Improved Machinery for Assorting Grain and Granulated Substances.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application. 17th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 17th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 12th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machinery for Assorting Grain and Granulated Substances.
I JOHN AUGUSTE ARNOLD BUCHHOLZ of 1 Westminster Chambers in the City of
Westminster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to effect, in a more efficient manner than heretofore,
the sifting or assorting of granular substances.
In flour mills, for example, the sifting action has been effected by traversing the
reticulated surface, whether cylindrical or flat, under the meal, and thus presenting to
it, as it were, openings for the particles to fall through. This movement of the sifting
surface, and the movement imparted to the meal itself, increases the natural tendency
of the meal to clog the silk, and retard, or eventually stop, the sifting or assorting action.
Besides this disadvantage, no adequate means have been hitherto provided for con-
trolling the action of the apparatus.
I now propose to employ a system of mechanical sifting which will allow of the
adjustment of the apparatus to suit the work in hand, and will impart a motion to the
meal under treatment, which must counteract, in a direct and effective manner, the
tendency of the granular substance under treatment to clog the meshes of the sifting
or assorting surfaces.
In place of imparting a rotary or a reciprocating horizontal motion to tho assorting
surfaces, I impart to the sifting surfaces (which will be flat sieves, slightly inclined
from the horizontal) a short rapid reciprocating vertical motion, the object being to
cause the granules to strike through the meshes of the silk, and fall onto the sieve or
tray below.
The efficiency of the sifting surfaces will thus be maintained, and consequently a
more rapid action than heretofore will be secured.
The disposition of the sieves and trays will vary according to the work in hand;
thus, when the meal is required to be separated into two sorts only, one sieve and one
tray will suffice, but for more qualities, a second sieve, or even a third (the meshes
being properly graduated) may be employed.
For the purpose of economising space in the mill, several series of sieves and trays
may be set one above the other, and caused to act independently of one another, each
series having its proper feed hopper and discharging shutes leading to suitable
receptacles for the assorted granulated substance.
A convenient arrangement of apparatus for carrying out the objects of my invention
may be thus described. I provide a vertical rectangular chamber closed at its sides,
but partially open at its ends.
In the sides of this chamber I form parallel horizontal grooves to receive sieves,
and a tray or trays which are inserted endwise into the chamber one above the
other.
This chamber may be fitted with one, two, three or more sets of these sioves and
trays for operating simultaneously upon a corresponding number of feeds of meal or
other granular substance supplied by a hopper to the top sieve of each series.
The several sieves and trays of each series I provide with a delivery shute for
receiving the assorted granular substances, and delivering the same into vertical
channels provided for collecting the assorted substances of like quality from their
respective sieves and trays, and delivering the same into suitable receptacles.
The assorting chamber is designed to receive a rapid vertical reciprocating motion,
so that the meal or other granular substance supplied to its sieves will be thrown
upwards from, and cause to fall back upon or through the sieves, according to the
size of the grains, instead of, as heretofore, moving over the surface, in search, as

page_text: it were, of open meshes. This reciprocating motion the chamber receives from an
excentric keyed to, or formed on a shaft situate below the chamber, which shaft serves
to support the chamber and its fittings.
Surrounding the chamber is a rectangular guiding frame pivotted on the bearings
of the excentric shaft, and fitted with anti-friction rollers which bear against the ends
of the chamber, allowing it to move freely up and down in the frame.
This frame is provided with a rack at its upper end, into which gears a worm for
adjusting its position on its supports.
This arrangement enables the assorting chamber, and the sieves it carries, to be set
to any desired inclination, without interfering with the reciprocating movements of the
chamber, the direction of which movements will remain at right angles to the sifting
surfaces.
The further to secure the guiding frame in its adjusted position, it may be held fast
to the enclosing case of the apparatus by means of screw bolts fitted to the guide frame,
and projecting through slots in the case to receive clamping nuts.
I inay remark that a spring or its equivalent may be adapted to the apparatus, to
tako the weight of the assorting chamber from the excentric or cam from which it.
receives its vertical motion. Or two assorting chambers may be actuated from a joint
excentric shaft, so arranged as to cause one chamber, while descending, to balance the
other in rising.
It may also be desirable to vary the throw and speed of rotation of the excentric, to
suit various kinds of material submitted to the action of the apparatus.
Dated this 17th day of July 1889
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machinery for Assorting Grain and Granulated Substances.
I, JOHN AUGUSTE ARNOLD BUCHHOLZ of 1 Westminster Chambers in the City of
Westminster, Engineer, 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:-
The object of this invention is to effect, in a more efficient manner than heretofore,
the sifting or assorting of granular substances.
to
In flour mills, for example, the sifting action has been effected by traversing the
reticulated surface, whether cylindrical or flat, under the meal, and thus presenting
it, as it were, openings for the particles to fall through. This movement of the sifting
surface, and the movement imparted to the meal itself, increases the natural tendency
of the meal to clog the silk, and retard, or eventually stop the sifting or assorting
action. Besides this defect, no adequate means have been hitherto provided for con-
trolling the action of the apparatus..
