AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND WINNOWING GRAIN AND SEED
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND WINNOWING
GRAIN AND SEED." -A communication from abroad by Antoine
Alexandre-Balat, Agricultural Implement Maker, Couvin, Belgium.
Scaled the 3rd March 1874, and dated the 6th September 1873.
PROVISIONAL'SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 6th September 1873.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND
WINNOWING GRAIN AND SEED," a communication to me from abroad by
Antoine Alexandre-Balat, Agricultural Implement Maker, Couvin,
Belgium, to be as follows:-
The improved winnowing or smut machine, the subject of this Inven-
tion, is illustrated on the accompanying two Sheets of Drawing, Fig. 1,

page_text: especially there should be a bead of say half an inch to prevent any
possibility of mixture of the good and of the large grain.
Beneath the sieves there is an auxiliary door upheld by a spring
similar to that of the hopper door, and which is raised or lowered at
will to regulate the cleaning of the grain.
Shoot or apron G.-Beneath the sieves there is a moveable apron,
which permits the regulation of the cleaning of the grain so as to give
passage only to a sufficient quantity of large grain (by large grain is
meant grains which are light and but of very inferior quality). This
moveable slide is raised or lowered at will.
Moveable bottom H.-The inner bottom of this smut machine differs
from that of ordinary machines in being moveable and following length-
wise the come and go movement of the sieves, the result being that it is
never laden with grain, thereby facilitating the sifting which is then
operated by the dividers herein-after mentioned.
Wedge I.-This wedge supports the bottom to which it is fitted; it
rests upon the lever and assists in the come-and-go movement; it is
attached to the lever by an iron pin.
"
Moveable apron J.-This apron holds the "large grains so as
to prevent their flying away with the dust.
Spring K.-This spring supports the lever so as to avoid friction.
Connecting rod L.-Connecting rod of the eccentric.
Crank with slide bar M.-This crank forms slide bar by lengthening
at will, and gives to the movement more or less speed according to the
weight of the grain.
Lever N. This lever produces the come-and-go motion and supports
the head of the bottom.
Spring O. This spring acts on the slide so as to keep it constantly at
the desired height.
Large wheel P.-This toothed wheel has a diameter of about
17 inches (043) and is driven by a cog p of about 3 inches (0" 085)
in diameter.
Crank R. The crank R which gives motion to the toothed gearing
has about 12 inches (0" 29) from its centre to the centre of the shaft.

page_text: Blades of the fan S.-The fan is composed of 4 blades a, each about
11 inches (028) broad by % of an inch (0- 11) thick, which are set
on a square shaft n of about 1 inch (0º 025) in thickness with one
wooden cross, to which they are fitted.
Dividers. The dividers serve to sift or purify the grain. The instru-
ment comprises two dividers made of perforated sheet iron or zinc, and
having a length of 28 inches (070) in the entire breadth of the smut
machine.
It will be understood that only one divider is used at a time, the
other being a spare one to be used according to the nature of the grain 1
to be cleaned. It follows the come-and-go motion of the grating of the
sieves and of the movable bottom, the third serving to take up the very
small grains which might have passed with the bad.
•
Head of lever. The head of the lever is placed between two plates on
the outside of the smut machine, in order not to interfere with anything 1
within the machine.
By means of a single eccentric crank acting on a lever all the interior
composed of the grating, the sieves, the moveable bottom, and the
divider receive a come-and-go motion in the direction of the length of
the machine and in its entire breadth, so that the wind cannot be lost. It 2
enters the machine by a large opening forming funnel and is compelled
to pass through the sieves upon which the grain descends. All the wind
necessarily passes through the grain, whereas in ordinary smut machines
the major part of the wind passes at the sides, where it meets no
obstacle.
2
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, William
EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of 3
Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of September, in the year

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Gedge,
Her special licence that I, the said William Edward Gedge, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter 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 "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND WINNOWING GRAIN
AND SEED," a communication to me from abroad by Antoine Alexandre-
Balat, Agricultural Implement Maker, Couvin, Belgium, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Gedge, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Gedge, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :—
The improved winnowing or smut machine the subject of this Inven-.
tion, is illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawing, Figure 1
being a longitudinal section of a smut machine embodying this Inven-
tion taken at the line X, Z, of the plan; Figure 2, back view of same;
Figure 3, front view; Figure 4, plan; Figure 5, view of right side of
The Drawing is to a
smut machine, and Figure 6, left view of same.
scale of 1/10th.
The smut machine is composed of,—

page_text: dimensions in length and breadth as the dividers) perfectly sifts the
grain.
5°. This improved machine serves to sift and winnow all kinds of grain
and seeds, and is suitable for every country, whereas with other smut
machines only grain is winnowed and not even every kind of grain.
6°. Agriculturists who possess threshing machines usually use two
smut machines, whereas one of these improved machines will more than
suffice.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-four.