IMPROVEMENTS MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THRASHING OR SEPARATING GRAIN
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Pirie, of Nether Kinmundy, Parish of
...Longside by Mintlaw, in the County of Aberdeen, North Britain, Agri-
cultural Implement Maker, for the Invention
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THRASHING OR SEPARATING GRAIN,"
IN
ed the 23rd March 1858, and dated the 19th January 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Pirie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
brJanuary 1858.
11 13-
I, THOMAS PIRIE, óf Nether' Kinmundy, Parish of Longside by Mintlaw,
in the County of Aberdeen, North Britain, Agricultural Implement Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Vice I
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THRASHING OR SEPARATING GRAIN," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
T
This Invention relates to certain mechanical arrangements connected with
the 'drum and appendages of thrashing machines, whereby the grain is thrashed
out and separated from the straw with much greater ease and effect than has
hitherto been the case. The improved drum has fitted to it angled or inclined
feathers disposed in parallel rows over the drum surface, each row having its
individual feather pieces set'at an incline or angle the reverse of its neighbour.
These feather pieces, which are disposed at an angle of about forty-five degrees
with the axial line of the drum, act the part of the ordinary solid beaters, and

page_text: they effecting the thrashing action with less power than is required in the
common apparatus, and they are less liable to bruise the grain and straw.
The front end of each feather or that part which comes first in contact with
the grain and straw, is tapered off to aid this gentle action, whilst the reverse
disposition of the inclined pieces causes the grain to be cleared well off. The
sieve, riddle, or grating which encircles a large portion of the thrashing drum
is in pieces, jointed together and fitted with springs, so that it can expand
when a great pressure arises from any inordinate resistance, and as this expan-
sion would occur only at the actual part where the resistance is really present,
the remaining parts of the drum still continue to thrash effectively.
The sieve, riddle, or grating can also be so fitted up as to expand easiest at
the tail end of the sheaf, and thus save the thrashing effect upon the part
whence little or no grain is to be obtained, but it can be made to expand at
both ends alike, to suit "head and tail" straw.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Pirie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
July 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
PIRIE, of Nether Kinmundy, Parish of Longside by Mintlaw, in the County of
Aberdeen, North Britain, Agricultural Implement, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Pirie, Her special license that I, the said Thomas Pirie,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Pirie, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THRASHING OR SEPARATING GRAIN," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Pirie, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in. what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
1

page_text: Letters I atent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Pirie, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters
and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
4.2 1
My said Invention relates to certain mechanical arrangements connected
with the drum and appendages of thrashing machines, whereby the grain is
thrashed out and separated from the straw with much greater ease and effect
than has hitherto been the case. The improved drunt has fitted to it angled
or, inclined feathers, disposed in parallel rows over the drum surface, each row
having its individual feather pieces set at an incline or angle the reverse of its
neighbour. These feather pieces, which are disposed at an angle of about
forty-five degrees with the axial line of the drum, act the part of the ordinary
solid beaters, and they effect the thrashing action with less power than is
required in the common apparatus, and "they are less liable to bruise the grain
and straw. The front end of each feather, or that part which comes first in
contact with the grain and straw, is tapered off to aid this gentle action, whilst
the reverse disposition of the inclined pieces causes the grain to be cleared well
off. The sieve, riddle or grating which encircles a large portion of the thrash-
ing drum is in pieces, jointed together and fitted with springs, so that it can
expand when a great pressure arises from any inordinate resistance, and as
this expansion would occur only at the actual part where the resistance is
really present, the remaining parts of the drum still continue to thrash effectively.
The sieve, riddle, or grating can also be so fitted up as to expand easiest
at the tail end of the sheaft, thus save the thrashing effect upon the part
whence little or no grain is to be obtained, but it can be made to expand at
both ends alike to suit "head and tail" straw.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall now
proceed to describe the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of
Drawings, which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing certain
modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously carried out in
practice.
Figure 1 of my illustrative Drawing is a sectional elevation of one modifi-
cation of my improved thrashing machine; Figure 2 is an end view, partially
in section; and Figure 3 is a plan corresponding to Figures 1 and 2; Figures
4 and 5 are a plan and end view, partially in section, showing the arrangement
of the beaters; Figure 6 is a plan of one of the breast plates of the machine.

