IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SCREENING AND SIFTING COALS, CINDERS, AND OTHER MATTERS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ephraim Burton, of Clapton, in the County of
Middlesex, and John Lawrence, of Uckfield, in the County of
Sussex, Engineers, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR SCREENING AND SIFTING COALS, CINDERS, AND OTHER MATTERS."
Sealed the 28th August 1868, and dated the 3rd March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ephraim Burton and
John Lawrence at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 3rd March 1868.
We, EPHRAIM BURTON, of Clapton, in the County of Middlesex, and
JOHN LAWRENCE, of Uckfield, in the County of Sussex, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR SCREENING AND SIFTING COALS, CINDERS, AND OTHER MATTERS,"
to be as follows:-
According to our Invention we suspend two sieves one above the
other in a suitable framework by means of suspension rods formed of
lancewood or other pliant material. These sieves are placed in an
inclined position either parallel or otherwise, the lower end of the upper
sieve projecting beyond that of the lower one. The upper one of these
sieves is fed with the matters to be screened or sifted by means of an

page_text: endless belt carrying buckets or elevators, which belt passes round two
pullies, the lower one revolving in bearings near the ground where the
elevators are filled by hand or otherwise, the other or upper one being
mounted in bearings at the top of the framework of the machine above
the upper sieve, into which the elevators discharge their contents in
passing round the upper pulley. This pulley is driven by band or other
gearing communicating with any suitable motive power. The substances
passing through the upper sieve are received on a lower one having finer
meshes so as to permit of only the fine dust passing through, which
dust (the product of the two siftings) is then received in a hopper
conducting it into a suitable receptacle provided for the purpose. The
screened or sifted matters in the upper sieve pass down and out at its
lower and projecting end. In sifting cinders these matters in falling
from the sieve are subjected to the action of a blast of air produced by
a blower mounted under the sieve and driven by the motive power. By
this means we effect the further separation of the matters, viz., the
clinkers would fall directly to the ground, while the vegetable and
similar matters would be carried away by the blast, which would further
separate from them the paper and other light matters. The matters
which have passed through the upper sieve but remain in the lower one
pass out at its lower end and are collected in a suitable receptacle. In
order to facilitate the screening or sifting operation we impart a to-
and-fro shaking motion to the sieves by means of connecting rods
attached to each sieve and communicating with a cranked shaft driven
by the motive power, to permit of which motion the rods by which the
sieves are suspended are made of pliant material, as we prefer to attach
them rigidly to the framework and sieves. We further construct the
meshes of these sieves of square instead of oblong form as heretofore, by
which means the fouling or clogging of the meshes is lessened.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ephraim Burton and John Lawrence in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 2nd September 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, EPHRAIM
BURTON, of Clapton, in the County of Middlesex, and JOHN LAWRENCE,
of Uckfield, in the County of Sussex, Engineers, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Ephraim Burton and John Lawrence,
Her special licence that we, the said Ephraim Burton and John Lawrence,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Ephraim Burton and John Lawrence, our 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 MACHINERY
FOR SCREENING AND SIFTING COALS, CINDERS, AND OTHER MATTERS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Ephraim Burton and
John Lawrence, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, 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 we, the said Ephraim Burton and John
Lawrence, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters
and figures marked thereon (that is to say :-
According to our Invention we suspend two sieves one above the
other in a suitable framework by means of suspension rods formed
of lancewood or other pliant material. These sieves are placed in
an inclined position, either parallel or otherwise, the lower end of the
upper sieve projecting beyond that of the lower one.
The upper one
of these sieves is fed with the matters to be screened or sifted (such
as cinders) by means of an endless belt carrying buckets or elevators,
which belt passes round two pullies, the lower one revolving in
bearings near the ground where the elevators are filled by hand or
otherwise, the other or upper one being mounted in bearings at the
top of the framework of the machine above the upper sieve, into

