IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING MACHINES, AND IN RAISING AND STACKING STRAW AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Weston Tuxford, of Boston, in tho County of
Lincoln, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING
MACHINES, AND IN RAISING AND STACKING STRAW AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCE."
Sealed the 11th March 1862, and dated the 16th September 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Weston Tuxford at tho
.Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
September 1861.
I; WESTON TUXFORD, of Boston, in the County of Lincoln, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING
MACHINES, AND IN RAISING AND STACKING STRAW AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCE," to be as follows:-
The improved machine consists, first, of a combined centrifugal exbauster
for raising grain, for blowing and separating the light grain and refuse from
the bulk of good grain, for stripping the caps or white coats from off wheat,
and the horns from off barley. Within a case having outlets is fixed on 2
shaft an exhausting fan, having an opening into its centre for the admission of
air connected with the fan around its inlet, but at a distance from its side is
a perforated cone, having teeth, indentations, or projections on its outer circum-
ference; around the cone is a conical case, the inside of which has teeth,
indentations, or projections similar to those on the cone. At the small end of

page_text: the conical case, about even with the apex of the cone, is fixed a suction pipe
the lower end of which is extended to the level from which the grain or othe
substances are intended to be sucked or raised. When the fan wheel is sc
in rapid motion tho air is drawn up the suction pipe, and with it the grain
within its reach, the air is drawn through the perforated cone to the fans, and
is discharged by centrifugal power through the outlets in the case, before
alluded to, and is conducted by pipes to act with one or more sets of riddles
for separating the light grain and other extraneous matter from the bulk of
good grain, whilst tho grain is stopped by the cone, and carried round by it
to be operated upon between the cone and its case, so that caps or whiteheads
are stripped off the grain, and horns off the barley; or flat or dished plates, with
teeth, indentations, or projections on their faces, may be substituted for tho
cone and caso when required, in which case the suction pipe will pass through
the centre of the front plate, and the back plate will have a perforated centre
for the air to pass through, but sufficiently fine to prevent the grain following;
the grain is passed between the flat or dished plates, and operated upon in a
similar manner as between the case and case, and is discharged at the circum-
ference in a similar manner. The grain is received from the white coater or
borner into a case, the lower end of which has a self-acting valvo closed by a
counterbalance, so that a certain amount of grain must accumulate in tho
case before its weight will overcome the counterbalance, and allow it to
escape. The accumulated grain in the caso prevents sufficient air passing
through the case into the fan so as to neutralize the partial vacuum formed.
In some instances it is found desirable to arrange the white coater and barley
horner to operate upon the grain beyond the exhaust fan; then the exhaust
fau has within its centro a perforated cone. The air passes through the perfo
rations in the cone, and is discharged by the fan into a caso with outlets, as in
the preceding arrangement, whilst the grain is discharged through the cono
into a whito coater and barley borner, having a conical case either perforated,
or with teeth, indentations, or projections within it, the large or discharge end
of which is partially closed, and has an adjusting slide to retain more or less
grain in it to be operated upon by beaters fixed upon a hollow shaft with
arms which slides upon the fan shaft, and is driven by it. Tho hollow shaft
with its beaters can be slided further on or off the fan shaft, and will thus
adjust the space between the beaters and the conical case; the beaters havo
teeth, indentations, or projections on their faces for operating upon the grain.
The white conter or horner is fixed in a case, into which the grain from it is
delivered; the case has a self-acting valve, as in the preceding arrangement.
Another part of this Invention is applicable to stacking apparatus used with

