IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING GRAIN OR SEEDS AND BRAN
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Frost, of the Steam Mills, Chester, and
Arthur Rigg, of the Parkgate Road, Chester, for the Invention of "Iм--
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Frost and Arthur
Rigg at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition;
on the 13th September 1858.
We. ROBERT FROST, of the Steam. Mills, Chester, and Arthur Rigg, of the
Parkgate Road, Chester, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING GRAIN OR SEEDS AND BRAN," to be.
as follows:
This Invention has for its object improvements. in cleaning grain or seeds,
and bran. For this purpose the screen or riddle of a machine is made of a
corrugated form, and the grain or seed is caused to meet a blast of air in an
upright or vertical spout or passage. The direction or action of the air blast.
is governed as it enters the upright or vertical spout or passage by louvre.
boards, and the quantity of air admitted to the. fan. or.blower is regulated by
means of flap doors over the inlet openings; these doors are controlled in their.
action by balance. weights or apparatus, so that, by the combined action. of. the,
air and the apparatus applied to the doors, the admission of air is. regulated.,

page_text: The grain or seed is equally distributed to the blast by means of a fluted
roller. The inner coating of flour is removed from bran by metallic scourers.
roughed in the manner of an ordinary grater, and is formed on a flat surface.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Frost and Arthur Rigg in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st March 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
FROST, of the Steam Mills, Chester, and ARTHUR RIGG, of the Parkgate Road,
Chester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of September, 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 us, the
said Robert Frost and Arthur Rigg, Her special licence that we, the said
Robert Frost and Arthur Rigg, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Robert Frost and Arthur Rigg, our 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 ex-
pressed, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING GRAIN OR
SEEDS AND BRAN," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Robert Frost and Arthur Rigg, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal
of one of us or them, 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 Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Robert Frost and Arthur Rigg, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in cleaning grain or seeds
and bran. For this purpose the screen or riddle of a machine is made of a
corrugated form, and the grain or seed is caused to meet a blast of air in an
upright or vertical spout or passage. The direction or action of. the air blast

page_text: is governed as it enters the upright or vertical spout or passage by louvre
boards, and the quantity of air admitted to the fan or blower is regulated by
means of flap doors over the inlet openings; these doors are controlled in their
action by balance weights or apparatus, so that, by the combined action of the
air and the apparatus applied to the doors, the admission of air is regulated;
the grain or seed is equally distributed to the blast by means of a fluted roller.
The inner coating of flour is removed from bran by metallic scourers roughed
in the manner of an ordinary grater, and is formed on a flat surface..
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, we will proceed more fully
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation of apparatus combined according to our
Invention for cleaning grain or seeds, and Figure 2 shows an end elevation
thereof; Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section of a like combination having
a corrugated riddle applied thereto; and Figures 4 and 5 show a plan and
section of part of a corrugated riddle full size for wheat. In each of these
Figures the same letters. of reference are used to indicate the same parts.
The grain or seed is fed from a hopper a, which has a fluted roller. b, to
equally distribute the grain or seed; the roller has a tangential plate or
scraper c; the grain or seed. descends the incline d into the upright passage e,
up which the blast or streams of air rise from the fan, and the blast is
divided and regulated by louvre boards f, f, which are set or adjusted when
in use so as to cause a uniform distribution of the blast, and in order that the
action of the blast may be observed a part of one of the sides of the passage e
may be formed of glass. 9 is the spout through which the grain or seed falls;
the light grains and matters are carried up and pass over the top at h...
:
In Figures 1 and 2, the corrugated riddle i is not used, but is shewn as
applied to a similar combination in Figure 3, where means are shewn for
obtaining a blast under the riddle from the same fan or blower as is used for
obtaining a blast in the passage e: This riddle i is made of corrugated sheet
zine or other suitable material, and is corrugated longitudinally, the perfora-
tions being through the ridges; and when in use it is to have a shogging or
shaking motion communicated to it transversely, and to be subjected to a blast
of air from a fan or blower on the under side, either as shown or otherwise, so
that the grain or seed will pass the perforations whilst the refuse matters will
descend in the valleys or hollow channels of the corrugated riddle.
To regulate the passage of air into the fan or blower j, there is employed
a weighted door k, the weight being capable of adjustment to or from the

page_text: door. The fan is driven by a band or strap from a steam engine or other.
power; and motion is communicated' to 'the: fluted roller by a band. m as
shown.
In constructing apparatus for cleaning bran two circular blocks of wood are
used by preference about three feet six inches diameter; these two blocks of
wood are faced with metal plates, or discs of sheet metal, which are rendered
rough by being punctured with numerous holes in the manner in which graters.
are made. One such disc is fixed to the working surface of one of the: blocks
and another of such plates is fixed to the working surface of the other block
in such manner that their projecting or rough points are towards each other...
And these two circular or cylindrical blocks are mounted and worked like
millstones, and the bran is fed through the eye of one of them.
Having thus described the nature of our. Invention, and.the. manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we make no claim.to
the separate mechanical parts described in respect to Figures 1 and 2, nor do.
we.confine ourselves to the precise details; but what we claim is,--
First, the combination herein.described.
Secondly, we claim the construction of:riddles with corrugations as herein
described.
And, thirdly, we claim the apparatus herein described for cleaning bran..
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Frost and Arthur Rigg, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Second day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
PETER MCWADE,".
Chester...
ROBEKI
ARTHUR RIGG.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)