Improvements in Machines for Sorting, Grading, and Purifying All Kinds of Grain and Seeds, or Granular and Pulverulent Substances, and in Combination with a Sieve or Sieves of the Ordinary Type, one or more Sieves or Screens of Special Self Cleaning Construction.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 12th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Sorting, Grading, and Purifying
All Kinds of Grain and Seeds, or Granular and Pulverulent
Substances, and in Combination with a Sieve or Sieves of the
Ordinary Type, one or more Sieves or Screens of Special Self
Cleaning Construction.
We WILLIAM WALTER WILLIS of “Duncombe” Burrell Street, Ipswich, in
the County of Suffolk, Miller, and CHARLES EDWARD MUMFORD of St. Andrews
Works Bury St. Edmunds, in the County of Suffolk, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
11
This invention relates to a new and improved combination of parts, such as are
described in our prior Patents, ris. Willis's Patent No. 3955 of 1893, namely.
Improvements in apparatus used in purifying and sorting, semolina, middlings, and
other such substances. Also, in Application for Patent No. 18292 of 1895 namely,
Improvements in machines for purifying, sorting and grading, all kinds of grain,
seeds, and cereal products, such as semolina, middlings, or other granular and
pulverulent substances, and apparatus therein for separating dust from air.
We also in combination with the abovementioned apparatus, use a sieve or
sieves of special self cleaning construction (commonly known as Boby's sieves or
screens) and such as are described in Patent Specification No. 9936 of 1888
(granted to Charles Edward Mumford and David Hearn) for specially constructed
self cleaning beds, sieves, or screens, and in combination therewith another sieve or
series of sieves, as the circumstances may require, for the separation of large
substances; and therein described as (large substance separators).
The mode of application, and construction, of the new and improved combination
is described and ascertained in and by the following statement.
Firstly. We construct an outer frame and casing of rectangular or other suitable
form, and in the upper portion and at one end of which we fix a feed hopper for
the purpose of introducing the material to be treated in the machine, and at the
opposite upper end we also provide a fan of suitable demensions for causing the air
enclosed in the said casing to circulate continuously round the interior of the
machine.
Secondly. We also provide below the feed hopper and above the sieves, a series
of division hoppers, which occupy the space between the said feed hopper and the
main air channel leading to the fan, the said division hopper (which are arranged
together side by side and each opening into the other) are provided with valve
trapped outlets at the lower ends thereof, and adjustable division boards at the
upper front ends thereof, whereby the separations of the materials deposited in the
said division hoppers are controllable.
Thirdly. Below the abovementioned division hoppers we provide a suitable
frame or frames for recieving the aforesaid sieve or sieves, and the said sieve frame
or frames are attached to one, of two driving shafts (according to the requirements
of the type of sieves used) by suitable connecting rods to one or more of which rods,
a long reciprocating motion is imparted by means of cranks or eccentric wheels,
while to the other (or in some cases to all of the said sieve frames) only a very short
reciprocating motion is given by an eccentric turned in the said driving shaft in
the usual way; the said sieve frame or frames are suspended in any well known
manner by suitable adjustable hangers.

page_text: Fourthly. In some cases we prefer to use only one sieve, screen, or bed, while in
others we use a series, both of the self cleaning type, and the ordinary common
sifters, we do not confine ourselves to any specified number of sieves or screens but
use more or less of either type to meet the requirements of varying circumstances
when one or more of the ordinary common sifters are used a special cleaning
arrangement is provided for keeping the said sieve or sieves clean.
Dated this 14th day of October 1895.
WILLIAM WALTER WILLIS.
CHARLES EDWARD MUMFORD.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Sorting, Grading, and Purifying
All Kinds of Grain and Seeds, or Granular and Pulverulent
Substances, and in Combination with a Sieve or Sloves of the
Ordinary Type, one or more Sieves or Screens of Special Self
Cleaning Construction.
