IMPROVEMENTS IN MIDDLINGS PURIFIERS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I JOHN MURRAY CASE of 28 East First Avenue Columbus in the County of
Franklin and State of Ohio United States of America Flouring Mill Builder do
hereby declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MIDDLINGS
PURIFIERS" to be as follows:-
The Invention has for its object to give to small mills advantages hitherto
applying only to large mills in the use of high milling apparatus.
By these improvements small mills are provided with a series of independently
operating riddles of improved construction arranged in compact form so as to
occupy only a small area through each of which riddles a different grade of
material can be run without one grade of material coming in contact with another.
Moans are however provided for connecting the riddles when required. In small
mills it is desirable to run different grades of middlings on different riddles. The
material is generally put through three four or more machines in succession but it
has been found to be highly important to have every riddle tail off independently.
The art of purifying consists not so much in blowing the deleterious matter into the
dust room as in floating the fibrous matter over the tail of the machine: hence the
importance of independent tailing spouts for the respective riddles.
The Invention also provides means for cleaning and stretching the cloth and for
feeding the middlings evenly over the surface of the screen and also improved
means for arresting the dust whereby the miller is enabled at any time to discover
the grade of material being drawn over by the exhaust fan.
In carrying out my Invention I mount within the same frame a number of
riddles separated from one another by air-tight partitions and adapted to tail off
independently or successively. The advantages of high milling can thus be obtained
in a machine which will take but small floor space and will be capable of operating
as effectively as a number of different purifiers. The various riddles are connected
with a common air-trunk leading to a single exhaust fan, or a number of such fans
may be provided each connected to its own riddle.
Doors are placed in the side of the frame above the riddle and small horizontal
shelves or brackets are supported from said side of the frame which brackets having
dead air space immediately above them arrest particles being drawn over towards
the dust rooin and thus enable the miller to tell at all times (by taking a portion
of the material arrested by this bracket) the grade of material being blown over to

page_text: the dust room. The cleaning of the cloth may be effected upon either its upper or
lower side. If the former operation is desired a reciprocating frame is employed
provided with cross bars transverse of the riddle each of such bars having a
number of gravitating projections of metal or rubber which follow the sinuositios
of the cloth and when reciprocated back and forth thereupon reach and clean
every portion thereof. For operating underneath the cloth it is preferred to
employ a number of slates running longitudinal of the riddle and mounted in a
frame to which slow motion transverse of the riddle is imparted by suitable
mechanism These slates do not act by scraping although their transverse motion
adapts them to reach every part of the riddle; but their principal advantage is
that when struck by the cloth in the trembling motion given to the same by
reciprocation of the riddle a shock is imparted to the cloth which dislodges the
particles embedded in the meshes thus keeping the same constantly clean. When
a number of riddles are mounted in the same frame, as is the preferred construction,
these cleaning frames may be connected together by a belt which is actuated by
pulley and crank cam or other means. For stretching the cloth there are fastened
to each of the shaking frames of the respective screens a series of small iron plates
through each of which a screw is inserted for engaging with a loose wooden strip
on which the cloth is fastened. By turning these screws the cloth may at any time
be stretched while the cloth is in motion. The cloth may be easily removed by
making the aforesaid wooden strips to which the edges of the cloth are attached in
a number of sections and fastening the same together by hinges preferably made of
leather. The stretching screws being removed the cloth may be drawn out at the
end or side of the machine the absence of rigid transverse bars between the
stretching strips permitting them to be freely brought together. This arrangement
is of special advantage in those crowded mills in which it is impossible to remove
the cloth from the long rigid riddles without taking down the machine. The feed
box is provided with two sets of adjustable valves or distributors whose office is to
guard the outlets of the feed box so as to supply an equal amount to each of the
separate compartments-In addition to this a notched bridge_piece is provided to
distribute the material equally over each half of the cloth. By raising the valve
in one of the outlets material is partially cut off from that outlet and forced into
the other and by tipping the notched bridge one way or the other upon a central
pivot a perfectly even flow may be effected on the riddle.
The conveyor spout below the riddle is provided with an adjustable sliding valve
for regulating the amount of material which it may at any time be necessary to
pass back as returns or to be conducted to the lower riddle for another separation.
This sliding valve is operated by a stay rod projecting through the side of the
frame and provided with means for fixing in any position to which it may be set.
