IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SIFTING AND CLEANSING
Year: 1855

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Lamorock Flower and George
Augustus Dixon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents; with
their Petition, on the 17th January 1855.
We, LAMOROCK FLOWER, of No. 37, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, in
the County of Middlesex, and GEORGE AUGUSTUS DIXON, of Cobham Hall,
Stratford, in the County of Essex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SIFTING AND
CLEANSING" to be as follows:-
In order that the Invention may be better understood, we have hereunto
annexed a Sheet of Drawings with letters of reference marked thereon corre-
sponding to letters of reference on this Specification. The same letters refer
to the same parts in the various Figures.
Our machine is constructed with a series of sieves A, A1, A2, &c., made of
wood, iron, or other suitable material, with wire bottoms, or perforated iron or
other metal plates, wood, or other suitable material, placed one over the other,
and secured in a wood or iron box or frame B; the meshes or perforations
in the upper sieve A¹ are largest, and the sizes of the meshes or perforations of
each sieve are gradually smaller in succession from the top downwards. The
sieves may be either loose, hinged, or fixed to the box or frame B, and worked
together or separately. A hopper D is placed at the top to receive and convey
the materials to be sifted into the upper sieve A¹, and a shoot or trough C is
placed under either end or side of each sieve to convey or discharge the
materials sifted or cleansed into carts or where else required.

page_text: Now, the object of this. Invention is to apply the improved machinery
herein-after described, to give these several sieves a motion or series of motions
that will facilitate the action of the sieves, so as to cause the materials to be
sifted or cleansed with greater speed, than the usual method of sifting and
cleansing.
The hopper D for receiving the materials to be sifted or cleansed has one or
more rods, shafts, or axles D¹, D², having teeth, fingers,, or, arms placed at a
right or other suitable angle to the same, and made to revolve by any known
mechanical or other suitable means, for the purpose of separating or breaking
lumps of the material required to be sifted before it passes into the upper
sieve. The whole of the sieves are raised or lowered on the frame F by a
screw H, or other known means, so as to give the sieves any inclination
required to assist the discharge of the materials-when sifted.
The several motions for shaking, jolting, raising, or lowering the sieves
are as follows Between the bottom or bed of the box-B' and the bottom of
the outer frame El are fixed or placed 4 or more cup.
and ball movements J, J,
&c., the upper or inverted cup being shallow and of larger diameter than the
ball J', and the lower cup deeper and also of larger diameter than the 'ball, in
order to give play to the ball contained, between the two. Round the periphery
of each of the upper for lower cups is fixed "a ting J, of india-rubber; gutta
percha, cork; or other elastic material. The object of this arrangement is to
give an eccentric movement to the bali J; which elevates the box when moved
either longitudanȧlly or transversely-up the side of the cup, and ajolt. to
the box containing the sieves when the ball is impelled or struck against.the
elastic rim.
I
Another part of the Invention' consists of a rod of iron F; or other suitable
material, made of a waved or serpentine form in one part F1, and fixed hori-
zontally to the box or frame containing the sieves; with two revolving cylinders
or rods F placed vertically on each side of the wavy or serpentine part of the
rod, so that when the horizontal rod is drawn backward or forward, the wavy or
serpentine part strikes against the vertical" cylinders or rods, and causes a
jolting lateral movement.
A lateral motion is also obtained by fixing horizontal rods G1, G2, on each
side of the outer frame, to which are attached arms, cranks, or links G, G, &c.
to connect the sieves A; &c., or..box.B with the outer frame E; these arms
are placed horizontally to any given-angle, two or more on each side, and
parallel to each other, so that on the sieves being drawn forward the arms 'on
one side conie into a straight line, and cause the sieves to be shifted to the
greatest distance from the outer frame, while those on the other side are at an

page_text: acute angle and nearest to the outer frame, which action being alternated by
the sieves being drawn backward and forward, gives the motion required.
At the outer or discharging end, or by the side of each sieve, is placed a
shoot or trough C, one end of which passes a little way under the sieve and is
perforated, or has a wire bottom similar to the sieve, so as to allow the sifted
materials or water to pass through, and the other end of the shoot or trough is
plain, and conveys the material to the cart or spot where it is required to be
placed.
A up and down shake or jolting motion is given to the sieves, or box
containing the sieves, by means of one or more eccentric or jumping cams K
being fixed upon a shaft and worked under the sieves or box with a rod
connected with the sieves or box working into the same, so that as the cam
turns, the rod K¹ is raised to the extreme diameter of the cam, and falls down
on the cam passing under to the lowest diameter. The force of this movement
is moderated by means of an elastic block or band placed under the sieve or
box to receive the blow.
Another part of the Invention is for cleansing the materials while being
sifted, and consists of a cistern or reservoir L, with a perforated bottom L³, or
with a series of jets M, M, &c., or with perforated pipes or jets fixed over the
frame, through which water can be introduced to play upon the sieve A¹; shoot
C, or hopper D, when required.
The first power or motion may be given to the machine by any known
means, and the form of the sieves may be square, circular, or any other that
may be suitable. The machine may be either fixed or portable, on whicels or
rollers, and made of any suitable material.