We WILLIAM WALTER WILLIS of "Duncombe" Burrell Street Ipswich in
the County of Suffolk, Miller, and CHARLES EDWARD MUMFORD of St. Andrews
Works Bury St. Edmunds in the said County of Suffolk, 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 :-
This invention relates to a new and improved combination of parts such as are
described in our prior Patents riz. Willis's Patent No. 3955 of 1893 namely,
Improvements in apparatus used in purifying and sorting semolina, middlings, and
other such substances also in application for Patent No. 18292 of 1895 numely
Improvements in machines for purifying sorting and grading all kinds of grain,
seeds, and cereal products, such as semolina, middlings, or other granular and
pulverulent substances, and apparatus therein for separating dust from air.
We also in combination with the abovementioned apparatus use a sieve or sieves
of special self-cleaning construction (commonly known as Boby's sieves or screens)
and such as are described in Patent Specification No. 9936 of 1388 (granted to
Charles Edward Mumford and David Hearn) for specially constructed self cleaning
bede, sieves or screens and in combination therewith another sieve or series of
sieves as the circumstances may require for the separation of large substances and
therein described as (large substance separators).
The mode of application and construction of the new and improved combination
is described and ascertained in and by the following statement.
Firstly. We construct an outer frame and casing of rectangular or other suitable
form, and in the upper portion and at one end of which we provide a feed hopper
(or its equivalent) for the purpose of introducing the material to be treated in the
machine, the said feed hopper is built up with, and forms part of, a frame or casing
for receiving a series of ordinary woven or perforated sieves or riddles, and at the
opposite upper end we provide an exhaust fan of suitable demensions for causing
the air enclosed in the said casing to circulate continuously round the interior of
the machine.
Sometimes we also use in combination with the said exhaust fan, a small blast
fan or blower for the purpose of increasing the velocity of a current or currents
of air blown through one or more specially perforated sieves or riddles.
Secondly. We also provide below the feed hopper and behind the above-
mentioned sieve or riddle frame and above the frame containing the self cleaning
sieves or screens, a series of division hoppers which occupy the space between

page_text: the aforesaid sieve or riddle frame and the exhaust fan, the said division hoppers
are arranged together side by side each opening into the other and are provided
with valve trapped outlets at the lower ends thereof and adjustable division boards
and deflectors at the upper front ends thereof, whereby the separation of the
materials deposited in the said division hoppers by the air current or currents are
controllable.
Thirdly. Below the abovementioned division hoppers we provide a suitable frame
for receiving the aforesaid self cleaning sieves or screens the said sieve frame being
attached to a suitable driving shaft by a connecting rod and crank, or eccentric
wheel, whereby it is reciprocated backwards and forwards the stroke being about
four and a half inches in extent;
The frame or case containing the ordinary common sieves or riddles is connected
to a separate driving shaft by a thin steel connecting rod and a short reciprocating
motion is imparted to the said frame or case by an eccentric turned in the said
driving shaft in the usual way the said sieve frame or frames are suspended in any
well known manner by suitable adjustable hangers.
Fourthly. In some cases we prefer to use only one sieve, riddle, or self cleaning
screen, while in other cases we use a series both of the self cleaning type and also
of the ordinary common sifters. We do not confine ourselves to use any specified
number of sieves or self cleaning screens, but we prefer to use more or less of either
type to meet the requirements of varying circumstances; when one or more of the
ordinary common sieves or riddles are used a special cleaning arrangement is
provided for keeping the said sieve or sieves clean.
We will now proceed to describe a machine constructed according to our inven-
tion having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure is a longitudinal vertical section of a machine specially constructed for
purifying, barley, that is intended for malting purposes, or for purifying malt
preparatory to crushing or grinding for brewing purposes.
Figures 2 and 3 are also vertical cross sections on the lines c. z. and y. y.
Figures 4 and 5 a plan and section respectively of the self cleaning sieves or
screens drawn to a larger scale.
