Improvements in Potato, Coal, and the like Riddling or Screening Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Potato, Coal, and the like Riddling or Screening
Machines.
I CAMPBELL FERGUSON Farmer High Street Cromarty N.B. do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The machine consists of a frame of iron, or wood, approximately 3 feet high,
3 feet long, and 2 feet wide. From the frame A, the riddles or screens b and c
are suspended on rods d. The riddle 6, is made of wood, approximately 1 inch
thick 3 feet long and 20 inches wide, and is filled with wire near the dots shown,
having suitable meshes for riddling the larger sized potatoes.
The riddle c is filled with wire, near the dots shown, having meshes suitable for
riddling the smaller sized potatoes.
The riddle c is also filled near the bottom with wires, slightly apart running
from front to back, having two or three wires going from side to side, to which
they are secured, to keep them in their place. The riddles are to be operated by
foot or by hand. When driven by foot, the foot is applied to the lever h-connected
by the rod G to the crank on the outside of the fly wheel f. A crank in the
middle of the wheel axle operates the rod i, which gives an occiliating motion to
the riddles.
When worked by hand, a crank handle will be fixed in a suitable place
on the frame, which with a wheel and pinion, or pulleys and belts, or cords
or other suitable contrivance will operate the riddles, or they may be worked
by hand directly from front, back, or sides, when stops will be fixed on the
riddles or frame, to regulate the motion, and give a shock to the riddles at every
occiliation, which is necessary for the proper working of the machine by hand.
When in operation the potatoes, or coals, or the like are to be put into the
hopper e, they fall on the riddle b, and the larger sizes, going along its whole
length, fall from the riddle into the elevators k when they are used, or into
a suitable receptacle. The smaller sizes fall on the riddle c, and escape at an
opening in the side near 1. The smallest sizes escape from the machine at the
middle of the bottom of the riddle, slightly behind , and the sand or dust falls
through the wires in the bottom of the riddle c.
November 20th 1895.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Potato, Coal, and the like Riddling or Screening
Machines.
CAMPBELL FERGUSON Farmer High Street Cromarty N.B. 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 has for its object the quick and effective seperation of different

page_text: sizes of potatoes, couls, and the like, and their elevation, for the purpose of placing
them in waggons, carts, sacks or other receptacles.
When made for riddling potatoes, the machine shall be constructed approximately
as follows. A frame a of wood or iron about 3 feet long, 3 feet high and 2 feet
wide. From the top bars of the frame, the riddles b and c are suspended
by four rods d, which may be attached to the frame by rods passing from side to
side through the top bars, and which may be attached to the riddles by round rods
passing through them from side to side.
The riddles b and c are made of wood or any other material. bis about 36 inches
Jong, 18 inches wide and 6 inches deep, and is filled with wire about 4 inches from
the top, as indicated by dots, forming suitable meshes for riddling the larger sized
potatoes. The riddle c. otherwise the same size as b is about 6 inches shorter, and
is filled with wire about 1 inch from top as indicated by dots, forming meshes for
riddling the smaller sized potatoes. c is also filled with wire about 1 inch from the
bottom, running from front to back and having two or three wires running across
these, to which they are bound to keep them in place, through these lowest wires
the dust falls. The riddle c has a spout at its lowest end, on the fly wheel
Bide, from which the second sized potatoes fall, and immediately behind the spout
the smallest potatoes fall from the middle of the riddle.
When worked by foot,
The riddles may be worked by power, or hand, or foot.
the foot is applied to the lever h, which is pivoted at the end of the double kneed
iron fixture J. The lever his connected by g, to the crank on the outside of the
fly wheel axle. One or two cranks corresponding with one another, on the axle
of the fly wheel, are connected by one or two rods i connecting them with one or
two pieces of iron r, which are formed and fixed in a suitable manner to the
riddle c.
The connecting rod i is an important part of the mechanisın, and shall
either have a large opening for the crank giving it about 1 inch longitudinal play,
or preferably shall have a slit or slot about an inch long, where it is attached by a
bolt to the riddle attachment r.