page_text: The wooden framing A of the machine is of a rectangular figure, and is
cased in so as to enclose the working parts. The moving parts are put in
motion by the main shaft B, which has keyed to it the fast and loose pulley
C, that is driven by means of an endless belt, which derives its motion from
a steam engine or other prime mover; the shaft B is carried in bearings which
are bolted to the upper cross rail of the framing A; and near the extremity
opposite to the pulley C is keyed a wheel D, which gears with a pinion E
on the end of the shaft F. The pinion E imparts a rapid rotatory motion to
the shaft F, which is supported in pedestal bearings that are, like those of
the shaft B, secured to the same rail of the framing. The shaft F has fast
to it the drum G, by the rotatory motion of which the thrashing operation
is effected. The construction of this drum is shown in the partially sectional
views, Figures 4 and 5, on my illustrative Drawing; it consists of a series
of cast-iron discs H, which are keyed to the shaft F; these discs are covered
externally with staves or segmentally shaped pieces of wood G, forming a
cylindrical drum, the surface of which is covered with thin sheet iron; to this
drum the beaters I are attached. The beaters I are rectangularly shaped
pieces of cast iron, having a series of curved teeth J formed on the upper
surface of each; these teeth are arranged diagonally across the face of the
casting. The beaters are secured to the drum G by means of bolts, which
pass through the wood and the rims of the discs H, as shown in the sectional
parts of Figures 4 and 5 of my Drawing. The beaters are arranged upon
the periphery of the drum G at equal distances asunder, the teeth J of each
alternate beater being placed in the opposite direction to those of the adjoining
beater; this mode of arrangement is shown in Figures 2 and 3 of my illus-
trative Drawing. The drum G, in this modification of my improvements, is
shown as made with a series of six beaters, but this number may be varied
according to the size of the machine.
.
The grain to be thrashed is fed into the interior of the machine from the
feeding board K, which is supported upon longitudinal and transverse rails,
that are secured to the main framing A. At the inner transverse edge of the
feeding board K, a metal feed plate L is hung loosely upon a horizontal rod,
which is carried in the upper cross rail of the framing. The lower edge of
the feed plate rests upon the upper part of a series of breast plates M, against
which the beaters I operate in beating the grain out of the ear. In this
modification the "breasting" of the machine consists of a series of these breast
plates M, arranged side by side across the machine, and are carried upon a
spindle N, which is supported by the brackets O, that are bolted to the cross
rail P. The upper part of the plates M are made to slope downwards, and

page_text: at this part they form a continuation of the feed plate L. The front portion
of the plates M are curved inwards to correspond to the periphery of the
drum G; the upper part of the curved portion is made with a roughened or
reticulated surface as shown in the plan view of one of the plates, Figure 6,
on my Drawing. The lower part of the plates M is barred across and forms
an open grating, through which a portion of the thrashed grain falls. The
lower extremity of the plates M is curved backwards, and an eye is formed
therein, by means of which they are fitted on to the spindle N, upon which
they are free to move to and fro. The plates M are arranged upon their sup-
porting spindle N, close, or nearly so, to each other, as shown in the end view,
Figure 2, on my Drawing, the series of plates being supported by springs Q,
which press against the back of each plate; the lower ends of the springs Q are
coiled round the bar N; the upper and free extremities rest against the plates
M. The pressure of the springs Q against the plates M is regulated by means
of a wooden bar R, which is acted upon by pinching screws S, that pass
through the bar T. By screwing the screws S inwards, the pressure of the
springs on the plates M is increased, and vice versa; the flexibility of the
springs admits of any one or more of the plates M moving backwards, should
a stone or other impediment pass between the face of the plates and the
beaters I. As the wheat or other unthrashed grain is fed into the machine,
the ears are beaten by the rapid rotatory motion of the beaters I against the
reticulated part of the breasting M. A portion of the grain falls through
the grating of the breasting into the hopper or shoot U; the straw and grain
entangled therein are carried forward by the action of the beaters I on to the
riddles V, to which a reciprocatory movement is imparted from the crank W.
This crank is driven by means of a pulley and endless band X, which is
carried round a pulley on the main shaft B. The two riddles V are con-
nected at each end to the crank shafts Y, the cranks of which lie parallel
to the central crank W, the rotatory motion of which imparts a rising and
falling motion, as well as a reciprocatory traverse to the riddles
V. The oscillation of the riddles V causes the grain to fall from the straw
into the hopper U, from the well of which it may be raised by an endless
chain of buckets, or other mechanical means. The reciprocatory motion of
the riddles V carries the thrashed straw forward, and passes it over the
tail board Z of the machine, from whence it may be removed by an attendant
as it accumulates. Instead of having the breasting of the machine constructed
in the manner herein-before described, that is to say, in a series of plates M,
it may be made in one piece extending across the machine, and the necessary
amount of play or flexibility be imparted to it by means of a spring arranged

