Improvements in Decorticating Apparatus.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 24th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 25th Nov., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Decorticating Apparatus.
We, JOSEPH JOHNSON of No. 17 Ashcroft Road, Mile End, London, E. Engineer
and CHARLES DUDDIN GREENLAND, South Grove Iron Works 610 Mile End Road,
London, E., Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The improvements according to our Invention relate to apparatus employed for
decorticating rice, grain, pepper and other berries or the like. Hitherto, apparatus
as devised and employed for the above purpose may be described in general terms as
comprising a revolving disc generally of emery-disposed concentrically within
either a fixed, or revolving perforated wire casing, or between rubber strips fixed
upon suitable segments.
Now, in accordance with our Invention the outer casing is disposed eccentrically
relatively to the revolving emery disc, or disc of other material above referred to,
and we cause said outer or enclosing casing to rotate at a considerably lower speed
relatively to that at which the enclosed disc above mentioned is driven or worked;
said outer disc is provided with the usual segmental pieces of rubber, wire or other
suitable material; and, by the arrangement above described, it follows that when
the apparatus is working, the intervening space between the faces of the segmental
pieces aforesaid and the enclosed revolving disc will be unequal; inasmuch as during
one portion of the travel of the outer casing provided with the segments aforesaid,
one segment will be in nearly close contact with the decorticating face of the central
enclosed revolving disc, and every segment of the series with which the outer casing
is provided, will in its turn arrive at the point of greatest friction, thus equalising
the wear of the segments, which latter may also be provided with the usual means
for regulation and adjustment.
By the means above described of giving an eccentric motion to the outer casing,
and bringing cach of the segments aforesaid in turn in close proximity to the central

page_text: decorticating disc, the operation of decorticating is much more perfectly effected, and
the rice, grain, pepper and other berries, or the like under treatment, will be better
distributed between the revolving surfaces than occurs when the said emery or other
decorticating disc is concentric with the outer casing and the segments aforesaid; in
addition to which, there is also far less risk of undue heating of the segments and
consequent injury to the substances being operated upon; as, during the interval of
the said segments coming in turn into contact with the central decorticating disc
there is sufficient time during rotation to allow of their becoming cool.
D
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10:1 T
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JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Decorticating Apparatus.
We JOSEPH JOHNSON of No. 17 Ashcroft Road, Mile End, London E., Engineer,
and CHARLES DUDDIN GREENLAND South Grove Iron Works, 610 Mile End Road,
London E. Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
in and by the following statement :-
In carrying out our invention we employ a revolving drum of stone, emery,
corundum or other material of a similar nature which revolves eccentrically within a
fixed or revolving perforated casing; the process of decortication of rice grain,
pepper or other berries being effected between adjustable blocks of india rubber
placed around, and concentric with said outer casing, and enclosing the eccentric
drum before mentioned.
In order that our Invention may be the better understood we have appended the
accompanying Sheet of drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a plan of the device
according to our Invention, partly in section, and Figure 2 represents a vertical
sectional elevation of the same drawn on line A. B. Figure 1.
Referring to said figures we construct a circular outer hollow metal casing E, having
formed upon each side, a toothed wheel F either cast upon, or fitted to said hollow
casing. Within said casing E, and rigidly attached thereto, are arranged segmental
blocks G, grooved for the admission of strips I of india rubber or other suitable
material. Backing pieces" EI of metal, wood, or other suitable material are fitted
outside of the segmental blocks G, in such a manner, that they may be pressed
towards the centre of the circular casing before referred to, by the action of the
screw studs J. J. which are screwed through the side of the casing, and abut against
the segmental backing pieces. The backing pieces H aforesaid, press against the
strips of india rubber I above referred to. The ordinary disc or drum C of stone,
emery, corundum, or other suitable material is suspended upon and receives rotary
motion from the shaft D, fixed eccentrically within the outer casing E, to which latter
rotary motion is imparted, by means of pinions gearing into the toothed wheels F,
forming the flanges of said casing, said motion being at a considerable lower rate of
speed than that of the enclosed disc or drum C. A circular frame of wire, gauge or
other suitable perforated material K, is fitted around the interior of the casing E
between the segments G enclosing the strips of india rubber I.
The manner in which the process of decortication is carried out by means of the
device or contrivance according to our Invention is as follows: that is to say:
a
The grain, rice, pepper, or like substances to be decorticated, are fed through
suitable hopper into the space L between the eccentric disc or drum C, which is
revolved by means of gearing or equivalent attachment to the shaft D, and the per-
forated frame K.
By reason of the eccentricity of the axis of the inner drum or disc C, relatively to
that of the outer casing E, the grain enters the space L, which, as the outer casing E,

page_text: and inner drum or disc Û rotate at their different rates of speed, gradually becomes
narrower until said grain passes between said inner drum or disc, and the strips of
india rubber I, and thus becomes decorticated by attrition; it then passes through
the perforations of the frame K, and thence through a suitable opening, in the outer
case E.
When the grain, rice, pepper or like substances enter the narrowest space between
the strips of india rubber H, and the periphery of the drum or disc C, the attrition
and friction are at their maximum; but, since the revolution of the outer casing
carries each individual segment G with its contained strips of india rubber I past
such point of maximum friction and attrition, said strips become cool before they are
again brought into the position above described. Ordinary wear may be compensated
for and adjustment effected by means of the set screws J, which are provided with
lock nuts M for fixing said adjustinent, and securing the same against the possibility
of alteration during working by vibration and other causes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1stly. The decorticating apparatus substantially as herein set forth and shewn in
the accompanying drawings.
2ndly. In an apparatus employed for purposes of decorticating, the use of an
outer casing disposed eccentrically relatively to the enclosed drum cr disc, the outer
or enclosing casing being rotated at a considerably lower speed relatively to that at
which the inner drum or disc is driven by which means the process of decortication
is perfectly effected, at the same time, the point of greatest attrition and friction
being circumferentially varied by said eccentricity, undue heating and irregular wear
are prevented substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 24th day of Ontohar 1887
JAMES
STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicants.