CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANING GRAIN AND SEEDS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Whittier Throop, of Syracuse, in the State
of New York, and United States of America, at present resident in
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and Kingdom of England,
for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
CLEANING GRAIN AND SEEDS." -A communication from abroad by
Gardner E. Throop, of Syracuse, State of New York, United States
of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Whittier Throop
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,-
on the 11th September 1874.
I, JOHN WHITTIER THROOP, of Syracuse, in the State of New York,
and United States of America, at present resident in Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, and Kingdom of England, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR CLEANING GRAIN AND SEEDS," a communication to me from abroad' by
Sice As B

page_text: Gardner E. Throop, of Syracuse, State of New York, United States of
America, to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to cylindrical brushing machines, part of
which are adapted to smut machines, grain cleaners, and other machines
of like character.
In a machine in which is used a revolving brush for cleansing grain it
is essential that the space between the revolving brush and the sur-
rounding case should be within certain limits to produce the best effect
upon the grain, but the fibre of which the brush is made is constantly
wearing away, and eventually decreases its efficient action.
I find that if the brushes are set in rows, leaving spaces between
them, as has heretofore been done, the action of the grain upon the sides
of the brush fibre soon cuts it out, and destroys its action, while the wear
is less if the surface of fibre ends presented to the passing grain is
continuous.
To remedy the defects from the wear of the brush I make the whole
of the exterior surface continuous setting, by setting the fibres into a
hollow cylinder of wood so closely as to form an even surface on the
exterior, without any spaces that the grain can enter to attack the sides
of the fibres. In this way I keep the wear directly upon the surface of
the brush equally all around, which gradually decreases its diameter,
making the space between it and the case too great.
When the brush is of equal diameter at top and bottom the perforated
case surrounding it must be contracted in size. This case may be made
of any suitable material with fine openings, such as wire gauze, but I
prefer perforated metal therefor. I contract the case by the removal of
a series of rings from its top and bottom ends, thus lessening its diameter
as the brush wears out.
A second part of my Invention consists in causing a strong current of
air to pass up through openings around the lower head of the case by
separating the cleaning chamber from the chamber containing the fan,
which is placed below the cleaning cylinder on the same shaft, so as to
force the current of air upward through said openings, and prevent the
clogging which would otherwise take place if the air had another outlet
where this space is liable to become choked, as in machines having the
auxiliary fan and cleaning chambers united.

page_text: -'
In my improved machine the lower head of the case consists of a
collared centre opening into a fan chamber below, through which the
main centre shaft passes, and beyond this there is a concentric shoulder,
around the periphery of which the diameter is increased by a series of
concentric rings, the perforated case in which the brush revolves being
put around outside of them, with a proper space between brush and case.
Similar rings are also put on the top head. The parts of the case meet,
overlapping each other, and are held together by adjustable fastenings,
constructed in any convenient way that will permit the case to contract
its diameter. A thin strip of metal is affixed to one edge of the case,
and wound around a small cylinder affixed to the other side, with a
ratchet and pawl to hold it.
When so much of the revolving brush is worn off as to leave too much
space between it and the perforated case, both top and bottom outside
rings are removed, and the case is contracted in diameter to the next
ring; as more of the brush wears off, the next ring, top and bottom, is
removed, and so on until all the rings are removed, when the case will
have been contracted to its smallest size, and the brush worn out. Thus
by this simple and cheap device, consisting in contracting the perforated
case in some convenient way, the expense of a new brush is saved by
each contraction of the case.
In the lower head, just outside the concentric rings and perforated
case, and within the diameter of the outer closed case, there are openings
into the fan chamber, which openings form a communication between
the fan chamber and the space between the said inner perforated and
outer close case.
The fan enclosed within the fan chamber is mounted on the central or
brush shaft with which it revolves; it has inclined vanes or blades so
formed as to cause a strong upward current of air through the aforesaid
openings in the lower head, and through the annular space between the
inner and outer cases. The current of air from this source elevates the
extraneous matter that enters the annular space through the perforated
case in aid of the exhaust fan above, to which this lower fan is
auxiliary. This is a distinguishing feature of my clearing currents.
The lower case head separates the fan chamber from the brush
chamber in such wise that the grain, instead of passing down into this
latter, is led off through a spout on one side, cut off and separated from

page_text: the fan chamber below, and the main draught or blast from the bottom
fan is driven up through the annular space between the cases, as above
set forth. By this construction draught is kept up, and the machino is
unobstructed by dust or chaff detached from the grain; there is also
great saving of power.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Whittier Throop in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th February 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN 1
WHITTIER THROOP, of Syracuse, in the State of New York, and United
States of America, at present resident in Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, and Kingdom of England, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four,
in the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Whittier Throop, Her
special licence, that I, the said John Whittier Throop, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Whittier
Throop, my executors, administrators, and 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
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANING GRAIN AND SEEDS," a
communication to me from abroad by Gardner E. Throop, of Syracuse,
State of New York, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Whittier Throop, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, 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