page_text: which the elevators discharge their contents in passing round the
upper pulley; this pulley is driven by band or other gearing
communicating with
with any suitable power. The substances passing
through the upper sieve are received in the lower one, having finer
meshes, so as to permit only of the fine dust passing through,
which dust (the product of the two siftings) is then received in a
hopper conducting it into a receptacle provided for the purpose. The
screened or sifted matters in the upper sieve pass down and out at
its lower and projecting end. In sifting cinders these matters in
falling from the sieve are subjected to the action of a blast of air
produced by a blower mounted under the sieves and driven by the
motive power. By this means we effect the further separation of the
matters, viz., the clinkers or slag and other heavy substances would
fall directly to the ground, while the vegetable and similar matters
would be carried away by the blast which would further separate
from them the paper and other light matters. The matters which
have passed through the upper sieve but remain in the lower one
pass out at its lower end and are collected in a suitable receptacle.
In order to facilitate the screening or sifting operation we impart
a to-and-fro vibratory motion to the sieves by means of connecting
rods attached to each sieve, and communicating with a cranked
shaft driven by the motive power, to permit of which motion the
rods by which the sieves are suspended are made of pliant material,
we prefer to attach them rigidly to the framework and sieves.
We further construct the meshes of these sieves of square. instead
of oblong form as heretofore, by which means the fouling or clogging
of the meshes is lessened.
The accompanying Drawing represents a side elevation of our
machine for screening and sifting cinders and other matters.
A and B are the two sieves suspended one above the other on the
framework C by means of the suspension rods a, a, b, b, formed of
lancewood or other pliant material fixed at their ends to the sieves
A, B, and framing C. These sieves A, B, are placed in an inclined
position either parallel or otherwise, the lower end of the upper
sieve A projecting beyond that of the lower one as shown. The
upper sieve A is fed with the matters to be screened or sifted (such

page_text: as dust contractor's rubbish and cinders) by means of an endless
belt or chain c carrying buckets or elevators d. The chain c passes
round two pullies e, f, the lower one f revolving in bearings near
the ground where the elevators d are filled by hand or otherwise,
the upper pulley e being mounted in bearings at the top of the
framework of the machine above the upper sieve A, into which said
elevators d discharge their contents in passing round pulley e. This
pulley is driven by hand or other gearing communicating with a
driving shaft g operated by any suitable motive power. The substances
passing through the upper sieve A are received in the lower one B,
having finer meshes so as to permit only of the fine dust passing
through, which dust (the product of the two siftings) is then received
in a hopper D attached to sieve B which conducts it into a receptacle
provided for the purpose. The screened or sifted matters in the
upper sieve A pass down and out at its lower and projecting end.
In sifting cinders and rubbish these matters in falling from sieve A
are subjected to the action of a blast of air produced by a fan
blower E mounted under the sieves and driven by band gearing com-
municating with the driving shaft 9, as shown. By this means we
effect the further separation of the matters, as the clinkers or slag
and other heavy substances would fall directly to the ground, while
the vegetable and similar matters would be carried away by the blast,
which would further separate from them the paper and other light
matters. The matters which have passed through the upper sieves A
but remain on the sieve B pass out at the lower end into a shoot h
and are collected in a suitable receptacle. In order to facilitate the
screening or sifting operation we impart a to-and-fro vibratory motion
to the sieves by means of connecting rods i, k, attached to the sieves
A and B respectively, and communicating with a cranked shaft 7, the
cranks m, n, of which are set opposite one another, so as to cause
the sieves A, B, to move in contrary directions. By turning the shaft
one-half a revolution the sieves and connecting rods will be brought
to the position shown in red lines. Eccentrics may be employed instead
of cranks m, n, for imparting the vibratory motion to the sieves if
desired. To permit of this to-and-fro motion of the sieves the suspension
rods a, a, b, b, are, as before stated, made of pliant material, as we
prefer to attach them rigidly to the framework C and sieves.
We
further construct the meshes of the sieves employed in the screening
operation herein described of square instead of oblong form as heretofore,

page_text: by which means the fouling or clogging of the meshes is almost entirely
prevented.
The machine may, if desired, be placed on wheels to facilitate its
removal from place to place, and may be driven by hand power if
desired.
Having described the nature of our Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, we declare that what we claim as our Invention
to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,
sifting and screening coals, cinders, dust contractors' rubbish, sand,
'ballast, and other matters by the vibratory motion of sieves or screens
arranged to sort or separate the component parts assisted by a blast
of air in the manner herein-before described when such operation is
effected in machinery combined and arranged substantially in the
manner shown and described.
In witness whercof, I, the said Ephraim Burton, for myself and
on behalf of the said John Lawrence, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
A. M. CLARK,
Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
EPHRAIM BURTON. (L.S.)