T
-- 1004
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
Agent for the said John Murray Case.

page_text: I, JOHN MURRAY CASE, of 28 East First Avenue, Columbus, in the County of
Franklin and State of Ohio, United States of America, Flouring Mill Builder do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MIDDLINGS
PURIFIERS" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The Invention has for its object to give to small mills the advantages enjoyed
by large ones in the use of high milling apparatua
By these improvements small mills are provided with a series of independently
operating riddles of improved construction, arranged in compact form so as to
occupy only a small area, through each of which riddles a different grade of
material can be run without one grade of material coming in contact with another..
Means are however provided for connecting the riddles when required. In small
mills it is desirable to run different grades of middlings on different riddles. The
material is generally put through three four or more machines in succession but it
has been found to be highly important to have every riddle tail off independently.
The art of purifying consists not so much of blowing the deleterious matter into
the dust room, as in floating the fibrous matter over the tail of the machine; hence
the importance of independent tailing-spouts for the respective riddles.
The Invention also relates to means for cleaning the cloth; to improvements in
cloth stretching devices; to an improved device for feeding the mouldings evenly
over the surface of the screen; and to an improved dust-arresting device whereby
the miller is enabled at any time to discover the grade of material being drawn
over by the exhaust fan.
In carrying out my aforesaid improvements I mount within the same frame a
number of riddles separated from one another by air-tight partitions and adapted
to tail off independently or successively. The advantages of high milling can thus
be obtained in a machine which will take but small floor space and will be capable,
of operating as effectively as a number of different purifiers. The various riddles
are connected with a common air-trunk leading to a single exhaust fan, or a
number of such fans may be provided, each connected to its own riddle."
Doors are placed in the side of the frame above the riddle, and small horizontal
shelves or brackets are supported from the said side of the frame, which brackets,
having dead air space immediately above them, arrest particles being drawn over
to the dust room, and thus enable the miller to tell at all times (by taking a portion
of the material arrested by this bracket) the grade of material being blown over to
the dust room.
My improvement for cleaning the cloth may be made to operate upon either its
upper or lower side. If the former operation is desired a reciprocating frame is
employed provided with cross-bars transverse of the riddle, each of such bara
having a number of gravitating projections of metal or rubber which follow the
sinuosities of the cloth and when reciprocated back and forth thereupon, reach and,
clean every portion thereof. For operating underneath the cloth it is preferred to
employ a number of slats running longitudinal of the riddle and mounted in a
frame to which slow motion transverse of the riddle is imparted by suitable
mechanism, These slats do not net by scraping, although their transverse motion
adapts them to reach every part of the riddle, but their principle advantage is
that when struck by the cloth, in the trembling motion given to the same by
reciprocation of the riddle, a shock is imparted to the cloth which dislodges the
particles embedded in the machine, thus keeping the same constantly clean. When.
a number of riddles are mounted in the same frame, as is the preferred construction,

page_text: these cleaning frames may bo connected together by a belt which is actuated by
pulley and crank, cam or other means.
The improved mode of stretching the cloth consists in fastening to each of the
shaking frames of the respective screens, a series of small iron plates through each
of which a screw is inserted for engaging with a loose wooden strip on which the
cloth is fastened. By turning these screws the cloth may at any time be stretched
while the cloth is in motion. The cloth may be easily removed by making the
aforesaid wooden strips to which the edges of the cloth are attached in a number
of sections, and fastening the same together by hinges proferably made of leather.
The stretching screws being removed the cloth may be drawn out at the end or
side of the machine, the absence of rigid transverse bars between the stretching
strips permitting them to be freely brought together. This arrangement is of
special advantage in those crowded mills in which it is impossible to remove the
cloth from the long rigid riddles without taking down the machine.
The feed box is provided with two sets of adjustable valves or distributors
whose office is to guard the outlets of the feed box so as to supply an equal amount
to each of the separate compartments. In addition to this a notched bridge piece
is provided to distribute the material equally over each half of the cloth. By
raising the valve in one of the outlets, material is partially cut off from that outlet
and forced into the other, and by tipping the notched bridge one way or the other
upon a central pivot, a perfectly even flow may be effected on the riddle.
The conveyor spout below the riddle is provided with an adjustable sliding
valve for regulating the amount of material which it may at any time be necessary
to pass back as returns, or to be conducted to the lower riddle for another
separation.
