Improvements in Grain Scouring or Polishing Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 19th Oct.,
1895
Improvements in Grain Scouring or Polishing Machines.
I, GEORGE WASHINGTON MEAD, of Tecumseh, in the County of Lenawee,
and State of Michigan, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 a new and useful improvement in a grain scouring and
polishing machine.
The objects of my invention contemplate and include the general construction,
combination and arrangement of devices and appliances hereinafter described and
claimed, and pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, embodying features of my invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, showing parts in elevation.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 is a detail view in vertical section of the scourer E.
Fig. 5 is a modification wherein portions of the scouring mechanism are located
horizontally, the same being shown in vertical longitudinal section with other parts
in elevation.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the hopper..
ali.':
Fig. 7 is a detail view in perspective of one of the side plates in the scouring
drum showing the corrugated surface thereof.
Fig. 8 is a similar view of the opposite side.
Fig. 9 is a plan view showing one side of one of the stationary plates.
Fig. 10 is a similar view of the opposite side.
Fig. 11 is a plan view of the revolving pulley E.
Fig. 12 is a plan view of one of the revolving plates, the opposite side of the
same plate being shown in plan in Fig. 3.
Fig. 13 is an enlarged view in detail showing the construction of the division
rings, and adjacent portion of the driving shaft.
Fig. 14 is a separate view of one of the plates E'.
Fig. 15 is an inverted plan view of the scourer E.
Fig. 16 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section showing details of the
construction of the scourer E, the section being on the line y-y Fig. 15.
I carry out my invention as follows:
My improved grain scouring and polishing machine consists essentially of a
reversible scourer B, a detachable hopper connected therewith, a detachable
revolving scourer E, and a detachable magnetic separator located intermediate
the reversible scourer B and the revolving scourer E, and discharging into the
latter. These elements are herewith shown in combination, but I would have it
understood that the reversible scourer B may be used independent of the other
features of the machine if desired, and that I wish to cover as coming within
the scope of my invention various elements of the machine herein shown and
described in combination, independently of other related features, inasmuch as
several features of the machine are capable of either independent use or in
combination one with another.
A represents any suitable supporting frame. A¹ is a fan case, and A' any
suitable fan located therein. A is an induction pipe leading into the fan case
and A is an eduction pipe leading from the fan case. A is the main driving
shaft serving to drive the fan as well as other parts to be hereinafter named.

page_text: 1
A represents a loose, and A' a fast pulley located upon said shaft. The said
shaft is journaled at its base in any suitable manner as upon a cross tree A³,
engaged with the supporting frame A.
A is an additional pulley upon the lower end of the driving shaft for driving
the revolving scourer E which is yet to be described. A indicates the driving
belt.
I will next proceed to explain the construction and arrangement of the
reversible scourer B. A" is the base plate thereof, the same being a part of
the supporting frame, the driving shaft passing therethrough and having a bearing
therein. the shaft being provided with a collar a, thereunder, the collar being
adjustable by a set screw a¹.
B is a scourer in the drum or case of which the driving shaft A' is extended.
The case or drum of the scourer B is preferably made square in cross section
and having located in the four corners thereof stationary posts B' shaped on their
outer sides in the form of a right angle in cross section to conform to the drum,
and made of concave form on their inner surfaces, as shown. The inner concaved
faces of these four stationary posts B¹ are provided with circular grooves i,
extending longitudinally of the posts within which grooves are located sliding
posts B preferably made half round on one side to conform to the grooves, and
grooved as at 6 on the opposite side.thereof.
C represents a series of stationary plates each constructed with cars c adapted
to fit in the grooves b', of said posts, the same being held in place in any suitable
manner as by set screws c'in all four corners, the ears c, being upturned preferably
to receive said set screws. These posts B¹ are all made to be raised or lowered,
as by, means of a hand-screw B situated underneath the base plate A". The
stationary plates C are all raised together with the sliding posts B².
Upon the shaft A³ is engaged a series of revolving plates C₁ rotatable with
the shaft. The vertical adjustment of the stationary plates C will bring them
nearer to or farther from the revolving plates, as may be desired for any required
work. The revolving plates are separated upon the driving shaft A by means
of a suitable number of division rings C².
As shown more particularly in Fig. 13 that portion of the driving shaft
extending within the drum of the scourer B is preferably recessed upon opposite
sides as shown at a³, the division rings being provided with inwardly-projecting
ears c, c, fitted within said recesses of the driving shaft. In this manner they
are held to turn with the shaft. As many of these division rings may be located
between the revolving plates as may be desired.
Upon the upper end of the driving shaft is engaged a nut a³, which may be
screwed down tightly to bind the division rings and revolving plates in place
upon the shaft.
The stationary plates are beveled inwardly at any proper angle from the
exterior toward the central opening c¹, said opening being provided for the passage
of grain therethrough. The upper and under faces of each of said plates are
also corrugated or grooved in any desired manner to provide a scouring surface.
Thus, for example, one of the faces of said plates is formed with say forty-eight
grooves, curved from left to right from the outside edge to the center opening.
The other face of said plate may be formed with grooves, say forty-eight in
number curved from left to right from the outer edge to the center opening,
and with an equal number of grooves extending from the outer edge inward half
.the distance to the center. These plates are reversible so that either surface
may be placed upward according to the kind of work required. Their shape is
shown in Fig. 9 having rounded corners and intermediate straight edges. The
revolving plates C¹ are also grooved or corrugated as may be desired on both
their upper and under surfaces and are made reversible, the two corrugated
surfaces, the one being more finely corrugated or grooved than the opposite
.surface. These revolving plates are beveled from towards the center outwardly
at any proper angle the portion thereof adjacent to the division rings being flat.

page_text: At the four sides of the drum between the stationary posts I locate four
perpendicular plates indicated at C' against which the stationary plates C rest.
Each of these perpendicular plates I construct preferably with one flat smooth
surface, the opposite surface being grooved or corrugated as shown in Fig. 7, said
perpendicular plates being reversible. The stationary plates C project inwardly
therefrom as so many inclined shelves for the grain to fall upon and from which it
is passed inwardly from the outside and through the central orifices thereof. The
revolving plates C throw the grain off from their peripheries upon the stationary
plates and work it inwardly off from the stationary plates, the device thereby
effecting a self-feed of the grain through the reversible scourer B. I am enabled
thereby to effect a three-fold adjustinent of the mechanism by reversing the
stationary plates, by reversing the revolving plates and by reversing the upright
plates, thereby presenting any required surface to the grain to secure any degree
of attrition and scouring desired. The grain it will be seen is passed thus outward
and inward between the stationary and revolving corrugated plates through the
entire series and along the surfaces of the upright plates, the stationary plates
being adjusted to or from the revolving plates as may be required.
Thus the grain is automatically worked back and forth from the center outward
and vice versa passing over the corrugated surfaces of the various plates until it
reaches the bottom of the reversible scourer B from which it is passed by means
of a chute C communicating with the interior of said scourer through the base
thereof.
As many stationary plates and revolving plates may be provided as may be
needed and readily set any proper distance apart.
I will now proceed to describe the detachable hopper which discharges the grain
into the reversible scourer B.
Accordingly D represents a sieve supporting frame or hopper case, constructed
preferably of inetal and resting over the upper end of the drum of the scourer Bas
shown in Fig. 2. Within this hopper frame is located preferably two screens or
sieves D1 and D2. These sieves or screens may be of any desired construction as
of perforated metal or wire gauze. The upper screen is designed to be of such
construction as to allow all the grain to pass therethrough, but to separate there-
from all larger substances, the grain falling through upon the lower screen, the
larger substances passing over the sieve at its lower end into a chute D³ leading
into the eduction pipe A communicating with the interior of the fan case, a suction
being thus provided to assist in separating the coarse substances from the grain.