I now propose to employ a method of sifting which will allow of the adjustment of
the apparatus to suit the work in hand, and will impart a motion to the meal or other
pulverized material, or granular substance, under treatment, which must counteract,
in a direct and effective manner, the tendency of the granular substance under treat-
ment to clog the meshes of the sifting or assorting surfaces.
In place of imparting a rotary or a reciprocating horizontal motion to the assorting
surfaces, I impart to the sifting surfaces (which will be flat sieves, slightly inclined
from the horizontal) a short, rapid reciprocating motion, perpendicular to the sifting
surface, the object being to cause the granules to strike through the meshes of the silk,
and fall onto the sieve or tray below.
The efficiency of the sifting surfaces will thus be maintained, and consequently a
more rapid action than heretofore will be secured.
The disposition of the sieves and trays will vary according to the work in hand;
thus, when meal is required to be separated into two sorte only, one sieve and one tray

page_text: will suffice, but for more qualities, a second sieve, or even a third (the meshes being
properly graduated), may be employed.
For the purpose of economizing space in the mill, several series and trays may be
set one above the other, and caused to act independently of one another; each series
having its proper feed hopper and discharging shutes leading to suitable receptacles
for the assorted granulated substance.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shews, in side elevation, my improved
machine fitted with two sets of sieves; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the machine,
taken on the line 1, 2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same,
taken on the line 3, 4 of Fig. 2.
AA is the main framing of the machine, consisting of two A-shaped standards,
bent over at their upper ends to meet and form a central bearing for a worm
shaft.
These A-shaped standards carry each a bearing for a transverse shaft B, which is
designed to receive a rapid rotary motion for the purpose to be presently described.
Cis a frame set within the main frame A, and resting upon the bearings of the
shaft B. This frame is capable of adjustment to give it any desired inclination towards
the front of the machine.
Projecting from the opposite sides of the frame C, and through segment slots formed
in the frame A, are bolts c, which are fitted with clamping nuts for securing the
frame C in its adjusted inclined position.
On its inner face, this frame C is fitted with adjustable V guides, arranged, as shewn
at Fig. 2, to receive V projections on a vertical yoke casting D, which cimbraces a
rectangular sieve chamber E.
This yoke is fitted at bottom with a sliding block d, bored to receive a sleeve
excentric, fitted to the shaft B, which is the driving shaft of the machine.
The shaft B has, at its centre, an excentric portion, which fits the sleeve excentric,
and serves to increase or diminish its excentricity, according to the position in which
the sleeve excentric is locked to its shaft.
One end of the fixed excentric and of the sleeve excentric is coned so as, when
clamped together, to hold, by friction of contact, the sleeve excentric firmly in its
adjusted position.
The clamping is effected by a clamping nut 2, fitted to threads cut on the driving
shaft, which nut bears against an excentric washer or collar 4, interposed between it
and the sleeve excentric b. A similar nut and washer at the opposite end of the sleeve
excentric serve to release it for the purpose of adjustment.
I have said that this excentric works in a sliding block carried by the yoke D. This
block is shewn in section at d, Figs. 2 and 3, and is supported by a plate d', carried by
distance pieces d², pendent from the yoke casting 1).
Between these distance pieces, the block d is free to slide during the rotation of the
excentric sleeve, and the thereby transmits, to the yoke, merely an up and down
motion, neutralizing the horizontal motion, which it would otherwise be compelled, by
the throw of the excentric, to impart to the yoke.
The sides of the sieve chamber are grooved on their inner faces, to receive sieves e e¹ e²
and trays e*, there being two sets of these contained in the chamber, and lying
parallel to each other.
The sieves for operating upon meal, consist of wooden frames covered with
silk, and formed, at their front or delivery ends, with lateral inclines, which extend
to short tubular shutes e³, fitted in the sides of the chamber E. In some cases,
when more convenient, the sieves may be made to discharge over the end in the usual
manner.
Fig. 4 shews, in section, the lateral inclines formed in the sieve, and their connection
with the tubular shutes which lead off the meal or flour from the sieve.
The trays e* are similarly constructed, except that they are each fitted with a close
canvas covering for receiving the fine flour, or fine meal, from the near or adjacent
sieve, and delivering it to the side shutes.
It will be understood that the shutes of the several sieves and trays of the one series,

page_text: are brought into communication with their respective receivers, so that the material
operated upon in the machine will, according to its different grades of fineness, be
delivered into corresponding receptacles.
The sieves and trays, when run into the chamber E, are secured firmly therein by
the pressure of elastic rings e, interposed between them. These rings are recessed
into the sides of the chamber between the grooves in which the sieves rest, and they
are held in place by clamping pieces e, secured in place by wood screws, as shewn in
Fig. 3.
The use of these elastic rings is to prevent the rattling of the sieves and trays
during the working of the machine, and to remove all tendency to end way move-
ment of the sieves and trays, to which they would be liable, seeing that they are
set at an inclination to facilitate the travel of the meal or other substance over the
sieves.