This sliding valve is operated by a stay-rod projecting through the side of the
frame and provided with means for fixing it in any position to which it may

page_text: Each riddle may be supplied with an independent fan but I consider it loss
expensive to have but one large fan, which may be placed anywhere in the mill,
and a suction air trunk connected with the machine at 5 Figures 1 and 2.
By regulating the quantity of air drawn from each machine by air-valves 6 in
each compartment, the same effect is produced as by the use of independent fans.
The respective riddles in the series have each an independent feed box 7. 8. 9
(the preferred form of which will be hereinafter described) so that if at any time
the miller wishes to run the machine with different kinds of material he can do so,
or if it is desired, the "cut off" or material not sufficiently cleaned in the top riddle,
may be delivered through the spout 13 Figure 2 to the feed box 8 of the next riddlo
below, and the cut-off from this through the spout 14, to the third riddle and so on.
In either caso cach riddle tails off independently as at 10. 11. 12. By these means
a most perfect separation is effected, and the expense of elevators necessary to
conduct the cut-off to another machine, is saved, and a further advantage results
from the fact that the combined apparatus occupies on the floor only the space of
one single machine.
In this machine each compartment is a perfect and complete machine within
itself, and any one may be used or operated while the others are at rest, or they
may all be used in combination.
One form of my improved cloth cleaner which is adapted to operato above the
cloth, consists of a light travelling frame Figures 2. 3 and 13 which is perfectly
well adapted for the purpose and which is preferably made of two bars 15 connected
by a longitudinal bar 16 and provided with suitable openings to receive gravitating
cleaners various forms of which are shewn in Figure 8 and in detail in Figures 4. 5.
6 and 6. These cleaners play freely through apertures prepared for them in the
bars 15. 15, so as to rest on the cloth of the screens 17 and be carried over said
screens.
The cleaners may consist of a light wire loop 18 Figures 3 and 4; a rubber tube
19. Figures 3 and 5; or may be constructed of any other suitable material, in any
manner that will permit them to vibrato loosely upon the cloth as they are caused
to traverse the same by the movement of the frame 15. 16. This movenient is
imparted by the action of the sprocket-wheels 20 carried by short shafts 20% and
employed to drive the endless chain 21 which is connected by a rod 21º as shewn
in Figure 2. The short shafts 20 allow the connecting rod 21° to pass in the
continuous movement of the chain as illustrated in Figure 2 and thus to impart
a reciprocating movement of the frame.
Figures 6. and 6 show a modification of this cleaner consisting of hinged loops 22
which are permitted to rest and slide loosely upon the cloth. These cleaners aro
made light and each independent of the others in order that they may not rest
heavily upon the cloth, and that they may vibrate with the greatest ease.
The cleaner frame may be made to traverse the entire length and only one be
used, or there may be a series of them, in which case the movement would only be
sufficient to cover the entire cloth. I prefer to make two, as represented, and
cause each of them to traverse one-half the length of screen with sufficient overlap
to insure the covering of the entire cloth in their successive movements. When
rubber tubes are used as cleaners. the material readily passes between them and
when wire is used it offers no obstruction to the flow of the material on the
screen.
In the form shewn in Figures 7 and 8 which is adapted to work beneath tho
cloth a number of slats 16, are employed, running lengthwise of the screen 17 and
answering both as supports to the cloth and as a means of keeping the meshes clean
These slats are framed together solidly and are made to move by suitable mechanism
about one-fourth the width of the riddle, or the distance between the slats. These
slats may or may not be covered with a soft material of any kind such for example
as plush or felt, to prevent wear of the cloth. As these slats are moved the motion
of the shaking riddle, and the action of the air, cause the cloth to tremble lightly
upon them-The effect is to clean the cloth both on the top and bottom without

page_text: brushing or rubbing the same-These slats being made to shake with the riddle
there is no rubbing of the cloth against the cleaner, as in other devices, which
rapidly wears the cloth out.
In practice it is found that the vibration of the cloth upon the movable slats is
preferable to having it rub hard, as it effects the result of cleaning the cloth
perfectly on top by the breaking up of any fine material which may adhere to the
cloth, so that the air can get an action upon it-It is also found that a vibratory
notion of the cloth on these slats or supports causes the middlings to be inore
active on the riddle, by which means the air gets a more complete action upon
them and a more perfect separation is thereby made.