page_text: thrashing machines or otherwise, and consists of two series of 'endless bands
of any suitable construction, one series placed above the other; they are
passed over grooved barrels or sheaves, and the lower series are extended at
their lower end further than the upper series for receiving the straw to be
elevated as it is delivered from a thrashing machine, or otherwise. Motion
is communicated to the endless bands, and the straw or other produce is made
to pass between the upper and lower series, and is held between them, and so
carried forward to be delivered at any required height. Instead of the series
of endless bands being placed one over the other, they may be inclined to
cach other, or made to assume a curve so as to form a trough for the straw to
be carried in. The grooved rollers or sheaves for carrying the endless bands
are fixed on an open framed jib, so that all may be elevated or depressed at
the same time by struts jointed to the jib sides, and made to incline more or
less by shifting the feet of the struts further in or out, or by some other known;
mechanical means, other series of endless bands may be continued forward by;
fixing grooved rollers or sheaves on separate frames, and the straw will then.
be carried to a further distance. The bottom end of the jib is jointed
to a frame which carries the driving motions for allowing the jib to be turned
at an angle to the right or left, and is mounted upon travelling wheels or not,
as may be required. Under some circumstances, the upper series of endless
bands may be dispensed with, and stretched bands may be substituted for
them.
A modification of this part of the Invention is as follows:-Between the
open-framed jib, already described, is placed a trough with inclined or curved
sides, having an opening along its centre; a drum fixed at each end of the
trough carries an endless band of suitable construction, to which are attached
forks or tines. The straw or other vegetable produce is delivered into the
trough upon the band furnished with forks or tines, and from the form of the.
sides of the trough the straw has a tendency towards the centre, motion being
communicated to the band; the tines or forks draw the straw or other produce
along the trougb, and deliver it at the further end. This arrangement differs"
from a former "Patent" granted to me on the Thirty-first December, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three (No. 3034,) in which the straw is
described as being drawn up an inclined back or bottom by rakes fixed on
endless bands, the rakes being above the straw, and not by tines or forks on a
single band or chain, as now specified, below the straw.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuanco of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Weston Tuxford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
March 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WESTON
TUXFORD, of Boston, in the County of Lincoln, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
mc, the said Weston Tuxford, Her special licence that I, the said Weston
Tuxford, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Weston Tuxford, 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 Mau, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING MACHINES, AND IN RAISING AND STACKING
STRAW AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Weston Tuxford, 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 samo was to be performed, and cause the
samo 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 Weston Tuxford, do hereby declaro
the nature of tho 'said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, referenco being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The improvements consist, first, of a combined centrifugal exhauster for
raising grain, for blowing and separating the light grain and refuse from the
bulk of good grain, for stripping the caps or whitecoats from off wheat, and
the horns from off barley. Within a case having as many spiral passages
leading from a circle described by the points of a set of vanes, when in motion,
as there are operations to be effected by the blast, thus dispensing with an air
chamber or receiver and its valves, is fixed on a shaft an exhausting fan, having
an opening into its centre for the admission of air; connected with the fan by
its shaft around the inlet, but at a distance from the side is a perforated cone

page_text: having teeth, indentations, or projections on its outer surface; around the cone
is a conical case, the inside of which has teeth, indentions, or projections. At
the small end of the conical case is fixed a suction pipe, the lower end of
which is extended to the level from which the grain or other substances are
intended to be sucked or raised. When the fan is set in proper motion the
air is drawn up the suction pipe, and with it the grain, &c., within its reach
The air is drawn through the perforated cone to the fans and is discharged by
centrifugal power through the spiral outlets in the case before alluded to, and
is conducted by pipes to act with one or more sets of riddles for separating the
light grain and other extraneous matter from the bulk of good grain whilst
the grain is stopped by the perforated cone and carried round by it, and is
operated upon between the cone and its case, so that caps or whiteheads are
stripped off wheat, and horns off barley. Instead of a cone, flat or dished
plates with teeth, indentations, or projections on their faces may be substituted;
in which case the suction pipe will pass through the centre of the front plate,
and the back plate will bo perforated for the air to pass through, but sufli-
ciently fine to prevent the grain following. The grain will be operated upon
between the flat or dished plates in a similar manner as between the cone and
case, and discharged at their circumferences. The force of the blast may be
regulated by separating the pipes and allowing a portion of the air to escape
in its passage, or by any other well known mechanical means. The grain is
received from the whitecoater or horner into a case with curved passages for
the grain to pass through, and which prevents the grain rebounding to the
centre. The lower end of the case has a spout with a self-acting valve. closed
by a counterbalance, so that a certain amount of grain must accumulate in the
spout before its weight will overcome the counterbalance and allow it to
escape. The accumulated grain in the spout prevents sufficient air passing
into the fan to neutralize the partial vacuum formed. In some instances it is
found desirable to arrange the whitecoater and barley horner to operate upon
the grain beyond the exhaust fan, then the exhaust fan has within its centre
a perforated cone made in parts, with a space between them for a ring on the
vane arms to run clear in; the part forming the small end of the cone is
secured to the case on the same side as the suction pipe, and the large end of
the cone on the opposite side. The air passes through the perforations in the
cone and is discharged by the fan into a case with outlets, as in the preceding
arrangement, whilst the grain is discharged through the cone into a white-
coater and barley horner having a conical case, either perforated or with teeth,
indendations, or projections within it, the large or discharge end of which is
partially closed, and has a spout with a self-acting valve weighted to retain