page_text: at each end of the breasting.
This modification of the breasting is well
adapted for machines of comparatively small size.
In Figure 7 on my Drawing is shown another modification of the breasting.
In this arrangement the shoot or hopper a, the drum b, and beaters or angular
feathers c, do not differ from those herein-before described. The breasting,
however, consists of a series of curved reticulated plates d, which are fitted
into a cast-iron frame e, extending, across the machine, and carried by that
part of the framing in which the drum is supported! The surface of the
plates d next the drum bis similar to the upper part of the plate M, as shown
in Figure 6 on my Drawing. The plates d are fitted into their retaining
frame e, so as to have a certain amount of traverse in a backward direction,
but are kept up to their work by the springs f, which are carried upon the
transverse bar g, and their pressure regulated by the adjusting screws h. These
screws come in contact with the small plates in the bar i, and press it against
the back of the springs f, so as to force their upper extremities' against 'the
plates d, the flexibility of the 'springs admitting of their moving back when
any extraordinary pressure conies upon them. Below the breasting d, a curved
grating is fixed, through which the greater portion of the thrashed grain.
falls into the hopper beneath. The frame e has fitted to it an adjusting screw
k, by means of which the distance of the breasting d from the drum b may
be increased or lessened at discretion, thereby regulating the thickness of the
feed, or quantity of grain passing between the breasting and the drum.
In this modification the breasting d may, if preferred, be made in one piece,
and be pressed forward by a spring fitted at each side. The arrangement of
the other portions of the machine shown in Figure 7 on my Drawing do not
differ from those herein-before described. With these several improvements
in thrashing machinery, the operation of thrashing cereals is greatly facilitated,
at the same time the work is done in a better manner and in a shorter time
than heretofore.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that 1 do not confine or restrict myself to
the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe or
refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the
principles or main features of my Invention; but what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery or apparatus
for thrashing or separating grain from the ear, as herein-before described.

page_text: Second, the system or mode of thrashing or separating grain by machinery,
in which the thashing operation is effected by means of a drum, the periphery
of this drum being made with projecting feathers arranged in an angular
direction, the angle of one row of feathers being disposed in an opposite
direction to that of its next and contiguous row, as hercin-before described.
Third, the use and application of feathers or beaters projecting from the
surface of drums or rollers used for thrashing or separating grain, as herein-
before described.
Fourth, the system qr mode of arranging and constructing the breasting or
series of plates, against which the feathers or beaters of the thrashing drum
act in thrashing machinery as herein-before described.
Fifth, the system or mode of making the breasting of thrashing machinery
in one or more pieces, and of imparting flexibility thereto, by means
of springs fitted at the back of the said plate or plates, as herein-before
described.
Sixth, the system or mode of arranging and constructing the breasting of
thrashing machinery as shown in Figure 7 of the accompanying Drawing, and
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Pirie, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, One thousand eight hun-
dred and fifty-eight.
THOS PIRIE. (L.S.)