Improvements in Machinery for Cleaning and Polishing Coffee.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 13th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 14th Oct., 1887.
[Communicated from abroad by THE FUNDICIOon de San Jose, in the Republic of
Costa Rica, and SENORES DON GASPAR ORLUÑO-Y-ORS, of the same place.]
Improvements in Machinery for Cleaning and Polishing Coffee.
I, NATHANIEL GREW, of Dashwood House, 9 New Broad Street, in the City of
London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
r
The object of these improvements in machinery, for cleaning and polishing coffee
Berries, is to enable the process to be carried out in a more expeditious manner than
at present, and the principle features of the improvements are as follows:-
:-
The unpolished coffee berries are introduced into cylinders, formed of wrought iron
or steel plates; the plates forming the lower half of the cylinder being perforated
with small holes, and the upper half of the cylinder being without such small holes.
Through the centre of the cylinder a shaft or axle passes, which is supported at each
end of the cylinder in suitable supports or bearings, and this shaft is revolved by
means of a driving pulley fixed outside the cylinder at one end of the shaft.
shaft or axle is provided with steel knives or blades fixed to the shaft close together,
or at small distances apart from one another. These knives have bosses which are
bored out to fit the central shaft, and, by means of set screws or pins, the knives
can be set at any required angle, or distances apart, in relation to one another.
This
The shaft being provided with a pulley at one end as before mentioned, can be
driven by means of a strap or otherwise together with the knives fixed thereto, within
the cylindrical case, at the speed which is best suited to the purpose to be effected,
and to the quality of the coffee berries to be operated upon.
At one end of the cylinder, and on its upper side, a hopper or funnel, of suitable
size to receive the unpolished coffee, is fixed; and, at the other end of the cylinder
but at its lower part an outlet spout is provided, through which the polished coffee
berries are discharged from the cylinder. Both inlet and outlet hoppers are also

page_text: provided, with slides or doors, to regulate the supply and discharge of the coffee
berries, and by which the time during which the berries are subjected to the operation
can be regulated.
The coffee berries are intended to be treated in the machine in conjunction with
water or not as may be found suitable to the qualities of coffee to be operated upon.
The holes in the lower part or half of the cylinder are to permit the water and
the refuse from the coffee berries to pass through and to be separated from the
cleaned and polished berries in the interior of the cylinder.
Dated 15th Donamber 1886

page_text: Fig. a transverse section, and
Figs. 5, 6 & 7 are various views of the knives pallets or beaters.
Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the holes or perforations in the lower part of the
cylinder or drum.
The unpolished coffee berries are introduced into a cylinder a formed of plate of
wrought iron, steel, or other suitable material; the plates forming the lower half of
the cylinder being perforated with small holes a¹ or I may use woven wire or laid
rods in view of such perforated plates; and the upper half is unperforated.
Through the centre of the cylinder a shaft or axle 6 passes, being supported at each
end of the cylinder in suitable bearings c, c, carried by the brackets or supports c¹, on
the ends of the cylinder a, the legs of the cylinder being securely bolted to a strong
frame c*.
The shaft or axle b is rotated by means of a driving pulley d fixed on one end of
the shaft b. The end of the shaft b, beyond the driving pulley d, and the loose
pulley d', is supported in the bearing carriage ; this latter carriage being also
similarly bolted to the frame ct.
The shaft or axle b is provided with a series of steel knives or beaters e fixed to
the shaft 6 close together, or at small distances apart from one another, or in pairs, as
shewn in Fig. 2. These knives or beaters e have bosses e', which are bored out to
fit the central shaft b, and by means of set screws or pins e, the knives or beaters can
be set at any required angle, or distance apart, in relation to one another. The blades
and bosses e of the knives or beaters, are by preference made with roughened
surfaces. The shaft b being provided with a pulley or pulleys at one end as before
mentioned, can be driven by means of a strap or by other suitable means together
with the knives e fixed thereto, within the cylindrical case a, at the speed which is
best suited to the purpose to be effected, and the quality of the coffee berries to be

page_text: operated upon.
At one end of the cylinder b, and on its upper side, a hopper or
funnel f, of suitable size to receive the unpolished coffee, is fixed; and, at the other
end of the cylinder, but at its lower part, an outlet spout g is provided, through
which the polished coffee berries are discharged from the cylinder a.
Both the inlet hopper f, and outlet spout or shoot 9, are provided with slides or
doors f¹ and g¹ respectively, for the purpose of regulating the supply and discharge
of the coffee berries, and by which the time, during which the berries are subjected
to the operation, can be regulated. The above mentioned slide or door f is so
constructed that it can be secured by the screw f³ in any desired position; thus the
size of the opening, between the hopper f and the cylinder a, can be varied so as to
regulate the supply of berries into the cylinder a. The discharge shoot slide g' is
also provided with a set screw g³ for similarly securing it and regulating the
discharge of the berries.
The coffee berries are intended to be treated in the machine with or without the
addition of water, as may be found most suitable to the quality of the coffee to be
operated upon.
The holes or perforations a¹ in the lower part of the cylinder a, are provided to
permit the water, refuse and other foreign matter, separated from the coffee berries,
to pass through and be separated from the cleaned and polished berries in the interior
of the cylinder. The refuse and other foreign matter fall into the receptacle h below
the cylinder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In machinery for cleaning and polishing coffee berries, the application and use of
knives, pallets, or beaters, fitted to and revolving with a horizontal shaft within a
cylinder constructed as aforesaid, and operating with or without the addition of
water, substantially as herein before described and shewn on the drawings.
2. The application and use of the specially formed knives, pallets or beaters e e
as and for the purposes aforesaid, substantially as herein before described and shewn
in Figs. 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7, of the drawings.