page_text: more or less grain in the case to bo operated upon by beaters fixed upon a
hollow shaft with arms which slide upon the fan shaft, and is driven by it.
The hollow shaft, with its beaters, can be slided further on or off the fan shaft,
and will thus adjust the space between the beaters and the conical case. The
beaters have teeth, indentations, or projections on their faces for operating
upon the grain.
The second part of the Invention is for an improved stacking apparatus,
consisting of two series of cudless ropes, bands, or chains, one series placed
above the other; they are passed over grooved barrels, reels, or sheaves, and
the lower series are extended at their lower end further than the upper series
for receiving the straw, &c., to be elevated as it is delivered from a thrashing
machine, or from a feeding apparatus or otherwise. Motion is communicated
to the endless. bands, and the straw or other produce is made to pass
between the upper and lower series and is held between them, and so carried
forward to be delivered at any required height. In some cases the lower
series of endless ropes, bands, or chains are connected together by cross bars
or bands forming a kind of lattice or net work. Instead of a series of endless
ropes, bands, or chains being placed one over the other they may be inclined
to each other, or made to assume a curve, so as to form a trough for the
straw, &c., to be carried in. The grooved rollers or sheaves for carring the
endless ropes, &c., are fixed on an open framed jib, so that all may be elevated
or. depressed at the same time by struts jointed to the jib sides and made to
incline more or less by shifting the feet of the struts further in or out, or by
some other known mechanical means. Other series of endless ropes may be
continued forward by fixing grooved rollers, recls, or sheaves on separate
frames, and the straw, &c., will be carried to a further distance. The bottom
end of the jib is jointed to a frame which carries the driving motions for
allowing the jib to be turned at an angle to the right or left, and is mounted
upon travelling wheels or not, as may be required. Under some circumstances
the upper series of endless ropes, &c., may be dispensed with, and stretched
ropes, bands, chains, or wires may be substituted for them.
Another modification of this part of the Invention is as follows:-Between
the opened framed jib, already described, is placed a trough with inclined or
curved sides, having an opening along its centre, a drum fixed at each end of
the trough carries an endless band or chain, to which are attached forks or
tines. The straw or other vegetable produce is delivered into the trough upon
the chain or band furnished with forks or tines, and from the form of the
sides of the trough the straw, &c., has a tendency towards the centre; motion
being communicated to the band or chain, the tines or forks draw the straw

page_text: or other produce along the trough and deliver it at the further end. 'In some
cases the opening along the bottom of the trough may be dispensed with, and
the endless band or chain, with its forks or tines, may be carried on small
rollers let into the bottom of the trough.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the fan and its case, the white-
coater and barley horner and its case, with the suction pipe and grain delivery
spout and its valve; Figure 2 is a section of the fan case, shewing the spiral
blast passages and the vanes; Figure 3 is a section of the case of the white-
coater and barley horner, shewing the perforated dise and the curved passages,
with the grain delivery spout and its valve; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section
through the fan and its case, having a perforated conical centre delivring
into a whitecoater and barley horner beyond the fan; Figure 5 is a plan of a
straw elevator, with an upper and a lower series of endless ropes, between
which the straw is elevated; Figuro 6 is a side elevation of the same;
Figure 7 is an enlarged elevation of the driving motion to shift to any angle;
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of a straw elevator, having forks on a 'single
endless band for drawing straw, &c., up a trough; Figure 9 is a section of
the end of the trough, with the pulley and forks on the endless belt; Figure 10
is a section through the trough, shewing a rib and carrying roller. The same
letters refer to the Drawings Figures 1, 2, and 3.
A is the fan spindle running in a bush A' in the centre of a plate, which is
removeable for inserting the fan in its case; A2 is a bearing carrying the
other end of the spindle; B is the driving pulley; C; C, C,' are the vanes of
the fan on their arms; D, D, D, are the spiral passages for the blast; E, the
suction pipe up which the grain, &c., is drawn; F, the perforated cone or
dished plate, having teeth, indentations, or projections on its outer surface;
G, the case of the cone or dished plate, having teeth, indentations, or projec-
tions on its inner surface; the case is extended in diameter, and has curved
passages H, H, for the grain to pass through when thrown off by centrifugal
power from the perforated conical or dished plate, the curved passages
prevent the grain rebounding to the centre; 1, the delivery spout from the
case G, with its self-acting valve J. Figure 4, K, the fan spindle, with its
pulley L; M, M, are the vanes on their arms; N, N, are the spiral passages
for the blast; O, the suction pipe up which the grain, &c., is drawn ; P; the
perforated cone in the centre of the fan case, part of which is connected to
each side of the fan case. The arms of the vanes M, M, have a ring around
them, which runs between the two portions of the perforated cone and fills up
the space that would otherwise exist; Q, Q, beaters, having teeth, indenta-
tions, or projections on their faces fixed upon a hollow shaft, which slides upon