Having reference to the drawings A Fig. I is the outer framework and casing of
a machine A 1 the hopper into which the material to be treated is fed, the said feed
hopper is built into and forms part of the aforesaid common sieve or riddle frame
or case B* and receives motion with it from the beforementioned eccentric
shaft A whereby the material is spread in an even stream across the first of the
series of sieves or riddles B. the said riddle is clothed with a perforated steel plate
of large mesh which quickly sifts through all the barley or other grain, and rejects
all large substances such as stones, sticks, straw and such like substances, the
barley or other grain passing through sieve B is received on sieve B 1 also clothed
coarsely to let through all the barley or other grain smaller than barley, and which
rejects large seeds or other substances larger than barley such as for instance peas
or beans, stones and lumps of earth, also short straws and so forth; the grain
passing through B 1 is received upon sieve B 2 clothed with a fine woven mesh or
perforation which lets through dirt and sand, small grits and seeds rejecting the
barley and other grain or substances such as for instance oats, short pieces of straw
or sticks and such like substances, of which all foreign barleys contain a con-
siderable percentage, and which it is very desireable to eliminate this desireable
separation we accomplish by means of a specially prepared sieve or riddle used in
combination with a blast or exhaust air current or currents sometimes we combine
the blast and exhaust air currents as illustrated in the general drawing Figure 1
herewith. The barley that has passed over abovementioned sieve or riddle B 2 is
received upon the said special oat and other substance (such as weevilled grain,
husks, chaff and dust) separating sieve or riddle B 3. through the meshes of which
the barley falls while the oats and other substances being slightly longer than the
barley and also of less specific gravity are retained upon the upper surface of the
said sieve or riddle assisted by the air current or currents passing through

page_text: the perforations of the said sieve either drawn through by the exhaust fan C. Fig. I
or blown through by the blast fun or blower C 1. by which means the said oats and
other substances are floated over the tail of the said sieve or riddle into a suitable
trough which conveys them outside the machine, while the dust and chaff and also
some of the lighter oats and weevilled kernels of barley are caught up in the air
current that has passed through the sieve and are drawn through the air channel D
where they are divided and deposited according to the size and gravity of the said
substances into the beforementioned division hoppers D 1. D2. D3 and 4. the
latter two are situated one on either side of the main fan casing see Fig. 2.
The barley having passed through the aforesaid sieve B 3. is received upon a
tray 14, which delivers it upon the upper end of the sieve or screen frame E where
it immediately passes over the first of the enid self cleaning sieves or screens E 1
which separates any remaining seeds or substances of larger diameter than the
barley, the barley passing through is received upon a second self cleaning screen E2
which further separates any small substances which may have escaped the before-
mentioned sieves or riddles, after which it passes over a third self cleaning screen E3.
which separates the thin barley from the large and fully matured kernels the thin
kernels sifting through the said screen are collected upon a tray E4. which
conveys them outside the machine the small seeds and grits sifted through the
screen E 2. are also conveyed outside the machine by a suitable tray E5 while
the large barley tailing over the aforesaid screen is delivered into an aspirating
channel or channels F. F1. Fig. 2 where they are subjected to a strongly
concentrated current or currents of air which lift out any remaining light or
weevilled or otherwise broken and damaged kernels and deposits them into the
second series of division hoppers according to the size or gravity of the kernels or
particles so lifted and separatel; the sound barley passing through the said
aspirators is received into a suitable conveyor G. which discharges it outside the
machine, the light kernels or broken particles are deposited in the division
hopper G2. and are discharged by the conveyor G 1. while the husks and chaff
are deposited into the division hopper G 3. which is provided with a valve at ita
lower end which automatically discharges the collected material into a suitable
tray which conveys the said material outside the machine, similar trays are
provided for all the oilala separated by the sieves, riddles or air currents and aro
attached to one or other of the sieve or screen frames the motion of which causes
the material deposited in the trays to travel to the discharge outlets all of which
outlets are provided with valves to prevent air passing as illustrated in the
drawings Fig. 3.
