PROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS POR DECORTICATING AND DRYING CORN AND OTHER GRAIN
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jonah Hadley, of the City Flour Mills, Upper
Thames Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of
PROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS POR DECORTICATING AND DRYING CORN AND
OTHER GRAIN."
Sealed the 24th March 1868, and dated the 2nd December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jonah Hadley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
December 1867.
I, JONAH HADLEY, of the City Flour Mills, Upper Thames Street, in the
City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR DECORTICATING AND DRYING CORN
AND OTHER GRAIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain novel means for decorticating and drying
corn and other seeds.
In treating wheat, for example, according to this Invention, I first run it
through a wire gauze cylinder of the ordinary construction to separate there-
from the dust, stones, and other extraneous matters it may contain, and I
then submit it to a damping process; this damping may be effected either by
passing the grain through a water bath or by sprinkling water thereon while
the grain is kept in motion by a stirrer or by a traversing Archimedean screw,
or otherwise. When the grain is sufficiently and uniformly damped I submit
it to the decorticating and drying apparatus; this apparatus may consist of

page_text: one or more machines, and the form of the apparatus may vary considerably,
but in all cases the same character of action will be preserved.
An efficient form of apparatus for some grain or seeds will be the fol-
lowing: Mounted in a vertical cylindrical case, closed at top and bottom, is a
rotary central spindle, upon which is keyed either a flat or saucer-shaped disc;
above this disc is placed another of corresponding form, but with a larger
central opening. These discs are connected together (in pairs) by means of
short rods set parallel to the spindle and equidistant, or nearly so, from each
other and at small distances apart, and thus arranged they form a centrifugal
apparatus. Below each pair of coupled discs, except the lowest, the case is
fitted with coned transverse division plates which have an opening at their
centre to allow the spindle to pass through; these division plates are intended
to collect the grain discharged from the rotary discs and conduct it to the
pair of discs or centrifugal apparatus next below. A feed pipe for supplying
the grain to the apparatus enters the top of the cylinder, and the bottom of
the cylinder is fitted with a discharge spout for conducting off the decorticated
seeds. A rapid rotary motion being given to the spindle by suitable gearing
and the grain (previously damped as explained) being fed in at the top of
the apparatus at a regulated rate the grain will fall into the space between
the upper and the lower discs of the first pair, and by centrifugal force it will be
thrown towards the periphery of the discs, but in its progress it will be thrown
about against the coupling rods and be thereby subjected to considerable
friction, which will loosen the skin of the grain. On leaving the first pair of
dises the grain will fall on to the coned division plate below and be discharged
into the second centrifugal apparatus, where in like manner the grain will be
acted upon, and so on throughout the series, after which the grain is dis-
charged completely decorticated from the apparatus; or if the operation is not
complete after passing through this apparatus the grain is passed through a
second decorticating and drying apparatus, and to facilitate this operation, which
requires for the finishing process that the grain should be dry to receive its
final rubbings, I propose to introduce a blast of air into the case and to
apply an exhaust at the lower part of the case. sweeper may be applied
to the spindle to discharge the grain down the shute.
A
A modification of this centrifugal apparatus which I may employ is a series
of single flat discs fitted with rods which project through the discs and stand
out at opposite sides thereof. The discs thus armed will rotate in divisions of
the cylindrical case, which divisions are to be supplied with grain from above,
either at the centre or at the side thereof.
In some cases it may be desirable so far to modify the apparatus as to set

page_text: the cylinder horizontal or on the incline, and to insert in it a cylinder or shaft
armed with radial rods which are intended to extend nearly to the enclosing
cylinder and to act like the rods of the discs before mentioned; these rods
being set in helical lines around the inner cylinder or shaft will, when the
cylinder is rotated and grain is fed to the space between the two cylinders,
impart a rapid whirling motion to the grain, and at the same time give it a
progressive motion towards the discharging end of the apparatus. I would
remark that this arrangement admits also of the use of the blast and exhaust,
and that dry as well as damped grain may be beneficially acted upon by the
rapid rotation of both the vertical and horizontal arrangements.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jonah Hadley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JONAH
HADLEY, of the City Flour Mills, Upper Thames Street, in the City of London,.
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,.
the said Jonah Hadley, Her special licence that I, the said Jonah Hadley,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jonah
Hadley, 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 MODE OF AND APPA-
BATUS FOR DECORTICATING AND DRYING CORN AND OTHER GRAIN," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Jonah Hadley, 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 Jonah Hadley, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to certain novel means for decorticating and drying
corn and other seeds.
In treating wheat, for example, according to this Invention, I first run it
through a wire gauze cylinder of the ordinary construction to separate
therefrom the dust, stones and other extraneous matters it may contain, and
I then submit it to a damping process; this damping may be effected either
by passing the grain through a water bath or by sprinkling water thereon
while the grain is kept in motion by a stirrer or by a traversing Archi-
medean screw, or otherwise. When the grain is sufficiently and uniformly
damped I submit it to the decorticating and drying apparatus which forms
the subject of the present Invention; this apparatus may consist of one
or more machines, and the form of the apparatus may vary considerably,
but in all cases the same character of action will be preserved.
An efficient form of apparatus for some grain or seeds, and that which I
propose to use for decorticating corn, is shewn in the accompanying Drawing,
where Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a vertical section
taken through the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a cross section taken in
the line 1, 2, of Fig. 2.
A, A, is a vertical cylindrical case composed of perforated metal or woven
wire and strengthened by external vertical ribs A¹ which are bolted to upper
and lower floor plates B, B. In the centre of this case is mounted a rotary
spindle C which carries and sets in motion a series of decorticators; these
decorticators admit of modification in form, as will be presently explained, but
in all cases they will operate on the damp grain submitted to their action on
the centrifugal force principle. The upper end of the cylinder A is partially
closed by the upper floor plates, an opening being left at the centre to allow
the spindle C to pass out through the cylinder and to form an opening around
the spindle for the admission of the prepared grain to the cylinder. Fitted in
this opening is a conical hopper D, into which enters a spout E from a supply
trough E¹ provided with an Archimedian screw for traversing the grain to the
machine. The upper end of the spindle is fitted with a belt pulley C¹ for
driving it, and above this pulley and enclosed in a suitable case is a fan or
blower F (mounted on the top of the spindle) for exhausting air from the
cylinder at different levels. The first or uppermost decorticator, shewn at G,
is situate immediately below the hopper D; it consists of a kind of drum
composed of two metal discs connected together by short rods of square iron