For delivering the pulverized material to the uppermost sieve of each series, boppers E¹
are provided at the back of the chamber (see Fig. 3), and to ensure the adjust-
ment of the chamber to the proper inclination for the work in hand, the following
contrivance is adopted.
Fitted to the top of the adjustable frame C, is a rack C, into which takes a worm a,
fast on a spindle a', which has its bearings in the top of the framing A.
A hand wheel on this spindle serves to turn the worm, and thereby to adjust the
frame to the proper inclination desired for the sieve chamber.
Interposed between the yoke D and the frame C in which it slides, are two coiled
springs D D', which serve to take up the energy at the end of each stroke, and return
it during the following half stroke, preventing rattling, and, in the case of the spring D³,
supporting elastically the weight of the chamber and its fittings, while relieving the
excentric at the end of each stroke.
Suitable means is provided for adjusting the pressure of these springs, so that they
may counterbalance one another.
On referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the frame is provided with fixed
screws, which enter the coiled springs D D², and fitted to these screws are divided
nuts, carrying each a hand wheel D³. The raising and lowering, therefore, of
these hand wheels, will impart to the springs the required stiffness for acting as elastic
buffers.
From the foregoing description, it will now be understood, that if meal or other
pulverized material desired to be assorted, is supplied to the hoppers E¹, and rotary
motion is imparted to the driving shaft B, the chamber E, while receiving, on the
uppermost sievo of each set, the meal or other substance to be operated upon, will
have a rapid reciprocating motion imparted to it, perpendicular to the sifting surfaces,
whatever may be the adjusted inclination of sucli surfaces. Thus, the meal or other
material will be thrown upwards from, and caused to fall back upon or through
the sieves, instead of, as heretofore, moving over the surface in search, as it were,
of open meshes through which to fall. By this means, therefore, there will be less
tendency for the sieves to clog, while the officiency of their action will consequently
be greatly increased.
It will be understood that when a double set of sifters is employed, the assorted
products from the two sets may be discharged, according to their fineness, into a
receptacle proper for the same.
I have spoken of the sieves as covered with silk, that being the material suitable for
sifting meal, but it will be obvious that for assorting grain or other materials, a different
character of fabric will be required as a covering for the frames.
In place of the V guides on the adjustable frame C, I may employ antifriction
bowls to embrace the lateral projections on the yoke D, as shewn in the partial side
and end views, Fig. 4, 4b. This arrangement might be adopted with advantage when
building heavy machines.
Fig. 5 shews in side elevation, and Fig. 6 in front end view, an assorting machine
with four sets of sifters, one half of Fig. 6 being drawn in section.
As the same letters of reference are used in these Figures for the corresponding

page_text: parts in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the detailed description of those Figures will serve to explain
the construction of the more complex machine.
It will be seen that in this example the driving shaft is situate between two siove
chambers E, each of which is similarly provided with a yoke casting D, which yokes
slide in a frame C common to both.
To give these two sieve chambers an independent motion, suitable to the work in
hand, the shaft B is fitted with two excentrics b, the one for giving a reciprocating
motion to the upper chamber E, and the other to the lower chamber, both of which are
provided with hoppers, as above explained.
The shaft B is in this case formed with two excentric parts, to receive the excentrics b,
and these excentric parts are opposed to each other, in order that the rise of the one
chamber may coincide with the depression of the other chamber, and thus avoid any
undue strain upon the shaft.
Tho springs for controlling the movement of the yokes in their frame, are in this
arrangement caused to press upon lugs projecting from the sides of the yokes, instead
of upon the top and bottom, as in the first arrangement, but in all other respects the
parts composing this machine will correspond with those described with reference to
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The springs are arranged in pairs, and bear on opposite sides of the lugs, and they
are embraced by pairs of lugs projecting from the frame C.
These lugs are bored to receive screws, which are fitted each with a nut that bears
upon the adjacent spring, a collar fixed to the screw being interposed between the nut
and the lug of the frame.
A worm wheel D³ forms the head of each screw, and into each gears a worm keyed
to a spindle, which has its bearing in the frame C, and is fitted at its outer end
with a hand wheel. By turning these hand wheels, the nuts will be traversed over
their respective screws, and will increase or diminish their pressure upon the springs,
as desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The construction of assorting machinery above described, whereby, through the
rotation of a driving shaft, a reciprocating motion is imparted to the sieve chamber or
chambers, perpendicular to the sifting surfaces.
2. The means above described for imparting a reciprocating motion to the sieves
and trays of an assorting machine, perpendicular to their surfaces, through the
instrumentality of a rotating excentric or its equivalent.
3. The means above described for elastically securing the sieve chamber in its
frame, and the sieves and trays in their chamber, and thereby assisting the action of
the excentric at the end of each stroke, while preventing the rattling of the parts
during their rapid reciprocating movements.
4. The mode of mounting the sieve chamber or chambers in their adjustable
frame, and of determining the inclination of the same to suit the work in hand."
5. The means described for adjusting the excentricity of the excentric, and thereby
regulating the reciprocating action of the sieves.
Dated this 17th day of April 1890.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.