I am aware that devices have been constructed for cleaning the cloth with.
travelling brushes, some of them travelling lengthwise and others from side to side-
of the machine, but my Invention does not depend upon the principle of brushing
to accomplish the result, but it is produced by a very rapid vibration of the cloth
by the action of the air upon these movable supports-When the suction of air is
applied to the cloth it inclines to raise the cloth off these movable slates but the
cloth being stretched tightly it instantly springs back upon the movable supports-
The effect is to produce a constant tapping of the cloth upon the supports below
which jars out any material that may be gathered in the meshes of the cloth, and
also breaks or loosens the soft Huff or fine material which often gathers upon the
top of the cloth thus allowing the air to remove it.
In the ordinary brush which depends upon the principle of brushing the cloth
upon the underside to keep it clean, it is found that the cloth readily fills up on top;
and requires frequent brushing by hand. In addition to the cloth vibrating upon
these slats or supports it is found that these supports being very light, they are also
constantly vibrating, the vibratory or trembling motion being imparted by the rapid
motions of the riddle. It will thus be seen that my cloth cleanser is in no respect
a brush, and that it does not depend in any manner upon the principle of brushing.
-The vibratory or trembling motion of the cloth and that of the movable supports
is so rapid that it cannot be observed by the eye but the effect is readily observed
in the lively action of the material acted upon-Three important results are thus
accomplished, that of cleaning the cloth on the top and on the bottom, and also
imparting a lively action of the middlings so that the air gets a perfect action upon
them I communicate the traversing motion to these movable supports by means
of a compound worm gear, which reduces the motion to from five to ten movements
per hour.
On the shaft operating the lower riddle at 23 Figure 8 I place a worm gear
This shaft extends to the center of the machine where the motion is further
reduced by the worm gear 24-Upon this second worm wheel I connect the
pitman 25 which operates the sliding bar 20-This sliding bar is rigidly connected
at 27 with an endless belt passing around the friction rollers 29. The endless belt
is also rigidly connected with the movable cloth supports 16. As the worm
wheel 24 revolves it produces a reciprocating motion of the sliding bar 26 which
communicates the motion to each of the movable cloth supports.
The principle of my double machine may be carried out indefinitely by placing
three four fivo six or more machines or riddles in one frame in a vertical column.
and in constructing machines of that kind the movable supports under each riddle
are connected with the vertical sliding bar 26 and all operated by one motion.
My improved mode of stretching the cloth consists in fastening to each of the
shaking frames 30 of the respective screens a series of small iron plates 31, through
each of which a screw 32 is inserted so as to engage with a loose wooden strip 33
on which the cloth 17 is fastened-By turning the screws the cloth 17 may at any
time be stretched while the machine is in motion-This method of stretching the
cloth is fully illustrated in Figures 1. 9. 10 and 11.
My improved means of removing the cloth consists in making the strips 33 to
which the edges of the cloth are attached in a number of sections, and fastening
v.
14

page_text: the same together by suitable hinges 34 preferably made of leather as shewn in
Figure 11.
To remove the cloth the stretching screws 32 are taken out, after which the cloth
may be drawn out at the end or side of the machine through one of the windows 35
the absence of any rigid transverse bars between the stretching strips 33 permitting
them to be brought freely together when released by the screws 32. This is a
very important feature of my invention, as there are many places in crowded mills
where it is impossible to remove the cloth on long rigid riddles without taking
down the machine.
:
In order to enable tho miller to tell at all times what is being carried to the dust
roon I employ a small bracket 36 which I suspend on the inside of the air
chambers 37; or attached to the sides of the machine in said Chambers, which
forms a dead air chamber above it, and the material suspended in the air readily
collects on the sainc. At any time the miller can open one of the windows 35
opposite each of which a bracket is suspended (ordinarily by a scrow 39,.as-shown)
and take from the bracket a handful of dust-room material, which is as much as
the bracket will hold He can then change his blast if necessary and in a few
moments examine again, thus enabling him at all times to regulate the blast to suit
the material being operated upon.
I am aware that there are machines made with large pockets in the discharge
air ports, but they are practically useless as they hold such a large amount of
material that it requires often several days to fill them. I do not use a pocket, but
simply a small piece of board or a bracket of any material about three inches square,
which when once emptied readily fills up again with sufficient quantity to determine
the nature of the material blown to the dust room.