page_text: set parallel to the spindle and equidistant, or nearly so, from each other. A
central hole is made in the upper disc, and the periphery of the drum is par-
tially closed by sheet iron, leaving only openings at regular intervals, as shewn
at g, g, Fig. 2. To give greater efficiency to the action of this decorticator,
the action of which I will presently explain, I connect with the under
surface of the drum a cylinder 9' armed with radial rods of square iron,
which extend nearly to the enclosing cylindrical case A. The second and
third decorticators G¹, G³, are similarly constructed, and being shewn in
section the details of their construction will be the better understood; they
are made fast to the spindle C, and therefore revolve all at the same speed.
Situate between the decorticators are the conical hoppers D1, D2, which
severally collect the corn as it falls from the decorticator above and guide it
down to the eye of the decorticator below. Let it now be supposed that a
continuous supply of corn is brought forward by the rotation of the Archime-
dian screw in the trough E¹ and discharged at a determined rate down the
spout E into the hopper D, and that rotary motion has been given to the
spindle C the corn will enter the eye of the decorticator G, and falling on the
lower disc will be whirled by centrifugal force towards the cylindrical case A,
beating in its course against the rods which stand up between the discs, and
it will ultimately escape into the case through the openings 9, g. As the
corn is thus brought into violent contact with the angular rods its outer skin
(softened as before mentioned by moisture) will be considerably disturbed
preparatory to its removal from the berry. The corn in passing out of the
openings g will next pass down between the cylinder g¹ and the case A,
and in doing so it will come under the action of the radial rods with which
that cylinder is armed; these rods, acting as beaters on the falling corn will
still further disturb and partially remove the outer skin, the loose particles of
which are carried away through a channel H by means of a current of air pro-
duced by an exhaust fan connected with an exhaust trunk I in connection with
the fan case. The corn now partially decorticated falls down the hopper D¹ into
the second decorticator G¹, which is constructed in a manner precisely similar
to the decorticator G; when the operation is still further advanced the detached
portions of the skin being in like manner removed by an exhaust current up
the channel H¹. The corn next falls down the hopper D' and the operation
is completed by the decorticator G³, the detached portions of the outer skin
being removed by a current of air passing up the channel H. The decorti-
cated corn now falls on to the bottom of the case A and is discharged through
an opening therein into any suitable receptacle, the discharge being facilitated
if required by means of a sweeper attached to the rotating shaft C. If it

page_text: should be found desirable to repeat the operation, that may be done by leading
the corn to a second decorticator or by returning it through the one from which
it has just been discharged; it may also be desirable to facilitate the drying
of the grain before its discharge from the decorticator by throwing a blast of
air into the lower part of the case A in addition to the currents set up by the
action of the exhaust fan.
As a modification of the decorticators I propose in some cases to substitute
a roughened cylindrical surface of iron for the radial rods on the cylinder g¹,
increasing the diameter of the cylinder proportionately that it may approach
near the inner periphery of the case A. This arrangement is shewn in plan and
sectional elevation at Figures 4; the discs also which carry the vertical rods
may be made convex or concave, as shewn at Figures 5, or a single disc may
be used, as shewn at Fig. 6, to carry the vertical rods.
I would here remark that the above described arrangement of centrifugal
decorticators may be beneficially used upon dry as well as upon damped corn.
When operating upon dry corn it will act as a smutter as well as a decorti-
cator, and the exhaust will greatly facilitate the removal of the dust and other
refuse contained in the corn.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "An Improved Mode
of and Apparatus for Decorticating and Drying Corn and other Grain," and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be under-
stood that I claim constructing decorticating apparatus, as above described,
and admitting thereto currents of air for the purpose above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jonah Hadley, have hereunto set my
band and seal, the Second day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFatt,
66, Chancery Lane.
JONAH HADLEY. (L.S.)