The grain falling upon the under screen which is of finer mesh, is separated from
all substances smaller than the grain, the screen being made to allow all smaller
substances than the grain to pass therethrough. The grain being prevented from
passing through the screen is discharged therefrom through a chute d, into the
Scourer B. The smaller substances passing through the lower screen fall upon a
solid sheet bottom D' from which it is discharged into the chute or duct D³.
The grain may be discharged into the hopper from a spout D' which may lead
from a grain bin. These screens D' D and the bottom sheet Dt are preferably
removable and all engaged in the frame D. This frame is agitated in any suitable
manner. Thus at the lower end it may be suspended by chains d' allowing the
screens to have any desired pitch. The opposite side of the said frame may be
connected by an eccentric d upon a vertical rotatable shaft De having a pulley D'
at its lower end driven from the driving shaft A' as by a belt D. This connection
will give the desired reciprocatory motion to the hopper frame, its screens and
bottom sheet. Between the reversible scourer B and hopper, I prefer to locate a
metal sheet D through which passes the spout or chute d. This sheet is hinged
at one side as shown at allowing the sheet to rise by the pressure of grain
thereunder when the drum of the reversible scourer B gets too full of grain.
the upper side of this sheet D is engaged an arm supporting a shell * of
suitable size and form to shut off the inflow of grain from the chute D. Wlien
the pressure of the grain below the sheet D is relieved the shell d' drops,
Το

page_text: allowing grain again to feed into the hopper and regulating the feed as may be
required.
The hopper D, with its related parts is located in an outer hopper D10 provided
with an outlet d leading into the duct D³. I also provide a shut off slide C₁ to
regulate the passage of grain out of the reversible scourer B into the chute C³.
The adjacent stationary plate may be cut away to allow the working of said slide.
1 will now proceed to describe the revolving scourer E and also the magnetic
separator thereabove.
E denotes a revolving scourer, the drum or case of which is preferably made in
sections, sleeved together like the sections of a stove pipe, as shown at e.
E' is the center shaft journaled in any suitable manner at its lower end as upon
the cross tree A8 of the supporting frame. E' denotes the driving pulley on the
lower end of said center shaft. Said pulley is preferably made with an outer
flange e and with inner flanges e² and e³. Between the flanges and e³ the pulley
is perforated or cut away as shown ate. Within the flange are other openings e
Communicating through these openings in said pulley are discharge pipes E³ and E',
the pipe or spout E' communicating through the openings et serving to carry off
the grain after being worked through the revolving scourer E, the other spout E¹
communicating through the openings e serving to carry off all coarse substances
discharged from the revolving scourer E.
E denotes a revolving pipe resting at its lower end upon the pulley E³ about
the flange. This revolving pipe is also preferably made in sections sleeved
together as shown at eº.
E' denotes a series of revoluble plates engaged upon the revolving pipe E' in
any suitable manner, constructed with a central orifice to fit thereover and slanting
outwardly toward the periphery. These plates are preferably made smooth on
their under surfaces and grooved or corrugated upon their upper surfaces as for
example with a suitable number of grooves curved from right to left. These plates
may have their surfaces reversed if desired to increase or diminish the polishing
capacity of the revolving scourer E.
E7 represents a series of stationary shelves engaged upon the inside of the
sections of the drum, said shelves being annular having a central orifice as at e'.
These shelves slant inward from their periphery to said central orifice. Im-
mediately therebeneath the drum section is provided with a series of orifices as
indicated at ea. Also beneath the plates E the sections of the central pipe E³
are provided with a series of orifices e².
The pipe E is open at the upper end and communicates with a chamber E8
thereabove leading into the induction pipe A³ communicating with the suction
fan. In this manner it will be seen the air is sucked into the revolving scourer E
through the drum and through interior pipe E³ and discharged therefrom into
the induction pipe A³.
The magnetic separator is located above the revolving scourer E and consists
of a case F constructed with a spout F¹ leading from the bottom thereof through
the chamber ES and through the top eo of the scourer E. Within this case is
supported a screen F2 constructed to allow the grain to pass therethrough. The
lower end of this screen may be hung upon a chain f. Its opposite end may be
engaged with a rod f' hinged upon the cover F3 of the case F as shown at f2.
