Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Cleaning, Scouring, Decorticating, or Polishing Wheat and other Grain.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 27th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 27th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Cleaning, Scouring,
Decorticating, or Polishing Wheat and other Grain.
I, WILLIAM BLECKLY DELL, of 26 Mark Lane, in the City of London,
Milling Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to that description of machinery or apparatus for cleaning,
scouring, decorticating or polishing wheat and other grain in which these operations
are effected by causing the separate grains to rub against one another.
For this purpose I construct one or more horizontal disc-shape receptacles
that are mounted on a vertical revolving shaft, each receptacle being divided
by a number of concentric annular partitions into a corresponding number of
annular compartments. Situated at a certain distance above the upper edges of
these compartments is a stationary circular plate or disc suitably carried by the
casing or framing of the machine, so as to leave an opening above each partition
through which each annular compartment can communicate with the contiguous
one, and the size of this opening can be regulated by making the shaft carrying the
revolving discs vertically adjustable in its bearings so as to bring the edges of the
compartments nearer to or farther from the fixed disc. This has attached to its
underside suitably shaped deflectors that pass down into the several concentric
compartments, to near the bottom thereof, there being any desired number of such
deflectors in each compartment. These deflectors may be of any suitable material
and are of approximately double wedge shape and may be made with corrugated or
smooth surfaces.
The disc forming the bottom of these compartments is by preference formed with
radial corrugations.
The stationary disc has a central hole through which the grain to be operated
upon is introduced into the innermost compartment of the lower disc. The
centrifugal force, combined with the displacing action of the stationary deflectors
causes the grain to be pushed or thrown over the first annular partition into the
second annular compartment, the deflectors having the effect of moving about the
grain that is brought against them and squeezing it against the sides of the partition,
so that the grain is thereby subjected to a considerable rubbing action, in addition
to which it is subject to a further rubbing action in squeezing through the narrow
space between the edge of the partition and the upper fixed disc, in passing over
into the next compartment, and this action can be increased at will by raising the
vertical shaft as described. In the second compartment the grain is again subjected
to the same stirring and squeezing action by the deflectors therein, and by the
centrifugal action it is again made to pass over into the next compartment, and so
on, till the grain escapes from the outermost compartment. To assist the action
of the deflectors these may have inclined or oblique ribs formed on their outer
face.
In constructing a machine according to my above described invention, I prefer
to arrange a series of the above described revolving discs with their annular
compartments, the fixed discs and deflectors, one above the other inside a casing,
and I feed the grain into the uppermost disc, and after it has passed through all
the annular compartments it is caused to issue uniformly all round the outermost
one on to a conical shoot which leads it to the centre of the next disc below, and so
on, until it issues in a perfectly cleaned condition from the lower disc into an
annular trough from which it is led through a shoot to wherever required. The

page_text: outer casing has openings at bottom for the ingress of air and at the upper end it
communicates with a suction fan, by means of which an upward current of air is
maintained in the machine whereby the dust, light impurities, husks &c. are
effectually carried off.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1894
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Cleaning, Scouring,
Decorticating, or Polishing Wheat and other Grain.
I, WILLIAM BLECKLY DELL, of 26 Mark Lane, in the City of London,
Milling 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 :-
My invention relates to that description of machinery or apparatus for cleaning,
scouring, decorticating or polishing wheat and other grain in which these operations
are effected by causing the separate grains to rub against one another.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section of a machine according
to my invention. A number of horizontal disc shaped receptacles A are fixed
on a vertical revolving shaft B, each disc being divided by concentric annular
partitions C into a number of annular compartments. Situated at a certain distance
above the upper edge of the partitions C is a stationary circular disc D suitably
carried by the casing or framing of the machine leaving a passage above each
partition of the disc A so that grain can pass over each partition from one
compartment to the next, and the size of this passage can be regulated by making
the shaft B vertically adjustable in its bearings so as to bring the upper edges of
the partitions of A nearer to or farther from the fixed discs D. Each disc D has
attached to its underside a number of suitably shaped deflectors F which project
down into the concentric compartments of A nearly to their bottoms. These
deflectors are of approximately double wedge shape as indicated in plan Fig. 2 and
may be made with corrugated or smooth surfaces.
The discs A may be formed with radial corrugations.
Each disc D has a central hole through which the grain to be operated upon is
introduced into the innermost compartment of the disc A below it.
The centrifugal force combined with the displacing action of the deflectors F
causes the grain to be pushed or thrown over the first annular partition into the
second annular compartment, the deflectors having the effect of moving about the
grain that is brought against them and pressing it against the sides of the partition, so
that the grain is thereby subjected to a considerable rubbing action, in addition to
which it is subject to a further rubbing action as it is forced from one compartment
through the narrow space between the edge of the partition and the disc D to pass
over into the next compartment, and this action can be varied as desired by
adjusting the height of the shaft B.
In each successive compartment the grain is subjected to the same stirring and
pressing action by the deflectors F, and by the centrifugal action it is again made
to pass over into the next compartment, and so on, till it escapes from the outermost
compartment.
To assist the action of the deflectors F these may have inclined or oblique ribs
formed on their outer faces.
In a machine according to my invention I prefer to arrange a series of the above
described revolving discs with their annular compartments, the fixed discs and
deflectors one above the other inside a casing. I feed the grain into the uppermost
disc A and, after it has passed through all the annular compartments of that disc it

page_text: issues all round over the outermost partition on to a conical shoot G which leads it
to the centre of the next disc below, and so on, until it issues in a cleaned condition
from the lowest disc into a conical trough H below from which it passes by the
shoot J through the aspirating trunk S to any desired receptacle.
At the top of the machine there is placed an aspirating fan L, and at the bottom
of the outer chamber V there are openings M for the admission of air, so that the
fan draws all the lighter particles of dust and other impurities away that have been
forced or drawn through the perforated sides U around the discs, whilst the
heavier portions are deposited upon a revolving ring N, and are delivered into a
spout K.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
A grain scouring and cleaning machine wherein a number of annularly partitioned
discs on a vertical shaft revolve, each under a stationary disc having suitable
deflectors projecting down into the compartments of the revolving disc, arranged
and operating substantially as described.
Dated this 27th dow of Santamber 1901
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.