IMPROVEMENTS IN SIEVES FOR SIFTING GRAIN AND SEEDS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Randal Vogan, junior, of Backheath, in the County of
Kent, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIEVES FOR
SIFTING GRAIN AND SEEDS."
Sealed the 30th September 1876, and dated the 7th June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Randal Vogan at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th June 1876.
RANDAL VOGAN, junior, of Blackheath, in the County of Kent, Gentleman.
“IMPROVEMENTS IN SIEVES FOR SIFTING GRAIN AND SEEDS."
Great difficulty has hitherto been experienced in the sifting or separating of
grain and seeds having different forms, as, for instance, oats and peas, when two
such kinds of grain or seeds have grown or become mixed together.
The object of this Invention is to construct a sieve which will properly sift or
separate various kinds of grain and seeds when they have become mixed. To this
end I construct the sieve with a number of corrugations, which corrugations should
be raised at right angles from the base, and arranged longitudinally to the sieve.
The grains or seeds are allowed to fall on to the upper end of the sieve, to which
a reciprocrating motion is given. By this means the long shaped seeds or grains
assume a position in the direction of the motion given, and are driven lengthwise
through the holes in the upright sides of the rectangular corrugations into a recep-
tacle placed underneath, while the remaining seeds or grains will run down the sieve
(which is placed at a slight incline for that purpose) into another receptacle; thus a
complete separation of the different grains and seeds will be effected. This sieve
will sift more effectively than the ordinary flat sieve, as the sifting surface is
doubled in area, and the corrugations will have the effect of turning over the grains
or seeds.

page_text: Great difficulty has hitherto been experienced in the sifting or separating of
grain and seeds having different forms, as, for instance, oats and peas, when two
such kinds of grain or seeds have grown or become mixed together.
The object of this Invention is to construct a sieve which will properly sift or
separate various kinds of grain and seeds when they have become mixed. To this 5
end I construct the sieve with a number of hollow raised ribs or corrugations, which
corrugations or hollow ribs should be raised at right angles from the base, and
arranged longitudinally to the sieve, and parallel to each other.
The grains or seeds are allowed to fall on to the upper end of the sieve, to which
a lateral or sideway reciprocating motion is given, so that the grain or seeds, by the 1
shaking motion, will pass down from the upper to the lower end of the sieve in a
zig-zag direction.
By the lateral shaking motion the long shaped seeds or grains will be caused to
assuine a position parallel to the direction of the motion imparted to the sieve, that
is across the sieve and with their ends pointing to the raised hollow ribs. By the
shaking motion of the sieve the long pointed grains will be driven lengthwise
through the holes in the upright sides of the rectangular hollow ribs or corrugations,
and will fall into a receptacle placed underneath for the purpose, while the remaining
seeds or grains will run down the sieve (which is placed at a slight incline for that
purpose) into another receptacle. By this means a complete separation of the
different grains and seeds will be effected.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a front view, and Fig. 2 a side view of
one of my improved sieves, suitable for separating long grains or seeds from rounder
or shorter ones.
The sifting or screening surface a, a, is made of wire gauze or perforated metal,
the latter by preference. The holes or perforations should be of such a size and
form as to allow small and long grains like oats to pass through into the corrugated
parts a, a, of the screen, but will not admit such grains as peas, beans, wheat, &c.
The perforated metal screen is secured by nails, screws, or otherwise on to a wooden
.franie b, b.
It will be seen that the screen is placed at a slight inclination, as already men-
tioned, so that by imparting to it a reciprocating lateral shaking motion the grains
will be made to pass down the perforated metal surface in a zig-zag direction, whereby
they will be alternately thrown to the right and left against the raised corrugated
parts of the screen. By this means the long grains will pass through the perforated
sides of the corrugated parts and will be thereby separated from the other seeds,
which will ultimately be deposited in any suitable receptacle placed at the lower
end of the screen for the purpose.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Sieves for Sifting
Grains and Seeds," and having explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent, as aforesaid, con-
structing screens (for sifting or separating grains or seeds) with a series of raised
hollow ribs or corrugations, arranged parallel to each other, and longitudinally to
the sieve, as and for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Randal Vogan, junior, have hereunto set iny
hand and scal the Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.