IMPROVEMENTS IN DRESSING, SEPARATING, AND CLEANING SEEDS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THOSE .PURPOSES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Scott, of Drummond Street, Euston Square,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DRESSING, SEPARATING, AND CLEANING SEEDS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THOSE
. PURPOSES."
Sealed the 31st December 1858, and dated the 3rd July 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Scott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd July 1858.
I, THOMAS SCOTT, of Drummond Street, Euston Square, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DRESSING, SEPARATING, AND CLEANING SEEDS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR
THOSE PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
Carrot seeds, and the seeds of some sorts of weeds and other seeds, have
beards, or tails, or down, or husks, or hulls; grass seed is often mixed with the
seeds of weeds having horns or tails, and also with round or other shaped seeds.
I cause the grass seed to descend from a hopper on to a vibrating or reci-
procating table or sieve with longitudinal bars or spaces, and either horizontal
or inclined upwards or downwards, and from which it falls on one or more
sloping sieves or gratings with. longitudinal bars or spaces. The grass seed
slides down and off the end of the sieve, while the tailed or horned seeds fall
with a spiral motion, or in such a position as to pass through the longitudinal
spaces of the sieve. The first reciprocating sieve also separates a portion of

page_text: these seeds, and of the small round seeds which may have been mixed with
the grass seed. I sometimes project the seeds by centrifrugal or other force, and
allow them to fall upon the aforesaid sieve or grating; or, in some cases, the
seeds being projected to different distances according to their weight or form,
are received in different boxes or receptacles provided or not with sieves or
screens. For cleaning or dressing carrot seed and similar seeds, so as to re-
move the tails, beards, husks, or hulls from them, I employ one or more
cylinders or cones covered with wire card or metallic brushes, or punched or
perforated metal or other suitable rough surface, which is inclosed in a cylin-
drical or other sieve or wire gauze casing. Or the wire cards or brushes
may be arranged on a disc or plate, which may revolve over or in proximity
to a fixed plate or sieve, or the apparatus may be made in a spiral form. In
either case the carrot seed or other seed is introduced between the two sur-
faces, and the tails or beards or husks are rubbed off, and passed through the
sieve or wire gauze. The carrot seed may pass out at the end or sides, or it
may pass through with the detached tails or beards, and be afterwards separated
by sifting, winnowing, or otherwise. The wire gauze casing may fit the wire
card surface, or may approach or touch it at certain points, or may have
cavities or recesses at intervals, and may be adjusted by screws or other
I sometimes apply a gentle heat for drying the seed or facilitating the
operation by means of gas burners or other heating apparatus. The last
portions of the tails or down may be removed by means of sieves with rubbers,
which rub them through the sieve while the seed passes off at the end or side.
This rubbing apparatus may also be used in combination with a winnowing
machine, or with the machines herein-before mentioned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st January 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
SCOTT, of Drummond Street, Euston Square, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,

page_text: the said Thomas Scott, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Scott, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Scott, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DRESSING, SEPARATING, AND CLEANING SEEDS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THOSE
PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas
Scott, 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 Thomas Scott, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
Carrot seeds, and the seeds of some sorts of weeds and other seeds, have beards,
or tails, or down, or husks, or hulls. Grass seed is often mixed with the seeds
of weeds having borns or tails, and also with round or other shaped seeds. I
cause the grass seed to descend from a hopper on to a vibrating or recipro-
cating table or sieve, with longitudinal bars or spaces, and either horizontal or
inclined upwards or downwards, and from which it falls on one or more sloping
sieves or gratings with longitudinal bars or spaces. The grass seed slides
down and off the end of the sieve, while the tailed or horned seeds fall with a
spiral motion, or in such a position as to pass through the longitudinal spaces
of the sieve. The first reciprocating sieve also separates a portion of these
seeds, and of the small round seeds which may have been mixed with the
grass seed. I sometimes project the seeds by centrifugal or other force, and
allow them to fall upon the aforesaid sieve or grating; or, in some cases, the
seeds being projected to different distances according to their weight or form, are
received in different boxes or receptacles provided or not with sieves or screens.
For cleaning or dressing carrot seed and similar seeds so as to remove the
tails, beards, husks, or hulls from them, I employ one or more cylinders or
cones covered with wire card or metallic brushes, or punched or perforated
metal or other suitable rough surface, which is inclosed in a cylindrical or