The large hole for the crank, or slot in the connecting rod i when the machine is
worked, gives the riddle a jolt or sharp shock at each throw of the crank to which
it is connected, which is necessary for the proper working of the machine. The
machine may, or may not be provided with the elevator K which consists of
two iron or wood supports, about 12 inches apart, and fixed in a suitable manuer to
the frame of the machine. These supports have two pulleys or rollers o and m
near the top, m a short distance below o. Two pulleys or rollers n and also
form part of the elevator, n may be fixed on an axle running on centres fixed in
the frame. is fixed on the fly wheel axle.
Two endless bands of leather, cotton, or other material pass round the pulleys,
or rollers, one travels round n and o, the other round and m. These endless bands
bave small pieces of wood, or other material fixed at short intervals across their
breadth. A pulley on the By wheel axle, in addition to that already mentioned, is
connected by a crossed band, or cord, to another pulley on the axle of n, for
the purpose of driving the endless band travelling round n and o. Rollers may be
placed at intervalls between the two elevator supports, to prevent the bands going
too far apart when in use.
When the machine is worked by hand a crank handle will be supplied in
a suitable position on the front of the frame, which with wheels or pinions or
pulleys belts, cords or chains or other suitable contrivance having a loosely jointed,
or slotted connection, or equivalent device as i already described, for giving the
riddles a jolt or sharp shock at each oscillation.
When used without the elevator, the riddles may be worked direct by hand,
from front, back, or sides, when stops will be placed on the riddles or frame
to regulate the motion, and give a sharp shock to the riddles at each oscillation.
The iron rod passing through the riddle c. by which it is hung by the hind rods d,
and another rod passing through c near the end below the hopper e, may serve for

page_text: stops, these rods striking against the frame at each oscillation of the riddles.
A ratchet wheel fixed on the fly wheel axle, with a pawl, will prevent the rotation
of the elevators in the wrong direction.
When in operation the potatoes are put into the hopper e, they fall on to
the riddle b, and the large ones pass along its entire length, and fall into the
guide where they are caught by the bands of the elevator when it is used, and
carried up by them to the required height, and fall on the guide s. The smaller
sized potatoes fall through the meshes of 6 on to the upper set of meshes in C, and
leave the machine by the spout on the fly wheel side. The smallest potatoes fall
on to the lowest set of wires, and fall from them immediately behind the spout, the
dust falls to the earth.
The machine when used for coals may have the upper set of wires in c extending
the same length as those in b, the elevator may also be made wide enough to
elevate two sizes of coal when two independent bands may be used on the rollers n
and o, having a division of wood, iron or other material to keep the different sizes
seperate.
stops, these rods striking against the frame at each oscillation of the riddles.
A ratchet wheel fixed on the fly wheel axle, with a pawl, will prevent the rotation
of the elevators in the wrong direction.
When in operation the potatoes are put into the hopper e, they fall on to
the riddle b, and the large ones pass along its entire length, and fall into the
guide where they are caught by the bands of the elevator when it is used, and
carried up by them to the required height, and fall on the guide s.
The smaller
sized potatoes fall through the meshes of 6 on to the upper set of meshes in c, and
leave the machine by the spout on the fly wheel side. The smallest potatoes fall
on to the lowest set of wires, and fall from them immediately behind the spout, the
dust falls to the earth.
The machine when used for coals may have the upper set of wires in c extending
the same length as those in b, the elevator may also be made wide enough to
elevate two sizes of coal when two independent bands may be used on the rollers n
and o, having a division of wood, iron or other material to keep the different sizes
seperate.
CLAIMS
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,―
The invention of the machine as shown in drawing and described in the fore-
going specification, consisting of the arrangement of the frame, riddles and other
parts, The application of the connecting rod i as described, or equivalent device
for securing a sharp shock at each oscillation of the riddles, and the arrangement
11
altogether for the wurnace of
CAMPBELL FERGUSON.