The screen may be vibrated in any suitable manner as by means of a square
knuckle upon the rotatable shaft D, the rod f¹ being extended up alongside
said knuckle. Any other suitable means may however be employed to agitate the
screen F2
The grain discharged from the reversible scourer B through the duct C falls
upon the screen F2 and it will be observed that the grain discharged from said
scourer B is mingled with the scourings or substances removed from the grain in
its progress through said scourer B, together with any impurities should there be
not removed by the hopper above the scourer B.
any,
The case F may be perforated as required to permit a desired amount of air to

page_text: be sucked thereinto by the fan, the base of said case communicating with the,
chamber E. The grain passing through the screen F is thus in contact with
currents of air drawn in by the fan having a tendency to carry therewith the
Scourings or impurities mingled with the grain. The grain falls through the sieve
upon a magnetic sheet metal sheet FB which serves effectually to extract all particles
of metal, if any, which have been mixed with the grain. The grain runs off from
this magnetic sheet through the spout F¹ into the revolving scourer E there-
beneath.
F''
In the magnetic separator Figure 4 the grain enters at C³ and falls upon
which is perforated sheet metal. This frame is held in an inclined position and
hinged at the two left hand opposite ends and supported by chains at the two right
hand corners; said chains loop upon hooks to give the said perforated sheet and
inclined position required. Said hooks are made fast to the inside of the magnetic
separator case F. The sheet is given a swinging motion as by f' and ', thereby
making the first separation of the grain within the magnetic separator F that is
mingled with the scourings by allowing the latter to be passed through the
perforated sheet and scouring drum by suction fan through E. The grain then
falls upon F which is a stationary sheet of metal with all or a portion of it made
magnetic, said grain passing over said sheet F8 forms here another separation by
all particles of iron being extracted. Thus I separate the scourings from the
grain, separate the metal from the grain, and also the bulk of dust and other
impurities from said grain.
In the revolving scourer E the grain is separated and discharged through the
shoot 23 the heavier impurities are separated and discharged through the shoot E
and the lighter impurities are separated and discharged therefrom through the
fan. These combined separations of the hopper, reversible scourer B, magnetic
separator and revolving scourer E effect it will be seen a most perfect scouring,
polishing and cleaning of the grain, while also the means of adjusting the different
parts of the scouring devices are such as to enable the grain to be effectually
scoured, polished and cleaned without waste of grain, and all in a single
operation.
The grain entering the revolving scourer E falls upon the upper revolving
plate E and is thrown off from its periphery in contact with air currents upon
the adjacent stationary shelf or plate E7 therebeneath which again allows the,
grain to fall to the centre and upon the next revolving plate below and so on
through the scourer E, fresh air currents being passed through the grain as it is
in motion, removing all substances lighter than the grain.
I prefer to make the shafts A and E hollow, with a steel plug in the base of
each provided with a wick, the said plug being supported in a conical socket formed
of Babbitt metal in the cross tree A. Oil is admitted into the top of these shafts
and is fed through said wicks to oil said sockets.
G denotes suitable oilers to feed oil to various parts to be lubricated.
Sliding shut off's E may be employed to regulate the inflow of air into the
drum E.
In Figure 5 the scourer B is located in a horizontal position. The grain after
it passes through the hopper is allowed to fall into said scouring drum at the left
hand end thereof, here coming in contact with rotatable whole plates and non-
rotatable half-plates said grain is lifted from the bottom edge of said scouring
drum by each rotatable plate revolving from right to left and the motion of the
grain is continued all through said scouring drum thereby scouring or separating
said grain to any degree by placing the required amount of rotatable and non-
rotatable plates in said drum with either side of the corrugations placed against
said grain and held at any suitable distances apart between said plates; the grain
is then discharged into the magnetic separator F, the same as heretofore explained,
5 the said magnetic separator is operated the same as in the upright machine, and
said grain is passed through in the same manner and the same results are hereby

page_text: obtained. The grain is passed from the magnetic separator F into the revolving
separator or scourer E through the shoot E
This construction requires a modification in the driving mechanism, but my
invention contemplates any suitable driving mechanism to be employed in connection
therewith.
