventilated.and
stirred or turned over, and protected from vermin; such granaries or
apparatus being portable, and the parts easily put together as required.
For this purpose the apparatus consists of a strong chest composed of wood
or other material adapted to give it strength, supported on pillars or standards,
and strengthened by cross tie pieces bound together by clamps, being also kept

page_text: from yielding to the pressure in an outward direction by means of longitudinal
and lateral stretchers. The bottom of the said chest terminates in a funnel
or hopper, and at its extremity is fitted a pipe or conduit furnished with a
valve or regulator, which is closed by means of a padlock when the apparatus
is at rest. This pipe or conduit, which serves equally for putting grain
into sack, leads to a sieve of ordinary form, and furnished with a handle or
means of turning it on each side. To the sieve is connected an inclined
board or channel receiving a jerking kind of movement from the sieve, and
which conducts the grain from the latter to a receptacle either under or
above ground, which receptacle is closed by a door.
Into this receptaclean endless bucket chain dips, being passed over a pulley
at the lower part of the receptacle, and over another mounted at the upper
part of the apparatus. On the axle of the former pulley is another of larger
diameter, which, by means of an endless strap or band communicates the
motion of the chain to the sieve when the apparatus is driven by mechanical
power, but when manual labour is employed, motion is communicated from
the sieve to the chain. The chain receives its motion from the prime mover
through a driving pulley. At the upper part of the apparatus is a receptacle
for the grain as it is carried up and deposited by the working of the chain,
such receptacle communicating with the apparatus through a grating to
prevent mice or other similar vermin from passing into the same. Access is
afforded to the upper part of the apparatus by a staircase, or by a door, or in
any other convenient mode, and a railing is provided in order to prevent
accidents. There is also an indicator consisting of a ball suspended by a cord
or chain, to which is also connected a kind of parachute with moveable wings.
As the grain has become ventilated or winnowed the ball descends to obstruct
the passage of it to the sieve, and when the contents of the granary or appa-
ratus have been operated upov, the outlet is closed, and the ball is drawn up
again, the wings of the parachute collapsing as it passes through the mass of
grain, or the proper movement and a levelling of the grain may be otherwise
ascertained. There is also a graduated index, intending to shew the quantity
of grain which the granary or apparatus contains. For greater security the
granary or apparatus may be covered with plaster or composition on the out-
side, or with a thin coating of zinc on the inside.
The apparatus above described may be modified in form while retaining
its essential features, and may consist of several chests or granaries combined
and connected with the sieve and elevating chain, in the manner herein-after
described or otherwise.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to

page_text: describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by
reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which are represented the
granary or apparatus with a single chest, and also the same with several
chests combined.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation, and Fig. 2 a vertical section of the appa-
ratus with a single chest; and Fig. 3 is a perspective elevation of the apparatus
with several chests combined. In all these Figures the same letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts. A, A, are the standards or supporting frame of
the apparatus; B, the chest with stretchers to give it the required strength
and stiffness, the lower part of which chest is in the form of a funnel or hopper
so as to collect the grain as it descends through the central and side portions
or compartments of the chest; C is the pipe or conduit for conveying the
grain from the lower part of the chest to the sieve; this pipe or conduit is
furnished with a cock, by which the passage of the grain is regulated; D is
the sieve into which the grain passes from the chest in order to be sifted and
cleaned; this sieve has the required motion imparted to it, either directly by
hand or by the band and pulleys E from the lower axis of the endless elevating
bucket chain F, which is driven at the upper axis by means of the band and
pulleys G from the prime mover. When the sieve is driven by hand, the
chain receives its motion therefrom. The bucket chain F carries the sifted
grain up from the sieve to the open top of the chest, into which the grain is
introduced through the conduit or channel H, to which is communicated a
jerking movement by means of the pulley I at its point of suspension or
connection to the support J, in which the chain F is contained; K is a
smaller chain revolving in a receptacle below the sieve, so as to deposit therein
the grain which has been driven out by the current of air and motion of the
apparatus; it is also useful in collecting for the sieve the grain from beating
apparatus without cleaning or without an elevator.
The apparatus or granary is lighted at the top by skylights or windows L.
It will be seen, on reference to Fig. 2, that the stretchers for stiffening the
chest Bare fixed closer together towards the lower part of the same; they are
also stronger, having to sustain a greater pressure than those higher up; they
are arranged and fastened so as to be capable of binding together the whole
structure; M are safety bolts furnished interually with ventilating channels;
N, N, are cocks for the side portions or compartments of the chest, which by
means of pipes are capable of turning the grain into the sieve; O is a fixed
conduit or channel for conveying the grain as required, either into the sieve