page_text: other sieve, or wire gauze casing. Or the wire cards or brushes may be
arranged on a disc or plate, which may revolve over or in proximity to a fixed
plate or sieve, or the apparatus may be made in a spiral form. In either case
the carrot seed or other seed is introduced between the two surfaces, and the
tails or beards or husks are rubbed off and pass through the sieve or wire gauze.
The carrot seed may pass out at the end or sides, or it may pass through with
the detached tails or beards, and be afterwards separated by sifting, winnowing,
or otherwise. The wire gauze casing may fit the wire card surface, or may.
approach or touch it at certain points, or may have cavities or recesses at
intervals, and may be adjusted by screws or other means. I sometimes apply
a gentle heat for drying the seed or facilitating the operation, by means of gas
burners or other heating apparatus. The last portions of the tails or down.
may be removed by means of sieves with rubbers, which rub them through
the sieve while the seed passes off at the end or side. This rubbing apparatus
may also be used in combination with a winnowing machine, or with the
machines herein-before mentioned.
Figure 1, Sheet I., of the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal section,.
and Figure 2 is an end view, of a machine or apparatus. for dressing,
separating, or cleaning grass seed according to my Invention. A is a hopper
with a slide a for adjusting or closing the aperture at the bottom; B is a
vibrating sieve suspended by links b, b, and driven backwards and forwards by
à connecting rod c and crank d, which is driven by a band passing round a
pulleye on the crank shaft, and another pulley f on the main shaft C, which.
may be turned by hand by means of the winch D, or by a steam engine or other
power; E is a box which receives the dust and dirt and any small seeds which
are shaken through the sieve B. The shaft C carries another pulley g, round
which passes a band which drives a pulley on the spindle of a blowing fan
or winnower F. The air from the fan F is conducted up a spout or trunk G
with an adjustable opening, and is directed upon the seed falling from the
sieve B. I is an aperture for the escape of the air and chaff or light particles;
J is a box or pocket; K is a sieve, which may be fixed or made capable of
adjustment to various angles; L is a tray or box under the sieve K, which
directs the matters passing through this sieve into the space.M; N and O are
two inclined sieves, with a space P under them to receive anything which
passes through them, and with two boxes Q, R, to receive all that passes off
the top of the sieves; S is a sort of cap or saddle to prevent any seeds from
falling between the tops of the sieves N, O; these sieves may be fixed or may
be capable of adjustment to various angles. The sieves N, O, K, and B, are
constructed with longitudinal bars, as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, Sheet II..

page_text: Figure 3 is a plan, and Figure 4 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 5 is
a transverse section of a portion of the sieve; i, i, i, are longitudinal bars of
copper or other suitable material, having a bead along the top edge and mado
thinner beneath, so that anything passing through the top may escape freely
at the bottom. These bars may be made solid, or they may be made by
turning over the edge of a flat strip of metal, or plain flat strips of metal may
be used in lieu of them, or strips of metal of a triangular section may be
employed. They may be adjustable at various distances apart to adapt them
for different sorts of seeds. These bars are kept at the proper distance apart
by small pieces of metal k, k, and are held together by a wire or rod passing
through them, or in any other convenient manner. The pieces k, k, are of
angular form at the top, and are kept a little below the bead, so that they do
not obstruct the passage of the seeds like the cross wires of an ordinary sieve.
Moreover, the bars i, i, are so much stronger and stiffer than the wires of an
ordinary sieve, that much fewer transverse supports are required. The bars
of all the sieves are so close together that the good grass seed cannot pass
through.
The action of this machine is as follows:-The grass seed to be cleaned is
thrown into the hopper A, and allowed to fall on the sieve B, which is kept in
rapid vibration by turning the handle or winch D. The dust and small
particles of dirt and round seeds smaller than grass seed, and some of the
immature small and useless grass seed, pass through the sieve B into the box E.
The tailed or horned seeds of weeds, although smaller or thinuer than grass
seed, lie upon the sieve, and very few of them pass through; they are carried
forward with the grass seed by the vibration of the sieve, and fall over the end
into the blast of air from the fan. The lighter downy portions are thus blown
out at the opening I, while those which are rather heavier fall into the box J,
and those which are still heavier fall on the sieve K. The good grass seed
and the heavier horned or tailed seeds of weeds fall upon the sieves N, O.
The seeds are so shaken and separated by falling from the vibrating sieve
through the blast of air that for the most part each seed falls separately through
the air. The grass seeds slide down the sieves into the boxes Q, R. The
horned or tailed seeds, on the contrary, fall like little darts or arrows,
frequently acquiring a revolving or spiral motion, and they thus
pass between
the longitudinal bars and into the space P. A similar effect takes place with
the lighter seeds, which fall on the sieve K, and a portion of rather lighter
grass seed runs off the lower end of this sieve. If any grass seed should be
found in the box J, it will be of inferior quality. The heaviest clean grass
seed is received in the box R, and the next heaviest in the box Q, and a

