AN IMPROVED PORTABLE THRASHING AND WINNOWING MACHINE, AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING SAME BY HORSE-POWER
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Gedge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th
February 1862.-A communication from abroad by Alexandro François
Serrin, of No. 15, Passage des Petites Ecuries, Paris, France.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the firm of John Gedge and Son, of
No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED PORTABLE
THRASHING AND WINNOWING MACHINE, AND APPARATUS FOR WORKING SAME BY
HORSE-POWER," (communicated to me from abroad by Alexandre François
Serrin, of No. 15, Passage des Petites Ecuries, Paris, France), to be as
follows:-
This improved portable thrashing machine is composed, firstly, of a thrasher
with iron shaft, having steel soldered in the ends; at one end is fixed.
a toothed gearing commanded by a vertical shaft, and at the other a pulley
working a helical screw. Secondly, of four iron cross bars with a core in the
centre, adjusted and fastened on the shaft, and carrying four iron rings, on
which are placed ten wooden bars or beaters covered on the top with iron
rounded at the angles and fastened with screws. Thirdly, of the shaft of the
thrasher supported at its ends by two tapped points of tempered steel in a nut
fixed by two bolts and screws on the cross piece. Fourthly, of an under or
counter thrasher forming the third of a circle composed of five arched pieces
fixed by tenon and mortice at the two ends with two iron bars (thicker.
than broad) placed. lengthwise, and forming the framing. This under or

page_text: counter thrasher is further composed of twenty-two iron bars partly adjusted
in three centre cross pieces, and rivited in the two other ends. The twenty-
two beaters or bars, and the two. forming framing are crossed by a hundred
iron wires, the whole forming an open bottom, each opening of which being
in form of parallelogram, and of such width that long straw and even ears
cannot pass into the iron tray or trough beneath the corn, and its husk alone
passing. Fifthly of two circular beams placed-against the two end panels,
having two ears each pierced with a hole, in which is set a tapped pin fastened
at back by a nut. This pin passes through the light wooden. panel in which
is a mortice covered with an iron plate, with another iron mortice let in
and fixed by screws. This plate is elbowed and pierced with a hole for the
passage of a ring screw, which receives at the bottom the pin, which traverses
the panel, and at the end a nut for raising and lowering at will. Sixthly, of
two spiral springs holding at one end a tapped rod with crotchet and adjusting
nut, to stretch the spring. and give. it the. required resisting power while
allowing the under or counter thrasher to lower when the supply of wheat is
too great, or some foreign substance finds its way into the machine. Seventhly,
of an iron tray or trough (enveloping the under or counter thrasher, and a
wooden grating in front) intended to receive the thrashed corn, which falls
directly into it. On the side of the winnower is an opening for exit of the
grain falling on the grating, between the under. or counter thrasher, and the
trough. Eighthly, of a helical screw. of tin with. twenty threads in its length
socketed on the shaft, and upheld at its extremities by two supports screwed
outside the panels, each support being pierced with a tapped hole traversed by:
a steel screw pin, which may be tightened at will. The object of this helical:
screw is to bring. the grain from the bottom of the tray. or trough near the
left to the opening made near the other extremity, and make it fall; on the
wire grating hereafter mentioned. The said helical screw is set in motion
by a pulley on a shaft connected by. a band with the pulley of the thrasher..
On the opposite part of the shaft of the helical screw is keyed an eccentric,
which works the winnowing grating by means of gearing fixed, in the centre
of the pannel by a pin with shoulder and nut. At one end the grating is
received by a hook or crochet, and at the other. by a flat piece, covered with
leather, to deaden the noise caused by the precipitate shock of the eccentric..
Ninthly, of a wire mesh grating, supported at one end: by one, crochet or
hook and at the other. by two. Tenthly, of a winnower composed of a sheet.
iron drum (in which is a ventilator), composed of four. iron bars forming
cross, and covered with sheets of metal mounted on an iron axle worked, by
the pulley of the helical screw. At the two ends of the drum are two openings

page_text: through the panels. Eleventhly, of the. chest of the ventilator, which is of
wood is united to the ventilator, and extends, to the other end of the thrashing
machine., In this space, and beneath, the wire mesh grating, is a conduit by
which the.winnowed grain is carried through an opening in the panel to the
exterior, where is an inclined board supported on brackets and intended to
receive the bad grain., Twelfthly, of a wooden grating composed of a framing
with eighty rounded rods, or bars nailed upon; it, and fifteen straight wires
passing through the rods. This grating prevents the long straw and the ears
from penetrating to the trough or tray. It is, fixed at, its, two ends on two
pivots, and is set in motion by two,eccentrics-fixed at the end of a shaft, which
crosses, the machine beneath the grating. At one end this shaft, is moved by
a band from a pulley of the helical screw, and by, the shape of the eccentrics
raises the grating leaving it to fall by its own weight, thus producing a shock,
which causes the straw to fall on to the large grating, which forms continuation
of the first, and the grain, to. pass through, to, the tray or trough. A small
wooden grating forms, continuation to the, under or counter thrasher, and is
constructed in the same manner as the aforesaid. At the end of the machine
on the side of the winnower is a support formed of four iron branches united
by a cross piece and nuts. In this cross piece is a tapped screw with well
tempered steel point to uphold a vertical shaft, which has at its extremity a
pulley carrying a band from the horse mill or apparatus hereafter described
or other motor, and at its base a toothed gearing. Above this toothed
gearing is a steel pivot carrying the point of the vertical shaft. Beneath the
counter thrasher is a Saint Andrew's cross of beech wood or other material
to keep the parts at proper distances, and steady the machine. The horse mill
or driving apparatus is composed of wooden beams forming cross, tied by iron
rebates above and below and fixed with bolts. At each end of this cross
are wooden brackets, and in the centre is placed a hollow. iron column within
which is a vertical shaft carrying a pinion. Above is a shoulder piece
receiving the toothed gearing, and at the top of the column is a bronze
bearing held by a press screw. The main gearing or cog on the column is
composed of six arms, and one hundred and ten teeth, and a projecting edge
is left for the friction roller. Above this toothed gearing is a clutch fixed by
a key and press screw to keep the gearing from rising. Above the main
gearing is the horizontal shaft placed on two iron supports with bronze
bearings, and having at one end a cog with thirty-two teeth. On the support
near the pinion is adjusted a spindle carrying at its extremity the friction
roller above-mentioned, the object of which is to prevent the rising of the
main gearing. Behind this support is a pair of beams fixed with cramps, and

page_text: screws on the cross beams. In the centre of the column is a pivot passing
through the cross beams and with a nut above. This pivot receives the
vertical shaft rising within the column, and which has near its lower end a
pinion with an inclined edge to receive the band. This pulley is loose on the
shaft and rests on a ratchet with ten teeth keyed on to the vertical shaft ; it
receives a spring and iron crotchet or dog nail to form the click, by means of
which the machine preserves its impulsion in case the horse should suddenly
stop. The beam of this horse mill is of oak, and fixed, by a bridle hook and
bolt or ring at the end, to the main gearing, and above the circle of this
gearing or cog, by a double-branched support fixed on the same toothed
gearing by two screws. This beam has a hook or crotchet near its other end
for the trace bar of the horse.