Improved Apparatus for Sorting Feathers and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Sorting Feathers and the like.
I, CASAR WOLFF of 11 Holzhausenstrasse Frankfort on the Main in the
German Empire, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
The object of this invention is to provide apparatus whereby feathers and the
like may be efficiently and rapidly sorted, and dust or impurities attached to or
mixed therewith simultaneously separated and conveyed away.
In carrying out my invention, I adopt substantially the following arrange-
ments :-
A vessel of cylindrical form is mounted on suitable supports or trunnions, and
provided with a suspended adjustable cover, the sides of which are prolonged so as
to extend down below the bottom of the vessel. The sides of the cover run in
grooves or tubular guide pieces, and the cover being held in place over the
cylindrical vessel by a chain or cord passing over pulley or pulleys, may be raised
or lowered according as the internal space for containing the feathers or materials
to be sorted, is required to be enlarged or contracted in dimensions. In bearings
fixed to each end of the cylindrical vessel is mounted a shaft, prolonged at one end
to hold a driving pulley, and supported at its extremity outside by a standard
bearing. Between the driving pulley and the end of the vessel, a pair of bevel
wheels are placed, one being upon the horizontal shaft aforesaid and the other
upon a vertical shaft or spindle inside a perforated cylinder below the feeding
hopper.
The perforated cylinder below the hopper is surrounded by an airtight casing,
leaving a sufficient space to admit of the drawing off of dust or impurities from
the feathers, such dust etc., passing through the perforations in the inside cylinder as
the feathers etc. fall through the same from the feeding hopper, and being drawn
away by a vacuum or draught fan or by other suitable means.
The passage of the feathers etc. through the perforated cylinder is assisted by
arms or fans upon the revolving vertical shaft, such arms or fans being placed at
an oblique angle to the axis and at alternate intervals so as to act as a screw for
conveying the feathers or material downward. A. tube at the bottom of the hopper
cylinder is passed through the end of the sorting vessel, into which the feathers
etc., enter, and are then subject to the influence of fans or blades on revolving arms
of the horizontal shaft. The lightest feathers are blown out by the fans on
revolving arms through an opening near the top of the vessel at the opposite end
to where they enter. Those of greater weight fall to the bottom of the vessel and
through an opening on to a conveyor of corrugated wood or suitable substance,
working over two wheels or rollers, one at each end of the said opening, and kept
at the requisite tension for smooth running by a right and left hand coupling screw
between the rollers, or by equivalent mechanical device. In travelling over the
conveyor, the feathers etc., may be yet further subdivided or sorted by passing
under pressing rollers which allow the finer ones to pass and keep back those of
coarser or heavier nature. For the purpose of purifying the feathers etc. during
the process of sorting in the above described apparatus, air or draught openings
with dampers or regulators to control the supply of fresh air to the cylindrical
sorting vessel, may be provided therein as required.
T
1001
BONNE & Co.,
57, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Sorting Feathers and the like.
I CASAR WOLFF of 11 Holzhausenstrasse, Frankfort on the Main in the
German Empire, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide apparatus whereby feathers and the
like may be efficiently and rapidly sorted, and dust or impurities attached to or
mixed therewith simultaneously separated and conveyed away.
In carrying out my invention, I adopt substantially the following arrangements
illustrated by Figs. I, II and III of the accompanying drawings. Fig. I being a
vertical cross section. Fig. II a vertical longitudinal section and Fig. III a side
view.
A vessel of cylindrical form A is mounted on suitable supports or trunnions, and
provided with a suspended adjustable cover B, the sides of which are prolonged so
as to extend down to the bottom of the vessel. The sides of the cover run in
grooves or tubular guide pieces and the cover being held in place over the
cylindrical vessel by a chain or cord passing over pulley or pulleys may be raised
or lowered according as the internal space for containing the feathers or materials
to be sorted is required to be enlarged or contracted in dimension. In bearings L L'
fixed to each end of the cylindrical vessel and bearing L2 resting on chair N is
mounted a shaft C with driving pulley E. Between the driving pulley and the
vessel a pair of bevel wheels tt are placed one being upon the horizontal shaft
aforesaid and the other upon a vertical shaft or spindle W inside a perforated
cylinder X below the feeding hopper D. The perforated cylinder X below the
hopper D is surrounded by an air tight casing M leaving a sufficient space U to
admit of the drawing off of dust or impurities from the feathers, such dust &c.
passing through the perforations s in the inside cylinder X as the feathers &c. fall
through the same from the feeding hopper and being drawn away by a vacuum or
draught fan V or by other suitable means.
The passage of the feathers etc. through the perforated cylinder is assisted by
arms or fans upon the revolving vertical shaft such arms or fans being placed
at an oblique angle to the axis so as to act as a screw for conveying the feathers
or material downward and through tube a into the sorting vessel A.
In this vessel the feathers are subjected to the influence of fans or blades sss² s³
fixed on or adjustable to arms K K on horizontal shaft c. The lightest feathers
are fanned out by the blades through an opening o near the top of the vessel at
the opposite end to where they enter. Feathers of greater weight fall to the
bottom of the vessel and through an opening on to a conveyor of corrugated wood
or suitable substance F working over two wheels or rollers kk' one at each end
of the said opening and kept at the requisite tension for smooth running by a right
and left hand coupling screw e between the rollers or by equivalent mechanical
device. In travelling over the conveyor, the feathers etc. inay be yet further sub-
divided or sorted by passing under pressing rollers which allow the finer ones to
pass and keep back those of coarser or heavier nature. For the purpose of
purifying the feathers etc. during the process of sorting in the above described
apparatus air or draught openings o with dampers or regulators to control the
supply of fresh air to the cylindrical sorting vessel may be provided therein as
required preferably around the bearing L.
The heaviest feathers which are not sucked by the air current into sorting
vessel A sink to the bottom of cylinder X whence they may be removed.

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:-
1) Sorting feathers by means of a perforated cylinder in an air tight casing
provided with revolving fans on a vertical shaft which latter is in gear by bevel
wheels or otherwise with a horizontal shaft passing through a sorting vessel fitted
with fans or blades, which when revolving cause the lighter feathers to be expelled
through an opening at the top while the heavier ones are removed through an.
opening at the bottom by a conveyor or otherwise, the heaviest falling to the
bottom of the perforated cylinder substantially as described.
2) An apparatus for sorting feathers and the like consisting essentially of a.
vessel, cylindrical or otherwise, fitted with a shaft traversing same on which a.
number of blades or fans are fixed in combination with a conveyor substantially
as described.
3) In such apparatus the arrangement of an adjustable cover for regulating the
movement of the feathers and enlarging or diminishing the contents of the vessel.
4) In such apparatus the arrangement of a separate upright cylinder traversed
by a vertical shaft provided with revolving blades having an opening at the
bottom for removal of the heavy feathers and a side opening through which the
feathers pass into the proper sorting vessel and having air holes for the admission
of air and removal of dust etc.
Dated thin 17th 1f ML
1000
BONNE & Co.,
57 & 58, Chancery Lane, W.C., Authorised Patent Agents.