As before stated this machine possesses advantages over previous machines in
that it is so constructed that any one of the series of riddles, arranged in one
common vertical frame, may be run independently of the others as each riddle has
a separate feed box, a separate tailings spout, and a deck separating the series of
riddles By this arrangement, if desired, different classes of material may be
supplied to the different riddles This is an important and valuable feature of my
Invention.
No previous devices that I am aware of cover this important feature, as none of
them are perfect or complete devices within themselves, as the different riddles
have to be run in conjunction with cach other and different classes of material
cannot be fed independently to the different riddles-Neither can one screen be run
without operating the whole-It is thus evident that I produce a new and valuable
function.
I am also aware that rubbing devices have been employed for the purpose of
cleaning bran or grain, but impracticable for my use Such therefore I do not
claim as my Invention.
The feed box as shewn in Figures 14 to 19 is provided with two sets of adjusting
valves or distributors 38. The Office of the valves is to guard the outlets 39 so ns
to supply an equal amount to each of the separate compartiments, and that of the
notched bridge 40 is to distribute the. material equally over each half of the cloth
By raising the valve in one of the openings 39 it forms a higher bridge and causes
more of the material to flow to the other part and by tipping the notched bridge 40
one way or the other upon its central pivot 41 a perfectly even flow may bo
effected on the riddle-The conveyor spout 42 below is provided with an adjustable
sliding valve 43 for regulating the amount of the material which it may at any
time be necessary to pass back as returns or to be conducted to the lower riddle to
be subjected to a heavier blast of air The returns as cut off, pass off from the
lower spout and the purified middlings from the upper trough.
The sliding valve is operated by a stay rod 44 held in any of the holes or
notches 45 to retain the said valve in any position in which it may be set.
It will be seen that in my Invention I combine a feed distributer, cloth cleaning
device, adjustable cut off and conveyer all in a simple cheap and efficient manner.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
First. In a middlings purifier the combination of a series of riddles, feed
attachments, tailings-spouts, stationary decks and an air trunk the riddles being
mounted in a vertical column and each riddle provided with its own feed
attachment tailings spout, and stationary deck and the series of riddles connected
to one common air trunk as and for the purposes setforth.
Second. In a middlings purifier the combination of a series of independent
riddles, a common vertical frame receiving said riddles one above another, and an
air trunk common to all said riddlos, each being adapted to operate when desired as
a complete machine within itself as herein described.
Third. The combination with the bolting screen, of a cloth cleaning device,
consisting of a series of gravitating cleaners connected with movable cross bars as
sotforth.
Fourth. The combination of the cleaner bars 15 (one or more) connecting rod 21",
endless chain 21, and shafts 20ª for operating the cleaners substantially as herciu
described.
Fifth. In a middlings purifier the combination with suitable means of support,
of shelves or brackets 36 arranged substantially as herein described to produce
dead air spaces and receive deposits of dust for inspection.
Sixth. In a middlings purifier, the combination with the screen 17 and the air
outlet 5 connecting with a suction device, of the dust bracket 36 applied within the
air chamber 37 directly above the said screen as described.
Seventh. The combination of the screen 17 dust bracket 36 and windów or
shutter 35 for giving access to said bracket as described.
Eighth. The combination with a suitable frame and adjustable devices of a
screem whose longitudinal side bars aro each inado up of sections of wood or other
material hinged together end to end the said adjusting devices being adapted to
stretch the cloth and keep it taut as set forth.
Ninth. The combination in a screen, of a cloth, stretching bars, frame receiving
said bars, and screws, the cloth being connected at its respective sides or edges to
the independent stretching bars and drawn apart and held taut by the screws as
setforth.
Tenth. The combination of the cloth 17 movable side bars 33 plates or lugs 31
and stretching screws 32 substantially as herein described.
Eleventh. The combination of means substantially as described, for producing
upward draft, the cloth adapted to be vibrated by the air currents, and the
supporting slats arresting the downward movement of the cloth for the purpose of
shaking it, as setforth.
Twelfth. The slats 16 forming a support for the cloth intermediate of the side
bars, and adapted to be moved slowly transversely of the riddle, in combination
with a cloth adapted to vibrate thereon as setforth.
Thirteenth. The feed box provided with valves 38 and openings 39 and pivoted
adjustable bridges 40 substantially as setforth.
Dated the 10th day of December One thousand eight hundred and eighty four.