page_text: rather lighter seed runs off the sieve K. Instead of the three sieves K, N, O,
four or more may be employed, so as to separate the grass seed into a greater
number of qualities. These sieves may be fixed, or they may have a vibrating
or jogging motion, to prevent any choking or accumulation of the seeds on
them. This machine admits of several modifications. Thus a plain vibrating
table or tray may be used in lieu of the vibrating sieve B, or a revolving or
centrifugal wheel or fan may be employed for scattering the seed and throwing
it on the sieves N and O. The blowing or winnowing fan may also be
dispensed with.
Figure 6, Sheet II., is a longitudinal section, and Figure 7 is an end view
of a machine in which the seed is thrown into the air by centrifugal force.
A is the hopper with its slide a; B is the vibrating sieve, driven by a con-
necting rod c and crank d, which is driven by a band passing round a pulley c
on the crank shaft, and another pulley f on the main shaft C, which may be
turned by hand by means of the winch D, or by a steam engine or otherwise.
E is a box, which receives the dust and dirt, and any small seeds which are
shaken through the sieve B. The crank shaft carries another pulley g, round
which passes a band, which drives a pulley h on the spindle of a centrifugal
beater or fan T, placed in a case or spout U; N and O are the two inclined
sieves, with longitudinal bars, as before; and P is the space between them;
and Q and R are the boxes or spaces for the reception of the clean seed; S is
the saddle piece on the sieves N, O. The seed descends from the hopper A on
to the vibrating sieve B, and drops from the end of this sieve into the case U,
and is then thrown out of the spout by the rapid revolution of the centrifugal
beater T; it falls on the sieves N, O, and the grass seed slides off the sieve at
Qand R, while the horned or tailed ends of weeds pass through the sieves
into the space P. The arms or blades of the beater T may be of different
Jengths, or placed at different angles, so as to throw the seeds to different
distances. A horizontal or inclined revolving disc, with or without arms or
blades upon it, may also be used to project the seed on to the sieves.
Figure 8 is a section of another arrangement of apparatus which may be
substituted for the centrifugal beater, and the upper part of the apparatus
shewn in Figures 7 and 8. A is the hopper, with its slide a; B is a
vibrating sieve, driven by a connecting rod c and crank d; V is a table or tray;
and W is another table or tray, with two openings n, o, covered by coarse
sieves or wire netting. These trays are mounted in the same frame as the
sieve B, and vibrate with it; the seed is thus shaken over the end of the
tray V, and falls on the tray W, and thence through the openings n, o, on to
the sieves N, O, shewn in Figures 6 and 7. If too much of the seed should