page_text: or into the sack P placed on the rocking support Q. The small bucket chain
K is set in motion from the pulley on the lower axis of the large chain F
through the band R; S is the staircase by which access is given to the upper
part of the apparatus. As above stated, the grain on leaving the buckets of
the chain is delivered on to the conduit or channel H, whence it falls on to the
spout, and is deposited on to the distributorU,which is made to turn rapidly
by the twisting of the cord covered with leather, to which it is suspended from
a rocking shaft. The distributor, which may be of wood or zinc, and furnished
with projecting beaters, is thus made to throw out the grain in all directions,
and cause it to be ventilated; the distributor may also be stationary, especially
if formed of strips of caoutchouc, from which the grain rebounds after falling
thereon; V is the common receptacle whence issue the pipes W, which con-
duct the grain to the side portions or compartments of the chest; these pipes
are suitably closed and are moveable. These side portions or compartments
contain each about 20 hectolitres (French, measure), and, make the chest.or
granary octagonal in. form; they are intended by facilitating the regular
passage of the grain, to receive seeds and other kinds of grain; they are filled
by the pipes W and emptied by the cocks,N, N, like the central portion of the
granary. There are ventilating pipes pierced with holes through which a
draft of air entering at each end of the pipes is communicated to the grain.
X is an octagonal cover to the lower part of the chest forming a counterpart
to the bottom thereof; this is intended to break up and divert the currents,
which would set in towards the centre perpendicularly to the outlet cock, and
force the grain to take a wider course, and to. fall in a level; the said cover is
also pierced at the top with small, holes through which the grain passes and is
renewed, so as to cause no vacuum which would expose it to the tendency of
being crushed. The small holes are calculated so as only to allow the passage
of the part of the grain required to feed the said outlet cock; Y, Y, are a pipe
and sack for receiving the small and waste grains, which have fallen from the
collector; Z is the graduated-scale for indicating the contents of the chest
or granary by means of marks corresponding with the level of the grain.
The regular working of the granary in the interior may,, be secured by
placing at each angle, and in the centre thereof on the levelled grain, a small
numbered billiard, ball (that is nine in all), when, if the feeding.cistern or
receptacle and the delivering one are well arranged, the balls which follow the
descent of the grain go out at a little distance, from each other. Ifoneofthem
be long retarded in the course.of its fall, the passage of the grain has to be
increased on the defective, side between the two receptacles; however, this
precaution, and all others which may be taken with the view of causing the