page_text: Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Whittier Throop, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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
Sheet of Drawing and to the figures and letters of reference placed
thereon, similar letters denoting similar parts in each of the Figures
respectively:-
My improvements relate to cylindrical brushing machines, part of
which are adapted to smut machines, grain cleaners, and other machines
of like character.
In a machine in which is used a revolving brush for cleaning grain it
is essential that the space between the revolving brush and the sur-
rounding case should be within certain limits to produce the best effect
upon the grain, but the fibre of which the brush is made is constantly
wearing away, and eventually decreases its efficient action.
I find if the brushes are set in rows, leaving space between
them, as has heretofore been done, the action of the grain upon the sides
of the brush fibre soon cuts it, and destroys its action, while the wear
is less if the surface of fibre ends presented to the passing grain is
continuous.
To remedy the defects from the wear of the brush I make the whole
of the exterior surface continuous by setting the fibres into a hollow
cylinder of wood or other material so closely as to form an even surface
on the exterior, without any spaces that the grain can enter to attack
the sides of the fibres. In this way I keep the wear directly upon the
surface of the brush equally all around, which gradually decreases its
diameter, making the space between it and the case too great.
When the brush is of equal diameter at top and bottom the perforated
case surrounding it must be contracted in size as the brush wears away.
If the brush is a truncated cone it may be raised to contract the space,
but I prefer the cylindrical form as most efficient. This case may be
made of any suitable material; but I prefer perforated metal therefor. I
contract the case by the removal of a series of rings from its top and
bottom ends, thus lessening its diameter as the brush wears out; or

page_text: a series of concentric rings may be cast thereon as the equivalent
thereof.
To further protect the brush at the ends I wind a strip of leather or
other efficient substance around the brush cylinder at the upper or lower
ends of the brush, forming a ring y (Fig. 5), which projects out nearly
to the periphery of the brush, and protects the fibres from wear on their
sides above and below by the action of the grain thereon. As the brush
wears away layers of the protecting ring or rings may be removed when
contracting the case.
A second part of my Invention consists in causing a strong current of 1
air to pass up through openings around the lower head of the case by
separating the cleaning chamber from the chamber containing the fan,
which is placed below the cleaning cylinder on the same shaft, so as to
force the current of air upward through side openings, and prevent the
clogging which would otherwise take place if the air had another outlet
where this space is liable to become choked, as in machines having the
auxiliary fan and cleaning chambers united.
These deficiencies I overcome by constructing my apparatus as
follows:-Referring to the accompanying Sheet of Drawing, upon
which Figs. 1 and 2 show a plan and section of the lower head A of
the case, consisting of a collared centre opening into a fan chamber C
below, through which the main centre shaft passes, and beyond this
there is a concentric shoulder b, around the periphery of which the
diameter is increased by a series of concentric rings (as seen in the
Drawing) to the proper size for a new brush, the perforated case in
which the brush revolves being put around outside of them, with a
proper space between brush and case. Similar rings are also on the top
head. The parts of the case meeting, as seen at Figure 2, overlap each
other, and are held together by adjustable fastenings, constructed in any
convenient way that will permit the case to contract its diameter. This
fastening may be, as in Figure 2, a thin strip of metal c, affixed to one
.edge of the case, and wound around a small cylinder d, affixed to the
other side, with a ratchet and paul to hold it.
When so much of the revolving brush is worn off as to leave too much
space between it and case a, both top and bottom outside rings at 6 arc
removed, and the case is contracted in diameter to the next ring; as
more of the brush wears off, the next ring, top and bottom, is removed,

page_text: and so on till all the rings are removed, when the case will have been
contracted to its smallest size, and the brush worn out; or in case of
stationary rings, the case will be shifted from ring to ring as it contracts.
Thus by this simple and cheap device, consisting in contracting the per-
forated case in some convenient way, the expense of a new brush is
saved by each contraction of the case..
In the lower head A, just outside the concentric rings 6 and inner
case a, and within the diameter of the outer closed case, there are
openings into the fan chamber C, which openings form a communi-
cation between the fan chamber C and the space k between the said inner
and outer closed case.
The fan fenclosed within the fan chamber Cis mounted on the central
or brush shaft, with which it revolves; it has inclined vanes or blades
so formed as to cause a strong upward current of air through the
openings n, n, and annular space k (a plan of this fan is seen in Figure 4)
between the inner and outer cases. The current of air from this source
elevates the extraneous matter that enters the space k through the per-
forated case a in aid of the exhaust fan above, to which this lower fan is
auxiliary. This is a distinguishing feature of my clearing currents.
The lower case head A separates the fan chamber C from the brush
chamber in such wise that the grain, instead of passing down into this
latter, is led off through a spout on one side, cut off and separated from
the fan chamber below, and the main draught or blast from the fan ƒ is
driven up through the annular space / between the cases, as above set
forth. By this construction draught is kept up, and the machine is
unobstructed by dust or chaff detached from the grain; there is also
great saving of power by this construction.
The other parts of the machine present no features of novelty:
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the Invention
communicated to me as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is or
may be performed, what I claim as secured to me by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is,―
Firstly. In combination with a revolving cleaning apparatus, a con-
tracting case and heads, having thereon concentric rings of varied dia-
meter, around which the top and bottom of the contracting case is drawn
and reduced in size as the brush or other cleaner is reduced in size, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes described.

page_text: Secondly. The combination of the solid brush without open spaces
therein and contracting case surrounding the same, as and for the
purpose specified.
Thirdly. The fan chamber C separated from the cleaning chamber, and
with openings n, n, therefrom around the head A at its periphery, so as to
allow an upward draught from the auxiliary fan up between the outer
and inner cases, as described.
Fourthly. In combination with lower head or base plate A. the annular
passage and exit spout for the grain without passing through the fan
chamber C, as set forth.
Fifthly. The guard rings for protecting the brush at its exposed edges,
substantially as and for the purposes herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Whittier Throop, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.