page_text: pass through the opening n, a hole v may be made in the tray V, so as to
equalize the quantity falling on each sieve. Instead of the crank motion, the
vibrating sieves and trays may receive a jogging motion by being moved in one
direction by a cam or tappet, and allowed to return and strike against a stop
by the action of their own weight, or a spring or springs.
Figure 9, Sheet I., of the accompanying Drawings is a transverse vertical
section of a machine for cleaning carrot seed, constructed according to my
Invention; Figure 10 is a side view, partly in section, of the same.
A is a
hopper, into which the seed is thrown; in this hopper is a revolving cylinder
or drum B, carrying four brushes a, a, a, a, which run in contact or in close
proximity to a semicylindrical sieve or grating C, with meshes or openings
large enough to allow of the passage of the seeds. The seed falls into a case D,
which consists of wire gauze or similar fabric, supported by a coarse wire
netting, which is itself supported by bars or frames jointed together at d, d, d, d.
These frames are supported at the top by two blocks E, E, adjusted by screws,
and at the bottom by a lever, or a wedge not shewn in the Drawing. By
adjusting this lever or wedge and the blocks E, E, the distance of the wire
gauze case from the drum F is regulated. F is a drum, mounted on a'
spindle G, and covered with wire card similar to that employed for carding
cotton or other fibrous substances. By the revolution of the drum F, the
seeds are forcibly rubbed at the parts where the wire gauze approaches closest
to the drum, and they are rolled about in the cavities or recesses opposite
the joints d, and are again carried on and rubbed and rolled about until
the horns or tails are detached and reduced to powder or dust, and pass
with the seeds through the wire gauze,. and fall on the vibrating sieve H.
This sieve is suspended by links h, h, and is driven backwards and for-
wards by a connecting rod i and crank j on the spindle g, which carries a
pulley f, driven by a band from a pulley e on the shaft G. Another pulley c
on the shaft G drives a pulley 6 on the spindle of the brush drum B. The
shaft G may carry a fly wheel I, and may be driven by hand winches J, K, or
by a steam engine or otherwise. The horns and tails being reduced to dust,
pass through the vibrating sieve H into the space beneath, while the clean
carrot seed is shaken out at the end of the sieve, and falls on an inclined sieve
L, which is jointed to the sieve H at the upper end, and rests upon a roller or
bar at the lower end. M is a rubber, formed of a flat piece of wood, covered
with leather or plush, or other suitable material, and bevilled or curved at its
upper end. This rubber lies on the sieve L, being confined by a ledge at each
side of the sieve, and a bar or stop N on the frame of the machine. As the
sieve L moves backwards and forwards, the seeds pass under the rubber M,

page_text: which rubs off and through the sieve any slight portions of the horns which
may remain on the seeds, which finally pass off in a clean state from the lower
end of the sieve.
This machine admits of several modifications. Thus, the card cylinder or
drum F may be placed vertically or inclined, and the gauze may be made so
fine that the seed cannot pass through it, but is delivered at the end of the
cylinder, the horns or tails being delivered with it, or being rubbed through
the wire gauze. The drum and case may also be made conical instead of
cylindrical. The apparatus may also be constructed in a disc form, as shewn
in section in Figure 11, Sheet I., in which A is the hopper; D is a circular
sheet of wire gauze supported by bars or rings d, d, d; F is a circular disc,
with its under surface faced with wire card, and mounted on a spindle G,
which is driven by two bevil wheels H, I, and a spindle J and winch K; L is
a box or shoot which receives the seed and the horns or tails, and directs them
on to a vibrating sieve, or other means of separating them.
In this machine, and in those in which the seed and horns or tails are
delivered at one end of the card drum, it is not absolutely necessary that the
case should be of wire gauze or perforated, as it may be made without any
perforations, but I consider it preferable to employ wire gauze or other
perforated material. The wire card may be arranged in a spiral or helical
form on the disc, or cone, or cylinder. In lieu of giving motion to the card
surface, the case or wire gauze may be caused to revolve while the card sur-
face is stationary, and the card surface may be placed outside the wire gauze
surface instead of inside. Instead of separating the seeds from the detached
horns or tails by sifting, they may be separated by winnowing, by causing the
mixed seeds and tails to fall through a stream of air from a winnowing fan, as
herein-before described, or both operations of sifting and winnowing may be
employed. Instead of wire card, metallic brushes, or punched, or perforated
metal, like a nutmeg grater, or other suitable rough surface, may be employed,
although I believe the wire card to be the best material.
I have described the apparatus or machines particularly, in reference to the
dressing, separating, or cleaning of grass seed and carrot seed, but they may
be used for other seeds, the width of the spaces in the sieves and wire gauze
being varied according to the size or nature of the seeds operated upon. In
cleaning clover seed by the machinery shown in Figures 9 and 10, the seed will
be found to pass through the sieve H, while the refuse falls off the end of the
sieve, or is blown away when a fan or winnowing machine is used. In this
case, the sieve H is made with larger meshes than when used for carrot seed.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that what I
claim is,
First, dressing, separating, or cleaning seeds by projecting or dropping them
through the air in a regular manner by mechanical means, and allowing them
to fall through the air on to an inclined sieve or sieves with longitudinal bars
or spaces, as herein-before described.
Second, the application of wire card surfaces to dressing, separating, and
cleaning seeds, in manner herein-before described.
Third, the various arrangements of apparatus or machinery for dressing,
separating, and cleaning seeds, herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Scott, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
CHARLES COWPER,
20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, London.
THO. SCOTT. (L.S.)