The dust laden air passing through the exhaust fan C, is discharged into a
channel 1. lending into a dust collecting chamber J. the lower portion of the said
chamber is divided into a series of dead air spaces by means of a series of cross-
bars and swing boards K. above the series of dead air spaces a series of slowly
revolving brushes L. are placed through which the dust laden air is made to pass
for the purpose of filtering the fine dust from the air the dust is caught upon the
fibres of the brushes which as they slowly revolve are passed over the adjustable
crossbars or rods 1. causing the fibres of the brushes to flick sharply forward
discharging their collected dust into the aforesaid dead air spaces at every
revolution a cleaning apparatus M. consisting of chains or belts to which is
attached a scraper or brush supported upon a frame M the said frame is fitted
with suitable crossbars onto which the lower ends of the upper series of swing
bonnis rest and to which the lower series of swing boards are hung, the said swing
boards are set at a suitable angle and open in the direction in which the cleaning
apparatus runs whereby the collected dust is continuously discharged through the
dust hopper S. placed underneath the machine; the purified air passing out of the
dust collecting chamber at J* returns through the various channels back to
the exhaust fan some of the said air is passed through the small blast fan or blower
as before described.
The cleaning apparatus provided for the ordinary woven or perforated sieves or

page_text: riddles consists of a combination of known devices applied in a novel manner,
working over the upper surfaces of the said sieves consisting of (for each sieve)
two small shafts or spindles N. passed through the sides of the frame or case and
supported in suitable bearings attached to the outer framework of machine and
revolved by a suitable pulley, mounted upon the said shafts are pulleys or sprocket
wheels Naround which suitable belts are passed and to which are attached
scrapers or brushes O. and in some cases a haminer or knocker P. is also used the
said hammer is slipped upon the shaft loosely so that the shaft can revolve freely
therein a lifter P. which raises the hammer cach time it passes round is attached
to the scraper or brush letting the hammer fall upon a suitable plate Q attached to
the sieve frame whereby the sieve is alternately brushed and jarred so that the
meshes are at all times clean and open, the apparatus with the hammer attachment
is illustrated in the drawings applied to the sieve B3. R. are a series of regulating
valves and deflecting boards for dividing and deflecting the separated materials
into the division hoppers, and for regulating the volume of air admitted to
the fan.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
Claim 1. In machines of all kinds for cleaning and purifying grain and cereals,
in which a sieve or a series of sieves or riddles of the ordinary woven or perforated
type are used, the combination of cleaning devices working on the upper surfaces
of the sieves or riddles substantially as described.
Claim 2. The special separating sieve or sieves through which air is blown or
exhausted by a fan or fans together with the air channel and division hoppers, the
regulating valves and adjustable division and deflecting boards for controlling the
separations made by the said air current or currents substantially as described.
Claim 3. The combination of one or more sieves or riddles of the ordinary
woven or perforated type, with one or more sieves or screens of self cleaning
construction, with aspirating channels and a series of division hoppers connecting
the said aspirating channels with the fan inlets together with the regulating valves
for controlling the volume of air pussing to the fan substantially as arranged and
described.
Claim 4. In a machine of the kind described. The combination of the parts set
forth in the three preceeding claims.
The series of sieves or riddles of the ordinary type. The combination of sieve
cleaning devices. The special separating sieve with blast and exhaust air currents
together with the air channel and collecting and division hoppers with the
regulating valves and deflectors. The series of self cleaning sieves or screens.
The aspirating channel or channels with the series of division hoppers connected
thereto and communicating with the exhaust fan inlets through the regulating
valves for controlling the volume of air passing through the fan, together with the
dust collecting chamber into which the fan discharges the dust laden air and the
devices therein for separating and collecting dust from air, whereby we are enabled,
to despense with stive rooms and separate dust collectors by constructing a machine
entirely self-contained within its own casing substantially as herein described and
illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Dated this 12th day of March 1896.
WILLIAM WALTER WILLIS.
CHARLES EDWARD MUMFORD.