IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THRASHING AND SCREENING CORN, AND FOR REDUCING STRAW TO FODDER
Year: 1871

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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alfred Vincent Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 29th September 1871.-A communication from abroad by
Filippo Grimaldi, of Naples, in the Kingdom of Italy.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR THRASHING AND SCREENING CORN, AND FOR REDUCING STRAW TO FODDER,"
to be as follows :-
This Invention relates to an improved arrangement of machinery
whereby wheat and other grain may be thrashed with economy and
despatch, and the corn disengaged from the ears screened and assorted
according to its size, and the straw as it leaves the shakers may be
reduced to fodder.
In carrying out the first of these objects a rotating drum or beater of
peculiar construction and fixed concave are employed to separate the

page_text: corn from the ears and discharge them on to a riddle. The drum is
formed of iron, and its periphery is pierced with holes to allow of rows
of teeth projecting through the periphery; these teeth, which are
preferred to be of a rectangular and slightly pyramidal form, are cast
together with a base plate, which is secured to the inner periphery
of the drum. These plates with their lines of teeth are set
diagonally across the drum at equal distances apart and parallel
the one to the other. The concave in which this drum rotates is
composed of two parts hinged together, and each is made capable of
adjustment relatively to the drum by means of adjusting screws, which
The concave is
support the concave in position in the machine.
provided with lines of sharp knives and of teeth similar to those of the
drum, which knives and teeth are set to meet the spaces between the
drum teeth. Between these lines of knives and teeth (or some of them)
are grids or gratings to allow of the discharge of the grain as it is
beaten out from the ears of corn by the combined action of the drum
and concave. The corn as it leaves the concave is collected at the
bottom of the riddle into which it falls and is discharged therefrom into
a second riddle, in falling through which it is met by a blast of air from
a fan, the action of which is to drive off the chaff in the direction in
which it will meet the straw as it is discharged from the shakers.
The corn thus freed of its chaff and extraneous matters is carried away
by an elevator, and delivered into a rotating screen of a novel con-
struction, in passing to which it meets a second blast of air, by which
it is further winnowed. The periphery of the screen is formed, as is
not unusual, of coils of wire, which are capable of being brought closer
together or set further apart in order to adjust them to their work.
As an improvement upon this class of screens it is proposed to fix at
or near the middle of its length a cast-iron ring from which the coils
will start towards the opposite ends of the screen. By applying
regulating screws in connection with sliding and pressing pieces to
act independently on the divided groups of coils, these coils may be
set so as to pass different sizes of grain, and by fitting the screen case
with divisions and corresponding discharge spouts the grain as it is
screened may be assorted and bagged according to its size. The straw
as it leaves the shakers is conducted to a bruising and cutting apparatus,
from which it is delivered (together with the chaff) in small pieces
suitable for fodder.

page_text: This bruising and cutting apparatus is constructed in a manner very
like the apparatus used for beating out the grain from the ears of corn,
that is to say, a rotary drum working in a concave is used. The drum
is armed with teeth as above described, and the concave with knives
and teeth; but in this instance no gratings are required. In some cases
knives may be required to be applied to the drum in place of the teeth,
to ensure the cutting up of the straw. When it is desired to deliver the
straw in length from the thrashing machine the bruising and cutting
apparatus may be thrown out of action by throwing forward a hinged
leaf, which will cover this apparatus and form an incline for receiving
the straw as it falls from the shakers and guide it out of the machine.
At the same time a way is opened for the discharge of the chaff from
the machine.
It will be obvious that this bruising and cutting apparatus may be
used if desired apart from the thrashing machine; the same remark also
applies to the improved rotary screen.