page_text: grain to descend uniformly and in horizontal layers, would be probably
inadequate to secure in a perfect degree the preservation of the grain by
causing each grain to fall periodically into the sieve, where it is cleaned and
stored afresh in the granary above that which is descending.
It will thus be seen that the grain on being introduced into the apparatus
from a beating and winnowing machine combined therewith, as shewn in the
Drawing or otherwise, in which it has been once cleaned, is received into the
sieve D, where it is cleaned a second time, whence it is taken by the elevating
bucket chain E to the top of the chest or granary, and deposited so as to be
regularly distributed therein andventilated in the manner above described, and
it is delivered at the bottom through the outlet ceck of the pipe C, either into
the sieve or into sacks or other receptacles as required. It may be remarked
that the cock of the pipe C is capable of delivering the grain at the rate of
about 5 hectolitres (French measure) per minute (but this rate may be varied)
as may be desired, either into the sieve in order to be cleaned, or into a sack to
be at once weighed. This cock is also capable of passing into the sieve 40
hectolitres (French measure) of the grain per hour, while the beater only
delivers to it 20 hectolitres. The outlet valve at the bottom of the chest is
firmly pressed against by a spring, which is distended when the valve is open
by means of a needle or slight stem of metal corresponding to the arms of the
support on which the sack is hung. When the sack becomes lowered by
its being heavier than the weight placed in the scale opposite to that of the
said support, the wire which corresponds with the scale carries the sack to
the needle which holds the springs, causes the needle to fall, and the pallet
being smartly pressed by the springs, which are no longer retained, instantly
closes the outlet. The same impulse sounds a bell giving warning that the
sack is of the required weight, and thus performs the office of a reckoner;
it also causes to appear an indicator, shewing the number of sacks issuing
from the granary. The same principle is applicable to cocks, but it is not
necessary to describe other varieties of adaption of the same to my Inven-
tion. Neither is it necessary to adapt and apply this mechanism to each
chest or granary, when more than one is used as herein after described, but
it is sufficient to apply it to one through which may be made to pass all the
grain intended to be delivered.
For the more perfect regulation of the descent of the grain, however, it
would probably be necessary to have recourse to the internal division of the
chest or granary B into various compartments, which would admit of the con-
tents of one compartment being completely emptied into another. In such case
it appears preferable on the score of facility and economy of construction to adopt

page_text: the form of apparatus represented at Fig. 3, which admits of all the combi-
nations above described with greater simplicity.
In the Figure it will be perceived that the granary may be formed' with
any number of compartments more or less as desired, from 50 to 1,000
hectolitres (French measure), for example. In the present instance it is
shewn combined with a beating machine; it is slightly raised for the purpose of
directing the grain which falls'below it into the trough of the small elevating
bucket chain. If the beater has no cleaner combined with it, then it is placed
on a flooring a short distance above the ground, and furnished with a grating
of wood or iron or perforated metal, through which the grain falls into the
hopper, whence it is taken to the said chain. "This "grating has a 'shaking
motion imparted to it, which facilitates the passage of the grain througli its
openings, while the attendant employed to remove the straw or chaff with a
fork or rake spreads it over this grating, 'and by drawing it backwards and
forwards causes the grain to pass more or less free from'short straws or chaff:
The small bucket chain which collects this coarse grain' in order to turn it
into the sieve is armed above the buckets or in the spaces between them with
two or three small teeth of bent iron wire,in order to cause the stream of corn
to become embedded in the hopper,and to take up the short straws or'chaff in
the sieve which drives them out. Motion is transmitted to the sieve from the
beater, as shewn 'ata, the movement being less rapid than that of the beater.
The sieve may, however, receive its motion independently either by manual or
mechanical power. The small bucket'chain is placed in front and at the side
of the sieve, the use of it being to throw into it the corn coming from the
beater, and to cast out from it that which has fallen in front of the sieve so as
to avoid the attendant. The sieve is capable as in the former case of cleaning
and storing the grain by manual labour, but in the present instance it receives
the corn which comes from the beater 'and' that which is delivered from the
granary simultaneously; it returns the same cleaned to the large elevating
chain F, placed in the central space between or surrounded by the several
chests B, or in any other convenient situation. "This chain dips into one or
other of the chests in such a manner as to completely empty one of them in
order to transfer its contents perfectly cleaned by the 'sieve into one of the
other chests. By this arrangement the smaller in diameter and more
numerous the chests are, of the less importance is that which is unoccupied,
and it is desirable to group round the principal elevating chain as many vertical
chests as possible so as to reduce the space caused by the one left empty. The
chests B may be either circular or rectangular in the cross section terminating
in a funnel, so that'the grain may be completely delivered from them, and they