page_text: the spindle K to adjust the space between the beaters Q, Q, and the case R;
S, the delivery spout from the case R, with its self-acting valve T. The same
letters refer to the same parts in Figures 5, 6, and 7.
a, a, the frame carrying the motions and the jib with its endless ropes,
which also answers for shafts for the horse when travelling; b, b, travelling
wheels; c, c, supports to the end of the frame a, and which turn up when
travelling; d, d, the jib sides, jointed at their bottom end and turning on
studs d', d', secured to the frame a; c, e, struts for elevating the jib d, d, to
which they are connected by a stay bolt and joints ff; the feet of the struts
have shoes g, g, sliding on rails 9', 9', secured on the frame a; the feet are
connected together by a shaft g, which has pinions upon it h, h, working in
racks i, i, actuated by a lover j, and held in their places by palls k, k; 1, 1,
barrels or reels on which the top series of endless ropes, bands, or chains l', l',
run; the lower barrel or reel of the top series is carried on arms m, m, which
turn on the studs of the jib d, d, and are held in their places by studs and
.slotted plates n, n; the upper barrel or reel runs in bushes in the horns of the
jib d, d; o, o, barrels or reels on which the bottom series of endless ropes,
bands, or chains o', o' run; the bottom barrel or reel runs on the axis of the
joint of the jib d, d, and the upper barrel or reel runs in bushes in the horns
of the jib d, d; p, the feeding table; 9, 9, pulleys on their shafts q', ', carry-
ing endless bands 2, 7, with bars across q', q;s is a plate, with a deep
centro boss, there is a groove turned in the face of the plate for dovetail-
headed bolts s', s', to slide in; on the boss of the plate s is an arm s² carrying
a bush at its extremity &; the arm shifts around the boss of the plates for
allowing the jib d to bo placed at an angle with the driving motion; the
arm is secured to the platos by the dovetail-headed bolts s', a'; the deep
centro of the plato s has a shaft running through it s', on which are keyed two
bevil wheels t, t; on the shaft beneath the lower bevil wheel is a swivel
bush, which carries one end of a shaft, the bush & on the arm & carrying
the other end; ', the shaft running in the swivel bush u and the bush s³ on
the arms; the driving pulley u is keyed on one end, and a bevil pinion t' at
the other end, driving the lower bevil wheel t; t is a bevil wheel driven
by the top bovil wheel t, it is keyed on one end of a shaft v, on the opposite
end of which is a pulley v¹ giving motion by a chain or band to the pulley v³,
which is fixed on the gudgeon of the barrel or reel, and drives the lower series
of endless ropes, bands, or chains o', o'; on the same gudgeon is fixed another
pulley, which gives motion by a band to a pulley v' on the gudgeon of the
barrel or reel, and which drives the top series of endless bands, ropes, or
chains; on the samo gudgeon is fixed another pulley v", which gives motion

page_text: by a band to a pulley on the shaft q' for driving the feeding apparatus.
The same numbers refer to the Figures 8, 9, and 10.
No. 1, longitudinal section of trough, up which the straw or other fibrous
material is to be drawn, and is intended to be substituted for the lower series
of ropes, bands, or chains described by Figure 6, o', o'; 2, the trough bottom;
3, 3, the supporting ribs; 4, 4, are pulleys at the ends of the trough, over
which an endless band or chain 5, having forks or tines 6, 6, attached thereto
for drawing straw, &c., up the trough; 7, 7, carrying rollers for the band or
chain to run on.
Having now described the nature of my Inventions and the ways in which
they can be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself
to any particular form or dimensions so long as the peculiar character of my
Inventions be retained, and what I claim as my Inventions are,―
First, I claim the elevating of grain and pulse by a partial vacuum formed
by an exhausting or sucking apparatus.
Secondly, I claim the use of a perforated cone, flat or dished plates for
parting the grain or pulse from the air entering into the exhausting apparatus.
Thirdly, I claim the curved passages formed by the projections in the
conical case for preventing grain rebounding to the centre.
Fourthly, I claim the carrying and clevating straw or other fibrous
substance between two series of endless ropes, bands, or chains, or upon a
series of endless ropes, bands, or chains running under stretched ropes, bands.
chains, or wires.
And, fifthly, I claim the drawing straw, &c., along a trough with inclined
or curved sides, by means of an endless band or chain, to which are attached
forks or tines.
In witness whereof, I, the said Weston Tuxford, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
תתמתחוזה זAMdi'ז.
WESTON TUXFORD.
UXFORD. (..)