When the reversible scourer B is located horizontally, the stationary plates C
preferably extend to a little way above the shaft, as shown in Fig. 5.
When so
located moreover, the fan case is modified in construction to correspond and the
hopper is located over the upper side of the case on said scourer B.
The drum of the scourer B is preferably made removable in any suitable
manner, as for example by making the same in two parts hinged together as at b³
at one corner and providing a suitable fastening at the opposite corner, as
shown:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
Lion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The reversible scourer herein described having in combination: an inclosing
drum; posts B', and' sliding bars B³, non-rotatable plates C engaged with said bars,
rotatable plates C¹ and means to raise said sliding bars to adjust the non-rotatable
plates, substantially as described.
2. The reversible scourer herein described having in combination an inclosing case
or drum, reversible non-rotatable plates C, reversible rotatable plates C₁, and
reversible upright plates C², substantially as described.
3. The reversible scourer berein described having in combination a supporting.
base, an inclosing drum made square in cross section, corner posts B₁ located in
the corners of said drum and having inner concaved faces, sliding: bars engaged
with said corner posts, non-rotatable corrugated plates engaged with said sliding
bars and made adjustable thereby, upright plates located within the case between
said upright posts and rotatable plates C arranged alternately with the nOD-
rotatable plates, substantially as described.
4. In combination a scourer having a movable sheet D', an agitatable screen to
discharge grain into said separator, said sheet D' provided with a feed regulating
device operated by the uplift of the sheet from the pressure of grain within said
scourer, substantially as described.
5. in a grain scouring machine, the combination of a drum B, removable corner
posts B, sliding bars engaged with said. posts, removable non-rotatable plates
engaged with said bars, a driving shaft, removable rotatable plates engaged with
said shaft, and removable vertical plates located between the corner posts
substantially as described.
6. A grain scourer having in combination a square inclosing drum, non-rotatable
corrugated plates C, rotatable corrugated plates C' and flat reversible upright
plates C, the plates C projecting inwardly therefrom, substantially as described.
7. A grain scourer having in combination a supporting frame provided with a
supporting base, an inclosing drum engaged with said base, a series of removable
non-rotatable plates C₁ open at their center, a driving shaft, and a series of
removable rotatable plates engaged with said shaft, said stationary plates and
rotatable plates being reversible and alternately arranged, substantially as
described.
8. In a grain scouring machine, the scourer E herein described consisting of an
inclosing perforated drum, a series of stationary inwardly inclined plates E' open
at their centers, an interior hollow perforated rotatable pipe E open at its
extremities, a series of rotatable plates engaged with said interior pipe, a suction
pipe communicating with the interior of said drum and pipe at their upper ends to
carry off the lighter portions of the stock, the heavier portions of the stock being
discharged through the base of said interior pipe and drum, a driving pulley E

page_text: upon the case of said driving shaft, and discharge pipes E' E' communicating
through said pulley with said pipe and drum, substantially as described.
9. In a grain scouring machine, the scourer E hereindescribed consisting of an
inclosing perforated drum, a series of stationary inwardly inclined plates E open
at their centers, an interior hollow perforated rotatable pipe E' open at its.
extremities, a series of rotatable plates engaged with said interior pipe, a suction
pipe communicating with the interior of. said drum and pipe at their upper ends to
carry off the lighter portions of the stock, the heavier portions of the stock being
discharged through the base of said interior pipe and drum, a driving pulley E
constructed with flanges e¹, e, e and with perforations e, e, located upon the base
of said driving shaft and discharge pipes E, E communicating through said
perforations of the pulley with said pipe and drum, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 4th day of April 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.