page_text: may be composed of wood or iron or both combined, or of other suitable
material. Instead of the cisterns or receptacles or of the cover for each
receptacle, the roof and floor common to all might be made to answer the
purpose, by means of suitable pipes, of introducing the grain from the chain F
into the several chests at the top thereof, and withdrawing it at the bottom so
as to convey it to the sieve or to the sack or the mill as required. The
pipes Ware capable of being closed, and are made of zinc or other metal or
of wood; they convey the grain from the common receptacle V, into which the
chain F pours it, into their respective chests B. 6 is a light roof or covering
for the granary to shelter it when set up out of doors, or in case of need it
might be completely enclosed, and if the granary be permanently exposed to
the weather it might be covered by tiles or thatch in order to protect the grain
from the heat; by this means the great advantage would be secured of beating
and storing the harvest conveniently for grinding, thereby saving the expense
of transport as well as liability to injury from vermin. The outlet or delivery
cock is closed by a key as above stated, and in order to prevent it from
becoming choked while in operation, should be inclined to an angle of at least
35 degrees, and be more contracted at the entrance than at the exit passage
for the grain. The several chests are supported on pillars c, c, which may be
varied in number and variously arranged, or they may be otherwise supported.
The mechanism for producing the several movements of the apparatus arethe
same as above described and need no repetition; also the graduated scale
and the distributor with other parts herein-before referred to.
By this
arrangement the small chain may be made to economise time and labour still
more on a landing quay by drawing up in a mass corn which was shovelled
into it, and even from the hold of the vessel, so as to bring up the grain of all
kinds into the sieve. This arrangement of apparatus might also be advan-
tageously applied to the cleaning and storing of grain imported in vessels by
placing a granary of about from 40 to 60 hectolitres (French measure) on 4
wheels, filling it on board of the vessel and drawing it by horses under the shed
or into the enclosure in which it was intended to keep the granaries side by side
instead of in sacks, which plan in some cases would be found economical.
The arrangement would be modified to suit the situations and mode of
employing the granaries; thus, at sea particularly,windmill sails adapted and
applied to the granary would be sufficient to work it as required. I would
here remark that the said Invention is not confined to the precise forms and
arrangements of the parts represented and described, nor to the materials of
which the chests or granaries are stated to be composed, nor to their dimen-
sions. It is obvious that when several chests or granaries are used in

page_text: combination, their form in the cross section may be varied and adapted to the
economy of space and convenience of connection with the arrangements at the
top and bottom for feeding and delivering the grain respectively which are
common to all the chests or granaries.
The Invention may be said to possess the following features: -First,
economical storing; secondly, the preservation of any quantity of grain so as
to protect it from weevil, mice, dust, or other ordinary sources of injury;
thirdly, the means of thoroughly cleaning the grain and putting it into the
granary by the use of economical mechanism as soon as the grain is separated
from the ear, so as to avoid hand labour; the incumbrance and wear of sacks
also in such a manner as to secure it from dishonest hands. For this latter
purpose it is sufficient to shut in the level ground of the granary and to form
a small enclosure or room under lock and key, in which the cleaning of the
grain and the making of flour may be carried on when one or more mills
are.placed under the chests. A bruiser and sifter or collector for seeds or
other apparatus for the preparation of flour or corn may also be placed there.
This Invention, although applicable for grain and seeds generally, is especi-
ally so for that which is damp or deteriorated by insects, and for maize
which suffers by frequent removals.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I claim as of the
Inventioncommunicatedtomeasaforesaidisthe construction and arrangement
of the above described apparatus, whereby the grain maybecleaned, ventilated
and stored, either temporarily or permanently, in the manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Spence, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
GEO. BEDELL COULCHER,
Law Stationer,
50, Chancery Lane.
WILLIAM SFENCE. (L.S.)